I JUST WANT A PEACEFUL LIFE

Hearing Mia's question, Angus and the others couldn't help but remember the incident one month ago. Since Draught decided to cover the matter, no one talked about it anymore.

"Let's get going. We should not make the old man wait for us." said Jade.

Soon, everyone arrives at the old man Draught's house. Unlike before, the house is already rebuilt in the same spot. However, there is no presence of Warton, who used to train in front of the house.

Suddenly a voice heard from inside the house, "Ohh.. You are quite early, Jade." said the old man Draught as he got out of the small house.

"You got quite a group here. An Ancient beast girl similar to Angus lover and you must be the girl with soul power that I heard off." said the old man Draught as he scrutinized Mia and Millie.

"Y-Yes, sir." replied the two girls.

After observing the two girls for a while, especially Millie, "Hmm… As expected of one of the most mysterious forces in the world. I can see you have a trace of soul power inside of you. But, I couldn't see through it." said Draught.

"Ehh.. Is Master Draught also able to use the soul power?" asked Millie.

"I could, but only in a limited way and will never be as proficient as you. Only a special person like you could use that power freely. Still, this is the first time I have met a person with soul power beside Soul Keeper." said Draught.

At this moment, everyone realizes someone is entering the small mountain they currently stand through their sharp perception.

'This mana signature.. Why is he here?' thought Angus.

"Old man, did you expect another guest?" said Jade.

"No, but just let it be. I know this person." said Draught.

After a while, a person in a disheveled appearance arrives in front of Jade's house. The person looks very miserable and also surprised to see Angus's group. Angus and Gilford immediately recognize the person.

"Vigo, why are you here?" asked Gilford.

"Ahh.. Master Gilford. This.." as Vigo couldn't respond appropriately to Gilford's question.

"Ohhh.. it seems some of you have already made acquaintance with Vigo." said Draught.

"M-Master Draught, I.. I am here for...." said Vigo.

Before Vigo finished his sentence, Draught made a stop gesture, "Before you continue, let me ask you something. Why now? You stubbornly refused my offer before." said Draught.

"I.. I don't have anything else." said Vigo while gritting his teeth and his fist.

"I see. So, you are saying that now you don't have anything else you decide to throw away your ideal. You do realize I am the one that killed your father." said Draught.

Hearing this, everyone knows that there is a deep relation between Draught and Vigo.

"I don't care about that heartless old man. M-Mother passed away a few months ago. I need to protect her remains." said Vigo.

"Hmm… I see then I have also changed my mind. I take back my offer and refuse you to become my disciple." said Draught.

"Ehh.. W-Why??" said Vigo.

"Did you know why I decided to offer you to become my disciple among other people?" said Draught.

Hearing the question, Vigo could only shake his head.

"Your skill, insight, creativity, and other qualities as crafters are just above average. However,  what I am genuinely interested in is your drive to create things.

"Your innovative way and boldness to create something. This is the most important quality as a master crafter." said Draught.

"However, look at you now. Not only do you lose your drive to create things. You even abandon your ideals and pride. You are nothing but an empty husk now. How could a person like you be able to create things?" asked Draught.

"I.. I.. But, I need to protect mother's.." said Vigo.

"Are you a necromancer?!!" said Draught, cutting Vigo's sentence.

"N-No." replied Vigo.

"Then, why care so much about the dead one? You are a living being. You should only care about the living one. Hell, even all the necromancers that I know care more about the living than their dead puppet." said Draught.

"So, tell me, Vigo. Do you want to keep living for the death or living for your life?" asked Draught.

"I.. I…" said Vigo as he remembered her mother's last sentence to keep living.

"I will keep living. So, please accept me as your disciple master." said Vigo while bowing his head.

Hearing and looking at the change in Vigo, Draught smiles a little bit.

"Good, However… I still refuse to take you as my disciple." said Draught.

"Eh.. EHHH!!" exclaimed Vigo.

"As I said, you lack the drive to create things. The Vigo I know is a pure driven person. Currently, your resolve may be back, but many things already taint you."

"You are not as pure as before. Your inner self and negative emotion will get in the way of crafting." said Draught.

"B-But… I…" said Vigo as he was speechless and began hopelessly hearing Draught's explanation.

"Kahahaha… You are not completely hopeless yet, young Vigo. Since many negative emotions already taint you, then continue and survive through it."

"See and feel the world. Find your drive after then come back here, and I shall see if you worthy become a disciple or not." said Draught.

"B-But… I am only an ordinary grade one combatant. I couldn't…"

"See.. Even now, you start to worry about things. Vigo, how long has it been since the last time you made a new item?" asked Draught.

"Emm.. It's been years." replied Vigo as he realized his current situation.

"But, your worry is also not wrong. You will never survive in this dimension with your pitiful strength. As someone that I was interested in before, I will give you an offer.

I am willing to give you support for you to survive during your journey, but there is a test." said Draught.

"A test?" said Vigo.

"Yes, it will be my loss if you somehow become worthless and not come back in the future despite my support. Therefore, I need to test you if you are still worthy enough to get my help." said Draught.

After being silent for a moment, "Alright, What's the test?" asked Vigo.

"All you need to do is create a suitable weapon for all of them besides Angus and Jade since both of them are special cases." said Draught.

"EHHH!!" exclaimed everyone.

"Master Draught, you don't need to." said Jayna.

"Yeah, we currently do not lack any weapons." said Mia.

"Enough… You may not lack a weapon, but you lack a suitable weapon and Vigo, you have time until the Endless Battlefield time end." said Draught.

"B-But… master Draught, I never tried to forge a weapon before, much less a suitable weapon. I also don't have any more resources." said Vigo.

"I don't care. My condition is you need to create a suitable weapon for them. As for how to do it, you need to think about it for yourself. This will be your resources." said Draught as he threw space storage to Vigo.

"Those are things I received as compensation from the elders not too long ago. Oh yeah, if you failed the test, you need to compensate for the resources you used even with your entire being." said Draught before looking at Jade.

"Alright, Jade. Let's test your sentient weapon. Angus, you also come too. I need to check your twin-blade artifact." said Draught while going inside the house, leaving everyone.

Angus and Jade couldn't help but follow the eccentric old man into the small house leaving everyone in the yard. Coming inside the house, Draught tapped one of the house walls and opened a portal to another location.

"Come, let's not waste any more time. We still have a lot of things to do." said Draught entering the portal.

Angus and Jade couldn't help but reluctantly follow Draught into the portal. While Angus and Jade follow Draught to another location, Jayna and the others couldn't help but look at Vigo, creating a silent, awkward situation.

Besides Anna, who was still playing with bubbles, the others didn't know what to say to Vigo.

"Alright, it seems you need to create a suitable weapon for us to pass master Draught's test. We are not heartless people and are willing to help you. So, if you need anything, just ask us." said Gilford, trying to break the awkward situation.

"Yeah, although I don't know much about weapons, you can count on us." said Millie.

"Well, as long as I can use the weapon. I don't mind helping a little bit." said Mia.

"Since Angus trusts your ability, I believe you could pass this test." said Jayna.

"Just create me a good axe and you should be okay." said Ilgor.

"Bubble.. *Pop* Bubble.. *Pop*" said Anna.

Hearing everyone's support, Vigo once again gets spirited and decides to do his best.

In the meantime, Angus, Jade, and Draught arrive inside a huge empty white room through the portal.

After Draught closes the portal, "Old man Draught, are you sure Vigo could pass your test?" asked Angus.

"If he retains a little bit of his previous drive in creating things like before, he could pass the test easily. But, with his current state of emotion, I think it will be hard for him to pass as one does not simply overcome your inner emotion." explained Draught.