Hearing the Village Chief's words, Orion inwardly smiled faintly. Even though he knew the Village Chief would likely deny his request, he still wanted to test his luck.
"Okay, Chief, since I can't ask for his life, how about requesting his servitude for a certain period?" Orion responded.
It seemed like the most reasonable punishment he could think of, providing a more productive outcome than subjecting Seth to several lashes for his transgressions.
"For how long?" The Village Chief asked, gazing at Orion with curiosity.
He wondered why Orion sought a warrior's servitude. While it wasn't uncommon for individuals to hire warriors by paying a fee, especially considering Orion's accumulated wealth, the Village Chief couldn't help but be intrigued by this unusual request, mainly since Fifi, the strongest warrior of her generation, was already by Orion's side, along with a few warriors which he had arranged by himself.
"When the Prismerion kingdom begins to move out of the mountains to their new settlements, they will need protection. While I'm open to negotiating with various warriors who might volunteer for their services and help us accomplish our goal, I don't think I can let go of the chance of securing a three-star warrior in advance." Orion responded.
Orion was aware that moving the Prismerions out of the mountains would be a challenging task, requiring careful coordination and protection.
He also recognized the difficulty of finding willing warriors for such a dangerous mission. Thus, he saw the value in securing the commitment of a dedicated three-star warrior who would willingly face the challenges and give their utmost effort without any charge.
The Village Chief looked surprised as he nodded in understanding, hearing Orion's words. Initially confused about why Orion wanted Seth's servitude for a certain amount of time, he now fully understood the reasons behind it. The Village Chief turned to Seth, "Seth…" he said.
"Yes, Chief," Seth responded, already accepting the punishment after hearing Orion's words.
"As your punishment for attacking a one-star warrior with the intent to kill during a very important mission, your punishment henceforth is to listen to every command from Orion and take care of the Prismerion race as they make their way to settle outside the mountain when the time comes. Don't look for a way to dodge this punishment, as the next one will be several times more severe if you do," The Village Chief said.
"Don't worry, Chief. I willingly accept my punishment," Seth responded firmly.
The Village Chief nodded with satisfaction.
He had been momentarily worried that his son might do something unreasonable, which would not bode well for him and his future.
He then refocused his gaze back on Orion, "Is there anything else you would like to talk about?" he asked.
However, Orion shook his head in response, "No, that's all," he replied.
"Okay, since that is it, then this meeting will end. Tomorrow, you and the rest of …" The Village Chief was about to continue when a hand suddenly tugged against his tulga.
He paused and turned his head to look at his wife.
The Village Chieftess slightly raised her body from her platform and whispered something into his ears.
The Village Chief's eyes suddenly lit up before he cleared his throat and looked at Orion, "A few days ago, a blood-like rain fell from the sky. We would like to know how such a thing had occurred or if it had something to do with White Flame perhaps?" he asked, trying his best to connect the dots as he waited for Orion's response.
"Yes, after I had slain White Flame, the clouds slowly darkened, and then rain mixed with water and blood began to fall from the sky. I've already confirmed that it occurred due to White Flame's death, so don't worry, it's not something that I think we should all be concerned about, or so focused on," Orion responded, nodding his head in agreement.
Upon hearing Orion's response, the turbulent waves in the Village Chief's heart were instantly suppressed as he breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded and said, "Alright," then continued "Ahem! As I was saying previously, you and the rest of the warriors need to rest so that you can leave early for the mountains the day after tomorrow and bring back the rest of our warriors. Oh, and if possible, we want a representative of the Prismerion race to further understand who they are. So, bring them with you when you return."
He added, "Also, within two months, we will be expecting an answer on how you plan to keep many people safe within the presence of the Vylkr vines. As for everyone else, now that the tree nymphs have become a bit calmer, I expect the harvest on the farm to be three times more bountiful than before." He said, "This concludes the meeting."
…....….
As Orion descended from the treehouse, he turned his head to catch a glimpse of Molya, who concealed herself within one of the tree branches.
Molya silently observed him as though scrutinizing his every figure, attempting to decipher the puzzle before her.
If Orion had approached her, he might have suspected he had committed some wrongdoing, prompting her suspicious surveillance. However, her intense scrutiny remained a mystery since he rarely conversed with her beyond the usual greetings.
"Come on, let's go so we can finish quickly, and you can return to your home and rest," Caretaker Shani said, gesturing for Orion to follow her as she moved ahead.
Orion redirected his attention from Molya's concealed presence, bid farewell to the departing Caretakers, and followed behind Caretaker Shani.
After half an hour of walking, they finally reached her hut. Observing the familiar structure, Orion couldn't help but internally sigh as memories flooded back from his first visit during the awakening ceremony with the other students. At that time, he was curious about everything around him.
Fortunately, he now had a more substantial understanding of the world he inhabited.
Knock!! Knock!! Knock!!
