Chapter 469: Chapter 357: ’Eight-Nine Sun’ Children’s Clothing Workshop

"Lira, you didn’t go to the forest?" Yu Le closed his eyes, relaxing as a young woman behind him massaged his shoulders.

"I didn’t go. The goblins have been all but wiped out from the forest’s edge this whole winter." Lira shook her head. "It feels like that big cleanup scared them all off."

"No. The forest can be lacking in many things, but never goblins." Yu Le chuckled, correcting her.

"You’re right, Uncle Yu Le." Lira nodded. "I’ve seen some formidable goblins with my own eyes."

At this, Yu Le didn’t answer. Instead, he sighed.

Realizing this, Lira knew she had misspoken. "I’m sorry, Uncle Yu Le."

"It’s nothing. It’s just a cruel twist of fate." Yu Le waved his hand dismissively.

"But if you had been with Philip then, maybe things wouldn’t have ended up this way."

Yu Le chuckled softly. He reached up and patted the back of the hand on his shoulder, then sat up straight. "There are no ’what ifs’ in this world. I volunteered to His Lordship the Count to mentor Young Master Philip, so I must bear the risk of failure."

"But when it happened, you were escorting goods to Torch City," Lira argued, clearly unhappy with how her uncle had been treated.

Yu Le smiled and shook his head, then motioned for Lira to pour him a glass of water. "Sometimes, that’s just how things are. Perhaps I should be thankful I didn’t follow the young master into the forest. Otherwise..."

"No," Lira interrupted as she poured the water. "You would have been fine. The Divine Beings protect good people like you."

"A good person?" Yu Le smiled bitterly. ’I’d wager a lot of people are cursing my name right now.’

"Is it because of the tax increase?" Lira placed the glass on the table, looking at her uncle with concern.

"Where’s Luna?" Yu Le dodged the question, changing the subject.

"Probably out on the streets again, looking for something tasty to eat or fun to do." Lira sighed softly. She didn’t know what to do with her carefree little sister.

"When are you planning to go back into the forest?" Yu Le picked up his glass and took a sip.

"Not for a while. I heard at the Ear-Cleaning Master Tavern that a lot of Adventurers will be returning to Yangjiao Town after spring. If we go into the forest now, we’re very likely to run into Magical Beasts. I think it’s better to wait for more people. That way, we can find suitable members for a party."

"I know I can’t talk you out of it. All of you from the Abbot Clan are the same—stubborn." Yu Le gripped the cup with both hands, speaking in an exasperated tone. "You’re just like your father was."

"My father..." Lira’s lips thinned as she fell silent.

"That man..." Yu Le closed his eyes, lost in thought for a moment, then looked up at the ceiling. "If it wasn’t for you and your sister, he never would have gone into the forest with me."

"Us?"

"You were just children, and your mother had already passed away. Abbot wanted to earn a promotion. A common guard could raise you, but he couldn’t give you a better future." Uncle Yu Le set down his cup, his gaze appraising the graceful young woman before him. "So many years have passed in a flash. You’ve both grown so big."

"What exactly happened back then?"

"Back then?" Yu Le thought for a moment. "There was a rumor about a mine in the forest. Some Adventurers reported seeing Kobolds in it."

"Kobolds?" Lira frowned.

"That’s right. You’re an Adventurer now, so you should know about creatures like Kobolds. They live underground year-round, and their passion is digging. These things are only half the height of a man, but they have very keen noses. You can often find valuable things in their mines."

Uncle Yu Le held up a hand, stopping Lira before she could ask, and continued, "His Lordship the Count heard the rumor too, but he didn’t pay it much mind at the time. It was your father who saw it as a great opportunity. If he could actually find a Kobold mine for the Valentine Clan, he might get an immediate promotion. There would be a good chance he could become a Small Noble."

"So he asked you to go with him?"

"Yes," Uncle Yu Le smiled bitterly. "But we underestimated the forest. We thought our skills were enough to see us through, but we ran into a Magical Beast. Your father said, ’I’m the one who dragged you into this. I’ll hold it off. You run! From now on, I’m leaving Lira and Luna in your care.’"

Lira fell silent, her hands trembling slightly. She had long suspected this was how it ended. After all, one often heard similar stories among Adventurers.

Seeing Lira’s somber expression, Yu Le sighed softly. "Are you sure you won’t reconsider? I may be far from Black Lion City, but I still have connections. I can arrange for you to join the guards, to serve as a personal guard to the Count’s womenfolk."

"I..." Lira managed only a single word before trailing off.

"Alright, I get it," Uncle Yu Le said with a wave of his hand. They had had this conversation many times and were both used to the script. "I only have one request: you must be careful. If something seems wrong, run immediately. Between you and Luna, you should be able to escape with your lives if you focus on that."

Thinking of her past close calls, Lira bit her lip. She had never told Uncle Yu Le about the dangers she’d faced. Instead, she would always speak casually about things she had found or the various companions she had met.

"I know, Uncle Yu Le." Lira nodded emphatically.

"Actually," Yu Le paused for a moment. "Now is a really good time. The Count has finalized a new partnership. His army and guards will be expanding, and he’ll need to protect his family from assassination attempts. The demand for female guards will increase significantly. If you join now, with your uncle’s connections, you’re sure to advance quickly."

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