The Old World, Western Rick Territory, Wicked Smile Village, inside the village chief's large house.

The best house in the village was reserved for Laine. Inside, it was cleaned and tidy, with three roast chickens roasting over a fire pit in the center. Laine took off his armor, sat on a wooden chair with a half-smile, and watched Veronica preparing the roast chickens. He said to the Demon Hunter Abel, who was sitting nearby, "Mr. Abel, it's been a long time. How have you been lately?"

"Saying I've been well would be a lie." Abel shook his head with a bitter smile. "I can only say it's alright. After ensuring enough money to repair equipment and buy potions, I barely manage to eat my fill."

"Does repairing equipment and buying potions really cost that much?" Teresa, dressed in an iridescent rose-red and black leather jacket, did not change out of her battle outfit. Instead, she fiddled with a pair of Fire Cannons in her hand.

Blue Love, a treasure Laine obtained from beneath the Holy Relic Hall of Brunswick's Justice Church Cathedral, a pair of enchanted rune fire cannons capable of being filled with Magic Power.

"Besides that, I also need money to refurbish Tal's Horn Fortress. It once was a Hemgart Demon Hunter branch, but now it's very rundown. Ju Le and I have decided to refurbish Tal's Horn Fortress and restore it as a branch." Abel continued, spreading out his hands, "We're short on manpower and money, so we can only proceed slowly." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Yes, indeed." Laine had no further comment on that, so he simply nodded.

"Also... thank you, Lord Laine, your decision has relieved a lot of my pressure." Abel turned his gaze to the roast chickens. The fragrant roast chickens were smeared with sauce, and Veronica was controlling the flames, which was also a test for herself as a Witch.

Understanding Laine's hint, the village chief immediately brought over seven or eight big roosters as gratitude to Laine, who graciously accepted, keeping three and giving the rest to Rudolph and the others. The two Rick Guards and those Knight's Squires deserved some meat after their hard work.

How much can seven or eight big roosters be worth? Even in this season, the price of seven or eight big roosters on the market wouldn't exceed one Gold Mark, but by doing this, Laine relieved the villagers of Wicked Smile Village of their heavy psychological burden. It was a gesture of acknowledgment to Abel for his efforts; otherwise, if Laine took nothing, the Demon Hunter would face great pressure from the villagers.

"Mr. Abel, are you returning to Hemgart? Then we'll be traveling the same route." Veronica grilled the roast chicken using fire. As Laine's friend, her demeanor was notably pleasant, unlike Teresa, who remained wary of Abel's identity as a Demon Hunter.

"Coo~ Coo~" As night fell, heavy snow began outside. The large village house's ability to ward off the cold was naturally not as good as Laine's count castle or Brunswick's Royal Hotel. The cold wind blew ferociously outside, while inside the room, Surya's servants were busy preparing for various tasks. Meanwhile, Surya was checking the inner rooms for possible gaps and secret passages.

"The roast chicken is ready~" Veronica brought three golden, crispy roast chickens to Laine and Abel, who quickly gestured to show he didn't want any. Laine proactively broke off a drumstick and handed it to Abel, "Don't refuse, you've been wounded."

"Alright then." The Demon Hunter no longer refused.

He also needed to eat some meat, which is important for such powerful professionals.

After dinner, there wouldn't be much activity for the commoners. With the darkness of night, they'd either engage in intimate activities or go straight to sleep. Although candles aren't considered luxury items for commoners, using them for long durations of lighting is still quite an expense.

Having taken a simple bath, Laine opened the inner room door to find Surya already changed into a white velvet nightgown, sitting at the bedside reading a book under a goose-yellow magic lamp. Seeing Laine enter, the lady knight put down her book, "Finished chatting with your Demon Hunter friend?"

Laine joined her on the bed, holding Surya in his arms and kissing her beautiful cheek, "Chat with Abel? There's not much to talk about, mostly just recent matters. He's from Hemgart and will join us on our journey tomorrow morning."

Surya embraced her husband back, feeling herself to be the happiest woman in the world. The lady knight leaned against Laine's chest, savoring the subtle warmth, "I don't oppose your interactions with Demon Hunters... Anyway, you must have your reasons. My father simply advised caution and conciseness when speaking with them."

"Mr. Abel isn't a bad person. On the contrary, he's committed to reviving the Demon Hunter branch in Hemgart. He mentioned a fortress called Tal's Horn Fortress nestled in the Gray Mountains where Demon Hunters once operated, and he and his companions have taken control of it." Laine gently massaged Surya's legs, sensing the lady knight's body was somewhat tense.

Whether it's the Emperor-blessed masterwork vibranium plate armor, the Lake Fairy-blessed Leonais Sword, or the White Wolf War God Yurik-blessed White Wolf God Cloak, they are all undeniably Divine-Blessed Weapons. Surya equipping them simultaneously is a significant burden to her body.

Add to that the golden double-headed eagle wedding ring on her left ring finger.