"Did sleeping make you gain a personality?" He said to the system. He got no response, and then he was hit with new messages.
[Water Fountain of Elaxis]
Rank: Rare
["Where Elaxis wept, the land remembered life." ]
[A relic of the ancient god Elaxis, this fountain releases the Water of Elaxis, a magical stream that fertilizes 200 × 200 meters of land, restoring soil, boosting crop yield, and enhancing resilience. The water adapts to the terrain, reviving arid, poisoned, or exhausted ground without causing imbalance.]
[System Notice: Once placed, this item is world-anchored]
[Thrust your hand where you want the fountain to be placed]
"Seems simple enough." He stared at his large field of vegetables, there was no better place. There, he thrust his hand, and the surface shook, the soil particles shifting, until finally, a pristine alabaster fountain jutted out from the soil, standing tall. Sculpted images adorned the beautiful thing, and Ren ran to it to get a closer look.
Ren cringed upon getting a better look of the fountain. It worked as was described, pouring water steadily from an unseen magical source, and irritating his crops, but the statues adorning the fountain could only be described with a word, obscene. Two hung satyrs stood at the top of the fountain, and below were naked androgynous winged humans, those Ren had understood to be angels before the advent of Enoa.
Ren was no prude, and he was taken aback. He cleared his throat, snapping out of his state of surprise. He watched the fountain form a little stream that traveled through his field, and he let out a sigh of relief. Now, he would not have to worry about getting water to irrigate his farm.
[You have new messages]
[For bearing a class, and choosing to serve the gods, you've been bestowed [Shop], a dimensional space containing items of potential interest.] The system stated with its confident feminine voice almost reminiscent of Enoa.
[You have been granted the attribute[Coins].
"This is becoming too much like a game." He had been convinced that the sensations he had felt the other day were real, the Dino had been real, but seeing all these messages, and how gamefied things were seeming, he felt doubtful, unsure.
"This cannot be a dream, can it?"
He clicked on the shop tab, and it expanded to show him an array of items he could possibly get, and what his present coins amounted to.
"Zero coins, broke in this world too."
"Flaming sword of Oragin, 270 coins."
"Water resistant speed shoes, 13 coins. You know, this sounds like something I'd get."
"Orb of true sight."
Truly, the system shop was filled with an incredible number of things, and although it seemed like he could get some should he have the amount of coins, he had no clue on how to get them.
He swiped away the shop feature, and went on, inspecting his crops, crouching to feel the young sprouting cabbages. They would not have survived underneath this hot sun but the fountain had abated his fears.
Just as he decided to change to make a trip down to the dwellings below, he heard footsteps, and noise, like the mumbling of a crowd. He stood to see that a number of people were walking towards his home, people he understood to be the residents below.
They too had simple clothing, generously speaking. Even with his shabby workwear, compared to them, he seemed like a lord.
He stopped by the pen, and awaited their arrival. They did not seem the least bit hospitable, their faces stoic and cold. Ren feared that they could lynch him, they had the numbers, and frankly, he was a nobody to them.
The small mass split apart, allowing a figure to pass through. It was an old man—older than any of the others gathered there. His back was arched, and an eyepatch covered his left eye, his face bare and hairless unlike the thick-bearded men around him. As he stepped forward, Ren understood at once: this man was their leader, their spokesperson
He stopped a few feet away from Ren, and he wore the kindest smile the farmer cultivator had ever seen. The old man looked about, glancing at Ren's field, and to the animals behind.
'He wants my farm.' Ren's face blanched.
"A man that nurtures life this well surely cannot be evil. A brother told us of your presence, and we thought to check. What's your name?" Ren froze for a few seconds, then he answered.
"Ren Hanaki."
"Eldrad Longstan, chief of Tunish village."
He returned the old man's smile, and stretched forward his hand for a shake,
"What is this?" Eldrad asked.
"It means we are acquitted from where I am from."
The old man was undoubtedly confused by this act, but he trusted his intuition and stretched his hand to hold Ren's.
"Could you tell us where you came from? Many passed this path in recent days, including I, and no bricks or wood stood. I struggle to believe that none of us noticed your presence until now."
Ren let out a deep breath, they were in the right to know, he had cleared the first hurdle, which was to seem non-threatening, and now was another even larger hurdle; a way to explain his appearance here that would have them believe him.
He looked at the kind eyes of Eldrad, and then to the crowd, and let out an exhale.
"I was brought here by a mage, and then gods." He said loud and clear, followed by silence. Eldrad's face had changed to that which seemed skeptical.
Nobody said anything for a good minute, until Eldrad broke the ice, "Magic," He muttered with awe in his voice, "That is the only way. Are you a mage? Have you come to protect us?" He said with a sternness that held a hint of excitement.
"No no, I am no mage, or at least I don't think I can do magic. What I am trying to say is that I was brought here against my will, maybe a work of magic as you said, but I'm not a mage, and I didn't come here to protect you people. I am sorry."
The people mumbled, and Ren could sense disapproval and rage riling up. He hated to burst their bubble, and Eldrad had sounded like they did truly need protection, but he could not be made to feel responsible for people he barely knew with powers that he didn't even possess.
The village chief turned to the people, turning his back to Ren, "I and Tuarine will stay back to talk with our newest neighbor some more, you all should feel free to resume your duties." He said, and although it sounded like a suggestion, it had actually been a command, and the crowd understood that immediately.
Eventually, it was just Ren, the village chief and a tall buff intimidating woman. Eldrad cleared his throat, and pointing to the woman, he spoke, "This is my daughter Tuarine, you'll be seeing her around, with many of the villagers." He clasped his hand, and crept closer. "Do you mean what you truly said? You think you were brought forward by a god?"
The old man had a whiff of flowers and earthy herbs around him, like truly someone that spent all their days in a forest.
"So you do believe me?!" Ren cried, he was glad. He was afraid he had come off as stupid but actually, someone actually believed him.
"It's in the scriptures, you are certainly not the first, and what else could explain your sudden appearance, even the soil I'm standing on feels different. Only gods are capable of such feats" The old slump man said, and although Ren felt that he ought to feel good about this, the feeling of being special as a chosen one dwindled with the man's statement.
"What scriptures?"
"Nevermind that, what can you do?"
Ren merely blinked at the question. He hadn't figured out most of the system, heck he had no system skill save for the general language understanding.
'Do I tell him that I am a magical farmer? Is that impressive enough.' This was one time Ren wished Enoa was here to help him out of his situation.
"I just appeared here yesterday, I am still not sure of my gifts."
"Is that so?" Eldrad asked, taking a glance at Ren's Victorian style house.
"We would have to check your home."
Ren led them into his house. Eldrad and his daughter could not help but gawk at his home; the fine floor, lush paintings, and mechanical clock all drew their attention.
"Be careful," He uttered to the tall woman who was touching one of his vases. Ren was not a particularly sophisticated man, but he did have taste like many men of his time did. It was safe to say that the duo were intrigued by his home. They did not get a good look through it, they did not see his basement nor did they see the rifle he kept underneath his bed.
"You would want to start packing your weight, trade some of your farm produce, and don't think we don't still have our eyes on you. We would be fair to you, but do not expect more, and should you commit a grievous offense, trust me, you will face even harsher punishment. Do not deface the gods Ren."
Ren felt a lump in his throat, just who was this man?
"I'm a honest man." He said.
"We are counting on it." Said Eldrad before turning away. Tuarine gave Ren a size up look before turning away and trailing her father
Eldrad suddenly stopped, turning his neck to his left side, "Being all the way here, and alone. I don't know if you've got powers, but you should definitely get a sword. This place is not as peaceful as it seems." He said, and then continued on his walk down to the village.
"Have Coma the blacksmith make you one." Tuarine said before trailing behind her father.
"Huh!"
[New Quest]