Chapter 224

Elric, the village leader, approached Alex with a smile of pure joy lighting up his weathered face.

"Sire," he began, his voice tinged with deep gratitude, "we want to express our heartfelt thanks for what you've done for our village."

He placed ten gold coins into Alex's hand, the coins clinking softly. "Please accept this. It’s all the money we have."

The villagers gathered around. Whispers rippled through the crowd as they carefully observed him, unsure of his intentions.

They knew Alex was powerful—strong enough to slay the entire wolf pack on his own. If he had bad intentions, nothing in the village could stop him.

Alex glanced at the gold coins, then at the faces of the villagers.

He saw the worn clothes, the tired eyes—the signs of a community struggling to survive.

Gently, he closed Elric's hand back over the coins. "Please, I don’t need the money," he said softly.

A collective gasp arose from the villagers, their expressions shifting to shock and fear.

"Sir, please accept it!