Peaceful Life System: I only need to live peacefully-Chapter 78: Discussing troubles

"Lila.."

Riku and Elara turned towards Lila, who had her eyebrows furrowed and a frown on her face. She seemed very uncomfortable and was talking in her sleep. freewebnøvel.coɱ

Immediately, Riku started caressing Lila’s forehead and whispered into her ear.

"I am not leaving you. I will never leave you unless you want me to."

As if acknowledging Riku’s soft and gentle whisperings, Lila’s eyebrows slowly loosened, and her face turned peaceful again.

"That’s more like the Lila I know," Riku said happily as he saw Lila’s expression soften.

"Did something happen, Riku? Are the two of you hiding something from me?" Elara glanced at Riku suspiciously.

"Nothing, nothing at all..." Riku immediately denied.

-----------------------

Riku watched Lila sleep for a few more moments, the events of the previous day still weighing heavily on him. He knew he couldn’t afford to let his emotions, or the Grand Maximus persona, take control again. But to help, to act, he needed resources.

I need to earn goodwill points, Riku mused, moving back into the common room of The Dusty Mug, his gaze falling on his internal system panel which displayed a pitiful 12 goodwill points. Soon, I’ll be unable to cast even basic spells if I can’t gain any more.

Leaving the inn now, with Lila still recovering and the Vestarch’s men potentially still sniffing around Luxia, felt unwise. He needed a plan, something he could initiate from here, something that could help many and earn significant goodwill.

His thoughts turned to the Underbelly, to Elder Borin and his people. They were suffering, and they would be grateful for any help.

Let me contact Elder Borin, Riku decided.

System, cast ’A Companion’s Call’ on Elder Borin from the Underbelly.

Message: Urgent discussion. Please come to The Dusty Mug on the surface. From Riku.’

Ding!

[Spell Confirmed: ’Companion’s Call’ (Short Range, Known Acquaintance).

Allows for a mental summons to a willing individual who has previously established a rapport with the Host. Cost: 2 Goodwill Points.]

[Message Delivered. Goodwill Points: 12 - 2 = 10 Remaining.]

Riku sat down at the rickety table, waiting for Borin. Elara was inside the back room, keeping an eye on Lila, and the innkeepers had gone out to purchase groceries.

Less than an hour later, there was a discreet series of taps on the front door. Riku opened it to find Elder Borin, his expression a mixture of surprise and concern. "Master Riku! I received your... call. Was it really you? Well, I guess it must be since you are here. But that call really did surprise me quite a bit."

"Yes, it was me. I am sorry for disturbing your afternoon."

"Ah.. what are you saying.. As I had said before, my people and I are always there for you. You only need to ask." Borin spoke with a hand on his chest.

"Well, get in first. I do have some matters on which I want your opinion." Quickly, Riku ushered him in.

Once Borin was seated, Riku began, "Elder Borin, I was hoping you could tell me more about the situation in the Underbelly. What are the biggest challenges your people face? How have things been over the years?"

Borin sighed, a deep, weary sound that seemed to carry the weight of generations.

"Ah, Master Riku, where to begin?" He looked around the small, dim room as if the shadows themselves held stories.

"Time was... time was different. Luxia was younger, more vibrant. Adventurers flocked here, seeking fortune in the mountains and ruins beyond. And we Dwarves," a faint spark of pride lit his old eyes, "we thrived."

"Our forges burned bright, crafting the finest steel and enchantments that all adventurers sought after. Our breweries overflowed with the best ale this side of the Dragon’s Tooth Mountains. The Half-Orcs, strong and diligent, found honest, hard work rebuilding the city’s outer walls after the Ember Wars. Times were much better."

He paused, the spark dimming. "But times changed, Master Riku. The adventurers became fewer and fewer, until all of them disappeared one day, never to come back. Then, the famine came."

"We still had significant amounts of wealth, so we donated our money to the Church of Light so that it could be used for all the people. All we wanted was a safe place to stay and a community to be a part of."

"However, soon we realized that this famine was here to stay. Resources kept getting scarcer and scarcer. Our kind, not owning any land to farm, became the poorest. No one wanted our weapons, as there were no more wars. Wine became a luxury, and soon commoners could no longer afford our wine due to the extreme scarcity of fruit."

"We had nothing. Now, the only means of survival we have is by doing odd jobs in the city, but the income is meager. We sold all our houses on the surface and moved into the Underbelly to save on rent and other costs, but even surviving there is becoming a challenge."

He shook his head slowly. "Discrimination, poverty, the lack of opportunity... these are old wounds, Master Riku, wounds we’ve learned to live with, more or less. But now... now there is this new affliction, this Crimson Creep. That is the fear that truly gnaws at us, the one that steals what little hope we have left."

Riku kept listening to Borin without interrupting him. If he really wanted to help the people in the Underbelly, then it would be best to send them to Elowen. The people of Elowen were kind, and he would be able to help them better there.

However, Riku did not want to leave Luxia or return to Elowen without solving the Creep. He had a hunch that the entire world would change completely if he went back to Elowen to enjoy his peaceful life.

"So, the most important thing right now would be the Creep, right?" Riku asked, summarizing his understanding.

Borin nodded grimly. "Aye, Master Riku. Your healing brought much relief, so their condition is better now. However, the sickness lingers, and the fear of it... it saps the spirit even from the healthy."

"Yes, I did heal them. However, this is temporary. I do not know for sure, but the disease could relapse at any moment. Plus, if we do not cure this from the roots, then more and more people will catch it in the future."

"My earlier tests of the Sunpetal Draught that the Church provides also showed it is little more than a temporary stimulant," Riku continued. "It doesn’t fight the Creep. What if I offered a better alternative? Not a cure, not yet. But a more effective relief. Something that can be distributed widely and temporarily suppress the effects of the Creep at a cheaper cost."

"What do you think of something like this as a business idea?"

Borin’s eyes widened.

"That...would probably be the most lucrative business you could run in the city today."