Arthas forcefully released Locke's grip, his fingers flexing as if to shake off the lingering sensation of the other man's iron-like hold. His brow furrowed slightly, and he cast a sidelong glance at Edward, a mixture of irritation and cautious curiosity flickering in his gaze.
"Milord," he began, his tone edged with a hint of exasperation, "Where did you find this man?" he asked, his tone a mixture of irritation and curiosity.
Edward offered a wry smile at Locke's antics, reflecting on how the baron's boisterous personality had been both a source of camaraderie and chaos over the years.
Despite his rough edges, Locke's loyalty and skill in battle were unmatched, making him an indispensable ally, if sometimes a challenging companion.
"I'm sorry, lad," he said apologetically.
"I forgot to mention that Baron Locke enjoys playing with new acquaintances. I hope you can let this slide."
Arthas sighed but smiled back. "It's all good, Viscount. So, when do we set off toward the Southern Borders?"
Edward inwardly breathed a sigh of relief; he was glad to avoid any tension before the upcoming battle against the invaders.
"In a week's time," he replied.
"We'll march with the few hundred soldiers stationed here and meet up with the main army en route. "Reports suggest our force will comprise at least ten thousand Tier 1 Fighters," Edward began, pacing slightly as he spoke. "Five hundred Tier 2 Warriors and fifty Tier 3 Enhanced Warriors—yourself included, Arthas." He paused for emphasis, turning to face them. "Five Tier 4 Battle Masters, counting Locke and me." His voice took on a note of pride as he added, "And, as our trump card, one Tier 5 Mystic Warrior." Locke let out a low whistle. "A Mystic Warrior, huh? That's a game-changer," he remarked, his excitement barely contained. Edward's voice brimmed with pride and confidence.
Arthas's eyes widened in surprise, both at the numbers and the mention of the Mystic Warrior. "Who is this Mystic Warrior?" he asked eagerly.
Edward shook his head. "I don't know. We'll find out when we join the main army. The reports also suggest this war could last anywhere from a year to a decade, depending on the scale of the invasion."
Locke, his eyes gleaming with battlelust, interjected, "The longer, the better!" His massive stature and presence made it easy to believe he might have half-giant blood.
Arthas smirked and nodded. "Then we'll wait and see. Let's spar, Locke."
Locke grinned and accepted the challenge without hesitation.
Kane's Manor
In the library, Eleanor patiently taught Aldrich the Englush alphabet. The boy listened intently, his small hands resting on the table as he focused on her every word.
"Little Aldrich, it's getting late," Eleanor said gently, brushing her son's blonde hair. "We should continue tomorrow."
Aldrich nodded, standing up and offering his tiny hand to his mother. Eleanor chuckled softly at the gesture. "Thank you, little gentleman," she said warmly.
When they opened the library door, they found Marion and Bea waiting for them. Marion had chosen to gossip with Bea rather than join them inside.
Marion approached with a bounce in her step. "Mother," she began, "Bea told me her daughter is coming tomorrow. She asked if she can stay here temporarily."
Eleanor smiled at her daughter's hopeful expression, then turned to Bea, who was looking down nervously. "Of course. How old is your daughter, Bea?"
Bea replied softly, "She's a little younger than Young Master Aldrich. Her name is Anna."
Eleanor's voice was kind. "You don't need to be nervous, Bea. You've cared for Aldrich his whole life. You're family here."
Blushing slightly, Bea murmured, "Thank you, MAldrich."
Eleanor looked down at Aldrich, who was staring up at them. "Aldrich, you'll have a new playmate tomorrow. Be good to her, okay?" she said, ruffling his hair.
"Yes, Mama!" Aldrich replied enthusiastically. He then turned to Bea. "Help me wash up, Aunt Bea."
The three women exchanged smiles at the boy's endearing behavior. Bea patted his head, then looked at Eleanor, who nodded. Bea bowed slightly and said, "Let's go, Young Master."
After bathing and dinner, Aldrich lay on his small bed, staring at the glowing quest panel in his mind.
[NEW QUEST!]
[CHAIN QUEST: LEARN ALL FOUR LANGUAGES OF TELLUS]
[REWARDS]
HUMAN LANGUAGE - 1 SKILL POINT, 100 EXPERIENCE POINTS
DWARVEN LANGUAGE - 1 SKILL POINT, 100 EXPERIENCE POINTS
ORCISH LANGUAGE - 1 SKILL POINT, 100 EXPERIENCE POINTS
ELVISH LANGUAGE - 1 SKILL POINT, 100 EXPERIENCE POINTS
[ADDITIONAL REWARD] 1 KEYSTONE, 2 LOTTERY TICKETS, 1 WARD
Aldrich grinned as he read the quest details. Learning the Englush language would be a breeze, and the Dwarven language? Pfft, it was right there in the library—easy peasy. But his grin quickly turned into a grimace as he considered the other two tasks. Orcish? The language of their enemies? "Oh sure," he muttered under his breath, "just let me stroll into an academy or military base and ask for language lessons. That won't raise any red flags." And Elvish? "Might as well ask the king for his crown while I'm at it," he thought with an exaggerated eye roll. "Piece of cake."
He sighed dramatically, rubbing his small palms together with a mischievous smirk. 'But the rewards! A keystone, lottery tickets, and a ward? That's practically a loot goblin's dream. And who knows? Maybe I'll stumble into an ancient, forgotten library guarded by a sleepy dragon who just so happens to love sharing linguistics.' With the system's help, I'll figure it out. Maybe I'll charm my way in… or, worst case, sneak in like a pint-sized rogue.'
He glanced at his status panel, planning carefully. 'Let's face it: I'm going to need all the brainpower I've got. Good thing I'm adorable. Who could say no to this face?'
With his future plans in mind, Aldrich drifted off to sleep, dreaming of dictionaries and daring heists.
The next morning, Eleanor fetched Aldrich and bathed him herself. While she dried him, Aldrich asked, "Where's Aunt Bea?"
"Remember our conversation yesterday?" Eleanor said. "She's gone to fetch her daughter, Anna."
Aldrich's face lit up with recognition. "Oh, yeah!" he said. Then, with eager curiosity, he added, "Can we continue learning Englush today, Mama?"
Eleanor smiled and nodded. "After breakfast, my little scholar."