Chapter 586: Appreciation Day (1/2)
Finding Shipwright Pocky was put on the back burner for now. Zero gave strict orders to not touch on this topic until the following week. Instead, he insisted on dragging Bob and Truen along for a well deserved holiday.
According to Freya, the expert in relationships and showing love, there are five methods of showing affection to others. Zero consulted her secretly and planned how to convey how much he appreciated the people he cared for around him.
”There are five methods of showing appreciation and affection,” Freya told Zero. ”They are, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time and Acts of Service. The easiest way to understand each individual's preference is to see how they react to small variations of these actions.”
Zero thought back about it carefully for every villager and person he cared for around him. It was a test about how well he knew the people he claimed to care for, and honestly, Zero was disappointed that he didn't know some of them better.
While it was easy to identify some individuals' love language, Zero found it harder to understand the people who hardly show any reaction to affection.
For instance, he was able to make Zoe and the children happy with some gifts. Leo loved his new commissioned sword. Rima liked the new dress. Jacqueline appreciated the books about adventurers, and Zoe thanked Zero multiple times for an elven inspired recipe compilation.
Some of the other people he cared about were harder to surprise. Coux was a very busy lady, and Zero wasn't able to catch her. For people like Coux, Lilith and Qin Yun, Zero understood how they found his visits more meaningful than his gifts. Like the Great Gods, they appreciated his letters and communication. Hearing from him is like an early Christmas, and Zero felt terrible that he couldn't drop by the abyss more often. Time passes quicker in the abyss, and Zero hasn't been back in months. It must feel like years to them.
Operation ”Appreciation Day” turned out to be slightly longer than a week.
”Aren't you overdoing it a little?” Truen asked, and Zero groaned. He might have done it a little too much, but on the bright side, the things that he had been putting off for too long as the village leader was finally done.
To take the burden off the lab members' shoulders, Zero created an army of clones to finish their village repairs and upgrades. The gnomes pitched in, but it still took Zero a lot of effort to maintain them. While the clones were dedicated to their task, Zero made arrangements to tidy his shifu's hut and thank the fairies for maintaining the herb garden despite his extended leave. Then, he made a visit to the abyss to visit the people who were still there.
Truen watched Zero tire himself out needlessly and thought it was strange when Zero didn't rope him or Bob in to help. In fact, the doctor was trying to send him and Bob away for an overdue break like he claimed. Bob left to find Kerberos but Truen decided to remain in the village. He didn't have much to do, and apart from good alcohol, there wasn't anything else Truen particularly enjoyed.
”It's alright,” Zero reassured his friend with a tired smile. It was still slightly early for Zero to be sleeping, but the doctor was already turning in. Truen couldn't blame him. Zero had a long day in the abyss helping his teacher out at the hospital.
”Sleep well, Zero.”