Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 488: Chapter 286: Pocket Money from Grandfather

Hill stood to the side, watching as Aurelio quickly jotted down the locations of mining areas. After that, he devoted the rest of his descriptions to detailing what could be eaten in those places and why the food was delicious.

He even noted which mountain range had chicken with a firmer texture and better chew, and which one had melt-in-your-mouth chicken.

And that was just the chicken. He didn’t even bother mentioning the other magical beast meats.

Luckily, he included the flavors of various mountain fruits; otherwise, Hill would’ve thought the bears of this world had turned from omnivores to carnivores.

Hill flipped through his rings. William had created several versions of the map, so Hill usually bought a few to compare what changes William had made.

He pulled out one map, marked in several places around the Half-Elf Kingdom and Merkel’s territory, intending to replicate the one in Aurelio’s hand.

He could be sure Aurelio wouldn’t return it. That bear had been sneakily watching Hill, ensuring he had a spare, with its short tail practically wagging like a windmill.

”These maps are from the Temple of Time and Space, so they should be pretty safe,” Hill told Aurelio. ”Remember to have the clan leader check them when you go back.”

”Got it! The temple folks already spoke with the clan leader. Outside of the stars, he’s the only deity daring enough to venture into the starry turbulence. The clan leader said he’s a good person.” Aurelio, seeing Hill had clearly given up on the map in his hand, happily rolled on the ground.

”Let me know when you’re done, so I can make a copy,” Hill said with a helpless smile. ”First, put away the cedar saplings. Don’t get so focused on the map that you forget them.”

Aurelio scrambled to his feet. His main task this time out was to bring back the cedar saplings, and the clan leader had assured him Hill would prepare a good amount.

After a half-day of bustling around, Hill and Aurelio finally transferred all the cedar saplings: ”These should be good for planting for a while.”

”They’ll last about three years,” Aurelio concluded after counting on his bear claws. ”I’ll come out again in three years. By then, I might even be able to plant them myself!”

He tilted his head, looking at Hill: ”Wouldn’t it be great if you could come? Even if you ran out of crystal stones, you could always come out and trade.”

Hill sat down, leaning against the big bear: ”I have a feeling it’s soon. I don’t need to be powerful enough to venture into the deepest parts of the forest, just being where you are now would be enough.”

Aurelio suddenly realized: ”Oh yeah! You don’t need to reach the physical level of an Earth Bear demigod to get in, being on my level would be enough!

Grow up quickly! I hope I can come out and get you in three years!”

Hill leaned against Aurelio, watching him happily finish drawing the map.

Even though the next trip out might be three years away, for Aurelio, getting to eat delicious food was indeed a joy, but the revival of the Goddess of the Earth was his eternal pursuit.

So he was very cheerful and didn’t find the days at the world’s end particularly tough.

Seeing Hill complete the map, Aurelio didn’t hesitate to head back.

Hill stopped him: ”Rest for a day, leave tomorrow! Eat up the food I brought first, I can always restock.”

Aurelio hesitated for a moment before reluctantly giving in: ”I’ve hunted plenty of food; I can have the cooking puppet prepare it when I get back.”

”Take it with you then.” Hill was puzzled about why Aurelio was in such a hurry, ”Is something the matter?”

Hill unhesitatingly gave him a ring specifically for storing food. He could always make another one when he got back to give to Fran.

Although he was planning a long journey, he could still stop by home on the way.

However, Hill always thought his strange premonition meant he would be summoned by his ancestors and would return with the Earth Bear.

Could he be mistaken?

”The clan leader set a time for me when I set out; I calculated it carefully, and staying another day might make me late.” Aurelio tied the ring securely around his belly, using several tufts of fur to keep it in place.

Hill almost burst out laughing. So, Aurelio had been timing his merrymaking precisely, and then rushed straight over?

”Why not put it inside the cedar box?” Hill was a bit curious.

”That way, if I get hungry on the road, I can take it out and eat it right away,” Aurelio said seriously, ”Cedar trees would waste time.”

Hill blinked. Just how tight was Aurelio’s time?

Aurelio collected the food from the table, putting the table into the cedar box before stowing the relic fragment.

He turned to bid farewell to Hill: ”I have to go! Must hurry! I hope I can fetch you in three years.”

Hill watched as the usually sluggish bear moved with rare speed, completing everything in an instant, understanding what it meant that a bear wasn’t slow, just unwilling to hurry.

”I’ll do my best,” Hill said with a gentle smile, bidding farewell to Aurelio.

Watching the fluffy, massive bear rear disappear quickly, Hill stretched. He needed to find William in Kexlote.

Technically, Hill should have headed to Kexlote first, but he had a feeling this journey would be troublesome.

So he turned westward, towards Fran’s Magic Tower.

Mithril was extremely useful for star travel; whatever mineral components Aurelio had sniffed out should be shared with Fran first.

Though being an earth elementalist, Hill could also discern them, but he wasn’t as familiar with metal systems.

The Earth Bear actually possessed all three elements; they simply had no wood system inheritance. Perhaps they abandoned the wood system during evolution.

But from Aurelio’s words, Hill could understand that the Earth Bears could identify the effects, weaknesses, and even how to consume any plant they saw.

This was also a wood element ability, albeit only retaining its most basic support functions.

Fran greeted his grandson with much surprise.

He knew Hill wouldn’t disturb his preparations for a long journey without reason: ”What happened?”

Hill silently took out two large mithril stones and several smaller ones, then presented a star meteoric iron: ”Grandfather, bringing you some good stuff.”

Fran stared for a full minute, quite a rare display of astonishment for him.

”Where did you get these?”

”The bloodline of the Earth Bear provided them,” Hill replied quietly.

Fran glanced at Hill. It had to be either luck or someone else’s influence. If Hill didn’t want to say, it might mean the Earth Bear had come out and Hill didn’t want to reveal his whereabouts.

Though elves had given up their covetousness for the earth, they still couldn’t afford to be complacent.

Not interfering with this world didn’t mean they wouldn’t take action against the Earth Bear.

Fran couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head: ”I thought there was no hope when I saw the dwarves using large amounts of mithril for that Furnace Artifact! I only planned to use a bit at the core layer.

That fragment can be obtained by any legendary, and mithril is quite easy to recognize. The current market price hasn’t changed, but you never see it for sale.

It’s no longer a material you can buy with crystal stones, only to be traded for precious items.

I thought it wasn’t worth it.

Though it felt unfortunate, I had settled on alternatives.

I never imagined my most satisfactory design could still be realized!”

As for the star meteoric iron, Fran couldn’t possibly use it on an airship; he touched the colorful, black meteorite: ”You got your hands on this too!

This large piece could be used to forge a divine artifact embryo!”

Fran stood up and walked towards his treasure trove: ”Though you’re giving these as a grandson to his grandfather, as an elder, I won’t let a younger one give so much without return.”

He took out a small box: ”These things are demi-god artifact embryos I made while practicing. You can look through them slowly; use what you need, sell what you don’t.”

Then he tossed another ring: ”These are trial pieces made before crafting demi-god artifacts. Take them and have fun.”

Hill thought for a moment and decisively accepted them.

Fran wouldn’t just take his things for nothing, but for a long journey, he likely had already traded excess items for necessities.

Otherwise, Fran wouldn’t give him these things.

”Perfect timing; I need crystal stones. I’ll sell these legendary items.” Hill laughed, ”Great, I just ran out of money, and now I have more.”

Fran turned to glance at him: ”In a hurry to use it?”

”Not at all,” Hill replied. ”But I just spent it all, and having empty pockets feels strange.”

Fran observed Hill’s expression, feeling the child was being sincere; he probably just spent all his money.

That wasn’t too big of a deal. Fran knew that even with empty pockets, Hill could live comfortably for years with others.

Fran retrieved two more rings: ”These hold things from the Magister phase. Though there are a lot, they’re not very useful. Sell them to the Undead Tribe. They’ve got plenty of crystal stones.”

He knew only these items Hill could accept without hesitation. Anything else would make the boy uneasy.

After all, their fate had long been intertwined and indistinguishable.

Hill happily accepted the two rings.

Compared to auctioned crystal stones, these items sold faster.

”Grandfather, I’ll be off then,” Hill said briskly, ”Every minute is precious for you now. I hope when you leave this world, you’ll be perfectly prepared.”

”Where are you planning to go?” Fran understood Hill wasn’t going home first. ”At least cover that ring somewhat.”

”I’ll go home first, gather some things, and sell these Magister items.” Hill held up the ring cheerfully, ”I’ll keep it for a while. Right now, it’s absorbing external energy and can’t hide. Until it’s ready, I won’t go elsewhere.”

Fran nodded: ”You’ve had good luck, but too many valuable things can tempt even deities. Be careful.”

Hill obediently agreed.

His grandfather was wonderful, but if he felt someone wasn’t taking his advice seriously, he’d repeat it dozens of times.

Hill maintained an earnest face and quickly ran off.