In the afternoon, Ye Chui and his group passed through the dilapidated village again.
The village was in ruins, without even a name. The storm from two days ago had destroyed the few wheat fields, which concerned Ye Chui and Debbie. So, when passing through, they stopped briefly and brought some supplies.
The old farmer who had led Ye Chui and Debbie to the cellar was tending to the fields. Hearing hooves, he stood up, surprised to see the approaching horses and carriage.
“Uncle, it’s us!” Debbie poked half her body out of the carriage, waving with a smile.
The old farmer recognised Ye Chui and Debbie, smiling back. He had a good impression of these two young people, unlike the five arrogant lords from Windrock City who spoke with disdain and complained endlessly when told to hide in the cellar.
The horses and carriage stopped before the farmer. Ye Chui jumped off, glanced at the ravaged wheat fields, and said, “After that storm, it looks like your fields won’t yield much this year.”
“Ain’t that the truth. Living on these plains is tough,” the farmer sighed. “This winter, my three kids will go hungry again.”
“Don’t worry, Uncle. You won’t go hungry this year,” Ye Chui said with a grin. He pulled out his iPad spellbook, opened the Storage Space, and quickly retrieved several bags of wheat flour and rice. He waved to Green. “Where’s the stuff I told you to prepare last night?”
Green dismounted, looking surprised. “Guildmaster, so the supplies you asked me to buy were for them? I thought they were for our adventure.” He began pulling out warm clothing, salt, bread, and other items from his Storage Space.
“Green, you clearly don’t get adventuring. Who brings all this on an adventure?” Debbie seized the chance to flaunt her experience, patting Green’s shoulder. “Think about it. How long would it take us to use all this? Adventurers need brains.”
“Oh, I get it, Miss Debbie,” Green said, looking enlightened. He took a honey cake from his Storage Space and added it to the pile.
Debbie jumped. “Oi, why’d you take the cake out? That’s my snack!”
“Miss Debbie, I bought plenty,” Green said, puzzled. “Can you eat it all?”
“Who cares? Adventurers need big appetites. This cake wouldn’t last me five minutes.”
“Alright…” Green thought adventuring was a profound art and quietly put the cake back.
By now, other villagers noticed the commotion and approached. The old farmer realised the supplies were for them and looked at Ye Chui with excitement. “Lord Mage, how can we accept this?”
“Take it. If it weren’t for you two days ago, Debbie and I might’ve been in trouble,” Ye Chui said with a smile, nudging Kas. “Besides, this is the mayor of Stan Town. Consider it aid from the town.”
“The mayor!?” The villagers were shocked, instinctively starting to kneel.
Kas stepped forward, helping the old farmer up, and said with some shame, “I’ve been a lousy mayor. I don’t deserve your bows.”
As mayor of Stan Town, nearby villages fell under his jurisdiction, but the Elven Plains had grown increasingly barren. Managing Stan Town was already a feat, let alone the surrounding villages.
Debbie elbowed Kas. “Mayor, Ye Chui and I brought all this stuff. As mayor, you should contribute something too.”
“Well…” Kas looked embarrassed. Having paid Ye Chui and Debbie the deposit, he was short on funds. After a moment’s thought, he pulled out an ornate dagger and handed it to the farmer. “Take this dagger.”
The dagger looked valuable, its handle encrusted with diamonds and pearls. The farmer drew it, revealing a gleaming blade with a chilling aura, clearly no ordinary item. Startled, he tried to return it. “This is too precious, Mayor. I can’t take it, and I’ve no use for it…”
“It’s forged from cold steel. If you don’t need it, trade it with passing caravans. It’ll fetch a good price,” Kas said with a smile.
The dagger was a gift from Lord Kevin when Kas became mayor. For three years, he’d treasured it, but now, knowing Kevin’s sinister intentions, it held no value. Kas was determined to take Windsor back, likely ending his tenure as mayor, so he had no intention of keeping the dagger.
“Didn’t expect you to be so generous, Kas,” Debbie praised, turning to the farmer. “Uncle, take it. Don’t refuse. The money will help your village.”
Ye Chui and Green also urged him, and finally, the farmer accepted the dagger with gratitude.
As the farmer called villagers to collect the supplies, Ye Chui’s group set off again.
It was a brief interlude, soon forgotten.
…
Windrock City was over three hundred miles from Stan Town, a two-day journey by horse. Ye Chui’s group travelled tirelessly, encountering a sudden rain, though not as fierce as the storm Ye Chui and Debbie had faced before. By the third day, near noon, they reached a spot ten miles from Windrock City, where the five temporarily split up.
The Whatever Magic Guild’s mission to help Kas steal the lord’s daughter was secret, and their connection to Kas was unknown to outsiders. They decided it was best to act separately.
Three years ago, Kas had formed a well-known mercenary group, the Gale Mercenaries, which disbanded after he left. Some old comrades remained in Windrock City, and Kas planned to secretly contact them for help.
Leisha intended to go alone to Windrock City’s church. As a nun, and a gifted one from the monastery, she could gain a place in the church and earn respect from other nuns and believers, despite not yet holding a clerical position.
The wedding of the lord’s daughter and the Fourth Prince would be grand, requiring the church’s blessing. Leisha’s presence there could bring her closer to Windsor.
As for Ye Chui, Debbie, and Green, they planned to enter Windrock City under the name of the Whatever Magic Guild.
From the words of Leon’s group, it was clear Lord Kevin knew Kas was close to Ye Chui and Debbie, but he’d never guess they’d be bold enough to help Kas steal the bride. The deaths of Leon’s group were a closely guarded secret, unlikely to be linked to Ye Chui and Debbie. In this context, the guild’s name might secure them an invitation to the wedding or even access to the lord’s mansion beforehand.
After all, the Whatever Magic Guild was a three-star guild.
In Stan Town, a three-star guild was top-tier, though not as rare in Windrock City. Still, it carried enough prestige to potentially get Ye Chui and Debbie an invitation to the wedding or entry to the lord’s mansion.
The five agreed on a strategy and a meeting point—Kas, familiar with Windrock City from his time there—and entered the city separately.
With a population of two hundred thousand, the city was modest by Ye Chui’s world standards but a major hub on the Castro Continent, especially in the Elven Plains.
The city’s grandeur far surpassed that of a small place like Stan Town.
“After hanging out in that beginner’s village of Stan Town for so long, we’ve finally changed maps,” Ye Chui remarked, admiring the city’s impressive buildings.
