Chapter 34: The Little Oil Bottle
Jima bent over, her hands hanging down, weakly complaining.
George patted Jima on the back, causing her to spring up and complain, “Why did you hit me?”
“It makes you look more spirited.” After saying this, George looked at the middle-aged woman.
She wore a square headscarf and a plain blue dress, with a golden wedding ring on her finger, flashing a flattering smile at him, praising, “You and your lady have such a good relationship, you truly have good taste.”
Both Jima and Eve Frostleaf’s faces darkened.
Jima said, “This demon is not married yet, do I look that old?”
With that, she flicked her tail behind her—of course, she tried to make the other party notice her identity, hoping the other person would be narrow-minded and prejudiced, preferably uttering harsh words, so they could leave.
But the savvy middle-aged woman seemed not to see Jima’s tail wagging like an excited puppy.
She looked at Jima’s horns and said, “What a beautiful being, always reminding me of my daughter.”
Jima’s face grew darker.
George cleared his throat and said, “Is there anything you need help with?”
Hey, don’t ask to help people right from the start, okay?
The middle-aged woman took a handkerchief and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, steadying the seriously injured man beside her who couldn’t even speak, saying, “We are honest and law-abiding merchants from Kemo City. We’ve been working diligently to pay taxes to the lord. You know, there’s been a group of beastmen causing trouble in the north, we hurried back to Kemo City, but didn’t expect to be ambushed by the beastmen on the way. The mercenaries fought bravely, all perished, the cart managed to escape, but the horses went wild in fright and were caught by the beastmen, my husband and the mercenary captain—”
So chatty.
“Alright, alright.” Jima said, “In short, the mercenaries were left to die by you, the cart overturned, and only you two survived.”
The middle-aged woman’s tears flowed even more.
George whispered, “Jima!”
The middle-aged woman choked, “We’ve been trapped here for a day, my husband has fainted several times. It must be the goddess heard our pleas and showed mercy, allowing us the fortune of meeting you, my lord. As long as you are willing to protect us, we can go anywhere, take as much gold as you need.”
“No need, just give us a reasonable price.” George said softly, “We have priests in our army who can plead for divine grace to heal your husband.”
“Really? Thank you so much, there are still good people in this world.”
“But I must tell you one thing.” George said, “My army is carrying out a very dangerous mission, going deep into enemy territory, and may be attacked by dozens of beastmen at any time. If you join our army, it may be more dangerous than escaping on your own.”
The middle-aged woman quickly shook her head, “We don’t mind, anything is safer than having just the two of us in a wilderness full of beastmen.”
“Then fine, you’ll need to sign a rescue agreement that specifies our responsibilities.”
The middle-aged woman nodded anxiously.
“Then let’s go, do you need me to help you support your husband?”
“Thank you.”
George helped the middle-aged man, who was half a head shorter than him, and was severely injured in the chest, with rough bandaging.
The five of them walked towards the army.
On the way, the middle-aged woman took off her golden wedding ring and smilingly handed it to George, saying, “Thank you for your help today, our meeting is also a kind of fate, I hope you will be kind to us.”
“No need.”
The middle-aged woman’s smile became awkward, and she put the ring back on.
Jima said, “George, you might as well accept it; if you take it, she’ll feel more at ease. Otherwise, she’ll always think we might confiscate all her belongings.”
George replied, “Ma’am, you need not worry, I assure you by my honor that we will not act as robbers.”
The middle-aged woman seemed quite fearful and said, “I’m sorry, Sir Knight, I didn’t recognize you at once.”
“I am a paladin of the chapel.”
The middle-aged woman then let out a sigh of relief.
When they reached the camp with the army, the middle-aged man was sent to the army’s priest. The priest cut through the bandages and clothing with scissors, saying, “Who wrapped this mess? Tied it over the clothes and stitched the wounds haphazardly, making the wounds very complicated and serious.”
The middle-aged woman’s face turned slightly red, hesitantly saying, “Dear Priest, please do your utmost. We have a little modest property back in Kemo City that we can offer as a donation.”
The army’s priest said, “I’ll do my best, but don’t have high expectations; the greater the hope, the greater the despair.”
With that, the priest washed his hands with distilled alcohol, efficiently treated the wounds, then called upon the “God of Dawn,” praying silently, placing his glowing white hands on the wounds, and the injuries visibly began to scab over.
The middle-aged man, who had been unconscious, gradually opened his eyes and said, “Water… water…”
The middle-aged woman burst into tears of joy, quickly taking the water offered by the horned child, giving it to her husband and praising, “Dear Priest, your heart must be full of compassion; you are the best priest I have ever met.”
Although the healing was successful, there was no hint of joy on the priest’s face: “The wounds may have healed, but that doesn’t mean everything is fine; there are many diseases hidden under the healing wounds. From now on, do not strain the wounds, and avoid long walks.”
The middle-aged woman took off her wedding ring, trying to give it to the priest, saying, “I hope that, in light of my husband’s injuries, you can have pity, just a pack animal would be enough.”
The army’s priest shook his head and refused, “No need; I’ll provide you with a donkey.”
He then stood up, sighed, and said, “Today, one divine spell less, and one person will suffer and die because they cannot receive treatment.”
After that, he left the embarrassed middle-aged woman behind, walking away alone.
She looked at the shy horned child and smiled, “The priest is very cautious about the future… he is really a responsible person.”
The horned child remained silent, nodded, and when he turned to leave, the middle-aged woman suddenly said, “Please wait a moment.”
The horned child paused, and the middle-aged woman, with tearful eyes, looked at the horn of the horned child and couldn’t help but reach out to touch the missing horn, saying, “Child, you must have had a hard life… I’m sorry, looking at you, I always think of my child.”
In the distance, Jima, leaning against a tree and witnessing the entire scene, snorted dismissively and poked a twig at the Lianxi cat playing with a tuft of grass at her feet.
“Meow?” The orange Lianxi cat lifted its head.
“Take a lesson.” Jima pointed at the middle-aged woman with the twig, “Just by looking at her, you know she’s the wife of a seasoned merchant, good at social graces. Although she stumbled a few times in flattery, pleasing others is always a good strategy, especially for someone like her, who lacks any power.”
The Lianxi cat nodded as if it understood and meowed: “Got it, the master means I should learn to speak like her.”
Jima didn’t understand; she could only grasp what the Lianxi cat said after taking the medicine.
The Lianxi cat ran towards the middle-aged woman, who was still gripping the horned child tightly, and this poor middle-aged woman finally handed over the golden wedding ring.
Jima stretched lazily and happened to see George coming over. Previously, he had taken a few soldiers to help the middle-aged woman gather her belongings and bury the bodies.
“Hey, George.” Jima asked, “How much are you charging her?”
“Fifteen gold coins.”
“Only fifteen gold coins?”
“Fifteen coins is already a lot.”
“But she has plenty of money.” Jima said, “Look at her cart, and see the family crest on it; only merchants with spare cash would like such things.”
Family crests are not exclusive to nobles; Jima remembered that the crest on her cart was a four-leaf clover.
“Jima,” George stopped, “she is already unfortunate enough, so let’s not add insult to injury.”
“This is saving her life, and even though she looks capable now and won’t be a burden, what if in a few days the army suffers heavy casualties and there aren’t enough pack animals to carry the wounded? What if she kneels down begging the army not to go to a horde of beastmen?”
“Jima, you always like to think of the worst.” George shook his head, “The standard rescue agreement divides the responsibilities.”
“I just worry that your kindness might hinder the mission.”
“Don’t always be so selfish.” George ruffled Jima’s hair, despite her glaring at him, “I’ll go ahead.”
“Go on then.”
Jima had already decided on tonight’s dinner.
Half an hour later, Jima emerged from the Dream Palace, carrying a plate of brown, semi-solid curry, steaming hot, with overcooked beef and carrots that looked like partially digested materials, along with a bunch of enoki mushrooms.
Jima let out a hearty burp and said to George, “Don’t let the food’s appearance gross you out; it’s really delicious, not at all like steaming piles of feces.”
George:…..
