Only after hearing Kurt's words did Ruger realize just how long he had been a Two-Ring Wizard.
Still, it was only natural that Kurt would remember something like that clearly. Watching a friend who had become a Formal Wizard after him reach the Two-Ring level first must have left a deep impression. And as time passed while he himself remained a One-Ring Wizard, he would inevitably have kept an even clearer count of the years.
Ruger leaned back in his recliner and smacked his lips, savoring the distinctive fruity flavor lingering in his mouth from Mahama's wine, along with its faint bitterness.
Unfortunately, this place had already suffered Light-Loss. He could no longer sit beside the cliff and watch Heaven Pillar Mountain's light rise in the distance.
With that thought, Ruger took out a bottle of Sour Mushroom Wine. Big Guy could not have given Kurt much wine, so it was better to let Kurt save it to enjoy alone later. Besides, after flying for so long, he had already planned to have a large glass of Sour Mushroom Wine with ice once he landed.
"Three territories around here have already fallen," Kurt said, seemingly aware that Ruger was lamenting the absence of Heaven Pillar Mountain's light. He emptied his glass and continued, "Actually, in my view, far more than three have fallen. Those who abandoned their original ideals and strayed from their own paths, turning instead to squeeze faith out of suffering in the darkness, watching the territories they built slowly wither until their inevitable end-they count as fallen too. By contrast, the two who fell most recently abandoned their territories, but took their people with them. They weren't truly beaten by hardship. Their weakness is only temporary. I met one of them on Trade Island. He sought help