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n?”Interacting with others, it may seem as if I navigate with ease, but in reality, it’s far from that, even clumsy wouldn’t be an overstatement,” Vivia observed with precision that took Howard by surprise.

nAs a king, it was indeed true; he had almost lost the art of socializing.

nHe believed his facade was convincing, yet Vivia saw through the essence of his being.

n“You’re hiding something. I don’t know what it is, but it must be significant to you,” she noted.

n“Everyone has their secrets; complete honesty is an impossibility. Such is the nature of humans, a contradictory species, forever chasing after what we know is unattainable.”

n“I am such a person, too,” Vivia said, her laughter tinged with self-mockery. .

n“I won’t ask you to explain anything. I understand that doing so would make you vanish.”

n“Though I have no reason to be sure, this I am certain of—perhaps it’s a woman’s intuition.”

n“So, at the very least, I hope you can come to understand me a bit more. I hope you can stay here a little longer, and when the time comes for you to disappear, let there be one more bond holding you back.”

n“This is something I’ve only recently come to realize with certainty.”

n“That’s everything I wanted to tell you.”

nVivia’s voice was low; Howard had to concentrate to catch her words.

nIf his attention had wavered even slightly, he might not have grasped what she was saying.

nIn the inn’s second floor, behind a slightly ajar window, Antalya’s gaze lingered on Vivia, nestled against Howard, in the courtyard below.

n“Antalya sister, what are you looking at?” Jelia, seated on the bed and dressed in the cotton dress Howard had brought back, asked.

nThe dress, meant for an eleven- or twelve-year-old girl, hung loosely on her, making her small frame seem even more diminutive.

nThe dress accentuated her tininess, and her ears twitched atop her head. 𝑖𝘦.𝒸𝘰𝘮

n“A rather unhappy story,” Antalya replied with a smile, walking over to Jelia and gently stroking her hair.

n“Jelia, what kind of person is Howard… to you?”

nThis question might have seemed complex for someone of Jelia’s age, but after some thought, she had her answer.

n“A guardian?” She nodded confidently.

n“As long as I don’t leave, he’ll always protect me. Howard said so.”

n“Did he really say that?” Antalya’s expression turned peculiar.

nSeeing Jelia nod affirmatively, a subtle shade of gloominess crept into her demeanor.

n“Sister… does Vivia… does Sister Vivia like Howard?” Jelia’s words surprised Antalya.

nFor a girl of merely seven or eight, even if precocious due to her environment, “like” should have been a distant dream.

n“Do you… understand what you’re saying?” Antalya peered into Jelia’s eyes.

n“I suppose?” Jelia tilted her head, puzzled.

n“I… can somehow feel… Sister Vivia ‘likes’ Howard.”

nIt sounded like a certain perception of emotions.

nWas this a manifestation of the legendary ability of pure-blooded orcs to read minds?

nAntalya found a plausible explanation for Jelia’s insight; otherwise, a seven-year-old capable of seeing through people… was unsettling.

n“And what about you?”

n“Me?”

nJelia paused for a moment, then a mischievous smile appeared on her face.

n“It’s a secret, Sister Antalya.”

n“You little rascal!” Antalya chuckled, ruffling her hair before pulling her into a hug.

n“Then… what about Brother Howard? Who does he… like?”

n“I… I don’t know… I can’t tell,” Jelia confessed, shaking her head in slight frustration.

nWith a soft sigh, Antalya closed her eyes, deciding to catch some more sleep.

nThen, a knock on the door interrupted the quiet.

nThe knocks were neither too long nor too short, remarkably steady, much like the manner of the person behind them, always adhering to rules in a methodical way.

nCould it be Ali?

nAntalya got up from the bed, draped a garment over herself, and opened the door.

n“Manager, may I know today’s schedule?” Ali didn’t beat around the bush, his question ready as soon as the door opened.

nIt had been three days since the group settled in the inn, and for the same duration, Antalya had been ensuring the safety of Harry and his family.

nAlthough Red Eye had yet to make an appearance, Antalya decided to continue safeguarding her employer’s family just to be safe.

nShe and Ali were responsible for Harry’s small building and its occupants, while Howard and Greg were tasked with patrolling.

nIf any of Harry’s relatives went out, they would decide whether to follow and protect them discreetly, based on the situation.

nThis strategy was something Antalya had set from the start.

nWith sufficient manpower, dividing the team into visible and invisible protectors not only ensured better safety for Harry and his family but also facilitated the execution of her plan.

nAfter all, Antalya’s goal wasn’t merely to protect Harry; Red Eye was her true target.

nOnly those who have set foot on the battlefield and experienced the thin line between life and death can truly claim to have entered the ranks of being an adventurer.

nEven among magi of the same level, the gap in combat experience and innate talent can make a world of difference in power.

nThis is something Howard and Ali would need to adapt to.

nCombat is not a game on paper; there’s never an absolute certainty in victory or defeat, only continuous struggle and a contest of wills.

nAny situation could arise.

n“The plan remains unchanged. You’ll come with me to Harry’s place, while Howard and Greg will continue to operate on the outskirts, responsible for covert defense,” Antalya directed, delineating their tasks before retreating back into her room.

n“Let Howard and Greg head out first. I’ll change my clothes and then find you.”

n“Alright,” Ali nodded and turned to leave.

nAntalya changed into attire more suited for action, forgoing armor but strapping on a shortsword.

nAs a magus not specialized in close combat, wearing armor or bearing heavier weapons wouldn’t significantly benefit her; a shortsword for self-defense was sufficient.

nCasting a glance at Vivia and Jelia, still asleep, a soft smile graced Antalya’s face.

nNeither Vivia nor Jelia were magi, nor did they possess any significant combat ability.

nAntalya had never counted them among her combat assets from the start.

nTurning to leave the room, Antalya knocked on the men’s door, which was answered by Ali.

n“Howard and Greg have already set off,” he reported, already dressed for the day with a staff-like backpack slung over his shoulder.

n“Shall we head directly to Harry’s?”

n“Yes, let’s go,” she affirmed.

nEarlier that morning, when the streets were still sparsely populated, Howard and Greg walked through the air tinged with a hint of chill.

nThey were dressed in the common attire of adventurers: half-

nbody leather armor, sturdy coarse cloth shirts, and backpacks wrapped around their weapons.

nSuch attire wasn’t uncommon in Lorinda, mainly due to the presence of nearby Ruins, which frequently attracted adventurers.

nHowever, the majority of these adventurers were ordinary people, at most capable of sensing mana, far from being formal magi, let alone reserve magi.

nYet, their lack of combat prowess did not dampen their enthusiasm for wealth.

nWith enough luck, discovering a reliable ancient relic within those Ruins could secure their livelihood for the latter half of their lives, making the leap to wealth not beyond the realm of possibility.

nThis represents the greatest aspiration of ordinary people after becoming adventurers.

nUnlike these magi, their primary interest lies in the excavation of ancient and ancient civilizations.

nIn such a sizable congregation, the identity of an adventurer already provided sufficient cover.

n“It’s surprising that the manager and Ali actually have space items…”

nHoward mused, feeling the straight dagger hidden within the wrap on his back, which had originally been stored in Antalya’s space item and was only taken out after the quest officially began.

nThey could not trust the weapons sold in such congregations.

nGreg glanced at Howard and said, “You’d better not inquire about the origin of that space item; it’s not a happy story.”

n“Did you grasp the mana circulation method Ali taught you yesterday?”

n“Are you referring to the rapid mana sculpting cycle? Mostly, yes. It feels a bit challenging, but I’ve mastered a good portion of it,” Howard replied with a smile.

nHoward hadn’t expected the New World’s understanding of magic to be so vastly different; he might learn many new things here.

nHoward continued, “Using it in combat might still be a bit strenuous, but by tomorrow… or the day after, I should be able to master it.”

nThe circulation process is a basic skill in mana sculpting techniques, utilizing the surge of mana to recycle sculpted mana, reducing the direct consumption of mana.

nThis effectively enhances the sustained combat capability of sculpting magi.

nThough a basic skill, it forms the foundation for many advanced techniques and is not without its challenges.

nMoreover, due to humans’ inherent disadvantages in mana perception compared to other races, sensing the surge of mana is far less precise, requiring more time to train this skill.

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