Chapter 582 Handy Ed
Ed's lack of knowledge regarding the place he found himself didn't come out of actual lacking knowledge but rather disbelief. Yes, he did know which house he was supposed to be in but… Why did it look this way?
'Sharog's house was never this messy in the past' Ed thought looking at the messy clothes and garbage strewn about. The fact that Sharog could have such a varied mess was a testament to the progress that Sanctuary had made.
'The fact that clothing is being developed is likely due to the influence of the cavern and the lizardmen' There were many bugs there that could provide clothing materials.
As for the garbage, it was primarily organic. There were no plastics in the dungeon or the outside world that could be used as far as Ed knew. This organic garbage took the form of food leftover and there were even alchemical materials.
A few metallic articles were also present, likely presents from Shel and the other orcs at the smithy.
'But I don't need to know how this garbage came to be' Ed needed to find out why. Could it be that Sharog was a hoarder? The previous orc society simply didn't allow her to show this trait to the same extreme Ed could now see.
'But that can't be it' The change seemed too sudden.
'Something happened during my absence' Ed didn't know what that something could be but he became worried.
'Is it my fault?' It was possible that he put too much on Sharog's plate without noticing. Sanctuary's hall has many 'officials' helping Sharog out but she is ultimately the one with the final say in most things. Was the help she was receiving insufficient?
'Still, it's hard to believe that Sharog would leave my body in a room under such a state' Had his absence lowered his importance in the hearts and minds of his people?
'I should stop thinking about it though' Ed wouldn't get anywhere forming theories in the dark dirty room. He needed to find Sharog.
Ed came to the room's door and pushed. There was stuff in the way but as the strongest of his race, as a champion, this clutter could not prevent his escape.
'Hm?' Ed looking past all of the random nonsense spotted the figure of Sharog. She seemed to have collapsed in her living room.
Ed hurried over worried for her health and was relieved to find that she was simply sleeping.
'It looks like she collapsed out of exhaustion' It was that or Sharog had become accustomed to sleeping on the floor.
Not wanting to disturb her sleep, Ed decided to surprise her with his appearance instead.
That was why when Sharog awoke she was left absolutely astonished by the sight before her.
Rays of sunlight were peering through a window she didn't know she had. They illuminated the bed she slept upon, one mushy and comfortable, as well as the orderly room.
There were a couple of objects she recalled being given placed upon some simple furniture but other than that the place was entirely foreign to her.
"The size is the same… But…" Sharog noticed that the place did have the proportions that matched her home but unless she was dreaming the sights before her were impossible.
Confused but determined to get to the bottom of things, Sharog stood from her bed and exited the room.
Here more miracles had occurred.
"Wait… Ed!?!" Sharog screamed.
"Oh, you are awake." Ed said with a smile. He was seated at a comically small chair and table.
"Did you… clean everything?" Sharog asked.
"Yes, but not just me" Ed said before glancing down. Beneath the table was a bloody red blob.
"That's… You remembered." Sharog said, taken aback.
"Of course, how could I forget? You are the heart of Sanctuary, I need you at your strongest" Ed said wholeheartedly.
Sharog flashed a brilliant smile.
"Thank you" She said gently.
While Sharog might not be beautiful by all orc standards, unlike Shel, as an ex-human she definitely had a lot of appeal for Ed. His body trembled with a familiar urge but he managed to calm it down rapidly.
Ed's body might have strong urges but he and his skills had leveled up significantly. In comparison, his orc body's instinct skill had not. Most importantly, Ed didn't do what he did for anything like that.
'I needed to repay her somehow' Even with his absence, the orc society was progressing. Sharog was the brains of Sanctuary, she was directly responsible for much of this Ed had no doubts.
"But also, I'm sorry" Sharog broke Ed out of his thoughts and said.
"What are you sorry for?" Ed replied.
"I forgot to take care of your room and body. I meant to clean it but…" Sharog was about to explain herself but Ed interrupted her.
"I'm sure you didn't have the time for it, so that's alright." Ed had to admit she was definitely extremely careless in her handling of his body but Ed's bodies were built differently.
'I can't die from a simple mess' And even if he did somehow die the dungeon could create a new body.
"Anyway, forget about all of that. Aren't you going to say hello to your new friend?" Ed said before commanding the?blood clot to make its way towards Sharog.
"I made sure to give it lots of useful skills that match yours" Ed made the blood clot out of orc blood only and gave it lots of wind related skills.
'I also threw in a couple plant-related skills' The blood clot could then help Sharog tend to the garden in the alchemy workshop and assist her in her experiments. Not just in performing them, but also in cleaning up after them.
The blood clot was also gifted with the ability to consume all manner of organic materials. This was primarily thanks to Ed giving it acidic properties.
"You can treat it like a pet" Ed added. The number of consciousness he provided this particular blood clot were superior to any other he had made.
'It took a little bit of grinding in the system space' But having the entire night to work with and all of the automation in the system space cleaning everything, adding some new furniture, house features, and creating a blood clot all became a cinch.
Sharog saw the creature approach it slowly and while having some apprehensions she allowed it to climb up her body and enter.
She initially felt some slight discomfort but it didn't take long before some previously missing vigor entered the equation. It was a feeling she didn't feel often after trading with the lizardmen had started and her tasks multiplied.
"...I feel horrible" Sharog said, barely audible while holding a wry smile.
"Huh!?!? That shouldn't be!" Ed hurried off the table and rushed towards Sharog ready to force the blood clot out of her body.
"Hahaha, not like that. I mean, I'm indebted to you. But still I… I still wanted to leave" After meeting Ed, Sharog witnessed many unbelievable things. While she used to be a chief prior to knowing Ed, her current position was still infinitely more notable.
Her life took a turn for the better but she in spite of that felt she wanted to run away.
"You wanted to leave? But where could you possibly go?" Ed no longer bore a bright attitude. He now believed he pushed her too far.
"You mentioned a larger world, I want to see it" Sharog responded abashedly.
"You want to see it, so it's still something you want to do…" Ed murmured.
"Aren't I horrible?" Sharog was not in a fine state of mind. Ed assessed as much.
"No, you are not." Ed was starting to think he was a horrible person instead but he didn't share that. What he did share however were a couple of choice words.
"It's normal to be curious and to do things you are passionate about." Ed was a curious person, and he continued to be one. He would remain curious and adventurous for a long while. It was in his nature, but it was also natural.
What intelligent being wasn't curious? What intelligent being didn't want to see the wider world? Explore its deepest trenches and uncover its darkest secrets? Or were those dreams too large?
"If you want to see the larger world outside, that's fine. If you want to simply stay here and practice alchemy that's fine too" Ed could tell she was passionate about that by the alchemical remains that were strewn about the rooms of the house. She never wasted a moment.
"Big or small, you should do a little bit of everything and well, see what sticks" Ed could not follow this advice. He had to guarantee his future and that of those that he made to rely on him.
Yet, Ed would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it.
"But, all at its own pace. You'll get your chance" Ed concluded his lecture with these words.
There was a time and place for everything. And Sharog's time to venture the world was not now. But it wasn't that far away either.
"Than-"
"And don't thank me just yet, I have a task for you" Ed believed it was time to see how Sanctuary was doing with his own eyes and then prepare the trade route.
"What will you need me to do?" Sharog hid her emotions and switched into professional mode.
"We will trade with the humans, it's time to lay the groundwork" Ed said concisely.
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