The night air of Cikubangsari village thrummed with life. The low rumble of a cheerful crowd, punctuated by bursts of laughter and the clatter of wooden mugs, blended into a single, joyous symphony. The village, usually dark and quiet after sunset, was now aglow. Torches flickered from every corner, and a massive bonfire blazed in the center, casting dancing shadows on the faces of the celebrating villagers.
This was a party born from relief and gratitude. A celebration of survival, not once, but twice—first from the monster horde, and then from the bandit attack. It was a victory made possible by Rian. Some of the villagers, unaccustomed to such festivities, were already drunk on rice wine and happiness, their laughter echoing into the starry sky.
Amidst the celebration, Rian made his way over to the Chieftain. "Sir, where are you keeping the bandit prisoners?" he asked, a warm smile on his face. "I'd like to speak with them about our plans for tomorrow. Are they conscious yet?"
The Chieftain's celebratory expression sobered slightly, replaced by a look of fatherly concern. "They're in the special holding cell next to the church," he said, gesturing with his mug. "But are you truly sure about this, son? Can you trust them not to harm you? And are you certain about using them as guides to the kingdom? They could easily lead you into a trap."
"I'm sure," Rian replied, his voice calm and steady. "I believe there must be a reason they became criminals in the first place. I'm going to try and persuade them to return to the right path, to stop committing crimes."
The Chieftain studied the young man's face for a long moment, then sighed, a small smile returning to his lips. "Very well. If that is your decision, then you have my full support."
Rian walked toward the holding cell. He opened the heavy wooden door and stepped inside. The space was small and grim, with only three cells, two of which were occupied. The air was cool and smelled of damp earth.
"Yo," Rian called out, his voice echoing slightly in the confined space. "How are you two feeling? I'm sorry for putting you in this state, but perhaps you can see it as a lesson. I didn't kill you because I hope you can atone for your past mistakes. Pay for your previous bad deeds with future kindness."
The two bandits stared at him, their expressions a mixture of confusion and disbelief. Rian's behavior was baffling; he was treating the very criminals who had threatened his people with an almost naive kindness.
"I'm fine," the boss grunted, his voice a low rasp. "Your nonsense sounds surprisingly sincere. Are you really that much of a foolish, naive kid? You wouldn't have been wrong to kill a criminal. You should have killed me to avoid any future regrets."
The mage, who was clutching the stump of his severed arm, chimed in with a pained hiss. "He's right, you should have killed me. Leaving me like this is just torture, you fool!"
Ignoring their cynicism, Rian unlatched the door to the mage's cell and walked inside. He crouched in front of the man, his gaze compassionate, and gently took hold of the bandaged stump.
"This might sting a little, but I don't think it will be too painful," Rian said. He recited a mantra silently in his mind, and a soft, green light began to flow from his palm into the wound. The glow intensified, enveloping the mage's arm. The man's pained grimace slowly relaxed, replaced by a look of pure shock as the throbbing agony vanished completely.
The mage's eyes went wide. The debilitating pain that had tormented him was simply gone. He couldn't believe that this young man could use healing magic—a rare and powerful art. While the spell didn't restore his arm, the absence of pain was a miracle in itself.
"Heal? Is this Heal magic?" he stammered, his voice a torrent of questions. "Where did you learn this? As far as I know, this magic can only be learned in the kingdom, and only by nobles. Are you a nobleman?"
"No, I'm not a noble," Rian said with a relieved smile, seeing that the man was no longer in pain. "My master taught me. That's all I can tell you."
"Hey, hey!" the boss shouted from the next cell. "Can you do that for me? I think you broke every bone in my body, you idiot, kicking me around like that!"
"Just a moment," Rian called back. He turned his attention back to the mage. "I'm going to take you to the kingdom and hand you over to the authorities there. I hope you will accept your punishment fairly. I will guarantee that you won't face a death sentence. After you've served your time, I hope you can reform yourself and walk the right path."
The mage stared at him, his tough exterior finally cracking. "Alright," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for sparing my life. I promise… I promise I'll become a better person and follow your advice." He looked as if he was about to cry.
"Oh, what's your name?" Rian asked.
"Daniel," he answered simply.
"Alright, Daniel. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be counting on you to help guide us to the kingdom of Fulakmi."
Rian gently closed and latched the cell door before moving to the boss's cell. The large man was waiting impatiently. Once inside, Rian walked behind him and placed his hands on his bruised back, reciting the Heal mantra once more.
A warm, soothing energy spread through the bandit's body, knitting together bruised muscles and fractured bones.
"Are you sure about this? Sparing our lives?" the boss asked, his voice low as the pain melted away. "Aren't you afraid we'll just kill you in your sleep? I heard you want us to guide you to the kingdom. What if we lead you astray?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Rian said, his voice unwavering as he continued the healing. "I want to give you a chance to become a better person. And honestly, I don't know what troubles led you to become a bandit, but I'm certain you didn't reach the Epic tier easily. You must have done a lot of good in the past to become that strong, to earn a rank equal to a regional hero. As for getting lost… well, you can try, but I have a map. It would be easier for everyone if you just lead us back to the right path."
The boss was silent for a long time. The warmth of the healing magic was nothing compared to the warmth of Rian's words. "Alright," he finally said, his voice gruff but sincere. "I'll guide you to the kingdom. You don't have to worry. And… thank you. For sparing me, and for healing my wounds."
"What's your name?" Rian asked.
"My name is Fredd Alberto."
"Alright, Fredd. It's nice to meet you. I'll see you tomorrow."
Rian left the prison, heading back to the chieftain's house to rest for the night. He didn't see the wicked smile that slowly spread across Fredd's face as the cell door clicked shut.
"I'll teach you a valuable lesson for that naive thinking of yours, you foolish boy," Fredd muttered to the darkness, his voice a venomous whisper.
The next morning, the small party was ready. Rian, Catty, and the two former bandits stood at the village gate, carrying nothing. All their necessary supplies were already packed away in Rian's Storage. Rian bid a final farewell to the Chieftain, RQ, and her mother, waving to the small crowd of villagers who had gathered to see their hero off.