V5 Chapter 22 Shaman's Fee (Disease is a Disease)

"We have just walked right into a witch's home, my only regret not walking into the witch that lives in a house of candy. At least then I could have enjoyed all the sweets I want before being roasted and eaten. Hopefully, I'll be able to convince them to free Little One and Philomel in exchange for just eating me."

Amon immediately thought the worst as soon as he laid eyes on the huge caldron which is understandable since all the stories about witches were extremely prejudiced. Always getting a bad reputation even though some are nice, just another day in an unfair world.

" My fee for treating the baby would be an unusual request. Would you two be willing to take this quest for me?"

Elder elf asked with a smile.

" Anything as long as Little One is cured."

Amon immediately answered without consulting Philomel which made her a little annoyed.

" My quest would be for the two of you to lift villagers' spirits as much as you can with sweet words or in any other way, tomorrow morning. Due to the situation in our village, many of the villagers have become depressed. And as they say, dis-ease is a disease. The more down spirited they feel the more sickens there will be and our village can't afford anyone falling ill during this crisis."

The Elder elf requested with a grand gesture.

" That's a quest we can do."

Philomel nodded.

" With ease too."

Amon added.

" Wonderful! Come, come. Let me have a good look at that baby."

The elder woman waved them over as she sat down at her desk and pulled out her glasses.

" The poor thing must be in a lot of pain."

She commented as Amon awkwardly places a very happy baby on her desk. Little One seeing so many different colors in one room could help but get excited.

" He must be, he puked earlier."

Amon informed.

"Terrible pain indeed."

Philomel nodded at the baby, totally convinced by this point, that the child was a mascot of some sort.

" My, aren't you a playful, little one?"

She grins as she watches Little One toss the random items on her desk, onto the floor with great excitement.

" I'm truly sorry about this."

Amon immediately apologizes as he and Philomel scramble to pick everything up, then place it back on the desk a distance away from Little One. Little One as soon as he saw more stuff to toss back onto the ground, starts crawling closer to it, just to be stopped by Amon's hand, blocking his way.

" Makti recktor!"

She chanted and a blue symbol appears above Little One, the symbol goes right through him a couple of times before turning a bright green and disappearing.

" He's completely fine, did he puke while you were burping him? That sometimes tends to happen, it's completely normal. "

Elder elf informed as she pats Little One on the head.

" Burping him?"

Amon awkwardly looks at her completely lost.

" You're supposed to burp the baby after feeding him. You two must be an extremely young couple to not know about this. Didn't your parents tell you? Or were they against your bond? It is terrible that some young couples have to run away from their family just to be together. At least, they are under the bond of marriage even if none of their family approves and not sinfully together having a baby."

The Elder elf frowned. Philomel and Amon froze at the comment as they finally realized how they were viewed by the general public... A young happy family... Philomel immediately knew there would be consequences for an unmarried light elf couple to have a baby without any bonds of any kind, to each other. The moment of wanting to clarify the situation, made her realize the alternative was worst.

"Oh, we aren't a couple and this isn't our baby. We kidnapped him last night and tried to kill him thinking he is the Messiah. But turns out we kidnapped the wrong baby, Oops."

Philomel nodded as she thought, confirming that the truth is much more worst.

" But we aren't."

Amon started and was immediately interrupted by Philomel.

" We aren't really well prepared for this buddle of joy. During our honeymoon, we saw such an adorable orphan, abandoned on our doorstep and could help but to foster him immediately. Isn't that right, honey?"

Philomel asked Amon with a huge plastered smile as she clung, jerked, and squeeze Amon's arm. Amon thought for a moment before realizing what Philomel was doing and that telling the truth in this situation would be the worst.

" That's right darling! Isn't he just the most adorable bundle of joy you have ever seen?"

Amon quickly agreed.

" He definitely is. So you two are currently just temporarily taking care of this Little One before finding him a permanent home?"

The Elder elf nodded.

" Yes, that's right. We thought about adopting him ourselves but seeing that we are completely unprepared for such a big step. We decided to take a step back and rethink things."

Philomel informed as she loosen her grip on Amon's arm. Elder elf picked up Little One to pass back to Amon but as soon as she did, the nappy slipped right off.

" Yes, I can see that."

She commented as she places the baby back onto her desk, slip the nappy back on and change the knot.

" You were extremely close, just the wrong type of knot."

She commented as she passed the baby back to Amon.

" Ah, thanks. I was having much trouble with it earlier."

Amon thanked her with a grin as he studied the knot she did. Suddenly the doors started banging and sounds of scratching seemed to come from everywhere around the whole cabin.

" Battle formation B!"

A voice yelled out as the sound of battle and chaos was going on outside.

" Monster attack?"

Philomel questioned.

" Unfortunately yes, one of the downsides of living so close to Mountmend. Not to worry these beasts only come out during the night and all huts are safe that's to the protection spell. As long as the doors and windows are tightly shut, no harm can befall anyone within its walls. "

Elder elf reassures with a small smile.

" Then why are you fighting against them? Why not just wait it out every night?"

Amon tilted his head.

" Oh, because they always ruin the crops, cause a huge food shortage around here. The men of this village are doing their best to protect these lands even though they don't really see eye to eye. Why don't I show you, to your quarters for the night? I'll come and get you when dinner is ready."

The Elder elf gestured toward an empty bedroom to her right as she herded them toward it.

" Well then, I wish you both a good rest for as long as you can. Babies can be a little too fussy at night. "

Elder elf wished with a smile.

" Thank you so much for this, here, a token of my gratitude."

Philomel thanked her as she pass the remaining half of the watermelon to the Elder elf.

" My, thank you so much! This would make a wonderful dessert for dinner."

" I'll be looking forward to it."

Philomel said with a smile and a nod before closing the door.

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