"The situation isn't as bad as you think but it's not good either," Neirin said as he helped Leo up the coach's seat as he sat next to him

"Dad, can I come out now? Grandpa Leyun and Grandpa Neirin are already here. It should be safe right?" Dyr's shaky voice sounded as he nervously pushed his head out the tarp only to see his dad's tattered clothes that still had fresh blood on them all over.

Despite being healed his skin was still pale from the blood loss with his body's strength sapped.

"Dad, you…?" Dyr's eyes were already tearing up. Among the many inscriptions and runes carved on the wagon, a sound insulation inscription wasn't one of them so he had heard the collision of the attacks outside and his dad's yell during said attacks.

He had been quivering as he curled himself up filled with fear and worry as his blanket cover. This was the first time he had ever experienced something like this. The village always emphasized on being prepared for anything especially when they were outside but he just like other children his age never paid it any heed. They had seen the fearsome strength of their parents and of the other villagers. It was other people who were wary of them and not the other way around.

Those 5 minutes had completely shaken Dyr's outlook. His mind couldn't help but wonder to Leo's trick in the morning where he created a prank they were being attacked.

Just when a flurry of emotions was about to bury him he felt a warm and gentle pat on his head.

"You did your part well Dyr," Leo said as he gave him a comforting smile.

"But dad I…" Dyr who had been trying to hold back his tears couldn't hold on anymore as they exploded like a dam and even what he wanted to say got carried away by those floodgates.

"Do you remember the village's number one rule?" Leo gently asked as he gently rubbed Dyr's head.

"Survival," Dyr said as his voice cracked, choked up in his tears.

"You're right and we have survived, haven't we? And it's because you, me, and Kel all did what we were supposed to. You faithfully staying in the carriage freed my mind up to go all out without reserve and Kel moving further away added to it.

To you, strictly obeying my instructions and staying in the carriage may not seem much but to me, it's the greatest help my son could ever give me at the moment. But as you grow, the ways in which you can help changes. Recognizing yourself and acting accordingly isn't weakness but wisdom and strength.

You were wise and strong Dyr even more than your dad who got a huge dose of humility painfully pummeled into him," Leo said as he chuckled with some fear and trepidation.

If Layun and Neirin hadn't arrived he wasn't sure if he would have survived another attack or the ride back into the village. Even now he had no inkling who the attacker was or even where he was attacking from.

He had only reacted on instinct and because he was already on high alert from the explosions he saw a distance away, his reaction speed caught up with his instincts.

Dyr who was slowly calming down raised his face revealing his reddened eyes, sniffling nose, and quivering lips. He stared at Leo for a while this time calmly scrutinizing his body. Once he saw no visible wounds on him was when he fully calmed down.

"See, I'm perfectly okay," Leo said as he goofily started flexing his muscles which only made him look like a crazy person as his clothes were tattered and he had dry blood all over. But that action of his was what finally nailed the coffin on Dyr's worry over his current situation.

"Silly old man," Dyr silently muttered as he embarrassingly turned around and hurriedly closed the tarp behind him.

"I can't believe I cried in front of him. Knowing him he will never let me forget it for the rest of my life. He may even throw a party just to tell people…" Dyr silently lamented his future before his eyes fell on the bag of manakish he had thrown away in fear of what Leo had done to them.

This time there was no hesitation in his actions as he grabbed the bag and started wolfing down the contents.

After the five-minute experience he just had, he couldn't care less about what Leo had put in them. At this moment he would just enjoy the manakish and ease his woes as for the repercussions the Dyr of that time would deal with it but the Dyr of now needed a dose of a manakish or twenty.

Leo watched as Dyr went out of view before his earlier goofy face turned into a pained look as blood dripped from his mouth as he touched his ribs in pain.

Neirin calmly looked at him as he waved his palm and a translucent blue barrier surrounded the carriage isolating Dyr inside. It was a sound isolation barrier.

"You shouldn't move around much. I may have removed the attacker's mana and effects that were ravaging inside of you and healed some of the serious wounds. But your body is still weak and the damage to your organs needs atleast two weeks of good diet, health rejuvenation potions, and rest before they can regain their vitality back. Avoid moving too much," Neirin said.

"I'm sorry, you saw how he was. I had to but I'll avoid straining my body from now on," Leo said as he gave a weak apologetic smile.

Neirin didn't say anything as Layun who was seated atop the wagon sighed as he gave Leo a conflicted look which Leo was oblivious to as he rubbed his side to alleviate the pain and discomfort.

....

"Mayor we need to go, you saw it too right? It's the direction of the village!!!.... Every second counts," loudly yelled a middle-aged man who had a medium build and height. He had a bronze skin tone, short brown flaky wavy hair, and a medium well-groomed beard. He had on full body armor that was as black as tar with a yellow robin image on the center of his chest. He had on a surcoat that had the matching yellow robin symbol on it.

He had currently slammed his hands heavily on a large red desk made of red cedar. The desk started forming small cracks on it originating from where the middle-aged man had slammed his hands with papers, parchments, quills, and ink flying around.

The black armored middle-aged man was staring lividly at the person currently seated behind the desk. It was a young man with tan skin, short black hair, matching eyes, a slender build, and narrowing cheekbones that added some bookish charm to him. He had a fitting firmly pressed black coat, matching waistcoat, and white shirt on.

Despite the display of maddening anger by the steel-armored middle-aged man, he remained unperturbed as he rested his chin on his interlocked fingers with arms on the desk unaffected by the mess around.

"Calm down Captain Vermont. Your priority as the town guard captain is to ensure the safety of Bremdal town and its residents. It's not to jump into an unknown situation without knowing what is going on," the young man calmly and slowly said.

"UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN!!! You may have not sat in that seat long as Mayor, Mr. Rubinsky but even you should know the King's relationship with that 'unknown'," Vermont said in exasperation as he looked at the young man, Mr. Rubinsky the current mayor of Bremdal town. The current look he gave the mayor was one of fury and incomprehension at how someone who managed to get this position could be so dense.

It was common knowledge on how the current king of the Paratus kingdom had close ties with the Saarthguard village and how he was overtaken with joy when one of his daughters married into the village.

But here was a mayor under a town directly under the jurisdiction of said King refusing to send the guards to the village.

"Did you forget your oath and duty captain? Your first priority is to the town and its people. To ensure its safety. That is your sole duty, the duty the King entrusted you with.

Even if let's say I was to agree to you and your men heading to the Saarthguard village, are you sure you and your men will be able to handle whatever happened in the village?

We all heard that explosion. I know you were part of the royal knights before you got stationed here but are you confident that you would be able to handle something that can affect the village? What about your men? You should know your men's capabilities well without me saying anything," Rubinsky said with a frosty expression as a faint wave was released from his body with a grey-white glow flashing in his eyes.

Captain Vermont who was about to blow up again quickly swallowed his words once he heard Rubinsky's statement. Deep down he knew he was being careless and impetuous by insisting on heading to the village with his men especially when he didn't know what was going on. He didn't know what happened in fact he wasn't sure the violent tremors and explosions they heard originated from the village, they only made an educated guess based on the direction they were coming from. But if their guesses were true and something had happened to the village he was not confident of ensuring his safety despite being a former royal knight member let alone his men who couldn't even make it to be royal cadets.

Clarity and calmness returned to his eyes though he still gazed coldly at the mayor.

"I hope your call is the right one for both our sakes," he said as he turned to leave the office.

"The moment I felt those explosions I already sent the report to the defense minister who said they'll inform the prime minister. Reinforcements from the capital will be better suited to handle this matter than what you and I can do. All we can do is ensure the only royal town doesn't get destroyed on our watch ruining centuries' worth of effort that the royal family, our predecessors, and the residents put in to make it what it is today.

The village may not end up even needing our support. You know how absurdly powerful they all are," Rubinsky said as he walk up from his desk to arrange the papers, stamps, quills, and other stationaries that were all over the place.

Captain Vermont only paused a bit on hearing what Rubinsky said as he left the office without replying back.

"I hope this isn't a mistake," Rubinsky silently muttered to himself as a deep frown formed as he still went on tidying his desk.