The food was finally served, and Arun along with Helian started eating the over-the-top lunch. The food was quite enjoyable for Arun himself. After eating roasted meat and boiled vegetable stew for so many days, this food came as fresh breath to him. The bread was simple, crunchy from the outside, and tender as the meat from the inside. As far as the meat and other things were concerned, he could tell that the meat being used here was of the best quality.
As far as his conversation with Helian was going, he understood that the man was not as stupid as he was letting him think he was. Since the conversation about Sonia, the man has been talking to him about the resistance and his purpose of visiting the small city. And the way that the City Lord talked about the resistance, it didnt feel like the person was useless City Lord as he had heard him to be. This man was smart, and everything else was just a facade…
"And you think that the forbidden island would be where the Barbarians are hiding?" Helian asked.
"I think so," he nodded, "Well… We would have seen some signs if their base was near a city or a dungeon. And it seems like the ideal place for the base to be, the island is pretty small.. Could be secured easily. And if there is a dungeon nearby, then it could essentially be paradise." From what Calux had told him, dungeons are present all over the continent. Most of them are not acquired by anyone, because they are located in the deep ends of the continent.
So, it was fair for him to assume that there might be a dungeon near the island.
"True," Helian nodded, "But there is no dungeon nearby,"
Arun got the hint, "Have you been there my lord?"
"No," Helian said, "But this mansion has records of a settlement being on that island. People used to live there, some hundreds of years ago. But as there was no dungeon nearby, they started having problems with essential amenities and such. Which is why Lando was born. A city close to the river, which also has a lot of dungeons nearby,"
"My lord," Arun asked seriously, "Is everything true… about what they say about the Forbidden Island?"
Helian chuckled, "The birthplace of Omeron, the Dread. That is what they call that place. I have heard a lot of tales of the island while growing up. And everyone is different than the other. But it is true what they say about the island. Its soil is as dark as the blackest sky. Nothing grows there, no tree nor a twig. As far as living there is concerned, the place is not poisonous. But no one likes to live in the place, which could literally scare the crap out of someone,"
"What about the beasts and monsters?"
"Nothing," Helian said, "Nothing goes there. Once, in my younger days, I was being chased by a pack of Werewolves and we got to the bank of the river. From the place where one could see that island. Those werewolves just ran away as they saw the island. And if monsters those strong could get scared from its sight, you can imagine what the real thing would be like." Arun nodded.
What the fuck are Werewolves? Are they the next evolutionary change of the Kobolds? Or is it some monster that I have not come across till now?
"So tell me Calux," Helian said, "What would you do if you find the Barbarian settlement there?"
"I would just come and report back." He said, "I am not a fighter sire, I am just a mere scout. Nothing more, nothing else," Helian nodded...
After they were done, the butler from before came and took their plates away. Helian then shook his hand and bid him farewell. As Helian left, a maid came and escorted him back to his guest room, where his washed clothes were neatly kept on his bed. Arun smiled wore them and resumed his journey once again…
***
Arun knew that he needed to have a certain tent or item that could help him sleep in the forest, otherwise he would be doomed. Which is why his brain took him to the local Adventurer Guild. His purpose was simple, he wanted to find out more about the dungeons that were nearby. He was thinking about raiding them alone. Or at least try to be part of a team, which would be raiding a dungeon in the near future.
Although Adventurer Guild doesn't give out information about the kinds of dungeons around the city, nor they give out location of those said dungeons. But if someone were to innocently ask a question about the quest, regarding the help needed in the dungeon raid, the employees of the guild are more than happy to help them. This is how Arun got the information about three dungeons located around the city.
Luckily, one of the dungeons is of goblins, and it lies while going towards the Forbidden Island. Luckily, the dungeon is supposed to be raided tomorrow, which meant that if he were to move today, he wouldn't find anyone around the place.
One another reason for choosing the said dungeon was because he knew that he could handle all the goblins that the dungeon could throw at him. Ever since that, he had leveled up, he thought that he wouldn't have any problem, especially against a goblin.
This is why, with enthusiasm and excitement, Arun gathered some supplies from the city and started moving towards the so-called Goblin Dungeon….