Half a month later, Linde finally set foot on the land of Blackrock Territory as he had wished.
The familiar air, carrying the scent of earth and vegetation, filled my nostrils, and the majestic Black Rock Mountains in the distance looked especially welcoming in the setting sun.
As the procession appeared on the horizon, the people, who had already received the news, spontaneously surged to both sides of the road, and cheers swept over them like a tidal wave.
"Lord Linde is back!"
"Praise be to the Lord!"
Welcome home, heroes!
Simple yet excited faces came into view, and flowers, grains, and even simple cloths were thrown to the procession.
The soldiers stood tall, their faces beaming with pride, enjoying their moment of glory.
Nazra rode a tall, black warhorse behind Linde. She squinted her eyes slightly, curiously surveying the land Linde had fought for and the passionate people.
Nix hid in the mane of Lind's mount, Bronzelight, with only her two wary cat ears showing, curiously looking around.
The scene was both enthusiastic and touching.
However, as Linde's gaze swept quickly across the crowd, a hint of doubt quietly rose in his joyful heart, which then turned into a faint sense of disappointment.
That aloof, moon-like, focused, and rational figure was nowhere to be seen.
There was no longer that upright, spear-like, resolute, and loyal silhouette.
Alice and Leonis are not here.
"Perhaps the experiment reached a critical moment? Or was the patrol mission delayed?"
Linde suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, maintained a gentle smile, and waved to the people.
Amidst the cheers and jeers of the people who had been cheering them on, the procession finally arrived at the castle area.
The former small fortress has now been replaced by a sturdy stone castle that is taking shape. Although many details are still being improved, its grand future is already evident.
In the small square in front of the castle, the staff who stayed behind to welcome the guests were already waiting.
Linde dismounted and his gaze swept over a series of familiar faces.
Calvin and Eric strode forward, both looking energetic, especially Calvin, whose gray hair seemed to have gained a luster, his back straight, and his eyes sparkling with excitement and satisfaction.
"My lord! You've finally returned safely!" Calvin's voice trembled slightly.
“My lord, welcome home!” Eric remained as calm and reliable as ever, but the joy in his eyes was equally genuine.
The maid sisters, Jer and Jerlo, stood a little further back, their eyes red-rimmed. When they saw Lind looking over, they quickly curtsied and secretly wiped their eyes with their sleeves.
Behind them were guards and some familiar faces.
Then, Linde's gaze settled on two elderly men in the crowd.
“Butler Seth?! And… Old Dela?!” Lind’s voice was full of surprise as he strode forward.
The elderly butler, Seth, with his white hair and beard and dressed in impeccably starched clothes, bowed deeply with a kind and gratified smile on his face.
“Young master, this old servant is just sitting idly in the Earl’s territory anyway, so why not come here and continue to do my part for the Truk family?”
Beside him, the dwarf Della Stonecutter's signature booming voice rang out, as he forcefully pounded his thick chest, his beard trembling with laughter:
"Haha! Linde, you coward! Those cowards in the Earl's Territory are scared out of their wits by the cultists, and they're suspicious all the time! I find them annoying! I heard you're going to build a big castle here, so I came along! Your Blackrock Territory looks so rugged, it's to my liking!"
"That's great! This is really great!"
Linde was overjoyed.
Butler Seth's experience and loyalty to the Truk family were crucial for the castle's management, which was about to get on track; and the arrival of the legendary dwarven master craftsman, Old Dera, solved the territory's urgent needs for large-scale construction, fortifications, and possible future arms manufacturing! The core of the team was finally complete!
After exchanging pleasantries with everyone and calming their agitated emotions, he arranged for Nazra and her orc guards, as well as Astaire and others, to settle in. He also briefly shared his experiences from the journey before the crowd gradually dispersed.
The midday sun shines through the tall arched windows, casting warm dappled light onto the new stone surface of the castle's main hall.
Linde sat alone in his large, sturdy lord's chair, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the smooth armrests.
He was the only one left in the hall. The noise had faded away, leaving only a long-lost tranquility and an indescribable sense of emptiness.
The absence of Alice and Leonis was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in his heart.
"I need to go to Alice's place this afternoon."
Lind muttered to himself, his gaze drifting towards the direction of the magic hut outside the window.
"She's probably buried in her research again, and she can't even take care of something as important as my return... Leonis is probably with her too."
He knew Alice; once that research fanatic got into the zone, nothing could disturb her, not even the collapse of the sky.
As a guardian, Leonis would often stand by Alice's side when she conducted important experiments.
Without much rest, Linde got up and called Copperlight, who was leisurely chewing on beans in the stable.
The loyal steed seemed to sense its master's urgency, snorted, and energetically carried Lind, galloping briskly towards Alice's research area.
However, when Linde rode Copperlight along the familiar road and saw the scene before him, he suddenly tightened the reins, and Copperlight let out a surprised neigh and reared up.
"this……?!"
Linde's eyes widened instantly, his face filled with shock.
That cozy, even somewhat shabby, magic cottage from my memory has completely vanished!
In its place stands a small tower that rises from the ground, radiating a strong magical aura!
The tower is not a traditional brick and stone structure, but is made of a strange material that is dark gray and has a metallic luster. Its surface is covered with a ghostly blue energy circuit, like the blood vessels of a living body.
The base of the tower is unusually wide and thick, gradually tapering upwards to form a cone-shaped silhouette that combines a sense of power and mystery.
The entire tower resembled a giant, breathing magical creation, with the surrounding air slightly distorted by the presence of the magical field, emitting a low and rhythmic hum.
A powerful aura, a mixture of magical energy and crystalline magic, swept over us!
"How long has it been?"
Lind murmured, overwhelmed with shock.
When he left, Alice was still struggling with how to optimize the stability and energy output efficiency of the Crystal Core.
The Orc "Crystal Relic Cannon" blueprints he brought back were undoubtedly a treasure trove of knowledge, but how could Alice not only digest and absorb those complex technologies in such a short time, but also integrate them to build this novel magic tower before her?!
This efficiency is simply astonishing! This isn't just genius; it's a miracle of magical engineering!
Linde took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent emotions, dismounted, and tied the copper light to a tree outside the tower.
As he approached the tower, which radiated surging magical power, he could clearly feel the slight pulsation of the earth beneath his feet, as if the entire tower was connected to the ley lines of Blackrock Territory.
The tower door was tightly closed, made of the same material as the tower body, and etched with an even more intricate array of runes.
Lind reached out, his fingertips touching the cold metal door.
Buzz—!
A slight vibration was felt, and the runes on the door lit up instantly, a soft beam of light sweeping over Lind's entire body.
Immediately, a crisp "click" sound rang out, and the heavy metal door slid open silently, revealing a passage that shimmered with a ghostly blue light.
Linde stepped inside without hesitation.
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