The thought is grand but the knowledge is nowhere to be found. These past few years, apart from the most basic stuff, they didn't even know how to become a contractor, Leo and Michael.
The two of them had asked Raphael many times but obviously he wouldn't answer. He himself didn't want Leo to become strong because the ideal in Leo's heart was too dangerous in his opinion. Even someone as strong as Gabriel didn't know if he was living a miserable life somewhere right now, let alone a brat like Leo.
They also went to ask the village chief and the villagers but everyone answered with some ridiculous reasons that reeked of scaring children. Most of them believed that if children thought about these things too much, they would have the bad luck of awakening an extremely poor talent.
Michael asked back about their talents then he was quite surprised that many people in the village could cultivate. But they said cultivating takes a lot of time and needs big resources to support it. If your talent isn't high enough, doing that is a big waste of time, doing other work would make life much better.
"God, what the hell are we supposed to do? There aren't any books related to contractors for us to read either."
Michael sighed in exasperation. He didn't want to waste six years on useless things.
Leo's face was gloomy, his brow furrowed as if he had accidentally swallowed a fly. These past few years he had also tried to find related materials but damn it, the common folk here don't get to go to school. If you don't go to school, don't know how to read, then where do you get books?
The only person he felt was literate, had knowledge, was again that old-man father who was always against him. Like this, having one is the same as having none because for sure Raphael wouldn't agree to teach properly.
In difficulty lies opportunity, Michael felt as if he himself saw a new horizon.
"Leo, I think we can try this way."
"Huh? Is it feasible?" Leo frowned, full of doubt.
They had thought of plenty of solutions. But most of them only worked in ideal situations or were completely useless.
"Hopefully it works. We can go ask Raphael about the legends of this world. About contractors, about gods, about mysterious things. Maybe he won't answer everything but what we need is a little clue."
Michael cheerfully explained but what he got back was a look of suspicion from Leo.
"What's the use of those legends? Aren't they just to fool the people and for kids to listen to?"
"You're so practical you've become stupid, huh? Legends in the old world might be nonsense but this world is very different, you know. Things that look like magic clearly exist, so who's to say gods don't exist here? Plus, we need to understand just what a contractor is before we can find a way to break this annoying situation."
Michael curled his lip and swore. A practical person? Practical my ass! Being practical isn't being stubborn and thinking you're right with past knowledge, it's knowing how to accept new circumstances and absorb new ways of thinking.
Being sworn at like this left Leo not knowing how to retort. Whatever you say, he was in that place for decades, much longer than the few years here. Of course he was still used to thinking the same way as when he was there.
"What you say isn't wrong. Let's go ask my old man."
With that, the two hurriedly ran home. In their hearts, they painted beautiful visions of Raphael's answers.
---
Raphael was currently sitting in the house cultivating. His injuries from not long ago had completely recovered so he didn't need to continue treatment anymore.
His appearance had indeed changed a little. Though still as slovenly as a beggar, he had more flesh on him, not the skin-and-bones type like before. Moreover, he had a new hobby which was drinking wine. Now apart from when cultivating, the rest of the time he was in a drunken state.
Before, when he was still a person of high status and position, he looked down on those drunkards who did nothing all day. Ironically, now the drunkard was him.
Did he drink to numb himself, to forget the sadness, to not care about life, or for some other reason? Only he himself knew this. At least he wasn't to the point of completely letting go, he still knew to cultivate on his own.
"What are these two brats up to now? Still dreaming of getting useful information out of my mouth?" Raphael quietly opened his eyes, his heart at this moment also very vague.
What should he do? Risk everything like his old man Gabriel, or just live out his days peacefully in this desolate place?
Anyway, he was once a heaven's pride, few in the world could match him. He was also the hardest working, the most diligent one, otherwise he wouldn't have achieved the record of becoming the youngest demigod currently.
Moreover, his achievements weren't thanks to accidentally picking up some precious thing to level up. He completely relied on his own effort and talent, not using auxiliary resources. It can be seen that Raphael's nature is that of someone with great ambition but was crushed by the world to become as he is now.
Before, when injured, he could say it was because of treatment that he couldn't cultivate. But now? No matter how much he wants to let go, the diligence in his nature makes him continue cultivating.
Raphael continued to pretend to close his eyes to see what these two brats in front of him planned to ask him.
"My dear father, can you tell me some legends? I want to hear legends about gods, about the origin of our humankind."
The polite words, the disgustingly sweet tone of Leo almost broke Raphael's defense. Since he learned to talk until now, his son had never spoken to him like this.
The corner of his mouth twitched. If it were another child talking like this it'd be fine, the expression and tone were both like a child's. But this is Leo! Is this thing really a child? He wouldn't believe it even if someone beat him to death.
"Did you fall off a cliff so your brain has problems?" Raphael swore.