The little girl screamed as the gaping jaw of the monster drew closer, about to eat her whole.

Suddenly, Ishtar appeared beside the child and threw her in the direction of the Nightstalker's Master, turning the prey into herself. When the Tyrannosaurus bit the Nightstalker's body with its razor sharp teeth, she instantly snapped into half.

The Half-Elf hurriedly caught the girl with his arms, while his Skeleton Army and Rock Golems confronted the Monster to buy them both of them time to escape.

Lux could have fought the World Boss if he really wanted to, but he carried the little girl away, prioritizing the girl's safety.

"Jed!" Lux shouted and the Thunder Warg King appeared to allow his Master to ride on his back.

Without looking behind, Jed sprinted away. The entire forest was filled with the echoes of the World Boss' roars, making those who heard it also run away in fear. Truly terrified of the Monster that had almost eaten her, the girl in Lux's arms kept on crying.

Although the Half-Elf didn't know how a girl like her could casually take a stroll deep inside the forest alone and pick herbs, this was not the right time to ask her questions. He put his focus on retaining vigilance at everything that was in front of him and urging Jed to run as fast as it could.

Half an hour later, they were finally able to leave the forest due to Jed's full sprint towards the exit. Only when Lux was sure that they were safe did he ask his mount to stop.

"Don't worry, we're safe now," Lux said to the crying girl in his arms. "What's your name?"

The girl looked up and wiped the tears in her eyes. "Heidi *hic*."

"What a cute name," Lux commented as he wiped away her tears using his handkerchief. "Where do you live? I'll escort you back. Your parents must be worried about you."

Instead of answering Lux's question, Heidi looked in the direction of the forest with an anxious look on her face.

"Will Uncle Knight be okay?" Heidi asked. "That is a very big monster. He might get eaten by it."

"Uncle Knight?" Lux blinked in confusion. "Are you talking about that Living Armo I mean, that Crimson Knight in the forest?"

Heidi nodded her head. "Uncle Knight always helps me look for herbs in the forest, so I can sell them to the Adventurer's Guild. Mother is sick and I need to buy medicine for her. Uncle Knight is a very good person."

"...Yes. He is a good person. Your Uncle Knight is a good person."

"Un!"

After Heidi gave him directions, Lux arrived at a small hut that was still a good distance away from the outskirts of Brookwest Town.

The Half-Elf was also worried about the condition of Heidi's mother, so he decided to see if he could help her in any way.

"Mama! I'm back!" Heidi shouted before pushing the door. "Big Brother, please come in. I can give you some water."

"Thank you," Lux replied and entered the house.

In the right corner of the room was a bed that was big enough for two people to lay side by side. Sleeping on top of it was a woman who looked very pale and seemed to be suffering from a fever.

Lux knew a little bit about medicine because Vera had taught him the basics in preparation for his journey in Elysium.

After checking the vital signs of Heidi's Mama, the Half-Elf was relieved. Although she was suffering from a fever, her life wasn't in danger.

"I'll mix some medicines for your Mama," Lux said. "Are you hungry? I have some apple pies with me."

"I love apple pie!" Heidi exclaimed. "But aren't apple pies expensive? I don't have any money with me."

"It's fine. I'll give it to you for free."

"Mama said that I should be wary of strangers who give me food for free. She said that they can't be trusted, but I'll believe you, Big Brother. I trust you!"

Lux smiled, infected by Heidi's liveliness. He watched as the girl happily took a bite of the apple pie he gave her. Seeing the look of satisfaction on her face as she ate like a little hamster, Lux took out more food from his storage ring, which was supposed to be his snacks on his journey.

"Eat up, I still have a lot of food, Heidi."

"Wow! Big Brother, you are the best!"

"I know, right?"

Lux chuckled and gave the little girl a pat on the head before he started mixing fever medicine for her mother.

Since the herbs in his storage ring were already prepared and only needed to be mixed together, the medicine was finished within ten minutes.

'I guess I'll cook something first,' Lux thought. 'This medicine is a bit strong and cannot be taken in an empty stomach.'

Lux left the house for a bit and summoned Ishtar.

"I know I shouldn't ask this but, did it hurt when the Monster bit down on you?" Lux asked out of curiosity.

"A bit," Ishtar replied. "Why have you summoned me, Master?"

"Can you hunt some fowl in the forest for me? Two will be fine."

"Understood"

But before Ishtar could even carry out her task, she and Lux felt a powerful presence hiding behind a tree that was only dozens of meters away from the small hut where Heidi and her sick Mama stayed.

"Who's there?!" Ishtar shouted as she took out twin blades and stood in front of Lux in a defensive stance.

As if waiting for that cue, a tall figure emerged from behind the tree and looked at Lux and the Nightstalker with its glowing yellow eyes. In its hands were three pheasants that looked very plump.

Lux didn't feel any hostility coming from the Living Armor, so he didn't summon any of his minions and simply stared back at it.

The two stared at each other for a full minute before the Crimson Knight placed the three plump pheasants on the ground. It then took something out of its armor and placed it on the ground beside the pheasants before turning away.

Lux watched as the Crimson Knight headed towards the forest and disappeared from view.

Clearly, it only came to deliver the pheasants to Heidi and, perhaps, also a gift for Lux, who had rescued the little girl from the jaws of death.

"Go take it, Ishtar," Lux ordered.

The Nightstalker turned into black mist and reappeared beside the pheasants, which had been cleanly killed with one strike. However, Ishtar's eyes widened in shock after seeing the item that the Living Armor had placed beside the pheasants.

Ishtar hurriedly picked up the pheasants and the item that was left by the Living Armor and returned to her Master's side.

"Master, is this the flower we are looking for?" Ishtar asked as she handed the flower to Lux.

Lux nodded as he held the flower with great care.

"This is indeed the Passion Blossom that we are looking for," Lux replied. "Just why?"

Lux was still in doubt about why the Crimson Knight cared for the little girl, Heidi, and why it would even bother to give him a thank you gift for saving her.

For the time being, he set these thoughts aside and entered the house again to cook food for the mother and daughter pair.

Several hours later

"Thank you for taking care of my daughter," Heidi's Mama, Lilia, said with gratitude. "Heidi likes to pick herbs on the outskirts of the forest because there are no dangerous animals there.

"Even though I tried to stop her many times, she still goes there on her own, and when she returns home, she will always have a basket filled with herbs. By any chance, did you meet her in the outskirts of the forest earlier?"

Lux was about to say that he met Heidi deep in the forest and was almost eaten by a Rank 4 World Boss, but the words he was about to say were stuck in his mouth when he saw the little girl, who was standing behind her mother, pressed her hands together in a pleading gesture.

Her teary-eyed expression was enough to make Lux understand that her mother, Lilia, would be angry and get worried sick if she knew what her child had done in order to get some medicine for her.

"Yes," Lux replied. "I saw her looking for herbs along the outskirts and decided to bring her back home because it is too dangerous for a little girl to stroll around the forest alone."

Lilia nodded her head. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience she caused you. Heidi, please thank Sir Lux for helping you. He is even kind enough to cook for us and give me medicine."

Heidi heaved a sigh of relief and gave Lux a sweet smile because the Half-Elf didn't expose her near-death-experience to her mother.

"Thank you, Big Brother," Heidi said as she gave Lux a polite bow. "I promise not to go deep in the forest again."

"Again?" Lilia glanced at her daughter with a confused expression. "Did you go deep in the forest?"

"No! I mean, I promise I won't go deep inside the forest. I didn't say I went inside the forest."

"Good."

Lilia nodded her head in understanding. It didn't cross her mind that her daughter had gone to the depths of the forest on her own because that would be akin to inviting the wild beasts inside it to a free meal.

When Lilia went back to sleep in order to recover from her fever, Lux took Heidi to the Adventurers Guild to help her sell the herbs that she had collected.

After everything that happened, Lux was very reluctant to let the little girl wander alone on her own.

Because of this he decided to tag along, and ensure that no monsters, not even a common one, would hurt the little girl, who braved the dangers of the forest in order to save her mother's life.