Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Possible Ambush?
By nightfall, Ron and the others had made camp far from the Black-Eyes’ encampment, having hunted along the way.
Sera, Delaford, and the newcomer Seymour were all skilled hunters, proving Seymour’s words true: as long as you have the skills, you won’t starve in the forest.
"The soup is so savory, and the meat is delicious!" Silvia had eaten until she was practically a ball, lying in the forest clearing and burping contentedly. "As long as I can remember, I’ve never eaten so well!"
"Even during our previous escapes, we never dared to light a fire. When would we ever have been this bold?"
"Raw meat isn’t too bad once you get used to it," Seymour said, holding up half a deer leg and roaring with laughter. "But if you can have something better, who the fuck would want to eat it raw!"
"A Vampire Descendant?" Delaford tilted his head, looking at Silvia.
In the goblin’s eyes, this woman shouldn’t be brought on future adventures—her figure was not suited for adventuring. She’d be better off left at a trading post.
She didn’t look as strong as Aive, and it seemed her Chest Armor was just for holding in excess fat.
"Cooked or raw, meat doesn’t affect my healing abilities. But personally, I prefer the taste of cooked meat, especially if it’s boiled." Silvia stared resentfully at the top of Delaford’s head. ’What’s with that little guy, scanning me up and down like that!’
"It would be perfect with a bit more salt," Sera said, frowning as she ladled a spoonful of broth from the pot and tasted it. "Too bad we didn’t bring any salt with us."
They usually carried rations on their missions to reduce hunting time. Forget salt; even the pot had been swiped from the Black-Eyes’ camp.
"Heh, you guys have it much better than we did—I’d almost forgotten what salt tastes like!" the Mercenary who was captured during a battle with Carolina laughed. "One meal a day of a watery soup so bland it was practically just water. But you get used to it after a while."
"Not me," Sera tossed the spoon back into the pot with disgust. "If I can’t have enough salt, I’d rather die than suffer like this!"
"The slave drivers in Carolina would have a tough time with you, then!"
Someone’s remark—no one was sure whose—made everyone laugh.
"We should be back by dawn the day after tomorrow, at the latest," Victoria said, as she and Ron looked at the faint markings on the map. "We’ll rest well today, then a forced march tomorrow through the night. It’s not good to stay in the forest for too long."
Their route had indeed gone off course, but not by too much. They were still on the outskirts, where it was much easier to travel than in the depths of the Delusional Land.
Ron relayed this news to the others, and they all agreed. They were used to hard times; what was one more day of hardship?
The following day, Silvia and Seymour spent the morning like students, following Ron and the others to learn about the land and their survival experience. In the afternoon, the roles reversed as Silvia began teaching Ron about Magic and Arcane Magic. Having been formally trained, her understanding of these subjects was far richer and deeper than Ron’s, or even Lavinia’s.
"You learn so fast!"
Silvia watched in awe as Ron used a tuft of leftover deer fur from last night to create a silent Phantom in the woods, and then saw him use Charm on a person. This human’s learning speed was simply outrageous!
’Is it because of that Spellbook in his hand?’
Silvia subtly tried to probe the Weaving Introduction but received no response. It seemed it was indeed an extremely powerful Magic Item.
’The leader has such powerful equipment. My own safety should be guaranteed, right?’
Meanwhile, Aive had found another sparring partner for arguments. When Seymour, Delaford, and Aive started debating, it was quite the spectacle. Common Language, Human Language, Elf Language, and goblin language took turns, one after the other, like a traveling symphony orchestra.
Occasionally, when Ron was pondering the principles of Magic, Silvia would join the fray, which was even more of a scene. This Vampire Descendant didn’t just speak with audio; it was a full video. She already knew many languages and used constant hand gestures, waving and pointing at the others. Overpowering her in a war of words was a nearly impossible task!
"I am not bringing this bunch to my home," Sera complained to Victoria, covering her ears. "Their voices would definitely cause an avalanche!"
Victoria: ...’You’re one to talk about loud voices causing an avalanche. Have you heard yourself?’
Finally, illuminated by Dancing Light Magic, the group pushed aside the bushes and saw a building nestled in the mountain pass. They all breathed a sigh of relief.
Trekking through the dense forest for so long was mentally draining. Now, they had finally returned to the embrace of civilization!
Even if it was just a single trading post, it was a symbol, a spiritual comfort! It was an affirmation of freedom for former Prisoners like Silvia and Seymour!
"This is... just wonderful," Silvia said, so moved she was on the verge of tears. "We finally escaped!"
"I’m going to take a nice long bath, have a huge meal, and then sleep soundly in a big, soft bed!"
"You deserve it," Aive chuckled. "Go on, and welcome a beautiful tomorrow! Right, Ron?"
"Ron?"
Aive looked at Ron, only to find his expression grim and his gaze fixed warily ahead. Victoria had the same reaction.
"What’s... wrong with you two?"
"The lights. See them?" Ron pointed to the faint light showing from inside the trading post, then gestured to the sky, which was already beginning to pale.
"It’s almost dawn by the time we got here. Who would still have a light on? Were they up all night?"
"Maybe they’re waiting for someone. But who?" Victoria added. "Could it be people from the Carolina City-States?"
"No way, right?" Seymour’s heart began to pound. "Could that woman have made a round trip that quickly?"
"Or it could be Ming Datiss, working with those slave traders to launch a surprise attack on us?" Ron’s voice was low. "That bastard just might do something like that!"
"Everyone, take cover! See that separate room carved into the mountainside over there? Go in through there. There’s a secret passage in the back!"
Ron directed everyone into Lavinia’s alchemy workshop. The Half-Elf wasn’t there, so they went directly through the rear passage into the mountain, then circled back to outflank the wooden structure in front.
However, a group their size couldn’t be completely stealthy. As they passed a room, they happened to run into a drowsy Buni coming out with a cup of water. Both sides were startled.
"Ron! You’re back!" After getting a clear look at them, Buni breathed a sigh of relief. "Hurry to the front. Someone’s been waiting for you. They’ve nearly eaten us out of house and home these past two days!"
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