Pitching a Tent

He was back.

Joli stood at the village entrance, beneath his feet the familiar dirt path packed solid by the passage of time.

Looking at the familiar village before him, Joli felt a warm current gradually welling up in his heart.

Compared to when he had left, nothing seemed to have changed here. It still bore that peaceful and serene look... as if time had stopped flowing the moment he departed.

Seeing an outsider arrive, the children at the village gates ran into their homes to tell the adults. Soon, people began stepping out of their houses.

"It's Joli!"

"Haha, that boy Joli is back!"

"Show some respect! You aren't even a fraction of Joli's age."

"But he looks so young..."

"Joli has been gone for several months now, right?"

"It's been almost half a year!"

"Folks, let's hold a banquet tonight!"

Joli's return was like a piece of scorching mithril dropping into a tranquil lake; the village quickly bubbled with excitement.

"There's no need, everyone... you don't have to do this..." Joli felt a bit embarrassed that they were going to such great lengths for him.

"Why are you being so polite with us?" a gruff voice interrupted with a hearty laugh.

"Haha, to be honest, we've wanted to throw a banquet for a while now, but we just couldn't find a proper excuse."

"Joli, don't worry about things here. Go back and clean up your house. You've been gone so long, it must be covered in dust."

Amidst the gentle pushing and shoving of the villagers, Joli returned to the front of his own house.

Creak—

The wooden door was pushed open, releasing a stale yet intimately familiar scent. Joli took a deep breath.

He hadn't been gone for too long, but Joli felt as if a lifetime had passed... The experiences of these past few months had been more thrilling than the previous century combined.

Looking at the empty furnishings inside the house, Joli couldn't help but chuckle. The ring on his hand flashed with light, and a massive bundle appeared before him.

Back then, he had packed up and taken everything he could use.

However, it was time to return to his old life.

Joli looked at the ring in his hand, a gift from Aina.

If there is a chance... I will adventure with everyone again in the future.

There definitely will be a chance.

But before that, I need to become even stronger.

...

"Sigh—"

Liana's gaze fell on the empty seat in the carriage, and she let out a sigh.

Joli was gone.

It was a bit of a pity. Joli was a powerful fighter certified by Xia Lun; if they really ran into danger, he definitely would have been useful.

Although she had long known this day would come, now that Joli had actually left, she still felt a bit melancholy.

Little Lan now occupied Joli's original spot, extending a small tentacle and gesturing in the air, as if tracing the departing figure.

The storybook where Musen resided lay open on a soft cushion, its pages gently fluttering, but no figure appeared.

Luo Lun was huddled in a corner. Having just joined the team, she wasn't familiar with Joli and didn't feel any particular emotion.

Luo Lun was a lone wolf most of the time and could not quite understand this feeling.

Mo Lini noticed Liana's dejection. She had the best relationship with Joli... Joli was even her little nephew.

Although Liana was usually unreliable, she was still a companion.

Mo Lini reached out and patted Liana's shoulder, offering comfort, "Liana, um... we are adventurers... we are doggies, we have to keep running, we don't need tombstones..."

She tried hard to recall what Liana had said before, but stumbled over her words.

Mo Lini had somewhat forgotten the exact words Liana had told her previously.

"Huh?" Liana looked up in confusion, temporarily dispersing her sorrow over the parting. "Who wants to be a doggy?"

"I don't want to be one either," Mo Lini immediately nodded vigorously, her round eyes wide open as she declared with a serious face.

This was Mo Lini, she was very cute.

Two hands reached over, one after the other, and pinched Mo Lini's soft, squishy cheeks.

So soft, so squishy.

"Wh-what are you doing!" Mo Lini waved her little hands in grief and indignation, pushing away Luo Lun and Liana's hands that were wreaking havoc on her face.

"Ah, sorry."

"Excuse me."

Luo Lun and Liana snapped out of it, sheepishly withdrawing their hands.

Then, Luo Lun and Liana exchanged a glance, a sudden mutual understanding making them feel like they had discovered a fellow enthusiast.

Mo Lini rubbed her reddened cheeks, feeling that the upcoming journey might be a bit ominous.

"Luo Lun."

Xia Lun's voice drifted in from outside.

"Next, we are heading straight to the Snow Realm, and we probably won't stop along the way. Do you have any matters left to handle in the human territories?"

"No, Your Excellency Xia Lun."

Previously, when passing through a large city, Luo Lun had already delegated all matters to her subordinates in the Blood Pact, and there were no particularly difficult commissions at the moment.

Most of the time, she was the one actively looking for things to do anyway.

"Mo Lini, what about you?"

Mo Lini thought about it very seriously. "N-no, Mr. Xia Lun."

"Musen?"

"I'm fine, Xia Lun. Liana already took me to the church earlier," Musen's honest and good-natured laughter came from within the pages of the book.

Xia Lun: "Alright, then we will take a wilderness shortcut next..."

"Hey, hey, hey! Xia Lun, what about me? You haven't asked me yet!" Liana immediately began to yell loudly. "You asked Musen and the others, why are you treating me differently?"

Xia Lun: "Oh? Do you have something to do?"

"No! Your Excellency Xia Lun!" Liana replied loudly. She had already restocked her supplies back in the city... and had even replenished her milk supply in Joli's village.

"Then there you go."

Outside the carriage, Xia Lun cracked the whip, and the earth dragon quickened its pace.

In his embrace, Aina looked up, rubbing the back of her head against Xia Lun's chest.

"What about me?"

"Lord Demon King, do you have any matters in the human territories?" Xia Lun whispered somewhat helplessly into Aina's ear.

"Of course I do."

Aina pressed herself closer against Xia Lun's body. "We haven't even stayed at an inn yet."

"Aren't we rushing to travel..." Xia Lun stroked Aina's head. "We've been out for so long, that child Mida must miss us a lot."

"No need to rush back, a few days won't make a difference... Mida is very reassuring," Aina murmured softly, her tone then turning somewhat resentful. "Xia Lun, since we left the Elven Forest, it's been exactly three days since we..."

"Then let's pitch a tent tonight," Xia Lun said, holding the long whip, his gaze calmly fixed straight ahead.

"Mhm." Aina nodded slightly, finally satisfied.

Then, as if sensing something, Aina smiled charmingly. "Can't wait already, Xia Lun? Are you sure you can wait until tonight to pitch a tent?"