The Normal Farmer - Completed

Chapter 8.1 – A walk with Duza Sonanji – part 1.1

Ronald shook his head while looking at it. “No, I can’t say I know what it is. I think it has something to do with Magic, but I don’t know what.”

The Priest opened his mouth, and he looked at Duza, who seemed as surprised as him. Ronald realized he said something he shouldn’t, so he tried to explain himself: “This is my first time entering a Church. I never had the time to do that previously.”

“But… for sure you went to one with another Priest, for your judgment when you turned sixteen!”

“No, never, Priest. I never thought of leaving this World, so I never went to a Church to be judged. I hope you don’t think badly of me for never doing it.”

“No… not really… just surprised… I know some people never did that, but I never met one. May I ask why you never faced judgment from Gaya?”

Ronald shrugged his shoulders. “I had a happy life with family and friends. I never thought about leaving them. And after my friends got married and moved to another City and my family got killed, I was so depressed that I never thought of doing it. But I still have time, right? Gaya is returning in a few months; maybe I will try my luck when that time comes. Or maybe I won’t and will decide to remain here. Let’s see what the future holds for me.”

The Priest smiled, and he then turned to Duza. “And you, young lady, are you coming to be judged in a few months?”

Duza had a very serious look on her face. “No, Priest. I am very happy as I am. I already know that because of my past, even if I tried, Gaya would never approve of me.”

“Nonsense, such a kind and beautiful young woman such as yourself, for sure…”

Before he could say anything else, Duza interrupted. “I am Duza Sonanji, Priest. I am perfectly aware of what Gaya will say if I come here to be judged.”

The Priest trembled a little. “Forgive me, Miss Duza Sonanji. I didn’t recognize you in those clothes and loose hair. I will say no more. But you could be surprised or even tempted to change your ways if you decided to come; you never know…”

Duza made a small smile. “Maybe, or maybe not. But I would never leave my father and sister behind, you know that. Forgive us, but we must go; we need to look for supplies for our next job.”

The Priest made a slight bow. “May God Seya guide your life, young ones.”

Ronald returned the bow, and he followed Duza. While they were walking, Duza was silent. After five minutes, with Ronald waiting for her to say something, he asked, “Why…”

But she interrupted him. “With my line of work, one is always in some kind of danger or difficult situation. I am still alive while many other Adventurers from our Guild are dead. I keep on living because I react with violence and death towards anything or anyone that threatens me. Because I am a woman, some people tend to underestimate me and try to get any kind of advantage, thinking that they will have their way. Those don’t live long. I hope you don’t turn out to be one of them. I would be upset, and Mira won’t forgive me if I took your head.”

“I see… I will do my best to conquer your confidence. If I can’t, no harm is done; I will just continue travelling and leave you alone.”

Duza turned bright red and replied: “I would prefer if you conquered me… I mean… If you…”

Ronald smiled and looked at her while touching a small curl in her hair. “I will try to gain your confidence. And your heart, if possible…”

Duza looked away. “I am… a very difficult woman… or so I was told…”

“Maybe, or that is just an act on your part as protection. Well, I don’t have any rush; I have a lot of time to make you trust me a little more. Maybe this job helps if you decide to accept it.”

Duza made a small smile. “Maybe our travel makes you stronger because my father will never approve of you. A simple Farmer with his older daughter? He would never…”

Ronald placed a finger over her lips. “I don’t need anyone else’s approval. Besides, I think I have already conquered your father. And your sister. I even managed to conquer your companions and Ma Yangfa! But… I haven’t met your mother…”

“She died when I was little. She was a Guard, and she was often in battles on the border of that forest. A company of soldiers from Breidan came from there, and she died while fighting them. I was told she had the most killings when she was hit by an arrow straight into her heart.”

“I am sorry; I didn’t know. Do you remember her?”

“Yes. Mira has some recollections, but she was so little when our mother died that she only remembers her singing. I still remember her looks, smell, and how she smiled. I hope God Seya found a nice place for her to rest; she deserved it.”

They continued their walk, passing in front of the City Chief’s house, with a Guard on the other side of the gate looking at them. Duza made a slight bow, and he remained still, just looking.

They went in the direction of the Market, where Ronald took the chance to choose some freshly baked cookies and some fruit juice, for them to eat while seated on a nearby bench. Duza was smiling while eating, watching a couple of kids playing catch-up.

She pointed to a shop on her left. “We can go there for you to choose some armour. You just have those combat clothes and that sword, right? You could have some armour and a shield as protection.”

Ronald shrugged his shoulders. “Never needed it. I saw some people in the Guild with it, but I think it slows the movements. Ma Yangfa can be strong, but all that armour he wears makes him slow and easy to defeat.”

“Easy to defeat? Only you could say something like that! Even with all that armour he always wears, no one is faster than him! Well, except the Guild Master, Ini, and me… Oh, and you!”

“Like I said, easy to defeat. You saw it, right? Even Woof had him as a snack earlier. No, I pass on the armour. But we could buy a battle axe for Ovaidel. He uses two short swords, right? It would be funny seeing a Dwarf with his size and a big battle axe!”

“Yeah, I already tried to convince him to get one, but he says it doesn’t work for him; he thinks it’s a slow weapon.”

“That’s a pity. It would be so funny… And that shop over there, with that strange drawing of a wolf on that sign over the door?”

“That’s a Card Shop. It sells Magical Cards. We can check it up if you want.”

“I do; I am a little curious…”

After finishing eating, they walked in the direction of the Card Shop. Duza knocked, and an old woman opened the door with a weird smile. “Oh, visitors! Please come in! I have a very nice selection of Magical Cards for such a lovely couple!”

Duza turned bright red, and she looked at Ronald from the corner of her eye to check his reaction. He was a little awkward, looking surprised. Duza hid her smile, and she followed the old woman into the shop. Ronald stopped at a closet, looking at some Cards that were displayed in there, protected underneath a window, with some supports holding them upright for easy reading. A Big Rat and Giant Spider Card, next to a Bottomless Hole.

The old woman noticed where he was looking. “Interesting, right? Three of my best Cards. Very expensive and difficult to find. I have some more in a drawer in my desk that are even rarer if you want to have a look.”

“I do. I would also want to see some that are more common and cheap.”

The old woman nodded, and she went to sit behind the front desk. She took a key from a necklace and opened the bottom drawer. From there, she took a small wooden Card Box. “Here. Two spells: Lightning Strike, Fire s***h and a trap, Catapult. Together with those three you saw in there, they are the most expensive I have. You would have to search in a lot of Card Shops to find these.”

“I see… You don’t have Willpower Cards or Mana Cards?”

“No… I only saw one of those once in all my life. A High Mage had it. They are almost impossible to find. And the ones that exist have owners who aren’t willing to sell them to anyone!”

“Really? Interesting… So, can you show me some more common Cards? And also, tell me the price of the Lightning Strike, Fire s***h, and the Catapult Cards.”

The old woman slowly shook her head. “Young man, you don’t know that to use these Cards, you must be in sync with them?”

“Well, I already know I was in sync with some of these some time ago, but I don’t know if I am with these. I guess I need to try, right?”

The old woman pointed at the Cards and Ronald touched them with his right index finger. He got the same sensation and smiled. “It tickles… Well, I guess I am in sync with these. So, what’s the price for them?”

The old woman blinked a few times, surprised because the Cards that she had for so long, that no one had been in sync for all the past few years, had found an owner. “These spells are three silver coins each, and the trap is four silver coins.”

“Miss Duza, is this reasonable? I don’t know what the prices of these Cards are in this Kingdom.”

Duza was biting her lip. “Yes, it’s fair… But… you want to spend money on this? But your Mana…”

She stopped speaking because Ronald made an angry look at her. He then made a small smile at the old woman. “Well, considering the amount of dust on some Cards that you have displayed and the lack of customers, I could guess you don’t have many opportunities to sell Cards like these, right? So, what are the common Cards you have that most people buy?”

The old woman opened the top drawer, and she took a small chest from there. She then grabbed some Cards and placed them on her desk. “This one is often bought by young couples, the Spell Card Light Ray for 100 Mana, which blinds a person for a few minutes, giving time for a young lady to escape, and these that are bought by parents to offer their children, the Magical Beings Jumping Rabbit and the Fast Bird, each for 50 Mana.”

Ronald was smiling at the drawings. “These are pretty… How much?”

“Two copper coins each. Very cheap, right?”

Ronald pointed to the Spell Card Light Ray while asking Duza. “Do you have one of these?”

“No… I have Mana for it, but I prefer taking the head of someone who tries to attack me…”

“Well, since couples always buy this… and because I think this Rabbit and the Bird look funny… let me test them... it tickles too… cool… Now you.”

Duza touched the Light Ray, and she nodded. “It works for me… but… the man buys these to offer to a woman…”

Ronald smiled. “Last time I checked, we were a man and a woman… So, I want the Lightning Strike, Fire s***h, Catapult, Light Ray, Jumping Rabbit and the Fast Bird Cards, please. For a total of ten silver coins and six copper coins, correct?”

The old woman trembled for a moment. So much money was surprising. “Yes… that’s correct… and… if you want all that, I can even offer a wooden Card Box for them.”

“That’s not needed. Just the Cards, please. Here are the coins. It was a pleasure doing business with you. Let me just place these Cards in my Card Box… and here is your Light Ray. Try to use it next time someone messes with you instead of killing the poor bastard, okay?”

Duza grabbed the Card with a trembling hand and held it near her chest. Because that dress didn’t have any pockets, she placed the Card under her underwear and over her right breast, on the same side of her heart. “Okay… thanks…”

“Thanks for the business; see you next time.”

The old woman was smiling, looking at the coins in her hand. “I am the one to be grateful, young man. I was thinking I would never find someone who could use those Cards!”

They both left the Card Shop, leaving behind a waving old woman. While they were walking, Duza was intrigued. “Ronald… why did you buy those Cards? According to what I saw in the Status Sphere, you only have 200 Mana to spend each day… Those Cards, you can only use that amount…”

“I intend to get stronger, remember? With these, I have an extra incentive. And they are lighter than armour, right?”

“Yeah… but you would be safer with armour than with those Cards…”

“Don’t worry, I managed to stay alive until now with my strength, a few Cards, Woof, and this sword.”

“But the journey ahead of us is very dangerous. A lot of things can happen.”

“Yeah, I am a little excited about it. Travelling with you and the others looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun. So, Duza, where to next?”

“Hey, what happened to Miss Duza?”

“You were the one to address me as Ronald only moments ago… But if you prefer…”

“No, I… don’t mind… even the others call me Duza. You were the only one to call me Miss Duza. I kind of… got used to it…”

“Very well, Miss Duza, I shall continue addressing you like that.”

Duza strongly shook her head. “No… I… When we are alone, I would prefer if you only used my name… Ronald… It seems more… appropriate…”

“Of course, dear Duza, I will do just that…”