Reincarnated with the Country System-Chapter 169: The Feast of the Taku

The sun began to slowly set behind the mountain peaks.

The sky changed colour from gold to orange.

Alberto sat in the centre of a large stone table, surrounded by towering statues of the Takuas.

They had held a feast to mark their arrival that night—a grand Apu Makani, a festival reserved for the highest honours.

The elder Naia stood. "Tonight, we welcome you as friends, as allies," she announced, her voice echoing across the courtyard. "The Takuas have not shared their sacred food with outsiders for generations, but you have earned our trust. Eat, drink."

A deep drumbeat echoed through the air, signalling the start of the festival.

The square, which was surrounded by massive stone pillars, came alive as attendants—strong Taku men and women—brought food on huge wooden platters.

Alberto and the others sat at a massive table carved from a single slab of mountain stone. The table was covered in a woven cloth of deep red and gold.

The first dishes to arrive were bowls of chuñ'ka, a rich stew made from mountain yams, river fish, and wild herbs. The aroma of slowly simmering spices—earthy cumin, smoky aji peppers, and fragrant huacatay—filled their nostrils.

Each bowl was served in a carved wooden bowl, steam rising like gentle threads. These were the traditional dishes of the Taku.

Then came pachamanca, a dish prepared with great ceremony.

The Taku cooked this dish using an ancient technique, simmering marinated meats—buffalo, river hog, and giant bird—under hot rocks buried in the ground. As the leaves and soil covering were removed, steam rose into the air, releasing an intoxicating aroma of garlic, chillies, and sacred herbs. The meat was served with roasted potatoes and golden corn.

The Taku warriors brought huge plates of anticucho, grilled slices of spicy buffalo heart and liver, the outside of which was charred and glistening in spicy oil. This dish was considered a warrior's food, the Taku people believed it provided great strength.

The most interesting of the dishes served here was the ki'uicha bread, a thick, nutty bread made from a grain harvested high in the mountains. It was served with wild bee honey collected from the forest and fermented fruit paste.

Alberto initially thought that the Taku food might not be so good. Because they were primitive people. Since he had read about it in history books. Where it was said that the tribal people used to eat simple raw and uncooked food. But here, his assumptions were completely overturned.

Although the Taku were primitive, they were more civilized than their time.

He tore off a piece of the huge loaf and put it in his mouth. He was surprised to taste it. It was very soft and delicately sweet. Which he had not expected at all.

For drinks, Taku poured a drink called chicha de jora, which the Taku made specially. It was a golden, frothy corn beer. It was served to them in clay pots.

The elders raised their glasses in honour of Alberto, and Alberto raised his own when he saw them.

Elizabeth Chichar took a cautious sip, her eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise. "Stronger than I expected," she commented, watching as Carl finished his cup in one gulp. She let out a sigh of satisfaction, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

But the crowning glory of the feast was the char'arki, thin slices of sun-dried buffalo meat, rubbed with salt and herbs. This delicious dish, full of strong but intense flavours, was the tastiest of Taku's dishes.

Alberto thought, { I should learn the process of making their dishes. If I could modify them a little, they could become very popular in my country. Besides, the Imperial chefs could make it even tastier.}

As they feasted, several people appeared in the middle of the square.

The Taku dancers—both men and women—were dressed in intricately woven robes of blue and gold. Feather headdresses adorned their heads.

The first dance, Inti Raymi, was a tribute to the moon god.

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The dancers moved to a slow, steady rhythm, their hands raised to the sky, their feet pounding the ground in a powerful, resonant rhythm. For the Taku, it was not just a dance—it was a prayer, a dance that called upon the gods for their continued blessings.

Then a group of warriors stepped forward, their bodies painted with swirling patterns of black and red. It was the Ch'aska war dance, a display of power and unity. The warriors beat their chests, their voices rising to the beat as they imitated battle formations—circling, charging, and leaping together. The wind shook with force, the ground shook with their movements.

Then came the Ka'hapak Nan dance, a mesmerizing display of agility and coordination. Young Taku men and women weaved intricate patterns between each other, their feet barely touching the ground, their arms moving in fluid motions like waves.

As the night drew on, the feasting and dancing came to an end.

Alberto and his group were then taken to the accommodations that had been prepared for them. This was the place that had been built for Rachel and her group in the first place.

It was not as large as the other Taku dwellings. Because the Taku had built it considering their size. The wood and stone items inside were also the right size for them.

Naia bid them farewell and left, and Alberto and the others entered.

After entering, Alberto sat on a stone chair.

"Ah, these chairs of theirs are very cold"

Elizabeth also sat on a chair and said "You're right, their chairs are very cold"

Then Alberto looked back at Rachel and said, "So, are there any other events for us to attend here? Or have the events here ended?"

"Your Majesty, there will be a strength tournament event tomorrow and after that their festival will end."

"They will fight"

"Yes, there is a fight here every four years and the winner of this fight is declared the next king."

"Hmm, then if the king loses here, he will no longer be king."

"You are right, Your Majesty. But I have heard that he has been winning this fight for the last 18 times and no one has ever defeated him so far and the chances of him losing this time are very low"

"Wait a minute... If he is 18, he has been ruling Taku for 72 years. But I thought he would be around 40"

"So from what I know he is at least over 100"

Then Elizabeth said "Then the reports were true. This island is a blessing for us"

"That is correct. But I am just wondering if there are mosquitoes here, I could not sleep properly due to the mosquito attacks while I was in Britannia"

Rachel said with a smile, "Don't worry. There are no mosquitoes here, and the ones that are there are very large, and they live in the northwest near the sacred mountain."

"Oh! I forgot about that. Our researchers were asking for their permission to do research on the sacred mountain. I need to talk to King Taku about it."

Rachel said, "I tried to talk to them about it but they didn't agree. But you can talk to them about it if you want. But we need to discuss it with them after tomorrow's ceremony."