162 Chapter 162 (1/2)
”Why are you back so late, Bunny? Rat and Rabbit was worried sick that they wanted to follow you in Redwater Shrine themselves!”
a tall burly man said the moment i blessed the vicinity of dilapidated huts with my divine presence.
The Tavion Tribe had no walls of defense to call their own and only used the natural terrain of the forests as best as they could.
Not that it would do them much good if they erected some shabby construct on the perimeter of the tribe anyways.
Same as the nearby town, if the ravenous monsters who dwell in the sky and the deepest mountain pits would pay a visit in full,
then not even the walled gates could provide any comfort whatsoever to their eventual demise. Most would perish if were met with such as beast and the survivors would once again survive to build anew.
This was the fate of the powerless.
”The Old Man would not allow that.” i commented and ignored him in the next. The man full of muscles and brawn only nodded as he witnessed our procession in silence.
His eyes were particularly drawn at the bitch who followed me closely but other than that, did nothing to hinder our path.
The tribe was family. Or at least that was what the Old Man imbued as one of the core values of his handicraft.
As such, death was the least of any violator's worries whenever any actions ensued that promoted to tilt the unity of the tribe itself.
In this lawless world, this little virtue alone was what kept any community adrift. To live a pitiful existence is really a testament of courage. But then again, it was also a proof of their misfortune.
I shook my head and walked unchallenged towards my humble abode, a crumbling hut made of poor materials molded out with unimaginative design in mind.
It would be good to take shelter in this hole no matter how distasteful because the night had long been aware of my coming and its coldness was slowly creeping unto my bones.
Even as the last of day's lights said farewell to my homecoming, i felt nothing but peace and solace to see this modest home once again. One that i created with my own two hands.
Alas, this was mine and the assimilated soul within me breathed in pride amidst its deficiency. I stopped before the dirty doors and awaited for an instant or two.
”My apologies, Master Bunny.” a sweet voice resounded behind me and its owner quickly acted to move the last barrier of my entrance in front.
”BOINK!” the passage creaked its familiar tone and i calmly entered to grace this home with its maker.
A small cooking area and a small bed in front, with one chair and no table to be seen. This was a bachelor's dwelling in its truest sense.
I smiled at the impoverished scene but in the end, comforted myself at the hard surface of the resting place.
”Put those things down and light a few candles inside. Make yourselves comfortable.” i said to my two guests.
”THUD!” Sophia did as she was told and after that, got the only chair in the room in response while Harry unceremoniously sat beside me on the bed.
”Bunny, what about your promise earlier?” He asked and opened two of his bony palms wide. His prior fear and trauma were easily forgotten in the face of rich harvests at the moment.
Such a simple personality had indeed suited the ugly man well in his life. If he had been one of the more wiser men in these lands, then i doubted that he could arrive in the ripe age that he was in today.
The sane and the sensitive bunches always go first.
”Get how much you want from those bags, Harry.” i smiled.
”Really, Bunny? Are you not playing with me?” the innocent and at the same time shrewd countenance of my old friend asked in surprise.
”Of course, Harry. I did owe you after all.” i assured.
”BANG!” not another second was wasted before the figure of a short hideous man jumped unto the bags of gold and stuffed a sizable part of it down his body.
I saw the familiar container which was easily filled and forgotten down the middle part of Harry's person and the scene brought a bad memory in me.
In the end, i could only shake my head at my friend's eagerness. An entire five minutes and some change elapsed before Harry stood from his crouching position.
”TINK!”
”TINK!”
”TINK!” even the slightest of his movements tickled a poor man's imagination for wealth and treasures.
”Did you not say that you would introduce me to a couple of young women in your tribe, Bunny?” the old man reminded me with nothing but a pure expectant mien in full display.
”I know, i know. But do you still remember how to do the deed, Harry?” i teased.
”HAH! I have been a notorious lover of women in my prime, Bunny! Present me to a few women in here and let the master show you how it's done!”
my friend bragged and even shook his body once or twice to clearly indicate where his capital was coming from.
”What if you run out of money, Harry? What then?” i asked. His sunny countenance darkened in a glance and i swore, tears were beginning to form around the edges of his eyes.
Sigh!
”Would you let me borrow a few coins if that happened, Bunny?” the old man replied in a downcast voice.
Soft and insecure.
The original part of me wanted to burn the old man into ashes for at least in that way, he could help nurture the world and give what little contribution he can.