Metamorphosis – Rehabilitation & Change

Now Daisuke perfectly understood how Reeza felt. Despite her inadvertent role in the people's suffering, they still regarded her as a saint, unknowingly worshiping her as their savior.

Daisuke's chest tightened in distress as the slum folk gathered around him with reverent expressions, whispering words of praise, thankfulness, and relief that he had returned in one piece.

Zephyr nestled into the torso of Daisuke's clothes, hidden from view, as the leader of the notorious Slum Sprites was tentatively touched and caressed as if he were some mythical creature or divine being. Daisuke couldn't help but wonder if they believed he had returned to continue where he had left off—stealing from the financially stable and giving to the poor.

Suddenly, in the distance, Daisuke heard the unmistakable sounds of construction work. It struck him as a mistake; almost no one in the slums bothered to work anymore. They had long since surrendered to despair, constricted by the steely fingers of hopelessness that gripped their lives.

And yet, it was undeniably the sound of productivity.

Elysia, the Perfectly Endowed Woman, offered a warm smile as Daisuke lagged behind her, his eyes wide with surprise. In the rearmost section of the slums, it became clear that the farming endeavor he had introduced several years ago was still thriving.

The sight of the flourishing crops filled him with a mix of pride and disbelief, a glimmer of hope amidst the harsh reality he had grown accustomed to. Gardens of various sizes adorned the space around the shoddy houses, each boasting a vibrant array of crops. But something had changed—the scale had seemingly transformed overnight, which shouldn't be possible.

Initially, the few who had taken up farming faced significant challenges. They either had to risk venturing outside the village walls to fetch water from the river or ration their precious drinking water, salvaged carefully from the rain. Each drop was hard-won, and the struggle to sustain their crops mirrored the harshness of their lives.

"Then how did—"

TUCK-TUCK-TUCK!

The rhythmic sound of men and women working the earth with hoes caught Daisuke's attention. They were diligently carving trenches in the ground, creating channels that led to the various residences with gardens.

Daisuke's expression contorted into disbelief as he took in the scene. "An irrigation system? But how?" he murmured, struggling to comprehend the transformation.

"According to a group of children," Elysia said as she guided him toward a stretch of farmland, "they were chasing a shadow when it burrowed underground to escape. Shortly after, water began gushing out of the hole it created."

"…An underground reservoir," murmured Daisuke in awe. But what's this talk about a shadow?

"The villagers believe it was the work of a Guardian Spirit that shares your belief in sustainable farming."

Daisuke raised an eyebrow in skepticism. "Guardian Spirit? Ideology?"

The woman turned, her gaze sweeping over the sight of people diligently working to pave a path toward a better future. "It may not look like much at first," she said with a warm smile, "but dropping a pebble into a lake creates ripples. And, with the right conditions, those ripples can grow into powerful waves."

Daisuke followed her gaze, the profundity of her words washing over him.

"I'm not sure how much you believed in the vision yourself, but that doesn't change the fact that you took the initiative and literally gave these people the seeds to sow and build a better life. Deep down, you must have realized that stealing wasn't a sustainable solution. You understood that you needed to find a better way to help these people."

"You're right," Daisuke replied. "It was probably only a matter of time before the lord decided to dispose of us—and, if anything were to happen to me or the troop, I wanted the people to be able to stand on their own."

Without a word, he approached the clear pool that had formed from the water vein and gently touched his finger to the cool surface. The water shimmered under his touch, and for a moment, he felt a connection to the life it nurtured.

DING!

[Aquessence is the purest form of water, drawn from a hidden underground aquifer untouched by time. This crystal-clear liquid has been naturally infused with the energy of an Aether Field—a mystical force that eradicates all impurities and contaminants at the molecular level. The result is a water so pristine and rich in vital minerals and oxygen that it shimmers with an almost ethereal glow.]

Again, I have no idea what an Aether Field is, but it seems my sacrifices weren't in vain after all. More people have started to farm now that they've seen the benefits for themselves. If this continues, fewer mouths will go hungry.

As this realization brought a smile to Daisuke's face, Elysia approached and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "There's someone I want you to meet."

***

Daisuke's gaze followed Elysia as she came to a stop. In the field ahead, a man dressed in a hooded cloak was busy tilling the land, flanked by two others who worked diligently alongside him. A gentle breeze caught their thick garments, billowing just enough for Daisuke to catch a glimpse of the heavy armor concealed beneath.

Elysia watched in alarm as his eyes suddenly narrowed into dark, dangerous slits. As his body dipped low, poised either for a defensive or offensive maneuver, she quickly rested a hand on his shoulder, grounding him in the moment.

"Wait, it's not what you think!" She admitted urgently, a gasp escaping her lips as the boy snapped his head around, his razor-sharp gaze burning into hers.

"Dusthaven's lord and two of his strongest guards are standing right in front of me," Daisuke retorted with a sneer. "What's there to misunderstand?"

When the man pulled back his hood and bowed deeply, Daisuke's eyes widened in surprise, and his shoulders relaxed just a fraction. With a discerning gaze, he scrutinized the older man, who could easily have been mistaken for a dwarf. A pair of sincere eyes peeked out from beneath a dense curtain of facial hair, and his demeanor was calm and pleasant, exuding a sense of genuine respect.

Daisuke had honestly expected a sly, pompous miscreant who wanted nothing more than to eradicate both him and everyone else who dwelled in the slums. But instead—

"So, you're the infamous leader of the Slum Sprites," the man said, a warm smile spreading across his face as he lifted his chin, his eyes gleaming with kindness. "First and foremost, I want to express my sincerest gratitude for everything you've done."

Daisuke frowned. "…Gratitude? For stealing?"

The man took a step forward, his vassals standing behind him like silent statues. "Hunger and despair can change people," he said, his voice low and compassionate as he crouched down to gently flip over a beetle that had found itself stuck on its back. "You selflessly did what you had to do to keep everyone fed." He paused, looking up with sincerity in his eyes. "What truly matters is that you never took more than you needed, nor did you resort to excessive violence."

Daisuke's frown deepened. "Wait. How did you—"

"And you never had any intention of prolonging that lifestyle," added Elysia, which clarified how the village lord had come into possession of such insight. "You were always searching for solutions to make the people of the slums become self-sufficient. Eventually, you set your sights on agriculture."

As the beetle took flight, the man shifted his attention to the people tirelessly tilling the fields, his gaze filled with veneration and empathy. "While I care deeply for the people of the slums and desperately wanted to offer aid," he said, his voice heavy with regret, "there was nothing I could do."

Daisuke's forehead crinkled quizzically.

"Dusthaven has been plagued by a decade-long drought," Elysia explained, her brow furrowing with concern. "And the lakes and rivers just outside the village are haunted by fierce monsters. Lord Chadrick—"

Daisuke raised one eyebrow teasingly. "Lord Chadrick, huh? So you both are on a first-name basis now?"

Elysia's eyes widened, her cheeks flushing bright crimson. Lord Chadrick cleared his throat, evidently flustered by the statement. One of the guards failed to stifle a giggle, which promptly earned him a sneer and an armored elbow to the side by his companion.

When the heat subsided from her cheeks, Elysia confidently turned toward Daisuke again. "Considering the water shortages and the constant threat of monsters outside the village, Lord Rotherham would likely upset the villagers if he shifted his focus toward anything else."

Daisuke cupped his chin, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. "That's a valid point. Despite their circumstances, the villagers are always working hard to make ends meet. They'd be pissed if their taxes went to supporting a group of people who've essentially given up on themselves."

"You're absolutely right," Lord Chadrick agreed, nodding firmly. "I knew for certain that offering aid could easily spark civil unrest. And so, Haxks, I'm deeply grateful that you were the one to inspire the people of the slums to become productive once again."

Daisuke and Elysia followed the man's warm gaze as he spoke. The unfortunate folk who had once been emaciated and bound by despair were now engaged in pleasant conversations as they happily toiled away in the fields.

Children, once deprived of energy and burdened with ashen eyes, now sang and played, their laughter ringing through the air. Nearby, those with a passion for cooking were enthusiastically preparing a vegetable stew with ingredients harvested from their own labor, the aroma wafting invitingly. It was a scene that felt almost surreal.

According to the lord, who regarded the people—both humans and demihumans alike—as if they were his very own children, Dusthaven was on the cusp of a monumental change. After personally witnessing the renewed drive and ambition of the slum folk, he boldly suggested that the local merchants did business with them.

Old grudges gradually gave way to the promise of profits and prosperity when the shopkeepers bore witness to the impressive quality of the crops that had been blessed by the presence of the Aquessence.

After hosting a vote that ended favorably, the lord and the committee board initiated plans to build new houses, gradually transitioning the people of the slums into proper residential communities.

Now the slums, once a symbol of despair and hatred, would be transformed into fertile land for agriculture, expanding the thriving farms that had already taken root.

This new industry promised to create more job opportunities in the village, and the exceptional quality of the crops had already begun attracting foreign merchants.

Slowly but surely, the small village was taking the necessary steps toward becoming a thriving town. As word spread far and wide, it would only be a matter of time before foreigners, drawn by the village's growing reputation, started moving in. Their diverse skill sets would bring the development Dusthaven desperately needed, accelerating its transformation into a prosperous community.

"And it was your persistence to make a difference that sparked this monumental change in the community," Elysia said with admiration in her voice.

Lord Chadrick nodded in agreement, his guards sharing his approving smile. "Haxks… won't you consider staying in Dusthaven and becoming my personal attendant?"