Meeting Sylvie, The Neighbouring Village Elder

The next morning, Sam began gathering all of the volunteers ready to march towards the neighboring village up north.

Last night was a night of farewells to many of the volunteers, but Sam was confident that he would keep them alive. After all, he had much worst odds in the scenario quest than this.

Each volunteer was now given a crude iron sword, which was a weapon that is the lowest grade for an iron sword. But Sam didn't care as it did the job and in the future when he sets up an actual army he would begin equipping them with armor and weapons worthy of his settlement.

As he stood in front of the now-gathered group in the center of the village, he looked at them with a reassuring smile. "I know last night you were saying your goodbyes, some even saying that they might not come back. But I promise to keep you all safe, none of you will die and all of you shall avenge your loved ones that were killed by these brutes. To the people from another village, although you might still not believe me, I promise that I will keep you and your loved ones back home safe."

The volunteers who heard Sam's speech gave out an excited cry, each brimming with energy and readiness to start this mission.

Sam turned around, and beside him were Ramon and Dale. Old Man Jim was now in charge of the village while Sam was gone, which made sense since he was the former village elder before Sam took over.

"Let's head out!"

Sam and the army then began their march towards the neighboring village to the north.

As they travel, Sam began conversing with some of the volunteers from the other village, trying to understand what sort of village they were and their history.

"We are a normal farming village just like you, although our farms are much bigger. We have contacts with some merchants over in the capital who trade us for excess food we have in the storage."

"When the bandits came to our village, we were prepared to die then and there. But they decided that they would use us for food supply due to our reputation, and instead of taking the excess food they took everything."

Sam then asked, "When did the bandits first arrive?"

"A month ago, they are in and out of our village region due to their base being close by. Many of our villagers are starving, and they still didn't care. They took some of our villagers captive, saying that they will be with them and if we stop giving them food they would kill them without hesitation."

One of the volunteers looks down at the ground, "My father is with them. I have a duty as a son to save him, but without strength, I couldn't do anything for the longest time. But now we can finally kill those bastards and save him!"

Sam nods his head and continues to talk with the volunteers, trying to find any information about the bandits that they might know but he doesn't.

But there wasn't much that they know either, other than the fact that the bandits were based near a mountain close to their village.

After two days of travel, they finally reach their destination.

Soon, they were spotted by some villagers who were stationed in front of their village as a lookout and they quickly rang a bell that alarmed everyone.

Soon, Sylvie, the Village Leader walked towards Sam's group and smiled in relief as she spotted her people in the group.

"Welcome to Mendo Village! I am presuming that you are Sam?"

Sam nods and both shake hands while walking into the village.

There, Sam saw many villagers who were malnourished working the fields, and kids who were extremely skinny laying on the ground, visibly tired from playing.

"Kids alright?" Sam asked.

"They used to be able to play for hours on end, but without food, they can't even walk without being extremely tired. I don't know how long we can hold out with how much food we have left from storage after the bandits take their tax."

They continue to walk towards the village leader's office, with many of the villagers staring at Sam with hope in their eyes.

Sam felt slightly uncomfortable, but seeing the scene before him makes his quest to kill the bandits more and more worth doing.

They arrived in the office and Sam took a seat while Sylvie asks one of her villagers for water.

"Sorry, water is all we have right now."

"Is water not the norm in this region?" Sam replied.

"No, we used to have tea when we had the merchant come over. But now, since the trade road was now occupied by bandits, it isn't possible to get any more."

Sam raises his eyebrow, "You have a road?"

"To the kingdom-affiliated village to the west of us. They had a road built to trade with us many years ago, but since the bandits came and occupied the region, the roads were dubbed dangerous and no merchant wants to come travel to our village anymore."

Sam clicked his tongue, he didn't expect the bandits to be that strong enough to stop the trade.

"Did the kingdom do anything?"

Sylvie scoffs, "The kingdom hasn't cared for us since that bastard took the throne."

"Bastard?"

"You don't know? I am guessing you aren't from around here." Sylvie rested her hand on her chin, looking at Sam with an interested gaze.

"We don't get many foreigners, where do you hail?"

"Far away from here, sadly that is how much I can tell you," Sam said smiling, without removing eye contact with Sylvie.

She smiles and nods her head. "Do not worry kid, I won't pry. All I want is for you to be confident in taking out their leader."

"You mean Mankirk right?"

"Yes, the burly orc with red eyes. Many villagers believe he is the spawn of the demon king from those books we used to learn as a kid."

"And is he?" Sam replied

"I think he bleeds like any other bastard on this planet. Although there is one slight issue that I noticed about him from both rumors and seeing him with my own eyes…"

"Hm? What is it?"

"He is a magic user."

Sylvie, now with a slightly anxious expression then stated, "Are you now no longer confidant in taking out such a rare beast?"

Sam who saw her anxious look reassured her, "I am confident, do not fret. I am a person who has faced magic users before, although not an Orc magic user that is for sure."

Orcs using magic is something unheard of for Sam, Orcs in this world had no magical talent and were known as masters of melee combat. Big bodies, agile reflexes, and sword techniques are passed down from clan to clan to every member.

Mankirk is an exile from a clan, could it be because of his magic?

Sam pondered about that but thought it would be futile and he should see it first hand before jumping to conclusions.

"Is there anything else you wish to know before you head towards their base?"

"Does Mankirk and his crew have a bounty issued by the kingdom?"

"Yes, a bounty of 20 gold. Although for us outside the kingdom influence doesn't trade in gold coins but rather products, it is still a hefty sum that would allow you to live wealthy in the capital for many years."

"Such a high bounty for a bandit crew. Does no one want to take them out?" Sam asked.

"I do not know. Militia across the river do not step foot in our territory like the plague. Merchants say that is the reason why come to us, selling our products to the kingdom is profitable."

Odd. Sam wondered the reason why the kingdom doesn't want to reclaim the land here, is there something he is missing?

'System, anything I should know about the region?'

[[DING! The system can't help you]]

'Can't or won't?'

[[DING! …]]

The system, although talkative in this life to Sam is extremely cryptic in its messaging, almost as if it has all the answers, but could not disclose them.

Sam wondered if the system was sentient, perhaps in this life he has attached to an upgraded version that would assist him further in this life. But nothing has been out of the ordinary other than the System giving more information and being attentive to Sam as if it is watching Sam.

"Now, let us discuss terms!" Sam says suddenly, catching Sylvie off guard.

"Terms…?"

"Well, I can't be helping for free! Or else do you want to owe me a favor?"

"…"

Sylvie although grateful for Sam didn't wish to be in any favor with anyone, and so she understood why Sam would begin setting out terms of what he would get for doing this.

"What do you want?"

"Introduction. You introduce us to your merchant when this quest is done and he returns to the village for trade again."

Sylvie nods instantly, "That isn't an issue. That man always loves business, he would come to you in a heartbeat if you have something to sell."

Sam smiled at Sylvie before heading out of the office and seeing Ramon in the distance speaking to one of the volunteers.

"You two, can you scout the location of where the bandits are? We need an exact location of their base."

Ramon and the other volunteer nodded and began heading off toward the forest to look for the bandit's base.

Sylvie then walked out of the office, seeing Sam giving out the order.

"When are you heading out?" She asked.

"We head out as soon as we got the location of where the bandits are."

"You work fast" She complimented.

"We are all eager to kill those brutes as soon as possible. Oh, and I also have a village to return to as well"

Sylvie chuckles before Sam's expression turns serious for a moment.

"So, let us say I turn in Mankirk's head for the bounty, how likely would it be for the kingdom to notice us"

Sylvie, understanding the meaning then shrugged her shoulders. "The kingdom isn't the same kingdom I grew up in. They wouldn't even notice unless one of the villages here become too big to the point they would notice. However, that isn't to say that they wouldn't realize a bounty was claimed by a village leader from a village that is in their jurisdiction that they don't care for anymore."

Sam turns to Sylvie, "Well, that sounds troublesome."

"It sure does."

They both sigh, and Sam then began walking towards the volunteers who were giving out their rations to the starving villagers.

A few hours later, Ramon and the other volunteer returned with an exact location of a base that looks like the bandit's camp.

"Anyone there?"

"A few bandits, but I don't know where the rest are currently."

"They should be nearby that region anyways, let us get ready to head out."

Sam then rounded up all the volunteers outside the village gates and turned to them with a grin on his face.

"Let us avenge your loved ones!"

"ORAAAA!"