The new hunters were rejoicing in their first hunt. They were all in good mood as they shared proudly their techniques of how to capture their prey. Kendrick was one of them.
He proudly said that he didn't miss his first shot to his target and so he smacked Eman on his back. Others too were smiling on their deer that was hanging limply on their backs.
They assembled at the forest entrance and waited for the others to arrive. Ben and Gladden arrived with their hunted hares. Three were hanging on their backs. Both of them carried three on their shoulders.
Ian and John arrived a little bit late with a deer. A male one to be exact and its horn were protruding. Ian giggled as he let them see his majestic prize on the hunt. Pointing at it when he looked at Joan.
Sebastian and Mark also hunted wild geese. Two were hanging on their shoulders as it was still alive.
Honking at them when they were talking. Forcing itself to flap its wings while being tied. Sebastian can only spank it on the head but still, it was not helping.
Robert and Alex arrived too and they were carrying wild ducks. All of them felt proud of what they did at that moment and felt accomplished despite they were still newbies.
Joan was very happy for them. He was the happiest among all of them for sure. To celebrate for that moment, he cheered them and congratulated each one of them.
"You are all now full-fledged hunters! I am very proud of you. At least to say, I am very happy to see that you all grown to be much more than I expected. After all those training, you all incorporated my teachings and you have done well! Let's go home and be happy! I am sure your parents were the proudest of what you have accomplished!" Joan said to them and they went on towards the village.
They went back to the village themselves with their belongings. With their hunt, it will be sure served as food for their tables. Joan and the others paved the path of the hilly dirt road towards their turf.
They arrived and Joan dismissed them. They went home with a goodbye. He was excited to go home for the time being.
Seeing from afar, where the harvesting farmers just finished their reaping, soon saw his father going home. The harvest was a success and they were now delivering their reaped wheat to the milling windmill.
Traversing the path towards their home, the gentle breeze was soothing his skin and was cooling his tired self. Even though he was just observing them for a while, it took his focus and willpower to observe the five teams for hours at the same time.
Exhausting his mana well for that tiresome observation, he drank a handful of water from his water canteen. Wiping his sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand. Whistling till he arrived at their home sweet home.
His mother was just outside their house, waiting for his return at their table and sat just outside the window of their small humble home.
"Son! You came back! Are you tired? Let me cook you a porridge! Are you hungry?" She said with a smile while caressing his cheeks.
Joan can only sigh at his mother's mood. She was very happy to see her son return home again. As for their father, he arrived sooner as they finished harvesting the wheat on the west side of the farm. As for the east, they will harvest it tomorrow.
Joan prepared the vegetables on their table to prepare for the porridge. With meat already boiled on the fire pit, they will only add the vegetables this time.
Joan helped her until the food was thoroughly cooked. Talking while they waited for the food to simmer.
"Mom, today, we hunted many animals with my friends. From boar, wild geese, wild ducks, hares, deers, we hunted them all! The other kids have a knack for hunting and I didn't know they were good at it. They might be having food for their table now." Joan said to his mom.
Anna was perplexed as she heard the news of her son. It was good news for her especially the kids who were good for nothing became hunters. Adding to her joy as they have now a hunting party in the village to supply the meat in their homes.
It was due to her son that they changed and it made her mother proud of him. Deeply proud of her legacy.
"Wow! Son! I am really, deeply proud of what you've done for them. Making them stand for themselves and teaching them how to hunt. I will tell this to your father and he will be joyous of your news!" Anna said then pinched his cheeks.
"About your enrollment on the academy. Make sure you prepare for it and enrol on this enrollment. I will save money just in case, okay? We don't have much but promise me you will fulfil your dreams. Be a Ranger or anything that you want. Your father and I will always support you all the way. Okay? Now let's eat as your father will arrive soon." Anna said then prepared the table.
Starting from the wooden utensils arranged on the wooden table. Cups made of wood placed beside the plates and the hot pot placed on the table with a metal stand to perch on.
The pot was still sizzling hot as they waited for their father to arrive. Soon after, the horse-drawn carriage arrived with his father whistling while sitting on the driver seat.
Joan went outside and greeted his father with a welcome. He saw his son thus he caressed his head. Having a good mood when he arrived at their home.
"Welcome home dear, let's eat inside. We cooked you a porridge," Anna said notifying him to come in.
"Ah, just in the right time. I am hungry and so let's eat together. We will be having a good meal with us as I can see the end of our struggles," John said to the two of them.
They entered the house and seated at their respective seats. Joan was hungry by the time he exhausted his mana and it was the right time to eat too. He can only giggle as he can't wait for the time to start eating.
"Okay let's eat but let's pray first," John said to them.
They were silent and so they ate to fill their hungry stomachs. Joan can taste the pork's meat as he ate a chunk of it. Some potatoes and carrots were served to his mouth and ate his fill.
While they were eating, Anna talked about Joan's new hunting party that he trained himself. John can only be in awe of his son's accomplishments. Now, he felt that his son becoming a Ranger will not be too far fetched for him to achieve his dreams.
John talked too about his story for that day. They harvested successfully the wheat on the west side and will be on the east side tomorrow. They will have something left if they can pay the lord of their realm of the last year's failure.
It will be enough for them to have something to spare for Joan's schooling this enrollment. Joan on the contrary was not expecting that much as he saw their predicament. He only suggested saving the money for themselves and he will find his way to enrol this school year.
They were talking until they finished the porridge. Joan felt burdened as he saw his family's predicament. He didn't want his parents to have a problem with his schooling and so he planned to be a scholar. Achieving it was also very hard as you will be contested with the other students. Also being picked by the Job Class Directors was one way but it was harder to reach it.
But it will be planned out, he sure was a grandmaster in the past and if he can surprise the Directors, then it will be a one-way ticket to the scholarship.
Remembering also that he mastered it all in the past made him smirk in the process.