After saving Golden Sword, Mentor intercepted a cargo carriage outside the Black Forest.
Facing two down-and-out, frail middle-aged men with small animals, the carriage driver heartily agreed to give them a ride, of course, not without some shiny gold wheels as thanks.
"Really, I'm sorry. I didn't expect to be so useless," Golden Sword Billy lamented in the carriage. His head was hung low amidst the strong scent of pine wood filling the cart. "I thought about hiring, but that would have been rather shameless… Thank you for saving me."
The play goes on.
Teest snorted disdainfully. His tail elegantly coiled around Nol, claiming the softest cushion on the carriage for himself.
He could see what Mr. Billy was thinking—wasn't Billy wary of them, the three Players, before? This guy had the patience, kept quiet, and then staged a "deliberate danger" for them to rescue him, leading naturally to talks of collaboration.
If their meeting was purely coincidental, just by rescuing him, Billy could gain three virtuous Players as companions. Even if it was premeditated by them, the three had proven they weren't naive youngsters who would foolishly interfere upon sighting a target. Billy could then make use of their intellect.
Despite his current plight, Golden Sword remained a shrewd businessman.
"Rest for now. There's no rush on discussing collaboration. Let's get out of here first," Mentor advised in a soothing voice as he flipped through his book.
Teest blinked and yawned widely. He licked the delicate dragon claw in front of him with the tip of his tongue, successfully activating the effects of [Betrayal Overture].
Well, it seemed this counted as a kiss of the hand. Teest retracted his tongue, marveling at the system's leniency.
Lately, perhaps due to his form, he found himself easily sleepy, falling asleep quite fast. With the strong pine scent and the creaking of the carriage's wooden wheels, Teest's eyelids began to droop heavily.
He ignored the occasional roars of beasts from the Black Forest. Even in his current form, those monsters couldn't withstand one swipe of his claws—he didn't even need to reveal them.
How marvelous. The Mad Monk had imagined "becoming powerful" countless times.
In the dungeons of the Eternal Church, he had envisioned himself wielding a longsword, indiscriminately slaughtering the Eternalists, paving a road with their screams and innards. He didn't need to hide and just boldly stepped over those corpses.
While wandering outside, he had imagined hanging the old Pope of the Eternal Church on the tallest Evergreen Church as a splendid decoration. It would be best to also send those Investigation Knights after him to the hospital, one by one, until no one bothered him anymore. He didn't need to hide. He could joyfully follow all truths, becoming the bloody nightmare of both churches.
Teest never thought he would be related to the concept of "god". The most absurd part was, after reaching this terrifying height, what lay before him wasn't a scene drenched in blood, but…
Two large, fluffy paws.
Teest fell silent for a while, looking at his pink paw pads, and quietly tucked his paws under himself. He couldn't help but lick the wing membrane of the little black dragon and start purring again.
If there's such a thing as true destiny, his must have gone awry somewhere, Teest thought while purring.
The carriage jolted, bringing the group to a small edge town—it could hardly be called a town. Nol considered it more of a "relay station". There was an inn for trading horses, a post office, a tavern, and only a few houses. The sparse buildings huddled together in the open grassy hills, resembling a clump of mushrooms.
The only inn was mediocre and overpriced, unsurprisingly.
This time, Golden Sword decisively paid for everyone. The innkeeper was very accommodating. His gaze lingered on Nol for just a few seconds without asking any questions. Soon, they received a decent double room—with two single beds and even a straw nest prepared for pets.
Teest fussed with the straw nest, jumping onto the bed discontentedly, preemptively claiming Golden Sword's down pillow. Nol attempted to carry away his recklessly brave knight but miserably failed.
"Actually, I'm also looking for something from the Alva Merchant Group. "After entering the room, Golden Sword got straight to the point. "I used to… I worked for the Alva Merchant Group before, so I know some things. I know where what you're looking for is, and it's on the way for us."
"What a coincidence." Mentor closed his book.
"The cave leopard fourth tailbone and rare curse-breaking items—even for the Alva Merchant Group, these items aren't available in just any store."
Billy sounded much healthier. "It's quite a coincidence. I'm looking for something similar."
Mentor nodded, showing an "I'm all ears" expression.
"Have you ever heard of the 'Bystander's Tongue'?" Billy licked his dry, cracked lips.
Mentor frowned in thought for a while. "I have a vague impression, but please explain."
Nol and Teest exchanged glances, not quite used to each other's round eyes. The two animals had just locked eyes when they almost got distracted.
[It's not my work.] Nol communicated succinctly.
Nol had never heard of the "Bystander's Tongue". It was likely a newcomer's creation, or another unreliable reward generated by the system.
Beside him, the big white cat's ears perked up.
"A powerful magical item. It can narrate specific memories of the user. Even if the user's head is injured, cursed, or even dead, this item will still work. There are limitations, though. It can only be used once by a person."
Billy explained patiently. "I want to acquire this item."
"'Acquire'," Mentor emphasized. "I thought we were going to purchase it normally."
"The cave leopard fourth tailbone can be used to make 'anti-instant death curse' alchemical items, not to mention the rare curse-breaking items. As for the 'Bystander's Tongue', the Alva Merchant Group would prefer to keep it for themselves. There aren't many items that can make a corpse speak nowadays."
Billy's tone was earnest like never before.
"If you're willing to 'treasure hunt' together, I'll provide information. If you insist on buying, I'll find a way to make it cheaper for you. I… I don't need to take the tongue away. I just need to use it secretly."
"Why are you obsessed with memories? And why did you faint in the Black Forest before?" Teest flicked his tail. "Look, we're in this state now. We should estimate the potential risks."
Billy looked at him a bit sadly, his fingers tightening then slowly loosening. Finally, he touched his lost left eye. Mentor had already bandaged him, with faint blood stains seeping through the white bandages.
"I can only guarantee that the dangers you face are in the future. I won't bring you trouble, and I won't force you if you're unwilling. You've done enough. I truly think so."
Teest hid the mockery in his words. "Ah, mysterious guy."
Actually, they all recognized Golden Sword, but Mr. Billy seemed unaware of this, and Teest was too lazy to point it out.
"Where is it?" Mentor asked succinctly.
"To the east of Inato on the Golden Sea, there's a fleet belonging to the Alva Merchant Group. We call it 'Ship Island'."
Billy said gravely, "In winter, when it's cold, Duke Alva goes to Ship Island for recuperation. Only invited guests can enter. I swear, there's everything we need there."
Golden Sea? Ship Island?
Interesting. According to Nol's initial setting, the largest sea was supposed to be the "Endless Sea". It bordered Inato to the west and the Brick Mountains to the east, serving as a boundary for the map.
Now, the sea to the east of Inato was called the Golden Sea. There was a Golden Sea and a Golden Sword—the merchant vibes were almost overflowing. Nol suspected this had something to do with the Alva Merchant Group.
Speaking of which, everything seemed to have something to do with the Alva Merchant Group. A major conglomerate that rose in two hundred years and Tahe's largest intelligence organization, its presence was always astonishing.
The real Drake and the Mad Monk both had some connection with the Alva Merchant Group—they were related to the Blanco family, which had long been married into the Alva family. Strictly speaking, Teest was related to Old Duke Alva.
Such a powerful and unique behemoth, it would be strange if Star Stealer Sol didn't interfere. Nol rolled his eyes internally. It just so happened that Old Duke Alva was on Ship Island. As the head of the Alva Merchant Group, he might know something.
"I want to purchase normally." Nol decided firmly. "But only invited guests can enter. That is indeed a bit troublesome."
Anyway, he was the God of Creation, so using [Creator] to conjure some gold wheels to use would be exercising his legitimate rights, right?
Mentor smiled slightly. "I'm also interested in Ship Island. I don't mind having another collaborator, sir."
Teest hummed nonchalantly. "I have no objections."
"Now that we're collaborating, tell us your name." After saying that, Teest mischievously started the conversation again. "We can't keep calling you 'sir'."
Golden Sword Billy's eyes dimmed for a moment. "Just call me 'Billy'."
At first glance, it sounded like a very ordinary name. Unless deeply connected with Golden Sword himself, it would be hard to associate it with Enbillick Alva.
"Let's head to Rosemary Port of Inato first. I'll figure out a way for the entry qualifications, rest assured."
"So, we're heading to sea," Teest summarized, glancing at Mentor. "We'll also need to prepare credible identities." Mentor gave Teest a meaningful look.
They hadn't told Mentor who Drake was, and Mentor didn't ask further. This guy didn't even ask for their names, calling them "that cat" or "that dragon" when he needed to address them.
He seemed weak, pitifully so among Players, posing no threat to themselves or Nol. Yet, whenever this old guy approached, Teest felt an urge to bristle his fur.
This guy was different from other Players they had encountered. Even Crimson didn't have such a strong sense of void around him.
They needed to think of a plan.
...
In the deep night, a wicker basket stuffed with down pillows.
If there were any advantages to becoming a cat, Teest found himself unusually alert at night. His vision had significantly improved over his human form. Of course, there were downsides. He and his miniaturized God of Creation always huddled together, and just as he got up, Nol woke.
[Mentor is standing outside alone. I need to see what he's up to.] Teest quickly reported.
The tiny black dragon yawned, almost spitting out a blue spark. Nol blinked hard, shaking off the sleepiness. [I'll come with you.]
[You keep sleeping. I'm just going to take a look.]
[Better to talk to him in person,] Nol said. [Dorothy wouldn't set me up at this juncture.]
The conversation between the two powerful beings was serious, but reality was less accommodating. A dragon and a cat sneakily crawled out of the box, slinking into the darkness with drooping tails.
Outside, Mentor stood alone in front of the inn. The winter night was exceptionally quiet, and not even the sound of insects could be heard. Fortunately, the night sky was clear tonight, with four moons softly hanging in the sky.
Mentor didn't look at the moons. He just stood there with his eyes closed, as if pondering something. The night wind gently stirred his gray, long hair, making his figure appear exceptionally thin.
"Good evening." Just as Teest circled behind him, Mentor spoke up first.
"How did you know?" Teest's eyes sparkled in the night.
Mentor rubbed his nose. "I'm allergic to cat hair. The wind blew your fur over."
The big white cat froze on the spot, like marshmallows skewered together. Nol struggled to suppress his laughter. Teest, the master of stealth, probably hadn't been caught flat-footed like this before.
"Want to have a chat?" Mentor continued in a friendly tone, seemingly very skilled at ignoring others' embarrassment.
Nol stepped forward, standing next to the stiffened cat. He asked very directly—
"Why?"
He said, "Investigating the Alva Merchant Group is dangerous. You must have guessed as much. You could have discussed it remotely from the Lost Tower. Why involve yourself personally?"
The author has something to say:
A new squad of four is formed! Teammates come and go, but the couple remains ironclad.