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Mr. Dery asked again about Grandpa Izwar's story, "Then what happened after they cut off your arm, Kek, did you see my father at that time?"
Grandpa's face was sad.
"When I lost my right arm, I was just thinking about my family's fate, so I didn't know. They just piled up bodies and burned them that's what I saw at the time. I went back on foot to see the state of Venavo City with some of my fellow survivors only to find destroyed houses and the bodies of dead innocents. We started wandering the streets, calling the survivors, but no one answered.
As I searched deeper into the city center, I found a group of people who made a community. There, I found some survivors of the massacre.among them I did not find anyone I knew, some people cried happily to see their families survive and hugged in tears, some sat and remained silent with blank eyes, and some were filled with anger and despair over what had happened to our city.
In the morning, come help from the kingdom, we come out to see the damage. The smell of death is stinging. While we were tidying up and collecting bodies to bury in the same hole, one of my friends found my family's body, I rushed to make sure of it, and it was really my family, then I buried them separately from the others.
As time went on, they started to rebuild their homes and work together as a community, but not with me. After I was compensated for the gold in the destruction of my home and my struggle, I traveled from city to city, squandering the money I was getting at the time, with the intention of being able to forget what has happened to me."
Grandfather Izwar clenched his hands and said, "But I can never forget all those things.I also threw away my intention to forget all those things and accept all the things that have happened to me, bad and good things happen to me. Do you know why Nak Arezha?" Grandpa asked me.
Why did he suddenly ask me? "I don't know, Kek, sorry."
Grandfather Izwar looked me in the eye and answered his own question as if it was directed at me. "Because I hope this scar in my heart lasts as long as possible, so that I can remember how great I was to face all the things that happened to me at that time and still survive until this moment even though it all sometimes hurts to be remembered again. It's all been a part of me."
Mr. Dery responded to Grandpa Izwar's words, "What a wise sentence Kek, I wish I could be like you."
"Thank you Dery, but don't be like me haha. Spending money is foolish, and living in poverty."
Listening to Grandpa Izwar and Mr. Dery's story made me forget at the time, I got out of my seat and said goodbye. "It seems like it's too late, I'll be home soon now."
Grandpa Izwar stopped me. "Wait for Nak Arezha. I'm really grateful for your kindness."
Hearing it makes my heart happy. "Don't think about it, I'm just repaying your kindness because Grandpa has given me a place."
Mr. Dery also reminded me, "Don't forget tomorrow will be a busy day Reza! I want you to come before sunrise."
"Okay, Mr. Dery, I'll come as early as possible tomorrow" and then I'll leave the store. They both seem to be telling each other.
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I entered the house and lit a candle. The bed looks so beautiful when I feel tired, I lie on the bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about what kind of life plan I will be in the future. Maybe I'll become the lord of the land? Shopkeepers like Mr Dery? Or like great people? There are many possibilities.
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Xiris Kingdom
Sernia city
24 January 1300
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When I opened the door of the tavern, looking at Grandpa Izwar and Mr. Dery who were asleep at the round table, it seemed like they were very engrossed in chatting a lot of things when I was not around. I woke Mr. Dery. "Wake up, I'm ready to go to work today."
Mr. Dery seemed to be staying up late last night, he woke up and saw a candle clock. "Thank you for waking me up Reza. I'm still sleepy wait a minute." Mr. Dery rubbed his face and said, "follow me." Mr. Dery stood up and into his private room opened the drawers looking for something, he took out a piece of paper and gave it to me. " Can you give this to someone in the harbor?" A paper containing a purchase agreement stamped Birken family.
Then I asked, "Who shall I give this to?" Mr. Dery replied, "Hmm, look for merchant ships that have flags like this." Mr. Dery took a piece of paper and drew the symbol on his desk and gave it to me. "They're merchants from the Kingdom of Sandvog, I import many alcoholic beverages from there, they provide commodities including the best alcohol from Sandvog." Mr. Dery opened the storage box, I was surprised to see the storage filled with gleaming gold bars.
"Wait a minute I'll count it first. Make sure each basket box, 1 large box usually contains 20 bottles of alcohol, the number of all boxes must be 25." Mr. Dery counted his gold coins on the table and put them in his pocket pocket. "This all amounts to 22 large gold coins." Then hand the bag over to me.
Wow, that's a lot. If I count, I CAN LIVE WITH THIS GOLD WITHOUT WORKING FOR 9 YEARS!
"Wake sure to wake up my shopkeeper at the top." What guards?
I have no intention of taking this money away anyway, what am I thinking.
"I didn't see the shopkeeper yesterday, you have a guard?", I asked curiously.
Mr. Dery replied, "I made a contract with them yesterday afternoon", Mr. Dery pointed to the 2nd floor, "Bring them with you. Ah yes, I forgot, hire 1 or 2 horse-drawn carriages to transport all that alcohol." Mr. Dery gave me 20 extra silver coins.
I followed all the instructions Mr. Dery gave me. First I woke up the guard that Mr. Dery meant. They numbered 3 people with quite a large body, were all guards as terrifying as this?
When I tried to wake him up, one of them woke up a man with brown hair and eyes, spontaneously took his blade pointed at me, then shouted, "Who are you!?" Until the others wake up.
Out of fear, I took a few steps back and calmed her down trembling. "Calm down, I work here."
Mr. Dery seemed to hear from below and said, "Don't scream! come down I have a duty for you."
I followed Mr. Dery and they came down the stairs.
Mr. Dery also explained his orders back to them. "Take care of Reza and take care of his things"
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Although this shop was located close to the port, I had never seen the port directly.
When I got to the port I was amazed to see the beautiful Port of Regia. The sun began to rise and a gentle breeze blew across the harbor. People passing by have gathered to do their respective activities from the dock. I was blown away by the glittering views of the water and the golden light reflected from the building.
The port feels very alive. The light from the sun shone on everything around the harbor, accentuating every detail of the cityscape.
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