Third person POV
After that, all of them went to the town markets to buy some quick meals and eat them at the area where Russell's bus was instead of eating out in a tavern or a restaurant. The foods are delicious, piping hot, and cheap, and they took them out to eat them in Russell's bus. There all of them are eating up. Cassius and his two friends are enjoying their food wholeheartedly with the May party and the dragon family.
Meanwhile, at the Emerald Guild in Leafmight, the Elai party was still in their one-week suspension period and was so pissed off at how Russell jeopardized their reputation and had them suspended and humiliated by Eloni in front of everyone in the lobby. So much so, Aeri Janius, the party's archer, wants to get back at Russell by firing arrows at his back. But she doesn't know that Russell's bus driver's uniform is actually stronger and more resilient than it looked like.
Meanwhile, back at Monroe Town, Russell and his party and group are still eating their delicious meal. Then, Russell brought up the topic about a farmer's ruined potato field that he and his group had seen earlier this morning. Cassius and his two friends were stunned to hear that, and Alder asked him, "How that happened?" Russell then shrugged. "I don't know. It is an act done by pestilence."
"But this season is not yet the season for insects to come here and ruin people's farming fields," Azalea added.
"It doesn't make sense at all," Kelly added as well.
Because of that, Alder theorized that it may only happen occasionally and dismissed the possibility that it would affect and wipe out all the farming fields in the entire town.
Russell and some in his group agreed, knowing that it was not possible at all.
Later after lunch, while cleaning up their mess, Russell asked Cassius about ways the town would handle and cope with a bad harvest and famine. "In the center of town," replied Cassius, "there are 3 silos that acted as the town's food reserves for events like that."
Russell was surprised to hear that. "Food Reserves?"
"Yes," Alder responded back, "every harvest season, those who harvest were required to contribute a sizeable portion of their harvests to the town's food reserves. So, when a bad harvest comes, the entire town would have extra food for themselves in those tough times."
Russell listened to his explanation very well, and Adrian noted that his home village has its own as well.
Now Russell understands that as well.
And then now, he wants to give justice to the farmer whose farming field had been ruined by a mysterious plague in the form of pestilence. "I want to help that poor farmer. If it's a person who was responsible for that, then I'll do anything to catch that saboteur!"
The others were surprised to hear such a strong and determined response from him.
"You'll do that?" Rai asked.
"That sounds difficult," Azalea added.
Adrian nodded to agree with her.
"Look, I don't want to let that from ruining the fields of the hard-working farmers here," Russell retorted seriously, "so I'll do anything to stop this plague."
While Russell's group began to agree with him, some hooded members were spying on them from the distance. Their hoods had the same emblem as the one Russell looted from one of their own members. Those shady-looking people are from an organization known as the Square Order of the Squirrels. That group is a mysterious and secretive organization headed by a squirrel that can shapeshift into a human.
Their primary purpose is three-fold:
1. To cause chaos to everyone.
2. To cause and stir up rebellions of people against their governments via staged disasters.
3. And most importantly, to awaken and break the seal that bound the demon king from a millennia ago.
But as of now, they are just starting with small-scale instigated disasters and other crimes.