Cashew was training his Magic Barrier when he suddenly heard non nature sounds. He got up and looked out of his Fortress Gate, the door was open. And he could clearly see what was coming. It looked like a person on a horse and a Horse drawn carriage. An expensive one that nobles would travel in.
Cashew had a look of Horror on his face as he watched them get closer and closer.
Cashew: No...
They kept getting closer, they showed no signs of stopping and turning around.
Cashew: No.... No!....
Cashew said with a heartbroken tone in his voice, he started moving to the gate, the Horse and Horse Drawn Carriage were a decent distance away, so he figured maybe he can shut the gate before they get here.
Cashew: No, No, No, No, No, No!!!
He was trying to shut the door as fast as he could, but alas, he was too light and the door was too heavy, a downside for making the Wood used for the door 20 Centimeters thick. (20 Centimeters = about 8.5-9 inches)
Cashew: Wood Golems! come help, Help me shut the door quickly!
Cashew was frantically trying to shut the door, but the lead horse was only about 30 Meters away and rapidly approaching, 2 of his Wood Golems made it to the gate and helped him start to shut it.
15 Meters away...
Cashew: Nononononono!
He and his Golems started shutting the door even faster, the doors were almost completely shut.
10 meters away...
Cashew: NOOOOO!!
Cashew was pushing with all the might his 30 Kilogram body could muster, his Wood Golems were also helping, but they didn't seem in as much of a hurry, not knowing why Cashew was Frantically trying to keep this people out.
5 Meters away...
The Door is fully shut now. Cashew breathed a sigh of relief knowing that he was able to keep the people out-!..
The door was suddenly kicked open, the horse was standing on its hind legs as if it used its front legs to kick the door open. The door itself seems fine, but the hinges snapped and 1 Door was slammed into the wall, falling off the hinges and the other door, the one Cashew was leaning against, was kicked open too, sending Cashew flying 4 meters away and the door hanging off the hinges very Weakly, as if it will collapse any minute now.
The Door was closed, but there was nothing keeping it closed, it was basically an unlocked door.
Man on Horse: THE CITY LORD IS HERE!
Cashew: NOOOOOOOOOOOO!...
Cashew was covering his face and eyes with his hands in horror as the Horse drawn carriage arrived into his courtyard/Training grounds. The Man on the Horse got down and approached the stopped carriage, opening the door respectfully for the people inside.
A man who looks about 40 stepped out, Cashew doesn't know this yet, but this man is the City Lord Raphael of Krok-Magar. He stepped out of the carriage and offered his hand to a second person who was inside. Cashew recognizes her as Alice, the girl he found in a cell at this very fortress he moved into after he cleared the bandits out.
Alice looked a lot better than she did last time they met, her skin is clean and healthy looking. She was no longer skin and bones, and her blonde hair was a lot shorter now, previously it went down to her hips, but now it barely reaches her chin. She was wearing a dress that made it obvious that she's a Noblewomen, not overly flashy and poofy, but still expensive looking.
She had a blank facial expression and very light makeup on. One could tell she does not enjoy what she's wearing or enjoying being here.
Cashew looked at her for a moment, paused, seemed to recognize her and exclaimed,
Cashew: Alice!... Why did you bring them here? I thought I told you to keep it a secret!...
If you go based purely on his voice, it sounded like Cashew was on the verge of tears. Alice heard this and looked at Cashew, seeing his betrayed expression and felt bad.
Alice: I'm sorry! He wouldn't let me go until I told him!
She exclaimed, Raphael was surprised, Alice was usually a very quiet person, only speaking when told to, and she apologized and talked on her own.
Cashew looked at Raphael, He's still on his knees on the ground, in the same position he was in when the door launched him away. Cashew had an expression on his face that said "I'm done with this!" And a hint of betrayal in his eyes.
Cashew: *Sigh* who are you?
Cashew stayed on the ground, crossing him legs and resting his head against his hand, clearly wanting them to go away.
Raphael noticed this and felt awkward, clearing his throat before continuing on with why he's here.
Raphael: *Ahem* My name is Lord Raphael, the City Lord of the City of Krok-Magar, I am here because you saved my daughter from a perilous situation and I need to thank and compensate you.
Cashew: ... Seriously?
Raphael: Yes.
Cashew: ... So, you're wasting time out of your day to hunt someone down and make them accept -... A reward?
Raphael: Y-... Yes.
Cashew: Did it ever cross your mind that I'm not interested? If I wanted a reward, I would have came to you myself.
Raphael was caught off guard by how rude the kid is being right now, but he's remaining polite.
Raphael: That thought was-... mentioned to me.
Cashew: So even other people realized I'm not interested, but you still took time out of what I assume is a very busy schedule to harass someone into giving you my location, then hunting me down to make me accept something I don't want?
The Man who came here on horseback couldn't stand by and listen to a brat be rude to his Lord anymore.
Man on Horse: Hey, Kid! Stop being rude! You should be grateful he did take time out of-...
He was cut off by Raphael silently raising his palm.
Raphael: Gunter, Please. No need. He's right. He obviously not interested, so I should have listened to Reginald about him not being interested and not wasted my time.
Raphael let out a sigh and offered his hand to Alice so she can get back into the carriage. She looked at Cashew with a complicated expression and got back into the carriage.
The guy who was on the Horse, who's apparently named "Gunter", gave Cashew a dirty look. Raphael let out a sigh and started to get into the Carriage.
Cashew: Hold it. You break my door and you're not gonna fix it? Or pay for repairs?
Raphael paused, then turned to look at Cashew with a confused expression.
Raphael: I thought you didn't want a reward?
Cashew: If you never came here, I never planned to ask for one, but look at what the Idiot did to my door! The door itself looks fine, but the hinges! I want new hinges for my door! Good strong hinge, too! Hinges that won't break the next time someone decides to kick my door open. And get me a Handsaw while you're at it. I had to walk 10 hours to that mining village to borrow their handsaw and make my door. And your idiot over there broke it!
Cashew kept calling Gunter an Idiot, which was making him angry, but Raphael raised his hand again to stop Gunter from saying something.
Raphael seemed a little happy that the kid was asking for something, he wasn't a fan of how rude the kid was being, but he was given a chance to repay the kid for saving his daughter, and this is good enough.
Raphael: Understood. Anything else?
Cashew Paused for a moment, thinking.
Cashew: Oh yeah! I need nails that can go in stone! I could probably recycle the old ones, but I don't know how easy they will be to get out. And a Woodcutting Axe! That's it.
Raphael: Understood, I'll have the stuff delivered as soon as possible.
Raphael said that and got into the Carriage, Gunter closed the door behind Raphael and went back to his horse, getting on, giving Cashew a dirty look, and taking off, the Horse Drawn Carriage followed closely by. Cashew went back to his spot and raised a Magical Barrier for his Golems to punch.
Raphael and Alice were sitting in the carriage, Alice was looking out the rear window, watching Cashew as he practiced Magic. She sighed and turned back around, Facing her father.
Raphael: Interesting Young Man.
Alice didn't respond...
Raphael: Not that it would be an issue, but I was kind of afraid that kid might ask for something really expensive as a reward, I'm surprised he only asked for tools and materials to repair his door.
Alice still didn't respond. Simply looking out the window as they moved.
Raphael: You're probably Wondering why I made you come. But that's simple, I figured he would recognize you and see that you're well now thanks to him. I also figured my identity would be easier to prove if you're with me.
Alice still didn't respond...
Raphael: *Sigh* He's a lot different than you described him. I also figured, based on how you described him, he might want to see if you're doing well. But he was completely rude and dismissive of us... Well, he asked for something, so now I can consider this favor repaid. And move on.
Back to Cashew, who is sitting on the Ground, letting his Golems punch his Magic Barrier, he was deep in thought.
Cashew: Hm... I don't like the look that guy gave me... I should really train myself again just to be safe... I need a to-do list.
Cashew opened his shoulder bag and pulled out the blank notebook he bought years ago wnd never used, all the pages were empty, he was too busy hunting Crystalized Monts and never doing anything else.
Cashew: Ok, Task 1 - Kill a dragon and get more dragon meat. I wanna see how much I can strengthen my natural regeneration! Maybe it can reach a point where Billie Nelson doesn't need to help.
He wrote down that point, nodding in agreement with this task.
Cashew: Task 2 - Find out if Crystalized Monts live nearby... I need to rebuild my Crystal Collection again and if there are none nearby, then that means I have to go back to the old area, which is something like a 20 hour long walk. I don't wanna do that...
Cashew wrote that down as well, nodding in agreement, making a sound of approval.
Cashew: Task 3 - Find more books on magic!
He wrote that down, Nodding in agreement.
Cashew: and finally, for now... Train myself to be stronger! I don't like the look that guy gave me. Who knows if he's gonna try and arrest me in the future or even kill me. So I need to get stronger!... I could fake my death, though, like last time. Only reason i was discovered is because I got arrested by someone who recognized me from before my fake death.
Cashew got up and stretched, putting his book away and calling his Wood Golems over, ordering them to go out and see if there are any Crystalized Monts within an hour from the Fortress. Which they did, running off to carry out Cashews orders.
Cashew then ordered his Stone Golems to go back to their spot and went inside, heading to the cell he was storing frozen dead bodies and looked at them.
Cashew: *Sigh*