Chapter 11: Three Strigs
"That's good. I knew you couldn't hide your kindness after all you did in our village, Xavier."
"I am very honoured. This decision was certainly not chosen without calculation, I had already prepared myself when the goddess asked for my help on the first try. Well, I did not expect that in the end I would still be a man who cannot refuse the help of others."
"You should be proud of yourself, son. Not all humans are as kind as you and it's just a matter of how much you can control their demands that don't benefit you at all. Live freely out there but never become their slave."
"Never be a slave, huh... I'll remember your words, Master Emil."
Emil laughed. It was quite rare for Xavier to see the village chief's sincere and wide smile, but this was probably the first time he felt the peace of mind of being relied upon by someone he trusted so much.
"As a devotee of the gods, I truly apologise for Goddess Cytherea not attending this talk."
"You don't need to apologise, Mr Emil. It's not your fault and never hesitate to kick out your guests if they make a fuss, even goddesses." Now it was Xavier who gave the village chief his advice even though he knew it would not be fully accepted.
"Don't be like that! Alright, you can sleep now. Before you go, meet me and I have something to offer you both." Without waiting for a reply, Emil turned around and left Xavier. He could not hide his happiness, his hands were shaking and his feet were stepping faster.
***
The next morning, Xavier left his house and headed for the village chief's house. From there he could see all the residents flocking to his destination. When one of them learnt of Xavier's arrival, his name was called so loudly that their heads turned and saw the village hero coming with a puzzled look.
"Oh, our hero is here. Make way for him!" One of the security guards gave the order. Then they split up and formed a street where at the end of the street Emil, Halyna, and Cytherea were standing in front of a house.
Their faces looked cheerful, especially the goddess when Emil told her at breakfast that Xavier was willing to help her with a bit of coercion and a personal request from himself. Ruffling her waist while slightly cocking her head, Cytherea was like the human form that Xavier hated so much that even her eyes were forced to look at the village chief who sincerely welcomed her departure.
"You have come. Before you go, we have something to tell you, hero."
Xavier held back a smile and nodded slowly. As the village chief, Emil gave him a few parting words and let his people give Xavier what they had. Although Cytherea's presence attracted more attention from Emil and Halyna, it did not apply to those who were now crowding around him.
He received many gifts, such as food, new clothes, and other necessities of life. Xavier also saw the little girl who was queuing behind the residents and her hand seemed to be holding something but trying to hide it from him. Until it was her turn, the little girl took out three sprigs of medicinal plants that Xavier used to pick almost every day.
"Why are you giving me flowers, Analyn?" Xavier was curious but not annoyed.
"You can think of these flowers as like a talisman, Uncle Xavier. This plant is very useful to our people and I hope Uncle Xavier has the same kindness when you meet people out there."
Xavier opened his mouth, he didn't expect a little girl like her to come up with an analogy he had never heard of.
"Thank you, Analyn. Take good care of yourself and someday we'll meet in a place we didn't expect. You still want to travel the world, right?"
Analyn nodded quickly, without realising the tears running down her cheeks. "Promise me, Uncle Xavier. I'll see you again someday and become a beautiful girl in everyone's eyes."
"Haha, before becoming a beautiful girl, make sure you don't cry because it ruins your beauty." Xavier wiped away her tears using his thumb.
Then Analyn left the line and decided to stand beside him. The little girl didn't care if the villagers asked and forced her to stay away from their hero. Analyn was so comfortable with him that she was actually unprepared for Xavier's sudden departure.
Xavier was busy greeting the villagers one by one and didn't stop smiling despite the slight pause when they took turns saying goodbye. Being a village hero is not a big role, but his kindness and service will live on in their memories, telling his story to their children and grandchildren for generations to come.
Among the hundreds of people, none of them approached Cytherea. Neither side cared anyway. They gathered around Xavier because they wanted to thank him before embarking on a difficult mission. Cytherea, on the other hand, had come to take Xavier and didn't need anything else.
"In the end, you are not interested in them. Do you have your own reasons, Goddess Cytherea?" Emil suddenly stood beside her, much to her surprise.
Cytherea did not want to answer that question, but after she remembered having shelter and food to keep her alive, she opened her mouth. "It's simple. Seeing that your people are so dependent on Xavier was a major factor. Besides, his body is highly trained and I'm sure he has a lot of experience in fighting and killing his opponents."
"You mean... You're forcing me to take Xavier on a killing trip?" Emil could not hide his fear.
"You're a moron, old man. Xavier has a talent that it would be a shame to let die. He is still young and there are many opportunities for him to perfect his talent. I believe that's what can help us usurp the throne of the gods."
"Well, the gods have insights and abilities that humans don't have. I have only one request for you, Goddess Cytherea, on behalf of the villagers. So please listen carefully." Emil's face suddenly became serious.
Cytherea narrowed her eyes and asked. "Oh, yes? Tell me your request, village chief."
"Don't let Xavier die during the journey to capture Heaven. Until one of us hears he is lifeless, then I cannot stop the people's rage that might be equivalent to the Demon Lord's cruelty."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone