"Will you really play horseback riding with me? Sarah is so happy."
The Young Girl's little face, like an angel's, was radiant with a smile like a hundred flowers blooming.
I... Holy crap, such big, sparkling eyes! Is this perhaps the legendary signature ultimate move, the Sparkling Invincible Meteor Eyes?
Seeing the situation was bad, I immediately dodged away. Thankfully, the main attack target wasn't me, otherwise...
As expected, the two Barbarian brothers seemed frozen in place as if by a paralysis spell, one foot suspended in mid-air, unable to put it down no matter what. They could only helplessly turn their bodies, their stiff smiles as rigid as zombies.
"Little Shala, Uncle Doug still has a few matters. How about we come play with you next time?"
Doug said with a fawning, almost obsequious expression. Geoff also quickly nodded from the side: "Yes, yes, we just heard there's a large group of Fallen attacking villagers. We want to rush over and take a look..."
Damn it, I didn't expect Geoff could lie so convincingly. It seems I'm the purest among the four of us.
"Is... is that so? Then Sarah won't bother Uncle Doug and Uncle Geoff. Uncles, please be careful. Come play with Sarah often in the future, okay?"
The considerate Young Girl lowered her head with a sad expression, fiddling with her little white floral sleeve.
"Daddy is often not home, Mommy is also very busy. Uncle Doug and Uncle Geoff haven't come for a long time either. Sarah is so lonely. Sarah is a child nobody loves, nobody pays attention to Sarah..."
As she spoke, her big, watery eyes turned red, and her fluttering eyelashes drooped. What a little enchantress! I didn't expect an old stick like Lars could actually have such a beautiful daughter...
The legendary incredibly cute and sad version of the Sparkling Invincible Meteor Eyes is out! Oh oh oh, thankfully I had already dodged away.
Doug and Geoff weren't so lucky. Under the Young Girl's "innocent" gaze attack, their hearts were utterly battered. Feelings of guilt, shame, and other sins surged into their hearts. They are Otherworlders after all. Not to mention Geoff, even the thick-skinned Doug also had that generally simple and honest side. If it were in the original world, maybe the Young Girl acting like this would not only fail to gain sympathy and pity but instead arouse some people's evil desires. Hmph hmph~~
What, you're saying that person is me? How could that be? I'm not that kind of person, really...
In the end, the poor Barbarian brothers in misfortune were still dragged away by the Young Girl, while I ended up with leisure. The Young Girl seemed very shy; when looking at me, her gaze was always evasive, very cute.
"Wu, congratulations on returning from your training."
Lars said to me with a happy expression.
"Thank you, Lars, thanks to your guidance."
I said sincerely. My combat experience was taught by Lars, and most of my Diablo knowledge was taught by Akara. The two of them can be said to be my initial mentors, and they have shown me great kindness. I, Wu Fan, am definitely not someone who forgets kindness. If not for the two of them, even if I had the bugged amulet, I might have already faced certain death. Sometimes, relative experience is often more important than relative strength. Take camping for example; if Akara hadn't taught me, I might have just set up camp anywhere and slept until midnight, only for a few small teams of Fallen to suddenly play resurrection in my tent. Hmph hmph...
"What level are you now?"
Lars took the cup his wife handed over and took a comfortable sip.
"I'm level 3," I continued carrying out my great bluffing undertaking.
"Thank you," I quickly said, taking the cup Lars's wife handed over.
"This is my wife, Sari."
Lars pointed at this beautiful middle-aged woman, with unspeakable pride in his tone. Their feelings for each other were incredibly sweet.
"This is my friend, Wu Fan," Lars gently reported to his wife.
I looked at Sari; she really was a very beautiful woman. Sarah's enchantress-like beauty was probably inherited from her.
"Wu Fan? That's a very special name. Can I call you Wu like Lars does?"
Lars's wife, Sari, covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her expression gentle and charming. This guy Lars really struck gold, having a good wife and a cute daughter.
"Of course you can, it's my honor."
After Sari left, I said, not without jealousy: "Lars, your life is really comfortable. A gentle wife, a cute daughter, tsk tsk..."
Is that so? My words seemed to have touched upon something, and Lars smiled a little reluctantly.
"What's wrong? You look like you're half-dead. Could it be... you, well, can't...?"
"You're the one who can't!"
It concerned a man's dignity. Even with Lars's usual composure, his face darkened.
"It's just..." Lars glanced into the distance where the two Barbarians were accompanying Sarah, and said with a face full of guilt.
"I feel sorry for Doug and Geoff, that's all."
"Hmm, how do you mean?"
"Doug and Geoff, they are both very talented Adventurers. It's just, it's just, they followed the incompetent me."
Lars suddenly held his head in his hands, his pained appearance caught me off guard. He's not a child anymore; how can he just cry like that?
"I can never let go of my home, always hoping to spend more time with Sari and Sarah. I'm always afraid of going to the battlefield and never seeing them again. Doug, Geoff, they were all dragged down by me. It's all my fault."
"A few years ago, some of the Adventurers who underwent Class Change with me have already headed towards Lut Gholein. The rest are also preparing to challenge Andariel. Only I am still lingering on, achieving nothing notable."
"Wu, do you look down on me? As a noble Paladin, cowardly and incompetent, not striving for progress, always indulging in the warmth of home. Even so, even if I am insulted like this, I am willing. It's just Doug and Geoff, they originally had hope of pushing towards Lut Gholein, but because of me..."
"And Sari and them, they... Wu, you just saw Sarah, she's already a 17.5 years-old girl, still playing the horseback riding game with me. Don't you think it's ridiculous? No, it's not ridiculous at all. Since she was born, I, this incompetent father, haven't been able to spare much time to accompany her. In her heart, the way she communicates with her 'heartless' father still only remains at the horseback riding game she knew when she was three years old..." (I don't know wtf is that but don't question the author's social talk, as he is not experienced at all at this time. befre chapter 300-400 only focuses on mc when he is alone.)
Lars, having opened up the topic, was like floodwaters released from a dam; the bitterness and sorrow suppressed in his heart all poured out. He sobbed uncontrollably, whimpering softly. That severely distraught appearance left me dumbfounded. I didn't expect the usually steady and humorous Lars actually hid such unknown pain.
I deeply understood Lars's feelings at this moment. As an Adventurer, bound by family, with an attachment to family affection, and the two contradictory ideas instilled since childhood—defending the Dark Continent and expelling the Hell Forces—were constantly struggling and clashing fiercely within him. To describe it with a phrase that isn't quite appropriate but is very fitting, it's "Loyalty and Filial Piety cannot be fully achieved simultaneously."
And because of his own hesitation, the two brothers, Doug and Geoff, who followed him, also spent their days achieving nothing notable and doing nothing. This made Lars feel extremely guilty.
"Uncle Ral, you're thinking too much."
I patted his shoulder. Lars raised his head, his red-rimmed eyes looking at me.
"Actually, to be honest with you, my thoughts are also similar to yours. Do you know what my biggest dream is after becoming a Druid? I think, I'm a Druid now, my status is different; I should be able to use this to find a good wife. At that time, I'll take her and live in seclusion in the mountains and forests, living a peaceful and happy life. Who cares what happens to the Dark Continent?"
Seeing Lars fall silent, I struck while the iron was hot and said: "So, you don't need to feel ashamed or sad for having these thoughts. Nobody likes war. Killing and being killed, accompanied by the passing of life, is always so painful and unsettling. Nobody wants to be separated. Everyone has people they cherish. It's just that the way they choose to protect them is slightly different from yours. They hope that by killing one more enemy on the battlefield, the safety of the people they cherish will increase by one more measure. And you..."
I looked at Lars with a half-smile.
"...are a bit more exaggerated, not only protecting their safety but also hoping to protect their hearts. You might not be an excellent warrior, but you are definitely an excellent father. Nobody can mock you for this, absolutely nobody..."
"As for Doug and Geoff, I don't know what they think, but you don't need to carry any guilt. Following you was their own choice. If they felt unwilling, they would naturally choose to leave. Everything is their choice; it has nothing to do with you."
"Not bad..."
Doug and Geoff, I didn't know when, had already stood beside me. At this moment, they roared loudly, their tiger-like eyes red, tears streaming down. What kind of feelings could make these rough and tough iron men shed tears?
(end of chapter)