"Rollin, let's go!"
Rollin dropped the shield, gripping his spear, and ran toward the savage that Xiao He had thrown down.
He had to move fast, to prevent Xiao He from getting hurt.
But Lord Donner was faster—
It was clear that being well-fed and focused on combat had given him an edge.
In two steps, he overtook Rollin, rushing to the savage's side.
With a swift motion, he raised his sword and sliced through the savage's left forearm, where the dagger had been.
The savage was now completely under Xiao He's control, unable to fight back.
"Did you get hit?"
Lord Donner glanced at Rollin, who had run to his side, with an arrow lodged in his chest.
Rollin finally realized—
The battle had been so fast and intense that he had forgotten to remove the arrow.
It was still attached to his clothes.
He pulled it out, patted his chest, letting the coins in his pouch clink, and exclaimed dramatically, "Oh my god, it was the pouch that saved me!"
"You're lucky,"
Lord Donner looked away, then turned to observe Xiao He, now hiding in the dark.
"This your dog?"
"Yes,"
Rollin didn't need to hide the truth—he had already prepared a reason.
He had thought about this all the way here.
But...
Lord Donner didn't ask further, instead pointing his sword at the maimed savage and speaking in their language.
Shouting a bunch of words.
Clearly, Rollin couldn't understand a word of it.
But the savage's next action was clear—
He spat a thick wad of saliva at Lord Donner.
Lord Donner shifted his right leg back, dodging the insult.
He turned to Rollin, his tone flat, "Let him go to the Earth God's embrace for redemption."
"Yes, my lord,"
Rollin gripped his spear, staring at the savage.
"Let him go to the Earth God's embrace for redemption,"
Literally translated, meant "kill it."
"Pfft."
Rollin's spear pierced the savage's throat.
He pulled it out, blood splattering.
Peamon, still crouched behind the shield, watched the action, his body tensed.
He thought to himself, "That's a cold-blooded bastard."
"Rollin, you're impressive,"
Lord Donner nodded, then looked at Rollin with a serious gaze, saying, "This campaign's loot, you and I will split 3:7."
"Thank you for your generosity, my lord,"
Rollin took the three silver coins, clutching them tightly.
He hadn't expected Lord Donner to actually honor the 3:7 promise.
After a year of farming, he had only sold his crops for less than 8 silver coins.
Now, with just one night of fighting, he had earned 3 silver.
That's why some poor knights turned to banditry—
Killing and looting was the way to get rich in this world.
"Not just my generosity,"
Lord Donner said, his expression unchanged, "Your bravery is also commendable. And your quick warning was useful."
With those words,
Peamon lowered his head in shame.
The word "brave" stuck him like a needle.
All of a sudden, he felt the entire world laughing at his cowardice.
But he quickly stopped self-blaming, thinking, "I'm going to become a musician. I can't die in this wilderness, and I can't let these dirty savages take my life."
He had not retreated—he had protected his future, the one who would compose a timeless masterpiece.
With this in mind, he raised his head again.
"But I must warn you,"
Lord Donner's tone turned serious again.
"Before issuing a warning, you should always be observant. If there's a second archer waiting, our situation would be completely different."
"Yes, I'll remember that,"
Rollin nodded, deeply touched.
If it wasn't for that cheap pouch, he'd already be dead.
And in his mind, he also noted—
If there's an ambush, you must always check if there's a second attacker.
And if you ever plan to ambush, you had better leave room for backup.
"Of course,"
Lord Donner didn't press the issue.
Instead, he said, "Mistakes are meant to be remembered and corrected. That's how someone grows."
"Thank you for your guidance,"
Rollin nodded slightly.
He had never interacted much with Lord Donner before.
All he had heard were stories about his strictness and silence.
But now, he was starting to see a different side of the knight.
He was just as strict as before, but he also had a sense of justice.
This was something to be thankful for.
In the past, people who were his kind—farmers—had to deal with bosses who were unreasonable.
And in a world where classes were so clearly defined, a boss who was fair was a rare treasure.
At least, he could be sure that any future achievements would not be pocketed by Lord Donner.
"By the way, where's your dog?"
"Sorry, my lord,"
Rollin knew that retainers couldn't bring dogs along.
So he made a preemptive explanation, "I had it taken care of by a friend before we left. I didn't expect it to come back, and I didn't expect it to be so loyal. It's just that I had no choice but to let it stay with me, so I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
"Don't worry, I won't scold you. Your dog helped us a lot tonight. Let it stay with you,"
Lord Donner said.
"Yes,"
Rollin looked back, then toward the darkness, waving his hand.
This was the perfect moment to let Xiao He stay by his side.
Of course, there was a risk—
If the knight noticed Xiao He's strength, he might take it for himself.
But it was worth the gamble.
Xiao He ran over, a bit hesitant, then sat down beside Rollin, its eyes still fierce.
"Hey, you big brave guy,"
Lord Donner said upon seeing Xiao He's size, letting out a chuckle, "What's its name?"
"Xiao He,"
Rollin replied.
"Xiao He?"
Lord Donner looked at the strong black dog, picked up a piece of meat from the ground, and tossed it forward, smiling, "Hey Xiao He, you did great tonight. Eat up, enjoy this piece."
Xiao He didn't move forward.
Instead, it looked at Rollin.
Rollin sent a mental signal: Eat it, it's yours. Just make sure not to bite my hand.
Xiao He received the signal, then stepped forward, took the meat, and immediately backed away, sitting beside Rollin.
"This dog really does like sticking to you,"
Lord Donner said, smiling, "You two clearly have a deep bond. It's quite endearing."
Rollin nodded.
With Xiao He by his side, he had saved the day.
And now, the knight was acknowledging their efforts.
But Rollin was also aware—
If he ever wanted to become a free man, he needed to be careful.
After all, the knight might be tempted to claim Xiao He for himself.
"Rollin,"
Lord Donner said, his tone gentle, "You helped me tonight. As a knight who carries the title of honor, it's part of my creed to return the favor. I won't ignore this because of your status. Do you want any more rewards?"