The journey from the Phantasmic Forest to the capital of the Resa Empire wasn't particularly long, yet for two travelers on foot, it was far from a short stroll. Fortunately, Chris was accustomed to hard labor, which made the trek manageable.
"Chris, let's take a break," Terry El suggested.
He retrieved a few buns from his spatial ring and handed them to Chris before taking the opportunity to enter his summoning space.
Having navigated the space a few times, Terry quickly located the barracks. Strangely, the camp was deserted except for a burly man pacing near its entrance.
"Hey there, big guy, what are you up to?" Terry called out.
The man glanced at him, sighed deeply, and shook his head.
What's going on here? Terry was puzzled by the man's reaction.
"Come on, tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help?" Terry pressed.
"Ah, young one, don't bother yourself. Strange as it seems, this entire camp is eerily empty," the man lamented.
Terry's eyebrows furrowed. *Does this guy even realize he's just a summoned entity?*
"This barracks belongs to me, you know. So, what exactly is your business here?" Terry asked firmly.
The man narrowed his eyes skeptically. "Yours? Don't jest, boy. Such claims might cost you dearly."
Terry sighed, clearly exasperated. "Why don't you start by telling me who you are and what you're doing here? It'll save us both some trouble."
The man's expression darkened, his voice gruff. "Name's not important. Listen, every month someone like you shows up, spouting similar nonsense. I'll check back in six months and explain everything then."
Frustrated, Terry turned and left, leaving the man standing there, visibly confused. A few steps away, Terry paused, a sly grin on his face.
"By the way, you might want to steer clear of the area over there. If it scares you to death, that's on you."
Without waiting for a response, he exited the summoning space.
Back in the real world, Chris had finished her meal. Seeing Terry's sour expression, she wisely kept quiet and followed him as he resumed walking. After some time, Terry's mood began to lift. It wasn't Chris's fault, after all—there was no point venting his frustration on her.
As the road stretched endlessly ahead, an idea occurred to Terry. Opening the summoning space again, he called out Eiko.
"Eiko, the place we need to get to is quite far. Can you carry us there?" he asked.
Eiko, eager for some fresh air, nodded enthusiastically. Summoning another zombie for added support, Terry climbed onto Eiko's back, albeit reluctantly.
Despite his initial hesitation, the speed exceeded his expectations. In less than half a day, they reached the outskirts of the Resa Empire's capital. After sending Eiko back to the summoning space, Terry and Chris approached the city gates.
Chris let out a relieved sigh, gently patting her chest. The experience had been exhilarating. For someone who had spent her youth burdened with heavy responsibilities, this brief flight offered a rare and thrilling escape.
Once inside the city, Terry headed straight for the Mercenary Guild.
Behind the reception desk was the familiar face of Old Riley, who did a double take upon seeing Terry.
*Back so soon?* the old man thought, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. While Riley noticed Terry wasn't carrying anything unusual, his gaze fell on the spatial ring on the boy's finger. His heart skipped a beat.
The insignia on that ring—it belonged to the Guildmaster himself.
Riley stood abruptly, delegating his tasks to another staff member. His tone turned deferential. "Ah, Terry El! What a pleasure to see you again. Have you come to submit another task?"
Terry grinned. "Indeed, I'm in dire need of money, old man."
"Please, call me Riley. Come with me," the elder insisted, leading Terry to a private room reserved for VIPs. The other mercenaries in the hall watched enviously as the two disappeared behind the exclusive door.
Inside the room, Riley handed Terry a gold card. "From now on, you may submit your tasks here. This card allows you to withdraw funds from any guild across the continent."
Terry stared at the card in awe. *A universal gold card? So they do have bank cards in this world. Looks like I won't have to worry about carrying cash anymore.*
Riley smiled warmly. "Now then, Terry, what task are you submitting today?"
"Oh, right. This." Terry retrieved the Phantasmic Flower seeds from his ring, pouring half of them onto the table.
Riley's jaw dropped as the seeds spilled out, covering the table. It took him several moments to regain his composure. "Phantasmic Flower seeds... My heavens, so many of them!"
For Riley, the decision to bring Terry into the VIP fold felt increasingly wise. Yet little did he know that an even greater surprise awaited—one that would soon send shockwaves across the continent.