The breakfast was terrible.

It was just a chunk of stone-hard black bread with two small potatoes and water. No salt or seasoning was used. Even before becoming a Pathseeker, his family in Peja town was better off than the Irvings. He wasn’t accustomed to eating food of such… sad quality.

However, it was worthy of note that despite their monetary condition, this family offered him kindness. Avel ate the food on his plate with an appreciative heart despite his tongue’s protest.

He had some small talks with the Irvings during the meal, it helped to distract him from the bland taste. He’d found that Arim was a potter and Susan was a housewife and a seamstress. Luca was staring at him when she thought Avel wasn’t seeing. She always bashfully broke eye contact when Avel turned his eyes her way.

Cute kid.

“So, mister Avel. Forgive me for asking but you’re a Pathseeker, are you not? And your injuries… from a battle with a fellow Pathseekers?” Arim respectfully asked after finishing his meal. The air turned solemn. His wife was also paying close attention.

“...I am. And I did receive these injuries from a battle with someone.”

“...Is the village in danger?” Arim asked a question with many possible meanings.

“Not to my knowledge,” Avel answered honestly. “Rest assured that I will leave before implicating you, your family, or the village.”

They stared at each other for a while then, still sitting, Arim bowed his head.

“I will put my trust in you.”

Avel returned the gesture.

“I’m grateful for your trust.”

Uncomfortable with the atmosphere, Luca leaped out first.

“…I’ll play outside,” Luca said near the exit door.

“Be careful out there,” the mother reminded her.

After that, they ended the conversation in an amiable term. The young couple returned Avel's belongings that were on his person when Luca found him. Arim and Susan had work to do and Avel got some free time. He decided to take a walk outside. Hearing that, Susan provided a cloth to be used as an arm sling for his left arm.

Avel didn’t really need it but accepted and wore it. He also put a cloth to cover the stump on his left arm. Freya cut his hand around the wrist.

When he stepped outside, the day was already bright. He didn’t see any clock in the house and his own was no more but it felt like about 9 o’clock.

The air tasted delicious as it entered his lungs. Like an old man with rickety bones, he slowly walked on the lawn and stood still there for a while, observing the rest of the village. He noticed there was a small field nearby and some shacks beside the main house.

Arim and Susan’s workplace perhaps? Avel thought.

And then he heard a conversation between Arim and Susan, a feat only possible because of his special ears.

“What do you think? About Avel?” Arim asked.

“He seemed to be a reasonable lad but I can’t help to worry. Pathseekers are powerful beyond our imagination.” Susan said with an uncertain tone.

“I understand. I too have the same concerns… but helping others is a good thing, no? And… if it is possible, he might have some answers about Luca’s condition.”

“Luca… Oh, my poor little girl,” Susan’s voice was filled with sadness.

Hmmm…

Avel walked away, he had heard enough for the time being.

He spent the next hour or so moving his rigid body while taking in the sights. Pecan Village was a small village but it occupied quite a large area. The dichotomy was caused by the villagers building their houses so far apart from each other. Most houses had their own farming field and he saw some villagers working on them.

Perhaps the villagers here have to grow their own food? Viers felt the idea of self-sufficiency very interesting.

In a place like this, where people recognized each other, a fresh face like himself was very eye-catching. Avel remained polite and dipped his head to every other person he met. He didn’t engage in a conversion with any of them, not yet.

Avel saw young kids during his walk, playing whatever it was kids their age liked playing.

I don’t see Luca. Where is she?

After seeing there’s nothing extraordinary about the village, Avel stopped at the village’s edge. He sat on a round rock, resting.

Pecan Village, surrounded by nature on all sides. About one hundred people lived here? There might be nothing special in this place but the tranquility is nice. No other Pathseekers as far as I know… I’m the only Pathseeker among Idlers. Like a god among men.

Avel contemplated his own condition.

Even in my weakened state, I’m the strongest in this place… Would reaching max Level give a similar feeling? The feeling of invincibility in the whole wide world…

A light walk was just something he needed to clear his thoughts. Now, Avel turned his attention to his tenants.

In his realm of consciousness, White Flowers Meadow.

Viers manifested there and saw the rest of the girls sleeping. In this place, he too had his left hand cut off. A representation of the connection between the body and the mind.

Since they didn’t receive my Victa, they became dormant. Kinda like a laptop with an empty battery.

Viers placed his right hand on their forehead and they started to wake one by one.

“Good morning angels,” Viers mimicked a certain Charlie.

“I… uhh, good morning Viers. Angels?”

“Lord Viers, how’s your condition?”

“Are we safe? We lost consciousness during the escape.”

Paina, Farley, and Clarissa respectively replied.

“First things first. It seems we have managed to escape from Freya and that Level 5 old man. We’re in Pecan Village, a small village somewhere in the wilderness. It has been six days since my fight with Freya. I traveled for four days and was unconscious for two. Since we haven’t been caught yet, I think it’s safe to say we’re not in any danger for the time being.”

Viers explained his findings.

“It seems you all are fine too. As far as I can tell, no negative effects fell on you three. Good. Since I’m not dead or captured, this is an astounding victory. Successful escape against a massively superior force is a victory in my book.”

After making sure the girls were fine, he moved on to the next order of business.

“Now, let us begin the council meeting.”

Viers sat on the meadow. Paina, Farley, and Clarissa also sat nearby.

“Despite the victory, my losses are substantial. Let us tally the losses from the minor thing first, material.”

Most of his equipment was gone. His sword was broken and his lava dagger was lost. The bracelet magic item that helped him hide his true Level was no more. With some tuning and practicing, Viers might achieve the same feat on his own but not now. Other than the loss of equipment, he had no money, food, or clothes. He was no different than a homeless poor beggar at this point.

“But not all is lost. The magic boots, the moon pendant and the most precious thing of them all, the two rings from Luxore are still in my possession. Most of my money is in the bank so the material losses actually are not so bad to the point we can’t recover from.”

The three nodded.

“Now I must check the state of my injury. I haven’t done a thorough analysis yet. One moment,” Viers closed his eyes as if meditating. The girls waited patiently.

After a while, Viers opened his eyes and they saw fury.

“…That bad, Lord Viers?”

“Mm,” he nodded.

“How bad?” Paina tensely asked.

“Freya's Victa Stigma in my body is quite substantial. The hole in my stomach needs months to completely close. Same with my hand. My internal energy veins are a mess. I would have difficulty using Artes until they are healed. Artes would be 50% less effective and the activation won’t be as smooth as before. Healing the energy veins would need some precious medicine and the longer I leave it untreated, the worse it’s gonna get. Most importantly, I only have two years left of lifespan.”

“…What?” Clarissa thought she heard the last sentence wrongly. Her analysis included all what Viers listed except for that part.

“Two years!? Are you sure?”

“Positive,” he answered Paina’s question.

“That is… a problem,” Farley closed her eyes and frowned. She was also filled with worry.

Viers suddenly rose to his feet, turned away from them and shouted to the sky.

“Freya… DAMN YOUUUUUU!!!”

The perpetual starry sky was suddenly filled with purple, rumbling lighting. Clouds the size of islands covered the starlight, large thunderbolts stroke downward. Far away hills exploded after the lightning fell on them. Wind and shockwave of the explosions enveloped their bodies whole.

“Revenge!! I shall have my revenge! I’ll flay her alive, tear her body apart from limb to limb, and boil her soul for a thousand years! I will never stop until I evened the score. Death! Whoever stands in my way will be met with death! If all those in the Silver Legion would deny me my vengeance, then all of the Silver Legion will die!!"

Viers stomped his foot and the earth cracked. Creating fissures thousands of meters deep. The whole meadow was shaking. It was as if the world was ending.

“Viers, stop!”

“Lord Viers, please calm yourself!”

The girls watched Viers as he professed his oath of vengeance. They were scared, especially two among them. Clarissa heard Viers’ hate-filled speech and was afraid Viers would make true of his words. Of mountains of corpses, of rivers of blood, and of a world burning.

With the apocalypse in the background, Viers turned around. Slowly. Ominously.

“Gotcha! Did you think I would say something like that?”

He smiled like an innocent child on Christmas morning.