Regaleon: The Forgotten Knight

Chapter 124: Aureleah’s Probing

The rich aroma of roasted Scarlet Streak Antelope drifted peacefully through the clearing, mingling with the cool mist rising from the waterfall.

Fat slowly dripped from skewers suspended above the crackling fire, hissing loudly whenever it struck the dancing flames.

Beside them, a large clay pot simmered gently over another fire, sending fragrant wisps of steam into the cool morning air. The scent of tender meat, edible herbs, and wild roots spread throughout the camp, making the entire clearing feel strangely... homely.

The pot itself was a fairly recent creation.

At first, the group had grown accustomed to using Veyrath’s Cauldron whenever they wanted to prepare a proper meal. Unfortunately, the failed Alchemist had eventually reached the limit of his patience.

According to him, his Soul Essence was an alchemical relic not a cooking utensil. So after several days of watching everyone casually prepare soups and stews inside it, he had finally declared that no one would be using his cauldron for cooking ever again.

Naturally, since the Cauldron could only exist while he actively manifested it, the rest of the group had been forced to find another solution. And that solution had ultimately come from Kaeloris.

To everyone’s surprise, the failed Gnost possessed a surprising amount of knowledge regarding pottery.

While everyone else had struggled to understand how ordinary mud could somehow become a cooking vessel, Kaeloris had patiently shaped clay, baked it over intense heat, and eventually produced the sturdy pot now resting above the fire.

Ever since then, it had become the group’s primary cookware.

Truthfully, the experience had felt rather strange at first. Yet over time, it had also become strangely fascinating.

And, surprisingly it worked remarkably well.

Somehow preparing meals with little more than clay, firewood, fresh water, and whatever ingredients nature provided made every meal feel oddly rewarding as there was simply something about living so closely with nature that made one appreciate even the simplest comforts.

It was a feeling the eight of them experienced every single day... Well, whenever they weren’t busy worrying about wandering Animas or creatures that wished to eat them...

The soothing roar of the waterfall echoed endlessly across the clearing while the lake continued reflecting the blood-red sky above.

Compared to the desperate battle that had nearly claimed three lives only a few hours earlier, the atmosphere around the campfire felt remarkably peaceful.

The eight awakened youths sat around the fire in a rough circle with Aelric occupying the remaining space among them.

Even Veyrath had finally regained consciousness. Although, it had taken considerably more effort than anyone had anticipated.

Initially, Regaleon had tried waking him gently by repeatedly calling his name; but nothing happened...

Then Caelestra suggested splashing cold water across his face. When they did this, Veyrath merely smiled in his sleep, turned onto his side... And then continued sleeping.

Eventually, Valmyr lost his patience. The bulky youth had casually walked over before crouching beside the unconscious alchemist.

Then without saying a word, he pinched Veyrath’s nose shut...

Barely five seconds later, the auburn-haired youth shot upright with a loud gasp, wildly flailing his arms as he desperately searched for air...

Upon seeing his reaction, Valmyr immediately burst into booming laughter, uncaring about almost suffocating his companion to death.

The laughter was so loud and unrestrained that everyone else simply stared at him in complete silence.

Even Aureleah slowly closed her eyes for a brief moment, as though silently questioning why she had expected anything different from the resident idiot.

But ironically, Valmyr’s method had actually proven to be the kinder option. Because moments before he acted, Aureleah had quietly been preparing to wake Veyrath by striking several pressure points with the tip of her Dagger.

Needless to say, that would’ve been considerably more painful. So yes, in an oddly roundabout way, Valmyr had actually saved Veyrath from unnecessary suffering.

But unfortunately, the failed alchemist didn’t seem particularly grateful for it...

Fortunately, after discovering that the wound upon his back had already healed completely and learning that they had all survived the encounter with the Black Stalker, his mood had improved considerably...

However, even now... The memory of those moments caused Valmyr to chuckle to himself as he tore another generous piece of roasted meat from the skewer in his hand.

Across from him, Veyrath deliberately ignored the laughter. Instead, he absentmindedly rubbed the place where the knife had once pierced his back while continuing to eat.

For several peaceful minutes, only the sounds of chewing, crackling firewood and the distant waterfall filled the clearing.

Eventually, Aureleah placed aside the broad leaf she had been using as a plate...

Like many of the group’s recent inventions, it had been Kaeloris who suggested using large fig-like leaves as makeshift dishes after they began cooking with the clay pot.

Likewise, two carefully carved wooden sticks had served as crude chopsticks. The arrangement wasn’t exactly elegant... But it was functional.

After wiping her mouth with her sleeve, Aureleah slowly lifted her silver eyes toward Aelric. Once again, she quietly studied him...

Her expression was quite calm. Yet beneath that calm exterior, her thoughts had never stopped moving...

Regaleon had brought a complete stranger back to their camp. Also he had done so without caring about the slightest implications his actions could provoke and that alone spoke volumes about the amount of trust he had placed in Aelric.

And while Aureleah trusted Regaleon’s judgment enough to believe he wouldn’t recklessly endanger everyone... Trust itself didn’t necessarily erase caution.

Especially not within a place like the Nether Lands...

Her instincts had saved her life more times than she could count; and those same instincts had been quietly warning her ever since Aelric appeared.

This was not because he seemed openly hostile; or because he radiated killing intent. If anything, he appeared surprisingly approachable.

Instead, what unsettled her was something else entirely. Actually, everything about him was a mystery; his appearance, his strength, his timing and even the effortless pressure that seem to coil around him.

Most people would have dismissed those things as mere coincidences. But Aureleah never had.

She had spent too many years surviving through observation to believe in coincidences. Everything happened for a reason and whether that reason had yet revealed itself was another matter entirely.

She could tell that Aelric was hiding something. But what exactly... That she couldn’t say.

And that uncertainty alone was enough to make her both curious... And wary.

Finally deciding to satisfy at least part of that curiosity, she spoke.

"So Aelric. You haven’t really told us much about yourself..."

Her silver eyes remained fixed upon him as she continued. "Besides your name... What exactly brought you to the Nether Land? And how long have you actually been here?"

Around the campfire, everyone subconsciously turned toward Aelric the instant Aureleah voiced out those questions.

The green-eyed youth paused halfway through eating before slowly lifting his head.

He looked toward Aureleah, then smiled faintly...

"Honestly, I had a feeling you were eventually going to ask me about that. However, I just didn’t expect it to happen this soon."

Aureleah didn’t respond. She simply waited.

And seeing that she had no intention of backing down, Aelric shrugged lightly before responding.

"Very well." He leaned back slightly. "Actually, I’ve been in the Nether Lands far longer than most people..."

A brief pause followed before he continued.

"To be precise... This is my sixth year walking this Lands."

There was silence as no one reacted almost immediately...

Valmyr absentmindedly nodded while chewing another mouthful of roasted meat.

"Wow..." He swallowed. "That’s actually not as long as I expected."

He casually reached toward another skewer before mumbling through a mouthful.

"You know, we’ve only been here for a week... And honestly, it already feels like we’ve spent years wandering this place. So for you to say six yea..."

His hand suddenly froze halfway. His eyes widened, then slowly... Very slowly, he turned toward Aelric.

"...Hold on." His voice came out much quieter this time. "I’m sorry. But did you just say you’ve stayed here for six years?!"

Aelric simply shrugged before taking another bite of meat. "That’s right. Six years."

Valmyr stared blankly at him. For several long seconds, the failed Vanguard genuinely wondered if he had somehow misheard.

"As in..." He pointed uncertainly at Aelric. "Six... actual... years?"

He said, his voice rising several octaves as he sought the confirmation to what he had just heard...