Chapter 70: The Return Journey

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Return Journey

The voice came abruptly, and it vanished just as quickly, like an illusion.

But then, Hesia felt something touch the depths of his soul.

It was a feeling that defied description.

This time, it was truly an invisible hand, branding a mark deep within his soul.

He was instantly wide awake!

He shot his eyes open. The room was just as it had been, filled with nothing but moonlight and snores.

He looked at his status bar.

[Status:

Mora’s Blessing: You have received the blessing of a Rock Vein Speaker. Physique permanently +4. This buff ignores all curses or debuffs.

Benefit of Thorny Back Wild Boar Meat: Physique +3. Remaining duration: 12 minutes.

Salamakis’s Mark: You have attracted the attention of a powerful being. She can periodically sense your presence and attempts to invade your thoughts with alluring whispers. Charm +1.]

’So this mark means...’

’Am I being targeted by that demon?’

He quickly calmed down and analyzed the situation.

The issue with the contract was resolved, but now a new problem had appeared.

He looked at the description of the mark and recalled the whisper:

"Heh, an interesting little one... I’ll come and play with you when I’m free."

Play?

Judging from the description, it seemed this demon didn’t harbor purely malicious intent.

Perhaps she simply found him amusing and casually left a mark so she could toy with him later whenever she pleased.

He knew full well that with his current level of power, he wouldn’t stand a chance of resisting if she truly decided to do something to him.

It was more like the curiosity reserved for an ant that had somehow managed to escape one’s grasp.

The feeling of one’s life, death, and freedom depending entirely on the whim of another being, the powerlessness of having one’s fate toyed with in the palm of their hand...

He just wanted to enjoy a quiet life and experience the freedom of adventure.

Frustration and resentment churned within his chest.

But resentment alone was useless. In this world, anger without power was meaningless.

He forcibly suppressed his tumultuous emotions, converting them entirely into cold resolve.

’I have to get stronger, faster.’

His mind delved inward, focusing on the mysterious sphere of light—his greatest trump card.

Right now, that Demon Lord was probably looking down from on high, seeing him as nothing more than an insignificant toy.

But she didn’t know.

That one day, this "toy" would do whatever it took to learn her secrets, and then... step by step, grow into a being more powerful than her.

When that day came, he would make her understand exactly what it felt like to have one’s destiny be a plaything in another’s hands.

Once he’d reached this conclusion, he stopped agonizing over it.

At least for now, he was safe, and the trouble with the contract was resolved.

As these thoughts settled in his mind, they didn’t bring calm, but rather a tidal wave of new thoughts and pressure.

This intense mental storm completely chased away any shred of sleepiness.

For someone who considered sleeping in one of life’s great pleasures, this was a special kind of torture: his body was exhausted, but his mind was painfully alert.

He lay on his bedding, tossing and turning, unable to find a comfortable position.

Unconsciously, he shifted a little closer in Zoya’s direction.

A cool, familiar scent reached him, instantly soothing a part of his restlessness.

It was only then that Hesia realized: wasn’t there a source of calming, sleep-inducing fragrance right next to him?

Gingerly, he shifted a little closer...

What he didn’t know, however, was that Zoya was also unable to sleep. Her mind was just as unsettled after their candid conversation and the heavy memories it unearthed.

Moreover, she had long since noticed Hesia tossing and turning beside her.

She felt the subtle motion of him inching closer.

In the darkness, she, too, shifted slightly closer to him.

The cool scent spread out again, as if it had a life of its own.

This time, it wasn’t the purposeful scent of hypnosis, but a silent, gentle comfort.

Enveloped by this reassuring scent, Hesia’s tense nerves finally relaxed, and he slowly sank into dreams.

...

Before the rooster’s crow could break the pre-dawn silence, Hesia’s party had already packed up and were ready to leave.

Unlike their journey there, on the way back the Land Bird—known for its agility—had to pull a flatbed cart piled high with Thorny Wild Boar materials.

The heavy cargo forced them to choose a flatter but more roundabout path.

If they didn’t leave early, night would likely fall before they made it back to Rose Town.

Traveling through the wilds at night greatly increased the chances of running into trouble.

At the village entrance, some villagers had woken up early to see them off.

Although some villagers still held a grudge over their fields being ravaged by the boars, most understood that this group of Adventurers had solved a huge and pressing problem for them, their expressions filled with gratitude.

Fast-legged Tom was among them, waving his hand vigorously.

"May the Goddess of Fertility bless your journey! Next time you’re free, you must come to my home and try my wife’s cooking!"

After bidding farewell to the enthusiastic villagers, the party set off on their journey home once more.

Due to the heavy cart, their pace was much slower.

As they walked, Belte couldn’t help but repeatedly look back at Hesia and Zoya, who were trailing at the very back of the group.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that the atmosphere between those two was... weird.

’When did those two get so close?’

’From what I remember, doesn’t Zoya barely talk to anyone?’

He had originally wanted to use this opportunity to get closer to Hesia.

After all, this was just a temporary team-up, and after truly witnessing the Mage Apprentice’s unfathomable combat abilities, he desperately hoped to permanently tie this powerful teammate to their party.

But the two of them at the back seemed to be in their own little world, constantly whispering to each other, making it impossible for him to get a word in.

He finally couldn’t take it anymore, slowed his pace, and sidled up to Hesia and Zoya, who were walking side-by-side at the rear of the group.

He asked, "Hey, what’s with you two? What are you muttering about all the way back here?"

Hesia and Zoya stared blankly at Belte, who had suddenly stuck his big face close to them, unsure how to respond for a moment.

Just then, Laila, who was walking at the very front scouting the path, heard the commotion, looked back, and immediately shouted irritably:

"Belte! What trouble are you stirring up back there? Get your butt back up front and watch the road!"

Unlike the thick-skulled Belte, a woman’s intuition allowed Laila to keenly perceive that some sort of subtle change seemed to have occurred in the relationship between Hesia and Zoya.

Her gaze swept over the two at the back, and then a detail made her raise an eyebrow slightly.

Laila clearly remembered that on the way to Shixi Village, although Hesia had kept up with the group the whole time, his breathing rhythm and gait had clearly shown he was struggling.

But now, on the same long trek, his steps were more rhythmic, and his endurance seemed endless.

’This guy...’ Laila thought, shocked. ’It’s not just his Casting Ability that’s absurd; even his Physique is developing at an astonishing rate.’