Development 2

Axel and his companions tidied up the moldy room a little. Since it was still early, they decided to go out and have a look around.

As they walked along the path, Axel wanted to greet the busy villagers, but everyone turned and left as soon as they saw them. An elderly woman carrying water alone also tried to avoid the strangers. But with her age and the heavy buckets weighing her down, her foot slipped. Just as she was about to fall, buckets and all, Axel teleported over and caught her. The two buckets swung off balance, however, and crashed to the ground, spilling water everywhere.

"Granny, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, m-my lord!" She hurriedly reached for the carrying pole, intending to fetch the water again. Axel quickly steadied her as she bent down. "Granny, tell me where to get the water. I'll carry it for you!" Before she could answer, he picked up the pole and secured the buckets.

"Oh, I couldn't! My lord, let me do it!" She reached for the pole on his shoulder. Feeling her slight tug, Axel tightened his grip and said firmly, "Granny, you fell because of us. If I made you fetch the water all over again, I'd be betraying my faith! Surely you wouldn't want me to let my god down?" His smiling face grew solemn, and the pole did not budge. The old woman dared not argue further.

"Then follow me, my lord!" She turned and silently led the way.

They followed her quietly to the well. Axel said nothing more, simply filled the buckets briskly and settled the pole lightly on his shoulder before following her home. The people they passed kept casting worried glances at the old woman. Axel and his companions could only lower their heads and pretend not to notice. They soon reached a low, dilapidated house. The old woman glanced back at them, walked silently to the entrance, and knocked softly.

"Grandma, you're back!" a young voice called cheerfully. A skinny child with short pink hair peeked out as he opened the battered wooden door. Xiao Zhi had meant to take his grandmother's hand as usual and help her inside after her hard work. But when he saw the strangers who had entered the village yesterday following her, he immediately ran in front of her. "You bad people! Don't bully Grandma!" He spread his arms, shielding her fiercely with his tiny body.

The old woman panicked. She dropped to her knees and hugged her darling grandson. "My lord, my lord, he's only a child!" Axel hurriedly waved his hand. "Granny, you don't need to do that! Please don't!"

Seeing Axel try to help her up with one hand while the water on his shoulder hampered him, Yui hurried over and gently raised the old woman to her feet. "Granny, please get up! We mean no harm!" she said kindly. Xiao Zhi was still glaring at them. Yui bent down, stroked his little head, and smiled. "What a brave boy, protecting your grandma when you're so young. But we're not bad people!"

Xiao Zhi glanced at his still-frightened grandmother, then at the pretty older girl smiling before him. "Are you really not bad people?" he asked quietly. "I heard the grown-ups say that ninja are really scary!"

Yui gently tapped his little nose. "But we're not ninja!"

"Then what are you?" Xiao Zhi asked curiously.

"We're Holy Light Clerics!" As she spoke, a sacred light shone from Yui's hand and drifted slowly toward Xiao Zhi. The old woman behind him turned pale with fright. She thought Yui was offended by his childish words and meant to attack her precious grandson. Realizing she could not reach him in time, she cried out in anguish, "No!" As the glow slowly enveloped Xiao Zhi, she closed her eyes in despair.

"Ah! It's so warm! I feel so good!" Hearing her grandson's familiar young voice, the old woman immediately opened her eyes and looked at him. His eyes were half closed in comfort, and his pale face was growing rosier by the moment. She hurriedly swept him into her arms, rubbing her aged, tear-streaked face against his little cheeks.

"Grandma, don't cry. I'm fine. I think they're good people!" Xiao Zhi gently wiped the tears from her face with his little hands as he comforted her.

The old woman nodded emotionally. "Yes, yes. As long as my darling grandson is all right. As long as you're all right!"

After a little while, she finally calmed down. Wiping away her tears, she stood up with Xiao Zhi in her arms. "Don't stand outside, all of you. Come in!" Seeing that she was no longer distant, Axel smiled happily. "Of course, Granny!" Yui and their two companions exchanged smiles as well.

Once inside, Axel emptied the water he had carried into her water jar. The old woman brought him a bowl of water. "Thank you for your hard work, child. Have some warm water!" Axel accepted it with a smile and drank in great gulps, then casually wiped his mouth with his hand. "Thank you, Granny! By the way, is it just you and Xiao Zhi living here?"

"Yes. Xiao Zhi's mother fell seriously ill and passed away. His father went to town on business last month, and we haven't heard from him since." The old woman let out a deep sigh.

Seeing her sorrowful expression, Axel knew he had asked the wrong question again. "Don't worry, Granny!" he hurriedly said. "We'll help you. If you ever need anything, just come to us!"

"Would that really be all right?" she asked with some hesitation.

"Of course it would! Granny, I know everyone's worried that we're ninja or bad people because we've come to the village. But we really aren't bad people! Please put in a good word for us with the other villagers!" Axel said, patting his chest.

Looking at his still-youthful face, the old woman smiled kindly. "All right, enough of that. Come have something to eat! It's almost noon. You must be hungry!"

There was only a plate of wild greens on the table. They held their bowls of thin porridge and ate in small mouthfuls. Seeing Xiao Zhi beside her, staring wide-eyed and repeatedly swallowing, Yui lowered her bowl and beckoned him over. The moment the pretty girl waved, he ran to her on his short little legs. "What is it?"

"Are you hungry?" Yui asked softly.

"You eat. I'm not hungry yet!" Xiao Zhi replied with a sweet smile. Then his stomach betrayed him with a string of growls.

"Oh, you!" Yui gently gathered him into her lap and stroked his little head. Then she opened the bag at her waist. "Here, I've got something tasty for you!" She took out some Holy Light Candy wrapped in waxed paper and offered it to him. This candy was an essential provision for Holy Light Clerics on long journeys. A single piece could fill the stomach, and it was rich in calories and nutrients.

Xiao Zhi looked curiously at what she was offering, then asked reluctantly, "If I eat it, will you have any left?" Touched by his thoughtfulness, Yui said tenderly, "Go on, eat! I have plenty!" She pulled a large handful from her bag.

Only after seeing how much she had left did Xiao Zhi feel at ease enough to eat it in one bite. "Ooh, it's so sweet! I'm so full. I haven't felt this full in ages!" He threw his arms around Yui and burst into tears. Heart aching, she patted his back. "Don't worry! You'll never go hungry again! The Holy Light will shine upon this place!"

Just then, Axel and the old woman came out. Seeing Xiao Zhi sobbing in Yui's arms, his grandmother walked over and asked worriedly, "Xiao Zhi, what's wrong?"

Hearing her call, Xiao Zhi immediately jumped from Yui's lap into his grandmother's arms. With tears in his eyes, he said, "Grandma, I'm so full! I haven't been this full in such a long time!"

"There, there. I'll make you something to eat in a little while!" Not quite understanding him, the old woman thought he was hungry and gently stroked his little head.

"No, Grandma, I'm not hungry. I said I'm really full! She gave me a piece of candy just now. It was so sweet, and after I ate it, I wasn't hungry anymore!" Only then did the old woman realize that these youngsters had not eaten with such relish because they were starving, but because they had not wanted to turn down her kindness.

Watching the grandmother and grandson, everyone at the table understood exactly how they felt. Hadn't they once lived the same way, never having enough to eat or knowing what tomorrow might bring?

After the meal, Axel and his companions got to work helping the old woman renovate her rundown house. Worried neighbors came by from time to time to check that she and Xiao Zhi were still safe.

When they saw that the strangers had not hurt the pair and were even helping repair their house, the suspicious villagers gradually relaxed. They no longer felt quite so wary of Axel and his companions. The clearest sign was that when the group went out to buy repair materials and asked for directions, people no longer avoided them.

The days passed, and soon Axel and his companions had been in the little village for nearly a week. The villagers had gone from guarding against them as though they were tigers to greeting them with smiles whenever they met. A great deal had happened along the way.

Ever since that day, the old woman had praised Axel and his companions to everyone she knew. At first, people did not believe her. Then one villager's wife fell gravely ill and seemed close to death. Remembering the old woman's repeated claims that Axel's group could treat illnesses, he finally gritted his teeth, called a few neighbors over, and wheeled his critically ill wife to their temporary lodgings. He dropped to his knees and refused to rise, begging Axel to save her no matter what.

It took considerable coaxing before Axel could help the villager to his feet. Then he gave Yui a meaningful look. Understanding at once, she walked over to the man's wife and swiftly used the Healing Technique. A glow enveloped the patient, and before everyone's eyes, her chalk-white face and blackened lips slowly returned to their normal color. When she gave a soft cough, the surrounding villagers gasped in astonishment, clasping their hands and praying for the gods' blessings.

Seeing everyone pray to different gods, Axel immediately stepped forward and called out, "I don't know which god you're praying to, but this is the power of the Holy Light! As long as you believe in the Holy Light, it will watch over all honest, kindhearted people. You can become like us, too! Do you understand? We were once just like you are now. Why can't your future be like our present? In this pitch-black land, only the Holy Light has brought us hope!"

From that day onward, the divine name of the Holy Light spread throughout the little village.

Looking at the still-gloomy sky and the villagers greeting him warmly along the road, Axel felt that the time was nearly right. It was time to build a basic church and light up this sky!

That evening, Axel sent his companions from door to door to invite the villagers to their temporary lodgings. As everyone gradually arrived, he quickly explained his purpose. He had expected only a few people to respond, but when the villagers heard that they wanted to build a church for the Holy Light, they seemed even happier than the Holy Light Clerics themselves. It was not that the villagers were overreacting. Everyone had seen what Axel and his companions had done since arriving: helping elderly villagers with heavy work, treating sick family members for a small fee, and even dealing with several vicious wild boars that had invaded the village fields. In truth, everyone had been afraid they would leave after resting for a few days, just as they had said upon arriving. Now that they heard the group intended to build a church and stay, they would have gladly worked for free, let alone for wages!