Chapter 249: The Airship

“I like it?” Helag couldn’t help but laugh.

The way Asna said it made it sound like he enjoyed wearing it himself.

Shatia, with her innocent expression, leaned over curiously. “Sister Asna, what kind of clothing is that? It looks so strange.”

Asna’s face turned bright red. “Let’s not talk about this…”

Helag chuckled and interrupted, “Shatia, tonight Asna and I are sharing the bed. Where will you sleep? We only have one room.”

“Huh? I… I’ll sleep with you both,” Shatia said.

Helag and Asna exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness in each other’s eyes.

Helag looked at the bed—it was big enough, so they could all fit.

Tonight, they would just get some proper rest; the past few days had been exhausting.

***

After spending over twenty days at Whitefang Castle, the group returned to Blackrock Valley.

During this time, Helag spent his days accompanying Asna and Shatia around Whitefang Castle, enjoying food, drinks, and entertainment.

At night, he focused on meditation and cultivation, slowly solidifying the twenty-first star in his mind.

Reese and David had also arrived at Blackrock Valley, and the once quiet castle became lively.

They were preparing to travel with Helag to the Land of Dawn through Seranthiel’s channels.

After arriving at Blackrock Valley, Reese quickly became close with Asna and Shatia. The three women spent their days together, forming a tight bond.

There were even several occasions when the three of them shared a room, leaving Helag alone to guard an empty bed.

***

Half a month later.

Brack came to the castle to find Helag, handing him a ring. “Helag, inside this ring are 100,000 magic stones, a token of our Terchy family’s sincerity.”

“100,000 magic stones? That’s not just a token of sincerity,” Helag said, surprised by the Terchy family’s generosity.

Though they were wealthy, 100,000 magic stones was still a significant sum, and gathering that much in a short time wasn’t easy.

The fact that they were willing to give him such a large amount showed that the Terchy family was determined to invest heavily in Helag.

“Magic stones are just resources. The higher-ups in the Terchy family all have high hopes for you. We want you to go far in the Land of Dawn, and you’ll definitely need magic stones when you first arrive,” Brack said with a smile.

Helag smiled wryly. “You’re putting a lot of faith in me. That’s a lot of pressure.”

Brack nodded. “The Land of Dawn won’t be easy to navigate, but as long as you remain cautious like you are now, you should be fine. By the way, are you planning to take Asna and Shatia with you, or will they stay here?”

Helag thought for a moment. He had been considering this issue recently.

Both Shatia and Asna had signed master-servant contracts with him, making them his personal belongings. According to the rules, he could take them to the Land of Dawn.

However, both Asna and Shatia were only third-level wizard apprentices. In the Barrens, that level of strength was decent, but in the Land of Dawn, it might not even be enough for them to protect themselves.

More importantly, Helag didn’t know what to expect in the Land of Dawn.

There were too many unknowns for him there.

If trouble arose, Helag might not be able to take care of himself, let alone protect Shatia and Asna.

Shatia’s identity was also sensitive. As a royal elf, she could be a valuable asset to wizards involved in the ongoing wars. If her identity were exposed, Helag doubted he could protect her.

At least, not until he had enough power. There were many things beyond his control.

For these reasons, Helag leaned toward leaving Shatia and Asna behind in Blackrock Valley until he had a better understanding of the Land of Dawn.

Without them, he would have fewer concerns and could act more freely.

For Asna and Shatia, staying in Blackrock Valley was the safest and most secure option.

The valley was protected by a wizard array, making it difficult for wizards from the Barrens to break through.

“I’ve thought about it, and I think it’s best for them to stay here for now. I’ll have to trouble you to take care of them,” Helag said.

Brack nodded. “A wise choice. Their safety is guaranteed with the Terchy family. We don’t know much about the Land of Dawn, so we can’t help you there. Leaving them here is the best decision.”

Reese and David would accompany Helag to the Land of Dawn. Both were first-level wizards, capable of protecting themselves, which would allow Helag to focus more on his own tasks.

After discussing a few more matters with Brack, Helag returned to the castle to inform Asna and Shatia of his decision.

Shatia looked a bit disappointed. She had hoped to travel with Helag, but now she would have to stay behind for a while longer.

Asna, on the other hand, seemed to have expected this. Her expression didn’t change, and she comforted Shatia, saying, “It’s okay, Shatia. I’ll be here with you. Lord Helag has no choice. If we went with him, it would only add to his worries.”

“Yeah, I understand,” Shatia said, though she still felt reluctant.

Reese, standing nearby, laughed and leaned against Helag. “Don’t worry, sisters. I’ll take good care of Helag.”

Asna and Shatia both rolled their eyes at Reese, knowing this was just her personality.

***

Half a month passed peacefully.

Helag, Reese, Asna, and Shatia were crouched in the potion field, picking a type of grape called Black Crystal.

Black Crystal was both a potion ingredient and a delicious fruit, though it was quite expensive.

Buzz, buzz, buzz…

Suddenly, Helag heard a buzzing sound from outside. He looked up and saw a black dot emerging from the clouds in the distance.

The others in Blackrock Valley also heard the sound and looked up at the sky.

As the black dot drew closer, they could make out its shape.

It was a ship—an airship.

From afar, it looked small, but as it approached, they could see that the airship had seven levels.

Cannons hung on both sides of the airship, resembling those found on sea vessels.

However, these were clearly not ordinary cannons; their appearance and aura were different.

As the airship drew nearer, the rumbling sound grew louder, filling the entire Blackrock Valley.

Brack tensed up for a moment, but then seemed to realize something and relaxed. “That must be an airship from the Land of Dawn. I’ve heard about them before.”

“An airship?” Helag continued observing the vessel.

Just from this airship alone, it was clear that the magical industrial level of the Land of Dawn was on a completely different level from the Barrens.

The airship was a combination of many technologies, none of which had made their way to the Barrens.