Chapter 140
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That night, the Strategist did not get a wink of rest. He had given the hero his seal in order to give him the highest euphoria before bringing him to the deepest depths of despair.
It didn't matter if the hero had the seal. He couldn't leave town as long as their prince was still trapped within the tower. Moreover, the only other human female in town happened to reside in the palace here. Thus, the hero would only be able to approach him to find a solution to this dilemma.
At that point, the strategist would reclaim the seal in return for helping the hero recover their trapped companion. Then he would delay their party there over a long time. It would take months, or perhaps even years, before he would once more let go of the seal.
His plan was foolproof! But, as the time became later and later, Robin had still not sought him out. Finally, his bloodshot eyes blinked in disbelief when the morning sun came up over the horizon.
Then he smiled. They didn't come last night, which means he would be approached this morning. He yawned and retired to his room. Under the excuse of being "unavailable", he decided to rest off his night's fatigue. After all, a ruler needs their beauty rest. That might teach them to have a sense of urgency.
But it was due to the strategist's actions here, that Robin was able to leave town unscathed.
--------
At breakfast, Robin was surprised to see Dewtre and Dirk approach her table.
"I didn't know that you were staying here." Robin greeted them, pleasantly surprised.
"Well that's of course because we aren't staying here." Dewtre replied. "But, as I was uncertain about how long you would stay, I asked Dirk here to lead me to your inn so that I could once more thank you in person."
At that point, she gave Robin's company a formal bow. "Thank you for finding and helping out my nephew."
"Always glad to help a friend." Robin replied. She was uncomfortable with being bowed to, but she didn't want to offend by refusing.
"I also came for another reason." Dewtre straightened up and handed Robin what appeared to be a golden leaf.
"What's this?" Robin asked.
"As you said that you consider yourself a friend of Dirk's, I'm giving you this token. This is our proof of friendship for elves. They can only be plucked under the moonlight during the vernal and autumnal equinoxes." Dewtre replied. "If you show this to the guards at the border of the elven kingdom, they will allow you and your friends passage to my residence."
Jasmine's eyes widened. "The legendary elven friendship? Robin, this is something that has not been given to any human for over a century!"
"Is it rare?" Robin asked.
"The trees themselves are not rare. But each family has grown the tree with their own mana. Therefore, a bit of our life signature can be felt within it." Dewtre explained.
"That makes it near impossible to copy or forge." Jasmine nodded, looking at the leaf, a curious glint in her eye. Robin nodded, and stowed the leaf away in her bracer.
"Good to know." Robin smiled. "Thank you for your vote of confidence in my character."
"As we are in a hurry at the moment, we will be leaving in a few minutes. But, please stop by if you are ever in the area." Dewtre added, before bidding them farewell.
"See you later, hero!" Dirk added, following Dewtre out the door.
"Well...That was somewhat sudden." Christian noted as they ate the breakfast prepared by Ponzu.
Ever since Robin had made ramen the other night, the kitchens were available to use at any time, under the watchful eyes of the fox-kin cook and kitchen hands. Thus, today's breakfast was a simple one of egg sandwiches, as requested by the entire group.
It seemed like egg sandwiches would be popular for a while. Robin had also shown Ponzu a less buttery way to cook eggs using steam for the more weight-conscious in the group.
"I feel like I could just eat this until I become a big round ball " Quinn sighed in contentment.
"Isn't a king slime a big round ball?" Robin joked.
"Oh, you're right!" Quinn replied cheerfully. "You made me forget for a minute that I'm not really human anymore." He said light-light-heartedly, as if that fact was unrelated to him.
At that moment, it seemed that dust had gotten into the eyes of a few members of the company. That's right. This Quinn person was also human at one point in time.
"That's not really an issue." Robin replied, just as lightly with a knowing smirk. She pointed at her heart with a thumb.
"As long as you still believe that you're a human, then you're a human. You've just got a special situation is all."
Quinn's eyes widened a bit. "Is that so? Is it really that simple, I wonder?"
"You can sit, stand, think, and speak the same as us. What does it matter if you have weird abilities? From my point of view, it may simply only make you more unique."
This made Quinn pause a moment.
"The real question," Robin added. "Is do you want to continue being a human? or are you telling me you'd rather be considered a monster?"
"...." At that point, the ever-joking Quinn's smile had disappeared for the first time as he stared at his hand, slowly opening and closing it in thought.
"That's a good question....I'm...not sure." he replied, bluntly.
"Well then, let me ask you." Robin nodded. "If you could have all the same abilities you do now, but as a human being. Would you prefer that to now?"
"..." Quinn did not answer, but the smile returned to his face. He nodded, and sat back in his seat. "I see...That...is an even better question."
"So, what are we going to do today?" Gerard asked.
Robin glanced at him and went over her list. "Well, We rescued Christian and Dirk; avoided all the word traps; bested the Strategist in fair combat; we also got what we came for-the seal....Yeah. I'd say we should be on our way to the next place today. Have we stocked up on goods? Food?"
"Yes." "Already done." Quinn and Ponzu replied at the same time.
Robin, having finished breakfast, nodded and stood up from her seat at the table. "Good. Shall we be off, then?" She asked, glancing around at the company to see if everyone was finished. They all stood up, already prepared to leave.
They climbed aboard the carriage, and aimed the horses down the road leading to the city gates. No one stopped them. There was no unusual amount of guards at the gate. They were all uncommonly quiet until the city gates had long disappeared.
"Somehow, doesn't it seem a bit...odd that we're not being chased or stopped?" Jasmine asked.
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"Why? Have we done anything wrong?" Robin asked.
"No, it just seems weird, cuz the Strategist really doesn't like you, so I thought it was a matte of course that we would have trouble leaving." Jasmine explained.
"It does seem odd...but, then again, he does still think that Christian is locked up in that tower."Robin pointed out.
"You know, I kind of wanted to see what his face would look like when he finds his trump card has been absconded with." Chelsea piped up. Robin laughed as she imagined how the Strategist would look.
"Indeed. He probably has no idea that Christian is with us. Which reminds me." Jasmine turned to Christian. "You've got to buckle down hard to keep yourself out of trouble. Poor Robin, here, has saved you at least twice from very compromising situations." She scolded.
"I'm not trying to get into trouble." Christian grumbled.
"Yet, trouble has never failed to latch on. How's that for a reverse damsel in distress?" Robin joked. Everyone in the carriage failed to hold back their laughter.
Christian tried to turn the joke back on Robin. "And what does that make you? The heroic warrior princess?"
"Hmm....I'll have to think on that. Are there any girls as handsomely skilled as I am?" Robin asked, a sly smile on her face. Those who knew, grinned, because Christian had no idea that he had hit the nail on the head. Those who did not know laughed at Robin's witty reply.
The carriage continued unimpeded down the dirt road to their next destination.
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That night, the Strategist did not get a wink of rest. He had given the hero his seal in order to give him the highest euphoria before bringing him to the deepest depths of despair.
It didn't matter if the hero had the seal. He couldn't leave town as long as their prince was still trapped within the tower. Moreover, the only other human female in town happened to reside in the palace here. Thus, the hero would only be able to approach him to find a solution to this dilemma.
At that point, the strategist would reclaim the seal in return for helping the hero recover their trapped companion. Then he would delay their party there over a long time. It would take months, or perhaps even years, before he would once more let go of the seal.
His plan was foolproof! But, as the time became later and later, Robin had still not sought him out. Finally, his bloodshot eyes blinked in disbelief when the morning sun came up over the horizon.
Then he smiled. They didn't come last night, which means he would be approached this morning. He yawned and retired to his room. Under the excuse of being "unavailable", he decided to rest off his night's fatigue. After all, a ruler needs their beauty rest. That might teach them to have a sense of urgency.
But it was due to the strategist's actions here, that Robin was able to leave town unscathed.
--------
At breakfast, Robin was surprised to see Dewtre and Dirk approach her table.
"I didn't know that you were staying here." Robin greeted them, pleasantly surprised.
"Well that's of course because we aren't staying here." Dewtre replied. "But, as I was uncertain about how long you would stay, I asked Dirk here to lead me to your inn so that I could once more thank you in person."
At that point, she gave Robin's company a formal bow. "Thank you for finding and helping out my nephew."
"Always glad to help a friend." Robin replied. She was uncomfortable with being bowed to, but she didn't want to offend by refusing.
"I also came for another reason." Dewtre straightened up and handed Robin what appeared to be a golden leaf.
"What's this?" Robin asked.
"As you said that you consider yourself a friend of Dirk's, I'm giving you this token. This is our proof of friendship for elves. They can only be plucked under the moonlight during the vernal and autumnal equinoxes." Dewtre replied. "If you show this to the guards at the border of the elven kingdom, they will allow you and your friends passage to my residence."
Jasmine's eyes widened. "The legendary elven friendship? Robin, this is something that has not been given to any human for over a century!"
"Is it rare?" Robin asked.
"The trees themselves are not rare. But each family has grown the tree with their own mana. Therefore, a bit of our life signature can be felt within it." Dewtre explained.
"That makes it near impossible to copy or forge." Jasmine nodded, looking at the leaf, a curious glint in her eye. Robin nodded, and stowed the leaf away in her bracer.
"Good to know." Robin smiled. "Thank you for your vote of confidence in my character."
"As we are in a hurry at the moment, we will be leaving in a few minutes. But, please stop by if you are ever in the area." Dewtre added, before bidding them farewell.
"See you later, hero!" Dirk added, following Dewtre out the door.
"Well...That was somewhat sudden." Christian noted as they ate the breakfast prepared by Ponzu.
Ever since Robin had made ramen the other night, the kitchens were available to use at any time, under the watchful eyes of the fox-kin cook and kitchen hands. Thus, today's breakfast was a simple one of egg sandwiches, as requested by the entire group.
It seemed like egg sandwiches would be popular for a while. Robin had also shown Ponzu a less buttery way to cook eggs using steam for the more weight-conscious in the group.
"I feel like I could just eat this until I become a big round ball " Quinn sighed in contentment.
"Isn't a king slime a big round ball?" Robin joked.
"Oh, you're right!" Quinn replied cheerfully. "You made me forget for a minute that I'm not really human anymore." He said light-light-heartedly, as if that fact was unrelated to him.
At that moment, it seemed that dust had gotten into the eyes of a few members of the company. That's right. This Quinn person was also human at one point in time.
"That's not really an issue." Robin replied, just as lightly with a knowing smirk. She pointed at her heart with a thumb.
"As long as you still believe that you're a human, then you're a human. You've just got a special situation is all."
Quinn's eyes widened a bit. "Is that so? Is it really that simple, I wonder?"
"You can sit, stand, think, and speak the same as us. What does it matter if you have weird abilities? From my point of view, it may simply only make you more unique."
This made Quinn pause a moment.
"The real question," Robin added. "Is do you want to continue being a human? or are you telling me you'd rather be considered a monster?"
"...." At that point, the ever-joking Quinn's smile had disappeared for the first time as he stared at his hand, slowly opening and closing it in thought.
"That's a good question....I'm...not sure." he replied, bluntly.
"Well then, let me ask you." Robin nodded. "If you could have all the same abilities you do now, but as a human being. Would you prefer that to now?"
"..." Quinn did not answer, but the smile returned to his face. He nodded, and sat back in his seat. "I see...That...is an even better question."
"So, what are we going to do today?" Gerard asked.
Robin glanced at him and went over her list. "Well, We rescued Christian and Dirk; avoided all the word traps; bested the Strategist in fair combat; we also got what we came for-the seal....Yeah. I'd say we should be on our way to the next place today. Have we stocked up on goods? Food?"
"Yes." "Already done." Quinn and Ponzu replied at the same time.
Robin, having finished breakfast, nodded and stood up from her seat at the table. "Good. Shall we be off, then?" She asked, glancing around at the company to see if everyone was finished. They all stood up, already prepared to leave.
They climbed aboard the carriage, and aimed the horses down the road leading to the city gates. No one stopped them. There was no unusual amount of guards at the gate. They were all uncommonly quiet until the city gates had long disappeared.
"Somehow, doesn't it seem a bit...odd that we're not being chased or stopped?" Jasmine asked.
Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.
"Why? Have we done anything wrong?" Robin asked.
"No, it just seems weird, cuz the Strategist really doesn't like you, so I thought it was a matte of course that we would have trouble leaving." Jasmine explained.
"It does seem odd...but, then again, he does still think that Christian is locked up in that tower."Robin pointed out.
"You know, I kind of wanted to see what his face would look like when he finds his trump card has been absconded with." Chelsea piped up. Robin laughed as she imagined how the Strategist would look.
"Indeed. He probably has no idea that Christian is with us. Which reminds me." Jasmine turned to Christian. "You've got to buckle down hard to keep yourself out of trouble. Poor Robin, here, has saved you at least twice from very compromising situations." She scolded.
"I'm not trying to get into trouble." Christian grumbled.
"Yet, trouble has never failed to latch on. How's that for a reverse damsel in distress?" Robin joked. Everyone in the carriage failed to hold back their laughter.
Christian tried to turn the joke back on Robin. "And what does that make you? The heroic warrior princess?"
"Hmm....I'll have to think on that. Are there any girls as handsomely skilled as I am?" Robin asked, a sly smile on her face. Those who knew, grinned, because Christian had no idea that he had hit the nail on the head. Those who did not know laughed at Robin's witty reply.
The carriage continued unimpeded down the dirt road to their next destination.
That night, the Strategist did not get a wink of rest. He had given the hero his seal in order to give him the highest euphoria before bringing him to the deepest depths of despair.It didn't matter if the hero had the seal. He couldn't leave town as long as their prince was still trapped within the tower. Moreover, the only other human female in town happened to reside in the palace here. Thus, the hero would only be able to approach him to find a solution to this dilemma.At that point, the strategist would reclaim the seal in return for helping the hero recover their trapped companion. Then he would delay their party there over a long time. It would take months, or perhaps even years, before he would once more let go of the seal.His plan was foolproof! But, as the time became later and later, Robin had still not sought him out. Finally, his bloodshot eyes blinked in disbelief when the morning sun came up over the horizon.Then he smiled. They didn't come last night, which means he would be approached this morning. He yawned and retired to his room. Under the excuse of being "unavailable", he decided to rest off his night's fatigue. After all, a ruler needs their beauty rest. That might teach them to have a sense of urgency.But it was due to the strategist's actions here, that Robin was able to leave town unscathed.--------At breakfast, Robin was surprised to see Dewtre and Dirk approach her table."I didn't know that you were staying here." Robin greeted them, pleasantly surprised."Well that's of course because we aren't staying here." Dewtre replied. "But, as I was uncertain about how long you would stay, I asked Dirk here to lead me to your inn so that I could once more thank you in person."At that point, she gave Robin's company a formal bow. "Thank you for finding and helping out my nephew.""Always glad to help a friend." Robin replied. She was uncomfortable with being bowed to, but she didn't want to offend by refusing."I also came for another reason." Dewtre straightened up and handed Robin what appeared to be a golden leaf."What's this?" Robin asked."As you said that you consider yourself a friend of Dirk's, I'm giving you this token. This is our proof of friendship for elves. They can only be plucked under the moonlight during the vernal and autumnal equinoxes." Dewtre replied. "If you show this to the guards at the border of the elven kingdom, they will allow you and your friends passage to my residence."Jasmine's eyes widened. "The legendary elven friendship? Robin, this is something that has not been given to any human for over a century!""Is it rare?" Robin asked."The trees themselves are not rare. But each family has grown the tree with their own mana. Therefore, a bit of our life signature can be felt within it." Dewtre explained."That makes it near impossible to copy or forge." Jasmine nodded, looking at the leaf, a curious glint in her eye. Robin nodded, and stowed the leaf away in her bracer."Good to know." Robin smiled. "Thank you for your vote of confidence in my character.""As we are in a hurry at the moment, we will be leaving in a few minutes. But, please stop by if you are ever in the area." Dewtre added, before bidding them farewell."See you later, hero!" Dirk added, following Dewtre out the door."Well...That was somewhat sudden." Christian noted as they ate the breakfast prepared by Ponzu.Ever since Robin had made ramen the other night, the kitchens were available to use at any time, under the watchful eyes of the fox-kin cook and kitchen hands. Thus, today's breakfast was a simple one of egg sandwiches, as requested by the entire group.It seemed like egg sandwiches would be popular for a while. Robin had also shown Ponzu a less buttery way to cook eggs using steam for the more weight-conscious in the group."I feel like I could just eat this until I become a big round ball " Quinn sighed in contentment."Isn't a king slime a big round ball?" Robin joked."Oh, you're right!" Quinn replied cheerfully. "You made me forget for a minute that I'm not really human anymore." He said light-light-heartedly, as if that fact was unrelated to him.At that moment, it seemed that dust had gotten into the eyes of a few members of the company. That's right. This Quinn person was also human at one point in time."That's not really an issue." Robin replied, just as lightly with a knowing smirk. She pointed at her heart with a thumb."As long as you still believe that you're a human, then you're a human. You've just got a special situation is all."Quinn's eyes widened a bit. "Is that so? Is it really that simple, I wonder?""You can sit, stand, think, and speak the same as us. What does it matter if you have weird abilities? From my point of view, it may simply only make you more unique."This made Quinn pause a moment."The real question," Robin added. "Is do you want to continue being a human? or are you telling me you'd rather be considered a monster?""...." At that point, the ever-joking Quinn's smile had disappeared for the first time as he stared at his hand, slowly opening and closing it in thought."That's a good question....I'm...not sure." he replied, bluntly."Well then, let me ask you." Robin nodded. "If you could have all the same abilities you do now, but as a human being. Would you prefer that to now?""..." Quinn did not answer, but the smile returned to his face. He nodded, and sat back in his seat. "I see...That...is an even better question.""So, what are we going to do today?" Gerard asked.Robin glanced at him and went over her list. "Well, We rescued Christian and Dirk; avoided all the word traps; bested the Strategist in fair combat; we also got what we came for-the seal....Yeah. I'd say we should be on our way to the next place today. Have we stocked up on goods? Food?""Yes." "Already done." Quinn and Ponzu replied at the same time.Robin, having finished breakfast, nodded and stood up from her seat at the table. "Good. Shall we be off, then?" She asked, glancing around at the company to see if everyone was finished. They all stood up, already prepared to leave.They climbed aboard the carriage, and aimed the horses down the road leading to the city gates. No one stopped them. There was no unusual amount of guards at the gate. They were all uncommonly quiet until the city gates had long disappeared."Somehow, doesn't it seem a bit...odd that we're not being chased or stopped?" Jasmine asked. Find authorized novels in Webnovelfaster updates, better experiencePlease click www.webnovel.com for visiting."Why? Have we done anything wrong?" Robin asked."No, it just seems weird, cuz the Strategist really doesn't like you, so I thought it was a matte of course that we would have trouble leaving." Jasmine explained."It does seem odd...but, then again, he does still think that Christian is locked up in that tower."Robin pointed out."You know, I kind of wanted to see what his face would look like when he finds his trump card has been absconded with." Chelsea piped up. Robin laughed as she imagined how the Strategist would look."Indeed. He probably has no idea that Christian is with us. Which reminds me." Jasmine turned to Christian. "You've got to buckle down hard to keep yourself out of trouble. Poor Robin, here, has saved you at least twice from very compromising situations." She scolded."I'm not trying to get into trouble." Christian grumbled."Yet, trouble has never failed to latch on. How's that for a reverse damsel in distress?" Robin joked. Everyone in the carriage failed to hold back their laughter.Christian tried to turn the joke back on Robin. "And what does that make you? The heroic warrior princess?""Hmm....I'll have to think on that. Are there any girls as handsomely skilled as I am?" Robin asked, a sly smile on her face. Those who knew, grinned, because Christian had no idea that he had hit the nail on the head. Those who did not know laughed at Robin's witty reply.The carriage continued unimpeded down the dirt road to their next destination.
