Chapter 980: Astarto Town
Astarto Town, within a neatly decorated office.
"Do you think he'll come?" As this question left her mouth, Alfaera looked at Tristan with slight uncertainty. "After all, the last time we asked him to come to help defend against a monster tide, he ignored it."
"More like the messages we sent him around that time weren't received," replied Tristan back, letting out a slight sigh after that. "Fortunately, we found out later on that the Blacksmith Guild had given him a special mission around that time."
"Then again, if I were to find out that he..." Just as the man arrived at this train of thought, Tristan stopped himself for a bit before deciding not to continue it any further.
Shaking his head, he then gave Alfaera a reassuring smile, though he was unsure whether the target of that reassurance was really her.
"In any case, don't worry too much," said Tristan to Alfaera, wanting to uplift the current mood of their conversation. "After all, the last time we asked him to help us out on the monster tide, he did come and visit us."
"In fact, he even did most of the defending that time."
"Then again, he did message us earlier that he'd come to town within the day," he continued, only to gaze out of the window near him after that.
"Though, I do admit I'm starting to wonder what his definition of 'within the day' means." Coincidentally, just as Alfaera let out a sigh in response to Tristan's words, a knock echoed from the other side of the office door, prompting the two to smoothen their expression out. After that, Alfaera allowed the person knocking to come in, revealing a man in his late teens that wore clothing made for forging.
"Emil?" Seeing the young man appear in the office, Tristan's eyes slightly widened in surprise. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at the guild forging equipment for the monster tide?"
Hearing those words, Emil politely bowed to the two. "I apologize for disturbing you, Guild Master Melphon, Mayor Astarto."
After that, it was only did the young man respond to the question, only opening his mouth once Alfaera gave him a nod. "I've received a message from the one managing the guild's Teleportation Hall that needed to be relayed to the guild master as soon as possible."
"A message?" Tristan briefly glanced at Alfaera for a bit before looking back at the young man. "Does it perhaps have something to do with the war up in the north?"
"We haven't any updates on that as of yet, Guild Master." Emil shook his head in response. "However, a man wearing a full suit of armor appeared within the guild's Teleportation Hall, asking for your presence."
At those words, Alfaera and Tristan looked at each other with widened eyes, their expressions gradually turning into that of excitement. "Could you lead us there? Did he tell you his name?"
Though he was somewhat nervous to guide the two most important personages within Astarto Town, Emil reined in his nervousness with a calming breath before nodding. "I would be glad to."
"As for his name..."
young man.
"I'll... take my leave now." Understanding then and there that he successfully accomplished his task, Emil immediately excused himself in front of the three, causing them all to snap back to reality as they began laughing not long after.
"I'm glad you finally came, Valyr." Being the first to make a move, Tristan immediately made
a move to embrace the young man, prompting the latter to reciprocate it back. "It doesn't look like it, but I have missed you."
"I've missed you as well, Tristan," replied Valyr, letting out a slight chuckle as he removed himself from the man's embrace.
After that, he looked at Alfaera with a smile before nodding, which the woman responded to by giving the same gesture. "It's been a long time since we've last met."
"It has been." Alfaera nodded in agreement, continuing to adorn the same smile. "Speaking of which, welcome to Astarto Town."
"Yeah, welcome to Astarto Town," said Tristan to Valyr not long after her. "To think that you clearing the dungeon would allow the village to expand to this extent."
"I'm surprised that it expanded by this much, actually," said Valyr in response, only now getting a good idea of how much of a difference there was between the current Astarto Town and the village he once knew.
In terms of prosperity, Astarto Town reminded him of Anadhar Town, making Valyr wonder whether the reason why a branch of the Blacksmith Guild was established here was because Astarto decided to focus more on forging.
As for the overall layout of the town, Valyr was reminded of Clossbay City, considering how the entire town seemed to be separated into various districts with specific purposes, with the current one the three were in all had buildings related to production.
In terms of how much territory the former village now occupied, Valyr felt that it was around
a third to a half of Clossbay City's territory, considering that it hadn't been long since it had become a town.
Though he didn't mind having Valyr look around the town in a slight daze, Tristan's expression soon turned serious as he reminded himself of the reason why he'd asked the
young man to come to town.
"I know you want to take a look around town right now, and I'd be glad to act as your tour guide if I could..." said Tristan.
"But how about we get down to business for the meantime and discuss the upcoming monster
tide?"