Ravenwood Town Bishop

Ronan's brow furrowed, and he suppressed his curiosity as he walked over. Knight Warren stood up upon seeing Ronan and said to him, "You're here. You've already met these knights from the Shadow Garrison. This is the Bishop of Ravenwood Town, Dorodamenro Nebula. Your Excellency Bishop, this is Ronan, the warrior who killed the Dragon Person. Ronan, please sit next to me." Warren introduced them one by one before sitting down.

Ronan nodded and then sat down next to Knight Warren. The table was already filled with delicacies and fine wine, including steak, roasted chicken, fried fish, fruit salad, and a whole roasted suckling pig in the center of the table. The aroma made Ronan's appetite stir.

"Now that you're here, after hearing Knight Warren's account, I've been eager to see the heroic figure who could slay that powerful Dragon Person. This cup is from me on behalf of the participating soldiers. If you hadn't killed that Dragon Person, who knows how many more would have died because of it." His voice was indeed masculine, which surprised Ronan a little, as the Bishop's appearance had made him assume it was a woman. Ronan also noticed a crystal ball emitting a faint glow placed to the Bishop's left.

Ronan quickly raised his wine glass. "Your Excellency Bishop, you flatter me. Since I accepted the mission, this is simply my duty."

"So, as long as you accept a mission, you'll always complete it, even if there are variables that could put your life at risk, like this time?" the Bishop asked with a curious expression, touching the crystal ball with his left hand.

"Of course, it's a matter of principle. I, Rodrit, don't consider myself a hero, but I must uphold professional ethics," Ronan replied.

Upon hearing Ronan's words and feeling the feedback from the crystal ball, Dorodamenro smiled. During the meal, Dorodamenro asked Ronan many questions, which were all unconnected, leaving Ronan a bit bewildered.

As the banquet concluded, the Shadow Garrison knights rose to take their leave. Ronan also intended to depart, but Dorodamenro called him back.

"Through our conversation just now, I've gotten a good sense of who Sir Rodrit is. I have a very important task I'd like you to complete. Are you willing to accept it?"

"May I ask what kind of task it is, Your Excellency Bishop?"

"Ravenwood Town has a merchant caravan, which is a vital trade route and economic source for the town. I'm planning to send them to the Hinterlands soon. The journey is long and passes through many bandit-infested checkpoints and plains. Knight Warren has always been responsible for this in the past.

However, Knight Warren is injured, and this time it will require more time than usual. Knight Warren has other duties and cannot be away for so long. Therefore, I'm prepared to hire you as the caravan's escort. After all, your strength and character have already been proven, and I believe you can complete this mission exceptionally well. The reward is 200 gold coins. I will advance half to you now, and the rest will be given to you by the caravan upon reaching the Hinterlands."

"Alright, I accept the mission. I appreciate your trust, Your Excellency Bishop, and I will not disappoint!" In reality, it was the generous reward that attracted Ronan. He was completely blinded by the prospect of money and didn't even consider how the Bishop had confirmed his character after just a few conversations.

"The caravan departs tomorrow night. Please make your preparations. The journey is long, and it may take nearly four months for the caravan to reach the Hinterlands at their pace."

After bidding farewell to the Bishop and Knight Warren, he excitedly returned to the tavern with the 100 gold coins he had received, once again marveling inwardly at the wealth of Ravenwood Town. No wonder so many mercenaries and adventurers came here to make their fortunes.

Ronan planned to recruit ten more soldiers upon his return to fill his troop numbers. After all, it would be difficult to explain the origin of new recruits if he were to do so after departing with the caravan.

After Ronan left, Knight Warren walked over to Dorodamenro and asked, "What did the Mind's Eye Crystal say?"

"This person's heart is filled with disdain for class and hierarchy, and he yearns for the shattering of rules and doctrines. He is greedy, ambitious, and decisive in dealing with enemies. He also harbors secrets that even the Mind's Eye Crystal cannot fully fathom. However, he also possesses strong principles, and a kind, compassionate side resides within him. His strength is considerable, and his mercenaries are battle-hardened. I am quite reassured entrusting this mission to him."

At the same time, on Mount Glan, at the battle site where the bloodstains had yet to disappear, a group of uninvited guests arrived. Leading them was a tall, powerfully built orc with arms as thick as a normal human's thigh. His beard was braided, and two sharp tusks protruded from his lips. His entire body was a deep brown, and he was the chieftain of the Blackfire Orcs from the Moran Kingdom—Lasse Blackfire. Behind him followed a mixed force of over a thousand individuals, including humans, orcs, gnolls, lizardmen, dragon people, and hobgoblins.

Lasse beckoned, and a hunched-over orc wearing a gray robe and holding a thick wooden staff stepped forward from behind him. The hunched-over orc knelt on the ground and began drawing strange symbols in the blood-stained soil with his hand, muttering in an unknown language. After some time, he suddenly threw his head back, convulsing, his eyes rolling up to reveal cloudy whites.

About five minutes later, the hunched-over orc stopped convulsing. He walked over to Lasse and said, "Chieftain, Rello is dead, killed by a knight who pierced his throat. Krantuman has betrayed us, and Dorodamenro has likely become aware of our plan. What should we do next?"

"Damn Krantuman, he's ruined the kingdom's grand plan. I'll kill him sooner or later. This concerns the kingdom's next step, and we cannot give up. Expedite the conscription of those fellows in the forest, and then have Wokin take them to Shadow Garrison Fortress to block them, preventing them from reinforcing Ravenwood Town. Also, have the goblins hurry with the logging to build ladders. Ravenwood Town's walls aren't high; they won't need to be very large. Once they are in position, we will directly assault Ravenwood Town."

"But Chieftain, this will make the Holy Cross suspect the Kingdom."

"As long as we capture that Elf, the cost is entirely bearable! Get moving. We must act quickly. Dorodamenro could send her away at any moment. Even if she is sent away, we must still storm Ravenwood Town, find out where she went, and intercept her. We have no other choice. If we return to the Kingdom without completing the mission, our tribe's rise will be lost forever."

"Also, send a few humans into the town to spread rumors. This way, some mercenaries will leave, and it will reduce the pressure when we attack the city."

After commanding his subordinates, Lasse found a stone and sat down. He took out a string of wooden beads from his bosom and rubbed the patterns on them, muttering to himself:

"Just you wait, you little brats. I will definitely capture that Elf and complete the mission. The Blackfire Tribe cannot decline under my leadership. Once I return victorious, you will live good lives."