I can evolve everything

Harold paused for a moment, then let out a short laugh, seemingly mocking himself, or perhaps genuinely reminiscing about the past.

"Yes, the shield." He took a sip of his drink, his eyes slightly glazed. "Back then, we all thought we could become legends, heroes sung about by bards. But reality is harder than an orc's axe."

"But ever since that accident twenty years ago, almost every bone in my body has been shattered, and I've almost lost all the blood in my body." Harold pointed to himself. "From then on, I knew that my path as a knight was over. No matter how much I practiced my breathing techniques, my body was already decaying."

Ella sat to the side, listening somewhat awkwardly to the conversation between the two old people.

"So you chose a different path." Karen put down her knife and fork, looking at her old friend. "You did a good job as the sheriff in town."

"Everyone needs something to hold onto, don't they?" Harold spread his hands, looking at the luxurious dining room. "My son died on the battlefield, my daughter-in-law died in a hospital bed. The Wilder family is down to just this old man. If I don't hold this family together, if I don't save these gold coins, who will take care of the last of the family's bloodline?"

At this point, Harold's mood sombered. He didn't look like the mastermind behind it all; he was just a pitiful old man whose edges had been worn smooth by life.

Ryan watched coldly as he dipped a piece of bread into the soup.

If it weren't for that cup of poison, he might have actually been moved by those words.

But now, he only feels hypocrisy.

Just then, a soft footstep came from behind the door.

The footsteps were very light and soft, like some small animal stepping on a carpet.

The door on the side of the restaurant was pushed open a crack.

Everyone stopped moving.

A little girl stood in the shadows by the doorway.

She looked only five or six years old, wearing a lace nightgown and clutching a somewhat worn-out teddy bear tightly in her arms.

His head was covered in sparse, soft blond hair, and his skin was quite pale, as if he had never seen the sun in years, like a fragile piece of porcelain.

"grandfather……"

The girl's voice was soft, as if she had come seeking Harold's comfort: "Nina had a nightmare..."

Harold, who had just been talking about the past, suddenly had a meltdown on his face.

He immediately put down his wine glass, walked over quickly, squatted down, and picked up the little girl.

"Oh, my little angel. Don't be afraid, Grandpa's here." Harold gently patted the girl's back, soothing her in his arms. "Did you dream of the big bad wolf? Grandpa will chase it away right away."

"Mmm..." Nina buried her face in Harold's neck and rubbed against him. "I want Grandpa to tell me a story."

Harold carried his granddaughter back to the table, and said apologetically to the guests, "I'm sorry, this is my granddaughter, Nina. I spoil her rotten; she can't be left alone for a moment."

"What a lovely child," Karen commented politely, her sharp eyes softening slightly.

Raine looked up and his gaze fell on the little girl.

The girl in front of me is really cute, with big, bright eyes that sparkle with innocence.

When she saw the strangers at the table, she shyly shrank into Harold's arms.

She buried her face in Harold's arms, only her eyes peeking out as she secretly observed the strangers on the table, especially Ella's pointed ears.

"Ears..." Nina muttered softly, her voice gentle and sweet, seemingly curious.

Ella paused for a moment, then subconsciously touched the tip of her ear. She picked up a small cookie from the plate and tentatively offered it to him.

"Want some? It's very sweet."

Nina didn't take it immediately, but looked up at Harold as if seeking his opinion.

"Here you go." Harold ruffled her hair, his tone as gentle as if he were a different person. "This is Sister Ella. She's a half-elf, that's why her ears look like that."

With permission, Nina carefully extended her pale little hand and took the cookie.

"Thank you, sister."

She didn't eat it right away, but instead nibbled on the edges like a squirrel.

As Raine watched this scene, his fingers, gripping the knife and fork, loosened slightly.

"She's lovely," Ryan said casually, cutting off a piece of lamb chop. "And there's a...scent of aromatherapy?"

"There's nothing we can do." Harold sighed, wiping the cookie crumbs from Nina's mouth as he explained, "Nina has been frail since childhood and has had a cold in her lungs. The doctor said she needs to have the room fumigated with special herbs and wear this calming sachet to suppress the illness."

Raine didn't ask any further questions, but silently put the last piece of mutton into his mouth.

"Speaking of which, that Baron..." Harold seemed reluctant to discuss his granddaughter's illness any further. He poured Karen a full glass of wine and changed the subject, "You saw him in the swamp? Is that madman still clinging to his 'Silver Law'?"

"Not only did he persist, but he executed it thoroughly." Karen took a sip of her drink, her eyes filled with complex emotions. "We watched him try to hang a zombie."

"Ha!" Harold scoffed at the absurdity of the story, his tone laced with mockery. "The Silver Law... that thing vanished long ago."

The old sheriff swirled the wine glass in his hand, staring at the liquid inside, as if he were reminiscing about the past.

"Karen, do you remember that young squire named Jerome from the border years ago?"

"I remember." Karen nodded. "That silly boy who got his right hand chopped off by the Knights for stealing a loaf of bread to share with the refugees."

"Yes, silly boy," Harold sighed. "He died later. Because he was missing a hand, he couldn't hold his shield and was pierced through the stomach by an orc's spear. At that time, I thought, what's the point of the law, the justice? If it can't even protect its own people, what's the meaning of it?"

After saying that, Harold took a big gulp of wine, leaving stains on his gray beard.

"Karen, I feel like I've changed. Sometimes I feel that chivalry is too abstract and unrealistic. I just want to protect Ironwood Town, protect my home, and protect Nina."

The air in the restaurant seemed to freeze for a moment.

Renn sensed that Harold's words were loaded with meaning.

The old man seemed to have seen through something; he was testing Karen, or even subtly warning her.

"As long as the goal is to protect, the means may not be so important." Karen put down her glass, giving an ambiguous answer, "But the premise is, don't lose your way."

"Direction?" Harold smiled but didn't reply.

After that, the four people at the table remained somewhat silent, quietly finishing their food, and dinner ended in this subtle atmosphere.

Nina had fallen asleep in Harold's arms, still clutching the half-eaten cookie tightly in her hand.

"It's getting late." Harold stood up, trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake his granddaughter. "The guest room is at the end of the corridor on the second floor; it's the quietest place in the whole house. As for Barron's matter... we'll talk about it tomorrow."

After saying that, he carried Nina and disappeared around the corner of the stairs.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony." Karen stood up and waved her hand, her casual manner making it seem as if she were really just staying at her old comrade's house for the night.

He yawned and patted Ella, who was still deep in thought, on the shoulder: "Let's go, we have to get up early tomorrow."