When all the valuable items had been stolen, Kay decided to continue the journey to the next village in order to take advantage of the better weather at night.
"Kay, do you think it is wise to march at night without rest?"
Ayaka sat next to Kay and shared her concerns with her.
"Yes, I believe so. We are already behind schedule. If we reach the next village now, we will have a two-day head start. We can take a day to rest there and then continue our journey the following day-."
Kay fell silent for a moment before she had a realization.
"If the village was not destroyed as well... then it is possible that the army we encountered at Lau village was the same army that, along with the Hive, attacked the other two villages. The ghouls capture villagers to increase their numbers, and since the Hive moves slowly, it may explain why they were not in Lau village."
Ay and Kay remained quiet for some time, thinking about it.
The march was moving at a slow but steady pace. The sandy terrain made it difficult for those who were not in good physical shape, such as the mages, to continue walking without taking breaks.
"Everyone, pay attention. If you're unable to keep walking, sit on the wagons. When you feel better, start walking again so someone else can rest. We need to keep going until we reach the next village. Please keep up the good work."
The soldiers were surprised when they heard those words because officers never allowed their soldiers to sit on the wagons. Officers usually ignored them, even if some ended up dying. In this harsh world, only the strong could survive, while the weak could only lament their own weakness.
However, in this world, there was a kind young girl who cared about the weaknesses of others. Kay didn't realize that allowing soldiers to rest would make them loyal to her, showing how desperate they are for a bright light that could guide them.
The soldiers started marching faster because they were able to take breaks to rest when they were tired and then continue marching once they were refreshed, allowing others to rest. After walking for three hours under the moonlight, they finally saw the village ahead.
"Kaylessa, look, the village is up ahead, but their walls have also been broken through like the previous village!"
Lau shouted from the roof of the wagon.
"Mmm, thanks, Laurelena. Erm, Ay, can you let me go now? I need to speak to the soldiers."
For some time now, Ay has been embracing Kay's small body, resting Kay's head on her chest, and gently patting her head. Kay allowed this to happen while she continued to read the book that Lau had given her.
"Mmm, fine, but you will let me hug you when it is time to sleep!"
Ayaka was acting overly affectionately towards Kay for some unknown reason, and when Kay attempted to leave, Ay began to sulk.
"Ok, ok, get ready; you too; we need to be ready for anything."
Ayaka finally let go of Kay.
Soldiers, be vigilant! Squad 4, follow me to check out the village. Laurelena, you stay put and keep watch. If I signal with thunder in the sky, it means trouble, and I will need everyone to come to help."
Kay and her small group headed towards the village after she spoke those words. When they entered, they found a scene similar to before: dry blood all around, no bodies, and houses marked with claw scratches.
As she did previously, she asked one of her soldiers to inform the others to come inside.
"It seems that you were right, kay, This village is a lost one too."
"Kaylessa, should we go and loot this village too?"
Ayaka and Laurelena stood next to Kay, who was looking at the markings on the buildings.
"Yes, please,Ay go give the order. Lau, help her. I will be watching the wagons with my summons."
The soldiers swiftly began stealing from the houses and taking valuable items. At the same time, Kay went to sit on top of the wagon filled with coins.
"Dwarfason"
Kay quietly spoke to her hand, asking where the Dwarfazon rune was located. Once she said the words, a small blue fairy came out of it.
"Hello, how can I help you today?"
The tiny fairy was definitely the one that her mom could call upon. Kay let out a small giggle, finding her mother somewhat adorable.
"Is this actually my first time using the service? Can you tell me how I can use it?"
"Of course! If you have something specific you want to purchase, like a mount, just let me know, and I can show you a list of mounts to choose from. Once you decide which one you want, you can order it and pay once you're finished. Please stay put until your package arrives."
After hearing about how the Dwarfason works, Kay chose to purchase transport for her troops. She found a dwarf-armored wagon that was affordable and could carry 20 soldiers. The price was 3,500 gold coins, and it ran on steam.
"Great! Please stay at the current location for the next 6 hours until your package arrives. I have received your payment, so I will not be available until your package arrives. Have a good day!"
Once completing the task, the small fairy vanished into Kay's hand. The soldiers continued to loot from the village, and within 2 hours they had gathered all the coins and valuables.
After arranging transportation for the troops and collecting 2,500 coins looted by the soldiers, Kay now has 3324 coins remaining, which she plans to save for future use.
Kay informed the soldiers that they could take a break for 4 hours and asked Ay and Lau to plan the guard shifts to ensure everyone could get some rest before leaving again. Kay decided to keep the package a secret until it arrived, in order to surprise everyone.