Inside the pub, the man finished the last of his beer in a single gulp. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Well… that should do. I'm sure they won't survive that."
He glanced toward the window. From outside came the distant sounds of crashing wood, roaring monsters, and terrified screams.
"To think that kid actually went outside after I warned him…"
He stood up from his chair.
Under one of the tables nearby, Silas Torenzo was crouched with his arms wrapped around his knees, trembling.
Unlike Edsel, who had calmly walked into danger, this boy was nothing more than a coward.
Silas noticed the man staring at him and immediately snapped.
"Y-you! What are you staring at?!" he shouted, though his voice shook with fear.
The man frowned.
"Tch. Kids these days…"
"What did you just say, vermin?!" Silas barked angrily. "I'm a Torenzo! Address me with respect, peasant!"
"Blah, blah, blah."
The man waved his hand dismissively and walked away while Silas continued shouting behind him.
He shoved his hands into his pockets and picked up the small suitcase resting beside his chair.
As he reached the door, he paused.
Sharon was kneeling on the floor nearby, crying helplessly.
"My daughter… someone, please… my daughter…"
Her daughter was missing, the man thought while looking at her. Poor thing, he felt a twinge of sympathy but quickly dismissed it. He could not do anything to save her daughter right now. When orcs were attacking, it was always better to save himself first. Besides, no matter how hard those soldiers fought, they would not survive against such creatures.
Just as he stepped outside—
The ground suddenly shook. His eyes shot toward the battlefield where Edsel had run earlier.
"W-what?!"
The suitcase slipped from his hands and crashed onto the ground, popping open. Flowers, herbs, and several small tools spilled out into the dirt.
"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath. "I don't have time for this… I can't let that kid ruin my plan."
He rushed toward the battlefield. But the moment he approached—
A powerful wave of mana burst outward and forced him to step back.
Perez and the Domitius soldiers were still fighting fiercely alongside the Torenzo men, cutting down the remaining orcs.
Meanwhile—
Edsel was already finished. He sat casually atop the corpse of a massive orc, studying the severed head in his hands as if it were some kind of experiment. At the same time, glowing messages floated before his eyes.
[All your stats have increased!]
[◈ Death Mana Accumulation: 115% → 184%]
[Survival Probability increased: 5% → 0.10%]
[◇ Will (Mental Resistance) increased: Low → 30%]
[◇ Control (Energy Precision) increased: Low → 30%]
[Due to increased control, your skills have improved: Low → Medium]
"Mmm… much better this way," Edsel murmured to himself.
"Hey! You!"
Edsel slowly looked up. The strange man from the pub was walking straight toward him, his face red with anger.
"Can I help you?" Edsel asked calmly.
The man stopped a few steps away, clearly agitated. "Are you seriously asking that?" he snapped. "Just tell me, how did you—"
"Young master, do you know this man?"
Perez stepped between them, his hand resting near the hilt of his sword as he studied the stranger with suspicion.
The man instinctively stepped back.
He knew Edsel was a noble. Getting involved with nobles was usually more trouble than it was worth.
Still…
Watching this young man handle those monsters alone and somehow stopping their regeneration which made curiosity burn inside him.
He wanted answers.
Part of him even wanted to stay close to this strange boy. Yet another part of his mind screamed at him to stay away. Something about the way Edsel spoke, the way he smiled… It felt as though an old, dangerous soul was hiding inside the body of a child.
"He's just someone I met in the pub," Edsel replied casually.
Around them, the surviving soldiers were busy tending to the wounded and dragging the remaining orc corpses away from the village streets. Many of them were laughing in relief after surviving the battle.
"Ah, right," Perez said. "You were talking with someone earlier. So it was this man." He nodded slowly before glancing at him again. "I suppose he's your friend."
Then Perez's expression turned serious.
"But young master… forgive me for asking. How exactly did you deal with those orcs?"
Perez stared at Edsel with genuine curiosity while the strange man also leaned in slightly. That was exactly what he wanted to know too. Just what had this kid done to those creatures to make them stop regenerating?
"My friend right here is actually a doctor, and he helped me get rid of them with the help of a special herb that he gave me," Edsel said while gesturing towards the man.
"W-what?!" the man staggered back in disbelief as Perez and several soldiers turned to look at him.
Newton walked forward, stopping beside them.
"Young master," he said respectfully, bowing his head. "I am the commander under the Torenzo family. My name is Heron Newton." He lowered himself to one knee. "For helping our troops like this… even after our young master insulted you… I feel both grateful and ashamed."
His voice tightened.
"I failed as a soldier for not stopping him earlier. For that, I sincerely apologize."
Edsel waved his hand dismissively.
"There's no need for that. Helping people in danger is only natural."
He stood up from the orc corpse and brushed dust from his coat.
"As the son of the Northern Commander, ensuring the safety of civilians is part of my duty. I couldn't simply stand there and watch people die."
"Y-young master…" Perez murmured softly. For a brief moment he smiled like a proud father watching his child being praised. Then he quickly hid the expression. To think Edsel had changed so much in such a short time…
Perhaps this was what Hans meant when he told him to watch over the young master. He's finally matured, Perez thought happily.
Newton nodded deeply.
"I see. In that case, the Torenzo family will remember this favor."
Edsel smiled warmly. Standing nearby, the strange man felt a chill run down his spine.
This kid is lying.
"Ah, right," Newton continued. "You mentioned your friend helped you. The doctor."
All eyes turned toward the man and he bowed awkwardly. Running away crossed his mind immediately. Maybe he could lie his way out—
"I go by Desmond Les," he began quickly. "And I'm not actually a doct—"
"Young master!"
Mia suddenly ran toward Edsel, carrying a suitcase.
"Oh! I found this suit—"
"Give me back my suitcase!" Les shouted as he rushed forward and snatched it from her hands. "You're not a professional doctor! Don't touch it!"
He froze.
Both soldiers were staring at him, he had clearly exposed himself.
"…I mean," he coughed awkwardly, straightening his coat, "yes. I am a doctor."
His eyes shifted toward Edsel, who looked thoroughly amused.
"And I would like to begin treating the injured," Les continued hurriedly. "Starting with the young master."
At this point he didn't care about the embarrassment anymore. If he wanted answers—
He needed to stay close to Edsel. First he would act like a normal doctor. Then he would find out what that strange energy surrounding this boy really was… and how he had managed to kill those orcs.