Hearth Village.
The village was located deep within the undisturbed wildness of central Emvita, built between two major towns just north and south of their woodlands. Their patch of woodland was an enormous stretch of emerald trees named the Central Forest of Justicia, housing countless villages across its neutral region.
As a village under the jurisdiction of the Justica Arms 10th Branch – an Atelier of the Nexus that served as peacekeepers of the world – they enjoyed a life free from the dangers beyond their neutral territories.
Though Hearth Village was in the center of Emvita, its population was lackluster compared to its neighbors. Being days, perhaps weeks deep within the woodlands meant that contact with the outside world was minimal.
It did not matter to the residents of Hearth Village.
Village life went on as usual without the reliance of outside hands, and they preferred it that way. Magical spells like [Sunlight Synthesis], [Hasten Growth], [Calm Animal], and [Strengthen Body] were common spells used throughout the surrounding kingdoms and cities of Emvita. With no education or magical aptitude, the village worked from day and deep into the night.
Despite this, Hearth Village contained an invaluable jewel.
“She’s back! Big sister Snow is back!
“Snoooooow~!”
“And she brought back presents!”
Children of the humble village flocked to her as if she held crumbs in her hands. Tiny hands latched around her waist as they expressed their joy with childish glee.
Snow was a Healer recognized by Justica Arms and an existence kept a secret from the outside world. Healers were an existence so rare nowadays that Kingdoms have waged wars in hopes of attaining one.
This was in part the reason why the village was so isolated. New faces arrived once in a blue moon.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the tree lines.
It was a girl and a Rock Bug carrying a mountain of bloody sacks. Immediately, the children looked over the red-haired girl that had followed Snow, their eyes twinkling like stars.
“A friend!?”
“You brought someone with you!?”
“Food!?”
They swarmed Red as children would. As Red was smaller than Snow, she was easily overwhelmed by the onslaught of hands and smiles. In her eyes, it was like being hounded by a pack of wolves in human clothing.
“What the – Snow, you have these tiny humans trying to swipe our food!”
“O-oh, no Red. They’re just trying to say hello. We rarely get visitors. Much less from me, so they’re just happy to see you.” Snow wore a smile that said, ‘Red knows how to handle children, right?’
“Red!”
“Red hair, red eyes! Red name! What did you bring for us, medium sis?”
“Is it meat!?”
“Can we touch your pet! Please! Pretty please!”
Red wore a strange face. She had never seen human children before, so it came as shock to find that they were so small. In her head she thought that humans were born complete.
Humans hatch from eggs, right?
“Snow. What are these things?”
“They’re children. Like you.”
“Like me? I’m larger than them. Their stats are pretty weak too.” Red legitimately sized them up, wondering if they’d be a threat. “Too weak to be minions.”
But those glistening eyes that shone ever brightly proved her wrong, although at the same time, she imagined it to be like the gleam of a hungry wolf cub.
“A-Aha? Is that what you think children are?” Snow failed to stifle a laugh, watching as Red leaned over to touch their heads, albeit carefully like she was handling an animal. “Don’t be afraid, Red. They won’t bite.”
“I don’t think they’d bite me either. You all have blunt teeth. I’m not so sure you can even eat wolf meat. Heh. But that’s why I’m here, children of…”
“Hearth Village.”
“– Hearth Village! Behold! My name is Hatchling Red and I bring gifts called ‘food’ to your village!” She announced as if she was their savior. Red enjoyed the limelight, although this was only with the children.
By now most of the village had noticed the commotion. The population of only fifty dropped their tools and left their homes, their eyes drawn to the sight of a mountain of wolf carcasses, hauled atop the back of a giant Rock bug.
“Snow – What is the meaning of this!?” An elderly woman approached Snow; her face twisted with worry to the outsider she had brought in. “And she’s seen your hair too. Snow… How careless can you be?”
“It’s ok! She won’t hurt anyone! I found her inside of the Wolf Caverns!”
“She could be an Adventurer for all we know!”
“She’s not. Please Elda, she needs help! The poor thing was living underground for as long as she can remember!” Snow pleaded. Were it anyone else, then the villagers would have turned a deaf ear.
But because it was Snow, a Healer who was incapable of lying, they had no choice but to listen.
“I’m begging you! She can help around the village too! I know how much everyone’s joints hurt! I don’t have the mana capacity to keep healing everyone every day.”
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Village work was difficult without magic. They were also not Blessed as were many people in this world, which meant they did not possess the innate ability to strengthen themselves through the miracle of ‘Leveling’.
Most villagers ranged from levels 1 to 5. Rarely level 10. Any higher and they’d be able to seek opportunities outside of the village. As a result, village life was both mundane and taxing to the body.
Lately it had gotten worse due to the arrival of the Last Solstice; spring. For one month, which consisted of 50 days split into 5 weeks, the eves would cool down to where water would freeze. They required a substantial amount of stored food and firewood during this dangerous month.
The human body was not a machine, so any help to make things less burdensome was seen as a blessing. Although they were still wary of this outsider. Their eyes lingered on her, and Red didn’t seem to realize this as she was pampered by the children.
A genuine smile formed on her face. Red had never been surrounded by so many smiles before, let alone such tiny humans. She felt powerful as a result, but at the same time, elated that these small humans were so full of life.
“Can I pet the Rock Bug?” A child asked, and before Red could give them the ok sign, Rockie slowly reached out towards them.
“W-Wait –!”
“It won’t hurt her!” Snow assured a mother, watching with bewilderment as the Rock Bug allowed the child to shake its leg. “That Rock Bug is with Red. It saved her in the Wolf Caverns. I think it dragged her back from the Shallows.”
“A Rock Bug? Saving a person’s life? It doesn’t even look close to a Rock Bug… Haaah. Snow, what have you done?”
“I brought someone that needed help! With my judgement too. Please, Elda… I couldn’t just leave her alone in there. Just like how you found me –”
Elda raised a hand and drew it along her lips to silence Snow. Her look of dismay suddenly mellowed at the memory, and she let loose a long sigh.
“Goodness. What was a child doing in the Shallows all alone?” She approached Red with a scrutinizing gaze, her many wrinkles the same as the number of years she had lived in these lands. “Children tend to find themselves lost in these woodlands, giving birth to many of our lullabies. Nilhinids, Healers, and now, a child with red eyes. Child. Why is it that you are here?”
Red, whilst hugged by the children, answered honestly with a toothy grin.
“Because I want to know what it’s like to be alive!”
Red’s words could be interpreted as nonsense or just merely an expression. But to Red herself, those words perfectly captured the essence of her heart.
Elda carried an ominous presence. It was the kind that even experienced Adventurers and outsiders would not be able to match, let alone gaze into her crimson eyes past the strands of grey hair.
The Wise Advisor
Elda
< Elder of Hearth >
Soul Rank: Green | Affiliation: Village of Hearth
LEVEL : 10
ORIGIN : Human
HP : 60 ATT : 2
MAG ATT : 0
AGI : 2
Indeed, like Red, she possessed red eyes, but for a reason different to her. She slammed her walking stick into the grass after silently ascertaining something within Red before turning her back to her.
“Then live you shall, as with many children that carry light in their eyes. Welcome the child. Trust Snow’s judgement. Red has brought us many wolves as a gift.”
“Can we really trust them?”
“Can you trust me?”
“O-Of course!”
“Then you can trust her.”
Elda did not elaborate further to the man who had questioned her. Suddenly, as she passed through the shoulders of her fellow villagers, a tall, hulking man stood in her way.
“Oh. So you heard the commotion from all the way there?”
“It is only natural a Huntsman hears what occurs within his web.” The man wore a bycoket and carried two pairs of twohanded crossbows on his back, with another pair of hatchets by his waist.
“Mr. Hunstman!” Snow exclaimed.
The Hunstman was the village’s security so to speak. More so for Snow, but over time he warmed up to the village enough to consider them family. He lived in a hut furthest away on his own but would occasionally come to speak with the villagers and share the bounties of his hunt.
Huntsmen were members of the Arachnida Association, one of 13 of the largest Associations in Elysia. Although despite this, Mr. Huntsman was one of the lowest ranked members of the Arachnida Association and part of their distant Branch, the Green Rangers Branch, which worked in the central, neutral lands of Emvita.
This meant that he was essentially a hired arm.
Woah. He looks strong. Really strong! I wanna see what his stats are like!
Huntsman
Mr. Huntsman
< Fledgling Arachnida >
Soul Rank: Blue | Branch: Green Rangers
LEVEL : 45
ORIGIN : Human
HP : 450 ATT : 100
MAG ATT : 20
AGI : 8
Eh? Huuuh? Are they supposed to be that low? He’s like nearly double my level. So how come…?
Red didn’t say this out loud, thankfully. The man scrutinized her before his brown eyes moved to a nervous Snow.
“Let Snow keep her friend.” He did not require an explanation. “But if something happens, then it’ll be my duty to put an end to her. Ease yourselves. She’s not a Vampire despite her eyes. Vampires don’t roam these parts. Such monsters only roam beyond our forests.”
He truly meant his words. If Red caused harm, then he’d be the one to permanently remove her. Red didn’t take the threat seriously despite this, judging him by only his level. Furthermore, it only made Red want to try to make people like her harder.
“What about the wolves I brought!?” Red called out to him. “Do I need to bring more so you can trust me?”
“Snow, teach her common sense while you’re at it. That kind of attitude will only get her into worse situations.”
“R-Right!” Snow nodded.
“Huh? How come? Hey! Hello! How come!? Hey!” Red chased after him, hopping before in front of his face as he tried to ignore her. “Big guy! Stop for a second! Can you tell me why!?”
Eventually, he sighed and turned to face her.
“Because, little Red, people like to take more than what you can give.” He ended up giving Red some advice, trailing off as he turned to the villagers and sighed again. “But you can trust this village. I don’t know your circumstances, so don’t cause us any trouble. If you can do that, then we can all get along. With that many wolf carcasses, you can see why we’re wary of you.”
“I just have to bring my kill count down? But that doesn’t feel right.”
“In what way?”
“It’s boring.”
For some reason, this caused the gruff Huntsman to smile.
“Hah. Alright. I’ll take that as an answer.”
Despite how he looked, he had a decently sized heart. At least Red thought so. Even with all the threats thrown her way, Red was more than happy to just be able to experience talking with new people.
Red grinned, turning back to the village with hands on her hips.
“So, can we eat some of the wolves now!?”