The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 51 The Last Villain

George David lay curled up on the edge of the wooden bed.

Being close to the corner of the bedroom makes him feel safer.

The night was too quiet, yet no one could sleep peacefully in the stillness.

His mother gently stroked his forehead, wiping away the cold sweat of fear from the boy.

His father, David, would stand guard on the makeshift haystack by the bedroom door with a pitchfork—no matter what trouble came up, he would be the first to suffer and be discovered.

The doors and windows of the house were tightly closed, but the whistling wind could still be faintly heard.

The only candle lit on the wooden table, its wax solidified on the surface, and the white candle itself stood firm, becoming the only thing in the room that did not tremble.

"Mom, is what Father said true? Will orcs really break into our house...?"

The mother shook her head; her throat was a little hoarse, but she still forced herself to comfort her:

"No, of course not. Just like the story your mother used to tell you—'The Big Bad Wolf Who Eats Children,' do you remember?"

"Of course. You used to lie to me, saying that after dusk, the big bad wolf would come out of the Dusk Forest and eat every child who came home late and didn't like to eat—because they liked to eat lean meat."

“Look, our George is so smart. He can tell when his mother is lying, so why can’t he tell when Father is lying? He was just reminding you because he was afraid you would sneak out at night.”

"Really……"

George shrank back, not really believing his mother's explanation.

Because they don't usually come to their rooms on weekday nights.

The father would stay at the Golden Oak until dawn, drinking instead of standing guard at the bedroom door with a pitchfork.

I recall that about five years ago, the town seemed to have experienced a similar tense moment.

But when the morning sun shone on the eaves the next day, everyone was safe and sound again.

Only the Golden Oak has an additional little girl named Anbi.

He hoped that tonight would be like that night, and that when morning came, it would all turn out to be just a false alarm.

But reality rarely goes as he wishes:
"Bang, bang—"

Through a flimsy wooden door, a loud knocking sound and a gruff voice entered my ears almost simultaneously:
"Open the door! Open the door!"

George was startled, but old David seemed to recognize the voice.

He walked out somewhat nervously and opened the door:

"Ah... dwarf—sir. Is there something you need at my house so late?"

"Stop talking nonsense, I'm here to find something valuable."

"W-what?"

The dwarf in front of him was so straightforward that old David was completely stunned.

Although these mercenaries didn't have a good reputation from the start.

Aside from the jackal, the other two, though they hadn't done anything to bully men or women, were absolutely ruthless when it came to beating people up.

But he never dared to rob on his employer's territory.

So now this is...

Not pretending anymore?
why?
"You just sold your crops to the miller a while ago, right? Hurry up and get them out so I can go to the next one."

Shattered Stone beckoned to him, urging him on.

"me--"

The town is small, and everyone sees each other all the time, so it's hard to hide the annual income.

So when they saw the other party robbing them, they couldn't even find a suitable excuse to back down.

Seeing his hesitation, the stone slab understood his attitude and gave him a gentle push, causing a strong farmer to fall to the ground.

The plate armor on his body was so heavy that it creaked when he stepped on the wooden floor.

"No, you villain, you can't break into my house!"

Old David quickly got up and tried to grab the rubble from his shoulder.

The dwarf casually swung a punch behind him, not with much force, but it sent the boy crashing into the wall, causing him to groan in pain.

"dad--"

George burst out of the bedroom, clutching a kitchen knife in his hand.

"You bastard, why are you trying to steal our money?!"

Before he could run two steps, the knife was snatched away by the shards and held in their hands like a chick.

Damn it, I can't lift it.

This kid is almost as tall as me.

He could only restrain George's hands, holding him in front of him:

"Don't talk like I'm only robbing your family. Every household gets a share, so you don't need to feel it's unfair—"

Old David, you've taken out all your savings; you don't want your child to get hurt, do you?

"George!" Old David practically forced the words out between his teeth.

"You villain, trespassing, robbing and murdering... The lord will remember your crimes!"

"Keep me in your head! Your little lord, that little white pig, was so scared of the orcs that he tucked his tail between his legs and was about to leave with the tavern owner. How could he possibly have the time to care about me?"

"What—this, this is impossible!?"

Old David was horrified and instinctively shouted.

But when I came to my senses, a thought suddenly took root in my mind, gradually refusing to leave, becoming an icicle piercing my spine—

Could it be that the orcs Father Lynn spoke of are really coming to plunder this town?
Even the caravan and mercenaries couldn't withstand the attack and planned to flee the town overnight.

Otherwise, why would this villain suddenly come up with the idea of ​​robbery?

The pebbles wouldn't answer his many questions.

Tang Qi once told him that when it comes to acting, too much of a good thing can be bad.

Explaining too much will only make people see through your lies.

Then he laughed loudly, grabbed George by the back of the neck, and tightened his grip slightly, making his stance clear through his actions:

"Five numbers, don't keep me waiting too long!"

"It hurts, it hurts—"

"Stop, you bastard! Put down my son! You just want money, right? Here you go!"

Old David, enduring the pain in his abdomen, gave his wife a meaningful look.

The woman wept bitterly and hurriedly took out her family's savings from a hidden corner—

It was a bag of loose coins.

At first glance, it was clear that they couldn't afford the set of armor that Shatterstone was wearing.

He wasn't sure if the gravel contained any hidden pieces, but he didn't care.

As long as the goal is achieved, it's fine.

So he tossed the boy he was carrying onto the haystack in the bedroom, weighed the money bag in his hand, casually stuffed it into the bundle on his back, and hurried off to the next house:
"Open the door! Open the door!"

They were so skilled that it didn't seem like the first time they'd done it.

Seeing the villain leave, old David told his wife and children to stay home, and while the night was still dark, he hurriedly ran towards the dirt road—

He must expose this villain's crimes!
We should also see if what he said is the truth!
"who!?"

But before he had gone far, two guards on patrol spotted him.

He immediately picked up his spear and prepared for battle.

As a law enforcement officer in Xingmei Town, Old David quickly turned around and tearfully complained to them:

"Don't lay a hand on me! It's me, David the farmer!"

"Lord Husse has imposed a strict curfew; your unauthorized movement within the town is tantamount to a crime!"

"No, I just want to expose, expose the dwarf's evil deeds!"

He broke into my home without permission, beat my son and me, and stole the only money we had left!

"Dwarf? Which dwarf?"

"It's that one of those scoundrels. I beg Lord Huss to seek justice for me!"

The incident happened suddenly, and yesterday was the harvest festival, so everyone was busy with preparations.

So much so that no one realized that there was only one 'villain' left.

Even because the caravan left in a hurry early in the morning and then hastily built up fortifications upon its return, no one had time to mention the three mercenaries who had vanished without a trace.

The two guards exchanged a glance, their faces showing hesitation, clearly intimidated by the thugs' past actions:
"Alright, let me take you to see Lord Huss first and explain the situation."

They were already terrified of the three thugs.

Even knowing that the other party was robbing them, they dared not provoke that bad luck.

How much do they earn? Why are they working so hard?
Old David nodded repeatedly and was about to follow the guards to the town center to find out what was going on.

But just as they were approaching the village official's residence, they bumped into two fine horses being led there by a groom.

The leather harness is already fully equipped, making it look like you can ride a horse at full speed right away.

"It's over!"

When he saw this scene clearly, he instantly recalled the dwarf's cold sneer during the robbery, and a sense of foreboding washed over him.

"Could what Father Lynn said be true!?"

In his hesitant thoughts.

His ear.

The clamor seemed to be gradually replacing the howling wind.

(End of this chapter)