9 Reignited ambition

Garnt told them everything that happened to his mother, Gundo. His eyes, still wide with the memory of the two wolves that had ambushed him during his hunt, held a mixture of fear and determination. Gundo listened intently, her gentle presence offering solace as her son's words flowed like a torrent.

"...And then, as I reached the rabbit, two massive wolves leapt out from the shadows," Garnt's voice wavered slightly, the vivid images of the attack replaying in his mind.

Gundo's gaze remained steady, her expression a blend of concern and pride. "You did well to defend yourself, Garnt. Facing such danger and coming back unscathed speaks volumes about your courage and talent."

Garnt's eyes flickered with guilt, his head bowed slightly. "I know, Mother, but I promised you I'd stay away from dangerous situations. I shouldn't have let my stupidity get the best of me."

Gundo smiled warmly and reached out to pat his head affectionately. "Keeping promises is important, my dear, but sometimes life has a way of throwing challenges our way. In such moments, survival and learning from the experience matters more than anything else."

[What an intelligent woman for a primitive period! You should learn from her, you little idiot]

Eva shouted inside Garnt's mind impressed by Gundo's actions and words.

Garnt felt a surge of gratitude at his mother's understanding. Her words were a medicine to his wounded sense of responsibility. However, as he glanced at their dwindling food supplies, a new concern gnawed at him.

"Mother, our food is running out," he said, his voice tinged with worry. "I want to go hunting again, but my hand still feels numb from the encounter. I'm not sure I'm ready."

Gundo's eyes softened, her maternal instinct kicking in. She gently placed her hand on Garnt's trembling one. "Garnt, you've been through a lot. It's natural to feel shaken after such an incident. Your well-being comes first. I'll go and gather some fruits for us. You shouldn't go out until you're fully recovered."

Garnt's heart swelled with affection for his mother. He knew she was right; he needed time to heal both physically and emotionally. "But Mother, what if you encounter danger out there?"

Gundo's smile held a mixture of determination and reassurance. "I won't go far, my dear. I couldn't bear to leave you alone, especially when you're not feeling your best. We'll stay together and solve this situation."

Looking at Garnt's current state Gundo knew, she had been far too weak with her skills and she started to realize how much she had given up after eloping with that man. But now her interest in her ambitions started to reignite with a new vigour as she started to have a genuine interest in medicine.

"I'm not physically strong, but I can be his safe place that he can always return after a hard day of hunting," She was thinking about genuinely helping Garnt, while he was busy with his worries.

Even though she promised, after seeing those wolves, Garnt was hesitant to let her go so he decided to ask help from his most useful and kind helper, Eva.

[*Sigh, without me, you will be helpless, I guess I will help you. You have some points remaining after crushing some insects on your way to the hunting area, use them and buy these energy bars. You can buy five at maximum in one day so try two for now.]

Trade & Transactions

Food: Energy bars (50)

Clothing: Locked

Entertainment: Locked

Shelter: Locked

Medicine: Locked

Weaponry: Locked

Suddenly a screen popped out as soon as she said those words, and Garnt did exactly what she asked and bought two of the energy bars but he had no idea what would happen. He waited for something to happen but then he felt his hand suddenly getting heavy. As soon as he looked at his left arm, he was surprised to see two brown colour looking sticks on it, which almost confused Garnt.

"How? I don't understand-" Garnt was lost, as this was the most absurd thing that happened to him after encountering Eva.

[Don't worry about simple stuff. Give one to your mother and eat the other one, make sure to tell it is a gift from a higher being that was impressed by your bravery.]

His mother, sensing his confusion, looked at the energy bars in his hand and then back at him. "What's going on, Garnt? Why do you have those... sticks on your arm?"

Garnt smiled warmly, trying to hide his own confusion. "It's a gift, Mom. A gift from a higher being who was impressed by my bravery."

His mother's eyes widened in surprise and curiosity. "A higher being? What are you talking about?"

"Just take it, Mom," Garnt insisted gently. "And eat it. You'll understand once you try it."

His mother reluctantly took the energy bar from his hand, looking at it with a mix of wonder and skepticism. She thanked him, still puzzled but intrigued by his mysterious explanation.

Garnt and his mother sat close to each other almost touching each other's shoulders. Each of them held an energy bar in their hands, both revealing their hard and grainy appearance.

"Here I go," They exchanged and glances closed their eyes thinking it was going to taste horrible before taking simultaneous bites.

But as they chewed, their expressions transformed from skepticism to sheer amazement. Their eyes widened, and their faces lit up with surprise and delight.

"Oh my!" Garnt's mother exclaimed, her voice filled with astonishment. "This is incredible! Where on earth did you get this, Garnt? This is a taste I never felt before,"

Garnt couldn't help but smile, his own amazement mirrored in his mother's reaction. "It's a gift, Mom. Remember, from that higher being that helped us?"

His mother's skepticism wavered, replaced by a sense of gratitude. "Well, I don't know who this higher being is, but I can't thank them enough for this wonderful treat. It's like Mother Nature is looking out for you."

They continued to savour the energy bars, their initial confusion and skepticism replaced by a shared sense of wonder and appreciation. The taste was unlike anything they had experienced before, a perfect blend of flavours that seemed almost magical.

"Truly, Garnt, if this is what a higher being's gift tastes like, I'd welcome their presence any day," Garnt's mother remarked, a playful twinkle in her eyes.

[Normally these things come in wrappers, but when the exchange happened the wrapper got vaporized, I guess that is fair since the price is only for the food. But still, to be impressed by a single energy bar is too much like giving sweets to babies]

Eva thought as she kept looking at the adult woman and genuine kid enjoying their treat and decided to plan her next step.

[Yes, he needs more allies, especially in this day and age where he can't survive alone, but all of them should be loyal to him, not this mother or anyone else, I guess it's time to embark on a quest to find potential allies.]