"Hm?"

Hearing Roland's murmur, Trevor turned his head, followed his line of sight, and asked curiously,

"Roland, do you know that lady?"

"That's right."

After carefully identifying her for a moment and confirming that the silver-haired woman leaning against the ship's rail was indeed Teresa, Roland nodded.

"She is my... hm..."

He furrowed his brow and thought for quite a while, but still could not find an exact definition for their relationship.

After all, including the time in Mist Creek Town, they had only met twice. It truly could not be called familiarity.

Therefore, after weighing his words, he said,

"She should count as... a friend."

"A friend is a friend. What's with 'should count as'?"

Trevor glanced at that heroic and beautiful face in the distance, and a teasing smile appeared on his face. He deliberately drew out his tone.

"I understand now, Roland. So it turns out..."

"Trevor, it isn't what you're thinking."

Seeing the ambiguous look in the other's eyes, Roland immediately understood the misunderstanding and shook his head helplessly.

"We only cooperated to exterminate monsters a few times."

"All right, all right..."

Trevor raised his thick eyebrows with obvious disbelief, then tactfully changed the subject.

"Still, thanks to that lady, we were able to reach the River Kingdoms smoothly..."

The Halfling captain clicked his tongue, recalling an extremely unpleasant experience. Lingering fear crossed his face.

"What happened, Big Brother?"

Hobby noticed his big brother's abnormality and hurriedly asked, his tone full of concern.

"Don't even mention it. When we passed Wailing Gorge on the return trip, the whole ship nearly lost our lives!"

Trevor habitually rubbed Hobby's head, his brow tightly furrowed, the fear still not entirely gone from his face.

"The main helm's turning shaft snapped without the slightest warning, and the ship charged toward the sawtooth reefs like a mad horse! It was all thanks to the gods' blessing. A side wave knocked us off by a hair's breadth, and the bottom scraped past the hidden reef. The fact that we didn't break apart was already a miracle!"

He wiped his face, still shaken.

"We thought it was a parts problem and cursed the chief engineer bloody, but couldn't find the cause. The atmosphere on the ship was so tense that everyone looked like a traitor. Just when everyone was panicking..."

At this point, Trevor looked toward Teresa, his eyes filled with awe.

"That lady stepped forward!"

"She could see through souls. She pulled that 'thing' straight out of the crowd! At the time, it acted more innocent than anyone and more frightened than anyone!"

"It?"

Roland keenly caught this abnormal word.

"That's right. A monster that can become exactly like anyone!"

Trevor's voice carried a chill.

"Not just the face! It can even steal memories, habits, and those little movements unique to a person! The gods know how long it had been hiding on the ship. The gods know whether that 'accident' was a murder it carefully planned!"

"If that lady hadn't exposed the poisonous snake hidden in the shadows..."

Trevor's voice sank.

"The next 'accident' would never have given us the same luck as Wailing Gorge! Forget returning to the River Kingdoms. We wouldn't even have found a plank left floating!"

After letting out a long breath, the Halfling captain waved a hand.

"Forget it. Since we're back safely, let's not talk about that anymore."

Trevor lifted his chin and gestured in Teresa's direction.

"Right, Roland, since you know that lady, why not invite her to eat with us? I've got plenty of good wine and meat!"

He lowered his voice and muttered to Roland with a hint of grievance.

"You don't know this, but before, I sincerely brought the best food and wine to thank her. And what happened?"

He exaggeratedly rolled his eyes.

"She did accept all the food, but no matter what I asked, she only answered 'Mm,' 'Ah,' or 'Oh.' I said ten sentences and couldn't get one word out of her. She was basically a block of ice..."

Listening to Trevor's complaints and thinking of the silver-haired woman's somewhat indifferent personality, Roland smiled, then waved toward the ship's rail.

"Teresa."

The silver-haired woman leaning against the rail turned her head at the sound. The instant she saw Roland, surprise crossed her eyes.

Immediately after, the coldness that kept others at a distance melted away. An incredibly bright smile bloomed on her face, and her entire person seemed to come alive.

Trevor's complaints about the "block of ice" stuck in his throat. Still wearing that complaining expression, he widened his eyes, parted his lips, and froze completely.

He looked at Teresa, who smiled brilliantly, then at the calm Roland beside him. Finally, he lowered his head and looked at the gesture he had just made.

The Halfling captain silently closed his mouth and swallowed the rest of his complaints.

"Mr. Roland..."

Teresa's steps were elegant and swift. Before her words had even finished, she had already appeared before Roland.

The silver-haired woman tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear with slight awkwardness and softly said,

"I did not expect to meet you here."

"Yes..."

Roland nodded, his brow lifting slightly.

He keenly sensed the subtle change in Teresa.

It was not her appearance, but the overall feeling she gave.

If she had once been a sharp sword with its edge fully exposed, then the feeling she gave him now was more like a keen blade sheathed and ready to be drawn.

The outward edge had been withdrawn, replaced by a restrained sharpness.

"Has your journey in the Golden Valley Kingdom ended?"

Roland asked, then remembered Trevor's suggestion and naturally extended an invitation.

"Captain Trevor is about to invite me to eat. Would you like to come with us?"

"Captain Trevor?"

Only after hearing this name did Teresa notice the Halfling brothers beside them, and she immediately bowed to Trevor.

"So your name is Trevor? And you are the captain here... Truly impressive!"

This lady didn't even know my name or identity?

But I clearly told her...

Recalling the scene where he had tried to strike up a conversation, the Halfling captain muttered inwardly, but rationally swallowed his complaints.

He only extended his arm and gestured.

"Miss Teresa, thank you for your help some days ago. I was just planning to entertain Mr. Roland and specially prepared fresh sea fish and fine ale. Would you also do me the honor of joining us?"

Perhaps influenced by Teresa's attitude toward Roland, which carried an indescribable meaning within its respect, Trevor also grew more restrained without noticing.

"In that case..."

Hearing the words "fresh sea fish," Teresa's eyes clearly brightened.

"Then thank you for your hospitality, Captain Trevor."

Looking at Teresa, who readily accepted the invitation while her gaze never left Roland, Trevor opened his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing and simply led the way.

Roland walked beside Teresa, chatting with her about Sean and the others' recent circumstances as they followed.

The cabin door opened, and an enticing aroma rushed out.

The charred fragrance of grilled fish mixed with the richness of butter and spices, stirring hunger in anyone who smelled it.

The cabin was especially spacious, and the wooden table was filled with steaming food.

Aside from fresh fish and fine wine, there were also various dishes spread across the table.

Although only four people were present, Trevor had thoughtfully arranged two quick-handed sailors to act as attendants and serve Roland and Teresa.

"Sean went to serve in the Border Legion?"

Hearing this news, Roland looked curiously toward Teresa beside him, who was eating the food on her plate at a graceful yet unusually swift pace.

"Why did he suddenly make that decision?"

"I am not very sure either..."

Teresa put the last bit of food into her mouth, then licked the oil from her lips with lingering satisfaction and handed the empty plate to the sailor beside her.

"Please help me get more stewed fish. Thank you."

After doing this, the silver-haired woman turned back and explained,

"This news was also something Mr. Peyton told me when I left Mist Creek Town. I heard it was..."

She received the refilled plate from the sailor, softly thanked him, and continued while using knife and fork to keep eating.

"It was Mr. Sean's own request. He wanted to improve his strength."

"That guy..."

Although Teresa did not provide much information, as Sean's best friend, Roland immediately understood his friend's thinking.

"Looks like the appearance of the Dragon dealt him quite a shock..."

Thinking of this, he remembered another friend.

"I wonder whether Darco managed to enter the Knight Academy for further study..."

"Mr. Roland!"

Seeing that Roland and Teresa's conversation had come to a pause, Trevor raised his wine cup and said loudly,

"Thank you for taking care of my little brother. Let me toast you! It probably won't be long before I have to set sail on another long voyage. When that happens..."

He rubbed Hobby's head beside him and smiled.

"I'll have to trouble you to look after this little fellow."

"You're too polite, Trevor."

Roland raised his wine cup and clinked it against the other's, then winked at the Halfling across the table, who seemed somewhat restrained because Teresa was present.

"Hobby and I are friends now. Isn't it natural for friends to help each other?"

"Well said!"

Trevor drained the wine in his cup and wiped the wine from his chin.

"Since you are Hobby's friend, you are my friend too! If you need anything in the future, just say it!"

"Heh..."

Roland chuckled and was about to change the subject when his eyes suddenly brightened.

"Trevor, now that you mention it, there really is something I would like your help with."

"Just say it!"

Roland's frankness seemed very much to the Halfling captain's taste. He waved a hand.

"As long as it doesn't violate my principles, ask for whatever you need!"

"It isn't that exaggerated."

Roland took a small sip of the wine in his cup.

"It's just... I am very interested in navigation knowledge. During this period..."

He lifted his chin toward Hobby.

"Hobby has taught me quite a lot in that area, but I still lack opportunities for practice. So..."

"I understand what you mean!"

Trevor thumped his chest in assurance.

"Whenever you need it, come find me! I happen to have an idle small boat under my name. It's just sitting there anyway. If you want to practice navigation skills, take it anytime!"

"Then... thank you, Trevor."

"Hey! Between us..."

After several cups of wine, Trevor's bold streetwise air began to show.

But when he glanced at Teresa's still elegant eating posture, the corner of the captain's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, and he immediately lowered his voice.

"Mr. Roland, although this is our first meeting, from Hobby's descriptions, I already know you are someone trustworthy. There is no need for polite words."

"All right, Trevor."

Roland replied with a smile.

For a time, the atmosphere was harmonious and pleasant.

However, Teresa's appetite was truly astonishing, and her eating speed was unusually swift.

This forced Trevor, who had originally planned to drink merrily until late into the night, to change his plans.

Before the sun had even set, Roland and Teresa walked down the gangplank under the farewell of the Halfling brothers and stepped onto the solid ground of the dock.

"Teresa..."

Looking at the silver-haired woman beside him, who was gently rubbing her stomach with a satisfied expression, Roland chuckled.

"What are your plans next?"

"Mm... probably... the same as before."

Hearing the question, Teresa quickly glanced at the young man beside her from the corner of her eye, her voice soft.

"Accept commissions and continue traveling around."

Although her tone sounded normal, the subtle motion of her hand tightening around the hilt at her waist betrayed the unrest in her heart.

"In that case..."

Roland naturally extended the invitation he had expected to give.

"Do you want to temporarily stay at my place?"

The moment he first saw Teresa on the deck, this thought had sprouted in his mind.

He happened to still lack one candidate for completing the requirement of "organize a squad to defeat a powerful enemy" needed to change into [Knight Apprentice].

And Roland, who had fought side by side with Teresa before, knew her strength better than anyone.

Although strength was not her advantage, she was extremely outstanding in agility and speed.

Her strength had absolutely reached the Transcendent level.

Moreover, she also possessed that power gifted by a deity, which might bring an unexpected turning point at a critical moment.

As for the issue of appetite...

With Colin, that generous patron, around, Roland was not worried in the slightest.

"It just so happens that I need your help with something."

"Stay... with you? Would that be somewhat..."

Teresa fiddled with the silver hair beside her ear, and her voice lowered. In the end, however, she still nodded.

"No problem."

"Then thank you..."

Noticing the unnatural blush rising on the silver-haired woman's face, Roland raised an eyebrow in confusion, then stepped ahead to lead the way.

Before long, the two returned to the residence Colin had arranged.

Roland pushed open the courtyard's wooden gate, bowed slightly, and elegantly extended an arm, just about to indicate that Teresa should enter, when a clear and lively voice suddenly sounded.

"Roland! Why are you only back now? I'm starving... hm?"

Avril jumped out from somewhere, her brown hair dancing in the sunlight with her movements and shining brightly.

She tilted her head and curiously studied Teresa beside Roland.

"This is..."

"Her name is Teresa. She is my friend."

Roland immediately introduced her, then turned toward the silver-haired woman.

"Teresa, this is Avril, a reserve member of Shadow Veil from the River Kingdoms. As for that one over there..."

He lifted his chin, indicating the blond young man huddled on a stone bench not far away in the courtyard.

"His name is Galvez. He is a bard. Of course..."

As Roland spoke, he guided Teresa into the courtyard.

"There is also Mr. Bronson. He is a scholar, but at the moment, he has shut himself in his room for research and should not be disturbed."

"I understand."

Teresa nodded. Then her gaze quickly swept over Avril and Galvez in the courtyard, and she glanced at the tightly closed room door. The faint light in her eyes seemed to dim for an instant.

A hint of indescribable disappointment, like some secret expectation had fallen through, crossed her face.

But very quickly, that emotion was replaced by focus.

Her silver-gray eyes lost their focal point, penetrating the scene before her and fixing on the invisible air behind Avril and Galvez.

A moment later, this silver-haired woman, who had always been indifferent and rarely revealed emotion, furrowed her brow.

A strange expression mixed with deep confusion and disbelief replaced the emotions from just now.