The moment the first bite of food touched her lips, Leila couldn't help but close her eyes. The taste was simply intoxicating. Although she managed to maintain her composure, it was evident that she was thoroughly enjoying it.

As for Bonnie, perhaps due to her naturally exuberant nature, she didn't hold back with her words of praise.

"Oh! This taste! It's simply wonderful!"

These words filled Glen with an indescribable sense of pride, and he barely managed to keep the nonchalant expression on his face.

"You two are still students, right? Is it a holiday today?" Glen asked casually as he picked up some food with his chopsticks.

"Yes, sir. Bonnie and I are both students at Mays College. Today is indeed a holiday, but we have to go back to school tomorrow," Leila replied. Although she was eager to savor the delicious food like Bonnie, she was a polite girl and took the time to answer Glen's question.

"Oh~" Glen nodded slowly, then asked,"May I ask, does your curriculum include magic?"

Upon hearing this question, Leila gave him a curious look. Even Bonnie lifted her chubby face, her eyes mirroring Leila's expression.

"To learn magic, one has to go to the Magic Tower and find a specialized tutor. Our college doesn't offer magic courses, but it does cover some basic related knowledge," Leila explained in a gentle voice.

"I'm not very familiar with this aspect," Glen said, looking a bit sheepish.

"I see," Leila said, not pressing the matter further.

This wasn't Glen's fault. There was truly no knowledge about this in the memory of the previous owner.

The previous owner hadn't attended school for more than a few years. As the son of a wealthy family, he had indulged in a life of luxury, squandering his family's wealth. Who would choose to go to school?

This had also led to his lack of understanding of many common - sense things.

Before long, the three of them were full. Glen had a big appetite, so he had prepared a generous amount of food. He just needed to eat a bit less, and the rest was more than enough to entertain his guests.

During the meal, their casual conversation had brought them much closer. The two young girls gradually relaxed and revealed their naturally lively personalities.

Glen, too, was no longer as stern as he had been at the beginning. He occasionally cracked jokes that made the girls burst into laughter.

"Mr. Glen's lunch is really delicious. I'd do anything to be able to taste it every day," Bonnie mumbled contentedly, patting her stomach.

"Who would be willing to cook for a glutton like you? If there was someone, you'd surely eat them out of house and home sooner or later," Leila teased in a timely manner.

"I'd be more than happy to let you taste more dishes, but you need to have enough courage to come here," Glen added.

Bonnie thought of the eerie atmosphere of this town and immediately shrank her neck.

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Seeing the girl's naive reaction, both Glen and Leila couldn't help but laugh.

After Glen cleared away the dishes and chopsticks, Leila said in a somewhat apologetic tone,"This isn't a very perfect visit. My gratitude gift seems far from enough to match this wonderful lunch. My mother would definitely scold me if she knew."

The basket Leila brought contained some fruits, vegetables, and bread, but no meat. In this era, the value of meat was quite high, which was why Leila said such things.

"Expressing gratitude doesn't depend on the value of the gift. It's enough for me to feel your sincerity," Glen said, voicing his true thoughts. He really liked this well - behaved young girl. She was the first friend he had made in this world.

Leila was deeply touched by his words.

These words were rather ordinary. Anyone with a basic understanding of human relationships could say them. But here, they were thought - provoking.

"I'll keep your words in my heart forever," Leila said with a solemn expression.

"I feel the same way." Bonnie echoed, equally touched.

The three of them chatted casually for a few more moments. The two young girls occasionally inquired about the town, but Glen didn't know much about it himself, so he could only tell them the truth.

Finally, Glen noticed that they were ready to leave, so he took the initiative to see them off.

"All right. It's quite a distance from here to your homes. It would be troublesome if it gets dark on the way. You'd better head home now. Don't make your families worry too much."

Leila and Bonnie knew Glen's words made sense, so they bid him a polite farewell.

After seeing the two girls off, Glen secretly instructed the beast to safeguard them. Meanwhile, he had already decided on a way to earn money and was ready to put his plan into action.

...

"Mr. Glen is such an interesting person. Perhaps we can interact with him more often in the future," Leila remarked as she walked along the quiet dirt path.

"I think so too. However, Leila, I still believe this place isn't safe. It would be better to come with a group of friends," Bonnie nodded in agreement and then offered a suggestion.

"Hmm..." Leila pondered for a few seconds, then smiled. "Will you accompany me next time?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You should find a strong boy. The two of us together offer no sense of security!"

"Pock? No way. He's even more timid than you," Leila said, and the thought of the slightly chubby red - haired boy trembling in this place made her chuckle.

Upon hearing this, Bonnie retorted, a hint of indignation in her voice. "I'm not a coward!"

Thinking of Pock again, she asked in confusion, "But he's always boasting about wanting to become a knight. How could he be so timid?"

"You just don't know him..." Leila was on the verge of revealing some embarrassing anecdotes about Pock when a familiar voice interrupted her.

"Thank heavens, Leila. I've been waiting for you here for ages. Thank goodness you're unharmed."

A short middle - aged man with a dark brown beard approached from the front, trailed by two brawny men who were a head taller than him.

The moment Leila laid eyes on this person, she froze, her tone tinged with surprise. "Dad..."

The man was none other than Leila's father, Bob.

Bonnie glanced at the newcomer and then at Leila, at a loss for words.

"My child, you have no idea how worried I was when I learned you were here. This place is perilous! Come on, follow your father. I'll take you back home," Bob said, wearing an amiable smile as he beckoned.

However, the two men behind him remained stone - faced, making the two girls extremely uneasy.

"No, I won't go back with you! You almost killed Mom!" Leila's anger flared as she recalled her mother's pitiful state in the clinic. Her tone was unwavering.

Bob's eyelids twitched, and his expression turned slightly rigid. But he quickly offered a helpless defense. "My dear child, it was just an accident. I was drunk at the time, and your mother was also at fault. She should have given me the money. Otherwise, such a thing wouldn't have happened."

"Enough, Bob. We don't have time for this father - daughter drama. Let's get this over with," one of the brawny men behind Bob interrupted impatiently and stepped forward, reaching out to seize the two girls.

Sensing the ill intent of the approaching men, the two girls were filled with dread and turned to flee.

But the two young girls were no match for the adult men. They had barely taken a few steps when two large hands grabbed each of their shoulders.

A powerful force yanked them to the ground. They struggled to get up, but the two brawny men held them firmly and began dragging them back the way they had come.

"Let us go, you brutes!"

The two girls shouted at the top of their lungs.

"Be a bit more gentle. After all, she's my daughter," Bob called out in a barely audible voice.

"Daughter? She ceased to be your daughter the moment you sold her to the boss."