Time ticked by, and Nyel's mind eventually wandered elsewhere. He had long stopped trying to make sense of the conversation between Allen and the captain. Not only because he didn't want to involve himself, but also because the places, persons, countries, and goods they talked about were foreign to him. They might as well be unintelligible gibberish and he wouldn't notice the difference. It was tiring trying to figure out what was what or what relationship this group of people had with other groups, which routes passed through which territories, and which ones were problematic, as well as what this or that trade of goods would imply, its pros and cons, and its impacts on the global market. Trying to make sense of their conversation was headache-inducing, and he could already feel his temples throb.
To begin with, Nyell was not very proficient in these kinds of matters, as trading in the jungle wasn't very elaborate. There were not many tribes to trade with, and the goods were pretty much the same from one place to another. It was usually useful parts of dead animals, such as leather, bones, claws, teeth, and fur, as well as food and medicinal plants. In the case of the Black Moon tribe, they most often traded parts of dead animals and jerky for medicinal plants that another tribe had in abundance. Their little part of the jungle was unsuitable for growing many herbs needed in shamanic concoctions, which was one of the reasons their shamanic traditions and knowledge slowly faded over the years.
'Even just finding a sleeping herb had been hell last time,' Nyell grimaced, remembering the horrible taste. He still held a grudge toward his father for bringing that horrible stuff back then. 'I sometimes wonder whether our ancestors had good foresight or were simply bloodthirsty brutes.'
Unlike many tribes that opted for the safest route of gathering, the Black Moon tribe's founders chose to focus on the roaming beasts and develop hunting techniques. At one point, they morphed into a warrior tribe, killing beasts daily until they ultimately had an abundance of leather, fur, and bones, which were valuable commodities for other tribes. Bones, fangs, and claws could be transformed into deadly weapons, while leather could be used to make clothes and blankets. Nights could be cold, and fur kept people warm. Jerky was also prized. A steady source of food was the most important thing to ensure one's survival in the jungle, and the Black Moon tribe was the primary supplier of meat. Hence, they were among the most sought-after trade partners in the jungle, and Nyell never encountered any difficulty in trading things with others.
In other words, the trading relationships in the jungle were straightforward, and Nyell genuinely couldn't understand why it seemed so complicated in the White Moon tribe. There were too many parameters to consider, and Nyell knew the conversation between Allen and the captain only scratched at the surface. He wasn't dumb, and if he forced himself, he might be able to follow what was going on. But he didn't want to. He didn't want to put it in the effort, and he'd rather remain blissfully unaware.
"You look bored out of your mind," Miell chuckled, interrupting his captain without a hint of hesitation or shyness, and pointed at the crow's nest perched atop the main mast. "Wanna climb it up? The view is superb from above. Or we can go explore every corner and cranny of the ship. You seemed quite interested in its layout earlier. Well, if my dear captain doesn't mind, of course."
The captain, who had been put on the spot, seemed to freeze. He slowly peered at his right-hand man with slight disapproval brewing in the depths of his eyes, not responding immediately. Instead, he glanced at Allen first as if asking for his opinion. It didn't escape Nyell. His mouth twitched, and he clenched his fists. What the heck? Allen was not his owner, and questions regarding his opinions on matters concerning himself should be directed at him, not the unrelated man standing beside him. Whether the White Moon tribe's chief said yes or not was worth shit if he wasn't also in agreement. So what if Allen was a man of high status? He didn't rule over him, and Nyell was just about to give the captain a piece of his mind when Allen opened his mouth, cutting him short and de-escalating the situation. Unlike what Nyell expected, he didn't address the merchant and turned toward him instead, asking with a strange gentleman-like smile:
"Would you like to?"
"Yeah," Nyell smiled back sweetly, although his eyes were cold. He was known to be petty, and he didn't think twice before snapping back, "Anything to get away from you. Some breather will do me good."
"That's a little bit harsh, don't you think?"
Nyell responded with a snort to Allen's faked hurt look, then stared at him with deadpan eyes. Who was he trying to fool? They both knew their relationship wasn't deep enough for him to feel upset by these words, or at least that was what Nyell thought and wanted to believe. Otherwise, it'd be admitting they had grown close enough to cause pain to each other with mere little words.
Thankfully, it didn't take long before Allen's wronged look vanished, replaced by an amused one. It was as expected, but Nyell unconsciously heaved a discreet sigh of relief. Now, Allen's attention went back to the captain, who appeared at a loss for words. It made Nyell raise an eyebrow. Why did everyone react so oddly whenever he bantered with Allen? Surely, he wasn't the only one to indulge in a bit of word fight with the man! That guy was so annoying that it was impossible not to argue with him. He spouted nonsense and acted all high and mighty at all times of the day. How could anyone tolerate his temper and teasing? Anyone with self-esteem wouldn't!
"Then, Captain, we still have much less to discuss, so would you mind if my companion explores your ship in the meantime? Of course, with your right-hand man in tow."
"Oh, I don't mind, not at all, even. And I'm sure Miell would rather show your companion around than listen to our boring discussion. Isn't that right?"
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Miell waved his hand, pretending not to notice the warning glare his captain threw his way. His easy-going attitude was starting to grow on Nyell. "Let's go, Nyell! If we climb up to the crow's nest, it'll make it easier for me to explain the ship layout. Interested?"
"Definitely," Nyell scoffed, deciding not to bother with the captain. His careful approach was getting on his nerves, and he'd rather have some fun elsewhere. And because Layla's mind also seemed to be elsewhere, Nyell hesitated a second before inviting her to tag along. "Want to come with us?"
As an answer, Layla tilted her head, as if unsure of what she had heard. When her brain seemed to have finally processed the words, sparkles lit up her eyes. She turned toward Allen and tugged his sleeve, silently asking for permission. Nyell wondered if she was asking out of obligation as his aide or because she was seeking authorization from her guardian. Honestly, he had a hunch it was the latter. Layla didn't appear to have a good grasp of what an aide was, much less how they should behave.
If Nyell was honest, he couldn't understand why she was named as Allen's aide to start with, although it might be due to her unfathomable strength. Still, he had seen too much of her irresponsible side these past few days while they navigated through the jungle for her title to make sense. Without Allen or Myrven to order her what to do, she was like a lost lamb who had no conception of common sense. It was so concerning that at one point, Nyell started to pay her more attention, just as he would have with his little sister. He was used to having someone to take care of, and the sense of loss had hit hard after leaving the tribe. It wasn't like he could babysit Allen or Myrven, who were both adults with a good presence of mind. Thus, his 'big brother' habits were gradually redirected toward Layla, as if he were unconsciously trying to fill a void. Fortunately, neither Myrven nor Allen had yet to comment on this change in his behavior, and they, along with Nyell, pretended not to have noticed.
No, in fact, Allen seemed glad about sharing the parenting duties with his destined mate and gave him more and more babysitting tasks. Nyell did his best not to think about the reason behind that and what it implied.
"If you want to go with him, you can," Allen smiled softly, ruffling the girl's short hair. "Just don't venture outside the ship, listen to Nyell, and come back when I call you. Is that alright with you?"
Layla furiously nodded as an answer, and not even a second later, she skipped to Nyell's side, tugging on his pants instead. Compared to him, she looked so small that she could be mistaken for a child. Joy brightened her face, and the emotionless expression from earlier disappeared. It somehow melted his heart, although Nyell would never admit it aloud. He gently pushed her toward the main mast, and Miell followed along. As Nyell left, he heard Allen speak from behind him:
"Let's move our talk to your cabin, shall we?"
The White Moon tribe's chief's voice was as amiable as earlier, but it seemed colder. It made Nyell frown for a moment. Why did Allen's previous courtesy seem fake now? Oh, whatever. He quickly chased the thought away. His ears must have been playing tricks on him. However, he might not have disregarded the disparity as fast if he had seen both Allen's and the captain's faces. He'd have noticed how icy Allen's smile had become, and how nervous the captain was.