Chapter 73: The Atrium

This ball of flame, about the size of a ping-pong ball, hovered in the air, radiating waves of heat. There was clearly nothing to burn, yet it did not go out.

Leo was envious, never expecting that this sweet, naive girl would turn out to be such a hidden powerhouse.

A mage! How could an elite adventuring party go without a mage?

But he still insisted, “At most, that looks like a parlor trick. Can you cast Fireball? Or maybe open a portal?”

Denise rolled her eyes and snapped, “A portal spell? That’s a spatial incantation only a grand archmage can master. You can’t ask me if I can cast it—you should ask if I’ve even seen it, and the answer is no, I haven’t!”

“As for Fireball, well, I’ve only just awakened as a low-tier mage. Casting an attack spell like that still needs some time to channel. But I’ve come prepared. Look!”

With that, she lifted her tunic to reveal a row of small glass vials on her belt.

These vials, about the size of bottled tonics, contained powders and liquids in a dazzling array of colors.

“This is fire oil. I use it when casting Fireball—it enhances the ignition effect.”

“This is lizardfolk saliva. I use it for Ice Arrow—it boosts the paralysis effect.”

“These spell components not only increase my spell’s power, but also shorten the casting time. After all, igniting the air is never as quick as setting fire oil alight, and freezing a liquid is faster than freezing air...”

Watching Denise tout her spell components with the pride of a budding social media influencer, Leo was at a loss for words. She was just too innocent.

If he were a villain, all her trump cards would already be exposed.

He glanced back at the rest of the party: a man-powered Iron Man in steel armor; a giant wielding two fifty-pound executioner’s axes; a black-armored assassin who walked without a sound, leaving no trace in the snow; and a sharp-eyed young ranger, his luminous green longbow slung across his back.

Looking at them now, not one seemed ordinary.

So he was the only normal person here!

This adventuring party was clearly not out for fun.

Leo suddenly felt the risk of this adventure had just skyrocketed.

“So, what’s your goal here in the Wolf’s Run?” he asked.

Previously, Denise had only requested that he guide the party through the pine forest to the foot of a mountain north of the stony hills. She’d never said what they planned to do.

“It’s like this,” Denise began, “I’m actually a student at the Imperial University. My mentor, the renowned historian Mr. Herod, has devoted his life to researching elven civilization. Two years ago, he finally found in an ancient scroll some information about an elven city—Midcourt—established by Lord Chisair Casgrandar.”

“The grand barrier’s central plateau was called Telathir by the elves, and at its heart stood the elven capital, the High Court. It was the cradle of the elves, their ancient home.”

“Over a thousand years ago, the elven lord Chisair Casgrandar led his people away from the High Court, leaving the Telathir plateau for the northern mountains, where he founded a second elven city—Midcourt—below the highlands. It was the only city the elves ever built beneath the plateau, and it became known as the City of All Peoples.”

“The so-called City of All Peoples was founded on the principles of equality for all, allowing every race to coexist, provided they obeyed Midcourt’s laws. Any race could live and trade there.”

“Even though the Free Isles are now sometimes called a second Midcourt, they’re still dominated by humans. Most nonhumans still survive as slaves.”

“After Midcourt was established, countless races followed the World Tree Road north, gathering on the Wolf’s Run outside the city, under the elven lord’s protection.”

“Sadly, about a thousand years ago, the savage beastfolk broke Midcourt’s laws and attacked the northern peoples, slaughtering even elves.”

“Yet the mighty Lord Chisair did not unite the races to fight back. Instead, he led his people in retreat, returning to Telathir and sealing the city behind him.”

“The glory of Midcourt vanished overnight. The alliance of the races broke apart, and war erupted. The city of all peoples became a beastfolk pasture, and later, with the disturbance of magic, a wild, perilous forest.”

“The Wolf’s Run was ruled by beastfolk for over a century, then lay in wilderness even longer. All the city ruins disappeared, buried in ancient scrolls and age-old songs.”

“Why did the great Lord Chisair flee without a fight, turning from a universally revered hero into a maligned figure in a thousand years of poetry? That’s the mystery my mentor has spent his life studying.”

At this point, Denise’s eyes shone with excitement. “Unfortunately, my mentor, Mr. Herod, is now too old to come to the Wolf’s Run in search of Midcourt’s ruins himself.”

“As his academic heir, it’s my duty to shoulder this responsibility. It’ll also be the subject of my graduation thesis!”

Leo nodded again and again.

So his guess was right: Denise really was a university student!

She was clearly enjoying the conversation. “Uncle Harkins is a friend of my father’s. He used to be a powerful adventurer and was the leader of the Firefly Adventuring Party. After marrying and settling down, he became a captain in the Imperial City’s garrison, ending his adventuring career.”

“My father didn’t trust me to travel far alone, so he paid a hefty sum to hire Uncle Harkins as my protector. Barrett the giant, Shadow Fisher, and Old Pete the cook were all his old adventuring comrades. Lynch’s father too...”

“It was expensive, but worth every coin! Every one of them is incredibly strong!”

So this whole group of extraordinary people was hired just to work for her?

Now it all made sense. Why else would an elite adventuring party bring along such a greenhorn—unless she was the patron.

Leo was deeply envious. Now that was true wealth.

It looked like his own pay would be the lowest here.

As they walked and talked, Leo gradually pieced together their purpose.

They had come in search of the so-called elven city ruins—Midcourt.

Ordinary adventurers would chase after treasure, but for a party of this caliber, reputation was more important.

Even if there was no extra reward, the achievement of “discovering Midcourt’s ruins first” would be worth the trip.

Unfortunately, Master Bobak had been missing for some time, so Leo couldn’t get any information about Midcourt from him.

That five-hundred-year-old elven archdruid surely knew more than any human historian.

But even if he could reach him, there was no guarantee the druid would be willing to talk.

Leo had no further ambitions. He simply wanted to do his job as a guide and collect his fee.

Just then, there was a commotion in the woods—a large group of heavily armed kobolds burst out.