Book 11: Chapter 46: Each With Their Own Thoughts

“Leader, I’ll go to Shaar with you!” Lago lowered his head in thought for a moment, then said firmly. “I have no fixed home anyway. Baldur’s Gate and Shaar aren’t any different.”

“Rick, I…” Compared to Lago’s bluntness, Winnie hesitated.

“Winnie, say no more. You’re different from Lago. Your family is in Deepwater City. After your journey, you’ll have to go back eventually. How could you follow me?” Rick smiled and shook his head. “Even though the Thornblood Mercenary Corps is disbanded, we’re still friends. Someday, we’ll meet again.”

Winnie raised her head, gripping her staff tightly, but her eyes slowly dimmed. As a woman and a Mage, she didn’t care about family lineage. But she still had parents and loved ones she cared about. She truly couldn’t follow Rick to the Kingdom of Shaar.

Rick smiled carefreely, his eyes casually sweeping over Qin Lun and the others in the distance before he suddenly lowered his voice. “I don’t want to speak ill of the other companions. This adventure was very worthwhile, nothing to regret.

But there is one thing I must warn you about, Winnie. Whether it’s Lady Linda or Firal, if they continue to invite you on adventures next, you absolutely must not get involved with them.”

Hearing Rick’s words, a bitter smile also touched Lago’s face. “Even though these guys fought alongside us for so many days, they never revealed their true identities. I still don’t dare to trust them, even now.”

Rick shook his head dismissively. “Knowing their identities might not be a good thing for us. Let’s leave it at that. I’m not afraid of life or death, but I don’t want to die mysteriously.”

…

While Rick and the others whispered, Qin Lun and Mastashia also needed to discuss something.

“After we leave Troll Claw, are you planning to return to the Anke Elf Court?” the Highland Elf asked tentatively.

Qin Lun looked at Mastashia, then lowered his head, pretending to ponder. They were currently carrying a sub-task related to the founding of Silver Marches, a hugely rewarding Epic Quest, so naturally they couldn’t abandon it. However, to carry out this task, they needed the support of this Harper Master before them, or rather, the Harpers Alliance behind her.

This wasn’t to say they couldn’t reach the Silver Marches without Mastashia; but the strength of the three of them alone was insufficient for this Epic Quest.

Qin Lun had previously entered the Toril World and also undertaken the “Ancient Path” Epic Quest.

Back then, he had two full Silver Teams beside him, along with the Sun Elf guard protecting Milleras. They were even joined by Snowpeak Dwarves and Idria along the way. Yet, in the end, very few reached Baldur’s Gate.

Now he only had Hill and Rand with him. Plus, the location for the task was the utterly unfamiliar Northlands. If they had no other forces to rely on and carelessly began the mission, going up against the Zhentarim assassins, it would surely mean certain death.

The three murderers were deeply proud inside, but they weren’t arrogant enough to ignore all reality – that would be stupidity, not confidence. So they needed the support and help of the Harpers Alliance.

It was just that Mastashia, as a Harper Master, even if not one of the profession’s spy-like Bards, was still incredibly perceptive. She wouldn’t be easily fooled. Qin Lun needed a legitimate reason to dispel the Highland Elf’s doubts, allowing them to openly participate in this Epic Plot.

“No, we don’t plan to return to the Anke Elf Court immediately. After leaving Troll Claw, we will go directly to the Northlands.” Qin Lun’s mind raced through countless thoughts in an instant, but he ultimately decided to tell the truth.

“Why? The Anke Elf Court has now merged Thornwood and Winter Forest, and to the west, Mir Forest also seems inclined to join you. King Thanequalas is planning to establish the Gleaming Moon Court. Seopia is one of the very important inheritances of the Elven Royal Court. Aren’t you going back to help your people as a Prince?”

Mastashia blinked, asking slyly, “Don’t tell me you’re really heading north just because of that little grudge with the Zhentarim way back, to disrupt their schemes?”

Qin Lun was momentarily speechless. The Highland Elf was indeed not easily fooled. The flimsy reason he gave a few days ago clearly hadn’t persuaded her.

“My quarrel with the Zhentarim is insignificant; one failed assassination attempt isn’t enough to occupy me for so long!” Qin Lun shook his head slowly, smiling. “Mastashia, since you’ve kept tabs on the Anke Elf Court for so long, you should know the intention behind King Thanequalas sending me to join the Sun Elf Diplomatic Mission back then?”

“Mmm, I know! King Thanequalas hoped the Moon Elf race could share the glory of retracing the Ancient Path, boosting the Anke Elf Court’s prestige to merge the Moon Elf courts in the central-south continent and counter the future Sun Court to be established on Evermeet.” Mastashia answered without hesitation.

King Thanequalas’s strategy back then was an open one, clear to anyone with half a brain on the continent, including the Harpers Alliance.

“Since you know, you should understand why I need to go to the Silver Marches instead of returning to the Anke Elf Court.”

Qin Lun sighed, his thoughts becoming clearer. He arranged his words and continued, “King Thanequalas didn’t bestow the status of Prince of Seopia on me to recognize my right of succession, but simply to give me a legitimate excuse to join the diplomatic mission.

Although I am part of the Moon Elves, my background is the Qundar Moon Elves, not the Anke Moon Elves. I am different from the legitimate Moon Elf Princes of the Anke Elf Court.

In the future Gleaming Moon Court, the Qundar Moon Elves are a tiny, insignificant tribe. Their future status and share of benefits within the Court depends entirely on the personal prestige of myself and Iristin. Walking the Ancient Path would gain me respect among other Moon Elves, but it wouldn’t be enough to make them acknowledge the standing of the Qundar Moon Elves. Moreover, I didn’t actually complete the Ancient Path.”

The Ancient Path began in Cormanthor Forest and ended on Evermeet, with Deepwater City being its last stop on Faerûn. Qin Lun had left the Toril World back in Baldur’s Gate, so he naturally couldn’t be considered to have finished the journey.

“You mean you still need to boost your own prestige, forcing the Moon Elf tribes gathering under the future Gleaming Moon Court to acknowledge you and the Qundar Moon Elves?” Mastashia’s eyes flickered as she murmured her question.

“Not just acknowledging, but admiring. Being only one step ahead invites jealousy. But being countless steps ahead becomes greatness, leaving no room for jealousy at all.” Qin Lun answered with a straight face and a smile.

“Additionally, there’s another point. The future Gleaming Moon Court, unlike the Sun Court on Evermeet, will face pressure from other powerful human kingdoms on the continent. I believe no race on the continent wants to see a united and powerful Moon Elf Court right beside them. So, we also need a strong ally.”

Qin Lun said with a smile, “For continental Elves, none of the human kingdoms on the mainland are suitable allies. But the ethnically diverse Silver Marches is different. Elves and Half-elves make up over 30% of the population. Their leadership includes many Elven Druids and Elf Mages. Even Lady Elastor of Silverymoon herself has the appearance of a Half-elf.”

(The reason Qin Lun said Elastor had the appearance of a Half-elf, not the bloodline, was because Elastor’s mother, El Sand, was the mortal embodiment of the Goddess of Magic, Mystra. Elastor and the Seven Sisters of the North were divine daughters, Chosen of Mystra, so their bloodline couldn’t simply be called that of a Half-elf.)

“Going north to rescue the Allied Lords Council led by Elastor and reaching some form of alliance agreement with the Silver Marches would be the biggest surprise at the founding of the Gleaming Moon Court. It would simultaneously elevate your prestige to the pinnacle within the future Gleaming Moon Court, comparable to the first Gleaming Moon Elf King, Thanequalas Nightstar.”

Mastashia mused thoughtfully, “That way, even if the tribe you represent lacks strength, and you couldn’t become the second Elf King, probably no one would dare ignore the status and interests of the Qundar Moon Elves.”

Qin Lun smiled without responding. He could see that while Mastashia wasn’t entirely free of doubts, the reason he gave was, at the very least, flawless. Tethering themselves to the Harper Master meant they could gain intelligence support from the Harpers Alliance.

“By the way, you and Lady Linda have been whispering privately the past couple of days. Does she intend to join this matter too?” Qin Lun asked casually, his eyes glinting slightly.

“Linda does want to join this ‘novel’ adventure,” Mastashia said, a faint smile touching her face at the mention of her new companion. “But she’s very worried that she’ll immediately be put under house arrest by her teacher upon returning, so she can’t be sure right now. However, she is willing to provide us with a shortcut to reach the Northlands quickly.”

“A shortcut? What kind of shortcut?” Qin Lun’s eyes brightened. The Silverymoon festival had less than half a month left. Even if they reached the Northlands, they needed time to investigate the Zhentarim conspirators. Without other options, time was genuinely running out.

“Before Linda came out this time, she had already left her work at the Mercenary Guild. She was supposed to accompany her teacher back to Candlekeep a week ago,” Mastashia explained with a smile. “According to her, the arcane scholars in Candlekeep have constructed several large Teleportation Arrays beneath the Fortress to reach various corners of the continent rapidly. We might be able to use these Teleportation Arrays to go to the Northlands.”

“Candlekeep? You mean that famous Mage fortress!” Qin Lun frowned slightly. This was an unexpected boon. “If they refuse to teleport us, we won’t even have enough time to reach the Silver Marches.”

Candlekeep was located at the end of the Lion’s Way, a cliff fortress overlooking Faerûn across the sea, specifically southwest of Baldur’s Gate. But from their current location, it was about a hundred miles away – in the opposite direction from the Northlands.

“Don’t worry. Candlekeep isn’t just a Mage fortress; it’s an ocean of knowledge open to all, the world’s largest fee-charging library. Even without Linda’s introduction, as long as we pay the right price, they will provide the teleportation service.” Mastashia said, entirely unconcerned.