As the young elf trudged back into the village, he made a quick stop at the general store to offload the meager bits of trash loot he had gathered from the pesky squirrels during Betty's Errand. With a sigh, he continued through the bustling town, the sounds of daily life swirling around him like a tide of mundane activity.

When he finally stumbled into the inn and collapsed onto a barstool, Hamish, the grizzled innkeeper, immediately detected the forlorn air about him. "What's troubling ye, laddie? More trouble with, Raul?" he inquired, his brogue heavy with concern.

Callum shook his head wearily. "No, not that. I'm just annoyed. I took on a quest from the board for a woman named Betsy to help her gather some berries-"

"Ah, a simple enough task, to be sure! I'll have to send a runner to fetch one of her delectable pies for tonight's service. They're always in high demand," Hamish said eagerly.

Callum fixed him with a withering stare, annoyed at the interruption. "Yes... the task was straightforward. The problem was that there were scarcely any monsters to be found. I had a bonus objective to slay twenty of those infernal beasts that lurk in the bushes, but I only encountered three during the entire quest."

Hamish's grin widened, revealing a set of crooked teeth. "Aye, ye've hit the nail on the head there, laddie. The lack of high-level dangers is precisely what makes our wee village such a braw success, despite our modest size."

Callum furrowed his brow, his confusion palpable. "Forgive me, but I fail to see how the absence of monsters could be considered an advantage. Shouldn't a thriving village be bustling with heroic adventurers, battling fierce beasts and uncovering treasures?"

Hamish's smile faltered for a moment, replaced by a look of incredulity. "Nay, lad, ye've got it all wrong. The safety of our village is what draws folk here. They ken they can live a life without fear of being gobbled up by some beastie in the night. Security. 'Tis a precious thing, that."

"But what about personal growth and progression?" Callum persisted. "How can one chase power and levels without monsters to fight?"

Hamish shook his head, a bemused glint in his eye. "Ye're thinking like a warrior, Callum. But most folk here just want a warm bed and a full belly. They dinnae care about becoming stronger. As long as they're safe, they're content."

Callum's mouth hung open in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

Hamish raised an eyebrow as if puzzled by Callum's reaction. "Deadly serious. Now, are ye wantin' food or not?"

Callum's response was quizzical, "Perhaps it's merely a cultural difference between our two peoples? Were there a village that was completely free from monsters, my kin would quickly seek somewhere else to settle. I am curious, how did you manage to achieve such a feat? If what you say is true about others coming here for safety, then it must mean that other settlements are not so fortunate. The tales I was told of planetary integration during my upbringing all revolved around the starter areas being nearly overrun for months."

The innkeeper perked up at this and said, "Oh aye, lad! We were barely clinging on by our fingernails during the first week." Hamish paused what he was doing behind the counter and leaned across the counter, talking with his hands animatedly. "Every day was a harrowin' struggle, and we dinnae ken if we'd survive to see the next. But- after Niles and his party defeated tha' field boss, we established the town node system. Little did we realize how challenging it would be to secure the surroundin'. We would have perished if it hadn't been for a group of devout folk who happened upon our village. Was them tha' purged the vast majority of the monsters. They eradicated everything over level 2, and now our guards and local adventurers sweep the area every few days to keep 'em in check. Now we just need ta keep this balance and create a sanctuary for those in need."

Callum struggled to restrain himself from scoffing and shaking his head in disbelief. Does he not comprehend that such a village would only attract the feeble-minded and the weak? All it would take is a single individual of strength and cunning to come and claim everything they had worked to build. Surely he understands this, does he not?

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Callum's shoulders rose and fell in a subtle gesture, acknowledging that it was not his place to lecture someone who appeared content with their lot in life, though he couldn't help but think of the havoc his sister would wreak in a situation like this. She'd do everything she could to take advantage of these people.

Also not my concern. He told himself.

The explanation regarding the absence of monsters had a certain logic, though. If a formidable group of individuals was to sweep through the region and clear out the initial wave of monsters, it would theoretically be a straightforward task to keep the population under control and at a minimum.

Nodding thoughtfully, Callum requested his midday meal and chewed on the new information as he ate. He wondered if he should depart the village earlier than planned. Though combat wasn't his forte, it was indisputably the swiftest path to leveling for low-level classes, especially in the early stages. Moreover, if no monsters were here to battle, he would likely miss out on most of the bonus objectives for quests.

After weighing his options, he decided to remain at the inn for the two nights he had already paid for before reconsidering his departure. Perhaps some of the travelers passing through Ladrian Forest could offer guidance to one of the more standard starting zones.

As the last morsel of his meal disappeared from his plate, Callum rose to his feet and strode out into the village once more. His steps led him toward the exit, his mind fixed on the task. He needed to tackle Frank's quest. But as he perused the quest's description, his confidence waned. Boars were rarely Level-1 creatures and were known for their ferocious melee attacks. If what Hamish said was true, these beasts would most likely be hard to find in any substantial quantities. And if he did find them, their powerful charge was something to be wary of. Taking on the aggressive beast without a weapon would prove fatal for Callum. If only he still had his magic. His entire life had been spent mastering the art of controlling and kiting monsters with his spells. Adapting his tactics so abruptly in a live mission environment, such as the planetary integration, was hardly ideal.

Quest Name: Fence Fixin’ Quest Description: Farmer Frank is a kindly man who lives in a small cottage just outside the village. He has a problem with wild boars that keep getting into his vegetable garden and destroying his crops. He needs someone to help him repair a section of his fence and to chase away any boars that come too close. The task is not particularly difficult, but it does require some strength and determination to get the job done. The boars can be aggressive, but they are not particularly fierce and can be chased away with a bit of shouting and noise. Bonus Reward: Defeat 15 of the boars to earn a bonus basket of produce from Frank’s garden.

Lost in thought, Callum strolled through the village, seeking a plan to overcome the boars quickly. He was so engrossed that he didn't hear his name called twice before the third shout pierced his reverie like a knife. Startled, he spun around, his thoughts immediately going to potential conflict.

To his surprise, he saw Raul, the blacksmith approaching him. Callum tensed, unsure if their previous conflict would rekindle. Though he longed to improve his relationship with the man, he refused to be pushed around so easily. As the hulking figure drew closer, Callum shifted slightly and readied himself for what was to come.

Before Callum could say anything, the blacksmith began speaking, "Look, I need to apologize. I know you're not one of us, but I also don't think you're one of them. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you brought my wife's ring back." He paused, taking a deep breath, then continued. "I shouldn't have acted the way that I acted yesterday. The wound just feels so fresh. I know that if Emmie saw me get drunk and punch someone who was tryin' to help me..." The man let his head drop as he was clearly on the brink of an emotional collapse. Callum was certain that the bigger man's eyes were beginning to glisten. "I just wanted to thank you again. If you'll let me apologize, I'd like to start over. I know that this is a different world than we all used to live in, and things aren't the same as they used to be. Hell, I'm here pounding on metal all day instead of bagging groceries at Publix." He looked up at Callum with a wry smile.

"Public?" Callum relaxed his stance slightly, relieved that the older, more powerful man wasn't looking for a fight. That single punch from the previous night had been a wake-up call for Callum and his current circumstances.

"It doesn't matter. Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks and offer you a bonus reward for completing the quest, despite how big of an asshole I was. I'm sorry- Truly."

The system notification popped up in Callum's vision as the blacksmith reached his hand out, palm up towards Callum.