Chapter 108: Farewell Dinner
“You’ve got great stamina. I can’t bear to part with you,” Mary whispered.
“You’re headed north, aren’t you? Can I accompany you? While I may not be incredibly powerful, I can still be of use to you... especially during your lonely nights..."
After their intense session, Sein used the Cleanse spell to freshen up, removing the sweat and perfume that clung to his body.
He then leaned against the headboard, savoring the sense of contentment.
Despite his satisfaction, the constant chatter from the woman beside him, ever since she regained consciousness, dampened the moment. The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñøv€l-B1n.
Her name was Mary, an intermediate initiate.
After she removed her mask, Sein found her appearance fairly decent.
Thanks to her consistent skin care and perhaps her makeup routine, Mary looked a lot younger than her actual age.
However, in terms of allure, both Sein’s girlfriend, Leena, and his senior, Faye, surpassed Mary by far.
Regardless, Mary was merely a passing acquaintance in Sein’s life—an outlet for his needs after years of repressed desires.
To put it bluntly, Sein could not have even considered taking her had he not failed to control his urges after enduring for so long.
Taking Mary along his journey north was out of the question for Sein.
He was not interested in a companion, especially an incapable one. Their encounter was strictly a one-time deal.
Met with Sein’s silence, a look of disappointment flashed across Mary’s face.
Sein fished out an intermediate energy crystal from his clothes on the windowsill and handed it to Mary.
“This is your payment.”
Intermediate energy crystal was a rare treasure for Mary.
The scarcity of resources in the region had limited her fortune to just a few—no more than three.
Upon receiving the energy crystal, Mary’s expression quickly shifted from disappointment to joy.
She was convinced that this senior initiate with a mysterious background was indeed a generous man.
Overjoyed, Mary could not help but plant a kiss on Sein’s cheek, leaving a red lipstick mark.
Mystralora City, even though underground, was indeed situated to the south of Berthold City.
Sein, in the midst of his movements, grunted affirmatively, sparking a peculiar gleam in Mary’s eyes.
As an intermediate initiate, she had longed for the prosperity and magnificence of the south.
***
On the eve of Sein’s departure from Berthold City, the city lord hosted a lavish farewell dinner.
In gratitude for the baron’s hospitality during Sein’s stay in his mansion, Sein discreetly presented him with a Lumen Ring as a token of appreciation.
The ring, a pitch-black iron piece, stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the dazzling jewels on the baron’s fingers.
Though aesthetically unappealing, it was a valuable basic magic item that Sein had casually crafted during his journey after leaving the underground.
In response to Sein’s gesture, the baron not only gave him a big hug but also a box filled with two thousand gold coins.
Although the baron intended to gift Sein a carriage and two servants, Sein politely declined.
He preferred traveling alone. Apart from the main roads near cities, the rough terrains on the journey to the north made a carriage less practical.
During the farewell dinner, Frank, holding a glass of red wine, approached Sein with a mischievous chuckle.
“Hehehe, the joys of youth! I see Mary is still in bed,” he teased.
Sein, looking slightly embarrassed, explained, “Yes, she’s still asleep and will be skipping the banquet.”
Frank was about to continue the banter but shook his head when he remembered an important matter he needed to discuss with Sein.
“I spent an entire day and night on the illustrations for the field guide you requested. They might look a bit rough due to the tight deadline, but the content is comprehensive. I hope it meets your expectations,” Frank said as he gestured for a female attendant to bring a thick leather book over.
“It’s no big deal.”
Sein, eager to review the contents, put down his wine glass and accepted the thick book before he began flipping through it.
The illustrations seemed to be a mix of Frank’s work and some obviously torn from other books.
Nevertheless, Sein did not mind as long as they served their purpose.
Each image was accompanied by descriptions and personal annotations from Frank.
“Here’s your payment,” Sein said as he handed an intermediate energy crystal to Frank.
Despite being in the midst of dinner, Sein continued to delve into the pages of the book.