Chapter 43: Sellen's Discovery

The next day, near noon, the hungover Fili groaned and slowly opened his eyes.

As soon as he regained consciousness, he heard people conversing nearby.

However, Fili quickly realized he was lying on the ground with a blanket covering him, and his heart immediately sank—he felt awful.

Especially when he recalled his last memory from the previous night—his uncle had been at this banquet—his face turned pale.

He had no idea how long Thorin would scold him when they returned.

"Hehe."

Just as Fili worried about how Thorin would reprimand him, a large hand appeared beside him. Fili looked over—it was his brother Kili.

Kili was still sleeping, wearing a silly grin with no sign of waking.

Fili looked around. The plates and dining tables had been cleared away, leaving no trace of last night's banquet—only a few Dwarf compatriots who hadn't woken yet, snoring like Kili.

However, Thorin and Tarnes were chatting near the lord's seat in the hall, while that female warrior called "Nepheli Loux" was nowhere to be seen...

Wait, Uncle Thorin is in the hall?!

Fili instinctively raised his hand and gave Kili a crisp slap across the face.

Unfortunately, Kili didn't wake but just mumbled something and turned over, wanting to continue sleeping.

"Smack."

Fili's second slap woke Kili.

Kili opened his eyes and sat up, his expression confused at first, then seeing it was his brother, he rolled his eyes and prepared to go back to sleep.

Originally, after seeing Kili wake, Fili noticed Thorin's stern gaze and was showing him an awkward but polite smile.

But Kili's attempt to return to sleep nearly made Fili lose his composure. He quickly caught Kili's back with one hand, then used his other hand to grab Kili's chin and turn his face toward where Thorin sat.

Now Kili was completely awake.

Seeing the Dwarf brothers' performance that resembled comic relief, Tarnes couldn't help but laugh, saying to the serious-faced Thorin, "Thorin, don't be too strict with them."

Then he called out loudly to Fili and Kili, who were standing on trembling legs: "Fili, Kili, do me a favor and wake all your hungover compatriots. It's almost noon—it's not good to keep sleeping like this."

"Yes! Teacher Tarnes!" Fili immediately responded loudly.

Kili was still somewhat dazed, but after being lightly kicked by his brother, he realized Tarnes was helping them both and quickly began calling to their compatriots who were sleeping soundly under blankets on the floor.

From Fili and Kili's movements, you couldn't tell they had just woken from a hangover.

One could only say that the pressure Thorin put on the brothers was quite significant.

Thorin also knew Tarnes was protecting the brothers from his scolding, and sighed slightly: "Spoiling them like this will make Fili and Kili pampered, especially Fili—as heir to the throne, he should be held to stricter standards."

Tarnes smiled: "After all, they are students who satisfy me. Fili and Kili obviously still have playfulness in them—let them have fun while they're young. When they reach your age, I think even if you let them act this way, they'd feel it inappropriate."

Thorin was silent for a moment, nodded, then asked curiously, "I have a question, Tarnes—how old are you?"

Tarnes didn't answer immediately but asked curiously, "What made you think to ask this question, Thorin?"

Thorin replied, "Because you look like a human in their twenties or thirties, but your eyes are weathered as if they contain a whole world, and sometimes you speak like those long-lived pointy-ears."

He deliberately glanced at Tarnes' ears and added, "Moreover, you don't have the pointed ears of Elves, which makes me unable to figure out your age."

Tarnes smiled: "Just consider that I've lived for a long time. I've forgotten my specific age."

Tarnes wasn't lying to Thorin—during those eight cycles of reincarnation, he had stopped counting his age at some point because it was meaningless, and later gradually forgot.

Thorin nodded noncommittally, then noticed Fili and Kili were waking their compatriots while curiously looking this way, seemingly wanting to know the content of the conversation between Tarnes and himself.

"Hmm?" Thorin made a heavy questioning sound through his nose, looking toward them.

Fili and Kili shuddered and shook their heads repeatedly.

After waking the last compatriot lying on the ground, they didn't forget to take all the blankets and left the lord's hall.

Only after seeing Fili and Kili leave did Thorin's serious expression soften, saying with some indulgence, "These two troublesome fellows."

"Everyone has that phase, and I think you've educated Fili and Kili quite well," Tarnes said cheerfully.

Thorin hummed in acknowledgment, then said, "I'm planning to leave today."

Tarnes was somewhat surprised: "Why so soon? You just arrived yesterday and want to leave today—is there some urgent matter?"

Thorin looked out the window and showed a relieved smile: "Actually, I originally wanted to stay here with you for a few more days, because Fili and Kili told me many things about your place, and I was curious how you personally rebuilt your homeland. But when I came here, I discovered you had achieved results far greater than I imagined, which made me somewhat jealous. So..."

He paused and turned to pat Tarnes on the back: "So I'm eager to reclaim the Lonely Mountain too—I don't want to stop for even a moment. Convening the Dwarf council will take a long time, and your conversation with me after last night's banquet made me realize I actually have much work left unprepared. I can say I've hardly thought about how to face that dragon deep in the Lonely Mountain—your words awakened me, Tarnes."

Tarnes said, "Well, since you're eager to return home, I wish you smooth sailing on your way back."

Thorin nodded: "However, I have one small request that I hope you can agree to."

Tarnes was somewhat surprised: "What request?"

Thorin cleared his throat lightly: "Actually, you've done this before—I want Fili and Kili to stay and continue learning that magic called 'prayer' from you. Also, I want them both to learn combat techniques from Nepheli Loux. I'll pay her a satisfactory tuition fee—please help me speak to that powerful female warrior."

Prayer really isn't magic.

While complaining inwardly, Tarnes readily nodded: "Of course, no problem. I was planning to check how well the brothers have learned their prayers this time anyway. As for Nepheli Loux, I indeed can't agree for her, but I'll help you ask."

Thinking of Nepheli Loux, he smiled and shook his head: "After she told me yesterday that she wasn't used to sitting in the lord's hall all day, she said something to me and ran off to patrol the territory with soldiers. By the time the patrol ends, it'll be evening. If you're leaving today, you probably won't be able to wait for her return to ask her personally."

Thorin said, "This was also my spur-of-the-moment decision after last night's banquet. I'm already very grateful that you agreed to my unreasonable request."

Thorin acted quickly and decisively—perhaps, as he said, Tarnes' speed in rebuilding his homeland had stimulated him.

So he even politely declined Tarnes' lunch invitation, taking several wagons that had sold their goods and leaving, abandoning the bewildered Fili and Kili.

The two brothers were somewhat confused about the situation. When they went to find Tarnes, who was working in the lord's hall of Stormveil Castle, they still looked puzzled.

Fili asked uncertainly, "Teacher Tarnes, is Uncle Thorin disappointed in us both, so he didn't take us back?"

Kili also nodded frantically beside Fili, even looking aggrieved.

Huh? There's this too?

Tarnes was confused by Fili's cautious manner, then seeing Fili and Kili's appearance, he was amused by their anxious looks.

"Thorin just had urgent business to attend to—how could he possibly abandon you two here?" Tarnes said while laughing. "He didn't take you back because he wants you to continue learning prayers with me, and he also asked me to find Nepheli Loux as a teacher to train your combat skills."

Only then did Kili show a happy expression again, saying to Fili, "I told you, brother—Uncle Thorin couldn't possibly abandon us without a word."

But Fili still frowned, thinking more deeply, and asked, "Teacher Tarnes, Uncle Thorin was so eager to return—did something happen in the Blue Mountains?"

After hearing this, Kili's expression changed again, and he held his breath, looking nervously at Tarnes.

Tarnes gestured for them not to overthink and replied, "Didn't Thorin tell me yesterday that he's preparing to convene a council of representatives from the seven Dwarf kingdoms? You both heard that. He's eager to return because he discovered he still has quite a bit of preparation undone for this council. You two can rest easy and stay with me for a while."

Only then did Fili relax.

At this moment, Tarnes signed his name on the last document requiring his confirmation, exhaled, and looked at the Dwarf brothers, who hadn't left yet: "Since you're still here, go to the courtyard outside and demonstrate for me—let me see how well you've learned your beast prayers."

The results Fili and Kili demonstrated didn't exceed Tarnes' expectations. Besides the Beast Claw prayer they had initially learned, they had also mastered Beast Stone, Bestial Vitality, and Bestial Constitution.

Only Gurranq's Beast Claw and Gurranq's Beast Stone remained unlearned by Fili and Kili.

Fili, slightly out of breath, said to Tarnes, "These are all the prayers Kili and I have learned. Actually, half a week ago, we began studying the remaining prayers in the book, but we couldn't understand them no matter what."

Kili also said with a weary expression, "Yes, Teacher Tarnes. You've told us the story of 'Gurranq' in detail, but we still can't learn these two beast prayers named after him."

Tarnes nodded and smiled, encouraging the somewhat dejected Fili and Kili: "Don't be discouraged. Being able to learn more than half of the beast prayers is already very praiseworthy. Take your time with the rest."

After all, the name Gurranq once meant the equivalent of a demigod's death. Naturally, prayers named after him weren't as simple as ordinary beast prayers.

Tarnes himself had learned these prayers through Gurranq's personal instruction. With Fili and Kili only able to face written text and illustrations in books, Tarnes wasn't surprised.

Perhaps he should ask Teacher Sellen if she had any better methods.

Tarnes had to admit that as a teacher, he was still too inexperienced.

Thinking of this, Tarnes said to the Dwarf brothers, "Fili, Kili, let's stop here for today."

Fili and Kili bid farewell to Tarnes and walked toward the street where the Dwarves gathered, planning to enjoy lunch there.

Meanwhile, Tarnes returned to Stormveil Castle to find Sellen, who had moved from the waystation into the castle.

He gently knocked on the door, and Sellen's flat voice came from inside: "Come in, the door isn't locked. But watch your step—don't bump into the glintstone and books."

Only then did Tarnes gently push open the door, carefully stepping over the glintstone and books scattered on the floor as he slowly entered the room.

His gaze quickly swept over the room with heavy curtains drawn, noticing that the various furnishings inside appeared somewhat messy—obviously, no one had tidied this place for some time.

At the far end of the room stood a beautiful woman with long black hair. Sellen wasn't wearing her sorceress hood at the moment, and the table in front of her was as messy as the floor, covered with various objects Tarnes couldn't identify.

Seeing that the person entering was Tarnes, Sellen's flat tone became surprised, then she said playfully, "What's this? Does my good student have time to visit his teacher today?"

While walking, Tarnes said, "Teacher, you really should have someone organize this place."

Sellen shook her head: "If strangers organize it, I won't be able to find what I'm looking for. It's fine like this—I know where everything is."

Then Sellen raised her beautiful eyebrows, her pale red lips curving into a faint arc: "Of course, if it's my student helping to tidy up, I wouldn't object."

Tarnes looked at the environment inside the room that could be described as chaotic and spread his hands: "It's not impossible, but not now. I have a question I'd like to ask you, Teacher Sellen."

Then Tarnes explained the problem the Dwarf brothers encountered to Sellen, but saw her looking at him with those bright eyes, seeming to smile.

Tarnes pointed to himself: "Is there something strange about me?"

Sellen sighed lightly and shook her head as if amused: "Good student, do you think everyone is like you, able to learn any prayer or magic in an extremely short time?"

Tarnes showed a confused expression. Seeing that he still didn't understand his own situation, Sellen decided to skip this topic.

She turned around and picked up a blue scroll pressed under glintstone: "Let's put the Dwarves' problem aside for now—given enough time, they'll eventually learn those two prayers. Come here, I also have a new discovery to share with you."

Tarnes walked over. Sellen unrolled the blue scroll in her hands and handed it to him: "Didn't we discover before that Dwarves have no way to learn magic no matter what?"

Tarnes nodded: "That's correct."

Sellen extended her hand, her pale finger pointing to a certain passage of text on the blue scroll, showing a mysterious smile: "Dwarves indeed have no way to knock on magic's door..."

"But Elves can."

[Chapter Complete]

***

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