As the sun tilted, its rays were blocked by the mountains, causing the small town to plunge into darkness.
Night quickly enveloped the town, and soon torches were lit, gradually illuminating the entrance.
The townspeople emerged, including even the children who usually hid away in fear.
These children had been confined indoors, never having seen the outside world or made friends to play with. Now, they curiously ran around, exploring and marveling at everything, their eyes wide with wonder. Some parents, still worried about their children's safety, watched anxiously from the sidelines.
Before the monsters were defeated, these children were prime targets for them. Their parents, fearing for their lives, had kept them indoors. Aside from families facing hardships who had no choice but to go outside, most of the children hadn't stepped out before growing up.
Tonight's celebration marked a rebirth for the town—and for these children, it was a new beginning as well.
The townspeople were jubilant, bringing their best offerings to Anna's doorstep, where the festivities would commence.
Anna's home was the widest and cleanest spot in the town, and it was also where the people they wanted to thank lived.
As everyone gathered at Anna's door, they found the area already bustling with activity.
Three whole roasts had been prepared and were being grilled over an open fire. Such a feast was more than enough to satisfy the townsfolk.
The sight of this food completely overturned the townspeople's perceptions of meals. The newcomers were also astonished, admiring the culinary mastery of Mulan, the chef from the East.
The three whole cows rotated over the pine wood fire, handled by three strong men. They quickly turned golden brown, while others approached with brushes and various prepared seasonings, continuously applying them.
The flames were high, and thanks to Mulan's special preparation, there was no worry about the meat being undercooked.
The golden-brown roasted beef soon began to drip with juices, emitting a rich, fragrant aroma that made everyone's mouths water. They all curiously watched this delectable dish.
Once the food was ready, they could help themselves.
When Anna, Zhao Lun, and the others finally emerged, the atmosphere of celebration truly began.
First, Anna delivered a brief speech, followed by a prayer thanking the Lord for sending Zhao Lun and his companions to rescue them from peril.
Then Mulan began to carve the beef, which heightened the festive mood even further.
With a swift motion of the knife, the beef was sliced into several pieces, revealing various succulent berries nestled within the cow's belly. These berries sparkled like jewels in the firelight, and such fruits were completely unfamiliar to them.
Around them came a chorus of exclamations—having been isolated for so long, they were awed by the novel sights.
Tonight's preparations were plentiful, but the celebration was not as wild as the previous night's. With more children present, the adults were conscious of their dignity. They didn't want to jeopardize their "adult authority" by acting recklessly in front of the kids.
Ultimately, the children played together while the adults mingled among themselves. Overall, there wasn't much entertainment to be had; the liveliness stemmed mainly from the sheer number of people.
With nothing overly exciting to do, everyone focused their energy on eating and drinking.
Thanks to Mulan and Zhao Lun, they enjoyed unmatched dishes and an array of fruits they had never seen before.
Zhao Lun and Maria, along with Anna and the others, claimed one of the roasted cows, putting all their energy into savoring the delicious meal.
Everyone had a good appetite, and they ate continuously, quickly devouring a portion. However, they showed no signs of stopping, merely slowing down to enjoy it bit by bit.
"How is your brother doing?" Nicole asked Anna.
Since the antidote had been retrieved, there had been no signs of movement from the castle. Clearly, the antidote was having an effect, but the fact that he hadn't emerged from the holding room indicated that things weren't as good as expected.
"The antidote has been used, but recovery will take time. It will probably take at least a month," Anna replied, a hint of worry in her voice.
The antidote could relieve the pain of transforming into a werewolf, but it only worked for those who had been poisoned for a short time. Her brother, it seemed, had been poisoned for too long; the toxin had reached his marrow. A simple antidote alone wouldn't be enough to resolve the issue; she would need to use her powers to help suppress it. What gave her hope was that her powers appeared to be growing steadily.
"If this antidote were sold in the magical realm, I think many people would be thrilled," Penelope commented.
In the magical realm, werewolves had always been synonymous with madness. Driven by jealousy of normal humans, they would viciously attack the innocent and spread their virus everywhere.
Records from wizards detailed countless Muggles who had been bitten and turned into werewolves. The most atrocious among them were those who specifically targeted children, deriving pleasure from the suffering of innocent people.
If these werewolves only bit Muggles, the wizards wouldn't be too concerned; after all, they were merely Muggles, not wizards.
However, what was infuriating was that these werewolves didn't spare even wizards. Countless young wizards had been bitten and ultimately transformed into werewolves.
Werewolf wizards, twisted in mind, brought even more chaos and darkness to the wizarding world. The wizards paid a heavy price in blood to quell the turmoil caused by werewolves.
This bloody lesson instilled fear in the wizards regarding the rise of werewolves, especially within the wizarding community. Thus, they strictly imposed various measures to weaken the werewolves, aiming for a silent extermination.
However, these methods were slow to take effect and were not always effective. If an antidote for werewolves were to emerge, it would be a monumental piece of news for them. The wizarding community would award the Merlin Medal, bestow honors, or even allow him to enter the Ministry of Magic directly and hold an important position.
If the conditions were right, Zhao Lun wouldn't mind pursuing this route, gaining numerous benefits through the antidote.
"There will be surprises, but we need to produce the antidote first," Zhao Lun said.
He rummaged through the corners of her home but couldn't find any formulas. He only took a small sample for analysis and research, knowing that creating a finished product would take time.
"You want to research this antidote?" Anna asked, surprised.
Zhao Lun nodded, "Of course."
Anna smiled and raised her glass, toasting Zhao Lun. Regardless of his motives for researching the antidote, his contribution to humanity was undeniable.
"That's great! We'll never have to fear werewolves again!" Maria exclaimed.
Thud! Zhao Lun playfully flicked her forehead, causing her to cover it in pain. "Brother! What was that for? That hurt!"
She was somewhat displeased with Zhao Lun's "heavy hand."
"Good! It's supposed to hurt! Don't think that just because there's an antidote, werewolves are no longer terrifying. They're still dangerous!" Zhao Lun said with a hint of annoyance.