Loran Hill took off the hood on his head, revealing his original face. His hair also changed from golden to silver snow color. Under the light of the only two candles in the room, he looked somewhat hazy and beautiful.

Looking at the still beautiful young lady, Bud also sat down. Compared with his inferiority and timidity in the past, he was now much calmer and more composed.

This once short and cowardly boy has grown a lot taller without realizing it. His height has even surpassed that of Loran Hill, and his body is also exceptionally strong. His thick and well-defined muscles can probably kill a cow with one punch.

"You've grown a lot taller." Loran Hill looked at the greatly changed Bard, with a hint of emotion in his tone.

"Yes." Thinking back on his journey, crossing a long distance, and crossing half of the country, he finally found Gretel's family in this small village. Bud also experienced a lot of growth.

The mind is no longer as narrow and naive as before, there is less inferiority and more calmness.

"There are many dirty and despicable people in this world, but there are also some simple and kind people." Bud expressed his feelings.

"Not everyone is suited to fighting or killing, but they are still worthy of my protection. I want to contribute to this mountain."

"Grete once said he wanted to be a hero."

"I'm not strong enough yet, but I will work hard to become the hero I want to be and protect those I love. I may get hurt, fail, or even lose my life, but I'm no longer afraid."

"I don't understand too many complicated truths, nor do I know what is justice and right, but when I see those people living a stable life, I feel a sense of peace and satisfaction."

The young man who once yearned for the novel outside world, longed for the brilliant and wonderful adventure, and listened to the poets singing outside the country tavern, has now grown up slowly. After traveling in the outside world for a period of time, he has understood the meaning of his life, which is the dream he has buried deep in his heart.

In the small house with flickering lights, Bud spoke of his inner belief. After experiencing the Hopeland Rebellion and traveling thousands of miles, he finally found his home.

"Bud is a gentle man." Loran Hill said this with a faint smile on his face.

"However, blindly protecting them is not a good idea either. It will make them overly dependent on you and become weak."

"What you need to do is not to be a meticulous protector, but to be a lion that leads the people, so that they can gain the same courage and strength as you."

"The mountains and plains of Nidshire are so vast, and there are countless villages like this. It's difficult for you to take care of them all, and even you need to rest sometimes."

As Loran Hill expressed his thoughts, the young man opposite him slowly raised his head.

"Tell me, Miss Lacy, you have given me everything. If there is anything you need, I can do it."

"Although I have provided some help, I don't want to use this as a threat to force you to do anything. That's not what I want to see."

"I'm just making a suggestion, or an invitation that can be rejected." Loran Hill chose his words carefully.

"I hope you can become the leader of a group of knights, train and lead them, and guard this land." The girl's burning eyes were particularly bright under the candlelight.

After inspecting the situation in Ned County, she felt more and more that the local area needed a protective force, not only to protect the land from the monsters in the mountains, but also to serve as a local border force to guard the country's borders.

It is best for such a legion to be trained and armed locally, so that they will be more familiar with the local area and will not cause conflicts due to regional discord. At the same time, their will will be particularly firm when defending their hometown.

Now that Clansia has just been established, it is difficult to mobilize sufficient forces to support remote areas. In this case, allowing the local people to become stronger spontaneously becomes a better choice.

Of course, there is no need to worry about it being out of control of the central government. With the improvement of transportation and the construction of a talent training system, the cohesion of this country will only become stronger and stronger.

"I'm not very smart, and sometimes I can't adapt myself. Maybe it's not a good idea for me to be the leader..." Although the obstacles in his heart have gradually dissipated, he is still a little hesitant when facing an unfamiliar field.

"No, Gretel was younger than you are now. Even without any extraordinary powers, he was able to organize so many people. I believe you can do it too."

"But..." Bud was still hesitant.

Loran Hill interrupted the young man and spoke directly.

"Bud, don't overestimate those who sit in high positions and be intimidated by the glittering throne. Everyone learns and grows step by step. Before a tree grows tall, it is just an insignificant and fragile seedling."

"There's no such thing as noble bloodline or irreplaceable talent. Some of them may be smarter than you, but as a leader, what's more important is the conviction and will that infects everyone."

"You don't have to be the brains who think about everything, but you must be the backbone of the team. Only then can you truly build an indestructible iron army."

The candlelit cabin gradually quieted down. Bud looked at the rough tabletop, where the dark brown fibers were tightly arranged, with occasional burrs protruding.

Wood is a common and fragile thing, far less hard than stone, but even in such a thing, if one of its fibers is lifted up, it can pierce into unsuspecting flesh and bring a trace of blood.

As the candle burns, the wax becomes less and less, the height becomes lower and lower, and the range of its illumination becomes smaller and smaller, shrinking from the outer edge of the table's annual ring to the center.

For some reason, Bud suddenly remembered that distant afternoon when Grete took him to protest in front of Nisos's house.

"Wouldn't that put you in danger?"

"Haha, I have my own way. There's always someone to do these things, right?"

"Alas, everyone has this mentality, always hoping others will stand up for them so they don't get hurt."

"We all seek profit and avoid harm, constantly submitting, not daring to resist. Just like that, we retreat one step at a time until we give up everything."

"Individuals are lonely and weak, but if they unite, trust each other, and warm each other, they will gain great courage."

"I am not fighting alone."

"This sentence is simple and plain, but it makes me feel extremely at ease. Perhaps this is the power of unity."

...

After a long time, the candle has burned to the bottom, and the area illuminated by the candlelight has also shrunk to the center. That is where the heart of the tree is, that is, the annual rings left in the first few years of the tree's growth. The fibers are tightly arranged and extremely hard.

Bud slowly raised his head, his dark face casting flickering shadows in the candlelight.

"I accept your invitation and hope to become a force for Clancy."