Seri Village’s Village Head is called Tutuman……It is a very tongue-twisting name but as a name given by parents, it is not good for Village Head to change it and after being called for tens of years, he has already gradually gotten used to it.
As a village head too, Tutuman always had some hostility towards old village head Reed. Although the former is a old man stuck in the village like him, he is still a n.o.ble’s descendant after all. In the past when spring came, every time the two of them brought villagers into the city, the other party always could have a few words with the n.o.bles in the city and he could only stayed at the side lowly. As time pa.s.sed, a recalcitrant feeling stuck in Tutuman’s heart. Both of them are village heads, why is the other party higher than him. He just had a good ancestor who left a n.o.ble t.i.tle for him. If it came to abilities, he is definitely more outstanding that village head Reed.
Because of loathe, Tutuman is always unwilling to have contact with village head Reed but village head Reed actually took the initiative to find him.
Sitting behind an old table, Tutuman let his wife pour a cup of spring water for the guest and says expressionlessly: “Village head Reed, how rare, you actually grace our poor village with your presence. Tch tch, you aren’t afraid this will damage your measly n.o.ble’s honour.”
“Old fellow, your words are as awful as ever.” Reed shakes his hands without minding: “I know you don’t like me so much although I don’t know the reason. But I’m here this time is to talk about a very important matter with you, something that is very important to both our villages and I hope you can hear me out.”
Although he dislike the other party, Tutuman is a very qualified village head, he says indifferently: “Say it quickly, I’m in a hurry to go on a hunt.”
Tutuman is an old hunter and also the best hunter among the nearby villagers. In this house, it is filled with beast skins, tiger skin, leopard skin, mink skin……Many minor n.o.bles do not even have so many fine beast skins in their houses. However, no matter how good he is, he is only an ordinary man. He can hunt normal animals but has no way to deal with those magical beasts that can use magic. He once challenged to hunt a magical beast when he was young but was seriously injured and almost died. It is a good that he was young, vigorous and had a good body so he made it through. Ever since then, he dropped the idea of hunting a magical beast but this does not stop him from being the best hunter around here.
“Yesterday, a Lord Priest came to our house, he is an ascetic believer.” Village head Reed says lightly.
Tutuman’s eyebrows twitch, he says with sarcasm “Are you flaunting your contacts to me?”
“Let me finish, you’re still as impatient as when you’re young.” Village head Reed drinks a mouthful of the sweet spring water and continues: “Lord Priest has said, he intends to build a small temple in our village to spread the ideals of G.o.ddess Waukeen to our village.”
The two old man present are quite knowledgeable of they cannot raise to the position of village head. They are very clear what it means if there is a formal temple built near the village. Tutuman says jealously: “Truthfully speaking, I really dislike you. All the good things happen to you. You’re a jinx who virtually sucked away all the luck from our Seri Village. If this continues, I intends to mobilize the villagers to move to other places to live.”
“Don’t say it like this, this matter has something to do with Seri Village too.” Village head Reed says smilingly: “Lord Priest plans to build a stone temple and must be finished in 6 months. You’re also clear that this matter cannot be done with just our village so I intends to request your Seri Village to build the temple with us.”
“Don’t even think about it!” Tutuman slaps heavily on the table and says while panting heavily: “The temple is built in your village and not our village, why do we have to help you? Reed, do want to take all the advantages in the world? You’re too thick-skinned.”
Reed disregards Tutuman’s anger and says slowly: “All the households that partic.i.p.ated in building the temple can pick a child and Lord Priest will teach them words. We help Lord Priest build the temple within 6 months and in these 6 months, Lord Priest will teach the children 3 words every day. If we can finish in 6 months, Lord Priest will teach the children 540 words in 6 months. Do you think this is considered a good news or not.”
“For real?” Tutuman calms down.
“There is no need for me to come all the way here to cheat you.” Reed smiles.
“All the prime-age adults of our village will help you build the temple, old folks will help too. There’s no need for you to provide food and drinks, we will settle it ourselves.” Tutuman says: “However, I need all the children below 18 and above 8 to be able to listen to Lord Priest’s teachings.”
Reed shakes his head: “Impossible……1 child every household is the unyielding regulation, you’re already taking a big advantage, are you still not satisfied? If you’re unwilling, the Veblen Village further again, I know their village head too, Kane－Wiblin. I think they will be very willing to build this temple with us.”
Tutuman stands up and almost flings the cup on the table onto Reed’s face. He hit the ceiling, takes a while to calm down and says: “So be it, we’ll accept this task but if you’re fooling me, don’t blame my hunting bow for not recognizing you. It can not only shoot beasts, it can shoot a certain old fellow too.”
“Hehe, bring your men over tomorrow, the faster the better.” Reed stands up and gets ready to leave. Before he exits the door, he suddenly turns his head and says: “Tutuman, you owe me a favor for this. During spring next year, the gains from entering the city, I want you to give up a portion to us.”
“If our children really can listen to 6 months of knowledge from Lord Priest, that portion of gains, I will personally deliver to your house.”
“Remember your words.” Reed left satisfied.
While Reed is in Seri Village, Liang Li dong is drawing the structure diagram of the temple at the 3rd floor. Since he is building a temple, he intends to leave a side room for himself in the main hall. HE cannot always stay in the village head’s house after all. When he is finished with the structure diagram, the sun just set and the old village head is already back. When he saw Liang Li Dong, he slightly bows and smiles: “Lord, Seri Village has already agreed. They will come and listen to Lord’s biddings tomorrow.”
“Build the temple according to the diagram on this.” Liang Li Dong pa.s.ses the drawing over: “Direct the men yourselves, I have to spend time teaching the children tomorrow.”
Old village head thinks for a while before smiling and says: “Since Lord believes our two villages, then let this old man take care of this matter, I’ll guarantee it is done properly.”
Liang Li Dong has seen countless NPC in the game. Loyal ones, crafty ones, sincere ones, those full of lies……The old village head in his impression is that kind of people that is 50% sincere, 30% shrewd and 20% crafty. This type of people are the most in ＜f.l.a.n.g.e Continent＞. They will occasionally seek some petty personal gains but this does not affect their work or mission and are basically good people. Liang Li Dong guessed that the old village head may have used the matter of building a temple to gain some profits that he does not know when he went to Seri Village this time. Thus he was in high spirits and happiness written on his face. Liang Li Dong was still a Lord in the game after all. He has seen this kind of expression on his NPC subordinates quite a few times.
However, there is no harm……As long as old village head directs the people to build the temple and not pa.s.s his bottom line, he can pretend he does not know anything.
Game is like life or is it life that is like game……In ＜f.l.a.n.g.e Continent＞, it is difficult to give a correct answer to this question.
The 2nd day, people from Seri Village arrived. There is a total of 73 of them and along with them is 20 children, most not over 20 years old but there is a few tall one who are almost adults mixed in them. After Tutuman brought the group of people to greet Liang Li Dong, they left with the old Village Head. The young and prime-age adults from two villages join together, holding hammers, pulling wooden wheelbarrows, head towards the tall mountain north of the village. That mountain has pretty good stone that can be used as building materials. Although not as good as Rigan stone, houses built with it is also durable.
Almost all the men with labor power left the village while children of Seri Villager and children of Reed Village are led to the riverside by Kyle. Liang Li Dong is waiting for them here.
This group of children in front of his eyes, their hair are oily and messy and some are still dripping snot. Many have yellow and black patches on their faces and what makes people feel even more uncomfortable is most of them are giving off a sour smell, who knows how long had they not taken a bath. Behring is among this group of children too but her condition is relative better. Although her clothes are old, at least she is quite clean.
This group of children look scared but their eyes are filled with desire. Spellcasters, in their eyes, are scary humans who will turn children into frogs. Other than the few older ones who understand the importance of learning words to their future lives, the younger children are forced by their family members to come. They are afraid of Liang Li Dong’s status and try to hide behind the crowd as much as possible.
“Before teaching you how to read, I want to say something.” Looking at this group of children, Liang Li Dong’s eyebrows twitches. Judging by this hygiene situation, this group of little fellows have a high chance of getting sick in the future. In this world where there is a shortage of doctors and even less priests, getting sick means dying most of the time. Thus, he decides to trick this group of little fellows and help them develop good living habits: “First, stretch out your hands, let me see how your hands are like.”
All the children stretch out both hands, other than Behring and Kyle, both hands of the rest are quite dirty and underneath their nails are a line of black dirt.
“Words are very sacred, it is a present G.o.ds bestowed upon us mortals.” Liang Li Dong says with the tone of a religious quack: “And you lot intends to use this pair of dirty hands to write sacred words? Do you lot think this is suitable?”
Hearing Liang Li Dong’s questioning, this group of children show expression of fear.
“Go and clean your hands at the river immediately. I’ll check later. If anyone did not clean properly, forget about learning anything.”
Once finished, this group of children immediately charge to the small river and rub both of their hands. They rub their hands with all their might in fear of getting any bit of dirt in their hands. Very soon, a stream of black water appears on the small river. It is imaginable how dirty this bunch of children are.