Reylin returned to Tathum City.

  He left his party outside since the hero and others needed to vent their emotions on the specters. His heart was in a much better state, and Lioness would take care of these two should anything terrible happen.

  Reylin gawked at the bonfire from afar.

  People treated it like a deity already, and many tents surrounded it. The residents dropped their work and settled in the warmest spot in the city. Of course, it wasn't like they had anything to work with……

  In such an environment, they barely lived off on potatoes. Those potatoes tasted much better after Reylin and Aria's bonfire prepared it for them.

  "No internal fights," Reylin whispered.

  That wasn't odd since the residents barely had any strength to move. They also quickly found out that the bonfire's warmth didn't decrease further away from it, and it mainly stood the same.

  It still couldn't take care of the whole city, however.

  But even without the leader, the residents helped each other and made some room for others.

  They kept changing spots from time to time.

  That made things easier for the hero, "Good people for a good leader."

  Reylin fished out his Iron Dog Statue, then strutted toward the bonfire. On his way, residents stepped to the side to let him move freely.

  They thanked him for the help, but Reylin gave all credits to the hero, "It's all Ferocious Bear's doing. Do you guys think I would've done it without any monetary gain?"

  "That's…… true……" The residents lowered their eyes.

  "She's known as the hero, and she spent all her money to get the white-haired woman you've seen before and me. It's not just this world's currency, but the one I am from too. She paid in both worlds.

  Right now, she is outside fighting the specters to find the clues to their ghastly mana. We will help deal with it as per our contract, then you probably won't see me around."

  Reylin contributed everything to the hero, then threw the Iron Dog into the bonfire, "This is yet another item she had paid for. It will increase the bonfire's longevity as it's currently hard to find any clues."

  "We shall thank the hero then…… But even if you've been paid to do all of it, you are also our hero! Please, accept our gratitude!" The residents bowed.

  Reylin just took out his fan and enjoyed the warm breeze, not denying nor accepting their words.

  He looked forward to the system messages.

  And his first statue didn't disappoint him!

  [Your Iron Dog has been planted in the adventurer's bonfire.]

  [It has connected to the flames……]

  [Its greedy nature has found out another source of flames.]

  Although it wasn't visible to the naked eye, the dog began sucking out the warmth Master Natan had created with his only resource.

  He would only notice the change in a few days, just as Reylin had predicted.

  With Iron Dog hidden in the bonfire, Reylin turned heels and returned to the hero's side-

  "Why did you do it?!" Maya shouted at Reylin.

  He didn't reply and just stared at her.

  She once again repeated, "You can't just give me all the credits. I don't like it!"

  Everyone worked here, and their journey consisted of the four……

  They had a lot of fun.

  Even though Maya made a mistake before, she already forgot about it and focused on becoming stronger.

  She wanted to help the residents together with others.

  And now, Reylin just revealed what he had said to others!

  "I thought we were friends!" Maya let out her last words, then turned heels.

  She disappeared on the horizon together with Steel Melody and Lioness. It was time for a girly talk, and Reylin didn't want to explain himself anyway.

  He just took out his notes and began studying them again-

  "Maya. He wouldn't have helped you if he didn't consider you a friend," Lioness explained in a soft voice after these three distanced themselves from Reylin.

  Ferocious Bear shook her head, "I still don't like it…… We've come here together…… It's like he just wants to have some fun, drop all the credit, then disappear from my life. I really thought we were friends and that this city would become our home here.

  If Reylin doesn't want to become my guild member, then he can leave. But why does he distance himself?

  Am I that weak?" The last sentence was whispered in a barely audible tone.

  On her knees, Maya hugged her sheathed sword and nearly burst out crying.

  These two didn't know what had happened and what was precisely coursing through the hero's mind.

  But all this time, Maya had been avoiding real life.

  She felt too weak here, but she could become a stronger person in the game world.

  But after she made a mistake, Reylin covered her up again, and then he just dropped all credits for her.

  An incident from real life flashed, and the hero became scared.

  "Okay, okay……" Lioness patted the hero's hair, "You are weak, and what's so bad about it? My whole guild is full of weak people, and just my siblings possess unique classes. Under my leadership, they can feel strength and pride.

  But should they have even not a hint of their courage and strength, they would've been dumped by me already.

  You possess strength, Maya."

  "……"

  "If Reylin could shove all the credits up to you, you can do something similar. That is only if you have strength," Aria chuckled and left the hero thinking.

  After some time, Ferocious Bear stood up, "Reylin said that it would take a few days for Master Natan to attack us……" She wiped her eyes and added, "I will help residents on my own before the evil noble attacks."

  "What's your plan, the hero?" Steel Melody asked, quite excited.

  "There's a boss in the neighboring province. It's a big bear, and he will provide us with a lot of meat! My goal is to gather a lot of food for residents before we take the whole city!" Maya explained.

  The boss was naturally surrounded by his buddies, and the hero would gather a lot of meat for the city!

  After she had said her plan out loud, confidence bloomed on the hero's face, and she prepared herself for future events!

  The three ladies left the province.

  Lioness had already informed Reylin about it, and he didn't keep Lioness around himself for the hero.

  For he was a good friend.