Translator: CinderTL
"Mr. Roland, are you saying... you want to go and hunt that Bear Goblin?"
In the warm inn room, Theresa's fingers instinctively brushed against the hilt of her sword as she heard Roland's plan.
"That's right," Roland replied calmly, meeting her slightly worried gaze with a steady nod.
"But this is just a proposal. Whether we actually go depends entirely on the intelligence you and Avril can gather."
He paused, his tone hardening with unwavering resolve.
"After all, continuing to take on those Adventurer's Guild quests to clear out ordinary demonic beasts will no longer help me improve my strength."
The true reason for wanting to hunt the Bear Goblin, of course, was to fulfill the job advancement requirements for the Apprentice Knight class.
However, even with their relatively close relationship, Roland could never reveal the secrets of his Job Panel to his companions.
Fortunately, this excuse about improving his strength sounded reasonable enough and didn't arouse any suspicion.
After all, over the past month, everyone had witnessed Roland's relentless pursuit of power.
During their downtime, Theresa enjoyed exploring the town's markets and taverns for culinary delights, while Avril often curled up in bed, savoring rare moments of uninterrupted sleep.
As for Galvis...
The bard had a rather peculiar habit.
He reveled in using his silver tongue to peddle his wildly imaginative tales to tavern patrons.
Only Roland would either find a secluded spot to hone his combat skills with his weapons or head straight to the local training grounds to spar with others.
Seeing that no one questioned his excuse, Roland let out a soft sigh of relief, his gaze sweeping across the room, carefully observing the subtle shifts in each person's expression.
Theresa's worry was plain to see in her eyes.
In stark contrast, Avril sat by the window, idly toying with her gleaming dagger. She gave a slight nod, then pressed a finger to her lips, lost in thought.
And Galvis...
"Oh! By the gods above!"
A dramatic shout rang out, and the bard instinctively plucked the strings of the harp cradled in his arms, his voice soaring.
"A ferocious demonic beast descended from the skies, only to be slain by the sword of a young hero who happened to pass by..."
He seemed to have instantly fallen into the Epic of Heroes he had woven himself, muttering incantations that culminated in a passionate declaration.
"This is the kind of heroic feat worthy of legends! Roland, I support you! We'll set out at dawn tomorrow to completely eliminate that Bear Goblin!"
Before the words had even left his lips, the bard had already tossed aside his harp, swiftly pulled out parchment and a quill, and began scribbling furiously, capturing the torrent of inspiration flooding his mind.
"Galvis," Roland said, watching the bard's manic excitement with surprise.
Throughout their month-long journey, Galvis had constantly complained that bards were ill-suited for combat, always sticking to the edges of the battlefield to provide support.
Even more striking was his daily question about when they would return to the capital, his weariness of this adventure practically oozing from him.
Roland gently patted the bard's shoulder, interrupting his feverish writing.
Seeing the feverish glint in the bard's eyes, he shook his head helplessly and warned, "Aren't you afraid the Bear Goblin will flatten your frail body with a single swipe?"
"Huh?"
Galvis raised an eyebrow, shaking his head dismissively.
"But you're here, Roland, aren't you? The ancient texts describe Bear Goblins as ferocious, but they're no match for you. Besides..."
His gaze drifted involuntarily toward Avril, who stood silently beside him. He mentally added:
Besides, with the valkyrie of the Silver Moon Guard present, mere Bear Goblins pose no threat at all.
After all, the Silver Moon Guard members were elite warriors chosen from the elven race to combat subterranean creatures.
"Alright, alright," Roland sighed, noticing Galvis's hesitant expression. He turned to the other two companions. "So, Theresa, Avril, what do you think?"
"I'm in," Avril replied before Theresa could speak.
The elf girl clenched her fist and raised it high, her face showing no trace of fear. "If we successfully defeat the Bear Goblins, Mr. Colin might make an exception and let me join the Shadow Veil Organization early!"
Galvis's eye twitched almost imperceptibly, and he glanced furtively at Avril. But as their eyes were about to meet, he hastily lowered his head, pretending to focus intently on his notes.
"In that case, Mr. Roland, I agree to your proposal as well."
Seeing that most had already voiced their support, Theresa didn't press her objections further, but she added with a furrowed brow, "However, as you said, we need to gather sufficient intelligence and prepare thoroughly before acting."
"Naturally," Roland nodded in agreement, then began assigning tasks.
"Theresa, I'd appreciate it if you could gather as much information as possible about Bear Goblins from the Adventurer's Guild. As for Avril..."
He turned to the elf girl, who was deliberately straightening her posture and striking a pose of alert readiness.
"I'd like you to conduct a reconnaissance of Echo Valley. Remember, if you encounter any danger, retreat immediately. Don't engage in prolonged combat."
"Understood, Commander!" Avril saluted playfully.
Roland, long accustomed to her antics, simply waved his hand and offered a few more reminders.
In an instant, the once-crowded room was left with only him and Galvis.
Watching the elf girl's retreating figure, who had obeyed Roland's instructions without hesitation, Galvis's brow furrowed deeper, his curiosity reaching its peak.
"Roland..."
The bard glanced around to confirm Avril was out of earshot before leaning in conspiratorially and whispering, "How exactly did you meet Miss Avril?"
Roland, who was about to leave to continue honing his Battle Qi techniques, paused in his tracks.
Seeing the inquisitive look in Galvis's eyes, Roland paused to consider. Deciding there was no point in keeping secrets, he recounted the story of how he met Avril, leaving out no detail.
"That's... that's all?" Galvis asked, his confusion undiminished.
"What else would there be?" Roland replied, genuinely puzzled. "What did you think happened?"
"Don't you find this... strange?" Galvis ventured cautiously.
"A beautiful elf girl falling head over heels for a human warrior she just happened to meet? Forgive my bluntness, Roland, but that kind of plot usually only appears in third-rate bards' fabricated adventure stories."
"Of course I find it strange," Roland said, raising an eyebrow and chuckling softly. "But I can sense Avril means me no harm. Everyone has things they don't want to talk about, just like—" He glanced mischievously at the bard. "Just like how you inexplicably made me the protagonist of your story. I didn't pry, did I?"
"Hey! That's completely different! Mine was—"
"Alright, alright," Roland waved dismissively. "I need to go practice now, Galvis. Please prepare the supplies for our mission."
With that, he strode out the door.
As Galvis watched Roland's retreating figure, his brow furrowed even deeper, his worries far from eased.
(End of the Chapter)
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