Chapter 2209: The Poet and the Knight (1w1)_3
Chapter 2209: The Poet and the Knight (1w1)_3
Do not pursue truths that are clearly beyond your capacity to explore; this is a virtue all explorers must abide by.
Time passed by with the crackling of the furnace, the hubbub of the tavern, and the ethereal notes of the music. As the banquet drew to a close, the Ballad Poet’s melody wound down, transitioning to the most familiar tune for adventurers in Northern Terra, ’Tyr’s Far Gaze.’
This ballad, which originated from Yanjiang, later spread widely across Northern Terra. With many variations, it’s almost a local song everywhere, but the praise of a pioneer named Tyr remains unchanged.
In the distant wilderness era, people were trapped around their settlements, surrounded by fierce beasts, poisonous insects, and harsh weather. They lacked resources, land, water, and all essentials for survival. Initially just a farmer’s son, Tyr built a high platform from soil and gazed beyond the wild mist and shadows. He spotted green beyond the grey and black and led his family across the wilderness, through countless dangers and trials, obtaining ancient treasures, and finally reached a new grassland, using the wealth from the treasure to build Freudon, the City of the South.
In the Ballad Poet’s melodious song, Tyr crossed the wilderness and mountains time and again, becoming a symbol of adventure, exploration, pioneering, and courage. It is the prelude to adventurers’ departures and the final Chapter of the celebratory feast upon their return.
Each region’s ’Tyr’s Far Gaze’ includes different adventures and elements due to local Ballad Poets. In the snowfield region, Tyr had to cross snowy mountains, discover treasures within ice layers, and protect himself during migrations of colossal beasts. In regions near the sea, Tyr had to traverse devouring mudflats, avoid hunting crocodragons along rivers, and finally discover treasure at the spring’s source... All in all, discovering treasure.
This time, the white-haired Ballad Poet sang of Tyr crossing mountains and delving into an unnamed cave deep within the woods, ultimately discovering treasure in the underground labyrinth.
The adventurers of White Pigeon Town immediately recognized this exclusive ’Tyr’s Far Gaze’ of Ushetaraf Mountain Range, bursting into laughter as the atmosphere intensified.
"These Ballad Poets sure are good at making things up. They’ve never been to the labyrinth but sing as if they’re right there!"
The Seaborn Armored Guard laughed heartily. As a rare Seaborn Earth Ascender, his favorite activity was exploring caves deep in the mountains. He’s always proud of his achievements and experiences, naturally holding little regard for these Ballad Poets who earn money by retelling tales they’ve never truly experienced.
The others nodded slightly, some indifferent—why bicker with the Ballad Poets, after all? With such a multitude of legendary stories on Terra, could those authors really have lived through them?
The reasoning holds, hence after a brief complaint, the Seaborn Armored Guard began drinking with the Tiger-man Psychokineticist next to him.
Only the Dwarf Bowyer suddenly froze.
—No, it can’t be.
More familiar with Ushetaraf Mountain Range and its labyrinths than anyone else, the Dwarf Bowyer, native to White Pigeon Town and dedicated since youth to exploring Ninasu Abyss, could confirm those exploration details sung by the Ballad Poet weren’t unfounded but rather the real deal!
He knew things that far exceeded everyone’s imagination!
"Danjilin District, unnamed hollow—I remember it was supposed to be the tribe’s secret labyrinth entrance. However, the accessible area isn’t of high value. As the Ballad Poet said, behind the ’Land of Proliferating Root Systems,’ a wall was merely covered, pinned by the roots of great trees."
"But during the harshest winter, the roots contract, allowing the secret door in the wall to be opened directly, leading straight to the ’treasure’ near the labyrinth’s core!"
In an instant, the Dwarf Bowyer’s heart raced. Outsiders could never know about their tribe’s numerous secret entrances. Even without considering those labyrinth exploration details that seemed random to outsiders, just how the poet knew about the secret entrance deserved investigation!
Thus, during the banquet, he discreetly signaled something to his companions, who paused in confusion, eyebrows furrowing yet responding one by one.
The banquet ended, and six men departed. After some time, the tavern changed shifts, and the white-haired Ballad Poet collected his instrument, left with his black kitten, and ice fairy, followed by a tall Knight.
They didn’t return to the inn but set off towards the Free Camp outside town, where most cash-strapped adventurers gathered, the only issue being winter burying the site under snow, causing adventurer count inflows to White Pigeon Town to plummet each winter.
Within the woodlands flanking their path to Free Camp, five pairs of eyes (the Puppet Master being one-eyed) closely watched the Ballad Poet and Knight.
—An old man, a poet, an unawakened little fairy, and a magical beast pet.
—Just make sure not to anger the fairy; if someone finds out we killed an almost-intelligent fairy, we’ll be taken to Falling Star City for garden mulch.
—That old guy looks tough.
—Still, tough—is he more formidable than Crystal Insectoids? We still managed to best a dozen near the Third Energy Level!