On the path of prosperity

At the advance of sunset, Ryu and Lyod found themselves at the purlieus of Dorothea's village. Men and children can be seen leading their herd of Suaros back from the pasturing lands.

Ryu's eyes took into account every single individual. There was a visible change in the atmosphere of the place. He can see the kids were a little more vibrant and the men didn't have the haggard looks on their faces anymore. If he stretch it, he might say they were cheerful.

"What happened? You look like you are going to cry any moment." Lyod had no idea why the boy choose to stop here and gaze at the villagers from a distance.

"Uhh.. no.. it's nothing like that." Ryu shook his head to get rid of the nostalgia that had taken him over. "I found them a lot more.. ah.. energetic than last time."

His words made Lyod take another glance. Ryu was right in his judgment, these people did look somewhat more resilient than the last time Lyod visited them with Sophia. "Hm.. you are right. I wonder why."

The fateful day Ryu first stepped into this village left a profound impression on his heart. Ever since the day Ryu had stepped into this world, there had never been another day that affected him more than the sheer destitution of the people here.

That was the day he was exposed to the stark realities of this world. Had the other human settlements like his hometown had not been blessed with the surviving plantations, their lives had not been any different from these deprived individuals.

If not for the fruits the plantations produced, human bodies will start losing their affinity with mana, eventually bringing their methodic demise.

"Are you two new here?" Suddenly, Ryu and Lyod found themselves surrounded by a herd as the animals circumvented around their steeds.

Ryu turned around to find a pair of very young boy and girl staring at them with big blinking eyes. The girl seemed to be the inquisitive one, pointing and questioning the newcomers.

"Yeah. Very new." Ryu jumped off his horse to meet the kids. He can not recall a single incident from the last time when the villagers had opened a communication from their end. But their mannerism had changed alongside their lifestyle.

"Ohh.. then do you know somebody around here? Are you planning to stay for the night?" The young girl bombarded him with rapid-firing questions, and Ryu liked it. He will take these lively kids any day over their earlier adaptation.

"Hahaha.." He had a hearty laughter, approaching the pair of siblings. "Yes, we do. We are friends of Mrs. Dorothea, she used to live here." It took the young ones some time to recall the name, giving Ryu the time to glance at the boy next to the girl.

'What a coincidence..' Ryu smiled, easily recalling the boy as the very one he found playing in the dirt when he directed him to locate the fruits he had left for them.

"You are friends with aunt Dorothy?" It was the shy boy who came up with the question this time around. Judging from his probing glance, he probably forgot all about him.

It was for the good, as far as Ryu was concerned. The best possible way to help these guys were to do it with anonymity. "Hn..? But did aunt Dorthy leave the village?" The girl added.

Ryu smiled back and let master Lyod retire back to Dorothea's old home. Once he left, he focussed his attention back on the siblings. "Yes, she left. Infact, she left with us."

"Then did you bring her back with you?" Her eyes brightened at the aspects, but Ryu can only shake his head. If not for Sophia demanding that Dorothea accompanied her to the capital, he would have certain brought her with him.

"Not this time. But next time she will be here with me, promise." His words did help subside the disappointment on their downcast faces. "Okay. Please remember to come back then." Both siblings passed on the most innocent smile to him, capable of melting anyone's heart. "I will." He answered.

"If Mrs. Dorthy is not here, where are you planning to stay?" The boy questioned and Ryu had a long discussion with the kids. Who would have believed this? Something so insignificant to him had caused such great transitions in these peoples' lives.

"Ohh.. then if you want, you can stay at our place. Our mum can cook for you guys for the night." Ryu loved the company of these kids and hence didn't refuse them. "Good, let's drop by your place then. But first.. here."

With a thought, two Nida fruits appeared in his hand and he handed them over to the siblings. "Ahh.. we.. we.. can't accept this.. big brother." The girl hesitated, not readily picking the juicy fruits from Ryu's hands.

Unlike her, the boy looked very much interested, but a glance from his sister derided him the opportunity to grab the fruit. "Haha.. no need to be shy. You guys are going to lead the way for me, aren't you? You can keep it as your fee."

The girl gulped once then gazed at the eager face of her brother. "Okay. We will accept it." She picked the fruit, but unlike the boy who almost immediately sank his teeth in the pulp, she tied hers into her baggy dress.

"Please follow us." The boy and girl led the way, followed by Ryu and his ride. Walking the same streets now felt quite a lot different. There were a lot many chuckles and arguments he could hear this time. All in all the atmosphere was lively.

People were no longer their fragile selves. Most of them had put on some meat on their bone. "I remember it wasn't this bustling in the village." Ryu commented.

"Yes. It wasn't. We have recently gotten a lot more prosperous thanks to our savior." The girl responded, intriguing Ryu. "A savior? You mean someone helped you guys out?"

"Hn hn.." She matter-of-factly pecked her head. "He is the kindest person in this entire world." Her exaggerated response made Ryu chuckled lightly. "oh.. he is? And what makes you say that?"

She stared at him as if his question came out stupid to her. "Because mother says so." "Hmm.. have you never even seen the person?" "Nope. Why does it matter? Anyhow, my brother is the only one here who met him only once.. but this dimwit can't recall his face." She sighed like a grown-up.

"Hey.. I told you didn't I? I didn't get a good look at his face." The young boy protested, making her sister only roll her eyes at him. "I am sure I can identify him if I ever come across him again."

"Yeah.. yeah.. sure." She derided him making Ryu relish the sibling banter, reminding him so much of Kyro and Jake. "Then you only remember him to be a male, that's it?"

The young one wanted to argue against that, but even after scratching his head, he could barely add any other identification parameter. "Well, he was young.. I think around the same age as yourself, brother."

"Hmm.. I am not sure how much that will help you identify the boy.. but yeah, you have my best wishes." Their topic of discussion shifted to different avenues of their new life.

Within a few minutes, they reached a large barn and Ryu patiently waited for the pair to nestle their animals into their sheds. "This way, mister." The girl called him out, walking over to the house at the center of the barn.

"I think we didn't introduce ourselves properly. I am Ryu. What might your names be?" As always, the girl took the lead. "Ohh.. Then you can call me Jenny and this will be Juttu. Oi.. say hello to brother..!"

"Hm. Sweet names. Then do you live here with your parents?" Jenny bobbed her head in agreement as the stood in front of the main entrance to the house.

Ryu met an amiable lady who stood in surprise finding her kids bringing home a traveler. His eyes gleamed all over the curves of the woman. Probably for the first time in his life, he was checking a woman out in order to inspect her health.

"Hey there..!" The lady initiated a conversation and Jenny chimed in to fill her up about Ryu. Her skeptical face frequently relaxed when she got to know about Dorothea.

"Oh.. so Mrs. Dorothea left with you.. I never knew." The lady ushered them in. "Please come in little brother." Ryu happily walked in, along with the kids.

"You must be on your way to the woods if had to take a guess, young Ryu?" The lady theorized. "Pretty much, madam." "Haha.. madam? No need for manners in this house, my friend."

The group settled in the hall on the ground. "So are you here to seek shelter for the night?" The woman in front of him was definitely among the better-looking ones from the village. None of these ladies were inherently bad in the looks department, but the lack of nutrition in their bodies had left them deprived of any sex appeal.

Thankfully, this one seems to be recovering faster than others. "That will be it, miss." He changed his honorifics, much to her satisfaction. "Okay then. Just choose a room of your liking. You can pay if you want, but you got to clean the room on your own. That's the rule of the house."

Ryu smiled wryly. This lady sure maintained some strict standards. "If that's fine with you. Tell me if you got your own food otherwise, food will cost you extra." The lady laid out the terms and conditions.

Her stern eyes made him contrast them with Dorothea's. She was the polar opposite of hers. "Fine with me, miss. But can I have your name?" "Yeah, that will be Itzel."

Ryu stood in silence, appreciating the lady's smooth facial expressions and the soothing contours of her body. She had a set of supple breasts that stood proudly on her chest. He was positive they were not at their peak just yet.

'Some more food for you and you will be even more eye-catching.' He judged in his mind. There were no striking features that made Itzel stand out from the rest. Even so, her brave and gutsy personality did provide her with a powerful presence.

"Is there something you need?" Itzel asked the boy, finding him staring at her with a stupid grin on his face. "Oh.. nothing. Just appreciating how beautiful you are, Mrs. Itzel." He was frank with her.

"Haha.. thanks for that. You can skip the rent for the house, but I will still be waiting for reimbursement for the food." His words made her assume the boy was only trying to get a discount by buttering her up.

She left him and walked over to the kitchen as Ryu was left stunned by the rejection. "Hehe.. are you trying to court mom? Haha.. it will not be so easy." Jenny who had presided over the entire discussion poked Ryu.

"Maybe." Ryu shrugged his shoulders. Today he was in an exceptionally good mood so this small setback is nothing. "Can you show me the spare room?"

Jenny nodded and they together walked to the back of the house. "Mom likes flowers." She winked at the boy from the corner of her eyes, making him laugh. "Why does it feel like you want to court your mother?"

"You looked rather desperate. I just gave you a hint. How to use it will depend on you." They walked in to find the room needed quite a bit of makeover before he can move in.

"I will help you out." Ryu didn't ask for it, but the girl pestered him to let her assist with the cleaning. It took them quite some time to work things up before they could take a sigh of relief.

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