Explanation

Returning to his carriage, Ryan encountered his attendant, Bill, who had been waiting anxiously on the spot. Seeing Ryan return safely, Bill's worried expression instantly turned to one of excitement and relief. He hurried toward Ryan, asking with concern, "Young Master, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Ryan felt at ease with this loyal servant who had followed him since childhood and always worked without complaint. He nodded and replied, "I ran into a bit of trouble, but it's been resolved. Bill, keep watch outside the carriage and don't let anyone approach. I need to meditate and re-record my spells."

Bill nodded immediately, assuring Ryan, "Don't worry, Young Master. You can trust me to get the job done; absolutely no one will disturb you."

Ryan returned to the comfortable carriage and collapsed onto the soft, plush cushions, finally allowing himself to relax completely.

Ryan winced, feeling the intense soreness and waves of fatigue radiating throughout his body, and let out a sigh. As a mage, suppressing a battle-hardened, experienced assassin in a fierce fight was no easy feat. By the second half of the battle, Ryan had essentially been gritting his teeth through the pain to create opportunities for Jelona.

On top of that, the overly energetic Black Panther had been sprinting and frolicking the entire way back. With all the jolting, Ryan felt as though his bones were about to fall apart.

Damn leopard. If I get the chance, I'm definitely sending you to visit Huanong so you can experience what heatstroke feels like. Ryan felt a surge of irritation whenever he recalled the disdainful look that spiritual Black Panther had given him.

After resting for a while on the soft cushions and feeling his body recover slightly, Ryan sat up and opened the ornate pouch gifted by Guildmaster Sphinx. As soon as the pouch opened, his eyes were met with the dazzling, pearlescent luster of various gemstones. Ryan poured the contents out and began to count them one by one.

"Hmm, sapphire, ruby, sapphire, amethyst..." Ryan counted the shimmering, crystal-clear gems on the cushion, playing with them in his hands before placing them back into the pouch, looking exactly like a stingy miser tallying his meager fortune.

"Nice. At least a dozen flawless-quality gems. This should be enough to trade for two or three fourth-circle spell models. Well, a trade guild that does business on this scale is certainly wealthy and generous." Looking at the windfall before him, Ryan was filled with joy, and the soreness in his body suddenly didn't seem so bad anymore.

As a veteran gamer with obsessive-compulsive tendencies and terminal "hoarding syndrome," Ryan had been the type of peak grinder in his past life who would break every pot and jar in a villager's house to collect items, leaving no cupboard unturned. He had dedicated countless nights to various RPGs, adhering to the principle that an item might be useless, but he couldn't afford not to have it.

After coming to this other world and inheriting the memories and mindset of his past life, Ryan's habits had naturally followed him. But no matter how much he hoarded, Ryan often found himself drooling over spell materials and magic models in the magic market, only to end up weeping over his empty wallet.

After all, ever since Ryan became a formal mage, Yefalin had taught him that the principle of a mage is equivalent exchange; priceless knowledge could not be imparted without a cost. Even though she was fond of Ryan, Yefalin remained strict on this point. Every spell model and piece of knowledge Ryan possessed had been earned by working for Yefalin or trading gold coins and magic stones.

"No matter which world I'm in, I always feel like a pauper." Putting the gem-filled pouch into his demi-plane space for safekeeping, Ryan sighed from the bottom of his heart.

After tidying up for a moment and feeling much better, Ryan sat still and began his meditation, preparing to scribe new spells into his spellbook. Meanwhile, the caravan finished its preparations and set off, continuing its unfinished journey.

On the gravel-filled road, the carriage wheels rolled over the crushed stones, emitting a "creaking" sound. The early morning sun cast a dim glow through the thin clouds, draping the winding caravan in a hazy halo.

Beside Ryan's carriage, the half-elf ranger took the opportunity of a patrol to approach, waiting for the mage to appear.

Sensing the information from his magical alarm, Ryan stopped his meditation, let out a long breath, removed his mask and hood, and opened the curtain to look at the half-elf, feeling his eyes light up.

After some rest and grooming, the half-elf ranger sat proudly atop her handsome Black Panther in the morning light. Her beautiful face appeared even more exquisite in the faint halo, and her lithe, perfect figure showed off stunning contours beneath her leather armor.

Ryan calmed his heart, which had been struck by the sight of the heroic and beautiful ranger, and said gently, "Come into the carriage and let's talk."

Jelona glanced at the calm, handsome youth without a word, then leaped lightly onto Ryan's carriage and slipped through the curtain into the cabin.

Entering the carriage, Jelona sat directly on the cushion and stared at Ryan expressionlessly, then glanced at Bill, who was driving outside.

Ryan smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll cast a Silence Barrier to isolate the carriage; no one will be able to hear our conversation."

Hearing this, Jelona raised an eyebrow and asked Ryan, "Why didn't you let me explain the situation regarding the Zhentarim earlier?"

"Because these matters aren't suitable for the people in the caravan to know. The orc attack has already left everyone feeling anxious. If they knew we had provoked the notorious Zhentarim, I'm afraid they wouldn't have the confidence to make it to Waterdeep," Ryan explained to the puzzled half-elf in a mild tone.

"Besides, I suspect the Zhentarim won't react until we reach Waterdeep. By then, I will deal with them through the Mages Guild in Waterdeep to draw their attention. You and your companions won't need to get dragged into this mess, so there's no need to explain anything to them." The blond young mage's calm voice resonated beside Jelona.

"Ah, then wouldn't that be very dangerous for you?" Hearing Ryan's strategy, Jelona let go of her earlier confusion and resentment, becoming worried for the young mage instead.

"It's fine. My teacher said she's very close with the head of the Waterdeep Mages Guild, and my family isn't exactly a pushover. Whether the Zhentarim can actually gain an advantage remains to be seen."

Jelona hesitated for a moment. Although this was her first time meeting the young mage, his mature, cautious demeanor and refined, handsome appearance had left a very good impression on her. Their shared battle had also added a sense of camaraderie between them.

Jelona hesitated, her expression shifting. While she wanted to help with the trouble Ryan was facing, she was unsure if she should commit to helping this youth who had caught her eye, given her adventurer companions. However, the pride and dignity inherited from her elven blood would not allow her to bury her head in the sand like an ostrich.

The beautiful half-elf deliberated for a long time before finally making up her mind and saying to Ryan, "I played a part in that thief's death; I can't let you face the danger alone. I won't be leaving when we reach Waterdeep. If you need it, I can face them with you then."

Watching the half-elf ranger, who seemed to have relaxed after making such an important decision, Ryan gave a helpless, wry smile: "Silly girl, the reason I didn't want you involved is because they were targeting me from the start. You're just rushing into it. If you were in my past life, a naive girl like you would have been scammed a dozen times a night."

Ryan was about to explain further, but Jelona waved her hand to interrupt: "No need to say more. I've already decided. An elf's promise is never broken."

Ryan was speechless, thinking to himself: What kind of "elf's promise" are you talking about? That half of your human blood is going to cry, you know.

However, after making her decision, Jelona realized that her behavior seemed to be a declaration of her favor toward the young mage. A blush appeared on her face, and she prepared to leave in a slight panic.

Just as Jelona lifted the curtain, she suddenly turned back to look at Ryan and asked, "By the way, I've been meaning to ask: how were you so sure I would understand the meaning of that Light spell? Weren't you afraid I would just turn and leave?"

Hearing this, a sly smile appeared on the corner of Ryan's mouth as he pointed to the longbow slung across the half-elf ranger's back: "Tying Moon Grass to a longbow as decoration is a custom of the elves of the Moon Forest. Since Moon Grass is a specialty of the Moon Forest, you must have come from there."

"The alert system within the Moon Forest is composed of a unique set of warning and communication signals based on different light-sensitive patterns. I heard that every elf within the Moon Forest is required to learn this system. I assume you aren't the type of poor student who failed their standard coursework, right?"

Jelona rolled her eyes at Ryan and said indignantly, "Tch, aren't you clever! I was one of the best among my peers, alright?" With that, she turned and left the carriage, mounting the Black Panther that was currently showing off and scaring the pack horses, and rode away, looking quite satisfied.

Ryan watched Jelona's retreating figure and smiled, but then his expression turned gloomy.

"Zhentarim, I'll remember this debt."

Ryan had always dealt with those who threatened his life with the utmost malice. Regarding this assassination, Ryan had thoroughly marked the Zhentarim in his little black book.