"I will break your cultivation root and two of your limbs today. Consider it mercy for your father, Theodore," said Dale, creating a lightning ball the size of a basketball and throwing it with rage towards Bowen. The system's warning alarms rang in his mind, but he lay there unable to move, looking at the mana ball that would surely doom his future.
"STOP!" Bowen heard a bold voice, and the mana ball immediately dispersed in the air. Everyone's eyes turned to the source of the voice, only to find a fragile old lady with amicable looks calmly staring at them.
Bowen was surprised to see old lady Gia in Barn, helping him at such a crucial moment. "Who are you?" asked Dale cautiously, aware that the person must outrank him to disperse a mana ball from such a distance.
Gia slowly reached into her drawstring purse, made of old red cloth and tied to her hips. Patiently, she took out a piece of metal and threw it in front of Dale. Gia's bold actions surprised the onlookers, eliciting gasps and whispers.
"Bowen is coming with me," she declared.
The bronze metal piece in front of Dale's legs appeared to be some kind of badge. It had a shield shape with the letter 'C' in the middle and two silver stars at the top.
Surprise and shock clouded Dale's face, which he tried to hide with effort. He didn't seem scared but rather frustrated. Adding to the surprise, he bent down, picked up the badge, and respectfully handed it over to Miss Gia. The commotion grew louder as people witnessed Dale's actions, which seemed to irritate him.
"Don't you vermin have other work to do? Move now!" shouted Dale at the crowd. He also ordered his men to disperse the onlookers gathered for the show.
"From now on, Bowen is not a part of Barn. As the future chief of the village, I banish him from ever entering Barn again," said Dale furiously, and he left the place.
Renault looked at Gia, then at Bowen, confused. "I... I..." he started hesitatingly.
"Are you still going to waste your time like this and become another version of your uncle Bale?" shouted Dale upon seeing Renault not following him. Renault quickly ran after his father, leaving only Bowen, Martha, and the old lady behind.
Gia approached Martha and offered her a healing potion. After five minutes, Martha began to recuperate. Gia seemed to talk to Martha about Bowen's custody, assuring her that she would take good care of him. Martha had seen how the old lady loved Bowen and visited him often in the past, so she could trust in Bowen's safety. Still, Martha looked at Bowen, wanting to know his opinion. Bowen nodded with a slight smile, despite the pain in his stomach. After giving Bowen a hug, she left him with Gia, tears streaming down her face. Bowen, too, felt sadness at being separated from Martha, but he knew he couldn't stay in that rural village for long. There were many missions and targets for him scattered throughout this vast world.
"Brat, do you plan to stay here forever?" asked Gia, giving Bowen a look.
"Ah, old hag, can't you see I am wounded? Quick, give me a healing potion," he said.
"Do you even think I will waste a precious healing potion on a disrespectful brat like you?"
"What?" Bowen was shocked at Gia's attitude, even in such a situation where he lay severely injured and unable to move.
"All I can give you is this candy," Gia said. She threw a candy and began walking towards the borders of the barn, where a bullhorse cart was waiting for her. "I'm not waiting for long. Come quickly if you don't want to miss the ride," she added without looking at Bowen.
Bowen wondered how he could run quickly when he couldn't even move an inch from where he lay. His eyes fell upon the candy, so he unwrapped it and put it in his mouth. It was incredibly sweet and tasty.
Ting Host has consumed a permanent body rejuvenation pill. All injuries to the host's physical body are restored. Mana restored. +1 strength (permanent) +1 agility (permanent) +3 vitality (permanent)
"This candy is a rejuvenation pill?" Bowen realized. Now he was certain that Gia must be a person of high status. She wouldn't casually throw away a pill with a permanent attribute increase effect like a normal candy.
Still, Bowen didn't fully grasp the true worth of the candy. An epic-grade attribute increase pill worth hundreds of golds would only increase attributes by 1 point. A pill like this would be coveted by nobles and high rankers. There might even be a bloodbath to get hold of such a treasure.
Bowen's body visibly healed in a second, and he felt more vigor than usual. He quickly got up on his feet and ran behind Gia, shouting, "Wait... Oi, you old hag, wait for me!"
"I will break your cultivation root and two of your limbs today. Consider it mercy for your father, Theodore," said Dale, creating a lightning ball the size of a basketball and throwing it with rage towards Bowen. The system's warning alarms rang in his mind, but he lay there unable to move, looking at the mana ball that would surely doom his future.
"STOP!" Bowen heard a bold voice, and the mana ball immediately dispersed in the air. Everyone's eyes turned to the source of the voice, only to find a fragile old lady with amicable looks calmly staring at them.
Bowen was surprised to see old lady Gia in Barn, helping him at such a crucial moment. "Who are you?" asked Dale cautiously, aware that the person must outrank him to disperse a mana ball from such a distance.
Gia slowly reached into her drawstring purse, made of old red cloth and tied to her hips. Patiently, she took out a piece of metal and threw it in front of Dale. Gia's bold actions surprised the onlookers, eliciting gasps and whispers.
"Bowen is coming with me," she declared.
The bronze metal piece in front of Dale's legs appeared to be some kind of badge. It had a shield shape with the letter 'C' in the middle and two silver stars at the top.
Surprise and shock clouded Dale's face, which he tried to hide with effort. He didn't seem scared but rather frustrated. Adding to the surprise, he bent down, picked up the badge, and respectfully handed it over to Miss Gia. The commotion grew louder as people witnessed Dale's actions, which seemed to irritate him.
"Don't you vermin have other work to do? Move now!" shouted Dale at the crowd. He also ordered his men to disperse the onlookers gathered for the show.
"From now on, Bowen is not a part of Barn. As the future chief of the village, I banish him from ever entering Barn again," said Dale furiously, and he left the place.
Renault looked at Gia, then at Bowen, confused. "I... I..." he started hesitatingly.
"Are you still going to waste your time like this and become another version of your uncle Bale?" shouted Dale upon seeing Renault not following him. Renault quickly ran after his father, leaving only Bowen, Martha, and the old lady behind.
Gia approached Martha and offered her a healing potion. After five minutes, Martha began to recuperate. Gia seemed to talk to Martha about Bowen's custody, assuring her that she would take good care of him. Martha had seen how the old lady loved Bowen and visited him often in the past, so she could trust in Bowen's safety. Still, Martha looked at Bowen, wanting to know his opinion. Bowen nodded with a slight smile, despite the pain in his stomach. After giving Bowen a hug, she left him with Gia, tears streaming down her face. Bowen, too, felt sadness at being separated from Martha, but he knew he couldn't stay in that rural village for long. There were many missions and targets for him scattered throughout this vast world.
"Brat, do you plan to stay here forever?" asked Gia, giving Bowen a look.
"Ah, old hag, can't you see I am wounded? Quick, give me a healing potion," he said.
"Do you even think I will waste a precious healing potion on a disrespectful brat like you?"
"What?" Bowen was shocked at Gia's attitude, even in such a situation where he lay severely injured and unable to move.
"All I can give you is this candy," Gia said. She threw a candy and began walking towards the borders of the barn, where a bullhorse cart was waiting for her. "I'm not waiting for long. Come quickly if you don't want to miss the ride," she added without looking at Bowen.
Bowen wondered how he could run quickly when he couldn't even move an inch from where he lay. His eyes fell upon the candy, so he unwrapped it and put it in his mouth. It was incredibly sweet and tasty.
Ting Host has consumed a permanent body rejuvenation pill. All injuries to the host's physical body are restored. Mana restored. +1 strength (permanent) +1 agility (permanent) +3 vitality (permanent)
"This candy is a rejuvenation pill?" Bowen realized. Now he was certain that Gia must be a person of high status. She wouldn't casually throw away a pill with a permanent attribute increase effect like a normal candy.
Still, Bowen didn't fully grasp the true worth of the candy. An epic-grade attribute increase pill worth hundreds of golds would only increase attributes by 1 point. A pill like this would be coveted by nobles and high rankers. There might even be a bloodbath to get hold of such a treasure.
Bowen's body visibly healed in a second, and he felt more vigor than usual. He quickly got up on his feet and ran behind Gia, shouting, "Wait... Oi, you old hag, wait for me!"
