CHAOS BORN

Nero looked over at the boy tagging along while humming a whistle. He was tip-toeing as if walking in clouds.

The boy’s eyes darted over the various tents as if he couldn’t wait to poke his head into them.

Usually, the little tyrant would be ganging up with his cronies and patrolling around here, making it their mission to kick up a fuss or piss off the vendors. Nero knew how much the brat enjoyed creating trouble with his buddies. Yet he was restrained and didn’t seem all that down. 

“It seems like Uncle Carlos brought you something good.”

“Eh…,” the boy made a surprised face before continuing, “Big bro, how did you know that?”

“Please, it’s written all over your face.”

“Hehe,” the brat scratched his head in embarrassment, then immediately said as if he remembered something. “Congrats on landing a good Ascension path, Big bro.”

“Thanks. News travels fast, huh?”

Jacob only nodded before continuing, “Everyone knows it by now. Big bro, folks are saying you will be holing up yourself in those giant towers without seeing the light of the day like mages from the stories. Though Papa said you could make big money in the city without all that.”

“Huh, then walk faster. Let me also know how I can make big money.”

“Why should we walk when we can run?” The brat said that and took off immediately with a laugh.    

Nero kept a gentle pace and chased after him as if trying to outdo him.

There was nothing unusual in everyone knowing what path he had gained during the Ascension ceremony by now. 

It was designed that way, after all.

Nothing stopped the temple from conducting the ceremony behind closed doors or even providing more privacy for the people. But then things wouldn’t go their way, would it?

Imagine gaining a thief as a path. You can be some self-righteous dumbass with hardcore principles who decided never to carry out on your path, but how will you react when every time something gets lost or stolen fingers are pointed at you? What will you do when your spouse always doubts you because you gained a prostitute as a path, even if you never even thought of doing it? 

Gaining paths deemed unsavory by people and authority in the village was pretty much signing up for a miserable life. 

But fret not, once you are tired of getting shunned and shut down by the people, whenever you try to change the situation caused by things beyond your control, the Temple of Aphaia will step in graciously to lend you a hand. 

To guide and nurture you. 

That way, you can contribute to society and not be ashamed of yourself. Of course, only if you are willing. They can’t exactly force anyone, especially those who gain a path at a young age. They can’t lose their good guy’s image now for something so pesky. So they will wait magnanimously for you to understand that only at the Divine’s feet can you be accepted and given a chance to show your potential.

Classic bullshit.

When the Temple recruits you for being on a not-so-righteous path, you would be surely used for the shady stuff they can’t show in the light. But you will be brainwashed so much that you will believe you have become the dark knight for humanity who works in the shadows. 

Besides, you can advance paths without harming others in a genuine sense.

There are plenty of tombs of great Ascenders and old cities that were overrun by beast tides or buried under calamity weather. Since a thief is someone who seizes the property of someone else successfully, stealing these should advance you into a treasure hunter, tomb raider, or even a scavenger. All three had also the potential to help you work in a morally grey area without being an outright menace to others.

A thief who can see through the flaws in security to steal can also be used to reinforce them.

Anyone can use the same logic to advance and use their paths.

If he had no trust in Granny, Nero would have undergone the Ascension ceremony without being in the eyes of authority. Seer stone was hard to get since the Church of Argus monopolized them but there were still other methods albeit less accurate. For affinity, he would simply check it by trial and error with different Dao essences hands-on.

In his opinion, anyone with some influence should try to do this for their children. After all, the temple will only be willing to play the long game if your path is useful and tameable in their opinion. If your unlucky ass gained some of the vile ones like Heretic or Terrorist, they wouldn’t care about your age, background, or even consequence and will drag you by the collar to deal with you far away from prying eyes. 

He broke off his thoughts as Sharron’s house came into view. 

Jogging past the white fence, He saw Jacob standing at the doorway looking over at him. The boy in between his rushed breathing placed hands on his hips and raised his eyebrows as if gloating over him before rushing inside.

As he unfastened his footwear, from the inside Nero heard the brat announcing their arrival at the top of his lungs. 

“Well, well, look who is here? Haven’t you grown more since the last time I saw you? Can’t call you a little boy anymore, huh?”

Nero looked at the smiling man who stood at the doorway, welcoming him. His cheerful eyes and pleasant facial features, as he always remembers them, gave the man a kind and innocent look. His pot belly had gained a bit more prominence than last time, and Nero could pick out the faint smell of booze wafting over from him.

“Uncle Carlos, if you stayed more in the village like Mrs. Sharron, you would have seen how much I’ve grown.”

“Yeah, tell him that, Nero. This guy can’t even stay and watch his kid growing up. All he thinks about is work and money.” Sharron, who came from the kitchen, poked at him.

“Sheesh, come on you guys if I choose to take an off like other guys, how can I take the lead in my sales? I’m doing so good ‘cause I chose to stay less at home.”

“Yeah, keep thinking about your sales and money. One day when you pop in here, you will know you can’t out also call Jacob a little boy anymore.” She whined at him, not willing to let him off the hook.

Just when Carlos was about to appease her, Jacob came rushing, clutching his wrapped present brought for him. He gave Carlos and Sharron a quick hug, said goodbye to Nero and rushed off to see for his friends with a big grin on his face all in a minute.

All three of their eyes watched the boy running off in joy.

“Look at my boy hopping off in joy. The thing all my long years on the road taught me is that everything has a price. If the price for putting a roof over my family and keeping them happy is me staying less with them, I am more than willing to pay that.” Carlos said with a small smile on his face.

A small moment of silence started piling up at the doorway before Carlos broke it.

“Geez, look at me, making you stand outside on your big day and hear our family’s stupid problems. Come inside, Nero. I can’t afford to piss off the next famous alchemist.” 

Hearing her husband stepping aside and warmly welcoming him, Sharron immediately followed suit.

“Congrats on your Ascension path, Nero. Why don’t you guys take a seat? Let me get you both something to drink.” Sharron smiled at him, showing her pearly white teeth, before walking towards the kitchen.

“Honey, just a glass is enough for me.” Nero heard him say as he took the seat.

Carlos then bent down to pick something from under the table.

“Ta-da!, Can’t drink with my little boy around,” he said, showing off his bottle of booze.

Nero merely smiled at seeing his antics.

“Want some to celebrate your big day, young man?”

“Nah, Granny will beat me black and blue if she finds out.” He said, shaking his head.

“Whelp, she is right. Not something I would actively recommend making a hobby of.”

“I don’t remember you seeing drinking alcohol much, Uncle Carlos,” Nero asked in confusion.

“The other thing he recently picked over his long years on the road,” Sharron answered his question as she placed an empty glass in front of Carlos and passed on a drink to Nero.

“Hey, you can’t complain now. A man needs his drinks on the road to soothe lonely nights.” Carlos said as he poured a glass full of booze before slowly gulping it down.

Sharron tried to open her mouth to complain, but stopped halfway and said while rubbing her head. “You know what, Carlo? I’m gonna stop now. I can’t let you turn me into those wives who never stop whining because of their husbands.”

“Haha, don’t be mad now, honey. I have got good news to cheer you up.”

“Good news?”

“Yes, good news. Not one, but two,” Carlos said in the same tone as a vendor hawking their ware. He continued without missing a beat. “Your Carlo has successfully advanced his path from a peddler to a Merchant~, and because of that,” he stopped, adding dramatic pause, “our moving will happen within just six months!”

Hearing Carlos, he and Sharron took a second to fully register what he said before showering him in praises. Nero also felt Sharron’s eyes glancing at him when Carlos uttered the last line, but he didn’t respond, fearing he might give away something.

Basking in their admiration, Carlos explained slowly. “All my buddies from the trading association told me the process would be faster with my updated registration. It’s just a delay in paperwork holding us back. Once I go back to the city to set up a few more stuff for our shop and shell out some money, things can move faster. Even at the worst, we may have to only wait till the next Harvest festival.”

That means I have six more months with her. Nero said in his mind.

Sharron asked him a few questions about the money and their moving before withdrawing to bed, claiming she had a headache.

Nero sat in the hall facing the experienced trader who had just announced his advancement on his path.

“Would you find my company boring, Uncle Carlos?”

“Nope, the best drinking partner is the one who doesn’t drink,” Carlos said, snickering at his words.

For the next half an hour, they talked while seated, facing each other. Well, it was more like Carlos shared his tales on the road while Nero chimed in, occasionally asking questions and keeping the conversation going.

As time ticked away, the booze also slowly disappeared inside Carlos.

When the bottle was half finished, he capped it and started playing with his glass, twirling it gently on the table.

Nero had long realized he had something to say and had yet to say why he was called over.

Ultimately, Nero decided to ask what he had in his mind.

“Uncle Carlos, since you have advanced your path, will you try to awaken?”

Carlos’ hearing seemed a little surprised, but he soon gave a low laugh in defeat and shook his head.

“In a year I will be hitting forty. I’m too old to walk down the path to be an Ascender. If I were the same blood-boiling youth who rushed to the unknown with my old man’s broken cart and ailing botaur, I would have said yes without even thinking. However, right now,” He let out a deep sigh before continuing, “I have family.”

Seeing Nero silent, Carlos pointed out further.

“That changes you, Nero. When everything you do has a consequence of starving two more stomachs, you will develop responsibility for your actions and caution becomes a habit. If my little boy had grown up enough to stand on his feet, I would have maybe taken the risk. But now,” he paused for a few seconds before continuing again, “I can’t afford nor have the guts to throw everything at Sharron’s shoulders to take the chance.”

“I can understand Uncle Carlos. Different people want different things in life and I think there is no exact correct way of life. As long as we don’t hurt others, I see no harm in pursuing things different from what others see as a goal. If you think living for your family gets you going, you shouldn’t care what others say. I am sorry if my question offended you.”

“Wha-No it’s ok. You didn’t have to apologize for that. And yes, you are right. I have chosen to live by giving it all to my family. That’s why… I want your help. It’s for my son. I learned that Granny Orias can issue a recommendation for the academy. Can you put a word for my son?”

Ah, it’s just this. And here I thought it was going to be something serious, seeing him being all uptight.

What should I say now? Should I tell your wife just sold her ass yesterday for the same thing?

No, that would be too cruel to the poor guy, right?

Besides, Sharron had also made me agree to the same thing. So I was going to do it, anyway.

Carlos, on seeing Nero being silent, threw out his offer.

“Just between us, Nero. No one had to know. I am willing to pay any price for it. All you have to do is just request her. I can assure you I have the means of getting your foot inside an Alchemist path.”

OK, now he is talking. There is no reason for me to reject any pie falling on my lap. Is there?

“Uncle Carlos, Jacob is just like my little brother. If you asked, I would have done it, anyway. Why would I need something as a reward?”

“Haha, since you see him as a little brother, isn’t it only fair for me to treat his big brother kindly in return? Don’t be shy. You can rightfully say what you want for a reward.” Carlos said gently, seemingly as if he was not the person who just finished a half bottle of booze and had been acting slightly tipsy a moment before.

“No, no, Uncle Carlos would only think I am weird for asking this,” Nero shook his head and said as if not he was not confident.

“Come on, Nero, is that how you think of me? In my long years on the road, I have traveled far and wide, seen and experienced enough to be open-minded. You can trust me. I will be the last person who might judge you for being weird.”

“Then there is something I want you to help me get my hands on.”

“Alright, Don’t worry. I will use everything I have and fight tooth and nail to get it. Just name the thing.”

“It’s simple. I want you to help me get—”

“Yes?”

“Aphrodisiac.”