Chapter 24: Winter Blues 4

Middle of winter, things have gotten rather snowy. The world outside was colored in white. The people were like bears as they roam around sauntering to their homes. Torches were burning as the guards carry them. Arden was pulling a cart that an old man and woman were trying to pull. Their driver bailed out on them when he was paid. Leaving the two old couple to pull their carts loaded with pottery with meat inside preserved for the winter. The old man was a butcher while the lady was obviously a simple housewife that caters for their livestock. Arden found them while he was doing his normal thing. The old couple was quite alert first seeing the lean, wolfish appearance, with auburn hair swept back and dead golden eyes of Arden. They have already been fooled by some sneaky driver; they do not dare to be fooled twice.

Only until Arden persisted to help that the two old couple accepted. At first, they were wary that the young lad would suddenly rush with their carts but be seeing Arden nonchalantly pulled the carts without any complaints. The wary old couple decided to calm down and believe in the young man. It took minutes for Arden to pull the carts from near the gates to the market. After pulling the carts, and even letting the cargo down all by himself with a blank face. The two old couple who asked for help felt bad. He has been doing the work. So when Arden was done, the two old couple offered him food as thanks.

“I refuse.”

Arden said. The two old couple held their hands near their mouth. They looked at each other and started convincing Arden to please accept their offer. They would be guilty if they don’t repay him. Arden was quite lost since he didn’t really need any reward. He only wanted to help and somehow the two people wanted to give him food. He refused their offer again. The two old couple felt like they want to point their fingers at Arden for not accepting. Arden wanted to go but for the last time, the old couple asked him for the reward again. Arden stop, he rubs the back of his head and then looked at the sky. He then turned to the old couple who was clearly eager to get inside their house. They seem to be new to this city. And Arden can recognize that their newly bought house and some of the things he carried down were luggage. They were freezing and they look really tired. Seeing this Arden felt the worst kind of emotion he could ever feel. Guilt makes Arden really shaken. So hesitatingly he accepted the offer of the two old couple, who was clearly relieved to hear him accept.

“Come inside the house. You will be our first guest.”

The old lady opened the door to their new house. The old man entered and Arden followed. Inside the house, Arden saw an empty house not decorated yet. The old lady looked at the house with concern expression. The house only had a table and even though they wanted to serve the young man who helped them. How could they do that with their luggage still outside?

“Do you guys need help?”

Hearing Arden, the two old couple can only blush in shame. They nod their heads and without even complaining Arden helped the old man carry the luggage inside, unloading their kitchen wares to the house. It took about another hour until the furniture was set inside.

...

After setting the luggage Arden finally got invited to a warm cup of tea and a few long pieces of bread. Along with some butter, Arden and the old two couple sat eating inside the house. While eating, the old two couple told how grateful they are to Arden and some things about the outside.

“So you came from the outside?”

“Never been there young man?”

“No, but I may be leaving in spring.”

“I see that’s too bad. It is hell out there son.”

Arden asked a question while the old man replied with a rather brooding expression on his face. Arden heard tales of the outside but every time they are brought up people’s faces would go sour. Arden did not understand it and most people would just say its hell.

“They always tell me it's hell out there.” Arden said, “What’s make it hellish?”

“Where do I start?” The old man started thinking, “From the harsh environment, from the bandits, from the dire creatures or the Orc bands that have been lately roaming around?”

“That’s kinda a lot.”

“It sure is.”

The old woman sipped on her cup of tea, her eyes grow cloudy as if she was remembering terrible memories from the road they took.

“During the road, we lost four people. Those people were like us that were trying to reach this city. Mesh City is heavily protected, and with the Emperor of Light blessing it, not many fools try to go here and cause trouble. So people like us, who gambled to journey here, are quite lucky.”

“Yeah...” the old man had the same cloudy expression as he said, “The road was not easy, even the knight noble that was guarding us could barely lessen the casualties. Out of the original thousand travelers, only four hundred fifty people manage to stay alive. Orcs, monsters, bandits, and dire beasts made the trip blood, no, it was quite a miracle that only that us two old folks like us manage to survive. I say that the God of Light took mercy on us in our final years.”

“I see.”

Arden understood that the two were taken back by the journey. He could see the heavy and weary faces of theirs, clearly showing despair, just by remembering the road they took. Arden heard stories how the world out there is not kind. His foster father taught him to expect worse, the Cher Duo said he needs to grit his teeth, and much more told him to be wary.

Now meeting these two old folks made him even more, not afraid, but eager to out there to help, after all, that place seems like it will Arden purpose.

...

Arden left the house. The two old couple were grateful to Arden and even told him to visit if he can. Arden didn’t say anything and just left waving his hand. While walking along the streets his demeanor turned absolutely cold as the snow that falls around him.

He thought of the outside world. There are many dangers and sooner or later he would leave along with a noble. No matter what noble he will leave with, there will be danger, and this danger will allow him to help people. He will be allowed to do what he wanted. And no one would tell him otherwise the moment they are outside. Noble escorts are merely are just bands that travel together, most of the time some splits away from that band, while the others stick around the noble, trying to be recruited, enlisted to the noble that they are with. Being in a noble family’s army would ensure survival. Arden understands this clearly, he was not a fool, and splitting away from a noble would mean his demise.

He needs to stick around the noble. He might be a fanatic that wants nothing to help. But it can’t mean that he shouldn’t help himself. His life is precious and it is borrowed. Arden cares for his life merely because he was saved in that fire. He might be self-destructive, idiotically rash, and helpful despite the danger. But even so, he knows that he could not just throw his life that is only meant to protect. He will live out of the desire to help. That is why even though there are parts of his mind that tell him to split away the moment he gets out of the City. His guilty soul chains that thought makes him realize that he needs to survive.

“I need to survive,” Arden thought, “This borrowed life of mine is not mine to decide, as long as I live I need to help.”

He needs to stay alive. Only when he is alive that he could help. This was an absolute rule to him. His face went blank and his eyes wide open as he thinks this.

Arden stopped walking. He looked at the Academy and then thought. The ritual of crest will take place tomorrow. The ritual will be what they will personally say as a chant to activate their magic crest. Most of the students that will be graduating will be given time to make their own activation chant, a unique chant that solely belongs to them. Arden has a magic crest, but even so, he will still need his own mantra.

So Arden thought that he better goes and prepare himself. So he turned around, went to the direction where the Inn is.