Chapter 3: The Post Hunt
After a few moments, the drizzle stopped leaving the scent of wet earth in the cool air. His breaths came heavy, but he grinned at his accomplishment. Bjorn stood up and stretched his sore body.
It was the first time since he came to this world that he was subjected to such harshness… He knew that he would have to face much harsher situations in the future, but for now… he was feeling proud of himself.
Bjorn walked towards the corpse of the bear and retrieved his sword.
He looked at his sword that is now full of chipped edges, with its tip broken…
Tsk… This can't be repaired without proper materials… I need to buy a new one…
Bjorn looked at the corpse of the bear for a few moments before whistling with two fingers in his mouth.
After a few seconds, Bjorn can hear gallops coming closer and closer to him.
A few moments later, a large strong brown horse can be seen trotting towards him. The horse looked towards the corpse of the bear and sighed….
Looking at this, Bjorn laughed.
"Oh come on Gleip, help me, will yeah? I'll give you my 'hidden' tasty wheat from Grandpa Mordock's farm."
*Neeeigh*
Without further ado, Gleip came close to the corpse and signaled Bjorn to quickly tie the corpse to him.
"Alright, alright. But…. there's some more… back there."
Bjorn pointed towards the direction of the hanged deers and small animals.
*Neeeigh*
"Double wheat?"
*Neigh*
"Deal."
Bjorn quickly led Gleip to the tree where his hunt was on, luckily, no other animal went close to the hanged hunts. Bjorn carried half of the hunt, while Gleip dragged the rest, together with the bear.
You see, Gleip was not always as strong as this… Bjorn found the former little pony by the farm he was working on 5 years ago. It was weak, malnourished, and worse, at the verge of dying.
Bjorn kinda found a soulmate in Gleip since they are both in the same situation… weak and malnourished... The two were both weak and malnourished back then, kindred spirits. Now, Gleip had grown into a sturdy horse, strong enough to haul a bear.
As they meandered through the village's forest, Bjorn and Gleip gathered herbs, mushrooms, and other plants. Bjorn relied on Gleip's instincts for foraging.
Bjorn knew what forage is edible, through Gleip. You see, Bjorn deduced that animals know what to eat and what not to eat by instinct, 'survivor' animals most probably fit this kind most. Since Gleip knows what is edible, Bjorn puts the forage near Gleip's mouth, if Gleip ate it, it is edible.
Since both of them knew the way like the back of their hand, they arrived earlier than expected, even though they took their sweet time.
They arrived back in the village earlier than expected, despite their leisurely pace. When they entered, the villagers—mostly kids—quickly surrounded them, gaping at Bjorn's catch.
"A-A Bear!!"
"Ahhh!"
"Mommy!"
Bjorn, looking at the crying kids, tried to pacify them, and it worked.
"Don't worry kids, this strong big bro of yours has managed to kill this bear!"
"Wooooow. You are an amazing big bro!"
Relieved that the bear is already dead, the kids came closer to the corpse,
They poked it with their fingers or with a stick. They also tried to grab some hair, yet the sheer strength of the bear's skin prevented them from grabbing some. They also tried to sit on the bear but… Gleip neighed at them…. loudly….
Bjorn and Gleip managed to reach the butcher's house. There, the butcher had already been waiting.
"You managed to get a big catch huh? A bear? Tell me, did you kill it alone?."
"Yeah. It chased me through the forest… To be honest, I was lucky since the bear is weak from hunger… If it's otherwise then…. I might just run and leave my hunt…"
"Well, it's a good thing that you are alive, and you are here right now, talking to me…. So my long time friend, can you give me…. one… deer…?"
Bjorn looked at the Butcher and slyly smiled.
"You know I don't do freebies right?"
"I'm just trying my chances haha."
"Alright, instead of a freebie, I'll sell it to you at a discount, you want it?"
The butcher grabbed his chin and thought for a moment.
"Tell me your price."
"8,000 valis."
The butcher figuratively coughed up blood (Chinesey).
"8k?!! Are you out of your mind?!"
"Normally, I'd say 5k, but with winter coming and demand high… 8k it is."
Bjorn pointed towards the pile that he had.
The butcher looked at the pile of deer corpses and closed his eyes. He wanted to punch Bjorn so badly but… he knew he could not win against him…
After a while of contemplating with his fist clenched, he opened his eyes again and looked at Bjorn.
"7k....."
Bjorn paid it no heed and continued to blow air on his fingers…
Looking at this, the butcher clenched his teeth.
"Alright. 8k but I want the biggest one!"
Bjorn immediately reached out his hand for a shake.
"Nice doing business with you, my friend!"
The butcher ignored the handshake, but Bjorn immediately changed it to a shoulder hug.
"You know, my friend… I also need someone to skin my hunt, you know?"
"Well… since the seasons are changing-"
"How about 100 valis each for the deer and 20 valis each for the small animals?"
The butcher immediately agreed.
"Deal."
"I also need you to dismantle the bear and butcher its meat. How about 500 valis?"
"Hmm, alright. You'll keep the skin or will you sell it?"
"I'll probably keep it, I need a new coat."
"That's reasonable….. You money leech!"
The butcher went inside his house to grab his money.
After a while, The butcher went outside and gave Bjorn the results of the transaction.
Bjorn received a total of 6,600 valis. A big amount for people living in a village but… for Orario…. It is quite small. There, weapons and armors typically sell in the ten thousands all the way to millions… So if Bjorn wants a decent weapon and armor, he would need to be frugal with his expenses, and greedy with his revenues.
After leaving the corpses to be dismantled to the butcher, Felix decided to go back to his foster home… While on the way, he chose to go by his former shack.
Looking at the shack that was once tattered with holes, it is now a far cry from before… Now, the shack was a well built shack, its holes are non-existent and no wind can pass through its doors.
The inside of the shack is also brand new. Its floor is now made up of wood. A table can also be found in the middle of the shack, where once his previous bonfire is located at. His previous straw bed is made up of…. more straws.
Bjorn sat down at his bed and reflected on the happenings of his past 5 years here… All the hardships he had been through… All the decent things that happened…
Without him noticing, his face had already been planted onto the soft pillow of his, and drifted into sleep…
____________
A while later, he felt someone shaking him awake.
"Bjorn! Bjorn!"
"Hmm?"
"Big brother Bjorn!!! Wake up!"
Hearing the urgent words of this person, Bjorn immediately opened his eyes and looked at the speaker.
The speaker was a small little girl, around the age of 4. The girl is currently crying due to still unknown reasons…
"Emma? Why are you crying? Tell me what happened?"
Bjorn immediately hugged the child as an attempt to make her stop crying.
"*Sniff* Big brother… T-t-the village…"
"Tell me slowly, okay?"
"*Sniff* The V-v-village people are now gone! I just woke up *Sniff* and then the people are gone *Sniff*"
"Alright, stop crying now, okay? Big brother is here… I am here for you alright? Let's go to the village."
The little girl slowly stopped crying. Bjorn carried Emma in his arms, while Emma hugged Bjorn's head.
Bjorn immediately grabbed a knife from his kitchen, since his sword is currently broken, and went outside.
While walking through the deserted streets of his village, he senses that something really is off. There were no visible lights within the houses, no people… nothing.
Bjorn scanned the quiet, shadowed streets. His eyes darted to each darkened window, expecting movement, but finding nothing.
He decided to go to the village center first since it is the place people would most likely go in case of emergencies.
Once he reached the village center....
"SURPRISE!!!!!!!!"
Bjorn was surprised. Looking at the crowd of people in a celebratory mood definitely removed the unease he was feeling earlier.
He then looked towards the little girl in his arms which was now making funny faces towards him…. So he messed up the little girl's hair.
He then went to the center of the crowd.
His foster mother, Merryl, walked towards him and gave him a big hug.
"You know, you were really like my child. Although you were a bit mature and did things your own way, but… you were still a helpful child to us, to all of us. Each one of us here wanted to give you a simple celebration before you go, as gratitude to what you have done for all of us."
Yes, Bjorn had done a lot for the village.
During his past 5 years, the village people were amazed by the transformation of the former lanky kid to a now slightly hunky man.
His past 5 years in the village also was full of gratitude towards him.
His going around doing odd jobs to other village people is what made them feel gratitude for. To Bjorn, these odd jobs are a means of training himself, but to others? It's a big help for them.
"Thank you everyone…"
His foster mother pushed him towards the food and sat him at the table.
"Aunt… thank you."
"Oh come on, call me your mother, yeah?"
Bjorn just looked at the food, seemingly shy to say 'mom'...
"Alright, just focus on eating, drinking, etc.! This night is for you!"
Bjorn nodded towards his foster mother and then ate a ton of delicious and mouthwatering food.
During the celebration, he heard something interesting.
"Hey, how'd the goblin extermination go?"
Goblins?
Bjorn looked towards the 2 gentlemen eating and drinking. These 2 are one of the members of the Gefjon familia, led by Gefjon, the goddess of vegetation and agriculture. Their main base is located in a nearby city but they were tasked to be in this village.
Normally, members of familias with agricultural ties solely focus on farming, farming, and farming. However, when the time comes to protect their crops… They would go all out.
Such as what happened early in the morning. They went on to exterminate a goblin nest, together with the bulk of the village's falna users.
That is also the reason why a grizzly bear had happened to migrate into another place… different from what they usually resided in.
The celebration went on late in the night, while some people slept on the ground of the village center, some had managed to reach their homes…. and some… passed out on the way to their home.
Luckily, Bjorn had managed to reach his foster home and fell asleep properly…
____________
Next morning, Bjorn readied his things. He packed his stuff, mostly clothes, in his homemade knapsack. He also packed some essentials in his string duffel bag, which includes money and food.
He went outside and saw the butcher coming towards him.
"Good timing! Here, take it."
The butcher gave Bjorn the bearskin that he skinned yesterday.
Bjorn was surprised… It normally takes a long time for the bearskin to be properly made into a cloak yet… here it is.
Predicting what Bjorn was thinking, the butcher said.
"Oh don't worry, yesterday, I asked one of the adventurers to use their magic on this bearskin… I had also properly sown the parts where you cut the bear, so don't worry about any cold going through."
"Thanks…."
"Well of course this is not for free, hehehe. Pay me 10,000 valis when you come back."
"Alright, my friend."
The butcher gave Bjorn a middle finger then went on to his ways. This produced a laughter out of Bjorn's mouth.
Bjorn went on to the back of the house, towards the stables, and grabbed Gleip. He then led the horse towards the caravan but he was surprised to see his foster family waiting for him.
"Aunt… uncle… little Emma… brother Titus… what are you doing here?"
Bjorn's foster mother came forward and said.
"Of course we will come here… We wanted to see you off."
Merryl, the foster mother, grabbed something from her pocket and attached it into Bjorn's right hand.
"Here… Beautiful isn't it? When you look at this please think of us, alright? And if you want to come back here, then you are always welcome."
Felix, Bjorn's foster father, also handed something to hin,
"Here, I noticed your sword was broken so have this. This sword is from my adventurer days. It was previously rusty but… I brought it to be fixed by the blacksmith."
The couple's children also came forward.
"Here big brother! This is a bunch of money! Hehehe, I want to buy your shack with this!"
"Well… you can buy it with just one valis though?"
Emma wagged her little finger towards Bjorn.
"No, no, no, no can do big bro. Someone told me to give a fair price on anything."
Bjorn smiled.
His big brother Titus then handed him a pair of boots.
"Bjorn. Take care out there, alright? Come back if you have time alright?"
"I will, Titus…"
Bjorn then went on to climb Gleip since he can see the caravan waving, signaling that they would be going now.
Before leaving… Bjorn turned around and faced his foster…. no…. his family.
"Thank you… everyone… I will come back.. mother, father…"
Bjorn has no opportunity to see the faces of his family since he rode off with the caravan, but…. For sure… they are surely happy….
He then looked towards his arm ring in his upper arm, that now fits snugly without any intention to fall.
I'm coming…. My fire….
…
..
.
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Daily chapters for now my people hahaha. I would continue this until it reaches around… 10 chapters??? Hehe
Peace out my dudes.
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