Chapter 50 - 50: Neruthal

As they strolled down the final market street, a group of adventurers passed by in battered armor, bloodstains and all. They looked at Edgar and paused some distance away before quickly changing their direction. One of them seemed to murmur something along the lines of "Why is this butcher here?" Orion raised an eye looking at the running group. "You knew them?" he asked. Edgar stroked his beard, "Hmm, they might be my admirers when I was young. They probably got shy and ran away." Sёarᴄh the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Orion rolled his eyes at him but didn't pry further. Helena shook her head as she knew how famous he was in his younger years and what reputation he had. They finally ended up in front of a small noodle stall where hearty aroma wafted out. "You kids hungry?" Edgar asked. "I could eat," Rina said. Fiora shyly nodded. "Then sit," Helena smiled softly. "My treat." They ordered five bowls of piping hot mana-infused noodles. The broth was rich, the meat tender, and the spice just enough to make the girls sweat slightly. While Orion, with his half-Draconic body, gulped down all the noodles while asking for more. "Okay, I'm officially a fan of this place," he mumbled between bites. Fiora smiled, gently wiping a bit of soup from the corner of his mouth with her sleeve, only to freeze after realizing what she had done. Rina blinked, stared for a moment, then looked away. "…Hmph." Orion just kept slurping the noodles, pretending not to notice anything. By the time they finished and started heading back, the stars had come out and the city had taken on a calmer charm. Lanterns floated in the sky, magic ones, slowly drifting over the buildings like fireflies to illuminate the darkness. "…This was kinda nice," Orion quietly said. "You'll miss this freedom once we reach the academy," Edgar said, hands behind his back. "I know," he replied, looking up at the floating lights. "That's why I'm enjoying every second." Helena shook her head. "Stop trying to scare Young Master, we are not enlisting him in the Kingdom's army." The group laughed while heading back towards the inn. Soon, they reached the inn. Entering inside, they saw Eldric and Selene sitting at a table, talking. Eldric noticed their arrival and smiled. "Took you lot long enough. Have you had your fun?" "Of course," Orion smiled and came in front of him. "This city is really something, but it's a pity I couldn't find what I was looking for." He shook his head with pity. Eldric raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You didn't find it here? What is it?" Selene also turned towards him, wondering the same thing. Rina turned her face to the side. "Probably Elves or Fox girls." Eldric laughed out loud just as he heard that. "Hahahaha, so it was just that? Elves are reclusive by nature. And you won't find Fox People easily since each and every one of them is a master at illusion and charm magic. You probably met a few but didn't recognize them." Orion still shook his head. "I don't think there are any Fox people in this city." 'It would be ridiculous if they could escape from my dragon instinct. Though it may be suppressed currently, finding out a fox folk shouldn't be hard.' Eldric stroked his beard. "Hmm, then it is possible that the Fox People went back to their race area for something? They are quite secretive and don't mingle much with other races as well." "Who knows," Orion exhaled a sigh and took a seat, while others also finally sat down. Rina and Fiora still sat down on either side of Orion. Selene giggled, looking at the three of them, while Eldric and the others ignored them and simply ordered their food. Orion didn't mind the situation one bit and simply enjoyed his leisure day ending. Soon, they finished eating while chatting and headed for their individual rooms. Orion directly dropped on the bed, feeling the soft mattress graze his cheeks. "Haa… today was an exciting day." He muttered before closing his eyes. *** Sunlight filtered in through the curtains as a new day began. Orion's eyes fluttered open. "Mmmhh…" He slowly rose and sat upright on the bed. "Good morning, Lu—" He paused mid-sentence, remembering that she was still undergoing an update. Shaking his head, he thought, 'Getting used to her absence is quite hard.' Without wasting further time, he went ahead to get fresh and take a bath. *** "Good morning, lad," Eldric softly said, seeing Orion descending from the stairs. The others greeted him one after another. Orion nodded and smiled, "Good morning, everyone." He came down and sat beside the others. They ordered breakfast while talking about last night. While waiting for food, Orion asked, "Grandpa, which city are we going to this time? You said we will be visiting two cities, right?" Edgar stroked his beard and nodded his head. 'The fuck is with these old people stroking their beard? Can't they goddamn talk without doing that for once?' Orion inwardly muttered. "Knowing where you live is quite important," Edgar softly began. "Since you already saw the bright side of this kingdom, next you will see the dark side. We will be traveling towards Nuruthal." Orion raised an eyebrow. "Ruined City Nuruthal? Isn't that the place which was destroyed during one of the wars with Demons?" Eldric nodded solemnly. "Yes. Once a thriving fortress city, now reduced to rubble and a haunted ruin. It was one of the key frontline cities of this kingdom during the second invasion by the Demons years ago." Helena spoke softly, her tone remorseful, "Even now, it's said to be haunted. Spirit residue lingers, and corrupted beasts roam the outskirts. But its ruins hold history… and the struggle of us." "So, are we going there so I can gain experience?" Orion asked, looking at Eldric. "Doesn't sound like a tourist spot." Eldric took a sip of his juice before responding, "Yes, it would be beneficial for you if you could feel their power for yourself first before entering the academy. After all, our ultimate enemies are the damn Demons." Orion looked down at the water cup in front of him. "…Who is Vepar?" Eldric's gaze hardened. "One of the 72 Demon Kings. And the one who is fighting with us for control of this Continent. So far, all her attempts have been unsuccessful, but each time she comes back, her army gets stronger. We don't know if all of us can fight her off." Orion took a deep breath. "Did the True Dragons ever join the war?" Eldric chuckled and shook his head. "How can those high and mighty beings care about some poor mortals like us? It's already good enough that they don't come here to cause trouble often." He took a deep breath and clenched his fist. 'Looks like I need to get their asses to work… later.' "Anyways, enough about this. Let's eat and take off. We should reach there by tomorrow morning if we hurry up," Eldric said, looking at the approaching food. Orion took a deep breath and shook away the useless thoughts. His priority right now was to reach the academy and form his Affinity Rune.