Chapter 87 - Simple Raid

Chapter 87: 87 - Simple Raid

Adrien looked at Vael for a moment before giving him a small nod.

"Alright, I’ll go. I think you’re right. Getting more experience working with a group would probably be useful for me."

Vael nodded approvingly. "Wise choice. It isn’t a particularly complicated place. I’ll probably have to send people there again in the future anyway. The Heartroot Crystal will gradually lose its energy once it’s installed, so replacing it will become a recurring task."

Adrien glanced once more toward the dragon corpse behind them. "Is there nothing else you can use instead of Heartroot Crystal?"

"There is." Vael turned toward the passage leading back upstairs. "But when you manage a territory, you learn very quickly that spending more doesn’t always mean getting something better. There are other materials that could maintain the barrier, but Heartroot Crystal does the same job for considerably less."

He started walking. "You have to be sensible with resources whenever you can. Come on. There’s no reason to stay down here."

"Alright."

Adrien followed him through the concealed passage. They climbed until they reached Vael’s office again, and after crossing the room, Vael opened the door leading into the larger chamber outside.

Lucien and Amelia were already there.

Apparently, both had returned from whatever they’d been doing while Adrien and Vael were underground. Amelia noticed Adrien first and greeted him with a small wave, while Lucien simply raised one hand.

Adrien returned both greetings.

Vael walked past him. "Good timing. You’re both here. Adrien agreed to go with you, so I’ll explain the location before any of you leave. Sit down."

The three of them took seats around the large table in the center of the room.

Vael disappeared for a moment before returning with a rolled map and a thin wooden pointer. He spread the map across the table, placing small weights on the corners to keep it flat.

Adrien leaned forward.

The map showed the forest surrounding Elyndor in considerable detail. Paths, rivers, elevated ground and several locations Adrien didn’t recognize had all been marked across it.

Vael tapped the center with the pointer. "This is Elyndor. The place you’re going isn’t particularly far from here, so I don’t expect you’ll encounter anything dangerous on the way there."

The pointer moved southeast until it reached a section surrounded by dense woodland.

"The area itself is another matter."

Lucien rested his arms against the table. "What lives there?"

"Mostly nature-type monsters." Vael tapped several markings around the destination. "Barklings are the most common. Small creatures formed from wood and roots. They usually hide against trees until something gets close enough."

He moved the pointer slightly farther.

"You may also encounter Root Crawlers. They’re larger, move through the soil and attack using the roots growing along their bodies. They’re annoying rather than genuinely dangerous if you notice them early."

Adrien listened carefully.

A third marking received Vael’s attention.

"Then there are Thornbacks. They’re slower, but their bodies are covered in hardened bark and thorns. Don’t waste time attacking the thick sections directly unless you have enough power to break through them."

Adrien could already imagine what the place looked like.

Everything Vael described sounded as though the forest itself had decided to become hostile.

"Most of those monsters range between One Star and Two Stars," Vael continued. "They shouldn’t give any of you much trouble. Lucien and Amelia have dealt with worse before, and you Adrien should be fine as well."

The pointer stopped.

"But there are some Three-Star monsters deeper inside. Don’t become careless simply because the weaker ones are easy."

Lucien grinned. "Don’t worry, Grandpa. I’ll put an arrow between the eyes of every monster we find. I’ll make sure they’re properly dead too."

Adrien looked toward him.

Apparently, Lucien’s habit of finishing everything twice hadn’t changed at all. Considering they would be traveling together, Adrien supposed having somebody who made absolutely certain enemies stayed dead wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Vael gave Lucien an unimpressed look. "Try not to waste half your arrows proving something is dead after you’ve already killed it."

"I make no promises."

Vael ignored him and returned his attention to the three of them. "There’s something else you need to remember. None of you specializes in direct melee combat."

Amelia nodded.

"Lucien is a Ranger. Adrien is a Mage. Amelia is a Healer." Vael moved the pointer across several narrow areas on the map. "Don’t let yourselves get surrounded. If something closes the distance, reposition instead of trying to hold your ground for no reason."

Adrien remained quiet and absorbed everything Vael said.

Strangely, he found the whole situation somewhat enjoyable.

A small group. Different roles. A destination filled with monsters. A resource they had to retrieve before returning.

It felt suspiciously close to preparing for a raid in a game.

The only difference was that dying here wouldn’t give him a respawn screen.

Vael finally set the pointer aside. "Everything understood?"

"Yeah," Adrien said.

Amelia nodded as well, while Lucien gave Vael a casual thumbs-up.

"You’ll probably be away for several days," Vael continued. "I’ll send someone to Greymoor to inform your family, Adrien. You can stay here tonight, and the three of you can leave tomorrow morning." He paused before looking between Adrien and Amelia. "I only hope nothing happens tonight."

Adrien remained silent for a moment.

Amelia narrowed her eyes immediately. "Grandfather."

Vael looked genuinely innocent. "What?"

"You know exactly what."

"I haven’t said anything."

Adrien glanced between them. Apparently, whatever discretion he and Amelia had believed they possessed after returning from the capital hadn’t survived particularly long.

Vael leaned back against the table. "You’re an adult. I’m perfectly aware of that."

"Then stop looking at me like I’m still your little granddaughter."

Vael’s expression immediately soured at those words. "You’ll always be my little granddaughter."

Amelia sighed. "That’s not the point."

"No, I understand the point perfectly well." Vael’s eyes moved toward Adrien.

Adrien immediately regretted being within arm’s reach.

The old elf walked around the table and placed a hand on his shoulder. His expression remained calm, which somehow made it worse.

"Boy."

Adrien looked at him. "Yes?"

Vael squeezed his shoulder once. "You’re staying under my roof tonight."

There was a short silence.

"I understand."

"Do you?"

Adrien glanced briefly toward Amelia. Her face had already started turning red, and she was suddenly finding the map on the table extremely interesting.

Vael followed his gaze before tightening his grip slightly.

Adrien swallowed. He had seen the Wind God Spirit earlier. Testing how protective its contractor was of his granddaughter didn’t sound particularly intelligent.

"I understand," Adrien repeated. "Nothing is going to happen."

"Excellent."

Vael finally released him.

Amelia covered her face with one hand. "Can we please go back to talking about monsters?"

Lucien, who had wisely stayed silent throughout the entire exchange, turned his head away. His shoulders moved once.

Vael picked up the map again as though the last thirty seconds had been completely normal. "Then we’re finished here. Prepare whatever you need tonight. Food, water and enough equipment to spend several days outside."

Adrien stood from his chair, still able to feel where Vael’s hand had been on his shoulder.

Suddenly, the Three-Star monsters didn’t sound like the most dangerous part of staying in Elyndor.