Chapter 147: I’m Jacob Ironfell
Back at the Wutherhorn manor, Jacob was enjoying an afternoon walk in the estate.
The afternoon breeze swept through his now longer hair. The sun reflected off his almost porcelain skin as he strode gracefully, bidding a good day to the common folk who were busy with their grains and produce.
Jacob wasn’t a haughty individual; although he had been born into absolute wealth, he had learned to appreciate the struggles of the poor. From his perspective, the rich kept the balance of the world, while the poor helped to keep the balance of life itself. It was an even distribution.
"Good day my Lord, trust you’re enjoying your stay in our humble estate—h-here my lord, my wife made this—" A common man tried to extend a gift to Jacob, but the young man was not in the habit of taking things that he knew would benefit the giver more than it would benefit him.
Jacob took a glance at the wrapped gift and realized that it was a loaf of bread, one that would surely feed by he man and his family as Jacob did not thirst, nor hunger very often.
"I’m sorry, but I’m not accepting gifts, let me give you a gift instead." Jacob politely declined the man’s offer, pulling out ten gold coins from thin air and placing it in the man’s hands.
A tear seemed to form at the corner of the man’s eyes, but he held himself back. "Thank you, my lord, my family and I will cherish this. You are most generous." He bowed as he slowly walked back to his farm with a loaf of bread and a newly acquired ten gold coins.
Jacob smiled and waved to the man. Apart from saving Light in the forest and accompanying him back to his birthplace, this was his second act of goodwill since he left the Ironfell castle. He had made a mental note since the day he met the little Eren, stating that his limit for goodwill activities was ten, he had only ten acts of goodwill to give, and then no more.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized how shallow it was, so he adjusted it, he would help now, whenever he could.
Thinking about the Ironfell castle made him suddenly start to miss his parents, he knew they were fine, and most definitely cuddled up in their chamber, but he missed talking to them.
He had always been aware of how much love his father and mother had for one another. The thought, and sight of it left a foul taste in his mouth, but he had always admired it, and hoped that he would find love like that one day.
It took Jacob about two hours to make his rounds and head back to the manor. The sun had already started to dip below the horizon and an dusk was arriving.
A warm glow was cast over the manor, making it resemble something from the Victorian era, a large brown structure that could easily pass for a castle. Its walls were rough, and it’s windows were clear as noonday.
He pushed the door open and walked in, taking a deep breath as he couldn’t sense any maiden nearby, they were probably making a switch for the night shift. There was finally no one asking him what he would eat, or drink, or if he would like to be bathed.
Jacob let out a sigh of relief as he walked towards his room, where Xenia remained fervently.
"Jacob." A voice called out from behind him, it was a familiar voice, one that Jacob didn’t expect to hear for a long time.
Without turning back, the young man responded. "Heimdall. So good to see you, you are looking very well." Jacob smiled a wide smile, gesturing with his hands as he always did.
"Spare me the formalities."
"Oh."
Jacob knew that Heimdall was almost always like this, so it didn’t bother him much, what bothered him was the fact that Heimdall seemed very uneasy. It was too obvious to be overlooked.
"I was discharged today, when I woke up, I wasn’t able to use my power anymore." Heimdall said, without asking a question, but Jacob already knew what he was getting at.
"Yes, that’s because I took them." Jacob said blatantly, he could lie to the Wutherhorn boys, or the Primarch, but he could not lie to Heimdall’s face, for the sole reason that he wanted the man to know.
He wanted the man to know that he was the one who placed such a limitation on him, he wanted Heimdall to respect him. He had shown enough respect on the battle ground, but not on regular grounds.
That was his intention. Heimdall’s eyes widened at this discovery. He knew that none of the words that came out of Jacob’s mouth were lies, he wanted them to be, but he knew that they were not.
"H-How? How did you take my powers away?" Heimdall asked, confusion written all over his face. "Who exactly are you?"
"I’m Jacob Ironfell." Jacob shrugged, turned his back, and started walking towards his room again.
"Aren’t you going to give me my powers back?" Heimdall shouted from behind him, the cane stuck in his right hand served as a deterrent to his movement in that moment.
"I’ll decide when I deem you are worthy of them." In Jacob’s head it was all a twisted little game, he wanted to see how much he could tease Heimdall before an outburst.
The man was already annoyed at the words that the boy spoke, he wanted to attack him right there and then, knock him out with a single move,
But he knew that was not possible, not in the slightest. The young man would spot his move from a mile out and counter it easily, instantly sending him back to the ward room.
It was devastating, and being unable to read the young man’s mind was the icing on the cake. An unfair advantage that Heimdall held over every common man was suddenly rendered completely, utterly useless before this little child, this child who did not know anything about the world.
This child whom the heavens looked upon, and bestowed with a plethora of unfathomable abilities.
Just who in the hell was he?