13 - Village 7

The next village was about 2 days away, and it’s much further out. Located in one of the drier parts of Loom’s province, it borders one of the neighbouring nations, and therefore has a higher percentage of travellers.

As I only have 10 weeks left, I intend to spend the last 6 weeks training and getting all these talents to work together as one cohesive team. Perhaps we can somehow develop a combo attack or discover some kind of combat synergy to exploit against whatever that’s going to come.

So, that leaves 4 weeks for my talent scouting.

Sara, Adam, spar occasionally in their rest periods, and I can see that Adam’s higher level shows. Sara is naturally talented, so her progress is fast, and she’s already got good basics, but she lacks in the combat experience against others, unlike Adam who’s actually served on various monster suppression skirmishes and anti-bandit raids throughout Loom.

“Not joining?” Anne sits next to me.

“Uh… I like to watch. I prefer to, actually.”

“I prefer not to. I like more… non-violent things.”

I smile and stare into her eyes, and she looks back at me. She looks a bit tired from the journey, and we’ll reach the village a day away. At the rate we’re going, we can probably visit another 6 or 7 villages before we’ll return to Loom.

“Do you want to go back to Loom? Will things be fine without your presence?”

Anne shakes her head. “No, Prince Carlos. The chief secretary Augustine is great as his job, and my job is mostly just to help him with all the paperwork, and lighten his load so he has some free time to rest. I’ve asked a few friends to help out...”

“Ah.”

The next day, we continue the journey, and as we go on, the terrain starts to change. The terrain here is a bit different, and so are the trees and flowers. So, I’m rather delighted when I spotted a small shrub with a whole lot of white colored lilies.

Lilyflower, All colors, affection +3%, Single use, once per month. Can be made into a bouquet.

So, I took a lot, and with a piece of paper, I wrapped them into two bouquets. I suppose this is my [Crafting] ability, since I seem to innately know how to do so, and how to do it well.

Simple Lilyflower Bouquet, All colors, Affection +8%, Single use, Once per month (overlaps with Lilyflower)

And I give the two to both Anne and Sara. They both blush when I pass them the bouquets.

Adam and the men grins, “Really smooth, Prince. Real smooth.” I turn back and stare at them, not to ruin the moment.

“It’s the first time I got a bouquet…” Sara fidgets. Affection 8%

Anne smiles, “Thank you. It’s pretty.” Affection 75%

“Well, we all been having a long journey, so, some flowers for the two lovely ladies who’s going through this with us!”

Adam loudly says, “Why do girls get flower and us men get nothing.” The rest of the men laugh.

Oh shush! Dress up in a skirt and I’ll get you some. I didn’t say that, of course. I fear that Adam might just try it, just to test me.

I turn around, “You guys get beer in the village.” Well, it’s true, the men enjoy beer a lot more than the girls do. Anne hates it. Sara probably does as well. Given than Sara is green, I would think she hates it.

[1 skillpoint gained!]

Oh yay. I quickly spent it.

Skill Menu (After spending skillpoints) (+) indicates can be upgraded.

Level 3 Prince (+) Level 1 - Eye of affection Level 3 - Crafter of gifts (+) Level 2 - The power of love (+) Level 1 Healer (+) Level 1 - Heal (+) New skill - Level 1 Remove status effects

We arrive at the village about 2 hours later, right before noon. Anne had already somehow sent a message using the messenger pigeons to the elder that we’re arriving, so the party is only waiting for us to begin.

Again, it’s a routine now, I give a speech, and then we start eating. This village, as it has some “outsiders”, have a population of about 500 people. They mostly do farming work, planting all sorts of beans and fruits, and also quite a bit of goats. So the local specialty is food made with goat’s milk, and fermented beans.

They also have an alcoholic version of goat’s milk, which tastes really bad to me, but the locals love it. It’s absolutely appalling, but I had to put on my best poker face and cheer on the elders who are happily drinking them away.

Adam tried it too, and he doesn’t find the taste particularly horrible. In fact, none of them did.

I think it’s my otherworlder palate. The girls, both of them didn’t want it, of course. They didn’t like it, so they were rather surprised when I whispered to them, that I think the drink is horrible.

Anyway, focus!

I’m here to look for talent, so I get to it. As I shake hands and greet the people, I then spotted one interesting thing.

A girl in a cage, next to the event hall. I didn’t spot it earlier, but now I did.

“Who’s that?” I ask the elder.

“She’s someone we caught earlier, she’s been begging for food for days, after she ran here, but after a few days she started stealing. We’re going to punish her by chopping off her hands.”

Unknown, Rank 5, Level 3 Elementalist, Yellow, 0%

Rank 5!

That’s the second highest I’ve seen, since Selena who’s rank 6!

So, I approach her, and I beckon Anne to come over.

“What’s the norm for punishment around here?”

“Depends, it’s up to the elder, really. The legal system grants judgement powers to all village elders for lesser matters, and criminal matters to two elders in unison. More difficult matters will be referred to the magistrate in Loom for deliberation. There’s only 2 principles when deciding punishment, that the punishment is sufficient to achieve deterrence, and the punishment is reasonably proportionate.”

Ah yes, we do have a proper judge in Loom, but I’ve only met that old lady once… when I was not yet… me.

“What are my legal powers?”

“As prince, you have overriding veto powers to all decisions made, except for that of a High Judge, which only the King can overrule.”

“Great.”

“May I decide punishment?”

The elder pauses, “Uh... certainly.”

“Can I have some food? And beer, please?” One of the soldiers take it for me, and then I smile at the girl in the cage. She’s got light yellow, almost sand-colored hair, and a slightly dark complexion, and she’s really, really skinny, like she have not had a proper meal in weeks. She’s so skinny she would be labelled as anorexic, and her face, her cheeks actually sink into her face because the total lack of fats.

“Here. Have some.”

She stares back, and somehow, she doesn’t reach for it. She heard the conversation, and I would think she understands me.

“Cooperate, or I’ll make it even more difficult for you. So eat up and drink. You like beer, don’t you?”

She stares, trying to have a measure of my intent. But after 5 secs, she decides to eat and drink. The elders of the village of course come and watch, surprised. An elder whispers, “Your majesty… what are you doing?”

“Relax, I just started. I do intend to punish her.”

The elder nods. “Understood.”

I wait till she finishes, and I lean down, looking at her through the cage. “So, tell me your name.”

“Lani.”

“Hi, Lani. They tell me you were stealing, is that true?”

She pauses, and she sighs. “...yes.”

“And why did you do it?”

“Hungry.”

“But it’s wrong.”

“Hungry. Cannot think.”

“I see, but stealing is wrong. How much did you steal?”

She tries to count with her fingers, and shows 7 fingers. “Bread…”

“So you stole 7 loaves of bread.” She nods, and I sigh.

“Elders, may I propose I compensate the villagers for the bread, such that I may decide punishment however I wish? I will take her back to Loom.” I got money, time to use it! So, the elders talk among themselves, and they eventually agree. I even paid them a bit more.

Anne and Sara then comes over, “Prince, what are you trying to do?”

“I’m bringing her back to Loom, and I’ll punish her.”

Somehow the girls and guys give me a look that just screams ‘you pervert’ or ‘you sick man’.

What, did I imply anything sexual?