Chapter Seventy-Three: Carnass

  Kanas is a small island in the eastern part of the Hill continent, belonging to the equally weak small country - Coral Kingdom. The entire Kanas Island is only slightly larger than a city, with two small villages on it. One is called Kokinbo by the sea and makes a living from fishing, while the other is called Kanafeng in the interior of the mainland and engages in agriculture, as well as some small handicrafts.

  This island called Kanaz was, except for the occasional visit from a kingdom's tax collector to collect the year's taxes. Almost no one from outside came here, after all, Kanaz was too small, with no outstanding specialties and not even producing a single particularly talented person.

  Generation after generation of people living in Karnas, many of whom sometimes feel that their own abilities are not good enough. Otherwise, why is it that since the beginning of time in Karnas, there has never been anyone who has made a name for themselves or become a skilled warrior? Not to mention mages, there hasn't even been anyone who could become an apprentice mage.

  Perhaps even the demons were affected by this village, and apart from some earth spirits, the strongest ones in Canas were only Minotaurs. And even the Minotaurs mostly lived deep in the mountains and wouldn't appear near the village. Because the number of Minotaurs in Canas was extremely small, you could count them with just one hand.

  Compared to other villages on the mainland that are troubled by monsters every day, life in Carnas is too easy. Such an environment makes young people in the village dream of a great disaster befalling the village one day, and getting their first weapon as a warrior from the only ironwork uncle in the village, embarking on a heroic journey.

  As time went by, the fantasizing young man became a middle-aged uncle and then an old man with a walking stick, but the things in his fantasies never came true. Moreover, life had long abandoned those unrealistic fantasies, busy with various work and social interactions. The fantasizing young man became one of the villagers, those people they originally looked down on.

  In a village like Canas, which could be called a utopia, life was supposed to be peaceful and uneventful. However, the birth of an infant shook this quiet town. An infant born with a divine mark on his forehead was born in a place where he shouldn't have been born. The news that a chosen warrior was born in Canas, which had no innate talent, shocked not only Canas but also Coral.

  There was no divine protection for Coral, and there had never been a birth of a God-chosen warrior, nor could there have been. So the infant along with his mother was taken to the capital, this omen might be a sign that the god would bestow blessings.

  However, the chosen infant was soon sent back to Canas. The imprint on the infant's forehead did not belong to any of the divine emblems on the current continent. Moreover, after examination, there was nothing unusual about the infant, who was even weaker than a normal baby. This led Coral to conclude that the infant had only grown a strange birthmark similar to a divine seal on its forehead after a series of confirmations.

  In the blink of an eye, fifteen years have passed, and the original baby has grown up. The sensationalism of the past has also subsided in these ten or so years, and the "Chosen Warrior" is just a grand farce that has become a thing of the past. Except for the villagers occasionally catching glimpses of the former "Chosen Warrior" and talking about the big shot who came to the island back then, nothing remains.

  "You little rascals! Stop right there! Not only did you steal my grapes, but you even pulled off the leaves too!" On the streets of Cana, a middle-aged man in farming attire chased after a group of fleeing boys, shouting loudly: "Us! Sranca! Even if you run away now, I'll go to your homes and find you!"

  "Uncle Albert, let's settle the score with those guys later." Seeing that the boys had already run far away, a blond-haired boy standing next to the only well in the village said to the middle-aged man: "Now it's better to go pick grapes. If we don't, the leaves will be damaged and the quality of the grapes will decrease. We might as well pick them now, anyway those guys' homes won't run away."

  "True enough." The middle-aged man stopped beside the young boy, panting for a few breaths before saying: "These damned kids can really run, and they actually ran all the way from the plantation to the village. Speaking of which, Charlotte, since you're here, why don't you help me pick some grapes at the plantation? Except for those grape trees that were messed up, the others are also ready to be picked."

  "I'm really busy on my own, you know Layla went to Kochinbo and won't be back until tomorrow. If you can help me, I'll give you fifty copper coins and some grapes as a reward."

  "But... I have to go outside the village for practice." Charlotte pointed to the somewhat old short sword at her waist and said to Albert with some difficulty: "I've already made an appointment with Charles, and I'm just waiting for him here."

  "What's the point of practicing sword fighting in Canas?" Albert chuckled and patted Charlotte on the shoulder, saying: "There are only some goblins around Canas Castle, which is enough for the defending warriors to handle. You're not planning on becoming a soldier either, Charlotte. What's the use of being good at sword fighting anyway?"

  "You can't say that about Uncle Albert." A red-haired youth, carrying a long sword, emerged from around the corner and said somewhat discontentedly: "Relying on those Guardian troops who only know how to drink every day, if something disastrous happens to the village, they won't have any way to cope. It's better to practice martial arts yourself, so that when disaster strikes, you'll have the power to protect yourself."

  "Hmm... a disaster?" Albert seemed to recall something from the past, and his smile grew even brighter as he said wistfully: "Never mind, let's not talk about those things. While you're still young, do what you want to do, if you change your minds come find me at the plantation, goodbye."

  "What's the matter with the plantation?" Charles asked, looking at Charlotte with his brown eyes somewhat puzzled. "Has that gang stolen his grapes again?"

  "Yes." Charlotte nodded and said, "And this time they even damaged several grape trees. Uncle Abert chased them all the way from the plantation to here, he's really furious this time."

  "Let's go, forget about those things. Those kids will probably get beaten up again tonight." Charles slung his sword over his back and said to Charlotte, "This time we're going to challenge ourselves to 300 swings! We've already done 250 times the past few days! Delia also said she'll come find us at dusk. I wonder what she'll bring for us to eat this time?"

  Delilah is a girl in the village who is familiar with Charles and Charlotte, as the daughter of a hunter, she almost every day brings some food to Charles and Charlotte. The barbecue skills of Delilah's family are among the best in Carnass, and every year at the festival, Delilah's father becomes the barbecue master, roasting game for everyone in the village, and Delilah apparently inherited this trait.

  Every time he brought roasted meat, or cooked food. It made Charles want to eat his own hands off, the end of training was the happiest time for Charles, but at the same time it was also the most painful time. Because every time Delia gave the best part to the tall and beautiful Charlotte.

  Half a day's time had passed like this, and the two people with heavy loads on their backs dropped their hands, having swung their weapons more than 400 times. Collapsing not far from the riverbank outside the village, large drops of sweat slid down their necks, shining brightly in the evening sunlight.

  "What's going on here?" At this time, a hunter-dressed girl with ash-blonde short hair walked out of the forest by the riverbank and looked at the two people lying on the grassy beach, laughing and saying: "Since Charles is already exhausted, I suppose you don't have the energy to eat the roasted meat in my hands either?"

  "Is it rabbit today?" Hearing Delia's words, Charles struggled to sit up, sniffed the air a few times with effort, and looked at the paper package in Delia's hand with drool flowing out of his mouth, saying: "How can I not have the energy to eat! As long as it's something made by Delia, I can devour it instantly! Such deliciousness will never get tired even if I eat it for a lifetime!"

  "Beautiful thought." Delia tossed a paper package to Charles and walked over to Charlotte, pulling out a handkerchief filled with perfume from her bosom to wipe away Charlotte's sweat, saying: "Even if I were to do it, I would only do it for Charlotte for the rest of my life."

  Looking at Delilah who was almost stuck to Charlotte, Charles ripped open the paper package in annoyance and started eating the roasted meat vigorously, muttering under his breath: "What's so good about him? He just looks good, has skin as white as a woman's, and a soft face. I don't know what's so great about him, all the women in the village like him."

  "Charles, I heard that!" Delia said with narrowed eyes, staring at Charles: "If you're speaking ill of Charlotte, there won't be a place for you at the next barbecue!"

  "Never mind." Charlotte shook her head and smiled, "Dahlia, just let it go this time. After all, he's telling the truth. My face is indeed a bit too delicate. Maybe if I get some scars in the future, I'll look different. I do hope I can become like Charles."

  "What's good about that look." Delia took down the sweat-drenched headband from Charles' forehead and pulled out another one from her bosom to tie it for him, saying: "Charlotte is the prettiest, I like you the most!"

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  Collect and recommend

  This is the brave warrior! Uh-huh... But if you change in the future, just pretend I never said that!