NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8: Village Head
Gildarts and Aldo walked up to the village where a huge entrance gate was visible.
They saw some people and a caravan waiting to enter as they were being checked by guards.
The two of them waited for a while before it was their turn and when they reached the gate, Aldo walked up to the guards.
"Hey Franz! It's me Aldo, how have you been doin?"
The guard on the right, Franz, looked surprised on seeing him and hurriedly questions.
"ALDO! IS THAT YOU!?"
"You've been away for a long time, we were worried something had happened to you!" Franz says in a worried tone.
"I'm alright! Something had come up that delayed me…haha" Aldo says back while he brushed his hair in embarrassment.
"Is that so? We thought that you might have gotten in some trouble and were deciding on sending someone to look for you!" He answers in relief upon hearing that he was fine.
"Eh!? No no I'm fine!!"
"HAHAHA! It's alright kid don't worry about it! You should go and talk with the village head!"
"Aahh!! That's right! I need to meet the old man!!"
"Alright kid! Calm down, there's no need to rush. You and your friend can go ahead now."
"Thanks Franz! I'll treat you to dinner sometime later!" Aldo says while bidding him goodbye.
"Sure~." Franz replies back with a smile.
After getting done with the necessary procedures to enter the village, Aldo beckons gildarts to enter with him.
"Mister gildarts! We can now enter the village. Come on!"
"Oh! That's great, I'm coming wait up!"
-A few minutes later-
The figures of two people could be seen walking around the village.
"This place is really developed and has a lot of things, It's more like a town than a village!!" Gildarts exclaims while looking around the place.
"That's right. Though it's called a village, we are rather like a small town!"
"We have a lot of merchants who come to our village to trade materials since the village is located near the forest which has a lot of valuable resources."
"Ooh! What materials do they usually trade?" Gildarts asks curiously.
"Well…it's mostly herbs from the forest but sometimes animal pelts, horns, and fur. Occasionally, some magical beast parts as well but they are very rare around here."
Aldo then continues, "Plus it's also because of the various small time businesses and establishments around the village that contribute to its prosperity."
"I see, very impressive." Gildarts nods in understanding on hearing Aldo's explanation.
"Mister gildarts, I'll be going to meet the village head now. Do you want to come along as well? I'll introduce him to you!"
"Sure! Why not, I don't have anything important to do right now."
…..
After walking for a few minutes, making small talks and Aldo greeting a few of his acquaintances, they reached a three story building that stood out from the rest.
"This is the village town hall. It's located in th center of the village and is where the village head and other important members of the village works."
Aldo informs Gildarts about the place when they neared the building.
Aldo walks over to the doors of the town hall before pushing it open.
*Rustle! Whispers! Thud!*
A canopy of noises assault them when they enter the room. The place was filled with bustling activities.
Aldo brings Gildarts to a place that was not crowded by people and tells him "Mister Gildart, please wait in the lobby while I talk with the village head. I'll take you to an inn after I'm done!"
"Alright!"
After Aldo leaves to meet the village head, Gildarts looks around the place in interest as he had noticed that there were different kinds of people all around him.
A few people dressed like merchants were talking with the receptionist, some men with leather armors and weapons were looking at a board and a few people dressed in armor stood guard around the place.
The place was very lively and it reminded him of his guild, Fairy tail! Upon thinking this, a small smile unconsciously crept up on his face.
While reminiscing about his guild and looking around the place, about twenty minutes pass by.
Just as he was starting to wonder what was taking Aldo so long, he heared a voice call out to him.
"Mister Gildarts!!"
He turns towards the voice and sees Aldo coming down the stairs with a person behind him.
The person was an elderly man with long grey hair pulled back into a pony tail, a well trimmed beard and a slight smile on his wrinkled face.
He walked over with a slight hunch on his back, indicating his age, his presence that of someone important.
"Mister Gildarts, I want you to meet someone…this the village head, Doma!" Aldo introduces the old man.
"Hoho…nice to meet you mister wizard! Aldo here has told me about what happened." The old village head, now known as Doma, says with a kind smile to Gildarts.
Doma then bows his head in gratitude, "I want to thank you for saving his life. Truly, thank you! If it wasn't for you, I would have lost my nephew."
"No! No! I didn't do much. I only did what I should!" Gildarts waves his hand in embarrassment to Doma's gratitude.
'So he's the village heads nephew huh?'
"Nonetheless…I am grateful." Doma says with a hint of relief in his tone.
"Is there anything that I can do in return for your help? Please tell me!"
"Seriously…no need for that old man! I don't want anything in return!" Gildarts replied back sheepishly.
'I wasn't really trying to help him…I just wanted to beat up that damn gorilla!' he thinks while rejecting the old man's good intentions in embarrassment.
"Is that so…?" The village head deflates in defeat.
"Hmm?" Suddenly he perks up and suggests.
"Well… at least allow me to host you during your stay."
"Hrrmm…" Gildarts ponders for a while but then gives in as he realized that he is penniless.
"Fine! I'll take you up on your offer!"
"Great!" "That's good!" Both Aldo and Doma jumps in joy.
'Well…they're definitely related all right! The energy is the same…' Gildarts deadpanned.
*Cough*
The village head composed himself and turns to Aldo "Take our guest to the Oars inn and book a room. The kid there owes me a favor!"
"Alright! C'mon mister Gildarts! Let's get you settled."
"Sure, let's go."
They both walked towards the door and was about to leave when the village head called out.
"Wait a minute, mister wizard!"
"Hm?…What's up?" Gildarts looks back in doubt?
"I heard Aldo mention that your a wizard associated with a guild? If you don't mind me asking, would you please tell this old man which guild you're a part of?"
Hearing the village head Doma's question, a bright smile formed on Gildarts face before he answered, "Fairy tail…I'm a wizard from Fairy tail!" He pulls aside his cloak to show the guild tattoo on his chest.
The village heads eyes widen in surprise on hearing this, "I see…thank you for answering my question."
Gildarts then left with Aldo to the Oars inn.
The village head then went back to his office and sat down on his chair. He looked outside his window, his mind lost in thought wandering elsewhere.
After some time, he pulls himself together before glancing down on some documents on his desk.
"Fairy tail huh…."
"…Yes, this might work."
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[A/N: A very late Merry Christmas to you all.]