"So, it's time for you to leave eh?"
Rohan, still in the process of sitting down, looked at the man wearing flashy clothes in front of him. Before he even had the time to say anything, this man already knew the purpose of his visit. This one was sitting on a sofa, leisurely taking a sip of his cup of tea.
Sure, Delia Noir always talked a lot. So much, that Rohan had wondered if he was even capable of keeping a secret. But his intelligence, the one he showed at only so few people, had always been there. Lurking behind his big joyful smile.
"Yes, the time for me has come for me to leave, but only for a short trip, and I will come back a few months later I believe."
That was currently Rohan's plan. Going into the Barren Lands, rushing toward the mountain Kolmos, bypassing all clans or whatever, entering through the big mountain, taking what was inside, and finally coming back. He should be able to do it in a few months at most, and he was even sure that only one would be enough.
*sigh*
"I guess it is time indeed, the powerful warrior that you are wouldn't rest all his life inside this small place anyway. I don't know what you want to do, or what your goal is, but I hope you can do it. Well, to tell you the truth, I have indeed some ideas about what you want to do. After all, it has already been almost two years that you are here, and…"
Fortunately, Rohan had decided to say goodbye to Delia early in the morning, or else he would have to leave the city in the night or even later. Damn that guy was talking too much. Rohan knew that Delia had finally found who he was, after all, it wasn't even a big secret.
That was his fault. He should have never given his real name the day he had come here. But even so, it was difficult, and even almost impossible to hide the provenance of a powerful warrior such as himself.
And thankfully, only his master, Horim, knew that he was a rank 5 Beginner Warrior. His warrior's emblem was still showing a shiny 3, or else, he would maybe not be able to leave without any problem.
While Delia kept talking of all and nothing, Rohan was thinking about the preparation of his trip.
The previous day, he had already prepared the bags he would take, as well as his equipment. He would leave nothing here, as all he had in his possession was too valuable or useful.
Inside one of these bags, Rohan had put all the books he had. Four of them were the black books about wizardry, one was the notebook on research about magic beasts that he had found in Jared's place and the last important one was the yellowed one, now almost illegible that Jonas had given to him before the war.
Among the other books, there was the botanic one and a few others. A small collection, but with a great value for Rohan.
Along with these books, there were two daggers that he had himself forged, as well as a few clothes for the road.
That time when he had walked in the forest for weeks with nothing but what he had on his back wasn't at all a good experience, and he even had put some utensils inside the bag to at least be able to eat something hot.
Inside the second bag, were all the potions he had at this day. The ones that were given to him by Elia for the deal they had done, as well as all the potions he had found inside the wizard's treasure trove.
There were 16 weak mana potions, 2 weak recovery potions, one unknown potion with a faint green gleam in it, 5 transparent potions unknown as well, and one potion slightly different than the other.
The last one, compared to the others, was much more colored. This color was a light blue, the same blue that could be found on the weak mana potion, but in a much more important quantity.
For Rohan, this potion was probably a mana potion that was superior to the ones he had. Because of that, and if he was right, then this potion was probably the more valuable he had, as increasing the rank of a potion needed rare ingredients that just couldn't be found in the south of the continent.
Along with all these potions, he also had put a pouch with a lot of dried plants inside. He had started to read the book about the botanic, but since he was too much concentrated on the rune's learning for the past few months, he didn't have put much energy into it.
"...that's why I have decided to help you a bit, and give you a little something that could help for your journey!" Rohan snapped back into reality. A what? and why, for what reason? But it was too late, and as Rohan was trying to understand what Delia had said to him, this one stood up after putting down his cup.
"Follow me, I'll show you." Without waiting for Rohan to follow behind, he left the room and said something to the guard waiting there before this one left in a hurry. Unfortunately, Rohan couldn't hear what he had said.
In any case, he couldn't refuse the goodwill of this flashy man, and without knowing what to expect, he got up to catch up with Delia who had already left.
They walked through a corridor, and coming back into the hall of the mansion, they continued toward the rear of the huge house.
There, after a butler opened the door for the young master, Rohan followed behind him and left the building to find themselves in the exterior.
"We'll wait here for an instant, it should appear in a few minutes."
Rohan tilted his head on the side. 'It should appear? Don't tell me we're here to look at interesting flora and fauna…' But before Rohan could think more about it, neigh reached his ears and a fast footstep crushed the ground made of gravel.
Suddenly, appearing in his sight, a beautiful horse with a brown dress led by a man was in front of him. His eyes widened under this spectacular sight, and he turned his stunned face toward the man watching from the side.
"Yes! I'm giving you this horse, Rohan. I believe you already know how to mount one right?" His smile grew larger and his laugh burst inside the ears of Rohan, who was still dumbfounded.
"My friend."
Before Rohan could do anything, Delia crushed him with a manly hug, or maybe even a bearly one, and Rohan wondered if this man wasn't a mighty warrior hiding his strength.
"I hope you will find what you are looking for. But don't forget, even though I know you're strong, don't be foolish, and only hit those weaker than you!" He stepped back and turned his face toward the horse. "Why wouldn't you mount it? By the way, his name is Barakas. He doesn't have any bloodline! It is a pure one, coming from breeding learned from a long time ago, and…"
Mounted on his brown horse, Rohan left the mansion of the viscount Noir without looking back. He would come back in a few weeks anyway.
But before he could reach the street and go back to the shop, a carriage appeared in front of him. On it, there was a crest that Rohan had already seen before. The door on the side opened, and the occupants went down.
A man with an expressionless face left the cabin first, before turning around while stretching his hand toward the inside of the carriage.
A white and small hand left this one, and following it, the most beautiful woman of this city posed a foot on the ground.
It was so slow that Rohan wanted to curse at them. He remembered when he was himself taking these carriages to go anywhere, and he had never bothered to wait for someone to open the door to him, as it was always a waste of time for nothing.
"Warrior Rohan, the news was right I believe." News? What news? "You aren't going to leave this city without saying goodbye to us right?"
Her soft voice echoed in the area, and her sparkling eyes were looking straight at Rohan's. If it was another man, then he would probably put himself down on his knee and apologize to this divine princess that had appeared in front of him. Sadly, Rohan being Rohan, he only squinted his eyes. How the hell do they know that he was leaving this damn city?
"Well, now that you are here anyway, I'll say it to you as well. Goodbye."
The lack of reaction and his platonic tone shocked for a second the daughter of the viscount Macker, and Matthew was also stunned on the side. For a different reason.
*cough*
"Hmm, anyway, before you leave warrior Rohan, " She took out an item and gave it awkwardly to Matthew at his side, "please take this token. That way, if you have a problem somewhere, you could use it and show them the tie you have with our noble's family!"
Then, holding this small item, Matthew approached the young warrior mounted on a horse and gave him the object. It would have been too inappropriate for the young miss to give herself such an item to a random warrior.
Rohan took the object. It was a small emblem, with the crest of Viscount Macker on it. For his daughter to give it to him, that means they had full confidence in him. After all, with such a token, not many in the area will reproach him anything.
"Thank you for the item, Miss Elia, I'll keep it preciously." He didn't care at all about this object, but still, he nodded his head toward this woman.
But before he could leave, Matthew suddenly stretched his hand toward the warrior.
"It was a pleasure to fight by your side, Rohan, I hope we will meet again." Rohan shook his hand while thinking that he wasn't hoping that at all, and without standing at the ceremony, he left on his horse toward the shop of Horim.
"What are you looking at, Matthew, will he miss you that much?" Elia was giggling as she saw that Matthew was still looking at the back of the young warrior.
This one shook his head.
"I don't think he truly needed your gift, young Miss."
"Eh? Why are you saying that? Do you know how much time I have passed to plead to my father to have this emblem!? Why wouldn't he need it?"
Matthew took a deep breath, and with a strange expression, he answered his young Miss.
"He is already stronger than me, young Miss. And not just by a little."
Rohan rushed on the street in the direction of his shop. He still had to say goodbye to his master, who was kind enough to host him as well as teach him how to forge. He was far from being a prodigy, but this experience was still engraved in his mind and he wouldn't forget about that.
As he reached the street on the back of his horse, memories of the first time he had come to this place appeared on his mind.
The first one he remembered was when the strong-looking middle-aged man had lifted from the ground and was strangling him with his powerful grip.
Rohan shuddered as he went down his horse. That was not at all a good memory.
He attached his horse and headed toward the door to open. The moment the inside of the unfrequented shop showed off its interior, the young warrior saw Horim standing there, waiting for him.
At the side of the door, there were his belongings he had prepared, as well the armor he had bought with his money, and a newly made sword. Probably forged by his master himself.
"What are you waiting for, mudhead? Take that and get out already. You have a lot to do, right?"
It had only been two years. Only that much time since he lived in this place. That was a short time, yet also a long one. Rohan couldn't help but feel sadness grip his heart.
"Thank you for everything, master. I will never forget it." Tears formed in his eyes as he put on his leather armor. That was only a goodbye, and he indeed had a lot to do.
A thin smile stretched on the face of Horim, as he looked at the young, yet powerful warrior equipping himself. He felt something strange was on him, but he discarded it.
The face of his own son appeared for a time on his mind. Maybe it was time for him to go as well?
Then as he saw Rohan leaving through the door, his eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost. He had finally understood where this weird sensation was coming from. But how was this possible?
Now alone in the shop, he abruptly burst off laughing. He bent his large stature as he couldn't help but laugh and laugh.
This disciple of his couldn't stop but surprised him every day. A big smile floated on his face as he calmed himself.
"A wizard… A damn rank 1 Beginner Wizard."