Hen, being older and more knowledgeable, couldn't have not studied it.
And his own heart condition, yet he had never tried to go to the temple for treatment; perhaps Hen had his own reservations.
"The temple? I see. Thank you, Teacher."
Karl repeated in a low voice, taking this place to heart.
He hadn't expected that after going in circles, he would still have to go to the temple, and he had thought he would go to Ellander later.
After bidding farewell to Hen for the time being, Karl didn't stay long at the academy; he needed to go home, back to Baron's Meadow.
Karl located the place and concentrated on directing the solar energy within his body, and a portal formed instantly.
He stepped through, and the spatial shift brought a temporary feeling of weightlessness.
The next moment, he found himself at the edge of Baron's Meadow territory, on the road to the small village where he had lived.
As soon as his feet touched the damp soil, a familiar and strong smell hit his face.
A mix of livestock odors and the complex smell of fermenting manure—perhaps this was exactly the taste a village should have.
But for Karl, whose sensory sensitivity at this moment was far beyond that of ordinary people, it was tantamount to torture.
Karl almost instinctively adjusted his sense of smell, significantly reducing the intensity of the odor signals to avoid being smoked out and nauseated on the spot.
He walked forward along the dirt road from memory, and the villages where he once lived on either side of the road came into view.
Low thatched houses, crooked wooden fences, puddles on the muddy ground—everything was little different from when he left.
Time here flowed exceptionally slowly, and poverty and desolation were still the main themes.
Some villagers working outside or just passing by saw Karl.
At first, they looked surprised, clearly recognizing the young man who had once been famous in the village for hunting.
But then their expressions changed—a mixture of admiration, alienation, and even fear.
They either immediately turned their heads and pretended to be focused on their work, or hurriedly lowered their heads, not daring to look at him.
What's more, like frightened rabbits, they quickly hid in their low houses.
BANG! With a muffled sound, the already flimsy wooden door closed.
From beginning to end, no one dared to step forward and warmly greet "Karl is back" as before.
Karl watched this scene, a mix of emotions rising in his heart, finally ending in a silent sigh.
He understood the reason—he was no longer a commoner who relied on hunting skills.
Now he was a martial arts champion, a knight, and the heir to this land.
He was already a true aristocratic class and a high-ranking figure in the eyes of the villagers.
And the commoners' fear of the nobility was carved into their bones...
The villagers were afraid that any subtle gesture, any casual glance, might anger him and bring unbearable punishment.
Just as Karl was about to quicken his pace through the village and head towards Raymond's fortress,
a wooden door next to a house that looked a bit tidier creaked open.
A middle-aged man with a hoe, quite thin, came out with his head down.
He turned and vaguely shouted into the house: "I'm going to the field to see if I can dig up some more..."
And when he turned his head and inadvertently looked over the wooden fence, he met Karl's gaze.
The man's whole body froze, and a look of surprise at seeing an acquaintance immediately appeared on his face.
His lips were slightly parted, as if a warm greeting was about to burst out.
But the next moment, he seemed to choke on something, and his expression changed dramatically.
The surprise disappeared, replaced by awkwardness, anxiety, and even a hint of fear.
His shoulders with the hoe trembled unnaturally, he slowly fully opened the door and stood by it, looking a bit at a loss.
"...Karl." He paused, as if finding the title inappropriate.
He quickly added: "...Lord Karl, you... you're back. Do you have business with me?"
Karl recognized him, Dales, the guy who used to handle the game he brought and opened a butcher shop in the village when he and Jack were hunting.
Although Dales wasn't fat back then, he wasn't at all like he was now—with sunken cheeks, hollow eyes, and a chronically emaciated appearance.
Karl smiled sincerely, trying to ease the other's tension: "Dales, long time no see. What difficulties are you facing? Look at yourself..."
When Dales heard this familiar name, his face became even more complex.
He was silent for a moment, his rough palm unconsciously stroking the wooden handle of the hoe, and finally sighed.
His voice was tired: "No... nothing, just without your hunting skills, I can't open that butcher shop."
He glanced at the house, his voice dropping a bit, with bitterness: "I still have three children to feed. I can't watch them starve to death."
"I have no choice. I have to pick up this hoe again and go to the field to try my luck, to see if Melitele cares for me and can grow something to make a living."
Dales's account stunned Karl.
At the beginning, he and Jack had moved from the village to Raymond's fortress due to Raymond's sudden recognition and a series of subsequent changes.
Everything was too hasty and sudden, and he had completely forgotten about his previous work arrangement with Dales.
Having lost the steady supply of game that Karl had provided, Dales lost his main source of livelihood.
The income from the butcher shop was much more abundant and stable than farming in harsh conditions, and more importantly, there was often meat at home, so they wouldn't go hungry.
No wonder Dales was so emaciated; the weight of life was clearly pressing down on him.
Karl's face flushed with embarrassment, and he immediately made a decision.
"Put the hoe back, Dales. I just need to go back to the manor to deal with something. Come with me."
When Dales heard this, he was stunned for a moment, then quickly understood what Karl meant.
A glimmer of hope suddenly flickered in those dim eyes.
He hardly hesitated and quickly replied: "Okay! Great! Thank you, Karl!"
He quickly threw the hoe over his shoulder back into the house with a BANG, causing exclamations from the women and children inside.
Before following Karl out through the fence gate, Dales also shouted into the house: "Listen, I might not be back tonight. You figure it out yourselves. Don't let the children starve!"
Walking on the road to the El family manor, Dales's inner excitement gradually subsided, and doubt appeared on his face.
He secretly looked at Karl, who was walking ahead. This young man, now with noble status, was actually walking back? Not even a horse to ride?
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