Angor was hoping that Papaya turned out to be a talent. In this case, he could simply ask Papaya to handle the bloodline problem of her people once she became a supernatural.
He believed that Papaya was completely up for this job, telling from how she loved her grandmother and those who followed her lead.
Delighted, Angor left the dining room and went to meet with the Krakok talents immediately.
Apart from Papaya, the Krakoks had one male and a female as their new talents. One of them was called Kudodo. As Angor remembered, this Krakok boy was the second one who vowed to follow his lead, immediately after Papaya knelt in front of all the other Krakoks.
Kudodo was basically a kind-looking young man with a smart mind.
The last talent was Lococo, a Krakok girl who was likely to become a Summoner. She was a timid soul who usually did not stand out among others. Even now, she was hiding behind Papaya and trembling a little while holding a tiny plush toy in her arms.
Angor slowly explained their new fate and the amazing yet dangerous adventures that awaited them in the wizarding world, as well as their mission to save their clan.
Kudodo seemed pretty hesitant and even unwilling upon hearing his job, but he still accepted it. However, Lococo was terrified from start to end and did not listen to Angor’s words.
Papaya looked as determined as ever. It seemed she already considered it her responsibility to provide a bright future to her followers.
“To set yourself truly free is the only reason you left the others and traveled with me,” Angor concluded. “Perhaps you have other dreams to go after. You can do that after we’re done solving the most important problem. Understand?”
“Yes!” said Papaya, while the other two only mumbled something uncertain.
When Angor asked for their response again, the three of them all did their best to answer, for they feared that Angor was getting annoyed.
Truth was, Angor was a bit unconfident about the other two Krakoks.
“Papaya, I have something to tell you later. Lococo and Kudodo shall go back first. When I’m done talking, I’ll take you all to get registered at Brute Cavern so that you become their apprentices.”
Angor watched the two Krakoks leave. He then spoke to Papaya, who seemed a little bit worried, “I don’t think I need to further explain the curse that lies within your bloodline. The question is, are you sure you’re fully willing to take this responsibility and help your people survive?”
Papaya nodded firmly. “Of course. It’s my job, and I’ll see through it till the end.”
Angor nodded when he almost sensed her determination.
“Good. Then I should tell you something else. Do NOT tell anyone what I’m about to tell you, or—”
He thought about threatening her with some kind of punishment, but in the end, he decided not to. “Never mind. I believe you’ll make the right choice after listening to me.”
While listening, Papaya’s look of determination was slowly replaced by fear.
“Sir-sir, was that-was that true?” Her voice was trembling.
“I have no reason to tell such a lie.”
Papaya stumbled a little and went down on her knees. Several tears dropped on her bright green skirt, which looked like saplings covered by morning dew.
Angor wasn’t surprised to see her reaction. Anyone would get frightened like this if they learned that their ancestors had been treated as “farm pigs” who provided their souls for someone to eat. Papaya was doing pretty well by not breaking down completely.
Their Grand Priest only told them that they had something in their bloodline, which had to be removed, but he did not explain what exactly.
And Angor decided to reveal the truth to Papaya.
The Grand Priest made the right choice by agreeing to Isabelle’s offer, who saved all Krakoks from extinction. Back then, the Grand Priest did not know that the price they had to pay would last forever and how terrible it was. That was until he had to watch over the Soul Genesis Garden in his extended life while watching the souls of his people being pulled into an abyss.
This was why he saw a chance when Angor came and requested that Angor helped some of his people out of this eternal trap.
Papaya looked up while still weeping. “M-my parents. Were they... made into these ‘Soul Orbs’ too?”
Angor replied with silence.
Papaya shook her head and revealed a bitter smile.
“If... if my granny passed away one day, will she...”
Angor nodded. “No matter how far you run, as long as the said problem is not removed, your souls will always return to the magic array under Hippocratee.”
Papaya looked down again, causing her long hair to cover her face.
“I, Papaya from Seedling Village, shall swear under the world’s consciousness and everything there is, that I WILL help my people escape their old fate! Should I stray from my mission, my body shall be claimed by the darkest abyss, and my soul will be put under an eternal curse!”
Angor was quite shocked to hear Papaya’s terrible swear. It was as if this innocuous young Krakok just grew strong, both body and mind. Instead of the singing girl he saw before, Angor began to notice the quality of a true heroine, like Nausica.
A woman who could not be impaired or defeated no matter what crisis came to her.
Angor took a moment to admire her great spirit before asking, “Do you hate your priest?”
Papaya sobbed several times as she considered the life they received from their Grand Priest.
“No, sir.”
Angor nodded and stopped the discussion here. He was quite satisfied to see how Papaya did not let emotions judge for her. This was an extremely important quality if she wished to become a wizard.
“Let’s go. We’ll head to the Tree Spirit Palace now. Clean up yourself a little and remember, don’t tell this to anybody else, for any reason.”
“Understand, sir!”
...
Angor handed three tiny, specially-crafted bone cards to the three Krakoks and left the place.
Tree Spirit told him something before he left, “There was Dodoro not long ago, and you found another three little friends to join our ranks so soon! How about you accept the recruitment mission for this year?”
As always, both wizards and apprentices in the organization would avoid getting involved in this job as much as they could.
The reward was fine, but it would usually take a lot of time, which made the payment not worthy. Besides, one could never be sure whether they could find enough talents to meet the quota. For this reason, as soon as it was time for this quest to show up, the questing hall would immediately see fewer people coming because nobody wanted to waste their precious time on it.
Sometimes, Rein Mute even had to personally ask wizards to undertake this quest since wizards had more time to spare compared to apprentices. However, his command could not prevent wizards from “slacking off” on the job by pretending to be sick, causing fights, making excuses, or even escaping into other planes.
Last year, it should be Wallace who took this job. When he tried shirking it in similar ways, Sunders decided to accept the quest instead since he was leaving Brute Cavern to search for Barbie’s Restaurant.
Tree Spirit was mostly joking when giving Angor the suggestion. However, after careful consideration, Angor decided to heed it.
Since Tree Spirit was here, Angor did not need to go all the way to the questing hall. When Tree Spirit returned his bone card to him, Angor saw his new mission already printed on it.
It required him to find at least six new talents for the organization.
Apart from the three Krakoks he brought here today as well as counting Dodoro in, he only had to find another two within two years.
As he planned, he was going to return to the Old Earth soon and travel to the Land of Revelation to look for Freud’s “Whelk of the Dreaming Coast” along the way. He believed he had enough time to look for new talents.