Chapter 2
The wooden basin floated for a long time and reached the fork, drifting towards a small tributary. When it encountered another fork, it flowed towards an even smaller tributary.
Aifeisi didn't know that he had entered a small stream from a wide river, and was very lucky to have not passed through dangerous areas such as waterfalls and turbulent currents. The wooden basin cradle slid along for a whole day until it was blocked by a small dead tree that fell in the stream.
In the evening, several burly men were walking toward the stream, chatting about what they had seen and heard today, while a few children in front of them were chasing each other and playing.
It was a hot day and after working all day, I went to wash in the water to cool down, and it was almost time for dinner at home.
"Come and see!"
"Wow, whose aunt forgot to take the child away while doing laundry?"
An older boy was very sensible and shouted at the top of his voice: "Father - come quickly!"
The men were talking about which business was good recently, when they suddenly heard the children who had already run away calling for help. Their hearts tightened and they hurried over.
——
"Little Al, don't come to the forest alone. There are ferocious beasts here." Martin was carrying a bow and arrow, and holding a few birds and a rabbit. His body was stained with blood. He looked rough and serious, but his attitude was gentle.
Aifeisi who is trying to find food... no, it should be called Elphis now. He sighed, it's another day when he wants to grow up quickly!
"Uncle Martin, I'm just walking around the periphery, please don't worry."
Martin glanced at the small basket that Elphis was carrying and said, "You went to pick sweet milk apples again. If you want to eat some in the future, I can bring them back for you when I go hunting. Children are not allowed to climb such high trees."
He still had to go to town to sell wild rabbits, so he didn't say much to the little guy, "Go play with Henry and the others, don't run around by yourself."
Elphis smiled reluctantly when he heard that, and he couldn't help but feel relieved when he saw Uncle Martin leave after saying a few words. He really didn't want to play in the mud, catch insects, or play games of pretending to be princesses, knights, and dragons with real kids like Henry!
Although this body is limited by age and cannot do many things, life is dull and boring, and the conditions of food, clothing, housing and transportation are more than one level lower than modern life, Elphis still feels that he is lucky to travel through time this time.
He originally thought that he was going to drown, but he didn't expect that after floating in the water for almost a day, he didn't encounter any danger and was even rescued by a town dweller living on the edge of the town of Lisse.
The whole town has beautiful scenery and excellent natural environment, but it is remote and isolated. With more than 300 households and less than 1,000 people in total, the conditions can at best be described as self-sufficient.
Most people spend their whole lives wandering around this area. Only the merchant who keeps horses at home and goes out to do business every few days often goes to the nearest small town. He is kind enough to ask the people in the town which family has lost a child, but unfortunately there is no result. It is impossible for the merchant to go to other cities as they are too far away. He only has one horse and he cannot let it run to death.
As for asking the city lord and the guards for help? Well, the people above are all vassals of the nobles who stay here to collect taxes. How can they help the common people wholeheartedly?
It's not the information age anymore, and the town of Lise doesn't have many means to help the little guy find his relatives. Seeing that there is no good news from the nearest city, they can only keep the little guy there.
The mayor asked around and found that only Pastor Kevin was willing to adopt the poor little thing.
Young people in the town who want to go out to make a living will stay in the nearest city of Lasay to make money. Kaven is the only person in the town who has traveled far away and is willing to come back to settle down.
Back then, he went out to learn to read, work, and traveled to many places, but his heart could never find a home.
Until one day, when he was passing by the royal city, he witnessed a powerful light wizard using healing magic to treat civilians. The soft light dissipated, and the patients who were kneeling on the ground and praying devoutly had their wounds healed, their coughs stopped, and their backs no longer ached. Standing on the edge, Kevin was fortunate enough to bathe in a little divine light, and he immediately felt a hundred times more energetic!
Oh my God, is this a miracle? What a powerful and merciful Holy See!
Magic used to be too far away from him, and Kevin had always been skeptical about the existence of gods. After witnessing this magical scene, he couldn't help but want to know more about gods and the church.
Kevin paid to attend a sermon held by a branch of the Vatican in a small city, where he listened to the spiritual teachings of the Vatican of Light, learned about the Age of Gods and the War of Gods, and learned about the power and kindness of the God of Light, as well as the many good deeds of believers.
After listening to the stories, the civilians who attended the sermons felt their spirits elevated. Their feelings can generally be described as follows: becoming a part of the Vatican and contributing to the missionary work, their lives are no longer dull!
If everyone believed in the God of Light, the world would become a better place! (According to Elphis, they paid to join a pyramid scheme to be brainwashed, and then they were sold and had to help count the money)
Young Kevin soon began to believe in the God of Light devoutly. He found a job in a branch in a small town and worked diligently for more than 20 years, earning the pastor's appreciation.
When he reached middle age, he was recommended to be a pastor in a nearby small city. He did not realize that this was a poor place that any clergyman with a little selfishness would not want to come to. Kevin felt very honored to be a pastor and did not care about the place at all.
When he was in his sixties, he suddenly thought of his hometown. He wished that his fellow countrymen could also know the stories of the God of Light and the Church, and understand the great sacrifices and contributions! At the same time, Kaven also hoped that everyone would be interested in the outside world and be willing to work hard to go out and see it.
With this thought in mind, Kevin returned to the small town of Lisse which he had not seen for a long time.
He had lived a simple life for many years and still had some savings. He asked someone to build a small house for him and put a few benches in it. On the top of the house he placed a small statue of the God of Light that he brought back from the branch and began to preach here.
Kavin and his little church are quite popular because Kavin is a good guy and teaches children to read for free. As for the faith he talked about...
The people in the small town of Lisse had never even seen magic. In their eyes, the existence of the Holy See was no different from that of the nobility; both were distant and unattainable forces.
As for the God of Light...it's not a matter of belief or not. Everyone just thinks that the stories and experiences told by Pastor Kevin are very interesting, and it's nice to come here and chat with him to kill time.
It was a good result for Aifeisi to be adopted by Kavin when he drifted to this place. The pastor grandfather could be said to be the most knowledgeable person in the town. He also brought back a lot of books from outside, allowing him to learn the new language and new characters smoothly and integrate into this world more quickly.
The five-year-old little Douding is the most beautiful child that anyone in the town has ever seen. He has delicate features, soft and fair skin, shoulder-length silver hair like moonlight, and bright blue eyes. One can tell at a glance that he is not a child from their poor place.
Regarding this little outsider, everyone unanimously confirmed that little Al was of noble blood, and then made up dozens of versions of why he was unfortunately stranded in this place - after all, apart from chatting, the adults here had no other entertainment activities.
An outsider with a conspicuous appearance, who may also be of noble blood, as a lower-class person, most people would subconsciously reject Elphis. Even if they would not embarrass him, they would not necessarily be very friendly to him. But the amazing thing is that almost everyone in the town likes this child.
In everyone's eyes, little Ai'er is smart, polite and sensible since childhood. He occasionally helps this family pull weeds in the fields, runs errands for that family to deliver things, braids hair for the aunts, and massages the uncles' backs.
Al would always say admiringly, "Your archery skills are amazing, you never miss a shot!", "The barbecue you cook is so delicious, I can never get tired of it.", "Aunt has such skillful hands, this dress is so beautifully sewn." These words are said very sincerely, who wouldn't like to hear a cute little cutie praising themselves?
The adults liked the sweet-talking and sensible little Al very much, so as an outsider, he became someone else's child in the small town of Lisse.
The children in the town did not envy those who were better than them in everything, because they also thought that Al was so nice. Although he seldom played with them, he would share with them the wild fruits he picked in the forest, teach them how to swim, teach them how to weave straw, and come up with many fun new games. He was so smart!
Elphis was like a beautiful gem hidden in this remote gray town. There was no one who didn't like treasures. Even the townspeople with little girls were willing to let their daughters marry him when they grew up. Then the bloodline they passed down must be excellent.
——
Watching Uncle Martin turning and leaving, Elphis's well-behaved and polite smile slowly faded, revealing a dull indifference that was not in keeping with his age.
Of course, his nature is not as warm and likable as outsiders think. The only people he is truly willing to repay are Grandpa Kevin who adopted him, and at most a few people who rescued him from the water.
The purpose of improving the favorability of the people in the town is just to quickly integrate into this group and make myself more comfortable.
The process of achieving this goal was not difficult. After he lost his parents and his blood relatives who he could rely on, he socialized sincerely or falsely to create a safe environment conducive to his growth and development. He had long been accustomed to being friendly and sensible...
If nothing unexpected happens, he will have to stay in the town of Lisse for at least many more years, and his ability to socialize with the widest range of people will come in handy here.
Elphis looked deep into the forest and walked back with regret.
He was still looking forward to seeing whether there were new species in there that he had never heard of in modern times. Unfortunately, with his small arms and legs and no ability to protect himself, he would not be able to escape even if he encountered a ferocious beast. It would be better to wait a few years before seeing.
When he was first rescued, the infant Elphis noticed the townspeople's clothing styles and house building materials, and wondered if he had traveled to a European country in the Middle Ages.
By the time he grew big enough to run and jump, he realized that his guess was wrong. Firstly, the climate here was not like that in Europe, and secondly, when he saw some unfamiliar vegetation and animals, he was sure that he was not on Earth anymore.
However, the reality is always much better than the initial guess. Although food, clothing, housing and transportation are almost at the level of development in the Middle Ages, the hygiene is much cleaner. Elpheus does not have to cover his nose when walking, nor does he need to worry too much about the outbreak of infectious diseases.
In addition, the policies seemed good. Even the poor were relatively free and there was no serfdom.
There are princes and nobles here, but for some reason, they don't seem to be interested in exploiting the lower classes and gaining maximum benefits. Could it be that there is a wise and benevolent monarch?
As of now, Elphis is quite satisfied with this strange world. After all, as long as he doesn't do anything wrong, he should have no problem living in peace until he dies of old age.
In order to stay away from the hustle and bustle as much as possible and create a solemn atmosphere, Pastor Cavan's chapel was built on the edge of the town, close to the forest. Elphis soon arrived home.
A thin old man with a calm face, wearing an old white linen robe and slightly bald head was cleaning the church. The half-human-high bronze statue on the table was polished to a shine by him every day.
When Kevin saw Elphis coming in with all kinds of wild fruits, he knew where he had been all afternoon and criticized him in a deep voice: "El, I've already told you that there are wild beasts in the forest and it's easy to get lost. You went in again. You're really too greedy!"
Elphis twitched his lips. He was very clear about his image in the small town of Lisse. Besides being well-behaved and sensible, he was also a little glutton.
Just because he was a big eater since he was a child, when he was a little older, he started to go into the forest to look for food, often bringing wild grass and fruits to ask people if they were poisonous or edible, and also asked the hunter Uncle Martin for tips on setting traps to catch prey.
If I were not so small and unable to use a bow and arrow, I would probably go deep into the forest every day to look for meat.
Elphis didn't want to eat so much either. In fact, he disliked the staple food here. However, when he was a baby, he was only fed milk and juice to fill his stomach. The nutrition of these things was totally insufficient for a baby. He was thankful that he could digest them. It was predictable that he would grow thin.
In order to supplement nutrition and grow up healthily, Elphis ate whatever he could. Of course, compared to the rough staple food, the gifts from nature were more delicious, so he would run in whenever he had time.
"Grandpa, I picked some berries for you."
Calvin's expression eased, and he patted the little guy's head. "Oh, my Al, you are so thoughtful. I like these soft berries. I have bad teeth these years, so I have to ask you to eat soft food with me. Rye always has to be boiled into paste, and the taste is not good at all."
The old man remembered something and took out a few more copper coins. "Oh, boy, go to your uncle Tony's house and buy a piece of bread. This is your reward for memorizing 'Ode to the Divine Light'."
Elphis couldn't help but take a step back and refused with a stiff smile: "No, Grandpa, I have to go make dinner."
As soon as the child finished speaking, he turned around and ran away - what bread, isn't that a brick?
People in small places live a rough and casual life and have no concept of pampering children. Alphis has been playing with fire, knives and pots since he was a child without being stopped. Pastor Kevin doesn't think there is anything wrong with letting a five-year-old child cook. Al is very talented and the food he cooks tastes much better than his.
Elphis cooked some soft vegetable porridge, steamed some egg custard, and simply mixed a dish of soft boiled peas. Some of the ingredients were non-toxic plants he brought out from the forest.
There are only a few main ingredients, but just because the seasonings are a little richer, Pastor Kavin feels that his tongue, which has been numb for decades, has regained its sense of taste!
"Grandpa, the meal is ready."
Kevin was squatting at the door of the church, cleaning up the weeds that had grown taller. Hearing this, he stood up and waved to Elphis with a loving expression, "Come here."
Alphis walked into the chapel from the stove with a wooden face, to thank God for his blessing again.
In Elphis's eyes, Grandpa Kaven is kind, just, generous, and a very good old man, but... he is simple-minded and easy to fool, and has been thoroughly brainwashed by the Vatican!
Actually, this is nothing. Even in modern times, there are many people who believe in religion. Elphis doesn't understand why they believe in something that cannot be proven, but he can also respect other people's beliefs.
Moreover, in this age where science cannot be used to reason with people, it is even more difficult for him to say much about other people’s belief in God.
It didn't matter. What others thought or did had nothing to do with him. But what made him suffer was that Grandpa Kevin was committed to making him believe in the God of Light wholeheartedly. It would be even better if he could leave the small town of Lisse and work in the Vatican when he grew up. That would be a great honor!
Even after having experienced such an unscientific thing as time travel, Elphis still did not trust the existence of the God of Light.
He was instilled with a bunch of stories and ideas, which could be summarized as follows: During the War of Gods, the God of Light fought against a group of powerful evil gods just to protect the weak human race.
Among the gods who fight to increase their strength, for power and status, or who just like to destroy by nature, the selfless, peace-loving God of Light is simply a breath of fresh air!
Without the great God of Light, there would be no continuation of the human race.
Out of gratitude, the human race established the Holy See to sing praises of the grace of God, follow the will of God, eliminate the remaining dark forces, save the suffering, and maintain the safe survival of the human race. What a sacred duty this is!
Elphis sneered at this. The word "light" contains positive connotations such as justice, hope, and glory in any world. It can give people a sense of security. It is conceivable how easily a power organization established under the banner of light would be accepted and supported by the civilians.
Even if God really exists, how could a benevolent, non-confrontational God be the only remaining God?
A purely good person cannot hold on to a high position no matter how powerful he is. The same is true for gods. He single-handedly killed a group of "evil gods" and left the impression on the human race that he is peaceful, beautiful and not prone to fighting. He is probably a two-faced person.
So, whether he believed what Grandpa Kaven said or not, Elphis had no good feelings towards these beings.
As for the magic that grandpa mentioned, it was quite interesting. Elphis had asked with a little hope, "Is there any magic that can turn me into an animal?"
Pastor Kawen thought about the elements that the magicians could control, and thought that none of them could do this, so he shook his head. Elphis asked again, "Can you make me bigger or smaller?"
Kevin shook his head again.
Elphis sneered in his heart, letting him break this scam and make his grandfather wake up.
The little guy continued to ask: "Where is the magic that allows me to teleport to Raphael City?"
Kaven was cheered up: "Oh, Your Excellency the Space Magician can definitely do it."
"Have you seen it?"
"That's not the case. Space-related entities are the rarest. Many people will never encounter such an entity in their lifetime."
Because it is rare and noble, it is normal not to see it. Elphis was defeated by his grandfather's self-justification.
Pastor Kawen became excited when he talked about magic. "But I have seen a fire magician who controlled a ball of fire in his palm!"
Elphis: It must be a chemical reaction.
"When I passed by Saint Castor City, I was fortunate enough to meet a light magician who was performing a healing spell. The patient was healed immediately, and I no longer felt tired!"
Elphis: Extras, psychological effects.
Later, the city where Kevin lived was too ordinary and the magicians were not interested in going there, so he never witnessed any other magic. Seeing that his grandfather could not give any other examples, but still believed in it, Elphis could not bear to argue with the old man.
"Have you ever seen an elf?"
Kevin shook his head regretfully: "No, according to legend, the elves all live in Silegusen and don't like to come into contact with outsiders, so they don't go out."
"Where is Silegusen then?"
The old man smiled helplessly: "This kind of mysterious place is not something that ordinary people like us can know. Although I have never seen beautiful elves, I have seen dwarves doing business with humans once."
“……”He must be a person with dwarfism.
Given Pastor Cavan's status and the environment he was in, it was indeed difficult for him to see important people and the big world. Some magical little scenes were also explained by Elphis using scientific thinking.
A few years passed, and Elphis still didn't take Grandpa Kevin's words seriously. He initially argued with him tactfully, but it didn't shake the other party's faith at all, so he gave up and pretended to be a believer.
There is no way. I cannot repay the kindness of my upbringing for the time being, but it is nice to be able to make the old man happy.
Just like now, Elphis and Pastor Kawen crossed their fists and knelt in front of the statue to do their daily tasks.
The priest's voice was full of emotion: "Merciful God of Light, thank you for your protection today, for keeping Ai'er away from danger."
Elphis complained silently: Wasn't it because I was careful?
“Thanks to your grace, all things can grow smoothly under the light and provide us with abundant food.”
Elphis: Doesn’t it come from the gift of nature and the hard work of mankind?
"The believers are grateful, but have nothing to repay you. They can only sing praises to your holy name and great deeds. May your glory last forever."
After Kevin finished speaking, he tilted his head and looked at the people around him lovingly. Elphis skillfully took over the lines to cooperate with the old man: "Please believe that our faith in you is always firm. Thank you again for your protection of the human race."
Mission accomplished, Elphis stood up, brushed the dust off his knees, and glanced at the statue. There was a hint of annoyance in his calm eyes - no matter how many times he had experienced it, he still hated such a meaningless thing as kneeling.
During dinner, Pastor Kavan was full of gratitude: "Al, you were so thin when you were a child. I was always worried that you would be plagued by illness. Fortunately, you have a pious heart. It must be the blessing of the God of Light. Look, you are now the healthiest and most beautiful child in this town!"
Elphis: “…” Gradually losing appetite.
It's obvious that I've kept myself healthy by eating well, drinking well and exercising more!
But he couldn't refute, and even if he refuted, Grandpa Kevin wouldn't listen... It was so annoying!
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