Upon hearing this, before Glen could utter a word, Ravel sprang to his feet and exclaimed, "This is the doing of a dark magician! Only they would engage in such despicable deeds!"

Luther merely sighed sorrowfully. "Indeed, this is precisely the sort of thing a dark magician would perpetrate. Alas, I realized this truth far too late."

As expected, these dark magicians are truly abhorrent... Glen felt a surge of irritation within him and then inquired, "What transpired thereafter? You didn't, by any chance, attempt to assail that magician despite your own limitations, did you?"

"How could one maintain their composure upon hearing such words!" Luther covered his head. "I lunged at her like a madman, but the outcome was all too predictable. I was struck unconscious and carried away by her. When I regained consciousness, I found myself bound in a dimly lit chamber filled with an assortment of strange furniture.

"That dark magician also apprehended my son. Together with her minions, she subjected us to a series of peculiar experiments. In the end, my son, through some inexplicable means, was transformed into a dagger.

"By the gods! Fortunately, some knights chanced upon her hideout. Amidst their intense battle, I seized the opportunity and managed to escape with my son.

"I was acutely aware that I must find a place of safety. Thus, I mingled with the throngs of people journeying to the capital city in search of employment. I harbored the belief that once I reached the capital, all danger would be left behind.

"However, a being such as my son would not be tolerated there. The minions of the authorities could discover us at any moment. I was constantly fatigued from my labors while simultaneously having to remain vigilant for our safety. I feared that I might succumb to the pressure at any given moment. Hence... hence, this is the situation you find us in now..."

Upon the conclusion of the tale, a profound silence descended upon the room.

While Luther was narrating, Glen had been meticulously observing his micro - expressions. Various details suggested that he was not fabricating his story.

Glen was, for the time being, inclined to believe him. Only if Luther were able to deceive even himself could he hope to elude Glen's discerning gaze.

Luther had been eagerly awaiting Glen's response, but as the latter remained uncharacteristically silent, he took the initiative to inquire,

"Sir, do you have no thoughts to share?"

Glen stroked his chin, lost in contemplation. Upon hearing this, he directed his gaze towards Luther and asked,

"Do you have any knowledge of the current whereabouts of that dark magician?"

Luther was taken aback and shook his head.

"I am unaware. Ever since her encounter with the knight who intervened, she has vanished without a trace. In any case, I heard from a fellow townsman that the original town still has knights stationed there. Presumably, she will not be found there."

"What a pity..." A flicker of ferocity flashed in Glen's eyes, and his tone was laced with a palpable sense of regret.

Subsequently, he posed another question, "How can you be certain that the dark magician was not captured or slain?"

Luther gently placed his right hand over his heart and said, "I can sense that she will come after me once more. It is as if she has cast a curse upon me."

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Glen's eyes lit up. He rose to his feet, gave Luther a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and said, "Fear not. From this day forth, you are my employee. Apply yourself diligently, and I shall assume responsibility for your safety."

Luther was at a loss for words and hesitated, "Boss, that is a dark magician. She is truly formidable. Do you perhaps have knight friends in your acquaintance?"

Glen shook his head. "I have my own means of dealing with her. You may rest assured."

Sensing Glen's unwavering confidence and recalling the deft manner in which he had snatched the dagger earlier, Luther was somewhat reassured. "I am at a loss as to how to express my gratitude. I can only implore you to judge my future performance."

Hehe, I have gained a loyal employee... Glen's smile broadened. "I eagerly anticipate it."

"Then... do you believe that my son and I are at fault?" Luther suddenly inquired.

Glen waved his hand dismissively. "Of course not. I shall not breathe a word of this matter."

With that said, he directed his gaze towards Ravel, who hastily assured,

"Nor shall I!"

Luther bowed deeply as a gesture of gratitude.

"Very well. Return home and rest well today. I shall assign you your tasks tomorrow." Glen said.

"Understood. I shall take my leave now."

After bidding farewell, Luther turned and exited the tavern.

Glen instructed Ravel to wait by the deer - drawn cart while he himself locked the door and made his way towards the street on the opposite side.

Half an hour later, Glen returned, carrying two bulging bags in his hands.

Ravel wrinkled his nose, detecting the faint aroma of cream.

Although intrigued, he refrained from voicing his curiosity.

The two of them embarked on the deer - drawn cart, traveling in silence, with only Glen leisurely whistling a tune of an indeterminate melody.

After inspecting the elven maiden's work, which had been satisfactorily completed, Glen took the opportunity to escort her back home with them.

Upon placing the two bulging bags in their designated spot, Tia caught a whiff of the enticing aroma emanating from them and inquired,

"Mr. Glen, what is contained within? It smells divine..."

"Eggs, cream, flour, and the like. I intend to use them to bake a cake tomorrow."

Glen replied loudly as he busied himself in the kitchen.

"Baking a cake!" Tia exclaimed with unbridled excitement. "I wish to learn as well!"

"Observe closely tomorrow. Whether you succeed in learning or not is beyond my concern."

"I shall be extremely diligent!"

...

Under the cover of night, on a certain mountain ridge.

Three men clad in armor, their visages menacing, stood gazing into the distance.

At their head was a middle - aged man with a shock of half - white hair and a half - moon symbol emblazoned upon his forehead.

He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, as if attempting to inhale every last molecule of air before him.

"This is the lingering scent of Bagins and his companions. Those two have been missing for some time now. It is likely that they have met with foul play."

Upon hearing the leader's words, one of the men, adorned with a metal earring, inquired,

"Shall we go and investigate?"

The leader seemed to deliberate for a moment before finally deciding, "Let us go and conduct an investigation. Perhaps we shall chance upon one or two alien creatures."

"Will this not impede our journey?" The remaining man, with a prominent nose, ventured to ask.

"We are merely going to take a look. It will not consume much time, and it is not even in the opposite direction."

The leader replied with a nonchalant air.

The two subordinates, their concerns allayed, promptly followed the leader as they traced the scent.

...

In the morning, Glen was roused from his slumber by Tia's persistent knocking on the door.

In the absence of a timepiece, he was unable to determine the exact hour of his awakening.

Even the sky outside remained unchanged, perpetually overcast, with dense fog obscuring the sun's position.

"Mr. Glen, you mentioned yesterday that you intended to bake a cake today. I have come specifically to remind you."

The moment he opened the door, Tia exclaimed with enthusiasm.

Glen scratched his head, gently pushed the little maid's head aside, and descended the stairs, saying, "I have some pressing matters to attend to this morning. I shall bake the cake in the afternoon."

Tia's face fell, revealing her disappointment.

After partaking of breakfast, Glen accompanied Ravel on a journey to Dude Town.

Upon their arrival, Luther was already waiting in front of the tavern.

Glen temporarily assigned him the task of indoor cleaning.

After all, Glen had yet to prepare the prey that required slaughtering. For the time being, he could only allow Luther to familiarize himself with the surroundings.

As for Ravel, his task remained unchanged. He would not rest until he had successfully recruited more than three individuals.

Upon completion of these tasks, Glen transported all the furniture and goods from the logging shed to the tavern.

Once he found some spare time, he would need to undertake the renovation of the tavern, transforming it into a combination butcher shop and furniture store.