Translator: CinderTL
Unlike his previous solo adventures, Roland was now traveling with Avril and the others, making horseback riding impractical.
This was especially true when camping in the wilderness, as Theresa's voracious appetite required them to carry an enormous amount of food.
Therefore, when they decided to venture out to exterminate demonic beasts, Roland specifically instructed Galvis to purchase a carriage.
To his surprise, despite the muddy roads, the bard proved to be an exceptionally skilled carriage driver.
The ride was remarkably smooth, with barely any jolting, and they maintained a surprisingly brisk pace.
Before dusk had fully settled, the group arrived at a nearby town.
After selecting a decent-looking inn, Galvis drove Avril to the local Adventurer's Guild to return the quest and collect their reward.
Theresa remained in the main hall, her gaze fixed intently on the menu hanging on the wall.
"Roland, do you want anything to eat?" the silver-haired woman asked, her eyes still glued to the wooden plaques listing the dishes, her throat bobbing involuntarily.
"No, thank you, Theresa..." Roland replied with a dismissive wave, accustomed to her behavior.
"You go ahead and eat. I'll go tidy up my room and join you when Avril and the others return."
"Alright."
Theresa nodded in agreement and immediately waved for a waiter.
Her rosy lips moved rapidly as she rattled off a long list of dishes. Before long, the young waiter's expression turned peculiar.
"Madam, please wait a moment..."
The waiter strained to recall the astonishing order, his brow furrowed as he hurried toward the counter.
"I need to write this down..."
Sensing the waiter's flustered tone, Roland's lips curved into a faint smile before he turned and headed upstairs.
After asking another waiter to fill the bathtub with hot water and offering a quiet thanks, he closed the door behind him.
The wooden door instantly sealed off the clamor of the hall.
"Ah..."
Roland sank into the steaming water, letting out a long sigh.
As he wiped away the few traces of blood on his skin, his thoughts gradually settled.
"I've already met the requirement for the Apprentice Knight class: 'slay one hundred hostile creatures using a breathing technique.' Now all that remains is to 'lead a small team to defeat three formidable enemies'..."
Thinking this, Roland frowned slightly.
He wasn't afraid of so-called "formidable foes."
In fact, after a month of fighting side-by-side, the four of them had developed remarkable teamwork.
Even with his now more refined breathing technique, he admitted to himself that facing Theresa, Avril, and Galvis simultaneously would likely require him to activate all his abilities just to barely secure a victory.
But with himself added to the team and a well-planned strategy, achieving this requirement shouldn't be too difficult.
After all, according to the panel's requirements, the "formidable foes" only needed to be stronger than himβeven a slight edge would suffice.
Based on his observations at the Adventurer's Guild over the past month, while such demonic beast targets weren't abundant, they certainly existed.
The problem was that nearly all of them were entrenched in the Mistland.
Since the resurgence of the Magic Element, that region had been shrouded in an eerie mist. According to Avril, even the Shadow Veil Organization's investigations had repeatedly been thwarted, with many members vanishing completely within its depths.
Given such perilous conditions, Roland refused to venture into the Mistland without solid intelligence.
"Well... I'll check the Adventurer's Guild later. If there aren't any suitable quests, I'll return to the capital to rest."
"There's no rush to become an Apprentice Knight anyway. As for increasing my strength, I can trigger new classes to gain traits and additional bonuses."
Having made up his mind, Roland stepped out of the bathtub.
After drying himself and changing into clean clothes, he pushed open the door and walked out.
But what struck him as odd was that the once-noisy hall was now eerily silent.
Roland frowned and glanced downward.
In the next instant, the wariness on his face vanished, replaced by a hint of resignation.
The dining tables in the hall were piled high with plates, nearly covering both surfaces.
Yet Theresa's silverware moved with elegant speed, continuously shoveling food into her mouth.
The other diners, who had been eating moments before, stared with wide eyes, their faces etched with disbelief.
Their shock grew even more pronounced when the silver-haired woman signaled a waiter for more food.
"Theresa... is she eating even more than usual?"
Roland shook his head slightly at the sight and slowly descended the stairs.
Seeing the innkeeper's troubled expression, Roland tapped lightly on the counter with his finger.
The crisp sound snapped the innkeeper out of his daze.
The wrinkled old man wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to ask, "Sir, what can I do for you?"
Even as he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on Theresa, as if afraid she might bolt.
Roland instantly understood the innkeeper's apprehension. After all, similar scenes had played out more than once during the past month.
A gentle smile curved Roland's lips. "Hello, I'm with..." He gestured toward Theresa, who was still enjoying her meal. "That lady. Her appetite... is indeed quite remarkable, but you needn't worry."
As he spoke, Roland retrieved several silver coins from his pouch and placed them softly on the counter, pushing them toward the innkeeper. "This is for her meal in advance."
Hearing this and seeing the silver coins, the innkeeper let out a long sigh of relief. He collected the coins, his anxious expression vanishing, and even looked at Theresa with a hint of warmth.
"By the way, I might need to step out later. If the lady requires more food..."
After giving the innkeeper a few simple instructions and confirming that Theresa would continue to be provided with food, Roland approached her.
The mountain of stacked plates before her nearly obscured his view.
Though he had witnessed such scenes several times before, his lips still twitched involuntarily.
"Theresa."
"Hmm?"
The silver-haired woman looked up, a few crumbs clinging to the corner of her mouth.
"Have Avril and Galvis returned yet?"
When Theresa shook her head, Roland said softly, "Perfect. I was planning to visit the Adventurer's Guild anyway. I'll bring them back with me later. I've already paid for your meals, so don't worry about that."
"Thank you, Mr. Roland."
After a few more quiet instructions, Roland turned and left the inn.
After asking passersby for directions, he followed the street toward the Adventurer's Guild and pushed open the slightly heavy wooden door.
The next moment, a thick, metallic stench of blood assaulted his nostrils.
The instant the bloody scent filled his senses, Roland instinctively furrowed his brow and his right hand flashed to the hilt of his sword.
However, when he saw the scene inside the Adventurer's Guild, his tense body relaxed, and his hand withdrew from the sword hilt.
In the center of the hall, several corpses lay sprawled on the floor, their deaths gruesome and violent.
(End of the Chapter)
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