Almost all the houses in Mattha were roofed by palm and coconut leaves. Only the rich use the services of people with mana. They cost around 12 -15 bronze per square foot. I could use that money for my entire expense for half a month. I walked to the door which was made of wood and opened it and entered my house. It was a small house made of clay walls and a floor with a roof made out of leaves.
There was only a single room at the end of which was an area he used as the kitchen. This room was his bedroom, changing room, dining room, living room, storeroom, kitchen and every other room rich people had except for the bathroom which was outside his home. He also had a big pool beside him. It was a common pond used by everyone in the neighbourhood but still, his house was the nearest to it so, it was his private pool.
His father had built it. Veda was 5 or 6 when his father built the house. They never lived luxuriously. His father and mother were always happy to live together. He and his parents used to sleep together until they caught the plague. That was what took the lives of both of them. He didn't know why he didn't get the disease, only his parents had got it in the family. There were a lot of people in his village who got the plague that year. It happened 3 years ago. A lot of people had died at that time.
Oli's family was the one that used to help him during those times. He even stayed at their home. They were very near his home. He and Oli have known each other from childhood itself. She was someone who always stuck close to him. They always played together. Most of his memories of his childhood were with his parents or Oli or his best friend, Muni.
Oli was a loud and cheerful girl and she had a very short fuse. But she was caring also. She was the kind that will kill you with kisses if she likes you or kill you strangling if she hates you. She was someone who was very interested in alchemy but her real talent is in using the spear. She is an expert spear master. There is no one in the vicinity who could defeat her. When I no one, I mean anyone who doesn't have or use their powers or someone around our age. In our immediate age group, she was the best. Even our school martial arts teacher Mr Phalvan, who taught her spear had admitted that she was a genius spear user. Purushu the hunk of muscle, who rules the martial arts class with his big muscles and heavy hands, has been handed his ass many times by Oli.
I walk into the area I had reserved for cleaning the hunts I do. I put the carcass of the buck on the floor and lose the knots and throw away the leaves I tied on it, to the side. I hung it with its head pointed towards the ground. First, I cut the antlers at the point near it starts on the head and keep them aside. Then I started to cleanly cut the pelt away. It takes time and care to cleanly cut and clean the buck, one knick and the entire meat would be ruined. Especially in the area of its abdomen and pelvis. I slowly and carefully cut the pelt away and started with the meat. I clean the Innards first and separate the edible portion from the inedible part. I put away the dantian core which was along with the innards. It usually fetches more money than the other body parts. I then slowly cut the meat into parts. I cut it so that the meat will not have a blood clot or any other similar problems due to curing it incorrectly. If it is cut and cured wrongly the meat could rot or better yet become inedible. If it is properly cured the meat could be preserved longer than other meat.
I cut and store the pieces one by one. I store it in a cloth and put it into a dimensional box. Even though I say it is a dimensional box it is a ring that could fit in my hand. I don't usually wear it around, it's expensive. It had a capacity of 4 square feet. He wore it when he goes hunting but other times when he stays in the village, he doesn't put it. He bought it with some money he got a couple of months ago. It was an additional benefit. He got it for a discounted price. It was from an adventurer from the south. He needed someone to guide him around the village and the forest. I worked for him. Instead of paying wages, he asked me if I wanted this ring of his. He had a bigger one so this was useless for him. If he sold it, he could have got atleast 80 or 90 silvers but he said he would give it to me for 10 silvers. And I bought it. I asked around a new ring would cost atleast 2 gold. So, he did me a help.
He was preparing for the trip. He had enough meat for atleast for a week in his storage including the current game. So, he was safe. It could save him a lot of time during travelling or in areas where he could not hunt. He also had saved some cured vegetables, some knives for cutting, cleaning, or shaping, a pair of clothes and a small bag that contains his remaining savings. There was a bank in this country but you need an id for opening the bank account. And he would only get that when he reaches 15 years old. He had 5 silvers and 35 bronze with him.
The money in this country was divided into 5 – Bronze, Silvers, Gold, Platinum coins and green notes. Everything was 100 of previous i.e., 100 bronze is worth 1 silver, 100 silver is worth 1 gold, 100 gold is worth 1 platinum and 100 platinum was worth 1 green note. Green notes were used between empires or deals as big as that. The maximum common people use is gold, which itself is rare. An entire family of 4 could easily live with around 2 silver a month, so 1 gold was luxury. I once touched a gold coin when our village head, Moopan gave me to hand it over to our school principal, Mr Silva.
By the time I finished cleaning the meat and clearing out the waste and cleaning the house, the sun had started to dip down the horizon. After cleaning I started to arrange the utensils in the kitchen to prepare for dinner when I heard a large loud and dry cough from my back. I turned back only to see an angry young girl.
"Hey, Oli" I waved my hand at her with an awkward and nervous smile.
Standing in front of me was a 15-year-old girl who was shining under the dipping sun. The golden-orange was making her shine more golden than her usual golden skin. She was about my height but shorter by 2 or 3 inches, well-built because of her spear mastery. I always how a spear master like her didn't grow taller, maybe it's the family. She had golden skin like that of a wheat germ. Her lush black hair was oiled and tied into knots behind her back it was falling near her ass. Her eyes had dark pupils like her hair was staring daggers at me. If her eyes could shoot arrows, I would be lying on a bed of them like that old warrior.
"Where were you, dumbass?" She charged at me pointing her index finger at my face. "I came to call you to go with me to the market and buy all the necessary things for the trip and where were you, IN THE FOREST HUNTING DEERS. What do you think you are doing? Don't you feel irresponsible to just wait for the last day to purchase all things necessary for the trip? Do you have enough clothes with you? Are you going to travel in the pair of dresses that you wore for the past 2 years? 1st thing in the morning you care about is food and hunting practice? And do you even eat food? Everything you hunt you save for 3 or 4 days and eat like eating more will kill you. Are you going to live this carelessly for your entire life? And where is your bag let me put the things into it." She looked around before I could answer "you have not even prepared a bag, have you? You freaking idiot. Why am I even talking to you? Reply to me, are dead or what?"
"Calm down Oli, I already prepared additional 2 sets of clothes, some knives for cooking, hunting, chopping wood and throwing knives and cleavers. I also have an additional set of bow and arrows along with material to make arrows. Some food, money and I kept it all inside my ring" I said as I pointed to the ring.
"So, you did all that and did even think of telling me. What, you are all independent and private now. So, what do I do with the clothes I brought and all the other things I brought, throw away? I kindheartedly buy all things necessary for the trip and how do I get thanked, by getting told that all things have been purchased and there is no need for your help." She started waving the clothes in my face.
I went forward and gave her a hug "It's okay, I always need an extra pair, don't I? Moreover, what I brought is not presentable to students in the university or city dwellers. It's just a daily use for travelling. If not for you I would only have unpresentable used clothes while entering the cities or university. If you are not there, how would I be presentable? Thank you for thinking about me. I just brought those things because Muni had them purchased a few days ago. He called me along and we brought it together from that guy who came from the other village. We were buying things for his father when we saw that. We had some extra money so we brought it in a jiffy that's it. You know that knives and weapons have been with me for days so I just cleaned and packed them that's it. Did you finish packing? How are things in your travel bag."
"Okay, and yes I have packed everything I need, just has to keep some food" Oli replied
"Don't worry about the food I have more than enough for both of us for at least a week. Or better yet store some in your ring. Here, I will give you." I extended my arm for her ring which she swatted away
"It's not nice to go through a lady's ring. Give me those I will store it" she asked me to hand over the food and I did "Okay then I'm leaving. Oh, before I almost forgot, mom gave me this to give to you. It's water shield boar meat from the south. Papa got one while returning from a work. Mom said you might not have made dinner yet so have it for dinner. I have to tell you it tastes heavenly, here take it" She handed me a bowl of hot boar meat and a plate of rice.
"Have a good night and don't work too hard for the next 2 days. That means NO HUNTING, understand. Just calm your body and mind and give it rest. Relax and meditate as much as possible. I'll come occasionally. You know how tensed mind and body give incorrect results. Good night" She advised and left my home.