Eric glared at Max, pouted, and ordered: "Perfect timing. Max, go get so more animal fur. I’ll show everyone how it’s done from the beginning."
Max smiled and stood up, nodding to his father before heading back to the square to fetch the fur.
Eric cleared his throat and began to explain the uses of felt and yarn to the crowd. Felt could replace grass mats for padding beds, making them softer, while yarn could be woven into clothes, scarves, and gloves. Hearing this, Grass’s eyes lit up; she had a particular fondness for soft things.
The tribespeople gathered around to help. So washed the rabbit fur, while others started a fire to dry it on the heated bed. The well in the courtyard was now being used to its full potential, making it much more convenient to get water.
Rembering past winters when they had to break ice and lt snow for water—a process that wasted firewood and often broke the pottery jars—the tribespeople present recognized the convenience of the well. They all silently decided that their own hos must have a well in the future.
Max returned with a large pile of animal hides. Eric thought to himself that it was a waste to only use the fur, but since these were hides from low-level magical beasts, they wouldn’t fetch much in a trade anyway.
He blurted out: "It would be great if we could raise a flock of sheep in a pen. Sheep’s wool is the best for making yarn."
Max overheard this and fell into deep thought. The last ti Eric ntioned farming, he had thought it was unfeasible. But now, as Eric spoke of animal husbandry, his mind unconsciously began to calculate how it could be done.
As evening approached, the communal kitchen started serving dinner, but Eric’s yard was still crowded with people. Chief Joseph intended to lead the Dwarves back first to avoid "learning their secrets," but Thomas waved his hand to stop them.
"If you say that, does it an we can’t co over to help when you build your houses next year? What if we learn your construction skills?"
Chief Joseph roared with laughter at that. The two chiefs decided to have their people take turns; half would stay to watch, and the other half would go eat first. Eric couldn’t help but find it amusing, seeing everyone so engrossed in their work that they forgot to eat. He recalled that if his old boss had made him work overti without a al, he would have gone ho to stick pins in a voodoo doll and curse the boss with baldness.
Max, Michael, and Grass, of course, stayed behind. The heavy manual labor was handled by the Snow Wolves. Grass was assigned the task of spinning yarn. She was very skilled, and with just a little guidance from Eric, she got the hang of it.
Just as the atmosphere was buzzing with enthusiasm, Kevin and Sam arrived, looking resentful.
"Nice one! I knew you’d be up to sothing new, Eric! You guys have no loyalty, just running off like that!" Kevin only dared to point his finger at Michael as he complained.
The two newcors were imdiately drawn into the work. Sam and Kevin were tasked with making felt. This job required strength, which suited them perfectly. They joked around as they worked and soon finished a flat, evenly colored sheet of felt.
The atmosphere in the tribe today was as lively as the New Year festival. Together, everyone produced a huge pile of felt and yarn. Thomas, beaming with joy, directed the children to carry the finished products into the cellar of Eric’s house. Eric could only sigh, silently resolving that next year, he would have the Dwarves dig a very large cellar for Thomas, so he wouldn’t keep storing everything in his house.
Only when everyone had left did Eric have so ti to himself. He rembered the pieces of wild boar at still in the cellar and decided to make sausages and smoked at.
He deboned the at to make a large pot of broth, minced the flesh, and soaked the frozen pork intestines in cold water to soften them. He mixed the minced at with white wine, salt, pepper, and chili powder, then patiently used chopsticks to stuff the mixture into the intestines. Back in his old life, he had learned how to make sausages online to avoid buying "tainted at."
The pot of bone broth simring on the stove emitted a fragrant aroma. Leo, who had been playing in the snow all day, ran back inside. The little guy was cold to the touch, but his belly was still warm. Eric’s hands were freezing from his work, so he picked Leo up and hugged him like a little furnace, warming his hands while continuing his task.
Leo obediently curled up in his arms, offering up his soft, furry belly. The seasoned at filling was incredibly fragrant and looked appetizing. The scent wafted into Leo’s nose, and he opened his round eyes wide, his small nose twitching nonstop as he stared greedily at the finished sausages.
Eric chuckled and leaned down to kiss the top of the little guy’s head: "This is still raw. We have to dry it for a while. When we eat it, it needs to be stead or fried."
Ever since he started working in the kitchen, Sam had beco incredibly eager to learn. He had been squatting to one side for a while, observing intently. Following little Eric was a surefire way to improve his skills, and he couldn’t miss this opportunity.
The sausages were tied into strings and hung from the beams in the storage room. He also used a needle to poke a few small holes in the casings. He had intended to make so smoked at as well, but he couldn’t quite rember the process and had to put it aside for now.
He recalled how his grandmother used to dig a hole in the snowdrift to store things. In his hotown during winter, the outdoors was a giant natural refrigerator. He ran to the cellar, grabbed so wild fruits, and hid them inside the snowman’s belly.
"Oh my god, this snowman’s round belly is just like Sam’s," Kevin pointed at the snowman, laughing heartily.
Max paid no attention to their joking. He tore off a piece of grilled at and handed it to Eric: "Stop working and eat sothing. You haven’t eaten all day."
If he hadn’t ntioned it, Eric would have forgotten. Everyone had been so caught up in making felt and yarn today, too excited to even feel hungry.
Seeing that Michael had already shared so at with Leo, he felt at ease and took a bite, his other hand still stirring the pot of bone broth on the stove. The thick sauce coated the large bones, making everyone’s mouth water.
Today had been a fruitful day; it would be a sha not to celebrate. Eric ran down to the cellar to get so wine, and Max stood up to follow and help.
"Just get a little white wine!" Michael shouted after them: "I’m still scared from being dead drunk last ti!"
Kevin also nodded vigorously. The last ti he got blackout drunk, Sam had rested his foot on his face all night without him knowing. It made his face have a faint sll of feet the next day...
Eric just smiled and waved back. He poured half a flask of white wine, took so berry wine and fruits, and handed them to Max to carry. He told himself that although he was a bit angry about what happened that morning, he might as well take advantage of the free labor.
Lost in thought, his wrist was suddenly grabbed by Max. He turned his head in confusion and t Max’s deep gaze. Max unfastened the cloth pouch from his waist, placed it in Eric’s hand, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He opened the pouch and was stunned. Inside was filled with magic cores of various colors. Each one radiated a powerful light, and so were even larger than a fourth-level magic core. He knew that to have collected this many, Max must have been saving for a very long ti.
"Max, this is..."
"Don’t you like them? A gift for you, to use as decorations. A housewarming gift," Max said nonchalantly, as if he were just giving away a few marbles.
Use these as decorations? It would more likely attract thieves and robbers!
And why would he give him sothing so precious?
Eric scread internally.
He looked up at Max, then down at the pouch of magic cores.
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