To accommodate the large group, the restaurant provided four spacious, round tables for the children, one for each wagon, plus a private table for the four Adventurers. The lunch turned out to be a true delight, featuring the village's bountiful agricultural produce, which included exceptionally fresh and vibrant vegetables. This was complemented by succulent pan-fried fish and steaming bowls of white rice, rounding out the satisfying culinary experience. As the group finished their meal, a soothing tea service was served, providing a comforting conclusion.

  As the Adventurers savored the soothing warmth of their tea, a dignified pair of Knights, clad in polished plate armor, approached with deliberate, clanking strides. One wore the earthy brown tones of a Knight Bachelor, while the other adorned in the vibrant green of a Knight Initiate, equivalent to Bronze and Copper ranked Adventurers, respectively.

  "May I have a word?" The Knight Bachelor extended a gloved hand to the Hunter, whose Silver-white Adventurer's Tag gleamed on his chest, as a gesture of respect.

  "Yes," the Hunter replied, his voice firm and polite, as he stood up and followed the Knight Bachelor outside.

  The Hunter then reported the incident to the Knight. In short, the Adventurers' horns alerted the lookouts near their worksite, who immediately reported to the Adventurer's Guild through an emergency landline phone. It took about half an hour for the guild to inform the Knights, who then reviewed their paperwork for the issued quests in the area and put up a quest to save the children. It was almost 10:00 am at the time.

  The two Knights in the restaurant were part of the group dispatched to rescue the children. From their perspective, they received the order to deploy at 10:30 am but, despite their rush, by the time they arrived at the designated areas at 11:45 am, everyone had already left. Unwilling to return empty handed, the Knights then spread out to nearby villages for clues. Now, at 1:00 pm, the two Knights assigned to Coalville were talking to the Hunter.

  The two Knights exclaimed in unison, "What?!" – their stunned voices echoing through the open doorway and into the restaurant.

  The Hunter's voice took on a tone of emphatic clarification as he reiterated, "To clarify, Hawk arrived around 10:00 am to provide assistance."

  "That's not possible. Let's say he was standing at the job board and decided to take it immediately at 10:00 am. Even the fastest horse wouldn't be able get here so quickly." The Bronze Knight said.

  "Hawks can fly, I guess," the Hunter said with a wry smile, his voice laced with dry humor. "How else would we be saved?"

  "These children are very lucky." The Knights commented, their gazes drifting toward the children at the restaurant.

  Following his conversation with the Knights, the Hunter excused himself to attend to some business, leaving the children and his companions in the restaurant.

  "Excuse me, may I ask you a question?" The eldest teenager among the eight children, the one with dark purple hair, initiated a conversation with Nathan. His Amethyst eyes shone with excitement and curiosity. On his chest, a two-inch by one-inch Adventurer's Tag showed that he was a Porcelain Botanist at two stars.

  "Yes?" Nathan answered, closely examining the boy.

  "Hi, my name is Liam," the boy said before asking, "I saw you talking with Hawk in the forest; do you know him?"

  "I'm Nathan," Nathan replied with a smile. "Not really. He was just one of the many salespeople in downtown trying to sell me stuff. He kind of exaggerates."

  "Or maybe not." Nathan corrected himself, recalling what had happened earlier.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Oh, too bad, I thought you could introduce me." Liam answered in disappointment.

  "Is he famous?" Nathan asked out of curiosity.

  "Um. Honestly, it's complicated. Yes, he's famous, but at the same time no." The senior botanist boy replied, "He's famous for being a living legend and an Adamantium Ranked Adventurer. Anyone with basic knowledge of history or the news would know of him. However, he's extremely secretive, so very few people have seen him in person."

  Louis wore a grey hooded robe. In the Kingdom, hooded robes were very popular, especially during winter. So, for Nathan, Louis was just one of many.

  The hooded robe fashion originated during a period of hardship when many people were dying. Running out of resources, they had to cover themselves with whatever they could find for warmth, which included plain sheets of clothes from window shades, sails, tents, etc. As a result, people frequently covered their heads with these sheets, inadvertently creating a makeshift, hooded robe-like appearance.

  Once the hardships subsided, the population found themselves accustomed to the hooded attire, which surprisingly evolved into a lasting fashion trend. Getting traction, weavers promptly refined the design for competition and sales. For example, the incorporation of numerous pockets allowed travelers to carry miscellaneous items without the need for extra bags, thereby keeping their hands free for weapons or other tasks. Additionally, the robes allowed individuals to carry hidden weapons, enhancing personal safety. Its utility and practicality maintained this lasting trend in the Kingdom for centuries.

  "You are still new to the guild so you probably haven’t heard about him. I have worked in the capital for many years and so I know some of the rumors." The senior botanist boy continued. "Typically, Adventurers who have surpassed the Silver rank or achieved Master level take on apprentices. However, Hawk is famous for never having any students."

  "By the way, what do you mean by him being secretive?" Nathan asked, baffled by Louis's earlier actions. "He interacted with the bandits and the Adventurers pretty openly. He introduced himself to everyone nicely too."

  "Well, many Adventurers typically brag about their accomplishments in the guild's bar and cafeteria. They do this to gain a reputation, so that some nobles might hire them with a more expensive personal request." Liam continued to explain patiently. "Hawk is a weirdo for almost never accepting any personal requests and never boasted about his achievements. For instance, you never heard about Hawk before our conversation because he had been inactive for the past few years."

  "Wouldn’t people know if he shows up in the guild?" Nathan asked. "Oh, never mind; he must be hiding his rank tag. Then, how did he become an Adamantium Ranked Adventurer in the first place?"

  "Rumor has it that, according to the Adventurer Guild's records, he defeated a Demon God before the Kingdom was even founded. However, since that was over a hundred years ago, people are saying that he might be the original Hawk's apprentice or descendant. Since he occasionally shows up in the guild, completes high ranking quests and always succeeds, no one is questioning him." The senior botanist answered. "By the way, you said he was trying to sell you something. What is it?"`"He handed me flyers for a mysterious combat school that nobody's ever heard of." Nathan answered.

  The senior Botanist boy's eyes sparkled with uncontainable excitement as he locked his gaze intensely onto Nathan and asked, "Can I see those flyers?"

  "Sorry, I threw them all away," Nathan said with a shrug.

  With his facial expression contorting in a mix of surprise and dismay, Liam covered his mouth with his hand, conveying "What a waste" without saying it out loud.

  "Would you mind taking me to Hawk when he hands out flyers?" Liam asked.

  "Sure, why don’t we meet next Saturday after work at the guild?" Nathan replied.

  Liam grinned, extending a hand, which Nathan shook to seal their agreement. "Thanks!" Liam exclaimed. "I'll see you next week then!"

  "I can't unhear that, you know?" the child with rosy-red hair chimed in; he was the one who called for the Adventurers before they ran into the mountain trail.

  "I'll go with you, Liam." The dark-green haired boy sitting next to Liam spoke up.

  "Can I come with everyone too?" the child sitting next to him hesitantly raised his hand and asked, his eyes darting between the group, seeking reassurance. It was the boy about the same age as Ashley, one of the two youngest in the group, and the one that Liam carried on his back at the wooden cottage.

  Nathan's gaze drifted to his sisters for an answer, who were watching the exchange with interest. Arielle's expression turned resolute, and she declared, "Of course, we're coming."

  "I guess that makes everyone?" Nathan then turned to the black-haired boy who had found the hidden trail behind the wooden cottage. However, the boy abruptly turned away from Nathan, avoiding his gaze. As if feeling uneasy from everyone's attention, he stood up and walked away, seemingly heading to the bathroom.

  "Or not," Nathan said with a furrowed brow, puzzled by the black-haired boy’s reaction. He shook off the distraction and turned back to the group. "Let's meet next Saturday after work, then!"