Chapter 73: Lara Returns

"Yawn..."

Lara, who was holding my hand and running excitedly around the market stalls, suddenly let out a cute little sneeze.

Today was the market day in the Rogue Encampment, so the West District was particularly lively. A large number of villagers from nearby villages gathered here to buy and sell. The streets were densely lined with stalls, and many things that were rarely seen could be easily bought today. The streets were crowded with people, and the calls of vendors were like waves, presenting a scene full of vitality.

"Lara, are you cold?"

Lara had been gloomy for the past few days, so I brought her out to the market today.

"No, I'm not cold at all." The pink little head shook vigorously, and Lara tried hard to say so, but she sneezed again right after she finished speaking.

"Ha ha..."

Seeing her stubborn and embarrassed look, I felt both heartache and amusement. I quickly took off my fur coat and put it on her. Lara, realizing that her words had been immediately exposed, looked quite embarrassed but still managed to look up and give me a shy, bright smile.

The coat was a bit too big for her, almost reaching her knees, and the sleeves were long and loose, swinging as she moved, like a performer in a grand play. However, paired with her rosy, adorable face, it was a delightful sight.

After taking off the coat, a strong wind blew, and a slight chill rushed to my heart, making me marvel—how could a job changer feel cold? Looking around, I saw that every civilian was wearing thick clothes and had fur hats on their heads. I then realized that the weather had become so cold without my noticing.

While I was marveling, a cold sensation suddenly came to my nose. I thought it was a water droplet and was about to wipe it off, but a terrified shout stopped me. No, it stopped everyone on the street, as if they were frozen in place.

"It's snowing, it's snowing..."

I looked up in surprise and saw that indeed, tiny, almost invisible ice particles, like grains of sand, were falling from the sky, landing on exposed skin and bringing a tingling, cold sensation.

There was no saying that snow brought a good harvest here. For most shepherds, the snow-covered land meant they had to walk longer and farther to feed their livestock, which also meant greater danger. The monsters outside might become more aggressive due to lack of food. It seemed the Rogue soldiers would be busy for a while.

However, it didn't matter to me. In fact, I might even thank this snow, because when I brought Lara home, I saw Doug and Gav, the two old sticks, standing like door gods, with a few snowflakes on their heads, peering into the house with rather lecherous expressions. It seemed that even door gods could be cheap, fake products.

"Doug, Gav..."

I thought I was hallucinating and rubbed my eyes, only to find everything was real. I couldn't help but shout in surprise. The two show-offs saw me, first with a look of joy, then suddenly shushed us, signaling Lara and me not to speak.

What's going on?

I quickly walked over, looking straight ahead and whispering like a secret agent. Little Lara, confused, wondered why the big brother's expression suddenly changed to match Uncle Doug and Uncle Gav's.

Doug didn't turn his head, just pointed with his finger, signaling me to look inside. I leaned over.

Oh, Ral and Aunt Sarah were hugging and kissing tightly. This world wasn't as open as the one I came from. Kissing scenes, let alone adult films, were rarely seen, and even in brothels, they were only brief. But now, they were so passionate. Oh, what a modern couple, free from the constraints of traditional morals.

"Big brother, Uncle Doug, Uncle Gav, what are you looking at? Let Lara see too."

Lara, blocked by the three of us, tried to peek through, but couldn't see anything. Finally, she couldn't resist and shouted out, her clear voice like a bolt of lightning, startling the couple. They jumped apart and turned to look at the three big heads at the door.

"Cough, cough, what, are you jealous of Ral and Sarah's good relationship?" The thick-skinned Ral, unable to bear our strange looks, coughed a few times and then shouted.

Gav whispered, "We didn't say anything!"

Doug whispered, "Guilty people always speak louder."

I shook my head and said, "A long night lies ahead, it seems we'll have another sleepless night."

The other two looked at me with admiration, which only made Ral angrier and roar in frustration...

After the commotion, the three of us tactfully left Ral's house. They had been apart for so long, they needed time to reunite.

Walking with the two Barbarian brothers, I hadn't even opened my mouth when the big-mouthed Doug couldn't resist telling me about their great journey over the past six months, especially his own.

Their battle against the female Countess went smoothly, with Ral, who had 70% fire resistance, taking the brunt of the fire attacks. The journey was relatively safe, but the elite monsters on each floor caused more trouble. Some they couldn't handle or weren't confident in defeating, so they had to sneak around. When they reached the third floor of the tower, a small accident happened. The great and brave Barbarian Doug, in his zeal to eliminate the evil monsters and proclaim the glory of the gods, accidentally entered an unknown area and discovered many hidden places. His achievements were comparable to those of the first pioneers. Of course, this was according to Doug. To me, it just meant Doug got lost while chasing some monsters.

After that, the restless trio went out to train again. They spent nearly three months in the Black Marsh, and Doug talked about the lecherous and cowardly Blade Fiends (evolved Fallen), the clattering Reanimated Corpses (evolved Skeletons), the strong Night People (evolved Moon Clan), the overwhelming Blood Ravens (evolved Stink Ravens), and the frustrating Ice Worms (evolved Ice Worms) that made melee fighters miserable. Of course, most of the story was about the brave and wise Barbarian Doug, who used his intelligence and strength to defeat powerful enemies. By the time they reached the inn, Doug was still enthusiastic, saying, "This is just a tenth of it. I'll tell you the rest tomorrow."

Then the two Barbarians went to sleep, exhausted from three months of training. Even with their Barbarian constitution, they must have been very tired. Although Doug's story was exaggerated, I could still sense the danger they had faced.

However, seeing Doug and Gav's spirited appearance, I was happy. Ral's recovery allowed them to finally pursue their ambitions. In just a few months, the two Barbarian brothers had reached level 13, and Ral had reached level 14. Seeing their high spirits, I felt both admiration and a bit of envy. I was not far behind them but was still stuck in the cave. I felt ashamed and realized I needed to step up my game.

The next day, when I returned from the archery range, the two Barbarian brothers had just woken up. After a hearty meal, they went to Ral's house and didn't return until late at night.

For the next few days, I continued to practice archery in the morning and magic in the afternoon. In the evening, I often went to Ral's house with the two Barbarian brothers for dinner, staying until late at night. Seeing the happy Ral family, the talkative Doug, and the smiling Gav, I sometimes thought, "If this life could continue forever, how wonderful it would be. Who cares about training or saving the world?"

Unfortunately, that was impossible.

This morning, I woke up unusually early. It was just dawn, and after a quick breakfast downstairs, I headed straight to the archery range. I knew Shalana must already be practicing there. Her enviable talent and relentless effort were the sources of her strength. "Because I have talent, I should work even harder," she always firmly replied when I suggested she take a break.

The streets were already bustling with pedestrians, most of them poor civilians with worried faces. The sudden snowfall over the past few days had brought news of people freezing to death and tents collapsing under the snow. Shepherds were considering whether to kill their livestock before they starved, and large landowners were calculating how many of their valuable animals would survive until the weather warmed. The entire Rogue Encampment was shrouded in sorrow, making me realize the backwardness of primitive society—just a little snow had plunged the encampment into crisis. If a more severe disaster like a locust plague occurred, I didn't know what Akara and the others would do.

When I arrived at the training ground in the North District, many people were already practicing. My arrival attracted many gazes, especially from the newly promoted. Why? This was due to the Snow Wolf Mercenary Group's publicity. After they announced that I had trained alone and cleared the second level of the cave with only second-tier strength, I gained attention from other job changers. It wasn't unusual for a second-tier job changer to train alone in the cave, but to clear the second level's treasure box guardians was a mark of a true expert. Initially, some were skeptical, but seeing me with Shalana, the camp's top expert, they quickly believed. Thus, I gained a small reputation in the Rogue Encampment, though I was still far from Shalana's level, I was at least remembered by most job changers.

However, I was still a new face from six months ago. Reaching second-tier in just six months? Many had doubts. So I discussed with Akara, who, with her political experience, came up with a plan. The rumor spread that I was a 21-year-old (I'm actually 23) genius Druid who had been training outside and only returned to the Rogue Encampment six months ago. This made my two-year journey to second-tier seem reasonable. Only Akara and the three of us knew the truth, and they wouldn't betray me.

In any case, my identity and rapid leveling issues were temporarily resolved, and I had gained a small reputation. Being the center of attention made me happy.

But I seemed to have forgotten the saying that people fear fame as pigs fear fat. Just as I was enjoying the admiration, someone tapped me on the shoulder.