"Is something the matter?"
Mills looked at Dole, gentlemanly yet appraising. After a few seconds, he nodded slightly, glanced around, and slowly sat down across from Dole.
Dole had no idea what this was about.
Mills suddenly smiled. "I heard you're also from the Northern Kingdom. May I ask where your ancestral home is?"
Dole did not hide it. "Demon County, in the southeastern part of the Northern Kingdom."
Mills shook his head, indicating that he had never heard of it.
Dole smiled. "It's just a small place that produces some ore. It was only after I came into contact with some Magic Crystal Mines that I gradually began walking the path of a wizard."
Mills smiled. "That was your lucky encounter. I heard it had something to do with a Hellhound?"
Dole immediately became wary. "Yes. When I found him, that fellow was nearly dead. He was lucky to survive!" This was no longer a secret. At least within the Glory Wizard Alliance, the information concerning Bal could fill several pages.
Mills's smile grew even broader. "I heard about it. Your rise was entirely connected to him. I want to ask—could I meet this creature from beyond this world?"
Dole looked at Mills, his expression gradually turning cold.
"Whatever ideas you have, you'd best strangle them in your heart."
Seeing Dole's expression, Mills also reined in his smile. In a low voice, he slowly said, "No one came looking for you before because you hadn't yet caught certain people's attention. You weren't qualified. Now that someone has come looking for you, do you think you still have room to refuse?"
Dole looked at Mills, unable to understand what he meant. Looking for Bal and looking for him—weren't those the same thing? Was this the beginning of a threat?
Dole