Our Family Has Fallen

This was a common tactic in confrontations between the Mountain Barbarian Tribe and Bastia. Whenever they attacked outposts scattered outside the city, those defenders would light beacons, and soon, the Nobility’s Cavalry would rush to their aid.

Warwolf frowned. This meant they had already called for reinforcements.

He could disregard ordinary people, but he feared those noble Knights.

However, the good news was that the distant gathering place lacked city walls, not even a fence, leaving it completely exposed.

Moreover, he could see many people scurrying toward that assembly area like ants.

At the same time, the scent of the offering seemed to emanate from that direction.

Damn it! I can’t beat the Knights, the Heretics, or the spiders, but surely I can beat you lot?

Witnessing the panicked ordinary people, the Barbarian warriors immediately succumbed to their savage impulses, their desire for slaughter swelling in their hearts.

Warwolf gazed at the slightly chaotic scene ahead, catching the scents wafting through the air, as if he had found something.

”Follow me! Rush in and seize that damn offering!” he commanded.

Warwolf knew his subordinates needed a killing spree to please the Wolf God and relieve their stress. So, let the slaughter begin!

Grabbing his Battle Axe, he strode towards the gathering place. The One-Eyed Wolf King was even a step ahead, more eager than anyone to kill the offering and complete the ritual.

Upon hearing their leader’s words, the Barbarian warriors let out strange cries, their eyes growing hotter as they looked at the frantically fleeing farmers.

These common folk were like rabbits scattered on the grassland, awaiting the wolves’ hunt, soon to become sacrifices to appease the Wolf God.

Warwolf and his pack arrived with astonishing speed. Only three to five minutes passed between the lighting of the beacon and their appearance. Even those working in the distant fields, who spotted the smoke, couldn’t make it back in time. Most were now caught between the fields and the forest.

Many people noticed Warwolf’s massive form, and even more terrifying was the sight of the wolf pack accelerating towards them.

Everyone was reminded of the harsh reality of their world, where pallid despair was the predominant color of life.

In this Hell, there was no hope, not even a sliver.

But this despair was not meant for some.

”The enemy has appeared! We cannot let them harm a single civilian. This is our duty!” a soldier cried, raising his Spear high. ”Who dares to join me?”

”HUMPH! I see no more than a dozen men and a few dogs. Our Team Three has ten men too; we have nothing to fear!”

”Let’s flatten them and have dog meat tonight.”

”...”

Without the slightest hesitation, amidst their light-hearted banter, this ten-man squad charged against the tide of fleeing people, heading straight for the enemy.

They were from Team Three, a patrol squad. They had seen the beacon smoke earlier but, unsure of the specifics, had been returning to camp to await orders as protocol demanded.

But now that the enemy had appeared, their intentions all too clear, they naturally had to stand up and stop them.

These were not raw recruits; they had followed their Lord into many battles.

A dozen enemies? These men wouldn’t be intimidated even by a hundred.

The world might be rotten, but there are always those who swim against the current.

「...」

When Lance first selected the initial group of refugees, he prioritized those with families, so many of these people had children.

Not all children could attend school. So, as their families were resettled here, the children naturally came along.

But these were children of poor families. Hardship had stripped away their childhoods early, but it had also made them mature beyond their years.

Even at a young age, they could help with whatever work was within their capabilities.

They couldn’t handle logging or land reclamation, but they could manage some relatively easier tasks.

Before dawn, two figures were already out on the farm. One was a boy, perhaps only seven or eight years old, carrying a basket on his back. Behind him followed a little girl of about five or six, walking gleefully with a small basket, humming a tune as crisp and clear as a skylark’s song.

The two were siblings. Their father had died in the chaos, and their mother struggled to survive while caring for them. The resilient mother had touched Lance, and the Lord had responded with kindness.

The mother, an ordinary laborer with no special skills, was assigned here after returning to Hamlet.

The farm did not operate on a communal dining system; otherwise, there would be no differentiation in rewards. The food in the dining hall was already accounted for in each work team’s headcount. If you couldn’t complete the designated workload, you went hungry. *You don’t really think Lance would support idlers, do you?*

A woman supporting two children alone faced extreme hardship; she had to work much harder.

The two little ones also tried to lighten the family’s burden, so they often rose early, the boy taking his sister out to cut grass.

The earth had blessed this land with vibrant Life Force; plants grew exceptionally fast here.

Cut grass would be replaced by new weeds sprouting overnight. The landscape changed almost daily, so it was no wonder the farm had enough fodder for so many cattle and sheep.

However, thanks to the diligent people, most of the wild grass near the farm had been cut. Dense weeds remained only in the uncultivated areas near the forest. Their daily journey to find grass grew longer, requiring them to wake up even earlier.

But the two weren’t dissatisfied. To them, simply being alive was a blessing. In the past, under the rule of their previous farm owner, they might not taste meat for an entire year and often went hungry.

Now, they could eat their fill and occasionally even had meat. His sister, who had been as skinny as a skeleton upon arriving in Hamlet, had gradually gained weight, her little face becoming rosy.

And he believed that as long as he grew up, he could certainly give his mother and sister a better life.

The boy busily cut grass while his sister foraged in the nearby bushes, looking for edible berries and mushrooms.

Despite her young age, she knew exactly which were edible and which were not; the little one was quite clever.

”Brother! Guess what I found,” she chirped.

The boy paused his grass-cutting and turned. His sister held out a closed fist, her mischievous expression making him smile.

”I guess it’s red berries.”

”How do you always guess right?” The sister pouted, opening her small hand to reveal several bright red berries.

”Because mushrooms can’t be hidden that easily,” the boy laughed, wiping a smudge of color from his sister’s mouth. ”And next time, remember to wipe your mouth after snacking.”

”HEE HEE!” The girl didn’t mind one bit, happily handing over the berries. ”Try it, brother, they’re really sweet.”

”I don’t like them. You eat them,” the boy said, shaking his head as he looked at the berries, then turned to continue cutting grass.

”Try one, try one!” the girl insisted, pushing the berries into her brother’s mouth. He couldn’t refuse and ate one.

However, when he bit into the berry, his taste buds were met not with sweetness but with an intense sourness that immediately brought a strange expression to his face.

”HA HA HA!” The girl’s laughter rang out like silver bells, clearly delighted by her successful prank.

The brother could only smile wryly. He had taught her to distinguish berries and mushrooms, so he knew perfectly well that these berries only ripened when they turned purple. In their current red state, they were very sour. But if his sister enjoyed it, he would play along. Anything she fed him was sweet.

”As a reward, here’s a flower for you.” The boy picked a small, unnamed white flower from the nearby grass and tucked it into the hair above his sister’s ear. ”Alright, go play by yourself now, but don’t wander off too far.”

The sister, no longer clinging to him, joyfully protected the flower by her ear. Even her steps became bouncy as she hummed a cheerful tune.

”Little flower, little flower...”

But just then, she looked up and saw a plume of dense smoke rising in the distance.

”Brother, Brother! Look quickly!”

”I still have work to do...” the boy replied, somewhat exasperated, looking towards his sister. Then, his gaze followed hers to the column of smoke, and his expression froze instantly.