After so hesitation, his words and presence convinced them. In pairs, the won climbed onto the wyverns’ backs, two to each beast.
The unconscious won, Nolan carried himself. He laid them across the wyvern he had summoned earlier—the sa one that had carried him here. Then he climbed on, one woman resting against his left side, another on his right.
Seven wyverns in total rose into the sky, carrying Nolan and the fourteen freed captives. Their wings cut through the air, leaving the broken village far behind.
As the wyverns cut across the sky, the won at first clung to the beasts in terror. But after so ti, their fear began to soften. One by one, small smiles appeared on their faces as they realized the wyverns were steady, almost gentle beneath them. Nolan glanced back at them. Seeing their smiles, their beauty seed even brighter than before. For a mont, he allowed himself a rare sense of relief.
Then his eyes shifted to the two unconscious won riding with him. They still haven’t woken up... What did the goblins do to you? Nolan thought grimly.
At last, Sindra ca into view. Nolan commanded the wyverns higher, hoping to avoid drawing attention. But it was impossible. Citizens in the night streets looked up and gasped, pointing at the massive silhouettes passing overhead.
So be it, Nolan thought. They may see the wyverns, but they won’t know it’s . Not unless I want them to.
The flight ended in the garden of his mansion. The wyverns descended, wings beating the air as they landed with heavy thuds.
The door burst open. Celia stepped out first, her eyes widening. "Master’s back!" she exclaid. Linda followed close behind. The two of them ran toward Nolan, but then stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the line of won climbing off the wyverns.
"Master... what is going on?" Celia asked cautiously.
"Why are all these won here?" Linda’s voice carried both shock and unease.
Nolan’s tone was calm but firm. "They were prisoners. Captured by the goblin king. I freed them." He gestured toward the won. "You two, go prepare enough food for everyone."
Celia and Linda exchanged a glance, hesitation flickering across their faces, but they obeyed without question, hurrying back inside.
Nolan turned his attention to the rescued won. He approached them one by one, checking their condition. "Are you in pain? Are you hurt anywhere?"
They shook their heads. "No, we’re fine. We’re really okay."
One of them stepped forward. "But why did you bring us here? This place, this is a mansion."
"This is my house," Nolan answered simply.
The won’s eyes widened. "Wait... I thought only nobles or dukes could own such a place," one of them whispered.
Nolan shook his head. "No. I’m not a noble. I’m just an ordinary man."
A woman stepped out from the group, her voice bitter with mory. "No ordinary man could have done what you did. I was part of a C-rank party. The goblin king killed all of my comrades, all the n in our group. Then he took as a prisoner. I thought my life was over. But you..." She stopped, swallowing hard. "You saved us. You’re not normal."
Nolan gave a small, almost tired smile. "Maybe you’re mistaken. To , I still feel pretty normal."
After so ti, Celia and Linda ca back out together. "The food is ready," they said in unison.
"Oh, you all, please, co in," Nolan said, gesturing for the twelve rescued won to follow him. They hesitated, then slowly stepped inside.
The two won who had been unconscious were still lying on the wyvern’s back outside. Nolan walked over to them and sprinkled a little water on their faces. Their eyes fluttered open, dazed. When they saw him, they quickly sat up.
"Where are we?" one whispered.
"And who are you?" the other asked, fear in her tone.
"Please, don’t be scared. You’re safe now," Nolan reassured them.
"Where am I? And... where is the Goblin King?" one of them pressed, her voice trembling.
"He’s already been dealt with. He has paid for his sins. But his shadow may still linger," Nolan said quietly.
The two won exchanged a confused glance, but sothing in his calm presence soothed them. Seeing that he was human, they slowly stood and followed him toward the mansion.
Celia and Linda were waiting at the door and guided all the won inside. Soon, they were gathered in the dining hall, where a large pot of food sat in the center of the long table. The rescued won took seats hesitantly, still unsure if this was real.
Celia and Linda moved gracefully around the table, serving each guest. They scooped three spoonfuls of rice and laid down a portion of olette on every plate, careful to give each woman the sa.
One of the won stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. Her eyes narrowed at Nolan. "Please... tell us why you are doing this. Why are you feeding us? Why are you helping us? What do you want from us?"
Nolan looked up at her, his voice steady and sincere. "I don’t want anything from you. I’m not doing this for any reward. Just out of kindness. You’ve suffered enough. Please, eat your food. I’m sure it’s been a long ti since any of you had a proper al."
The woman’s lips trembled. After a pause, she sat back down slowly. The others glanced at one another, then lowered their heads to eat.
At the first bite, their eyes widened. The rice was warm, soft, and flavorful. The olette lted in their mouths. For a mont, none of them spoke. Then, as if a dam had broken, they began eating faster, almost desperately.
It wasn’t just because the food was delicious. It was because most of them hadn’t eaten properly in days. The taste of real food, of safety, overwheld them.
"Master, they are really enjoying it," Celia said softly as she watched the won eat.
"Yeah," Linda added with a nod. "It’s not just that the food is good. They really haven’t eaten anything for so long."
Nolan leaned back slightly, his eyes darkening. "The Goblin King was evil. In the end... or maybe the Goblin God, whatever he truly was... he was evil to the core. I didn’t get to ta him."
Celia glanced at him, a little worried. "Master... I don’t know exactly what you did to them, but I know this: anything you do, you always have a reason."
Nolan’s gaze lingered on the won, who were eating with quiet tears running down their cheeks. Then he gave a small nod. "That’s it."
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