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n“Back to the question at hand,” Ali said, pulling out a roll of parchment from her backpack and spreading it out on the ground.

nShe asked Jelia, “Do you understand this?”

nThe map was marked with various symbols representing different features.

nThe concepts of codes or scales were not something Jelia was familiar with.

nAfter a glance, she shook her head.

n“I don’t understand it.”

n“Not understanding is an opportunity to learn. It’s essential to learn how to read maps.”

nAli’s finger moved across the map, explaining the different symbols and briefly describing how to determine one’s position.

nAlthough Jelia didn’t fully grasp everything, she managed to remember bits and pieces.

n“Here is Sorona,” Ali pointed at one of the city symbols on the map, then drew an imaginary line leading to a mark beside Dragon Rivulet, indicating a small highland, “And this is where we are now.”

n“After finding a way to cross Dragon Rivulet, we have about ten days of travel left.”

nTraveling as a duo with a single horse, their pace was much faster than that of a caravan.

n“As for why I didn’t stay in Rodel… do you remember the beast pack we saw?”

nAli’s expression was difficult to read, resembling someone who had heard about a distant acquaintance’s misfortune—neither taking pleasure in their misfortune nor showing sadness, just indifference.

n“That pack is expected to attack Rodel by tonight at the latest.”

n…

nHoward felt he might have had a nightmare—a peculiar sensation enveloped him as he wandered through a black fog in his dream. .

nAround him were blurred figures, and muffled voices came from all directions, as if filtered through a pane of frosted glass.

nThe dream wasn’t terrifying in the traditional sense, but Howard felt a deep sense of despair and fear emanating from those shadowy figures.

nIt was as if he faced the apocalypse alone, with a desolation so profound that nothing else mattered.

nStruggle seemed futile, resistance doomed to failure before it could even begin.

nIt was an unsettling feeling.

nDid it imply something?

nOn the Avala Continent, the concept of prophetic dreams is taken seriously, suggesting that, under the right circumstances and professions, a flamboyant deity might even appear in one’s dream for a chat.

nFrankly, this doesn’t sound like a description that should be associated with a serious religion or belief system, yet that’s how they describe it.

nA god who engages in playful banter, appearing as a boy around thirteen or fourteen years old, fond of crude jokes, large-breasted girls, and video games, always carrying a Supreme Artifact resembling a black box through which scenes of distant battles are visible. .

nHoward wondered how the faithful of this world managed to maintain their steadfast beliefs.

nIf he were to encounter such a seemingly unreliable deity, he’d surely contemplate deicide.

nReturning to the topic of prophetic dreams.

nHoward woke up at dawn, with the sky outside thinly lit, the sun still hovering on the horizon.

nHe awoke from a timeless dream, vividly remembering every detail, inexplicably feeling abandoned and left behind.

nThe fear of solitude, the dread of an unclear path ahead, and the terror of figures moving through the fog.

nThese varied fears mingled together, setting the tone for the dream.

nOpening his eyes to the coarse ceiling above, Howard took a deep breath, casting aside all the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and sat up forcefully.

nThere was no time for wallowing in sadness.

nGetting out of bed, Howard dressed swiftly, donning his half-leather armor on the outside, securing the breastplate inside the armor, and slinging his straight sword diagonally across his back, with the hilt protruding over his shoulder.

nThough without any evidence, his intuition was sounding alarms.

nStepping out of his room, Howard knocked on Nula’s door.

n“Are you up yet?”

n“Not yet! I want to sleep!”

nNula’s muffled voice came from behind the door, causing Howard to grimace.

n“Well, I’m heading out. Do you want something for breakfast?”

n“No lamb!”

n“Got it,” Howard replied, turning to leave.

n…

nListening to Howard’s footsteps gradually fading away outside the door, Nula’s tense expression slightly relaxed.

nGlancing at her reflection in the mirror, her slender, petite body was enveloped under a large cloak.

nWith the hood up, her face would be barely visible unless one came close.

nThis was the first layer of disguise.

nBeyond that, Nula had also prepared a transformation magic potion, capable of temporarily altering the structure of her facial muscles.

nAfter drinking the potion, Nula watched her face gradually shift in the mirror.

nA few minutes later, her features settled.

nAlthough the changes were subtle, the overall transformation was drastic.

nEven someone very familiar with Nula wouldn’t be able to recognize her based solely on her appearance now.

nFinally, Nula sprayed a layer of herbal concoction on her face to alter her skin color.

nWith all preparations complete, Nula opened the window, glancing back at White in the room.

n“If Howard comes looking, don’t let him in, and don’t let him know I’ve gone out!”

nWhite didn’t make a sound, merely watching silently as Nula climbed out the window… and then climbed back in a few seconds later.

n“Forgot my staff,” Nula scratched her head, chuckling as she picked up her solid wood staff from beside the bed.

nShe deftly climbed out the window again.

nWhite waited a few seconds, and this time, Nula did not reappear.

nIt seemed she had truly left.

nWhite yawned, having felt some unusual energies within itself lately.

nSuppressing and calming those energies had consumed most of its strength.

nAlthough it understood Howard and the others’ language, they couldn’t understand its own, and it was too proud to seek them out for help directly.

nAs a result, White found itself unable to seek assistance from anyone.

nThese symptoms only began after approaching Rodel.

nThere seemed to be something in this area.

n…

nAfter finding a set of herbalist tools that were 90% new in the second-hand market, Howard packed the tools into his backpack.

nReturning to the inn, he was ready to leave with Redfeather.

nThe growth location of Silverweed was some distance from Rodel, and walking there and back would waste too much time.

nHowever, before Howard could leave the inn, a young man intercepted him.

nThis was a man who appeared to be in his early thirties.

nHe was dressed in a dark blue robe with a small black cap on his head.

nAn adventurer guild badge adorned his chest, and his small eyes seemed to always carry a smile, though the underlying coldness felt as uncomfortable as that of a venomous serpent.

n“Do you need something?” Howard asked, sizing up the young man, who was similarly assessing him.

n“Are you brother Howard? You look younger than I expected,” the man said, removing his hat and bowing slightly.

n“My name is Duduro Seli. You can call me Seli, or Duduro, or even Mr. Hat, as ordinary people aren’t so concerned with formalities.”

n“I’m Howard. What do you need from me?” Howard inquired.

nDuduro smiled, “Just a couple of minor things. First, I’d like to know where the valley you hunted the wolfrats is located.”

n“Are you here to investigate the beast situation? Let me tell you upfront, I don’t know much and haven’t seen the beasts firsthand. All my deductions are based on reasoning,” Howard explained, pausing before continuing, “It’s about two kilometers west of Rodel, in a valley on the shadow side.”

n“Thank you for your cooperation. The second matter is about the wolfrat carcasses you’ve posted for sale at the guild, including the pups?”

nThough Howard found Duduro’s inquiry somewhat peculiar, he nodded in affirmation, “Yes.”

n“That’s excellent! I’m actually looking to purchase a batch of wolfrat carcasses. You could sell them directly to me, bypassing the guild.”

n“Undermining your own employer?” Howard’s expression turned quizzically.

nDuduro paused, then chuckled, “Is that a colloquialism from your hometown?”

n“Something like that,” Howard responded noncommittally.

nSelling directly would indeed save on the commission fee.

nAlthough the fee was only five percent, it could amount to a significant sum in a large transaction.

n“Alright, name a time and place, and I’ll bring the carcasses to you,” Howard agreed without much hesitation.

n“As you know, wolfrat remains reek; I can’t possibly carry them around with me. They’re all stored at the guild.”

nThe adventurer guild offers a storage service for a nominal fee, allowing for the storage of numerous items that can also be retrieved from different locations, provided prior notice and payment for transport are given.

n“Excellent, excellent,” Duduro seemed quite thrilled, causing Howard to furrow his brows, open his mouth as if to speak, but ultimately he said nothing.

n“If there’s nothing else, I need to get on with my quest.”

n“Of course, I won’t keep you any longer,” Duduro replied, still buzzing with excitement.

n𝑖.𝘤ℴ𝘮

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