Mount

(Someone told me that thanks for tips needed to be included in the chapter for people to see them and feel encouraged. I thought about it, and they were right. Although I keep updating that thank-you chapter, you don't see it. So I'd like to thank everyone who tipped on September 1 once again: 凸=0=凸, Ling Xueyi, Yaowei, and Gua Xixi5, who each gave 588 Qidian coins, and uuyuyi, who gave 200 Qidian coins!! Thank you all so much. I'll keep a record of every tip. Thanks!)

Windrunner Spire stood on the coast of the Great Sea. Perhaps because of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas's magic, the sea here was especially beautiful.

Early in the morning, bright sunlight poured down, glinting on the calm surface of the sea. Through the azure water, one could even see the beautiful seafloor dyed gold.

It was like another Quel'Thalas...

Even Xiao Ao was enchanted, flying happily through the sky.

Kael'thas, however, had no mind to appreciate the beauty. He stood before a large wooden post on the shore, swinging a sword at it with one hand while holding a book in the other and reading intently.

Strange behavior?

Had he learned to do two things at once?

Of course not. Kael'thas was only doing a quest.

The first Enchant Weapon quest required him to enchant a weapon, something Kael'thas knew nothing about. Mephistes had told him that weapon enchanting was fundamentally based on runic characters. Each character had a specific meaning and could incorporate a specific element, and together they formed a unique enchanting spell.

To learn weapon enchanting, he first had to learn some basic runic characters. Unlike incantations, he had to learn the characters before he could gradually work out the specific patterns.

So for now, Kael'thas could only start with the characters. There weren't many runic characters in existence, and Mephistes had only given him a book of simple, basic ones. Even so, the explanations left Kael'thas utterly confused.

"Thinking through and understanding the characters on your own will help you become more familiar with the patterns of runic writing later, so I won't tell you directly what they mean!"

That was how his mentor had flatly refused when Kael'thas asked Mephistes for guidance.

With no other choice, Kael'thas had to study on his own.

The sword practice was something he had thought of on the spur of the moment. There was no such thing as swordsmanship in this world, only a few simple basic movements with a sword. So Kael'thas could study while familiarizing himself with those movements.

He still didn't understand swords, and holding one felt strange, so he needed to go through this process.

Clearly, he had the right idea, and Mephistes had tacitly allowed it.

For many days, Kael'thas continued practicing like this.

It was a peaceful time...

By a window in Windrunner Spire's office area, someone else was enjoying this peaceful time...

A breeze blew in, brushing past Kael'sala and tousling his hair. He sat quietly there, gently tucking the stray strands away from his face with his fingers. A sweet smile graced his face, his gentle, steady gaze fixed on Kael'thas.

How wonderful it would be if life could remain this peaceful forever...

At noon that day,

a riding trainer arrived from Silvermoon City.

"This is a gift from the queen, Your Highness Kael'thas..."

The agile riding trainer dismounted from his bird and clapped his hands. Immediately, a female attendant came out, struggling to lead a snow-white Hawkstrider.

It seemed Kael'thas's parents in Silvermoon City had learned his level!

It was a beautiful Hawkstrider, but somewhat proud and unruly, and it had all but exhausted the person leading it.

There wasn't a single feather of another color among its snow-white plumage, and its long beak was very graceful. Its golden eyes spotted Kael'thas at once, and it seemed to recognize him, excitedly running over while dragging the attendant along.

"Chirp, chirp~"

The Hawkstrider circled Kael'thas, its long tail feathers swaying. Only then did Kael'thas realize it was taller than he was!

"Stop..."

Kael'thas reached out, hoping to make the bird stop. The next moment, it stopped beside him as though it understood him, standing obediently still.

What a clever Hawkstrider!

Seeing what the bird did, Kael'thas immediately took a liking to it.

"This Hawkstrider was specially prepared for you, Your Highness. The queen raised it herself. It's bigger and faster than the other birds, and it's utterly loyal to you!"

The riding trainer had the attendant let go and came over. Smiling, he invited Kael'thas with a hint of envy, "Your Highness Kael'thas, please go ahead and form a contract with it!"

The queen raised it?

Hearing that left Kael'thas with mixed feelings. He had never met his mother in this life, and aside from knowing from photographs that she was a beautiful elf, he knew nothing about her.

As a transmigrator, his previous life had also been a tragedy. Although he wasn't an orphan, his parents had divorced when he was young, and he had few memories of his mother. After his father remarried when Kael'thas was in middle school, he had sent Kael'thas away to live on his own, giving him nothing but money.

He had spent most of his life alone!

Those experiences had shaped the Kael'thas of today. Outwardly, he was strong, optimistic, and open-minded, but in truth, he could be said to care more about himself than others did and to have no concept of parental affection...

Of course, Kael'sala was an exception. He was a brother who truly cared about Kael'thas and had always stayed by his side and looked after him... So Kael'sala was still Kael'thas's most important family member!

"Like this?"

The riding trainer drew several connected magic arrays on the Hawkstrider and Kael'thas, then handed him a piece of magic paper. Kael'thas pressed his hand against it and asked the question.

Mounts in this world were different from those in games. Although they could also be summoned, there was no summoning space for them.

After forming contracts with people, they would be entrusted to the riding trainers to be raised together. Whenever their owners needed them, they could summon them at will.

The contract was like a teleportation array connecting the two parties!

It also had the effect of protecting the mount: once the mount sustained a certain amount of damage, it would be forcibly sent back to the other side.

"Mm, that's right!"

The riding trainer nodded and put a drop of potion on the magic array. At once, the blue array began to spin, surrounding Kael'thas and his mount, and a summoning incantation was imprinted in Kael'thas's mind.

He looked down at his hand. The piece of magic paper had turned to dust and vanished.

"It's done!"

The riding trainer nodded in satisfaction and turned to ask, "Your Highness, please allow me to take it back and settle it in first. You can summon it whenever you like starting tomorrow!"

He was in a hurry to return to Silvermoon City, so he didn't want to stay long.

Kael'thas saw the reluctance in the white Hawkstrider's eyes and hesitated, but nodded in the end.

"All right... But I have to give it a name first."

"..."

He patted the Hawkstrider's head. His first instinct was to call it White Chicken, but that seemed too tacky, so he thought something more affectionate would be better:

"Then I'll call you Xiao Bai..."

"..."

"..."

The people around them fell silent.

But the Hawkstrider tilted its head, apparently thought the name sounded nice, and chirped excitedly a few times in response.

So obedient...

Kael'thas was delighted!

He said a few words to Xiao Bai, then let go and allowed the riding trainer's attendant to lead it away.

This time, it didn't resist, leaving the female High Elf attendant somewhat overwhelmed by the favor...