Translator: CinderTL
Even before the speaker revealed himself, Roland recognized him by his exaggerated, melodramatic tone.
Though reuniting with his companions brought him joy, there was...
"Galvis..."
Roland lifted the tent flap and gently picked up Tracy, who was sitting in his waist pouch, gnawing on a piece of bread, and spoke with a sigh.
"I... I think you've met Tracy before, haven't you?"
"Roland! You're back!"
"Mr. Roland!"
Avril was the first to rise and greet him.
Thanks to Graham's meticulous arrangements before his departure, along with the assistance of Mason and Freddy, the elf girl clearly seemed to be doing well. At least she no longer looked as frazzled as she had when she hastily took on the temporary commander role.
But her slender frame was quickly pushed aside by a taller figure.
Thud-thud-thud!
The heavy clatter of leather boots against the ground was followed by a cascade of shimmering silver hair, arcing through the air like a dazzling arc.
Then—
Thump!
A soft body collided squarely with Roland's solid chest.
The faint, sweet fragrance tickled Roland's nose, making him nervously scratch it. He looked down at Theresa's bloodshot eyes and the exhaustion she couldn't hide. He gently patted her head.
"Uh... Theresa, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, Mr. Roland. I just..."
The silver-haired woman realized she might have been too agitated and quickly released her arms from around Roland's waist, stepping back half a step.
She twirled a strand of hair by her ear, her voice slightly weak. "It's just... so wonderful to see you safe."
"I feel the same way, Theresa."
A brief silence fell over the tent, but it was soon broken by a faint, teeth-grinding sound.
Before Roland could investigate, Galvis, standing beside him, strummed his lyre, stepping forward to shield him.
Glancing sideways at Avril, who stood behind them with her head bowed and her expression somber, the bard's gaze toward Roland held a hint of pity.
But remembering that the young man before him was the "chosen hero" he had recognized, he took a deep breath, his face blooming into a radiant smile as he declared loudly,
"Of course, Roland! I mean... I've certainly met this pixie lady. Her name is... Tracy, right?"
He waved at the pixie, her mouth stuffed with bread, and pressed on.
"But I heard... you met the Pixie Queen this time? Roland, tell me quickly—what does the legendary Pixie Queen actually look like?"
"Uh... she's a bit over half a person's height, with exquisitely refined features and an aura of..."
Caught off guard by Galvis's sudden questions, Roland began to answer instinctively, but midway through, he abruptly realized his mistake and shoved the bard aside.
"Galvis, now is not the time for this!"
The bard's interruption shattered the delicate atmosphere in the tent.
Sensing this, Galvis let out a long sigh of relief.
Roland didn't notice the fleeting change in Galvis's expression as he stepped forward to ask, "Avril, what happened at the camp? And..."
His gaze shifted to the silent silver-haired woman beside them.
"Theresa, what are you and Galvis doing here?"
As Roland had expected, the soldiers in their gleaming blue and white armor were indeed reinforcements sent by Derek. However, the way they had arrived in this Mistland...
"You mean..."
Roland frowned slightly, looking at Galvis.
"A platform that can ascend and descend vertically along the towering mountains?"
"Hey, Roland! Stop looking at me like I'm an idiot!"
The bard took a swig of his ale, forcing down the rough, burning sensation in his throat as he explained.
"I heard it's the latest creation of the Dwarf Kingdom! Its power source... is their self-developed 'Magic Core'. Tsk tsk tsk..."
He smacked his lips.
"After all these centuries, those little guys' forging skills are still terrifying."
"Magic Core?"
The word reminded Roland of something Hoby had mentioned.
The Magic Energy Cannon on Trevor's ship seemed to draw its power from a dwarf-crafted "Magic Core."
With this thought, he immediately asked Theresa about Hoby's safety. He breathed a sigh of relief when he learned the halfling companion was unharmed, and peered through the gaps in the curtain toward the distance.
"But this is truly..."
Compared to when they first arrived, the mountains surrounding the Mistland now appeared even more towering and treacherous, their peaks seeming to pierce the heavens.
And yet, the dwarves' creation had effortlessly spanned such a chasm, safely transporting such a massive army...
It was utterly inconceivable.
Roland let out a soft breath, suppressing the shock and doubt in his heart.
Regardless of how exquisite the dwarves' craftsmanship might be, the existence of this lift platform meant only one thing:
He could safely leave here!
With this realization, he restrained his excitement and laid out everything he had learned in the Stardust Glade.
"Demon Capital Gilles?"
"Treasure Tool?"
Seeing the bewildered expressions on his companions' faces, Roland's doubts deepened.
It was normal for him and Bronson to have never heard of this, but Avril and Galvis...
These two had lived for at least a century, and the elven race in particular had a long and storied history.
If even they hadn't heard of this magic city, there were only two possibilities:
Either Estelle had deceived him, or...
...the historical records were fundamentally flawed, or someone had deliberately erased all traces of the city.
But these matters no longer concerned him.
Roland shook his head gently, signaling his decision to the group:
They needed to leave this troublesome place as soon as possible.
As the saying goes, the wise never stand beneath a crumbling wall.
Whether the rumors of the Demon Capital Gilles were true or false, staying away from this treacherous region was the safest course of action.
As a mere student of the Knight Academy, he had no obligation or ability to help the River Domain Nations solve the problems of the Mistland—especially when the opponent was a transcendent being capable of rivaling Graham.
No one objected to his proposal.
"Lord Derek will soon send a new commander to replace me," Avril said, stretching lazily as if already feeling the pull of a soft bed. "Then I can return to the capital with all of you!"
"We too, Mr. Roland," Theresa replied.
"Roland!" Galvis stood on tiptoe and slung an arm around Roland's shoulders, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "We risked our lives to come to this godforsaken place just to find you! What do you say? Aren't you moved?"
"Hmm... more than just touched."
Roland raised an eyebrow, voicing his suspicion. "Galvis, how did you know I survived the Howling Gorge incident, and how did you know I ended up in the Mistland?"
"Haha, well..." The bard's smile froze. "You're the hero I've chosen. How could I let you die in obscurity? And... uh... the Howling Gorge is close to the Mistland, so we just came to try our luck..."
"Mr. Galvis," Theresa said, her eyes narrowing and her voice turning cold. "Lying isn't a good habit."
"You swore to me that Mr. Roland was in the Mistland. You didn't even search after the elevator platform, you just came straight to this military camp."
"This... this..."
Under Roland's increasingly sharp gaze, Galvis sheepishly released his grip and backed away step by step toward the corner of the tent.
Seeing Theresa's expression grow colder and her hand quietly rest on her sword hilt, the bard's face flushed crimson. Finally, he gave up and shouted.
"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you!"
He stole an awkward glance at Roland, lowered his head, and his voice dropped.
"I used... the divine power granted to me by the Goddess Shuni..."
(End of the Chapter)
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