On his way to Horg’s shop, he had decided to check the system for anything that could help and also gain from Horg, but unfortunately, he didn’t find anything.
He had searched for a tal-making package, and it cost 2000 SP. He still did not know how the system would react to or record his interaction with Horg.
Sighing, he walked along the street with wooden cottages flanking him on both sides. It was already morning, and everyone was going about their daily routines. Occasionally, the kids waved at him with sorry expressions, while the adults frowned and muttered curses.
Dory sighed.
’I really made a na for myself, huh?’
Getting to Horg’s house took at least fifteen minutes of walking, but when he finally got there, the first person he t was Horg’s son, Liam.
Liam smiled and ran towards him. "Ah, what brings you here, Dory? And oh, I am really sorry for what my dad and the villagers did yesterday. I hope you are feeling well now. If you don’t mind, I can help you—"
"No need. I’m fine, Liam. I was wrong, actually. Given the situation, I shouldn’t have prompted you into scamming your dad and eventually getting both of you scamd. The sa applies to the other villagers. I am to be blad. And don’t worry, I am bent on righting my wrongs and helping the villagers."
Dory smiled, and a mischievous expression surfaced on his face. "And about how I am feeling—yeah, my bones are definitely broken. Do you know what we call that in business? A broker!"
He laughed at his own joke as Liam only smiled, reassured.
"Ah, speaking of your dad, where is he?"
Liam pointed to the backyard of their cottage. "He’s at the back tending to his pigs."
Dory nodded and walked away.
Horg’s cottage was much larger than most cottages because it was divided into two segnts. The first segnt was the entrance to the cottage itself, which was his shop filled with iron ingots and work. There was a door at the end of the shop that led to a small open space.
The open space was a ss. On one side was the forge, a stone hearth covered in black soot and surrounded by piles of twisted tal and rusted scraps. The ground was uneven, littered with broken tools and charcoal dust that had been trampled into the dirt.
On the other side, the ground turned into a swamp of thick, brown mud leading toward the shaky wooden fence of the pigsty. The sll of hot tal from the shop mixed with the sharp, sour stink of pig waste coming from the back. It was a dirty, cramped area where work and animals clashed together, leaving almost no room to move without stepping in sothing foul.
Their house was at the end of the open space. It wasn’t sothing big, actually. Dory looked around, activated [Environntal Heatmap], and scanned everywhere.
’Wow. This place needs cleaning.’
Imdiately when Horg saw Dory, fury ignited in his eyes as he stomped out of the sty.
"You brat! How dare you co back here?!"
Dory smiled. "Before you land a punch that might eventually kill , would you care to hear what I have to say?"
Horg gripped him by the collar and was ready to drag him out of the cottage.
"I brought a deal. A very good deal. It’s guaranteed to make you a lot of coppers. A thousand at most."
Horg didn’t listen; instead, he dragged Dory by the collar and hurled him out of the cottage, where he rolled on the ground again.
"And don’t you dare show your face here again!"
Dory wanted to stand up but lost his balance and fell to the ground again. Liam wanted to rush to help him but was grabbed by his father.
"Help him and I disown you. Co help with the pigs, or else no dinner."
Liam stared at Dory before following his dad back into the cottage.
All around Dory, people who had witnessed Horg throw him out were already whispering and gossiping about him. Dory staggered up and stared at the cottage with a determined expression.
After that, he sat back on the ground and crossed his legs.
Everyone looked at him with questioning expressions, but he ignored them and did not move a finger.
Half an hour later, Horg ca out all dressed up in good clothing. "I’m going out, Liam! Be a good kid!"
He saw Dory sitting in front of his cottage with a smile.
"Didn’t I ask you to... Argh. And Liam, you dare not talk to that boy down the street!"
He threw a disgusting look back at Dory before walking away.
Minutes later, Liam ca out and waved for Dory to co in. Dory didn’t answer and only continued smiling and sitting. Rain began to drizzle, and everyone ran helter-skelter before it got heavy. Liam waved for Dory to co in, but Dory ignored him.
When the rain got heavy, Liam ran inside while Dory got drenched. The rain went on for hours, and when it was close to evening, it stopped. An hour later, Horg arrived.
He looked at Dory with a weird expression before ignoring him and walking inside.
Dory heard him yell from inside, "Yes! He’s still outside! Want to join him?!"
A second later, he said, "Good. That was what I also thought."
A while later, Liam ca outside with a plate of food and a blanket, but Dory didn’t touch them and continued smiling. The food went cold.
Hours passed, then night ca, but Dory didn’t move. He noticed them light a candle and then turn it off hours later. Midnight ca. Rats gathered and ate the food, ignoring Dory, who in turn ignored them. Then they dragged the blanket away after leaving holes in most of its body. Insects didn’t leave Dory alone throughout the night.
Luckily, no one kidnapped him.
The moon disappeared and the sun rose, the sky splitting as the rays of morning sunlight cast their glow on the world. Birds chirped.
It was a new day.
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