Things were about the same for a week.
But then we arrived at our first village. A proper village with a wall.
It wasn't a human village though. Nor an elf one.
Instead, it was a mountainfolk village.
"I thought they lived in the mountains?" I said.
"Most of us do," the guard had heard me. Good hearing. "But we're nomads. We move around and learn about craft from nature and adventurers. Speaking of which, where'd you get this fine quality robe? And wait, is that a bow? This Bracelet is even more amazing!"
I got swarmed.
More and more dwarves surrounded me. They seemed like normal people with the maximum height being close to 4 feet. Big beards and hairy bunch. Fit just about my dwarf view.
Actually, they fit the idea of dwarves too well.
"Do you perhaps hate elves?" I said.
"Elves?"
"I mean, pointy eared Southerners."
The guys laughed and said nothing.
Oh well.
Even now why am I calling them elves like an idiot? What is wrong with me?
"All this is from a sea goblin village," I said.
"That makes sense," one of the dwarves said.
They kind of looked the same to me. Then again, most people looked the same to me. I had a hard time telling people apart unless I spent a lot of time with them.
"Are you going to keep our guests out here forever," one lady said. At least I think she was a lady. She didn't have any facial hair and was slimmer than the rest but even she had weird looks. Then again, who was I to judge?
"Right, right. Come this way!"
They led us to the guestrooms. These people had special guestrooms for guests. They weren't kidding when they said they learned a ton from adventurers.
"Would it be alright if we could take a closer look on your bow for a day or two?" One of the dwarves asked.
Before I could reply Alustur said no. "You may look now. We're leaving tomorrow."
"Oh alright."
Meanwhile Alustur gave me a disapproving look. "Why haven't you been using this or any of your other equipment?"
"Because I didn't need to?"
"You should practice in case you do need to. Wouldn't it be better to fully master the bow? Besides, it would be a waste to keep such a magnificent bow without learning how to use it properly."
Oh, so he didn't know. I did keep it hidden in my robes all the time and he didn't seem like the snooping type so perhaps…
"You can have it if you want."
"Is that what you think I meant?"
"No, but I think it would probably serve you better. You have way more skills-"
He bent down and glared. "Sol. I'm not your father. I'm not your dead mother. I'm your guardian right now but only because the situation demands it. I will leave you once I've fulfilled my role. What will you do then? Do this same charade with your next guardian? You're old enough to realize you need to be much stronger than you are. You don't have the same talents as the rest of the people on this continent or the next one. You can't work hard to completely erase the gap either. So, shouldn't you try to exploit every little chance you get? Isn't that what you've been doing till now? Why are you just giving up now?"
I wasn't.
Heck, I wasn't.
Yet, why did he have to say it like that?
Tears sprung up. I was okay with criticism. I was okay with the hard blunt truth. Yet, why did tears roll?
"That's enough," Kayla said.
"Time out," Arnet dragged Alustur away from our tent.
Kayla hugged me tight. "You don't have to listen to him. I'm here with you."
I didn't have a comeback.
I didn't have any words for that matter.
Every thought… vanished.
Even the meager refute I conjured up to save my ego got stuck in my throat.
***
That evening the Dwarves made us a hearty meal.
Apparently, we gave them a good reason to venture into the sea.
"How're you people going to breathe underwater?" I asked.
"We have the means," they showed me some crude diving gear. "A bunch of us would be up on top pumping the air and one of us would learn and then come back and teach the rest!"
I had my doubts how that was going to work. "Why not just hire one of their workers for a while and learn?" I said.
"No, it has to be one of our own!"
Good for them.
"Sol," Alustur called me away after the meal.
"What?"
"I apologize."
"…"
"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I shouldn't have said it that way. I've been meaning to bring it up for a while. I am sorry to have lost my cool."
"It's fine."
"It is not. But I meant what I said. I'm sure you know. You may resent me but I'm sure you know what I said is the truth. You cannot rely on anyone but yourself on this conquest. I won't always b-"
"I know. Thanks for caring. I know."
He said nothing.
I said nothing.
Kayla remained in the background, concerned.
Why?
I didn't know.