Even without the Lord of Misty Leaf Town, who had unfortunately been killed, the survivors were able to operate the survivor camp just fine.
They did not need the Lord’s leadership.
Instead, the survivor camp was quickly led by five Late-stage Senior Witches.
Each managed over a hundred survivors, setting up their gangs in the camp and taking charge of their ration distribution.
At the same time, messengers were sent out to inform the surrounding human settlements about the tragedy of Misty Leaf Town to request reinforcement and aid.
After the important matters were settled, the survivors gathered around campfires with their rationed meals, sharing their nightmarish experience during the town’s massacre.
Around that time, mentions of Lord Aeliana’s recovery and black-armored Headmaster Astoria also surfaced in their conversations.
But more importantly, the survivors were more interested in the man that accompanied the two.
“I wonder who that man was… What was his name again? Sir Vahn? Teacher Raphna? Lord Vahn? Vahn Raphna?”
“Something like that. Headmaster Astoria referred to him as Teacher Raphna, and Lord Aeliana called him Lord Vahn. That’s not normal.”
“Right? I was thinking the same thing. You should have seen the look of surprise on my face when I heard Lord Aeliana refer to a man as her Lord. It makes one wonder about the history between them.”
“Maybe the man has something to do with Lord Aeliana’s recovery? No one has ever returned after becoming an Abomination before… If the man had that kind of ability, he would have achieved an impossible feat worthy of the highest respects.”
“But how is that possible, though, right? I mean, he’s a man, after all.”
“A very knowledgeable or wise man, that is. Don’t forget Headmaster Astoria acknowledged him as her teacher. To be the teacher of the Battle Maiden, how deep does his wisdom have to be?”
…
As the survivors gossiped over the campfires, Vaan’s group departed for the Thousand Fog Mountains after stocking up on their supplies of dry food and seasonings such as salt.
“Was it alright to reveal your identities to the survivors, Sir Vahn?” Hester casually asked as they approached the fog territory.
“People were bound to learn about it sooner or later,” Vaan calmly replied before he added, “We’ve only sped up the process to our advantage.”
“Oh? What kind of advantage is that? I can only smell trouble once the supremacists catch wind of your abilities and feats,” Hester said with interest.
“With the massacre that happened in Misty Leaf Town, there’s a chance that the survivors will choose to migrate to a safer settlement to settle down. And since they also know who saved them, there’s a good chance that Sunpeak Town will be their choice,” Aeliana explained.
“That doesn’t sound right,” Hester furrowed her brows and said, “A bigger city would offer better protection and security. So why would they choose Sunpeak Town over Redpine City, Hundred Night City, or even Blackthorn City?”
“There’s a simple answer for that; they can’t afford the cost,” Vaan calmly said.
“Compared to the bigger cities, which have very high living standards, the cost of living in Sunpeak Town is so low anyone can afford it. If the people aren’t stupid, they will realize the poor living condition in Sunpeak Town is only temporary.”
“With Aeliana’s recovery and the curse over the region lifted, there are plenty of incentives for people to move to a great trading town,” Vaan added.
“Damn,” Hester exclaimed and said, “Doesn’t that mean I would have struck the riches if I took a loan from the Witch Union Bank and invested in Sunpeak Town? Can I still make it if I head back now?”
“It’s too late for that, Lady Hester. I’ve already sent someone to buy out the best land and properties in Sunpeak Town. If people aren’t stupid, they would have caught wind of such large purchases and made their way over to get their hands on the remaining plots,” Vaan casually said.
“That’s unfortunate…” Hester expressed her regret.
However, her disappointment only lasted before she glanced at Vaan as if he was a bag of endless wealth.
“Sir Vahn is going to be extremely wealthy in the future. And if I remember correctly, you are engaged but not married yet. What do you think about taking me in as a lover? Even being a mistress is fine with me.”
Right after Hester said that, she felt two sharp gazes from Aeliana and Astoria, causing her to be taken aback.
“Actually, never mind. Hahaha… It was just a joke,” Hester chuckled with a forced smile at Vaan, but her words we intended for Aeliana and Astoria.
‘Tough competition… Tough competition…’ she thought wryly.
Since Hester backed out, Vaan simply responded with a slight smile.
Nevertheless, Hester suddenly recalled that they hadn’t addressed the problem with the witch supremacists.
“Hold on. What about the supremacists? You haven’t said anything about them. What will you do if they come to trouble you, Sir Vahn?” Hester asked.
“With Lord Vahn’s present ability, what trouble can’t he solve? Lord Vahn is prepared to deal with the trouble that may arise. Perhaps, the supremacists will even be his stepping stones,” Aeliana said devotedly.
Nevertheless, Astoria slightly furrowed her brows before she mentioned, “Don’t forget that demons are the real enemies of humanity.”
“I’m well aware of that, Headmaster Astoria. You don’t need to worry about where I will stand if there’s another Holy War,” Vaan calmly assured her.
Since he had already reached an adequate level of strength, he was ready to take the next stage forward onto the larger world stage.
The supremacists will not be able to hinder his path.
Given the time that had passed, his title as Venerable Sage should have been approved by seven headmasters and made official.
All that was left to do was to pop the inflating balloon and let everyone know he was still alive.
Between what he could offer the kingdom and the supremacists, he was curious about whose side the Transcendent Witch would pick.
Even if she stood on the sideline, that was more than enough.
With the Venerable Sage title, he would have the right to retaliate against anyone going after his life, even if they were witches.
