Chapter 56: Is This Really a Vilge?

  Walking on the newly paved stone road, the soft ch beh their feet left everyone in the caravan feeling incredulous.

  It wasn't that the road's quality was exceptional, but the sight of figures carrying sand and stone ahead shattered everyone's uanding of kobolds.

  These kobolds were much more robust than the oypically seen.

  They wore hoods over their heads, their clothes covered in mud, and carried rge bamboo baskets filled with gravel and sand.

  Instead of the usual chaotid frenzied kobolds, these ones resembled farmers w the fields.

  Despite the arrival of so many humans, the kobolds only g them briefly before hurrying toward Silver Moon River uhe orders of an especially strong kobold.

  Clearly, they were gathering materials for road stru.

  Several adventurers kept a close eye oall, anding kobold.

  They could sehe palpable danger emanating from it and began discussing its species and strength.

  "Is that really a kobold? It’s way too big!"

  "At least a Level 6 warrior—maybe even a mutated variant..."

  "Don't talk nonsense if you don't know. I've never seen a mutated kobold with such high intellige’s probably a dragonborn..."

  "Seriously? A dragonborn kobold? That’s ridiculous!"

  "Not ridiculous at all. I’m a mid-tier warrior, and I don't feel fident I could beat it—let alohe fact that it’s anding hundreds of strong kobolds..."

  "Is the lord of Bay Vilge that powerful? To have tamed a dragonborn kobold and raised so mae soldiers? What's his background?"

  "I heard from one of Lord Adam Smith’s guards that the lord of Bay Vilge is an arist and es from the Ser family..."

  "So he’s a big deal, after all..."

  "An arist? And he's catg that many trolls? Could it be for some kind of experiment?"

  "That's none of our business—as long as the lord is generous, I don’t care."

  "..."

  The more people discussed, the more curious they became about Bay Vilge—and also a bit anxious.

  After all, a 50-gold bounty per troll was three times the going rate in other territories, with no upper limit.

  It was almost too good to be true!

  Could this lord really afford to pay such a hefty bounty?

  With all sorts of thoughts swirling in their minds, the caravan moved steadily along the newly paved stone road, drawing closer to Bay Vilge.

  ......

  The r wind whipped the banners into a dance.

  A silver dragon head was embroidered proudly in the ter of the banner.

  Below the bahree rows of soldiers stood in formation, silently awaiting the caravan's arrival.

  In the sunlight, their pale green uniforms made them look like sturdy pines.

  Their powerful presence caused the approag caravan to slow its pastinctively.

  Adam Smith parted his lips, about to say, "I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?"

  But then he caught himself, and a smile spread across his face as he quickly uood Matthew’s iion.

  Sure enough, Adam Smith soon noticed that the previously unruly adventurers had fallen silent, studying the ly arranged soldiers with serious expressions.

  It was obvious that ohese adventurers and cart-pushers left Bay Vilge,

  The elite soldiers and the generous lord would bee the vilge’s hallmark and leave a strong first impression on everyone.

  Adam Smith’s opinion of the lord rose even higher, and his face broke into a genuine smile as he gracefully dismounted from the carriage. He o his bodyguard captain, signaling him to head toward the warehouse.

  Now was the perfect time to dispy his close retionship with the lord.

  With this thought, Adam Smith maintained a natural and calm demeanor, though inwardly, he felt a bit nervous.

  He couldn’t help but worry that with the lord's power, skill, and es, there would be plenty of other merts eager to repce him.

  Adam Smith khat the upiing would be yet aest—whether or not he could prove his worth.

  As Matthew g the carriage, detailed information immediately appeared before him.

  "The food has arrived as expected, along with ara 100,000 pounds of seeds. He’s perceptive enough to realize I’m pnning to cultivate more nd..."

  "The steel supply has doubled; he clearly has good es..."

  "The ons are of det quality—clearly, some thought ut into this. He even brought ara ten crossbows as a show of strength..."

  "All the livestock has been prepared, and he even included some males for breeding—a meticulous touch..."

  "The spell pos are varied and of good quality; there’s also a reserve of talent..."

  "He’s brought 115 magic crystals, all ted carefully. Is this his way of showing he did his best?"

  Rubbing his eyes, Matthew hat while analyzing supplies was easy through his data system, people were a different matter.

  Unaware that he had already exposed most of his hand before eveing Matthew, Adam Smith was currently chatting amiably with Ralph:

  "I’ve brought some small gifts for the occasion..."

  Ralph patted Adam Smith on the shoulder and turo lead the way, reminding him as they passed by the soldiers:

  "If the gifts are for me, don’t bother. Just focus on pleting Lord Matthew’s tasks, and you’ll keep this job."

  "But ime, bring more magic scrolls and books—any kind, and as many as possible..."

  Adam Smith’s heart filled with joy as he observed the soldiers in high spirits.

  But when he finally regained his posure, he was taken aback by the sight of a massive five-meter-high wooden wall.

  "This 't be right!"

  "Last time I was here, there was nothing!"

  Notig Adam Smith's expression, Ralph fshed a mysterious smile and hahe register of o the returning Leon before leading the mert through the open gates.

  The cart-pushers, some homeless families, newly recruited professionals, and adventurers who had e to hunt trolls all stared in shock at the wooden palisade behind the soldiers.

  "Is this really a vilge? It’s bigger than some of the run-down towns we passed on the road!"

  "What kind of vilge has over a hundred fully armed professional soldiers?"

  "Dozens of warriors! Perfectly aligned, standing motionless—and they're all veterans..."

  "How do we get in?"

  "Look at the notice board on the wall. It seems there are instrus posted there..."

  "With all these supplies, it looks like the lord pns to expand the vilge into a town."

  "At least we don't have to worry about the lord paying the bounty..."

  "..."

  FAL