9 Chapter 9 Furnace
Short 10 minutes walk and they arrived at elder moon house.
The house is better than the rest of the village mud house, it's using wood most of it and only half of it plastered by mud. The size of this house at least 5 times bigger than Lucis house and there's a small fences around it.
At the backyard, there's a pond 20 meter wide and surrounded by a fence 10 meter from the pond connecting to the fence surrounding the house.
"mister Lucis, please come in." elder moon greet them with a big smile like he's expecting his arrival. In fact he's been standing there with his bandaged arm since Dini left.
He quickly brought them inside. The inside is more simple. There's 2 small bedroom and the living room, there's a dinner table and stool around it.
"Luna, come, serve our guest some water." elder moon shout toward the back door.
"it's okay elder, let's just make it simple." Lucis smile politely.
"nonsense, if not for you, I'll be dead by now." the elder swipe his hand.
Not long after that, Luna walk in from the backyard holding a simple wooden tray with three wooden cup on it. She look beautiful similar to Dini, her only winning point is her skin more white and look more healthier than Dini that working under the sun. Overall, their clothes is all similary lush and patched that sometimes Lucis though everyone wear the same clothes throughout the village. Tear here and there and there no more color on it.
"these girls here would be popular if they're living on earth. Except for skinny, they look better than those idol. Almost everyone in this village is capable of becoming a cultivator" Lucis though as he nodded satisfied. Everyone except Lucis took his nod seriously.
"did Lucis like Luna." Dini look at Luna more developed breast than her. Luna is 18 this year so she's more mature than Dini.
"indeed, my granddaughter is the best in the whole village." elder moon brush his beard satisfied.
"is this the men grandfather told me about?" Luna sizing up Lucis every detail. Look better than all the men he ever saw and his expression giving off the aura of calm and mature. He really did look like a noble.
After Luna serve the water, she ran and sit beside Dini while continue analyzing every bit of Lucis. She's consider old enough to have children of her own in this village so she naturally want to marry available men as soon as she can.
While the city people didn't marry young like the villager. They mostly already have fiancee.
"elder, I'm here about the furnace. I hope I'm not to direct about it." Lucis look at Elder Moon. studying his expression.
"it's okay, Luna, fetch the furnace for mister Lucis." he brushed his beard again giving off the senior generation look.
"actually, this furnace belongs to one of my ancestors. It's been passed down to my generation and I gave it to my son.. alas.. " he close his eyes and shake his head like he have a deep regret.
Lucis nod with understanding, asking someone past is not his hobby and actually, he didn't even care in the first place. He barely remember their face anyway.
"mister Lucis." Luna put the cauldron on the table.
The cauldron have 3 leg and hole opening and two side that have slide lid. On top of, there's a simple lid with dragon carving but the carving is so bad like the person making this have no artistic talent at all. Moreover, the cauldron is rusted all over like it's been abandoned for years.
At this moment, not only Lucis, even Dini and Luna doubt this item is from their ancestors. It's look like they bought it with a couple bronze coin in the market.
"this is good. elder, how much are you willing to sell this?" Lucis force a smile on his face and secretly cursing elder moon.
"ahh.. I don't need your money.. I only need one favor from you." he stroke his beard like a wise elder in the immortal realm.
Lucis and Dini look at each other confused. What kind of favor he need from him? They barely know each other.
"elder, please, if I can do it I will do it."
"it's just a small favor. You can do it.." elder moon smile mischievously giving Lucis and the rest a bad feeling.
"you see, I'm growing older by the day and I'm worried about my granddaughter. Who will take care of him once I pass away.. " he look at Luna with melancholy.
"elder.. You mean?.." the bad premonition surging inside Lucis heart and a cold sweat on his back. He can faintly guess what's elder moon about to say at this point.
"please mister Lucis, take my granddaughter as your wife. I assure you she's the best wife material in this village."
Bam, just like that, he shot straight to the point. Luna face blushing red after hearing what her grandpa said.
"this.. " Lucis look at Luna blushing red and elder moon smiling happily.
"you see, I'm still new in this village. I don't think it's appropriate to move on with this topic so suddenly." Lucis cross his finger and sit straight trying to give some "I'm a senior too" effect.
"that's right, you shouldn't ask something like that elder moon." Dini sweating cold and forcing a smile on her face.
Elder mood suddenly realized that he's too much of a hurry capturing a good men for his granddaughter.
He let out a small cough embarrassig and look at the cauldron feeling very awkward.
Everyone stay silent look at each other but the damaged Luna got is the heaviest of them all. She's just got rejected. Her eyes slowly reddened. She feel like she wanted to jump in the hole to hide forever.
"ehem, will 1 gold coin is sufficient for this elder?" Lucis push one gold coin on the table towards elder moon breaking the awkward atmosphere.
'gold.. gold coin.. ' elder moon forgot to breath. He only got silver coins whenever the time to sell fish come and he budget those for him and Luna until the next time the merchant come again.
'gold.. Lucis already gave grandpa gold previously and he still have more.. how rich he is!' Dini hand shaking as she hold the cup on her hand.
"Mis.. Mister Lucis, what do you take me for." elder moon stroke his beard faster and faster. He's very much want that gold coin. Luckily, his wisdom come with his age and managed to restrain himself.
'too cheap? What the.. This junk barely have any worth.' Lucis frown.
He reach his pocket and grab all the silver he have and pile it on top of the gold coin.
"will this be enough?" Lucis feel down, he's really poor at this moment. He even considered running to the nearby town and look for the item himself instead.
"mister Lucis, what I mean is, you're paying too much. Just take it and consider this as payment for saving my life. I don't need these money." he feel like crying while saying it. He originally want Lucis to owe him a favor and slowly push his granddaughter to him.
"oh.. " Lucis scratch his head. He feel bad for thinking about elder moon like he thought. He forced a smile to break the awkward moment.
"then that's settled. I have to thank elder formally." he stand up and bow for elder generation.
"grandpa moon, I have to excuse myself here, I still have a lot of stuff I want to do." Lucis take small cauldron sizing it up again. Can't wait to test is.
"this.. alright.. let me send you guys out." the elder just barely calm down after looking at gold coin and suddenly, Lucis already wanted to leave.
They stand up and walk toward the door.
"this.. " Luna notice the coin still on the table. She quickly grab the coin and chase after Lucis on the front door.
"mister Lucis, your money." just when she's about to hand over the money, Lucis quickly grab her fist and stopping her.
"keep it, I heard that the merchant is coming soon. You can use it to buy some stuff you need." he said it casually but Luna taking it seriously. She stare at her hand where Lucis grab and blush red again.
"mister Lucis, I already said that you don't have to pay it." elder moon feel ache in his heart listening to the coin music in Luna fist. He really did want those coins.
"just take it as my gift, since I'm visiting without any gift." his face look serious and giving off the aura of authority cutting of any retort from elder moon.
"this.. " elder moon look at Luna hand that Lucis grab and Luna face that reddened embarrassing.
"then, I'll take my leave." Lucis turn around and walk faster before any more drama happening.
After Lucis and Dini disappeared, Luna quickly ran to her bedroom clenching her hand and jump on her bed. Don't know if she's feeling embarrassed or happy, elder moon just shake his head.
