On the village square, the cavalry captain who had just rushed in with his men turned his horse around. Holding a broadsword, he engaged the giant wolf. Although his strike drew traces of blood from the wolf's mouth, it didn't truly wound it. Instead, the cavalry captain, wielding his sword with one hand, lacked the strength and was pounced off his horse. Had he not been experienced and rolled away in time, he likely would have been torn apart by the giant wolf's claws on the spot.
Panting as he jumped out of the giant wolf's attack range, he gripped the broadsword with both hands and adjusted his breathing. His eyes were fixed on the giant wolf five meters away, his expression tense, as a few droplets of blood fell from his brownish-red beard.
At this moment, the Crimson Giant Wolf was in no hurry to pursue. Instead, it stepped on the horse the cavalry captain had just been riding, tore open its neck with one bite, and then took the horse's head into its mouth. The sound of bones cracking and crunching came from that bloody maw, sending a chill through the hearts of everyone present, filling them with dread.
"Huff... huff... huff..." With his chest almost trembling, the cavalry captain adjusted his breathing and slowly shifted his feet, looking for a position to exert force.
While he was tensely dealing with the situation, battles were also occurring elsewhere in the square. The orange-red Werewolves that had rushed in with the giant wolf bit anyone they saw, fighting with the personnel guarding the square.
The strength of these Werewolves varied. Some only had orange-red fur and were not much stronger than ordinary wild wolves, while others could knock a person over in one go and tear open an enemy's throat with sharp teeth and claws. Out of fear and respect for their leader, they did not rashly intervene in the confrontation at the very center of the square, but instead fought others around the bonfire.
...
The scene was a mess. Sylvia was pulled by Talia, stumbling all the way toward a distant stone building. It was square-shaped and looked like a fortress.
"Finally here."
Talia pulled open the half-ajar thick wooden door, led Sylvia inside, and then closed the door again, securing it with a wooden crossbar before leaning against the wall to catch her breath.
Sylvia looked around with some curiosity. There was an old wooden table, two chairs, some straw on the floor, and some dusty clutter piled in the corner.
Seeing the girl's curiosity, Talia explained, "This place is for defense. There's a small opening over there that can be pulled open to shoot arrows, but I didn't bring a bow and arrows this time, so we won't use it."
"Is it always this dangerous here? That giant wolf looks very difficult to deal with," Sylvia asked.
"No, generally it's only dangerous at the end of the Season of Rising Wind and during the Gale Season. During this period, many beasts will obtain an essence, becoming fierce and powerful."
"Season of Rising Wind, Gale Season?" Sylvia blinked and repeated the two terms.
"You don't even know this?" Talia looked at the girl with a somewhat strange expression, but she still couldn't help but answer.
"Season of Rising Wind, Gale Season, Fog season, and Trade wind season—these are the four great wind seasons. Each wind season lasts for over a decade, and conditions vary from place to place, but generally, it's a fifty-four-year cycle."
As Talia answered, a familiar feeling appeared in Sylvia's mind, and she followed up by saying, "In the Season of Rising Wind, because all things grow and animals breed in large numbers, more and stronger beasts are born, so the wilderness becomes dangerous. And when the Gale Season arrives, the 'Blazing Sun' essence weakens, plant growth slows down, herbivorous animals decrease, and many beasts also become more ferocious due to hunger."
"Mm-hmm, so you do know after all," Talia nodded with satisfaction.
"However, that's knowledge learned from books. I guess you rarely go into the wild. Actually, during the first few years of the Gale Season, because the continent sinks into the clouds and mist, rainfall is exceptionally abundant. At this time, there is plenty of food, so the beasts actually have a brief period of peace. Frogs breed in large numbers during this time."
"Hehe, I know quite a lot, don't I?" Seeing Sylvia's attentive listening, Talia felt greatly satisfied.
"Did you go to school?" Sylvia became interested.
"Not really. Reading and writing are just too much trouble. But my sister is very studious; she used to study in the city. Sometimes when she comes back, she pulls me aside to tell me what she's learned. I've heard it so much I'm tired of it, but I've remembered some things."
"So that's how it is."
"By the way, where are you from? I've never seen someone as good-looking as you before. Are nobles all this pretty? Is it true that you can really become white if you don't go out in the sun, and your hair can turn snow-white too? And how old are you?" Talia finally couldn't contain her curiosity and asked a string of questions.
"Where I come from... I can't say for sure right now because of an accident, I can't remember some things," the girl answered, shaking her head as she lightly pressed her finger to her chin.
"Nobles might be a bit prettier because they do less labor and have money for maintenance, but that's not absolute. As for not being in the sun, it can indeed make you a bit fairer, but it can't change your skin tone, and hair color can't be changed by staying out of the sun. Regarding my age, I should be about the same as you." Her memory was exceptionally good now; even though Talia had asked a long string of questions, she could answer them all clearly and one by one.
"Wow, is that so?" After hearing Sylvia's answers, Talia felt inexplicably happy. The other girl had actually listened to every word she said and answered patiently. The last time she felt this way was with her sister; other adults were always impatient with her various strange questions.
"So are you looking for a way home now?" Talia looked the silver-haired girl up and down, trying to guess her origin from the style of her clothes.
"Yes." However, her 'home' would likely involve crossing worlds, the girl thought to herself.
"Hmm... let me think. Grandpa Hyde should be able to help you." She propped up her chin, recalling people she knew.
"He is?"
"He's my sister's teacher, a Scholar in Cinderstone City. It's said he used to be an advisor to nobles, but he's very old now and lives alone in a small building in the city."
"Let me tell you, Grandpa Hyde isn't an ordinary teacher. He has certification from the 'Candlekeep School' and is a Bachelor with a 'Brass Book Badge.'"
Candlekeep School... the girl silently repeated the term. It seemed somewhat familiar, as a vague and blurry sense of recognition surfaced.
"If there's an opportunity, I will pay him a visit." Currently, she very much needed to understand various aspects of this world. If she could find a knowledgeable teacher, it would be for the best.
As the two talked, their relationship gradually grew closer, until a series of shouts and crashing sounds from outside diverted their attention.
Approaching the closed small window, Talia pulled open the shutter and carefully observed the situation outside. Sylvia followed behind her, looking out.
A blaze of fire was spreading across the square. Many of the personnel who had been fighting earlier had fallen, but there were even more wolf corpses on the ground. Now, besides the Crimson Giant Wolf, only a few scattered Werewolves were still moving and fighting. The cavalry captain's clothes were now bloodstained, his surcoat was shredded, and a long gash had been torn through the chainmail underneath. Dark red blood dripped continuously. One of his arms hung limp, seemingly fractured, while the other hand barely gripped the hilt of his sword.
The remaining cavalry and villagers were still in a standoff with the giant wolf. The Crimson Giant Wolf was also covered in bloodstains. One eye was closed, dripping thick black blood that emitted faint white steam as it hit the ground.
Under normal circumstances, this injured Fanged Beast should have fled long ago. However, influenced by the 'Blazing Sun' essence, the giant wolf's temperament was haughty, and it was now even more ferocious due to its injuries. Judging by its intelligence, the few remaining soldiers before it were also extremely weak; it only needed to attack a few more times to kill them all.
Under the dual stimulation of appetite and the desire to kill, the Crimson Giant Wolf growled and slowly moved its feet through the firelight. It showed no fear even when occasionally stepping on glowing red charcoal. At this moment, its strength had indeed declined, but it had also become more cunning and dangerous.
The situation is dire. If that cavalry captain falls, things will take a turn for the worse, the girl thought, her brow furrowing slightly as a wave of worry arose.
Unfortunately, besides her advantage in Identification, she had no other abilities. Even if she rushed out, she wouldn't be able to help much. This situation made her feel a surge of desire to obtain strength.
During this time, I must find an opportunity to learn a self-protection ability, Sylvia secretly decided.
"Soon..." Talia whispered, her eyes fixed on the stone platform at the side of the square.
"What's soon?" Sylvia was puzzled.
"I can't explain it clearly. Look there, you'll know in a moment." Talia pointed outside the square, where several people were climbing onto the stone platform and using their hands dipped in lime to smear something onto it.
"Is it ready yet!" On the square, the injured cavalry captain shouted urgently once more.
Seconds later, a joyful voice rang out in the night. "Ready, it's ready!"
Although there was no change visible to others, in Sylvia's eyes, the stone platform emitted a transparent, grayish-white ripple. And it wasn't just here; there seemed to be other stone platforms in the village. The ripples from a total of six stone platforms collided with each other, finally converging in the center of the square. A strange force field was generated, covering and spreading throughout the entire village.
[Royal Authority School · Protection of the Six Stone Towers] (Castle)
'A classic ritual array of the Royal Authority School, it can suppress other essence within the barrier area except for the 'Castle' essence, and provides a slight enhancement to the abilities of the 'Castle' school.'
As the grayish-white ripples spread, the fur of the Crimson Giant Wolf on the square became a bit duller. In the girl's eyes, its scalding hot blood also cooled down quite a bit, and the aura and pressure it emitted suddenly decreased by thirty percent.
Turning her gaze to the cavalry captain, his condition had improved slightly. His gaze became firm once more, and even his breathing grew steadier.
Name: Unknown (Cavalry Captain)
Race: Human (Mortal Body)
Status: Injured (Two fractures, three wounds)
Talent:
Toughness [Good Grade]: Your body is naturally twenty percent tougher than an ordinary person's, but please do not rely too heavily on this talent. It is not powerful and may instead cause you to lose your life due to carelessness.
fate structure Card: [Iron-Clad Guard (Bestowed)] (First Order - Castle); The gray stone border is like a standard rectangular prism. Inside the card, a soldier dressed in iron chainmail stands holding a sword. He has an upright physique, a standard standing posture, and a look of pride on his face.
'You have been knighted by Baron Holin, becoming a loyal guard under his command, and thus obtained the Castle essence class - Iron-Clad Guard.'
Effect:
[Iron Armor Protection Lv.2]: Makes the iron armor you wear stronger and tougher, making it difficult for ordinary weapons to pierce. It can also slightly reduce impact and share damage.
ability card:
[Steel-Edged Blade Lv.2 (Bestowed)] (Castle): Temporarily grants your weapon the strength of steel and increases its sharpness, giving it the effect of penetrating weak defensive barriers.
[Breathing Technique Lv.2] (Blood Law): Relies on breathing to regulate the blood flow rate, driving and enhancing the strength and reaction speed of the entire body. This ability places a load on both the heart and the body and cannot be used for long periods (suggested no more than 3 minutes per day).
After gaining a brief advantage, the cavalry captain immediately shouted commands, letting the remaining villagers and his subordinate cavalrymen constantly distract the giant wolf. While these people were shooting arrows and striking their weapons and shields to attract the giant wolf, he gripped his broadsword, looked for an opportunity, and kept moving. After several such maneuvers, he stepped forward with a lunge, and the sharp blade pierced straight into the giant wolf's lower jaw, penetrating the flesh and entering the wolf's mouth.
The intense pain caused the Crimson Giant Wolf to struggle and leap frantically. That violent strength also caused the cavalry captain's follow-up finishing move to fail. Perhaps truly feeling the threat of death at this moment, the giant wolf no longer lingered in the fight, but instead dragged the broadsword stuck in its lower jaw and fled into the dark night.
Blood dripped all along the way, but the giant wolf moved like the wind, vanishing into the darkness in an instant. At the moment, no one could catch up to its speed. The only few warhorses were either injured or had fled to the edge of the village, and were useless right now.
"Damn it!" Spitting out a mouthful of bloody foam, the cavalry captain could only watch resentfully as the giant wolf escaped into the night and disappeared.
Without that ferocious Crimson Giant Wolf, the remaining few Werewolves also saw that things were going poorly and prepared to flee. However, their speed was not that fast. The cavalry captain, who was feeling frustrated, used the 'Breathing Technique' again. His face suddenly flushed crimson, and then his pace accelerated as he chased down these Werewolves. In a short while, several bloody wolf heads flew into the air, rolling into the weeds and dirt.
"Whew—" A long breath of hot air was exhaled from his mouth. Now, the cavalry captain could no longer hold on. The side effects of using the Breathing Technique began to kick in, and a tide of aching soreness surged through his body, making him nearly unable to stand steadily.
"Captain!" A member of the cavalry quickly supported him, while others shouted for someone to find a doctor for treatment.
"Hurry and call someone. There are many people injured here now. If the bleeding isn't stopped in time, I'm afraid many will die." The bite force of ordinary Werewolves was not strong; unless it was a direct throat-lock, it wouldn't cause rapid death.
Hearing this, the remaining villagers also ran toward the village to start calling people over to help.
...
The night was noisy. Many pine resin torches and temporary fire pits were set up in the square. Seeing that the battle had ended, the villagers who rushed over began to help the wounded, while some delivered finishing blows to the Werewolves that hadn't fully died yet.
"How many people died?" The village head walked out of the house with a weary expression and asked in a somewhat suppressed tone.
"Not sure, at least five or six. Some are still being treated. If they don't make it through tonight, I'm afraid..." A sturdy villager answered beside him, his face also looking quite grim.
"This Direwolf Festival is exceptionally dangerous." The merchant Vandersea, who had been hiding earlier, also slowly walked over now. He was closely followed by two mercenary guards. These two were wearing full suits of chainmail, along with helmets and shields; they were the most powerful members of the merchant caravan.
"Hmph."
Seeing Vandersea only showing his face now, the village head's expression was displeased. He knew perfectly well that this man must have been hiding in a safe place far away just now. If he had committed all his guards to the defensive battle, the village's losses would likely have been much smaller.
"Hehe, Elder Pound~" Vandersea knew his actions just now were somewhat dissatisfying, but he truly would not put his own safety second. At this moment, he could only greet him with a face full of smiles to smooth over the relationship.
"The village indeed suffered unexpected losses this time. As an old friend of Basswood Village, I should contribute some help. How about this: I'll give you a twenty percent discount on this shipment—no, thirty percent!" He made a gesture, looking pained at the cost.
The village head did not answer, but simply shook his head and turned away to check on the wounded being treated.
"How is Lord Frien's condition?" He came before the injured cavalry captain. It turned out this man's name was Frien.
"I won't die just yet." As he spoke, he bared his teeth in pain again. It turned out a teammate was helping him wipe the long gash on his chest, where charred and bright red flesh were churning, looking quite frightening.
The village head didn't object to this. He looked at the wound and nodded slightly. He had been an adventurer in his youth and knew that although this injury looked scary, it wasn't a major problem.
"Then I am relieved." If this capable captain under Baron Holin's command died here, he would have a massive headache and would not be able to easily explain it to the Baron.
"How are the other members?" Only now did he have the leisure to observe the other members of the cavalry squad. Many were injured. Although they wore leather armor or chainmail, the battle they experienced was far more intense than the villagers', and their casualties were more severe.
"Four were lost on the road, and three more died just now. Several others are unconscious, and their situation is hard to predict." Frien shook his head, his mood low.
Many of these members were trained by him personally and were like nephews to him, so naturally, he felt sorrowful.
While the two were discussing how to handle the follow-up arrangements, two figures crossed the firelight of the square and walked over.
"Grandpa, Miss Tia says she can help a bit." Talia walked over with Sylvia, her gaze occasionally darting to the wolf corpses on the ground around them, looking both somewhat afraid and somewhat excited.
Thus, Sylvia came before the village head once again. The appearance of this silver-haired girl also made Frien's gaze full of surprise; he had no idea such a person was hidden in the village.
After a brief introduction, he learned of the girl's situation. There was no time for detailed talk now; he only hoped this girl could come up with a way to help his squad members.
"I know some techniques for cleaning wounds, and I can also suture relatively simple injuries." She had learned a bit of needlework from her grandmother when she was a child, and had also undergone training and learned quite a bit of first-aid knowledge in university.
Perhaps these things were quite common knowledge on Earth, but the villagers' rescue techniques here were still too crude, to the point where she couldn't bear to watch, which was why she offered to help.
This would also help build some rapport; after all, she still had many things she would need to ask the locals for help with later. Having made up her mind, she and Talia walked over.
Regarding the girl's words, the village head and Frien were half-believing and half-doubting, but they still let her try. The subsequent process indeed showed that the girl's techniques were effective, putting the two at ease.
...
Standing by the boiling hot water, Sylvia's fingers nimbly cleaned the fouled blood and dirt from the wounds, reset some of the broken and displaced bones, and then carefully bandaged them and tied on wooden splints. Talia stood by her side assisting her, helping to hold down the wounded or secure the splints.
The cooperation between the two went from being unfamiliar at the start to becoming increasingly skillful later on. They worked busily in an orderly fashion like this until late at night, when the treatment work finally concluded.
She washed her fingers in warm, clear water and then dried them. Only then did Sylvia have the spare time to carefully wipe the beads of sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.
"Don't, don't use clothes like that to wipe sweat. Use mine." Talia handed over a clean cotton cloth.
"Thank you." After Sylvia finished wiping, she set the cotton cloth down and suddenly thought of something.
"Cotton cloth should be quite valuable, right?" She saw that most people in the village wore linen, while a small portion wore wool sweaters.
"It is quite expensive. My sister brought this back for me from the city before," Talia replied.
"But using it to wipe your sweat isn't a loss at all." She took advantage of the lamplight in the room to carefully examine the girl's appearance again.
"No matter how I look at you, I think you're beautiful. I don't think even the prettiest girl in Cinderstone City is as good-looking as you." She took back the cotton cloth Sylvia returned and carefully placed it into an inner pocket of her clothes.
Miss Tia's appearance when she worked was also very moving. That focused and serious look made even someone as habitually mischievous as her unable to help but quiet down.
The two were sitting by the lamp resting when an auntie from the village brought them some food.
"Hurry and eat. These are pies I just baked. You two have really worked hard tonight." She patted Talia's brownish-red hair with some affection and then looked toward the girl sitting in the lamplight not far away.
"What a truly beautiful person..." At this moment, she also uttered the same exclamation as Talia.
"You two should rest early tonight. You've been busy for so long. I'm going to deliver some food to the others now."
Afterward, she walked out. Tonight in Basswood Village, many people were destined to have a sleepless night.