As they walked back, Kit realised he had let his excitement get out of control. He needed to calm down, he was practically bouncing on his way back.

When they arrived, both Kit and Mars had a sparkle in their eyes. Twix on the other hand was anxiously digging his foot into the ground as they approached.

Even though Kit was still pumped from the decision Mars, and he had just made, he decided to ask some questions before agreeing to anything.

If residency was being offered so easily, he wanted to make sure he could get the most out of it. Despite his eagerness, Kit made sure to play it cool. He still didn't know the old man's name. "What should I call you, sir?"

"Grandpa works just fine." smiled the old man warmly.

Kit felt a warm energy emanating from the old man. Even though Kit and Mars had gone off to talk privately, Grandpa was still all smiles. Kit felt no hesitation or apprehension about asking his questions, only excitement. "So, what kind of residency are you offering exactly?"

"Permanent, of course. If I gave you temporary residency, you would still be strangers here." Kit almost laughed at this response. It was clear that Grandpa really wanted more people to live in his village.

This was great news for Kit. Next to him, he could feel Mars vibrating with happiness. Kit decided a bit of acting might get him even better benefits.

"Well, you see, I'm actually a chef looking to open my own restaurant soon. If I became a permanent resident here, I would have to open my restaurant in this village, right? But without any customers or even a respawn arch nearby, it wouldn't be profitable for me. So unfortunately, we can't accept your offer."

Kit put on a pitiful expression as he spoke; pretending to act reluctant in order to see what other benefits he could get out of Grandpa's desperation.

The old man started to choke after hearing Kit's words and Kit wondered if he had gone too far. He quickly tried to come up with a way to backtrack without making a fool of himself. Luckily, Grandpa regained his composure before Kit had to say anything else.

Kit was taken aback when Grandpa grabbed his hands, causing him to lock eyes with him. A mischievous expression spread across Grandpa's face.

"Don't worry, Kit my boy. As soon as you become a permanent resident, I'll upgrade this little town into a thriving village and install a respawn arch. You'll have customers lining up for your cooking skills."

Kit couldn't believe his luck. He could definitely push for more benefits now that he had leverage. It wouldn't hurt to try and negotiate for a bonus. Plus, even if he didn't get anything extra, at least he would have permanent residency.

"Grandpa, that sounds amazing. But to be honest, I don't have much money. I'm not sure I could afford a piece of land in such a beautiful location like this." Kit let out a heavy sigh for dramatic effect.

To his delight, Grandpa took the bait. "Don't worry about that, Kit. As a Spartan Fire resident, how could I let one of our own struggle with buying land? I'll give you a prime spot by the lake for free."

Kit's eyes widened in astonishment. He had been hoping for a discount, not a free piece of land. He tried to conceal his excitement and pretended to seriously consider the offer.

"That is incredibly generous of you, Grandpa. I am thrilled to become a part of this wonderful community. My only concern now is if Spartan Fire will have enough development to attract sufficient traffic for my restaurant."

Kit masked his eagerness behind hesitant words, but in reality, negotiating with Grandpa now while they still had some power was their best bet. Once Kit became a permanent resident, their bargaining power would likely diminish significantly.

Despite putting on an act of reluctance, Kit truly had concerns about opening his restaurant in such a small town. He worried that without any help with town development, his business would never take off, no matter how delicious the meals were.

“Kit, you don’t have to worry about that. The village will naturally grow once we have a respawn arch. Plus, as a new Forsaken resident, you may not know this yet, but skilled chefs are hard to come by here. People from neighbouring villages will flock to taste your food. Trust me, you won't have trouble finding customers. I myself can't wait to try your dishes.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Kit wasn't satisfied with being told the town would grow on its own. It left no room for him and Mars to contribute to the town's growth. Determined not to be pushed aside, Kit decided to confront the old man head on. Two could play at this game. He mentally prepared himself for a battle; it was time to play hardball.

“Grandpa, Twix told us how you've been trying to elevate this hamlet to a village for years without success. So forgive me for being skeptical when you say the town will grow naturally. I'm not sure if opening a restaurant here is the right move for me.”

With his next words, Kit went in for the kill. “I might even consider looking into neighbouring towns and their development potential. Of course, Grandpa is always welcome to visit my restaurant and sample my food anytime he'd like.” A smug smile spread across Kit's face. 'Checkmate, old man.'

The old man sputtered in response. Kit relished in seeing him flustered; it gave him confidence that he and Mars could make a difference in the growth of the village.

“What neighbouring towns? They're all worthless compared to my Spartan Fire. And if you're so concerned about town development, how about I let you be involved in the process. What do you say to that?”

Kit contained his excitement, forcing a look of confusion on his face in case anyone was watching. "But Grandpa," he began, "how could we possibly be involved? And do you really think I'm qualified to help develop the town?"

Grandpa's piercing gaze made Kit feel like he was being evaluated under a microscope. A shiver ran down his spine. After a moment, Grandpa grunted and nodded to himself.

"Why not? I'm getting on in years and could use some time to fish. How about you young ones take care of the town for me? In return, I'll give all three of you founding member positions at Spartan Fire."

Kit had no idea what that meant, but Twix gasped in surprise next to him. Mars and Kit both turned to stare at the newcomer.

"Even me, Grandpa?" Twix asked incredulously. "Won't this cause problems with the rest of the family?"

Grandpa snorted. "You're part of their team, aren't you? That's what you said earlier."

Twix looked confused by the old man's words. "Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Grandpa cleared his throat and fixed his gaze on Kit as if expecting him to say something. But Kit was just as lost as everyone else. After thirty seconds of awkward silence, he thought to himself, 'What does this old man want from me?' Luckily, Mars was there to save the day and explain what Grandpa was waiting for.

"That's right," he interjected. "If Kit and I are given positions, then our other teammate would need one too. It wouldn't be fair otherwise."

Kit could see the old man's face light up with joy as he accepted their answer. The elder seemed to radiate happiness, as if pink flowers were blooming around him.

Kit observed the old man carefully, wondering if it was right to accept this founding member position in the town. Twix had mentioned potential conflicts with other residents, and Kit also worried about how their relationship with Mars would be perceived by the other inhabitants of Spartan Fire.

"Grandpa, we are grateful for this offer. But I'm concerned about how the other residents will react to us accepting such an important position when we have only just arrived."

"Don't worry about that, my boy," Grandpa reassured him. "Once they find out you're a chef, they'll be thrilled to have you in such a pivotal role. It's not easy to come across a chef in these parts, and having one here in Spartan Fire is truly a blessing."

Though skeptical, Kit couldn't deny the logic behind Grandpa's words. He didn't want to cause any issues for the small community by accepting the position without fully understanding its implications. All he wanted was to contribute and help Spartan Fire grow; he didn't need a formal title.

When Kit expressed his thoughts to Grandpa, the older man explained that without the official position, Kit wouldn't have much say in the development of Spartan Fire. He didn't want to deceive Kit - if he declined the position, he would have to step back from their plans for the town's growth.

After contemplating this information, Kit decided to trust Grandpa's assurances and accepted the position. He then turned to Mars to gauge his reaction and found him practically glowing with delight. Kit chuckled at his partner's eagerness before turning back to Grandpa.

"We both accept your generous offer," Kit said with gratitude.

"Then it's settled. You'll have your restaurant here in Spartan Fire," he declared with a smile. Kit couldn't help but feel grateful for the old man's support. “Now all that is left is for you to officially accept the position!”

Ding!

[CAL]

Hidden quest.

Become a founding member of Spartan Fire.

Spartan Fire founding members are responsible for the growth of the hamlet. They will have access to all the town functions.

Accept position of founding member of Spartan Fire.

Yes/no

Kit stood frozen, staring at the words on the screen in utter disbelief. He never imagined that his involvement with Mars and Spartan Fire would lead to this level of influence and responsibility. "Holy golden pears!" he exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.

His whole body trembled as a wave of joy washed over him. Suddenly, his two friends embraced him from both sides, their laughter joining his own. As they toppled over in a laughing heap, the old man wore a doting smile.

After catching their breath, Kit noticed Grandpa was staring at them with a gleam in his eyes. “Ah, to be young. Now that you boys have gotten that out of your system how about you answer my question. Do you accept the position of a Spartan Fire founding member?”