Chapter 836: The State of the Town
A while later, Eureka scanned Jonâs coffin and nodded in satisfaction. âThe corruption has slowed down. He has enough strength to endure several months without experiencing any further damages. But after that⊠the corruption will continue until it kills him in about two years.â
âWeâre successful. At a great price.â Eureka glanced at all the bottles scattered on the floor and flinched. âHow much did these cost you? Twenty thousand crystals? Well, glad you dragged him away from deathâs door just a bit.â
Eureka truly meant her wordsâshe could find more about Jonâs secrets this way.
Although Angor was no way near satisfied. Before coming back to the Old Earth, he thought he could at least make Jon last for 20 years or so. If so, he would have enough time to find a thorough cure. Yet⊠the remaining time was cut down to ten percent.
âYou look so sad. Wasnât planning to spend so much money, eh?â said Eureka.
âI bought these potions to help my teacher. Thereâs nothing to be sad about. Miss Eureka, we⊠canât wake him up from the coffin, can we?â
âYou want to talk to him?â
âYes.â
âYou can. But this will, of course, allow the corruption to work faster. Without the ice coffin, he only has about two weeks. Didnât you say that you will find a way to cure him?â Eureka crossed her arms and gave Angor an âI dare you to tryâ look.
âI meant it, and I will.â Angor was encouraging himself rather than answering Eurekaâs question.
âIâll wait for your success then.â Eureka walked away.
Angor spoke again before Eureka fully left from the entrance.
âWhatever happens to Jon, he must be free.â
âFree? Pfft. The moment he set foot in this world, a pair of invisible and unbreakable shackles already locked him in place. The worldâs consciousness will judge, then determine his end. Or a wizard might find him first and deal with him. Which do you prefer?
âEven someone like us canât find true freedom, much less a mortal.â
When Eurekaâs distant voice could no longer be heard, Angor remained behind, left in his own thoughts.
He partially agreed with what Eureka said. In fact, even Angor himself wasnât sure whether he was helping or denying Jonâs freedom by keeping him alive in a coffin.
However, he wasnât going to worry about this problem too much. His only wish right now was to revive Jon. All other disagreements or moral disputes had to wait.
He spent the rest of the day in the ice room until he made sure heâd never forget the tarnished form of his dear teacher.
âŠ
The sun was bright today, and the entire vicinity of the manor smelled like fresh flowers.
Angor made plans to shut himself in a seclusion period to look for solutions. Before doing so, he had to have a talk with Tulu first. He was a recruiter of Brute Cavern, and he didnât wish to leave Tulu hanging in Grue Town should the seclusion take him too long.
At the manorâs gate, he saw Auri running to him with a big smile while carrying a food basket.
âHead Maid Mana made some milk crunchies for you, young master!â Auri looked at Angorâs gentlemanly look and blushed. She was fully aware that she was only a house servant, but she couldnât help it.
âI picked up some different tastes while I was away, but I still like these. Tell her that I said thanks.â Angor accepted the basket while trying not to dig in right here.
He stored the basket in his bracelet and kept heading away. Auri quickly caught up with him.
âAnything else you need?â Angor gave her a curious look.
âBut, sir, I used to be your personal servant. What are you doing these days? Please tell me if I can help you!â
âHuh? Oh, thereâs no need. Iâm already used to being aloneââ
Auriâs eyes almost watered up.
âSigh⊠Alright. I do have a favor to ask.â Angor made sure the maid wasnât sobbing. âI need you to summon Mana and my brother to the main hall later. I have something to tell them.â
Auri happily hopped away to do her errand.
Angor wasnât lying, he did need to introduce someone to his familyâthe Krakoks.
While on his way back outside, he saw all the servants working in the fields or gardens giving him polite salutations, and he also returned the gestures.
The farmer who tried to chase Angor away the other day sighed in great relief. He was glad that the young master of the family was so kind and tolerant like how others used to tell him.
Angor moved to the fence gate of the manor. He glanced at the owl that was pretending to be sleeping on a tree and walked outside.
On his way to the sheriffâs hut, many people in town also greeted him nicely. Grue Town was a small place, and most of its inhabitants remembered him from his childhood.
âDid you finish your study, Mister Padt?â An old, smoking scholar called out to Angor while sitting under the shade of a tree.
âMister Parsel! Did Mister Dim teach you to use a hookah?â
âItâs the other way round, boy. Dim learned this from me. That peasant from a remote village wouldnât have heard about this wonderful creation of humanity if not for me telling him. And he smokes way more often!â
âOften my a*s, you old fart. Youâre just too broke to buy more leaves, arenât ya?â another bulky man said while walking out of a house nearby.
Dim was Parselâs neighbor, and the only blacksmith in town. Dim used to work for Padt Manor, but Angorâs father allowed Dim to get an early retirement when the man found a wife.
Dim and Parsel had been neighbors and friends for decades. Outsiders wouldnât see them as friends because these two tended to talk to each other by swearing, which was their usual means of communication.
âThe viscount canât wait to see you back, my friend!â Dim greeted Angor while forcefully taking Parselâs smoking instrument. âDonât do this sh*t in front of Mister Padt, aye? Arenât you some big-a*s bookworm from a famous institute? Know your manners.â
âCough⊠What do you know about manners? You always kept this thing in your hand when talking to Mister Padt several years ago!â
âIâm worried about you, you fool! Go find a doctor and have your throat checked, will ya??â
Parsel wanted to get his hookah back but failed to do so since Dim was both younger and stronger.
âDamn you. I know you want to give up smoking for whatever reason, but donât force this on me!â
Angor watched them arguing without interfering in any way. As he remembered, blacksmith Dim used to be the big smoker. He wondered what happened in these four years that reversed the situation.
âHuh? Nothing big happened to the town,â Dim said, after hearing Angorâs question. âOnly those refugee f*ckers. They always sneak into town and take our stuff when no oneâs looking. Heck, one day, I saw an asshole pulling Parselâs cattle away. When we found them, they already set up a fire and enjoyed their meat. Curses⊠Even if George can lock up some of them in prison, it wonât help us. Those b*stards are desperate, you know? They have nothing left.â
Parsel moaned, âThat animal was my friend! And they ate himâŠâ
âThey have nothing leftâŠâ Angor muttered.
âYup. And we canât just go out there and kill people randomly, so this only left us with one option, which is to constantly keep an eye out for them. But their number is increasing, I tell ya.â Dim spat out a smoke ring. âWhen is this freaking war going to end? If this keeps on, the entire Yamei wonât be so safe to us.â
âHeâs right.â Parsel agreed along. âI sure donât want to become one of them one day, I need some smoke every day to calm my mindâhey, Dim! Why are you smoking MY pipe? Give it here!â
Parsel and Dim began to wrestle with each other again.
âDonât worry about it.â Angor gave them a determined look. âGrue Town will be safe even if the entire Goldspink falls.â
Parsel and Dim had no idea why Angor could say such a thing, but they somehow felt reassured when looking at Angorâs sincere attitude.
They watched Angor go away. Parsel stopped going for his hookah and said to his neighbor, âI donât know why, but I feel better all of a sudden.â
âSame here.â Dim nodded. âSeeing young Padt back, I have the feeling that Grue Town is in good hands. I mean, an extra pair of good hands.â
âDo you think Padt Manor will lift their bars and return to their usual?â
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