Restarting the Journey (Part 2)

All around was deathly quiet. Then, without warning, the silence was shattered.

The sound of hoofbeats came from far away, drawing nearer and nearer to Romon. When the hoofbeats faded slightly, a jumble of footsteps echoed across the ground. Clearly, many people had arrived.

Romon had been sitting before this lord's villa, lost in thought. The moment he heard the noise, he rose to his feet.

Before he could speak, an incomparably respectful voice rang out from beyond the gate. "May I ask if Lord Romon is here? I am Tekaxiu, and I wish to pay my respects to Lord Romon."

Tekaxiu?

Romon thought back. He seemed to be one of the newer members of his team, though the name left little impression on him. Still, since the other party had come looking for him, he naturally would not refuse to meet them.

The place where he was staying was a residence meant for his rest. Since it had only recently been built, there were no permanent servants within. Hearing that someone had come for him, Romon walked over and opened the gate himself.

"I am Romon. You... are looking for me?"

The moment he opened the gate, he was startled to see several dozen people standing outside, a dense black mass. But Romon had long learned to control his emotions, and his expression remained calm. Seeing that the leader was a sturdy-looking young man of sixteen or seventeen, he asked, "What do you want with me?"

"Lord Romon!" Having finally met the legendary Giant Eagle Druid, the several dozen people all revealed excited expressions and stepped forward to salute him one after another.

"What is it you have come to see me about?" Romon asked mildly, his tone gentle.

He had no idea what was going on, but with