The stone-paved path winding through the green hills felt cool beneath the scorching afternoon sun. Evan and Anna walked side by side, their fingers tightly intertwined. As they drew closer to the village settlement at the foot of the hill, the lively sounds of daily life began to reach their ears: children running around, wooden carts creaking, and the scent of fresh hay carried by the breeze.
However, there was one thing that immediately caught Evan’s attention.
As soon as they passed through the village entrance, several farmers and housewives who had been drying their harvested crops stopped working. Evan tensed for a moment, preparing himself in case any of the villagers recognized Anna as a "witch."
However, the reaction he received was completely unexpected.
"Eh? Lady Anna?!" exclaimed a middle-aged man wearing a straw hat, his eyes widening with delight. He immediately stepped forward and waved at her warmly. "Goodness, it’s been several days since you’ve come down to the village, Lady Anna! We were starting to worry!"
The middle-aged women nearby also broke into wide smiles, welcoming Anna with genuine warmth, as though greeting a member of their own family.
Evan blinked in confusion. He glanced at his wife, then looked back at the villagers.
"???? ???????? ??????’?? ???????? ?????? ???????? ???????????? ????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????."
Anna returned their greetings with an incredibly sweet, gentle smile. Find the original chapter at novelping.com.
"Ah, I’m sorry, Old Man Jhon. I’ve had to take care of my husband, who only recently recovered from an illness," Anna replied warmly before gently pulling Evan forward. "Oh, right, let me introduce you. This is the man I’ve been telling you all about. My husband, Evan."
The middle-aged man named Jhon looked Evan up and down with narrowed, assessing eyes before suddenly bursting into hearty laughter.
"Oh! So this is the husband you’ve been bragging about all this time?!" Jhon exclaimed cheerfully. "Well, well! You’re a lucky man, sir! Lady Anna is the savior of our village! If it weren’t for her kindness in driving away wild monsters and distributing herbal medicine last year, our village might have already been reduced to rubble!"
"That’s absolutely right, young man!" chimed in a housewife carrying a basket of apples. "Lady Anna is an angel to our village. So you’re her husband, huh? Take good care of Lady Anna! Don’t you dare make her sad, or we’ll all march up to your mansion on the hill!"
Evan was left even more astonished. Until now, Anna had been known as a terrifying monster who spread fear wherever she went. Yet here in this remote village on the Western Frontier, she was respected and loved as a protector of the common people.
"Ah... thank you," Evan replied stiffly, trying to maintain a polite smile. "I’ll take good care of her."
Seeing Evan’s awkward expression, Jhon laughed heartily. "Ha-ha-ha! Don’t be so tense, young master! Besides, as the new Lord and Lady governing this western territory, your arrival is a great blessing to us. Fair land taxes and protection from your noble family have truly eased our burdens."
At Jhon’s words, Evan glanced briefly at Anna. She merely smiled knowingly, seemingly intent on hiding the fact that she had purchased and arranged his noble status long ago, specifically for him.
Amid their warm conversation, Jhon’s expression suddenly turned gloomy. He let out a heavy sigh and slowly shook his head.
"Ah, but... even though our territory is safe now thanks to Lady Anna, there’s still one thing that’s been troubling us lately," Jhon complained anxiously.
"Monster nests, my Lady..." Jhon complained in frustration. "Over the past month, the goblins and werewolves in the Eastern Forest have become increasingly ferocious. They’ve started venturing into our fields, stealing livestock, and attacking traveling merchants passing through. If this continues, next month’s harvest will surely be ruined."
The other villagers nodded in agreement, their faces filled with concern.
Evan listened to their complaints, his eyes narrowing sharply. He glanced at Anna before turning back to Jhon.
"Where exactly are their nests located?" Evan asked seriously.
Jhon pointed toward the rocky hills east of the village. "Beyond the old rocky ravine, my lord. The place is filled with narrow caves that are difficult to reach."
A faint smile appeared on Evan’s lips. He slowly clenched his right fist.
"In that case..." Evan declared firmly, glancing at his wife with a confident look in his eyes, "...it seems it’s time for the new Lord of this territory to make his first official visit."