After she was informed of her meeting with the grand priest, the three of them were escorted to the inn, where Nirra started packing her belongings along with her sister and Ameria. As the two exited their respective rooms, Ellie came up beside her to ask some questions.
"Do you think it's about the demonic cult problem the church and guild are working on?" Ellie adjusted her backpack while Nirra stumbled a bit. When the twins looked up at the reason why they saw mofu pearched up on top of Nirra's large backpack, all wrapped up in a fluffy bagel with his head down, he was trying to take a nap.
Nirra looked back at her sister and answered her question. "I think so. Let's just hope we finally get some answers."
They were waiting in the hallway for Ameria, so Nirra took the liberty to check the empty room one last time to see if she left anything.
'rifle check; revolver check; shotgun check; ammunition check; clothes check; mobile lathe station check; dad's custom hammer check; frozen organs of flame salamanders check; guild card check; water and rations should last us about a month.'
After checking, Ameria came out of her room while also wearing a small backpack and her quiver behind her back. "Alright, I'm done packing; let's go."
The three went down the stairs and returned the keys to their rooms to the front desk. After which, they exited the front door with it creaking behind them.
"Ah, you're here. Is everyone ready?" came the voice of the old priest, who was waiting for them outside along with the four Paladin escorts.
"Yes, we're ready," Nirra assured him.
"Very good. Please follow me and my paladins. The carriage is waiting for us near the city gate." He motioned for them to follow him, and they complied. Two Paladins guarded their fronts, and the other two guarded their rears. People who walked by saw the rare view of three adventurers and a preist getting escorted by four Paladins. The large crowds that would often populate the city's main road parted ways for them to pass. When they reached the main gate, a white carriage with golden tires and the church's emblem were seen parked up in an open area near the guard station. Two white stallions with golden hair were seen connected to it, drinking some water from a little metal reservoir.
The old priest turned his body to face them and said, "If you want to say goodbye to the people you've met here, then this is your chance to do so. I will wait for you." He then motioned at the small group behind them. "I believe those are your acquaintances?"
At a closer inspection, the small group that gathered behind them was actually Eric's party coming by to see them off. "Yes, they're our friends," Nirra answered after taking a glance at the group.
"I will give you five minutes, after which we must be on our way to the capital city, Ceres." The old priest then walked towards the carriage to get inside.
The three then walked up to Eric's party to have a conversation for the final time.
"You don't have to explain anything. Guildmaster Viceroy already said that someone is here to help you get to the capital," Eric said with a soft smile.
"I guess this is goodbye for now," Nirra said while looking down.
"I guess, but here. The old man in that forge you go to a lot asked me to give you this." Eric then reached out to the bag behind him and presented it to Nirra.
Nirra held the bag in her hands and asked, "What's in it?"
"He said it was a parting gift for you. The guildmaster tasked us to go to his shop and tell him about you leaving Aeris. The old man gave me this bag. He said to open it once you're inside the carriage," Eric explained.
"Alright, thanks, Eric," Nirra smiled as a thanks.
"Lady Ameria, we hope to see you again some day, 'and I hope it's very soon'" Shael gave Ameria her goodbyes.
"Eheheh, well, I do hope we meet again soon as well. Remember to always support your leader, alright?" Ameria said, which was received with a nod from Shael.
"Ellie, remember, always be your sister's shield. If experience has ever taught me anything, your skills would be perfect for protecting your sister." Gareth then gave her a thumbs up and an uncharacteristic smile.
"You bet I will, old man!" Ellie gave him a fist bump in return.
"N-nirra here… I made some mana potions for you… I hope it helps you on the trip…" Hilda said while slowly offering her a box filled with six bottles of mana potions.
"Thank you, Hilda; this will help out a ton." Nirra then strapped the box to her backpack, which was already looking quite full.
"Girls! It's time for us to depart! The Grand Preist is not someone for whom you should be made to wait!" The old priest yelled out from the window of the carriage.
"Coming! Let's go," Nirra said, giving Eric a last nod before they separated from their group. Eric's party was all waving their hands as they slowly climbed inside the carriage, and it continued that way until they crossed the city gate of Aeris. The carriage was rocking a tiny bit as the springs under it absorbed the shock that was sent by the bumpy road surface. Soon, the city of Aeris, along with the gate that they came out of, slowly got tinier and tinier as it slowly descended into the horizon behind them. Two of the Paladins were in front of the carriage, managing the horses, while the other two sat at the back to protect from flanking attacks.
Nirra relaxed in her seat as she opened the bag that Eric had given her earlier. She opened the bag and first noticed that there was a note inside.
'Dear Nirra,
Hey, it's me, Hendrick, your resident master blacksmith. Let's get to the chase. I just got word that you are going to leave town later today, and I wanted to give you something special. You are my number one customer after all. So please, take this ingot. Because I know, as a fellow blacksmith, that you will craft it into something truly magnificent.'
After reading the note, she looked inside the bag further, and what she saw left her mouth agape.
"This is... a mithril ingot…"
After she was informed of her meeting with the grand priest, the three of them were escorted to the inn, where Nirra started packing her belongings along with her sister and Ameria. As the two exited their respective rooms, Ellie came up beside her to ask some questions.
"Do you think it's about the demonic cult problem the church and guild are working on?" Ellie adjusted her backpack while Nirra stumbled a bit. When the twins looked up at the reason why they saw mofu pearched up on top of Nirra's large backpack, all wrapped up in a fluffy bagel with his head down, he was trying to take a nap.
Nirra looked back at her sister and answered her question. "I think so. Let's just hope we finally get some answers."
They were waiting in the hallway for Ameria, so Nirra took the liberty to check the empty room one last time to see if she left anything.
'rifle check; revolver check; shotgun check; ammunition check; clothes check; mobile lathe station check; dad's custom hammer check; frozen organs of flame salamanders check; guild card check; water and rations should last us about a month.'
After checking, Ameria came out of her room while also wearing a small backpack and her quiver behind her back. "Alright, I'm done packing; let's go."
The three went down the stairs and returned the keys to their rooms to the front desk. After which, they exited the front door with it creaking behind them.
"Ah, you're here. Is everyone ready?" came the voice of the old priest, who was waiting for them outside along with the four Paladin escorts.
"Yes, we're ready," Nirra assured him.
"Very good. Please follow me and my paladins. The carriage is waiting for us near the city gate." He motioned for them to follow him, and they complied. Two Paladins guarded their fronts, and the other two guarded their rears. People who walked by saw the rare view of three adventurers and a preist getting escorted by four Paladins. The large crowds that would often populate the city's main road parted ways for them to pass. When they reached the main gate, a white carriage with golden tires and the church's emblem were seen parked up in an open area near the guard station. Two white stallions with golden hair were seen connected to it, drinking some water from a little metal reservoir.
The old priest turned his body to face them and said, "If you want to say goodbye to the people you've met here, then this is your chance to do so. I will wait for you." He then motioned at the small group behind them. "I believe those are your acquaintances?"
At a closer inspection, the small group that gathered behind them was actually Eric's party coming by to see them off. "Yes, they're our friends," Nirra answered after taking a glance at the group.
"I will give you five minutes, after which we must be on our way to the capital city, Ceres." The old priest then walked towards the carriage to get inside.
The three then walked up to Eric's party to have a conversation for the final time.
"You don't have to explain anything. Guildmaster Viceroy already said that someone is here to help you get to the capital," Eric said with a soft smile.
"I guess this is goodbye for now," Nirra said while looking down.
"I guess, but here. The old man in that forge you go to a lot asked me to give you this." Eric then reached out to the bag behind him and presented it to Nirra.
Nirra held the bag in her hands and asked, "What's in it?"
"He said it was a parting gift for you. The guildmaster tasked us to go to his shop and tell him about you leaving Aeris. The old man gave me this bag. He said to open it once you're inside the carriage," Eric explained.
"Alright, thanks, Eric," Nirra smiled as a thanks.
"Lady Ameria, we hope to see you again some day, 'and I hope it's very soon'" Shael gave Ameria her goodbyes.
"Eheheh, well, I do hope we meet again soon as well. Remember to always support your leader, alright?" Ameria said, which was received with a nod from Shael.
"Ellie, remember, always be your sister's shield. If experience has ever taught me anything, your skills would be perfect for protecting your sister." Gareth then gave her a thumbs up and an uncharacteristic smile.
"You bet I will, old man!" Ellie gave him a fist bump in return.
"N-nirra here… I made some mana potions for you… I hope it helps you on the trip…" Hilda said while slowly offering her a box filled with six bottles of mana potions.
"Thank you, Hilda; this will help out a ton." Nirra then strapped the box to her backpack, which was already looking quite full.
"Girls! It's time for us to depart! The Grand Preist is not someone for whom you should be made to wait!" The old priest yelled out from the window of the carriage.
"Coming! Let's go," Nirra said, giving Eric a last nod before they separated from their group. Eric's party was all waving their hands as they slowly climbed inside the carriage, and it continued that way until they crossed the city gate of Aeris. The carriage was rocking a tiny bit as the springs under it absorbed the shock that was sent by the bumpy road surface. Soon, the city of Aeris, along with the gate that they came out of, slowly got tinier and tinier as it slowly descended into the horizon behind them. Two of the Paladins were in front of the carriage, managing the horses, while the other two sat at the back to protect from flanking attacks.
Nirra relaxed in her seat as she opened the bag that Eric had given her earlier. She opened the bag and first noticed that there was a note inside.
'Dear Nirra,
Hey, it's me, Hendrick, your resident master blacksmith. Let's get to the chase. I just got word that you are going to leave town later today, and I wanted to give you something special. You are my number one customer after all. So please, take this ingot. Because I know, as a fellow blacksmith, that you will craft it into something truly magnificent.'
After reading the note, she looked inside the bag further, and what she saw left her mouth agape.
"This is... a mithril ingot…"
