Published: March 11, 2025
CHAPTER 68: Idol?
Galen glanced at Laura, who was surrounded by people, and said in a low voice, “Hello, friends from the Magedel Chamber of Commerce. My master would like to meet your leader.”
Galen referred to Mr. Zhao Hai out of respect for their current identities. He was now playing the role of a mage’s follower, who typically addresses their mages as “sir,” which is a form of respect.
Laura understood Galen's intention. While she was about to agree, she hesitated; she was carrying a treasure. If the other party was after this treasure, wouldn’t it be too dangerous for her to follow Galen?
Galen, being perceptive, realized what Laura meant. He did not blame her; after all, mistrust is common in human nature.
Although Laura was not going to follow Galen to meet Zhao Hai, she felt that she must express her gratitude to him for saving her. It would be too much to not thank someone who had helped her. So, she jumped down from the carriage, walked to Galen, and bowed, saying, “Mighty warrior, please accept my most sincere gratitude from Laura Magedel. May I have the honor of inviting that esteemed mage to meet me?”
While Laura’s words were very courteous, the meaning was clear: she could not go with him, but if they wanted to see her, they should come out.
Galen glanced at Laura and nodded, then turned and walked back into the alien creature's mouth. He felt it was essential to meet Laura, as they did not know why the undead mercenary group had attacked her. However, building a connection with Laura would be beneficial for the budah family.
In the room inside the alien creature, Zhao Hai, Merlin, and Meg were waiting for Galen. Zhao Hai initially intended to go out to meet Laura directly, but Galen thought that would be inappropriate. Thus, he insisted that Zhao Hai wait.
Galen approached Zhao Hai and said, “Young master, the team outside is led by the talented young lady Laura from the Magedel family. When you meet her, if she asks about the undead mercenary group, just say we drove them back. Do not mention that we captured them all.”
Zhao Hai nodded, saying, “Don’t worry, Grandpa Galen, I know what to say.” He followed Galen and Meg outside, while Merlin stayed behind.
Laura stood there, feeling uneasy. She didn’t know how the mage would respond to her. She realized her actions were somewhat rude, but she had no choice; the treasure she carried was too valuable to risk.
However, she also knew that dark mages generally had bizarre tempers. She was uncertain if her actions would offend the dark mage; if he decided to target her, she might not leave this place alive.
Thinking of this, Laura couldn't help but feel regret. She should have agreed to go with Galen to meet the mage. If they were really after the Necromancer's Orb, her current strength couldn't protect it.
Just as Laura was lamenting her decision, she suddenly noticed three figures walking out of the undead being’s mouth. The one in front was the warrior who had come out to meet her before, while the one in the middle was a dark mage. This dark mage was not particularly tall, wearing the long black robe typical of dark mages and holding a magic staff.
With Laura’s business acumen, she could tell immediately that the mage’s robe and staff were cheap, of very poor quality.
Yet, the aura emanating from this mage made her overlook these two items completely. The mage had a unique aura; he seemed like the most unremarkable person, yet simultaneously, he stood out—an intriguing contradiction that appeared remarkably harmonious in him.
Laura also noted a detail: although the dark mage was entirely covered by his robe, the hand holding the staff was exposed, and when she saw that hand, her eyes involuntarily widened.
That hand had nothing horrifying about it; it was neither bony nor wrinkled. It was a man’s hand, very fair-skinned, without a single callus, and the skin texture was delicate, indicating it was well cared for. Most importantly, this hand reflected its owner's age!