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Chapter 78: Found Junice

“You mean Junice?”

The old tree spirit scratched the nose Martina had bent and said, “Of course, blond hair, blue eyes, very pretty… that should be her, right?”

“Aren’t you rooted here? How did you find her?” Reiner asked in confusion, yet he still patted Nora on his lap and told her to get up.

The tree spirit chuckled softly and said, “Humans cannot see little spirits, but I not only see them, I also talk to them and learn what happens thousands of miles away.”

“Where is she now?”

The old tree spirit pointed deeper into the woods and said, “Keep going forward for roughly 2 miles and you will see her.”

“Thank you; we will visit again if we can, but for now we will get going.” Reiner packed up and left.

The old tree spirit waved farewell to him.

Martina asked doubtfully, “Darling, are we really traveling at night?”

Nora knocked her on the head and urged, “Obviously we got news, idiot… put your armor on already!”

“Yeah, the tree spirit said Junice is camping 2 miles ahead, so let’s ride straight there.” Reiner mounted the horse, which seemed unhappy about night travel and immediately started prancing.

Reiner shoved a carrot into its mouth, finally calming it down.

Martina muttered under her breath, “Master, do you really like Junice that much?”

“No, it’s complicated and I can’t explain right now; we just need to find her quickly.” Reiner rubbed Martina’s ears.

“Fine, as long as you don’t neglect me, I can accept you adding another woman.” Martina folded her arms and spoke with feigned solemnity, until Nora smacked her on the head again.

Reiner lit his staff for illumination and led the beast-eared girls toward the direction the tree spirit had indicated.

They rode onward until he saw a small flicker of fire ahead.

Nora sniffed hard and said, “Junice is there; I smell her scent.”

“Got it.”

Reiner kept heading for Junice’s camp.

Perhaps the hoofbeats startled her; she suddenly peeked out from behind a tree.

After seeing who it was, she rubbed her eyes hard and said, “You are…”

“Have a few days apart made you forget me?”

Junice sounded delighted; she hurried to her feet and said, “Reiner? Is it really you? I thought I was seeing things!”

She looked filthy, and her quilted coat was in tatters, so it was obvious she had not fared well these past days.

Reiner smiled and said, “I also retrieved your horse.”

“Thank you.” Junice stepped forward and stroked the white horse under Daisy, saying, “When the bandits robbed me I was injured and couldn’t look after it; I never thought you would bring it back.”

Daisy dismounted and walked over to Martina.

Reiner added, “It was pure luck; 2 more days and those bandits would have sold it.”

At that moment Junice’s stomach protested with a loud growl.

She clutched her staff in embarrassment and asked, “Do you have any food? The bandits took everything, and I’ve been filling my belly with weeds for days.”

“Of course.” Reiner motioned for everyone to sit by the fire and took two white loaves from his pack, handing them to Junice.

Her eyes lit up; without even washing her hands she grabbed them and started devouring.

It was clear she was starving.

Reiner watched her quietly from the side.

At that moment the system’s voice sounded again.

Quest: Find Junice

Current status: Completed

Reward issued.

Reiner felt his purse grow noticeably heavier.

He rummaged inside it and soon touched a coin that felt different from the others.

The newly acquired coin bore an image of a lush ancient tree, completely unlike the emblem on a Dyast gold coin.

Appraisal complete.

Item name: Barnite gold coin

Description: One of the basic currency units of the Kingdom of Barnite

Reiner stroked the pattern on the coin and then put it back into his purse.

This was far too inconvenient.

This continent needed someone to unify it.

The system voice sounded again.

Quest update: Escort Junice to the city of Cannon.

Quest reward: 1 Barnite gold coin.

Reiner recognized that name.

Cannon lay on the Barnite border; they could reach it by crossing this forest.

It was most likely Junice’s destination as well.

Junice huddled by the campfire, rubbed her stomach, and said, “I’m full now, all thanks to you; otherwise foraging alone would have worn me out.”

Reiner sighed and said, “We still have plenty of black bread; if you’re still hungry eat some to pad your stomach.”

After washing her hands with water, Junice held out her palm to Reiner and said, “A little more, please; thank you.”

Reiner walked to the horse, took out a large chunk of black bread, and handed it to Junice.

She again gnawed at it in big bites.

Soon she seemed to remember something, looked up at Reiner, and asked, “By the way, Reiner, how did you find me?”

Reiner thought for a moment, then smiled and replied, “I was worried about you; the weather is awful and the road is full of bandits… traveling alone is too dangerous.”

Junice froze, narrowed her eyes at Reiner, and seemed to weigh the truth of his words.

Reiner answered seriously, “Alright, Miss Junice Pwatou Liridetta, I did come for other reasons as well.”

Hearing that full name again, Junice showed a trace of surprise and asked, “Someone came to see you?”

“Yes, your brother Yule found me and asked about your whereabouts; he wants to find you.”

“And?” Junice asked impatiently.

Reiner retold everything that had happened that day without holding anything back.

Junice burst out laughing and said, “Reiner, you’re a genius! Hahaha!”

“Forget it; honestly I don’t think I succeeded. Your brother had spies tailing me as soon as I left the city. I shook them, but this is still the closest road to Barnite, so it wasn’t hard for him to guess my route.”

Junice sighed softly and shook her head.

As the two fell silent, she suddenly asked, “Reiner, can you understand me?”

“Understand what? I don’t even know why you ran away from home.”

Junice lowered her head and said slowly, “My father is an earl of the Kingdom of Rosno, and he intended to marry me to a marquis’s eldest son to improve their relations…”

Reiner waved his hand and said, “So in short it was a political marriage, you refused, wanted control over your life, and ran away, right?”

Junice stared at Reiner for a long time, then nodded vigorously…

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