"No, I’m having them made for myself."
Vili answered honestly.
"You’re having them made for yourself?" A thoughtful look appeared in Uncle Ubi’s eyes as he looked at Vili sternly. "These aren’t simple trinkets. They’re lethal weapons, kid. What are you going to use them for?"
Vili felt helpless in the face of Uncle Ubi’s skepticism.
He had expected this would happen, but he still had no good way to evade Uncle Ubi’s questions.
If he could, Vili would have even forged the weapons himself. ’That way, I could keep a low profile and perhaps even unlock a new title.’ But it was impossible. There were no other blacksmith shops around, and Uncle Ubi didn’t allow anyone to meddle in his forge. So his only option was to ask for Uncle Ubi’s help.
"I want to become a Hunter and go hunting in Morse Forest."
Vili could only tell the truth. In fact, he couldn’t think of any other excuse anyway.
"A Hunter?"
Uncle Ubi looked at Vili, his eyes filled with astonishment.
In this world, becoming a Hunter represented a man’s strength and status. For commoners, it was an excellent path forward, provided one could bear the risks of the hunt.
"Have you discussed this with your father and mother?"
Uncle Ubi stared sternly at Vili.
"No..."
Vili’s head throbbed under Uncle Ubi’s intense questioning. He was even starting to think that coming here hadn’t been a wise decision.
"Vili, I know you just got back from Morse Forest. Maybe you didn’t run into any danger on this trip, but that doesn’t mean the forest is safe. Listen to me. Go back and discuss this with your father. Once he agrees, then you can come back and have these things made."
Uncle Ubi had watched Vili grow up. He didn’t want to see the boy make a decision out of momentary impulse that he would regret for the rest of his life.
Vili was at a complete loss for words. ’I can’t just tell Uncle Ubi that I have extensive experience as a hunter and that I’ve killed the alpha of a wolf pack. That’s too ridiculous. He’d never believe me.’
"I’ll discuss it with my father tonight, and I’m sure he’ll agree with my decision. Uncle Ubi, please, just help me this one time."
Vili said earnestly.
Uncle Ubi fell silent, his expression somber. After a long moment, he finally said slowly, "Alright, I’ll do it. But when you’re hunting, you must not go too deep into the forest. There are dangers there you can’t even imagine."
Hearing this, Vili finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, Uncle Ubi, I’ll follow your advice. By the way, how much will it cost to make these?"
Uncle Ubi thought for a moment. "Thirty Silver Rums should do it."
It was a very fair price. After accounting for the cost of materials, Uncle Ubi would barely make any profit.
"Here’s a Gold Rum."
Vili handed a gleaming gold coin to Uncle Ubi.
Uncle Ubi knew Vili had received a sum of money from the mercenary squad, so he wasn’t surprised that Vili could produce a Gold Rum. He went into the back room and returned a moment later with a bulging little pouch.
"There are seventy Silver Rums in here. Count them."
Uncle Ubi handed the pouch to Vili.
"No need to count." Vili took the money and then requested, "Please don’t tell my father and mother about this just yet."
Uncle Ubi nodded. "I understand."
As he walked out of Uncle Ubi’s blacksmith shop, Vili suddenly felt a little uneasy. He had a feeling Uncle Ubi wasn’t very reliable.
「Back home, at the dinner table.」
Mrs. Shaven and Lake had returned from their work to find that Vili and Vilia had already prepared dinner.
There was a vegetable soup made from the bones of the roasted chicken, a radish dish with a few shreds of meat, and a large loaf of white bread. Compared to what they usually ate, it was an incredibly lavish feast.
"I just peeked into the kitchen, and it seemed like some of the white bread was missing."
After Mrs. Shaven sat down, she looked at Vilia with a suspicious gaze. "Vilia, was it you who snuck a bite?"
Vilia shook her head so fast it was a blur. "No, Mother, I didn’t! If you don’t believe me, you can ask Vili. He can vouch for me."
"Is that so, Vili?"
Mrs. Shaven turned to Vili.
"Mother, I can attest that Vilia did indeed sneak some white bread while I wasn’t looking. You should discipline her properly."
Vili adopted a solemn tone, as if he were genuinely advising his mother.
Vilia’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t believe Vili had actually sold her out.
"Vilia!"
Mrs. Shaven’s face hardened. She had no intention of raising her only daughter to be a little troublemaker. "Don’t let there be a next time, or I’ll punish you by sending you to bed without dinner! As punishment, I’ll be supervising you as you wash the dishes after we eat tonight."
"Yes, Mother..."
Vilia felt terribly wronged. She lowered her head, shooting daggers at Vili.
Vili pretended not to notice.
’It’s Vilia’s own fault. We agreed she’d only take a small piece, but she ended up eating so much while I was out. It’s not like Mother is blind. How could she not notice a big chunk of the bread was missing?’
The dinner table was a bit quiet tonight, mainly because Vilia, who was usually so lively and talkative, was sullen the entire meal.
After dinner, only Vili and Lake remained at the table. Mrs. Shaven and Vilia had already gone to the kitchen.
"Vili."
Lake suddenly looked up at Vili. "Ubi came to see me today. He told me you want to become a Hunter."
One look at Lake’s expression and Vili knew he was in for it. The secret was out, just as he’d feared.
"Father, I..."
Vili was racking his brain for an explanation when Lake cut him off.
There was no anger in Lake’s eyes, and his tone was perfectly calm. "You want to become a Hunter. I respect your choice."
"Huh?"
Vili was taken aback by Lake’s words.
’He agreed? To something so dangerous?’
"I..."
For a moment, Vili didn’t know what to say.
Lake looked at his son, who was now a man, and felt a sense of pride swell in his heart. "I’ve seen how much you’ve grown from everything that’s happened recently. I’m sorry I was still treating you like a child. I don’t see you that way anymore. You’re a grown man now, and it’s time for you to choose your own path. Becoming a Hunter is a difficult life, and I hope you stick with it. More importantly, protect yourself."
"I will, Father."
Vili straightened his back and looked directly into Lake’s eyes.
Lake smiled, pleased. "It’s been a long time since our village has had a great Hunter. I hope you can become someone the villagers respect."
Vili nodded resolutely, but then another thought seemed to trouble him. "But what about Mother? Will she agree?"
"I’ll convince her."
Lake made his support for Vili clear.
"I will become a great Hunter."
Vili made his promise to Lake.