Romon smiled and rose to his feet. "Are you close to Mr. Weilun?"
"Not really. But for a time, when my father worked as a hired hand, that caravan often employed Old Vilen." Feiqiya rose as well.
"Lovely Miss Yvette, it seems that with Mr. Weilun here, I have no chance to defend your honor." Romon bowed slightly to Yvette.
A faint blush spread across Yvette's face. This refined young man had charming chestnut hair. His eyes were blue, clear as the seawater beyond Aps City, as though they held some captivating secret.
"Father, you hit someone again! You're always so rude!" Yvette suddenly darted outside like a startled fawn.
"Romon, Miss Yvette seems embarrassed. But you should know, Yvette is a Third-Level Warrior. With your build, you might not be able to handle her." Feiqiya lightly jabbed Romon with his elbow.
Romon smiled at him, but for some reason, Eileen's image suddenly surfaced in his mind. He followed Feiqiya outside.
"A Third-Level Warrior? Captain Richard, who taught me swordsmanship, seemed to be only Fourth Level." Thinking this, Romon murmured, "Perhaps coming to Apus was a good choice."
When Romon and Feiqiya stepped outside, quite a crowd had gathered by the door. Romon heard someone in the crowd say, "That Jacob is only a First-Level mage, yet he dares cause trouble in Aps. He really doesn't know his place."
Someone else said, "Don't be fooled by how impressive he acts. He's just a hired worker at Master Sackville's workshop nearby."
Romon smiled faintly, recalling the famous Earth story of "The Ugly Duckling." A First-Level professional was like an ugly duckling. He could not spread his wings and soar like a swan, yet he was clearly different from the wild ducks. So he would be ostracized by them—unless the ugly duckling had the protection of swans. Really, what difference was there between Jacob and himself? He was merely more humble.
That thought left Romon somewhat disheartened. He tugged at Feiqiya. "I think I'm getting hungry. Let's find something to eat."
Feiqiya looked at him in mild surprise, then said, "Aren't you going to find Miss Yvette? She's over there."
Romon laughed heartily, though he thought to himself, This Feiqiya—though I still don't know why he sought me out—undoubtedly knows exactly how to gauge his words when speaking to people.
Over the next while, the crowd gradually dispersed. The city guard arrived late and cheerfully greeted Old Vilen. Romon and Feiqiya had already returned to the tavern. On their table sat a plate of steamed earth wolf meat. These earth wolves were plentiful in the hills and woods outside the city. They ate anything, whether dead animal carcasses or living prey, so their meat was not especially tasty. Romon speared a piece with his fork and put it into his mouth, only to discover, to his surprise, that it tasted quite good. Drawing on China's advanced culinary traditions from Earth, Romon concluded that certain special plants must have been added as seasonings to mask the earth wolf meat's inherent sourness.
Seeing Romon silently eating, Feiqiya thought he had been stunned by the flavor. He smiled and said, "Well? When I first tried it, I found it unbelievable too. Earth wolf meat can actually taste like this. It's Old Vilen's special craft. Paired with his homemade fruit wine, they say nobles occasionally even change clothes and come here for a meal."
Romon nodded and took a sip of the fruit wine as instructed. A flush rose to his face, and with a hint of drunkenness, he said, "Mr. Feiqiya, thank you very much for your hospitality. If you don't find it presumptuous, I'd like to know now exactly why you were looking for me."
"Brother Romon," Feiqiya seemed a little drunk as well, "the moment I saw you, I knew you were someone destined for great things. But I recently heard that money was a little tight for you, so I took it upon myself to find you a job. Master Sackville is a Fifth-Level mage, and he recently needed people to help make healing potions. Would you be willing to join?" As he spoke, Feiqiya fixed his bright eyes on Romon. There was not a trace of drunkenness left in them.
"Master Sackville? Was that Jacob from earlier working for him too?" Romon asked, meeting Feiqiya's gaze without avoiding it.
"You needn't worry about that. Old Vilen and the master were friends who once adventured together. Once word of today's matter reaches the master, that poor Jacob will probably lose his job immediately." Though he called Jacob "poor," Feiqiya's face was filled with gloating.
"Mr. Feiqiya." Romon solemnly raised his wine cup. "Thank you so much for looking after me. I don't even know what to say. I certainly won't forget you. Let me offer you a toast."
"Brother Romon, call me big brother. Calling me 'sir' is too distant. You're a man with a future. Once you become a Fifth-Level, Sixth-Level, or even greater druid, just don't forget me." Feiqiya clinked his cup against Romon's.
"Not at all. I'll still need Big Brother Feiqiya's guidance and care in the future."
"Then it's settled. Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to Master Sackville. Let's not drink too much today. We should make a good impression on the master tomorrow."
Early the next morning, while the sky was still dim, Feiqiya entered Romon's room. Romon was already dressed and ready, sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for him.
Feiqiya examined him. The youth before him was refined but not immature, his gaze calm and steady, truly like a young lion. This is my first investment. Feiqiya thought this as he suppressed the faint trace of jealousy in his heart.
"Let's go." Feiqiya showed a gentle smile.
Romon nodded.
Aps City was shrouded in a thin layer of morning mist. Occasional clamor drifted from afar. The city was not large, and both men traveled on foot along the cobblestone streets. In several places, they saw soldiers from the night watch moving wooden barricades away from the middle of the road. The city was waking from its sleep and regaining its vitality.
Before long, Romon and Feiqiya arrived beside the shop of the mage Sackville. The shop was not far from Old Vilen's tavern where they had drunk the day before. Leaving Old Vilen's tavern, they simply turned right, crossed an intersection, and entered an alley.
At that moment, two people seemed to be arguing outside Sackville's shop. One was the pale-faced Jacob, who had caused trouble at the tavern yesterday. The other was a somewhat older young man.
Romon and Feiqiya stopped some distance away and listened to their conversation.
"Mr. Alec, please plead with Mr. Sackville for me. I promise I'll work properly from now on." Jacob was speaking. It seemed Feiqiya's words from yesterday were about to come true.
The young man called Alec had thinning hair and an unusually broad forehead. Frowning, he said, "Jacob, that's impossible. Mr. Vilen is the teacher's good friend, and Miss Yvette was practically raised under the teacher's watch..."
"Alec, it wasn't my fault. It was those two outsiders. They—"
Upon hearing this, Feiqiya tugged on Romon's sleeve and stepped forward. "Jacob, making wild accusations and shirking responsibility will not spare you from punishment. Besides, you are not a citizen of Aps City either. You are an outsider too."
Jacob turned around and saw the two approaching. Fire seemed to blaze in his eyes as he shouted, "It's you two! You made me lose everything! Damn you, I'll kill you!" As he spoke, Jacob retreated two steps and began chanting a mage's spell without a care for anything else.
Romon's brow rose. He immediately recognized that it was exactly the same spell Jacob had intended to cast outside the tavern yesterday: the First-Level Spell, Flame Palm.
This man's stupidity was truly beyond saving. Did he not know what a grave taboo it was to use a fire-based spell within the city? Though magical flames came from supernatural power, once they began to burn, they still had to obey the rules of the Material Plane. In other words, withdrawing one's magic would not automatically extinguish them.
With that thought in mind, Romon lunged forward without hesitation. Taking a step, he drove a straight punch forward, combining the enhanced body granted by Shennong Horn with Richard's martial training, and smashed Jacob hard in the face. Jacob's chant came to an abrupt stop, and his high nose bridge instantly collapsed.
Jacob clutched his nose as blood streamed through his fingers. He fell to the ground in a miserable heap.
Only then did Alec's furious voice ring out. "Jacob, you really are insane. Setting fire in the city will implicate the teacher as well. I should hand you over to the city guard."
Romon turned around, placed his left hand before his right shoulder, and gave a salute. "Mr. Alec, with the Heart of Nature as witness, yesterday at Old Vilen's tavern, Mr. Jacob here also seemed to be preparing to cast a Flame Palm."
Since I've already offended him so badly, there's no harm in kicking him while he's down. Romon thought.
"Mage Alec, it has been a long time. Mr. Romon is a good friend of mine. He is a First-Level Druid. My father recommended him to Master Sackville, hoping that he might serve the master." Feiqiya stepped forward, saluted, and made the introduction.
Alec smiled slightly at Feiqiya. "It's you, Feiqiya. Then that works out perfectly. As you can see, we're now short more than one person. Romon, is it?" He nodded to Romon. "Come with me."
Then he said to Jacob, who was sitting on the ground, "Jacob, for the sake of Master Dandy and your father, I won't call the city guard this time. But I still have to advise you: Aps City is not your father's territory, Galle. You need to learn restraint."
Romon shook his head to himself. This young man's face held nothing but venomous resentment. Did anyone really expect him to accept advice? Still, judging from Alec's words, this man seemed to be the son of Ibi Yullen, the lord of Galle Town? A noble. He would have to ask about it later.
With that in mind, Romon followed Alec into the shop.
"Feiqiya, was that Jacob just now the son of the lord of Galle Town? Is he a noble? Won't this affect your caravan's business?" he asked Feiqiya.
Feiqiya smiled at him. "Jacob Yullen? So it was him. Don't be afraid. We don't travel the Galle Town route. In fact, fewer and fewer merchants are willing to take that route now."
"Why?" Romon asked.
Before Feiqiya could answer, Alec, who was leading the way ahead, spoke. "Jacob is the lord's youngest son, born to the lord and a maidservant. The lord loves him deeply. The mother of the lord's eldest son, Lance, died early. Galle Town's current situation is this: Baron Ibi is close to Jacob, while Lance holds the moral high ground and has the support of his maternal uncle, Baron Israel Halles, lord of Tam Town. Galle Town is on the verge of falling into chaos, so merchants are deliberately avoiding it."
Romon nodded. He had heard traveling adventurers mention the chaos in Galle Town while in Rika Town, but this was the first time he had heard such a clear and precise summary.
As the three spoke, they had already passed through the shop and entered the workshop in the back.
!!
Before you continue