Chapter 92: The Side Mission: Feed the Hungry!
As Maeve had expected, the people of Azuryn didn’t mind giving a little of their blood at all. They had even made a schedule, deciding who would donate blood on each day.
"But if these fences turn into trees, what about the Clouds?" Maeve asked, resting her chin on her hand. "Will I have to buy more wood?"
She stared at the apple trees for a moment before something caught her attention. These trees were nearly three times bigger than any apple tree she had ever seen on Earth.
They even looked much stronger than the wooden planks she had bought.
That meant she could probably cut down two or three trees, turn them into wooden planks, and use them to build a new pen for the Clouds. There would still be plenty of wood left over, enough to build a new hut as well.
And if she ever needed more apple trees, she could simply buy another batch of wooden planks and grow them into trees again.
Alright. The problem was solved!
"Ikarus!" Maeve called, clapping her hands together. "Can you do something for me?"
The moment he heard her voice, Ikarus hurried over without a second of delay. "What can I do for you, my wife?" he asked, ready to help.
Maeve quickly told him about her idea, explaining every step as clearly as she could. "I’ll buy another batch of wooden planks after this, so we won’t run out of apple trees," she said. "We can also start planting more apple trees using the seeds from the fruit."
Once the Aether Energy had spread evenly across the settlement, the soil in Azuryn would become much richer and softer.
And because of that, planting more trees in other parts of the settlement would be much easier.
Meanwhile, Ikarus simply nodded as Maeve explained her plan. He didn’t ask many questions. He trusted her completely and immediately got to work.
After cutting down three of the apple trees, Ikarus asked the carpenters to turn the thick trunks into wooden planks for the Clouds’ pen.
Everyone in the settlement worked together, doing their best to clean up the destruction the Pyrax Tribe had left behind.
The lifeless bodies that had been scattered across the ground were gathered into one place and burned until nothing but ashes remained.
By the time night fell, they had managed to build several new huts. At the very least, the women now had a safe place to rest, while the men slept outside since they were used to sleeping almost anywhere.
Before calling it a night, however, everyone decided to hold a feast to celebrate driving the Pyrax Tribe away.
They used the leftover wood to build a large bonfire and roasted Clouds’ meat along with the animals they had hunted earlier that day.
From a distance, Maeve quietly watched the bonfire while breastfeeding Lior. He drank quietly in her arms, completely unaware of everything that had happened that day. His tiny hand rested against Maeve’s chest as his little eyes slowly drifted shut.
Maeve gently brushed a finger across his soft cheek and smiled. Seeing him safe and healthy made all of today’s exhaustion feel worth it.
Not long after, she saw Ikarus and Cerus walking toward her with freshly roasted meat in their hands.
"You need to eat more. You must be exhausted after everything that happened today," Ikarus said gently.
When he noticed that Lior had already fallen asleep, he carefully took the little boy into his arms, giving Maeve a chance to rest.
"At least we’re all exhausted together," Maeve said with a small smile.
But the moment she looked down at the roasted meat resting on a large leaf, her smile slowly faded.
"It’s a shame Axan can’t join us," she said softly.
He was still repairing the barrier, and there was no way he could leave his work, even for a short while.
"Should I... bring some meat to him?" Maeve asked eagerly. "He probably hasn’t eaten much, right?"
Cerus thought for a moment before nodding. "I think so. The last time I saw him eat was a few hours ago. But it’s not like he’ll die from missing one meal."
"He has to use a lot of energy to keep the barrier up, so of course he’ll be hungry!" Maeve said as she quickly climbed down from the boulder and picked up the roasted meat. "I’m going to see him right now!"
The moment those words left her mouth, Pinky’s cheerful voice rang out in her mind.
[Side Mission: Feed the Hungry!]
[Description: Axan is lonely and hungry right now, so make sure to feed him until he feels satisfied!]
[Conditions:
• Spend some time eating together, just the two of you.
• Make sure he is truly satisfied!]
[Rewards: 20,000 Coins]
T-Twenty thousand coins?! Just for feeding Axan? Had Pinky glitched or something?
[Pinky never glitches, Host!] Pinky protested proudly. [If the mission is really this easy, why are you complaining?]
’Because...’ Maeve replied inwardly, ’I’m not used to getting such a delicious pie dropped right into my lap.’
However, if the mission really was that easy, then maybe Maeve should enjoy it to the last drop.
Maeve let out a soft sigh before looking up at the two men. "I’ll be back soon," she said, carefully wrapping the roasted meat in another large leaf.
"I’ll go with you," Cerus offered without hesitation.
Maeve smiled apologetically and shook her head. "It’s alright. I want to go by myself this time."
Cerus blinked. His shoulders immediately drooped. "Why?" he asked lowly, unable to hide the sadness in his voice.
Maeve walked over and gently poked his chest. "Because you’ve already spent so much time with me today," she said with a soft laugh. "You’ve been by my side since we drove out the Pyrax from our settlement."
She glanced toward the distant barrier, where a faint golden light still shimmered in the darkness.
"But Axan has been working the whole time. I barely got the chance to talk to him today."
Cerus followed her gaze and finally understood. "That’s true."
Maeve nodded. "So let me spend a little time with him. I’ll come back after he finishes eating."
Cerus pouted for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh. "Fine."
Maeve then turned to Ikarus and looked at the sleeping Lior in his arms. "Do you mind watching him for a while?" she asked.
"What do you mean, do I mind?" Ikarus replied, raising an eyebrow. "He’s my son, so of course I don’t mind at all."
A warm smile spread across Maeve’s face. "Thank you."
She gently reached out and brushed a few strands of hair away from Lior’s forehead before turning around with the wrapped meat in her hands.
"I’ll be back soon."
With that, Maeve left the bonfire behind and followed the path leading toward the edge of the settlement.
Fortunately, they had lit torches along the path, so Maeve was able to see the way clearly.
The farther she walked, the quieter everything became.
The cheerful laughter around the bonfire slowly faded, replaced by the soft sound of the night breeze.
Soon, a faint golden light appeared in the distance.
Axan stood alone beneath the night sky, one hand pressed against the transparent barrier surrounding the settlement. Streams of golden energy flowed from his palm, spreading across the damaged sections as countless cracks slowly began to mend themselves.
His other hand held the crystal Maeve had given him earlier. Just like the barrier, it glowed with a soft golden light, feeding its energy into the magic around him.
Even from where she stood, Maeve could see how exhausted he was. His clothes were soaked with sweat, and each breath was heavier than the last. Even so, he never lowered his hand or stopped pouring his Aether Energy into the barrier.
No wonder Pinky had called him hungry.
After all, this was the first time Axan had ever tried to repair a barrier that had been almost completely destroyed. It was far more difficult than simply maintaining one that was already in place.
Maeve slowed her steps, careful not to disturb him. For a few moments, she simply stood there and watched.
The golden light flowing through the barrier reflected in Axan’s eyes, making them shine against the darkness of the night. His expression remained as calm as ever, but the tightness in his jaw and the slight tremble in his arm revealed just how much effort this was taking.
"Axan." Her soft voice finally broke the silence.
He glanced over his shoulder. The moment he saw Maeve, the tension in his face eased ever so slightly.
"What are you doing here?" he asked quietly. "You should be with the others."
Maeve walked over until she was standing beside him, then held up the leaf-wrapped bundle in her hands. "I brought you dinner."
Axan looked at the roasted meat before shifting his gaze back to her. "You didn’t have to."
"I know." Maeve smiled. "But I wanted to."