A powerful mage before, A ring now!?

Chapter 4: A Mysterious Man

People in this village don't have the required tools to start a farm, even though we have large fields it is pretty useless for us if we don't have those things.

Until Madam Nia came to this village and started to help us, she provided the tools and all of the seeds in exchange that all of the crops that had been harvested must be sent to her.

Of course, when the elder of the village hears about this. They immediately disagree as it's like the whole village was simply a slave. The villagers demand that they keep the crops for themself as this was our land.

Madam Nia simply told all of the villagers that she wouldn't get any benefit by helping us. The main reason she came to this village was to gain more money. Our village doesn't belong to any aristocrats so it will be easy for her to become this place owner.

"Wait there is something that I wanted to ask, Is Madam Nia, an aristocrat?"

"Yes, Madam Nia does come from a pretty well-known family in the kingdom and because of that it makes it much easier to get to this village."

"I see and please continue. I do want to know how the villager ended up agreeing with this deal."

"I don't know that much but it was the elder of this village's decision, the elder just simply told all of us to get our food supplies every week from the mansion..." The girl seems to be struggling to lift the cask. 

I was a little worried about her as she was a girl. That cask does seem a little heavy for her. "I think it's better for you just to push the cask… You might hurt your back if you tried to lift it."

The girl simply smiled at me as she said, "Do not need to worry about my ring, I have done this numerous times and I would be okay."

"You're a girl; a girl shouldn't do this lifting stuff. Don't you have any family members that could help you do this?"

"If I had a family member, that is, I was an orphan." The girl said that.

"Uh-uh… I don't know and I'm sorry about that. I should ask you first before assuming, so Ummm… do you live alone by yourself all of this time?"

"It's fine. I've been alone ever since my caretaker died because of old age. Ever since that day, I have been living on my own."

"Oh… It's pretty hard to live on your right." I said that as I remember that I also had to live alone for a thousand years.

"Are you also an orphan?" The girl asks me that.

"No, I have a family but all of them died earlier and I was the only one left. I then started to live independently."

The girl walked slowly as the cask was too heavy for her. Even though she said that she was okay, I still feel that she does need help or just do what I suggest she do. She just walked out of the mansion door.

Suddenly there's a man's voice coming from in front of us. "Do you need help?"

The girl didn't notice the man at all. She was startled and nearly dropped the cask. She then looks in front of and sees there was a charming you man. The man had the fairest skin with yellow eyes, and his attire was also eye-catching.

There were also two-man behind him; it seems like they're his bodyguards. They're wearing a black hooded cloak with long sleeves.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry to startle you but I could see that you're having a hard time lifting that cask up… Do you want some help carrying it?" The charming young man said.

"I'm okay and I was the one that should apologize, I nearly hit you. I will be fine carrying this cask." The girl said that she doesn't want help at all.

"I usually…" The charming young man was just about to say but he was disturbed as we heard a sound coming from behind.

"Welcome to my mansion, you must be the Duke Son I assume?" Madam Nia said that as she slowly walks down the stairs to greet the charming young man.

"Madam Nia, it's my pleasure to come to this magnificent mansion and thanks for the invitation but I'm deeply sorry that my father couldn't come."

I then realized that this young man must be the one that Madam Nia mentioned before, the important guest.

"This mansion isn't that wonderful, I heard that the Duke mansion was much more marvelous than this one." Madam Nia said.

"No need to feel that way Madam, this is better than my father's mansion… Other aristocrats would agree with me surely." That charming man said.

"Oh my, I am pleased to hear that the duke son would think that way in this mansion." Madam Nia said.

"It was so rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself as I believe we didn't meet before. I'm Haran and I am here to replace my father's place in the discussion."

They never met before but how could Madam Nia guess that he was the vital guest she was waiting for. Maybe it was the cloth that made him stand out. He does seem to wear noble attire.

I then looked at the girl as she was captivated by this charming man as she wouldn't move at all.

"Liora, why are you standing there like a statue? You shouldn't be here, don't you realize that you're standing in front of my important guest…" Madam Nia said as she doesn't want the girl here.

So the one wearing me right now was called Liora. I better remember her name as I think we're going to be stuck for a relatively long time.

The girl then snapped as she then said to all of the people around her that she would be going. "I'm sorry, I will be leaving now." Liora lifted the cask but she couldn't walk any faster because of the weight.

"Wait a moment!" The charming man said that towards Liora.

Liora immediately turns, she wonders why the charming man wanted Liora to wait. She doesn't want to interrupt Madam Nia's work.

"I see that you're having trouble lifting the cask, I wanted to spare one of my men to help you… It just doesn't feel right for me not to lend some help."

Hearing that, Madam Nia immediately said. "No need to worry about that, I would order my men instead to help the girl. Your men must be feeling exhausted and should enjoy the lavish meal that I had prepared."

It seems like Madam Nia really wanted to leave good impressions in front of the duke's son.

"There's no need for that Madam. My men would gladly do that. I don't think that my men are that tired as both of them were trained soldiers."

"But it would be rude for me to let my guest do this kind of thing…" Madam Nia said.

"Madam, you ain't being rude at all. You're a very considerate person but just let my men help this girl carry her cask." That charming guy said that as he seems to be persistent in this matter.

"Fine, I will let your men help Liora."

The duke's son orders one of his men to carry the cask. At first, Liora says that she doesn't need any help, but we both saw the looks on Madam Nia. Liora then accepted the service as that man carried Liora cask easily.

Both Liora and that man leave the mansion area within a few minutes, it's nice that the duke's son offers help. Liora would be home in a matter of minutes and I will finally have the time to discuss our situation right now.

Along the way, Liora tried to initiate a conversation with the man that was currently helping her. But that man didn't even reply. I know he might not like to get orders like this, but it's insulting to ignore a person who talks with you.

After a while, the man finally said his first words towards Liora. "Are there any capable fighters around the area?"

"No, there aren't any fighters here… We're just a village of farmers, most of the capable fighters had gone into the big city to search for wealth and fame.

I found it weird that he asks that kind of question. But I guess this is somewhat related to why the duke's son met Madam Nia.

"You can leave the cask on the ground. I don't want to burden you with this… You should get back to the mansion and enjoy the lavish meal Madam Nia had prepared."

"It's better for me to keep carrying this cask as it was my master order. Besides, I would get my meal faster than both of them in the mansion." That guy replied.

Liora begins to think about why this man would get his meal faster. She then realized that this man hoped that Liora would prepare him a meal when they arrived at her home.

"I'm sorry but I only have bread and there isn't any besides that."

The man didn't reply as he kept on walking beside Liora.