I Built This City Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Read chapter 41 of I Built This City by ThePudding on NovelPedia.

Village Ellen Ellen had to admit that her various sister-selves had really put the work in to make the old place comfortable. She hadn’t realized it would be so cozy. The place was large and didn’t have any real walls yet, and the smaller fireplace in the kitchen was closed off for some reason, but it was definitely warmer than expected. Most of the exposed floor was stone, with only the middle area hosting the blankets and furs that the other Ellens used for sleeping. She’d slept here plenty of times herself, but not since the completion of the home. Healer was the designated cook, but she’d gone out with Apprentice and Anroll to bury Hunter’s body. Ellen had taken over that duty to add a few vegetables to the stock while they were out, and was serving small bowls to each of the ones who had been outside. Hunter Ellen had hung up the boar her previous self had killed, so she was also shivering. Everyone huddled around the fire as the soup was served. The cold draft from the door opening twice in quick succession had made the corners of the large room chilly, but the judicious use of blankets fought that off during the start of dinner. “I’m really glad you made it here, Uncle.” Merchant broke the silence with that, seated nearest the fire and not even bothering with a blanket. “After what happened, we weren’t sure what to do. Hopefully you have some ideas now that you’ve gotten the full story.” Anroll was definitely smart. He opened his mouth, then shut it quickly, no doubt realizing Merchant had already figured out he had the whole story because she’d surmised that Ellen had told him on the hike up from the village. This was correct. She had. Ellen took a seat next to Smith Ellen, who was on the right of Anroll. Hunter Ellen sat on the left. Mason and Carpenter were getting comfortable across from her, while Apprentice and Healer both sat to Ellen’s other side. Normally, Ellen never had trouble telling other Ellens apart, but those two were hard to distinguish sometimes. They acted completely different in their roles, but sitting in the circle as they were had them both huddle up to one another for warmth under the same blanket. Their soup bowls were even lifted in sync, sipping the exact same length of time before lowering the bowl from their lips. Anroll hesitated to say anything, staring at the duo for a moment first. Then he shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. “Less than I’d like,” he grumbled. Anroll rubbed at his mustache and took a long look around the room at each Ellen in turn. “I remembered something Pops said right before he died, though. Something about how he’d found a way to make sure you’d live to see your dream come true. There’s a lot of stuff your grandfather never told me, though. I have no idea how he’d manage that, you were… what… seven when he died?” Ellen opened her mouth to correct it as she thought back, but Merchant beat her to it. “Eight.” “Right,” Anroll muttered, embarrassed. He scratched his chin and sighed again. “The problem is, if he did anything it was on his last job… and we don’t know much about his last job. At least, most people don’t. He told me and your father a little though. He just said he was doing something for a power ‘beyond the gods’ and vanished for a few years, like he always did. When he came back, that’s when he started saying that.” “The System!” Apprentice and Healer exclaimed in unison. Ellen looked over at the two, then back to Anroll, who was… nodding. “I always wondered, but couldn’t think of how he’d possibly negotiated with the System itself. Or what he’d done to get something from it.” He rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. “Now I guess it’s more likely that’s exactly what it was, or something that had great influence over the System. No idea on the other questions, though. And I’m very, very sure this wasn’t the intended effect.” Ellen hesitated for a moment, then she raised her voice. “I… kind of like it.” Most of the heads in the room turned, but only Anroll lo