---This the original book by JennyS. Please support me by reading it at .com. Thank you in advance :)---
Kendra followed Lord Daruvar towards the huge building with a blue flag. Even tho flags showed four different elements, there are many sub-elements that could be put on any of the categories so a funny mixture of people lived together in the same house.
As he walked towards the second level she curiously glanced at first that had closed doors.
To still her curiosity Lord Daruvar spoke while walking. "That place is off-limit. It's only for guests. Tonight Grandmaster Fintan will sleep there."
Kendra shook her head. "Makes no sense."
He stopped in tracks and looked at her in wonder. "Why do you say so?"
"Isn't the best view over nature and town on top of the building? But well, I might be wrong."
He suddenly chuckled. "If you say it that way, that means and you will not mind living in the highest point if this building."
She seriously nodded. "If I could choose where to live, I'd always chose the top of the building."
They passed the third floor and were walking higher under the curious gazes of a few cultivators they met. Some heard her words and shook their heads.
Now curiosity hit Lord Daruvar as well and he had to ask. "Is there some specific reason why or is it just for a view?"
Kendra could see that he really had Jo idea do she sighed. "Didn't you say that you are cultivator and cultivate now for years? How come you didn't sense the energy surge in sunrise and sunset?"
He shrugged. "We use cultivation rooms that are filled with spirit energy. The energy from sunrise and sunset is fine, but we would have to concentrate to search for the spirit whisp we need among those that are surrounding us."
She became silent. The energy of sunset and sunrise is definitely tens of times stronger than that one from the spirit cave, is it possible that they can't feel the difference? Maybe because I'm a novice, everything seems strong. But still, I think it's wrong...
Lord Daruvar thought she just got tired from all the walking, Ao he didn't speak as well. In the silence one sound suddenly echoed. Growl!
Kendra couldn't believe that stomach could be this loud. With blushing cheeks, she patted her belly and ignored his huge smile.
Taffy couldn't stand still and scolded her. "Just st eat while walking. Better than starving. This is such a great school and you don't even have an eatery inside for your cultivators?"
Lord Daruvar sighed. "Most of the cultivators in our school or cultivate or do tasks. So we didn't see the need..." He stopped as he saw Kendra rolling her eyes.
"With all the respect, but your logic is seriously wrong." She huffed as she walked up as she slowly felt tired. "I could wee cultivators trying hard to fine sh the given tasks. Do you think they have time to go and buy food in the city? Or do you expect them to cook? Having dome kind of eatery where they could spend those coins you have them inside the school, would help them get full and prepare happily for cultivation. A while before I met you all, I wanted to cultivate and its truly hard to do that on empty stomach. You always preach strength of will, body and energy, as I can see. But as normal beings, we need food to survive. This way, it is impossible to get better cultivators anytime soon. How could you all miss such a huge thing?"
She fearlessly ranted and suddenly held a piece of apple and slowly crunched at it. As she saw his expression, she pressed her lips and her vein popped up, making him astonished. Did she just dare to get angry at him? This pup?
But her words afterward made him think.
"Elder, it is not that I want to be disrespectful." She spoke while walking behind him with a serious face while still munching on an apple. "But do all cultivators have space pockets or rings?"
"No. Just some. What foes that have to to with this?" Then he suddenly realized. "It's about food?"
"Of course. Those that have space can at least buy some food and eat it later. But those that have no space have to think about it all. We passed the mid of the city and I could hear prices. Sorry, but it's ridiculous. Today your group brought back vegetables for tasks. Who eats those? Just Elders? Who eats all those vegetables and fruits that cultivators are tending? Isn't it just having free working hands and feet? Giving them a few coins and stones can not fill their bellies."
"What ate you talking about?" Lord Daruvar stopped as he heard her words. "What do you mean?"
Kendra was astonished. "It seems your people really don't know what is going on in the city?"
She could see pure confusion on his face and she held her head. "Seriously?"
They were already near the top floor and Bes could hear them talking as she waited for them. "Come up... What are you waiting for?" But then she saw Lord Daruvar and became silent.
Kendra sighed and saw few novice cultivators peeking their way and walked up. "Could all novices please come here. I think our Elder doesn't know many things as he cultivated for a very long time and then went for big tasks. So I implore you all to forgive me for being rude."
She saw around a dozen young men and women coming out different doors and looking their way. She saw Rorry coming over and waved at her. "Hurry, I need you as well."
With a confused expression, she came near. "What is the rush? Did something happened?"
Kendra became serious. "How many of you come from a noble background or background with enough money to support yourself?"
Bes and Rorry rose hands and one young man with ice blue hair. Kendra nodded. "Then three of you step aside."
Lord Daruvar saw the three standing by the wall and suddenly saw the difference. At first, he couldn't see it, but looking at the difference and feeling the difference in the cultivation, he understood what she was hinting at.
"How is this possible? Our numeration should be equal to all. And it should be enough for everyone to live comfortably." Lord Daruvar felt anger rising so cultivators stepped back.
On the other side, Kendra rolled her eyes. "Elder, tell me when did school check prices in the city and did you ever control the city prices? Did you know that in passing I heard one simple white bun was three coins? One bun! Today I got twenty coins and five spirit stones. So let's talk about it. Spirit stones we need for cultivation, right? But after buying five buns, what do cultivators eat? Seriously Elder?"
"Impossible. In restaurants, we made a deal that cultivators could pay a whole daily meal for one coin. What are you talking about?" He saw the cultivators shaking their heads. "Do you want to say that our cultivators are hungry all the time? Impossible!"
Kendra turned her head towards the nearest cultivator. It was a cute woman with a round face but unhealthy skin. "May I ask you something?"
The woman shyly nodded. "Yes."
"What do you do to survive?" Kendra was actually amazed by their survival.
"We do many tasks to gather enough coins." The young woman almost whispered as she answered.
Lord Daruvar rubbed his temples. "Thank you. I'll go and speak to Elder Somi. She came out of her cultivation room after fifty years. I bet she has no idea about this situation. But why no one ever mentioned this?"
Suddenly he froze as he saw Bes with crossed arms staring at him icily. She told him about bad living conditions and lack of food, but he didn't take it seriously. I know, stop staring at me. I'll take care of it now. Take Kendra to her new room. I'm leaving.
Bes just nodded and came forward. "Come I'll show you your place."
Lord Daruvar rose his hand. "Listen, all of you. I would like to say that I'm sorry in the name of the school. We actually had deals with restaurants to give cultivators food, but as no one complained, so they became too greedy as it seems. Don't worry. I'll ask Grandmaster to open an eatery here in school so all cultivators can eat for free. We will stop giving coins in that case and everyone will get instead more spirit stones and potions. Could you tell everyone? Please."
He couldn't face them as he felt ashamed. They were his students and he had no idea about their living conditions.
He is an Elder and he failed them so badly.
As soon he was gone everyone turned their eyes towards Kendra and they started cheering, making him almost stumble. It's food. Instead of being happy to rise level or even braking trough boundaries, they were happy about the food. That child is right, we forgot basic stuff, how could we...
Now he felt even more miserable.
---This the original book by JennyS. Please support me by reading it at .com. Thank you in advance :)---