Colin’s heart felt heavy.

This winter disaster felt more severe than any before.

He felt that if Kase went back north, he would undoubtedly face immense trouble. In fact, for a cursed Half-Orc, heading to a north swarming with refugees was nothing short of a suicide mission.

But with his homeland and his people suffering from a disaster, no one had any reason to stop him.

’Should I go north with him to check things out?’

Setting aside whether a low-level Adventurer like him could even help, Colin sighed. The trip north would cost sixty Gold Coins. ’So am I just going to let this Half-Orc—my only brother right now—go back there to die?’

SNAP!

A finger snap echoed beside his ear.

Coming back to his senses, he saw the Half-Orc looking at him with a frown. "What are you thinking about?"

Colin looked around and realized the convoy had arrived at its destination.

In the distance, a Monastery stood amidst the fields. Various houses, barns, and windmills were scattered across the surrounding farmland. The low-slung houses were clustered in small groups of three to five, giving the area a spacious feel.

It was the busy farming season, and many monks and peasants were hard at work in the fields.

"Hey, didn’t you guys say you were getting off at the Golden Plain?" the coachman in front asked.

"Right, right!" Colin responded loudly, grabbing his backpack and jumping off the cart.

The convoy didn’t linger, continuing straight along the main road.

"What now?"

"Let’s head to the Monastery first. I remember they might let Adventurers stay the night," Colin said as he walked, pulling out the Earthworm hunting guide Donkexes had given him.

He had already read the little booklet many times over the past few days, but it was best to flip through it now and then, just in case.

The Earthworm was a large, carnivorous insect.

These creatures were adept at burrowing and preyed on forest animals, so livestock raised by farmers or herders often became their targets as well.

With habits like these, it was indeed likely for them to appear in places like the Golden Plain.

They walked and read by the faint light of dusk.

Before long, the two of them reached the Monastery they had seen earlier.

Colin went up and knocked on the main gate.

A balding old man in a green robe opened the gate. He glanced at the two people outside and asked, "Is there something I can do for you, sirs?"

"Are there any vacant rooms? We’d like to stay for the night. The stables would be fine too, of course."

"Of course. Please, come in."

With that, the old Priest led the two of them into the Monastery.

Aside from the most prominent stone chapel, there were several small buildings inside the Monastery. In the courtyard, a few elderly people in burlap clothes were washing fruits and vegetables.

It was different from the medieval churches Colin remembered.

The chapel here had almost nothing of value. The tables, chairs, and benches were all simple, and there weren’t even any floor tiles—they were walking on packed earth. The only things that might have had some value were the wreaths hanging on the walls and the building itself.

"The guest rooms are already full of refugees. You can rest here. Remember to go to the kitchen to get some food later," the old Priest said, gesturing to the floor.

Colin asked, "How much do we need to pay?"

"Peace and patience. That is all you need to offer. That is to say, do not engage in any armed conflict here, and join us for morning prayer tomorrow."

"Alright then, we’ll help you out in the future," Kase said, pulling out his all-purpose line of thanks.

"Just by coming here, you are already helping, Adventurers," the old Priest said with a smile. "Every monster you eliminate protects the fields here, so you don’t need to do anything more."

"In that case, have any Earthworms appeared here? We can offer our help," Colin took the opportunity to ask.

"Not around here, at least, sir," the old Priest said. "Perhaps you should check the more remote farmsteads. The herders there might be having trouble. After all, the world hasn’t been very peaceful lately."

"Alright, thank you," Colin nodded.

"And thank you as well."

With that, the old Priest left the chapel.

After that, Colin found a spot in a corner of the chapel to set up his sleeping bag. Once he was done, the Monastery began serving dinner.

Just as the old Priest had said, the place had indeed taken in many refugees.

The dining hall was basically packed to the brim.

The two of them had to wait in a long line before they got their food.

A bowl of steaming hot pumpkin oatmeal porridge, a few slices of freshly baked bread, and a couple of freshly picked apples.

As a Monastery dedicated to the Goddess of Harvest, it naturally had no shortage of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The two of them carried their food to a rock by the entrance, sat down, and began to dig in heartily.

The freshly baked bread was still warm. Although it lacked seasonings like butter or sugar, the crispy crust and its natural wheat aroma were quite delicious. The fresh apples and pumpkin porridge were, needless to say, excellent as well.

One could only say that being able to eat fresh food in an era like this was a true pleasure.

They passed the night peacefully.

The next morning, the refugees and the Monastery’s Priests gathered in the chapel.

Even though he had gotten a glimpse of it the day before, the number of people gathered here today still exceeded Colin’s expectations.

He and Kase stood awkwardly in the middle of the crowd.

Many people stole glances at the large, awkward Half-Orc. Colin noticed that most of their gazes were strange—not the pure hostility and vigilance he’d seen back in Flint Village, but a more complex emotion.

Just then, a few Priests walked into the crowd carrying a bucket of soil.

Using wooden ladles, they gave a scoop to everyone.

Colin followed the others’ example, cupping the soil in his hands and holding it to his chest.

Once everyone had received their soil, the old Priest stepped onto the high platform in the chapel and lit the candles by the altar.

"O Earth, a mother’s embrace, you bear my steps and nurture my food..."

A melodious song flowed from his lips.

"...O Sunlight, a father’s hand, you warm my seeds and urge their growth. O Rain, sweet mother’s milk, you moisten my fields and quench my thirst and hunger."

The surrounding crowd followed the old Priest, chanting line by line, their voices echoing throughout the chapel.

The atmosphere made Colin relax unconsciously.

Of course, as a modern man who had grown up under the red flag, it was difficult for him to feel any sense of belonging to this Goddess of Harvest. The inertia of his old mindset was hard to overcome, even in a world where Gods truly existed.

But even so, he had to admit that this was indeed a peaceful and tranquil place.

After the morning prayer, the two of them packed their things and got back on the road.

Colin looked at the surrounding fields.

The tranquility from the prayer still lingered in his heart.

In fact, when he first transmigrated, he had considered leaving the city to become a farmer. Unfortunately, the arable land around Thousand Masts City all belonged to the lords. A citizen like him, unable to afford land, could only become a serf if he went there to farm.

The exorbitant taxes were one thing, but serfs in this world couldn’t even make their own decisions about marriage or funerals. They were basically half-slaves.

As a modern man, Colin would never want to fall into such a state. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have become an Adventurer.