Mulan took a deep breath before starting to speak. Her face was sad, but her eyes were determined to share the truth about Veredale Village.
"In the past, Veredale Village was a prosperous and fertile place. Many plants and fruits could thrive there. Our village was the top supplier of herbs, the key ingredient for potions in the West. Our lives were very prosperous, and the villagers lived in peace."
Mulan looked at Laguna and Julia for a moment. She wanted to make sure they were listening before she continued her story.
"My father, Simon Veredale, was a village chief who earned great respect. Due to the village's strong trade income, my father saved his money. Each year, he bought slaves from traders and then freed them. Some of them chose to stay in the village, working with us like family."
A slight smile crossed Mulan's face as she recalled the past. But soon, her expression turned grim once more.
"However, everything changed a year ago. At that time, my father bought some slaves as usual, and one of them was Harvey Moses. After he was freed, he decided to settle in our village. He was a very diligent man, always waking up the earliest and returning the latest. He also made friends with the villagers, even those he had just met."
Mulan clenched her fists, and her voice trembled as she continued her story.
"Because of his dedication, my father appointed him as the deputy village chief. At first, everything went very well. Harvey helped my father manage the village's economy, and everyone trusted him. But after a few months passed, strange things started happening."
Mulan cried as she remembered the destruction of her village.
"The crops and fruits that had been growing well suddenly withered for no reason. We still had enough water and fertilizer, but not a single plant could survive. The once-fertile land turned barren. The fish in the river died under unexplained circumstances. Their bodies polluted the water, making it undrinkable. The villagers began to run out of food."
Mulan swallowed; her voice grew softer.
My father couldn't watch his people starve. So, he used all his savings to find help in the city center. We packed gold and supplies for the trip. Then, as the horse-drawn carriage was ready, the villagers rushed to our house. They brought torches and sharp weapons, their faces filled with anger.
Mulan clenched her fists even tighter; her voice was filled with hurt.
"They thought my father would leave the village with all the wealth. Father tried to explain. But before he could speak, Harvey stepped forward. He held a torch in his hand and shouted, "You shameless village chief!" We've all worked hard for this village, and when a crisis comes, you want to run away with all our village savings?!"
Every time Father tried to answer, Harvey would cut him off, as if he did not want to give him a chance to defend himself. The villagers who had been provoked by him began to shout at my father as a traitor. They didn't listen to his explanation... they drove us out of the village that we had protected for so long.
Tears streamed down Mulan's cheeks, but she continued to speak.
"Harvey gave the gold and food to the villagers. He said it was their right, which my father had corrupted." In fact, my father always set aside his personal money so that I could go to school in the city center. All of my father's kindness, all of his sacrifices... disappeared just like that because of Harvey's lies."
Mulan lowered her head, her hands shaking. The pain and betrayal were clear in her eyes.
"That was the beginning of the destruction of Veredale village..."
Julia looked at Mulan with concern. "What happened to your father?"
Mulan lowered her head, her voice soft. "My father... he's unconscious in our hideout. He hasn't eaten in days." Mulan clenched her fists. "That's why I wanted to steal food from the guards this morning."
Julia stood up at once, folding her sleeves with enthusiasm. "What are you waiting for? Let's go straight to your hideout and save your father!"
Mulan nodded and got ready to go. But when she glanced at Laguna, he was asleep, his right hand under his head.
"Huh?" Julia clicked her tongue in annoyance. With a quick movement, she slapped Laguna's hand, which was supporting his head.
"Ugh?!" Laguna jerked awake and looked around with half-open eyes.
Julia put both hands on her hips, her gaze sharp. "Master, how can you sleep when someone tells you their life story?!"
Laguna stood up with a long yawn. "Yes, yes. I've heard everything." He rubbed his eyes. "The point is, Harvey is the villain, right? Come on, hurry up, we have to hurry before nightfall."
They started walking toward Mulan and her father's hiding place.
A few minutes passed, and they finally arrived at a small cave hidden behind a grove of old trees. The mouth of the cave was narrow, only wide enough for one adult to pass through at a time. Inside, there was simple furniture. It included a pile of straw for sleeping, a water container, and food scraps that were almost rotten. The cave felt damp and quiet. Only the sound of dripping water from the stalactites echoed in the stillness.
At the end of the cave, an old man lay weak.
"Father!" Mulan ran to the old man in panic.
Laguna immediately took out his drinking bag and tried to give Mulan's father a drink. But, the old man's lips remained tightly closed, unable to swallow even a little water. Laguna frowned, then felt the man's pulse.
"It's still there, although very weak..." he muttered.
He turned to Julia. "Julia! This is the right time to teach you healing magic."
Julia stared at him in disbelief. "Master, seriously? Mulan's father is dying, and you want to use him as magic training material?!"
"Hurry up, Julia! There's no time! Only you can save him!" Laguna's voice rose, making Julia flinch.
Julia bit her lip. She could feel the tension in the air. "W... What should I do, Master?"
Laguna offered a faint smile. "Sit here, and point both of your hands toward Mulan's father."
Without asking much, Julia immediately followed his orders.
"Imagine your heart is a beautiful lake with abundant water. Now, flow the water toward both of your hands."
Julia closed her eyes, imagining her heart as a clear and peaceful lake. In it, fish swam in a calm manner, while birds chirped among the surrounding trees. She pictured the lake's water flowing into a small river. It reached both of her hands with a soft touch.
Laguna smiled in satisfaction. "As I thought, you are indeed talented as a healer, Julia."
Julia slowly opened her eyes. Green light began to envelop Mulan's father's body.
"Th... This...! Master, I can use magic!" Julia exclaimed with sparkling eyes.
Her healing light dimmed in an instant.
"Ouch!" Julia groaned as Laguna smacked her on the head.
"Focus! Don't get excited at the slightest provocation. You're still in the learning stage!"
Julia pursed her lips, but refocused and continued her magic.
A few minutes later, Mulan's father slowly opened his eyes.
Laguna helped the old man sit up and handed him a drinking bag and an apple. "Please eat, Master." He smiled kindly.
Mulan, with tears of emotion, immediately hugged her father from behind. "Father...!"
Laguna let out a sigh of relief. "Enough, Julia."
Julia wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled in satisfaction. "Master, I did it! I can use magic!"
Laguna chuckled. "Yes, I know. From this point forward, I will provide you with personal training."
Julia's eyes sparkled. "Really, Master? Aren't you afraid that I will be stronger than you later?"
Laguna flicked his forehead. "That's impossible."
"Ugh! How arrogant!" Julia scowled.
Mulan and her father smiled as they watched Laguna and Julia argue. It seemed more like a playful exchange between a young couple.
After Mulan's father recovered, he made a formal introduction of himself.
"Thank you, Sir and Miss, for saving me and my daughter. I am Simon Veredale. If I may ask, what are the names of our saviors?"
"I am Laguna Ashford, and this is Julia, my servant," Laguna answered in a few words while looking at Simon.
[Name: Simon Veredale]
Race: Human
Skills: Accounting S, Gardener A, Fishing B, more...
Attribute:
Str: 4
Vit: 2
Agi: 4
Int: 8
Wis: 8
Luk: 5
Hearing the name "Ashford," Simon immediately bowed deeply and told Mulan to do the same.
"Forgive us for speaking without knowing who you are!" he said in a respectful tone.
Laguna sighed and waved her hand with a slow, relaxed motion. "Calm down, no need to be so overbearing. Don't you know that I'm a disgrace to the family? That you feel the need to act like this?" Laguna sat down on a rock, showing no concern for the situation.
Simon was still hunched over, but his tone was firm. "You mean the story about the youngest son of the Ashford family who couldn't use magic? I need solid proof before I trust something based only on others' views. The proof is that now you are our savior."
Laguna snorted, showing a hint of admiration. "Old man, come on, I'm not comfortable talking like this. Take it easy. What I want to know is, is there something suspicious about that Fatty Harvey?"
Simon straightened up and thought for a moment. Then he answered, "I often see him going to the hill behind the house at night." But every time I try to follow him, he suddenly disappears."
Laguna narrowed his eyes. "Disappeared? You mean he ran away?"
Simon shook his head. "It's not like that. He really disappeared. I lost track of him in an instant. And the next day, when I asked him, he only said that he was on patrol. Other residents told me that Harvey patrols every night. This surprised me."
Julia looked at Laguna, her face full of questions. "Master, do you think...?"
But before Laguna could answer, an unsettling feeling washed over him. He turned to the mouth of the cave.
Out there, behind the shadows of the trees, someone was watching them...