Chapter 124: Bonfire Gathering, Role Reversal (Patreon)

Dalton led the assembled guards through the thick snow toward the town where the patrol had reported the intruders.

Along the way, he questioned the first guards who had encountered Moren's group, still bruised and battered, in detail, trying to gather more information about the invaders.

"C-Captain..." one guard, still bearing a black eye, recounted with lingering fear, "the man leading them was terrifyingly strong! We didn't even see him move before we were all down!"

"And that woman... the captain said she's the 'Devil Child,' with a huge bounty too!"

"What's the exact bounty?" Dalton asked, his thick brows knitting together.

"...I-I heard the man called Black Moren has a bounty of 280 million Berries!"

"280 million?!"

The number crashed down on everyone's hearts like a massive boulder. The guards drew sharp breaths, their faces filled with barely concealed fear.

"Black Moren! So it's him!" Dalton frowned. That name had been appearing in the newspapers constantly lately. It wasn't just his enormous bounty. His record was equally terrifying, including defeating one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

The atmosphere instantly froze over, broken only by the crunch of boots on snow and the sound of heavy breathing.

Against an opponent like that, ordinary guards like them, himself included, were nothing more than a praying mantis trying to stop a chariot.

The silence lasted only a few seconds before Dalton suddenly raised his head, a look of grim determination flashed across his eyes.

He stopped walking and turned toward the pale-faced guards behind him, who still clutched their weapons tightly.

"Listen up!" Dalton's voice wasn't loud, but it carried unquestionable authority. "No matter who comes, no matter how high their bounty, even if one of the Four Emperors came in person..."

"To protect our families! To protect the land that raised us!" Dalton suddenly raised his voice, tightening his grip on his greatsword as he pointed its tip toward the town.

"We, the guards of the Drum Kingdom, have no reason to retreat!"

"We may all fall here today, but at the very least, we'll show those trampling our homeland that the men of Drum Island are no cowards!"

Those simple, even somewhat clumsy words rekindled the courage that had nearly gone out in the guards' hearts.

Yes. They fought to protect everything behind them. The fear was still there, but their sense of duty and their determination to protect overwhelmed it.

"For our homeland!" a young guard shouted first. His voice still trembled, but his eyes had become resolute.

"For our families!"

"Drive them out!"

The cries started out scattered but gradually became firmer. Tightening their grips on their swords and flintlocks, they followed Dalton toward the town.

Before long, they reached the outskirts.

Dalton gave several hand signals, directing his men to spread out and cautiously surround the town center through the gaps between houses and along the street entrances.

The atmosphere remained heavy and oppressive, with only the soft crunch of footsteps in the snow and the occasional clink of weapons.

However, as they gradually approached the central square, bursts of laughter and lively chatter drifted toward them on the cold wind.

Dalton's heart tightened.

Had the invaders already taken control of the townspeople? Were they forcing them to do something?

Anxious beyond measure, he abandoned any thought of remaining hidden. With a low shout, he led his men in a sprint past the final row of buildings.

Yet the moment they saw the scene in the square, every trace of urgency, worry, and determination on Dalton's face, and on the faces of every guard behind him, froze completely, replaced by utter confusion and disbelief.

The hellish scene they had imagined never appeared.

Instead, several warm bonfires blazed in the middle of the once-empty square, driving away the bitter winter cold.

The townspeople, who normally wore gloomy expressions under Wapol's tyranny as they struggled just to survive, were now gathered around the bonfires with food in their hands and wooden mugs by their sides, chatting in small groups with relaxed smiles they hadn't worn in a long time.

Several children, clutching brightly colored candies, happily chased one another across the open space beside the bonfires. Their cheerful laughter filled the snow-covered town with an energy it hadn't seen in ages.

Most eye-catching of all was the largest bonfire.

The eccentric old woman whom many townspeople secretly called the Witch, Dr. Kureha, sat atop an overturned wooden crate, a bottle of liquor in hand, drinking against the man seated opposite her, the notorious wanted criminal Moren, whose bounty stood at 280 million Berries.

Several empty bottles were already lined up between them.

"Tch. Kid, is that all you've got?" Dr. Kureha's cheeks were slightly flushed, yet her sharp eyes remained as keen as ever. She tilted her head back and took a long swig before wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

"You think you can trick me into handing Chopper over with this little bit of liquor? Come back in another hundred years!"

Moren burst into laughter, refusing to admit defeat. With a casual wave of his hand, several more bottles of exceptionally expensive-looking liquor appeared atop the crate.

"You've got quite the liquor tolerance! But don't underestimate me! Another round! A man from the North never admits defeat when it comes to drinking!"

With that, he grabbed another bottle and emptied it in one gulp.

Beside them, a blue-nosed reindeer wearing a pink hat was surrounded by several beautiful women.

Nami happily hugged Chopper and rubbed him over and over until all of his fur was completely messy.

"Wow! So fluffy! He feels amazing!" Baccarat's eyes sparkled as she became completely captivated by Chopper's adorable appearance.

"Mmm... d-don't do that..." Chopper protested softly.

But with the delicious candy they had given him still in his mouth, he was far too embarrassed to struggle seriously. He could only half-heartedly let himself be manhandled.

When Baccarat called him cute, his whole body twisted into a knot from embarrassment. Yet, as always, he instinctively shouted,

"I-Idiot! Even if you call me cute, I won't be happy! You jerk!"

Robin, meanwhile, sat a little farther away with a gentle smile.

Every so often, she chatted with Chopper.

She seemed genuinely interested in medicine as well as Drum Island's unique plants and wildlife. Her questions were insightful, and her breadth of knowledge was remarkable.

Chopper, who had been shy and nervous at first, immediately lit up whenever the conversation turned to his medical expertise. He even managed to stammer through several surprisingly engaging discussions with her.

Robin simply continued chatting with him in a relaxed manner while subtly learning more about this extraordinary little reindeer, his relationship with Dr. Kureha, his dreams, and much more.

Such a harmonious, joyful, even heartwarming scene completely shattered everything Dalton and the guards behind him had expected.

They had prepared themselves for a brutal battle, for the cries of townspeople being held hostage, even for a glorious last stand... but never had they imagined the intruders would be drinking with the legendary Witch and sharing food with the townspeople.

There wasn't the slightest trace of fear on the townspeople's faces.

There was only relief and long-lost happiness.

This didn't look like a vicious criminal invasion at all.

It looked exactly like a bonfire gathering the town hadn't held in years.

Even more awkwardly, the moment the townspeople noticed Dalton and the heavily armed guards behind him, the atmosphere changed instantly.

The smiles on their faces froze, replaced by tension, worry, and even a hint of panic.

Several people instinctively stood up, while others hurried toward Dr. Kureha and Moren's group, quietly positioning themselves in front of them as though ready to shield the island's only doctor and their kind-hearted guests if necessary.

Seeing this, Dalton's heart clenched painfully.

He understood that the townspeople weren't afraid of Moren's crew.

They were afraid of him.

As the captain of the Drum Kingdom Guard, he was one of those responsible for enforcing the king's decrees.

Although he and the guards had done everything they could to ease the suffering caused by Wapol's tyranny, they still represented the authority of the crown and were part of the oppressive system.

To the townspeople, their arrival felt less like salvation and more like unwelcome guests threatening to destroy this rare moment of happiness.

If they drove away the island's only doctor and these kind-hearted visitors, then the people of Drum Island truly would have no hope left.

Once they became sick, all they could do was wait to die.

An indescribable bitterness welled up inside Dalton.

He remembered Wapol's promises.

He remembered charging here fully prepared to die while "defending the homeland."

Yet this was the scene that greeted him.

What was he supposed to do?

Draw his sword against these people who clearly bore no ill will and had instead brought a ray of warmth into the lives of these desperate townspeople?

At that moment, Dr. Kureha finally noticed them.

She simply shot them a casual glance as though they were nothing more than a few annoying flies before impatiently waving them away.

"What's with all the racket? Can't you see I'm drinking? Go stand somewhere else. Don't ruin my mood!"

Her tone was as rude as ever, but she showed no real hostility toward Dalton or his men.

She simply wanted the nuisances out of her sight.

Beside her, Moren finally set down his bottle and calmly turned his gaze toward Dalton and the guards standing stiffly at the edge of the square, their expressions filled with conflicting emotions.

Fortunately, Dalton's awkward silence and inner turmoil were soon interrupted by the astonished cry of one of the younger guards.

"F-Father?! Y-Your leg?!"

A guard who looked to be barely in his twenties stared in disbelief at a middle-aged man sitting beside one of the bonfires, taking small sips of hot soup.

The festering wound on the man's leg, which had been crushed beneath a fallen beam and had refused to heal for so long, had now been expertly cleaned and neatly bandaged.

Although the bandages were hidden beneath his clothing, anyone could tell it had clearly been treated by a professional.

Even the man's complexion looked far healthier than before.

The middle-aged man, who was indeed his father, smiled awkwardly yet with obvious relief after seeing his son.

"Yeah. Dr. Kureha treated it just now. She applied medicine, bandaged it up, and said it'll be fine as long as I get plenty of rest."

The young guard's spear slipped from his hands and fell into the snow with a loud clatter.

He turned toward Dr. Kureha, who was still drinking with Moren, before looking around at the other bonfires.

Quite a few people who had previously been bedridden or seriously injured were now sitting around the fires looking noticeably healthier than before.

An overwhelming wave of gratitude and guilt surged through him.

His father's injury had lingered for nearly a month.

Because of Wapol's decrees and the severe shortage of medical resources, he had never received proper treatment and had spent every day suffering in agony.

Yet as a guard, there had been nothing he could do.

He had even been forced to carry out orders that only worsened the suffering of the people.

But now...

That eccentric old Witch, along with the very people they had regarded as dangerous invaders, had healed his father and so many other townspeople, bringing them food and the warmth of the bonfires...

"Dr. Kureha! Th-Thank you so much!"

The young guard was so emotional that he could barely get his words out.

Throwing aside his weapon, he rushed over to Dr. Kureha and bowed deeply, his eyes already beginning to redden.

"My father... Thank you... Thank you so much!"

His sudden gratitude and respectful attitude left the other guards completely stunned.

They all turned to look at the villagers they knew, only to discover that many people who had previously been bedridden or injured had indeed gathered here, and all of them looked significantly better than before.

Yet Dr. Kureha's response was every bit as fitting as the Witch's usual style.

She had been happily enjoying her drink when she was interrupted, instantly souring her mood.

Without even glancing at the young guard, she simply lifted her boot and planted a merciless kick squarely into his backside.

"Get lost! Can't you see I'm drinking? Quit your yapping! You're annoying as hell!"

One kick sent the young guard staggering several steps before he plunged headfirst into a soft pile of snow, with only his legs sticking out, kicking wildly.

"And the rest of you!"

After kicking him away, Dr. Kureha turned toward Dalton and the dumbfounded guards behind him, impatiently waving them off as though shooing flies.

"Why are you all standing there like snow statues? Got something to say? No? Then get lost! Got something to say? Keep it to yourselves, then get lost anyway! Stop ruining my drinking!"

Dr. Kureha's rough and thoroughly unfriendly attitude didn't offend the townspeople in the slightest. Instead, many of them couldn't help but smile.

They had long since learned that the old woman possessed extraordinary medical skills despite her eccentric personality. Everyone knew that, beneath her sharp tongue, she had a kind heart.

Dalton's face alternated between red and pale.

His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, then loosened, only to tighten again.

Behind him, the guards exchanged helpless glances, unsure whether they should advance or retreat.

They had come here to "drive out dangerous wanted criminals and defend their homeland."

Yet now, the enemy was treating their fellow townspeople to food, drinks, and medical care, while they, the very people who were supposed to be the protectors, had become the ones the townspeople didn't want around.

Even the Witch kept trying to chase them away...

Just what was going on here?

Just then, Moren, who had been watching everything with a cheerful smile, finally spoke.

"Relax, Captain of the Guard."

He gestured toward the bonfires and the food spread all around them.

"Look around. It's freezing outside. Everyone's gathered here, warming themselves by the fire, grabbing a bite, and enjoying a few drinks. Isn't this nice?"

"Why don't you join us too?"

"Opportunities like this don't come around often."

He smiled and spread his hands.

"After all, it's more fun with more people."