The Idle System (A LitRPG series Book 7): Family, Pegaz [learn to read books txt] 📗

Kelly nodded and clenched her fists.

Sarah saw Kelly clenching her fists, but she didn’t know if it was new determination to become stronger or the fact that studying was mentioned.

She dropped the subject and placed her hand on Kelly’s shoulder. “Let’s go catch up with your father and see what’s happening.”

Chapter 8: New Home

John smiled at the plump, old man and then showed him the Bahan Kingdom’s insignia on his brown t-shirt before speaking. “The people outside couldn’t recognise this, surely as the head of the village you’re different?”

The elder looked at what John was pointing at.

The symbol was anything but simple. It consisted of a small, round shield supported by a Pegasus on each side, resting on a grassy hill. A lavish crown of crosses with rows of precious gems decorated the outer rimes as it rested atop the shield.

The shield itself had five colours which were painted in a symmetrical vertically striped pattern. Underneath it, near the top of the grassy hill, was a banner that carried the kingdom’s motto, which read, “Reap what you sow.”

This was the insignia that only the kingdom’s knights were allowed to wear, making knighthood a dream for most men. Knights were there to protect the kingdom, kill monsters, enforce the law, and help the public. They were given the legal right to kill anybody in their way.

The old man stood up and his shaky hand pointed to the insignia on John’s shirt.

“Seems like you recognise it. The men outside didn’t and I taught them a lesson, but nobody died,” John declared with a grin. “My family and I want to settle down in this village. I’m retired with the king’s blessing, my wife is a doctor, and my daughter is training under us both.”

“Welcome! Welcome!” the elder said with a cackle. “Sorry for the watchmen. I’ll make any complaints of theirs disappear!”

With a toothy grin, the old man scratched his belly and took a bite out of a stale cookie nearby. “This must be fate because the previous knight in charge of protecting this village was called back to the capital a year ago. You can take his old house if you want it. It’s the largest house on the outskirts, facing the jungle. It has a large training area, three bedrooms, and because it was built only a few years ago, it has indoor plumbing!”

John was surprised they had a house ready for them to move into—he was expecting to have to build one himself—though the circumstances were odd to him.

“Why was that knight ordered to return to the capital if he was living way out here? The capital is thousands of miles away. Surely there was someone closer to return instead of him.”

The old man was still smiling as he shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t know if it’s true or not, but I heard the king was attacked just over a year ago.

“They buffed up security, probably needed all the extra men they could find. Anyway, let me show you to the house! Where’s your wife and daughter? Are they here with you?”

John nodded. “My wife is probably out helping the villagers I knocked out, just to make sure there’s nothing wrong with them. I’ll go fetch them while you wait here.”

John walked out, but a thought popped into his head.

Was the attack on the king the incident I caused? The timing does fit.

If ever the knight comes back, I should go attack the king again, or keep going back every now and then just to stop the knight coming back in the first place.

Inside his Scan, he could see the entire village only had seventy houses which were built close together. All but one had people inside who were cowering, praying, or holding a weapon while staring at the door. John assumed that the empty house was the one they would be living in for a while.

As he walked down one of the few paths that wasn’t covered in mud, he saw Sarah and Kelly walking towards him. He smiled and waited for them and as soon as they reached him, he began explaining what the old man said as he took the big bag with all their stuff inside it from Sarah.

Kelly was excited as she kept asking John questions about the fight. She held John’s hand with both of hers as she faced him and examined his hand.

John was laughing at Kelly’s excitement and Sarah was smiling too, but she had to warn Kelly about watching where she was going since they were walking to the old man.

As they walked, John described the house to them and Sarah played along, even though she already knew what it looked like just from using her Scan.

When they reached the old man, he was talking to somebody who saw them and ran off.

“The villagers went into their homes and waited for any news after the warning sound went off. I asked that man to tell everyone it was a false alarm. Come, I’ll show you to your new home!”

“My wife wants to open a small, medical practice, but according to your description of the house, there isn’t anywhere she could practice.”

“No worries!” The old man turned and winked at Sarah. “The village will be more than willing to build you anything you want! All you have to do is ask! This village hasn’t had anyone who practices medicine live here before, so you might need to tell us in detail what you need built.”

John and Sarah knew what having nobody who practiced medicine actually meant. With mortals, if there was nobody who could help, they would abandon the sick person.

Usually the family would get one person to try and nurse the sick back to health by feeding them and letting them rest in bed. They did it this way to minimise contact in case the illness was contagious.

If that didn’t work or the other person got sick too, they would carry the sick individuals