"Mr. Roland, are you saying... you want to go hunt that Bear Goblin?"

In the warm inn room, upon hearing Roland’s plan, Teresa’s fingers subconsciously stroked the hilt of the sword at her waist.

"That’s right."

Roland nodded calmly, meeting her worried gaze.

"But this is just a proposal. Whether we ultimately go or not depends entirely on the information you and Avril bring back."

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of undeniable determination.

"After all, continuing to take on quests from the Adventurer’s Guild to clear out common Demons is no longer helping me improve my strength."

The real reason for hunting the Bear Goblin was, of course, to complete the requirements for the [Apprentice Knight] Profession.

However, even though their relationship was already quite good, there was no way Roland would reveal the secret of his Professional Panel to his companions.

Fortunately, his excuse of wanting to improve his strength sounded perfectly reasonable and didn’t arouse anyone’s suspicion.

After all, over the past month, Roland’s obsessive pursuit of Power was plain for all to see.

In their spare time, Teresa liked to hunt for delicacies in the town’s markets and taverns, while Avril would often curl up in bed, enjoying some precious sleep.

As for Galvis...

This Minstrel had a rather peculiar hobby.

He was passionate about using his silver tongue to hang around in taverns, peddling his wildly imaginative, fabricated stories to the patrons.

Only Roland would take his weapon and either hone his Combat Skills alone in a secluded spot or head straight for the local training grounds to find someone to spar with.

Seeing that no one questioned his excuse, Roland breathed a quiet sigh of relief. His gaze swept over everyone present, carefully studying the subtle changes in their expressions.

The worry in Teresa’s eyes was obvious.

In sharp contrast was Avril by the window. She toyed with the gleaming Dagger in her hand, gave a slight nod, then pressed a finger to her lips and fell into thought.

And Galvis...

"Oh! By the gods!"

A dramatic cheer rang out. The Minstrel almost instinctively strummed the strings of the Harp he held, his voice suddenly rising in pitch.

"A ferocious Demon appears out of nowhere, only to be cut down by a passing young hero..."

It was as if he had instantly fallen into a Heroic Epic of his own weaving, muttering to himself until his words culminated in a passionate declaration.

"Now that’s a feat worthy of a hero! Roland, I support you! We’ll set out first thing tomorrow morning and finish off that Bear Goblin for good!"

Before the words were even out of his mouth, the Minstrel had tossed aside his Harp, quickly pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill, and begun to write frantically, capturing the gushing inspiration.

"Galvis..."

Roland looked at the unusually excited Minstrel, feeling quite surprised.

During their month-long journey, Galvis had always complained that Minstrels weren’t suited for combat, only ever willing to provide support from the edge of the battlefield.

What was even more memorable was that he asked almost every day when they could return to the Royal Capital, his weariness with this adventure plain for all to see.

Roland gently patted the Minstrel’s shoulder, interrupting his frantic scribbling.

Seeing the excited glint in the other man’s eyes, he shook his head with a resigned sigh and reminded him,

"Aren’t you afraid the Bear Goblin will smack your scrawny body flat as a pancake?"

"Huh?"

Galvis raised an eyebrow and shook his head dismissively.

"We’ve still got you, don’t we, Roland? Ancient texts may describe Bear Goblins as ferocious, but I’m sure it’s no match for you. Besides..."

His gaze drifted unconsciously to the silent Avril at his side, and he added silently in his mind. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

’Besides, with this Valkyrie from the Silver Moon Guard present, a mere Bear Goblin is no threat at all. After all, members of the Silver Moon Guard are elites from the Elf Race, chosen through a rigorous selection process to combat Underground Creatures.’

"Alright... alright..."

Seeing the other man trail off, Roland sighed and turned to his other two companions.

"So, Teresa, Avril, what do you two think?"

"I’m fine with it."

Before Teresa could even speak, Avril answered first.

The Elf Maiden clenched her fist and raised it high, her face showing no sign of fear.

"If we successfully hunt the Bear Goblin, maybe Mr. Colin will make an exception and let me join the Shadow Veil Organization early!"

The corner of Galvis’s eye twitched imperceptibly, and his gaze flickered toward Avril.

But just as their eyes were about to meet, he hurriedly lowered his head, pretending to be focused on the notes in his hand.

"In that case... Mr. Roland, I agree with your proposal as well."

Seeing that the majority had already agreed, Teresa dropped her objection, though she added with a furrowed brow,

"However, just as you said, we need to gather enough information and be fully prepared before we act."

"Of course."

Roland nodded in agreement and immediately began to assign tasks.

"Teresa, please go to the Adventurer’s Guild and gather as much information as you can about the Bear Goblin. As for Avril..."

He turned to the Elf Maiden, who had deliberately straightened her back, assuming an eager, battle-ready posture.

"I’ll need you to go to Echo Valley and scout the terrain. Remember, if you encounter any danger, retreat immediately. Don’t get drawn into a fight."

"Understood, Sir!"

Avril gave a playful salute.

Roland, long accustomed to her antics, just waved his hand and offered a few more words of caution.

In the blink of an eye, only he and Galvis remained in the once-crowded room.

Watching the back of the Elf Maiden—who obeyed Roland’s every word and departed swiftly—Galvis’s brow furrowed even deeper, his puzzlement reaching its peak.

"Roland..."

The Minstrel glanced left and right. Only after confirming that Avril was truly gone did he furtively sidle up to Roland and ask in a hushed voice,

"You and Miss Avril... how exactly did you two meet?"

Roland, who was about to head out to continue honing his Fighting Spirit techniques, stopped in his tracks.

Looking at Galvis’s inquisitive eyes, he thought for a moment, decided there was nothing to hide, and recounted the story of how he met Avril from beginning to end.

"That... that’s it?"

After hearing the story, the confusion in Galvis’s eyes hadn’t diminished in the slightest.

"What else?"

Roland asked, confused.

"What did you think happened?"

"Don’t you think... it’s strange?"

Galvis asked tentatively.

"A beautiful maiden from the Elf Race falls in love at first sight with a human warrior she just happened to meet? Forgive me for being blunt, Roland, but that kind of plot... that’s usually only found in the fabricated adventure stories of third-rate Minstrels..."

"Of course I think it’s strange."

Roland raised an eyebrow and let out a soft chuckle.

"But I can sense that Avril bears me no ill will. Everyone has things they don’t want to talk about, just like..."

He gave the Minstrel a mischievous look.

"Just like how you inexplicably made me the protagonist of your story. I didn’t ask too many questions about that, did I?"

"Hey! How can you compare the two? That was..."

"Alright, alright..."

Roland waved his hand dismissively.

"I’m going to practice. Galvis, please prepare the supplies we’ll need for this mission."

With that, he walked straight out the door.

Watching Roland’s departing figure, Galvis’s brow didn’t relax; instead, it furrowed even more tightly.