At the camp.
Tia sat by the bonfire.
She hugged her knees.
Her face was buried against them.
Her shoulders trembled slightly.
Kyle stood to the side.
He scratched his head.
“Um... Senior Tia...”
Tia didn't respond.
Kyle scratched his head again.
“Should I... go after them?”
“No need.”
Leon’s voice came from nearby.
He was leaning against a tree trunk.
His arms were crossed over his chest.
“Bell will handle it.”
Kyle turned his head.
“How can you be so sure?”
Leon didn't answer.
He just looked toward the forest.
In those ice blue eyes,
a trace of a complex emotion flickered.
Lilian crouched next to Tia.
She tilted her head.
“Why are you crying?”
Tia looked up.
The rims of her eyes were red.
“I'm not crying...”
Lilian reached out.
She wiped Tia’s face.
Her finger came away wet with tears.
“Liar.”
Tia’s face flushed bright red.
“I... I just...”
She bit her lip.
“I just don't understand...”
Her voice carried a sob.
“Why did Antinoia suddenly act like that...”
Lilian tilted her head.
“Because Master has a slave.”
Tia froze.
“Eh?”
Lilian stood up.
She patted the dust off her skirt.
“That woman hates nobles who mistreat slaves.”
Her voice was very calm.
“So she hates Master.”
Tia’s eyes widened.
“But... but Junior Bell isn't a bad person...”
Lilian didn't say anything.
She just looked at Tia.
In those blood red eyes,
there was no ripple of emotion.
Tia’s throat felt tight.
“Junior Bell... really isn't a bad person...”
Her voice grew smaller and smaller.
Kyle walked over.
He crouched beside Tia.
“Senior Tia.”
His voice was very soft.
“Bell is a good person.”
Tia looked up.
She stared at Kyle.
“How do you know?”
Kyle scratched his head.
“Because...”
He paused.
“Because he apologizes.”
Tia was stunned.
A trace of a smile appeared on Kyle’s face.
“Noble young masters rarely apologize to commoners.”
His voice carried a hint of self mockery.
“But Bell does.”
He looked up.
He stared at the sky.
“He even treats me to meals.”
His smile became bright.
“And he teams up with me.”
He turned his head.
He looked at Tia.
“Someone like that.”
His voice was very serious.
“He couldn't possibly be a bad person.”
Tia’s tears fell again.
“But... but Antinoia...”
Kyle stood up.
“Senior Antinoia has her reasons.”
His voice was calm.
“But I believe in Bell.”
Tia wiped her tears.
“I believe in Junior Bell too...”
Her voice was small.
“But...”
She bit her lip.
“I don't want to lose Antinoia...”
Leon suddenly spoke.
“You won't lose her.”
Everyone turned their heads.
They looked at Leon.
Leon pushed off from the tree trunk.
“Bell will handle it.”
His voice was cold.
“He is stronger than you think.”
Tia was stunned.
“Junior Leon...”
Leon didn't say anything else.
He turned.
He walked toward the forest.
After a few steps,
he stopped.
“They’re back.”
Tia stood up abruptly.
She followed Leon’s gaze.
At the edge of the forest,
two figures emerged.
Bell and Antinoia.
Tia’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Senior!”
She rushed over.
The moment Antinoia saw Tia,
a trace of a smile appeared on her face.
“Tia.”
Tia threw herself into Antinoia’s arms.
“Antinoia...”
Her voice carried a sob.
“I thought you were leaving...”
Antinoia held Tia.
She gently patted her back.
“I'm sorry.”
Her voice was soft.
“I made you worry.”
Tia shook her head.
“It's okay...”
She looked up.
She stared at Antinoia.
“As long as you're okay...”
Antinoia pushed up her glasses.
“Yes.”
She turned her head.
She looked at Bell.
Bell stood not far away.
He didn't walk over.
Antinoia took a deep breath.
“Bell.”
Bell looked up.
“Hmm?”
Antinoia walked over.
She stood in front of him.
“I'm sorry.”
Her voice was serious.
“I shouldn't have treated you like that.”
Bell shook his head.
“It's fine.”
His voice was calm.
“I understand.”
Antinoia’s eyes turned red again.
She pushed up her glasses.
“Thank you.”
Bell smiled.
“You're welcome.”
He turned.
He walked toward the camp.
“Let’s pack up our things.”
His voice drifted back.
“It's time to head back.”
“But, what about the way?”
Kyle spoke up.
Only then did everyone realize.
They were currently lost.
Lilian, standing to the side, spoke up.
“I know the way.”
“You know the way?”
Bell turned around.
Lilian stood under a tree. Her blood red eyes shimmered with an eerie light in the dim surroundings.
“Yes.”
She nodded.
Bell’s brow furrowed.
“If you knew the way, why did you watch us take the wrong path?”
His voice was somewhat cold.
Lilian lowered her head. Her fingers toyed with the hem of her dress.
“I...”
Her voice was very small.
“I wanted Master to know how strong he is.”
Bell was stunned.
Kyle scratched his head.
“Huh?”
Leon glanced at Lilian but didn't say anything.
Lilian looked up.
“Master is clearly very strong, yet you always belittle yourself and think you're weak.”
Her voice carried a hint of grievance.
“Now you know, Master. You are very strong.”
Bell’s throat felt tight.
He looked at Lilian.
Those blood red eyes were filled with earnestness.
Kyle walked over.
“Bell, your slave is right.”
He patted Bell on the shoulder.
“You really are strong.”
In his eyes, a light of admiration sparkled.
“Those shadow wolves from before, I couldn't even beat one of them.”
He scratched his head.
“But you took out over a dozen by yourself.”
Leon walked over.
“More than a dozen.”
His voice was cold.
“It was twenty-three.”
Bell’s body stiffened.
Twenty-three?
He recalled the battle just now.
The Earth Spikes exploding.
The shadow wolves falling.
Blood splattering.
He counted them in his mind.
It really had been twenty-three.
“I...”
Bell opened his mouth.
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't speak them.
Lilian walked up to him.
“Master, you aren't weak.”
Her voice was soft.
“You are stronger than anyone.”
Bell lowered his head.
He looked at his hands.
These hands.
They had killed twenty-three D rank magical beasts.
In his previous life, at the age of eleven, he couldn't even beat the class bully.
But now.
He could already easily kill D rank magical beasts.
“Bell.”
Kyle’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Don't overthink it.”
He smiled brightly.
“You just are that strong.”
Leon glanced at him.
“Let’s go.”
He turned.
“Don't waste time.”
Lilian walked in front.
Her steps were light.
“Master, follow me.”
The five of them followed behind her.
After walking for about ten minutes,
the trees ahead began to thin out.
Sunlight spilled down through the gaps in the leaves.
“We’re almost there.”
Lilian looked back.
There was a smile on her face.
After walking for a few more minutes,
the edge of the forest appeared before their eyes.
Kyle let out a sigh of relief.
“We’re finally out!”
He collapsed onto the ground.
“I thought I was going to die in there.”
Tia held that 'hamster'.
She looked at Bell.
Her gaze was somewhat complicated.
“Junior Bell...”
Bell walked over.
“Senior Tia.”
Tia bit her lip.
“About before... I'm sorry.”
Bell shook his head.
“It's fine.”
Antinoia pushed up her glasses.
“Bell, I need to apologize as well.”
Her voice was serious.
“I shouldn't have been so biased against you.”
Bell smiled.
“Senior, you weren't biased.”
He paused.
“You were just acting on the values formed by your own life.”
Antinoia was stunned for a moment.
Then, she smiled as well.
“Thank you.”
The five of them continued forward.
They walked out of the forest.
The sunset dyed the sky orange red.
The silhouette of the Royal Capital appeared in the distance.
“Let’s go back.”
Bell’s voice was soft.
“Today was too exhausting.”
Kyle nodded.
“Yeah, definitely.”
He stood up.
“I'm going back to get a good night's sleep.”
Leon didn't speak.
He just glanced at Bell.
Then he turned.
He walked toward the Royal Capital.
The five of them walked side by side.
Under the sunset,
their shadows stretched long.
Bell looked up.
He stared at the sky.
That cold moon had not yet risen.
But he knew.
Night would soon fall.
...
The door to the adventurer's guild was pushed open.
Veronica looked up.
“Kiddo!”
Her eyes lit up.
“You guys are back!”
Bell walked to the front desk.
“The task is finished.”
He took a cloth bag from his backpack.
Inside the bag were dozens of shadow wolf teeth.
Veronica took the bag.
She opened it.
She took a look.
Her eyes widened.
“So... so many?”
Bell nodded.
“Twenty-three of them.”
Veronica’s fingers trembled slightly.
“Twenty-three?!”
She looked up.
She stared at Bell.
“How... how did you guys do it?”
Kyle scratched his head.
“It was mostly Bell.”
His voice was full of admiration.
“He took out most of them alone.”
Veronica’s gaze fell on Bell.
She stared at him.
In those amber eyes, a trace of a complex emotion flickered.
“Kiddo, you...”
She paused.
“You're stronger than I thought.”
Bell didn't say anything.
Veronica turned.
She took a coin pouch from behind the counter.
“Task reward, fifty silver coins.”
She handed the pouch to Bell.
“Also, twenty-three sets of shadow wolf teeth, each set is worth two silver coins.”
She paused.
“That's forty-six silver coins in total.”
She took out another coin pouch.
“Altogether, ninety-six silver coins.”
Bell took the pouches.
They were heavy.
A surge of warmth rose in his heart.
“Thank you.”
Veronica smiled.
“You're welcome.”
She paused.
“Kiddo, you're very talented.”
Her voice was serious.
“Be careful in the future.”
Bell nodded.
“I will.”
The five of them turned.
They walked toward the door.
As they reached the entrance,
Veronica’s voice came from behind them.
“Kiddo.”
Bell looked back.
“Hmm?”
Veronica stood behind the front desk.
There was a smile on her face.
“Come back again soon.”
Bell smiled.
“I will.”
He pushed open the door.
He walked out.
...
The Royal Capital at night.
The lights were bright.
The five of them walked along the street.
Kyle stretched.
“Finally back.”
His voice was tired.
“I'm going back to get a good night's sleep.”
Tia held that 'hamster'.
She looked at Bell.
“Junior Bell, thank you for today.”
Bell shook his head.
“You're welcome.”
Antinoia pushed up her glasses.
“Bell, see you tomorrow.”
Bell nodded.
“See you tomorrow.”
The four of them split up.
Each headed in their own direction.
Bell and Lilian
walked side by side on the way back to the dorms.
The night breeze blew past,
carrying a hint of coolness.
Lilian suddenly spoke.
“Master.”
Bell turned his head.
“Hmm?”
Lilian lowered her head.
“Did... did I do something wrong?”
Her voice was very small.
“I shouldn't have let you take the wrong path.”
Bell stopped walking.
He looked at Lilian.
Those blood red eyes were filled with unease.
Bell reached out.
He patted her head.
“You didn't do anything wrong.”
His voice was soft.
“You just wanted me to know how strong I am.”
Lilian looked up.
“Master...”
Bell smiled.
“Thank you.”
Lilian’s eyes lit up.
“Master isn't angry?”
Bell shook his head.
“I'm not angry.”
He turned.
He continued walking forward.
“Let’s go.”
His voice was gentle.
“Back to rest.”
Lilian followed behind him.
The corners of her mouth curled into a smile.
...
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