As the Nightmare entered the range, Edgar didn’t hesitate to deploy the two ⟨Watch Tower⟩s.

The lights quickly condensed and shot beams at the intruder.

With no one in sight, the Nightmare began to thrash around the place. It hit the walls, breaking whatever was left.

But as the beams of light kept hitting its huge body, the rabbit let out deep cries of pain.

Two of them hit the side of the Nightmare, taking out chunks of its flesh.

Edgar remained hidden while keeping an eye on the Nightmare.

He was assessing the situation and finding its behavioural pattern.

The beam once again hit the left eye of the huge rabbit, injuring it heavily.

’From what I can see, this thing doesn’t have much intelligence but it does have a sense of belonging.’

Edgar gripped his spear tightly.

’Perhaps it only attacked the fortress because I killed too many of the Snow Hand Rabbits.’

After a few minutes, the speed and strength of the Nightmare dwindled incredibly low.

It slowed down before coming to a full halt, sitting down on the ground.

The beams didn’t give it time to rest. They kept attacking it again and again until it stopped moving.

Once Edgar confirmed that the Nightmare was truly dead, only then did he let out a deep sigh.

He would be lying if he said he wasn’t afraid. His rapidly beating heart was enough to proof the fear the Nightmare created.

In only a few minutes of its rampage, the Nightmare had broken most of the intact walls and even damaged the mimicked ⟨Watch Tower⟩.

Edgar and Oswald walked out of their hiding spot and moved closer.

The horns on the Nightmare’s head began to mutate as they changed in shape and size.

After only a few seconds, fifteen Nightmare Stones broke out of its body and dropped on the ground.

Apart from the Nightmare Stones, there were two other things.

One was a lump-like object that looked like the Nightmare Shard Edgar had gotten before, but it was slightly different.

The other was an object in the shape of a sword.

Edgar picked up the Nightmare Shard while Oswald collected the stones.

A series of words appeared in front of his eyes once again.

⟨Nightmare Shard: Snow Hand Rabbit’s Leader⟩

⟨Grade: White⟩

⟨Ritual: Bury it in the Agricultural Land and use the ashes of Black Grassroots as fertilizer⟩

⟨Ability: Increase in strength and density of muscles⟩

Edgar nodded as his lips curled into a smile. ’Now I have two Shards that can increase my strength and speed.’

With how things were going in his new life, Edgar was desperate to increase his own strength.

He couldn’t always rely on his system to help him out in every dire situation.

’The stronger I am, the better.’

"What about this, young master?" Oswald asked, passing him the sword-like object.

Edgar took it and observed it as words appeared in front of his eyes.

⟨Nightmare Material: Snow Hand’s Sword⟩

⟨Grade: White⟩

⟨Ritual: Melt with any Cold Ore to create a fine sword⟩

⟨Ability: Can freeze the blood of its victim⟩

Edgar rubbed his chin and thought. ’This will come in handy as well.’

He looked at Oswald and asked. "What’s a Cold Ore, uncle?"

"They are ores that are only found in really cold places." He replied. "You can find some of them in Sarogan Bazaar but they will be expensive."

Edgar nodded and passed it back to Oswald. "Keep it safe for a while, uncle."

"As you say, my Lord."

Edgar looked at the dead body of the Nightmare and grumbled inwardly. ’What should I do about this?’

---

A few hours passed and the Eternal Night subsided once more.

The dull grey-black fog began to cover the place again, resembling something like daytime.

Edgar sat close to the fire and looked around him.

After killing the Snow Hand Rabbit’s Leader, no Nightmare attacked them again, though Edgar wasn’t dispirited.

He was satisfied with last night’s haul after killing the Humanoid Nights and the rabbit.

’I just hope there are more Nightmares tonight.’

Edgar let out a sigh and looked at the guest house whose door opened up.

Lady Viera walked out along with her son. She bowed her head when she arrived in front of him.

"Thank you for saving our lives." She said in a subdued voice. "We would be dead if not for you."

Her son, Andrew, did the same. His voice echoed after his mother. "Thank you for being kind to us."

"We had a deal." Edgar replied, shaking his head. "Adhere to it and that would be more than enough."

The lady nodded her head frantically before she asked. "Where are all the ingredients? I will prepare breakfast."

Edgar called Oswald, who was resting in his house, and asked him to guide her.

Once she was gone, Edgar thought, ’I need to buy all the ingredients and some animals as well.’

The food in the fortress wasn’t much. He was sent here to die so he couldn’t bring anything else either.

’Looks like I will have to make a trip to Sarogan Bazaar soon.’

Lady Viera’s son stood close to Edgar, seeming hesitant to speak.

"You can talk." Edgar said without looking at him. "I won’t mind."

Andrew lowered his head and stammered in reply. "I-I s-saw the Nightmare attack and how you were able to deal with them."

The young boy’s shining eyes landed on him. "I wish to be a Knight someday and kill all the Nightmares like you, sir."

Edgar finally looked at the boy. He was of average height and decent build. He had the same black hair and brown eyes as his mother.

Even though there was sadness in his eyes, there was also youthful hope in them.

"Have you trained with swords?" Edgar asked quietly.

The boy shook his head. "My... late father only trained me with spears."

"Have you tried to absorb Nightmare Stones to become an Aberrant?"

The boy looked conflicted as he said in a fleeting voice. "...My family can’t afford to waste even a single stone."

Edgar hummed without saying anything.

’Hmm, the condition of normal people is much worse than I expected.’

After thinking for a while, Edgar found it reasonable.

This world was lawless where death lurked everywhere at night.

Expecting humans to be sane and normal was too much.

"Do you have anyone else in your family?" Edgar asked while looking at him.

The young boy shook his head again. "Everyone in our bloodline is either dead or far away." He sighed softly. "I only have my mother now."

Edgar wanted to ask what they would do now but he felt it wasn’t the right time.

The family had already lost their breadwinner. It wouldn’t be surprising if they died soon.

His train of thought halted when he heard the sound of footsteps.

He held back a sigh as he looked toward the front of the fortress. ’Who would come this early?’

Two people appeared in front of his eyes. They wore bronze armour with a sun engraved on it.

Edgar recognised them instantly. They were Banjo and Michi, the soldiers of the Yamhad Clan.