Magic Farm 145

Chapter 145: Guests from the Forest of Stars and the Golden Sand Desert

It took a few seconds for Shen Xingyu to grasp Qi Yu’s meaning.

His throat was a little dry. “You mean… you can take me with you?”

Qi Yu nodded emphatically. “Yes! Before, it wasn’t possible, but I think the title reward from the last racing event unlocked the team-up feature for us.”

He was clearly thinking ahead. “Doesn’t this mean that in the future, whether it’s events or fighting monsters, we’ll be able to summon teammates?”

Shen Xingyu spoke rapidly, “Wait, does this function mean we have to leave right now? Or can we wait a bit?”

Qi Yu glanced at the survival panel, then looked outside—the four little white horses were already hitched to the carriage.

He said, “The panel isn’t showing a countdown, so I don’t think it’s urgent.”

As soon as he finished, the person in front of him was already a blur.

Only a voice lingered in the air: “Wait for me, I’ll be right back!”

“……”

Qi Yu marveled at Shen Xingyu’s speed as he walked toward the wildlands carriage.

This time, he knew the routine well, taking out four beast crystal stones and feeding them to the horses. “I’ll have to trouble you again to take me out.”

The little horses crunched the stones and snorted, nuzzling him.

Qi Yu took it as their way of saying: You’re welcome.

He whispered, “A friend of mine will be joining us, could you wait a bit?”

He suddenly wondered, if he could bring Shen Xingyu, could he also bring along his “citizens” whom he’d successfully recruited?

He reached out with his mind to the plant sprite, who had just woken up and was busy getting acquainted with the territory’s plants.

The bluebell flower sprite arrived quickly. “Lord.”

Qi Yu said, “I need to leave the territory for a while and go to the Kyra Empire. I want to see if I can bring you along.”

The bluebell sprite was curious. “Is the Kyra Empire inside the Forest of Stars?”

Qi Yu: “It shouldn’t be.”

The bluebell sprite said, “Then take me, Lord. I’m the bravest.”

She added proudly, “The other sprites are timid. It was me who led them here to your territory.”

“If you took them far away, they’d be too scared.”

“You’re amazing,” Qi Yu praised without reservation. “Brave leader of the sprites.”

The bluebell sprite was delighted and asked, “Lord, can I hide in your hat or your pocket?”

She was a little embarrassed. “If it’s really far, my wings are too small—I’d get tired.”

Too cute.

Qi Yu held out his hand, and the bluebell sprite carefully landed in his palm.

He lowered his voice, not wanting to startle her. “It’s fine, we have the wildlands carriage. Once we’re on board, we’ll be in the Kyra Empire in no time.”

“When we get there, you can hide in my pocket.”

The territory’s teleportation array sounded again—Qi Yu knew Shen Xingyu was back.

He really was fast—probably got the invitation and hurried back to arrange things in his own territory.

That’s what Qi Yu thought, until he saw his friend hurrying over.

Qi Yu: ?

Shen Xingyu had changed clothes.

These past days, coming over to dig snow, Shen Xingyu always dressed casually, tossing on a down jacket when leaving the territory.

Now, he wore a fitted black long robe with subtle dark embroidery, a leather belt, and tall boots—crisp, elegant, and a little aristocratic.

His hair was styled differently too—Qi Yu couldn’t say exactly how, but it was definitely different from usual.

Noticing Qi Yu’s gaze, Shen Xingyu grinned, “First time going out with the lord, I can’t let you lose face.”

He saw the white carriage behind them, and the mysterious little road that had appeared—after coming to Qi Yu’s territory every day, he was very familiar with the surroundings.

“A spatial passage?” He realized. “I was just wondering how we’d get out of here.”

Qi Yu: “Let’s go, we shouldn’t keep the ponies waiting.”

As they boarded, he noticed the survival panel didn’t display any messages, and the carriage didn’t react.

He was delighted: it seemed he could indeed bring his citizens along.

The carriage wasn’t large, and with two long-limbed people, it was inevitable they’d bump into each other.

Qi Yu watched Shen Xingyu looking all around, clearly fascinated by the carriage and wanting to figure out how it worked.

He reminded him, “I was curious the first time too, but you can’t open the windows or doors while it’s moving.”

Shen Xingyu: “Mm, I won’t.”

The carriage stopped.

The emptiness of travel vanished, replaced by the sounds of a bustling city outside.

Qi Yu saw Shen Xingyu’s eyes go wide—he realized watching his friend’s expressions was pretty fun.

He understood how Shen Xingyu felt.

After being alone in a quiet, isolated place for so long, suddenly seeing crowds of people was overwhelming.

He’d felt the same way his first time in Gold Cavern City.

Shen Xingyu pushed open the door, and together they stepped out.

They found themselves in a lively, prosperous marketplace.

In Gold Cavern City, aside from locals, most people were mercenaries and adventurers heading to the Blackrock Mountains, so everyone looked a bit rough.

Here, Qi Yu saw a golden carriage that looked like it was made of solid gold, and elegantly dressed men and women arm in arm, wearing top hats.

There were plenty of warriors too, and more than one person in mage robes.

Just like in Gold Cavern City, no one seemed to notice the sudden appearance of a wildlands carriage and Qi Yu and his companion.

Not until the carriage vanished with a clatter did people realize two strangers were standing there.

A young warrior, accompanied by a mage with a badge.

Not an unusual sight here, but a young, handsome warrior always attracted a few more glances.

“This place is so much bigger than Gold Cavern City, and looks much wealthier,” Shen Xingyu said.

Qi Yu told him, “You can use the survival panel outside too—the locals can’t see it. Once you go home, you’ll unlock a world map.”

He opened his panel.

[Current Location: Aufeli (Kyra Empire Royal City).]

[Today’s Weather: 19°C-23°C, sunny, light breeze.]

Shen Xingyu gazed around in awe. “This is… incredible.”

He carefully observed every detail, every passerby’s expression and movement, and sighed inwardly.

These were no game NPCs—this was a real world, a strange blend of classical and magical.

Qi Yu didn’t share such complex feelings; his mind was on the commission.

The task was for Duke Notting’s seven-year-old daughter.

The message bottle’s tasks never made things impossible—so even if the target wasn’t nearby, she couldn’t be far.

Just as he thought this, he heard two people talking behind him:

“Miss Clarissa’s health is getting worse. This month, I heard the Duke has already called for the priest three times.”

“Hush! Big-mouthed Sophia, do you want to lose your job? Let’s hurry and get these flowers to the Duke’s house…”

Qi Yu and Shen Xingyu exchanged glances and followed the two.

Duke’s Mansion.

The little girl fell asleep with a gentle smile.

The priest, having just finished treatment, was invited by the worried Duke and Duchess into another room.

Before they could speak, the white-haired priest spoke first: “Miss Clarissa’s frailty is congenital. That she’s lived this long is a blessing from the gods.”

He sighed. “My treatments only seal away the pain brought by weakness and illness.”

“There’s truly nothing more that can be done?”

The priest shook his head. “I’ll come once a week from now on, but all I can promise is that she won’t be taken in pain.”

As for the rest…

“If Miss Clarissa has any unfulfilled wishes, do your best to make them come true.”

“……”

After the priest left, the Duke and Duchess were silent for a long time.

At last, the Duchess spoke. “Clarissa rarely gets to go out. What she loves most is listening to me tell stories. She loves elves best—such beautiful, dreamlike beings.”

Besides elves, she loved stories of dragons, dwarves, beastfolk… all those wondrous adventures.

Dwarves and beastfolk—they could bring those to her.

But her favorite, the elves… where could they find one?

That race had vanished from the world for ages.

As for dragons, they were even more legendary.

The Duchess couldn’t help but say, “I heard the court of the Aura Empire keeps an elven imperial tutor. Do you think we could…”

She stopped herself.

The Duke understood. They could never invite someone of at least archmage rank.

At that level, even the Emperor himself would treat them with respect.

And elves were said to be the proudest, most aloof of all.

Why would a seven-year-old human girl have the right to meet such a person?

Suddenly, he had an idea. “What if we hired someone to pretend to be an elf?”

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. “Clarissa’s never seen an elf, and she rarely goes out, so she’s… easy to please.”

He coughed. “Easy to fool,” he almost said.

The Duchess frowned. “If there’s no other way, we’ll have to. At least she’ll have her dream.”

At that moment, the butler hurried in, barely containing his excitement.

“Duke, Duchess, there are two guests here to see you.”

The Duke frowned. “Didn’t I say no visitors, and to turn away all invitations?”

His daughter’s illness had consumed him—he’d even taken leave from the Emperor, wanting to spend as much time as possible with his child.

The butler wasn’t one to lose his head.

He said quietly, “The two guests say they come from the distant Forest of Stars and Golden Sand Desert, and they’re here for Miss Clarissa.”

“Forest of Stars?”

“Golden Sand Desert?”

The Duke and Duchess prided themselves on their knowledge, but for a moment, neither could recall such places.

The butler took a careful breath. “Think again—haven’t you heard of those places in a storybook somewhere?”