Master

After finishing his morning visualization of the Golden Light Incantation, Kraun hurried out of the house.

He headed toward the eastern side of town. Near the edge of town, he stopped in front of a ring of hedges.

"Old Hans, come out and greet your customer!" Kraun called toward the simple wooden hut inside the hedge.

The wrinkled old man opened half the door and poked his head out.

The moment he saw who it was, his face broke into a smile, bright as a blooming chrysanthemum.

"Master Kraun, what brings you here?"

Ever since the herbalist had started buying his herbs, he'd called him "Master" this and "Master" that every day.

The reason was simple. The herbalist bought every herb that met his quality standards and paid in cash.

Once, when a certain herb was in plentiful supply, he hadn't lowered his prices at all.

A man with such a good conscience deserved to be called Master, didn't he?

"Ah." Kraun smiled faintly. He'd corrected the old man a few times, but since he still wouldn't stop, Kraun had let it go.

"Old Hans, you're the most experienced herb gatherer in town. I'd like to place an order with you. From now on, if you find any herbs I urgently need, I'll make sure you're satisfied with the price."

The old man's smile grew even warmer. He bowed slightly and said:

"Just tell me what you need, and I'll keep an eye out when I go up the mountain. Snow season is almost here. If I can earn a little extra, I'll head into the mountains today."

"You know Star Fern Leaf, right? The herb with long, narrow leaves, serrated edges, and stems covered in white speckles?"

When the old man nodded, Kraun continued, "There's a special kind of Star Fern with leaves that look as if they've been splashed with red blood. I'll pay 10 Silver Coins for each whole plant."

"You'll buy that, too? Old Moya said that herb—" Old Hans stopped halfway and hurriedly changed tack. "You won't go back on that price, will you?"

He knew of a place where some of those previously unusable herbs grew. If he gathered them, he could earn several Gold Shields for nothing.

Kraun knew what the old man hadn't finished saying. After mutating, the herb was too potent for ordinary potions to use.

He pursed his lips and said sternly, "Do I have no credibility with you?"

The old man shook his head repeatedly and smiled apologetically. "Of course you do, Master. I just couldn't quite believe it!"

Kraun then told Old Hans about the various mutated herbs used in Stamina Potions, one by one, and turned to leave.

He sprinted from the easternmost edge of town to the church on its western side.

On the church's Training Ground, two priests and two warriors stood chatting amiably.

Kraun hurried over, placed a hand over the center of his chest, and bowed to greet his fellow believers. "May the Lord of Flame light the path before us."

They returned his greeting. "May the Lord of Flame light the path before us."

Nick watched Kraun for a few seconds before speaking slowly. "The two warriors told me you've already learned Flame Breath?"

"Yes, Father."

There was no point hiding it, so Kraun openly admitted it. He planned to establish a public persona for himself: a powerful Crusader warrior.

The priest's expression showed both surprise and relief. He hadn't expected that his casual move would bring such a result.

Hamfa's face was full of astonishment. "Mastering the Breathing Technique in a single day—that kind of talent would be top-tier even among the Lord Pope's Flame Guard. Would you do me the honor of demonstrating it, future Flame Fighter?"

He spoke courteously and sincerely, without the slightest trace of superiority despite being an Exorcist Priest.

Everyone liked to sing one another's praises. Kraun glanced at Father Nick, and when he saw him nod slightly, he said, "I'm only a beginner. I'll demonstrate it now, and I'd be grateful for any pointers."

Following the sequence of illustrations on the parchment, he began practicing Flame Breath in a steady, methodical manner.

A short while later, white vapor rose from his body.

Seeing this, Hamfa nodded to his old friend. "That's right. It's a sign of the early stage of mastering the Breathing Technique. Congratulations!"

A smile appeared on Nick's face as well. "He got where he is today through his own efforts."

Hamfa turned his head and asked, "Has the Patrol Squad found any trace of the Cultists responsible for the massacre in Zhalu Village?"

The priest shook his head. "Their trail vanished in the mountains. The Patrol Squad are all ordinary people; they don't dare spend the night up there. I have to stay at the church, so I haven't gone far into the mountains myself. The trail has probably gone cold by now."

"What are you planning to do? We can't stay here much longer. The real test is about to begin, and Rhine City is short on people."

Nick gave a cold laugh. "With so many of the Church's people stationed there, you're short on people? Don't try to fool an honest man like me, old friend."

Hamfa sighed and quietly said, "Come with me for a moment," before turning to leave.

The priest's expression cooled. A few seconds later, he slowly followed.

Kraun practiced the Breathing Technique a few more times. When he saw the two priests leave, he stopped and ended his exercise.

"Hello, you two!"

He greeted them warmly.

Savas snorted and turned his head away, but Marshall returned his greeting with a smile.

Kraun didn't mind. The two of them would be leaving eventually. As long as they got along well enough, there was no need to become close.

Kraun turned and looked toward the two priests talking in the distance.

He could see the disbelief on Nick's face and the doubt in his eyes.

After a while, the two men walked back toward the Training Ground.

Nick's gaze swept over the three Crusader warriors. In a low voice, he said, "Today, I'll lead the three of you into the mountains to investigate a case. We'll spend the night out there and return by noon tomorrow, whether or not we find anything."

"Yes!" the three warriors answered in unison, their voices loud and clear.

The priest nodded in satisfaction and said to his old friend, "Hamfa, I'm leaving things here in your hands."

The fair-skinned priest gave him a firm smile. "May the Lord of Flame watch over you."

They clasped hands and slapped their palms together with force. Nick then gave the warriors their orders. "Carry out the command. The outdoor combat supplies are in the church storeroom. Follow me."

The four of them donned their lightweight Leather Armor, secured their camping supplies to their horses, mounted up, and rode out of the church. They galloped northwest along the road.

It was late autumn, and the landscape was bleak.

Only a sparse few leaves still clung stubbornly to the poplars and plane trees. The grass had turned yellow and lay limp against the ground.

The desolate view stretched into the distance, stirring a faint sadness deep inside.

The horses were strong. In less than twenty minutes, they had reached Zhalu Village.

Kraun saw several piles of ashes on the open ground at the village entrance.

As he drew closer, he spotted many disordered gray footprints on the ground. Several bones in the remains of the bonfire hadn't burned through, and from their shape, they were unmistakably human bones.

He looked around and saw not a single person on the village roads.

The whole place was silent. The only sound was the cold wind rushing past their ears.

His voice sounded a little dry. "Father, what happened here? Why can't we see any of the villagers?"