A man is walking toward the hideout of the bandit. His walk is unsteady which clearly means that he is drunk. and his clothes suggested that he obviously was a bandit but since he was wearing a gold ring on his left index, it was pretty obvious that he was the one leading the group of bandits that settled in the forest

- Why is it so calm? the man says after drinking out of his bottle full of alcohol. Did they already finish partying?

The bandit leader enters the hideout and sees a man covered in black clothes with a black hood and scarf covering his face. The ground was covered in the blood of the countless bandits the man killed. He quickly lets go of his bottle that breaks upon contact with the ground and puts his hand on the sword that he has on his waist

- WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!? yells the bandit leader in anger

Roderick turns and looks at the bandit leader

- None of them talked. he says while looking at the bandit leader. They made sure that I wouldn't know where you were, but you came here yourself. To think that they had forgotten that you were only gone for a little bit, your subordinates were quite the idiots

- YOU FUCKING BASTARD! yells the bandit leader as he runs with anger at Roderick

Roderick faces the bandit leader, takes out his sword, and starts walking toward him

- Anger does nothing more than cloud one's judgment. says Roderick as he calmly walks toward the bandit leader who is rushing at him

He raises his sword calmly and swings it down as soon as the bandit leader reaches him. Roderick puts his sword back into its scabbard and the bandit leader's body splits into two as soon as Roderick does

- This isn't enough. says Roderick as he looks at his opened palm. I should survey the area and make sure that this was the only hideout made by people who could endanger Ragseem. he finishes while walking out of the hideout

[Next Morning]

Yvelt, Enzo, and Leas are all eating at the table

- Where is Dad? asks Enzo while eating

- He went out early to cut some wood. answers Yvelt who clearly didn't get much sleep

- That's weird. says Leas. I thought Dad brought back more than enough wood Sunday.

- He did but he already sold it all. replies Yvelt while eating

- Does that mean that Dad could buy me an actual sword!?!? asks Enzo with excitement and enthusiasm

- What if he brought you a bunch of books so that you can study? asks Yvelt with a smile

Enzo calms down and says

- You could have just said no.

The door of the house opens and Roderick enters the house. As soon as they see their father, the two brothers get off their chairs and rush to their father's side

- DAD! I heard you made a lot of money! says Enzo with sparkling eyes

- Well, to be honest, Dad and Mom make more than a lot of nobles. says Leas. We could even live in a much bigger house than this one.

- Why aren't we? asks Enzo in confusion

- Because this house means a lot to us. says Yvelt. Now go and get dressed, otherwise, we are going to be late for school

- I don't mind being late. says Enzo

- Go. says Yvelt while pointing at their room

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The brothers leave

- How did it go? Yvelt asks to Roderick

- There were 30 bandits hideout near Ragseem. says Roderick. I can't believe that in a mere 2 years, so many bandit groups settled near here

- That's a little unsettling and worrisome. says Yvelt in a pensive tone

- Don't worry. says Roderick as he walks into the kitchen. Now, there are none left

- Do you have any injuries? asks Yvelt as she joins him

- None whatsoever. he replies

- Why would Dad have any injuries? asks Leas who is standing in front of them ready to go to school

- Chopping wood can be dangerous. says Roderick who is slightly flustered

- Didn't you break a log of wood with just one of your fingers this weekend? says Leas with a questioning tone

- Enough talking. says Yvelt to quickly change the subject. It's time to go!

Yvelt looks around Leas

- Where is your brother? she asks

- He used the window in the bathroom to leave. answer Leas

- I am guessing he took a wooden sword with him? she asks while clearly holding her anger in

- Who said that he only brought one? asks Leas

- Let's go. says Yvelt as she rushes out of the house

Leas turns and looks at his father

- Are you ok, Dad? asks Leas with a worried tone

Roderick approaches Leas and pats his head

- I am completely fine. he answers with a smile. Now go before you also get in trouble

Leas smiles and leaves. When Leas closes the door, Roderick heads into the kitchen, takes the plates of Leas, Enzo, and Yvelt, and eats what they left.

- I'm still hungry. he says as he gets up once more to take some food

[With Leas that caught up with Yvelt]

- Were you able to catch up to him? asks Leas

- What do you think? she asks while panting

Leas looks forward while squinting his eyes

- Yeah, if you ran for a minute or two and just a little bit faster, you would have caught up to him. says Leas while nodding

- Wait. You can see him from here? asks Yvelt with surprise

- Yeah. answers Leas as he starts walking forward. I can also hear him and smell him

- All of that? asks Yvelt as she walks next to Leas. And from here?

Leas nods to answer

- That's impressive. says Yvelt. Three of your five senses seem to be highly developed

- Actually, all five of them are. says Leas. Both my sense of taste and touch are also quite developed. Would you like to know what I heard a little while ago?

- What did you hear? asks Yvelt with curiosity

- That Dad went out to deal with bandits yesterday. answers Leas while walking forward and looking forward

Yvelt sighs

- So, you heard that, huh? says Yvelt after sighing

- I did. answers Leas

- Your father is strong, Leas. says Yvelt. He's completely fine after taking care of all of those bandits

- I know. says Leas. When I touched him, I could tell that he was completely fine but that his muscles were more tired than usual.... Mom?

- Yes?

- Dad... he killed all of those bandits... right? asks Leas

Yvelt looks at Leas and then looks forward

- He did. she answers. But you have to understand, he only did it to keep us all safe

-... I understand. says Leas

- Did you hear anything else that you want to ask about? asks Yvelt. Whether it's today or yesterday

-... No. There is nothing else. answers Leas with a smile

[With Roderick who just knocked on the door of a house]

The door opens and a man in his late 40's opens the door. On his head, a few strands of white hair started appearing on his brown hair. It was the same for his beard but his face was betraying his age. This man looked like he was in his early thirties instead of his late forties

- What is it, Roderick? asks the man with a smile

- It's urgent, chief. says Roderick with nothing but seriousness

The smile on the village chief disappear

- If the man who is usually always smiling says so, then it looks like something big has either happened or will happen. says the village chief as he moves to the side and opens his door wide. Enter.

Roderick goes in a sits down on a chair. The village chief puts a glass of tea in front of him and sits down

- What is happening that is so urgent, Roderick? asks the village chief

- First of all, yesterday I surveyed the surroundings of Ragseem and found about 30 bandits' hideouts. says Roderick after taking a sip of the tea

- What!? Were they from the same bandit group? asks the village chief with nervosity

Roderick shakes his head

- We need to report this to the kingdom. he says while getting up

Roderick puts a bag of gold coins on the table

- There is no need to worry. says Roderick while staring into the village chief's eyes. I took care of all of them

The village chief sits back down

- Roderick, who are you really? asks the village chief

- That doesn't matter. answers Roderick. All you need to know is that I am on your side

The village chief exhales

- You are right. he says after exhaling. You said first of all, which means that there is something else you want to talk about. What is it?

- Yesterday, before coming home, I was at Churno's. starts Roderick. And there I saw quite a few mercenaries and young men with swords that are heading to the capital

- So, what? asks the village chief

- The army has started recruiting people. says Roderick. And they only do that for one reason

The village chief's eyes widen

- We need to prepare the village and the villagers, Vrock. says Roderick. Otherwise, we will lose everything we love soon