... Narrator's P.O.V
"Ahh, Joseph. So, you came, huh?"
Minerva said, smiling. Quite a few of her teeth were missing.
"I came as soon as I reached the garrison and saw your message inside my office," he said, removing his sword from his waist; putting it aside before he helped her climb down the rest of the stairs.
"Usually, Amelia is here to help me with these things, but today she went to purchase some things from the traveling merchant," she sighed, once Joseph finally helped her into a chair.
"I am not getting any younger. Soon, I would be too old to be any help to this village. Why must you be so cruel to this old woman?" She grumbled, hitting her walking stick on the wooden floor. She let out a sigh.
"I am not fit to be the village head." Joseph was quick to turn down the offer.
"Neither was I. You will learn the ways. I will teach you, but I cannot do it after I am dead. Now, do you want these old bones to serve you from her grave?" She hit his legs with her stick.
"I am not fit, elder. My skills are more aligned towards killing rather than running a settlement. Nor do I have the brains to compensate for that! At least, not with the skills alone. Then, I have a family to take care of. There are better options than me. Let me stick to what I am good at,"
"Fine. Since you read the letter, tell me. What is your opinion?" She frowned, as wrinkles danced over her face.
"It sounds plausible. The convergence of all five moons affects the magical energies as much as it affects the ocean tides. Under such circumstances, some animals can very well mutate and evolve into magical beasts," he said, contemplating.
"So, you think there can be a crystal antler roaming inside the forest as we speak?" She was worried for all the attention that it would bring to the village. It could end in a mayhem.
"It is a rare beast. Found only in deeper levels of a dungeon. I have never seen one but the tales that powerful dungeon explorers say about the beast always described them as powerful and agile beasts of slaughter,"
he picked up his blade; pulling it out of its scabbard to rest on his lap. His fingers traced the length of the blade while he reminisced about his days in the dungeon city.
"With a beast like that in the woods, I cannot allow the hunters to go into the woods. Sadly, their earnings are dependent on it. We cannot be sure that it is the only animal that evolved in the last four months. My Premonition skill is tingling," she said, pressing her forehead to her palm.
"Even if I tried, I won't be able to slay the beast. Not even with a capable team, and definitely not alone. It doesn't work like that,"
"Nor do I expect you to. It seems we have to issue a quest to the adventurer guild and hope that someone capable accepts it,"
"Our village cannot afford to have a skilled party. If I may add my two cents, why not just unintentionally tell this information to the traveling merchant's party?" Joseph said, with a knowing smirk.
"And you say that you lack the brains. Soon the word would spread and noblemen would hire the adventures for us to deal with the beast." Minerva nodded, sagely.
"That's one problem down. I would issue an order for the hunters to only hunt in the outskirts, and earn their pay by collecting wild herbs for the moment," she added.
"Speaking of, how is my lovely Mariah, and her child doing? I would have visited them, but as you can see, walking such distance is a ruse for me," she sighed, rubbing the back of her left palm.
"The child is growing well for his age, while his mother has almost recovered from her childbirth. I will make sure to tell her to visit you once she is fully recovered to get blessings for the child from you,"
"That's good now," She laughed, delighted before making a stern expression.
"Don't start bugging her in the bed only because she is back to her spirits. A late childbirth is scary, nonetheless. Wait until the child is at least two years old. However, I would recommend you both not try for another child even then. She is getting past her prime for childbirth."
Joseph's eyes dropped for a while.
"Don't worry, I understand. This one was the hardest for her as it gets. Never seen her in so much pain," his lips trembled.
"She would have not survived if not for Amelia using her holy magic to give her strength."
***
"No, Pete. You cannot play with that. It will ruin your clothes," Mariah criticized, separating his palms from the feathered pen. She let out a sigh, retiring herself to her work.
"Why don't you play with the dolls instead?" She tried to give him one of the dolls, only for him to throw it away.
Waaaa
"Cry all you might. Mama cannot give you that. Nor can she play with you. She has work to do,"
WAAAAA
"Oh dear," Mariah felt her forehead with the back of her hand.
"ROSE," she screamed, turning to the door.
"YES, AUNT" reply swiftly came from the ground floor.
"CAN YOU COME UPSTAIRS FOR A BIT?",
"COMING", soon there were footsteps on the creaking wood floor.
The door to the study room opened and Rose peeked her head inside.
"Yes?" she asked, spotting both mother and son staring at her.
"Thank you. Can you keep Peter busy until I am done with my work or get sleepy? Also, I need you to deliver these papers to the inn once I am done. Tell him that I have done all the expenditure and income calculations,"
Mariah said, lifting Peter from his position on the study table and pulling him close.
...To Be Continued...