Ronan sliced through the exposed belly of the two-headed lizard with his black longsword. It was like cutting open a water-filled sack, and a torrent of foul-smelling blood and viscera spilled out.
Whenever he encountered resistance, Ronan applied more force.
Beneath his robe, his well-honed body moved like a drawn bow, channeling tremendous strength through muscle, tendon, and bone, allowing the sword to glide smoothly once more.
"Hmm?!"
As he cut, Ronan noticed something unusual.
His sword seemed to have pierced something within the two-headed lizard's belly, accompanied by a faint, crisp sound.
Curious, Ronan began to carve a hole in the lizard's abdomen at the spot where he heard the sound.
His goal in dissecting the lizard was to see if he could find the rumored magical beast core.
It's said that powerful magical beasts can accumulate enough energy particles to form crystalline cores.
These cores are complex, miraculous in composition, and highly valuable, often used in potion-making and alchemical experiments.
Typically, they're found in beasts above the first order, rarely in zero-order beasts. Ronan thought he'd try his luck, and it seemed he might have succeeded.
After hollowing out a significant portion of the lizard's cavity, he discovered the source of the sound, only to be disappointed.
It was a clutch of eggs.
Each was fist-sized, bound together by a network of yellow and white vascular tissue, numbering seven or eight in total. Ronan had inadvertently pierced a few, and they looked rather gruesome.
"Didn't expect this one to be a female... No wonder it held a grudge."
"These eggs aren't even mature yet... Oh well, I'll take them back and cook them up. I hear they're quite nutritious."
Ronan shook his head, suppressing his disgust as he extracted the unbroken eggs, along with a few dozen pounds of lizard meat, some lizard blood, and skin, all of which he stored in his pouch.
He hadn't come to hunt magical beasts, and he wasn't sure if the lizard meat was edible, so he didn't take much.
After cleaning the blood from his sword with snow, Ronan sheathed it back into the staff.
He activated the [Cleanse] rune on his robe to rid himself of the filth and stench, then started his journey out of the forest.
This excursion had been quite fruitful.
Not only did he retrieve his stash, but he also unexpectedly acquired a fragment of a first-order artifact, along with the lizard eggs and meat.
Moreover, he confirmed that the treehouse district in the forest was relatively safe.
However, living there still seemed risky...
Ronan returned safely to his residence on Drop Street in the town.
After putting his things away, he gathered some mushrooms and the two rabbits he had caught along the way, heading over to where Old Wills and the others lived.
He didn't bring the lizard meat, not out of stinginess, but because it would be harmful to low-level apprentices like Old Wills. Only someone like Ronan, who had honed his body, could consume it without worry.
Finding Old Wills' house empty, and the same with Jacob and the Jolin couple, Ronan eventually arrived at Vinicia's door.
He knocked.
The door opened shortly, and Sherrill, barefoot, scampered back to her high stool, holding a book while Vinicia styled her hair.
Vinicia was giving her a haircut.
Ronan stepped inside, noticing the warm glow of the fireplace, the thick wool carpet, and the neatly arranged furnishings that made the place feel cozy and inviting.
Far nicer than his own home.
Setting down his things, Ronan asked, "Where is everyone?"
Vinicia didn't respond, but Sherrill quickly chimed in.
"Grandpa Wills went out for something, Jacob went looking for you, and Uncle and Aunt Jolin went shopping for gifts!"
"What gifts?" Ronan inquired.
"Barry and Sean invited everyone for dinner tonight!"
Sherrill's voice was quick and clear, and she excitedly asked Ronan, "Would you like Sister Vinicia to cut your hair too? It's gotten so long!"
Vinicia blushed, but Ronan agreed readily.
"Sure."
It had been over half a year since his last haircut, and it was due for a trim.
Sherrill happily fetched a chair for him.
A few minutes later, Ronan sat in the chair, experiencing his first haircut in this world with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.
Vinicia's touch was gentle, and the only sound was the soft snip of hair falling.
Sherrill, book in hand, watched Ronan intently from beside the fireplace, seemingly amused by his composed demeanor.
Recalling Sherrill's earlier words, Ronan resumed the conversation, asking, "Why are Barry and his son inviting us for dinner?"
Wizard Barry, after moving to the academy to join his uncle as an assistant, had kept in touch but never invited them over, much less for dinner.
Ronan found it intriguing.
"Maybe they have something to celebrate," Sherrill replied with the wisdom of a child.
Ronan nodded, not pressing further.
At that moment, Vinicia murmured softly from behind him.
"Jolin and his wife are moving back to the treehouse district after this month."
Ronan's gaze shifted slightly, but he remained silent.
After a pause, he spoke slowly, "I'll send some magic stones their way."
"You've helped us so much already," Vinicia whispered, continuing her work, "We're planning to move back too. This place isn't right for us."
Ronan fell silent.
He understood the difficult situation everyone was facing.
Those who chose to live in the treehouse district were often lacking the skills to thrive in town.
In these wartime conditions, with prices soaring, many people's meager savings had quickly depleted.
Over the months, Ronan had quietly supported the group under the guise of contributing to meal expenses.
Yet now, they were at a point where they couldn't continue.
It seemed the day had finally come for their small, temporary group to part ways...
As he pondered, Ronan felt Vinicia's hands still.
The haircut was done.
Sherrill eagerly brought a mirror, holding it up high, her eyes shining like stars as she gazed at Ronan.
Ronan looked into the mirror.
The reflection showed a handsome, spirited young face. His chestnut curls lay neatly on his shoulders, tied with an elegant silver ribbon.
The deep blue of his eyes lent the figure a mysterious and calm demeanor, reminiscent of a wizard's mystique and a noble's grace.
It was a unique radiance that belonged solely to Ronan.
"You did a great job, Vinicia."
"Thank you."
Ronan brushed a stray lock from his shoulder, speaking softly.
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