Verna's voice cut through the air near the gate, sharp enough that several people nearby stopped what they were doing.
"Kaela," she said, her tone hard and cold. "Do you have to cause trouble wherever you go? Why didn't you come to me even after knowing I summoned you? Instead, you stayed here and created more problems. Do I, the elder of this tribe, look like a joke to you?"
Kaela stood with her arms still loose, fists clenched. Her jaw was tight, but she did not look away. Maen shifted uncomfortably beside her. Shilla kept her eyes on the ground, feeling guilty for getting Kaela into trouble. The full version of what had happened in the forest was already out. She had not hidden the fact that the three of them had charged the kobolds against orders. That was why Verna's patience had finally snapped.
A few steps away, Priest John heard the raised voice and frowned. He left Lys's side and walked toward the group.
"Uhh, Elder Verna," John said carefully as he approached. "I understand she tried to drive these men away, but you don't have to shout at her this coldly, do you?" He said it thinking Verna was just scolding Kaela this harshly only for this gate incident.
Verna turned her head toward him. Her grip on the staff remained firm.
"Priest John," she said, "if you hear what this woman did back in the forest, even you would feel anger boiling inside you right now."
John looked at Kaela, Maen, and Shilla more closely. Recognition crossed his face.
"Oh," he said. "Aren't you three the ones who left with the strike team this morning? I remember blessing you guys too. Why are you here now? Did something happen in the forest? Aren't you supposed to be with the strike team?"
Kaela opened her mouth, but Verna spoke first.
"And that's what I'm angry about. These three disobeyed a direct order. They charged a pack of kobolds when the Guild Master and our Niruha told them to avoid the fight. It seems that is the reason they were sent back. For causing trouble with the strike team."
John's expression grew more serious. He looked between Kaela, Maen, and Shilla.
"Is that true?"
Even through all of this, Kaela spoke in her usual rude voice, "Those kobolds could have moved toward the village. We stopped them." Her words came out a little louder as she was trying to speak in her defence.
"Aghh, you fool. Do you still think you are in the right here? That was not your decision, you stupid girl," Verna snapped.
"The strike team had one goal. Finding the dungeon gate before tonight. Not starting every fight that appears in front of them. Do you really think they can finish this mission before night falls with so few people in the team now? Before leading that charge, didn't this thought ever come to your mind at all that if that mission fails, this whole village will be in danger, even if the strike team manages to close the dungeon gate at last? Attacks from waves of monsters in between are almost inevitable if they don't manage to close it fast before waves start coming toward the village. Do you think this village is capable of driving a horde from a dungeon?"
While Verna was speaking, Kaela now just stared at the ground, thinking, as doubts finally started forming in her head, now that the old woman was making things easier for her to understand as she kept scolding her. Though she still didn't think what she did back at the forest was in any way wrong, standing up for the people they lost, she at least understood now, she might've ruined the mission itself by pulling that stunt back there.
The shouting of Verna was starting to pull everyone's attention again, the village guards watching in silence, and the three tired men near the wall staying quiet, clearly unsure whether speaking would make things worse.
Near the injured man on the ground, Selene was still continuing her healing work. The soft glow under her hands had grown a little weaker by now. As her mana was getting lower after two consecutive full-body healings back to back, sweat had formed on her forehead. Healing one person thoroughly was already demanding, while another two were still to be healed right after this one.
Mira noticed first. She stepped closer to Lys and gave his arm a small nudge, then tilted her head toward Selene.
Lys followed her gaze. He saw the tension in Selene's shoulders and the way her breathing had grown a little heavier. The situation around the gate was serious, but the injured men could not wait forever while everyone else was engaged in arguing and scolding.
He stepped forward.
"Excuse me, everyone," Lys said, raising his voice just enough to cut through the exchange. "Sorry to interrupt you guys, but let's decide what to do about this situation first before going into what happened in the forest. Shall we?"
Realising he was right, the talking stopped almost immediately. Verna turned her head toward him. John looked over as well. Kaela's eyes narrowed slightly, but she stayed quiet for the moment.
Lys continued, keeping his tone steady.
"We have three men here who have been running for hours. One of them is still unconscious. Selene is already working on them, but it seems she cannot handle everything alone while we stand here arguing. Priest John, can you take a look at them first?"
John glanced at the men, then at his daughter. He gave a short nod.
"Yeah, you're right, lad," he said. "The injured come first. Elder Verna, let's talk about this later."
He moved toward Selene and knelt on the other side of the unconscious man. The soft light of his own magic joined hers a moment later.
Lys looked at Verna next.
"Elder Verna, I understand this matter with Kaela is important to you. But right now the gate is open, and we still have not decided whether these men stay or leave. That decision affects the whole village."
Verna's expression remained stern, but she did not argue immediately. Her eyes moved from Lys to the three men, then back to Kaela, before she also got down to have a closer look at the men.