Chapter 68 - The Beautiful Verdant Plains of Milis
Along a road stretching across vast plains of green grass, a large carriage stood by the roadside, with two horses grazing nearby. The sun was already setting on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Beside the carriage, an improvised campsite had been set up, where a crackling campfire burned as Skoll, Ghislaine, and Rygar sat around it. The irresistible aroma of a well-seasoned stew filled the air, drawing hungry sighs from those present.
Geese Nukadia stirred the thick broth in the pot with practiced ease, a mischievous grin on his face as he watched his traveling companions' expressions while telling his story.
"So, when I rescued him from there with a rope, he told me he was from Fittoa, from Buena Village. And I remembered that Paul and Zenith had moved there. After we went to the nearest adventurers' guild, we found two more people from Fittoa, and gradually, the news of the teleportation spread. That's when I decided to look for you, Paul, and Zenith, who are probably the only three who were there during the teleportation incident."
As he spoke, he kept adding spices and some unknown herbs to the pot, but Rygar and Ghislaine weren't entirely focused on his story. Both of their gazes were locked onto the bubbling pot, the rich and tantalizing aroma making their mouths water. Even Skoll, the enormous giant wolf, kept his eyes fixed on the roasting meat nearby, occasionally licking his lips in anticipation. The night breeze carried the delicious scent throughout the campsite, making the moment even cozier.
A short distance away, Eris was launching fierce attacks at Eidar, shouting with vigor. "Haaaaah!" Her strikes were full of raw energy, but Eidar, now much more refined, easily dodged and defended, his posture impeccable and his movements calculated. On the second day of the journey, Eidar had faced Ghislaine in battle, and that fight had been the missing piece for him to break through the final barrier and reach the Saint level in the Water God Style. He had asked Ghislaine to attack him with full force, and by managing to withstand and react at the right moment, he finally advanced to the next level. At 17 years old, becoming a Water Saint was an impressive feat, something only a few managed to achieve at such an age.
Eris, in turn, had exploded with fighting spirit upon seeing Eidar's progress. Her 10th birthday was approaching, and Rygar had decided to talk to Ghislaine about something. After she agreed with his idea, he told Eris: "If you can become an Advanced-rank swordswoman by your birthday, you can become an adventurer." Those words seemed to ignite a blazing fire within her, and since then, she had been training with absurd intensity. The desire to become an adventurer had always been in her heart, and now she was determined to reach that goal.
Eidar was also excited to test his newfound strength, experimenting with how his movements had changed after his breakthrough. He exchanged blows with Eris, analyzing his own reflexes and trying to familiarize himself with the sensation of his improvement. Even though Eris wasn't much of a challenge, at the very least, she was quite determined.
Meanwhile, Skoll continued watching the food with visible hunger. He was already a massive wolf, and Rygar had learned that Ebony Wolves like him reached adulthood at three years old and lived between 25 and 35 years. This meant that Skoll was already in his adolescence, becoming increasingly fierce and dominant. His hungry gaze at the roasting meat made Rygar chuckle internally.
Turning his attention back to Geese, Rygar asked, "Geese, what can you tell me about Paul Greyrat?"
Ghislaine raised an eyebrow and looked at Rygar, while Geese stopped stirring the food for a moment, glancing between the two before smiling, seemingly choosing his words carefully.
"Let's just say he was a womanizer," he said, laughing. "He used to chase after women all the time before settling down with Zenith. But he was also a talented swordsman and a good leader... just never went further because he was lazy and irresponsible."