Explanation

Back in his carriage, Ryan found his attendant Bill waiting anxiously for him. The moment Bill saw that Ryan had returned unharmed, his worried expression lit up with excitement. He hurried over and asked with concern, "Young master, how are you? Are you hurt?"

Ryan trusted the loyal servant who had followed him since childhood and worked tirelessly by his side. He nodded and replied, "I ran into a little trouble, but it's taken care of. Bill, stay outside the carriage and don't let anyone approach. I need to meditate for a while and record the spells again."

Bill immediately nodded and assured him, "Don't worry, young master. You can count on me. I won't let anyone disturb you."

Ryan returned to the comfortable carriage and sank onto the soft cushions, finally letting himself relax completely.

Ryan grimaced as he felt sharp aches throughout his body and waves of exhaustion wash over him. He sighed. As a Mage, suppressing a seasoned, battle-hardened assassin in the midst of a fierce fight could hardly have been easy. In the latter half of the battle, he had endured the pain all over his body, gritting his teeth as he created openings for Jelona.

On top of that, the overly lively Black Panther had galloped wildly the whole way back. After being jolted around the entire journey, Ryan felt as though his bones were about to come apart.

"Damn cat. Given the chance, I'll send you to Huanong for a visit, so you can find out what heatstroke feels like." Just thinking of the knowing, contemptuous look the Black Panther had given him made Ryan bristle.

After resting for a while on the soft, comfortable cushions, Ryan felt a little better and sat up straight. He opened the ornate purse Sphinx had given him. As soon as its mouth fell open, he saw a dazzling array of colorful gemstones, gleaming with a brilliant luster. He poured out the contents and began counting them one by one.

"Hmm, a sapphire, a ruby, another sapphire, an amethyst..." Ryan counted the gemstones scattered across the cushions, their translucent surfaces shimmering with multicolored light. He picked each one up, turned it over in his hand, then put it back in the purse, looking every bit like a miser tallying his meager fortune.

"Nice! At least a dozen flawless-quality gems. I can trade these for two or three fourth-circle spell models. Yeah, big trading companies really do have money to burn." Ryan gazed at his unexpected windfall, delighted. Suddenly, the aches throughout his body didn't seem like much at all.

As a veteran gamer with an obsessive-compulsive streak and a severe case of pack-rat syndrome, Ryan had been the sort in his previous life who smashed every jar and bottle in every villager's house to collect items, turning every place upside down and leaving nothing untouched. He had been a hardcore grinder, devoting countless days and nights to all kinds of RPGs, guided by the principle that an item might be useless, but he couldn't live without it.

After coming to another world, Ryan had brought all his old habits with him, along with his memories and way of thinking. But no matter how much he hoarded, he could only stare longingly at the spell materials and spell models in the magic market, then look at his empty wallet and weep.

After all, from the moment Ryan became a full-fledged Mage, Yefalin had taught him that a Mage's principle was equivalent exchange. Priceless knowledge couldn't be passed on for free. No matter how fond she was of Ryan, Yefalin had always been strict with him on this point. He had earned every spell model and bit of knowledge by working for Yefalin or trading gold coins, magic stones, and other valuables for them.

"No matter which world I'm in, I always feel like a pauper." Ryan put the purse full of gems into his demiplane and carefully stowed it away, sighing from the bottom of his heart.

After tidying up, Ryan felt much better. He sat down quietly and began meditating, preparing to inscribe new spells in his Spellbook. The caravan had finished packing up as well and set off to continue its journey.

The carriage wheels rolled along the gravel road, crunching over the stones with a squeak. The weak morning sun shone through thin clouds, casting a hazy glow over the winding caravan.

The Half-elf Ranger came near Ryan's carriage under the pretext of making her rounds, waiting for the Mage to appear.

Sensing the alert from his magical wards, Ryan stopped meditating and let out a long breath. He took off his mask and hood, drew back the curtain, and looked at the Half-elf. He couldn't help but be dazzled by the sight.

The Half-elf Ranger had tidied herself up and sat proudly atop her handsome Black Panther in the morning light. Her lovely features looked even more charming in the faint glow, and her lithe, well-proportioned figure stood out beneath her leather armor.

Ryan calmed himself after being captivated by the beautiful, spirited Ranger and said gently, "Come inside. We can talk there."

Jelona glanced at the handsome young man, whose expression was calm, but said nothing. With a light leap, she landed on Ryan's carriage, pulled aside the curtain, and slipped inside.

Once in the carriage, Jelona sat down on the cushion and met Ryan's gaze without expression. Then she glanced at Bill, who was driving outside.

Ryan smiled and said, "Don't worry. I'll use a silence ward to seal off the entire carriage. No one will be able to hear us."

Jelona raised an eyebrow at that, then asked Ryan, "Why didn't you let me explain the Zhentarim situation earlier?"

"Because it wasn't appropriate for the people in the caravan to hear about it. The Orc attack has already left everyone on edge. If they learned we'd also gotten mixed up with the notorious Zhentarim, I'm worried they wouldn't have the confidence to make it to Waterdeep." Ryan explained it kindly to the puzzled Half-elf.

"Besides, the Zhentarim probably won't react until we reach Waterdeep. Then I'll deal with them through the Mages Guild there and draw their attention. You and your companions won't need to get involved, so there's no need to explain anything to them." The young blond Mage's calm voice rang in Jelona's ears.

"Ah, but wouldn't that put you in a lot of danger?" Hearing Ryan's plan, Jelona let go of her earlier confusion and resentment over his decision and began worrying about the young Mage instead.

"It's fine. My teacher said she knows the head of the Mages Guild in Waterdeep very well, and my family isn't to be trifled with either. It's hard to say whether the Zhentarim will come out ahead."

Jelona hesitated. Though she had only just met the young Mage, his mature, cautious manner and handsome, well-groomed appearance had made a very good impression on her. Their fight together had also given them a sense of comradeship.

Jelona hesitated, her expression shifting. She wanted to help Ryan with the trouble he had run into, but she had to consider her adventuring companions. She wasn't sure she should decide to help this young man she felt drawn to. Yet the pride and dignity of her elven blood wouldn't let her bury her head in the sand like an ostrich.

The beautiful Half-elf weighed it over and over before finally making up her mind. "I had a hand in that thief's death, so I can't let you face this danger alone. I won't be leaving Waterdeep for a while. If you need me, I can face it with you."

Looking at the Half-elf Ranger, who seemed to have relaxed after making some important decision, Ryan gave a helpless smile. "You silly girl, I didn't want you involved because I was their target in the first place. And now you're rushing to join in. If someone like you had been around in my previous life, you'd probably have been tricked into going ten rounds a night."

Ryan was about to explain again, but Jelona waved him off. "Don't bother. I've made up my mind. An elf's promise cannot be broken."

Ryan was speechless. What are you talking about, an elf's promise? The half of you that's human is going to cry, you know.

Once she had made up her mind and come back to herself, Jelona realized that her behavior seemed like she was declaring her affection for the young man. A blush crept across her face, and, looking flustered, she prepared to leave.

As Jelona pulled back the carriage curtain, she suddenly turned to Ryan and asked, "By the way, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. How did you know I'd understand what the Light Spell meant? Weren't you afraid I'd just turn around and leave?"

At that, a sly smile curled Ryan's lips. He pointed to the longbow slung across the Half-elf Ranger's back. "It's an elven custom in the Moon Forest to decorate longbows with Duskmoths. Duskmoths are native to the Moon Forest, too, so you must have come from there.

"And the Moon Forest's warning system uses different light signals to form a unique network for alarms and communication. I've heard that every Elf in the Moon Forest has to learn it. I figured you weren't the kind of student who couldn't even pass the basic lessons."

Jelona rolled her eyes at Ryan and said crossly, "Oh, you're so clever! I was one of the best in my age group, you know." With that, she left the carriage, mounted the Black Panther, which had been swaggering nearby and scaring the draft horses, and rode away, looking pleased with herself.

Ryan watched Jelona's retreating figure and smiled. Then his expression darkened.

"Zhentarim, I'll settle this score with you later."

Ryan had always dealt with anyone who threatened his life with the utmost malice. After this assassination attempt, he had written the Zhentarim down in his little book of grudges for good.