Chapter 47: Rewards and a mothers caution

With care, I walk through the island; enjoying the hustle and bustle of people around me. Honestly, all I made was the foundation, these people truly make the meat of the dish. I was never good at fine-tune building, I am much better at building the backbone and larger side of the structures.

‘humming’ as I pass someone improving my rather shoddy market stalls. On a whim, I place a chest with a variety of woods and blocks I used for the island. Placing a sign on it telling people it's free to use.

I tap the shoulder of a builder, “that chest over there has building materials; gotta keep the theme.” Walking away, I spot a few people investigate the chest. Doesn’t cost me much ‘shrugs’ if they can use it to improve the island; power to them.

Even now, a single day and it already looks far better. Spotting a few strategic nets hastily erected around tall structures. Walking to the skydiving area, pondering on an elevator that could possibly be used. After coming to the sky diving area, I remove my Armor; placing it within my bag of holding.

Pushing down the anxiety in my heart I take a leap of faith, trusting in my design. As I start to plummet to the earth, I fight my instinct to quickly equip my Armor. Enjoying the rush of wind, ‘looking down’ the fear is… intoxicating. I met the ground quickly and suddenly, feeling a sudden stop. Fluffiness surrounding me, it was strange. Such a sudden momentum stop should turn me into a pancake but it felt like a soft hug.

Crawling out of the fluffiness I escape to the north walls. To which I quickly reequip my Armor; better safe than sorry I suppose.

After descending the cloud net I head towards the town. Walking peacefully, rather than flying. If I fly too much I might get fat… Nah I eat too little. Surprised I haven’t starved to death. I quickly remember to check my Ender mailbox; a single note is enclosed. Reading it, Jengal has found a bat. He immediately bought it for me. That was nice of him.

Within the note, he left the address to his house. To which I immediately go towards. It's in the slightly poorer part of the neighborhood. In fact rather close to my home.

Knocking upon the bright red door. He mentioned it as the easy to identify a feature of the house. Most others are monotonous greys and blues. I hear a rustling behind the door before it swings open with excessive speed. I find an older woman, deep eyes and silver streaking through her hair. She still has an echo of her youthful beauty.

“Hello, Is this Jengals home, have I come to the wrong house?” I say apprehension clear in my voice; I always hate this part.

She speaks with haste, her lips blurring in motion. “Yeah he's here, you’re the guy who hired him right. Nice to meet you. Now go get that damned bat, crapped on my floor.”

Being pulled through the door in haste, I find a very strange home. It looks as if someone with OCD only cleans half the house. Sides and shelves meticulous but a pile of clothes in the middle of the floor.

Trying not to twitch from the sheer opposites this house embodies, I am led to a room. The woman walks straight in. Finding Jengal running around trying to catch a bat flying around his room. In slight shock, he turns to me, “Sorry, wanted to pet it.”

Walking in, I remove my golden lasso, and with an impressive stroke of luck grab it in one fluid motion. Leaving both with mouths agape.

He just looks at me and says “Thanks.”

I end up sitting down with him on a table, mindlessly talking about the books I have read and the curiosities he has discovered. My carnival island did come up, he suspected I made it but he wasn’t sure. I easily promised him a tour which got him bouncing with energy.

Finally, I begin to talk about the bat and him finding it.

Both of us noticing the shift in the tone I watch his face turn ever so slightly harder. I begin to speak.

“So, thank you very much for grabbing that bat for me.” Allowing my appreciation to settle. “It’s a massive pain to capture one myself. How much did you pay?”

He looks around slightly nervous, “A silva”

To which I immediately “Drop” 50 silvers on the table. His face also seemed to drop with the bag of heavy coins. This time he doesn’t try to refuse it, just accepting it gratefully. I guess you cant surprise him every day.

Gathering his attention back to me. “So, any luck with the demon heart, or a time for the auction with a ghast tear?”

Taking on a business-like voice. “Sorry, both are out of reach for now.”

“Don’t worry about it, the demon heart I am likely to get soon, I made a deal with the mayor. Still try and get that ghast tear buddy.” Pausing for a moment I start listing out other items I want. “Alright, I have a list here of items I need, and a description of how they are normally obtained and the appearance. First off, Kontron crystals; dungeon chests. Damned rare they are.”

He looks at the list, slightly bewildered; he still nods and accepts it. “What does this crystal do?”

“Allows me to summon a vessel for travel.”

Quick as a whip he replies “Cool.”

“Another to note is garmonbozia, a crazy rare material. The place it's found… I also want the location if possible.”

He mouths the complex word curiously “Weird name.”

In a joking tone, I simply reply “Yes.”

“Anyway, go over the list at your leisure any hits do send me a letter.”

A smile beaming on his face “Yes sir.”

Out of curiosity, “Now, how would you like to be paid. Of course, materials of value and money are on the table. But you help me out immensely.” Feeling generous I list a few things I could potentially give him. “I have a variety of things that I could do or make as rewards for more rare items or information. Like body improvement ‘removing my gauntlet’ exposing my silver tinted skin. I modified my body to be more durable, hence the metallic tint, I could give you the ability to teleport, breath underwater, or fly. Of course, these changes will have physical ramifications. Like my skin tone.”

His face flushes with indecision and surprise. He replies in the most responsible way possible. “I will consider that as a reward, it sounds amazing.” He pauses but asks one more thing. “Does it get passed onto my children?”

Taken aback by a very good question. I take a moment to ponder it. “Honestly I have no idea but based on how it functions… that’s completely and reasonably likely. Just so you know, every change is reversible, if not annoying to do so.”

Moving past that potential reward. I offer other things. “Of course, I can make you some high-quality equipment ‘demonstrating my pickaxe. A bag of holding, which I can soulbond so its impossible to steal. Even a golden lasso to ‘store’ non-sentient mobs.”

I allow the thought to sink in. I just pleasantly say “Don’t worry, just think about it. If you find any of the items or information on that list, you can choose then.”

Having said my dramatic sentence, I turn to leave only to be grabbed by an energetic mother.

“You aren’t just leaving like that, we got dinner in the oven; you must join us!” She says, while simultaneously dragging me to a dinner table.

Unable to say no, I sit down; noting the large table for only 2 people. Dinner is quickly served, some kind of roast meal. A variety of vegetables and a slice of light meat drenched in thick stock.

Removing my helmet was funny, his mother was very surprised. I was berated by a variety of creative questions of my origin and the reason my skin tone is odd. I deftly dodged them all of course. To which his mother sulks like a 5-year-old.

I actually nearly choked on a sizable potato as Jengal asks his mother, “Would you be angry if I genetically improved my body?”

That’s one way of saying it, she just nits her brows in confusion before realization dawns on her. She turns to look at me.

Raising my arms defensively, “Hey, it's just a potential reward; he helps me immensely so I offered to make him stronger.”

She clearly thinks on it, shooting me a scathing glare. She finally drops her shoulders, turning to me. “You’re an adult now, I… cant stop you. But! Make sure it's safe.” This is where I interject “I already did it to myself, the only problem is it changes your appearance.”

She raises I eyebrow before speaking. “So that’s why you got a freaky skin color and facial structure.”

Deciding to play nice and give some goodwill. “No, I was born this way. I made myself more durable by infusion genetic material that added metal to my body. So I have always been pale but the metallic tint is from the modification.”

She clearly thought she figured out some great puzzle only to have her Jenga tower knocked down.

“What other rewards did he offer?” she asks, clearly being as astute with words as her son.

Finally, the boy who is as quiet as a mouse when his mother speaks talks, “He offered me a variety of mystical items, to which he said he could soulbond so they would be impossible to be stolen.”

She just looks at me, “How rich in the nether are you? I don’t understand rich people. Not that I am complaining but why are you so generous to my son?”

Thinking on it for a moment, I guess I really am abnormally generous towards him. Carefully selecting my thoughts, I speak. “He isn’t just an employee, he's also a friend. I don’t have many trustable friends.”

She seems very happy with that response, I was happy with how smoothly it left my mouth. When did I get a charisma stat?

Jengal just ruins the pleasant mood I built by muttering “Damn water-breathing would be really cool.”

I just shake my head we all laugh mindlessly. Just to have a bit of fun, I give him 4 clay soldiers, informing him they will fight each other if they are different colors I head for the door.

Having enjoyed the dinner I bid them farewell, heading out with a full belly and happy heart. Truly without people to enjoy your time, it's just empty.

I take a quick look around the market, I suppose all the interesting stuff is in auctions, private collections, and certain groups of people. The market just sells raw materials and basic crafted goods.

I go around, mostly buying any spices I spot, materials I don’t think I have, and some food stock like a variety of beef cuts. I also buy some spiced oil and stock, which the person kept cold… somehow? I didn’t see any fridges but it just stayed cold.

I guess plenty of people have a few tricks up their sleeves. I also buy some ready-cooked food, mostly just a variety of well-seasoned meats.

Heading home, using a combination of my necklace and the Telepad. After stepping out of the teleporter I quickly hear a lot of movement. I didn’t take any effort to hide the spiced meat but this was surprisingly quick. Finding Chic running down the hallway with Sling on their back.

I quickly hand them the meat, to which they both started jiggling as they ate. I enjoyed the company, just playing with the pets, treating them. I also tried to train Sling to do things for treats. After a lot of prodding, I can now command the silly slime to ‘fall over’ for a treat.

Having satisfied my emotional meter massively I head to bed. Tired from the day but revitalized by the people and my pets. I love the variety of how people differ. Even if some… have a rather sour personality.

Tucking into my sheets, scribbling away at my diary; I fall asleep. Head in my diary I rest easy.