Chapter 161 Everyday Life (Part 4) Village Meeting, Sacred Relic, Staff...

"We'll carry out the same defense measures as in previous years this winter, maybe adding more manpower if necessary. But we're considering relocating the village..."

The old man speaking quickly scanned the people around the council table, observing their expressions.

"It's still a bit too much."

"Yes, Third Uncle is right!"

As soon as the old man finished speaking, others immediately began to agree. Discussions arose around the council table.

The story goes back a few days.

Every year around this time, Barnett would invite the villagers to his home to discuss the various events that had occurred in the village that year, as well as the main tasks for the coming year, and this year was no exception.

Many things have happened this year. This "village meeting" has lasted for three days. First, the goblins went to work in another village; then strange phenomena appeared in the nearby forest, attracting important figures; and then, the mercenary group that went to Eton Forest was seriously injured.

These events, one after another, seem to confirm the recent unrest. Discussions have been endless, yet no cause or effect can be found, creating a restless atmosphere and causing significant emotional fluctuations among the participants.

The small village has a somewhat special geographical location. It is situated on the outskirts of the Eton Forest, on the border of the country, and is also close to the settlement of the orc tribe. It is also one of the battlefields where a war broke out hundreds of years ago.

Although this place is rich in natural resources, it is also fraught with danger.

The fact that there has been no war in the surrounding area in recent years, allowing the villagers to live safely here, is largely due to the stability of the human empire.

However, the frequency of these recent events has been far too high. Barnett believes this might be a bad omen.

The ancestors left behind instructions and "sacred relics," instructing their descendants to protect the barrier, but they didn't say they couldn't leave. Taking the villagers away temporarily, or finding a safer place to live, might be a good way to avoid danger.

In Barnett's eyes, ancestral teachings were important, but the lives of the villagers were equally important. The proposals at the council table today were merely a test.

He didn't miss a single expression on anyone's face.

If we could have just walked away, things wouldn't be like this today.

He puffed on his pipe, his face stern, and no one could guess what he was thinking.

The discussion about relocating the village lasted for more than two hours. The snacks such as peanuts on the table had been eaten up, the ground was a mess, and everyone was shrouded in the smoke of the tobacco pipes.

"Alright, let's discuss this again. We'll increase patrols this winter. Each household should go back and discuss how much wheat seedling they need, and report back in the next few days. We'll decide on the final amount together in town. You may all leave now."

After Barnett finished speaking, everyone got up, stretched, and gathered their belongings to go home. Hagrid grabbed his coat and followed the group without saying anything more.

Relocating the village was too significant, and Hagrid felt Barnett's suggestion might fall through. He himself didn't really have any ideas about it, after all, it was a place he'd lived in for decades.

The current situation isn't great, but it's not entirely hopeless either. We need to look ahead before making a decision.

The night outside was very dark. The village lights were turned off early, and the group walked home chatting in the dark. The village road soon returned to quiet, and candles were lit in each house.

There are many smokers, making the living room very smoky.

Barnett's wife opened the window to let in some fresh air and began cleaning. He greeted her and went back upstairs, took a key from the bedroom closet, and climbed the stairs to the top floor.

With a click, the lock opened, and Barnett lit the half-burnt candle in the attic.

The candlelight quickly dispelled the darkness in the room, and a wooden staff, supported by two pieces of wood, hung in the center of the attic wall.

He took off the staff and stroked the patterns on it.

The staff was well preserved; there wasn't a single wormhole on it.

The staff has been passed down through Barnett's family since the chaos of war, and has a history of several hundred years. Time has left its mark on it, but it has not diminished its exquisite beauty.

This is a sacred object belonging to the small mountain village, witnessing its establishment and development.

The older generation still holds sacred objects in high esteem, but the younger generation seems to have gradually forgotten them.

"well……"

Barnett no longer concealed the worry on his face.

There was no one in the next generation of the family suitable to learn the ritual and take over the staff. And the children in the generation after that were too young and inexperienced. He didn't know how much longer he could hold on.

Barnett, holding the staff, opened the garment containing the priest's robes.

Sacrifices and sacred objects are related to the barrier, and the barrier is in turn related to the safety of the continent.

He was just an ordinary human being, without any magic, and his involvement in these events was somewhat helpless.

The sacred artifacts are just one part of the barrier, and there are many of them, but the legacy and mission he carries make him never dare to relax even a little.

Barnett carefully placed the staff back on the shelf, lost in thought. After extinguishing the candles, he turned and locked the door again.

This night was destined to be another sleepless one.

The past events were so profound that even though there was no danger around, the pace of life was slow, and there was plenty of time to indulge, Ray's sleep schedule remained regular, and he woke up very early.

After placing the dough that had risen the night before into the fireplace, he began his new day's work.

In the living room were several flowerpots he had taken out of the storeroom, each containing garlic cloves and coriander seeds.

After finishing his meal today, Lai planned to go to Dr. Blake's clinic in town to ask him what he wanted to see him about.

As the gate opened and closed, unsurprisingly, a little tail followed behind.

"Lay, where are we going today?"

"Tata asked."

I stood by and watched as Rae fed the mule and the red tarantula.

"I need to go to the doctor's house in town."

"He's injured!? How come the beast didn't know?"

"No, Dr. Blake needs to see me. I'm sorry, Tata, I can't take you with me today."

Tata looked somewhat disappointed.

"Alright, I forgive you, but I'll have an extra piece of jerky today."

"no problem."

After finishing breakfast, Lai changed his clothes, checked the doors and windows, and left the house, leaving only Tata and Ryan, who was so quiet it seemed like he didn't exist.

Tata knew that Ryan was in the room. Being in the same room with such a terrible roommate was like having a patriarch sitting next to him, making him feel restricted.

The little monster lay listlessly in the straw basket, chewing on the jerky that Lai had given it.

Despite the cold weather, quite a few people were still out and about. Lai picked up two villagers who were also heading to town, and without charging them for the ride, gave them a ride to town.

After storing the mule cart, Rye took the walnuts and pine nuts he had brought for Blake and Jack and walked to the clinic.

Nothing has changed here; you can hear the tinkling of the copper bells as soon as you open the door.

"Mr. Victor, you've arrived!"

Jack seemed to have grown a little taller, and he greeted Rye warmly.

"Jack, it's been a long time. Is Dr. Black there?"

"Here I am."

Jack had a bright smile, and his freckles were adorable.

"Dr. Black, Mr. Victor is here!"

Jack stood at the top of the stairs and shouted a few times upstairs, and some noise came from upstairs.

“Mr. Victor, Dr. Black seems to be in a bad mood lately. He’s had a long face ever since he came back.”

Jack whispered to Rye.

"However, the gentleman was unusually generous this time; he actually bought a glass lamp! My God!"

Jack became more and more excited as he talked.

"This glass lamp is amazing! It can illuminate the room brightly even in the dark, and patients who used to come to the clinic late at night can now receive better treatment."

"Cough cough."

Rye and Jack both turned their gazes toward Blake.

He stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor, wearing a wool sweater, quietly watching the two of them.

"Ray, come up here. Jack, make some barley tea and bring it up in a bit."

"Yes, sir."

After saying that, Blake didn't wait for Ray and went straight back to the second floor.

Why does Blake look so haggard?

"I don't know, maybe I'm just tired."

Blake's cheeks were somewhat sunken, and he looked much thinner. His hair had become very dry, like withered grass in autumn.

"Jack, these are some snacks I brought for you guys. The bag with the cat head pattern is especially for you."

Rye handed two large paper bags of nuts to Jack.

"I'm going upstairs now."

"Thank you, Mr. Victor."

Jack's smile grew even brighter.

The sunlight on the second floor was plentiful. Blake sat quietly by the window, with a potted plant he had never seen before beside him.

"Lay, sit down. Tell me again about the origin of that little monster with the broken leg. Is it still alive?"

"Still alive? What happened?"

"It's nothing, I just have some questions."

Lai recounted how he found Tata, but omitted the series of events that followed, including the fact that Tata could talk.

Blake became thoughtful after listening.

"Ray, autumn is the season when the plants in the Great Eton Forest are at their most lush, and it's also when there are the most herbs."

Lei nodded to indicate that he understood.

"However, this year's collection did not go smoothly. The monsters in the Eton Forest became restless and seemed to be attacking humans specifically."

However, we've always been prey for monsters, but this time it's even worse. Those damned mercenary poachers!

Blake cursed as he spoke.

Lai was a little embarrassed, after all, he had also made a lot of money from the mercenary group.

Just then, Jack came in carrying barley tea, and Rye got up to help him.

“Mr. Black, Mr. Victor brought walnuts, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds. I’ve packed some up.”

Jack put the nuts on the table and left.

"Lay, the nuts you brought are really good, the pine nuts are very sweet."

"Thanks."

Blake chatted with Ray while peeling pine nuts. The atmosphere eased considerably with the sound of the pine nut shells.

“I think the little magical beast you adopted might have some connection with those crazed magical beasts in Eaton Forest. Of course, I'm not advising you to send it back or anything. Although there is a barrier as a shield, Eaton is still too dangerous for us.”

"What kind of barrier?"

He had heard about "barriers" from many people, but he still didn't understand what they were.

As Blake mentioned, Rye couldn't help but ask a question.

"You don't know? Well, that's true. This happened so long ago that ordinary people don't really care about it anymore."

Dr. Blake's tone carried a hint of disappointment.

"It's okay, I'll tell you what happened."