Chapter 117 - Again (End)

While Basil and the others were on their way to Death Howl Dungeon, Iliana was sitting on her bed while looking at Deacon who was staring at her curiously on the ground.

"Do you eat meat, little guy?"

Woof!

"I will take that as a yes."

Iliana stood up from her bed, then went to open the window. She drew the curtain covering it, before lifting it up to open it.

Sunshine entered her room, and it highlighted everything in it. Countless of Purple Hyacinths decorated the rack she set on the wall. Her room size was three times of Basil's, and she also had a bathroom in it.

Iliana inhaled the Mana filled air, before exhaling softly. She turned her back from the window, and faced Deacon. He was still sitting on the ground, while staring curiously at her.

"I will take a bath. Be a good boy, and wait for me. It won't take long."

Woof!

Iliana took that as a sign of confirmation. She quickly entered the bathroom right after that.

Deacon stared at the bathroom door curiously. His master had told him to stay here, with the purple haired woman, as an indicator. He couldn't figure out the meaning behind his master's word, even up till now.

Still, he wasn't defiant. He had never defied his master's order even once! Therefore, he had complied quickly.

The person he was staying with, Iliana, was unique in his opinion. After being a day with her, he could confidently say she resembled his master so much. She was confident, calm, and nonchalant toward people.

She never cared toward the people around her, except the very few that attracted her attention. Just like his master. The only difference between them laid in the amount of friends. Iliana had friends, while Basil didn't.

Yes. His master was a loner.

Click!

After a few minutes, the door of the bathroom opened, and Iliana came out. Her hair was still damp due to the shower, and her skin glistened under the bright light shining the room. She was wearing a tight short, and an equally tight t-shirt.

In other words, she was wearing her sleeping attire. They weren't the same clothes she had wore last night, though.

"Do you prefer the meat raw or cooked?"

Woof!

"I will take that as both." Iliana nodded her head. "I will cook us a mutton, then."

Flash!

Her Magical Bracelet shone briefly, before a mutton laid on her hand. She took the pot hanging on the fireplace, and put the mutton inside.

"A quick warning to you, I am not a great cook. So, bear with me."

Woof!

"Good boy."

Although Deacon was used to eat his master's heavenly dishes, he didn't mind eating eating another food. He also didn't mind even though Iliana was bad at cooking. He still ate raw meat sometimes. How could a cooking be worse than a raw meat?

Deacon carefully observed Iliana. She was throwing every ingredients she had on her cupboard inside the pot. Deacon didn't know what the taste of the meat would be. However, he was sure it wouldn't be good.

Right after all of the ingredients were put inside, Iliana put the pot on the fireplace. Then, she set the fireplace on fire. Well, a blue fire.

Deacon widened his eyes in bewilderment. Iliana had just casted a high grade Fire Magic for cooking! It would definitely burn the meat to crisp!

Woof!

"Hm? What is it, little guy?" Iliana turned her head to Deacon.

Woof!

"Oh, you want me to take the pot immediately?"

Woof!

Iliana shrugged, before extinguishing the fire. She took the pot from the fireplace, and put it on her marble table.

Sizzle.

The mutton inside was perfectly roasted, surprisingly. The aroma of butter wafted through the whole room, and it was good to smell.

"Wow. Never have I thought I could cook this thing." Iliana snickered to herself.

She took the mutton out from the pot, and put it on the plate. She cut the big slab of mutton in two, then put the other half on another plate.

"Here is your part, little guy." Iliana gave one of the plates to Deacon, and he silently took it.

Iliana glanced at the silently eating Deacon. A small smile slowly adorned her face.

She wasn't very good with taking care of living beings. She had thought agreeing to Basil on taking care of Deacon would be her greatest mistake. It turns out, she was wrong.

Taking care of a living being wasn't as bad as she thought, apparently.

...

Death Howl Dungeon was located thirty meters away from BA-32. One might ask what does BA stand for? The answer is simple. BA stands for Beyond Area. It was used to call unconquered area that was occupied by the Demon from Obelisk.

The number attached behind is the same as the sequence of the Obelisk near it. That means, BA-32 was an unconquered area that was occupied by the Demon from the 32nd Obelisk, which belonged to Goap.

With that being said, Death Howl Dungeon wasn't exactly located at BA-32. The exact location of Death Howl Dungeon was Lone Plain. It was a kilometer away from Lone Mountain.

Basil and his party had to pass it before reaching Death Howl Dungeon. Therefore, Basil could see Lone Mountain again, albeit from a kilometer away.

"Oh! Is that Lone Mountain? It's as big and lonely as the rumour said!" Cray exclaimed loudly.

They were still in the carriage, and Cray was looking at Lone Mountain through the window.

Whitney turned his head to Cray. "You are acting as if it is your first time seeing it."

"Indeed, it's my first time!"

"Huh? Where have you been for these two years?" Whitney looked at Cray weirdly.

"My area of journey has always been around Carlenze Dukedom. Visiting a County is first time for me. Let alone a County of the likes of Fortescher County."

Cray was basically saying he had never been to a remote area, such as Fortescher County which was on the outskirts of Braxtein Kingdom.

"Ah, I see. You have never been to an Exploration." Whitney nodded his head. Only Exploration that required people to go to a remote area.

Huff. Huff. Huff.

The Hexapod Horses kept running ceaselessly. As there was no Teleportation Gate that connected Raneil Barony and Lone Plain, they had run for two days straight with merely three hours of rest.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

The footsteps of the Hexapod Horses gradually slowed down, before eventually stopping. The horses breathed heavily, and the driver patted their back as if comforting them.

The driver turned his head to back. "Sires, we have already arrived at our destination."

"Thank you for your work." Whitney nodded his head.

Basil opened his eyes, then opened the carriage door that was close to him. Without waiting the others, he got out of the carriage first.

Whoosh!

A wind blow hit him, carrying a strong smell of soil with it. As it was a plain, there was nothing obstructing the wind. Therefore, the wind blow was rather strong.

Upon getting out of the carriage, Cray exclaimed, "Uwahh! This place smells like... well, soil." He sniffed the air.

"For Arthur's sheath, stop sniffing the air. It's disgusting!"

Cray turned his head to Whitney. "Really? Are you going to say dog is a disgusting animal just because they like to sniff?!"

"No, because they are dogs, not human!"

Just as Cray was about to counter Whitney, Basil put his finger on his lips, and hushed them.

"Shush! Listen the sound."

"Eh? Sound? I don't x hear—"

Woong!

Cray instantly shut his mouth. Just like Basil had said, there was indeed a sound. It sounded exactly the same as the sound an empty bottle produced, when one was blowing air into it.

"This is not right. A plain shouldn't be able to make this sound. Let alone a parched plain like this," Whitney muttered.

"It would be possible, if there was cavity on the ground," Basil replied.

"We don't see any, though."

Everyone turned to Cray. "That's why we will look for it," Basil said.

Cray nodded wordlessly, and followed Basil's lead. He didn't even question why Basil was leading the way, as Whitney didn't either. Being led by Basil felt weirdly natural for them. Whenever they looked at his wide back, they felt weirdly comforted.

'D-did I just fall for Basil? What in the bloody hell is happening?!' Both of them thought of the same thing. Surely enough, as soon as the thought came, it quickly disappeared.

After a few minutes of walking while following the sound, Basil raised his hand. The two people following behind him saw that, and stopped their feet.

"What is it?" Whitney asked, without stepping forward. "You should look for yourself."

"Okay!" Cray was the one who answered Basil instead.

Whitney sighed, and wordlessly moved beside Basil. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Basil on his right, and Cray on his left.

Whitney looked to his front. "What is that?" He was genuinely puzzled.

"It is our entrance."

"To what? Hell?" Cray turned his head to Basil.

"No, it is Death Howl Dungeon."

Basil's word surprised Whitney. "No, it's not. Death Howl Dungeon is not located here. It is on the east of this place."

Basil glanced at Whitney from the corner of his eyes. "Trust me," he said simply.

Whitney smiled awkwardly. Basil's attitude eerily resembled Iliana's.

Tap. Tap.

Everyone's head turned to the right, the direction where the sound was heard. They could see six people were heading their way. Judging by their attire alone, all of them were definitely a Knight.

The three people instantly turned their body that way.

Whitney blinked his eyes in surprise. He knew who the six people were.

"You guys are Hauler, am I correct?"

One of the six people, a man in his early thirties with a tall stature, black hair, muscular body, and a fairly attractive face, looked at Whitney in surprise.

"Yeah. I'm the party leader of Hauler, Thompson. Are you Whitney from Randalvine Magic Institute?"

"Yes. Yes, I am."

The man in his early thirties, Thompson, stopped in front of Whitney before extending his hand. Whitney took it instantly, and shook it firmly.

"Wow. You have a good grip for a Mage."

"It's the reason why a lot of people told me to be a Knight instead."

The two laughed at the pleasantries, before letting go of each other's hand. When they were about to say something, they were interrupted by someone's shout.

"Ah, it's you!"

Whitney turned his head, and looked at the person who had just shouted. It was a girl of the same age as Iliana. She had a long black wavy hair, thin but healthy build, small face, and not so endowed chest. She stood at 173 centimeters tall.

This girl was pointing her finger toward Basil.

"Basil, do you know her?" Whitney asked. "I do not."

"Hey! You know me! We met at Lone Mountain more than half a year ago!" She glared at Basil.

This girl was Sylvia. One of the women Basil had saved out of his sudden compulsion at Lone Mountain.

Basil lightly sighed, before nodding his head faintly. Sylvia lost her glare, then looked at Basil brightly.

"We meet again!"

"Indeed.... unfortunately."