Such a captain, even if the detour is just over a dozen miles, or all the way to Dorne City, none of them would utter a single objection.
Are you kidding!
Although it’s merely a temporary team, getting along well with a captain who is so competent and amicable brings only benefits, no downsides.
If the captain happens to remember them someday, it would be a tremendous gain.
Naturally, Elise has no objections.
She has heard Raine mention Oak Village.
Elise is also curious about what kind of environment Raine grew up in.
...
An hour later.
Oak Village is visible from afar.
Looking at the familiar scene bathed in the autumn’s warm sunshine, Raine felt a sense of peace. This isn’t his true hometown, but it’s his home in this world.
Elise blinked her large eyes, watching the nostalgic Raine, then looked at the overly ordinary village ahead, growing more curious.
For the time being, Oak Village seems no different from other small villages; nothing special stands out.
However, just before Raine and his party officially entered the village, they heard a commotion coming from ahead.
After a few more steps, while the other members of the group weren’t sure what was happening, Raine’s expression grew somewhat grave.
In a non-combat state, Raine, who had long been endowed with the Giant Bloodsucking Bat Leader Bloodline, could already hear the conversation coming from the front.
As the group arrived at the village entrance, the scene in front of them immediately caught everyone’s eye.
They saw four or five individuals dressed as adventurers speaking arrogantly in front of a group of Oak Village villagers, and a leading elderly man with a cane kept bowing meekly.
The familiar form, if not the village elder Kael, then who?
"Old man, do you know there’s a goblin nest not far from your village?"
"We kindly helped you all by eradicating them, and you don’t even know how to show gratitude?"
"This... sir, we didn’t post any task with the Adventurer’s Association," explained Kael, the village elder.
In fact, the villagers of Oak Village are no strangers to whether there’s a goblin nest nearby. Since the last extermination of the goblins, Oak Village hasn’t seen these green-skinned dwarves for months.
"Are you saying you bunch of yokels don’t know how to be grateful?"
"Look at this! Goblin ears!"
A middle-aged man with crisscross sword scars on his left cheek held up two bloody goblin ears and shouted.
"If it weren’t for us, these green-skinned dwarves would rush into the village, stealing your cattle, sheep, and even women!"
"For this, my brothers and I got injured."
"If you know gratitude, gather a nice thank-you fee."
"This... sir, how much do you want?" With a mindset of maintaining peace, Kael hesitated for a moment before inquiring.
"Medical expenses and living costs during recovery, at least three... no, at least five gold coins!"
"What!" Kael’s face turned pale instantly.
The rest of the villagers started whispering among themselves.
What does five gold coins mean?
A regular farmer, worn out and exhausted from laboring in the fields all month, earns merely one or two silver coins, and realistically, saving money is even more challenging.
A farmer’s household might not even save several silver coins over a year; five gold coins require every villager, and even then, unless they sell some cattle, sheep, or houses, it absolutely can’t be amassed!
"Bad guys! Brother Raine, who’s also an adventurer, would never act like you!" a small girl said angrily, looking at the adventurers ahead.
"Don’t talk nonsense, Lisa!" a woman beside her immediately covered the girl’s mouth, horrified.
"Well~ little girl is quite pretty. Tonight, we’ll be guests at your place."
"Village elder, a good meal isn’t too much to ask, right?"
"Your brother Raine is an adventurer too? Then where is he?" Scarface asked, alert.
...