Volume 2: Magic Tower Chapter 83: Seclusion

  I placed a rattan chair under the warm sun, which was transported from a faraway place and sold at a high price in the market. However, I think it's worth it. The old rattan from the deep mountains is finely woven, every corner carefully smeared with tung oil, smooth and durable, without any unnecessary embellishments, simple and practical. Lying on it feels extremely comfortable, soft yet with a sense of solidity.

  The sunlight isn't too dazzling, warm and gentle. I pick up a copy of "A History of the Asian Continent" and flip through a few pages at random. My eyes are half-closed as I listen to the distant sound of the waterwheel by the river, its monotonous "creak-creak" noise, while several children play and chase each other in the streets, and a different kind of warmth rises up in my heart.

  I left the village of spirits, left Aiven, and came to this town alone. I happened to meet a pharmacy that was poorly managed and closed down. The owner wanted to sell the store, so I bought it casually. Anyway, I didn't lack money, anyway, I already had nothing, anyway, I just wanted to settle down, even if it's lonely.

  The days in the small town were very peaceful. I used the knowledge of pharmacy that Grandma Fure taught me to go up the mountain and pick some medicine, make some wound-healing pills, and sell them to passing adventurers. The business was actually not bad. The price of my medicine was not expensive, the effect was good, and the elven formula for medicine had a very good effect on humans. So the business gradually improved, and every now and then there would be some business. After several months, I calculated that not only did I not lose money, but I even made some profit.

  It seems there's no more business today, I stood up from the rattan chair, stretched my waist, and prepared to close the door.

  "Yalik, my father is calling you over for dinner at our place." A girl's voice sounded from behind me.

  She is the daughter of the owner of the weapon shop opposite my house, named Aika. Although she doesn't look particularly good-looking, she can be considered to have a clear and bright appearance, with a gentle personality, about 17 or 18 years old. Since I moved here and became familiar with their family, the old man often invites me to his home for meals because I'm easy-going and live alone. Having gone there many times, I feel a bit embarrassed, so I also often bring some small gifts for him, his wife, or daughter, which makes them very happy.

  "I nodded and replied, 'Alright, Aika, tell your dad I'll come over after closing the shop.'"

  "Ai Ka shouted: "Oh, then hurry up, the dishes are all on the table, and there's smoked meat that you love to eat today."

  I responded with a sound, sped up the door closing speed, and soon closed the door. I took a breath, went into the house to fetch a bottle of wine, and walked towards the opposite weapon shop.

  The owner of the gun shop was named Sam, a lean and robust man with a somewhat violent temper, but he was exceptionally gentle in front of his wife and daughter, and also very kind to me, generous and not particular about trifles.

  Sam saw me walking in and his eyes fell on the wine I was holding, he smiled at me and said: "I told you before, don't always bring something, more people, just another set of tableware, nothing special for you, why be so polite?"

  I laughed and joked, "What are you talking about? Are you telling me to take the wine back? You'd better not regret it, this is a special fruit wine made from the rare mountain berries I picked myself. The recipe even comes from the forest spirits! I added some rare medicinal herbs, the taste is top-notch, and it's also nourishing. Don't want to drink it? I wish!"

  Sam heard what I said and took the wine from my hand, saying: "Who says not to drink? How much do you have there? Give me half of it. First deduct half a year's worth of food expenses."

  I laughed and said: "You're so thick-skinned, you just said you only brought a few extra knives and forks, but as soon as you heard the wine was good, you changed your face immediately. I really admire you."

  Aika also complained to her father, "That's right, Father. Your words are always unreliable and your face changes faster than a book page turn. Next time Yakuri has something good, he won't leave it for you."

  Her father feigned anger and said: "You haven't even gotten married yet, but you're already helping outsiders. I've wasted my efforts raising a daughter like you!"

  Fureko was so angry that she demanded her father apologize, putting him in an awkward position.

  Just as the three of them were laughing and chatting, Aika's mother walked in with a large plate of smoked meat. She smiled and said: "You guys are always making such a racket while eating, honestly! Come on, try my cooking skills, I've got mushroom soup stewing in the kitchen, I'll go get it later, you eat first."

  "I responded with a 'thank you' and said, 'So, thank you all. Such a sumptuous dinner can only be enjoyed at your home.' Sam enthusiastically greeted me and invited me to join him in enjoying this meal."

  I carefully put the bacon between a slice of bread and then ate it in small bites.

  Sam took out two wine glasses and poured fruit wine, so the two people started drinking.

  Sam took a sip from the wine glass in his hand and said, "Alec, have you heard? Recently, many villages have been attacked by zombies. I've heard that people who are bitten by zombies will also become zombies. It's too scary! The village next to our town had an incident like this just a few days ago. Fortunately, the mayor asked for support from the city guard in time and eliminated the zombies. Otherwise, the consequences would be unthinkable!"

  I nodded and said, "Yeah, I've heard that adventurers who bought potions from me brought back news. It's said that the entire continent of Aichner is not very peaceful now, with small-scale wars constantly breaking out, and even zombies appearing to turn entire villages into undead. It's probably impossible to have a few days of peace."

  Sam sighed, nodded and said: "Yes, the days of peace have been too long, we can't bear the chaos at all. I really hope that the zombie massacre is just an occasional phenomenon, otherwise, I'm afraid terror will come to the continent of Asia."

  "I said: 'The Holy See must have discovered something. Recently, among the people coming and going, I found many priests and paladins of the Holy Light. This will keep them busy.'"

  Sam and I were talking when suddenly the front door of my store across the street was smashed loudly. Sitting in Sam's house, I heard someone shouting: "Mr. Alex, are you there? Open the door quickly, someone is seriously injured here, please think of a way to save them, please open the door!"

  I exchanged a glance with Sam, put down my utensils and went outside to take a look. At the entrance of my store stood four people dressed as adventurers. Two were pounding on my door with force, while the other two carried a simple stretcher, on which lay an unconscious warrior-like person.

  I walked up to them and said: "Stop hitting, or the door will be smashed. I am Yalik, what's going on with you guys?"