Chapter 24

In response to the eager faces before him, Jasper nodded, "Introduce yourselves."

The first to step forward was a ten-year-old boy with a friendly gaze. "I'm Aiden, the son of Elder Haydn from the Spring Village." Recognizing the familiar face, Jasper acknowledged him with a nod. Aiden was indeed the son of one of the Spring Village's influential elders, Elder Haydn. Older than Jasper, Aiden seemed friendlier than most children his age.

Following Aiden were two children, a boy and a girl, aged between nine to twelve. They appeared more reserved compared to Aiden. The boy introduced himself first. "I'm Nolan, grandson of Elder Conrad." The girl, who was slightly taller than Nolan, followed suit. "And I am Mila, daughter of Elder Alastair." Both were from lesser known families and elders in the Spring Village, yet they carried themselves with a sense of dignity and respect, their voices soft but clear. Jasper also gave them a courtesy nod as well. At the very least these people came from the same village as him.

The last three to introduce themselves hailed from the neighboring villages. The youngest among them, an eight-year-old boy named Ewan, took a step forward. His face was lit up with a childlike grin as he cheerfully declared, "I'm Ewan, the Valley Village Chief's son." His voice was filled with a youthful enthusiasm that reflected his age.

Following him was a rather unrefined yet boisterous child. Without waiting for Ewan to step back, he interrupted, "And I am Torin, the pride of the Lian Clan from Mountain Village!" His tone was bursting with confidence, a testament to his talent which was rumored to rival Jasper's innate abilities prior to unlocking the system. Although not a direct descendant of an Elder or the Clan Head, his exceptional abilities had earned him considerable recognition.

The final child was a nine-year-old boy with a serene and mature demeanor that contrasted with his young age. "I am Alaric, grandson of Chief Brom from River Village," he introduced himself. It was known that Alaric was being groomed to become the next chief due to his superior talent, even surpassing the current son of the Chief.

Once the introductions were finished, Jasper took a moment to absorb the information. He studied each of them carefully, memorizing their names and backgrounds. Then, with a composed demeanor, he began his own introduction.

"I am Jasper, son of Chief Cline of the Spring Village. Most of you may know me already," he started, his voice steady and firm. "Like you, I was also a part of a team and have been through the trials and tribulations it entails. I hope that we can all learn and grow together as a team. Your skills and talents are your own, but as a team, we can complement and enhance each other's abilities."

Jasper's introduction was short, and he didn't waste any time before switching topics. "Since we've now introduced ourselves, we can begin. I want each of you to choose a type of mission that you prefer and bring it to me by tomorrow. These mission types will determine the sort of missions you'll select from here on out. They'll also guide what kind of teammates you need and what skills your team will require, because once you have these missions, you'll need to assemble your own teams. You will each run missions separately with your own teams, and occasionally as duos."

The memory of the previous incident still haunted Jasper. He was determined to structure his group in such a way that a similar situation would never occur again. The fear of leading his own team and potentially repeating such a grave mistake lingered within him.

"Alright, for now, you can all return to your activities. Come back here tomorrow at the same time." With that, the six youngsters bowed to Jasper before dispersing in their respective directions.

As Jasper made his way to the Alchemy Hall's Medical Room, his steps were heavy but determined. Upon arriving, the receptionist, recognizing him, promptly handed over a set of keys. "Is she in there?" Jasper asked, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Yes, Young Master Jasper, same room as always," the receptionist responded.

Jasper slowly ascended the stairs, stopping at the third floor - the recovery area. It was here that patients with stabilized conditions were kept for recovery. He traversed down the hallway, his gaze falling upon the busy medical staff. At first glance, they seemed to be mere workers, tending to the patients day in and day out. But Jasper saw more than that. He saw the determination in their eyes, the resilience in their movements, and the compassion in their care. Their dedication, despite the tireless hours, was something that he couldn't help but respect.

Each day as he visited, he felt a growing admiration for these people, a sentiment that was etched deeper with each passing day. His visits had evolved from a duty to a moment of introspection, a chance to witness the tireless work of these devoted healers.

Jasper moved down to the end of the hall, where the more affluent patients stayed in luxuriously furnished rooms. Taking a deep breath, he unlocked the second door on the left and pushed it open slowly. The creak of the door echoed through the quiet space, a mournful sound that mirrored the sinking feeling in his heart.

Each time he opened this door, he harbored a faint hope of being greeted by the lively girl who had always been so quick to criticize him in the past. But today, like all the days before, he was only met with the sight of the girl lying still and silent on the bed, an image so close to death that it sent a chill down his spine. It was a stark reminder of the tragedy that had befallen them, of the friends they had lost, and of the moments with Jillian that could never be relived.

Jasper's heart clenched, and he quickly shut the door, retreating as if fleeing from the chilling sight. Even though he knew she was just sleeping, the sight of her so still and lifeless was more than a child like him could bear. He turned away, the echo of the door closing behind him a bleak punctuation to his departure.