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Dari’s Past

I still remember my days from the city of Lafrice. It wasn’t a major city but still had good trade between the ports of many nations. I had been living in an orphanage for most of my life and I thought that my days would go by until I was kicked out. But there was a house of merchants who decided to adopt and raise me just because I could read and write when compared to rest of the children.

I started working with merchants when I had become 8 years old and they started training me as their apprentice on various affairs of trade so I could become more use to them. I managed to grasp on various topics such as researching the prices in the market, selling the right products when the price was right and how to negotiate with others to obtain trust.

Within two years, I was a full-fledged merchant and had paid back all my debt. I next, planned to become an entrepreneur and create my own business. Since I had the proper connections over time, I was capable of setting up my stalls. But I still had no idea what products I wanted to sell.

So, I researched time and again to create my own product, something new which would bring about development. It was then I realized that I could probably create something like that, if I procured the right raw materials. I thought of entering into the forest, but it was difficult since I had no means of dealing with the monsters dwelling there.

I went to the adventurer’s guild and put up a request for bodyguards to enter the forests with me. I waited for a week and nobody had answered my request. I went back to the guild to enquire the reason. None of the adventurers there were ready to enter the forest, even A – ranked ones.

They gave me the reason that, the monsters in the forest were far too dangerous for normal adventurers to fight against. They said I would require someone of at least an S rank to lead the group in order survive there. If I remember right, the rank of adventurers existed from F to S, and then only fewer individuals who had been awarded SS and SSS ranks.

Adventurers from C to F rank were average at best in combat and Ranks of A and B had good teamwork and knowledge to subjugate monsters. But S ranked adventurers were beyond any of them. A single S rank adventurer was capable of handling an entire team of A ranks by themselves. Those who were higher than S rank were compared to monsters themselves. SS rank adventurers were few anywhere in most cities and countries. And in the entire Carthos Continent there were few known SSS rank adventurers which could be counted at best using both hands.

For the guild to recommend waiting for an S rank adventurer to arrive, it seems the monsters in the forest were more dangerous than I had anticipated. I was about to give up and remove the request that I had posted. But then an adventurer entered the guild and was looking at the board of requests. I couldn’t help but stop because the person who entered didn’t look much like an adventurer but more of a hunter. He was wearing the traditional clothes of one, with a crossbow attached to his back and carrying a rope, knife and nets.

Although they were items even normal adventurer used, they usually stored such things in sack or a bag to carry. But this guy had equipped them like how a normal hunter would. Before I knew it, the attention from all those in the guild had fallen on him. They were gossiping, but I was able to hear what they were saying.

“ isn’t that guy wearing the same attire as those of the village of Raimo?”

“ Raimo ……you’re talking about the cursed village?”

“doesn’t this guy come here for requests from time to time as well? Why does someone like him have to show up here? I’m having a bad day already.”

Raimo…….Ah I remember now. It’s the village which was created by a group of people who had been banished into the forest. The reason why they were banished was because they were branded as heretics for not converting to the church of Revelation. Fifty years ago, when Lafrice city was still underdeveloped the church of Revelation sent its missionaries and offered funds to develop the city. What they wanted in return was that, a church to be established in the city and all the inhabitants to convert to their religion.

The city had about 3000 in population but about 500 of them didn’t want to convert and thinking them as a threat the church had ordered their banishment. The church held that power because of their affiliation with the God of Light who resided in the Sky World and guided the world from complete darkness. At the end the five hundred people decided to enter the forest having nowhere else to go.

It was even believed that all of them died in the forest not long after that. But later people found out that, they had established a settlement protecting them with wooden walls. Thus Raimo village had been created and the people still lived there albeit with many sacrifices to accomplish it.

Since, the people were capable of inhabiting even such a dangerous forest. The village was believed to be cursed with dark magic which protected them. That is what many in the city believed. Before a few years ago, if a villager from the forest tried to enter the city, they would be immediately apprehended and sent back. But after the change in the Knight Commander, to the current Sir Behenrith Austros, the discrimination was lessened to an extent.

But the villagers couldn’t stay in the city although they could visit. Some of them for jobs in guild and had already become notable adventurers. But there was still the discrimination from other members which was present.

While I was remembering all this, the hunter took out my request and went to the counter. I rushed to him and asked if he was willing to accept it. Noticing that I was the one who issued it, he simply nodded. Even if the city doesn’t accept them, for merchants everyone is acceptable as long as profit is benefitted from their company.

I quickly went out the next day, waiting for Guez, the adventurer who introduced himself the day before. I learnt that he had become an A rank after working together with a guild for a whole year, helping with tasks when it came to the forest. He had with him a few more hunters who introduced themselves as B rank adventurers. I concluded that they must also be from the village, since the ones here wouldn’t cooperate with Guez.

We set out into the forest, the main aim of the request was to protect and help me gather as many raw materials for research from the forest. I was capable of getting my hands on the edible fruits and plants, monster hides and carapaces. I collected as many things which could help me come up with an idea. But thanks to that, it started getting darker. Since I couldn’t let them accompany me to the city as it would become too late by then and become dangerous if they headed back to the village during complete darkness. I decided to accompany them in to the village.

Although they were reluctant since they didn’t have many visitors during the past, they allowed me to stay in the village to ensure my safety since the night was approaching. Guez requested me to stay at his house, since it was him who had accepted my request at the guild. All the houses in the village looked to be made of wood and hardly any were luxurious in appearance.

It looks like their situation was very difficult considering they lived here for fifty years. I looked at the village and they seemed to have a population of about 600 people. Not much compared to the city now housing over 10000.

The people seemed nervous having a visitor from the outside, but they were friendly once I talked with them for a while. I visited Guez’s house to stay the night. There I met a girl who seemed a little younger than me. She showed a kind smile when I entered. She introduced herself as Olivia , Guez’s sister. She had beautiful golden hair and eyes were deep blue.

If I had to describe her in one word, she was an angel. An angel who held my heart in her grasp the moment I laid eyes on her. But I stopped staring since it would appear rude. She welcomed me and slowly moved towards a room similar to the kitchen. From the way she walked, it seems she had a frail body.

The food she prepared was delicious, I thought of using it as a product but kept it as an idea to use at some later point. I learnt from them that Guez was 11 years old and Olivia was 7. A room was prepared for me and I slept easily on the floor, since I had done so most of my time in the orphanage.

I went to sleep ,so I could wake up early and head to the city to conduct my experiments. I could hear slight coughing from the adjacent room. I went to check and it was Olivia. It seemed she suffered from cold and since there wasn’t much of a cure in the village her body had become weak over time.

I quickly took out some medicine from my bag. I carried it around in case I would become sick due to a monster’s attack. I gave it to her, she was reluctant at first but I urged her to drink it. She finished drinking the medicine and went to sleep easily. It seems her body takes quite a toll on her.

I woke up in the morning and Olivia came to greet me. It seems she felt much better and wanted to thank me. T’was a man’s duty milady.

Guez thanked me again for providing the medicine, I insisted it was alright but he still planned on repaying me. I told him I’d decide on that if I ever required it in the future. He accepted it.

I went back to the city and paid Guez and his allies for the work. I began my research tinkering with the materials. I was able to make some accessories which sold really well. After a few months, I headed back to the village and started exporting the food they made to the city. It became a hit, my new business was booming and I made an offer to the village to become my partner.

As time went by, I kept visiting the village more often. Olivia had been recovering gradually, perhaps her body was now getting stronger. I went to her frequently with other food materials and improved upon the village’s cooking. Luckily the city’s inhabitants hadn’t noticed where I was making the products from. After they gained enough popularity I could reveal the information to them.

I started making various goods and purchased Land Griffons for carrying the goods. After a year, since I came to the village my life was going well. Because of connections, I was able to gather more resources the village would require. The condition of the village slowly improved and the villagers felt grateful. I was able to become a successful merchant thanks to the village, so I tried my best to help them out from my side as well.

And then after three years, after helping establish a blacksmith and a carpenter in the village. I finally went and proposed to Olivia. She was really shy at first, but it seems she also had fallen in love with me. We got married , I was 14 then and she was 11. We had a girl one year later and we named her Sara. She took my features. Since it wouldn’t be good have another child so soon considering Olivia’s weak body.

After another eight years, we had Orian. I was very happy once again.