Atterson could only watch as her daughter left, that's the only option for everyone present really, they couldn't stop her even if they gave it their all. Once Rontress was gone, she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, "I'm glad that she's back, did she come back too soon?"

  Her question was directed at Bylor, the mage knew what Rontress was doing inside of that forest for some reason so if there's someone who could answer her question— of whether or not their weakness caused them to ruin her daughter's potential. — and possibly remove the guilty ache eating away at her chest.

  "No, she hasn't." Bylor's answer made her visibly relax. Good, she didn't want to hinder her daughter any further. "She's gotten everything she could ever get inside of that forest, even the things I need were taken by her."

  Bylor's laugh was light hearted, but the energy it had wasn't shared with everyone present.

  Atterson could see it in the faces of those staying with them, the ones who weren't wounded somehow looked worse than the ones recovering from their wounds in the room next door.

  She could see why that is: a little girl, almost nine, killed most of the adventurers that pushed them to the brink of desperation all by herself. How could anyone feel anything but negative emotions about that?

  Envy isn't all there is to them either, there are people who are undoubtedly asking why Rontress hasn't come sooner, there are those feeling fear from the existence of her daughter, wondering whether or not they will be the next victim who will fall by her hands.

  And more importantly, there are people wondering if she's some kind of demon, if the source of her strength is because she made a pact with one of the creatures from the abyss. None of it matters as of this very moment, and Atterson shouldn't address them either.

  Instead she knows that she must keep morale up and make sure that everyone understands they aren't dying, "Rontress is gonna get us food soon." Addressing the most common concern that's plaguing the group currently is a good start, "and when she comes back, I will talk to her about what we should do next, with that being said, does anyone have any suggestions?"

  Asking them for suggestions would both satiate the negative feelings they feel for her daughter— because they are commanding her, sort of. — and it gets them to be put at ease knowing what will happen next.

  One man raised his hand, Atterson couldn't remember his name, "can we ask her to raise more igloos? I don't feel comfortable staying with this many people. I have endured it for the past couple days but I am at my limit."

  That... Is a good start, Atterson considered whether to tell Rontress this— her daughter is on the verge of blowing up emotionally, but she is helping them still, including building their current igloo, which means that she's more than willing to help. — and after giving it some thought, she decided that the answer was yes, as the idea both gives the people with them some form of comfort and the result is immediate, and by extension, so wouldn't be reassurance that they have made the right choice.

  "Okay, I'll make sure to tell her that." Nodded Atterson, she watched for the group's reaction and got the confirmation that it had put them at ease.

  If it's this effective, then obviously she needs to continue their line of thought, make them more at ease, "okay, so, many igloos do we want?"

  "One for each family? Maybe?" A woman said, she looked at the people surrounding her— Atterson assumed they were her family, if so, then they are quite numerous. — and smiled. "We don't mind the cramping if it's with each other."

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  "Rontress will make you build the igloos yourselves you know that? If this is the request? She will just reinforce it."

  "I'm fine with it!" A man says. "Working throughout winter in the past has given me [Winter Worker] anyway so I do not mind!"

  "Yeah, me too, I don't mind."

  "So do I, winter has always been a harsh time anyway, and hunting during that time is something I've done in the past."

  At that, several other people nodded, it seems they have gotten the exact same class. For a brief moment, Atterson wondered if Rontress has the same thing and then killed the thought, what her daughter has is unimportant right now.

  "Okay, so you're all fine to build the igloos yourselves? Very well." Nodded Atterson. "Rontress will be the one giving us food for the winter so I doubt anyone here needs to hunt, we should all rest and then focus on building the igloos once Rontress comes back."

  Atterson hated the thought of using her daughter to secure a promise but it is something she has to do, and she knows that Rontress will be providing everyone here with food regardless so she is not wrong.

  "Once she comes back?" Igant, who has been tending to his wounded brother until now, spoke up. The man was gigantic, Atterson wondered why wasn't be an executioner like Jagal. "Rontress will be back, but what will she be doing once she does? Wouldn't she be too busy dealing with whatever is happening in Flotol to help us?"

  "She has told me that she wants to plan first, and she says that the leaders of Flotol wouldn't be doing anything to mess with us for a while." Atterson didn't know how Rontress is so confident when the only thing they've done so far is escalate but she believed in her daughter's judgement. "Which gives us time to prepare, recover, and do other things."

  "Of course they won't come, Rontress is with us, and they're scared of her." A kid with concerningly bright eyes— Atterson knew better than anyone not to put her kid on a pedestal. — said with a hint of pride. "We're going to win!"

  "There's no doubt about that." Igant said with a wry smile, "but it will take a while, maybe even til the middle of spring, I don't think Rontress wants to kill Flotol's leaders."

  "Won't she?" Asked someone. "Wouldn't it be quicker if she did that?"

  "... She already ignored them." Pointed out Jagal, despite being wounded several times, the butcher's brother stood proud. "Which means that she won't attack them when things get heated, I don't know what she's thinking."

  "No one does." Atterson let out a sigh. "If I knew what's on her mind I wouldn't let things go this far, and I mean that."

  "Okay, so no one here knows what she's thinking and worse of all, we are all waiting for her to come back."

  The complaint was understandable, the man is lacking an arm as well so he has a reason to be concerned about the situation's development.

  Atterson had nothing to say, she's concerned about his words affecting everyone else who have experienced some form of disability during the fight and how morale will plummet once comfort comes around and complaints are coming forward...

  "Rontress will be able to fix your arm, if that's what you're wondering." Bylor came to her rescue. "She's become an Inhuman."

  Now that caught Atterson off guard, her daughter? An inhuman?! How?! Not even the most capable mage in the capital can come so far unless they're incredibly old! And her daughter, someone as young as 8 have somehow managed to do so?!

  "And a powerful one at that." Bylor chuckled. "It's been a while since I've seen a Dryad, she's close to the real thing as well."

  "... T-that aside." Atterson tried her best to remove the shock she's feeling and detached it from her voice. "We are now moving forward once more, all we need to do is be patient."

  At her declaration, everyone's shocked expressions cooled down and they all nodded.

  "Now, then, does anyone else want to give their suggestions? I am more than willing to listen and I'm sure Rontress is too, building igloos wouldn't be enough, we need more." Atterson suggested once more, even if she didn't need to because of Bylor's sudden declaration.

  Rontress. Becoming an Inhuman.

  And what even is a Dryad?

  Atterson didn't know, all she knew is that Rontress has become powerful, and it seems her master also knows things he doesn't and is possibly even older than Flotol itself.

  "No wonder her daughter became such a powerful mage at her age." Someone whispered, that person undoubtedly came to the same conclusion as her. and Atterson couldn't help but agree with them.

  Bylor, of course, chuckled cryptically, because why wouldn't he? It's frustrating sometimes, but he's helped them out so far and Rontress would defend him so she couldn't call him out.