Because Stella acted promptly, the blood holes in Sean's shoulder were sealed, and his shattered shoulder blade was saved.

After the Iron Fist Maid and Insect Maid had retreated, Barrett and Stella hired an urgent carriage to take Sean to the best hospital in town.

If Sean's arm were ruined, his life as an archer would be meaningless. Fortunately, with skilled doctors and Divine Magic at his disposal, his condition shouldn't be severe, and his arm likely won't suffer lasting damage.

In the Adventurer's Hall, EeDeChi stood alone at the counter, here to collect the remaining half of her reward for completing the task.

Normally, Barrett would never leave her side during money transactions to prevent her from being deceived by unfamiliar people. But today, Barrett chose to visit Sean at the local medical clinic and seemed unwilling to deal with her.

Perhaps due to it being close to noon, the Adventurer's Hall was almost empty, and the receptionist was not at the counter, likely out for lunch.

EeDeChi paced back and forth in the hall, feeling somewhat restless. She drummed her fingers on the oak counter, unsure whether her impatience was due to the receptionist's absence or something else.

"Dear lady, why so impatient? You're about to break the counter with all that drumming," a calm and gentle voice said from behind, soothing her irritation.

EeDeChi turned around and saw that the speaker was none other than the client of this mission—the elegantly dressed old gentleman. He was still in his formal black tailcoat, walking gracefully towards EeDeChi, his face full of humility as he extended his arm for a handshake.

EeDeChi shook his hand and responded tersely, "The task you gave us was a lot more troublesome than we expected!"

She glared at the number representing Justice Value above the old gentleman's head—300—and with a hint of annoyance in her voice asked, "Did you know something that you didn't tell us?"

The old gentleman, Sebas Tian, made an apologetic gesture and said in a gentle tone, "I didn't anticipate that this task would turn into such a grueling battle. Your fight with the monsters nearly destroyed the entire estate; the enemies you faced must have been exceptionally powerful. By the way, how is that adventurer with the bow? He didn't look too well."

EeDeChi looked into the old gentleman's kind eyes and saw a genuine concern there. She nodded and said, "Our cleric treated him in time. He... should be okay now, I think." Her tone held a touch of uncertainty.

"Good to hear that. I really don't like seeing anyone get hurt because of us," the old gentleman said, then pulled out a silver pendant with embedded diamonds from the outer pocket of his coat.

The pendant lay in the old gentleman's broad hand, the beautiful scattered diamonds sparkling, with intricate and elaborate engravings glowing brightly.

"What's this for?" EeDeChi asked, puzzled.

The old gentleman handed the silver pendant to EeDeChi.

"I could have avoided coming here, since the payment for the mission was already given to the Adventurer's Guild, who would distribute it. But as you said, the difficulty of this task far exceeded our expectations.

"So, I want to give you this pendant as a token of our gratitude. It is a precious heirloom of our family, imbued with a constant High-tier magic by a great mage. It can protect the wearer and bring good fortune."

EeDeChi initially wanted to refuse, knowing that, apart from her own strength, nothing could truly protect her.

However, thinking in Barrett's way, she realized that adventurers never let any wealth slip through their fingers, even if it were a coin dropped in the mud and run over by a cart. So, she accepted the silver pendant and thanked the old gentleman.

The old gentleman assured her that it was the least he could do. He gave a slight bow and said, "Well then, lady, if there's nothing else, I will take my leave."

EeDeChi nodded, "Goodbye."

The old gentleman responded warmly, "Yes, I'm sure we will have the chance to meet again." He turned and walked out of the hall, disappearing into the bustling street.

EeDeChi tossed the silver pendant in her hand, watching expressionlessly as the old gentleman left.

---

As the sun set, the dark red remnants of daylight clung stubbornly between the mountains. The evening glow bathed the land, turning the clouds on the horizon a reddish hue and casting a faint golden light over everything.

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EeDeChi walked sullenly by the riverbank. She had just visited the hospital in the southern part of the city and learned that Sean had already been discharged and had left with Stella and Barrett. The three of them had left without a trace and had not informed the doctors where they were going.

Now, EeDeChi was heading to the inn where the Last Defender of the Way adventurer team was staying, on the other side of the city, wondering if Barrett and the others were still there.

Time passed slowly. The sun had dipped halfway below the horizon, and the twilight deepened. On a sycamore tree by the river, whose leaves had mostly fallen, a black crow perched on a branch, cawing hoarsely.

EeDeChi felt a surge of irritation for no apparent reason. "Shut up already!" she shouted at the crow, drawing the attention of several passersby on the sidewalk.

But the crow was unmoved by the irritated adventurer and continued its loud "Caw! Caw!" It even flapped its wings, making its calls louder.

EeDeChi's frustration flared up. She grabbed a nearby hard object and threw it at the crow.

The crow's cries abruptly stopped. The black bird tumbled from the branch and fell into the river with a splash.

Satisfied, EeDeChi clapped her hands and continued on her way. She reached into her pocket and realized that the object she used to hit the crow was the silver pendant the old gentleman had given her in the Adventurer's Guild earlier that day. The exquisite pendant seemed to be a family heirloom of the old gentleman.

Regardless, EeDeChi felt a lot better and her steps grew lighter. She quickened her pace, heading towards the inn where she was staying in the city…

The night was deep, and a crescent moon hung high in the sky.

After knocking on the door of the tenth house to ask for directions, EeDeChi finally found the way to the inn.

On the three-story inn, only Sean's room had an orange light still glowing from the window. EeDeChi tiptoed up the stairs, and without hesitation, pushed open the door and walked in.

The room was filled with a faint herbal scent. Barrett was lounging in a soft chair, while Sean, shirtless, sat upright on the bed. Stella, dressed in her cleric uniform, was gently changing his bandages. The twin blond loli sisters, Ureirika and Kuuderika, were sprawled on the bed, huddled together playing with their stuffed dolls.

"Hey, you're back. I thought you might have gotten lost. I almost went out to look for you," Barrett said, straightening up from the chair as he greeted EeDeChi.

"I'm not directionally challenged," EeDeChi said with a stiff expression, though her mood quickly softened. She looked at Sean sitting on the edge of the bed and asked in an unusually gentle tone, "How are you now? Are you alright?"

Sean flashed a grin, his freckles dancing on his face. "Don't worry, Captain! Thanks to Stella's healing magic, I'm completely fine now. I'm sure I'll be back to drawing my bow in no time!"

As he spoke, he slapped his strong chest with his uninjured hand, the sound echoing with a thud. But the movement immediately aggravated his other shoulder's wound, and he grimaced in pain.

"Hey, stop squirming. It wasn't me who healed your arm; it was the High-tier healer in the city. Besides, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten hurt in the first place…" Stella said gently, wrapping a clean white bandage around his shoulder.

"I just acted on instinct back then, trying to protect you. Don't worry about it. Look at me, I took a heavy punch from those wolf tooth gloves, and I'm still fine," Sean said nonchalantly, his expression relaxed.

"Oh, don't get too cocky. Besides practicing archery, you need to work on your close-combat Martial Arts too. If that iron-fisted maid had landed a punch on your head, you'd be dead! When I fought her, her punches were always aimed straight at my vital points!" Barrett said with a smirk.

Barrett squinted his eyes, recalling the dangerous battle with the iron fist maid in the manor yesterday.

To be honest, this battle was the most perilous he had faced in nearly twenty years as an adventurer. Even the encounters he had bragged about with a Frost Dragon paled in comparison to the intensity and danger of this fight. He had suspected he might not make it when he raised his shield against the maid.

The iron fist maid's strength, speed, and combat skills were nothing short of perfect. He hadn't expected that, after destroying two Adamantite shields, three long swords, and a spear, he barely managed to fight her to a standstill.

However, it's going to be tough bragging about this battle to other adventurers. Who would believe that the pinnacle of one's fighting career would be a draw against a maid?

Reflecting on the battle, Barrett realized that what stood out most wasn't the iron fist maid's impeccable fighting techniques or her terrifyingly powerful punches. Instead, it was her composed demeanor, the narrow black glasses on her high nose, the strands of hair that fell onto her forehead after the fight, and the graceful, gentle smile she flashed when she lifted her maid's skirt before leaving…

Barrett shook his head, trying to push the image of the maid out of his mind and stop dwelling on such meaningless thoughts.

He turned to EeDeChi, hoping to see some hint of guilt or something else in the captain's black eyes.

The adventurer captain glanced at Barrett and waved her hand dismissively. "Since everyone is fine and in good shape, we'll leave tomorrow and head for the Re-Estize Kingdom."

"Captain, I'm not trying to blame you," Barrett said firmly, deciding to clarify things, "but you shouldn't have left us to chase another enemy during the battle."

"Why? If I hadn't gone after her, she would have escaped," EeDeChi said, folding her arms. "And with you around, I trust the problem was manageable. You're reliable."

Barrett gave a wry smile. "You have too much faith in me. I was no match for that maid. We nearly got killed."

"She wouldn't have killed you," EeDeChi said confidently.

"Why not?" Barrett asked, thoroughly confused.

"I can see her Justice Value. It's 150, so she's a good person."

"Impossible. I clearly sensed her murderous intent," Barrett shook his head. "Let me be clear—she wanted to kill all three of us! She's a maid, so she must follow her master's orders, not some so-called Justice Value."

"I don't believe it. Are you implying you're smarter than me?" EeDeChi lifted her chin proudly.

"Alright," Barrett said, pressing his forehead in frustration. "I dare say you'll eventually regret trusting someone's Justice Value blindly. Anyway, as a team, you're the captain, and you have a duty and responsibility to protect your teammates."

"Alright, alright, I get it," EeDeChi waved her hand dismissively.