Chapter 297 - Vol. 5 -

Ethan

"Grandmother, they aren't going to wait for us forever, please hurry." 

"Ah, shut up, I'm comin'." 

On a random cold Tuesday morning, two regular citizens of Jade moved through the streets. One of them, Ethan, the younger of the two, tried to maintain a hurried pace as he worried the caravan they were set to be a part of would depart before they had the chance to arrive. The other, his grandmother Mina, walked at the same pace that she usually did. 

It doesn't help that all of this is so heavy,  Ethan thought, as he adjusted the bags full of their belongings that he was carrying. 

"They've probably already left by now," he muttered. 

"Ah, of course not," his grandmother waved a hand. "Even in times like these, no one would dare be so callous." 

"Maybe, but I'd rather not find out." 

"Try to walk so quickly when you reach eighty, Ethan," she chuckled, as she walked hunched over, tapping her cane against the ground. "Though, maybe by then, you will have finally learned patience." 

Rolling his eyes, Ethan spotted a bench up ahead. On it was a single woman with long white hair, dressed in some plain garbs, with her legs crossed and a contemplative look on her face. Ethan didn't mind her too much though. he was just glad to have found a place to put his stuff down. 

He walked over to the bench, placing the heavy bags at the opposite end. She only gave him a passing glance before looking away. He did the same, as his grandmother made her way over to him. 

"Oh, thank you, I needed a break." 

She sat down between him and that white-haired lady, With a sigh of relief, Mina smiled up at the sky. 

"It's been a long time since we've been back home," she stated. "I wonder if anything's changed." 

"I can't think of many ways Sapphire could have changed," Ethan replied, "unless it's gotten even colder." 

"Hmph. If that's the case, then you are lacking imagination just as much as patience. It's been almost a decade, Ethan! It could be an entirely different world up there! Ah, I remember how the auroras swam across the sky when I was just a child back then. I'm eager to see those again." 

Ethan leaned back for a moment, closing his eyes. He wasn't looking forward to the moment where he'd inevitably have to pick everything back up. However, what he was looking forward to was getting out of the city. 

Although there hadn't been many large-scale demon attacks lately, everyone in Jade felt like it was only a matter of time. Maybe a day, maybe two, before a giant diamond-shaped portal would appear outside their walls and all of this beauty would come crashing down. Many citizens had decided that they wouldn't be here when that day inevitably came. Ethan and his grandmother were two of them. 

He was sure that was part of why Jade felt so empty these days. As for him, considering how miserable his time had been at Sapphire, he would be in no rush to get back there, were it not for the possibility that they'd be left here by the caravan. 

Just as he was thinking about what exactly he'd do at Sapphire if he'd be able to find a job, or maybe find himself a wife, he heard: 

"Excuse me," his grandmother said, and Ethan opened his eyes as she added, "could you please help my grandson carry these bags? He's been struggling quite a bit with them." 

"You don't have to."

Ethan leaned forward to tell that to the white-haired woman. She looked back at both of them with apathy making itself obvious on her face. 

However, her response was: 

"Sure." 

"Ah, thank you. It seems some young people still remember what little kindnesses can do for everyone. We should get back to it, then," Mina said, standing up with a grunt of exertion before Ethan did the same. 

They had three bags in total, so, Ethan took two of them, allowing the half-demon woman to take the remaining one. 

"What's your name, dear?" Mina asked the woman. 

"Ash," she replied quickly. 

"Ah, it is a pleasure to meet you. Are you from Jade, by the way?" 

"Yes," she nodded. 

"And, have you been to Sapphire?" 

"Once." 

"Hehe," Mina chuckled, "you felt the cold air and never came back? I can't say I blame you." 

At that, the woman gave a wry smile. 

"The air was the least of my problems." 

Hearing that, Ethan decided to step in. 

"Grandmother, don't pester her. It's bad enough we have her carrying one of our bags." 

Mina scoffed. 

"A little bit of conversation never heard anyone. But, dear, do let me know if I'm bothering you." 

"You're good," the woman replied quickly. 

She seemed to Ethan like the silent type. As their walk to the northern gates of Jade continued, she didn't really say much. The conversation between her and Mina mostly consisted of his grandmother rambling about something and the woman nodding or shaking her head emotionlessly. 

"Once, my father took me out to the pastures west, by the Rose Cliffs near Pearl, and on that day I understood just how big the world really was. Have you been to Pearl?" 

"Mhm," she answered. 

"Beautiful place, wasn't it?" 

"I guess." 

"No other quite like it. Damn shame, what happened there. Maybe one day, many, many years into the future, the world will see another city like Pearl." 

As they continued to speak, Ethan began to feel the weight of the bags he carried begin to wear on him again. Of course, he was a low-level kind of guy, as he'd never been much of a fighter or had any interest in dangerous professions. Because of this, the only Strength he had came in the form of his occasional workouts, which boosted his attribute to 3. And yet, he still felt uncomfortable right now. 

On the other hand, however, that woman showed no signs at all of struggle. Her face was the same as it had been at the bench. Her hand was still clutching the bag tightly, and her breathing seemed calm and steady. 

I mean...  Ethan thought, raising a brow at her.  It's only one bag, but they're all pretty heavy. Props to her, I guess. 

Still, it did make him curious to know whether this was an ordinary person or not. Appearances could be deceiving, after all. So, subtly, he checked her level. 

Level 80

MP: 330/330

"..." 

Ethan blinked. He was rendered completely speechless. 

"Oh, oh!" Mina said as she continued to speak to this... thing. "Did you ever get to try the gold honey-glazed apples?" 

"I don't think so," the woman responded. 

"Ah, you missed out! They were the best! I may have lost a tooth because of sweets like those, but it was worth it," Mina laughed as they kept going. 

As for Ethan, all he was trying to do at this point was figure out who the hell this was exactly. He'd never seen something quite like this. A level of this magnitude was something unimaginable. Ordinarily, even someone with a level of 20, or 25 was considered exceptionally strong. Here she was, with several times that number. 

Then, he remembered something. He'd heard about it in the morning papers the couriers gave out at the square to the west. A certain pair of female Saviors that been chosen a while back, one of which was a half-demon. It had been the talk of the city for a while, especially after they were implicated in the death of the grand priest of the Church of Magia, Varcon. 

But, after that, well, they'd largely fallen out of the news. Most people had just assumed they'd either perished or had been sent to jail. There were rumors of a half-demon Savior who had been fighting for the various cities around the world, but Ethan had been sure such talk was just legend. Myths being made during troubling times. 

However seeing this, he wondered if he had run into something otherworldly. 

Before he could wonder about that for too long, however, they were arriving at the northern gates, and the caravan, which had thankfully not left, was still in sight. 

"Ah, there it is," Mina announced happily. "Could you help my grandson load everything up into the cart, please?" 

"Yeah." 

Although that level over her head told the story of someone so powerful that she could kill people like Ethan with a flick of her finger, the look on her face said something else entirely. Now that Ethan really focused, he thought she looked exhausted. 

Still, she helped with their bags and when it was done, Mina stood in front of her with a proud smile. 

"Thank you for everything, dear. Ethan, could you please give her a crown or two?" 

"That won't be necessary," the woman replied, raising a hand up. 

"Hm? I would like to pay you back, though. These things were heavy, after all, if Ethan's whining was any indication." 

"Nah," she shook her head. "I'm fine."

Just like that, she gave both of them a small bow and walked away, before Mina could continue arguing over how to pay her. 

"... Grandmother, did you see her level?" Ethan asked, as soon as she was out of earshot. 

"Of course, I did," she chuckled. 

"Really? You made no sign of it." 

"That's because it does not matter," she shrugged. "Out there, in the wilderness, with the monsters and demons, that is where levels matter. In here, within the walls of civilization, I care far more about human decency than anything else, and she had it. That's enough for me." 

"..." Ethan remained silent then, looking into the direction she walked. 

"The problem is, however, that as decent as she was, she isn't one of us."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ethan asked. "Because she's a half-demon?"

I mean, I agree, but, still, that kind of came out of nowhere.

"No. Because of her duties," she explained. "Someone like her," Mina continued, "she likely has responsibilities the likes of which we can't imagine. As such, it's best for us to go our separate ways like this. Little moments like these, however, are what serve to let her kind know why they do what they do, and our kind know to be thankful for the safety we enjoy, as it is because of their ilk that we have it." 

As someone announced that the caravan was going to depart, Ethan helped his grandmother up onto the cart. 

"Don't forget that, Ethan. Be thankful for the comfort you have, for however long you have it.. You never know when your city will become the next Pearl."