The daylight had long since vanished, and the night was as thick as ink. It was clearly much later now than when they had first stepped out of the forest's edge.
Inside the hall of the central wooden cabin in Stone Mill Village.
Calm patted Dawson's uninjured shoulder, his voice low but reassuring.
“Navarro might have just been slowed down by the deep snow and slippery roads in the forest. Or perhaps it's something else. The four of you should stay the night first and see how things go tomorrow.”
Hearing this, Dawson did not look particularly surprised. He shook his head, his voice carrying the weakness of blood loss and a touch of resignation.
“I know the score. Being able to save these three is already a great stroke of luck.”
At the same time, a trace of gratitude welled up in his heart. If not for the young Matthew, the four of them would have surely died.
As soon as Dawson finished speaking, the three Oak Village youths lowered their heads in unison, their faces filled with sorrow.
The firelight flickered in the hall, illuminating their young yet exhausted faces.
There was no joy of surviving a disaster, only a heavy, oppressive silence.
On their way back, they had searched for any sign of their companion Navarro, and the ominous premonition in their hearts was now silently confirmed.
Meanwhile.
Standing beside Matthew, Aidan listened to the conversation between Calm and Dawson, his expression slightly dazed.
Looking at the three silent, downcast Oak Village youths, Aidan recalled the savage growls of the Shadow Wolves in the forest and the brush with death they had just experienced, and his heart couldn't help but tremble.
He knew the forest was dangerous, but he had never imagined that a routine excursion could end with someone never returning.
When he looked at Matthew again, the admiration in Aidan's eyes grew even stronger.
In such a perilous forest, Brother Matthew had killed a Shadow Wolf, forced the pack to retreat, and saved four lives with just a few arrows—all while allowing them to escape almost completely unscathed with their prey.
This level of strength left Aidan completely awestruck.
Matthew's gaze swept over everyone. Through their brief conversation just now, he had finally learned the truth.
Instructor Calm had not led his team into the forest because of Navarro's plea for help from Oak Village.
Instead, Delank had grown worried when Aidan failed to return for so long, prompting him to ask Calm to search the forest outskirts.
They had simply happened to run into Matthew's group.
As for why Dawson and his group were here, the whole story had also been cleared up.
It turned out that Oak Village had been suffering from increasingly frequent attacks by magical beasts lately. To investigate the cause, Dawson, as their instructor, had led four of the village youths to inspect the forest's edge.
Ordinarily, an investigation at this depth should have been perfectly safe for Dawson, a Black Iron Rank expert, and the wolf-repelling powder they carried should have provided more than enough protection.
But for some reason, the efficacy of the wolf-repelling powder had been far worse than usual, failing to completely deter the wolf pack. Fortunately, it had still done something, allowing them to fight and retreat until they reached the vicinity of Stone Mill Village.
Thinking of this, Matthew felt a growing sense of solemnity regarding the forest, along with a trace of anxiety.
The forest is changing so much. Even the wolf-repelling powder is starting to fail, and the Shadow Wolves are becoming unusually active... The danger now is on a completely different level compared to before.
My original plan was to wait until I reached the Black Iron Rank before exploring that kobold nest. But now, it seems I might need to reconsider?
His brow furrowed slightly as he rapidly weighed his options in his mind.
To be safe, the exploration should be postponed. It would undoubtedly be a safer choice to wait until I understand the patterns of the forest's recent changes, or until my strength improves further and I'm better prepared.
But...
This forest anomaly is likely just beginning. If I delay, things will only get worse, and the danger will only grow. Although the risk is higher now, the resources in that kobold nest might be the key to rapidly boosting my strength.
After all, that is a nest where a spellcaster once existed...
Matthew sighed inwardly. Ultimately, he was still too weak.
He quietly gripped the short sword at his waist, his desire for strength growing even more intense.
“Then the four of us will go and rest first,”
Dawson took a deep breath, enduring the discomfort from his shoulder wound, and turned to offer Matthew a solemn bow of gratitude.
“Brother Matthew, thank you for saving our lives.”
The other three youths chimed in with their thanks.
Matthew returned the gesture.
Then, supported by the three Oak Village youths, Dawson walked with faltering steps toward the side room to settle in.
The firelight in the hall elongated their retreating shadows, and the atmosphere relaxed considerably.
Once Dawson and his group had left, Calm turned his gaze to Aidan, his brow relaxing slightly.
“Aidan, you should head home quickly as well. Delank has been waiting for you for a long time.”
Hearing this, a look of guilt immediately appeared on Aidan's face, and he nodded hastily.
“Yes, Instructor Calm. I'll go back right away.”
He looked at Matthew, who nodded back.
Only then did Aidan hurry outside, vanishing into the night beyond the door.
Only Matthew and Calm were left in the hall.
Watching the door to the side room close, Calm turned back, his tone carrying a trace of emotion.
“Dawson is a good man. He values loyalty and is highly reliable.”
“He came from a village just like I did, but as soon as Dawson became a Class holder, he returned to station himself there. Oak Village is among the poorest of all the villages under Anda Town's jurisdiction. It only gradually began to improve because of him.”
“Still, Dawson has honed his skills in the Black Iron Rank for many years and has rich combat experience. Among the instructors around Anda Town, his strength is quite decent.”
He paused, casting a meaningful look at Matthew.
“He owes you his life, which is no small favor. If there is anything you want or need help with, you can bring it up with him. He generally won't refuse if it's within his power.”
Matthew nodded.
He understood Calm's meaning—this was to tell him to make good use of the “resource” that came with saving Dawson's life.
The favor and assistance of an experienced, decently strong Black Iron Rank Class holder was highly valuable in the area surrounding Anda Town.
He quickly turned the options over in his mind.
A Blue-quality bow?
The thought flashed through his mind, but he immediately suppressed it.
This request was too difficult, clearly exceeding the capabilities of an instructor from a poor village. Bringing it up would only put the man in a difficult position.
Magical beast meat?
He already had a whole Shadow Wolf carcass in front of him, so his short-term needs were not urgent. Besides, exchanging a life-saving favor for some meat would be a terrible waste.
Gold coins or other materials?
That seemed a bit... short-sighted, or rather, it failed to maximize the value of this favor.
For a moment, Matthew felt somewhat hesitant, ultimately deciding to put this favor on hold.
Thinking of this, Matthew nodded to Calm. “I understand, Instructor.”
“Good. As long as you know what you're doing.”
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