LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 79: The Surrender of the Half-Elf Girl
Chapter 79: The Surrender of the Half-Elf Girl
"Not bad, you can now instantly cast a first-tier spell like Fire Wall," Thor remarked with a hint of admiration, breaking the silence and Anna's dazed expression.
"You...!" Anna started, still in shock, not knowing what to say.
"You've done well these past few months. The slave contract has been lifted. After all, some of the serfs have also been freed; it wouldn't be fair to only restrict you," Thor continued calmly. "As for who you really are—an elf, a descendant of the Karenina family—it doesn't matter. Here, you have only one identity, and that is as one of my people in Eagle Ridge."
Thor then added, with a light laugh, "By the way, I've only freed you from being a slave. I haven't granted you permission to leave. You still owe me a few years of service, or else I'd be taking a loss. Get ready; we're heading out soon, and you're coming along."
Anna's eyes welled up with tears, overwhelmed by the turn of events. The fear and trauma she had endured as part of the Karenina family, and during her time on the run, had left her wary and distrustful of others. Eagle Ridge had provided a safe but tense haven for her. Initially, she had wanted to escape, but the relative peace of Eagle Ridge made her hesitant to leave. The sudden exposure of her secret today had thrown her into a panic.
Yet, to her surprise, Thor hadn't harmed her. He had even released her from her slave contract. This unexpected kindness touched her deeply.
"Master, I..." Anna began to speak, but Thor interrupted her.
"Enough. Go get ready," he said with a wave of his hand. "There's a surprise waiting for you later—if you can grasp it."
"Yes, Master," Anna replied, still confused but obedient. She left the room with a smile on her face. For the first time in a long while, the anxiety that had plagued her seemed to fade, replaced by a strange sense of security. Thor's image became clearer in her mind as she retreated to her room with a spring in her step.
A short while later, outside the castle, Thor had assembled a group of knights. This time, he left Ryan behind and instead called upon ten fully trained knights. Their combined strength was sufficient for the task ahead.
"Master!" Anna appeared, her face slightly flushed, her voice soft.
"Can you ride a horse?" Thor asked, looking at her.
Anna shook her head. Despite being a descendant of the Karenina family, she had never been taught how to ride. No one in the family had even known she existed, let alone trained her.
Without a word, Thor lifted Anna onto the unicorn, a second-tier peak creature he had brought along. The unicorn had grown even stronger, its aura more intense, indicating it was close to breaking through to a higher level. The other knights also mounted unicorns, though theirs were at a peak first-tier level.
As Anna shook her head, indicating her inability to ride, Thor swiftly hoisted her onto the unicorn. "Ah!" she gasped, suddenly aware of Thor's presence right behind her.
"Hold on tight!" Thor instructed as he grabbed the reins and spurred the unicorn forward. The group set off at once.
As the unicorn galloped, Anna felt the rhythm of the ride and the warmth of Thor's body behind her. Her initial panic gave way to a strange sense of calm. Leaning against Thor, she felt the tension in her body gradually ease as they rode on.
The sun's rays cast a golden hue as the group swiftly made their way towards their destination. The location described in the intelligence report was not close—situated in the northern part of the Maine Valley, thirty miles from the southern end of the Northern Glacier Gorge, and about two hundred miles from Eagle Ridge. Even with peak-tier unicorns, it would take them nearly two days to reach their goal.
Fortunately, there was still some time before the natural sprite was expected to be born, so there was no need to rush. As night fell, the group continued onward, and by the second day, they were well on their way.
Meanwhile, back at Eagle Ridge, Baron Graton, Baron Valmy, and Baron Pape had arrived.
"Lord Thor isn't here?" they asked, surprised and worried when Ryan informed them.
"Do you know where Lord Thor has gone? The Maine Valley is truly on the brink of disaster," one of the barons urged Ryan.
"Yes, Ryan, please, we need to find Lord Thor quickly," another added, their anxiety growing.
As their concern mounted, a figure approached.
"Don't worry, my lords," Peros spoke, drawing the attention of the three barons. As they turned to him, they noticed something that startled them—Peros had the same aura as them, indicating he was also a Grand Knight.
Recalling their previous encounters with a Grand Knight named Steve at Eagle Ridge, the barons were stunned. This meant that Eagle Ridge had not one but possibly multiple Grand Knights.
While this revelation might normally be cause for concern, the barons felt a sense of relief. The stronger Eagle Ridge was, the more hope they had for overcoming the impending disaster.
"My lord, what is this?" Baron Pape asked cautiously, eyeing the parchment in Peros hand.
"Take a look, and you'll understand," Peros replied, handing the parchment to the baron.
As Baron Pape read the contents, he sighed with relief and smiled, passing the parchment to the others. When the other two barons finished reading, they, too, relaxed and smiled.
As they prepared for the challenges ahead, the events that had transpired—such as their unexpected encounters and the growing strength of Eagle Ridge—seemed to bode well for their future endeavors.