Chapter 71 – Bits of Troubles

The river slowly flowed down in a serene manner. The fishes swam in groups. The pebbles and boulders would split the water into two channels. The river sparkled. It gave a feeling of calmness.

Joshua stood near the banks of this river. His eyes followed the stream. He looked at the blue river as it serenely flows down to the right. He remembered. He remembered that he was still holding the rifle he got from Dan. Dan was in the logging camp. Like always, he was going there to help out and gather the wood needed for the crib that Dan wanted to make.

“My friend, you really like staring at things eh?” a voice said. Joshua turned to where the voice was. It was Silo who was accompanying him. He was helping him carry the wood for him. He was steps away from the river banks. He was pushing a wheelbarrow with him.

“It’s a habit. I just like taking in the scenery before me. But I appreciate you calling me out on that, Silo.”

“No problem, my friend,” he patted his chest. “As long as I am here, you shall be notified of the little things you do.”

“Is that so?” Joshua grinned. “Then, I hope you pay me for all the lessons I gave you for free. Let’s see, from how to bake the bread, from making the recipes your own, and then for bothering me. I guess I’ll take an annoyance fee too.”

“An annoyance fee?” said Silo. “I thought you enjoy my company?”

“Because I am annoyed by how dense you are. I pity Cyra.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Exactly, see?”

Silo looked at Joshua with this dumb expression. The girl behind her, Cyra, looked at him as she wanted to give up. She had this wry smile as she tried to listen to Silo. Joshua has been observing the two. Cyra was a plain girl but she tries her best to be noticed. Silo was a dense bastard. He was a single-minded bastard that came to Edawick to serve as a baker. He and Joshua have been getting along. And ever since Joshua settled in Edawick, he has been hanging out with these two. He enjoys their company. They are good amiable people that Joshua likes.

But everyone in Edawick was hospitable. Joshua wasn’t some lazy bum. He helped around so the people accepted him. The kids were fond of Joshua for the new toys that he made for them. While the others like the bread that he makes. It wasn’t much of an accomplishment. But it was enough for them to appreciate him. Joshua also tried to be amicable. He tried his best to be amicable so that he won’t get berated.

But sometimes he would wonder what would have happened if he didn’t have these things. He was just some guy who paid attention to some niche things. All he had was the things he learned normally. He was not that foolish to think that just because he was lost in a foreign world. He would be able to save the world. He learned hard how being good bit him badly. If he doesn’t learn then he knew that his life would be more miserable.

The three continued their walk to the logging camp. Along the way, they met a few of the loggers returning back to Edawick with a cart. Once they arrived at the camp where the loggers were. Joshua greeted the head of the loggers and asked. “Are there any injured? Got hurt?”

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“None aside from the usual splinters,” the head of the loggers said. “But thanks for asking anyway lad.”

“I see. Well, Silo and Cyra are here. They should have the bread.”

“Bread again?” the head of the loggers snapped. “And I am guessing that Silo made the bread again. So when will we get those ‘waffles’ of yours? They0 are delicious, especially the melted butter.”

“They take time to bake. I’ll make one when I can, Sir”

The head of the loggers patted his shoulder. “Good lad, though why can’t you teach Silo?”

“It was from my mother. I am rather fond of them.”

“Is that so? Well, can’t be helped then.”

Joshua has taught Silo how to bake like modern times. But even so, he didn’t teach him the recipe of his mother’s waffles. Maybe it was selfishness or sentimentally, but he rather keep it to himself. It was the only thing that he had to remember his mother. He didn’t have any way to return home. So eating the waffles was the only way for him to remember home. He would pretend as if it was his gentle mother serving a plate of waffles on the table. It was a sad thing to do. But after what happen in Avilla where his ‘family’ abandoned him. Joshua could only do this to soothe his heartaches.

Joshua went around the camp. The loggers were cutting down trees. They would saw the lumber and drag them to the carts so they can be hauled back to the lumber mill in Edawick. He looked at the unlit campfire area. There, he saw Silo and Cyra distributing the bread. He looked for Dan and he saw him talking to a lumberjack. The lumberjack was strangely armed to the teeth.

“Aye, there were blood trails down the valley. Dire monsters, their lungs, their heart, their heads cut open. Something dissected them I tell you Dan, and it makes me worried that whatever thing is doing this. It might not stop at just monsters. The trail’s getting closer to home.”

“What about the scouts?”

“No one heard from them six days after that huge tremor coming from the valley. I don’t remember any volcanoes around the valley. So it might be just the regular earthquake, but I fear that it awoke something that should be sleeping.”

Their talk was grim. Joshua tried to keep his steps quiet but he was noticed by the lumberjacks who then nodded at Dan, before leaving. Dan grabbed the sling of his rifle, he walked to Joshua.

“Heard all of that?”

“Yeah, sounds grim.”

Dan folded his arms. “We’ve never seen something like this. We thought it might be just the usual dire monsters. But this thing is far dangerous that it should be. It tore through those hard-scaled monsters that even we try to avoid.”

“I see. Are you planning to hunt whatever that thing is?” said Joshua.

“What choice do we have?” Dan gripped the sling of his rifle tightly. “That thing’s close to home. And I am not letting my family be in danger.”

Dan said with an angry tone. He walked back to the camp. Joshua watched him go. He looked at the forest. “I hope it isn’t something terrible. Oh God, please don’t let it be something.”

Joshua prayed earnestly.