Inside the hall, Old man Sergio wrapped in bandages from head to toe like a mummy groaned continuously. Only his two eyes were free from the bandages. He looked at the ceiling while trying to hide his embarrassment.
"Thank you for going easy on him. I believe he'd have learned his lesson." Village head Rulf said, breaking the silence.
"Village head, you don't need to bother about that. That was the best my team could do. If Old man Sergio could last a bit longer. I believe my team would have been at a disadvantage."
Old mana Sergio heard this and rolled his eyes. He wanted to talk, but a sudden pain assault his head. He groaned and blinked. Rulf looked at Emma and rolled his eyes. 'What a cunning young man.'
"Now, for the reward of you completing the quest." Rulf paused for a moment and looked at the five faces. However, seeing the expressionless face. 'Why are they not elated for the reward. These five are totally different from the others.'
He cleared his throat and said slowly. "As for the reward. You can choose any area of land of your choice. Also, you're exempt from tax for 10 years while all your purchase will be 20% percent discount."
"You will have access to the village library. And lastly…"
"Follow me" Rulf stood and lead the five into an opposite room of the hall.
Inside the room, a series of shelves stood on both sides of the room. The room was lowly lit with a single light coming from the center of the room. The room had no windows.
Rulf walked directly to the small source of light in the middle of the room. Behind the light was an old table with a small wooden box with a strange carving. He opened the box and picked an old tattered map and present it to Emma.
"This map had been in the village for centuries. But no one was strong enough to venture to the location marked on the map."
"Why do you give us the map?" Emma wondered.
"You can call it a hunch. I know you will be able to visit the location on the map. The map is just eating dust inside the box. For helping the village, it the least I can do." Rulf smiled.
"Hmm." Emma nodded and collect the map.
Outside the village manor, the five looked at each other for a moment and didn't utter a word.
"What next." Laka broke the silence.
"You guys do your thing. We have been exempted from completing the quest. So, you're free to do your thing." Emma walked directly on the broad street.
The four looked at the back of Emma and were stupefied. Just like that!? They thought.
"What are we going to do?" Jojo shouted. "The tournament will start in a month. We need to prepare."
Emma halt in his track and turned his head. "I know." He said calmly. "That's why I say you are free to do what you want. I will call you back in a month time. For the time being, do your thing. Go on a quest with other teams, level up your skill, and more."
"OK," Maya answered. "I understand what the commander wants us to do."
"Indeed. I understand." Mata added.
"Good!" Emma nodded and departed without looking back.
"I guess this is where we all depart," Jojo said looking at her comrades.
"I guess," Maya added.
Jojo didn't stay a moment and took another direction and left, leaving her voice trailing behind.
"Muddle head, don't die before me."
Maya and Mata looked at each other and shook their head. Laka grumbled, hearing her words. He stumped his foot and took another direction. "It's you that should not die. Who can kill this daddy." He muttered.
"Why don't we go together, "Maya suggested.
"I was thinking the same," Mata replied with a smile.
In the middle of the street, Emma sauntered casually; his eyes darting from one building to another. 'Where the hell is the place.' He thought.
He saw another path on his left and took it unhurriedly. After walking for a couple of minutes, the people on the street became lesser, and the street became quiet.
"Did I miss the road again?" He muttered in annoyance.
>>That is expected when you forget to ask the village chief for a map.
[[Will you like to me release the eagle eyes.]]
"Don't worry. I will surely find the place." Emma answered confidently.
After another minute of walking without finding the location. Emma wanted to return to the main road but suddenly stop and looked at the ordinary house at the end of the street.
He rushed toward the ordinary building in a large stride. "This should be the place." He murmured. 'Rulf said at the end of the street. I guess this is the end of the street.'
Emma arrived in front of the ordinary building and looked at the surrounding for any changes before he knocked on the door twice. After waiting for a couple of seconds without any response. He knocked again.
Yet, there wasn't any response. 'Did make a mistake.' He thought.
>>Your refine knocking won't work here. Knock like there is no tomorrow.
'What do you mean, I should knock like there is no tomorrow.' Emma rolled his eyes.
[[Initiating the thermal sensor.]]
[[Scanning…]]
[[Life signature detected.]]
[[A lot of heat signal detected.]]
[[Sound detected. Hit sound precisely.]]
"I knew it. This is the place." Emma banged the door twice and the wooden door shook like it was going to break.
>>I ask you to knock like there is no tomorrow and not break the door. Lily snorted.
Emma ignored Lily and raised his hand to knock on the door when the door was furiously opened and a middle popped out his head.
"Who the fck are you. Do you want to break my door?" He shouted, spitting a lot of saliva.
The middle-aged man was bare with sweats, streaking from his bald head; downward to his chest and to the ground like a heavy downpour.
"Sorry, sir. Previously, I knock gently, but you didn't answer" Emma replied calmly. "I guess you are busy."
"Oh hell. I'm fcking busy. What do you want!" His sonorous echoed in the quiet street.
"The village head direct me to you. I want to learn blacksmithing."
For a moment, the middle-aged man furrowed and looked at Emma from head to toe.
"You want to learn blacksmith?"
*****
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