Warriors will die if they charge.

"granddaughter?"

Marcus grasped the key words in the old woman's words. Judging from her clothes and appearance, she should come from a good family. Why would she let her granddaughter do such a thing?

The old woman leaned back in her chair, seemingly tired from maintaining the same posture for so long, and placed the exquisite picture frame she was holding to one side.

"Five silver coins a time, guaranteed to be a kind of pleasure you country bumpkins have never experienced before."

Marcus shook his head, somewhat speechless at these words. A Japas tent only cost three silver coins, and those well-trained beauties were the best at winning hearts. Whether men or women, anyone with spare money liked to join in the fun.

As he lamented that life was difficult no matter where he was, and prepared to go home to cook dinner for Lady Trishes, the tent behind the old woman was lifted, and the short, halfling thief Lawson, pulling up his trousers, emerged from the shadows with a serious expression.

The halfling didn't greet the two people in line, but turned to look at the strange old woman: "Tira is a poor girl, I heard it from her. You're a liar."

"What did she say, Mr. Halfling? Did she say you wanted to do it again?" The old woman glanced at the sky, explaining with a hint of regret:

"It's a pity it's a bit late today. Tila has to cook dinner for me later. You can come back later. If you'd like, you can also pay one silver coin to enjoy Tila's terrible cooking."

The old woman looked at a carriage parked in the open space and shouted:

"Hey, lazybones, get up and clean Tira up. No matter where you are cooking or doing laundry, you have to be clean up first. That's good manners."

A hunched middle-aged man slowly climbed out of the carriage. He was wearing a dirty brown linen robe and looked a little sleepy. He stood on the ground and stretched.

"Mrs. Karami, you haven't settled your wages for this month yet."

"Once Tira earns back the money she owes me, I will naturally settle your wages."

The man muttered under his breath, "Then there's no hope for the rest of my life."

He took a wooden bucket filled with clean water from the carriage, and with a towel, went into the tent. After confirming that the workers were at work, Camilla had the leisure to observe the angry halfling thief.

"Alright, sir halfling, are you trying to take Tira away?"

"She's a pitiful girl."

"Poor girl." Camilla nodded, looking quite pleased. "But if you want to help this poor girl and make up for the loss she caused her grandmother due to her carelessness, you must compensate her with 8,342 gold coins. Subtracting the 561 gold coins she has already returned to me, you will still be short 8,781 gold coins."

"She made a mistake and accidentally burned the house down. She knew how much this affected her grandmother, after all, it was a fine house filled with gold and ivory. Mr. Halfling, even you know that mistakes must be repented."

"Tira is your granddaughter," Lawson emphasized again.

"Because she is a granddaughter, this girl understands what her grandmother has lost. Not long ago, she hid in a convent and became a nun. Of course, this is God's mercy, but God also taught her that she must pay off her debts in order to serve the great God wholeheartedly. So she ran out of the convent and came back to my side. She is such a good girl."

The kind old woman, Camilla, sighed and, under the gaze of the halflings, recounted her past hardships.

After a while, Tila emerged from the tent with the help of the workers. She looked almost exactly like the portrait, with her eyes crinkling and her face pretty. A long, un-sizing linen dress covered her shapely body.

The moment she came out, Marcus keenly sensed that Kuran, who had been listening to gossip, was now excited.

The three men watched as Tira ignited the fire in her heart, pouring smoked meat, fresh mushrooms, and cheese into the iron pot. Their numb and haggard expressions were heartbreaking. Lawson tried to help several times, but it was simply a waste of food.

Tira handed her grandmother a wooden bowl filled with smoked meat and fresh mushrooms; the meal she and the laborers received could only be described as a thick soup.

After a while, she returned to the tent, and Kuran took the opportunity to hand the red claw she was carrying to Marcus:

"Sigh, having women in the house is such a hassle. When you've figured things out, come find me at the camp and we'll have a proper get-together."

Lawson, with an unpredictable gait, blocked Kuran's path, staring at the tall militiaman: "Tira is a poor girl, Kuran, spending money on her is a waste."

"I know, I know, but I'm a poor boy too, unloved since childhood. Is it possible that Mr. Halfling only spares his kindness and pity for a girl, while ignoring the boy's plight? Oh no, that's terrible." Curran smiled, but his gaze was fixed on the gap in the tent flap:

"May this nun have mercy on me; I also want to experience the gospel of God."

He placed the money in Camilla's large, fan-like hand, then turned and beckoned to Marcus:

"Please take Red Claw back for me and make sure the door is locked. Lately, there have been some unruly rats in town that like to sneak into the kitchen to steal dried fish and smoked meat."

The militiaman turned his head, half-closing his eyes as he watched the thief clench his fists.

"You're right, Mr. Lawson."

Kuran hurriedly entered the tent, his unrestrained and indulgent nature quite striking; violence and sex were nothing more than everyday occurrences for him.

Marcus hugged the fighting chicken, deliberately turning its body forward, just in case it pecked my eyeballs out.

He lifted his foot to leave the red-light district, but after walking less than a hundred meters, he was stopped by a short, half-man.

"Mr. Lawson, is there something you need?"

Marcus's impression of this halfling was neither good nor bad.

The problem is that he didn't get professional certification for himself, and as a result, he became a loser.

The good thing is that he didn't take the gold coin he received as a disciple, which doesn't make him seem like a typical thief.

Lawson stared at Marcus's strong, powerful arms and the red-feathered fighting rooster that was almost as tall as him, his lips trembling for a moment:

"Yes, do me a favor, take care of Camilla and free Tira from her cage."

"Murder?" Marcus laughed, shaking his head and lamenting that the halflings were truly bewitched by that pretty girl. Putting aside the murder, didn't Lawson notice Camilla's strangeness?

"Mr. Lawson, I've worked at the docks for five years and I've never seen anyone bring a spacious four-wheeled carriage to Rivertown. Tira is a prostitute, you know what I mean, these beauties do business around wealthy areas. Rivertown is surrounded by rainforest for hundreds of kilometers, where did they come from? There's not a speck of mud on the carriage wheels."

Seeing Lawson deep in thought, Marcus stated his conclusion:

"Don't delve too deeply into things you don't understand. I believe you understand this better than I do. She might be tempting you into the mire of desire. After you've done it once, leave quietly. That's the best choice."

"You don't want to do this, but I can offer you a generous reward and guide you to become a qualified thief." The halfling stepped forward, speaking with a hint of pleading.

"Just help me hold Camilla off, and I'll take care of the rest."

[The Curtain of Desire]

【Task Description: Lawson, a halfling, after personally experiencing Tira's soft, long hair, smooth skin, and her gentle comfort, believes that Camilla stole the poor girl's fate. Is it because of a mistake he "unintentionally" made when he was fourteen that he has to pay for it with his whole life?

No, Lawson, with his optimistic nature and chivalrous dreams, yearns for freedom and honor and must help this poor girl escape her misery, even if it means entering the prison of his own desires.

Lawson has tasked you with stalling his cruel grandmother Camilla and the snoring worker in the train car to create an opportunity for him.

Was she driven by guilt, intending to satisfy her grandmother's sadistic rage through a life of hardship, or was she waiting for an opportunity for redemption?

[Reward: 1 Rare Card Ticket]

【Whether to accept? 】

That's strange. What does the last sentence in the description mean? Does it mean that Tira has a chance to escape at any time? This system always likes to use riddles. It's so boring.

But since the system requires me to be a champion of justice, it seems I have no choice but to take action.

Lawson, that guy, actually wanted to lock the bus. It's disgusting. Does he think he can be a knight?

After accepting the task, Marcus shook his head and said, "Alright, your sincere pity for Tira would move even the gods. How can I, a mere mortal, stand idly by? I'll hold Camilla off for now. As for Kuran in the tent, you'll have to figure out what to do with him yourself."

Lawson's body trembled slightly for a moment, clearly impressed by the militia known for their fierce dogs in Linhe Town.

He managed to utter a single word: "Okay."