Chapter 515: Reunion.
Standing in front of the biggest inn in the town, Solenne and all the members of the Crimson Arc Guild came out.
Compared to when they had returned to Horn Lizard Town looking exhausted and battered, their condition had completely changed.
Each of them had regained their strength, and the exhaustion that had once been visible on their faces had disappeared completely.
More importantly, most of them had grown a lot stronger.
Solenne, for instance, had become a Level 38 Blade Dancer.
Kiera had become a Level 36 Berserker, and many others had also experienced significant breakthroughs.
Just standing there without moving, the air around them twisted slightly, humming as though it were being compressed by an invisible force.
Their combined presence alone was enough to make the surrounding atmosphere feel heavier.
Previously, their mere presence would have caused a commotion throughout the town.
But now, everyone’s attention was not on them.
A couple of meters away, the other forces inside the town had all gathered with solemn expressions.
Everyone was terrifyingly quiet as they waited.
No one dared to make unnecessary movements.
No one wanted to be the first person to break the strange silence that had descended over the street.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The ground trembled as deep vibrations spread throughout the street.
Horn Lizard Men standing on the opposite side of the road all held their breath, their hearts pounding heavily against their chests like war drums.
If they were asked who they feared the most, the answer would undoubtedly be the Grim Reaper.
For many of them, he was their worst nightmare.
A nightmare they could never overcome.
And now, that nightmare was once again coming.
Many of them would have already fled if not for the fear that doing so might anger such a terrifying existence and cause him to target them.
Thus, while trembling and covered in sweat, they held their breath and waited for his arrival.
’He’s here.’
The same thought rang through the minds of everyone standing beside the road.
The vibration beneath their feet grew stronger with every passing second.
Then, through the distant dust cloud, a figure slowly emerged.
Standing on the back of his undead mount, Thoren saw the crowd gathered along the road without any change in his expression.
His silver hair swayed gently in the desert wind as the undead mount continued forward.
From his sharp perception, he could see every microexpression on their faces as clearly as an open book.
He sensed fear and reverence mixed together.
Some were nervous.
Some were cautious.
Some were visibly terrified.
While others had strangely fanatic expressions on their faces.
That last group particularly caught Thoren’s attention.
Confused, he could not understand why they would display such emotions toward him.
He had only returned to Horn Lizard Town.
Why were they looking at him as if some terrifying monster had descended upon them?
Shaking his head slightly, he decided not to think about it.
He had a much more urgent matter to attend to than worrying about these strange emotions.
When he arrived before the biggest inn, his eyes immediately fell on Solenne.
He stared at her for a moment, quietly taking in her familiar figure after everything that had happened, before he finally jumped down from his mount.
Landing gracefully on the ground without making a sound, he walked toward her with steady steps, his expression remaining as calm and indifferent as usual.
Seeing him, the stoic expression on Solenne’s face faltered, and a bright smile slowly appeared on her face.
"I thought you’ve forgotten about us," she joked as she walked toward him, her voice carrying a rare warmth that was completely different from her usual cold and authoritative tone.
"That might have happened if you did not borrow half of my wine collection," Thoren said with a faint smile, deliberately returning to their familiar banter.
Solenne couldn’t help but chuckle softly when she heard his response. For some reason, that simple exchange made her feel even more relieved..
Just as Solenne appeared before him, she opened her arms wide and gave him a warm hug, catching him completely off guard with the sudden display of affection.
Hmm?
Thoren froze for a moment, his eyes widening slightly as the sudden turn of events stunned him.
He could feel the complicated emotions hidden beneath her embrace, and the warmth of her body carried a relief that words could never properly express.
After a brief hesitation, he sighed softly and returned the hug, his arms wrapping around her as he silently accepted the emotion she had been holding back for so long.
"Thank you..." she whispered into his ear, her voice carrying a faint tremble that she quickly tried to suppress.
The two words contained everything she wished to convey but did not know how to express. There was gratitude, relief, trust, and even a lingering fear that she had not been able to completely overcome.
Thoren did not respond as he understood everything perfectly. He knew the betrayal had hit her much harder than he had initially realized, especially after everything she had sacrificed to protect the Crimson Arc Guild.
With him killing the Horn Lizard King and eliminating the greatest threat hanging over them, the burden on her shoulders was finally gone, and the fear that had been eating her from the inside out was finally beginning to disappear.
For the first time in a long while, Solenne could allow herself to breathe without constantly wondering whether the guild would survive another day.
She slowly tightened her arms around him for another moment before finally separating, her expression returning to its usual composed appearance, although the faint smile on her lips remained.
She looked at him carefully, almost as if reassuring herself that he was truly standing before her and had not returned with some hidden injury that he was refusing to mention.
Slowly, the two separated, and Solenne asked with a chuckle, deliberately allowing the lighter atmosphere to return between them.
"I hope you still reserved some of your wine for me," she said as she led him into the inn.
"In your dreams..." he retorted, rolling his eyes as he followed behind her.
Who would have thought an alcoholic would still have her eyes on his wine even after everything that had happened?
Despite everything she had experienced during his absence, Solenne’s mood had visibly improved, and the playful argument over his wine was strangely comforting to her.
Busy with battle, he had not had the chance to shop at the Abyssal Market, and now the few remaining bottles in his inventory were already being targeted.
How could he allow that?!
"Hahah. That’s not the first time you’ve said that. But we both know how it ends..." Solenne said without looking at him.
Her smile widening slightly as she spoke with the confidence of someone who already knew exactly how their little argument would end.
Thoren’s expression faltered for a moment, and a helpless smile crept onto his face.
He remembered all the previous occasions when she had somehow managed to get her hands on his wine despite his repeated objections.
’How could I have forgotten how shameless she was?’ he chuckled inwardly, shaking his head helplessly as he followed her inside.
Watching the interaction between Solenne and the Grim Reaper, the crowds could not believe their ears.
Especially after witnessing the normally cold Guild Master behave so naturally around the terrifying Grim Reaper.
Many couldn’t help but exchange knowing glances.
It seemed the connection between the Grim Reaper and the Crimson Arc Guild was far deeper than they had all thought.