Chapter 122 - Leon's Humility

"Oliver, you didn't have to do that."

"Don't mention it." Holding up one hand to calm Leon's worries, Oliver mentioned, "A cheap sword is the least I can offer in exchange for staying at your home. And now you won't have to worry about Pauller always trying to make excuses to leave home and come to the shop."

"That… Thank you, I guess…" Shaking his head, Leon felt conflicted as to how he should handle the situation.

Keldon retrieved a sheath from under the counter and chuckled, "Such generosity… One of the most sought-after qualities of any customer!"

"Yeah, and here you are thinking of what else I'm willing to buy," laughed Oliver. "I think I'm done browsing for today, but I'll remember to visit."

"I look forward to it," Keldon replied with a toothy grin, passing the sheath to Oliver.

Oliver and the Practor brothers left the shop and stepped onto the main road. Traffic was growing more and more as the sun climbed higher and higher in the sky. Soon, the street would be packed and shops like Keldon's Merchantile would be slammed with customers.

"Let's head back for some late breakfast," Oliver suggested. "You were too busy training to eat, right?"

"Yeah… Let's head back, Pauller. I'm sure you'll want to try out your new gift and the patriarch will want to hear about the price hike…"

"Don't answer if you don't want to, but what kind of herb are you after? And why is it so important to get?" Oliver asked.

Sighing, Leon replied, "Not here… After I talk with the patriarch, I'll share the information I'm allowed…"

"No worries. I'm sure Pauller will be too distracted now and might actually focus on training instead of bothering you," joked Oliver.

As the two young a.d.u.l.ts laughed, Pauller was busy clutching his longsword with care, hugging the sheathed blade and looking out for anyone that dared try and steal it. But no such thief dared think about it while Oliver was walking alongside the brothers. And even if Oliver wasn't, the sword looked nice but served no purpose for them, making it a pointless target.

After arriving at the Practor property, the three of them entered a large dining area. It was basically a cafeteria where the majority of the family's remaining servants dined.

Leon and Pauller grabbed a tray, lining up with the servants in place of cutting past them. The gesture was small but Oliver could tell what it meant to the servants, who began to casually chat with both Pauller and Leon about the longsword that Pauller refused to have Leon store away.

When their turn came to eat, the two brothers made no special demands of the cooks or comments about the cheap food. Instead, they complimented the chef on the aroma throughout the kitchen and took the simple oatmeal with the side of boiled eggs and a slice of toasted bread. Their behavior with the servants was far more humble than Oliver had anticipated. This placed both of the brothers higher up on Oliver's list of approved acquaintances.

After Oliver followed their example and sat beside them, Leon took a moment to thank Oliver. "You didn't have to spend money on us. Your stay here has already been earned from helping us earlier. There's--"

"Calm down, Leon. I'm not looking to curry favors or anything. I just thought him having that would help motivate him to train while also helping you have more time to train uninterrupted."

"Hey! I'm noh thah neethy!" Pauller shouted, nearly letting oatmeal spill out of his mouth.

"Don't talk with your mouth full!"

Swallowing, Pauller repeated, "I'm not that needy!"

"Not anymore you're not," laughed Oliver. "How about this? You're only allowed to keep that sword if you're training with it every single day. Miss a day and Leon will be allowed to take it from you as punishment."

"I won't miss a single day!"

"Good, then set your sword aside and finish your food."

While Oliver got Pauller to cooperate easily, Leon began to wonder more about Oliver and what his background might truly be. For the average adept, five gold wasn't expensive but still a cost worth counting, unlike how Oliver had thrown away the gold like it was nothing of consequence.

"Sorry, to disappoint you, Leon, but I'm no moneybags."

"Hmm?" Caught off guard by Oliver's comment, Leon's train of thought was derailed. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not rich, that's what I mean," clarified Oliver, making sure to blatantly lie with reason. "Living a nomadic lifestyle helps keep my expenses pretty low while making sure I run into a lot of bandits and thieves worth looting. I've got enough to cover my needs and a little extra thanks to bandits unlucky enough to run into me, so there's no need to assume how little my wealth is."

"I suppose that makes sense…"

"Whether you believe me or not, that's the truth. And I prefer to spend money how I wish, returning one good favor for another."

Leon nodded and sighed, "Right… Sorry for assuming anything else."

"No need to apologize. We're only acquaintances, not life-long friends," added Oliver, finishing his bowl. "Well, I'll be returning to my room for some cultivating. If I decide to explore more of the city, I'll come find you."

"Thank you, Oliver!" Pauller repeated.

Waving a momentary goodbye, Oliver placed his tray on a workbench near the door and walked out with a silent smile.

To Leon's surprise, Pauller hurriedly scarfed down the remainder of his meal and scurried out of the room. "I'll be at the training grounds! Come help me after visiting Grandpa!"

Chuckling softly, Leon finished his meal in peace. He then gathered his and Pauller's trays before thanking the chefs one last time for the meal. Leon then made his way to his grandfather, unsure how the old man would take the news. Given how tight the family budget already was, Leon struggled not to assume the worst.