Chapter 21 - 20

Chapter 21: Chapter 20 Lumberling traveled back to the village where he and Uncle Drake once stayed. It had been almost a year since they’d seen each other, and he was eager to reconnect—not just with Drake, but with other human beings. There was a strange mix of excitement and nervousness in his chest, the kind one might feel before reuniting with old friends after a long vacation. After a few days of travel, the village finally came into view. Not much had changed. A few villagers worked the fields as usual, living their simple lives. Some noticed him as he approached, whispering behind hands and throwing puzzled glances his way. One child even hid behind his mother, looking at him like he was a monster. ’Do they not recognize me? Well, whatever’, Lumberling thought, shrugging it off. He headed straight for the place where he remembered Uncle Drake had lived. "Stop right there! That’s not a place you can just enter." The voice came from behind. Lumberling turned, and a familiar face confirmed what his ears had already told him. "Village Chief! How have you been?" He moved forward on instinct, arms open for a hug—but Chief Eldric took a step back, raising a hand to stop him. "Hold it. Come one step closer and I won’t tolerate it." "Huh? You don’t recognize me? It’s me—Lumberling." "Lumberling? You’re that kid?" "Yes, the one and only. I came back to check on Uncle Drake." Eldric narrowed his eyes, studying him. "You... what the hell happened to you?" "What do you mean?" Lumberling frowned. "Well... now that I look closely, yeah. I see the resemblance. But you look like you’ve aged ten years! And gods, you stink. At first I thought you were some wandering beggar. Have you been living in the mountains or something?" ’Close enough.’ Lumberling scratched the back of his head and smiled wryly. "I’ve been living in the forest." That explained the looks he’d gotten. His hair was long and unkempt, his clothes patched together from scavenged scraps, and hygiene had been an afterthought for months. "I told you I’d be going to the forest, remember? You saw me leave." "You’ve really been in the forest this whole time?" Eldric said, still processing. "Yeah. I needed to hunt monsters." "Huh. I figured you’d left the village behind and gone to the city. That... explains the aura I sensed." "Aura?" Lumberling asked, tilting his head. "I usually recognize people by their auras. Yours used to be faint but steady. But now? It’s changed. Feels like... a monster’s." "A monster’s aura? What does that even mean?" "I told you before—it’s hard to explain until you reach a certain stage. But don’t worry too much. You’ve probably just hunted too much monsters. Still, I gotta say... you really lived in the forest for almost a year? That’s insane. I admire your dedication, kid!" Eldric laughed heartily. "I... I did train," Lumberling muttered, unsure how to explain the real reason. ’A monster’s aura? Did I devoured too much monster’s essence that I give of its aura? Or is it because I lived with monsters?’ "Go take a bath first," Eldric said, wrinkling his nose. "You smell like the forest. I’m sure Drake will appreciate not dying from the stench." "Fair enough. Thanks, Chief." He followed Eldric to his home and bathed—his first real wash in months. As he scrubbed away dirt and stink, Lumberling made a mental note to send a message to Skitz: establish hygiene rules for the goblin village. He trimmed his hair, cleaned up, and stepped out feeling almost human again. "You look much better," Eldric said. "And I can tell—you’ve grown. Not just physically..." ’Mentally too?’ he thought. "Maybe I should try forest living if that’s how you get strong," Eldric joked. "I did face a few things out there, yeah. But let’s go see Uncle Drake. I’ve missed him." "What, and not me?" Eldric teased. "Favoritism!" "You avoided my hug!" "Because you smelled like rotting meat!" Eldric laughed, and the two made their way toward Drake’s residence. Lumberling didn’t mention the goblin village. He wasn’t sure how Eldric would react, and most people still saw monsters as pests to be exterminated. He stuck to the usual hunting stories. When they reached the house, they found Uncle Drake tending a small garden. He looked up at the sound of his name and dropped the pot in his hands. "Lumberling?! You’re back, kid!" Drake rushed forward and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Where the hell have you been? I was about to come looking for you!" "Sorry, Uncle Drake. I didn’t plan to be gone so long... but things happened." "You worried me sick. You know you can always ask for help, right? But you’re here now—that’s what matters." "You won’t believe what this brat’s been doing!" Eldric chimed in. "He’s been living in the forest like a damned lunatic!" Lumberling smiled wryly. "It wasn’t that crazy." "Come in," Drake said. "I’ll fix you a meal. And I want you to meet someone." "Wait... what about Uncle Orrin?" Lumberling asked. "Still lazing around. Leave him be." Inside the house, a beautiful woman was tidying up. She moved with a quiet grace. "Lumberling, meet my wife—Celine. Celine, this is the friend I told you about." "Nice to meet you, Lumberling," she said, bowing gently. "Nice to meet you too, Madam Celine." "Oh, no need for that. Just call me Aunt Celine, like you do with Drake." "Aunt Celine, then. Uncle Drake is lucky to have married someone so lovely." "Ohoho, look at that, Drake. He’s more honest than you." "I am honest," Drake said, flustered. "Just not... out loud." Lumberling smiled. Uncle Drake really has found peace here. "He’s spoken so much about you," Celine said warmly. "I thought you were his son the way he went on." "Uncle Drake just tends to credit others too much. He’s the real hero." "I know. That’s why I married him." She gave him a loving smile, which Drake returned. "Ahem." Eldric cleared his throat. "Let’s talk about the kid first. You two can flirt later." They all laughed and sat down while Celine prepared food. As they ate, Lumberling shared stories of his time in the forest—carefully edited, of course. No mention of goblins or enslaving monsters. Uncle Drake seemed happy and content with his life. Telling him the full truth might only bring worry. In return, Drake shared how he met Celine. She’d fled a noble marriage arranged by her merchant parents and found refuge in the village. They fell in love, married, and built a new life. Lumberling regretted not attending the wedding, but Drake waved it off. "Just seeing you alive is more than enough." The night continued with laughter and stories—until Lumberling grew serious. "Uncle Drake, Chief, Aunt Celine... I’ll be leaving again soon." "Already?" Drake frowned. "You just got back." "I plan to stay a few weeks, but I’ve hit a wall on my skills. I need to grow stronger. I’m heading to the cities to find skill manuals and opportunities." "You’re right," Drake said. "You’ve got potential. Staying here would only hold you back." "Any suggestions on which city I should head to? I’m looking for a place where I can find skill manuals." "Hmm... that’s tough," Drake said. "Nobles hoard the good ones. You might find one, but those are mediocre." "Mediocre?" Lumberling asked. "Are there different types?" "Of course," Drake replied. "You’ve walked the Knight’s path—you should know this. The manual you used probably only brought you to this point, yeah?" Lumberling nodded slowly, hiding the truth: he’d never had a manual. He’d grown by devouring essences, and the memories he absorbed. "Skill manuals are ranked into six categories. Mediocre is the lowest. Most only help you reach early Knight Page level. To go further, you either upgrade the manual, which is nearly impossible, or switch to a better one and start over." "There are better ones?" Lumberling asked. "Yes. Low-tier manuals help reach Knight 1. Intermediate go to Knight 2. Then advanced, high-tier, and finally... legendary. Only the emperor is rumored to have one of those." "Who even created these manuals?" Lumberling wondered aloud. "Some say our ancestors crafted them in the age when men fought gods. Maybe myth, maybe not." ’Gods, huh... can humans even reach them?’ "What if I found a higher-tier manual similar to the skill I already possess?" he asked. "That would be ideal," Drake said. "You could integrate your current skill with the new high tier one if they’re close enough in technique. For instance, a mediocre sword skill could be integrated to another higher tier sword skill such as katana, saber, or anything related to swords. In that way, you don’t have to start all over again." "Now," Drake continued, "about which city—" "Loren City," he offered. "That’s a bad idea," Eldric cut in. "Too much internal conflict." "Then Denvar City?" "Peaceful, sure, but good manuals are hard to come by there." "What about Gengar?" "Too far. The road’s dangerous." Lumberling watched the two bicker, amused. "If it’s a skill manual you’re looking for," Celine said suddenly, cutting through the debate, "I have a suggestion." All three turned to her in surprise.