Returning to Xiongying Village,Rennes immediately gathered the villagers and shared the news: the Windfire Demon Tiger that had been lurking near their village had been slain—by his own hand.
"That's great!""Long live Baron Rennes!"
Cheers erupted from the villagers as they laid eyes on the bloodied head of the giant tiger, still clutched in Rennes's hand. Relief and excitement swept across every face.
The terrifying beast was finally dead.
From this moment forward, they could live without the constant fear of a monster attack.
Almost instantly, the village—nervous and on edge for days—felt calm again. Peace had returned.
The local brewery could resume operations smoothly, and daily life would no longer be interrupted by dread.
Thanks to this heroic act, Rennes's reputation soared across his domain. Word of his bravery even began to spread to neighboring towns.
But that… was a story for another day.
After delivering the good news, Rennes returned to his family estate with Fleurina and the rest of the team.
It was time to distribute the reward he had promised.
Given that the Windfire Demon Tiger had turned out to be far more powerful than initially expected, Rennes had decided to increase the original reward by 40%.
"I truly appreciate the Purple Magnolia Adventure Team's help this time. Please accept this as a token of my gratitude," Rennes said warmly, handing a small box to Fleurina and her companions.
When they opened it, they were stunned.
The box was filled with gold coins, glowing brilliantly in the light—a dazzling sight.
"Thank you, Lord Rennes!"
Freya and the others were thrilled, their faces lit up with joy. They quickly began counting the coins—only to be left speechless.
Inside were seven thousand gold coins, not five thousand as originally agreed.
"Lord Rennes… did you make a mistake?" Freya asked, genuinely puzzled.
The rest of the Lilac Adventure Team exchanged glances, equally confused.
"No mistake," Rennes replied with a smile, waving a hand."The mission ended up being far more dangerous than I had anticipated. This is the reward you rightly deserve."
"But..." Freya started to protest.
In her heart, she didn't feel they had earned such a large reward.
Rennes had done most of the work himself—he discovered the Windfire Demon Tiger, devised the strategy, and was the decisive force in the battle. The rest of them, she felt, only played a supporting role.
"No buts!" Rennes interrupted, firm but kind."Once I give someone a reward, I don't take it back.""Besides, without your help, I wouldn't have been able to kill that beast alone."
And with that, he turned and left, giving no chance for further objections.
Left with no choice, Fleurina and the others reluctantly accepted the unusually generous payment.
Later, Rennes asked his butler to arrange comfortable accommodations for them at the estate. After all, everyone had suffered serious injuries during the mission.
Especially Ada—the shield warrior who bravely served as bait—had sustained multiple broken bones and internal injuries. Even with the healer Betty's help, her full recovery would take more than half a month.
However, despite their injuries, Fleurina and her team felt it would be inappropriate to continue accepting Rennes's hospitality after receiving such a large reward.
So they simply cleaned themselves up and departed quietly.
...
After leaving Habs Manor, the Lilac Adventure Team boarded a rented carriage bound for Cardia City, located 100 kilometers away.
It was their home—and the center of their business operations.
"Baron Rennes is really generous," said the huntress Lifa, smiling as she admired the gold-filled box in her hands. Her eyes sparkled; as a lover of wealth, she couldn't resist the charm of glittering coins.
"He really is," the others nodded in agreement.
They had been completing missions for years, and this was the first time they had encountered an employer so open-handed.
Usually, even if a mission's difficulty increased, most clients would either refuse to pay extra or offer a modest 10% bonus at most.
But Rennes?
He had increased their reward by 40% without hesitation.
This single mission had earned them nearly as much as they would usually make in half a year.
"A man that generous must be seriously wealthy!" one of them laughed."Handsome, powerful, and rich—he's practically perfect! If only I could..."
Lifa trailed off, her cheeks flushing pink as she imagined the possibilities.
"Oh look, the little fox is in heat!" one of her companions teased, laughing.
"We've been sisters for so long—we swore we'd grow old together! And now Lifa wants to be a Baroness? What a little traitor!"
"Totally! She's ready to throw us away for a nobleman!"
Lifa blushed furiously as the teasing continued, her friends poking fun with loud laughter and playful jabs.
In the midst of their joking, Flena, the quiet half-elf girl, found her thoughts drifting elsewhere.
She remembered the moment Rennes had saved her during the battle—the strength of his arms, the safety of his embrace.
Just recalling it made her heart race.
His warmth, his steadiness…
"Wait… Am I falling for him?"
The thought startled her.
Flena's gaze turned toward the distant direction of Eagle Village, her mind spinning with emotion, uncertainty, and something new she didn't quite understand.
...