Absorbing such a massive amount of information in so short a time was bound to cause severe brain damage.
If nothing went wrong, he would be crippled for life.
Even if he could be healed… after witnessing so many thrilling scenes, returning to a normal state would be impossible.
"Huff… huff…"
"If I die like this, it'll probably be the most painful death in the world, won't it?"
Glancing at the burly man on the ground and making sure he wouldn't wake any time soon, Weston finally exhaled in relief.
Mavis trotted over, eyes glistening with tears. "Weston, you're hurt…"
"It's nothing—just a shallow cut. A few days and I'll be fine. The enemy will be drawn by the noise, so we need to move—now!"
"…Mm, let me help you."
Half an hour later Weston led Mavis and Zera back to the safehouse where he'd left Mavis, raided his home for salve and food, and returned to the cave.
That night, in the dim underground cavern, the three huddled together and, exhausted and anxious, fell into uneasy sleep.
The next day, Zera woke with a start.
Confronted by the unfamiliar surroundings, the young lady, still clueless about what had happened, began to kick up a fuss.
When Weston explained, Zera felt the sky itself collapse. She had to rush outside to see the truth.
But Weston's magic map showed Blue Skull hadn't fully withdrawn, so he couldn't let her leave and had to tie her up instead.
Only on the third day, once every last Blue Skull member was gone, did Weston bring Mavis and Zera back to the surface.
Atop a low hill, staring at the distant ruins of their village, all three wore looks of despair.
"Is… anyone still alive?"
"Probably not many, but I believe some are!"
"Come on, let's go into the village and see."
Soon the trio reached the settlement.
Up close, the devastation of their "hometown" was even more shattering than from the hill.
The two girls couldn't hold back their tears.
While guiding them in search of Guild Master Zeeself's body, Weston cast a telepathy spell and broadcast outward—
[All enemies have withdrawn; the island is safe. If anyone is still alive, please gather in the village!]
[I repeat!]
[All enemies have…]
Half an hour later the three found Guild Master Zeeself's corpse beneath a collapsed stone wall in the central square.
Several Red Lizard Wizards lay there as well, though most had been burned beyond recognition.
Zera wept bitterly.
About an hour later the survivors who'd heard Weston's call trickled in one by one.
Confronted by the carnage, everyone fell silent; they could only clear the bodies and carve out a crude area as a temporary base.
Night fell; after a head-count—
"Of over a thousand Tenrou People, only a third are left?"
An elderly man seated in their midst heaved a deep sigh.
Beside him a middle-aged man grimaced. "Nothing we could do—those devils were ruthless; they didn't spare children, women, or the old."
"Frankly, having a third survive is already a miracle."
"We owe that to Weston's warning and the safehouse he prepared—otherwise even more would've died."
"Yes, we're truly grateful to him."
The remaining survivors all turned grateful eyes toward Weston.
"No matter what, life must go on."
"Starting tomorrow, let's join hands and rebuild our home!"
…In the blink of an eye, a week had passed since Blue Skull's invasion of Tenrou Island.
After days of rest Weston's injuries had mostly healed.
That day's Sword-Pressure had been blunted by the magic power-Shield he conjured, leaving only a faint scar across his chest.
Even better, infection had set in.
Given Tenrou's limited medical skills—and the fact that every resource had been looted—had things worsened he might not have been savable.
As for security… perhaps Blue Skull believed everyone dead, or perhaps they'd already seized the island's hereditary treasure, the Tenrou Jade.
Whatever the reason, the enemy never returned, and the survivors breathed easier.
The fewer than three hundred Tenrou People who'd survived banded together to rebuild.
But simply clearing the battlefield and burning or burying the corpses took three full days.
Grim and exhausting though it was, the task had to be done—otherwise plague would follow.
While cleaning up, someone noticed the Tenrou Jade was missing.
After some deduction everyone concluded Blue Skull had taken it, and regret filled their hearts.
Fortunately, no one suggested retrieving it.
The islanders knew their limits: three hundred weary folk could never stand against a mighty Magic Guild, so they resigned themselves to the loss.
As for revenge—they dared not even think of it.
For them, rebuilding was the only priority.
No one chose to rebuild atop the old village site.
Blue Skull's assault had reduced it to rubble; reconstructing there would first require clearing mountains of debris—
a waste of manpower Tenrou could ill afford.
Choosing a new location would be faster.
After discussion they picked the island's western side, centering the new settlement on the Library and schoolhouse.
There were two main reasons.
First, when the children had studied here the islanders had already set up several outposts nearby—dining halls and the like.
With such infrastructure in place, rebuilding would be far simpler.
Second, the schoolhouse area was open and flat, close to the river.
That would make transporting supplies, erecting defenses, catching food, or digging irrigation ditches all the easier.
Beyond those points, there was also the children's education.
But that would be considered only after their new home stood complete.