Chapter 103 : Avril’s Treatment and the First Commission Mission
Chapter 103: Avril’s Treatment and the First Commission Mission
The afternoon in Holy Light Town.
A gentle breeze brushed by.
From afar came the faint sound of hymns from the church.
Avril stood before a brand-new two-story building, slightly dazed.
Her cascade of pale violet hair flowed like a waterfall,
gleaming with a mysterious luster beneath the sunlight,
accentuating her already delicate features, making her seem almost ethereal.
“Avril, little sister, this house will be your residence from now on.”
Liz’s cheerful voice sounded from beside her.
Avril looked up.
Before her stood a two-story house that cleverly combined stone and wood.
The foundation was built from bluish stone blocks quarried nearby—solid and weighty.
Green vines climbed through the gaps between the stones, dotted with small white star-shaped flowers.
The upper level used straight oak beams as its framework.
The warm color of the raw wood contrasted yet harmonized perfectly with the cool solidity of the stone.
The roof was covered with freshly fired dark tiles, gleaming under the sunlight.
Around the building was a waist-high stone wall enclosing a small courtyard.
Inside, cobblestone paths divided patches of garden beds.
They were not planted with rare flowers,
but with blooming violets, pure white daisies,
and lavender that emitted a soothing fragrance.
Bees and butterflies fluttered among them, full of life.
The entire building could not be called luxurious, yet everywhere revealed a refined tranquility.
Compared to the simple, utilitarian houses in the town,
this place was like a carefully polished gem.
“This… Sister Liz, isn’t this a bit too grand?”
Avril came back to her senses,
a trace of uncertain surprise showing on her face.
“Along the way, I saw most families sharing one roof,
or individuals barely fitting in a small room.”
“For such a spacious residence to be given to me alone—it feels somewhat…”
She paused, searching for the right words. “Somewhat undeserved.”
Liz laughed heartily,
patting Avril’s shoulder with friendly yet measured force.
“Avril, little sister, there’s no need to feel embarrassed.”
“In Holy Light Town, what one gives and what one receives are always in balance.”
“You are a third-tier Earth Magician—your strength alone is worthy of such respect and treatment.”
Her smile faded slightly, her gaze turning sharp and sincere.
“But remember this—”
“How much you gain here also means how much responsibility you must bear.”
“Privileges are not for indulgence, but to give us greater strength to protect our shared home!”
Avril met Liz’s gaze.
The unease in her heart gradually faded,
replaced by a warm feeling of being acknowledged.
She recalled what she had seen along the way:
Men sweating profusely as they worked on various tasks.
Women and children carefully tending young crops in the fields and preparing hearty meals.
Teachers instructing children in reading and scripture at the school…
Everyone was contributing their strength to this pure land.
Avril took a deep breath. “I understand now, Sister Liz.”
“Please tell me—what must I do?”
Liz nodded in satisfaction,
gesturing for Avril to follow her into the courtyard.
The two sat down on a stone bench beside the flower bed.
Liz’s expression grew slightly solemn.
She pointed northeast, toward a faint outline of hills in the distance.
“Six kilometers northeast of town, Lord Angel’s divine sense detected a rich iron ore vein.”
“This is crucial for us! Weapons, farming tools, construction—none of these can do without iron.”
“Our mining operations have been ongoing for some time, and the initial phase went smoothly.”
Her tone shifted. “But as the tunnels extended deeper, we encountered trouble.”
“In the mine dwells a creature known as the ‘Iron Ore Worm.’”
“They’re not large—about the length of an arm—worm-like, pitch-black, and feed on iron ore.”
Liz gestured in the air,
roughly outlining the shape of the creature.
“These worms are weak in strength—not even of the first tier.”
“But after consuming iron for so long, their shells have become extremely hard—comparable to refined steel, if not tougher.”
“Ordinary blades and axes can only leave white marks on them.”
“And when startled by the sounds of mining, they swarm out in droves to attack the miners. Quite troublesome!”
Avril furrowed her brows slightly.
As a learned magician, she instinctively began analyzing the creature’s traits.
“Hard shell… high resistance to physical damage.”
“What about elemental magic? Fire or frost?”
Liz shook her head. “Ulf and the others tried torches and crude oil fires—barely any effect.”
“These worms seem highly resistant to normal flames.”
“Besides, the tunnels are narrow—casting large-scale attack spells risks injuring others or causing cave-ins.”
She looked at Avril, eyes filled with expectation.
“We’ve observed that the Iron Ore Worms are drawn to consistent, rhythmic hammering sounds.”
“So, we came up with an idea—not to destroy them, but to deceive them!”
“You mean… to create a barrier that isolates or misleads the sound?”
Avril immediately grasped Liz’s intent,
a knowing smile curving her lips.
“Exactly!”
“Talking to a clever person truly saves effort!~”
Liz clapped her hands in delight.