Fire Month, July 6th.
The evening light had lost the intensity of midday, casting a warm yet gentle glow over the land.
Enri bent down carefully, parting the wheat stalks with delicate movents. She placed her foot firmly on a patch of weeds growing nearby and pulled them out with both hands, exerting considerable effort.
Sweat trickled down her face and neck, dripping onto the dry earth below.
A small pile of freshly uprooted weeds lay beside her, a sign of her progress. Gathering them in her arms, Enri walked along the narrow path between the wheat fields toward the village outskirts.
After depositing the weeds on the outermost pathway, she straightened her back, wiped her forehead with her relatively clean arm, and let out a soft sigh.
Her clothes clung to her damp skin, the exhaustion in her body urging her to seek shade and rest.
No slacking off.
Looking out at the wheat fields—golden with a few green streaks still visible—she took in the faint scent of ripening grain carried on the breeze. The fatigue weighing on her monts ago seed to lighten, replaced by a sense of accomplishnt.
"Half a month left until harvest season."
"The tax official will probably arrive around then. He's always on ti, after all."
Enri muttered, a hint of frustration in her tone. Despite her tired expression, there was an undeniable energy about her.
"Enri? Are you out here alone?"
A surprised and curious voice called from the wheat field's pathway.
It was Auntie Eibe.
Turning around, Enri saw Auntie Eibe and several other village won walking toward the village, their backs laden with large bundles of weeds.
"Auntie," Enri greeted, bowing slightly before explaining, "Father went into the forest with Uncle Lachymon to gather dicinal herbs, and Mother is taking care of my little sister. So, I ca here by myself."
"It's just weeding. I can handle it on my own," she added, smiling shyly.
"Such a hardworking girl."
"Still, doing it alone must be tough. If you need help, just say the word."
"..."
The won showered her with praise, their voices filled with warmth.
"In two weeks, the tax collector will be here."
"Yes. By the way, there have been a lot of outsiders in the village lately."
"I heard they're mostly adventurers. A bunch of rough and unruly types."
"Not all adventurers are like that. Rember that young man with black hair who passed through last month? The village chief said he was an adventurer too. He even left so money before he left. And he was quite handso, wasn't he?"
"Heh, what's a woman your age thinking about that for?"
"Oh, shut up. What's wrong with thinking about it? I heard noble ladies in the city even keep a few—"
"Adventurers must make good money, huh?"
Enri watched the group walk away, their chatter growing fainter. She caught snippets of their conversation, and when she realized where it was headed, her cheeks flushed red.
A black-haired young man?
Enri recalled the visitor vaguely. Carne Village was small—any newcors were noticed imdiately.
She had tried to catch a glimpse of him, peering through the window at night. But the darkness had obscured his features.
Adventurers must be incredible people.
The thought crossed her mind before she shook her head, dismissing it.
They live in a completely different world from us.
Setting aside her musings, she gathered the weeds she had pulled out, spending so ti tying them into a bundle with a length of rope.
Bracing herself, she pulled the bundle onto her back. It was quite heavy, but not unmanageable. She steadied her footing and began making her way back toward the village.
The bundle was large, obscuring her vision. She could only see the ground directly beneath her feet. Not that it mattered—she had walked this path so many tis that she could find her way blindfolded.
Besides, the wheat field was right next to the village. It wasn't far.
"That looks difficult to carry."
"Need a hand?"
A calm yet unfamiliar voice suddenly called out from ahead.
"I can manage on my own," Enri answered instinctively, adjusting her grip on the bundle.
But the mont the words left her mouth, she froze.
That voice—it's not soone from the village.
"Grrr..."
A low, guttural growl followed.
Enri's heart jumped. She couldn't see ahead, and with her sense of security already compromised, hearing an unfamiliar voice and an animal's growl at the sa ti sent a shiver down her spine.
She instinctively straightened up.
The shift in weight threw her off balance.
"Ah!"
The bundle tumbled backward, pulling her with it.
Fortunately, the weeds were soft. She landed without injury, though the impact still left her startled.
Thud!
"Grr..."
There was a brief sound, as if sothing had been kicked.
"Don't make that noise. You'll scare people."
The sa calm voice spoke again, this ti in a mildly reproachful tone.
Enri rubbed her shoulder and hesitantly lifted her head.
Standing before her was a young man clad in a black cloak. His black hair was slightly long, reaching past his ears, but it didn't look ssy. His dark eyes held an apologetic expression as he looked at her.
A sudden chill ran down Enri's spine, an eerie sensation creeping over her neck.
But just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.
A trick of the mind, perhaps.
Then, she noticed the creature standing beside him.
A terrifying beast with vicious features and shifting bone-like chains wrapped around its body.
A monster!
Enri's face turned pale.
She had never seen such a creature before, but it was unmistakably not an ordinary animal.
"Relax. It won't hurt you."
The young man stepped forward, his voice gentle as he attempted to reassure her.
Seeing that the creature indeed showed no hostility, Enri let out a slow breath.
"S-Sorry."
Flustered, she quickly stood up, her face flushed with embarrassnt.
Now that she heard his voice again, she recognized him.
The black-haired young man from before!
Though she hadn't seen his face that night, the voice was unmistakable.
And then she rembered the village won's earlier conversation.
Her face grew even redder.
"I should be the one apologizing for scaring you," the young man—Lyle—said with a small wave of his hand. Then he turned to his companion, gesturing at the weed bundle.
"Handle it."
"Grr!"
The beast's back tensed. The dark chains slithering around its body shot forward, wrapping around the bundle's rope. With a sharp pull, it hoisted the bundle from the ground and placed it on its back.
"Wow..."
Enri's eyes widened in amazent before quickly shaking her head.
"No, it's fine! I can carry it myself," she protested, waving her hands, then added in concern, "Won't it be too heavy for... um, him?"
After all, the beast was much smaller than the massive bundle of weeds it now carried. It looked almost comical—like a moving haystack.
"Don't worry. Consider it an apology," Lyle replied. " Little Black may not look it, but he's a magical beast. He's stronger than most adults."
With that, he gestured for the Barghest to follow and began walking toward the village.
Enri stood still for a mont, hands nervously clenching the fabric of her clothes.
Then she hurried after them.
She didn't dare walk beside Lyle, instead keeping a few steps behind, her head slightly lowered.
Enri, huh.
Lyle noticed a subtle flash in the eyes of the girl following behind him.
The last ti he had visited Carne Village, he had only spent one night there—rushing off at dawn to level up—and hadn't even seen Enri. Now, by chance, he found himself encountering her again. In that fleeting mont, she seed so unrefined compared to the formidable figure she was destined to beco.
Who could have predicted that this girl from a modest border village would one day rise to be one of the most powerful figures in the world?
The Warlord!
—or, as history would later call her, the General Enri.
Enri's first use of the "Goblin General's Horn" had summoned rely an ordinary goblin squad. However, the second ti she blew the horn, a hidden effect triggered, and in an instant, she called forth a mighty goblin army of 5,000 n.
That army was organized into eight divisions. Aside from the guard unit, the remaining seven divisions each boasted a commander whose strength had already reached the heroic level (≥29Lv). The guard unit, known as the "Thirteen Red Hats," consisted of only 13 mbers—each averaging around 43Lv. Even more impressive was the goblin strategist who led the entire force, his level soaring to 51Lv.
With such an army under her command, Enri possessed the power to shatter neighboring nations at will. Even Lyle couldn't help but feel a spark of envy at her effortless mastery over such overwhelming might.
Moreover, Enri had awakened latent talents in leadership—embodying roles like "General" and "Commander"—clearly revealing her natural aptitude for strategic command.
This realization stirred sothing in Lyle. This realization stirred sothing in Lyle. With a little over four years ahead of him, he knew that rely focusing on leveling up wouldn't be enough—he needed to start making other preparations.
He recalled the days when his own strength had been insufficient. At present, only adventurer parties of at least Mithril-class could even pose a threat to him, or experts on the level of a Nail-Cutter or a Warrior Captain.
Yet, when it ca to combating heroic-level foes, his power still lagged behind.
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