Chapter 115 – Rangers and the Kind-hearted

Kaiskaser turned his head in shock. As an eighth-level apprentice knight, he was astounded that someone could effortlessly channel Battle Aura into his body at will—this visitor was undoubtedly a powerhouse of immense strength.

Kaiskaser nearly jumped in surprise. Turning around, he saw a young man with long brown hair, dressed in a pure white robe, smiling at him with eyes that curved into slender lines.

Most importantly, the other party was an undeniable Formal-Level powerhouse.

“My apologies for the rudeness, but… may I ask who you are, sir?”Despite sensing the boy’s friendly spiritual fluctuations, Kaiskaser still inquired cautiously.”

“I hail from Rock Rabbit Creek and am currently traveling. Upon arriving in this city, I noticed it seems to be suffering from calamity, so I wished to understand the situation.”

Kangkai patted the Knight Commander’s shoulder, then his figure suddenly blurred into a wisp-like afterimage. When he reappeared, he was already seated in the chair opposite Kaiskaser.

Kangkai clasped his hands together and smiled gently at the despondent knight, speaking softly:

“One must never approach problems with extreme bias. I can see you’ve been through some experiences. If you don’t mind, you could share them with me.”

“This… how could I dare trouble you with such matters, my lord…Kaiskaser instinctively wanted to refuse, but then he remembered the boy’s Formal-Level strength and suddenly thought this powerhouse might offer some aid to the crisis-stricken Doleiz City.

“Well… since you have the time, my lord, I shall explain in detail.”

Thus, Kaiskaser began recounting his recent series of “encounters” to Kangkai, whom he had just met.

As he spoke, the Knight Commander unconsciously picked up another bottle of ale and took a large gulp. In the current situation, Kaiskaser had to admit he was utterly out of solutions.

After listening to Kaiskaser’s account, Kangkai rested his chin on his hand and pondered for a long while before finally saying with some helplessness:

“Sir Knight, I am merely a ranger skilled in techniques. Though I am now 465 years old, I am still no sage of great wisdom. Thus, I cannot immediately devise a solution to your problems, but I can share some life lessons I’ve learned.”

Kangkai lowered his hand from his chin and looked solemnly into Kaiskaser’s eyes, speaking slowly with utmost seriousness.

“After all, these are matters of our Doleiz City. I’m already ashamed to have troubled you with them, my lord. If you have any advice to offer, I will listen attentively.”

Hearing that Kangkai had guidance to give, Kaiskaser quickly shook off all despondency and regained his composed, honor-bound knightly demeanor.

“No need for such formality. I merely wish to offer some suggestions.”

“First: You need not bear everything upon your own shoulders. Many things are not your responsibility. You may grieve over being unable to help others, but you should not blame yourself for it.”

“Second: Those indifferent commoners are not lacking in kindness—they simply lack the strength to uphold it. They are not refusing to save lives; they merely lack the capability to do so.””Third, tolerance should be a human spirit, a form of kindness, a beauty; it is breadth of mind and magnanimity; it is even more a state of being.”

“How about that, do you feel better now?”

Seeing Kaiskaser’s utterly dejected face, Kangkai once again regained his smile.

————————Separator——————

Outside Doleiz City, time quickly reached dusk on the second day. The refugees had already camped on this cold, windy wasteland for two days, yet they had found no safety. Although there were no immediate signs of disease outbreaks near Doleiz City, the refugees’ lives remained critically threatened by hunger.

Under the setting sun’s glow, three figures cloaked in gray robes appeared in the refugee camp. The person at the back was leading a wagon loaded with sacks of grain.

“Young mistress, young mistress, you must think this through carefully. If we really do this, then it would…”

“Then what? Offend all the nobles, is that it? Hmph! So what? Should we just stand by and watch these people be harmed by those demons?”

From beneath the leading gray hood emerged an exquisite face, with sharp eyebrows raised in anger exuding a heroic aura. She was none other than Lotalan, the young woman who had become the leader of the Minohorn conglomerate.

“Oh, my dear young mistress— Mondo, you should also advise the young mistress. Our Minohorn Family has only just begun to establish itself…”

The one chattering incessantly along the way was Lotalan’s Old Butler. He simply couldn’t understand why his young mistress not only refused to cooperate with those esteemed nobles in selling grain, but would rather offend all the nobles to help these commoners.

However, the strong-willed Lotalan completely refused to listen to the Old Butler’s advice. The knight Mondo beside her remained silent as well. In truth, ever since that time Punk saw through their scheme, the Old Butler had felt that Lotalan no longer obeyed him as unquestioningly as before.

“Sigh————”

Seeing Lotalan eagerly running toward a bonfire surrounded by refugees, the Old Butler could only sigh and quickly follow after her.

Seeing three robed strangers approaching them, the refugees around the bonfire grew wary. Recently, there had been gangs of hoodlums forcibly seizing food, forcing these refugees to remain vigilant.

Noticing the refugees’ disheveled appearance and suspicious gazes, a woman holding a child quickly pulled a ragged cloth to cover her crying infant.

Witnessing this scene, Lotalan sighed quietly to herself, then took out several pieces of dried food from her bundle and handed them to an older middle-aged man.

“Remember to eat it quickly, and share some with others.”

Lotalan whispered these words, while the man who received the food was already weeping with gratitude.

Several pale and emaciated children, seeing Lotalan distributing food, quickly gathered around her.

“Sister, sister, you’re the most beautiful, could you give me something to eat?”

“Pretty sister, my sister is too weak to move, she needs food.”

“You’re lying! I saw your sister go into a tent with a guard yesterday!”

“You… you’re talking nonsense!”Witnessing several children nearly coming to blows over a meager portion of food, Lotalan quickly produced additional provisions, distributing one share to each child until the chaos subsided.

“What wrong have these children committed to deserve such misery of empty stomachs?”

With sorrow, Lotalan bid farewell to the children and remained standing there, murmuring mournfully to herself. The glow of the setting sun bathed her pink dress, its long ribbons fluttering in the wind.

Just as Lotalan, filled with confusion and grief, prepared to turn and leave, she suddenly sensed a chilling gaze fixed upon her back.

Suppressing the nausea and discomfort rising within her, enduring the eerie sensation akin to maggots crawling over her skin, Lotalan slowly turned around.

The young woman nearly gasped aloud as she saw, lurking in the shadows of a Corner, a man clad in a gray-red robe adorned with a spider-shaped emblem. His face was twisted with frenzied greed as his eyes raked over her body.

An overwhelming fear took root in Lotalan’s heart, growing steadily until her loyal knight strode forward, shielding the trembling young woman and blocking that sinister gaze. Only then did Lotalan manage to steady her quaking legs.

“Young mistress, let us hurry and leave. We must finish distributing the provisions before nightfall.”

Mondo, keenly aware of the man’s undisguised malice from the shadows, quickly guided the terrified Lotalan, who had frozen in place, away from the scene. Even as the young woman’s figure vanished behind a tent, that eerie gaze never wavered.

(End of Chapter)