Disputes and Requests
Alex was walking away when he heard Sheri's voice calling him from behind.
"We will be parting ways soon, right?" Sheri said, her tone a bit sad.
"I think so." Alex replied. " Bring me a quill, a pen and a paper." Alex told Sheri and walked away.
Sheri saw Alex walk away while tapping his fingers in the air and wanted to say something, but she decided to bring the things he asked for first and then thank him later.
Alex didn't go back to Lucas's house, instead he decided to head towards the blacksmith's shop to see if Old man Dreron needed help in moving away his things. If he was lucky, he could also borrow some glacier steel from the old man and use it for his new weapon.
This glacier steel was obviously better for the kind of weapon that Alex was looking for.
He was also tempted to try some dungeons to gather the materials he needed for his customized weapon, but when he remembered that the entire village was covered in the senses of the Apostles, he held back his urge.
Unluckily for Alex, Old man Dreron wasn't at home and the door was locked.
Alex was on his way back to meet Lucas when he incidentally happened to pass through the village chief's house.This time, be it intentionally or unintentionally, the sound barriers were put down and sounds of quarrels could be heard outside. A few young people of the village had also gathered there.
" Didn't you say that the lord gave you the treasure for the entire village and that it would be selfish of us to use it by ourselves? So now that I am taking away the villagers with me, why are you still selfishly keeping it to yourself? Hand over the cloak to me." Chester's loud voice was audible even from outside.
"But....." The village chief wanted to say something, but a third voice interrupted him.
"You should keep your word Chief Blacaw. And that cloak might even prove useful on our journey in fighting those mana beasts." Alex could remember that this was the voice of the tier 6 apostle that Chester was talking to earlier.
" Yes chief, I think you should hand it over to Master Chester. " The crowd outside the village chief's house said in unison.
'Such a basic setup, but it might proove effective.' Alex sighed. He was about to go back, but was stopped midway.
"Alright then, I will unseal this box, but you only want the cloak right?" Chief Blacaw said.
"Yes, what else from that trash can be useful?"
Chester retorted.
Cllicccckkkkk! Claacckkkk!
The sound of a lock being opened and a lid being lifted spread throughout the room and outside.
Alex froze in his place as a system notification appeared before him.
Container of World energy detected in the nearby area. Please get as close to the container as possible to start absorbing world energy.
[0.001 units of World energy absorbed.]
[0.001 units of World energy absorbed.]
[0.001 units of World energy absorbed.]
....
....
....
Alex was shocked. No wonder the apostle wanted that cloak. The cloak contained World energy in it. Although it was much less and apparently weaker than the source that Verenia had, it was still World energy.
Alex didn't know much about World energy, but what he knew was that the system required World energy to level up and that 1 unit of World energy was equivalent to one million exp or a hundred skill points.
For a moment, Alex considered barging in and snatching the container, but when he remembered that there was a tier 6 apostle and a tier 4 warrior coveting it, his intentions were washed away in cold water.
After some time, the World energy supply was cut off, most likely placed back in some cover that stopped it from seeping out. Alex walked away and finally reached Lucas's house.
Sheri was there, waiting for him at the door with the materials he had asked for, and a box in her hand. Alex didn't know what exactly was in the box but he was having a strange feeling about it.
" Alex, why did you take so long?" Sheri asked.
Alex could feel that this time, she was truly very sad.
Alex said nothing and took the quill pen and paper. He began drawing and writing something on the paper.
After half an hour, he finished and handed those papers back to Sheri.
It was the demonstrations of level1 and level2 basic spear wielding which he had bought not long ago from the system store.
" With this, you can definitely give that brother of yours a good beating. " Alex said to her.
" I won't need it anymore. We will be separated once again." Sheri said, trying to hold her tears in.
" This is for you." Sheri handed the box to Alex.
" I hope we can meet again sometime. " Sheri said to Alex.
"Isn't it too early to say goodbyes?" Alex asked her.
Sheri looked a bit conflicted about whether to tell Alex or not, but she made up her mind
"Even if Lord God is not here, the defensive barrier will still be intact, so my father, uncle Dreron and a few older people of the village have decided to stay here. I and Lucas have also decided to stay back to take care of them."
Alex now knew the reason for her goodbye, he did feel a bit sad for her, but it was her decision to stay and he had no say in it.
" Also, my father called you in the village meeting room." Sheri said and left.
Alex looked at the box that she had given him. He opened it, and immediately a sense of guilt emerged from his heart.
' I really shouldn't have tricked her.' Alex sighed.
Inside that box were the gold coins used in the godly domain, most likely it was all the money Sheri could gather.
Alex picked up the box and began moving to the village meeting room.
He knocked on the door and entered.
" Alex, right, this is the first time we are meeting. Please have a seat." The village chief said politely.
"You were looking for me, Chief Blacaw?" Alex asked as he put the box he was carrying on the table.
" Could you return this to Sheri for me?" Alex said, pushing the box towards the village chief.
Blacaw opened the box and a slight smile appeared on his face.
" No wonder my little girl was asking me for money, but you should keep it. And also..."
Blacaw pushed back the box towards Alex and took out another box from his drawer and opened it.
[Container of World energy detected. ]
[0.05 units of World energy absorbed]
[0.05 units of World energy absorbed]
[0.05 units of World energy absorbed]
....
....
....
Alex was amazed. Inside the box, there was a bracelet made of something like tree roots and it was covered in a bluish light.
" This bracelet was given to me by the Lord God when my little girl was born." the corners of Blacaw's mouth curled up in a smile when remembering this.
" Lord God said that this is an invaluable treasure that someone had given him and he was giving it to me."
" For some reason, this has been emitting this bluish light ever since you entered this village.
I am giving it to you."
Alex was immediately put on guard. There was no way that someone would give away their invaluable treasure to a stranger, no strings attached.
"What do you want?" Alex asked immediately.
"Don't worry, I just have a small favour to ask of you. You have already seen how innocent my little girl is. So, I want you to look after her when she leaves this village." Blacaw said, bowing down to Alex.
" You are asking me, a stranger, to look after your daughter rather than your own son." Alex asked.
" Sigh! That boy has been blinded by the greed of power. Also, it was decided that Sheri would inherit my title as the village chief, so she will be in the way of her brother. I don't know what exactly changed him so much, but I don't feel safe while handing her over to him. You on the other hand, despite being a stranger, my instincts as a parent tell me that my daughter will be safe with you. And also if possible, I request you to take Lucas with you too. I can bet that those two children are planning to stay back with us older people." Blacaw said.
"You are just handing over your daughter to a stranger just based on a hunch of yours. Isn't that quite irresponsible of you as a father?"
Alex asked.
"It is because I am a father that I am able to decide whom to hand her over to. Besides, I wasn't very sure when you got here, but now I am." Blacaw replied.
Alex scanned the bracelet.
[???????]
[World energy container. ]
[Effects : blessings of the world, purification, blessings of Xidryg.]
The system interface appeared.
'So this also contains blessings of the world.'
It would be a lie to say that Alex wasn't tempted, but he still decided to think it through properly before deciding.
Sheri was much stronger than him and with her absurd talent, she would only grow stronger, also she could be a great help ( best underling) who would do anything without asking much. There were many benefits of bringing her along, but with the help of the system, Alex could easily surpass her in growth, not to mention that he didn't have the heart to manipulate someone as naive as her.
While Alex was still contemplating what to do, the door of the room was opened and two people barged in, giving off the air of superiority.
Alex turned around to find Chester and the tier 6 apostle staring back at him.
" Lord Harmon, what can my unworthy self do for you?" Blacaw asked politely while standing up and offering his seat to the Apostle.