Chapter 34: Kalan
Illya had gone out and only returned after half a day.
“The Highland Tribe has already started digging the foundation. Do you want to go take a look?”
Chu Feng shook his head. “No need. I found someone else.”
He thought to himself: I’m at least a respectable traveling merchant now—no need to do everything personally.
Illya asked curiously, “Who? You’re already able to do business with the villagers on your own?” The villagers’ acceptance of Chu Feng, a human, was far greater than he had expected.
Chu Feng smiled. “He said his name is Kalan. He originally came looking for you, but when he came to me and saw the blueprint I had, he got really interested and volunteered to help. As long as I gave him the blueprint, he said he’d help build the castle.”
Chu Feng deeply felt that the folks here were honest and down-to-earth—he could settle things with just a bit of salt, and now even a blueprint was enough to hire help.
When Kalan saw that blueprint, his eyes practically turned green, like he was staring at some sacred scripture.
Chu Feng figured he shouldn’t have the guy working for free forever, so he offered a wage of twenty pieces of candy per day.
“Oh, him? Kalan loves designing all kinds of different houses. Many buildings in the village were designed by him. But some of his designs are so fantastical, they can’t even be built,” Illya said.
Chu Feng: …So he’s a master architect? This village sure has a lot of hidden talent!
“You’re okay with giving him the blueprint? I thought it was meant for Chui Shi?”
Chu Feng waved it off. “It’s fine. I’ll just bring a few extra copies next time.”
Illya nodded. “That works.”
Chu Feng stretched a bit, looking lively. “That potion your shaman made is really something!”
He felt more energized, and even his physical strength seemed to have improved a bit. If one bowl could do that, a few more might make him stronger than a professional weightlifter.
Illya nodded seriously. “The shaman is very powerful.”
Chu Feng looked at the shine in Illya’s eyes and thought: Illya’s totally a fanboy of the shaman. He lights up every time he mentions him. But to be fair, Shaman Qiu Luo didn’t seem like an ordinary person at all.
Chu Feng glanced at the box of candy. “It’s disappearing pretty fast.”
He had thought the whole box would last for ages, but with so many people, a third of it was already gone in just a couple of days.
Illya looked at him and said, “You don’t have to be so generous every time. You’re going to spoil all the village kids. And didn’t you say eating too much candy makes you dumb?”
“It’s not just the kids eating it.” Yesterday, a little bear cub told him that his dad stole the candy he brought home and even told him not to mention it.
Chu Feng thought to himself: Candy isn’t just for kids—adults love it too. Some adults just couldn’t bring themselves to deal with a human like him directly, so they tricked candy out of their kids. Shameless!
Illya nodded. “That’s true.”
He had seen some adults eating candy too—probably begged it off their own children.
*
Illya looked at Chu Feng and hesitated. “Is it almost time?”
Chu Feng nodded. “Yeah.”
Illya let out a breath and said reluctantly, “You’re leaving already, huh?”
Chu Feng looked at him. “It won’t be long before I’m back. Do you want me to bring you anything?”
Illya shook his head. “I… don’t really want anything.”
Chu Feng nodded. “Then just let me know next time if something comes to mind. For now, let’s sort out the wood carvings.”
Illya nodded. “Okay. Quite a few people brought over carvings recently.”
Chu Feng nodded. “I saw.”
Many people had been going to visit Duvean lately, and quite a few were secretly learning wood carving. Maybe he was about to spark a wood carving trend in this village.
“I picked out the nice ones to keep and rejected the rest.”
Chu Feng nodded. “Selective rejection is smart.”
If they accepted everything, there’d be no room left in Illya’s small house.
The two packed up all the carvings, just in time for Chu Feng’s departure.
Chu Feng looked at Illya. “As for what’s left in the box, you handle it while I’m gone.”
Illya nodded. “Got it.”
