After some time of standing in the empty corridor, my thoughts reached the logical question of why I was yet to see even a single mage. To which a logical answer would be that probably they didn't stand guard at gates and smell oxen shit in stables. Still, if mages were so rare, why the girls, or Selby and the farmers did not think much of it?

But before I could find an equally sound answer, the door opened again and Reuben walked out. His expression was a bit stiff and a few beads of sweat were present on his forehead.

"Let's go have dinner first, then I will explain" Before I could ask he said and so we did.

***

Dinner was served in a big room of the same main building, one that probably served as the cafeteria for the local workers. Maybe because of this reason the dinner was early, with the sun just having set. Or maybe Reuben had moved it so the people who intended to go out to drink had a few hours of what was considered the normal time for doing so.

I can not say much about the cuisine, with it being a vegetable soup and roasted chicken, but a small note for drinks is to be included.

Reuben made me sit with him, maybe to avoid me speaking to others about Sidharth or something, and so I was served wine as him.

Which I have to mention was not a bad thing.

As for the others, they were given the option of some kind of fruit water, normal water, and a cheap beer. I also fulfilled my promise of before, filling up two cups from my looted canteen.

After finishing dinner, the girls, me, and Reuben moved to the second floor, where our sleeping quarters were located.

I accompanied Kierra and Angelique to their room, wished them a good rest, and then moved towards the door that Reuben was standing near.

The door said 'Clerk', so it can be assumed that we were about to meet someone, after all, how could Sidharth make Reuben sleep in a common clerk room? Oh, the horror!

*Knock* *Knock*

As Reuben knocked, he also said a few words to me. Ones that I did not understand at that moment

"For the sake of the Ten, don't try to argue with him!"

"Whoever is it, just enter. The door's unlocked" A jovial and energetic voice responded from behind the door right away.

***

I don't know if it was my mental questions or just a thing of fate, but as we entered... I saw a mage, my first mage.

I assumed he was a mage even before trying to see his stats. Because of the long grey robe? Because of the enormous amounts of scrolls, books, and strange implements? Because of the almost tangible mana in the air as soon as I crossed the door? Who knows.

"Reuben! What a nice surprise!" The round man's face illuminated with an enormous smile.

"Hello Azar, I only arrived a pair of hours ago. Sid told me about your situation, and so I decided to come and offer my help" Reuben's sour expression and voice were not that of a person who voluntarily came to help someone, but well.

"Good, good, good" A triple good later, the man's smile widened even more, if that was even possible considering that it had been already occupying half of his truly round face.

"Yeah, so we are going to Megvuroz, and you are... welcome to join the caravan" That sudden pause before the welcome part was enough for me to understand that there was some reason or story behind Reuben's reluctance.

"Oh! That's perfect! The Knowledge Spire is just a few dozens of Primordial Steps from there!" The man exclaimed in short bursts.

"Yes, so, we will be setting out on the morrow. I do not have space inside, but you can grab a seat on any wagon"

"No worries, I was planning to walk the entire way, so anything is an improvement. I will help with what I can, and I got my supplies, so I will not be a burden"

"No!" Reuben immediately shouted after hearing the part of 'help', but as Azar's expression turned into a surprised one, he shook his head and added

"I mean, no need for you to think of yourself as a burden in any case. And as for help, just don't think of it. You are a scholar and a mage, why would you need to work in a caravan"

"You are like the others. You just don't understand. A true scholar has to experience everything by himself. Do you know? Feel everything on your skin, share the same burdens, sweat the sweat! How will I be able to understand the common laborer toil if not for acting like one?" Just this tirade was enough for me to understand Reuben's cryptic warning.

"Yes, I was wrong, sorry. In any case, I came here to tell you about our caravan, and to introduce you to Lindar. He's one of my overseers, and if you intend to go all close with the laborer's toil, as you call it, then he will be almost your boss"

"Ohoho, how thrilling! Nice to meet you, I am called Azar" The man moved closer and extended a hand.

"The pleasure is mine" I shook the hand and nodded. Using this moment to examine the man a bit more closely, as well as to check his stats.

NAME & TYPE LEVEL (Hiding below average. Note - Azar has almost all his stats near average!) Body (Constitution) 15 Mana 40 Willpower 20 Magical Affinity 1 Education (Social) 25 Smithing (Economics) 15 Medicine (Economics) 15 Plants (Economics) 16 Being's Lore (Adventuring) 14 Middle-Quarters (Martial) 11 Critical Thinking (Special) 15 Nature (Special) 13 Air (Magic) 18 Utilitarian (Magic) 11 Mana Sense (Magic) 19 Uncommon Knowledge (Talent/Trait) - Investigation (Talent/Trait) -

Huh, not only a mage, but also someone who dabbles into research, professions, and even combat?

But my actual surprise was his endurance stat, after all, I had yet to see anyone, even strong fighters as Zakhar and Gris have anything over 10! So this perfect circle, with 160 cm height and about the same in width, twice or so my weight had more stamina than them!

Reuben used our handshake as a signal to begin retreating, and only when he was near the door, he said in quick speech

"Lindar has a few questions about the world, and Sid told us that you have an actual map of it as well. I will leave you alone for now, got to finish some papers for tomorrow. Have a good night!"

And like that, Reuben... escaped?

***

And it turned that he was right to do so. Azar was a true encyclopedia, knowing the answer to any of my questions and even adding more himself, but...

He could simply not stop explaining. As I asked about the map, I got an almost half-hour lesson on maps, distances, Lieade terrain, etc., etc., etc.

And that before he even took the actual map out!

Still, I can not but be thankful for such a personality. After all, I got far more information than the one I expected, including the current political situation, which could be resumed in everyone glaring at everyone, with the Empire and Dominion continuing their perpetual war. Well, with the slight addon that the Republic was currently trying to get either Kingdom - Neverc or Kishelia, help their merchant navy combat the constant loss of merchant ships to pirates and the 'Cleaning Flame' part of the Lithandian fleet, which had declared a crusade on every and all infidel ship.

And from what I understood, Neverc would have agreed already, as they also suffered losses, if not for Kishelia's participation in the talks. Funny enough, the latter was also stalling because of the same reason.

I also learned about internal politics, important nobles, army movements, and like a hundred things I did not even ask about. To the point that even my augmented learning capacity stopped coping with it. Thankfully I could always recall part after part later, slowly digesting and understanding. And not that I would be unable to ask something again, as Azar declared that he will be around to answer my questions during our travel. Oh, Sepyre, I know it's wrong but I have to thank all the gods for the journey to only take between three and four days!

Now that I managed to escape that information hell, I need to sleep, at least for a pair of hours!!!

***

On the next morning, after sleeping just an hour and a half, I was woken up by Kierra, and thanks to it I did not miss breakfast.

I could not say that I was tired as before sleeping I had checked my own stamina on a whim, and found that I was almost at 60%!

Still, I did feel a bit hazy, as I always did when I did not sleep enough.

From the people that had gone drinking or to simply enjoy a bit of free time yesterday, everyone was present and seemingly had no trouble standing. Still, Reuben examined everyone, and pointed out two, Rayko and Aayden, from Egon's team.

"You two seem to have drunk a bit over the limit yesterday"

And indeed, they did.

"Boss, no, Boss, we drank not sso musch!" I think that would be more or less what Aayden tried to say.

"Aha. Let's say I believe you. But you two are on cleaning duty this morning. And with no rewards" Reuben grinned, and if I wasn't mistaken winked at me.

I did not pay much attention to the people that weren't directly my responsibility, but it was true that I slightly disliked this pair. They were the only two to not thank the girls for the meal yesterday, not to mention that I caught Rayko's glances at Kierra, glances that I did not consider much, but did not like either. Their statuses were a bit strange as well, with them having some average or under, but still combat skills. And albeit they may have been part of some town's militia or something, I decided to stop shrugging it off and from now on keep a closer eye on this pair.

***

Azar's introduction in the group was the only outstanding occurrence before we left the Guild. Reuben made me say he was a guild's clerk that we will give a ride to Megvuroz, and with no one to refute it, he was greeted by some and just ignored by others.

Crossing the gate was also uneventful, and less than an hour since I woke up, the caravan was again treading on the slabs of a Kingdom's Road.

From Bigradh to Megvuroz the distance was about 85 kilometers (Azar's information - Exactly 53 Primordial Steps. So slightly less than 85), with no towns or roadway inns established. This meant that we would camp, and from Reuben's plan, we will do so twice.

Tonight we will be camping near an enormous hill akin to the one I saw before, located about 30 km in a straight line. Then, after a slightly smaller trek tomorrow, we will camp near the 'Fourway'. Which was where two roads, the one from Bigradh to the Kingdom's center, and the one from Vruz to Megvuroz and beyond intersected.

Azar immediately added that there was a very famous inn located in the Fourway, but it was booked by the Swordheart Knightly Order for this entire month, thus the reason for our camping.

***

Our usual stop took place just an hour after midday, with us already having moved about 15 kilometers, even though today our speed was not so fast as usual. The break was slightly longer than usual as well, and the girls as always surprised us with a very good meal consisting of several toppings and some fresh bread they had bought before leaving the city. Just when did they have time to do shopping?

I don't know about the rest, but I did enjoy the bacon, chicken, ham, and even some kind of vegetable spread that they served.

During this break, I used the opportunity to ask Azar why was Reuben slowing down our trip deliberately? After all, we could have traveled half again the distance if we used our usual speed.

"He wants to camp near the last well on this side of the Bald Hill"

"Last well? Bald Hill?"

"Aha! Let me explain, the Bald Hill or Bald Giant's Head is one of the many hills called Giant Heads strewn around this area. You passed one near the 'Watered Pass' before, but the Bald Hill is the only one of these hills to be barren. And it also has no water sources, the reason behind it yet a mystery even to the mages that have tried to investigate it"

"Oh, so this well is the last one for a long-distance?" I quickly asked before Azar began throwing out names and investigation contents at me.

"Yes, for 11 Primordial Steps to be exact"

"I see, and that's a distance that we would probably not manage to cross even if we moved faster now"

"Indeed, not to mention that half of the road will be uphill"

"Mmm, got it. So he wants to camp at the base of the hill, then with rested animals and people quickly pass through that area" I surmised and got an approving nod from Azar, as well the driver of the wagon he was sitting upon.

***

As we approached the enormous hill, I found that the name 'Bald Giant's Head' was indeed very fitting. Easily a few kilometers on its base, the hill elevated about a thousand meters and ended with a wide, plain, and slightly rounded towards the edges, top. As Azar had said, there was not even a single grass blade to be seen on it, making the mass of brown, practically unjagged rock even more strange to the eye. Especially if the wildly growing grass, bushes, and small trees to every side of the road, and as far as the eye could see be considered.

Setting a camp, well one without all the modern appliances and commodities was a new experience for me. My four 'hands', under my nominal command were responsible for setting up five tents that would host five people each. Thankfully they seemed to know the stuff, especially Bruno.

The four poles that held each tent's roof were settled into the special holes dug out for them. Then a very heavy tent of oiled cloth was thrown over them and secured to the ground with a pair of stakes at each corner. The entrance was a cut in the cloth, and it was held open with the help of two big wooden clips.

Each 'entrance' faced the center, and the tents were placed in a semicircle formation looking towards the east. Probably to allow people to wake up with the first rays of sunlight.

Egon's team was doing the same, but they were assigned only three tents, making their workload smaller. Or that I thought until they were also sent out to gather firewood from the surrounding trees, as well as prepare a pair of campfires.

Azar decided to help as well and was tasked with the heavy part of helping the girls prepare dinner. As for the guards, they would be taking turns to watch in the night, and so they were allowed to rest during all this time.

Speaking of the girls, they would not be sleeping in the tents, but using the now-empty camping supplies wagon, and Gris would keep them 'company'.

What else... Oh, Reuben had an actual bed! Well, it wasn't a true bed when we unloaded it from the wagon, looking more like a chest, but as we moved it into the tent where he and Azar would spend the night, the secret was revealed. The open lid served as a headrest, and one of the walls was extended, creating a square to serve as a base. A rolled-up mattress that had been inside the chest was then placed over, and the result was a pretty decent, almost double-sized bed.

As an overseer, I had some chance to choose where to sleep, but after remembering the snores from the guards, and fearing to encounter a similar situation I muttered something about staying near the fire and simply placed my blanket a few meters from the campfire.

Dinner was some kind of pot dish made of vegetables, jerky, and some things that I did not manage to identify, and the right idea of not asking the walking encyclopedia. I can only say it was delicious, and everyone seemed to think the same. As expected no alcohol was present, but the girls also made a pot of a pretty tasty tea, brewed with some kind of bright blue herb (Azar identified it as 'Sky Leaf') and some nuts that no one identified correctly because of their mashed state. Well until Azar decided to not allow the mystery to exist and immediately called them out - 'Earthseeds' he said. Albeit for me, judging from the flavor - hazelnuts!

A few stories were exchanged over dinner, and albeit I sat apart with Egon, Reuben, Azar, the girls, and the always present Gris, I did overhear one. And it immediately caught my attention. After all, not every day you hear some local horror half-song half-story, do you?

Exhausted by the road, I felt my feet sway

And in the house of a forester, I asked for a stay

With a good-natured smile, the old man let me in

And with a friendly gesture, he invited me to dine with him

It was getting dark outside, I was sitting at the table

The forester was sitting opposite, telling truth and fable

That he has no enemies among in the woods

And how he likes to feed the wolves

In the middle of the night, wolves howled as I was about to drowse

The old man smiled, just to suddenly leave the house

But soon he returned, and a sharp blade he pulls

My friends want to eat, so let us go into the woods...