Louis solemnly inquired, "Is anyone skilled in wagon repair?" His authoritative tone and clear diction left no doubt about who was in command. A few bandits hesitantly raised their hands, their eyes darting towards Louis with a mix of fear and hope.

  Louis's voice remained firm as he directed, "See to the children's wagon – repair it at once."

  "Yes, roger!" The former bandits immediately stood up, hurried to their task.

  Louis's gaze swept across the remaining bandits, his voice firm but measured, as he commanded, "The rest of you, assemble with the others at the broken wagon and wait for further orders."

  "R!" Louis continued, like a seasoned military commander.

  R's response was instantaneous, his voice ringing out in a sharp, "Yes, sir!" as he snapped to attention, his posture ramrod straight, his eyes shining with an almost desperate eagerness.

  Louis's firm, measured tone remained steady as he instructed R, "Escort the children back to the wagon; see to it personally."

  R's response was immediate, his voice tinged with a hint of eagerness, "Roger, sir!"

  Louis ambled up to the siblings, his expression softening into a warm, fatherly smile. In a gentle tone, he said, "Alright, children, you heard the plan. They will repair the wagon and after that, the Adventurers will escort you back to town."

  For some young adults, Louis's tone shift might seem jarring, as if he had switched to a whole different persona. However, as a father himself, R took it naturally, and the children also accepted it without feeling uneasy. After all, no good man should boom out commands to a six-year-old like a drill sergeant, or else not only would their words be met with frightened tears, but also have their sanity questioned by others.

  Louis continued in a softened voice, glancing towards the shrubs and trees near the wooden cottage, "I am also an Adventurer myself. I accepted a quest from the Guild to save you. You can come out from hiding now. Come on," as he gently gestured the children to come out.

  A warm, reassuring smile spread across Louis's face as he produced his crimson Adventurer's Rank Tag and quest card, proudly showcasing the symbols of his profession and mission.

  The remaining five children, their faces drained and weary, cautiously emerged from their hiding spots, their eyes roving over the tranquil landscape with a blend of relief and residual fear. Exhausted from the run, they thought it would be safer to scatter and hide, rather than keep running.

  "Thank you for saving us, Your Excellency!" The oldest purpled-haired teenager exclaimed with gratitude, before bowing deeply in respect, an action the other children swiftly mirrored, their small frames folding into bows of appreciation.

  "You're welcome," Louis said, his face breaking into a warm, delighted smile, before he turned to leave the children in the care of R.

  Like Louis, R's voice transformed into a soothing, gentle melody as he addressed the children, "Alright, children, let's get you back to the wagon, nice and safe. Please follow me, and mind your step, okay?" As they walked, R carefully cleared a path, using his sword to trim back overgrown, jagged branches and his feet to gently press down any broken twigs or tall grasses that might obstruct their way. At steeper slopes, R even invoked Divine Spell: Stone Wall to create stairs for safe passage. Thanks to his efforts, the treacherous terrain was transformed into a gentle, winding stroll.

  Nathan's inner monologue was laced with wry amusement as he observed, "Who would have thought? This guy's transformed from a ruthless bandit to a model school teacher in the blink of an eye!"

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  Enervated, the children made their way through the slopes at a slow, laborious pace. When they arrived, the former bandits had already reattached the wheel on the wagon. With a gentle smile, R helped the children aboard the repaired wagon, ensuring each one's safety before giving a reassuring nod.

  To Nathan's surprise, the rest of the three wagons did not escape the bandits. Apparently, the bandits laid a trap and captured them further down the road. Following T's hasty retreat to call off the attack, he promptly fetched the three other wagons, which soon converged at the scene. Louis, the four Adventurers, and the bandits gathered around the four wagons with thirty-two children. For a brief, five-minute huddle, the Hunter, T, and R congregated in a secluded corner, away from the crowd, to receive Louis's instructions. Without any other questions and concerns, they promptly returned to the wagons.

  From an unexpected distance, Louis's voice whispered intimately in the ears of Nathan and his siblings, courtesy of a Wind spell, which isolated the conversation from prying ears. "When I'm on the job, I go by Hawk," Louis revealed, his tone conversational, despite the physical distance. "If you are still interested in learning my martial art, you know where to find me. This will be the last time I bother you."

  Earlier, Louis hid his crimson Adventurer's Tag inside his robe, a deliberate choice to avoid intimidating the bandits during his martial arts demonstration. Now, he was wearing his tag like a necklace with his robe opened, just like the four Combat Adventurers, displaying it for all to see.

  As Hawk approached the wagons, the other three Adventurers seized the opportunity to greet the sword-master with a ninety-degree bow, "My party is honored to have met you and we are utterly grateful for your assistance, Your Excellency!" the Hunter, taking the cue, said as their representative.

  "Thank you. Children are the future of this country; and you have done a commendable job protecting them. Keep up the good work." Louis said.

  "Nah, if it wasn't fo' you, dem kids woulda got snatched up, fo sho!" The Paladin lady said, taking a quick glance at the bandits. "We weren't just slippin' 'cause we were weak, we got caught slippin' in deir trap, ain't dat right?"

  "Yes, I am flattered. It was my strategy." R responded with a delightful smile.

  Some of the bandits were injured. However, other than the seven bandits who were killed by Louis, no one died. The Paladin lady was right; if Louis hadn't been here, the bandits would have been successful.

  A contemplative expression crossed Louis's face as he noted, "Had you chosen to flee, the children's fate would have been sealed long before my arrival. Let's acknowledge our limitations – none of us is all-knowing. Instead, we strive to do our best in each moment. And I must say, you've all done exceptionally well!"

  That raised the spirits of the adventurers. "Thank you sir!" They replied.

  With a wave of his hand, Louis bid farewell, "I'll head there first and await your arrival. Until we meet again!"

  "Excuse me, sir? Would it be okay if ya left us heah wit' dem?" The Paladin lady asked, her voice tinged with concern.

  "Oh, don’t worry. They are protectors of children now, aren’t you?" Louis answered, gazing at T with a wry grin.

  T's eyes gleamed with a mix of resolve and redemption as he thumped his chest with a clenched fist, "I may have shown cowardice earlier, but under the right circumstances, I'm willing to stake my life. I swear, nothing will harm these children under my watch."

  With a curt, approving "Good," Louis sprang into the sky, his silhouette dwindling rapidly as he soared eastward, leaving the onlookers in awe.

  The group stood transfixed, their collective gaze lingering on the horizon, where Louis had vanished from sight, leaving the air heavy with the aftershock of their shared astonishment.

  "Is anyone else here able to fly?" T asked.

  "…" No one said anything.

  T's dry, resigned tone was palpable as he muttered, "Figured." Then, with a pragmatic air, he instructed, "Mount up, let's move."

  R's voice was laced with a mix of awe and incredulity as he murmured, "And you just attempted to take on... that?"

  The Adventurers continued onward, quietly guiding the wagons as they deliberately disregarded their former foes without so much as a glance. The wagons drove by the opening to the narrow mountain trail, in which the Louis saved the children. The deceased bandits had already been buried. Nathan caught glimpses of some bandits sobbing beside the freshly dug graves.

  Roughly twenty minutes after departing from the mountain trail, the convoy of four wagons reached the entrance of Coalville village, where the gates stood firmly shut. After presenting their Adventurer Tags and quest cards for paperworks, the group was permitted entry, the gates swinging open with a soft creak to allow their passage.

  Upon entering, the Hunter met with the village chief to provide a detailed account of the events that had occurred. Meanwhile, the villagers escorted the group to a nearby restaurant, where the cozy atmosphere and savory aromas warmly greeted them. As they were seated, the Adventurers reassured the youngsters, "Don't worry about the bill – the Guild will cover the expenses, due to what happened."

  "Yay!" Some children cheered in celebration.