Translator: CinderTL
It was late, and the boatmen had already retired for the night, forcing Roland to walk home.
By the time he finished his simple ablutions and collapsed onto his soft bed, the night was deep.
The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the window lattice, Roland slowly opened his eyes.
The significant increase in his mental attribute had banished all traces of fatigue, and he rose from bed almost immediately.
"Good morning, Joe."
"Good morning, Roland."
Hearing his name, Red Squirrel Joe, who was standing by the window breathing in the fresh air, waved his furry little paw in response.
Compared to his time in the Blackwater Territory, Joe had visibly plumped up, likely due to his more comfortable life. With his fluffy fur, he could easily be mistaken for a small kitten from a distance.
During these peaceful days in the River Domain Nations, Joe had gradually lowered his guard and grown comfortable around Theresa, Bronson, Hoby, and the others.
The bard Galvis, in particular, loved to tease him with various treats, filling the once-quiet courtyard with laughter.
As a result, Roland hadn't been keeping Red Squirrel Joe by his side as usual, instead leaving him in the courtyard under the care of the others.
However, Joe always maintained an inexplicable wariness toward the elf girl Avril.
Through the Animal Companion trait, Roland could even sense a faint aversion toward Avril in Joe's thoughts.
The red squirrel himself couldn't explain the source of this aversion; he simply subconsciously avoided the elf girl during their daily play sessions.
This left Avril, who adored small animals, feeling quite disappointed.
"Whew..."
Only when the "whispers" of the surrounding materials gradually subsided did Roland finally exhale deeply and stretch his body.
Material Empathy was indeed powerful, but this sudden acquisition of the ability meant he hadn't yet fully adapted to it.
Just as he was putting on his clothes, preparing to head to the kitchen to make breakfast, an odd sensation seized him.
He realized that within the room, besides the Mithril Longsword beside him, another presence was emitting an exceptionally "loud" "voice."
Following that perception, Roland's gaze eventually settled on the red squirrel Joe, who was sprawled lazily on the wooden table.
"This is..."
Roland's pupils constricted, and he nearly gasped aloud.
After testing his Material Empathy on the patrolling guards last night, Roland had discovered that the ability worked as its name suggested: it was highly effective on inanimate "materials" like wood and metal, but its perception of living beings was blurry, sometimes even nonexistent.
Yet now, he could clearly sense a torrent of Magic Element, as abundant as a river, surging within little squirrel Joe's body.
What shocked him even more was the squirrel's affinity for the fire element, as if they were naturally symbiotic.
This innate, powerful elemental affinity even made his prized Mithril Longsword pale in comparison.
"How is this possible...?"
Roland frowned deeply, stepped forward, and carefully scooped Joe into his palm, examining him closely.
But no matter how he looked, Joe appeared to be an ordinary Red Squirrel, showing no physiological abnormalities compared to others of his kind.
"What's wrong, Roland?"
Seeing the grave expression on Roland's face, Joe scratched his furry head with a paw, his eyes filled with confusion.
"Nothing..."
After scrutinizing Joe for a while longer and still finding no external anomalies, Roland shook his head gently.
After placing the squirrel back on the table, Roland's thoughts drifted back to their first encounter.
The shadowy depths of the dense forest.
The mysterious dragon bone.
And the rapid decay that had overtaken the forest after the bone was taken away.
Could it be... the influence of that dragon bone?
Remembering Joe's extraordinary intelligence for an animal, Roland formed a bold hypothesis.
Could a mere fragment of dragon bone affect the ecology of an entire region?
Recalling his encounter with the terrifying giant dragon in Mist Creek Town, Roland gained a deeper understanding of the sheer magnitude of its power.
Looking at the vibrant little creature before him, Roland began to re-evaluate his Material Empathy ability for the first time.
Joe, by all appearances, seemed utterly unrelated to cold, lifeless "materials."
"Uh... Roland?"
Seeing a hint of anxiety in the Red Squirrel's eyes, Roland immediately relaxed his expression and gently stroked its furry head.
No matter how strong Joe's elemental affinity might be, Roland could never bring himself to treat this little companion as mere "material" for crafting tools.
Pushing aside his tangled thoughts, Roland led Joe into the kitchen.
As the cooking smoke curled upward, a lavish breakfast was soon laid out on the table.
At Roland's call, Galvis and the others gradually gathered around the table and began to enjoy breakfast.
"Theresa..."
Roland noticed the silver-haired woman's noticeably thinner face. As he added some food to her plate, he said softly, "You've already grown very strong. There's no need to rush."
"I understand. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Roland," Theresa replied with a gentle smile. After gracefully taking a bite of her food, she asked, "Mr. Roland, Galvis mentioned yesterday that you wanted to speak with me about something?"
"Hey! Theresa! That's not fair!" Galvis immediately protested, interrupting before Roland could answer. "Why do you call him 'Mr. Roland' but address me by my first name?"
Having grown accustomed to the bard's eccentric nature over their long companionship, no one paid any attention to his complaint.
"Well, it's like this..." Roland ignored Galvis's resentful glare and set down his knife and fork. "I recall that when you first arrived in the River Domain Nations, you traveled on Captain Trevor's ship and passed through the Howling Gorge, correct?"
"That's right," Theresa murmured, gently tucking a stray strand of silver hair behind her ear. Her voice grew somber.
"It's not a pleasant place..."
Her gaze seemed to pierce through the dining table, drifting back to the treacherous waters etched in her memory. A subtle weight settled in her voice.
"It's a narrow waterway squeezed between towering, nearly vertical black cliffs, as cold and dark as a tomb."
"The seawater churns and roars within, so constricted that large ships dare not venture in. Submerged reefs and jagged rock pillars, like underwater fangs, litter the channel. A single misstep could mean shipwreck and death. However..."
Her tone shifted.
"Once you enter the Howling Gorge's interior, the currents gradually calm, and the reefs and debris vanish, leaving the waters eerily smooth. But..."
She paused.
"Though the Mistland—the fog-shrouded border region of the River Domain Nations—lies some distance away, it's clearly visible from within the gorge. That place... it gives me a very uneasy feeling."
"I understand," Roland said, nodding slightly as he processed Theresa's description. He then asked, "Do you think there are any places within the Howling Gorge suitable for large-scale concealment?"
"Concealment?"
Though she didn't understand why Roland was asking, Theresa paused to consider before answering.
"Along the rocky cliffs on both sides, there are numerous caves situated at varying heights above sea level. There are also several solid landmasses that jut out from the sea surface as if suspended in mid-air..."
Recalling those somewhat incongruous platforms, she frowned slightly and continued, "So there are many places to hide. In fact, when we passed through, Captain Trevor even spotted some docked ships and signs of human activity, but we weren't attacked."
Before she could finish, the bard beside her raised his eyebrows triumphantly.
Roland, meanwhile, tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table.
Amidst the soft tap-tap sounds, his mind raced.
"In other words, the only real challenge in entering Howling Gorge is safely navigating the treacherous waterway at the entrance, which is riddled with hidden reefs and jagged rock pillars. Once you're inside..."
Combining Theresa's description with his own assessment, Roland made up his mind. He then laid out his plan to eradicate the pirates in detail.
Seeing that Theresa and Galvis had no objections, he quickly finished his meal, chewing each bite thoroughly before swallowing. He rose and headed for the door.
Although Theresa's information was already quite detailed, Roland decided to have Hoby dispatch a few of the most experienced crew members to conduct a thorough reconnaissance of the waters surrounding Howling Gorge.
For him, every adventure carried unknown risks, and no amount of caution was excessive.
Moreover, gathering the necessary supplies for the expedition to Howling Gorge would take time.
Since the gorge wasn't too far from the capital, by the time the reconnaissance crew returned with more detailed intelligence, the supplies should be ready, ensuring no delays.
With these thoughts in mind, Roland quickened his pace, heading toward the Knight Academy.
(End of the Chapter)
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