<strong>Alice</strong><br/><br/>The village leaders balked at Alice's suggestion, all of them arguing amongst themselves as they slowly freed each other one by one.  The elder however was patient, calm and quiet.<br/><br/>"The Army is on the move finally?  What about the Silesian troops they were facing?"<br/><br/>"Does it matter?  Since when have either of them even bothered to commit soldiers to this area?  Our town is out of the way of the main roads after all, so all we get are wanderers, deserters and bandits."<br/><br/>"And we asked the Silesian deserters for help, and they ended up siding with the bandits!  All we can do at this point is ask a wanderer, right?"<br/><br/>"That's right!  When has the army ever answered our petitions for a garrison?  The last time was, what, ten years ago?  And those they sent were just brigands themselves who joined the local thieves the moment they arrived!"<br/><br/><br/><strong>Maribelle</strong><br/><br/>The children, nodding and keeping quiet with thoughts of their father, agreed to follow after Maribelle as she makes her rounds of the outlying houses.  Unfortunately these houses are just as ruined and cleaned out, and unlike the children's home the bandits have left no one behind.  There doesn't seem to be any blood or bodies however, which means the bandits must have taken them as well.  Near these homes is a forest path that heads toward the foot of a nearby mountain where the bandits had previously retreated toward.  Their base was likely there, and these homes being isolated and closest to them were emptied first.  Did the bandits have the same thing in mind for the rest of the villagers, or just these families specifically?<br/><br/><br/><strong>Nanami</strong><br/><br/>The simple folk of the village looked to each other with some confusion and curiosity.  "Then... then we are still ignored?" one of them asked to both Nanami and his fellows.  "No way..."  The slight depression in their mood hit all around, but a few were still in good spirits and thankful for whatever blessing they had.<br/><br/>"Missie," asked an elderly grandfather clinging desperately to his walking stick, "You know, it's been years since I've seen anyone stand up to these men<em>and win</em>.  And I fear I'll never see such a thing again if we wait for another blessing like yourself.  At the very least we can offer you and your friends whatever supplies we can manage to spare, though much of it has already been carried off by those thugs.  And afterwards I will pray for your safe travel when you leave tonight or tomorrow.  It's the least we can do."