Frilian: The Adventure of the Hero

Chapter 154 An Encounter with [Viabel]

In front.

A small village nestled on the edge of the mountains and forests.

A layer of gray-black fog shrouded the village.

As the group approached, a faint smell of burnt smoke wafted over, which was somewhat pungent.

Shutark was puzzled.

"Is this black mist caused by monsters?"

Xia En pulled up the edge of his cloak to cover his mouth and nose. For a fleeting moment, he had the illusion that the smell was so similar to the smog he'd smelled in the suburbs during autumn and winter in his previous life—

Do they also use stoves for heating in another world?

But it's only autumn.

That can't be right.

As they cautiously approached, Frilian maintained her [Magic Detection] throughout, yet she still couldn't sense any demons or monsters around her.

Until everyone entered the village.

A huge bonfire suddenly appeared in front of everyone.

Beside the campfire.

Many villagers gathered there.

Some people carried clothes, some carried farm tools, and some even carried fruits and vegetables. They lined up and threw them into the campfire one after another.

"?"

The group exchanged glances, puzzled.

Zain stepped forward and asked an elderly man with gray hair.

"Excuse me, what are you doing, folks?"

The old man, leaning on his cane, turned around. At first, he looked a little bewildered, but after seeing the people's attire, a look of understanding appeared on his face, and he sighed.

"You're adventurers who've come to ask for lodging, aren't you?"

"Unfortunately, our village is currently burning some household items that have been contaminated by monsters, so we are afraid we don't have the capacity to provide you with lodging and food."

"Corrupted by monsters?"

Everyone immediately became alert.

Zain then went to a pile of farm tools that had not yet been put into the campfire.

He took out the Bible, turned to a page, and instantly, the pages glowed. A pale green magic descended on the farm tools, and in a moment, dark green spots of light appeared on them.

The number of light spots was small and sparse.

But as those spots of light appeared, the surrounding villagers all took a step back.

You could tell they were terrified.

Frillie crouched down, picked up a hoe with shimmering spots, and examined it. "It looks like toxin residue."

Zain said, "[Identification Magic] indicates that this is a toxin carried by a bird-like magical beast called the [Poison Feather Owl], which can cause humans who come into contact with the toxin to fall into a state of [Weakness]."

Swah—

Frillian's [Tracking Magic] was activated.

Using the toxin that Zain found, the tracking magic extended outwards, and countless pale blue magical traces appeared in the village, finally stopping at the village entrance, leaving behind a large area of ​​traces of a battle.

Frillie looked at the magical traces, stroked her chin, and pondered for a moment.

"Did someone hunt a monster here not long ago?"

The old man nodded. "Yes, before you, there was an adventurer who rid us of the monster that was ravaging our village."

"Judging from these traces, the other party disposed of the scattered [poisonous feathers] promptly after killing the monster, and did a very thorough cleanup. Therefore, you do not need to burn these farm tools and fruits, as the residual toxins on them are minimal and will not cause any harm to people."

"Moreover, over time, the toxins will gradually become ineffective."

Upon hearing Frilian's words, the villagers looked at each other, not at ease, but rather hesitant.

"We're sorry, we know this might be a bit much, but there's nothing we can do, we're just ordinary people—"

'

"Yeah, who would dare gamble on not getting sick? It's safer to just burn everything."

Shane and Frilian exchanged a glance.

They had encountered this feeling before in those villages harassed by monsters.

Ordinary people have no ability to distinguish or resist monsters, and in order to eliminate danger, they often resort to extreme methods.

For example, they might close off their village, or simply stay indoors and not come out.

But simply running away cannot eliminate the panic.

On the contrary, such suspicion may cause more unnecessary losses.

Xia En glanced at the things everyone was preparing to burn, from large items like fruits and vegetables from the garden to small items like axes for chopping wood and carrying poles for fetching water.

If it were all burned down.

Putting aside whether their lives will be affected, winter is just around the corner, and it would be bad if they were to run out of food and clothing.

Shane pulled Zain aside.

"At this point, it all comes down to the prestige of that 'Goddess'—you should examine each of the villagers' bodies, give them some herbs to strengthen their bodies, and have them boil them in water and drink it, saying it's to treat the toxins."

"Some things are better left unchecked than blocked. Instead of explaining to them that they won't get sick, it's better to help them get better."

Zain turned to look at Shane, unable to suppress an expression of admiration. This approach was tactful yet hit the nail on the head.

Sometimes I wonder, are you really only eighteen or nineteen years old?

Xia En coughed softly.

"The Sage's Basic Exercises"

After that.

Just as Xia En had predicted.

After receiving the monk's magical healing and drinking the "medicinal soup," the villagers indeed stopped being suspicious, and their burning of things immediately ceased.

Men, women, young and old, were all deeply grateful for the help they received.

The village chief also needs to raise money to pay everyone's wages.

Xia En didn't want it.

They only took a little bit of the fruit that hadn't been burned yet.

The group continued along the main road.

They ate fruits and chatted at the same time.

"Speaking of which, the [Poison Feather Owl] is a type of demon that usually lives in the northern highlands. How come it's appearing in the [Northern Kingdoms]?"

"The hilly area?"

Zain raised a question.

"Is it because they migrate for the winter?"

Xia En answered casually while eating an apple.

"Monsters don't have the habit of migrating," Frilian said beside her. "They all have a strong sense of territory, and they won't leave unless their territory is invaded by a [high-level monster]."

"So this [Poison Feathered Owl] was driven away by a higher-level monster?" Shutark hit the nail on the head.

"But high-level monsters should also have their own territories, right?" Philon questioned.

Frillie nodded.

"Therefore, it is possible that the monsters in the northern plateau have begun to expand their territory."

The group, who had been happily enjoying their fruit, suddenly froze.

This is not a good sign.

If Frilian's guess is true, and the monsters are expanding their territory from north to south, wouldn't that mean that "the demons are moving south"?

"Of course, we can't draw such a conclusion based on just one monster; it might just be a coincidence."

Everyone looked a little nervous.

Frillie offered one last word of comfort to everyone.

Unfortunately, it didn't have much effect.

Because everyone understands that when you see one cockroach, it means there are countless others in places you can't see.

"Ouch!"

Shutark suddenly cried out in pain.

The boy clutched his stomach, bent over, his brow furrowed instantly, and kept groaning.

Philon was somewhat surprised. "Could it be that the fruit he ate had too much toxin residue?"

Zain raised his hand and cast a [Discrimination Spell].

After a moment, he rolled his eyes, somewhat speechless. "It's nothing, I just ate too many persimmons."

Xia En glanced at the fruit basket.

Good guy.

There were five persimmons in the basket, and this guy ate them all—no wonder he has a stomachache.

The crowd laughed at Shutark.

The boy pitifully begged Zanin to treat him.

Zan used this as leverage and earned several "handsome big brother" compliments for nothing.

Everyone looked down on them.

Then he turned and made fun of Zain.

The journey was leisurely and unsteady.

As the sun began to set, the group finally left the Kura region and entered the Swordthroat region.

The entire Sword Throat region can be considered a natural barrier for the magical city of Oisast.

It is nestled between two hills, and its shape is long and narrow, like a sharp sword.

The heart of the sword, and the hub of the entire region, is a trading city called [Kel].

【Kel】connects the 【Neutoral Port】to the west, the magical city of 【Oisaster】to the north, and the fortress city of 【Frich】to the south.

It has a superior geographical location.

It has always been a gathering place for merchants from the north.

very lucky.

They encountered a caravan as soon as they entered the area.

"Are you also going to Kyle for the Autumn Harvest Festival?"

On the carriage, the merchant chatted enthusiastically with everyone.

As a result, everyone except Frilian looked puzzled.

Frilian explained, "The Harvest Festival is an annual traditional festival in Kyle. It has existed since Kyle was just a small town and continues to this day. It is a very famous festival in the surrounding area."

"I remember the festival lasted for three days, and there was lots and lots of delicious food to eat."

A look of reminiscence crossed Frillie's face.

The merchant nodded. "During the celebration, a large number of fresh agricultural products and imported goods will be displayed on the shelves along the entire trading street, showcasing them to the public."

"The city hall has also implemented a special tax exemption policy for the Autumn Harvest Festival, so during those three days, there will be a lot of goods available, and they will be of high quality and low price. Don't miss it!"

After hearing the businessman's introduction.

Philon's eyes lit up.

The phrase "good quality and low price" successfully won the little girl's heart.

Xia En clicked his tongue in amazement.

They went to Kyle to replenish their supplies, and they happened to catch the shopping festival.

This luck is truly unbelievable.

When the sun sets.

The group arrived at the city gate.

As usual, the caravan entered the main city smoothly after undergoing a simple routine check.

Shane and his companions bid farewell to the merchant.

We started looking for a hotel along the street.

I wonder if it's because the Autumn Harvest Festival is approaching.

Even after nightfall, the streets remained brightly lit and bustling with people.

Shops of all sizes lined the streets, and various horse-drawn carriages and flatbed trucks shuttled back and forth, with workers loading and unloading goods coming and going, busy as bees.

Many colorful ribbons and flower balls have already been hung on the streets.

You can imagine.

How lively it will be on the day of the celebration!

The group stopped in front of an inn called "Lively Horseshoes".

I just stood still.

The innkeeper greeted them with a smile, "Good evening, adventurers. You're here for the Autumn Harvest Festival too, right?"

"Please feel free to stay here; our inn is the most popular hotel in all of Kyle."

As he spoke, he glanced at Xia En.

He emphasized, "The store also has the softest king-size bed in the whole city."

That tender, affectionate gaze sent chills down Xia En's spine.

This is something that people are used to.

After successfully completing the check-in process, we had dinner at the hotel.

Braised pork chops with rice, plus a bowl of pickled radish soup.

Although simple.

But the taste was surprisingly good.

"Let's rest here for a few more days and soak up the festive atmosphere."

"If you think about it, there are still more than half a year until the Level 1 Mage Exam next summer, so there's no need to rush."

Shane made the suggestion.

No one had an opinion.

Is there a chance to relax?

Just then, a young man dressed in a magic robe walked into the inn's lobby.

The man whispered a few words to the proprietress, handed her a roll of paper, and then left.

Shaen felt that the style of the magic robe the other person was wearing looked somewhat familiar.

Before I could even recall where I had seen it before, I heard a gasp of surprise.

"30 gold coins!"

Many people around were drawn to the sound.

Behind the hotel counter.

The proprietress posted the piece of paper she had just received.

[Reward for Lost Item Clues]

A few days ago, the Continental Magic Association transported a batch of ancient books from the northern plateau to "Neutoral Port" by sea, and then turned to land to travel north to "Oisast".

Unfortunately, the batch of ancient books went missing after leaving the port, and the whereabouts of the transport personnel are unknown.

Anyone who provides clues leading to the recovery of the ancient book will receive a reward of 30 gold coins and can choose one magic book from the Continental Magic Association's library.

Choose your own magic book!

Frillie immediately became interested.

Ancient books?

Xia En immediately frowned.

He remembered seeing the magic robe somewhere before; it was the standard uniform of the Continental Magic Association, which reminded him of Ailu's grandfather.

Lylene once said that many people in the Continental Magic Association were assisting in the investigation of the history related to the Sage.

Could these lost ancient books be historical documents related to the "Sage"?

He had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

Is it an accident?

Or was this done intentionally?

*Snap* Just as he was distracted.

The fork in her hand was knocked away by a passerby.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

The other person apologized while bending down to pick it up.

boom-

The man's head hit the edge of the table again.

Some of the radish soup on the table spilled, causing everyone to scramble to catch it.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

The other person picked up the fork and apologized repeatedly.

But that wasn't all. When the other person handed over the fork, their hand brushed against Shane's cup, almost knocking it over.

These successive unexpected events made Xia En want to curse.

just.

The moment I saw what the other person looked like, I swallowed back the words I was about to say.

He had short, silver-gray hair, the ends sticking out and slightly messy. He had slender, icy blue eyes, shimmering silver earrings, and a flamboyant black leather necklace. A slight upturn at the corners of his mouth gave him an air of nonchalant arrogance.

He is none other than the future first-class mage, Viabel.

Seeing Xia En staring at him.

Viabel yawned, struggled to open his eyes, and placed the fork back in front of Shane. "Sorry, I'm a little out of control right now—"

Before he could finish his sentence, he yawned again.

"If you don't mind—"

Another yawn.

"I'll go find the proprietress and get another one—"

Still yawning.

The repeated yawns made Viabelu look somewhat weak.

Even as he left, his gait was unsteady, as if he might fall at any moment.

Frillie let out a soft "Eh."

"He seems to have been poisoned by the [Poison Feather Owl]."

Zain nodded.

"It's quite serious."

Xia En frowned.

"Is his life in danger?"

No, not at all.

"This toxin can only remain in the human body for three to five days at most. It is generally not fatal. Even without a monk to detoxify it, one can tough it out."

Shutark agreed.

"Yes, Master once said that you can overcome poisoning by relying on your inner strength. There is no poison that inner strength cannot resolve."

Philon glanced at Shutark, "Please don't believe such things."

梆—

Viabel, holding a spoon, staggered back and successfully bumped his head into a pillar.

Everyone felt a pang of unease.

Judging from this situation, there's no need to guess.

He was probably the one who helped the villagers in the small village get rid of the [Poison Feather Owl] before.

I never imagined I'd be poisoned so deeply—

No wonder the villagers were afraid.

but.

To be fair, being poisoned and still managing to reach [Kyle] is quite an achievement.

"Zain, with your abilities, can you cure such a deep poison?"

"It should be fine, but it might take a little time."

When Viabel finally stumbled back to the table, Xia En, without saying a word, directly pressed him down to sit on the table.

Zain pulled out the Holy Scripture and raised his hand, releasing a beam of green light.

Viabel paused for a moment, then said, "I've searched all the monks in the city, and none of them can do it. You don't need to—"

""

However, before he could finish speaking, he realized he had stopped yawning, and a look of shock immediately appeared in his eyes.

Zain continued to cast the spell of [removing toxins].

A pale green light enveloped Viabel's entire body. After about ten minutes, the green light faded, and the poison was neutralized.

Viabelu has recovered.

The young man's previously lifeless eyes snapped open instantly. He moved his body slightly, hardly believing it.

The monks in the city were helpless against this poison, and he was prepared to tough it out for a few days until the poison dissipated.

Unexpectedly, it was resolved so easily.

"It's my good fortune to have met you all."

"I was already sorry for causing you trouble earlier, and now that you've helped me, I feel even more embarrassed. How about this meal is on me as a way of expressing my gratitude?"

As he spoke, Viabelu took out his pocket to pay.

Xia En initially wanted to decline.

As a result, with a clang, a few copper coins spilled out of Viabelu's money bag.

The scene suddenly became somewhat awkward.

The young man glanced at the money in his hand, showing no embarrassment whatsoever. Instead, he smiled calmly and said, "It seems I can't ask you for a treat for now."

"However, don't worry."

"9

Viabel pointed to the "Wanted Poster" behind the hotel bar and continued, "I will accept that commission, and then I can repay this favor."

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