"Haha...Elena, what a coincidence. Am I not already back? Don't get so worked up now." Master Turtle said with a forced smile.
"Humph! Look at how relaxed you are. After you went missing for almost an entire week, the branch couldn't even function properly. Do you know how much paper works need to be signed by you? All the staff, everybody is complaining. If your yearly evaluation is not up to standard, you are dead meat." Said Elenna as she placed the new stacks of documents on the table.
"Hehe, you worried too much. I can finish these documents in a blink. Jut watch." He said confidently while casually signing one of the papers.
"So, what is with the severe look on your face. Is there anything important that I need to know? Just say it."
*Sigh*
"...It's as we anticipated. The anomaly of the Spear Soul brings significant impact.
"The news from other association's branches stationed in the surrounding towns and four leading cities in our Clearsky Province alone reported that new Adventurers keep pouring into the periphery of the Eflo Woodland, mainly our area.
"It's estimated that the casualty Tier one and above Adventurers had already surpassed over fifty thousand deaths through the past six months. Moreover, the excessive killings have provoked powerful Spirit Beasts from the depth of the Eflo Woodland.
"To avoid the possibility of angering the two 'Guardians' under that being, the King has demanded us to temporarily cease from accepting any more requests correlated to the Eflo Woodland. The other branches had already agreed. We were only waiting for you." Elena stated.
Master Turtle nodded. His old face didn't seem too surprised to hear the news.
"Mmm, alright, it's settled." He signed another document and expressed, "Since the other already agreed, there is nothing for us to consider. Although this approach won't prevent those dull and thick-headed punks from entering the Eflo Woodland to stir trouble, at least, they will have less of a reason to go."
"I heard that there is no hope to the missing Adventurers. Well, it's their life anyway."
After conversing for a while, Elena mentioned another important matter with seriousness.
"Anyway..."
"This morning, Sir Hendrik has sent Ira back to make a report, stating that the mysterious Demon Beast that has been lurking since half a year ago had suddenly made a big move as of the moment, resulting in a small scale beast tide."
"It was confirmed to be a Dark-type Demon Beast with the strength of at least Peak-stage, or worst, a Culmination-stage Rank 3 Demon Beast that was on the verge of breaking through to Rank 4. And once it advances, I'm afraid things will get out of hand. Even the safety of the town would be threatened."
"At the moment, many refugees were still gathering at Dandelion Village because of his presence. Sir Hendrik requests our assistance. What do you think?" Said Elena with narrowed eyes.
...
"Tut-tut... A potential Rank 4 Demon Beast of the Dark attribute. Even with the force of the entire town, that kind of monster is not something we can fight against. Hendrik, that blockhead is not taking his life seriously."
"A Guardian Knight... that's his style, alright. By the way, is Ira still here? Where is he?" Asked Master Turtle after some consideration.
Elena quickly replied, "No, he already left long ago. Not everyone is as free as you, Master Turtle."
"What? What do you mean I'm free. I work my ass off all the time...*cough!* you won't understand my plight."
"..."
"Ahem! Anyway, this is troublesome..." The old man leaned backward on his chair. Then soon after, he looked at Elena and continued, "...The association has its own rule, and we can't break it. Just proceed as usual. The town mayor should have already caught wind of the situation. No, just in case, go and get someone to send the information to the main cities."
Master Turtle sighed with a solemn face.
There wasn't much they could do. As the person in charge of this small branch, he can't make a move so easily. And if he did, it would become a personal problem and has nothing to do with the association.
Usually, any of the kingdom's troubles or predicaments shall remain the King's and its subjects' responsibility.
Although the branches of the Adventure Association have spread everywhere on the continent, they rarely intervened in the local force's matter.
One could say that they merely acted as a middleman between the clients and the Adventurers.
And even if Master Turtle personally makes a move, his strength is not enough to resolve the situation.
A Rank 4 Demon Beast, no matter where they are in a Third-tier power, such an existence is no different than a walking calamity capable of wiping out an entire town with a population of a hundred thousand from the face of the earth.
Such evaluation was no exaggeration!
Especially those Demon Beasts with powerful destructive abilities, they could easily take on an elite army of ten thousand without much of a hindrance.
Master Turtle said after some thought, "Oh, I almost forgot. Elena, go and publish the news on the notice board if you haven't done so."
"If anyone is interested, they are free to take a look. There should be a few experienced 'hunters' with so many new faces showing up lately. Even death couldn't get in between them and money."
"We will wait and see how things go."
The night passed uneventfully.
——
-Two days later-
In the glimmer of the first sunshine, Myah and Mu Suyin packed their luggage and left the inn after bidding goodbye to the inn lady.
Though it was still relatively early in the morning, almost all the shops and stalls were already set up and were ready for business.
The bustling atmosphere was slowly coming to life upon a new day as clamoring noises became increasingly louder.
After securing the horse cart onto Bumpkin's back, they gradually headed for the town gate.
Mu Suyin planned to return to the village today. Due to Myah's insistence on going back, this trip ended a little sooner than anticipated. But that is not important as they had already bought what they needed these past two days.
Clothes, resources, and an opportunity for little Myah to experience real battle, her initial goal for this trip, are more or less fulfilled.
At this point, what happened near their Dandelion Village was already circulated among the townspeople. It wasn't a secret that the appearance of a super-duper sinister evil Rank 4 Demon Beast was impending.
Thus, it didn't come as a surprise that Myah also heard about the news the previous night while eavesdropping on the drunk adventurers' gossip.
He couldn't wait to return and help everyone defend the village, his home.
Fortunately, Myah's injuries and spirit energy have mostly recovered after two days of resting, while Bumpkin's wounds have also healed. It was currently pulling the horse cart with big eyes darting around the fruit stalls merrily, tongue lolling over the numerous boxes full of sour berries and verdant spirit grasses.