Johnson glanced at the storage ring pushed towards him, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. Herbs were precious in Eldoria due to their use in alchemy, and Skyler claimed to have found some.
He picked up the ring, looking at Charles and Skyler, who were seated before him.
"Did you two find them in the crystal? Considering you are giving me the strong ring, I believe there are a lot of them. Maybe you two lucked out and found a cluster of them growing together in an area. How many are there? Five? Ten..."
His words trailed off as he peered into the storage ring and saw what it held. Instantly, a bead of sweat formed on his forehead, and he let out a weak laugh.
"Ah... haha..."
He, Skyler, and Charles were still seated at the dining table. Jenny had retreated to her room to sleep, and Riya, who was watching them from the kitchen with Riruru, inquired what had happened when she saw her husband wiping his forehead.
Johnson glanced at her.
"No, nothing dear."
Then, he stared at his son and Charles.
"How did you two find so many herbs? I can see different types, and there are more than 50. Some of them are even adept and epic tier, given the Evol they are emanating!"
Skyler perked up at his words. His eyes sparkled, already counting the start coins that were going to rain in. He gave Charles a grin and leaned toward his father.
"Dad, why do you think we spent so many days in that damn crystal where we lacked basic necessities like clothes, and the only thing we could eat was bland meat?"
He then turned his head toward Riruru.
Johnson’s eyes widened as he grasped what his son was implying.
"Oh... So, you two got Riruru’s help. How? Typically, monsters below 10-star lack the ability to understand us. Only beast tamers who have learned to interact with monsters can talk with them. Is Riruru an intelligent beast, capable of thought and speech?"
Skyler moved back with a sigh.
"No, she can’t speak or comprehend our language. However, I’m positive she’s very intelligent and can understand us. When we were in the crystal, she found a healing herb and gave it to me when she saw me tending to Charles who was injured. Then, I showed her a drawing of that herb, and she led us to more herbs. This indicates she’s capable of understanding and responding as long as she gets what’s being communicated."
Johnson nodded. It seems finding Riruru was the actual stroke of luck for the kids. She not only killed the dangerous villains but also helped them locate precious herbs.
"She’s from that crystal, so naturally she knew every nook and cranny of it. But how did a powerful elemental snake end up in a place teeming with spiders?"
Skyler shook his head. He didn’t know the answer to this question either, and it wasn’t like he could ask Riruru. She can’t speak.
"It’s a mystery. Maybe one day she will be able to speak. Then we will find out."
He glanced at Riruru with a smile.
Johnson narrowed his eyes, feeling something amiss with that infatuated smile. He frowned and shook his head.
’What am I thinking? She is a snake.’
He knocked on the table to get his son’s attention. After storing the herbs from his storage ring into his own, he returned it.
"These herbs will take some time to sell. Nowan City is too small, not many people here can afford them. I’ll send someone to auction them off outside the city to get the best price. If you two need star coins, you can get them from me until then."
Skyler gave him an okay sign.
"Dad, Charles and I are going to split the star coins earned from the herbs 50/50. Since you’re the one selling them, you can take your share from the total amount, as we have decided to be independent!"
Charles agreed with him. They had already discussed this. He was indebted to Skyler and didn’t want to be any more indebted.
Johnson chuckled. Sure, the words his son had just spoken weren’t his own. Skyler was shameless, he knew that. No way would he come up with the word ’independent’ on his own. It seemed he had found a good friend.
"No need, son. It’s the least I can do as a father. Besides, I won’t be able to help you once you’re at the academy."
He reached out to ruffle his hair.
"You are given a special pass to enter the academy without any tests. However, you still need to pay your fee. Unlike many other academies, students at Starlight Academy are required to earn and pay their own fees at the end of every year. No external help is allowed. So, you can be independent there."
Skyler’s eyes widened. What? Why hadn’t he been informed about this before? Does that mean the academy was going to work him and Charles to the bone?
"Fuc..."
He nearly cursed out loud, but his father’s stern eyes sealed his lips midway. Right, cursing wasn’t allowed in the house.
Johnson glanced at his watch.
"Look how late it is. You two should get some sleep. I will get you both new phones and transfer some star coins to you. After all, you need to do some shopping before you leave for the academy."
He glanced at Charles.
"I wil get you a storage ring as well."
Skyler stood up. A bit aggrieved at how he had to work hard to pay his own fees at the academy. He was starting to regret getting so hyped up for the academy.
Riruru climbed his arm, but suddenly he turned to his father, pointing at Charles.
"Wait, where will he sleep?"
Johnson glanced back at him.
"In your room, since Jenny is back."
"But there’s only one bed in my room! And it’s a single bed! How are we going to fit in?"
Riya placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of Johnson, then settled beside him.
"I have put extra bedding and blankets in your room. Sky, you should sleep on the floor tonight with Riruru."
Skyler’s let out a groan. How could he have forgotten this? Even when he was younger and brought friends home, his mom made him sleep on the floor because they only had three rooms in their apartment.
He stroked Riruru’s body.
"Come on, Riruru. Looks like we are both sleeping on the cold floor tonight."
He shot a pointed look at Charles, who shrugged with an innocent look. The two left, and Riya turned to Johnson.
"So, what did you find?"
He chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Darling, I know you heard everything we discussed. As for the result the artifact showed, well, it wasn’t very promising."
He placed a small, round device before her which was emanating Evol, and she leaned forward, seeing the number displayed on it.
"Just 5-star potential? How can this be? He’s already at the middle stage of 4-star."
Riya frowned slightly.
"This doesn’t add up."
Johnson smiled in response.
"Just let him be. Why are you worrying so much? We will know with time just how far he can go and what he can achieve."
Riya sighed and nodded.
"You are right..."
Simultaneously, in Skyler’s room, he was grumbling as he spread out the bedding on the floor to make a makeshift bed beside the bed for himself and Riruru. Charles watched him and suddenly spoke up.
"I can sleep on the floor if you want."
Skyler shuddered at his words.
"No! You don’t know Riya Ironhart. If she finds out about this, she’s going to grab her slipper and throw it at me! She hasn’t done this for the past two years, but that doesn’t mean she has lost her touch!"
Charles chuckled at Skyler’s words. Sitting on the bed, he surveyed his room, his gaze drifting over the numerous, poorly executed hand-drawn sketches adorning the walls.
"Did you draw all these?"
Skyler glanced around, a sheepish grin spreading across his face.
"Oh, I drew them back in school. I had this grand goal, you know, to become a master of runes, talismans, and inscriptions. I didn’t even know what they were back then, I just saw some people on TV drawing symbols and harnessing elemental power through them. It looked pretty cool."
Charles’s lips twitched. So, he wanted to become a master of three such difficult crafts at the same time?
Wow. Skyler’s ambitions were already so grand when he was just a schoolboy, and he didn’t even know what was happening in the outside world at that time.
Skyler turned off the lights with a yawn.
"Go to sleep. Finally, we’re sleeping in a good place instead of on the forest floor."
Charles nodded and covered himself with the blanket. He watched the room’s ceiling for a long time, wondering how long it had been since he lay on such a comfortable bed. He turned to Skyler, who had already fallen asleep hugging Riruru.
"Thank you for everything."