Toka entered the city directly with his team without needing to report.
The Paladins did not stop him, but looked back at him after he had passed.
Toka felt it.
But he did not look back.
His posture was straighter than before, his steps steadier, no longer like the young warrior from half a year ago, whose wounds had not healed and whose gaze always drifted.
Although Siye commented that he was a bit neurotic now.
However, Toka did not care.
He could now clearly perceive others' gazes, especially when they were looking at him.
He did not become arrogant because of this, merely placing his hand on the bone knife at his waist, and glancing at his team: eleven people, still there, all following.
Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.
The market in Italk was even livelier than a month ago.
Tauren pulling large wooden carts were unloading goods, two Vrykul were haggling with an old Troll, and several young Ice Trolls with unfamiliar faces were counting some dried roots.
"Has the Resistance Alliance allowed passage?" the female preacher beside him asked suspiciously.
Tauren and Vrykul did not need to pass through the Resistance Alliance to come to Italk, but the Ice Trolls from further north did.
"The Resistance Alliance and Frost Howl are currently fighting tooth and nail, they don't have time for strict inspections," Toka shook his head, "Although they forbid merchant caravans from coming to our side, merchants don't care about that, as long as there's money to be made."
They walked along the central main road into the city, and Toka noticed several new wooden and stone watchtowers along the roadside, as well as newly carved irrigation ditches.
He watched and memorized as he went.
In reality, Toka did not understand the true purpose of constructing the irrigation ditches.
Although having water readily available certainly brought convenience, this convenience was mainly concentrated in the summer; in the longer other seasons, water would freeze.
These were not things a warrior like him should be concerned with, but he still quietly noted them down.
He had personally wounded his most trusted captain.
Now, even if he couldn't make up for past mistakes, he should think more, share more, and solve problems.
He looked back at the Trolls who had followed him for hundreds of miles, and said in a loud voice:
"Welcome to Italk. Don't cause trouble, don't speak carelessly, and report to the shrine or the administrative office first thing tomorrow morning."
"Elder Aktus, please follow me. As for the rest of you, dismissed!"
After Toka finished speaking, he no longer looked at the young people, knowing that someone would come to arrange them properly.
He led the elder, whose skin was wrinkled and hair was white but whose eyes were still bright, through the market and onto the main road leading to the administrative office and the shrine.
Aktus walked silently beside him, only pausing when he looked at an unfinished stone tower, murmuring softly: "That place… used to be Matos's totem house."
Toka did not look back, merely responding succinctly: "Now it is My Lord's shrine."
Aktus nodded, caught up with Toka, and began to re-acquaint himself with the town.
After escorting the elder who wished to join them to the administrative office, Toka turned a corner, bypassed the shrine, and walked towards his own small house.
This was his current residence—a small house built of wood and stone, with a wooden plaque he had personally carved stuck in front of the door, depicting an abstract image of Shadow Wing, in the posture he took when he descended from the sky that day.
He squatted down, wiped his large feet with an animal hide, and was about to push the door open when a faint gust of wind suddenly brushed past him from behind.
Toka did not turn directly, but instead turned sideways, his palm resting on the hilt of his bone blade.
"Who is it?"
"Tsk, I thought I could scare you." A familiar, teasing voice sounded.
Gollon stood a few steps behind him, clapping his hands and grinning, "You're much more alert than a few months ago."
Toka glanced at him, letting go of the bone blade in his hand, "You're also more… mischievous than a few months ago."
"Heh, just not as tense as before." Gollon stepped forward, patted his shoulder, "Just got back from Grizzly Hills, the wind almost froze my bones off."
Toka gave a perfunctory smile and opened the house door, "Want to come in for some water?"
"Of course." Gollon walked straight in unceremoniously, making Toka's eyes widen.
He gave Gollon a helpless glare, "At least wipe your feet before coming in, won't you?"
Then Toka also entered the small house and closed the door.
Toka's small house was neither too big nor too small, clean and orderly, with a rough but clearly defined snow leopard bone carving on the table.
Toka had carved it himself.
After the "Tuke" incident, no one knew why he still carved this thing.
According to him, it was just to confirm whether he was sober.
"Anyway, your floor isn't clean either." Gollon had already plopped down by the hearth, muttering as he stared at the empty hanging pot, "What are you planning for lunch?"
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