Kapitel 55: First Earning
Saraf approached the wolf's corpse, cut open its stomach, and retrieved a small beast core from inside. Holding it up, he said, "Jubin, I've found another beast core here. Should we burn the corpse now?"
"Yes, I'm coming," Jubin replied, walking over. Using fire magic, he incinerated the wolf's body and then extinguished the remaining flames with water magic. The entire process was executed with precision and ease.
Ranav watched in amazement. It was the first time he had witnessed fire magic being performed.
Jubin took the beast core from Saraf's hand and approached Ranav. "Thank you for saving my companion's life," he said, holding the beast core out to him. "This is your share of the loot."
Ranav shook his head immediately. "No, I don't need this, but thank you."
"You might not realize it, but this core has value in the market," Jubin explained. "Even wolf meat can be sold, though the price is low. Unfortunately, we don't have the means to carry it back with us, and leaving it here would attract scavengers or hungry beasts. Burning it was the safest option. Take it."
"Well… if you insist, please give the core to Kulbir. He contributed greatly," Ranav said.
"Alright." Jubin turned to Kulbir and handed him the core. Kulbir, fully aware of its value, thanked them repeatedly before carefully placing it in his pocket.
A few minutes later, Rita informed the group, "Usha is settled inside the carriage."
Jubin instructed everyone to board, and the team began their journey to the healing center. During the ride, Usha slept soundly, aided by Rita, who had helped her find a comfortable position.
When the carriage reached the gate of the healing center, Rita gently woke Usha, and everyone disembarked. Ranav turned to the hunter team and said, "I'm already late. If you don't need me, I'd like to take my leave."
Jubin nodded. "Understood. Usha needs a thorough check-up, and we'll need some assistance from the healers here. You've done more than enough. Thank you." He handed a pouch to Ranav. "Here's the promised two hundred. Please take it."
Ranav accepted the pouch and slipped it into his pocket. He and Kulbir bid farewell to the group and hired a carriage to return to the count's estate.
Upon arriving, Ranav found the countess seated in the lounge, reviewing some documents. Hearing footsteps, she looked up toward the door.
"Good afternoon, Aunt Vedika," Ranav greeted politely.
"You're very late. How did it go?" she asked.
"It was a success. I awakened the darkness element."
"That's a relief," she said, her expression softening. "Seeing you this late, I was worried something had gone wrong. You know, sometimes the awakening process doesn't go as expected. Your case is unique. Most people need to study and use an awakening stone to unlock their first element, but you were awakened at birth. Technically, this was your first formal awakening."
"Master mentioned that too. I was prepared for the worst."
"Then why are you so late? Did that madman keep you waiting?"
"No, he was quite considerate. The awakening itself didn't take long… maybe half an hour. But I joined a hunting team to assist as a healer in an emergency. They couldn't find anyone else, so I tagged along. It went well. Kulbir was with me the entire time. He tried to stop me, but I insisted. Please don't scold him… it was my curiosity that led me to go."
"You shouldn't have done that. Anything can happen in a fight. Where exactly did you go?"
Ranav recounted the entire story, carefully omitting his own involvement in the battle. When he mentioned healing one of the hunters, the countess sighed and forgave him.
"Don't do that again," she said sternly. "You're still a child. You need to act like one."
After a pause, she added, "Go to your room. Freshen up and head to the dining room for lunch. We've already eaten. And don't go anywhere without informing me."
"I'm sorry, Aunt Vedika," Ranav said earnestly. "I was just curious about the hunters, and they promised I'd stay safe in the carriage. Kulbir was with me the whole time. But no excuses… I won't do it again."
He then went upstairs to his room.
After taking a bath and changing into fresh clothes, Ranav went to the dining room for lunch. The maids served him quickly since everyone else had already eaten. He finished his meal swiftly and returned to his room to rest after the exhausting morning.
Just as he was about to fall asleep, a knock sounded at his door. Annoyed, he opened it to find Paramita standing there.
"Did you awaken the darkness element?" she asked.
"Yes, and it was easier than I expected," Ranav replied.
"I heard you'd returned from a maid, so I came to check," she said. Then, after a pause, she asked, "Are you free this evening?"
"I'm tired and need a good sleep. After that, I'll be free. But please, let me sleep as long as I need. Using magic for so long has left me a bit drained."
"Alright. Call me when you wake up," Paramita said before turning to leave.
Ranav shut the door and immediately went to bed.
When he woke up, it was already night. After freshening up, he went downstairs and found the countess giving instructions to two maids. He waited until she finished before greeting her.
"Oh, Ranav! When did you wake up? Paramita has been looking for you," she said.
"I just woke up. Where is she?"
"She's probably in her room. Go to the dining room for some snacks. I'll send a maid to inform her that you're downstairs."
Ranav went to the dining room, where a maid served him tea and snacks. Taking a sip of the tea, he thought, the tea here is far better than what we had back in the village. It must be made from some special leaves that cost more.
His mind wandered to his life on Earth. "When I was there, I loved tea. My mother always bought Yorkshire Tea, like most British households. But I preferred Ringtons Gold Tea Bags, which forced her to order that Newcastle product just for me. Ringtons gave a slightly smoky brew with a golden hue. I hope I can find something like it here someday. Once, Dad tried to support local products and bought Lancashire Tea. It was awful! Everyone disliked it. Grandpa even teased him, saying, 'It's tea, not football. You don't need to support it just because it's from Manchester!'"
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein