n

n

n

n

n?After meeting with Amriel, the two didn’t rush further in but decided to wait on the spot for Amriel to return with the preparations.

nSoon, Amriel came back.

nFollowing Amriel through various pens, the trio arrived at a small clearing.

nSeveral creatures, resembling oversized ostriches, were being held by a few handlers, resting on the ground.

nThough they appeared to be merely enlarged ostriches, Howard could feel the flow of mana within them.

nThese were genuine spellbeasts.

nUnlike ostriches, the feathers of the chocobos weren’t dull gray but carried bright, beautiful colors.

n“Lady Nula, these are truly top-tier goods. Take a look?”

n“Hmm.” Nula closely sensed the mana of several chocobos, nodding in approval, “Mana is abundant, and their muscle condition looks good too. Seems like you’ve restrained yourself this time.”

nPatting Howard on the shoulder, Nula spoke with a generous tone, “Pick one, consider it a gift from me.”

n“Really?”

nHoward glanced between Nula and Amriel.

nAlthough Amriel hadn’t named a price, Howard didn’t expect it to be a small figure.

n“Do you think I’m someone who goes back on her word?”

nNula approached a blue chocobo, carefully examining its feathers and physique.

n“I’ll take this one. Howard, hurry up and choose. Don’t dawdle; we still have a journey ahead, and I don’t fancy sleeping outdoors.”

n“Alright then.” Howard set aside his hesitation.

nSince Nula offered, he would let her.

nGiven that he was about to risk his life, such help likely meant little to her in comparison.

nHoward’s gaze swept over the line of five chocobos, eventually settling on the second to last one.

nIt was an all-white chocobo that looked frailer than the others, but its internal mana was vibrant.

n“I’ll take that one. The body is white, with red around its eyes.”

nHoward pointed it out with his hand.

nNula looked at the chocobo Howard had chosen and nodded, “Good choice, not bad at all. That one is the second best here. Though it’s a bit thin, its mana is robust, likely with good endurance and explosive power. Just be aware, it probably has a strong temper.”

n“Jack, how much for this one?” Howard inquired.

nAmriel quoted a figure, a number Howard had only seen on exorbitantly priced bounties at the adventurer’s guild office.

nThe bounty was for Red Eye.

nNula didn’t haggle, simply tossing a small bag of coins to Amriel.

n“There you go.”

nSeeing Nula pay up so readily, Amriel’s smile widened as he efficiently activated a contract spell on both chocobos.

n“The contract spell is used to bind the spellbeast. Once the contract is sealed, if the spellbeast rebels, the master has the power to kill it instantly. It’s an essential safety measure,” Nula explained.

n“Understood.”

nHoward grasped Nula’s point. 𝘳.𝑐𝘰

nFor magi, knowledge and power were nearly synonymous.

nAfter paying, Howard and Nula quickly left the beast pens.

nTheir luggage had already been packed into their space rings, and White had already made its way out of the city.

nThey just needed to ride their chocobos to meet up with White and then set off directly.

nSorona was their ultimate destination, but they would spend nearly half a month on the road before reaching it.

nAlthough the quest itself had no time limit, Nula couldn’t afford to stay much longer.

nRiding their chocobos along a narrow path, the two of them, one leading and the other following, experienced the swift pace of these well-trained chocobos.

nThanks to the innate qualities of these spellbeasts, their response abilities were first-rate, eliminating any worries about control.

nIf not for the high price, chocobos indeed would be the preferred mode of transportation for adventurers, far more convenient than carriages or horses.

nAt least there was no concern of returning from an outing to find one’s mount gone, leaving behind only a corpse after slaying monsters.

n“Hey! Howard, why don’t you give your bird a name?” Nula slowed her chocobo to ride alongside Howard.

n“A name?” Howard leaned forward to minimize wind resistance.

n“The contract spell is the last resort. For a mode of transportation, it’s better to establish a good relationship with the chocobo. They are naturally loyal and gentle spellbeasts.”

nNula patted the chest of the chocobo beneath her, “Each of my chocobos has a name.”

nHoward paused, then looked at his chocobo: “How about Redfeather?”

nHe chose this name because the feathers around this chocobo’s eyes were a vibrant red, and its eyes shimmered with a bright red.

n“You’re no different from Lilia!” Nula’s face fell, “Can’t you put a little more thought into a better name?”

nThe Lilia Nula mentioned was White’s true owner, reputed to be on the same level as Dorek, but had left White in her care due to recent commitments.

n“I think the name is fine, simple and memorable, with a clear characteristic.”

nRegardless of Nula’s opinion, Howard was quite satisfied with the name he had chosen.

nAs for the opinion of the name’s bearer…

nDid you hear it object?

n“Suit yourself.” Nula rolled her eyes, patting her chocobo’s neck, “Flash, let’s speed up!”

nHer splendidly blue chocobo let out a low cry and its speed surged by a third.

nRedfeather, silent but not to be outdone, kept pace.

n…

nThe two quickly left Breeze City, finding White outside the city, training a pack of wolves.

nHoward couldn’t tell if these were the same wolves under White’s command before or a wild pack.

nThe duo and the wolf converged without much delay and immediately set off towards the next city.

nIt was nearing noon.

nAlthough the chocobos were much faster than carriages, the journey was still long, and starting early would allow for more preparation upon arrival.

nTheir destination was Rodel City, located sixty kilometers north of Breeze City, a small city that surpassed Breeze in both population and size by more than double.

nThere, they planned to rest for a while before heading directly to Sorona, making no further stops in between.

nGlancing back at the diminishing walls of Breeze City, Howard rubbed the space ring on his hand.

nAntalya and the others should have calmed down by now.

nEven if Ali acted impulsively, Antalya wouldn’t let him do something foolish.

nHoping for their well-being, and that one day they would meet again, Howard silently offered his blessings.

nFollowing the method Amriel had shown, he gently touched Redfeather’s chest and whispered, “Speed up! Redfeather! We’re off!”

nWith a low cry, Redfeather leaned forward, and Howard, complying, lowered his body to reduce wind resistance.

nNula, seeing this, also increased her speed.

nThe two riders and one wolf, three figures on the endless plains, gradually shrank until they disappeared.

nIn this world, departures are hardly rare; for many, a separation means a forever goodbye.

nThe likelihood of unexpected events in this world is too high.

nIn the face of those extraordinary creatures, human strength is too weak, offering no resistance.

nMagi are just as fragile as duckweed.

n…

nBreeze City, Left Ridge Street, outside the Gold Coin Inn.

nAli, with a simple bag slung over his shoulder, holding Jelia with one hand and a sturdy black horse with the other, stood as Antalya and Greg watched from the inn’s doorway, wordlessly exchanging glances.

nAfter a moment, Ali patted the horse’s neck, looked at Jelia, and helped her onto the horseback.

n“I’ll spare the needless words; they wouldn’t change anything. Take care on the road, and don’t die too easily!”

nAntalya looked into Ali’s eyes, “And if possible, bring that guy Howard back! He’s taken several days off this month, and I need him to make up for it.”

nShe wasn’t new to bidding farewell to friends or separating from companions, but each time, she felt a twinge of fear.

nIt was as if those who disappeared under the crimson sunset never returned.

n“I will,” Ali nodded.

n“Take care of yourself, boss. Even though there’s probably no one in Breeze City stronger than you, this place isn’t meant for a long stay.”

nWith the Truth Society as a source of information, Ali knew far more than Howard.

nWhile Howard might suspect Antalya of harboring secrets, possibly along with Greg and Vivia, his knowledge was limited.

nAli, however, knew much more.

nAntalya wasn’t surprised by Ali’s words.

nWhen she obtained information about Red Eye’s safe house through secretive channels, she realized her secrets couldn’t be hidden from Ali, with only Howard, another otherworlder, remaining a mystery to her.

n“Not much, just what I should know,” Ali smiled, “Though there’s been no formal initiation yet, I think, both I and Howard sincerely consider you our leader.”

nVisit 𝘳𝑎.𝗇t

n