Both James and Liam looked at each other in frustration. Honestly, they were exhausted. They had been drifting at sea for months, and now they had to choose: continue drifting for a few more months or risk venturing into a dangerous place.
"I think I need a few days' rest…" James said wearily, then lay down on the ground.
Liam, nearby, wasn't doing much better. He sat on a rock, gazing at the sky with a thoughtful expression.
"Haha..." Jackson tried to stifle his laugh but failed. It seemed he enjoyed teasing the two youngsters. His initial impression of them was amusing and honest, much like the children in his town. He also felt a bit sorry for their situation. Who would have guessed that their town had suffered the same fate? Truly a disaster.
"Don't be so down… Actually, I have a daughter who's about to head to the academy for the entrance exams. If you don't mind, I could take both of you along," Jackson smiled as he thought of his daughter.
Hearing this, James immediately perked up. He jumped to his feet, looking at Jackson.
"Really? If that's the case, then thank you so much!"
He was thrilled. With the guidance of someone as strong as Jackson, a C-ranked adventurer, he and Liam would surely reach the academy safely. Almost nothing would stand in their way on the journey.
Liam, nearby, also relaxed a bit. He glanced at Jackson and asked,
"Thank you, truly. But how much do you want for the trip?"
For Liam, nothing in life was free, and if it was free, there was surely a catch. He wasn't one to owe anyone anything.
"Hmm…" Jackson could only hum in response to Liam's question as he stroked his chin, assessing him. Honestly, he found their situation quite pitiful, and helping them out wasn't a big deal. As for money, for someone in Jackson's position, making money was easy.
"50 gold coins," Jackson said, holding up five fingers.
It was a fair price for the trip, not too high but not too low either, enough to ensure they didn't feel like they owed him. If the kids didn't have the money, he could let them pay later.
"That's quite cheap..." James furrowed his brows at the price. It wasn't something he would have said before discovering treasure, but after that, money had become trivial to him. James took out a large golden goblet, intricately engraved, from his ring and handed it to Jackson with a puzzled expression.
"No need to give change… you can keep the extra," James added.
Jackson felt the weight of the goblet in his hands, a twinge of regret forming.
Perhaps he had underestimated these kids. If he had known beforehand, he might have asked for more. Now, he felt a bit like a fool.
"Alright, deal. But before we go, wait a few days. We need to track down that Vecna first."
James nodded immediately, his voice urgent as he spoke to Jackson.
"Can I join you on that mission?"
Jackson looked at James for a moment, then nodded. He had heard the boy's story about Atlas town, and it was clear that the same type of criminal was involved. James could be of great help. The more people assisting, the better.
Liam, watching this, wasn't too surprised. After all, that Vecna was linked to the person who killed Michael.
"Alright then… but first, let's head to my place to rest," Jackson smiled.
"This house is huge!" James exclaimed, his eyes wide as he looked at the underground house. Compared to his own town, this place was worlds apart. A house like this would certainly remain hidden from any monsters, and even if they found it, it would take them a long time to breach it.
"Indeed," Liam agreed with James. To him, this house resembled something built for the middle class in his world.
Jackson smiled, not hiding the truth.
"In Martin town, there's a [C] ranked earth elemental. He's the one who built this house for me."
"No wonder," James nodded, as if he now understood.
After that, all three descended to the lower level of the house. Their footsteps echoed with each step down the stairs. Finally, a light shone into their eyes as they reached the bottom. What lay before them was a girl with braided black hair, a petite figure that gave off an air of cuteness and charm. Her skin was tan, much like Jackson's. It was clear they were father and daughter.
The girl was sitting on a chair, admiring the flame in her hand. Upon hearing the noise, she quickly extinguished the flame and turned to face the three of them. At first, she was delighted to see her father, but upon noticing the two strangers with him, her demeanor became serious. She stood up from her chair and slowly approached them.
"Ah, this is my daughter, Samuel Lewis. Isn't she beautiful? But I'm not giving her to anyone, so don't get your hopes up," Jackson smiled proudly, clearly eager to show off his daughter.
"Dad!..." Lewis frowned slightly, irritated by her father's nonsensical words, which made her feel like a laughingstock. She turned to James and Liam, seemingly about to say something.
Realizing his earlier rudeness, Liam spoke up politely,
"I'm… Liam."
He almost mentioned his last name but decided it would only cause unnecessary trouble. He turned to James, who was now staring blankly at Lewis, causing Liam to feel a bit embarrassed for his friend. It was impolite to stare at a girl like that.
"This is… James!" Liam purposely raised his voice so that James could hear him.
James snapped out of it, stammering,
"Yes… I, I'm… James!"
Liam sighed at James's awkwardness. Perhaps the lack of interaction with others in the town had led to this. If this was the first time James had encountered a beautiful girl his age, then it was somewhat understandable. But this family likely wouldn't see it that way. Liam tried to think of a reason to avoid being lumped in with James.
"Sorry… James is a bit shy around girls."
Jackson smiled and nodded as if this was to be expected.
"I understand. It's hard not to be captivated by my daughter's beauty."
Lewis, however, didn't seem to pay much attention to the situation. She responded politely,
"Alright, everyone, come inside."
It wasn't ideal to stand around talking outside, so she invited her guests in for a chat.