The two of them shared pleasantries for a while and were quite free with each other. Maybe it was because they had both saved each other from dire circumstances, none of them really knew.
Rastel was interested in her gun but held back his curiosity for now as they both approached the beast. He bent low and reach for the neck to remove the immortal's blade that was lodged there.
It came out with a sharp tug and he used a water stream spell to wash it off and put it back into his inventory.
"A mage who uses a knife?" Roxanne asked inquisitively.
"It's a long story" Rastel sighed quietly.
Turning to the beast, his eyes sparkled a bit. They could get a significant amount of money from selling this carcass to the right channels. Something this powerful would be useful for its fur, meat and bones.
"I'll keep it in my inventory, there's a town about a day's distance from here. We can sell it for a good price" Roxanne sent the beast carcass to her inventory with a few taps.
Rastel just silently nodded before they both walked back to the location of the carriage.
After walking for a few minutes, she broke the silence with a question.
"What level are you?" her large eyes blinked at him.
Looking at her, Rastel couldn't help but give a small smile as he replied.
"Level 11…."
"Ehn? So you're a noob!" she cut in surprise.
"Cough! Cough! What!? Who said I'm a noob?"
"Hah…. So he was just a noob…. How disappointing!"
"Fuck….. I am being looked down on. What level are you then, your lordship?" he fired back sarcastically.
"Level 25" a smug answer came back at him.
"....."
"Hey noob?"
"...…"
"Noob, hey? Are you okay?"
"...…"
"Remember to call me super expert miss from now on"
"What does that name even mean?" he broke from his pain and started laughing.
They reached their location while laughing and exchanging banter.
Seeing the two of them coming back safe and sound, there was a collective sigh of relief from the group and Myra quickly came out to meet them.
"Hero!" she jumped into his arms.
Rastel patted her head with a smile as she let go before signaling to the burly man who rode the cart that they could move on.
"You will be joining us then?" Rastel extended an invitation to Roxanne who had stood back the entire time.
"Sure!" she replied as she came forward.
"Then up the cart you go"
He pointed up with a shameless look before bounding across the driver's seat to the top of the cart and seating comfortably with his legs crossed.
Roxanne blinked her eyes for a bit before taking a step forward and with one amazing leap, reached the top of the cart and landed right beside him.
Rastel stared at her in a daze as the move was really impressive.
She looked at him with a smug look as she pointed out.
"I am a level 25 rouge"
He sighed as he heard this piece of information. For a class known with thieves and assassins, acrobatic movement was their core ability.
They quickly resumed their travel immediately everybody was ready and the horse trot forward slowly. Rastel gathered up the books he left on the cart and took them back into his inventory only leaving one that dealt with the geography and political powers of the continent.
Opening it up, he was about to stat reading when Roxanne stayed his hand.
"You're reading up on geography?" she asked him.
"It's part of AOM's lore, it would be interesting to know wouldn't it?" he nodded a bit enthusiastically.
"Wait…." He suddenly paused.
He looked at Roxanne with mischievous eyes and she suddenly found herself becoming wary.
"Super expert miss Roxanne, you wouldn't mind just telling me, right? I am sure a super expert miss like you knows everything there is to know about the continent. Surely a super expert miss like yourself has already traveled it all and seen it all, super expert miss?"
She laughed merrily as he said this with tears coming out of her eyes
"Just call me Roxy from now on!" she giggled as she tried to stifle her laughter.
She suddenly wore a solemn face and took on the airs of an expert.
"Well since my junior noob has requested it, I can't decline. I will share a bit of my boundless knowledge with you"
"Thank you very much, O venerable super knowledgeable miss"
Rastel took a relaxed position as he laid down on the moving cart with his hands behind his head and prepared to listen to her.
"I said call me Roxy" she gave him a playful smack on the head.
'Ow!' he rubbed his head silently.
"There are five continents in the world of AOM in case you didn't know. The one we are currently on is called Evafall. There are a couple of islands here and there with significant powers and civilizations but that's another matter entirely."
Rastel nodded his head as he listened to her. He hadn't noticed it before but she had a slight accent that he couldn't quite recognize, it was extremely pleasant to the ears though as her voice was soft and even a bit seductive.
"This continent is mostly dominated by humans, although there are other races that have made it their home, humanity as a race still holds sway here. And on that note, the most powerful force is obviously the Dragon Empire."
She stretched her legs on the rather wide carriage top as she also got comfortable.
"The Epilus canyons splits the continent nearly in two from southeast to northwest with the southern end spilling into the ocean and the northern end stopping just at the boundary of the Ludos forest range which also spans throughout the entire north trickling down south through many subsidiary forests, which are all seen as part of the massive forest."
Roxanne stared at the passing scenery and took a deep breath of fresh air before continuing.
"With these natural boundaries, the Dragon empire has taken over basically the entire western portion of the continent. That is how powerful they are!"
Rastel's eyes widened at this. Taking over an entire half of a continent?
"Granted they share it with two other powers and that is only because it wouldn't be worth the trouble to conquer them. A kingdom of draconians and the massive beastman settlement in charge of the continent's temple of the gods."
'Draconians?' Rastel's eyes widened as he heard this part. This was a race he was interested in.
"The draconians boast a powerful military might and because they aren't war mongers despite their strength, they have a tactic respect with every race. It is said that even demons avoid them."
"As for the beastmen, no one would be stupid enough to attack a major settlement in the first place. And even if you developed the confidence to, offending the gods by attacking the temple would definitely lead to a miserable end."
The gods in AOM were active beings with insurmountable power. They were normally dormant but within the three in game years that players have spent, they had seen more than enough signs to prove their existence.
"On the eastern side of the continent, the most notable landmark is the eastern mountain range which borders the edge of the continent. Apart from the countless sects and clans that occupy the mountains and the plains that surround them, it is also home to the dwarven kingdom of Avalan."
"Of course, there is also the kingdom of Gorm which borders the canyons, the kingdom of Aysver to the southern beaches, the kingdom of Lelam which borders the Ludos mountain range to the north and then the free city of Wayfore."
She quickly listed off a bunch of names and Rastel had to pay close attention to remember them all.
"We are in Gorm right now, Aysver is a beautiful little kingdom to the south, Lelam is a kingdom with a variety of races within and the dwarven kingdom of Avalam is built into the stones of the eastern mountain range and is absolutely magnificent!"
Her eyes sparkled as she mentioned the dwarven city. Rastel looked at her curiously and remembered she said she was a steampunk enthusiast. The dwarven city probably held a lot of charm for her.
"The free city of Wayfore is a massive walled city that exists in the plains of the east. It belongs to no kingdom and is said to be ruled by a council which oversees its protection and prosperity. Most players in the Evafall continent reside there"
Rastel knew of the free city previously so he didn't inquire too much about it. As a city that was dominated by the player base, it had popped up in the news more than once or twice.
"There are countless powerful sects and clans not only in the east but in the entire continent as a whole as well as other powerful organizations. Then there is the infamous elven queendom that exists deep into the Ludos forest and dominates the entire forest range."
Rastel's interest was rekindled by this, he hadn't forgotten all the old man had told him previously so he asked her for more info.
"Can you tell me more about the queendom?"
"Hmm.... well as a kingdom of wood elves, they wield absolute power within the forest. All animals and magic beasts alike are usually friendly to residents of the queendom and the forest itself is said to have mystical qualities."
Roxanne combed through her hair with her fingers as she stared in thought.
Rastel was deeply intrigued by such qualities. It couldn't really be a case of a world tree, right?
"As a matriarchal race, they are ruled by a queen who herself is said to be immensely powerful and feared. She is even referred to as 'The mad queen' by outsiders. It is said that even the Dragon empire doesn't dare invade the forest range."
This kind of power, doesn't that make them the true overlord of this continent?
"But those are only rumors though, no one really knows how it is."
She turned to look at the relaxing thoughtfully nodding muan and then gave out a knowing smile.
"Since I have satisfied your curiosity, I think you owe me the pleasure too."
"Hmm? What's that?" he hummed back lazily.
"Why is the famous wanted man, the 'sleeping beauty', just lazing about on top of a cart in the middle of nowhere?"
Rastel felt his heart freeze at the question.