It was a new day in Golden Sap City. Recently, the city has been attacked often, leading to some financial problems for people who live day to day. That was especially the case for Explorers and merchants who often needed to move back and forth between cities or go outside the walls.
Duren's day started early in the morning. As soon as the sun's rays began pouring through the window, Duren got up. He opened his eyes, surrounded by the fresh scent of nature in the morning. He was a Level 23 Explorer, so he was quite well-off in terms of wealth, allowing him to rent one of the famous Tree Houses of Golden Sap City.
Sitting up, he stretched and spoke softly. "Good morning, House."
Duren had been in Golden Sap City for more than a year. Therefore, he was present during the time that many were punished for abusing the houses. After that day, he realized that the Tree Houses they lived in were actual beings with thoughts and feelings. Perhaps they were primitive, but they were on a sentient level.
Since he started treating the house nicely, the house would answer back occasionally, going beyond and even using branches on the walls to help him tidy things around. After he said good morning, he saw a branch on the wall wave back and forth cutely. He couldn't help but laugh faintly. "I wonder if you have a name?"
After a few seconds, the root shook side to side in denial. "That's a shame. I hope that your mother, Lady World Tree, gives you a name one day."
He stood up from the comfortable bed and tidied the sheets. Then, he moved toward the bathroom and entered the showering area. Like the rest of the house, the showers in the tree house could be personalized. Duren decided to make a cubicle-like shower with a shelf at the side for the natural soap created from tree sap.
The water came from the city's enormous reservoir and was absorbed by the House Tree's roots, pouring down from some holes in the wooden ceiling of the shower.
Duren was not very knowledgeable about how it worked, but he heard from a friend that the water would then be absorbed by the House Tree, not wasting a single drop. After showering and shaving himself with a blade, the man walked toward the dining room.
He opened one of the shelves on the wall, taking a wooden plate. Then, he approached a cooking spot that used tree resin as fuel to start a fire. Some branches at the side wiggled, making Duren smile. "Thanks for keeping an eye on this. We don't want the fire to go out of control and hurt you, right?"
The branches cutely shook around, making Duren laugh. Although most mornings were the same, these interactions were soul-healing. Unlike his previous houses, he felt relaxed and secure in this place.
After cooking a breakfast made of eggs, meat, and some vegetables, he placed it on the table and poured himself some fruit juice he bought in the shop the Rose Fairies opened. "From what I heard, this juice is made from your mother's fruits! It is honestly quite expensive. However, the other day, a friend finally convinced me to buy it. I've talked to you about him in the past, Gafred. Remember him?"
Duren saw the branch nod and smiled. "That's great." Then, he started cutting the meat with some very sharp wooden cutlery while speaking aloud. "He said that the effects are basically miraculous and that it even healed some old wounds." Duren shook his head. "He is a boastful guy. However, I am willing to give it a try…" Duren was thoughtful and asked. "Do you want a little? If I pour it down the sink's hole, you should be able to absorb it, right?"
A little branch on the wall started bobbing up and down, and Duren grinned. "Okay. One serving for me, another for you!"
He stood up after pouring the juice into another cup, and he took a big gulp while pouring the other down the sink. "Cheers!"
Suddenly, a System Message popped up.
[You've consumed
[+2500 Phoer Body Shards!]
Duren felt a refreshing sensation around his body as some of the old pains from past battles got slightly better. He stood there, frozen for a few seconds. Then, he cursed. "That bastard was hiding this all this time!? Oh, I am going to beat his face black and blue when I see him again!"
Of course, Duren completely ignored the fact that his friend had to convince him to try it, meaning that he probably tried many times. Sadly for Gafred, his fate today was getting beaten up by Duren.
Duren sat back down on the table and sighed. "No wonder everyone who goes to that shop once becomes a regular. I am going to be one as well…" He smiled wryly. "Your mother's fruits are truly miraculous, eh? As expected from Lady World Tree."
The branches on the sides waved proudly, making Duren laugh. "Anyway, let's eat quickly! I am a bit late to the meeting with those brats."
Duren ate the food and cleaned the plates before going out. The water he used from the wooden faucet came from the same place, following the same principle as the shower, being used to "water" the House Tree.
After finishing everything, he took his metal armor and sword together with his bag and shield. "Welp, since the War has entered a temporary pause, it is time to go to work! Who knows when those maniacs will try and attack your mother again?" Duren shook his head as he headed down from the fourth floor of the House Tree, where he lived. "I didn't expect Lady Fortuna to be so unwelcoming, to be honest."
When he was reaching the lower floors, he saw another man who was frowning. Suddenly, the man kicked the wall quite hard while cursing. "Fuck! Why are you not listening and changing the things as I tell you!?"
Bang!
Duren's pupils shrunk, and he lunged forward, grabbing the man by the neck and slamming him against the wall. "Hey, what the fuck do you think you are doing!?"
The man's eyes were currently spinning from the violent impact. However, even in this situation, he was able to recognize the renowned Level 23 Explorer. He tried to answer through the terror he was feeling. "L-Lord Duran! W-What did I do to offend you?"
The man's voice sounded choked up as Duren's grip was not light. When he heard the question, Duren's face sank with anger. "You hit the House and ask me what am I doing!? Why the fuck would you hit the Tree House who takes care of you!?" Duren warned with killing intent in his tone. "The houses bear a lot and don't really retaliate unless they are about to get in real danger, but don't you dare try to test those limits, or I'll rip your head off. Am I understood?"
For Duren, the Tree House was like a big puppy that he needed to protect. Even though the Tree House was probably stronger than him, he understood how truly gentle these beings were.
The man almost peed himself and repeatedly nodded. He was a Level 9 man, and the presence of a Level 23's threat felt like a sword poking his heart. Duren looked at the side and asked. "Did this guy bully you?"
A branch lowered and gently shook from side to side. Duren hummed. "Good. If he ever hits you again, just throw him out the window." Then, he threw the man to the side and spat. "Trash."
Ignoring that small confrontation, Duren walked outside and looked around. The streets were much more lively than one would expect during tense moments. The reason was the strength that the World Tree had shown. Many knew that one of the top sects in the surroundings, the
For many in the city, the Golden Sap City's soldiers moved out, and after a few hours, almost the same number of soldiers returned while the other army had been annihilated. Such an event made everyone reevaluate the place they were currently living in.
Beyond many things, one piece of important information that many learned was that the flower ring surrounding the Golden Sap City's inner area was a bit more than a flower field.
Duren remembered hearing the bombardment and looking through the window. The sight of thousands of large flowers pointing at the sky and shooting seeds one after another made his heart shake with awe, and he felt his own mind be humbled.
Reaching his usual blacksmith, Duren walked inside and raised his hand. "Hey, old man. How are you doing?"
The man he spoke to looked around fifty with white hair at the sides of his head. "What old man? I am just a few years older than you."
Duren laughed. "I am here to check that dagger I asked you about. Do you have time now?"
The blacksmith pointed in front of him, where two women in armor were standing, and he asked sarcastically. "Do I look like I am free, Duren?"
Duren smiled at the two women. "I am just joking with him. I'll wait until you Ladies are done."
The two women smiled and nodded. Duren walked around the smith's room and saw the pristine armor, weapons, and other types of interesting gadgets like chains, hooks, whips, and even scythes. Duren walked to one of those scythes and hummed. "Do people really use this as a weapon?"
To be fair, he felt that the weapon was just inferior to a spear or any similar polearm. Of course, he had seen proficient users during his years who would slice him in half easily. Even then, Duren was never a fan of this type of "quirky" weapon. A shield, a sword, a spear, an ax… those kinds of weapons were what Duren favored.
"Hey! I am done. Come here."
Duren turned around and walked over to the counter. "Say, what do you do with the broken weapons and such? I know that most of the professions can create items that are easy to dispose of. However, as a blacksmith that uses metals, your items can't really be grounded and released in nature to be absorbed, right?"
The blacksmith raised his bushy eyebrow. "Ho? Where does this question come from?"
Duren smiled. "After living in this city, I got curious about how all the trash seems to be so nicely sorted out. Some places have trouble with that, and you can even see it on the sides of the roads. Golden Sap City, on the other hand, seems to have no problem with it."
The blacksmith commented. "Well, there are many techniques that allow us to reuse the metal. We smelt it, burn out the impurities, and change it into an ingot of whatever alloy it was made of. Then, they are completely reusable. The only thing we waste as blacksmiths is fuel. Leather and other types of materials are easy to repair or get rid of."
Then, he added. "But, if there is trash that's difficult to deal with, they are usually taken away by the ants."
"The ants?" Duren was surprised.
The blacksmith shrugged. "We were told that whatever trash we have that we can't deal with, we give to the ants. What they do with it is not our problem. They also do it for free, so whatever."
"Ho~." Duren smiled. "Well, let's get down to business. I need that dagger for the new lady that joined us."
The blacksmith asked. "Are you going to hunt?"
Duren nodded. "Yeah. We must get as much money as possible before the war restarts."