# Chapter 18: Ordinary Happiness
Around the Eternal Lake in the Far South, Redwood City, as the morning sun rose.
A travel-worn adventurer squad stepped into this prosperous city located on the northern shore of the Eternal Lake, a Far South forest material transfer station known for its trade.
The leader of the squad wore a thin robe. This seemingly frail human carried a bulging backpack, with various bottles and jars hanging from his waist. He appeared to be an alchemist, his golden hair disheveled from days of hard travel. Behind and beside him, a group of guards who seemed to be adventurers followed wearily in his footsteps.
The squad included dwarves, humans, half-elves, gnomes, and barbarians—truly a motley crew. But the passersby and local elves paid no attention to this oddly shaped group whatsoever. Tavern girls leaned against doorways, laughing and inviting them in for a drink, even winking without hesitation at a gnome who wasn't even half her height.
Because this was Redwood City, the Far South's capital of adventure.
North was the primeval rainforest bordering the Far South Black Forest, south was the Eternal Lake, west was the Bondar Mountains, east was the border of the Far South Kingdom... As a strategic point bordering four directions, Redwood City had always been a place where people from all sides came and went. Adventurers heading to the Black Forest, human merchants trading with elves, elven scholars traveling to human kingdoms to study—countless people departed from or arrived at this city every day. The locals had long grown accustomed to all kinds of travelers and adventurers, embracing diversity, which had gradually become Redwood City's culture.
On the main streets, pedestrians of various races and attire walked along both sides. Mana-driven iron carriages and beast-drawn wagons shuttled back and forth on the central road. Elves bought fruit and pastries for breakfast, while dwarves preferred to go to taverns, ordering a mug of draft beer or fruit wine, wolfing down meat steaks with drunken enthusiasm. Among the lush plants lining the streets, small treant-like animated plants could be seen delivering takeout. These animated lifeforms, inscribed with special magical runes, were the executors of the emerging "takeout" culture. In Redwood City, as long as you had money, you could enjoy everything without leaving home, and no one dared to provoke these little creatures backed by local elven mages and druids.
Besides this, another new form of entertainment was spreading through Redwood City—a peculiar magical device called the Fae Card Table. It had already replaced the old card tables in taverns, becoming the favorite pastime of many residents. The winner pressing "sorry" three times repeatedly to the loser had replaced post-drinking arguments as the number one cause of street brawls in the city. The second biggest reason might be deliberately showing off having drawn a legendary card.
"Haha, I got it!"
From a tavern, a joyful, loud shout suddenly rang out. Through the window, one could see a wealthy person dressed in splendid clothes adorned with gems, holding a crystal card representing their account, proudly showing off to the onlookers gathered around the card-drawing area.
[Nature Mentor Galannod]
[9 Cost, 4 Attack, 4 Health, Guardian, Rush]
[Entrance: Restore 5 health to the main combatant, place a 'Nature's Domain' amulet on the field]
[Last Word: 'Nature's Domain' amulet effect reverses]
[Nature's Domain]
[3 Cost Amulet, Indestructible]
[At the end of each turn, restore 3 health to the holder]
[At the end of each turn, the holder draws one card]
[Amulet Reversal: Nature's Wrath]
[At the start of each turn, reduce 3 health from your enemy. At the start of each turn, randomly discard one hand card]
[Sow kindness, reap kindness. Sow malice, reap malice. The way of nature is no different.]
The energy circulating among the dense forests formed the face of a female druid in the sky above, gazing lovingly at the city and forest within her "body."
"Dwarf taverns and blacksmith shops, human general stores, gnome jewelry stalls, mage appraisal houses, and who knows how many kinds of guilds... Redwood City is as diverse as ever."
Seeming to have been roughing it in the forest for at least half a month, the grimy alchemist took off his dust-covered glasses, pulled a cloth from his bosom to wipe them, put them back on, and looked around at the surrounding streets. Then he said with some confusion, "Strange, why does it feel busier than before?"
Redwood City was surrounded by forests and mountains. Sunlight always came late and left early, so magical lamps burned perpetually in the city, only extinguishing temporarily after sunrise. But today was different—the morning sun had risen, yet the magical lamps remained as bright as ever. Their gentle blue-white light illuminated the entire city, making the alchemist, who frequently traveled here, feel that his surroundings were unusually clear.
Besides this, all the shops on the streets had their doors wide open. The morning market, which should have had few people, was packed. One could even see rare elven patrols maintaining order. The density of the crowd coming and going was such that this adventurer squad didn't know how to move forward.
"Boss, the tavern is even giving away a free drink to everyone passing by!"
While the alchemist was puzzled, behind him, a dwarf clad in heavy armor but wearing a priest's hat held a disposable leaf cup of ale from who knows where and began drinking heartily. The flail hanging at his waist clinked. After downing it in one gulp, this dwarf priest exhaled blissfully: "Almost a month without drinking, nearly died. This really saved my life."
"Free drinks? Since when are Redwood City merchants so generous? Isn't the elven carnival in June?"
The alchemist looked around blankly. The entire city was filled with an unusual atmosphere of joy. Taverns generously offered a cup of fruit wine to every passing traveler. Outside the gnome jewelry stalls, pots of bright, delicate flowers were displayed, with a sign below reading "Take one." The city's street intersections were hung with colorful banners, bearing the symbol of the largest local elven tribe, "Song of the Waves."
"It seems 'Song of the Waves' is getting a new chieftain, and that chieftain happens to be getting married. The Nature Mentor and Her Majesty the Empress will come to officiate."
Just as the alchemist was utterly perplexed, a human ranger emerged from the crowd and came before him. This ranger had quietly gone to inquire among the crowd earlier and now returned with the answer to everyone's confusion. He said in a low voice: "From today until the end of next month, all shop imports and exports are tax-free. 'Song of the Waves' has great prestige here, so the locals of Redwood City are willing to be generous for this good news."
"Boss Chris, this is great news. Our medicine had the highest taxes. Now that it's tax-free, we can make a killing!"
"Is that so? Well, that really is good news."
Nodding slightly, the alchemist named Chris narrowed his eyes. The blue pupils behind his metal glasses flickered. He said calmly, "In that case, I can give you all a little extra bonus... But why does the atmosphere feel so strange?"
Ignoring the cheers from his adventurer squad members beside him, Chris frowned and pointed at the elven guards patrolling and maintaining order by the roadside. He said softly, "Look at their faces, suppressing anxiety and unease... They don't match the surrounding atmosphere at all."
By the roadside, those elven soldiers wearing simple vine-and-wood armor indeed looked quite somber, their brows tightly furrowed, completely out of sync with the cheerful crowd around them.
"Ah, it's all because of the World Tree."
In the squad, a half-elf archer touched the dagger at his waist, curled his lip, and said somewhat disdainfully, "It's all because of that 'World Tree' appearing. It's stirred up internal conflicts among the elves. I heard that at the last royal court meeting, the nine major tribes parted on bad terms."
With the explanation from this half-elf archer who knew the situation, the squad members roughly understood the recent causes of internal conflict among the elven tribes.
It all stemmed from the "World Tree Seed" that the Nature Mentor had brought back from the Northern lands of Moldavia.
This World Tree, said to originate from the "Father of Nature," the creator of the elves, had completely disrupted the existing order among the major elven tribes from the moment it sprouted in the Eternal Lake.
Everyone knew what power the World Tree possessed. It was a heritage from the gods, the most perfect expression of the way of nature. Anyone who obtained it could achieve Legendary status. Any tribe that obtained it would be enough to stand above all others.
The elven race was very united. They didn't mind sharing with other tribes. But it was precisely this that made them angry—because the Elven Royal Court and the Nature Mentor had been stubbornly holding onto the World Tree Seed, refusing to share it with other tribes to this day, unwilling to release it. This immediately angered many normally indifferent elven tribes.
We are all children of the Father of Nature. Why should only you have the privilege of comprehending the heritage whenever you want?! That treasure belongs to all elves, not to one family or one tribe!
"This time, the 'Song of the Waves' tribe's wedding has invited the leaders of other major elven tribes. I heard the Nature Mentor and Her Majesty the Empress plan to resolve this issue through a formal negotiation... But I still don't get it. At worst, just make the heritage public. Why all the secrecy?"
As a half-elf, it wasn't his concern. This archer shook his head with a rather carefree attitude and sighed: "Selfishness is indeed the biggest source of conflict... But Boss, you've always been generous. That's different from the Nature Mentor and them!"
"Moldavia, huh... Heh, you bastard, your flattery is so clumsy."
Hearing the familiar place name, Chris couldn't help but fall into thought. But then he heard the archer's flattering words, which made the alchemist shake his head with a smile: "I know your sister recently wants to study and needs money, right? I can lend you some privately. Next time, don't be so stiff with your flattery... And don't drag the Mentor into it. I don't want to be caught by the local elven guards and beaten half to death."
"Alright, thanks Boss!"
After sending off the half-elf archer, the human ranger beside him seemed to think of something and spoke up: "Speaking of which, Boss, your hometown is also in the Northern lands, right? Do you know that Count Radcliffe of the Radcliffe Family?"
"What, Boss, you're actually from the Northern lands?"
On the other side, the dwarf priest said with a look of longing: "Lord Count the Dragon Slayer is my idol. I didn't expect you to be his fellow countryman. I'm so jealous!"
"You're a priest. Instead of worshipping His Holiness the Pope, you worship some Legendary warrior. Go back and properly contemplate the power of Holy Light!"
Letting out an almost imperceptible sigh to conceal the emotions in his heart, Chris—Chris Radcliffe—closed his eyes. This man, who had come to the Far South incognito and become the owner of a fairly well-known alchemy workshop, couldn't help but recall in his heart the days of his childhood, playing in the snow with his younger brother. He remembered that winter six years ago, the alley where everything began, his father's death, and those burning crimson eyes.
The image of a black-haired, crimson-eyed warrior walking alone toward the Lord's Manor, filled with ambushers, was still vivid before his eyes.
Before he knew it, that ordinary warrior of the past had become a Legendary expert renowned throughout the world. Even in this elven city at the world's end, his fame spread.
Filled with myriad emotions, the alchemist opened his eyes again. He skipped this topic and said in a calm tone: "Enough nonsense. Hurry up and clear a path for me. If we can't process the medicinal herbs today, no one gets paid."
"Alright, alright, let's drop this. Boss Chris, you said the new master of Redwood City is getting married. When are you and the missus getting married?"
The dwarf priest raised both hands in surrender, but being talkative, he couldn't help but stir up another topic: "We've been waiting to drink at your wedding feast."
"Already married long ago. I just haven't given her a grand wedding yet... The medicinal herbs we collected this time are of excellent quality. With the recent tax exemption, after selling them, we'll have enough money."
Speaking calmly the news that shocked the adventurer squad members—who were more like family than employees—Chris couldn't help but reveal a happy smile: "When the time comes, we'll go to the most expensive hotel in Redwood City and have a banquet worth remembering for a lifetime! Don't any of you miss it!"
"Oooh!!" The squad members all cheered in unison, and Chris adjusted his glasses, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, though he also sighed.
Let all glory belong to heroes, let all ordinariness belong to the ordinary. I never craved thrilling adventures or standing above ten thousand. I only wanted a life as ordinary as a plant. Now I have gotten my wish and found my ordinary path. What about you?
Joshua... I hope you too can find the happiness you deserve.
Meanwhile, at the center of Redwood City, atop the crown of a giant redwood tree, in a sturdy wooden castle specially animated by natural divine arts, there was a hall filled with complex space-time runes. At the center of the hall, azure-blue space-time ripples flickered. A group of solemn-faced druids and elegantly dressed elves stood before the hall, seemingly waiting for someone's arrival.
A few seconds later, as the space-time ripples suddenly intensified, all the elves present straightened their expressions. The next moment, a man in black casual clothes, accompanied by a young boy and girl, strode out from the still-unstable space-time gate.
The moment he stepped out, it was as if an electric current swept through all of Redwood City. Whether ordinary people without transcendent power or experts at Gold Peak and even Ultimate-rank, all sensed some colossal entity descending at the city's center. The magnetic field released by its mere existence enveloped a domain far larger than this single city.
"Welcome to Redwood City, Lord Count Radcliffe. The Mentor is currently strolling by the shores of the Eternal Lake. Knowing of your arrival, she should be here shortly."
Among the group of elves welcoming Joshua, the one at the front stepped forward. Sensing the terrifying aura—vast and unmatched, enveloping millions within its field—he felt his legs go weak while secretly trembling inside. This domain containing powerful pressure was strictly restrained by its holder. If it were allowed to spread freely, there would be no creature capable of standing upright within a hundred miles.
Could it be that the people of the Northern lands all live under such pressure? Are the rumors circulating among adventurers actually true?!
But the man whose mere appearance had changed the environment of all Redwood City seemed not to hear the leading elf's voice. He frowned, looking toward some corner of the city.
"...What a coincidence."
He said softly. Then, Joshua turned to look at that rather stiff-faced, elegantly dressed elf. He waved his hand casually: "I understand. No need to be so nervous. I'm not one to put on airs. I don't eat people, and I don't like massacring cities. The rumors are all false."
"Don't bother having the Nature Mentor come find me. Tell me where she is. I'll go see her first."