"Human thoughts are complex; in front of humans, other intelligent creatures seem exceptionally 'pure,'" Bartlett couldn't remember where he heard this phrase, but when he decided to temporarily join Old Will's Adventurer team - 'Vulgar Novel,' this somewhat philosophical saying naturally popped up in his mind.
It was as if this sentence had been hiding in his brain since birth, just waiting for this moment to show off its existence.
The barbarian adventurer didn't know if his decision was right or wrong, nor did he know whether it was his true thoughts or influenced by Old Will, the middle-aged mage.
Magic could accomplish many things, including controlling people's minds. However, not all mages could do this; only those who specialized in Mental Manipulation Skill could skillfully 'manipulate people's hearts.' But the Magic Association did not allow mages to do such things.
In the Multiverse, there exists a substance called 'Magic Power.' It is invisible, colorless, massless, ubiquitous, yet it cannot be perceived. Some individuals among the intelligent creatures can discover this unique substance through their innate talents, and use it, absorb it, and make it a part of their souls, these individuals are called 'Mages'; some species or individuals among animals can achieve this through evolution or mutation, and they are called 'Magical Beasts.'
Old Will was a 212-year-old Wandering Mage, or at least that's what he said. Although he looked to be only in his fifties, you needed to look closely to find some faint wrinkles around the corners of his eyes, as if time's engraving knife suddenly became blunt while carving him, needing more force to leave a trace on his face.
But Bartlett didn't doubt the authenticity of Old Will's age, as if he was a mage, such an age wasn't an exaggeration.
The barbarian knew that there were several legendary mages in the Magic Association who might have existed for 2,000 or 3,000 years; this wasn't a rumor, but a well-known fact among humans.
Why say 'exist' rather than 'live'?
Because some mages choose to become Liches due to their lifespans, and in the strictest sense, saying 'alive' is somewhat inappropriate.
Regardless, Bartlett didn't regret making this decision. As Old Will said, he wasn't the kind of person who was good at 'thinking'; he needed to find his answers in 'action.'
Bartlett was somewhat excited and looking forward to this adventure until he told Riley about the situation.
...
When Bartlett told Riley about the situation and placed the 50 gold coins paid in advance by Old Will in front of the girl, her eyes curved into crescent moons as she laughed, just like before!
She looked truly beautiful when she laughed, filled with the unique vitality of youth, but Bartlett didn't like this vibe; it symbolized exuberant vitality and positive aspirations for the future, which were incompatible with him.
"My god, they actually gave you so much money!" The girl sat beside the dining table, carefully picking up one coin from the pile and examining it in her palm as if it were a priceless treasure.
This scene seemed ironic to Bartlett; the value of a gold coin is just one gold coin, but in the eyes of the person holding it, it seems to be worth even more than its original value.
Bartlett looked at Riley's eyes, dazzled by the color of gold, and felt as if she was going to buy the whole world with that coin.
"Did you know? This small gold coin can buy two cows, one male, and one female, and if you bargain a bit, they might even give you two newborn calves!" The girl said excitedly, "And with so many gold coins, we could start a small ranch!"
It's you, not 'us,' I won't be a rancher, it's not suitable for me. Bartlett thought to himself.
"You guys really make money so easily!" The girl sighed, "My parents work hard for a year and can only exchange 2 or 3 coins. They plant wheat in spring, soybeans at the end of summer, and if the harvest isn't good, they have to plant black rye. I wish planting other crops was as simple as planting black rye."
No one liked black rye; it tasted awful. Even if you ground it very finely, the texture was still extremely coarse, like someone using sandpaper to scrape the inside of your mouth. Plus, the food made from black rye always had a slightly bitter taste, which couldn't be removed no matter how it was cooked or baked, even if you added a lot of honey.
But at least it could fill your stomach and prevent you from starving to death.
The northernmost kingdom of humans was Norde, and further north was called Barren Lands, where the orcs struggled. The land there was like a withered old woman's *** without a drop of milk. There, a plant called 'Black Rye Grass' grew.
Black Rye Grass was not black rye; although they both had strong adaptability, looked very similar, and had identical leaves, black rye grass was extremely stingy, never sprouting spikes, and could not produce plump grains. Black rye grass propagated through its roots, with its long roots deeply rooted in the barren soil. It could withstand high temperatures and severe cold, constantly spreading around, and stealing the nutrients of other plants, causing them to wither.
It was said that mages modified black rye grass into black rye, allowing it to bear grains and become human food. Even the most barren land could produce a bountiful harvest of black rye without any care.
Since then, the human race experienced explosive growth. Poverty, disease, and hardship still accompanied the lives of most people, but very few would starve to death.
Perhaps one day, wheat and corn could also become as easy to plant as rye, Bartlett thought to himself. But such a 'beautiful scene' did not make him feel any anticipation.
Even if it were to come true tomorrow, even if all the people in the world became farmers, I am still an Adventurer, he silently told himself.
"That damned guy tried to make me his wife for just ten gold coins, and now I have 50 in front of me! If I could, I could marry myself five times!" The girl laughed softly, "What do you think we should do with this money?" she asked cheerfully.
"I mean..." her face turned a barely noticeable shade of red, and she took a deep breath before continuing, "I mean, we should have some plans once you come back. After all, this is a lot of money!"
Plans? No, Bartlett didn't think he needed that. He had once made hundreds of gold coins on an adventure, only to spend them all within a month, even having to resort to living in Carano Town's Slumtown when the winter came. But so what? Most Adventurers here lived like this. And they were used to such a life.
"All those gold coins are yours," he told the girl, "You can spend them however you like, as you please."
"All mine? Really?" After hearing this, Riley's face was filled with unbelievable joy. But soon the joy faded, and the girl's expression stiffened as she stared straight at Bartlett.
After a brief silence, the girl asked, "You're going to leave me?" She was a smart girl.
Her eyes were filled with tears, her large black eyes resembling those of a doe. Bartlett had never before gazed intently into them, or rather, he had never gazed intently at her.
You are just a stranger I saved, and that can't even really be called 'saving.' I met you, you decided to follow me, and that's it. I don't owe you anything, nor have I ever wanted to gain anything from you.
To Bartlett, women were like magic power, something he had never understood. He didn't have the talent, not for women nor for magic power.
Those lovable girls who are in love with the 'Gold King' are more suitable for him, because they never cry. They may scream, curse, or more often laugh with pleasure, or moan pleasingly. But crying, no, they don't. Because tears can't earn gold, only laughter can, even if it's a forced smile.
But Riley is not one of those 'lovable girls,' not at all. Even though she too loves the 'Gold King.' But who doesn't, even giant dragons can't resist the temptation of those golden-yellow coins.
After a brief silence, Bartlett spoke up, breaking the suffocating tranquility, "You should have your own life, a stable and peaceful life." He paused before adding, "This place is not suitable for you."
At least not for you now, since you don't even have a way to make a living, unless you learn from those 'lovable girls.' But Bartlett couldn't say that out loud.
"But, but..." The girl habitually wanted to argue something, her enticing lips slightly open, but she couldn't say anything.
Bartlett was not insensitive; he could feel the girl's dependence on him.
There were many such scenes in the fantasy novels - in "Dragon's Breath Flower," the male protagonist had saved a beautiful elf girl from the mouth of a red dragon; in "Cry in the Storm," the protagonist had sailed his boat into the dangerous uncharted waters of the deep ocean to save his beloved; and in "Magic So Ordinary," the protagonist had gone through trials and tribulations, killed golems, battled elemental creatures, and rescued his beloved girl from an evil mage.
Such novels usually had a happy ending. Well, except for the last one. Because some bored mage had read the book, went to the author, and forced him to change the novel's ending, making the protagonist's beloved girl eventually marry that evil mage...
But Bartlett didn't see himself as a protagonist of some obscure novel, and saving someone from a few Goblins was really nothing to be proud of. However, it seemed that the girl didn't think this way.
"It doesn't matter! I will live very well with or without you!" The girl said, somewhat angrily. She wiped away the tears that had not yet fallen with the back of her hand. The tears mingled with the dust on her face, spreading evenly across her cheeks, making her look as if she was wearing the smoky eye makeup that the noble girls often drew on - giving her a decadent and sad beauty.
Bartlett knew he didn't love her and thought she didn't love him, either. But he saw himself as the girl's gray boots - her 'weapon' in an unfamiliar environment and a 'dependence' when she felt lonely.
But as the girl said, he was not essential to her. She didn't need to rely on her gray boots, nor did she need to rely on Bartlett. She was a strong and courageous girl who would find her own 'red dancing shoes' someday.
"When will you leave?" she asked.
"Tomorrow," he replied.
...