Hate?
Sean had never seen favorability like this before. It turned out that hate showed up as a pink dot on his map.
He looked at the other person, who was also curiously staring back at him.
Both were wearing gray-black fur coats. The pale-skinned face was slightly flushed, and judging by his appearance, he seemed to be a young man in his twenties, with freshly grown stubble on his chin.
Above his head, a status of [Confused!] gradually appeared. He was probably wondering why the lord, meeting him for the first time, was staring so intently.
After being stared at for a while, a hint of [Worried!] even flickered above him...
It only appeared for a moment, then vanished immediately.
It was him!
That split-second reaction was enough for Sean to pinpoint him as the culprit behind the disaster at Creek Village.
A sudden urge to smash his head in surged within Sean, but his rationality held it back... Not yet, at least not here, with so many townsfolk around!
If he exposed him now, innocent villagers would inevitably get caught in the crossfire.
That wasn't what Sean wanted to see.
The man had the same health bar as Lucille, and even a thousand points more mana, which might mean he was stronger.
But even if he was a bit more capable, Sean had no intention of letting him off.
He had killed so many people in his territory, plunging Creek Village—and even the entire town—into immense suffering.
This couldn't be brushed aside. There was no way Sean would let him walk out of Taylemian alive!
Besides, the archaeological team was leaving in a few days. If he still hadn't gone by then, Sean had no idea who in town could take him on. Danté certainly couldn't, and even if all the town's guards joined forces, Sean wasn't confident he could beat him.
Not because the man was that strong...
But after today's fight with the snow giant, Sean had truly realized how weak the regular guards were. They needed repeated coordination to achieve real combat effectiveness, and that would likely cost many lives!
"Lord Vigor?" The man in front of him bent down slightly, snapping Sean out of his thoughts.
"Ah, nothing. I was just distracted by your waist pouch—it's quite unique."
At a loss for words, Sean casually mentioned the pouch tied to the man's belt: a special leather belt, very similar to the one Lucille wore at her waist.
"This? It's a common wizard's pouch from the north. I can't take it off today since it's full, but if you like it, my lord, I'll bring one back for you next time I go out?" The man smiled.
Above his head, a [Mocking!] status immediately appeared.
Interesting.
He was talking politely while silently mocking him. Yet Sean kept his calm, gentle smile.
"Sure, don't forget to bring it next time... By the way, I haven't asked your name yet!"
"Bachler. Just call me Bachler, my lord!" The young wizard nodded in reply.
His gaze shifted to the side, likely noticing the five people behind Sean.
Though a [Confused!] status hovered above him, his expression remained perfectly natural, even carrying a hint of admiration and reverence.
Hah~ His appearance really was deceptive.
Besides Sean, Bachler gradually turned his focus to the archaeological team behind him...
Kree's earlier words had probably been heard by many, yet Bachler still pretended not to know and asked.
"And these are?"
From their attire, they looked like hired mercenaries... After all, it was still winter. Aside from being hired, few people would choose to travel in this weather, especially to such a remote mountainous area. It was indeed rare.
Probably here for the same reason as him.
But...
He couldn't shake the feeling that something about their gazes was off.
"I'm Kree, and these are my team members. We originally came to this town on a commission from the Recorders." Kree didn't hide anything and stated their identity outright.
"Recorders? That must be tough. I've heard they're a picky bunch—hard to please."
"Haha... You get used to it. I've had my fair share of trouble with them before."
The two hit it off immediately, and Kree asked about his purpose here.
Bachler simply said he was looking for a special herb, rumored to exist only in this place.
Since Luke wasn't around, Sean couldn't verify whether such a herb actually grew here.
And it was a good thing Luke wasn't present—otherwise, Sean might not have seen the man's current status.
[Nervous!]
Even the strongest person would show this when lying, especially with someone watching. And since Sean was the lord of Taylemian, the man was clearly worried about being exposed.
He might have already thought of a way to cover it up, but when he looked at Sean, nothing seemed off.
The [Mocking!] attitude was back...
He probably thought he was overthinking it.
"Since everyone's here, I have a favor to ask." Seeing enough people gathered, Sean began to speak.
"My guards might be tied up, but I need to check the main road leading out of town. There's already a snow giant in Creek Village, and I'm worried there might be more threats." Sean said seriously.
"Indeed, danger can lurk anywhere. I never expected a snow giant to show up in the south." Kree agreed.
Good thing this guy was on his side for now...
"I'll compensate you for the hiring fee later." Sean added, worried they might refuse.
"It's not about the money. We're happy to help Baron Vigor, and after seeing this disaster, how could we ask for payment!"
"Yeah, we're willing to go with you, Lord Vigor."
Though mercenaries worked for coin, they couldn't demand much after witnessing the tragedy before them.
"That's great! On behalf of Taylemian Town, I thank you!"
Sean then began assigning people. Those with low health were sent anywhere else, leaving only the archaeological team and Bachler to accompany him.
Kree and his team all had 6000 health—they should be capable of fighting. And from their performance against the snow giant, the archaeological team were seasoned veterans...
Sean watched Kree and Bachler walk side by side, chatting about the north.
Both seemed very familiar with the region, and once they started, they couldn't stop.
Even though Sean could see [Impatient!] appearing above Bachler's head, the man kept up the act!
Instinct told Sean that this man was dangerous.
Someone so patient and restrained—who knew how capable he was? And once the archaeological team left, his town would be even more vulnerable.
"Lucille, do you feel it?" Sean whispered to the witch beside him.
"Yeah, I sensed it the moment I met him. He carries the same aura as me. You suspect him?" Lucille asked.
"Shh—keep your voice down. He might hear."
But Lucille didn't seem concerned...
"Don't worry. My Barry is still watching from above. There's nothing behind him, and he's not carrying any other pets."
Barry?
Sean looked up at the sky. That raven that had once sneaked into his room was still there, silent as ever.
"Little Baron, have you heard of the Wizards' Council before?"
"What's that? An organization?!"