My Love Debts Are Everywhere!-Chapter 686: Mount Durnhak

Leon smiled and gave a small nod. "You’re right—we’ve finally arrived."

Beyond the distant clouds, the silhouette of a mountain rose majestically. It was Mount Durnhak—the destination of their journey.

The two stepped forward, making their way toward the mountain. Although it appeared close, it was still a long distance away.

Reaching it would likely take another three to five hours—but that was nothing compared to the days they had already spent on the road.

Unlike the dry, cracked terrain they had crossed earlier, the ground beneath their feet was now lush, blanketed with soft, green grass.

This wasn’t surprising—Mount Durnhak had once been an active volcano. Its ancient eruptions had spread volcanic ash across the region, enriching the soil within hundreds of kilometers of its peak.

"Young Master, look!" Elina pointed to the left. "It’s the river! Finally! I was so tired of the dry and dusty land. Now there’s water!"

Leon smiled and gave a slow nod. "You’re right. Why don’t we wash up there first? Doesn’t your body feel sticky?"

Elina blinked in surprise. She sniffed herself but didn’t smell anything—her body still carried a faint, pleasant scent.

That was because she was an Elf and possessed a natural ability to never emit body odor.

Even so, the stickiness and discomfort remained, so she agreed to Leon’s suggestion without hesitation.

The two made their way toward the river, smiles on their faces.

"The river isn’t too deep—perfect for freshening up," Leon said as he dipped his hand into the water.

It was cold and refreshing, likely flowing straight from Mount Durnhak.

"Alright, I’ll bathe over there," he added, rising to his feet and pointing to a spot about fifty meters away. "You bathe here."

A large, sturdy rock stood between them—tall enough to block the view.

Elina gave a small nod, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Actually..."

She shyly intertwined her fingers and mumbled, "We could... bathe together. I wouldn’t mind, so..."

Before she could finish, Leon flicked her forehead—hard.

"Ouch!" Elina flinched and rubbed the sore spot, pouting as she shot him an annoyed glare.

"Young Master! Why did you flick me?"

She was only making a suggestion. Why did he react like that? Shouldn’t he have been happy instead?

Leon rolled his eyes and pinched her nose. "Do I look like that kind of guy to you?"

"Mmmph!" Elina squirmed, her face turning red like a ripe apple as she struggled to breathe.

Leon quickly let go, and Elina gasped for air.

"Young Master, you’re so mean! I almost ran out of breath!"

Leon: "..."

I only pinched you for a second. You act like I held it for five minutes.

"This girl is so dramatic," Leon muttered, chuckling to himself.

He turned around and waved his hand. "Hurry up and wash up. After that, we’ll head straight to Mount Durnhak. There’s a lot I want to explore."

As Leon walked away, Elina let out a quiet snort, but the warm smile blooming on her face betrayed her true feelings. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel-com

"If only Young Master and I could bathe together... that would be amazing." Her face flushed, and it felt as if white steam was rising from her body.

Twenty minutes later, they were done and back on their way.

Unlike before, Elina was now laughing and smiling more often, as if she no longer feared the threat of monsters or any other danger.

It made sense—there wasn’t a single monster within a kilometer of their location, something Leon had confirmed using his Eye of Chaos.

Before they knew it, four hours had passed, and they finally reached Mount Durnhak.

"Wow! Young Master, the mountain is so big and beautiful!" Elina exclaimed in awe, gazing up at the towering peak.

As a former volcano, Mount Durnhak’s slopes and sides were blanketed with broad-leaved trees.

The view was breathtaking, especially from their position at the foot of the mountain.

"You’re right. This mountain really is beautiful," Leon agreed.

Excitement stirred in his chest as he imagined what lay beyond the mountain—a legendary city made entirely of gold.

But suddenly, his brow furrowed. He sensed danger approaching from both sides.

Without hesitation, he scooped Elina into his arms and leapt onto one of the large trees about twenty meters behind them.

"Young Master, what’s going on? Why are you—"

Before she could finish, Leon covered her mouth with one hand and signaled for silence.

Seeing his serious expression, Elina swallowed and nodded quietly.

*Bang!*

Moments later, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the distance. The ground trembled beneath them, as if struck by an earthquake.

Then, from both the right and left of their previous position, two massive trolls emerged.

They resembled the ones they had fought before, but these were easily twice as large—towering nearly sixty meters tall.

Fortunately, the tree they had climbed stretched up to forty meters, high enough to stay hidden from the trolls’ line of sight and out of reach.

Leon and Elina exchanged a glance as the monstrous creatures opened their mouths and began speaking in a language neither of them could understand.

After a while, the two trolls turned around and lumbered away, disappearing into the depths of Mount Durnhak.

Only then did Leon remove his hand from Elina’s mouth, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Young Master, that was..." she began, but her voice trailed off. The fear hadn’t yet left her.

The trolls had been so massive that they felt like nothing more than ants in comparison.

Compared to these monsters, the trolls they had fought earlier seemed like infants.

Leon let out a quiet sigh. "We mustn’t act recklessly. Keep your voice low and don’t speak unless necessary. Understood?"

Elina nodded silently, offering no protest.

"Good," Leon said with a faint smile. He gently lowered her from the tree and added, "Come on. Let’s reach the summit before sunrise."

"Okay!"

Carefully, they made their way through the underbrush, continuing their climb toward the top of Mount Durnhak.

...

"Hah... Hah..."

In a dark, secluded place, a bearded man was panting heavily, his breaths uneven and ragged.

His hair was long, and his body short—barely a meter tall. Yet his face, arms, and torso were covered in wounds.

The clothes on his back were torn and tattered, as if he had been relentlessly whipped.

With weary eyes, he slowly opened his lids and glanced around. Darkness surrounded him. The only light came from a small hole far above his head.

"Am I going to die here?" he muttered weakly.

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