Goblin Dependency

Xia Nan watched the man standing at the counter below exuding a gloomy aura.

Like a blood-stained old sword worn by the years.

His sandpaper-like rough dark skin carved deep grooves into his face, and his short gray-brown hair, streaked with silver, grayed at the temples;

The hooked nose and deep-set eyes under shadowy brows added a more foreboding quality to him. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

The "Resting Dragon Nest" tavern was quite busy, and after Xia Nan and the others arrived in the hall, the number of guests coming and going at the entrance increased even more.

But never had there been someone like this; even without saying anything, just by pushing open the door and stepping inside, he captured the attention of many patrons, as if the presence alone quieted the entire hall.

The oppressive aura around the man, transmitted almost tangibly by his emotional fluctuations, seemed to belong to someone of great strength alone.

Undoubtedly, he was a highly capable adventurer.

Xia Nan guessed that his professional level must be at least around Level 4 or Level 5.

For certain specialized professions with a lower cap, he had reached the threshold for a career change.

Considering that at this moment, all the patrons at tables with a view of the entrance in the tavern were fixated on him due to the aura’s effect,

Xia Nan did not avert his gaze either, but instead, used his perception ability to carefully scrutinize him.

This middle-aged man named "Lawson" was not particularly burly, but his broad frame and solid back and shoulders filled out the bloodstained and grass-stained armor liner powerfully and vigorously;

His fingers, slightly deformed from years of intense training, rested on the sword hilt at his waist even as he faced a trembling front desk, ready to sever their head in a blink.

Merely standing there, he emitted an atmosphere of brewing anger, cold and heavy.

If one had any sense, they wouldn’t provoke such a powerful adventurer who seemed on the edge of eruption in such a place.

Xia Nan’s heart stirred.

He glanced at the young knight who had just risen, suspecting him to be a pursuer from Neum, yet he hadn’t had the chance to approach them.

Seeing that the knight was also focused on the gloomy man,

He silently tapped the table with his fingers, attracting the attention of Hai’an and Vier.

With a look, he signaled his intention to take the opportunity to slip away from the tavern.

Unexpectedly, although Hai’an the half-elf didn’t know what was happening, under Xia Nan’s alert, out of trust, he instinctively prepared for action, his body tense.

When Xia Nan indicated the source of danger and saw the handsome knight,

Hai’an unexpectedly relaxed, lowering the right hand that had been reaching for the Longbow, and even took the time to sip from a wine cup.

"It’s fine, he’s a familiar face, no need to worry."

Understanding Hai’an’s meaning, Xia Nan felt some suspicion.

Did he guess wrong? Was this knight not a pursuer from Neum?

Though he remained cautious and alert, he momentarily set aside the idea of fleeing the tavern with Hai’an to meet up with Wood and the others.

Meanwhile, the gloomy man quietly stood by the counter and took the room key from the shaking hand of the front desk.

His face darkened as he ignored the eyes watching him and made his way slowly toward the stairs, his figure disappearing around the corner heading to the second floor.

Buzz —

The man had barely left for a second when the tavern returned to its previous lively uproar.

The topic of conversation among the patrons evidently gained an addition.

They speculated about his professional level, guessing what could have happened to make an adventurer of such power behave like that.

The young knight likewise withdrew his gaze.

Under his golden half-length hair, the handsome face showed a naturally friendly smile as he walked straight to Xia Nan’s table.

Before he could even reach the table, the surprised words were already coming through the metallic clank of his armor.

"Young Master Hai’an, long time no see!"

The half-elf quickly stood up, as always, stepping forward to shake hands and embrace the other.

"Terry William, I didn’t expect to see you here."

"It’s almost been three years since our last meeting, right?"

"Precisely, it’s been two years and two hundred sixty-one days, Young Master Hai’an," the handsome knight named "Terry William" joked with the half-elf, clearly familiar with him.

His eyes also turned to Xia Nan and Vier behind Hai’an.

"And these two are..."

As if highly trusting of him, the half-elf unreservedly introduced the identities of the two, while also revealing the reason for his close acquaintance with him.

"This is Terry William, the most talented Knight Captain under Duke Morton’s banner."

In response, Terry William displayed extraordinary humility, waving his hands repeatedly:

"Those are just rumors spread by others. Anyone with access to the resources I have wouldn’t do badly."

"These two look much younger than me, how could I brag in such a way?"

Though his humility was more pronounced, to some extent, Terry William was not wrong.

Looking at the three before him, leaving Hai’an aside, Vier had fair and exquisite features, her mage-like attire adding a certain mystery to her, making her exact age indeterminable. She could be in her teens or early twenties.

And Xia Nan himself was genuinely young in the truest sense.

It’s been a year since he transmigrated, and he had only just turned nineteen.