Chapter 106: The Farmlands

Adam and Aurelius spent several long hours on the road, occasionally taking breaks to stretch their feet and have some snacks. They also took turns driving, bonding over several topics and discovering many things about themselves.

Adam came to learn that Aurelius was the last born out of four siblings—two brothers and one sister—all of whom had passed through the North Star Academy.

The beast master could talk a lot when he was comfortable, something Adam did not expect to see given the image the boy usually presented.

Fortunately for them, no rabid beasts charged out of the surrounding lands at them, making their drive smooth sailing.

"We’re here," Aurelius muttered, taking a right turn off the highway.

The sun was setting over the horizon when the two boys drove toward a small settlement built on a gentle hill.

Beyond it stretched vast farmlands, their fields covered in various shades of green. Farming structures and large pieces of equipment dotted the landscape, while narrow roads cut between the fields.

Further to the right, a long stretch of mountains formed a natural wall around the region. Their slopes were covered in dense vegetation, with towering trees rising above the surrounding forest and reaching toward the evening sky.

"This place feels serene," Adam muttered softly.

"Yeah..."

Aurelius drove past the small gates, slowing down as he cruised into the town. A few people lingered around the streets, while children ran around with no care in the world.

"Look! They’re here!"

One of the kids pointed at the jeep in excitement, running after the car.

"Yay!"

The other kids ran after the car as well, their parents chasing after them. Aurelius had to slow down again to ensure he harmed no one.

"Wish I could be that excited all the time." The beast master expressed softly, driving towards the large building ahead.

"You still can, you know? No one is forcing you to put on airs." Adam said with a shrug, staring out his window.

"Ha... You wouldn’t understand." Aurelius sighed.

"Yeah, yeah."

Aurelius soon pulled up in front of the building, which served as the community centre of the settlement. The two stepped out to see several people already gathered at the entrance of the building.

"Welcome, dear students." A middle-aged woman with blonde hair and hazel eyes stepped down to greet them. "I hope your journey here was free of trouble."

She took a good look at the two boys, nodding with a gentle smile on her face.

"Thank you, ma’am." Aurelius took the lead. "And yes, we’re fine."

"Please, call me Village Chief. That’s what everyone calls me, hehe." The woman said warmly, gesturing for them to follow her inside. "Why don’t you boys introduce yourselves?"

"My name is Aurelius, and my friend here is John." The beast master replied.

Adam nodded at the village chief, his eyes roaming over the men who glared at them as they passed. Some looked middle-aged like the village chief, a few dressed in uniforms that revealed their duties as protectors. The others were young men and teenagers.

He could sense the displeasure and smouldering anger from the older men. The women and teenagers, on the other hand, looked at them with a mixture of curiosity and excitement.

Most of them were at the First Realm, with a few being in the Second Realm, the village chief among those at the peak of the Second Realm.

"Don’t mind them, John." The village chief spoke, glancing at Adam. "They’re just unhappy that the authorities sent only two students over when they could have sent adults."

"It’s understandable." Adam nodded, looking away. "But the authorities wouldn’t have sent us if we weren’t capable."

"Hehe. That’s indeed true."

"Hmph. We’ll see about that." One of the young men grumbled, drawing the cold glare of the village chief. The man gritted his teeth and looked away.

"Sorry about that." The village chief apologised.

"It’s not trouble at all."

The village chief led them towards the main assembly room where a table had been prepared to receive them. Adam and Aurelius looked around as they followed the village chief, the others behind them.

This was their first time in a place like this, as none of them had ever thought about how their food was grown and what went into the process. Bulletins displayed agricultural items, information, and market prices on the walls.

"Take a seat, you two."

The village chief sat down and gestured for the two boys to do the same. Once they sat down, she smiled warmly and asked, "Why don’t we have a meal first? You boys have been on the road for a while."

"Thank you."

Receiving their acceptance, the village chief gestured to one of the girls and instructed, "Annabelle, go inform the kitchen to bring in the dishes."

The dark-haired young girl nodded, shyly glanced at Adam and Aurelius, pausing a tad longer on Aurelius and then rushed off.

Adam glanced at Aurelius with a knowing smile, making the beast master’s lips twitch. Aurelius was, without a doubt, very handsome. With his emerald eyes, long hair, and the demeanour of a noble, girls would naturally be fond of him.

Focusing on the village chief, Aurelius asked, "Can you tell us more about the beast attacks?"

"There isn’t much to say, actually. We get the attacks from time to time, and we usually take care of them ourselves." The village chief said with a soft sigh. "But the frequency and number of attacks have been steadily rising over the last couple of weeks, the last attack being just yesterday. And as you can see, we’re not equipped to handle threats at that level."

The woman looked around the hall, her meaning clear. Most youngsters did not want to do farming, and would leave at some point to pursue other ventures in the big city, leaving just a few people who had no real combat experience.

"Our buyers don’t really care how we deal with the issue as long as we fulfil the terms in the contracts. But that is becoming more and more challenging." She added in frustration.

"I can only imagine," Adam muttered thoughtfully.

"We’ll do everything we can to cut down their numbers, Village Chief." Aurelius chipped in, assuring the woman. "You can count on us."

"Hehe. I know you will."

The food was soon brought in and arranged on their table. As the women served the dishes, Annabelle and a few other girls continued to steal glances at Aurelius and Adam, the two boys pretending not to notice.

"Please, dig in."