Thinking of this, the scales in Matthew's heart had already tipped.
“Instructor,” he looked up, his voice filled with righteousness. “If you ultimately decide to accept your old acquaintance's invitation to hunt the mountain giant bear, I'm willing to tag along and do my part.”
Seeing Instructor Calm's gaze turn toward him, he continued to explain, “This giant bear lingering on the outskirts of the forest is a massive threat after all. If we can take this opportunity to eliminate it, whether it's to rid the village of danger or to make entering the forest safer in the future, it would be a good thing.”
These words sounded entirely public-spirited and forward-thinking, a perfectly high-sounding justification.
Hearing this, Instructor Calm's gaze lingered on Matthew's face for a moment, a brief but genuine trace of appreciation flashing deep within his eyes.
“It's good that you think this way,” Calm said in a steady voice. “But we still have to wait. After all, safety comes first.”
“I understand, Instructor. I'll wait for your word,” Matthew replied.
The two of them chatted for a while longer about the recent weather, the state of the forest, and some of Matthew's new insights into archery.
The fireplace in the room crackled, dispelling the chill of the winter night.
About fifteen minutes later.
Matthew left the instructor's house carrying a cloth bag. This bag of magical beast meat weighed about fifteen pounds, which Instructor Calm had firmly forced upon him, brooking no refusal.
He didn't stand on any more useless ceremonies. After all, these fifteen pounds of magical beast meat were absolutely crucial for the development of his combat techniques!
With these fifteen pounds of magical beast meat, Matthew's progress in his archery combat techniques would likely take another step forward!
As the cold wind blew, Matthew quickened his pace to return to his wooden cabin.
Arriving at the cabin, he pushed open the door to find that the fire had already gone out.
Matthew put the cloth bag away, then sat cross-legged on his straw mat, closed his eyes, and began his meditation for the day.
In the forest, the effects provided by the meditation method were absolutely vital.
This was also a precious technique that others had no way of practicing even if they wanted to.
...
...
The next morning, the thin mist in the forest had not yet fully dispersed, and the grayish-white sky cast sparse light through the heavy clouds onto the snow.
The cold wind persisted, swirling the snow dust on the ground and weaving through the withered branches with a whimpering low sigh.
Matthew had just returned home from checking the Vine Traps on the outskirts of the forest, his waist pouch bulging slightly with a wild rabbit inside.
He brushed the fallen snow off his shoulders, his gaze habitually sweeping across the open space in front of the cabin.
Just then, his footsteps paused slightly.
Not far in front of the cabin stood a man.
It was the tall man he had seen in front of Instructor Calm's house last night.
At this moment, he was alone, his tall figure upright, and his leather armor gleamed with a dull luster in the morning light.
Matthew's gaze swept over him. He didn't sense any malice; instead, he felt a hint of sincerity from the man's steady posture?
After a brief thought, he stepped forward and took the initiative to speak, “You must be Instructor Calm's friend. Please, come in.”
Toward this Brass Rank powerhouse—who was even a half-step Silver Rank existence—Matthew was still quite polite.
Although the gap between him and an ordinary Brass Rank might not be large based on his current Constitution alone, he clearly remembered the scene of Flynn suppressing Instructor Calm.
Moreover, the other party was the instructor's friend, so treating him with courtesy was a must.
Hearing Matthew's words, the tall man's lips curled into a slight smile, and he nodded.
He didn't say much, responding briefly, “Excuse the intrusion.”
The two of them entered the cabin one after the other.
Matthew set the wild rabbit aside, casually poked at the embers in the hearth, and added two pieces of firewood.
The chill outside was still heavy, but the cabin soon grew warm as the fire was rekindled.
The man took off his leather gloves and stood naturally by the hearth, his calm gaze falling on Matthew.
“I am Porter.”
Matthew was about to introduce himself, but to his surprise, Porter spoke his name directly:
“Matthew, right? I know you.”
Matthew nodded with surface-level calm, but a trace of surprise arose in his heart.
Porter and his group had only arrived in the village yesterday, yet he already knew his name.
While Matthew was pondering, Porter spoke in a praising tone:
“For you to go from a nobody to the second-most important figure in the village in less than three months...”
“Your rate of progress is truly rare for a wilderness village. With this kind of talent, it's not impossible for you to step into the higher ranks in the future.”
Matthew replied with a smile, “You flatter me.”
The doubt in his heart grew even stronger. What on earth was this guy's intention? Praising him right off the bat?
He didn't believe that a "half-step Silver Rank" powerhouse would make a special visit just to praise a young man in a wilderness village.
Porter seemed to see through Matthew's thoughts. He shifted the topic and got straight to the point:
“My coming to find Calm this time to hunt that mountain giant bear is an opportunity for both of us to advance to the Silver Rank. Calm knows the forest terrain around here like the back of his hand, which will greatly increase our chances of success.”
“You're also a Black Iron Rank, right? I can feel that your breathing technique is very practiced. If you're willing to come along, you can also make some demands.”
Matthew listened quietly, and everything instantly became clear: So that was it. Porter was looking for him to act as a lobbyist.
His thoughts spun rapidly, and a complex look appeared on his face:
“Mr. Porter, you praise me too highly. My archery is still in the exploration stage, far from being exceptionally talented. As for the instructor's decision... after all, I'm just a junior, so it's not convenient for me to say much.”
“However, Instructor Calm has always acted with caution and thoroughness. As long as your team is fully prepared, I believe that after careful consideration, the instructor will likely agree.”
Porter's slightly furrowed brow smoothed out, and his tone carried a hint of a smile:
“The preparation is naturally thorough, otherwise I wouldn't have come here. You could say everything is ready now, and all we lack is Calm's familiarity and experience with this forest. With him joining us, we can avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble and lock onto that beast's tracks much faster.”
Hearing this, Matthew basically understood. Porter was recruiting people by offering certain conditions, and he and Calm were the targets.
Seeing that Matthew had understood, Porter spoke no further.
He put his leather gloves back on and waved his hand at Matthew, indicating there was no need to see him out:
“I hope you will seriously consider my proposal.”
With that, he turned and pushed open the wooden door, his figure quickly disappearing into the cold morning light and thin mist outside.
Matthew stood inside the door, watching Porter's back recede until it vanished, before gently closing the door.
The fireplace crackled, and silence returned to the cabin, but his heart was in turmoil.
He walked back to sit by the hearth, beginning to carefully weigh the pros and cons of this matter.
Rate on N.U.
