Chapter 7
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Village Errands and the Journey to Mason
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As Ruyan entered the village, a ragged old man spotted him and waved cheerfully.
"Ruyan! Right on time again today?"
"Hello. How's that pig from last time doing?"
"It must've been tough for the poor thing while it was out. It's been behaving since you caught it."
He was referring to the pig that had escaped from us a few days ago, which Ruyan had recaptured.
"Glad to hear it. Make sure to keep the gate secure so it doesn't happen again."
"Actually, that's why I have a favor to ask. Could you stop by later? I think the pigpen needs fixing."
"That's simple enough. I'll swing by on my way."
Ruyan nodded readily, and the old man passed by with a sigh of relief.
No sooner had he entered the village than jobs started lining up for Ruyan.
But that was just the beginning. Before he could take a few more steps, villagers came swarming from all directions.
"Ruyan, I've got a herb I need you to find. Got a minute?"
"I left firewood out in the rain yesterday without realizing. Could you help me out, Ruyan?"
People's requests varied as much as the people themselves. Of course, most were trivial for Ruyan.
While he was handling the villagers' errands for a good while, someone tugged at his sleeve from below.
A little girl in a grubby old skirt clutched a cat, hesitating.
She had big, innocent eyes brimming with spirit.
"Mari, what is it this time?"
"Bandit big brother, Butterfly hasn't eaten since yesterday. Is she sick?"
"Sigh, I'm not a bandit. Let's take a look at Butterfly first."
Ruyan took the cat from Mari and gently infused it with natural energy.
Even without a dantian, checking a small cat's body was no trouble.
'Doesn't seem like anything's wrong... Wait, there's more than one heartbeat?'
He sensed another life force within the cat's body.
Understanding the situation, Ruyan smiled softly and handed the cat back to Mari.
"Looks like Butterfly's going to be a mom."
"Wow! Really? So there'll be even tinier kittens?"
"Yeah. Better leave her alone for a bit. If you bother her too much, she might run off."
"Okay! Got it!"
Mari nodded vigorously and set the cat down.
Then she pulled something wrapped in leaves from her skirt pocket and thrust it out.
"Here, bandit big brother. Eat this."
Unwrapping the leaves revealed a snack of fried bread crumbs.
"For me?"
"Yeah. Grandma said when you ask bandit big brother for help, you have to pay money. But I don't have any."
Her bold stance, without a hint of shame, was utterly adorable.
Calling him a bandit every time was annoying, but she was pure-hearted and innocent.
"But this is too much. This is precious to you, isn't it, Mari?"
"Still giving it to bandit big brother. Then you'll build a house for the kittens later, right?"
"Haha, in that case, I'll gladly take it."
Ruyan pinky-promised Mari's tiny finger, vowing to build a house for the kittens.
Only then did she seem satisfied, scampering home with her cat in tow.
'This world is full of such joys.'
Ruyan had spent his whole life in Jungwon, yet in just a month on the Sobles Continent, he was learning and feeling more than ever.
Even his sudden Heart Demon Deviation now felt like a gift.
'Whoever did this must've wanted to show me a world like this exists.'
Ruyan gazed at Mari's retreating figure, smiling endlessly.
Sunlight broke through the clouds, warmly settling over Hatchling Village.
As if answering Ruyan's words.
Ruyan was surrounded by villagers before he could take ten steps, but he handled them all kindly without a hint of annoyance.
His main job was elsewhere, but these side gigs paid decently.
'Not like they're hard.'
What troubled the villagers was child's play to Ruyan.
Moving heavy materials? One hand sufficed. Finding herbs? A sharp glance did it.
Having lived alone since childhood in Jungwon, it was familiar work anyway.
Ruyan handled these simple tasks and collected one 10-cupper coin each.
On the Sobles Continent, a large rye loaf cost about 10 cuppers—enough for a poor family's daily meals.
It might seem like pocket change.
But it wasn't a heavy burden for those requesting, so people kept coming to him.
Before long, Ruyan had become indispensable in Hatchling Village.
Of course, it wasn't just the village that had changed. Ruyan's life was shifting too, bit by bit.
'This life isn't half bad.'
He'd resolved to a new life solely for Blanc, but lately, he was quietly soaking in the warmth.
As Ruyan crossed the village, a modest smithy came into view.
No signboard—it was just known by word of mouth as the Hatchling Smithy.
Still, the blacksmith's skills were solid enough to supply weapons to the lord.
"Uncle Gers, I'm here."
As Ruyan entered, a burly man twitched his nose and greeted him.
"A bit late—must've been hounded by villagers again."
"Not that bad. Mari brought her cat."
Ruyan shrugged, and Gers burst into laughter, tying on his apron.
"Well then, same as always. Take care of it."
"You got it. Leave it to me."
Gers was close with Blanc and a sentimental guy, but not much of a talker.
His morning greetings never exceeded three words.
For Ruyan, still awkward with people, it was a perfect match.
He naturally took his place by the forge, adding dry wood and lighting it.
Fire was the foundation and heart of smithing. Maintaining steady temperature was key.
In that regard, Ruyan was essential.
'The fire died down overnight. Time to build it up.'
Controlling the natural energy through the forge allowed perfect temperature control.
From cooking to chores, he was misusing his supreme arts, but Ruyan didn't mind.
Tending the fire and running errands flew by the day.
"Ruyan, the commissioned items are done. Deliver them."
At sunset, delivering knives and such ended his duties.
"Can I head out after deliveries?"
"Yeah. I've got work left, so take your pay from the leftovers."
"Lots of deliveries. If I take it all, it'll be way more than my wage."
"Figure it out."
Gers spoke gruffly without turning, but Ruyan knew it was embarrassment.
Pretending to be curt, he always looked out for him like this.
"Alright, see you."
Ruyan grinned sheepishly, gathered the deliveries, and left the smithy.
Deliveries weren't a hassle.
The village was tiny, and he planned a walk anyway.
He had personal errands from morning.
Handling them while greeting folks netted him 30 coins.
300 cuppers.
A fortune for a poor family to last a month, earned in a day.
Enough for bread, spices, meat, and fruit.
'Especially want fruit... but save it for now.'
Unlike usual, Ruyan skipped shopping and headed out.
As he'd told Blanc, he had somewhere else to go today.
'Gotta hurry before dark.'
Mason Village, 30km from Hatchling Village, was his destination.
With the lord's castle, it was the north's hub.
Over 10,000 people, streets always buzzing.
Compared to Sobles' center, it was rural, but the liveliest nearby.
'They said there's a magic shop there.'
Breaking his routine was for Blanc.
A few days ago, moving a sleeping Blanc from the yard, Ruyan saw his research journal.
Blanc listed needed materials neatly, even for a layman like Ruyan.
'Tch, if he needed research stuff, he should've said.'
Blanc never mentioned it, not even a hint of regret.
Obvious reason: didn't want to burden Ruyan.
'Magic research materials are pricey, they say.'
For Blanc, already strained supporting family, unthinkable.
'No idea why he needs them, but if Dad wants it, I'll get them—even a dragon's heart.'
Ruyan poured on speed, faster than ever through the mountains.
Tat-tat.
Full power made it quicker than his morning commute.
30km in just over 40 minutes, breath steady—Divine Bow lived up to the name.
'This Mason Village? Worth calling the north's hub.'
As expected, it was sizable.
Sturdy 5m walls encircled it seamlessly.
Glimpses inside showed crowds bustling.
Even at dusk, noise spilled beyond the walls.
Worlds apart from Hatchling Village.
Ruyan finally felt the Sobles Continent's true face.
'In Jungwon, I'd avoid noisy places like this...'
A fond memory made him chuckle as he entered.
First time, but finding the magic shop was easy.
On the main avenue near the gate stood a flashy five-story building.
-Brighton Magic Academy.
Flames flickered on the signboard—magical effect, not real fire.
'Magic sure is wondrous.'
People passed indifferently, used to it.
Ruyan stared blankly before calmly approaching the building.