422: Viscount's steward

At the deepest part of the lair was a slightly spacious stone chamber, with some stolen odds and ends piled in the corner: a few farm tools, an iron pot, and a delicate small wooden box.

Therese carefully inspected the loot, confirming that all the quest items were present. "We're lucky; we didn't encounter a Goblin Shaman along the way."

Just as she bent down to pick up the small wooden box, a sudden change occurred.

From the shadows at the top of the stone chamber, a thin, small figure lunged down suddenly, waving a bone staff in its hand, sending a glob of dark green acid shooting straight at Therese's face.

It was actually a Goblin Shaman; it was unclear what method it had used to perfectly conceal its presence, only launching the sneak attack at this very moment.

Therese reacted extremely quickly, dodging to the side. The acid flew past her shoulder, landing on the stone wall with a sizzling corrosive sound.

But as she dodged, the Goblin Shaman's second attack followed immediately.

A mental shock.

Therese let out a muffled groan, her movements noticeably sluggish for a split second, and her pupils dilated for a moment.

The Goblin Shaman let out a triumphant cackle, raising its bone staff again, ready to cast the next spell.

Shang Wan Ning's pupils constricted slightly.

It was too late.

With a flick of her fingertip, a wisp of spiritual energy silently sank into the center of Therese's back.

The Half-Elf's body shuddered, her unfocused pupils regained clarity, and she leaned back sharply, almost instinctively.

"Sss—" The acid ball flew past the tip of her nose, corroding and breaking a few strands of raised hair, emitting a pungent odor.

At the same time, looking as if she had been scared out of her wits, Shang Wan Ning clumsily raised her wooden staff and shouted with a crying tone: "Light, oh Light, please protect us."

The top of the staff erupted with a blazing white light far exceeding the ability of a First-Tier Priestess, instantly illuminating the entire stone chamber as bright as day.

The Goblin Shaman let out a shrill scream, stung by the intense light, and covered its eyes with both hands, its gathered spell instantly dissipating.

Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Therese endured the dizziness, nocked an arrow, drew the bow, and released the string.

"Whoosh!" The arrowhead buried itself into the Goblin Shaman's throat, pinning it to the stone wall behind it.

The Goblin Shaman's limbs twitched a few times, then stopped moving.

The stone chamber fell into a deathly silence, with only the heavy panting of the two girls remaining.

The stone chamber suddenly went quiet, with only the heavy panting of the two remaining.

"Clatter." The wooden staff in Shang Wan Ning's hand fell to the ground, and she slumped down as if she had lost all her bones. Her small face was pale, her lips were trembling, and tears were swirling in her eyes: "W-woo... it was too, too scary... Miss Therese, are you okay? I... did I almost mess it up again..."

Therese steadied herself with her longbow, her back covered in cold sweat. She looked at the ordinary wooden staff on the ground, then at the Little Priestess collapsed on the floor, looking like she was about to cry, her expression extremely complex.

The light just now was freakishly bright. It absolutely wasn't something a First-Tier Priestess could produce. And that warm current that suddenly appeared and helped her dispel the dizziness...

"I'm fine." Therese walked over and swept the small wooden box and quest items into her backpack. "Thanks for earlier."

She reached out and pulled Shang Wan Ning up.

Shang Wan Ning used the force to stand up, her legs still weak. She lowered her head, her voice as quiet as a mosquito's buzzing: "S-sorry, Miss Therese, I'm so useless... I can only release this kind of blinding light, almost causing trouble for you again..."

Therese stared at her for several seconds. Blinding light? That was clearly a "Flash Spell" timed perfectly to interrupt the casting!!!

She was now one hundred percent sure that this Little Priestess definitely had issues. Since when does a First-Tier Priestess have such good luck? Being able to "accidentally" help out at critical moments every single time?

But if the other party didn't want to talk, she couldn't force it out of her. In this day and age, who didn't have a few secrets?

"You did very well." Therese finally said dryly, slinging her backpack onto her shoulder. "Without that light of yours, I might already be lying there."

She paused, but couldn't help asking tentatively: "Nicole, is your family really just a scholar who travels around?"

Shang Wan Ning raised her teary eyes, her face full of confusion and grievance: "Y-yes... Miss Therese, why do you ask? Is it because I'm too stupid and holding you back?"

Looking at her innocent, harmless appearance, as if she had been wronged by the heavens, the words on the tip of Therese's tongue were swallowed back.

[Maybe she really is a young lady from some noble family who snuck out to play?] After all, this Little Priestess, even wearing the cheapest linen dress, occasionally displayed a calmness and temperament that didn't look like she grew up in an ordinary commoner's home at all.

"Just asking." Therese turned her head away. "Let's go, back to submit the quest. You take the full reward."

"Ah? That's not..." Shang Wan Ning hurriedly waved her hands.

"You saved my life." Therese interrupted her, her tone brooking no argument.

The two packed up their things and quickly left the place filled with the stench of goblins.

On the way back, the atmosphere was a bit stifling. Therese's mind was still replaying the thrilling scenes from just now, pondering Nicole's background. Shang Wan Ning, meanwhile, continued to diligently play the role of a frightened little rabbit.

After submitting the quest and receiving the reward of two gold coins, a smile finally reappeared on Shang Wan Ning's face, and she carefully put the gold coins away.

As soon as the two walked out of the guild gate, a middle-aged man dressed in the attire of a butler from the Viscounts Manor, with a serious expression, walked up to them, followed by two family guards.

"Miss Therese." The butler nodded slightly, his etiquette thorough yet laced with a sense of detachment. "I am the butler of the Viscounts Manor, Horne."

Therese stopped in her tracks, her expression guarded: "Butler Horne, is there something you need?"

Butler Horne's gaze swept over the seemingly timid Shang Wan Ning beside Therese, not lingering for long, before looking back at Therese: "Regarding the unpleasantness that occurred at the 'Wood Shaping' tavern yesterday, as well as some misunderstandings at the northern mine, His Lordship, the Viscount, is already aware. Young Master Mike is young and impetuous, and his actions may have been inappropriate. His Lordship has ordered me to come and offer an apology on his behalf."

This statement was airtight, maintaining noble decorum while characterizing Mike's behavior as merely "young and impetuous."

Therese sneered inwardly, "Butler, you are too serious; it was just a small friction."

Butler Horne took a heavy money bag from his bosom and handed it over: "Here are fifty gold coins. Twenty of them are compensation from His Lordship for the disturbance you received."

"The other thirty are in gratitude for your father's contributions to Chisong Town back in the day, and also in the hope that you can understand that the mine needs to be closed recently for safety considerations to conduct official surveys."

Fifty gold coins were a huge sum for an ordinary adventurer. The compensation and gratitude were fake; the hush money and warning were the truth.

Therese did not take the money bag, her emerald eyes staring straight at the butler: "Butler Horne, the mine is a public area. If the Viscounts Manor closes it on the grounds of safety, we will naturally comply. But I cannot accept this money."

"What my father did does not need to be measured by money. As for Young Master Mike's 'disturbance'," she said calmly, "I am already used to it."