Troubled Village

Fifteen minutes prior to Alex's arrival, in a village not far from his smooth landing site, a gathering was taking place. The village's central house, which was relatively larger compared to the surrounding homes, served as the venue for this urgent meeting.

One villager voiced their concerns, "Elder, what are we going to do? Many of our fellow villagers have suddenly fallen ill, and their symptoms are diverse. Some are experiencing excruciating headaches, while others are writhing in terrible stomach pain. A few have even had seizures."

Another person chimed in with fear in their voice, "Perhaps this is a punishment from the gods for our transgressions."

A third villager suggested a practical course of action, "Elder, we should journey to the city and seek the aid of a healer."

The elder listened intently, their brow furrowed in deep thought. "I too wish to summon a healer," the elder admitted, "but we must consider the cost. They would demand payment that would drain us to the bone. Even if we could save some of our people for the moment, we would all perish from hunger in the end."

The village faced a dire situation, caught between the pressing need for medical aid and the grim reality of their limited resources.

As the villagers in the meeting room continued to grapple with the daunting challenge before them, the atmosphere remained heavy with uncertainty. Ideas and concerns were exchanged, but no clear solution had emerged.

In the midst of this collective pondering, a sudden disturbance shattered the room's solemnity. The door was thrust open with a force that demanded immediate attention.

"Who dares disturb this important meeting?" the elder demanded, their tone a mix of authority and irritation.

A breathless figure stood at the threshold, their face etched with a mixture of urgency and trepidation. "I-I'm sorry," the newcomer stammered, "but you all need to see this."

With the urgency of the newcomer's words hanging in the air, the room burst into a flurry of activity. The villagers inside wasted no time and swiftly followed the man as he raced back outside, eager to understand the nature of the urgent revelation.

Once outside, their eyes were met with a sight that left them awestruck and bewildered. The streets were filled with a growing crowd of people, all of whom were gazing skyward with a mixture of astonishment and apprehension. Their collective attention was fixated on a spectacle unfolding high above.

As the villagers looked up, they too saw what had captivated the onlookers. Falling from the sky was a figure, unmistakably human in form. While it was not uncommon to witness magical feats and beings in this world of wonders, the sight of a human descending from such great heights was an unprecedented event that left them in a state of disbelief.

Whispers and murmurs filled the air as the villagers tried to make sense of this extraordinary occurrence. They watched with bated breath as the figure drew nearer, the mystery of their unexpected guest deepening with each passing second.

Back in the present time the commotion and excitement in the village, a villager approached Alex with a look of awe and reverence in their eyes. They spoke in hushed tones, their voice tinged with a mixture of hope and trepidation, "Are you the messenger of the gods?"

Alex, still reeling from the astonishing proposition presented by the system and the perplexing events since his arrival, was now faced with a new layer of astonishment. His gaze darted around his surroundings, searching for any sign of the supposed messenger of the gods.

He then turned his attention back to the villager and asked, "Where?"

The villager's trembling hand pointed directly at Alex, their eyes never wavering from him. In that moment, the crowd around them seemed to hold its breath, awaiting his response and confirmation of their wildest hopes.

Alex's initial reaction was to glance behind him, half-expecting to see the messenger of the gods standing there. However, finding nothing unusual, he shifted his position to the left, following the direction indicated by the villager's pointed finger. He scanned the area where the man had pointed, but there was no one there—no divine messenger or any other extraordinary being.

Perplexed, Alex returned his gaze to the villager who had approached him. The villager's finger remained steadily fixed in his direction, tracking his movements as he shifted from side to side. It was as though the villager's gesture was following Alex, no matter where he moved.

In a moment of realization, Alex couldn't help but point at himself, seeking clarification. "Me?" he asked incredulously, his voice tinged with a mixture of amusement and confusion.

In response to the villagers' unanimous affirmation that he was indeed the messenger of the gods, Alex couldn't help but let out a bemused sigh. It seemed as though every nod from the villagers was synchronized, like a flock of chickens pecking at their food together.

Alex was on the verge of dismissing their belief, ready to refute their claim. However, just as he was about to speak his mind, the familiar chime of the system interrupted his thoughts.

Ting

"Alex," the system advised, "don't outright refute it. Keep your response vague. It will be easier for you to guide them if they continue to think of you as a higher being."

Alex hesitated, his expression shifting from one of disbelief to one that was more ambiguous. He tilted his head slightly, allowing a faint smile to form, and said, "Well, I wouldn't say I'm a messenger of the gods, but I did come from above, that's for sure."

His response was crafted in a way that neither confirmed nor denied their perception, leaving the villagers with a sense of wonder and curiosity. The crowd continued to regard him with reverence, believing that they had encountered a being from the heavens, their expectations and hopes hanging in the balance.

As Alex's ambiguous response hung in the air, a profound shift occurred among the villagers. In a synchronized and spontaneous gesture, they all dropped to their knees, their faces filled with a deep sense of reverence and awe. Their voices rose in unison as they began to offer prayers, their words filled with hope and devotion.

While the villagers prayed with utmost sincerity, Alex couldn't shake the comical image of himself as a deity in their eyes. He mused internally, "Well, this wasn't how I expected my day to go. I wonder if there's a 'Messiah 101' manual for this sort of thing."

Despite his amusement, the underlying worry still gnawed at him. As he watched the villagers pray with fervor, a thought crossed Alex's mind: "If they ever find out I'm not a divine being, will they try to roast me alive? I hope I don't end up as a well-done 'Alex steak' on their divine BBQ grill."

As the villagers continued their prayers and devotion, a woman stepped forward from the crowd. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she knelt before Alex, her voice quivering with emotion.

"Please have mercy, my lord," she implored, her plea filled with heartfelt anguish. "My only child and many of our fellow villagers are now on their deathbeds. She is all I have left in this world, my lord. Please, show mercy to us, lord."

Alex's heart went out to the woman, and he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of empathy for her anguish. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on him, and he realized that the villagers' belief in him was not just a matter of reverence; it was entwined with their hopes, their fears, and their desperate pleas for help.

Facing the heartfelt plea of the woman and the dire situation she described, Alex felt a profound sense of helplessness. He was not a doctor, and he had not brought any medical supplies or remedies with him to this world. In his desperation, he turned to the system for guidance, hoping for some way to help.

Ting

The system's response took him by surprise once again. "Host, if you need medicine, you can return to your world and bring it back with you," it suggested matter-of-factly.

Alex's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Why didn't you mention this earlier?" he exclaimed.

Ting

The system's reply was calmly straightforward. "You didn't ask, host."

Alex sighed in exasperation. "So, if I don't ask you specifically, am I just supposed to live in this world forever?"

As Alex continued to bicker mentally with the system, the village elder stepped forward, his voice carrying a tone of reprimand as he addressed Nivea. "Nivea, cease this at once. Do not be discourteous to our lord. He has only just arrived in our world; we should not burden him with our troubles."

The elder's words seemed to have an impact, and other villagers tried to gently pull Nivea back to the group. However, she remained steadfast, unwilling to abandon her plea for help.

Moved by Nivea's unwavering determination to help her child, Alex couldn't help but be touched by her devotion. He raised his hand in a gesture of peace and understanding, addressing her directly.

"You're a good mother, Nivea," he said with sincerity. "Your child is lucky to have you."

Nivea's eyes welled up with tears, and she responded with heartfelt emotion, "No, my lord. It is I who am fortunate to have her."

With the knowledge that he could return to his world and acquire the necessary medicine, Alex felt a surge of newfound confidence. He nodded with determination, his face adorned with a warm and reassuring smile.

"Of course, I will help you," he declared, his voice filled with determination. "The main reason I came to this world was to assist all living beings, after all."

While his words carried sincerity, Alex couldn't help but add a private thought to himself, "I'm not really lying, considering the system did mention that I must bring civilization to this world."