Kapitel 220: The Wizard's Final Night
The process of conquering the giant clan went smoothly. Although the battles claimed the lives of all the most elite warriors among the giants, this was precisely what Wayne had intended. By breaking their backbones and destroying their ability to resist, he made the remaining giants easier to control, ensuring they wouldn't cause trouble beyond their capabilities.
For Wayne, power that can be controlled is power; anything else is just a threat.
With a significant sum of wealth and an army of giants now under his command, Wayne's primary objective in this world was fulfilled. He ordered the remaining giants to evacuate, instructing them to take all their belongings and follow the magic vines back to the ground. His plan was to bring this army back to the Witcher world.
After settling matters with the giants, Wayne returned to Princess Isabel and said, "Princess Isabel, everything here has been taken care of. Let's prepare to return to the ground."
For the first time, he addressed the few surviving royal guards around the princess, saying, "When we return to the ground, I'll prepare a rope for you. You can tie it around your bodies, and I'll take you back down together. Of course, you can also choose to climb down yourselves—I won't stop you."
Although Elmont and the others didn't fully trust Wayne, they didn't want to be separated from the princess, so they reluctantly nodded and chose to use the rope method.
Princess Isabel, on the other hand, seemed less concerned about the logistics. She watched the giants heading toward the Skeleton Fortress with curiosity and asked, "Wayne, what do you plan to do with those giants?"
Wayne looked at the princess and replied straightforwardly, "Once these giants leave here, I'll take them to distant lands. You likely won't see them again, and there will be no need to worry about the threat they pose."
Isabel was initially pleased by this answer. Having spent the most time with Wayne, she was perhaps the one who trusted him the most. However, she soon realized something and asked, with a hint of sadness in her voice, "Are you leaving the Kingdom of Albion, Wayne? Will we ever meet again?"
Wayne could sense the underlying sentiment in her question. It was clear that the princess had developed a fondness for him, but for Wayne, his feelings were more about fulfilling his mission and protecting the princess rather than romantic affection.
He responded in a calm tone, "Perhaps, princess. I may never return here. Or I might come back in a few years, or decades. Wizards like me have long lifespans, and what seems like a long time for ordinary people is just a short period for us."
With these words, Wayne subtly reminded Princess Isabel of the vast gulf between them, making it clear that a deeper relationship would be difficult, if not impossible.
The smile on Isabel's face faded, her green eyes reflecting a touch of sadness. She became silent, lost in thought.
Wayne noticed her change in demeanor but chose not to address it. Once everyone was ready, he guided the magic flying carpet, securing a sturdy rope beneath it. He tied up the few surviving royal guards and the villager Jack, then took the princess with him and began the descent along the path of the magic vines.
Although descending from such a great height was challenging, Wayne was able to control the magic flying carpet well enough to manage it safely.
During the descent, Princess Isabel seemed less reserved than before, wrapping her arms tightly around Wayne's waist and pressing her body closer to him. If she were taller, she might have rested her head on his shoulder.
Wayne's response to her behavior was neutral—he neither encouraged nor discouraged it. He understood that this adventure was likely the most exciting experience in the life of a princess who had spent so much time in the palace.
The descent was much easier than climbing up had been. Under Wayne's control, it took them a little over an hour to land from an altitude of nearly 10,000 meters.
The journey through the clouds was not without its challenges—they passed through storms and cold winds. Under Wayne's protection, Princess Isabel felt no discomfort, but the guards hanging from the rope endured a harsher experience. However, they still considered themselves fortunate, as this was far more comfortable than risking their lives by climbing down from such a height.
As Wayne and the others approached the ground, they could see that King Brahmwell had assembled an army of several hundred soldiers to surround the magic vine. Several small crossbows had been set up, and colorful tents had been erected, forming a military camp not far from the vine.
On the outskirts of the camp, a large crowd had gathered to watch, with vendors selling goods, creating a lively atmosphere.
When the people below saw the magic flying carpet descending rapidly from the sky, with several figures hanging from it, they erupted in exclamations of surprise.
King Brahmwell, hearing the commotion, quickly emerged from his tent. Seeing his daughter safe and sound, protected by Wayne as she descended from the magic flying carpet, nearly brought tears to his eyes.
This was his only daughter, his only heir, and his only family. Had anything happened to her, the royal bloodline would have been severed.
Wayne led Princess Isabel to her father and placed her hand in the king's. "Your Majesty, I have completed your commission."
Before the king could respond, Wayne raised a hand to stop him and added, "After you've heard from Princess Isabel and your royal guards about what happened in the sky, we can discuss my compensation."
With that, Wayne bowed slightly to the king and princess and turned to leave, not waiting for the king's reply.
The image of Wayne as a proud and indifferent wizard was indeed vividly expressed, and as he completed his task of returning Princess to King Brahmwell, the master-level task he had received from the king was marked as complete.
Ding! [Escaped Princess] Master level, completed.
Reward: Master level treasure chest*1, 450 experience points.
With the 450 experience points added, Wayne's level progress had reached more than halfway through level 11. He estimated that once Letho and the others completed their master-level blueprint task, the experience gained from that would likely push him to level 12.
No one dared to stop Wayne from leaving the king's presence. He found a spot near the magic vines with a good view and set up a campfire, preparing to cook lunch for himself. Although the battle with the giants hadn't been particularly dangerous, it had still been physically exhausting. As he relaxed, he took out the books he had acquired from this world and began browsing through them.
Based on the speed of the giants, Wayne estimated it would take them a day to travel from the Skeleton Fortress to the magic vines and then climb down to the ground.
Wayne wasn't particularly concerned about King Brahmwell's attitude at this point. Even if the king wanted to object now, it was too late to attempt cutting down the entire magic vine. A conflict between the two sides would only result in casualties among the ordinary soldiers protecting the kingdom, something Wayne preferred to avoid if possible.
He hoped that Princess and Elmont, who had witnessed his strength firsthand, could dissuade the king from taking any rash actions.
About an hour later, as Wayne was finishing his meal and meditating on a nearby rock, Princess Isabel approached him. When she drew near, Wayne opened his eyes, and the princess offered a faint smile as she said, "Wayne, my father would like to invite you to discuss something. He's waiting for you in the tent."
Wayne stood up, nodded to the princess, and together they headed to the large tent where King Brahmwell was waiting.
Inside the tent, King Brahmwell, the general, and the captain of the royal guard stood with serious expressions. When Wayne and the princess entered, the king couldn't help but scrutinize Wayne with curious eyes. If not for the accounts given by his daughter and the trustworthy Captain Elmont, it would have been difficult for him to believe that anyone could single-handedly defeat dozens of giants, each eight or nine meters tall.
Even the wizards in stories weren't described as having such immense power.
But now, the magic crown was in the hands of this mysterious wizard, and even the giant clan had surrendered to him. The Kingdom of Albion, with all its might, was no longer a threat to someone like Wayne.
Even if the king issued an emergency call to gather thousands of soldiers, it wouldn't take just a day or two. Moreover, even a large army might not be enough to defeat hundreds of giants.
However, according to his daughter's account, the wizard intended to take the giants away from the kingdom, likely never to return. Although the king found it hard to fully trust such a promise, he had no choice but to hope the wizard would keep his word.
Forcing a smile, the old king spoke in a grateful tone: "Thank you, Wayne. My daughter has told me all about what you've done. You defeated the evil giants, saved my daughter, and thwarted Roderick's plot."
"I understand that you plan to leave our kingdom with these giants. May I ask what reward you require? Is there anything we can do to assist you?"
Wayne was pleased with the king's polite demeanor. When the king inquired about his reward, Wayne cast a mischievous glance at Princess Isabel, causing her to blush slightly. The king's expression stiffened, but before he could speak, Wayne said, "It's not a big request, Your Majesty. Since I'm taking these giants on a long journey, I'd appreciate it if you could provide as much food and supplies as possible—the more, the better."
"As for Gantua, the continent connected by the magic vine, we won't be coming back. Consider it a gift to Princess Isabel."
To further reassure the wary king, Wayne added in an indifferent tone, "And don't worry, Your Majesty. Wizards like us have lived for many years, and I have no interest in worldly power, territory, wealth, or any such things. You needn't fear that I pose a threat to your kingdom."
"You should have heard from the princess that with my power, if I truly wanted to act, I wouldn't need the help of these giants."
Though Wayne's words were blunt, they had the intended effect. King Brahmwell felt a sense of relief. With a genuine smile, he nodded and said, "Of course, I trust you, Wayne. You are my daughter's savior."
"I'll see to it that your request is fulfilled immediately."
"Tonight, I'll host a small celebration banquet here to thank you for your help."
"I'll ensure the civilians here are sent away tomorrow. You can leave with the giants without interference from our people."
After the dinner, as Wayne was about to enter his magic tent to rest, he noticed a figure in a beautiful dress sneaking toward him—it was Princess Isabel, elegantly dressed for the evening.
As their eyes met, the princess's cheeks flushed slightly, and she said in a sweet voice, "Wayne, you're leaving tomorrow. May I join you tonight to play that interesting card game you taught me?"
Noticing the royal guards discreetly following her at a distance, Wayne sighed inwardly but didn't refuse. Instead, he held the tent flap open and said softly, "Please come in, Your Highness. You look lovely tonight."
It was the first time Wayne had complimented her, and the princess beamed, revealing two shallow dimples as she ducked into the magic tent.
The next day, until noon, no one disturbed them.
As they emerged from the tent, amid the astonished murmurs of soldiers, countless giant figures could be seen slowly climbing down the magic vines that stretched skyward.
...
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Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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