Chapter 37: Returning the Book
"I'm sorry. I fell asleep in the bathroom and didn't notice the time." Fredrinn apologetically stared at everyone.
"By the way, have you guys had lunch?" He asked.
Olivia shook her head. "How could we eat without you, my lord?" Her voice carried a trace of resentment. If it was before, she wouldn't dare speak like this to him. However, she was no longer afraid of him because she felt that Fredrinn had become gentle and kind.
"Then I'll go and get us some food. You guys wait here." He sent Cain a glance before he left the room in haste. Meanwhile, Cain followed right after him without saying a word.
"He is a lot different than the man that he used to be." Alice couldn't help but comment.
"Mn…" Olivia nodded in agreement.
Not long later, Fredrinn and Cain returned with a group of servants pushing tray carts filled with all sorts of dishes.
The group had a feast for lunch and they had grown a lot closer after that meal.
"Are you leaving now, my lord?" Alice asked.
Fredrinn nodded. "My mother would be worried if we're gone for too long. I also need to deal with the Snake Gang."
"I see. Then I will see you out."
Fredrinn didn't reject her offer. He thought about giving her the Ice Revolution Divine Method but decided to keep it for the time being.
They bid farewell to Judith before they left the Eastern Sky Tower via hired carriage.
Inside the carriage, Olivia was meditating while using the breathing method of the Mystic Heaven Refining Canon. She had only cultivated for a few days, but she had already stepped into the 3rd Layer of the Body Refining stage. The speed of her growth made Fredrinn realize how big of a gap there was between those with excellent-grade spirit roots and those with lower-ranked spirit roots.
Not long later, Olivia opened her eyes. "My lord, I broke through again!" She exclaimed in joy.
"Good job." Fredrinn smiled and praised her. In just four days, her cultivation had advanced by four layers! It was unthinkable!
Olivia grinned upon hearing his praise. "I thought cultivation was difficult. It's actually pretty easy." She muttered.
Fredrinn's face twitched when he heard this. He didn't even bother to correct her skewed logic.
By the time they arrived at the estate, the sky was already dark.
The carriage driver who had brought them home looked worried when he looked back at the dark path.
Fredrinn noticed his expression when they got down the carriage. "You can stay here for the night or I can also have our men accompany you on your way back. Which one do you choose?"
The carriage driver was taken aback. He didn't expect that Fredrinn Firecrown would offer him this. "My family is still waiting for me back home, my lord. I can only ask that you send someone to accompany me on the way back." He was a bit nervous when he said this. He was worried that Fredrinn Firecrown would fly into rage and order his men to kill him.
To his amazement, Fredrinn agreed. "Alright. Thank you for bringing us back safely. Take this." He tossed a small sack to the carriage driver.
The carriage driver caught the sack and took a peek inside. His eyes widened when he saw the shiny coins. 'There should be at least five hundred star coins here based on the weight!' This was worth two months of his salary!
"Thank you, my lord! Thank you, very much!" The man cried tears of gratitude.
Fredrinn waved his hand and walked away as he said. "Stay here and wait for our soldiers."
Looking at Fredrinn's back, the man bowed for a long time.
This was only a minor thing to Fredrinn, but he didn't know that it was because of this small act of goodwill that the people's perception of him began to change.
***
The next day, Fredrinn and Olivia headed to the family library to return the book they borrowed.
"Good morning, my lord!" The guard greeted with his head lowered.
"Good morning." Fredrinn returned the greeting.
Some disciples and martial practitioners of the family also greeted him. He responded to their greeting one by one.
Most of the disciples were still afraid of him, but it was already a good start.
"Sir, we're here to return the book," Fredrinn called out to the old librarian. The old man was cleaning the shelves so his hunched back was facing Fredrinn.
"Wait. I'm almost done." The old man said without looking book.
Fredrinn patiently waited.
By the time the old man was done with cleaning, more than five minutes had already passed. "So it's you." He was taken aback when he found out that it was Fredrinn. It was then that he noticed something peculiar. 'Hm? Does he have an item that conceals his cultivation? Smart.'
"Here's the book, sir." Fredrinn handed him the book.
When the old librarian grabbed the book, it suddenly lit up.
Seeing this, Fredrinn raised his eyebrows in shock. 'Did he just use spiritual perception to see if the book was damaged?'
Spiritual perception was an innate skill that only martial practitioners in the Nascent Soul realm could use.
'No wonder my father always reminded me to be respectful of this old man.' He finally discovered the power of the old librarian.
"Just press your thumb here." The old librarian handed him the book return form.
Fredrinn complied and pressed his thumb on the paper.
"Alright. You may leave." The old man waved his hand and shooed them away as if they were flies.
Fredrinn could only chuckle helplessly. Only this old man would dare to treat him like this. "Let's go, Olivia."
"My lord, I don't like that old man," Olivia whispered with an annoyed look.
Fredrinn sweated bullets when he heard her words. He flicked her forehead. "It's not good to badmouth an elder."
"Ow! But you always do it…"
"Stop being naughty."