Hana and I split up and continue walking no one noticing the ordeal. We exit the forest and during walking back to Springfield we took down some Devil Horned rabbits along the way. Allowing Val to also level up much to her excitement. Once we make it too Springfield we head to HQ to inform the bartender about our leave.

"Sir we are ready to exit Springfield we have completed all of our objectives" Val tells the bartender and he starts to smile.

"At the start I thought you all were lying to me, before people told me what happened in the capital I truly believed that but now I know everyone here indeed did get teleported here. I think you all can save our realm despite you all being so young. The trench trap was ingenious and that innovation is helping us further the depopulation of the monsters." he announces to all of us with each word being genuine.

"Don't worry we are going to bring peace to the realm that includes taking down the dragon and the monsters sieging the capital" Val places her hand on his shoulder and clenches her fist showing her seriousness.

Everyone nods in agreement and we exit selling all of our resources we don't plan on using. Also buying leather armor and a shield for Joon-Woo by his request with a short sword. All D grade with no special abilities and we spent the rest of our money on a carriage with the townspeople giving a discount due to our help. The carriage being plain brown in color and nothing being special about it, plus as we now have no more food provided from the bartender for Geralt and Gertrude we bought some hay incase grazing is not enough. 

Oliver and I ride the front as everyone else stays inside it. The roads being very old and falling apart clearly infrastructure spending isn't a priority.

"What do ya think going to be in Demetius?" Oliver asks me

"I don't know I reckon that its either a agriculture center or a production center for the kingdom either or being possible" I answer him.

"Yea that seems most likely especially since you say it because bloody hell mate you gotta be a strategic genius making us do all these formations"  his compliment makes my posture more pointy.

"-Thank you and your smart for listening to me" I tell him to give a compliment.

He then sends me the most confused look meaning my compliment must not have hit its mark.

 "Sorry I'm still trying to figure out how to be a better person" I scratch my head while speaking.

"It's alright lad, I'm sure you weren't that bad before we met" he jabs at my arm with a smile.

I was that bad before we met I consistently bullied people and forced them to do what I want. I would have them bring me food and make them..

"Hey what's up there?" Oliver asks

I look up ahead and we see 15 people all wearing battered clothes with daggers and shovels as we ride to Demetius with the roads being dusty and unkept. There being no forestry in sight only fields of grass and nothing else in sight.

"Seems like bandits" I tell Oliver.

"No, that can't be what if they just need help?"

"Who wears all black with sharp daggers and pierced shovels and need honest help?" I say sarcastically

"Well you might be right" Oliver says with a tone that shows he is a little embarrassed from thinking possibly wrong.

"Sorry for the attitude, lets just try to avoid them. I'll go tell the others just in case." I announce to Oliver and we stop the carriage momentarily as I enter in too tell everyone else.

"What do you mean there are bandits and we avoid them? If we avoid them they are going rob others with no trouble" Val exclaims with her tone in anger.

"I understand what Jim is trying to say, we don't even know if we can take them.." Hana interjects before Val's head blows off.

"Don't worry because no matter what happens I can protect you all" Joon-Woo says sincerely with a loud hint of arrogance since so far he has taken down 1 devil horned rabbit.

"Listen all I'm saying is to just be ready" I comment to everyone and then exit the inside of the carriage and we all continue on in our former positions.

As we head closer to the bandits we are able to see their rotten teeth and malnourished figures. I look back and see Val looking out the carriage and her face turns spoiled.

Val jumps out of the carriage heading towards the bandits.

"Hey what are you doing?" I ask

"Don't you have eyes, even if you think they are bandits they clearly are struggling" she says clearly changing her mind of fighting them to instead help them.

Since she walks towards them we all get out following her to converse with the "bandits".

"Why are you all dressed and weaponized like this?" Val asks

The leading one step forward he is the tallest out of all of them being relatively the same size as me but a dozen or 2 pounds thinner than me.

"We have no choice our families our starving our crop is all being sent to supply the soldiers up north against the dragon." the man says his word seeming honest yet he could be lying.

I look down and see his frail figure again and decide no he can't be lying, these people are starving.

"Where are your all's homes?" Val asks

"They are just a mile from here right men" all the starving me grunt in agreement their beards ragged and unkept as they have more important matters to worry about.

"Take us to them." Val announces, I give an admittedly surprised look but I do understand what she is trying to do and its commendable.

We ride along in our carriage with the me by our side, an out looker might think we are under there control. As we ride on we eventually see their crop fields seemingly doing just fine and many of the men spit on the ground as a protest to their inability to use their own crop. Eventually after 2 dozen minutes with Val and Oliver making talk with the men we arrive to their houses. A series of small houses and small starving children devoid of life. A small and frail woman walks up too us and the men.

"Luke are these the travelers that gave us food last time but didn't come over here?" she asks with what she said confirming that the men have previously robbed people. Hana's face sours over realizing the same thing as I do and mine also does.

"Yes honey, they have arrived to just check on us." Luke tells her and the other men nod in agreement their own wife's coming over all equally frail.

"May we see your all's children?" Val politely asks the frail group of people and they all seemingly nod respectfully.

We all walk over closing in on the small children playing a game of tag.

"Hello their lads" Oliver says brightly and all the kids faces shine when seeing his huge size.

"Woah your tall mister" the smallest child says.

"Why thank you. Now is anyone up for me to join?" Oliver asks them,

"Of course" they all say in union and Oliver then looks at me.

"You wanna join too Jim?"

"Sure"

Everyone else then joins in after seeing Oliver and I having much fun playing. The kids all smile despite starving and living a life of poverty.. I never had to suffer the way they do, I feel horrible.

"Hey mister are you okay" the smallest child asks me clearly my face must have matched my feelings.

"Yes, what's your name?" I start smiling when seeing his small and kind face.

"My name is Charlie, I saw you walking with my father earlier."

"Yeah, whats your father like?"

"He has been stressing bad him and the men go out to find travelers to help us while our mothers work the fields."

"What about you kids."

"We play games with each other and Tommy knows how to read and so we try to learn after him" he points at the largest child probably age 11.

*Tag* 

"Got you!" Hana smiles quickly running away and so as little Charlie.

we all continue playing until-

*Drop*

Charlie drops on the ground and expresses no further movement the parents of Charlie and the children surround him.

"Whats wrong with him?" Joon-Woo questions and everyone gives an angry look at him.

"He is starving, we all are starving. We can't harvest our own food we are just waiting to all one day die." Luke grimly says and his face break tears running down his face.

"Open Inventory" Val says and she takes out all of her own food giving it too everyone.

It won't be enough the people here number 50 all it will do is remind them that they are starving.

"Open inventory" Oliver and Hana says giving up most of their food too everyone as well.

Now its enough food for everyone to eat for today but what will that do?

"Open inventory" I say and I take out all my food giving it all up not a single item left.

Now its enough.. These people aren't bad they are struggling I don't know how struggling feels but I know whoever is behind this deserves to be hanged.

"Woahhh are you all the people from the rumors?" the children all murmur as the wife of Luke mouth feeds Charlie tears silently falling down from her face. 

"Yes we are" Val nods when telling them and continues "we are here to save you all."

Everyone nods and I don't stop myself from nodding as well. I want to help these people they turned to stealing which is wrong but only because they clearly were going to die. Their weapons held no blood either so they have morals clearly.

"Luke you said earlier that all your crops are going to the military, yes?" I question him since I feel as though there is something underneath the surface.

"Yes" he answers his face drawn to his fallen son.

"Who takes the crops to the military?" I inquire further.

"Our duke" he answers.

"I want to see your duke" I answer and the group all go wide eyes.

"What are you thinking Jim?" Oliver asks

"He thinks that the duke is taking all the crops for himself and I agree with him. If not that means the king is a bad leader as he is starving his own cities losing more morale in the conquest against the dragon" Hana says, all knowingly so and I am in complete agreement.

Everyone nods at Hana's explanation and Luke takes his face off Charlie too have a rebuttal.

"If what you all are saying is true then how can you all even stop him?" Luke asks his eyes wanting a way but seeing no way how.

"The duke could possibly be ignorant enough to hoard all the crops for himself" Hana answers him.

"That would then give us an ability to have the whole city go up in revolt." I answer further, our plan will be no means easy but it is highly possible. 

"Well what are we waiting for!" Oliver exclaims with a full chest.

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Authors note: If you are enjoying my book so far please star it and possibly comment what you enjoy and don't enjoy so I can thoroughly read it and take in the kindness or criticism to reflect on how to perfect my book.

Sincerely Isaiah Jimenez

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P.S.

Currently on a Hiatus

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