The next day, at dawn, "The Last Defender of the Way" adventurer team stood at the village entrance. Four horses were tethered to the locust tree at the entrance, as they inventoried their supplies and prepared to depart.
Looking out from the village entrance, a winding, muddy brown path stretched across the broken, ashen earth, lying gently on the rolling hills, pointing into the distance. Far away, layers of undulating mountains were shrouded in wisps of mist.
Several days ago, the bandits who raided the village had been securely bound by the villagers and sent to a nearby fortress manned by knights. The bandits left behind ten steeds, from which EeDeChi and the others chose four fine horses as their mounts, aiming to save their strength and increase their traveling speed on the journey.
The village chief and the villagers came to bid them farewell, bringing various agricultural products such as sheep's milk, cheese, soybeans, oats, sheepskin, cured lamb, eggs, and more, earnestly requesting that the four adventurers accept these parting gifts.
Barrett originally intended to accept everything, but upon seeing EeDeChi's expression, he only took three rolls of fleece-lined sheepskin, along with a few bags of sheep's milk and cheese. Stella brought a box of sheep's milk honey candies for her twin sisters, and Sean took a few symbolic items as well.
EeDeChi, on the other hand, only accepted a bag of dried jasmine and Lycium chinense, along with a small box of tea grown by the villagers themselves.
Just as the adventurer captain was about to say some farewell words to the sincere villagers holding various crops, a thin, weak boy suddenly darted out from the crowd and knelt before EeDeChi with a "plop."
EeDeChi was taken aback. The boy kneeling before him wore tattered gray cloth, with unruly red hair resembling a bird's nest.
Kneeling down and bowing his head, the boy's voice trembled with a hint of tears as he pleaded, "Great hero, please teach me martial arts and allow me to adventure with you. I can endure hardships!"
"Don't disturb the great hero!" The village chief hobbled over, grabbing the kneeling boy and pulling him back.
The village chief apologized, "I'm terribly sorry, esteemed hero. This child's father and brother were conscripted into the militia and never returned. His mother also passed away from grief. He's an orphan now. He got a bit carried away after witnessing your heroic deeds."
EeDeChi stopped the chief from dragging the boy away and asked, "What's your name?"
The redhead boy remained kneeling, "William Scott."
EeDeChi nodded, "That's a good name. Why do you want to learn martial arts from me?"
"I want to avenge my father! I want to avenge my brother! Lord said my father and brother, like others in the village, were killed by a powerful sorcerer.
"Didn't you say before, even a small stone should sharpen its edges and make those who dare to step on it regret it? Whether the person who killed my father and brother was an Imperial soldier or a powerful sorcerer, I will avenge them!"
EeDeChi asked, "Do you have any abilities? Do you have any magical talents?"
"I... don't have," the redhead boy's voice weakened, "but I will study Martial Art, I'm hardworking! And I have Innate Talent."
"What kind of Innate Talent?" EeDeChi became interested.
"It's... using magic items, any kind of magic item," the boy's confident tone faltered.
There was a small chuckle from the villagers around.
Of course, using magic items was hardly considered a strong Innate Talent. Many of the magic items created by sorcerers were designed for ordinary people who couldn't use magic. Moreover, magic items were extremely expensive.
How could a poor boy from a remote village have the chance to use High-tier magic items? Besides, if sorcerers created powerful magic items, they would hardly have time to share them.
EeDeChi frowned but remained silent.
She suddenly remembered the rumors: Ainz Ooal Gown was said to be an undead with a skeletal body, perhaps his bone feet were not afraid of sharp little stones.
"Please let me follow you and teach me martial arts. I'm willing to do anything!" The boy with disheveled red hair bowed his head even lower.
EeDeChi shook her head solemnly, "I'm truly sorry, I didn't learn my martial arts in this world and I can't teach you. Moreover, your path of revenge is too dangerous for you. The road I'm taking is even more perilous; I can't take you with me, it would only end in your death."
"I'm not afraid to die! Please... esteemed hero..." The redhead boy looked up, tears welling up in his bright brown eyes.
EeDeChi fell silent for a moment, then took out nearly a hundred gold coins from her spatial ring, put them in a cloth bag, and handed it to the redhead boy, "If the burning fire of revenge in your heart can drive you forward, take this money, go to a good school in the city, find a good teacher, and let them teach you knowledge and martial arts."
"Please let me follow you."
The redhead boy did not take the money bag from EeDeChi's hand. He remained kneeling on the ground, bowing his head even lower.
Barrett wanted to say that he could teach the boy some practical combat skills, but he thought about the twin sisters already in the team as baggage. He couldn't take on another burden, so he remained silent.
The adventurer's career was romantic, but this bit of romance couldn't mask the highest casualty rate in the adventurer industry's cruelty.
"Alright, alright, don't delay the esteemed hero's journey. Do you think you're the only one who's lost family?" The village chief sighed, took the money bag for the boy, and thanked EeDeChi.
Then, two strong farm women stepped forward and pulled the stubborn boy up from the ground. The boy's hands gripped the earth tightly, leaving two deep claw marks in the ground. Even as he was dragged into the crowd, his head never lifted.
EeDeChi sighed quietly, gestured for the other three adventurers to set off.
"We might come back in the future." Barrett said to the villagers as he turned on horseback.
Will they come back? It's highly unlikely. Barrett said this to prevent the villagers from taking the gold coins EeDeChi gave to William.
Sean and Barrett each carried Kuuderika and Ureirika, the twin sisters, on their backs. With four horses carrying six people, the sound of hoofbeats echoed as they journeyed into the distance, embarking on a hazy adventure ahead.