The wagon rolled to a stop in front of the Denares mansion, its wooden wheels kicking up a small cloud of dust. It was already afternoon. Martha and Kaelen sat side by side on the driver’s bench, their shoulders brushing slightly. Martha’s fingers fidgeted with the reins, her usual composure replaced by a nervous energy. Kaelen kept his gaze fixed ahead, but the faintest hint of a flush crept up his neck.
Eon stepped out of the mansion’s grand entrance, his arms crossed as he watched the wagon approach. His sharp eyes immediately took in the state of the two, Martha’s flushed cheeks and Kaelen’s uncharacteristic fidgeting. A slow, knowing smirk tugged at the corner of Eon’s lips.
"Well, well," he drawled, stepping closer. "Looks like someone had a productive trip."
Martha’s face burned crimson. "Eon!"
Kaelen cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably as he began unloading the supplies. "We got everything you asked for. The herbs from the southern trader, the minerals from the dwarven smith, and the list of items you asked Martha to bring from the Denares market."
"Oh, I’m sure you did," Eon interrupted, his grin widening. "And I’m sure you both worked veeery hard to secure them."
Martha huffed, turning away to hide her flustered expression. "We d-didn’t...it’s not…"
"Relax, relax, " Eon chuckled, clapping Kaelen on the shoulder. "I’m just teasing. Though I do appreciate the extra effort."
Kaelen exhaled sharply, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "We just didn’t want to disappoint you."
Eon’s amusement faded into something warmer. "It’s okay. You didn’t. You could even say I’m happy for you both. Congratulations to you both."
Hearing Eon congratulate them for their new relationship made Martha and Kaelen both flush red. Martha hid her face in embarrassment.
He turned his attention to the supplies, inspecting each item with a critical eye. The herbs they brought were fresh, their green and purple leaves still vibrant despite the journey. The minerals were shiny and jagged chunks of iron and rare ores, wrapped carefully in thick cloth to prevent them from chipping. The glass vials, clear and unblemished, were packed tightly in straw-lined crates to keep them from breaking. Everything was exactly as he had requested.
They had done a good job. Eon was Satisfied; he reached out his hand to the supplies, and the entire haul vanished into his inventory with a flicker of blue light.
A familiar chime rang in his mind, and the system screen flickered into view, its glowing text hovering in the air before him.
-SKILL-
Inventory
Lv 9: 0/90
Weight Limit: 50kg (scales with level + Strength stat)
Description: Basic dimensional storage. Levels via repeated store/retrieve
He saw his inventory skill leveled up again. Lately his need for this skill was far more than all of his other skills combined. So this aggressive leveling of the skill was not surprising to him. He opened his main status window.
[- STATUS -]
Race: High Elf
Age: 96 Years
Strength: 35
Stamina: 52
Agility: 32
Mana: 25,000 / 25,000
Insight: 25,000
SP: 1,280 (Matter Manipulation) + 160 (Alchemy) + 320 (Crafting) + 640 (Smithing) + 512 (Heat Manipulation) + 1,024 (Inventory)
[- SKILLS -]
Unlocked Skill: Matter Manipulation (Lv. 15: 9/1,500)
Unlocked Skill: Alchemy (Lv. 18: 30/180)
Unlocked Skill: Crafting (Lv. 6: 9/60)
Unlocked Skill: Smithing (Lv. 10: 0/1,000)
Unlocked Skill: Heat Manipulation (Lv. 8: 12/80)
Unlocked Skill: Inventory (Lv. 9: 9/90)
Locked Skill: Skill Shop (Condition: Master all unlocked skills to Lv. 10)
Eon’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. His alchemy skill is leveling up at a very good pace too, considering he couldn’t get enough time lately for making use of this skill. Smithing had finally hit Level 10 too; he hadn’t noticed that. Heat Manipulation and Inventory were close behind. At this rate, it would be very soon; the Skill Shop would unlock, and then, the real fun would begin.
The thought of what new abilities or items he might acquire sent a thrill through him. He could already imagine the possibilities: skills that could cut through magic, magic that could withstand the strongest sneak attacks, or even broken skills that could bend reality itself. The anticipation was almost making him dance on his own.
After all, who wouldn’t want new skills? Plus, knowing the current skills' capabilities, the new skills obviously would be more upgraded versions or a superior category. At least these were his own guesses after observing how the system’s skills worked till now.
He dismissed the status screen with his thoughts and turned back to Martha and Kaelen. "You two did well. Really well."
Martha looked up, her expression softening. "We just did what was needed."
“Okay then, you got your items, right? Then we will go to our rooms for resting. The road from the barony was not that great; the whole way was too bumpy to even sit properly.”Kaelen was already turning.
Eon said with a smirk, “Yeah, yeah, go rest. After all, you two had a busy time yesterday night. Let's not keep you awake here after your hard work; go rest IN YOUR ROOMS, hehe.” His last words had a teasing vibe to them.
Martha groaned, but didn’t say anything, just turned around and went inside the mansion.
The late afternoon sun painted the courtyard in warm gold, stretching shadows across the cobblestones as Eon rounded the corner of the mansion. His boots scuffed against the worn stone path, not because he was careless, but because his attention was firmly locked onto Elsa.
She sat perched on a low wooden stool near the entrance, one leg crossed over the other, her silver hair catching the light like polished steel. She’d changed into practical travel clothes, a fitted tunic that hugged her shoulders just enough to show the lean muscle beneath, and supple leather pants that allowed for quick movement. A dagger rested at her hip, its hilt worn smooth from use. Her expression was serious, but the faintest curve of her lips suggested she was fighting back a smirk.
Eon, however, was not fighting back anything. He was full-on staring, his mind half-distracted by the way the fading sunlight glinted off her hair, the way her fingers tapped restlessly against her knee, until his boot caught the edge of a loose cobblestone.
His ankle twisted.
For one horrifying second, he was certain he was about to eat dirt in front of the woman. His arms windmilled, his balance teetered…..
But then, somehow, by sheer force of will (and maybe a little elven grace), he righted himself. He froze mid-step, one foot still hovering awkwardly above the ground, as if he’d been caught in the middle of some bizarre dance move.
Elsa’s eyebrows shot up.
Eon, realizing he looked like an idiot, cleared his throat and casually dropped his foot back to the ground, as if that had been his plan all along. "Ah. Good evening."
Elsa’s lips twitched. "You know, if you’re that eager to kiss the ground, I could arrange for a softer landing. Maybe a pillow."
Eon shot her a look. "I was not about to fall."
"Mhm." She tilted her head, her silver eyes gleaming with amusement. "Then what was that? Some kind of new elven battle stance?"
"Ha. Ha." He crossed his arms, trying to salvage what was left of his dignity. "I was testing the structural integrity of the cobblestones. Our people will come through this way to get into the carriage. So I was just checking the safety first."
Elsa snorted, shaking her head. "Uh-huh. And I’m sure that’s why you were staring at me like a starving man at lunch."
Eon opened his mouth to deny it, then closed it. There was no point. Elsa had the uncanny ability to see right through him, and they both knew it. Instead, he changed the subject. "We should return to the Edger estate. The elves are ready, don’t you think? They can rest all they want after we reach Edgar County. I don’t feel at ease staying in this mansion."
Elsa’s smirk faded into something more serious, though the vibe of amusement still lingered in her eyes. "Agreed. I’ll tell them to prepare." She paused, her gaze flicking past him toward Martha and Kaelen, who were still not gone to their room for some reason, likely sightseeing!
"And Alaric?"
Eon’s expression darkened, just for a second. "I’ll handle him. You don’t have to worry about him."
Elsa’s smirk returned, sharper this time. "Okay. He was in his study all day doing paperwork for his estate, he says. But I don’t know about that, so I feel uneasy about leaving him on his own, in his own territory."
Eon exhaled through his nose, a short, humorless laugh escaping him. "Yeah, well, about that, for some reason I think he won’t betray us for a while." He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling the weight of everything they still had to do. "Still. We should keep an eye on him. We can’t afford any mistakes. Not after we have come all this way."
Elsa’s smirk softened into a nod. "Understood." She stood, brushing off her pants. "I’ll get the others ready. Try not to trip over your own feet on the way."
Eon shot her a flat look. "I didn’t trip."
Elsa just grinned, already turning away. "Sure, sure. And I’m the Queen of the North!!"
Eon watched her go, shaking his head. Then, muttering under his breath, he added, "You’re also getting cheeky just like Elora, you know that?"
From a few paces away, Elsa called back without looking, "Ya, ya. Figured it is your type after all."
Eon groaned, but there was no real heat in it because she wasn’t wrong.
And worse, he liked that she wasn’t.
The butler, Edmund, was waiting in the grand hall when Eon found him. The old man stood near the entrance, his hands clasped behind his back, his posture rigid. His face had an expression of professional neutrality, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of something- anticipation, perhaps, or even relief.
"Oh, Eon," Edmund said, bowing deeply. "You’ve returned."
"Edmund," Eon said, cutting to the point. "I need carriages. Enough for all of us. And tell your master, politely, that he should also be ready to travel by dawn."
Edmund’s eyes flickered with something unreadable, maybe disappointment. "Uhh, I thought Master Alaric was staying behind, for the estate's work?”
Eon shot him a glare, hearing him talk back.
Edmund just lowered his head and apologized, “Of course. I’ll see to it immediately."
Eon watched him go, then turned back toward the courtyard where the elves were gathering their things. The air hummed with their talking. They seemed to adjust very well compared to the elves back at Edger Counties.
The Denares mansion, once a symbol of oppression, now looked like a temporary sanctuary, a place where they had caught their breath, healed their wounds, and prepared for the journey home. But still not all of them were relaxed like others.
Eon walked toward the courtyard, where some elves were already packing their belongings. Some were rolling up some bedding bought by Liam from the nearest market; others were securing weapons and tools from the Denares armory. Liam was overseeing the process, his broad shoulders tense with the responsibility of ensuring everything was in order.
Verra stood nearby, her arms crossed, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of trouble. She caught Eon’s gaze and gave him a nod, a silent acknowledgment that they were almost ready for the journey tomorrow.
As the night deepened, the mansion settled into an uneasy quiet. The elves made their final preparations. Well, not that they had anything much to prepare, but their daily necessities were bought from here, because those might be hard to find in Edger County for the time being, given the current condition of Edger Town’s market.
Eon spent the entire evening checking and double-checking their supplies, ensuring that nothing had been forgotten. They can’t just come and go each time they need something and find out that it isn't available at the Edger County market.
He lingered for a moment, then turned and walked out, closing the heavy door behind him.
The courtyard was bathed in moonlight, the carriages lined up and ready. Elsa and Kaelen were gathered near them, their faces a mix of determination and anticipation.
Eon joined them, his presence drawing their attention.
"We leave at first light. I just checked everything for the journey; it looked like everything is perfect, ready to go even right now," he said, his voice carrying across the courtyard.
“Yeah, I also came here after checking on the elves,” Kaelen said. “Some of them have little wounds here and there, but it won’t be a problem, I think. As long as we reach Edger County, some potions or even some light treatment might be enough to get them back to full health.”
A murmur of agreement rippled through the group.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter