The journey from the par-line camp to the Somer Village took them all night. Good thing Maru and Darryl were carried on by a carriage and so he was able to sleep well and woke up to the sound of drums, cheering and singing. When Darryl looked outside to check, many people gathered to welcome him.

"The people of Somer Isles had come to see," Maru told Darryl. "Welcome home Hero,"

​​

"The Somer village looks different now," Darryl noticed. He had seen how the village became bigger, with more huts and stone houses built all over.

"It was because of the bridge," Maru explained. "There's no other way to get through the par-line camp so all the traders and merchants had to pass by here. Also all those who came from the mainland are only allowed to stay in Somer Isles so all the schools were built here. Thus learners from all over the Manggan archipelago flocks here,"

"Archipelago?" Darryl was amazed at how Maru's vocabulary advanced.

"We've learned that it was a better word to describe Manggan Island," Maru felt proud of how Darryl noticed her new words.

"You mentioned there were people from the mainland?" Darryl inquired. "How many are here?"

"We have six," Maru revealed. "The chieftain still wanted to maintain the exclusivity of the island so he only allowed entrance to a few and they are only allowed to stay in Somer Isle. Most of them were teachers,"

"Baruk Tam gave them the Oak Cliff," Maru pointed somewhere, a cliff on the west side of the village full of lushful trees. "They built a school there and there's dormitory too for the learners,"

"But only advanced learners goes there as there's another school in the village for children and beginners,"

"The chieftain only allowed the teacher to come? How about doctors?" Darryl asked further.

"He didn't allow anyone aside from teachers. You know the chieftain still has his prejudices and he needs assistance on these matters but these days he has no one to guide and advise him in decision making with regards to the mainland. He thought that since Aki Owens had been of great use to us, he also wanted people like him to come that's why he had been allowed only teachers to come,"

"Didn't Aki Owens recommend Doctors to come then?"

"Aki Owens is no longer here Hero," Maru's expression changed by the mention of the professor's name. "He once asked permission to go to the tres marias to gather herbs and he didn't come back after weeks and so Baruk Tsu looked for him. He found his bloodied clothes in the woods. They said he might have been attacked and eaten by wild animals,"

"Are you saying that—"

"He died already a hero, a few moons after the healer left," Maru announced and the words pained them both somehow. Aki Owens like Darryl and Xhemin was a well respected person in the Manngan people and his sudden demise brought them so much devastation. "The Chieftain made a shrine for him in the East Mountain, on the property that once belonged to princess Song,"

"I'll go to the shrine after I settle," Darryl ended the conversation because he could see that Maru had turned teary over it. Also, their carriage had come to full halt already signifying they had arrived.

"Welcome to my household hero," Baruk Tam went to open the carriage for them.

Darryl was certainly surprised at how it looked all different now. Gone was the trace of a simple Baruk Household and what stood before him was a beautiful stoned infrastructure.

"Your household has changed to Baruk Tam, it looks grand now," Darryl complimented.

"Thank you hero, all thanks to all the things you've taught me I was able to build a good household like this," Baruk returned the compliment. "Please stay here for a while as your house in Pearl Haven is inhabitable by now. I asked people to keep watch on it but since no one lives there, it became a habitat to insects and snakes so for the meantime please live with us,"

"I see," Darryl understood. "I have no problems living with you for a while,"

"Great," Baruk Tam was overjoyed. "Come one, a feast is waiting for us—"

"A carriage from the central village had arrived!" Someone announced and cut off all their plans on entering Baruk Tam's property.

"Could it be the chieftain?" Baruk Tam asked. "I sent him the message and if he received it on time, he should still be on the road by now,"

"A princess carriage?" Maru raised a brow when she realized it. Could it be that the princesses in the central village had been tipped that the Hero had come and so they all went here?

"Carriages," Baruk Tam was amused when he too realized it. Then he turned to Darryl whom he knew had become a legend of valor and beauty over the years. He knew somehow things like this would happen and women in the Manggan Archipelago then had him as a standard for having a husband.

The carriages soon stopped, there were six of them and they all belonged to the Chieftain's household. All of them were princesses, the Chieftain's sisters. In just a moment, Baruk Tam's household was filled with beautiful women who brought forth gifts and offerings for the hero of Somer Isle.

"Welcome home hero," They all greeted Darryl, all with crimson faces. Baruk Tam then was laughing inwardly as he eyed Darryl while Maru was obviously enraged. She hoped to keep the hero for her own in a while but then these princesses had come to spoil her chances.

"Thank you," Darryl answered and gave them some courtesy.

"Well it's good that I prepared a feast," Baruk Tam gave Darryl a wink. Everyone in the Manggan Island all thought Xhemin was already dead and so Darryl then had become a great prospect for a husband and so that explains why many were after him.

"Hija!" Another carriage stopped and they all turned their heads to see who it was. It was another carriage, but unlike all the others, it was far more grand and beautiful, signifying that whoever was inside was far more important than all the others that came.

"The Highest Princess has come!"