Ethan lifted his head, a gentle and harmless smile spreading across his face. "We're just passing scavengers, Miss Black."
Scavengers.
That was the identity Ethan and his companions had concocted for themselves after poring over historical records.
During the Goblin Rebellion, countless wizarding families had their homes raided, leaving them to wander and scrape by to survive.
Eve Black eyed the trio's tattered clothing, then fixed her gaze on Ethan, who led them with his strikingly handsome face and an air of elegant detachment.
She couldn't help but picture it: a tragic tale of a young heir whose family estate had been demolished by goblins, now forced to roam with his loyal retainers.
Goblins always went after the richest households first.
As for who the retainer was, it had to be the haggard-looking man trailing behind.
The two clearly weren't from the same world.
And the blonde girl must be the young heir's companion.
Eve slowly lowered her wand.
Surely, someone with such a pure smile couldn't be a villain.
"What's your name?" Eve asked.
Ethan's eyes flickered briefly, but his expression stayed steady as he replied, "Light. Just call me Light."
Eve nodded slowly, not bothering to ask for the others' names.
She turned and said, "You, the young lady, and your servant—come with me."
"Our camp isn't far from here, and there are goblins lurking around. It's not safe."
She seemed like a responsible, kind-hearted person.
She'd probably get along well with him.
Ethan thought approvingly, gesturing for Luna to follow Miss Black's lead.
With a camp nearby, they could better figure out their bearings and locate the treasure site.
Only Professor Lupin remained rooted to the spot, pointing at himself in disbelief. "Servant? Is he talking about me??"
He was Ethan's professor, for Merlin's sake!
This was utterly absurd!
But sadly, no one spared a glance for the "servant."
Professor Lupin watched as Ethan and Miss Black walked ahead, already chatting amiably. He sighed and had no choice but to hurry after them.
Unnoticed by the group, after they departed, the nearby bushes rustled suddenly.
A small figure materialized out of thin air.
It was a goblin scout, staring coldly in the direction they'd gone.
He lifted the sound-transmitting conch hanging around his neck and spoke into it with a mix of respect and fear: "Lord Lanluoke, after our vanguard's reconnaissance, we've assessed the enemy's strength—we're certain we can wipe them out!"
With that, the goblin scout waited nervously.
A few seconds passed.
From the conch came a low, raspy voice, like sandpaper scraping against wood: "I only want to hear that you've completely eradicated those worthless fools."
The goblin scout shuddered violently, blurting out in terror: "S-sorry! We're planning to raid their camp tonight! We'll kill every last wizard there—no survivors!"
"We swear we'll deliver that ancient magical artifact you mentioned, the one hidden in their camp, right to you!"
The conch responded: "I hope you don't let me down—... Don't make me hear about another failure."
"We won't, boss!"
The goblin scout nodded frantically, even though it was just a voice transmission.
He understood why Lord Lanluoke was so furious.
Not long ago, a valuable treasure in transit had been hijacked by some mysterious force.
An entire goblin encampment had been frozen to death on the spot.
It was a humiliating blow!
The only clue left behind was an inexplicable mark: [Light].
The treasure was gone—a devastating loss!
Lord Lanluoke had been enraged!
He'd sworn that once they caught the thief, he'd subject them to the most excruciating torture! Tear them limb from limb!
Remembering Lord Lanluoke's fury, the goblin scout couldn't help but shiver.
This extermination mission could not fail!
The scout resolved firmly in his mind.
He hesitated for a moment but decided not to mention the three scavengers he'd just spotted to Lord Lanluoke.
Such a minor detail wasn't worth troubling the lord with.
"My lord, rest easy! Tonight, with the blood and screams of those foolish wizards, we'll claim our revenge!"
"That ancient magical artifact will return to the goblin clans!"
The scout grinned with confidence, then vanished back into the foliage.
Meanwhile, up ahead.
Ethan tilted his head slightly, his peripheral vision casually sweeping over the goblin scout's hiding spot.
The corners of his mouth curled up faintly.
Miss Black asked, "What's wrong, Light?"
Ethan pulled his gaze away and smiled. "Nothing. Just spotted a little pest."
Annoying little pests were best squashed flat.
Dreaming of competing with him for ancient magic?
Not a chance.
When they arrived at the camp Miss Black had mentioned, Ethan was mildly surprised by what he saw.
Rather than a simple setup with a bonfire and a handful of tents, it looked more like a small town—a modest settlement.
High brick walls enclosed rows of little houses.
Though they appeared weathered, the place didn't feel desolate.
Instead, it buzzed with life.
"Sister Eve!"
A little girl came bounding over, her twin braids bouncing on her head.
She flung herself into Miss Black's arms, drawing a faint smile to the woman's otherwise stern face.
The girl peeked out curiously, glancing shyly at Ethan and his companions, and whispered, "Sister Eve, who are they?"
Eve replied, "They're scavengers we ran into on the road. The black-haired one in the middle is called Light."
Catching the little girl's eye, Ethan gave her a warm smile.
The girl froze.
Her mouth fell open as she stared at Ethan in a daze.
Then her ears flushed red, and she buried her face shyly in Miss Black's arms.
She'd never seen such a handsome big brother before—
Ethan followed Miss Black past the gate guards and into the camp.
His curious expression only reinforced Eve's impression that he was a displaced young noble.
After all, this was the height of the war, and camps like this dotted the landscape everywhere.
Not knowing about them suggested he'd been sheltered by his family until now.
Miss Black pressed her lips together, unsure if she felt pity or envy, and began her introduction: "This is the living quarters—places to sleep, eat, and handle daily chores."
"Food comes from hunting, farming, and the occasional supplies from Hogwarts."
"It's not luxurious, but we make sure no one goes hungry."
Ethan spotted children darting between the quaint little houses, women scrubbing laundry with soap and washboards.
And fluffy, bipedal cats padded in and out of the kitchens, meowing softly.
It was warm and vibrant.
This felt more like a wizarding village than a stark military outpost.
Over time, it had grown into what it was now.
Recalling the battle he'd witnessed upon their arrival, Ethan asked, "It doesn't seem very secure here. Why insist on setting up camp in this spot?"
Miss Black hesitated, then replied stiffly, "That's none of your concern, outsider."
...
Ethan raised an eyebrow and smiled. "My apologies for prying."
With that, he casually averted his eyes and waved at the children peeking their way.
It was Miss Black, the one who'd rebuffed him, whose expression turned awkward.
She fidgeted uncomfortably, as if ants were crawling over her skin.
"You—"
She'd barely started speaking when a shout cut her off: "Eve! You're back at last!"
Ethan turned with Miss Black toward the voice.
A burly man in his forties came striding over, his muscles bulging as he glared at Ethan like he owed him a fortune.
"Why'd you bring back more scavengers?" the burly man demanded. "Have you forgotten what happened last time—"
"Enough," Eve cut in coldly.
"Not everyone's a thief. He's a young heir down on his luck—innocent and harmless. You can tell just by looking at him."
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