Frilian: Starting by inheriting the title of the Southern Hero

Chapter 18 Raofen, Duncan's Approval

In the 30th year of the Xin Shi Era, Lin En and his two companions stopped to rest in Enze Town, which was relatively close to the Golden Township.

The streets of Enze Town are bustling with activity. A closer look reveals that there are many adventurers, including quite a few gold prospectors who can break through the cognitive barrier magic of the Golden Land.

"It smells so good!"

Ellie suddenly stopped and sniffed the air, quickly spotting a shop with a long queue on the street corner.

"Lynn, I want to eat that!"

She grabbed Lynn's sleeve and pointed in the direction of the shop.

Lynn pulled her sleeve back, patted off the wrinkles, and said, "Let's find a restaurant to eat first, we can buy dessert later."

"If you don't want to go, then I will."

Ellie, like a child, walked over by herself.

Kraft stood by, hands folded, watching the show.

"He's just a little kid."

Lynn sighed.

Helpless, Lynn could only follow along like a nanny, with Kraft close behind.

Upon closer inspection, a giant cookie could be seen on the shop sign.

The queue was very long, mostly consisting of young girls and women with children.

Lynn stood at the back of the line, idly counting the heads in front of him.

Suddenly, a small head popped out from the line ahead.

She was a girl with her hair in a bun.

She was holding a full paper bag of freshly bought cookies, and was stuffing them into her mouth with her head down, her cheeks bulging.

Perhaps sensing the gaze behind her, the girl turned around while chewing on a cookie.

Eyes facing each other.

The girl stopped chewing.

"Mr. Lynn?!"

"Laopen?"

Lynn looked completely surprised.

What a small world!

"It seems you've managed to eat up all of Mr. Duncan's pension."

Lynn's gaze immediately fell on the enormous bag of cookies in Laoffen's arms.

Laofen blushed, huddled the paper bag inside her clothes, and said, "No, this is pocket money I earned myself."

She paused, then glanced at Kraft and Allie behind Lynn, and asked, "What brings Mr. Lynn here?"

"Just passing by."

"Who is this?"

Kraft looked at the energetic young woman and asked.

"Laofen, my companion who participated in the Level 1 Mage exam before."

Lynn explained.

"Want some?"

Laofen took a cookie out of the paper bag and handed it to Lynn.

Lynn looked at the cookie with some surprise.

Is the sun rising in the west? How can a food-guarding cat actually share its food?

"Fine, then we won't eat it."

Laofen turned her head to the side, but didn't pull her hand back.

"Thanks."

Lynn took the cookie and took a bite.

Crispy and with a strong milky flavor.

Ellie peeked out from behind Lynn, staring at the bag of cookies, her mouth practically watering.

"I want one too!"

Laofen glanced at the girl, who was half a head shorter than herself, and generously grabbed a handful and handed it over.

"Give."

"Thank you, sister! You're such a kind person!"

Ellie took the cookie and immediately gave him a "friend zone" card.

The group walked to a bench by the roadside and sat down.

"What are you doing here?"

Lynn finished the biscuit in a few bites, brushed the crumbs off his hands, and said, "This place isn't close to Oisast."

"I came with the old man."

Laofen swung her legs, still chewing, "After the Level 1 Mage exam, the old man became the manager of the Golden Land Barrier."

Laofen pointed to the golden outline in the distance.

This does align with the original plot.

Duncan, a mage from Viez and a disciple of Mahart, returned to Viez not just to visit his wife's grave.

He wanted to get rid of Mahat and remove Viezer's gold status.

"And you? Did you come here just to eat?"

Lynn asked jokingly.

"No, that's not true!"

Laofen protested, "I'm training! The old man said that to become a fully-fledged mage, one must learn to adapt to this extraordinary environment."

At this point, her mood sombered, and she continued:

"However, the old man strictly forbids me from approaching the core of the barrier."

"After all, the guy inside the barrier is Mahat, one of the Seven Sages of Collapse. Once you enter the barrier, Mahat can take care of you at any time."

Lynn leaned back in his chair and looked at the sky.

"I know."

Laofen muttered softly, "I didn't intend to go in and die. It's just... seeing the old man standing outside the barrier every day, lost in thought, his back looks so lonely."

She looked up at Lynn and said, "Mr. Lynn, if you're going the same way, could you please visit the old man? He'd be very happy to see someone he knows."

That's exactly what I was thinking.

Lynn nodded.

……

The next morning.

The road from Enze Town to Viize has long been abandoned, and the weeds growing from the cracks in the gravel are half a person tall.

Lynn and his two companions, along with Raofen, hired a carriage to continue their journey.

The closer you get to that golden area, the more oppressive the air becomes.

Ellie huddled in the corner of the carriage, clutching the broken iron sword tightly in her hand. Her usually loud voice was now silent, and she only dared to peek at the glittering city in the distance through the crack in the carriage window.

After Laofen cast the spell to remove the cognitive impairment on Elili, the little girl could already see the golden city.

"It's so quiet."

Laofen sat on the carriage shaft, her legs dangling in the air. "We hardly saw any monsters along the way."

Lynn leaned against the carriage wall. "Mahat's magic is so immense that even wild beasts and monsters in the vicinity dare not approach."

The carriage stopped in front of a lonely wooden house.

The house was built on a high slope, facing the direction of Vieize.

Laofen jumped out of the car, pushed open the half-closed wooden door, and called out, "Grandpa, I've brought guests."

The room was fairly well lit.

Duncan was sitting at the table, holding a quill pen, staring blankly at an open map.

Hearing the sound, the old man raised his head, but when he saw Lynn and the other two walking in, he was immediately taken aback.

"Lynn?"

Duncan put down his pen, stood up, and asked, "And... who is this?"

Kraft.

Kraft introduces himself.

"Rare visitor."

Duncan immediately grabbed the teapot and poured tea. "Please have a seat."

Lynn pulled up a stool and sat down, smiling as he asked, "Grandpa, are you settling in well here?"

"There's nothing to be used to or not used to."

Duncan looked out the window at the golden outline of the view. "Someone has to keep an eye on things so that no fools wander in."

As he spoke, he glanced at Ellie, who was leaning on the windowsill, staring blankly at the Golden Country.

"Who is that young lady?"

"A little idiot, who's kind of our team leader."

Lynn brushed it off casually.

Duncan didn't ask any further questions, picked up his teacup and blew on it to cool it down: "You didn't come here just to visit this old geezer, did you?"

"I'm going to Vidor Village," Lynn said.

The teacup stopped in mid-air.

Duncan put down his cup, his expression turned serious, and said:

"Victor Village? It's inside the barrier, and it was swallowed up by the Golden Country many years ago."

"I know."

"Then why do you want to go? There's no one there anymore, and it would be troublesome if you ran into Mahat."

"I have a reason to go," Lynn said, without backing down.

"reason?"

Duncan leaned back in his chair. "For the treasure? Or for fame?"

"To go home."

Upon hearing Lynn's words, Duncan was immediately stunned.

The old man began to look at Lynn seriously.

The young man's face showed no sign of joking, nor did it display the greed or fanaticism often seen in adventurers.

There is only one kind of almost stubborn persistence.

"Going home?"

Duncan turned his head, his gaze passing through the window and landing on the golden city.

That was his hometown.

More than sixty years ago, he was also a boy, running through the streets there, chatting with his master Mahat about the adventures of the hero Simmel.

Until 50 years ago, gold swallowed everything.

He became a homeless dog, and a scheming strategist in the palace.

But everything he did, including obtaining the qualification of a first-level mage, was only so that one day he could return to his hometown and place a bouquet of flowers at his wife's grave.

"go home……"

Duncan repeated it in a low voice, his voice slightly hoarse.

The atmosphere inside seemed to have eased a bit.

Kraft sipped his tea silently, without saying a word.

Having lived for over a thousand years, he understood the weight of that tone.

"There is a statue of the Southern Hero in Vido Village."

Lynn added, "That's my way home."

Duncan looked away and re-examined Lynn.

This time, all he saw was the recognition of being "one of his own kind".

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

Duncan suddenly asked, "Like, should I come with you?"

"No need."

Lynn stood up. "Having too many people around will only attract Mahat's attention. Besides, this is my own business."

Actually, he wanted Duncan to go with him, since the old man was Mahart's disciple, and Mahart wouldn't make a move against the old man for the time being.

However, Frillian and her group will arrive soon, and if Duncan goes with Lynn at this time, the normal plot will go too far astray.

After all, he didn't have the ability to undo the gold transformation, so this kind of thing was naturally left to Frilian.

"I see."

Duncan smiled and said, "In the end, you have to walk your own way home."