[Urgent Task "Save the tribesmen" Completed. Host has received: Simple House Blueprint x1, Basic Tools Blueprint x1, Upgrade Spear Chance x1.]
After feeding the last refugee a bowl of Kalenberry Soup, Alexis sighed and wiped off the sweat that was permeating on his forehead. His wife, Leisandra stood by his side with a smile on her face, mouthing "thank you" at him every now and then. He did it for the rewards, of course.
With the current level that his humble place is right now, it cannot permanently take these people in. All in all, there were three elders, eight men, twelve women, and seventeen children below the age of fifteen in their group, summing up to forty people. Kalenberries and herbs can't feed them. He does have the ten Basic Resource Pack in his possession, but even that won't last after ten days.
But, with the System's prompt, and with the accompanying rewards, after maybe a gruelling two weeks, their life can be up and running! Also, additional manpower can help. After learning the Abundant Herb Garden Blueprint, he can make one forever. Coupled with the Basic Tools Blueprint, he just needs to let them maintain and harvest it— if he's not required to by the system— and he'll finally have his well-deserved rest with his wife!
Now, having received the rewards, he first prompted the system. "System, use Upgrade Spear Chance!" After saying that in his mind, the spear in his hand glowed like an iron thrown into a blazing kiln. A golden shine began spiraling up and down for a couple of times, before finally…
[Upgrade Spear Chance successful! Your Spear is now Advanced-Basic Grade Spear!]
Although he was happy, he contained it within himself. He looked at the refugees now looking at him with dull, restless eyes. One in particular was a dark-eyed kid with hair as black as the one would perceive the root of all evil. His creamy yet tarnished young skin bears the weathering of the experience that they had as they escaped the village they were once living peacefully in. His eyes gazed at the man with a spear in front of him and thought, "Ha, once again, we'll be kicked out. I appreciated the time to rest, though."
"I apologize that it's the only thing I can give you right now." Suddenly, the man opened his mouth and did the unthinkable. D-Did he just apologize? Without even giving them the time to react, the man continued, "As you can see, we are not a village. The only people living in this humble cottage are me and my wife, Leisandra. I understand the experiences that you have gone through, kicked out from the very place that you once considered home."
"I have heard it from my wife. You were attacked by the people of Horbid and were overwhelmed in a matter of hours, and for that, we are incredibly sorry for we have some fault in that." He bowed before once again raising his head.
Right. They were the ones that caused it. They were the ones why our relatives had to die in front of us. That was the thought that was running in the minds of the people right now. But then…
"Although I recognize our fault, I do not regret even for the slightest that I did that." !!!
Everyone, even Leisandra, had their heads turned at him, with shock and brewing fire in their eyes. Despite this, he continued, "I do not regret that I acted dumb and plowed the unplowable forest soil."
"I do not regret that I did not shout at the pursuers that the person their looking for is inside my cottage,"
"...and I bloody hell do not regret that I saved this woman right here for I am bloody sure that I hold this woman important as much as you once held important the people that laid their lives in the village that you were living just to protect you and the village against those Horbid oppressors!" The man shouted, with a voice sending tremors to each and every individual now placing down their bowls with raging anger in their hearts.
"For just as you loved them and just as they loved you and your village, I hold this woman so important in my life that I am willing to fight against anyone who dares to hurt her, and I hold her close enough in my heart that I am willing to live through it all."
Chirp! Chirp!
Woosh~ Shwaaa~
With only the sound of nature surrounding them, the entire perimeter of the cottage grew silent.
In the midst of it, the man deeply inhaled before continuing, "Why is it that you desire to kill us when we are just similarly oppressed like you? Why is it that after escaping the snares of that lust-filled demon, we are going to be attacked by burdened people like you that are similarly suffering because of those demons? Is it because they're too strong to fight against, that you cannot even consider putting them in their own place and enacting justice for your kin? Is that it?"
Being hit by that, the men and women that were already standing, plopped down, knees drained by the previous adrenaline that came from their wrath. Suddenly, the man's eyes turned to him, the last person left standing. "You, black-haired kid. Is your family also gone?" The man asked him.
"I-I…" He stuttered. The elders also noticed him and tried to make him sit, but ultimately failed to do so. After composing himself for a bit, the kid was finally able to voice something out. "Why did you do it? Why did you hide her from those evil men?" He asked.
The man became silent. After a moment, the man looked at him and asked, "My name is Alexis. What's your name?" "Ruze." He replied. Nodding, Alexis then replied, "Okay, Ruze. I'll ask you a question."
"Let's say you have a pet. That pet was then kidnapped by people that are stronger than you for them to eat. In order to save your pet, what will you do?"
The question stumped Ruze. After thinking for a while, he answered, "I will sneak into their lair, let my pet loose, and escape with it."
"But by escaping, you would have made those strong men hungry and mad, so they relentlessly tried to look for your pet, but in the process, they looked for other animals to eat. Despite this, they're still looking for you." Alexis immediately replied with the consequence, which, upon hearing, made Ruze pale.
"So, not only had you not escaped the slithering tongue of the seeker, you also caused death to a lot of other animals in the process." With that, slowly, Alexis' presence became suffocating, his eyes darkening, "By that, aren't you no less different from me?"
With that, like all of the refugees, Ruze collapsed to the floor, shuddering with realization. His eyes stared down at the ground. He sees ants returning to their hill, carrying food for the colony, with occasional beetles and worms carried on their backs. Then, a foot stepped closer to him. Looking up, he saw Alexis looking down on him. "There are no what ifs in this world. You can't revive dead people. What we can do is stride forward to live. That, I think, would be what your parents would want you to do."
Tears streamed down Ruze's eyes. His nose scrunched and his mouth shook. "If you can live, why not also take revenge for your brethren?" Alexis' lips then rose to a smirk. "If I were asked the same question with the same consequences, there is another thing I can do."
Alexis turned to the remaining refugees, stood with a confident poise, then said with confidence, "I will train and become strong to get rid of the men who threaten my life and my pet's."