Chapter 30: Eric
After Kurtz's assurance, Norn's last shred of doubt completely vanished.
Since the other party was Mr. Kraft's companion, he surely wasn't a bad person.
Moreover, the other party was a human from the outside, which sparked a hint of curiosity about the outside world in Norn's heart, though his cautious nature prevented him from showing it.
He'd always wondered what lay beyond their peaceful sanctuary, whether the stories Kraft told were the norm or the exception.
"What an incredible coincidence. In that case, Mr. Kurtz, please rest and recover well."
Seeing Kurtz finish the herbal soup, Norn took back the empty bowl.
The ceramic was still warm from its contents, and he noticed Kurtz's color had improved slightly.
He was about to leave when he suddenly stopped, hesitated, and asked, "Will that demon who was chasing you... come again?"
Saying 'come again' wasn't quite right, after all, the monsters couldn't enter this forest.
What Norn was most worried about was that the demon was still lurking outside the forest, waiting for Kurtz to leave, which would be troublesome.
The barrier protected them, but it also trapped them if something dangerous waited beyond its borders.
At this moment, Kurtz didn't know that the monster had been completely dealt with by Serie, and hearing Norn's question, he was momentarily unsure how to respond.
If, because of him, this human tribe were targeted by demons, then it would be tragic.
The thought of bringing danger to these kind people who'd saved his life made his stomach twist with guilt.
The room fell silent.
Although the Gemir Forest had a barrier, anyone who knew there was a dangerous demon outside, eyeing them menacingly, would feel uneasy.
Even the safest walls felt fragile when you knew what prowled beyond them.
Kurtz's expression became very serious, and he whispered.
"I'm not sure. That demon was severely injured, and I can't confirm if he's still outside."
The memory of his final attack surface magic tearing through otherworldly flesh, the creature's shriek of pain and rage. But had it been enough?
Hearing him say that, Noyun's small hand tightly clutched her brother's clothes. Her knuckles had gone white.
Little girls were most afraid of such terrifying things.
This was true in any era, in any world.
Norn took a deep breath and patted his sister's shoulder, signaling her not to be afraid. His touch was gentle but firm, the kind of reassurance that came from years of being her protector.
He didn't feel any dissatisfaction with Kurtz, nor did he resent him for potentially bringing danger to the village due to his actions.
The ones who were guilty were always those who harmed others.
Even if Kurtz's arrival brought danger to the village, it was that demon's fault; Kurtz, who was being pursued, was innocent.
Kraft had taught him that much about justice: blame belonged with the aggressor, not the victim.
If Kurtz had intentionally led the demon here, that would be another matter.
When the strong wielded blades against the weak, and the weak, to escape, implicated other weak ones, then all became sinners.
He said to Kurtz, "I will notify the village to strengthen their vigilance. You rest and recover. If you need anything, just tell Nuo Yun."
"Thank you." Kurtz nodded, grateful for the man's understanding.
After Norn left, Nayun timidly asked, "Mr. Kurtz, will that demon attack the village?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might somehow summon the very thing she feared.
Looking at the little girl's frightened expression, Kurtz smiled, "Don't worry, as long as you don't run around, he can't attack the village."
The barrier would hold. It had to.
Just then, a hearty voice came from outside.
"I heard that guy woke up!?"
A blond man burst in, staring intently at Kurtz, his face full of curiosity. His energy filled the small room like sunlight breaking through clouds.
"Eric, what are we having for dinner tonight?"
"Feathered Chicken Stew, Norn is already making it."
Noyun swallowed her saliva. Feathered chicken was the most delicious food in this forest; it was not only tender and juicy but also had a natural fragrance that made her mouth water just thinking about it.
Her earlier fear was now suppressed by her appetite. Food had a way of grounding even the most frightened child.
"Then I want to go see."
Noyun scurried out of the house, her worried expression replaced by eager anticipation. Looking at her joyful back, Eric smiled. He could tell at a glance that this girl wanted to sneak a bite.
But since a little girl couldn't eat much anyway, he didn't bother to stop her. Besides, Norn always made extra, partly for seconds, partly for moments like these.
He refocused his attention on the half-reclining Kurtz.
"When I first found you, I thought you were an animal carcass floating on the river. Only after pulling you out did I realize you were a human and still breathing."
Eric laughed heartily, but his words didn't make Kurtz laugh.
The image of himself as a floating corpse wasn't particularly amusing.
He just felt something was off about this man's sense of humor.
But since the other party had saved him, Kurtz still spoke sincerely, "Thank you for saving me. I am Kurtz."
Eric waved his hand indifferently, "My name is Eric. I just heard from Norn that you were being chased by a demon?"
"Yes."
"They say you also severely injured that demon?" Eric looked at him suspiciously, crossing his arms. "I just don't think that's possible!"
Mr. Kraft had told him that every demon was incredibly powerful, so much so that even he had to be fully vigilant to deal with them.
The warrior's stories painted them as near-unstoppable forces of destruction.
Moreover, demons were incredibly cunning; once careless, one would be caught off guard and die with lingering regrets.
But Kurtz, in front of him, didn't look like a powerful warrior, and even his physique was just average.
He seemed more like a scholar than a fighter, lean rather than muscular, more accustomed to books than blades.
This made Eric doubt whether what the other party said was true or false.
Kurtz also heard the subtext in Eric's words, knowing that this person didn't believe what he said.
His body pain had mostly subsided thanks to the herbal remedy, so he directly said, "How about we spar a bit?"
"Uh!" Eric was a bit surprised, taken aback by the sudden challenge.
He was only suspicious and had no intention of sparring with Kurtz right now, especially since the other party was still injured.
"Let's not, after all, I have no intention of taking advantage of someone."
"It's fine, these injuries don't affect me."
As long as he still had magic power in his body, he could cast spells; the only inconvenience was that his injured body made movement difficult.
However, he could totally use the defensive magic Serie taught him, and then he wouldn't even need to dodge. Her lessons had been brutal but effective.
"Hmm..." Eric was still hesitant, scratching his chin.
"It's fine, it'll be good for stretching."
Kurtz checked his body and found no serious internal injuries like fractures, and the herbs Norn had given him earlier were very effective.
The pain in his body had significantly eased now. He flexed his fingers experimentally, stiff, but functional.
"Let's not, let's wait until you're a bit better. Otherwise, Norn will scold me again."
After much hesitation, Eric still restrained the impulse in his heart. The last time he'd sparred with an injured person, Norn had lectured him for an hour about honor and fair play.
He really wanted to see the strength of this outsider in front of him, to see what confidence the other party had to dare to venture into this world.
The curiosity was eating at him like an itch he couldn't scratch.
But he also knew he shouldn't take advantage of someone, so he decided it wouldn't be too late to spar the next day.
Patience had never been his strong suit, but Kraft's teachings ran deep.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Serie, who had just entered the Gemir Forest, met Kraft and Somo, who had been waiting for a long time.
"Serie, are you okay?" Kraft stepped forward, relief evident in his voice.
The number of monsters chasing them was not large, so the two easily got rid of them.
At that time, they guessed that the demon had taken most of the monsters to chase Serie and Kurtz, so they planned to return the same way to help.
But the forest had swallowed their trail like a hungry beast.
However, they didn't know Kurtz and Serie's escape route, and after searching in the forest for most of the day, they could only helplessly come to the Gemir Forest first to wait.
Every shadow had looked like potential danger, every sound a possible clue.
"Where's Kurtz?" Somo noticed that only Serie was alone and quickly leaned in to ask, concern creasing his weathered features.
"Kurtz and I got separated. He was last knocked down into the river at the bottom of the cliff by the demon. Now I need to go find him."
Serie's usual composed expression cracked slightly. The admission of losing track of her companion clearly bothered her more than she cared to show.
Serie searched along the river all the way, entering the Gemir Forest, and coincidentally met the two resting temporarily by the river.
The sound of running water had guided her here, along with something else, hope, perhaps.
"Let's go together."
Kraft also knew the seriousness of the matter and immediately prepared to search for Kurtz's whereabouts with Serie.
His hand moved instinctively to his weapon, old habits of a warrior who'd seen too many companions lost.
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