Escort Completed

However, Ye Chuan truly hadn’t done anything. He really didn’t want to sleep outside or spend the night perched on a tree branch. So last night, he had pushed Irena into a corner and taken up the larger portion of the soft padding for himself. The only thing that happened was Irena unconsciously snuggling up to him in the middle of the night.

The carriage continued its journey, and after what felt like an eternity, they finally emerged from the forest.

"Xi Xi, we’ll reach Count Kangong’s territory in another half a day," Torres reported.

"Mm." Ye Chuan admired the scenery along the way. Monsters seemed scarce here, with only the occasional plump slime wriggling across the plains. From a distance, they looked like oversized, grimy water balloons.

In the far distance, Ye Chuan could already make out a town. After last night’s encounter with the shadows and darkness, the rest of the journey had been relatively smooth—no broken bridges or boulders blocking the road like yesterday.

"Torres, are we there yet?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Please be patient a little longer," Torres replied.

The carriage curtain was pulled aside, revealing Irena’s face. She had put her hood back on and reminded him, "Address, Torres."

"Yes, my lady."

"Count Kangong’s territory is called Miral. Once we arrive, Xi Xi, you can register at the local adventurer’s guild to complete the escort mission. They’ll handle your payment there," Torres explained.

"Got it."

The carriage slowly rolled up to the city gates, where a guard stepped forward. "Identification."

Torres promptly presented the escort certification provided by the adventurer’s guild. The guard nodded and stepped aside. Miral was a peaceful place, and without strict orders, the guards weren’t particularly harsh.

As long as you weren’t an unidentified stranger, you could come and go freely.

The carriage entered the city, where the laughter of playing children, street vendors lining the roads, and the bustling crowds all spoke of the town’s prosperity. This place was far larger and livelier than Yisu Town.

"Hm?" At that moment, Ye Chuan seemed to notice something and turned his gaze toward a shadowy alley.

A half-grown child was hiding there, watching him intently. The moment their eyes met, the child immediately ducked back out of sight.

Ye Chuan: "…"

He averted his gaze.

A while later, the carriage finally came to a stop. "We’re here," Torres announced.

Ye Chuan looked at the building ahead—it bore a striking resemblance to the adventurer’s guild in Yisu Town, as if there were standardized design requirements, giving it a distinctly game-like aesthetic.

"Phew, we’re finally here. Hahaha!"

"It’s over. What a journey."

"Let’s grab a drink!" The other silver-ranked adventurers disembarked and headed straight to the reception desk to collect their rewards.

Ye Chuan also stepped out of the carriage and turned to Torres.

"What about you two? Heading straight to Count Kangong?"

"Yes," Torres nodded.

Irena agreed. "No matter the outcome, we must visit the Count… It’s safe during the day, so I’ll go ahead first."

Those skin-wearing monsters rarely revealed themselves in daylight, so Irena planned to make the trip now.

"Don’t need me to come along?" Ye Chuan asked.

"…" Irena fell silent for a few seconds.

"My lady, perhaps we should rest at the guild first. It’s better to avoid unnecessary risks," Torres suggested, thinking it best not to let their guard down even in daylight.

"You’re right," Irena conceded, deciding to stay at the guild for now.

The three entered the adventurer’s guild. Compared to Yisu Town, the interior was far more luxurious and grand, with even more receptionists on duty.

"Hello, here to collect my reward." Ye Chuan approached the counter and handed the mission completion slip and his identification tag to the half-elf receptionist.

"Understood, Mr. Xi Xi." After verifying the documents, she processed the payment, and Ye Chuan received his reward—100 gold coins.

With the money in hand, Ye Chuan glanced back and noticed Irena and Torres sitting at a nearby table, picking at a simple meal.

Ye Chuan ignored them for now and pulled out his phone to claim his daily login rewards.

[Congratulations! You have received: Magic Crystals x50, Town Portal Scroll.]

"With this scroll, I can head straight back to Yisu Town for a massage—I mean, to take on more missions." After collecting his rewards, Ye Chuan walked over to join Torres and Irena.

…

"My lady, you should eat something. You’ll collapse if you keep this up," Torres urged, seeing Irena lost in thought, barely touching her food.

"I’m thinking about our meeting with Count Kangong later," Irena murmured, shaking her head.

"Everything will be fine."

"I hope so." Reluctantly, Irena picked up her spoon and took small sips of the corn soup in front of her.

Ye Chuan returned to his seat and ordered an "otherworldly meal"—a simple serving of grilled meat with a thick, cheese-like dipping sauce.

"Looks decent."

He cut into the meat with a knife and took a bite. Perhaps due to the ingredients, the meat carried a unique spiced aroma, reminiscent of a mix of cumin and Cajun seasoning.

"Not bad."

Nodding in approval, he glanced at Torres and Irena. "Why the long faces?"

"It’s… nothing. I was just thinking about my father and the others," Irena admitted quietly.

Losing her family—especially to those monsters—was a wound that refused to heal. No matter how hard she tried, the grief lingered.

Torres felt the same. After all, he was one of the victims too.

"What’s done is done. Wallowing in sorrow won’t bring them back. Focus on revenge instead," Ye Chuan said.

"Xi Xi is right," Torres agreed. The only thing keeping him going now was his vow to avenge the Reinhardt family.

After finishing their meal and resting in the guild’s provided rooms, the group finally prepared to leave for the Count’s residence.

"I’m out of money," Irena confessed to Ye Chuan.

"I’ll have Count Kangong cover your payment for this mission."

This being their second contract, Irena didn’t want to deceive him—she had fled the royal capital with little funds, and after expenses along the way, the last of her money had gone into this escort mission.

"Don’t worry about it. Let’s go," Ye Chuan said.

Seeing him so accommodating, both Irena and Torres breathed a sigh of relief.

When it came to matters of principle, Xi Xi didn’t seem as money-obsessed as they thought.

But what Ye Chuan was really thinking was—

[She’s a princess, after all. If I help her out now, won’t I be set for life on the Aiser Continent?]