As Vdimir walked along the road filled with bustling vilgers, he passed by small stalls selling fresh vegetables and fish.

  He did not waste time looking at them and instead tioward his intended destination. Finally, he arrived at a two-story wooden house.

  Vdimir then stepped onto the wooden ded knocked orance door.

  "Wait for a bit," a deep voice called from inside, which he heard clearly.

  So, he waited for a few moments until a middle-aged man with a robust build came into view, his body packed with muscle. This man was Sullivan Galgher.

  He was his father's best friend, a hunter and a lumberjack just like his father. However, due to an act during a hunting trip, his father lost his life.

  He was killed by a beast known as a Nightfang Wolf. Yes, you heard that right, a Nightfang Wolf.

  These creatures are usually active only at night, so it was shog that one had been spotted during their lumberjack work.

  Acc to his panions, his father could have survived if he had just run. However, he chose to save an old woman ith them, buying them time to escape and call for help.

  But when they returned, he was already dead, his insides was ravaged. If he remembered correctly, his mother cried for days and nights.

  Yet, whenever she saw him and his little sister, she alut on a happy face, hiding any trace of sadness.

  His sister had been very young at the time, while he was at least old enough to grasp what had happened, even if only slightly.

  The Nightfang Wolf was a rge, sleek, and muscur creature resembling a wolf, but with several disturbing characteristics that made it even more dangerous.

  Its fur was jet bck, with faint, glowing red markings along its spine and legs. Its eyes were a bright, blood-red, pierg through the darkness.

  Its fangs are unnaturally long, resembling daggers, and its cws are sharp and curved. The creature's body is lithe, built for speed and stealth, with a long, bushy tail that sways ominously in the shadows.

  This was a lesser beast, the lowest of the low. However, even so, an ordinary human without magic was no match for it.

  "Oh, Vdimir, it's actually you. I was about to visit your home to give your mother the money. You really saved me the effort," Sullivan said with a smile.

  "Don't mention it, Uncle," Vdimir replied with a grin.

  "Wait a moment. I'll go get the money," Sullivan said as he left the door open and headed inside.

  He walked over to the table, pig up a small pouch. Then, as he returo the door, he carried something else in his other hand.

  In his other hand was a basket. As he returo the door, Vdimir stood there patiently.

  "Here, young man, take this. There are 12 bronze s ihat pouch. Just keep 2 bronze s for yourself and buy whatever you want," Sullivan said with a smile, handing him the pouch.

  Hearing his uncle's words, Vdimir was delighted he now had moo spend. This uncle of his was truly generous.

  He khat the payment for washing clothes was exactly 10 bronze s per load, so having two extra s to spend made him happy.

  Now, he could buy some fruit, like pears es.

  "Thank you very much, Uncle," he said gratefully, his face filled with smiles.

  Sullivan just smiled at Vdimir's expression, but remembering his best friend made him feel a pang of grief. As Vdimir was about to turn around and leave, Sullivan stopped him.

  "Vdimir, wait. Take this basket, there are some fish ihat I caught while fishing in the river. It's a gift from my wife to your mother. Just return the basket to me tomorrow," he said, extending the woven basket, which had a closing lid.

  Hearing the word "fish," Vdimir became ecstatic. He eagerly took the handle of the wooden basket, opehe lid, and peered inside.

  There were at least four medium-sized fish, perfeaking soup. His mouth turned watery from this he hadn't tasted fish or any other meat in a long time.

  Since his mother mostly cooked vegetables, they only ate meat and fish on special occasions, in simpler terms it wasn't something they had every day.

  He uood his family's situation and the hardships they faced. Feeling grateful for his uncle's generosity, he bowed his head.

  Sullivan simply smiled and told him to move along. With that, Vdimir happily made his way home.

  As Sullivan watched Vdimir's figure gradually grow smaller in the distance, he let out a sigh.

  "Time flies really fast, right, Max?" he murmured, his gaze still fixed on the boy's back.

  "If I hadn't taken you and the others to the forest that day, this wouldn't have happened… I hope you rest in peace. I'll do my best to help your family, si's the least I do as a friend," he muttered in a low voice.

  Sullivan had a wife where she just wash their own clothes but he decided to give it to Aeloria, so he atleast help her a bit.

  Because if he gives her money, she will not accept it, so with this, her best friend's wife will not feel any burden from taking it.

  Her wife did not stop him since she also felt bad for her best friend, raising two children as a widow.

  The sun hung low in the western sky, its warm glow beginning to fade as it crept closer to the horizon.

  He khat the day would pass as he increased his pace; when he arrived back, she saw her mother was already doh her work.

  She was in the well as she took a bath with her clothes on. Her brown hair was wet as her dress turransparent from being bathed in water.

  Her hss figure was in full view due to the wet dress pressing. Her twe boobs bulge in her clothes with her two nipples on full dispy.

  Even her garden be seen a little due to her public mound filled with thick hair just below her vulva.

  "Mom, I'm back! Look, Uncle Sullivan just gave us fish for our dinner for the night," Vdimir shouted excitedly as he ran towards her.

  Seeing his son carrying a woven basket, she just smiled and was not surprised at Sullivan at all. She fully knows why her husband's best friend does this.

  Its because of the guilt, even though she did not bme him. But he always did his best to help her, whietimes she deed.

  "Oh really, did your uncle Sullivan give you food for the night?" she replied with a smile.

  After arriving close to him, Vdimir then opehe lid and showed the inside. "See its big fish? Let's make a soup for tonight, Mom," he said excitedly as the basket shook in his hands.

  Seeing his expression, Aeloria could not help but feel hurt. She knows that eatiables all the time will taste bnd, and they only sometimes eat some meat and fish, which is really sad.

  She did her best to survive with enough food. She only bought rid vegetables sihis is the only thing they afford; if she made extra, then that will be the time for them to taste meat.

  Eati, like fish, is almost like a delicacy for them. Vdimir, seeing her mother's expression, knows what he did was wrong.

  "Ahhh, mother, I'm sorry I'm just a…" He was about to expin when a finger pressed his lips.

  "Don't say sorry, it is I. Your mother who should apologize, for not doing my best." Aeloria said shaking her head.

  "Take a bath while I the fish in the basket," Aeloria spoke to him, which he nodded his head feeling downcast from what he did.

  When Aeloria was doh her bath, she the behind the wooden house. Which she ged clothes and dried by hanging it in the hanging wire.

  Vdimir then took off his clothes as he began to take a bath. When he was dohe sun was already about to set knowing full well that night is about to strike.

  As he got inside, he was naked, with his Excalibur swinging every time he moved. He the upstairs, where there are two rooms just opposite of the two.

  Entering the room, Vdimir pushed open the creaky wooden door, revealing a modest space with two simple beds, their straw-stuffed mattresses covered by faded bs.

  The air carried a faint st of wood and old fabric. He walked over to the wardrobe, its surface scuffed and splintered from years of use. Opening it, he rummaged through the clothes inside.

  The garments were typical of vilge life; they were pin and practical. He pulled out a small tunice a deep brown but now faded to a dull beige, with patches sewn along the edges to cover tears.

  The fabric was rough, showing signs of wear, and the nee was slightly frayed. Along with it, he found a pair of trousers, their inal gray tone washed out and stained from years of hard bor.

  Vdimir held the tunic against himself, with its small size. He slipped it on without pint, used to the simple, worn attire that was all his mother could provide. He was also about to wear his shorts but was interrupted.

  Suddenly the door ened and a cute little girl with yellow hair ehe room.