Plan (I)

"You said you found a gold mine?"

Roy asked skeptically. Although orcs were the race least adept at lying, he still harbored doubts about their words.

When the Northern Kingdoms had been at the height of their power, they had spent a great sum to hire a gold dragon to survey this region. Dragons were not only authorities on appraising treasures, but also masters at prospecting and surveying mineral deposits. Back then, that gold dragon had determined that this soil was exceedingly barren and held no value for development.

A gold dragon of the good alignment had no reason to lie, nor could it have deceived the Northern Kingdoms. How could the orcs possibly have found a gold mine in this place?

"Where is it?"

Roy asked, his gaze full of scrutiny. "How did you discover the gold mine, and why did you think to inform me?"

"That thing's useless to us."

Orkash, the one speaking with him, shook his head, his voice utterly matter-of-fact. "Give the orcs food, and the orcs will take you to the gold."

A few stupid pigs.

Roy cursed inwardly, yet he believed Orkash a little more because of it. The orcs did not seem to be lying. Perhaps they really could give him a surprise.

Thus Roy smiled. "All right, I agree, my friend. My caravan is behind us. Once they arrive, someone will naturally give you the food. For now, take me to see what you found."

Orkash turned sideways, his eyes passing over Roy as if searching for signs of the caravan. Yet his gaze seemed to casually sweep across Anrien, the priest seated on horseback.

The orc withdrew his gaze, then refused. "No. Food first, gold after."

"My friend."

Roy was so angry he laughed. He looked the ugly green-skinned humanoid up and down. "We're already old friends. Shouldn't friends trust each other? I've never deceived you..."

"You have."

To his surprise, Orkash answered with complete seriousness, cutting him off. "Human words cannot be trusted."

Roy choked on his words, fury surging in his chest—he was a human noble, the second heir to Earl Brando, yet here he was haggling with a lowly orc.

"Orc."

Roy's eyes turned cold. "I do not want a crack to appear in our most sincere friendship because of this. Please do not make things difficult for your friend with such unreasonable excuses."

As if sensing the threat in Roy's gaze, Orkash turned back to seek the opinion of Gar, the hunting leader. His eyes swept once more over where Anrien stood, then, with his back to Roy, he gave Gar an almost imperceptible nod—the man left.

Gar strode forward and shoved Orkash aside. "Move, you idiot." Then he walked up to Roy and said in a muffled voice, "I'll take you."

"Now that's more like it."

Roy clapped his hands and made a courteous noble's gesture of invitation. Gar then turned around and led seven or eight orcs south ahead of them.

Roy lifted his foot to follow, only to hear a cavalryman rush up. "My lord, Lord Anrien has gone in that direction."

The cavalryman pointed toward a direction completely opposite to the one Gar and the other orcs had taken.

"When? Who allowed him to leave on his own?"

Roy's expression darkened instantly.

"Just now. Lord Anrien said not to worry about him and forbade us from following. He rode off alone in that direction."

Seeing Roy's ugly expression, the cavalryman bent at the waist and reported cautiously.

"That fellow is becoming more and more unruly."

Roy cursed twice. Anrien was Earl Brando's adopted son and the brother he had grown up with. Though there was no possibility that he had been bought off to leak secrets, Roy was still displeased.

He stared for a while in the direction Anrien had vanished, then glanced at the orcs waiting nearby. Roy swung himself onto his horse. "Forget it. We'll go with the orcs and take a look first. When that fellow comes back, I'll definitely teach him a proper lesson."

Anrien spurred his horse into a wild gallop, his eyes locked on the creature fleeing in disarray ahead. Joy he could not suppress filled his face. The sudden arrival of this surprise engulfed him in immense happiness, leaving him almost dizzy.

He was Earl Brando's adopted son. At the earl's wish, he began studying magic at the age of twelve. Later, again at the earl's wish, he switched to divine arts and became a priest.

Later still, he was assigned to Roy Brando's side, following the earl's legitimate son until now.

It had been a long time since Anrien had felt such intense emotional turmoil. Ever since he had been forced to become a priest, the world in his eyes had turned gray. Earl Brando had never treated him as his own child, just as Roy had never treated him as a brother. He was merely an object they needed, a part.

Anrien had no interest in Roy's strange ambitions, nor did he feel anything about the alliance between the Brando Family and the green dragon. This was not the life Anrien wanted, but he had no choice. He had to remain absolutely loyal to the Brando Family and do everything he could to repay the earl's decade-long kindness.

He had become a numb man, moving according to the earl's wishes, following the same routine day after day. No freedom, no hope, like an undead controlled by a necromancer.

But today, everything was different!

Perhaps his prayers day and night had moved the gods, and the merciful deities had seen this pitiful child. Guess what he had seen near the Stone Crow Clan?

A Forest Fairy!

Gods above!

What did a Forest Fairy mean to a spellcaster? It meant a sustained buff spell that granted the foresight of a prophet, allowing anyone to seize the initiative when fighting mages.

In Eladia, where mages held the dominant position, the temptation of a Forest Fairy was no less than a dragon's treasure hoard.

Most importantly, Forest Fairies were creatures of considerable purity, kindness, and single-minded devotion. If one could capture them and spend some time with them, then so long as the owner did not show too ugly a face, they could generally win a Forest Fairy's loyalty.

Moreover, this race was one of the rare intelligent long-lived species. Barring accidents, they could basically accompany their master for an entire lifetime.

Anrien had read all this in the Brando Family library. However, this race had already become quite rare, and at the time, he had only remembered the knowledge out of curiosity.

No matter what, Anrien had never expected that he would discover a Forest Fairy in a place like this.

The instant he discovered it, Anrien instinctively watched the expressions of those around him. Once he confirmed that no one else had noticed, he could no longer hold back. He did not even have time to greet Roy before chasing after it.

Anrien's desire for the Forest Fairy was stronger than that of other spellcasters. He needed that little fellow ahead of him too badly. He did not merely need a secret treasure that granted foresight—he also needed a reliable companion to whom he could confide, and a loyal servant who could encourage him at any time.

I must catch it.

Closer, closer—

"Arcane Missiles."

Priests were also spellcasters. This profession was not as powerless as people imagined. They too could cast many highly destructive spells, and in battle, they were not much weaker than spellcasters of the same level.

Arcane Missiles, along with Tracking Spell and Illumination, were known as the three treasures of mages. They were basic spells every magic apprentice first encountered. Though they were only entry-level, Anrien was already highly skilled with them, and they still possessed considerable power in his hands.

At the very least, they were more than enough to deal with a Forest Fairy with poor combat ability. As long as they hit, they could knock it to the ground.

However, the little fellow ahead was extremely perceptive and quick to react. The moment he raised his hand, the Forest Fairy had already sensed it, folding its body and continuing to flee ahead.