Chapter 28: Returning to the Town

Popot pulled out a grass-green linen braid from somewhere.

"An Elven item?" Kana asked, somewhat surprised.

This grass-green linen braid bore the distinct weaving style of the Elves; Elven items were always easy to recognize.

Of course, there were many imitations.

"You have a keen eye," Popot praised, shaking the braid in her hand. "It's a souvenir from a Wood Elf forest ranger I met while traveling before. When I was captured by those rats, they snatched it away and threw it aside, but I managed to sneak back and pick it up. If you need it, I can give it to you—after all, you saved my life."

Kana nodded, took the braid, and without hesitation, poured mana into it.

【Mana: 2/12】

Two items had been digitized all at once today, leaving him with only two points of mana.

He looked at the braid in his hand.

【Forest Ranger's Braid】 【Armband—Linen—Common】 【Attributes: Resilient, Comfortable】 【Traits: Forest Watcher, Ranger's Eye】 【Forest Watcher: When the wearer is in woodland or forest—Agility increases (Agility +)】 【Ranger's Eye: When the wearer uses a bow and arrow to shoot—Gain "Focus" (Accuracy +)】 【Evaluation: A watcher of the forest, a ranger who guards nature. Woven from materials voluntarily offered by nature. Enemy of nature, beware, I see you!】

Good stuff. Definitely good stuff.

"Thanks, I like it very much."

Seeing his satisfaction, Popot breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad you like it."

Movement came from ahead.

Turning around, Kana saw Black approaching with the guards, followed by Joniel and the others. They were dragging several rat corpses behind them.

Joniel walked up and bowed, glancing at the white rat standing beside Kana. "Your Highness, we killed a total of 36 rats; some managed to escape."

Kana nodded. "We don't have many people; killing this many is enough. The rats that escaped won't live long. Throw those rat corpses into these pits and bury them; consider it helping them go home. But that one—its head must be cut off."

The one whose head was to be cut off was the one that had entered the town last night, killed the woman, and abducted the child.

Some soldiers looked toward the pits in the camp; these were holes dug by the rats to use as nests. Burying them there could indeed be considered "sending them home."

The soldiers sprang into action, and soon the surrounding corpses were cleared away. Some carcasses were left behind the woodland; since they were too lazy to go back and fetch them, they left them there to return to nature.

"Alright, one threat resolved. It's time to head back."

With that, Kana led the group out of the woods.

Only Popot walked beside Kana, feeling extremely uneasy. She could clearly feel the gazes of everyone around her. They were filled with vigilance, curiosity, and disgust.

When they arrived at the docking area, the men guarding the boats were startled to see Popot. However, seeing that Kana and the others were with her, they relaxed, though their eyes remained fixed on her without moving.

Returning to the town.

The villagers all saw a large rat head.

Kana and Joniel personally carried the little girl back to her former home.

"Mama? Where is Mama?" the little girl suddenly asked. She didn't know her mother was dead.

Black and Aliris were momentarily at a loss for how to answer. Just as they were about to find a lie, Kana spoke directly.

"She is dead. She was killed by that black rat while protecting you."

Without waiting for the girl to react, he added, "Take her to see her mother."

Joniel took the girl's hand and led her inside. Soon, the girl's wailing drifted from within.

"Is this... perhaps not a good idea?" Kecha asked.

"Children are not that fragile. Hiding the truth only brings more harm," Popot said suddenly.

Kana also nodded. "It is also a sign of disrespect to her mother."

"What will happen to her?" Aliris asked suddenly.

"The town has a dedicated orphanage that takes in the children of warriors, funded by the Count and the knights," Black explained briefly, before adding, "She still has a father."

It was just that her father was still fighting on the front lines.

"Are there many boats in town?" Kana asked Black.

The sudden question left Black a bit dazed, but after a moment of thought, he shook his head. "Aside from the fishing boats, there is only the slightly larger boat Your Highness and we traveled on today."

"Does anyone in town know how to build boats?"

This question stumped Black.

"There are two shipwrights," Joniel answered, walking out from a room.

The Kingdom of Safro was surrounded by sea on three sides, so there were quite a few shipwrights, and many carpenters who had worked in shipyards. Not to mention, this was a military town where various military implements were forged. Consequently, many craftsmen gathered here; or rather, every resident of the town possessed some sort of skill. Whether it was making armor, leatherwork, weapon forging, or stonemasonry for fortresses, there were also carpenters and shipwrights.

"If I asked you to build more large boats, would you be able to?" Kana asked.

Joniel, being a straightforward man, replied directly, "I would have to request permission from the Count."

"Then bring those two shipwrights here. I have some questions for them."

This request was easily met. Joniel quickly summoned the two shipwrights. One looked to be in his fifties, an elder by any standard. The other was in his thirties, in the prime of his life.

"Your Highness wishes to see you," Joniel said.

The two shipwrights immediately panicked. Looking at Kana, they didn't know how to salute and were on the verge of kneeling on the ground. Although they had heard a prince was in town, they had never seen someone of such high status in their lives.

Kana hurriedly said, "No need for formalities. I have questions for you."

The two shipwrights bowed slightly, listening respectfully.

"If I asked you to build a few river boats capable of carrying two or three times the town's population, how long would it take?"

Hearing this, the two shipwrights exchanged glances. The older one said, "It depends on how large they need to be. If they are the size of the town's current river boat, the town can build them directly. If there is a shortage of manpower, it will take two to three years; if there is plenty of manpower, six months will suffice."

He then added, "But we would have to use the timber stores the town has kept."

He was likely referring to the wood used for the river boat Kana had just traveled on. That boat could, at most, cram in two or three hundred people. The population of this town was as high as seven or eight hundred.

"What if I only have half a month to a month?"

This question startled the two shipwrights. They shook their heads repeatedly. "That is impossible, Your Highness. That amount of time is simply not enough."

"Then what if we build large rafts?"

"This..."

The two shipwrights had no idea what Kana was planning and didn't know how to answer. The younger shipwright gritted his teeth and replied, "If... if the river isn't rushing and the channel is stable, it might work for temporary use."

Kana understood the gist of it and nodded.

"Alright, that is all I wanted to ask."

The two shipwrights hurriedly took their leave.

The others had listened to the entire conversation, completely unaware of what Kana intended to do. Only Joniel seemed to have a clue, looking at Kana.

"I will write a letter to discuss this with my uncle."

With that, Kana led Aliris toward their lodgings, and Popot could only follow behind him.