Ten minutes or so later Aaron came down with some fresh clothes on and was seen leaving the house by the soldiers who were having their breakfast after experiencing what it feels to train early in the morning with this kid.
Paws was chasing the boy's feet and having fun while the twenty something soldiers which now serve him had to pick up whatever they could carry from the table before following their young master Ron.
Sherry, Pio, and Lucas were feeling a little bit down since they can't follow the boy everywhere like before but they understood that right now they're being given this responsibilities by their young master Ron for a reason which is because he trusts them enough to hand these important tasks to them.
Aeona and Rhinne noticed how these three were acting sour at this moment but both of them acted like they saw none of it.
Manji and Roger were probably the only two group leaders without care for any of the family drama, both of them had the fewest of soldiers following them but thankfully these guys shared similar interests which is why they didn't mind taking them under their wing.
"Owwie! Ouch! Ow! I'm sorry! I'm sorry alright?" Lucy was still getting bullied by her two sisters ever since she said something stupid to the kid who immediately experienced a shift of attitude and gave them the cold shoulder.
"Humph. Weren't you so amazing before and could "Crush" others with a single thought? Why don't you try that on someone your size? Go on then, try me!" Heena kept twisting her best friend's ear while scolding.
*Snort*
Nina was doing the same from the other side while glaring at this troublemaker which said something which she should've never said.
Unlike these two which are actually in cahoots most of the time and enjoy living an easygoing, worry-free life, their team-leader has noticed since their first encounter with the boy that he might seem trusting and naive but he's actually quite the opposite.
Judging by what she heard from Sera and the people of this Village, this kid loves to test those around him and create pits and lay traps everywhere which proves her pre-conclusions about him being terribly sly and extremely distrusting of everyone around him.
The case where he immediately shrugged Snow's relation away once she left the Village was the last nail in the coffin to make that a solid case.
Now once she and her sisters barely managed to leave a vestige of a good impression on the boy this foolish bitch went and ran her mouth like an idiot, what makes it much more annoying is that she's expecting them to just shrug the whole thing and let her go with a slap on the wrist!
Meanwhile in the gardens Ria would sometimes growl at the soldiers for stepping somewhere which they shouldn't and sometimes chase them away while glaring and waving the sickle in her hand.
Little Flora was enjoying this crowded house a lot and trying to get herself acquainted with all of these people.
But poor Betty, Todd, and Sophia were having it the hardest because their work load multiplied but thankfully their young master Ron has already given them the green light to recruit help since there's no way they can manage everything on their own for too long without overworking themselves to death!
"Good. You're here!" Mr Smith stopped pouring the molten iron and let go of the pinchers before pointing towards a stack of wooden boxes to the side which are filled with black iron powder, "Can you help me with these boxes my friend? I still need to get these iron skewers delivered to Vogen." Then started to gather the long iron skewers and tie them with iron wires before attempting to carry them on his wide and muscular shoulder.
"Wait, wait, wait." Aaron stopped the giant from carrying what appears to be at least three tonnes of iron on his own.
Mr Smith let go of the stack of iron skewers and they fell on the ground with a deep and muffled thump which caused the ground to vibrate underneath the soldiers who gawked while looking at the giant speechlessly while thinking to themselves : 'This big fellow is so ridiculously strong! We should never make him angry or it'd be a complete disaster for this Village.'
Seeing the muscles on the giant's thick arms relax a tiny little bit and seeing him practically unbothered by the kid stopping him after he already carried that much weight and brought it all the way up to his shoulder, made Aaron affirm his opinion of this partner of his.
'He's much stronger than what he just demonstrated, I bet this guy can carry two stacks of these iron skewers no problem.'
Mr Smith looked around him in confusion for a while after seeing shock mixed with a bit of fear within the eyes of these strangers who follow his young friend, "Vogen said you wish for them to finish the construction as soon as possible so I thought we were in a hurry," The giant muttered while scratching his head before adding : "Do you have something else for me to do?" He asked while looking at the kid with wide beady eyes full of childish excitement!
Aaron smiled while saying : "That would be later partner, just come walk with me... you don't have to do any of this." Then he stored the boxes and all of the long iron skewers into his Inventory Space before handing the giant a bottle of ice cold Ginger Ale while adding : "Just enjoy your drink."
Mr Smith's eyes brightened once he tasted the liquid inside the bottle and closed his eyes while releasing a long breath, afterwards he opened his eyes and felt like the world was smiling at him.
The giant looked at the kid before smiling widely then saying : "You've grown taller partner."
"Yeah. Crazy right?" Aaron smiled before straining his neck to look up while adding : "Gotta keep up with you! Otherwise we'd be the butt of all jokes with Arturo being fat and you being tall while I'm shorter than a dwarf."
"Hahahaha... I bet we looked funny together." Mr Smith threw his head back and laughed before taking another swig.
The kid nodded before adding : "The clown company, a partnership of oddity."
The giant almost choked and struggled to keep the Ale within his mouth and finally sprayed a wall before looking at the boy while saying : "Now that was a nasty joke my friend, do you think we can earn any money performing it to the nobles?" Afterwards he smirked then took another swig and frowned when he discovered that the bottle in his hand was actually empty.
Aaron tossed him another while asking : "Do you think Arturo would let go of such an opportunity?"
Mr Smith immediately shook his head while answering : "No! The fatty would drag us against our will and dress up himself if he has to."
"And here I thought you were in the dark, turns out you really are a good judge of character." The kid smiled.
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"I trusted in his greed, I knew he'd supply me with whatever materials I require as long as I provide him with whatever he requests." The giant also smiled knowingly while enjoying the cold drink after spending long hours in front of the furnace he really needed to cool off.
Aaron nodded while saying : "A good old give and take deal isn't bad but you were still taken advantage off, I don't like it partner."
Mr Smith kept drinking without answering but he gave the kid a look which meant : "I'm listening."
"So far you've given me your precious time and worked many hours in dedication for old man Vogen and the rest to finish constructing my house and even given me your Gold Coins, I can't stand by and watch while others give you the short end of the stick." The kid crossed his hands and looked around him at the Villagers and houses where a few of his soldiers can hit a few times with a Hammer and make them tumble down and collapse.
"Nobody can question the quality of your work and your love for the craft which is admirable but someone with your talent isn't supposed to waste his time creating iron skewers, that's a waste of talent! Utter nonsense if you ask me.
"That's why you need to stop taking any more orders then clear your schedule of orders as soon as possible before finishing the few items me and Arturo are going to sell in the Auction House.
"Afterwards I'll give you the task of arming my soldiers to the teeth, one by one you're going to handle their Armors and Weapons.
"I'll give you 1k per soldier, and I'll provide the necessary materials. What do you say?" Aaron asked while thinking : 'Most of the suckers have Metal Armor and Weapons which we can scrap anyway.'
Mr Smith opened his mouth to say : "You know that I'd do it for free right?"
Aaron nodded while answering : "You can use some of that money to buy some of your neighbors' houses and expand your smithy, you can use some of that money to hire some of the villagers to help with the easy and annoying work while you focus on the interesting and exciting parts, you can use some of it to hire old man Vogen, Cassandra, and Tylus's help to build you a comfortable house where you get to enjoy your break and relax, you can use a fraction to find yourself a few women to warm your bed in the night and hopefully soon give you a few brats to annoy you almost to death."
The soldiers were weirded out by this conversation between the two because the big one felt small while the young one felt old.
Once they entered the house Nina and Heena dragged Lucy by the ear to apologize to the boy but he simply patted the woman who's getting bullied on the head while saying : "You two can continue "Crushing" poor Lucy here a bit more, now if you'll excuse me because I'm busy." Then left with Mr Smith and his group of soldiers towards the balcony on the backyard.
Lucy felt like her dignity was stomped under the feet of this boy but was unable to say or do anything with her sisters restricting her thoroughly.
Fortunately Paws solved everything when she strutted towards the beauty and started climbing her then snuck her small head into the ravine between the valleys on her chest!
The woman quickly got distracted from the punishment she took from her sisters and the cold treatment from the boy and played with the Shadow Panther cub, completely unaware that her current partner was ordered by Aaron to infiltrate the "Drunkateers camp" which she flawlessly achieved.
Once Aaron activated the diagram he found Kanderion, Chronica, and Luska standing near the construction site of their Village clearly supervising the workers there.
Tess, Veronica, and Freud crossed the portal with a few others which were carrying wooden boxes before stacking them to the side at Aaron's balcony.
Carson and Dalair were waiting on Reapers-Fort and had less wooden boxes next to them.
"Young master Ron, good day to you." Tess greeted before gesturing towards the young woman and the young man standing behind her and added : "These are V-"
"Veronica and Freud." Aaron interrupted her before nodding at the two while adding : "We already met back in your Village."
The woman shrugged before saying : "Veronica is one of my niece while Freud is my nephew and Phyllia's oldest son."
"Pleasure making your acquaintance Veronica and Freud," Aaron greeted the two before looking at Tess while pointing at the boxes, "What's this about?"
"Oh! Almost forgot there, that's the Gold Coins we were supposed to pay you from earliest trade before we came knocking on your doors a couple of days ago, the Grand Elders had a meeting and decided that it'd be shameful on our Tribe's name if we take something which belongs to one of our juniors." Tess smiled widely afterwards as if to say : "You're one of us now!"
The kid rolled his eyes before storing the boxes into his Inventory Space while thinking : 'I believe we all know it's mine to begin with and had nothing to do with what that old wind bag said, she's more than 170 years old and you'd be out of your minds to believe what she said you morons!' But he still replied with a straight face : "Send my regards to the Grand Elders and make sure to tell them that I'm going to make sure the work on the Mice habitat project is completed as soon as possible, also notify them that my soldiers are expected to transport another batch of restricted and tranquilized Mice soon today."
Tess was excited to hear the news and waved goodbye while taking the rest back with her to the Blue-Flowers Village.
Aaron crossed over towards Reapers-Fort first since Strategist Dalair seemed like he had something which he wants to say, "You go find old man Vogen and Cassandra while I handle things here." He said to Mr Smith who nodded before heading towards the East where his friend told him where he can find them after crossing that amazing gate which allows people to cross vast distance in the span of a single step!
"Good morning young master Ron." Dalair greeted and Carson thumped his chest in the Knights manner.
"Dispense with the formalities you two, I'm not your commander or the direct superior on the Ranks of your Army." Aaron said before looking at the strategist then doing the same thing he did before and pointed towards the chests while asking : "What's this?"
*Ehm*
The hunchbacked man cleared his throat before opening his mouth to say : "We really wanted to offer more but after assessing the damages to the Fort and the casualties we suffered back in the Village we had to go all out and spend the rest on what we decided as the prioritie-"
The kid interrupted the man while storing the boxes into his Inventory Space, "What's with all the drama mate? I didn't even ask you to pay me anything, did I? Last time I was here I snatched your beloved Marshal, this dude Carson over there, and the rest of your great Silver Armored Head-Reapers Army from trouble while you were left to rot in some dark dungeon! Hell I even ended up giving you more money than I got despite getting my hands dirty and ending up with a big, bright, and colorful target on my back."
Dalair frowned because he wasn't expecting the boy to be so easy going about it and felt like it all make sense since he really didn't ask but what he said in the end really made this Strategist wonder if there's anything that escapes this young master Ron's wide scope and far sighted Vision!
Still the old man nodded before hurriedly apologizing.
Aaron gave this hunchbacked old man a side-glance before following after Mr Smith to deliver the materials to old man Vogen.
Afterwards he made another visit to the construction site at Phyllia's Blue-Flowers Village where Cassandra was supervising the workers and unloaded the materials she needed before heading towards Black-Fog Village which had old man Vogen's best disciples supervising the workers there since Tylus is absent.
Chronica clicked her tongue once she saw the boy arrive on her Village but this time she didn't dare say or do anything funny.
Kanderion seemed slightly disappointed when his little sister didn't attempt to go pick a fight with the kid.
Luska on the other hand was as calm as always and approached the boy then greeted him politely before offering him the money just like how her father ordered her to do earlier today before leaving with half of the Gang to oversee the distribution of the Mice meat in the nearby markets.
Aaron gladly accepted the Gold Coins from the Chief's daughter then looked towards the pouting Chronica and smirked while saying : "What? I guess you're the type of person who only bullies kids when they're hiding behind skirts! But why do I feel like you enjoy your time with those wearing skirts more than us who wear trousers?"
Luska blushed and seemed to panic before quickly recovering her cold attitude back.
Chronica glared at the boy then looked away with a humph before mumbling : "As expected of a cat lover, that little shit keeps getting on my nerve."
The kid smiled despite hearing what she said after he teased her and shrugged before deciding to go back, however he still looked towards the West where the black fog was so thick and impossible for anyone to see what's beyond its thick curtain like layer.
Back in his house he summoned the group leaders and said while pointing at the Ginger Ale bottles on the table : "The basement must be stacked full with Fuzzy Phosphorus Mice by now, your task is to lead your people to seize and capture the Mice then transport them to our partners in the 3 Villages.
"I want this to be CCCQ." Aaron put one leg on top of another and tossed the basement key to Pio.
Sherry frowned while asking the question which everyone on this gathering had in mind : "What's CCCQ?"
The kid smirked while answering slowly : "Clean, clinical, casualty-free, and quick. Duh! Just notify me when it's done, I'll be at grandpa Sid's shop undergoing the trial."