The sun is starting to rise, making the sky a little bright. As Alejandro walked to the village, he already passed many kinds of animals. First, he passed a goat that was eating grass. Secondly, he saw pigs still sleeping, and now he sees a bunch of sheep, some are still sleeping and some are eating grass.

I already passed many kinds of animals, so I must be close to the village now. As long as I continue to follow this path made of stones, then I might get there in just a few more minutes.

Alejandro continues walking despite being very hungry. His stomach would occasionally make a sound, giving the boy a sign that it’s time to eat already.

I would have eaten those dead wolves in the forest earlier if I just knew how to start a fire. No matter, I must keep moving forward or else I will really pass out due to hunger.

At this point of time, the sun has already risen. The sun finally came out and gave a shining ray of light to everything. The grass, trees and even Alejandro’s face got hit by the sun’s rays.

Not long after, Alejandro found the village even though it is still at a far distance. He began to run joyfully, already thinking of ordering two Joyful meals.

After running so fast, the boy arrived at the village. He looked around and thought that this village is much bigger than Holm village!

Their houses and buildings are all tall and huge! It’s like I’m visiting a kingdom! I must find a tavern quickly so that I may eat!

There were many people passing around the village, some of them dressed nicely and some were dressed like the villagers in the Holm village.

Alejandro finally found a tavern and quickly entered inside. The tavern was quite busy at this time since it is morning and many people are eating their breakfast here.

“One Bitterz please, Lady Ail!”

“Two Joyful meals for me and my wife over here, Lady Ail!”

“I’ll have two Bitterz, Lady Ail!”

Men ordered different kinds of breakfast meals. There were many orders of meals yet the waitress managed to prepare it so fast, making the hungry men satisfied as they started to eat their breakfast immediately.

Hmmm… It seems the waitress’s name is Lady Ail. I should order now and be respectful. I don’t want to be kicked out in this tavern and having nothing to eat!

“Um, good morning Lady Ail. I would like to buy one Joyful, please.”

The waitress, Lady Ail, looked at Alejandro. Wondering why there is a child inside her tavern.

“May I ask where your parents are, young boy?”

“They… They ordered me to buy them a Joyful in here.”

Lady Ail was starting to get suspicious. Why would the boy buy only one Joyful when he himself said he was ordered by his parents. Shouldn't it be two Joyful not one? Or better yet, three Joyful since there are three of them. A mother, father and their child.

She was also suspicious of how Alejandro looks like right now. The boy’s hair was messy, clothes were dirty and in some parts of it was cut by something.

However, Lady Ail came to a conclusion. This boy was maybe abused by his parents, yet he managed to steal two silver coins to buy a Joyful meal. I must give him Joyful meal right away! Such a poor boy.

“Alright, boy. Here is your Joyful meal.”

Alejandro’s eyes began to shine like a star after seeing the Joyful meal in front of him. This Joyful meal consisted of sliced potatoes, fresh rice, a small steak and cold water in a cup.

He originally planned to eat the meal outside so that the waitress would not get suspicious of him as his reason just a few seconds ago was that he was ordered by his parents. However, Alejandro was really hungry right now and he was not able to hold his urge to eat the delicious meal right before his very own sparkling eyes.

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The boy started to rapidly eat his Joyful meal as if the world was ending right now and this was his last meal.

“So young boy, where do you live? North of the village? West? East? South?” the waitress asked Alejandro while cleaning a cup of glass.

“To tell you the truth, Lady Ail, I’m actually not from around here. I do not live here, I live in Holm village!” Alejandro replied while simultaneously eating his Joyful meal.

Lady Ail gasped as he heard what the boy just said.

The other men who were eating and having conversation suddenly stopped eating and all of them also went quiet. None of the people inside the tavern said a single word, only the sound of Alejandro eating can be heard.

Suddenly a man asked Alejandro, “Young boy, can you repeat what you just said?”

Alejandro kept eating and replied “I live in Holm village! A beautiful village not far from here, I guess?”

All the men standed up while the ladies began to leave the tavern.

“Ah! That was delicious! I haven’t eaten any food in the past few days. I wonder if I should order again?”

Alejandro just then realized that he was the only one making a noise and all the men were staring at him. Alejandro wondered why all of them were staring at him, did he perhaps say something wrong?

Lady Ail then looked at Alejandro and said “Young boy, it seems you do not understand the situation you are in right now. Let me explain it for you, your people just raided our village just the past few days. They managed to kill a lot of our people here, yet they retreated immediately after our hunters and knights returned from a mission. Did you know that none of your people were killed? They successfully retreated and managed to steal a lot of valuable items and coins from us.”

Alejandro was shocked and was trembling when he heard this information. He could not simply believe the words coming out of the waitress. His people raided a village and killed people? That’s absurd, right? He knew his village and the people very well. They would not do something like killing people and stealing items and coins!

However, it was the truth. As Alejandro looked at the men’s faces, all angry and some of them unhappy because they were not able to defend their beloved home. Some of these men lost their child, their wife and even their pets. One simply cannot forgive the devils that live in the Holm village.

“You have been mistaken, sirs! I did not know of this information as I was asleep for the past few days! I am not part of the people that raided this village! I am simply a mere child that wandered here after my parents abandoned me in the forest!”

A man approached the boy and then took out his daggers. “Then why do you have these daggers, young boy? Do you plan to kill some of our people here again?”

The angry men became more furious, preparing their magic aura and some of them preparing their daggers and swords that fused with magic aura.

Oh no! These people have gone mad! If I keep reasoning to these men, I might get killed! I must run away!

Suddenly, a man with a huge body and strong defined muscles approached the scene. The man wears a simple cloth with a hat that hunters wear.

“Young boy, you have a nice set of daggers there. A normal dagger and a unique red dagger that seems to be the sharpest dagger I have ever seen.”

The men saw the man approach the young boy and all of them bowed down and shouted synchronized “Sir Ludwig! We are at your service!”

“Give me the daggers. Actually, just hand me the red dagger instead of the two of them.”

“Right away, Sir Ludwig!”

The man gave the red dagger to Sir Ludwig. As for the other dagger, he put it down on the table.

“This is indeed the sharpest dagger that I have ever seen in my entire life as a hunter. Magnificent. Where did you get this, young boy?”

“I… I found it in the forest.”

“Is that so? Do you mind if I keep this dagger? Nevermind, you can’t object since you are an outsider bringing lethal weapons inside our village. With that fact, you can be executed even if you are still a mere child.”

“What?! That is outrageous! You people are ruthless!”

“Says the child that belongs to the devils that killed our people mercilessly.”

As Sir Ludwig was about to put the red dagger to his left pocket bag, the dagger floated and magically returned to Alejandro’s hand.

“My, my! Using magic to resist now, are you?!” Sir Ludwig exclaimed.

“Wait, no! I didn't do it! I did not use any magic or casted a spell! I don’t have any magic aura to begin with, sir!”

Alejandro was stunned. He knew he was not the one who did it, simply because he has no magic powers to begin with. And something happening like the dagger returning to Alejandro’s hand is impossible without magic powers!

Hmmm… It seems the young boy is telling the truth. I do not sense any magic aura in him. But then who could explain what just happened? No matter, it would be pointless to think over it. The fact that he resisted is simply enough.

“Young boy, I have to seize you right away. You cannot object and you also cannot possibly escape. Please surrender peacefully.”

“What will happen to me?! I swear what I told you was all true! What village has such a ruthless law that imprisons a child like me?!”

“Welcome to Boreal village, young boy.” one of the men said and all of the men laughed at Alejandro as he was cuffed by Sir Ludwig.