Chapter 173

"Get back!"

A 60-degree conical fan, capable of spewing high-temperature flames up to 10 meters away, erupted within a compressed range of two to three meters.

Ice against fire, a direct confrontation, purely a contest of energy. The pervasive ice mist was swept away in an instant, and the white flames relentlessly struck the ice giant.

The body made of solid ice was instantly shaved off a layer. A vast expanse of white mist rose up, followed by the pitter-patter of ice water dripping down like rain, accumulating into a small puddle between the ice giant’s feet.

The ice giant froze in place. The voice of the old mage resounded again: "Back off! Back off!"

Sprays of water splashed. The ice giant staggered backward, one step, two steps, three steps, finally sitting down on the ground, solidifying into an unconscious lump of ice.

The old mage flew down from the rocky outcrop. One hand gripping his staff, the other holding his robe, tiptoeing to avoid the icy ground, he hopped over like a fat duck.

Seeing his daughter unharmed, although the female knight sat down on the ground, she didn’t seem to be in any trouble. He slouched, his entire body collapsing downwards, shrinking by ten centimeters on the spot: "Thank goodness, thank goodness..."

After he finished exhaling, he turned to Garrett, his face filled with gratitude: "Thank you so much! This ice elemental suddenly went out of control. If you hadn’t intervened, I wouldn’t have been able to send it back in time. You..."

He glanced up at Bernard, tilting his head back at a 45-degree angle, only to see the tip of the large bone club: "What should I call you? You and your followers, are you alright?"

The barbarian grinned foolishly, retracting his club and stepping back behind Garrett. Garrett naturally waved his hand, taking on the role of mediator for both of them: "I’m fine. With the master’s control, even if we hadn’t helped, it should have been possible to retrieve the ice elemental in time. At most, the young lady would have been a little frightened—Miss, are you alright?"

"Humph! That stubborn girl!" The old mage glared at his daughter, then started puffing his beard and glaring again. The female knight hugged her friend, taking two steps back, her face full of caution. When their gazes met, they immediately started a new round of argument. Garrett stood nearby, listened to a few sentences, felt like his head was about to explode, and couldn’t help but intervene: "Master, Miss Knight, may I say a word?"

"What do you want to say?"

The old mage’s expression softened slightly. Garrett bowed lightly: "Master, even if you’re angry, you must still care for your daughter. In this situation, no matter how you decide to handle it, it’s always better to have a higher-level healer intervene. I happen to be visiting Elder Wood of the Cult of the Nature God. If the master has the time, could you bring the young lady along for a visit?"

"You?" The old mage looked at him with doubt, his gaze sweeping over his badge: Level One Mage, Level One Arcanist. With this level, he could directly visit Elder Wood? "—Oh, I remember now. Last month’s ’Arcanist’—"

"Oh, I remember." The old mage suddenly realized. "That article indeed had several priests co-authored. So, you’re quite familiar with him?"

"We’re indeed quite familiar." Garrett gestured, and the barbarian ran back behind the rocks, handing over an oak staff to Garrett. The old mage glanced at the two green leaves on the staff’s head, his eyebrows twitching again: Level One Mage, Level One Arcanist, Level Two Priest, what’s this kid’s deal?

Though strange, his credibility had increased. He nodded lightly: "Then I’ll have to trouble you to make the introduction."

Persuade one, then persuade the other. Garrett turned to the female knight. Seraina stood protectively in front of her friend, her emerald eyes ablaze, lips moving, looking ready to refuse. Garrett hurriedly spoke up: "Madam, Miss Iris’s current condition is obviously not right. If she’s not... then she must be ill. It’s always beneficial for her to see a good healer, isn’t it?"

See a doctor!

See a doctor!

If in doubt, always see a doctor; never endure it on your own!

The female knight’s gaze flickered slightly as she looked back at her friend. Iris was hiding behind her, petite and pale, resembling a frightened little dove. Her slender fingers clutched the edge of her cloak, and even though the cloak concealed it, the bulge in her abdomen was visible, indeed resembling the signs of pregnancy.

"I’ll take her away! Don’t touch her!"

She spoke with a stern face, her vigilant gaze split between the old mage and Garrett— and the barbarian behind them. Garrett breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded: "Of course, you take her. Try to walk steadily; she doesn’t seem too comfortable..."

The group set off again. Arriving at Oak Ridge, Elder Wood had no patients at the moment and welcomed them in, taking a look around. "What’s wrong? Who’s not feeling well..."

"This stubborn girl! I’ve been away for a few months, and she’s turned out like this!" The old mage spoke angrily. He yanked off his cloak and threw it back at the female knight, pointing to his daughter’s belly: "Master, do us a favor and get rid of this bastard! I’ll take her somewhere else, and in a few years, she can marry cleanly!"

"I’m not pregnant! I haven’t even touched a man’s hand!" Iris burst into tears. The old mage roared, "Who are you trying to fool! Your belly is so big, you can’t even eat, and you still want to vomit! Are you waiting for the bastard to be born before admitting your shameful deed!"

"Don’t worry, don’t worry," Elder Wood smiled reassuringly. "Tolga, don’t worry, young lady, don’t cry for now. Sit tight and let me use divine magic to take a look..."

He waved off the others, clasping the oak staff in his hands, murmuring a prayer. A moist glow emanated from the green leaves on the staff, enveloping the girl. Iris, who had been sobbing uncontrollably, calmed down shortly after being enveloped in the green light, lowering her head with a tear about to drop but not falling.

Huh? Does this divine magic have the function of soothing emotions?

Garrett was amazed and couldn’t help but take a step forward. He saw Elder Wood with half-closed eyes, a demeanor he was quite familiar with, obviously observing something in his mind’s eye. He circled left and right, then squatted down to carefully feel for a while, finally exhaling with certainty:

"She’s not pregnant."

"Not pregnant?" The old mage eyed the elder suspiciously. "Elder Wood, don’t just spare my feelings. With her belly this big..."

"I truly didn’t sense any signs of life from the child." Elder Wood shook his head firmly. The old mage looked incredulous, grabbing the elder’s wrist: "Really?—Don’t deceive me! A few days ago, I had priests come over, and they said they could sense signs of life in the womb!"

"They indeed can, but it’s chaotic and unrelated to the child!" Elder Wood countered unequivocally. The old mage became even more uneasy: "Don’t lie to me!—It’s still manageable now; it’ll be even more troublesome later if we don’t get rid of it!"

"There really is no sign of the child’s life breath!—If you don’t believe it, feel it yourself!"

Elder Wood couldn’t produce solid evidence, so he could only respond in this manner. The old mage shook his head even more vigorously: "I’m a mage! Life breath, that kind of thing, you priests can feel, but I can’t!"

Two old men totaling about 150 years old, one refusing to believe, the other insisting on his position but unable to provide evidence, pulling and tugging, arguing incessantly. Garrett stood by watching for a while, seeing the girl’s teary eyes, one hand pressing her abdomen, bending over several times as if nauseated, couldn’t help but step forward: "Elder, Master, could I... use magic to take a look at the young lady’s condition?"

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