73: Varro

Time quietly passed, and our group continued along the road.

Along the way, we encountered two more waves of bandits attempting to rob us, but with our keen alertness and Randall's exceptional strength, we dealt with them quickly and cleanly.

At the same time, we also plundered some valuables from them, which served to slightly fill our pockets.

Along the way, some bandits saw our well-equipped and formidable group from afar, clearly realizing that we were not easy to provoke, so they all chose to retreat and did not jump out to challenge us.

This saved us a lot of trouble and allowed us to proceed more smoothly.

Walking on the road was much faster than traveling through dense jungles.

In the evening, we arrived at the place where Randall and his companions had previously encountered trouble.

The road was surrounded by sparse trees and thorny bushes on both sides, and a heavy and oppressive atmosphere permeated the air.

We held torches, illuminating the woods by the roadside, carefully searching every corner.

However, there was no sign of the Animated Thorns, as if they had disappeared from this vicinity.

As darkness fell, illuminated by the torches, we finally found the graves Randall had dug for Bach and the old soldier in a relatively open clearing.

The graves were covered with thick snow, and we stood around them, our hearts filled with mourning for the deceased.

The flames of the torches flickered gently in the wind, as if also mourning for the deceased.

As night fell and stars dotted the sky, we found a relatively flat and secluded clearing in the roadside forest ahead and decided to set up camp there for the night.

The bonfire burned brightly, illuminating the surroundings, dispelling the chill of the night, and lighting up our faces.

Everyone sat around the bonfire, and the atmosphere was a bit somber.

Just then, a melodious song came from not far away, accompanied by light footsteps, and a figure in a gaudy leather armor slowly entered our sight.

He wore a wide-brimmed hat, with several colorful ribbons hanging from the brim, fluttering in the wind, looking quite unrestrained.

"Hey, travelers, good evening! I am Varo, a wandering Bard. Seeing that it's late, I wonder if you would be so kind as to let this old man share your camp for the night?" He said while performing an exaggerated bow.

I indeed did not feel any malice from him, and after exchanging glances with Randall, Randall stood up to welcome him.

"Of course, Mr. Varo, you are most welcome!" Randall said with a smile, ushering Varo to the bonfire.

Upon hearing this, Varo's eyes immediately lit up, "Oh! This is truly warm! I have traveled throughout the entire continent of Ferun, yet I have never received such warm hospitality in a rural camp."

"The entire continent of Ferun?" I couldn't help but ask.

This was the first time I had heard this term since coming to this world.

The Halfling, the Professor, Randall, including John and George, had all mentioned many place names to me, but I was certain I had only seen the term "Ferun Continent" in storybooks from my world before I crossed over.

"Yes, child." Varo looked at me and said, "Absolutely true! Would you like to hear me tell stories of distant lands?"

I handed him hot water and food.

"Oh, this is fantastic!" Varo said to me with a smile, "In this kind of weather, being able to eat hot food, what could be more wonderful than this!"

Varo truly had excellent eloquence; for half the night, he told me many stories of his experiences in magical places.

His words were like magic, taking me into one fantastical world after another, making me feel as if I had personally experienced those thrilling adventures.

"However, speaking of Goresberte, the town you are about to head to," Varo changed the subject, saying mysteriously, "that's an interesting place. There's an inn in town called the Fieldrin Inn, and their Evermead is incredibly fragrant, just like the elven brew I drank on Evermeet. It's just that, recently, their mayor has been plagued by a lot of troubles, and I heard that the town council adults have already put out a high reward for anyone who can solve the problems. If the mayor can't find people to resolve the troubles quickly, he's close to losing his position. Young men, I see you are all very capable, perhaps… you could earn a large bounty."

"Mr. Varo, you are truly knowledgeable." Randall praised, "I wonder if you have any special advice for us?"

Varo blinked and smiled, "As for advice, don't forget to enjoy the journey, my esteemed friends. Sometimes, the most precious thing is not the destination, but the scenery along the way and the people you meet."

After speaking, he picked up a lute nearby and began to play a cheerful tune, his song drifting through the night sky, adding a touch of warmth and joy to our camping night.

The next morning, when the first ray of sunlight pierced through the treetops and into the camp, I found that Varo had left without saying goodbye.