Oliver's blow caught the elder by surprise, but he had gone through worse, far worse, and seeing that he's just a kid, he took the hits without much resistance. Seeing the kid's fighting spirit, the elder was reminded of his past self and felt a sense of guilt for sending them off, but he had a duty to uphold after all. Before they left, the elder beckoned out to them, "I sincerely hope all of you will find a better life, and were the circumstances different, I would've accepted all of you". The elder then gave a slight pause and said "Oh... whatever happens, DO NOT travel down the river, there are ships travelling away from the island, you do not want to let your masters down now do you...?", finishing his sentence with a slight smile.