186

London Village

Forseti sprang into action, closing the gap swiftly. The Holy Light emanated from his hand, directing towards the bandits.

Startled, the bandits seeing him—causing them to falter with fear , shock , incomprehension.

Forseti moved with the grace of a hunting leopard, striking swiftly in the dark of night. Ordinary men naturally cowered in terror at his sudden assault.

However, the bandits quickly recovered from their shock. Forseti reached them in an instant, his fingers like blades, swiftly dispatching one with a single strike.

"What!"

Forseti's hands moved like a meat grinder, effortlessly eliminating the bandits. Soon, flames engulfed his body, reducing bloodstains to ash.

Dozens of men, women, and children who had fled watched in awe, huddled together, uncertain.

"Who are you?" Forseti approached them.

After exchanging uncertain glances, an elder stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Thank you, warriors, for saving us. We are villagers from a nearby settlement."

"Your village was attacked by these bandits?" Forseti inquired.

"They're actually the Egyptian troops," the elder sighed. "After Apocalypse's demise, the Egyptian garrison in Britain turned to looting and pillaging. Several villages fell victim, and we barely escaped."

"I see. Where do you intend to go now?" Agamotto joined the conversation.

"We plan to leave Britain by sea. The island is too chaotic," the elder replied.

Agamotto paused, then gestured towards the Supreme Sanctuary. "Why not settle here? We can offer protection and shelter."

The elder hesitated, "I'll discuss this with the others."

Agamotto nodded, and the elder returned to confer with the villagers.

Forseti turned to Agamotto, asking, "Do you wish to become their leader?"

Agamotto remained composed. "I had a dream related to this matter last night."

"What did you dream about?" Forseti's curiosity piqued.

Agamotto chose not to elaborate.

"What if they refuse to stay?" Forseti asked.

Agamotto replied confidently, "They will stay."

The elder returned shortly after. "Thank you for your kindness, but we have decided to leave the British Isle. We apologize."

Agamotto's expression faltered momentarily.

As the villagers departed, a woman's cry pierced the air, "Ah— it hurts!"

Forseti and Agamotto rushed to find a woman on the ground, clutching her swollen belly—clearly in labor.

"She's about to give birth!"

"What do we do? Is there a doctor nearby?"

Seeing the panic, Forseti sighed. "Allow me."

Though unfamiliar with midwifery, Forseti opted for a cesarean section.

Forseti's immortal steel blade cut through flesh like butter, effortlessly performing the procedure. The mother felt no pain, knocked unconscious by him, her wound healing instantly under the Holy Light and a healing stone. Moments later, a baby boy cried in Forseti's arms, "Wow!"

The villagers watched in astonishment at Forseti's skill.

Forseti handed the newborn to the mother, who received the child in stunned silence, as if receiving a miracle.

Forseti gestured for them to take care, then turned away.

The villagers murmured among themselves. One spoke up, "Why don't we stay here?"

Another agreed, "He killed the bandits without hesitation, and now he's saved our sister-in-law. Clearly, he's a good man. I'm in favor of staying."

"So am I."

"And I."

Forseti returned to Agamotto, only to see the villagers turning back towards the sanctuary. The elder approached with a sheepish smile. "We've reconsidered. We'd like to stay."

Agamotto smiled warmly, gesturing towards the Supreme Sanctuary. "You're welcome here. You can stay in these halls temporarily. Once the artisans finish, they'll help you build a new village."

"Thank you," the villagers chorused, heading towards the sanctuary.

Agamotto glanced at Forseti. "See? I knew they would stay."

Forseti disagreed, "They stayed because I intervened and saved the mother."

"Perhaps you were the catalyst that made it inevitable," Agamotto mused.

Forseti sat quietly, opening the Holy Deed to review his reward for dispatching the bandits.

Due to the absence of spell fragments in the fourth layer, the reward for avenging the villagers did not include them. However, the spell fragments for Divine Shield were still available—an invaluable asset for any Paladin's arsenal.

In addition to the spell fragments, Forseti received over 20 spatial grids and some less useful items, such as the blueprint for mundane equipment.

The displaced villagers settled near the sanctuary, aided by skilled artisans who helped them rebuild their lives.

To their surprise, more groups of refugees arrived in the following weeks, seeking refuge. Soon, a village began to take shape around the sanctuary.

Over time, this place came to be known as London Village.

The name wasn't coined by Forseti but by the villagers themselves, inspired by the Supreme Sanctum.

Standing proudly on a hillside, the sanctuary resembled a fortress—tall, sturdy, and magnificent. The name "London" derived from the Celtic language of the Britons, translating to "Fortress of the Hill."

After several months of construction and improvement, the Supreme Sanctuary was finally complete, furnished with all essentials.

As Forseti and the others stood at the gate of London Sanctuary, Agamotto couldn't help but reflect, "It's finally finished."

Forseti looked at him curiously, "What's next?"