The candle at the corner of the table burned quietly, its dim, yellow halo flickering in the room, sharply outlining the four faces gathered around.
"Armless, you’ve got great spirit! A firm conviction is the true start to a great adventure!" Sodden’s booming voice made the candle flame dance. Completely immersed in the excitement of their upcoming ancient ruin exploration, he continuously rubbed his calloused hands together. "Moradin’s beard! Exploring a Black Tide Fortress from five hundred years ago! Just thinking about it gets my blood pumping!"
Raine’s calm gaze remained fixed on the red-haired female swordsman sitting across from him. Propping his elbows on the table and interlacing his fingers, he asked, "Kaelin, how much do you know about this underground fortress called the Crown of Grey Rock?"
"As far as I know, the Crown of Grey Rock is a medium-sized underground fortress, reinforced using natural rock formations." Kaelin had clearly prepared extensively, her tone steady and clear. "The primary threat we might encounter is the mechanical guards inside the fortress.
"However," she paused briefly to organize her thoughts, "considering that this fortress fell during a demon tide, the vast majority of the mechanical guards should have been destroyed in the tragic battle of its fall.
"Coupled with the erosion of five hundred years, even if there are remnants, their magic circuits and physical structures must be severely decayed. There are probably very few left that can still move.
"We might also encounter creatures that occupied the fortress later," she continued analyzing, glancing around at her teammates, "such as flocks of cave-dwelling bats, giant rats, fungal monsters, and... spiders."
Watching Kaelin tremble slightly at the last few words while trying to feign composure, a knowing smile brushed Raine’s lips. She was clearly trying her best to suppress her fear of spiders.
"The important thing is that the Crown of Grey Rock is located in the outer regions of the Demon Shadow Forest, making it unlikely to attract truly powerful demons." Quickly suppressing her inner timidity, Kaelin recovered her steady tone and said seriously, "As long as we explore cautiously, there shouldn’t be too much risk."
After listening to Kaelin’s analysis, Raine nodded thoughtfully.
Judging by this, the danger of this adventure truly wasn’t high. With the map assistance from the Exploration Chapter, their certainty had increased significantly. The outer regions of the Demon Shadow Forest wouldn’t harbor demons stronger than Professionals. With the party’s current composition, even if they encountered the strongest demon in the outer area, they had more than enough strength to put up a fight.
However, it was a long-sealed ancient fortress ruin after all. No one knew what lay hidden inside or what would happen once they stepped in. Their preparations had to be thorough.
"Dilapidated mechanical bodies? Just the right thing to test the sharpness of my axe blade! Giant rats? They should taste pretty good roasted." Sodden excitedly began to plan, muttering to himself, "Hmm, I need to bring more tinder and rope tomorrow, as well as my little pickaxe made specifically for prying rocks." He even patted the water bag at his waist, as if to confirm whether his supplies were sufficient.
Even Winnie, who had been silent the entire time, had a faint trace of relief wash over her pale cheeks. Exploring an unknown ancient fortress was at least easier for her to accept than facing the stares of a crowd.
"As you can see, I am the initiator of this adventure, so I didn’t issue a commission through the Adventurer’s Guild. But I absolutely won’t let you make this trip for nothing." Kaelin’s expression became more solemn as she took a coin pouch from her coat. She first handed Winnie and Sodden one Golden King each, then pushed the entire pouch in front of Raine. Inside were exactly one hundred Silver Lions.
Raine immediately understood that this was probably all of Kaelin’s income from this recent period. She had been living frugally, no doubt just to be able to offer a decent reward.
"This is an upfront payment. It’s all I can offer right now." There was a trace of imperceptible unease in her voice. "If you trust me, I promise to pay another portion of the reward once I retrieve the essential item and complete my objective. I will never disappoint you.
"Besides the ancestral relic I need to obtain," she paused and added, "all other loot found in the fortress will be divided equally among us."
"I have no objections." Raine took the coin pouch and pocketed it without even looking inside. He naturally understood Kaelin’s situation best and had no reason to doubt her promise.
"As long as I can take a trip to that ancient place, Old Sodden won’t have come for nothing!" The dwarf weighed the gold coin in his hand, casually tucked it into a hidden pocket in his beard, and readily agreed.
"I... I have no objections either." Winnie’s voice was as soft as a whisper, but the way she tightly clenched the gold coin showed she had cautiously accepted the commission.
"That’s good." Kaelin’s gaze swept over the dwarf and Winnie, finally landing on Raine. She nodded forcefully, her throat bobbing slightly. "This matter is of vital importance to me and to many other things. Thank you all for your trouble."
Afterward, Kaelin arranged a new room for Winnie. Then, she invited her newly formed party down to the inn’s lobby to enjoy a rather hearty dinner.
The dining table was laden with roasted sausages, stewed beans, mashed potatoes drenched in gravy, and freshly baked dark bread. Sodden ate heartily, his wine glass rarely empty. Raine enjoyed his meal with satisfaction, occasionally chatting with Sodden. Though Kaelin was preoccupied, she made an effort to eat. As for Winnie, even in the relatively relaxed dining environment, she kept her brown hood pulled down tightly. Her eating movements were extremely light, making almost no sound, and she would only take quick bites when no one was looking.
After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms to rest and recharge for tomorrow’s adventure. Raine was just about to step onto the stairs when Kaelin’s voice came from behind him. "Raine, would you mind taking a walk with me?"
The crescent moon hung like a hook, casting its cold radiance over the eaves and alleys of Mottled Town. A chilling night wind brushed past, rustling Raine’s bangs and gently lifting Kaelin’s wine-red ponytail.
The two walked in silence for a while, the soft tapping of their boots against the flagstone path exceptionally clear in the tranquility. It wasn’t until she confirmed there was no one around that the silent Kaelin finally stopped in her tracks.
She turned around, the pale moonlight tracing the silhouette of her profile. Her emerald eyes were now brimming with complex emotions.
"Raine." She spoke suddenly, her voice seeming a bit adrift in the night wind. "Do you know which clan from the Grim Kingdom the Northern Territory army assisting the traditional nobility belongs to?"
"It should be the Fenglang clan, right?" Raine stopped walking and replied.
Through what he had seen and heard recently, he had gained some understanding of that army from the Northern Territory. The Fenglang clan was the border Guardian of Grim, yet now, these fangs of protection had pierced into the heartland of Solan.
"That’s right." Kaelin’s voice lowered, carrying an indescribable bitterness. "I am from the Fenglang clan of the Grim Kingdom.
"And right now, the supreme Commander leading this southward army, standing alongside Solan’s traditional nobility on the other side of the battlefield, is my uncle, Helrik Ice Trace, the current Duke Fenglang."