When Kai finally regained consciousness, the sun had already set. He looked around in a daze, glancing left and right, only to see the villagers' tired and gloomy faces.
"Hm? What's with you guys? Why do you all look so down?"
Kai asked, holding his head, which was still throbbing with dizziness.
"Oh, Kai… you're awake."
Kurt said, his voice carrying a hint of worry.
"Yeah, I guess… so, what happened?"
"Don't you remember what happened before this?"
Kai shook his head, trying hard to recall what he had gone through earlier.
"You accepted that man's challenge!"
Claire snapped in irritation. Her hands rested firmly on her hips, and her sharp eyes bore into Kai.
Hearing that, Kai suddenly remembered what had just happened. He quickly stood up, looking shocked—then his expression hardened in anger.
"That bastard! I'll make him pay!"
Kai declared, clenching his right fist as though he were about to punch someone.
"Are you seriously still hung up on that?"
Kurt asked, baffled. He understood Kai's frustration, but he doubted that rushing in would solve anything. Especially if they ended up getting beaten by that secretary of his. Something told him that woman was just as dangerous as Claire—if not more.
"So you said it was a challenge… what kind of challenge did I accept?"
Kai asked, ignoring Kurt's words, his gaze now fixed on Claire.
"Don't tell me you weren't even listening to what that man said?"
Once again, Kai shook his head. There was no way he'd bother remembering the words of someone like that man. His mind simply had no room for such useless things.
Claire let out a long sigh before finally answering.
"You were told to develop this village and turn it into a well-known place—or else he'll claim all the land here."
"Eh? Can a shabby village like this even become famous?"
"Are you looking down on us?!"
Kai quickly shook his head and waved his hands frantically as Claire looked ready to hit him. His face went pale at the sight of her angry expression.
"I was just joking! No need to get mad!"
Claire lowered her hand at his words. She decided this wasn't the time to beat Kai up, so she would let it slide—for now.
"I really do love this village, and I think it's very beautiful… but still… I feel the same as Kai. Can this place really become famous?"
Elly said with a sad expression and tone. Unlike with Kai, Claire didn't get angry at Elly for asking the same question. Instead, her face clouded over, and she looked pensive and troubled.
The truth was, even though she had snapped at Kai earlier for belittling them, Claire herself wasn't entirely free of doubt. Deep inside, she wondered if the village truly had what it took to become known.
Seeing both Elly and Claire looking so downcast, the other villagers also grew more gloomy. Their shoulders slumped, and the air turned heavy with discouragement. Watching all of this, Kai's expression suddenly firmed up, as though he had made a decision.
"In that case, I don't have any other choice!"
Everyone turned toward Kai in shock. They hadn't expected such a strong and decisive tone from him.
"Eh? Kai… do you actually have some kind of plan?"
Kurt asked, voicing everyone's thoughts.
"Of course! I'll sneak into his house at night and kill him while he's off guard!"
Kai said confidently, flashing a wide grin.
"You still haven't given up on that?! And here I was, foolish enough to think you actually had a brilliant plan!"
Kurt shot back in frustration.
"Don't you realize that his secretary might be even more dangerous than Claire?!"
Kai froze at Kurt's words. He couldn't clearly remember what had happened before he lost consciousness, but his instincts told him Kurt was right—he really did need to be careful of that woman.
"Hey, wait a second! What's that supposed to mean?!"
Claire snapped, clearly offended by Kurt's remark. His face went pale the moment he realized he had just stepped on a landmine.
"Sorry! I was only joking!"
Kurt quickly shook his head and waved his hands left and right, exactly the same way Kai had done earlier.
Seeing his reaction, Claire lowered her hand, then turned her gaze to Kai. He was wearing a conflicted expression, and for some reason she could guess exactly what was going through his mind—whether to go through with his ridiculous plan or abandon it.
"Kai, forget about that foolish idea. Even if you could stop him from taking over this village, it's meaningless if you end up in prison for it. You may not have been here long, but you're already part of this village… and if you become a criminal, you'll drag the village's name through the mud."
Kai turned toward Claire, his eyes widening in surprise before he spoke.
"Wait! Is this village even has a 'name' to tarnish in the first place?!"
A vein popped on Claire's forehead as Kai said that so boldly.
"I was just joking!"
Kai immediately waved his hands again as Claire raised her hand. Of course, he knew all too well how dangerous she was—after taking her punches more than a few times.
"Forget about that man for now… does anyone have an idea?"
Claire asked, shifting her gaze from Kai to the rest of the villagers. No one answered her question. They all looked uncertain, not knowing what to say. The silence once again drained Claire's energy.
"What is this? Why do you all look so down?"
All of a sudden, from the doorway, an elderly woman slowly made her way toward the gathered villagers.
"Grandma!"
Elly said in a surprised tone.
The elderly woman Elly had called Grandma smiled warmly at her granddaughter. She then took a chair nearby and sat down beside her.
"What's wrong with all of you? Can you tell me what happened?"
asked the grandma, Lyla, with a gentle smile on her face.
The villagers glanced at one another, hesitant, before Claire finally gathered her courage and explained everything that had happened to the old woman.
"I see… so you're all at a loss about what to do."
That was Grandma Lyla's first response, after hearing the full story from Claire.
"But isn't that an easy problem to solve?"
Her words left everyone there in shock.
"Easy?! How could that possibly be easy?"
Kurt asked, clearly doubtful of her claim.
"Yes, of course it is."
Grandma Lyla replied with confidence.
"H-how exactly?"
Kurt asked nervously.
Grandma Lyla gave a wide smile before delivering an answer no one could have imagined coming from her lips.