The dark-haired young woman appeared to be in her early twenties, while he himself had only recently turned eighteen! Did he really look that old, like an adult? And… his mystical appellation? He immediately recalled the self-serious names in the group: Lord Obsidian, River North Wanderer, Lord of the Caverns, Master of the Keep, and so on. The thought sent a sharper pang through his liver.
"Ahem, you can just call me Liam Stone. As for a mystical appellation... let's not mention it for now." Liam replied; he certainly didn't want to be labeled as a "middle school syndrome" enthusiast.
Fae Willow: "Ah? My apologies, Elder. I momentarily forgot." Fae Willow said, abashed. As a practitioner, it was common knowledge not to speak of mystical appellations in front of mortals, but she'd simply been too excited.
"Ahem, and please, don't call me Elder," Liam coughed twice. He felt his lingering cold cough, which had been slowly recovering, might be returning with a vengeance.
Fae Willow: "Ah," Fae Willow softly acknowledged, her heart sinking. This Elder seemed rather unapproachable. And that was true; not every member of the group was as warm as Elder River North. Moreover, this Elder was clearly in Haven's End District yet remained silent in the group; perhaps he was a cold, distant type, with no intention of assisting her? A wave of dejection washed over her.
Just as Fae Willow's thoughts spiraled into uncertainty, Liam added, "You can simply call me Liam Stone."
Fae Willow: "Ah?" Fae Willow paused, then replied, "Wouldn't that be… inappropriate?"
"Please, just call me Liam Stone. If my full name is too much, then Liam or just Stone is fine," Liam insisted. If Fae Willow continued to address him as "Elder" in the real world, he would feel utterly humiliated!
Fae Willow: "Liam Stone… Elder." Fae Willow started, then, feeling awkward, added "Elder." But inwardly, she felt a sudden surge of relief, a bright smile appearing on her face—this Elder seemed to be a kind soul, not the distant type. Perhaps he would help her after all!
Liam vigorously rubbed his face, utterly defeated. "Fine, call me whatever you wish."
Fae Willow: "Elder Liam, have you come to assist me?" Fae Willow asked, delighted.
"Let's walk and talk," Liam said, picking up his large bag. Two people and a massive suitcase were blocking the path; it would be better to find a quieter spot. Fae Willow immediately followed Liam, silently.
"I read the chat logs; you're heading to Haven's End District in Port City, correct?" Liam asked.
"Yes, Port City's Haven's End District. Wait, Elder, surely…" Fae Willow, intelligent as she was, immediately pieced together the truth from Liam's tone and demeanor. Her face fell. "Surely this isn't Haven's End District?"
"This is indeed Haven's End District, but it's Aethelburg's Haven's End District, not Port City's," Liam said with a sigh. Originally, the taxi ride from Aethelburg Airport to Port City's Haven's End District would have taken about five hours. But Fae Willow had gone to the wrong destination. Fortunately, Aethelburg bordered Port City, so she hadn't gone completely off course; she'd merely taken a wrong turn halfway. Now, departing from Aethelburg University, the drive to Port City's Haven's End District would take three and a half hours, assuming ideal traffic conditions. In reality, the road conditions were often terrible, making it closer to five hours.
Fae Willow tapped her forehead. She pulled out her phone and began to tap away… However, after only a few taps, her phone emitted a pleasant musical chime, then the screen went dark. Fae Willow looked up at Liam, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Elder Liam, my device is out of power."
Liam: "..." Liam felt his liver ache again. This dark-haired beauty was utterly clueless, wasn't she? Yet, he still offered his phone. "Use mine."
Fae Willow: "Thank you, Elder." Fae Willow gratefully took Liam's phone and tapped it a few times. Suddenly, a resonant, forceful tune emanated from the phone, and then its screen also went dark. Fae Willow looked up again, her eyes now misty with tears. "Elder Liam, your device is also out of power."
Damn it! Liam suddenly remembered his own phone had only had six percent battery when he left. After nearly three hours on standby, and a brief online session, it had naturally died. He awkwardly took back his phone and inquired, "Fae Willow, are you in a hurry to reach Whispering Lantern Abbey?"
Fae Willow: "Not overly so, but the sooner the better. Delays can lead to complications." Fae Willow's voice remained soft and sweet—any delay, and her father would return from tormenting Elder Blade of the Madman, and then she'd be dragged back home. Yes, that was why she'd been so evasive with Blade of the Madman earlier. If her father came home, she wouldn't be able to sneak out again.
"Then, how about this? Would you like to come to my dorm? You can look up the route on my computer, and charge your phone. My dorm is about twenty minutes away. Would that work?" Liam suggested. Liam was a man of integrity, kind-faced and inherently good-hearted. He couldn't simply abandon Fae Willow. In truth, how many men would cruelly abandon such a beauty, unless they were utterly uninterested in women?
Fae Willow: "My dorm? Is that where Elder secludes himself?" Fae Willow's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Twenty minutes is no trouble at all!"
"Then, shall we go?" Liam cautiously asked.
Fae Willow nodded vigorously, pulling her massive suitcase and following closely behind Liam. She's certainly easy to abduct, Liam thought, a melancholic pang in his chest. He felt he could easily lure this girl away with just a couple of lollipops.
...
There's a saying: a man and a woman working together make light work. By rights, a man and a woman undertaking a task together should feel energized. Yet… after walking for five minutes with Fae Willow, Liam found himself breathing heavily, utterly exhausted. He cast a wry glance at Fae Willow beside him. The words of the cheerful young man at the plaza echoed in his mind: 'That beauty has such long legs, she walks so fast, one step for her is several for me. I ran the whole way, but I just couldn't keep up.' Long legs truly were an advantage! One of her steps was two of his! Fae Willow had already tried to slow her pace, but Liam still had to jog just to keep up. How could he not be tired?
Fae Willow: "Elder, you seem to be panting?" Fae Willow looked at Liam, puzzled. Surely not? How could a mere five minutes of walking leave an accomplished Elder breathless?
"Huff, let's walk slowly. No hurry," Liam said, adjusting his breathing.
Fae Willow: "Oh." Fae Willow nodded, half-comprehending. She sensed something amiss with this 'Elder's' physical state; he seemed to have very poor stamina. But she was a sensible young woman, respectful of others' privacy. Since the Elder didn't offer an explanation, she wouldn't press, lest she become an annoyance. So, she deliberately adjusted her stride, shortening her long legs to match Liam's pace.
Liam finally felt a considerable easing of his burden. They had left Haven's End District behind, gradually moving further away. By a curious twist of fate, behind them, the three young men who had been rating legs at the plaza were also departing Haven's End District, laden with their purchases.
"Oh! A perfect score! I see another perfect score!" Alex, the bespectacled young man, exclaimed, pointing excitedly at Fae Willow's retreating figure.
The cheerful young man immediately perked up. "Where? This time, I must catch her!"
"You're out of luck," the short-haired man said lazily. "She's already with a man."
The cheerful young man saw Liam beside Fae Willow and instantly deflated. "Already taken? Damn it!"
"Though she is taken, a pickaxe is merciless. If the pickaxe swings true, no wall is too strong to breach. Go on, be bold!" Alex chuckled.
"I have no interest in poaching," the cheerful young man replied, unexpectedly principled on this point.
But then, the cheerful young man's eyes fixed on Liam's back. "Hey, do you guys feel like that guy looks familiar?"
"Hmm, familiar is normal. He was sitting right next to us when we were rating the perfect-score beauty at the plaza earlier." The short-haired man continued to speak languidly.
Alex: "..."
Cheerful young man: "..."
"He was sitting right next to us. He was sitting right next to us..." The words echoed endlessly in the cheerful young man's mind. He immediately slumped to his knees. "Is this… the legendary God of Conquest?"
I will continue to refine and adapt the novel, maintaining the established tone and style. Please let me know your thoughts on this section!