Chapter 26: The Beginning (2)
"It's been a while since I'd met you." Mr. Wetherell came out of his tent with an amiable and quite awkward smile, greeting one of the hunters of the Williard Village.
Since he had unfolded his tent in front of Bruno's house, no one else other than Aric could have made the old man emerge from his makeshift workplace.
As the smell of many resources wafted over to Aric's nose, telling him that the best alchemist of the Williard Village, contrary to his disciples' expectations, hadn't given up on alchemy and studied some recipes inside the tent, Aric thoughtfully gazed at the uninvited guest and finally engaged in the conversation.
"Yes… I haven't forgotten your kindness, Mr. Wetherell." Aric brought a wooden chair with him and put it down next to the tent's feet, indicating that he had come here for a long talk.
The old alchemist naturally had his own chair, which he unfolded similarly to his tent. "Don't say it like that, Aric. It's my duty to provide our best hunters with alchemy craft that matches their potential. There was no room for kindness before between us, but now that I have intruded on your grounds, let's start our relationship anew and become friends. I have to start by asking your forgiveness first."
Nothing happened for no reason, and Aric was not a dense individual who couldn't see through Mr. Wetherell's intent. Of course, befriending the best alchemist in his hometown was one of the best paths any individual could take in those areas, and such a friendship would benefit Aric's entire family.
Possessing rich life experiences and having his personality forged in the wilderness, Aric understood well how the world worked.
But in that precious moment, the father of Beelzebub's friend noticed the same, fellow feeling brimming in Mr. Wetherell's eyes, which made him say start the conversation with an unexpected question.
"There's no need to ask for forgiveness… if I may confirm this first, you don't have a family, correct?" Aric gently trained his eyes on Mr. Wetherell's face.
The old man let out heartfelt laughter before replying to Aric's inquiry. "That I don't have… never wanted to have a family. Why?"
Aric looked around and confirmed that no one was around them. "I reckon that you treasure your alchemy the most, then. You'd do anything to progress and see more of it… including giving up your title of the best alchemist of The Williard Village." And before Mr. Wetherell could respond to those words, Aric weighed in his real thoughts. "I'd do anything so my son and wife survive and live until their elderly days. Even if it means giving up on my life."
A somber atmosphere drowned these two men, sculpting their expressions into serious statues.
For some time, they only stared at each other without uttering a word, each thinking of something different. It was as though they became sculptures. And that was because both of them knew more than a typical villager.
Moreover, Aric was a hunter from flesh and blood. He would never speak about his life so lightly.
At last, Mr. Wetherell broke the silence. "On what grounds… are you alluding to demons, perhaps?"
Aric looked down to organize his thoughts, then once he was ready to continue the grim talk, he lifted them up and seriously gazed at the alchemist. "Possibly… I don't know. But… let's say my son has made contact with a demon. And that the demon convinced him and my wife to support him. Naturally, I can't be sure that this man is a demon. I don't have any means to confirm that… but how about we say he's an existence I can't face."
As those words were said solemnly and carefully, with a tinge of nervousness laced in them, Mr. Wetherell unblinkingly faced the hunter and calmly listened to his story.
Aric mentioned the man whose eyes left him hanging, making him unable to come to a conclusion or even take a move. In those dark abyss eyes, Aric had seen a glimpse of something he had never experienced before.
The man didn't leave him any choice but to come to a decision.
It was as though Aric instinctively understood that he could do nothing about him.
He was sucked into a spiral of thoughts without any end.
The end only came when Aric decided to cajole the man instead, which in reality lasted a little time, yet Aric felt like he had been spinning in an endless galaxy of thoughts.
"Can you see where this conversation is heading, Mr. Wetherell?" Aric's voice woke up the alchemist from his stupor.
The old man nodded. "I can see… and you're right. I'm the same. Your story confirms my thoughts. Young Bruno must have met someone outside; that man changed his life. I don't know what he is planning in our humble village. Sigh, if he's one of the demons, then we're like an animal farm for him."
Aric sighed as well. "Yes… but I don't mind supporting him. You see, he never asked me anything. I should be more useful than Bruno, at least my status…."
Mr. Wetherell could only agree. "Indeed… from what I heard, he already managed to become the boss of our best mercenaries. It's just a matter of time before he stretches his attention to you and me… and then we will both comply."
For Bruno's father, his family's life mattered the most.
If doing Beelzebub's bidding would be enough to have him spare them from dying in the grand schemes the demons had sentenced their village, then Aric was more than glad to sacrifice his life.
Mr. Wetherell was in a similar position. As an alchemist with above-average talent, he had his dreams and ambitions, which had been shattered some years ago. But the appearance of the precious pills Beelzebub had sent to him through Bruno had sparkled those goals and filled him with hopes.
Even if it meant going just one level up, Mr. Wetherell was ready to surrender his soul to the demon.
A few days later, Beelzebub and Bruno had returned to the village.
The news of The Ghosts' demise spread like wildfire throughout the village.
Those news affected humans and demons… telling them that there was a third party plotting in the shadows.
It could have been monsters… or someone entirely different.
Nonetheless, it all meant the same.
The Beginning.
The Beginning Of The Chaos.