บท 22: Rise of Alien Civilization: Part Two (2)
"That was a magical experience; it's like walking from one end of the continent to the other end in almost an instant." Sitting across from the proctor adventurer, Grey recalled his experience of passing through the layer of gray fog known as the Mystic Veil, which was also the first time for him to see a bright heavenly body generally known as the yellow sun.
This meant that the ceaseless black sun of the Dark Lands was either the same outside its scope but blocked by the Mystic Veil or rather a different heavenly body itself. All in all, Grey had yet to know.
"By the way, I apologize for coming by unannounced." Grey continued, his back leaning on the soft couch; amidst them was a furnished empty wooden table.
Hearing this, Rahk was momentarily flustered, "No, no! It's my pleasure since it's been some time. Also, I don't know if you are aware of it, but Winter, Khan, and the others were sometimes pestering me about you.
"By the way, apart from that matter, is it time for that already?" Rahk asked before a few intermittent knocks echoed on his personal workplace's door.
Seeing the reluctance on Rahk's face, Grey opened his mouth to speak, "It's all right."
"Come in," Rahk said to the Adventurer's Guild's Secretary, who was standing behind the door.
Click.
Kesha gently twisted the door's handle and slowly opened the door. She then entered with a round thick plastic tray of brewed afternoon elven-native tea and served both Grey and Rahk. However, Kesha couldn't hold her curiosity as she couldn't help but silently scrutinize the guest, the man in his early twenties donning a strange yet familiar attire.
'His looks are... Um, I must say quite distinguished yet with a cold atmosphere. Is he perhaps a noble? But what's with that laboratory coat? Is he an alchemist at such a young age?' Kesha was momentarily in a daze, her curious green eyes seemed to lock on Grey without her knowing.
Tap.
Seeing Kesha lost in her own world, Rahk tapped the table a few times before clearing his throat.
"Ehem! Is there anything you need, Kesha?"
"U–uh?! N–no, Sir Rahk! Call me if you need anything! Bye!" In almost an instant, similar to a flash of lightning, Kesha disappeared in almost an instant with a flustered countenance.
"I can't blame her." Grey broke the abrupt awkward atmosphere.
"Well, since the time she'd started working here as the secretary, it's the first time for her to see someone unfamiliar. After all, almost every day when dealing with the guild's affairs, Kesha sees the same faces all over again." Rahk replied with a chuckle before reaching out for the elven-native tea.
Seeing this, Grey did the same.
After taking a sip of another world's beverage, especially a native product from the nation of Elves, Grey nodded in approval before getting into the crux of the matter.
"By the way, when can I meet the Dwarf you're in close ties with?"
For the sake of completing the Progressive Mission about the Rise of Alien Civilization, it was a must for him to set foot on another nation and make a genuine connection with another race.
"Anytime can do, Sir Grey.
"Anyway, about the Dwarf, he's someone affiliated with this branch's Adventurer's Guild. In fact, every piece of sellable guild-owned equipment in this branch is forged by him. However, his settlement is located near the central borders of Earthenshire, just a kilometer or two away from the Southern Elven Territory." Rahk settled down the cup from his grasp, his gaze focused on Grey, who was contemplating something.
"Hm, is that so? How about the method and expected duration of transportation?" Grey queried with curiosity in his purple eyes before he unknowingly finished the cup of elven-native tea.
Pondering for a moment, Rahk then said, "Fourteen days by horse carriage, six hours by the magic train, and much quicker with a Warp Device."
The thing about the Alien Archive was that even though it continuously absorbed information from the surroundings such as the memories of the dead person, everything was in [documented form]. In other words, even if Grey possessed invaluable information, he had yet to see with his own two eyes the technological wonders of this world.
Fortunately and quite surprisingly, after delving deeper into the memories of Count Gildeus and other dead holy warriors who cruelly died in vain, Grey discovered that this world was leaning toward the modern world rather than a medieval one.
But with strings of twist, of course. After all, the magic train that Rahk mentioned was not powered by gas but rather an Ori Shard or Ori Core. What's more, the Warp Device was an invention inspired by the Magi's prowess in Spatial Magic.
Everything was innovated by the Dwarves, which caused Earthenshire to be a neutral country of grave importance for the other nations since there was no race in this world capable and hardworking enough to come up with these cutting-edge technologies.
"Let's go with the magic train. I have the time in the world." Grey chuckled. "Ah, by the way, where's the Guild Master? I've been curious about that."
Even though Rahk could use the Warp Device available for public use, he didn't question why Grey wanted to take the magic train instead. On the other hand, about the Adventurer's Guild Earthenshire Branch, Rahk's answer was this...
"There's only one Guild Master, and she's handling some matters in the Holy Empire of Lumenasia after the war against the Death Lord. After all, many commissioned adventurers with families died in that war..."
"Oh, it's been a few months since the war ended, huh? But I guess it's the internal affairs, which I have no business with."
'Yet.' Grey inwardly said, recalling the abandoned Princess in slumber.
"Yes, Sir Grey. By the way, since Kesha's here and I know there's not much going on these days in the guild's business if you let me, then I can accompany you as a guide." Rahk said with sincerity.
"That would be appreciated," Grey said with an appreciative tone.
It was then at that moment...
"H–hey, you brat! You can't just barge in there!" It was Kesha's voice.
Bam!
A pale-skinned familiar figure, whose eyes were sapphire, whose previously shoulder-length light blue hair was now considerably long, abruptly entered.
"M–Mister Grey!" The sixteen-year-old Winter's icy voice filled the room before she lunged forward to embrace their savior during that fated day.
Grey did not dodge and instead let her. However, if there's one thing that crossed his mind...
'When Princess Quintella wakes up, she will be older than this girl.'
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