More than half an hour had passed since the team resumed their journey. The childish temper of Luo Taran had long since faded, and she had forgotten the earlier discomfort. However, despite her boredom and curiosity about Punk, every time she wanted to ask him a question, she would be met with his intense concentration on his book. His deep and cold blue eyes would suddenly flash in her memory, causing her to retract her head in shock and mutter to herself:
"Ignore this bad guy!"
It's often said that a man looks most handsome when he is serious. This holds true even in the multiverse. I have to admit that Punk, with half the blood of the ancient elves, was genuinely handsome. His ethereal and profound beauty was exactly the type that could strike a young girl like Luo Taran deeply. As time passed, she found herself staring at Punk's profile for longer than she realized.
But Punk, fully immersed in his study of magic, completely ignored the curious gaze of the young girl and her tender, blushing face.
After several days of war and then a few more days of escape, Punk, sitting in the carriage, finally got to enjoy the comfort of the leather seat after a long time. There were no more howls of wild animals, and he could finally focus on studying Menezi's legacy to satisfy his curiosity.
As for the little girl who kept staring at him? Punk didn't even spare her a glance.
In Menezi's spell notes, there were a few low-level potion formulas, but the majority of the pages detailed two types of spells: life element spells from the plastic energy system, and kinetic energy spells from the conjuration system. Perhaps because Menezi was a life-energy mage, his records on life element spells were particularly detailed. Unfortunately, these spells weren't Punk's focus; his main practice centered on ether.
While the life element spells served as reference material for Punk, it was the kinetic energy spells that truly captured his interest. These spells, though ancient, demanded extremely precise control from the caster and were difficult to master. However, their flexibility and low power consumption were advantages that Punk found irresistible. Moreover, they were pure conjuration spells, aligning perfectly with his focus on ether. With the assistance of his system, Punk was confident that the difficulty of learning and controlling these spells would not pose a problem. Thus, he decided that his next spell research would center on kinetic spells.
Menezi's expertise was undeniable. As Punk read through the notes, he discovered many valuable insights. The power of formal-level spells was evident, but their complexity far surpassed that of ordinary apprentice-level spells. Even with the help of his system, Punk still found many of the concepts obscure. These unique notes frequently gave him inspiration, guiding him whenever he found himself stuck in a conceptual blind spot.
Time passed quickly during the study of magic. Unnoticed, the afternoon drifted away, and the sun sank beneath the horizon as night quietly settled in.
The convoy stopped behind a leeward rock, and the soldiers began setting up tents and preparing to cook.
The soldiers' food was simple—a mixture of boiled water and dry rations, stirred into a light yellow paste, with a few grass leaves added for decoration.
Luo Taran, the old housekeeper, and the trainee warriors, however, enjoyed a better meal. Their bowls contained fragrant bread, carefully marinated dried meat, and a bowl of vegetable soup for nutrition.
Punk's food was slightly more elaborate than theirs. He had fresh white bread, along with jerky coated in a thick layer of honey.
When Luo Taran personally brought the meal to Punk, he was mildly hungry and did not hesitate. As usual, he tested the food for poison with an aristocratic air before slowly tasting it.
In the world of Faerûn, fearing the strong was only natural.
While eating dinner, Punk listened to the old butler's report about Dolazi City and the caravan. This allowed him to gain a clearer understanding of the city.
First, the city lord of Dolazi was a powerful noble. The city itself, along with the surrounding spice farms, belonged to his domain. However, the official-level powerhouse protecting the city was actually a dwarf warrior.
Dolazi City was somewhat isolated, located within a mountainous and hilly region with inconvenient transportation. Yet it prospered thanks to its spice production.
There were also 126 small towns surrounding Dolazi City, all closely connected to the main city. These towns had excellent trade routes and supplied nearly half of the spice consumed in the region.
The old butler had nothing to hide from Punk, so Punk eventually learned that their journey was an attempt to find opportunities to revitalize the declining Minohorn family.
Although Punk was not particularly optimistic about this small caravan—a group consisting of a tsundere young lady, a somewhat corrupt old butler, and an honest soldier—he still began forming ideas of his own.
At present, Punk could easily refine apprentice-level potions. Once he found a quiet place to continue studying spells, selling these potions could provide a steady source of income. After all, the alchemy teacher in Dolazi City would hardly be able to compete with his abilities.
But Punk had no interest in personally handling sales or promotion. What he needed was a spokesperson—someone who could sell the potions without hesitation.
And now… wasn't there a perfect candidate right in front of him?
The Minohorn family possessed almost no real power, which made them easy to control. Although Luo Taran was impulsive and not particularly clever, that was precisely what made her suitable. She was straightforward, which meant things would remain simple.
Punk glanced at Luo Taran, who had already fallen asleep. According to the noble customs of Faerûn, it was considered impolite for the host to leave before the guest. As a result, a sleepy and confused Luo Taran had been forced to remain awake by the campfire until well past midnight. Eventually, however, exhaustion claimed her, and she drifted into sleep.
Punk gestured to the old butler, signaling him not to wake the young lady. Then he stood up, left his seat, and walked toward the tent assigned to him. (Poor Taran and the little maid had to share a tent.)
Punk had already made up his mind.
Once they approached Dolazi City, he would discuss cooperation with them seriously.
Meanwhile, Luo Taran, completely unaware that she had just become a pawn in Punk's grand scheme, slept soundly in the arms of the little maid. Beneath the light of the dark blue moon, her long red ponytail shimmered like silk.