Bound by Fear and Trust 6

Glok fell silent there, unsure of what to do besides staring back at the figure inside the iron Construct. He observed his three companions who were equally puzzled, wondering why they rose to their feet when none of them possessed healing magic. They also didn't know how to open the iron Construct, so why were they like this?

Fear still lingered in their hearts, but beyond that, there was another feeling that made them wonder. Was it okay to worry about him? Because he seemed unwilling to be approached and always exuded an aura that made them uncomfortable. It wasn't an aura of death or an aura attempting to oppress them, but for some reason, the room always felt heavier and the atmosphere, once filled with laughter, suddenly turned somber.

They had never felt this before. It was something entirely new, something that made them want to leave the room and breathe fresh air. For those who always lived with family, they would never understand the loneliness experienced by Ailord. Moreover, he always blamed himself to the point where feelings of resentment could be felt by others, causing them to choose to distance themselves rather than be near him.

Ailord also didn't feel guilty and preferred to be alone rather than rely on others. He had already made that mistake once, and he didn't want to have to experience the same thing again. What made him understand was that there were no real friends. There were only those who tried to take advantage of you, then discard you once you were no longer useful.

There was a possibility that they were helping him because they wanted something in return. Perhaps after witnessing how strong Walker was, they wanted him to assist them with something related to that. Maybe facing someone, a group of people, or a monster.

"Glok, what should we do?" Teena asked, slowly approaching him, then hiding behind Glok's broad back, which made her face blush.

Glok's friends saw her, sighed heavily, and walked toward the iron Construct with the figure inside staring at them more sharply. His steps briefly paused, but he gathered his courage and approached again. He placed his hand on the Construct's shoulder, saying, "Look, it's okay. There's no problem. He won't do anything to us."

Unbeknownst to him, Ailord tried hard to endure the pain to continue appearing strong in front of them, even though he felt like screaming. Only Glok noticed this, evident from the slight change in his facial expression, prompting him to rush over, pulling his friend's hand away while saying, "Don't touch him directly like that. Can't you see he's still not fully healed, Rako?"

Rako was surprised to see Glok caring so much for this stranger. Indeed, he was the one who saved him, but did it have to be overprotective like this?

"Ah, sorry. I just wanted to show that he won't do anything to us so we wouldn't feel too afraid," Rako explained while rubbing his arm that Glok had held earlier. It felt a bit numb, although Glok had no intention of causing that.

"We're not afraid, Rako. We're just cautious because—" He quickly stopped himself from speaking, almost revealing the secret that the figure inside the Construct was human. Not wanting to betray trust, his father had instructed him to keep this secret until they arrived at their destination. "Because... He's a Construct we've never seen before!" he exclaimed, a little too quickly, arousing suspicion.

"Glok, you're not hiding anything from us, are you?" Teena asked.

Before Glok could answer, the village head entered the room. Once again, his aura managed to make the four of them quickly turn their attention to him. "Oh? The Construct has awakened. Or more precisely, you, who control it, have awakened. How are you?" asked the village head with a distinctive voice that always made a knight bow in respect.

Glok forgot to inform them that the man didn't understand the language they were using. "Father, I forgot to tell you something."

"Hm? What is it?"

"He... doesn't understand our language."

Instantly, the room fell silent with a slightly eerie atmosphere, causing their hairs to stand on end.

It was impossible for someone not to recognize the language they were using. Although their accents differed, it was still the same language used by every other race. Rarely did any race use their own language nowadays, considering that each race had agreed to use a common language when they joined the union of the great kingdoms.

The mysterious iron Construct figure now became even more mysterious and unsettling.

"So, how has he managed to survive all this time? If he doesn't understand our language at all, it's impossible for him to gather materials to create that Construct. Not to mention the Mana Core," replied Rako, still incredulous at what he heard.

"Perhaps he's pretending?" Teena guessed.

Certainly, there was that possibility. However, Glok believed that the figure in front of them was not someone who would harbor a hidden agenda. "No, I'm sure he's not pretending."

"Oh? Is there a reason you're so trusting of him, besides the fact that he saved you, of course?" asked the father, curious about his son's decision.

"I'm not entirely sure either. However, when we fought together, he wasn't someone who used hidden methods, like poison and the like. He fought openly, giving his all without any intention of backing down, even though he was injured. A figure that makes me, filled with admiration. So, I believe, even though there's no concrete evidence to support it, he's someone we can trust," explained Glok, unaware that those blue eyes were gleaming with a wide smile.

The father, surprised that his son would give such high praise to a stranger. Moreover, Glok wasn't someone who was easily impressed by the strength of others, even when witnessing the power of heroes firsthand. They were indeed powerful, but they lacked one thing that made Glok worthy of idolizing them.

Unlike the father, they lacked compassion.

"With you judging him so highly, that's evidence enough, Glok," replied the father, patting his son's shoulder with a proud smile adorning his face. He then walked over to the wooden beam. "I also feel it, feel that the figure in front of us is not an ordinary person. But someone who is willing to sacrifice their life for others. An extraordinary figure. Isn't that right?" he asked the man while placing both hands on the wooden beam.

Ailord just stood there, completely unaware of what they were talking about. But he knew they were talking about him. However, what filled his mind at the moment was how a goblin could have such a large body.

In front of him now was a goblin towering in height, almost matching Walker's towering figure with a muscular body. Bigger than the goblin behind, the thief goblin. With just one look, he could tell that this figure was their leader. Most likely the father of the thief.

'But, what does he want? Why stop there and stare at me so intensely?' Ailord asked in his heart.

The village head smiled even wider and turned to face the four young adults. "In that case, your journey might become more difficult. Somehow, you need to make him understand what will happen and make him believe that this is the best path for his recovery."

"You wants us to make him understand?" Glok asked, confused. "Why not just take him there and do it according to the plan?"

"Do you want to be taken to a strange place by strangers and receive a magic you don't understand?" the village head countered with a grin, seeing his son realize his point.

"But how?" he asked again, truly not knowing what to do with someone who could only stand there without understanding a single word.

"Why asking me? You have to find that out by yourself," the village head came closer, placing both hands on Glok's shoulders and rocking back and forth repeatedly. "Come on, Glok, you can do it. You're the most expressive child! I believes you can make him understand, and not only that!" The father approached, whispering, "Once you're back, the party will be ready. So use this journey to express your feelings to her."

Glok's face flushed with sudden bursting enthusiasm, filling his heart. "Alright! I'll do it! Let's get ready to go!" Glok exclaimed as he ran out of the room, eager to marry Teena, who was bewildered to see him so spirited. It had been a long time since she last saw him smile so brightly, making Teena smile warmly as well.

Ailord observed it all, finding something and grinning behind his helmet. "Interesting."