Journey to the Capital

Despite being a bit confused, it was undoubtedly a good thing. Barok decided not to dwell on it and stood up. By now, Baron Miro and his party should have returned as well.

He walked to the edge of the field and pulled out a cute little creature from behind a tree. The little guy, with fiery red fur and a green arrow stripe along its back, shivered and looked at Barok pitifully.

Remembering the sorrowful expression of the Green Arrow Squirrel King, Barok felt a bit embarrassed about breaking his promise. After much persuasion and the silent threat of the Frost Giant Wolf Rack, the Squirrel King finally relented and handed over one of his kin to Barok, the little guy now in his hand.

"Hey, don't be afraid. I promise you won't be harmed. If any human tries to hurt you, I swear I'll send you back to the Trelm Forest. Really... I swear...!" It seemed the Green Arrow Squirrel didn't trust Barok at all. Hugging its head in despair, it looked resigned to its fate, making Barok feel both annoyed and ashamed.

Rack stood nearby, baring his teeth in what seemed to be a mocking grin... at least, that was how Barok felt.

"Hmph, Rack buddy, want to come with me to the human world for a visit? But you can't look like this, or you'll scare people. Then, the Dou Qi warriors and mages will swarm in. The warriors love your fur for making top-grade leather armor, and mages prize your magic core for making decent staffs. Even your meat... heh heh, it's quite tasty too, you know?"

Poor Rack, connected to Barok by their bond, understood his words almost instantly. He whimpered in fear, looking pitiful.

"Of course, I'll help you. I learned a secret technique from the Hebradon Wolf that can hide your power. See, you can't tell I'm hiding four little guys, right? Come, let me perform the technique on you. It might hurt a bit, but bear with it...!"

Immediately, a heart-wrenching howl echoed from the fields. When Barok emerged, there was no longer a horse-sized Frost Giant Wolf behind him, just a grayish-brown mutt following him dejectedly.

"Don't be like that, buddy. You can revert back anytime you want by biting your tongue. Come on, give me a smile!" Barok mischievously teased the mistreated Rack, receiving a disdainful glare from the mutt in return.

The totem pole was now useless. After Barok completed the Totem Baptism, the engravings on it vanished as if scraped away, and the wolf-shaped light no longer appeared, leaving only a plain piece of wood. Barok didn't fully understand why but vaguely sensed that the totem pole had fulfilled its mission. He realized he no longer needed the totem pole to practice shamanic arts or wield powerful magic, indicating he had completely freed himself from its constraints. ———— Later, he would learn he was terribly wrong, and the totem pole was far more complex than he had imagined!

What else could he be dissatisfied with? Feeling relaxed and carefree, Barok strolled towards the Red River Valley castle. From afar, he saw Baron Miro's family crest flag raised on the castle, indicating they had also returned from the Trelm Forest!

Baron Miro insisted that his daughter should go to the capital with Lady Selene, even getting angry at Sera for the first time. He knew that as a small rural noble, he had no influence in Padaya, and the prestigious academy there had no reason to show him any favor by admitting his daughter. With Lady Selene's help, this was an opportunity that once missed would never come again.

Sera had never seen her father so angry, his face flushed with emotion, and it frightened her a bit. Miro sighed, stroking his daughter's soft hair, and said, "Sweetheart, don't worry about me. My injury isn't serious; I'll recover after some rest. Be good and go to the capital with Lady Selene! Entering the prestigious academy has always been your dream, hasn't it? Don't miss this chance. I promise you, as soon as I recover, I'll come to the capital to visit you."

The Red River Valley castle's physician had already treated the baron. Although Miro had broken a few ribs, the injury wasn't severe, and he would recover in a few months. Sera, reassured about her father's condition, was also tempted by his words. It was, after all, one of the most renowned academies on the continent. After a moment of hesitation, she finally nodded!

"Wonderful! Quickly, my dear, go tell Lady Selene your decision. She's leaving today, so you need to hurry and pack your things," Miro said joyfully. He instructed his butler, Gergil, to prepare the necessary items for his daughter. Although he was just a minor noble, Miro didn't want his daughter to be treated poorly. Her personal maid, Liv, was to accompany her, along with two other servants.

While Miro was planning for his daughter's daily needs, Sera found Lady Selene. Even as a woman, Sera was struck by Selene's beauty and elegance, envying her noble demeanor. Lady Selene was packing her simple belongings in her room, not wearing her usual mage's robe but a light pink-trimmed indoor gown. The gown's design accentuated her slender waist and full chest, outlining a breathtakingly beautiful figure. The neckline revealed a tantalizing glimpse of her fair cleavage, prompting Sera to self-consciously touch her own flat chest and feel a bit disheartened.

Selene saw Sera and greeted her with a smile. "Sera, have you decided to come to the capital with me?"

"Yes, Lady Selene, my father insists that I go, and... and it's been my dream since I was a child. I hope I'm not too much trouble," Sera said somewhat sheepishly, feeling a bit guilty about entering the academy through such connections.

"Call me sister, I'm not much older than you," Lady Selene said kindly, finishing her packing and holding the items in her hands. The next moment, an unassuming ring on her hand flashed briefly, and the pile of clothes disappeared. Sera stared in amazement at the ring, clearly a storage ring, and her eyes lit up with envy.

On the continent of Soren, master magicians could create storage rings using a special mineral crystal. These rings were incredibly convenient for carrying items but were also extremely expensive and rare. Even in the capital, most nobles couldn't afford one. The ring itself was a symbol of status.

Lady Selene removed the storage ring from her delicate finger and handed it to Sera with a gentle smile. "If you like it, you can play with it for a few days. Unfortunately, it was a birthday gift from His Majesty, or I would have given it to you." Selene's sincerity was evident; she wasn't just being polite. Unlike the haughty noblewomen in the capital, Selene found Sera's simple and kind nature quite endearing.

"You honor me too much. I wouldn't dare accept such a precious gift. If I lost it, we couldn't repay it even if we sold the entire Red River Valley castle," Sera said, holding the tiny ring with both awe and fear.

"Call me sister. Don't you want to be my sister, or do you think I'm old?" Lady Selene teased, pretending to be upset.

"By the Light God, if you're considered old, then there are no young people on the entire continent!" Sera exclaimed, laughing and hugging Selene's arm. "Sister Selene... is that better?"

The two girls laughed and chatted until Gergil's voice called from outside the room, "Lady Selene, Miss Sera, the orc boy has returned!"

Lady Selene had left instructions for Gergil to inform her immediately if Barok returned. Sera, too, remembered her debt of gratitude to him. The deep-eyed, silent yet resolute and handsome orc boy was hard to forget. Both women stood up. "Where is he?"

"He's in the main hall. The master is injured and can't move around, so he asked you to see the orc boy on his behalf."

Gergil himself was puzzled. Why did Lord Miro value this orc boy so much? He was just a slave from the Red River Valley territory, after all.

He didn't know what had happened in the Trelm Forest. If Miro couldn't see that Barok was no ordinary orc, he would be a fool. Such an orc was beyond a small baron's control. Seeing that Lady Selene was interested in Barok, Miro was happy to do her a favor. Whether Barok would follow Lady Selene was up to her to decide — by now, no one treated Barok as a mere slave.

In the castle's main hall, Lady Selene and Sera saw Barok... and the dejected-looking mutt behind him, a strange sight.

Barok remained silent, bowing slightly. "Lady Selene, Miss Sera, I'm glad to see you both returned safely."

"Barok, thank you for saving my father. You can ask for anything, and if it's within my power, I'll grant it," Sera said gratefully. Barok smiled faintly and shook his head, not saying anything.

Lady Selene looked deeply at the handsome young orc before her. "You're very brave, and your abilities are remarkable, far beyond what an ordinary orc slave could achieve," she said, referring to Barok riding the Frost Giant Wolf. She glanced at the mutt, shaking her head to dispel the confusion. How could the majestic Frost Giant Wolf be this pitiful dog?

"Lady Selene, I wish to see the splendor of the capital Padaya. Could you grant me the honor of following you?" Barok requested directly, clearly stating that he wanted to follow her as a warrior, not as a slave. Given his demonstrated abilities, he was more than qualified to serve as a bodyguard for a noblewoman. The only potential issue was his youth and good looks, which might lead to rumors in the capital about the handsome young bodyguard and his beautiful mistress. By the spirit of nature, Barok had no such thoughts. He merely sought a legitimate status to enter Padaya and find a way to rescue his kin from the Lion and Battle Axe Arena.

"Come to the capital with me! Having your loyalty would be an honor," Lady Selene said with a radiant smile that made Barok momentarily lose himself. This human woman's smile was so enchanting. Was she... enchanting him?