Chapitre 28: Goodbye For Now

Strolling toward the castle, Archer indulged in a feast of pastries, savoring the delightful cream-filled treats. On his way, he passed the enchanting establishment called Witch Way Out.

Intrigued, he stepped inside, hoping to acquire new spells. As he entered, the doorbell jingled unexpectedly, drawing his attention. His gaze lifted, revealing a shiny new bell sitting prominently as if waiting to be noticed.

''Oh, what do we have...'' Gallaka started speaking until she saw him and stopped. ''What happened to you, boy?''

Archer smiled at the old woman and told her. ''I reached level twenty and evolved.''

She looked him up and down before sighing. ''I can't figure out what you are; you're not a Dragon-kin due to those eyes and scales; they only have horns.''

Archer shrugged and started searching the shop. He came across Four spells that caught his interest. Picking up the first book, he read the title. ''Fireball.''

He chose it and continued to look for some more; after an hour of searching, he found three more. Archer bought Thunder Wave, Call Lighting, and Earth Blast for Ella. He took the books to the counter and paid for them.

Gallaka was watching him as he approached. ''More spells?''

Archer nodded as he placed them on the counter. ''How much?''

She looked at him curiously before speaking. ''Four gold for Thunder Wave and Call Lighting, three for Fireball, and seven for Earth Blast, but I'll charge you seven altogether as you were going to sell them back to me.''

Archer smiled before he paid and told her he would keep Earth Blast for a friend. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow before questioning him. ''Who is she?''

Her question shocked him, and he wondered how she knew. ''How did you know old woman?''

Gallaka started laughing. ''Well no one will spend seven gold coins on a spell book for just a friend, it's never happened in my seventy years.''

Archer stared at the nosey old woman before scoffing. He ignored her as he started reading.

[Thunder Wave Learned]

[Call Lightning Learned]

[Fireball Learned]

Three notifications alerted him to the spells he learned, and Archer turned his attention to the woman staring at him. ''Here, I'm done with these three; I'll be off now, Gallaka. See you soon.''

Archer rushed out the door as he stored Earth Blast in his item box; he made his way to the castle as the sunset. Causing a lovely orange/pink color to cover the sky, he Blinked his way to the servant's quarters as he reached the castle.

Gazing up at the balcony, Archer cast Blink again, seamlessly transporting himself to check if Ella was in her room. However, upon inspection, she was nowhere to be found. Opting to wait, he settled down and pulled out some chocolate, indulging in the sweet treat.

As the hours passed, Archer succumbed to weariness and eventually fell into slumber while patiently awaiting Ella's return.

*****

[Ella's P.O.V.]

Ella left the maid's quarters and returned to her room when someone stopped her. It was Archer's brother Pallius, who sported a sinister grin. He addressed her with a chilling proposition, "Ella, why don't you accept my offer and just become my maid?"

Frustration welled within her; Pallius had incessantly bothered her since Archer's departure. Despite his persistent requests for her to become his maid, she knew that only Larka held the authority to make such assignments, and thus far, no decision had been made.

"No, thank you. Now, I must be on my way." She returned to her room, and Pallius watched her walk away with a sinister look in his eye.

Opening her door, she locked it behind her; only her mother and Larka had the key so that she would be fine. Ella went about conducting her nightly routine, walked over to the window, and moved the curtains aside.

When she saw him, a bright smile appeared on her delicate face. She put on a cloak as she stepped out and felt the breeze against her face. Observing Archer, it was evident that he had undergone a profound transformation since he first awoke.

It seemed as though he had become an entirely different person. His horns are a gorgeous white. His glittering white scales and white hair tied into a bun made him even more handsome to her.

Ella couldn't help but laugh when she spotted the chocolate in his hand. A mischievous idea sparked in her mind, prompting her to approach him.

Her delicate hand extended, gently stroking his horns. Archer's body responded with a quiver as she continued.

She laughed a lot, especially when she saw his ears twitch. Then, she reached over and touched them, making him quiver more and let out a relaxed sigh.

***

[Back to Archer]

Archer opened his eyes. His brain was foggy, but he noticed Ella's face staring directly at him. That's when he felt something touching his right ear. Making him shiver and let out a little moan, he quickly covered his mouth.

But she giggled even more as she sat beside him while asking. ''How have you been, Arch? Completed any more quests yet?''

He paused, setting aside thoughts of her touching his ears. "Yeah, I've finished five more since we last met, but there's something I need to tell you."

When Ella heard him, she felt bad, but he continued before she could voice her feelings. ''I was offered an escort quest to deliver aid to Karna city in the Rhodora Kingdom. The guild said I would be gone for two months. I'm sorry, Ella.''

Her initial sadness was fleeting, and she pushed it aside. "It's fine. You'll need to take quests that take you far away. We only have to wait two more years until I can join you."

Smiling upon hearing her words, Archer embraced her, surprising her. He whispered into her ear, "Thank you, Ella. I will return to you as quickly as possible."

Archer let her go and took out some chocolate, pastries, and sweets. He offered some to Ella. She took some chocolate and started eating with a smile on her face.

They spoke late into the night. As Archer rose, Ella seized his hand and made an unexpected proposal. "Archer, why don't you stay here with me tonight?"

Her request was so charming that he couldn't refuse. They entered her bedroom together.

Once inside, Archer cast Cleanse on himself and got undressed. Meanwhile, Ella grabbed her nightwear and retreated to another room. A few minutes later, she appeared with red cheeks and quickly approached the bed. She called him over.

He climbed into bed. Things felt awkward between them initially until Archer took the initiative, grabbing her and starting to spoon her with a smile on his face. Noticing her ears turning bright red, he found it amusing to blow air into one.

This caused her to jump with a yelp, glaring at him, but she didn't shift away. Chuckling, Archer settled down, continuing to cuddle her. Despite the initial awkwardness, the atmosphere became surprisingly comfortable.

She lay there and whispered something so low that Archer couldn't hear her: ''Thank you for accepting me.''

''No, we accepted each other, now go to sleep.'' Ella felt a peck on her cheek and went stiff but smiled nonetheless. The two of them fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

Not long after they fell asleep, the lock opened, and Sheira entered. She looked at Ella and went stiff when she saw a boy cuddling up to her.

She approached the bed intending to drag the boy out when she noticed who it was, but he was different.

He had horns like Lady Larka, but they looked more majestic than hers. Sheira noticed the scales on his neck and was confused. Shaking her head, she examined the scene she had walked into.

The little half-elf was snuggled into him with a smile on her face, and he held her tightly. She noticed nothing sexual was going on between them, so she breathed a sigh of relief before smiling. ''Well done, you silly girl. You found someone who truly cares for you.''

Sheira went to her room and settled down. The next morning, Archer opened his eyes and saw blonde hair before him. That's when the memories flooded back, and he felt his cheeks go red.

His moving caused her to wake up, and when she did, she turned to face him with a smile. ''Good morning.''

Archer quickly replied while smiling at her. ''Good morning, El.''

They stared at each other until he leaned forward, and their lips touched. Her body stiffened but calmed down as they kissed. He loved the feeling of her lips, and her scent drove him mad.

They separated, and her cheeks were red, just like his. She spoke up. ''We have to get up. I've got to get to work, and you've got a quest.''

Ella jumped out of bed and ran off to the other room. While she did that, Archer got out of bed with a goofy smile. After putting on his boots, Archer retrieved some gibberling hearts and began eating.

While waiting for her, he continued consuming more and more hearts until none remained. Once done, he cast Cleanse on himself to rid himself of any traces of blood just as he finished cleaning up.

Ella emerged from the room, donning her maid outfit and looking beautiful. Archer became entranced, zoning out until she flicked his head.

"Stop daydreaming; you've got a quest to get to," she chided.

When Archer came to, he smiled before speaking in a loving voice. ''Goodbye Ella, I'll be back soon.''

Heading to the balcony, Archer was on the verge of casting Blink when he remembered he had a gift for Ella. Abruptly turning around, he retrieved a spellbook and handed it to her. "Ella, wait, I have something for you." She paused as he presented the spellbook, and then he left.

L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS
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ENVOYER LE CADEAU

Chapitre 29: The Beginning

After saying goodbye, Archer Blinked out of the castle, appearing near the gates. He noticed his hair was messy.

Taking out some string that came with the baskets, he tied his hair into a man bun as he began to walk away. Archer heard someone calling out to him from behind. "Hey Arch, wait there for a second."

Turning around, he spotted a green-haired woman in a blue kaftan with bright yellow eyes staring at him. She was one of his mothers,d Janna.

She was his father's third wife. Janna stopped in front of him and spoke in a caring tone. "I thought I'd never see you again. How have you been?"

''I've been fine, why?'' Archer answered.

Janna got a sad smile on her face. ''What your father has done is wrong; even if you lost the fight, you're still an Ashguard.''

Archer spoke in a neutral tone. ''I'm not one anymore, Mother. I was thrown out of the family. Remember, I'm just Archer now.''

A sad look appeared on Janna's face when she heard him speak. ''Sorry for what you've gone through. I know I was involved, but I never wanted to harm you.''

He didn't hold it against Janna but wouldn't go out of his way to be caring toward her. ''It's okay, I'm enjoying my current life.''

Janna was happy when she heard that, but his new look caught her eye. ''So Arch, why are you here, and what has happened to you?''

Archer answered honestly. ''I evolved when I reached level twenty.''

The older woman asked in a curious tone. ''You met little Ella, didn't you?

He looked at her. ''How did you know that? ''

She smiled at him. ''Well, she walks around with a beaming smile and is always in a good mood, and you're the only one who could be responsible.''

Shaking his head, he told her he had a quest. ''Mother, I have to go now. I got an escort quest to get to.''

Janna grabbed him and hugged the boy against her chest, whispering something that made him happy.

''I know what has happened to you, and I think it's completely wrong, but never forget I'm also your mother, and I'm sorry for not stopping it.''

She pecked his forehead and walked off while waving at him. Archer stared at her as she walked back into the castle. Janna has never wronged him so that Archer wouldn't disrespect her. He went to the southern gate to meet with the guild caravan.

As he was walking along, he pulled out some dwarven flatbread and started eating. When he spotted the southern gate, he started walking towards it.

Archer noticed a stall on the right side of the road. He walked over to ask a question and saw a boy his age standing behind it, waiting to serve any customers. ''What is in the bottles?''

The grumpy-looking boy answered in a deadpan voice. ''Fizzle Fig, Moon Juice, Dragon's Tears, Rune Shine, and Honey Brew are travel drinks, three silver each.''

He liked the sound of them and bought some. ''I'll take twenty of each.''

The boy looked at him with wide eyes and whispered. ''Really?''

Archer nodded, and the boy then told him the price. ''Three gold for twenty of each.''

He gave the boy the coins and stored all but a bottle of dragon's tears. Popping the cap, he took a swig. Its flavor burst onto his tongue like a symphony of magical sensations.

It tasted like the juice of a freshly picked summer berry enchanted with a hint of citrus. The other flavors are more complex.

With hints of spices he's never encountered, dancing together in a warm and inviting balance like magic. He was leaving a comforting warmth that seemed to spread throughout his body, bringing a sense of calm and contentment.

It seems to be made from a blend of rare and exotic ingredients that only a skilled and experienced potion maker could craft. But he knows one thing: he's never tasted anything like it. Shortly after, Archer arrived at the southern gate to see Sarah ordering people around.

Four people stood by her, and another group sat off to the side. As Sarah turned around, she saw him walking towards her and calling out with a smile. ''Come over here.''

He approached her as she motioned for a group of four, two men and two women. ''Archer, this is Tiefel, her husband Barador, and Isaiah and his wife Jaen. They are the Fate's Fortune adventurers group, all Rank C'

When he looked at the four, he noticed two were elves, and the others were human. That's when Sarah started speaking. ''The caravan waits for two more groups, and then we can leave.''

Archer spoke up. ''We?''

''I am accompanying you as a representative of the guild. After all, we are traveling to a different kingdom, and the civil war is worsening.'' She replied with a smile.

Sarah motioned at the groups sitting around.'' That's why there are four adventurer groups and sixty guild guards so that we will be fine.''

'She jinxed us.' Archer got a bad feeling but ignored it.

Not bothering with anything, he found a place to chill. Pulling out some of the gummy-like sweets, he started eating again. An hour later, everything was ready, and the missing groups arrived. Archer began to walk alongside the caravan while drinking some dragon tears.

He decided he needed a radar-like skill to track incoming enemies. It would be helpful. As he was walking, he thought about the spell he wanted to create.

[Spell Creation Activated]

Archer thought about Earth's radar system and wanted a version for himself. Nothing happened while he was walking until he heard a click.

[Aura-Detector skill created]

[Aura-Detector: A skill that allows the user to detect all aura signatures around him]

[Spell Creation cool-down activates until user ranks up]

He was happy with his new skill and wanted to try so he started it. Sensing everyone in the caravan, where they were, and the random beasts approaching them. After messing around with that, he checked his status after eating the thirteen hearts with Ella.

[Experience: 300/3000]

[Level Up: 43>44]

[SP: 2>15]

[Aura Detection Learned]

That's when he recalled a memory from the old Archer. Aura is energy from achieving spiritual power through extreme mental focus and strong emotions.

Everyone has an Aura, but only those powerful enough can use it. Archer pulled out some chocolate and started eating. That's when the human of the group that Sarah introduced earlier approached him. ''Hey boy, what's your name?''

Archer looked at Isaiah's brown eyes, staring back at him. He had short brown hair with stubble on his face. ''Archer.''

Isaiah smiled upon hearing his answer and tried to start a conversation with him, but Archer wasn't in the mood to talk, so he gave up and left him alone.

He walked back to the group as his wife laughed. Archer was minding his business as he walked along when dozens of pings from Aura Detection.

When it did this, it showed him that loads of beasts surrounded the caravan, and he soon recognized what they were. 'Wolves.'

Casting Cosmic Sword as one rushed at him, it was covered in black fur and had glowing red eyes.

He was prepared to fight but saw three more pairs of red eyes behind the first one. Archer pointed his hand and cast three fireballs at the incoming wolves.

Three balls of violet-colored flames appeared out of nowhere and shot toward the wolves, smashing into three of them.

His attack caused three massive explosions. Archer quickly rushed towards the last one and sliced it down the side of its body, causing it to drop to the ground.

The guards managed to kill the rest. He cut out the four hearts and stored them alongside the bodies. They didn't encounter anything else as the large group continued. Archer kept getting odd pings here and there from his aura detection but couldn't find anything.

He shrugged it away when he heard a shout from the carriage that carried members of the guild. ''We will rest here for the night, people.''

The caravan pulled off onto a patch of grass next to a river. It looked peaceful. Archer looked around at the grassland. It bordered a forest on one side and a river on another, allowing only one way in and out.

He saw some rocks and made his way over to them while pulling out the troll thigh he bought, cutting a big piece of meat as he sat down and started to eat. While sitting there, he watched the tents set up and Sarah directing the people's cooking.

Sarah looked over at him and waved at him before making her way to the group, gathering the water that the camp needed, and started barking orders. Archer stood up as he finished eating the troll's thigh, spotting the tree he wanted to sleep in.

It wasn't far from the river bank bordering the forest. He made his way over to it and jumped up, using the spell of body enhancement to give him more power.

Landing on a branch, he ate the four wolf hearts. Once he was finished with the hearts, he checked his status.

[Experience: 1300/3000]

[SP: 15>19]

He was still getting the strange pings but couldn't see anything, even with his dragon eyes. After scanning the area one last time, he settled down and tried to sleep. A couple of hours later. Archer felt something on his leg. His eyes widened in shock at what he saw.