Knock
Knock
Knock
Grey arrived at his home in the middle of the village. Even though he had become a grown-up last week, he was still living together with the chief.
The door opened, and an old man appeared behind it. He didn't have the most distinctive features, just an old man.
But he was someone important to Grey.
"Chief, I am back," Grey said with a straight face.
"At last! I thought you would sleep forever..." the chief, Talas, answered.
"Come on! You weren't even there when I woke up," Grey said as he entered the house behind Talas. "Weren't you worried about me?"
"What is there to worry about? The doctor said you were okay."
Of course, Grey was assuming that he was lying.
And he was right. Talas had stayed with Grey for the first five days. He only came back after the doctor sent him back, saying Grey was okay.
Since he had never married, he lived alone and had no other responsibility apart from his job and Grey.
Talas was like a father figure to Grey. He was the one who raised him in this world. His "real" father had sent him to this village and had given the chief more money than needed to raise Grey.
He had raised Grey by himself as if he were his father. Of course, Grey didn't know most of this, but he appreciated Talas anyway.
In the end, he was always a grown-up in mind and realized Talas's actions.
Well, he thought so, but he was shocked when he entered the living room of the house.
"Surprise!!!"
Elaine, who had departed from the hospital before Grey, Taek, who didn't suffer serious injuries, and Ray, with only one hand, were waiting for him, with a cake on the table.
With a surprised face, he looked back at Talas, but he rejected what Grey was thinking, "I have nothing to do with this. They insisted!"
Grey didn't know why Talas acted like he didn't care while he actually did. Still, Grey didn't intend to face him about this.
The others were here to celebrate Grey's discharge from the hospital and Grey was happy to see that.
He didn't feel alone or anything. Even when he was kicked out of the Stardel household, he was okay since he didn't really care.
He had only loved his mother in that house anyway. So, if he were to ever think of revenge one day, it would only be for his mother's sake.
Of course, he wasn't after revenge or anything. This world had its own rules, some beneficial to him and some not.
Also, he had changed his plans for the future, and the Stardel household would help him with those plans.
For now, though, he enjoyed the small party his friends prepared for him, and after everyone left, he called Talas.
"Chief."
"What is it?" Talas answered. It was already evening, but Talas was carving something to a piece of wood.
"I have to go soon."
Talas's hands stopped for a moment, but he continued carving the next without even raising his head to look at Grey.
"To where?"
"I plan to join the academy."
"Your art isn't suited for the academy. Also, how will you find enough money to pay the tuition?"
"I don't know. I will find a way on my way to the capital." Grey only answered the question about the tuition and not the art.
Talas wasn't an idiot. He knew that Grey also wasn't an idiot, so if he wanted to attend without an Art, there was something Grey knew but he didn't.
So, he didn't press the matter and stood up, leaving the piece of wood on the table. He went into his bedroom.
Since this was the chief's house, it was a bit bigger than the others. So, the chief and Grey had their own rooms, but unless they were sleeping, they stayed in the living room together.
When Talas came back, he was holding a small pouch. But he didn't give it to Grey. Instead, he put it beside the wooden piece.
"You are a grown-up now. If you want to go, you can go," he said and went back to his room.
Grey got up and approached the pouch. Inside were coins. Gold, silver, and bronze coins filled the pouch to the brim.
When he counted, there were 30 gold, 53 silver, and 22 copper coins.
An average family earned two silver coins a month. So, this money was enough for an average commoner to live for 60 years twice.
Even though the chief earned a bit more than average, there was no way for Talas to save this much.
Grey understood that this was the money his real father gave him.
So, he didn't spend it...
The 53 silver coins and the change were probably what Talas had saved up to this point.
He hadn't touched a single coin from the money his father gave him, and he even added his own savings.
Grey felt his eyes itch for a second.
This money was enough for the tuition, but only that. For only one year in the academy, he needed to pay 30 gold coins.
And in the capital, 53 silver wouldn't even last for a few weeks, even if he didn't count the expenses.
Of course, Grey wouldn't complain. He was planning to earn all of it by himself. So, this saved him from a lot of trouble.
Then, he checked the wooden piece. There was a text written on it, but Grey didn't know the meaning of the letters.
Four letters... Maybe it says Grey. Did he already know that I was leaving?
Grey wasn't sure if it really said Grey or not, but with Talas's personality, it wasn't out of the question.
He took the wooden piece with him. He wouldn't leave right away; he had other things to do. If he was wrong, Talas would ask where the wooden piece was anyway.
He headed for his room. His plan was mostly ready, and he wouldn't linger anymore.
Excitement covered his heart as he thought about the possible future, and as sleep slowly took over his body.