The branches and leaves of the trees swayed gently in the rustling wind.
Occasionally, slightly yellowed leaves drifted down and fell.
Ed brushed aside the leaf that had landed on his face and continued staring intently at the kobold camp.
It was called a camp, but it was really just an open clearing surrounded by several rundown wooden huts, similar to one of the smaller villages that had once dotted the area around the town.
Most of the kobolds inside were not wearing proper armor.
Instead of sharp weapons, they held iron rods or wooden sticks scavenged from who knew where.
Only a few noticeably stronger kobolds were equipped with tattered leather armor and swords.
Kobolds did not use more complex weapons, so Ed did not spot any with bows or quivers slung across their backs.
Instead, he saw several old, unused bows lying abandoned on the open ground.
He scanned the area several more times, and his gaze suddenly sharpened.
Inside the camp, two kobolds with relatively complete equipment stood guard outside the tallest and most prominent wooden hut.
“There are probably around sixty of them,” Kelta crouched on the high ground, roughly estimating the kobold numbers.
“I don’t see that kobold priest. Maybe it’s hiding inside the hut?”
“It should be the tallest one,” Ed replied.
“Kobold priests always consider themselves a cut above ordinary kobolds, so their quarters are usually quite distinctive.”
“Which one? Which one? Let me see!”
Bailis, who had been hiding behind him, poked her head out and stood on her tiptoes, trying to catch a glimpse of the kobold priest that could also use magic.
Ed reacted quickly, grabbing her and pulling her back down.
“Careful. Kobolds may be dumb, but they still post sentries. Standing too high makes it easy for them to spot us.”
Facing the girl’s puzzled look, Ed explained.
He pointed.
Following his direction, several inconspicuous yellowish-brown figures could be seen flickering in and out of view behind the cover of the leaves.
The girl shrank back and obediently hid behind him again.
The young adventurer beside them let out a soft chuckle, but quickly composed himself.
“With your strength, Mr. Ed, will dealing with them cause any trouble?” he asked with some concern.
“I heard that the adventurer team that tried to subjugate this kobold group last time didn’t have a single survivor.”
Ed thought for a moment.
“If these sixty or so kobolds all rush us at once, it would be difficult.
After all, I only have two hands and one sword.”
Kelta’s expression turned dejected.
“Even for you, Mr. Ed…”
“But.”
Ed suddenly patted the young adventurer on the shoulder.
“This time, I’m not fighting alone.”
He turned to look at Bailis.
“Right, Bailis?”
“Of course!”
The girl wanted to jump up and pat her chest to show her resolve, but remembering Ed’s warning, she only rose halfway before squatting back down.
“I can support Ed with magic spells anytime!”
“And me.”
Sylvia smiled gently.
For a brief moment, the beauty that appeared on the young woman’s face left the young adventurer stunned for several seconds.
“I can assist everyone in battle with potions.”
She gripped the variously colored potion bottles in her hand.
“If needed, the archery skills I’ve trained since I was young can also help take down enemies.”
Ed looked back at Kelta.
“What about you, Kelta?” he asked.
“You’re not the type to watch others fight a bloody battle while hiding in the back, are you?”
The young adventurer’s face flushed red immediately.
In front of his lover, refusing such a question would definitely make her look down on him!
“Of course not!”
He clenched his fists and said in a low voice, “I’m no coward!
I promise that when the battle starts, I’ll charge right at the front with you!”
Ed smiled.
“I see your courage.
But there’s no need to promise something like that.”
He waved his hand.
“After all, if I really told you to charge with me against more than sixty kobolds, your lover would probably aim her arrows at me before the kobolds.”
“Sylvia? How could she?”
Kelta was stunned and instinctively turned to look at the ponytail girl.
The girl smiled sweetly.
“Kelta, Mr. Ed is telling the truth,” she said.
“I really can’t bear to watch you face so many enemies’ claws, teeth, and weapons right now.
If anything happened to you during the fight, I would regret it for the rest of my life.”
“So—”
The girl’s smile gradually turned serious and sincere.
“Please take good care of yourself.
Don’t act recklessly, and don’t do anything foolish.”
“Sylvia…”
Kelta murmured softly.
So this is what Ed meant by “lovers”?
It felt like the relationship between her and Ed was quite similar…
So what exactly is a “lover”?
The girl covered her small head with her hands and pondered the question hard.
Whether Bailis managed to figure it out or not, Ed saw what looked like flames igniting in the young adventurer’s eyes and finally nodded in satisfaction.
Before engaging the enemy, raising morale made arranging the battle details much easier.
His father’s teachings had indeed been correct.
The image of a certain white-haired old man flashed through Ed’s mind, only to be ruthlessly pushed away by him.
What had happened had already happened.
What he needed to do now was to eliminate the magical beasts around the town as quickly as possible.
At least until he cleared a safe route to the outside world, he would not let news from home affect his judgment.
Ed pulled his thoughts back, coughed lightly, and brought the two lovebirds—whose eyes seemed about to melt into each other—back to reality.
“Since everyone understands the situation, let’s talk about my plan for this battle.”
He pointed at himself.
“I will take the main offensive role and draw their attention.”
He pointed at Sylvia.
“Sylvia, your job is to use frost potions and paralysis potions to disrupt the kobolds’ movements.
When necessary, use your bow to pick off any that break through.”
“Understood.”
The girl nodded solemnly.
Ed then pointed at Kelta.
“Kelta, your task is very important.”
The young adventurer swallowed nervously.
“Please tell me!
I’ll do everything I can!”
“No need to be so tense.”
Ed smiled.
“Besides cleaning up any kobolds I miss, just like Sylvia, you also need to focus on protecting your lover at all times.”
“I don’t get to charge in with you?”
Kelta was taken aback.
The light purple-haired girl gave him a light pinch, causing the young adventurer to let out a quiet “Ouch.”
“No.”
Ed answered calmly.
“With your current strength, handling a few kobolds is fine, but once their numbers stack up, it’s beyond what you can manage.”
Ed had carefully considered whether this arrangement was appropriate.
On the way here, he had briefly sparred with Kelta.
The result was clear: although the boy had plenty of raw strength, his technique was lacking.
It was not suitable to throw him straight into such brutal combat yet.
With proper training later, he could improve a lot.
But that was for the future.
Right now, safety came first.
The young adventurer nodded blankly.
Then, as if realizing something, he turned to look at the hooded girl.
“What about her?
Doesn’t your sister need my protection?”
“No need.”
Ed shook his head.
“I’ll take care of her personally.”
Kelta nodded in understanding, but then a new thought occurred to him.
Since Mr. Ed was charging at the very front, if he was going to personally protect his sister, that meant…
“You mean you’ll be taking her deep into the enemy formation with you?”
“Correct.”
Ed nodded.
Kelta couldn’t help but glance at the girl a few more times.
Short height, slender build, and she even made those occasional silly little movements.
She didn’t look like someone capable of facing enemies head-on at all.
“Isn’t this too dangerous?” he murmured.
“Don’t underestimate her.
She’s not as fragile as you think.”
“That’s right!”
Hearing the praise, the girl happily put her hands on her hips while still squatting.
“I’m really strong!
My teamwork with Ed is flawless!”
Kelta looked at her, then at Ed.
Ed shrugged.
“You’ll see soon enough,” he said.