CHAPTER 76: WARMTH AFTER DARKNESS

After some hesitation, his words and presence convinced them. In pairs, the women climbed onto the wyverns’ backs, two to each beast.

The unconscious women, Nolan carried himself. He laid them across the wyvern he had summoned earlier—the same one that had carried him here. Then he climbed on, one woman resting against his left side, another on his right.

Seven wyverns in total rose into the sky, carrying Nolan and the fourteen freed captives. Their wings cut through the air, leaving the broken village far behind.

As the wyverns cut across the sky, the women at first clung to the beasts in terror. But after some time, their fear began to soften. One by one, small smiles appeared on their faces as they realized the wyverns were steady, almost gentle beneath them. Nolan glanced back at them. Seeing their smiles, their beauty seemed even brighter than before. For a moment, he allowed himself a rare sense of relief.

Then his eyes shifted to the two unconscious women riding with him. They still haven’t woken up... What did the goblins do to you? Nolan thought grimly.

At last, Sindra came into view. Nolan commanded the wyverns higher, hoping to avoid drawing attention. But it was impossible. Citizens in the night streets looked up and gasped, pointing at the massive silhouettes passing overhead.

So be it, Nolan thought. They may see the wyverns, but they won’t know it’s me. Not unless I want them to.

The flight ended in the garden of his mansion. The wyverns descended, wings beating the air as they landed with heavy thuds.

The door burst open. Celia stepped out first, her eyes widening. "Master’s back!" she exclaimed. Linda followed close behind. The two of them ran toward Nolan, but then stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the line of women climbing off the wyverns.

"Master... what is going on?" Celia asked cautiously.

"Why are all these women here?" Linda’s voice carried both shock and unease.

Nolan’s tone was calm but firm. "They were prisoners. Captured by the goblin king. I freed them." He gestured toward the women. "You two, go prepare enough food for everyone."

Celia and Linda exchanged a glance, hesitation flickering across their faces, but they obeyed without question, hurrying back inside.

Nolan turned his attention to the rescued women. He approached them one by one, checking their condition. "Are you in pain? Are you hurt anywhere?"

They shook their heads. "No, we’re fine. We’re really okay."

One of them stepped forward. "But why did you bring us here? This place, this is a mansion."

"This is my house," Nolan answered simply.

The women’s eyes widened. "Wait... I thought only nobles or dukes could own such a place," one of them whispered.

Nolan shook his head. "No. I’m not a noble. I’m just an ordinary man."

A woman stepped out from the group, her voice bitter with memory. "No ordinary man could have done what you did. I was part of a C-rank party. The goblin king killed all of my comrades, all the men in our group. Then he took me as a prisoner. I thought my life was over. But you..." She stopped, swallowing hard. "You saved us. You’re not normal."

Nolan gave a small, almost tired smile. "Maybe you’re mistaken. To me, I still feel pretty normal."

After some time, Celia and Linda came back out together. "The food is ready," they said in unison.

"Oh, you all, please, come in," Nolan said, gesturing for the twelve rescued women to follow him. They hesitated, then slowly stepped inside.

The two women who had been unconscious were still lying on the wyvern’s back outside. Nolan walked over to them and sprinkled a little water on their faces. Their eyes fluttered open, dazed. When they saw him, they quickly sat up.

"Where are we?" one whispered.

"And who are you?" the other asked, fear in her tone.

"Please, don’t be scared. You’re safe now," Nolan reassured them.

"Where am I? And... where is the Goblin King?" one of them pressed, her voice trembling.

"He’s already been dealt with. He has paid for his sins. But his shadow may still linger," Nolan said quietly.

The two women exchanged a confused glance, but something in his calm presence soothed them. Seeing that he was human, they slowly stood and followed him toward the mansion.

Celia and Linda were waiting at the door and guided all the women inside. Soon, they were gathered in the dining hall, where a large pot of food sat in the center of the long table. The rescued women took seats hesitantly, still unsure if this was real.

Celia and Linda moved gracefully around the table, serving each guest. They scooped three spoonfuls of rice and laid down a portion of omelette on every plate, careful to give each woman the same.

One of the women stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. Her eyes narrowed at Nolan. "Please... tell us why you are doing this. Why are you feeding us? Why are you helping us? What do you want from us?"

Nolan looked up at her, his voice steady and sincere. "I don’t want anything from you. I’m not doing this for any reward. Just out of kindness. You’ve suffered enough. Please, eat your food. I’m sure it’s been a long time since any of you had a proper meal."

The woman’s lips trembled. After a pause, she sat back down slowly. The others glanced at one another, then lowered their heads to eat.

At the first bite, their eyes widened. The rice was warm, soft, and flavorful. The omelette melted in their mouths. For a moment, none of them spoke. Then, as if a dam had broken, they began eating faster, almost desperately.

It wasn’t just because the food was delicious. It was because most of them hadn’t eaten properly in days. The taste of real food, of safety, overwhelmed them.

"Master, they are really enjoying it," Celia said softly as she watched the women eat.

"Yeah," Linda added with a nod. "It’s not just that the food is good. They really haven’t eaten anything for so long."

Nolan leaned back slightly, his eyes darkening. "The Goblin King was evil. In the end... or maybe the Goblin God, whatever he truly was... he was evil to the core. I didn’t get to tame him."

Celia glanced at him, a little worried. "Master... I don’t know exactly what you did to them, but I know this: anything you do, you always have a reason."

Nolan’s gaze lingered on the women, who were eating with quiet tears running down their cheeks. Then he gave a small nod. "That’s it."