Alanka Duchy

But whenever she thought of the mage's blood giving her unparalleled pleasure... the elf felt unbearably embarrassed. The first time, she had forcefully kissed the mage to draw out mana; afterward, the mage had kept providing her with enchanted items, and now, she had even drunk the mage's blood...

The elf stood up and vigorously patted her cheeks. Ever since coming here, she felt she had been living far too extravagantly. Compared to her kin, she was like someone with a steady source of mana, constantly supplying her with gentle, harmless Arcane energy.

"Od?" Elufiel called out. She looked around and found that, just as the mage had said, pink irises bloomed everywhere. A stream ran from north to south, with scattered pools around it. In the distance, near the cabin, was a small waterfall with barely any drop, its rushing water sounding slightly hurried.

"Odovish?" Elufiel called again. The Spectral Tiger let out a great roar afterward, earning nothing but an eye roll from the elf.

"Quiet," Elufiel said. "Let's explore the cabin and see whether the mage got carried off by some monster."

Fendli then saw the long-term employer of their entire tribe suddenly curl his lips into a smile before walking out of the house toward the elf.

"By the God of Alchemy, I must be dreaming," Fendli muttered to himself.

"Over here." Odovish waved to the elf, then appeared beside her with a Blink. "How do you feel?"

"Cough." Elufiel's gaze wandered as she said, "Um, much better. Thank you."

"Was it because of the Felweed?" Odovish asked. "I'm sorry. I didn't expect the Felweed here to grow in such a huge patch."

"Felweed? You mean those things that look a lot like Bloodthistle?" Elufiel quickly realized.

"Do you have something similar where you're from?" Odovish asked. "Felweed isn't common. During the Golden Age, it was usually used as an additive in mana-restoring potions and the like to increase their potency. But consuming too much of it can lead to addiction."

Elufiel nodded. "It really does have an effect similar to Bloodthistle, but aren't you afraid something might go wrong if you add it to potions?"

"Glimmering Herbage neutralizes its side effects, and Felweed undergoes extensive processing before being added to reduce the aftereffects of consumption." Odovish took out a bottle of faintly pinkish-purple potion. "Like this Lesser Mana Potion. Without Felweed, it would be difficult for it to maintain abundant mana for a long time."

Elufiel took the crystal vial from the mage's hand. "Can I open it and smell it?"

"You can drink it if you want," the mage replied.

Fendli, who had just walked over, nearly slipped. His gaze at the elf changed again and again. What was this elf's background? This was no longer the Golden Age. A bottle this small could bankrupt a fairly wealthy Arcane caster, yet the mage was letting the elf drink it like sugar water?

Alanka Duchy

Calling it a wasteland would have been entirely fitting—Frostmoon was gradually passing, and as the temperature slowly rose, the land was filled with a damp, miserable feeling. Melted snowwater clung to the yellowed grass. Those vast fields might once have been full of heavy ears of wheat, but now only severed stalks remained, jutting up row after row from the muddy ground. In the empty wilderness, the occasional rabbit or marmot that poked its head out quickly burrowed back into its hole and vanished.

"Why is there no one?" Elufiel tugged at her cloak while trying to find a suitable place to step, but she had clearly failed. Slippery mud was everywhere, and her shoes were beyond saving. "We haven't even seen a single person. I don't understand why you wouldn't let us travel on horseback."

"My dear elf lady, I must remind you that the horses you speak of are somewhat different from what humans understand horses to be. If you insist on calling your 'little darlings' horses, that is." The mage glanced back at the elf. Even on this fairly broad road, none of her usual lightness showed. Holding up the hems of her skirt and cloak, she looked like a slow-moving old grandmother. "Judging by the way you walk, perhaps calling you Granny would be more appropriate? Still, you are right about one thing. Not seeing a single soul is rather unusual. We need to be careful in case we run into something unpleasant."

"I'm still young, thank you," Elufiel grumbled. "In fact, I really do have equine mounts. Of course, they may be a little different from ordinary warhorses. I mean, aside from the splendid saddles."

"Come now, Eluer. The wet ground is indeed unpleasant, but bear with it a little longer. Alanka is a famous trading nation. Even a small town has fairly decent taverns and inns. Our destination is Golden Apple Town, where they have the most delicious apple jam on the continent. Would you like some bread with jam?" Odovish coaxed the elf in an almost enticing tone.

Elufiel sighed and gave up trying to save her mud-stained shoes. "Honestly, if levitation didn't make me look like a ghost on level ground, I really would use it to travel."

Odovish imagined the elf floating low above the ground and curled his lips slightly. "Wouldn't it look more like a balloon?"

"Oh, Odovish." Elufiel curled her lip without the slightest elegance. "Have you noticed that your little mage habits are gradually waking up—like that nasty sense of humor just now?"

"Is that a common flaw among the mages in your memories?" Odovish asked. "I'm honored. I seem more like a mage now."