[Bonus chapter]A Meeting with the Caretakers

"None," I responded firmly, shaking my head with resolution. "Chief, I want to meet with the caretakers. If they're the ones who presented me with these choices, then I want to bargain with them directly."

The Village Chief's eyebrows shot up in surprise, his eyes widening at my unexpected response. "You wish to bargain with the caretakers?" he repeated, clearly taken aback by my unexpected proposal.

"Yes," I affirmed, nodding in agreement with the Village Chief's statement. While the choices he presented were neither ideal nor terrible, I couldn't help but be drawn to the possibility of exploring an option of my own. It was worth a shot, and deep down, I had a strong belief that it would work.

However, my main concern lay with the receptiveness of the Caretakers themselves. Would they be open and willing to listen to what I had to say? That was the one lingering question that troubled me.