Tian nodded confidently. "Yes, Uncle. I want my goat to have a companion, so it won't feel lonely."
The merchant chuckled. "Goodness, Tian. I can't believe it. Do you even know? The money you've saved is more than enough to buy a goat. A single goat only costs about 30 to 50 silver coins."
Tian looked a bit surprised. "Eh, so I already have enough money to buy a goat, Uncle?"
The merchant burst out laughing at Tian's innocent expression. "Not just enough, Tian. You have more than plenty. With the amount you've saved, you could buy several goats at once. You've been hunting all this time without even knowing the price of the goat you wanted. Oh dear, you really are something else."
Tian scratched his head, slightly blushing in embarrassment. "Oh, I see... Ahahaha. Then... was it all for nothing?"
The merchant smiled and shook his head. "Nothing is ever wasted, Tian. You've worked hard and learned a lot through it. Besides, with this much money, why not buy a few more goats? Or maybe save some of it. Or even better, give some to your family. I'm sure they could use it for daily necessities, right?"
Tian paused for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Yes, you're probably right, Uncle. I'll do that."
The merchant patted Tian's shoulder warmly. "Good. Just make sure to use your money wisely. Your family must be proud of your hard work."
Tian smiled in relief at the advice. "Okay, Uncle. Thank you for the advice."
But as he glanced toward the merchant's cart, he suddenly asked,
"By the way, Uncle, how are you going to carry this wild boar? Your cart doesn't look big enough. Also, I don't see the wild boar I hunted yesterday."
The merchant smiled. "Oh, I've already stored everything in here."
He took out an item from his cart.
"This is a magic bag that can store items up to a certain capacity. Mine can hold up to 5 cubic meters."
After finishing their conversation, Tian prepared to head home.
"Well then, I'll be going now, Uncle. I need to take care of my goat," he said while waving.
"Alright, Tian. Be careful on your way back, and don't forget to let me know if you get another hunt!" the merchant replied with a big smile.
"Okay, Uncle! See you again!" Tian waved back, then turned and walked away from the market. His steps were steady as he carried a large pouch of gold in his hand.
Tian felt deeply satisfied—not just because he had successfully sold his hunted boar, but also because he had learned something new and received good advice from his trusted merchant friend.
His goat was still safely tied beneath a large, shady tree. With a relieved smile, Tian untied the rope and then sat down to rest under the tree. The day was bright with the sun directly overhead, but beneath the thick foliage, the breeze was gentle and cool. Exhausted from his battle with the giant boar and the long journey to the market, Tian dozed off.
At David's carving workshop
"Hey! David! Thomas! Garlan!" called Roby as he entered, carrying a worn-out grain-cleaning machine.
David looked up from his work. "Oh, Roby? What brings you here?"
"I need your help. My grain cleaner's broken. The blades came off, and harvest season's just around the corner."
"You're right. The harvest is nearly here," David replied, walking over to the machine. "Let us take a look."
Thomas added with an amused grin, "I bet you're going to have a big harvest this year, huh Roby?"
Roby chuckled and nodded. "Looks like it. This year, my fields are safe from wild boars. Normally around this time, some would break in and ruin half my crops."
Garlan exclaimed, "Seriously? What changed this year?"
"All thanks to Tian," Roby said with confidence.
David, who had been inspecting the bottom of the machine, paused. "Tian? You mean... my son Tian?"
"Yes, David. Your son is amazing. These past few days, he's been seen hunting in the southern forest. Ever since then, the wild boar population that usually wrecks my wheat fields has dropped drastically. Maybe they're starting to feel threatened by Tian's presence. I almost couldn't believe it when I first heard…"
Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Tian's still just a kid, right?"
Roby nodded eagerly. "I'm sure. And he didn't just hunt normal boars—he took down the mother! A Giant Boar! A beast that weighs over two thousand kilos! And you know what's crazier? He carried the carcass all the way to the market by himself!"
Garlan nearly choked on his own saliva. "Oi, oi, you're kidding, right? That's as heavy as a fully loaded metal cart! Tian hasn't even had his coming-of-age ceremony, and you're telling me he hunted a beast like that?!"
David shook his head slowly, his face growing tense. "Impossible. Tian's only 13 years old… He's strong, yes, but what you're describing is… unbelievable."
"I didn't believe it at first either," Roby added quickly, "but I saw it myself! Fredrick saw it too. Even Old Man Edward and Damian witnessed it. At first, we thought it was a fight between a mother boar and a pack of Green Wolves… But then, out of the bushes, Tian appeared—carrying the boar's carcass like it was just a sack of wheat!"
David fell silent, his expression unreadable.
"But Tian never said anything to me… He never mentioned starting to hunt," David murmured.
—
Back in the grasslands, Tian was still fast asleep beneath the tree. The fatigue from battling the mother boar and hauling it all the way to the market had completely drained his energy.
Before he knew it, the sky had begun to turn orange.
"Huuaa… it's already evening! Mom's going to scold me again," Tian muttered as he woke up, sitting up weakly.
"I need to get home. Let's go, Embe!" he called to his goat.
"Embeee," the goat replied, as if it understood.
When Tian arrived in front of his house, he intended to quietly and calmly slip around to the back. However, just as he passed by the front door, it suddenly swung open wide, revealing his mother standing with her arms crossed. Her eyes radiated a sharp look full of disappointment and a hint of anger. Instinctively, Tian hid the pouch filled with gold coins behind his shirt.
"You're only getting home now, Tian?" Her voice was thick with disappointment. "Do you know how worried I was waiting for you? Why are you always this late?" Her tone rose, and Tian could only lower his head.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, Mom. But I accidentally fell asleep again in the meadow, that's why I'm late," Tian replied, trying to offer an excuse, avoiding his mother's gaze. He deliberately chose not to mention his hunting trip in the forest, deciding to lie to avoid making her even angrier.
His mother narrowed her eyes, clearly doubtful of Tian's explanation. "Fell asleep again? Haven't I always told you to come home before it gets too late, Tian?" She folded her arms across her chest, still not fully convinced. "You think I don't know why you're always late? You must be doing… dangerous things out there. You know how worried I get, right?"
Tian kept his head down, nervous and afraid of being found out for hunting. But after realizing she hadn't actually discovered the truth, he felt slightly relieved.