CHAPTER 43
Throughout the week, Grey and his mum were happily performing chores all around the house, while they also worked on renovating some weathered corners of the building using the coins Grey had discovered on the Bronze Land planet.
When he was questioned about where exactly he had obtained the currency from, he lied, claiming that he had used his unique powers for various menial jobs, which earned him a little gold.
Grey hadn't dared to bring out the entire stash of coins; otherwise, his mum wouldn't have believed his fabricated story for a second.
Instead, he simply took out two gold coins and presented them to her with a modest shrug.
To people living in such poverty, even a single gold coin was considered a massive fortune, so possessing two was almost inconceivable.
Clara was beyond ecstatic when she saw the gleaming metal, and she immediately got to work trying to renovate the residence to make it a little more comfortable while also paying off the lingering debts they owed to a multitude of people.
Even after the expenses, they still had enough coins at hand to feel secure.
Grey couldn't help but imagine how his mum's face would have looked if he had brought the entire chest of riches out for her to see.
Throughout the previous week, Grey had been quite busy assisting his mother in the renovations and helping all around the home with his magic.
He utilized his wind magic to efficiently clean the house of any thick cobwebs or layers of dust.
His wind magic was also employed to chop the logs that would be used for firewood, saving them hours of back-breaking labor.
Their lives became significantly easier due to Grey's magical gifts, and he was also genuinely happy to be himself without the burden of hiding his true powers anymore.
His daily routine also shifted; he spent his time helping his mum at home during the daylight hours before heading out to practice his magic in private.
And at night, he practiced cultivating his mana, trying to control his internal energy properly so it would only require a small portion of his reserves to cast his powerful spells.
Today, he decided to take a brief break from his normal schedule so he could visit the local library to see if there was any new information he could find, specifically searching for anything regarding the Otherworlders.
After getting dressed, he slipped out of the house and was gently strolling toward the library with his hands tucked into his pockets.
After walking out of the narrow alleyways that led to where their house was located at the poor side of the small town, Grey was finally out on the main streets.
The area was filled with people walking around with genuine smiles on their faces, and he saw individuals flying through the air using their wind magic.
Although wind magic was a potent element, it was still a relatively common ability among the citizenry.
He could even see some young kids trying to cast small, flickering spells with their parents standing off to the side, trying to encourage and help them master their gifts.
While looking around, he could see various buildings, ranging from modest shops to grander structures.
The small buildings were where most commerce happened, selling everything from fresh food stuffs to sturdy clothes and other daily necessities.
Seeing all these things and observing the people who were fairly well dressed, Grey couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh.
'If we had been even a little bit rich, we would have been living in this part of town, not in that broken-down area where the destitute are forced to reside,' he thought.
He clenched his hands in sudden determination.
'Mum, I promise you, I will make sure our lives change for the better. Now that I have finally unlocked my affinities, I will try my absolute best to improve our situation,' he vowed, a determined look settling on his face.
With a final sigh, he proceeded on his journey until he saw a medium-sized building standing in front of him.
Stepping through the heavy doors, he was met with endless rows and towering shelves of books tucked into every corner of the facility.
Picking one up at random, he went off to a secluded side table to begin reading.
Grey spent at least two hours surfing the entire library, looking for any volume that would possibly talk about the Otherworlders, but he unfortunately found none.
The only materials he managed to uncover were volumes on basic spells, various skill books, and the expansive history of the town and the entire kingdom.
The librarian, observing Grey pick up a book, glance through its pages, and promptly return it to the shelf, grew quite perplexed by the boy's behavior.
Seeking to assist, the man approached Grey and placed a steady hand on his shoulder.
"Is there a problem? Are you perhaps searching for a specific book?" the librarian inquired.
'The librarian? If anyone would know where I could find a text regarding those Otherworlders, it should be him. Given his profession, he might even possess personal knowledge about them,' Grey thought.
"Yes, there was this specific term I heard some time ago, and I have been trying to find more information on it."
"What term would that be?" the librarian asked curiously.
"The Otherworlders. Do you happen to know anything about them?" Grey asked.
He raised a skeptical eyebrow while watching for any subtle body language or nervous signs from the librarian, but he detected nothing out of the ordinary.
"The Otherworlders," the librarian repeated, thoughtfully stroking his small, pointed beard.
"I have certainly heard that term before, but detailed information about them is not going to be available in this modest small-town library; you would surely need to visit the main capital to find such records."
The main capital was the heart of the empire, where the Emperor resided alongside his high-ranking subordinates.
All the elite, high-star mages—those ranked at least 5 stars and above—lived within the capital's walls, either serving in the Emperor's grand army or operating as independent adventurers seeking to forge their own legends.
'How will I get to the main capital now? Only the wealthy can afford to live there. I think that is exactly what this librarian is implying—that information of that caliber can only be obtained by the rich and powerful,' Grey sighed.
He stood up and offered a polite smile to the man.
"Thank you so much for your help, sir," he said, before turning to walk out of the building.
'Since I can't find any clues about them here, I should probably just set that aside and focus on growing stronger,' he mused as he stepped back onto the main street, beginning his trek home.
"Hey, weakling!" a sharp, mocking voice shouted.
Grey stopped abruptly in his tracks, grinding his teeth in immediate frustration.
"Clark!" he mumbled under his breath, his mood souring instantly.
"Hey, weakling! Can't you hear me talking to you?" Clark shouted again.
He was approaching rapidly, flanked by two of his loyal friends.
Grey simply ignored the provocation and continued walking, but he soon felt a sudden gust of wind blowing from behind him.
A heavy palm was slammed onto his shoulder.
"Didn't you hear me calling out to you?" Clark asked, forcefully spinning Grey around to face him.
"Call me? Did you actually call me? That's strange; I didn't hear my name, nor did I hear you address me specifically. So, when exactly did you call?" Grey asked with a raised brow, his voice dripping with feigned innocence.
"I kept calling you 'weakling' repeatedly, but you just kept ignoring me," Clark snapped.
"Weakling," Grey repeated slowly.
"Yes!" Clark confirmed.
"See? I heard someone calling for a weakling, and you responded so readily, so it definitely wasn't me you were talking to," Grey smiled.
"You!" Clark hissed furiously.
He could hear his friends behind him erupting into laughter at his expense, which only fueled his rage.
"I'm going to kill you!" Clark roared, a violent gust of wind beginning to swirl around his clenched fists.
"Oh, really? I would certainly like to see you try," Grey smiled.
Without another word, Clark leapt towards him with immense, magically-enhanced speed.