While Ju changed into her travel attire, I packed my own travel clothes into a bag, then stashed everything neatly into my inventory. With nothing else to do, I snacked on some crackers while waiting for her to finish dressing.


    I had asked the kitchen to prepare salted crackers for me—thin, crispy layers of potato, perfectly fried to my liking. I made a mental note to compliment the cook later.


    As I munched, I glanced over at Ju. She really did look stunning in her elven light armor, the one she always wore for travel.


    “So, ready?” I asked.


    She finally nodded.


    I stuffed a few more crackers into my mouth, stepped onto the terrace, and shifted into my dragon form. Ju climbed onto my back with surprising ease.


    “Are you comfortable up there?” I asked, twisting my head to look at her.


    Oddly enough, the crackers were still in my mouth—even after transforming. Apparently, they had turned into dragon-sized crackers. I happily chewed on them, pleasantly surprised by this quirk of transformation.


    “Don’t talk with your mouth full!” Ju scolded. Then she shrugged. “Besides, you know I don’t speak dragon!”


    I looked at her and shook my head, uneasy. Ju was so tiny compared to me that I worried a sudden movement might send her tumbling off—and I wouldn’t even notice until it was too late.


    “Hyaaa!” she bragged, pushing herself deeper into the saddle she had secured to my back scales, breaking me from my thoughts.


    I snorted in mild disdain and launched myself into the air all the while accompanied by her triumphant war cry:


    “Yiiiipiieee!”


    This time, I didn’t need to use the castle’s wall to gain momentum—my takeoffs were improving. The orc standing guard still jumped aside, just to be safe. A single powerful beat of my wings sent me soaring upward… and nearly capsized a small fishing boat on the river below.


    Remembering Sid’s teachings, I focused on controlling my own ‘fall direction.’ Soon, my outstretched wings caught the currents, lifting me even higher.


    I heard laughter from my back.


    “Wow, this is amazing! Higher! Faster!”


    It was a beautiful day, with barely a cloud in sight. Below us, golden cornfields rippled under the gentle breeze, the river wove lazily between copses and orchards, and the landscape flowed beneath us like a living tapestry.


    To my surprise, a pair of peasants spotted us and waved.


    “There! That’s Malahe village!” she called, pointing to the left as we flew past. Then, gesturing toward an orc outpost on the road, she added, “And that’s the end of your barony!”


    I conjured a mirage beneath us, cloaking us from view as I soared even higher, scanning the land below.


    As I climbed higher, I felt Ju tense. She leaned forward, pressing her stomach against my back.


    Sensing her discomfort, I lifted my head slightly, giving her more relief from the wind. She had cast a shielding spell around herself, but I wasn’t sure how much mana it drained or if she could maintain it for the entire journey.


    Down below a meandering river. Mountains to the right.


    I knew the main road led to the capital, so I could follow it for a while before veering west toward Fiona’s domain. A large river flowed by her castle—once I found it, I could simply follow it there.


    The real question was when and where to turn. And whether I would be following the right river in the first place.


    Having realized the maximum speed she could comfortably handle, I accepted that the flight would take longer than I had initially planned. But the day was still young, so I wasn’t too concerned.


    Since there was no way to talk to her—she didn’t understand dragon—I focused on flying as best I could, hoping I’d find the right path. Worst case, we could always land and ask someone for directions.


    After some time, Ju relaxed and again started pointing out villages, waterfalls, and lakes that caught her interest.


    An hour into the flight, to my shock, she stood up on my back.


    “Hey! What are you doing?!” I growled.


    “Just stretching my legs,” she said casually, as if strolling across my back mid-flight was the most natural thing in the world.


    I grumbled in irritation as she plopped herself down farther along my back, tucking her legs under her like she was settling in for a picnic.


    I reminded myself that she could cast Featherfall if she fell… but would that spell last all the way to the ground? It was a long way down. And worse—what if I didn’t even realize she had fallen?


    I tried to focus on flying, but then she stood up again, walked closer to my head, and pointed downward.


    “Can we take a break at that inn?”


    I glanced down. We had just passed it.


    “That would mean flying back,” I protested.


    “Please?” she pressed, sensing my reluctance.


    “No.”


    “Please, please?”


    I growled in warning—then abruptly rolled over.


    Ju yelped in panic as she tumbled off.


    I caught her in my right paw and dived.


    “Don’t do that again!” Ju protested as I released her in the glade behind the inn a minute later.


    I raised a brow while shifting back into human form.


    “You mean I should stop listening to you, or I should stop letting you go?”


    She snorted, turned on her heel, and started walking toward the inn—without waiting for me to put on my dress.


    “Hey, wait for me!” I protested.


    She shrugged and kept walking, but after a few steps, she sighed, stopped, and turned back.


    Of course, my dress was hanging from one of my horns. Again. This always happened when I tried to dress myself in a hurry. With a grumble, I untangled it and tried again.


    “Are you ready now?” she asked impatiently.


    I finally managed to get the dress on and hurried to put on my shoes. “And what exactly do you want here?”


    “I want some tea. And to use the toilet.”


    I threw my hands up. “We could have done that anywhere in the forest!”


    She gave me a look like I had just committed sacrilege.


    “I’m a civilized elf, not some wild wood-elf,” she sniffed, then continued walking.


    I rolled my eyes and followed.


    The sixty years she had spent in the other world must have shaped her more than she was willing to admit.


    As I mused over her words, Ju suddenly stopped and turned toward me, holding something in her hand.


    “Put this on,” she said.


    I glanced at the small object. “What’s this?”


    “A ring,” she replied matter-of-factly.


    I raised a brow as I took it. If she wanted to play dumb, I could do better.


    “Oh, how thoughtful! Is this for some special occasion, or just because I’m pretty?” I teased.


    “It should display your ID as <Warrior Level 19>,” she explained, ignoring my sarcasm.


    I activated Identify on her.


    <<Healer Level 21>>


    <<Healer Level 91>>


    I blinked, confused.


    “Are you trying to fake your level?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “Because I can see your real one… and I can also see that you’re trying to fake it.”


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    She shrugged. “Your Identify skill is too high for the ring to work. These rings are effective against low and medium skills users. I don’t expect to run into anything stronger than that here.”


    “Oh,” I muttered, shrugging.


    With that, I slipped the ring onto my finger and followed her.


    Several rows of heavy wagons were parked outside, with people bustling back and forth. It looked like a busy inn—or maybe we’d just had bad luck arriving at peak hours.


    Inside, the tavern was a crowded, dimly lit cavern, thick with the stench of sweat, ale, and unwashed bodies. Fortunately, they had a terrace where I could sit without suffocating.


    I ordered a light alcoholic drink, while Ju opted for tea. The moment our drinks arrived, I paid—apparently, that was the custom here.


    I eyed the murky liquid in her cup. “Should I clean your tea?”


    “No,” she replied immediately. “If you purify it with magic, it’ll change the taste.”


    I raised a brow and took a sip of my drink. “Well, at least it doesn’t give me vibes that it is alive like your tea does.”


    She rolled her eyes. “It’s fine. The water was boiled—it should be safe. I’d be more worried about your so-called wine.”


    I shrugged. The wine wasn’t terrible, just a little too sour.


    We chatted for a bit before she excused herself to use the toilet. I swirled my drink idly, taking another sip, when a young man approached my table.


    “Young lady, may I join you for a drink?”


    He was tall, dark-haired, and sported a well-groomed mustache. Acceptable-looking, with a bright, confident smile. A glass in one hand, a wine jug in the other.


    Warrior, Level 21.


    Oh. A comrade-in-arms!


    I shrugged. “Sure, why not?”


    “Thanks! The name’s John, fair lady.” He set down his wine jug and glass before extending a hand to shake.


    “Lores,” I replied, reaching out.


    Instead of a delicate handshake, he grabbed my forearm and shook firmly—the customary greeting among soldiers. I’d seen Drackar’s orcs do the same. Maybe I should start adapting more to local customs.


    After settling into a free chair, he offered to pour me some wine. I declined, so he simply filled his own glass.


    “A shitty place to end up,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head. Then, turning to me, he asked, “So, what brings a pair of fair ladies like you and your companion to this godsforsaken inn?”


    I raised a brow, unsure of his angle.


    “…Taking a break from the road, I guess?”


    He chuckled. “Are you heading further up toward Orcmound? Is the lady, your companion, looking to offer her healing talents to one of the border barons?”


    I took a slow sip of wine, meeting his gaze but not answering directly. Instead, I shrugged.


    He seemed to deflate slightly. “Oh, well,” he muttered. “I ask because I’m looking for someone heading in that direction.”


    I tilted my head. “You’re going to Orcmound?”


    His eyebrows lifted slightly at my surprise.


    He sighed. “That was my plan, but lately, almost no merchants are traveling in that direction. It seems the barony doesn’t want them going there.”


    I frowned. “Why wouldn’t they want merchants?” This time, I was genuinely confused.


    He shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe they prefer orc merchants? I have no clue.”


    “And why do you want to go there?” I asked, watching him closely.


    John flashed a wide grin. “I was hoping to ask the baron for permission to train in the dungeon. A friend of mine got a lot stronger after training there, and she paid way less to the orcs than what the royal dungeons charge.”


    “So… you’re not afraid of the orcs?” I asked, studying his reaction.


    He shrugged again. “My friend said they could be trusted. She and her company were in the area when their contract expired. Through some local peasants, she got in touch with the orcs, and everything worked out fine. Now she’s stronger and gets better contracts. Why wouldn’t it work for me—especially now that they have a human baron?”


    I was so focused on talking with John that I didn’t notice Julietta approaching. She appeared suddenly from my right, her expression full of indignation.


    “Can you believe it? The toilet is just a cabin with holes in the floor—placed on poles above the river!”


    I chuckled, and John nearly choked on his wine, his face turning red as he struggled to swallow.


    Only then did Ju seem to realize I wasn’t alone at the table.


    “I leave you alone for one minute, and you already have a suitor?” she huffed, dropping into her chair.


    “Lady Julietta, this is John…” I introduced him, still trying to maintain the appearance that I was merely her guard.


    But before John could respond, a person passing by—balancing a heavy tray of food—suddenly gasped as if struck by lightning. Her eyes went wide as she stared at Ju.


    The tray slipped from her hands, crashing to the floor, but she paid it no mind. Instead, she fell to her knees in front of Ju, voice trembling with desperation.


    “Lady Julietta! By the Gods, please save us!”


    She was a woman in her thirties, her brown-reddish hair pulled back in a simple style. Dressed in a modest gray dress, her tear-filled brown eyes locked onto Ju with raw emotion.


    And as I stared at her face—something about it stirred a flicker of recognition.


    I knew her from somewhere.


    "Didn''t I tell you not to disturb the guests?!"


    A burly man roared as he grabbed the woman’s hair, yanking her back with brute force.


    That’s when I saw it—a slave’s collar around her neck.


    He turned to Julietta with a rehearsed smile. “Please excuse us, my lady. This slave is confused.”


    Julietta barely seemed to hear him. Her eyes were locked onto the woman, her voice barely a whisper.


    “Dolena?”


    A slave? My stomach tightened as I recalled the last time Julietta had freed a slave—and the mess that had followed.


    I took a breath, about to caution her, when her next words made me freeze.


    “She’s one of the peasants you allowed to leave the domain,” Julietta said, turning to me.


    Recognition hit me like a blow. That’s why her face seemed familiar—I had seen her in the palace yard. But how had she ended up as a slave?


    The man was already dragging her away.


    “She’s trying to fool you, my lady,” he said smoothly. “Please forgive her insolence.”


    Something wasn’t right.


    “Stay.” My voice came out firm as I slowly stood.


    John shifted beside me, his tone low and cautious. “Are you sure? There’s a whole band of them here.”


    That’s when I noticed them—about twenty men at one of the long tables, all dressed like guards. Their noisy eating had come to an abrupt halt, and one burly man stood up.


    He was clad in full chainmail armor, his helmet resting on the table beside him. Several others rose to their feet as well.


    “We don’t want trouble,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “It’s an unfortunate accident. This slave is going to be disciplined. Allow me to pay for your food and drink as an apology for her insolence.”


    <<Warrior Level 29>>


    I met his gaze. “I’m sorry,” I said, keeping my tone measured, “but my companion seems to recognize her as a peasant who was legally freed. There must be some mistake. How did this happen?”


    I turned to the other man—the one still holding the woman, his hand clamped tightly over her mouth.


    “Let her speak,” I ordered.


    The leader exhaled, his patience thinning. “Can’t we settle this peacefully?”


    At that moment, all twenty guards from his table stood up.


    “I don’t know anything about her,” he continued, his stance shifting into one of authority. “All I know is that I’m here to ensure the transport. And by the Gods, I’m going to do it.”


    “If she’s of such interest to you, perhaps we can come to an understanding,” a slimy voice drawled from a separate table.


    I turned my gaze toward the speaker—a well-dressed merchant seated apart from the guards. He lounged comfortably, fine clothing draped over his corpulent frame, as two young maids from the inn attended to him.


    “There are many more! My children—” the woman choked out before a brutal strike sent her collapsing to the ground.


    The merchant barely spared her a glance. Instead, he looked at me with a smirk.


    “Well?” he said smoothly, gesturing toward the empty seat across from him. “Join me at my table, and let’s talk.”


    I exhaled slowly.


    “If there are other peasants, you’re going to let them go.”


    The merchant’s smirk vanished. His jaw tensed as he turned toward the guards.


    “Kill her.”


    "Oh, fuck." John swore as he drew his sword, the scrape of metal against scabbard sharp in the heavy air.


    The guards spread out, moving toward us.


    “Yikes!” Ju yelped, leaping to her feet.


    One of the more zealous guards charged at me. Without thinking, I fired a Black Bolt in his direction.


    It was just a Black Bolt, or so I thought—I had seen Flo use them before.


    The dark energy struck him, enveloping his body completely. A split second later, his scabbard clattered onto the pavement—his severed hand still gripping the pommel. His boots tumbled over, feet still inside them.


    But the rest of him? Gone.


    Completely vaporized. Only a few larger bones rolled free, rattling against the ground.


    I blinked. That was… unexpected. I didn’t remember Flo’s Black Bolts ever doing that. But then again, I had always known my affinity for black magic was stronger than hers.


    I expected the rest of the guards to attack. Instead, most of them froze in place, staring at the remnants of their comrade.


    Only one idiot decided to fire a crossbow bolt at me.


    A second Black Bolt erased his upper body from existence.


    And, of course, the slimy merchant got one too—as he tried to flee. Or at least, he probably wanted to flee.


    The middle of his table vanished along with him, leaving the two halves to collapse inward, sending dishes and silverware clattering to the ground.


    One of the maids let out a strangled gasp before fainting on the spot, falling over the repast''s remnants.


    Ju sighed as she crouched down to check on the woman. “You didn’t have to be that brutal.”


    John, still gripping his sword, raised a brow and muttered under his breath, “Warrior Level Nineteen?”