"How are your wounds today, David?", asked Morell as he gulped down a chunk of bread, big enough for any normal person to choke to death.

"Pretty good. After Elincia looked over them and gave me another minor heal, I could finally take some decent amount of rest, so I'm ready to take you on again now." Bao let his arm circle a few times as if he was warming up for a spar.

"Ahaha, I love your motivation but did you forget what the current weather is outside? Well if you are willing to take the risk of getting hit by an uprooted tree flying by, we can still go if you want." A challenging smirk formed on his teachers face.

Bao ignored the empty taunt since he was busy trying to cut off the burnt parts of the sausage lying on his plate, like pieces of coal.

Only four had made it out of the bed so early in the morning which, besides him and Morell, were the beautiful Elincia and the commander of the guards who had yet to wake up from their drunken sleep.

"Aside from that, where are your handpicked elite soldiers, shouldn't they be responsible for the safety of Madam Elincia and David?" Morell's tone had become stricter compared to before.

"I was willing to kick them out of bed," the commander shrugged with his broad shoulders, "but the Madam insisted on letting them have a good portion of rest before our journey continues."

"Father, are those the adventurers who arrived yesterday?" Echoed a screeching voice through the dining hall, similar to that of the ghost girl from the night before.

Bao turned around and looked at the young girl walking right beside the innkeeper, her braid, which swirled down until the back of her knees, swung up and down with every step she took.

"Yes. Ehm," the innkeeper turned flustered in their direction, scratching the back of his head. "Gentlemen let me introduce you to my daughter Isabell, she helped her mother in the kitchen yesterday, that's why she couldn't come to greet you. Ye know she always wants to hear about the world outside of this remote village from the adventures who take a rest in our humble tavern. Right?" The innkeeper laid his big arms on the frail shoulders of his daughter.

"I actually didn't expect you to have such beautiful daughter," hissed Bao through his gritted teeth.

"Oh, thank you very much, good Sir."

Elincia kicked against his shin but it was already too late, Bao couldn't contain his anger any longer.

"I heard that this region was hit by a pandemic not too long ago but it seems like your village didn't have many losses during that period, at least it doesn't look like it to me. Just how did you do that?"

"Our David who seems to know nothing about the world suddenly seems pretty informed about the northern backland," said Morell surprised while taking a big sip of water.

"That's true yes. I must say that I'm also surprised that you know about it. At the time no one seemed to care about our little villages here up in the north, people were dying like flies and yet we got no help from the kingdom. It went even so far that nearly everyone in our village, with exception of a view, was bedridden with fever."

"David, don't," warned him Elincia.

"Hmm, I only knew about it because a distant relative who worked as a merchant... ugh," another kick against his leg.

"Everything okay David?", asked the Captain next to Elincia.

"Yes, it's nothing just the wounds probably."

The eyes of the innkeeper were spread wide open and his jaw had dropped upon hearing the word merchant from Bao.

"I said you should stop it, you better don't say one more word," whisper Elincia across the table.

"Y... yes indeed, a... a merchant passed through this... village transporting potions that helped against the disease but I presume you already knew that much. We are extremely grateful for his deeds if it wasn't for him everyone in this village would have died. Also, my little pearl here which was one of the first to be infected." The innkeeper stroked through his daughter's hair. "At the time we didn't even have the money to pay for them so he offered them to us for free. He had really a good heart."

Elincia closed her eyes, she had hoped that the innkeeper wouldn't continue the discussion, she knew that now there was no way to stop David in his rage anymore, not after what the keeper had just said. Not after those lies.

"He gave it to you for free huh... From what I recall he was a person corroded by greed, who would've rather camped outside of a town rather than renting rooms of an inn; in short, he was anything but good-hearted. Maybe we're not talking about the same person." Bao grabbed his chin as if he were cramming through his memories. "Was he by any chance accompanied by his beautiful wife and daughter, which I think should have the same age as yours?" Bao gripped the fork so hard that the knuckles turned white

The innkeeper swallowed and small rivers of cold sweat formed on his over-dimensional forehead.

Morell and the captain who had followed the curious conversation until now looked at each other in visible confusion of what was happening.

"What is this conversation about?", whispered Morell, after leaning forward.

But neither Bao nor Elincia gave him an answer.

"Father what has gotten into you?"

"Yea what has gotten into you?", repeated Bao.

"David now it's really enough." Elincia tried to stop him again.

"No, it's not!" With a jolt Bao stood up, throwing back the chair. "The merchant. He didn't give you anything for free! At night..."

"Father what is going on I'm scared." The girl hid behind her father and grabbed one of the sleeves.

"Calm down David!", screamed the commander and Morell as if they were one person.

"At least not in front of the child David!" Elincia tried to grab Bao's arm but didn't make it in time.

"At night," he continued, "you offered them free booze so that everyone would be drunk enough that they wouldn't notice how you and a few other villagers snuck into their camp to cut their throats. At that moment you should've simply taken their positions and left it at that but you... you didn't just take the potions. Instead of killing the wife and daughter you... you..."

Bao had lost complete control over his anger just like a volcano the rage burst out of him. With all the strength he could muster he punched directly into the face of the innkeeper who without even having any time to react, fell back into the hands of his beloved daughter.