Feiyin River

Odovish said nothing, only watching Elufiel.

Just then, another knock sounded at the door, accompanied by the innkeeper's booming voice. "Two guests, your dessert and the other lamb chop are here."

The elf glanced at the closed door and muttered to herself, "What perfect timing," while Odovish raised an eyebrow.

Eugene, who had only just sat down, had no choice but to get up again and open the door. The innkeeper set the tray on the table. When he spotted Odovish, he casually said, "Ah, you're back? Did you get the jam? This is the last lamb chop. What a coincidence that you made it in time."

The mage nodded at him and went along with his words. "Yes, very fortunate." As he said the word fortunate, his gaze caught the elf propping up her head, and his mood suddenly lifted.

Not long after the innkeeper left, Eugene found an excuse to leave as well. The atmosphere in the room was far too strange. He would rather stay by himself.

"Then, Miss Elf, may I ask how you intended to keep this delicious lamb chop warm if I had not returned by now?" Odovish asked as he elegantly worked his knife and fork.

"I would put it in my space, then take it out again. Simple as that," Elufiel answered.

"May I ask one more question?"

"Go ahead."

"Why is Eugene here?"

Elufiel glanced at Odovish, seeming puzzled by why he would ask that. "Someone has to pay for lunch, doesn't they? I assume you have not forgotten that the large amount of gold I possess cannot be used."

Odovish paused mid-meal, suddenly finding the lamb in his mouth far less delicious.

And so, that night, the elf slept wonderfully, Eugene received a spell scroll preloaded with an instant Frost Nova, and the mage listened to a wind elemental snore all night. It seemed to have been a lovely night?

Chapter 24: Feiyin River

In the afternoon, gentle sunlight spilled across the window. The elf sat on the windowsill, fiddling with a small yellow flower. From the mage's perspective, she was bathed entirely in pale golden light, quiet and beautiful.

"Eluer," Odovish called.

"Hm?" Elufiel turned around. "What is it?"

Leaning against the doorframe, Odovish said, "We need to travel separately for a while. You should go to the southern shore of Lake Inoma first and take a boat. Eugene knows the way after that."

Elufiel frowned at this. "Why? What made you decide that? Terrence?"

"Not only that," Odovish said. "I need to take care of some personal matters. It is not a place fit for sightseeing."

"I thought I was learning about the world, not merely having fun," Elufiel argued.

Odovish shook his head. "No."

"Fine. Go on, then. Go." Elufiel suddenly jumped down from the windowsill. She pushed past Odovish, who was blocking the doorway, and walked out. "The Judgement Tribunal has already noticed us anyway. You were never part of my story. It is the right choice for you not to travel with us."

The elf left quickly, her figure nearly vanishing around the stairway corner in an instant. Odovish did not know why he felt so frustrated and displeased. He had made the decision, and the elf had cooperated with the plan just as he wanted. Yet whenever he thought of what she had said, and of the fact that she would soon be traveling with Eugene, he felt terribly stifled.

There was no reason for it. He simply did not want to see the elf get close to anyone other than himself. They said this feeling was called—possessiveness.

The mage left the inn first. Elufiel leaned by the window and quietly made a casting gesture at his retreating figure—Mind Vision. Almost the instant the spell succeeded, the elf gained the mage's perspective.

A distinct curve lifted the corners of the elf's lips. Trying to shake her off? Unless he ran to another plane.

Three knocks sounded at the door. Elufiel opened it, and Eugene appeared to be fully prepared. Before he could speak, Elufiel beat him to it. "I think it would be better if we traveled separately. Take this. If you run into the Judgement Tribunal again, use it the same way as the Sin'dorei Orb."

With that, Elufiel slammed the door shut. Eugene was left alone, staring blankly at the sphere in his hand.

Following the direction indicated by the wind elemental, Terrence and his group were heading upstream along the Feiyin River. Odovish Blinked several times in succession and reached the wind elemental's side.

Alanka was a mercantile nation formed from an alliance of city-states. Each city-state was independent, yet connected through trade, and merchants held extremely high status in Alanka. This structure meant that nearly all areas outside its major city-states were unmanaged. In other words, when no one was around, they were especially desolate.

A suitable place for a fight.

Through Mind Vision, Elufiel saw two withered trees. An unknown bird circled above the dead branches for a while before flying back toward the distant woods.

A plump little elemental dragged a tiny ghostlike tail behind it, puffing and huffing. Clearly, this was the mage's wind elemental, Yano.

Now, a very serious problem seemed to have arisen, Elufiel thought.

She had no idea where that place was.

Should I just fly there?

The yellow windrider took off from the empty forest. As the elf watched the terrain rush past below, she compared it to the scenes she saw through Mind Vision. There is no way to start, Elufiel thought with a headache. This skill really is better for spying, isn't it? At least then I would not have to search all over the world for a place.

Clutching the mane on the windrider's neck, the elf desperately wished the mage would make a move soon. Then she could follow the Arcane fluctuations to find him.

The view kept moving. A broad river blocked the path ahead. There were no boats or docks nearby, not even a single person in sight. Clearly, this was not a commonly used crossing point. Terrence's group stopped by the riverbank. A Paladin searched around in the reeds for a while before dragging out a small boat.