Chapter 1031 — The Far Wanderer

Afterward Virodai and Gao Yang asked a few more questions, and where it did not violate her principles, Dailan answered some of them—out of consideration for Virodai's "face," the lady's attitude had actually been quite cooperative, yet in the end she divulged no further information of value.

When all the questions and answers had drawn to a close, Dailan's gaze swept across Gao Yang, Virodai, and Amber, and with ample patience she asked: "Then may I leave now? Or do you intend to dismantle me for more intelligence?"

"Ah, of course not," Gao Yang started, quickly waving a hand. Then he could not help lapsing into a brief hesitation, but after a swift weighing of matters he nodded. "You may leave, Lady Dailan."

"Then thank you for your care during this time." The black-haired maid bowed slightly, lifted her skirt and curtsied once more, then deliberately bent in salute to Virodai beside her before stepping back half a pace, her figure gradually fading into the air.

Only a few seconds after the other's figure and aura had both vanished did Amber suddenly look at Gao Yang: "You're really just letting her go? If you're going to regret it, I can still stop her—she left fairly obvious traces at the edge of the Shadow Realm. I can track her."

To be honest, Gao Yang did feel a twinge of conflict—after all, an ironman of Gondor so singular, possibly harboring countless secrets, was walking away right under his nose, and the experiences behind her were enough to make anyone burn with curiosity. Yet after the conflict he shook his head. "We cannot detain a envoy sent by Typhon without any justification—especially such a singular 'envoy.'"

Dailan certainly had no shortage of secrets, but when Gao Yang thought it over carefully, those secrets did not seem to touch the core interests of either Typhon or Cecil. At this stage they could only serve to satisfy his own curiosity; in terms of value, it was not worth jeopardizing the exceedingly fragile and dangerous balance between the two nations just to dig them up.

There would be time enough in the days to come.

He did not think this would be his last dealings with that "Gondor machine-girl."

"Actually, I'm still a little worried the Typhonians will learn some... sensitive information about our side from her," Amber clearly harbored more concerns. The half-elf, ordinarily so carefree, was still quite sharp when it came to intelligence. "For instance, Virodai just revealed her own identity. Letting her go like this—isn't it a bit... hasty?"

"Since when did I not know you'd become so sharp?" Gao Yang glanced at Amber with some surprise, then, before she could jump up, smiled and shook his head. "Being sharp is a good thing, and Virodai's identity is indeed somewhat special. But... what threat do you think this intelligence would pose to Cecil once it reaches Luo Yan's ears?"

Amber froze, unconsciously pinching her chin, muttering as she pondered: "There doesn't seem to be any clear threat... Luo Yan can't take any concrete action on the basis of this intelligence... but it is important intelligence after all. A man like Luo Yan will seize on and make good use of any valuable information."

"Exactly—he'll likely mull these matters over carefully," Gao Yang said slowly. "But that's all right. In a sense, I don't mind him knowing more about the Defiant, including a few 'little secrets' on our side... If he thinks on those little secrets a bit too much, and even loses a few nights' sleep over them, so much the better."

Amber blinked, stared at Gao Yang for a long while, and finally muttered just one line: "Scheming again, I'll bet..."

Gao Yang seemed not to hear Amber's muttering. He noticed that Virodai had been somewhat distracted for a while now—an exceedingly rare thing for her—and could not help asking: "What is it? Still thinking about that 'Dailan'?"

"Nothing," Virodai shook her head. "I am indeed thinking about her, but it is not important."

With that, she slowly raised her head and glanced into the distance, then drew her gaze back and said to Gao Dai, "Pray excuse me — I have been 'keeping watch' for too long, and I am somewhat weary."

"Of course," Gao Shao answered at once. "You have worked hard. Go and rest."

Watching this "Saint Princess" leave the courtyard, Gao Yi let out a faint breath, and at the same time recalled a detail from earlier:

When Vero Dai gazed into the distance, what she looked toward did not seem to be Winterhold — in theory, the place where Dai Lan had returned — but rather the direction of the Gondor Wastes.

This set him thinking, but he soon shook his head and set the matter aside for the moment: he still had other things to do.

Gao Yang raised his right hand, his gaze falling upon a silver-white ring on one of his fingers.

He remembered the journey to Thalund from not long ago, and his final conversation with the Dragon God Enya — a conversation cut short by the sudden upheaval on the Loren Continent, cut short by the transmutation of the God of War.

Now, at last, this divine calamity that had descended upon mortal heads was over; the battle on the Winterhold defense line had settled into its final dust, and perhaps he ought to contact those dragons — they might well be watching how the situation of this divine calamity unfolded.

Gao Yang curled his fingers, gently stroking the surface of the Mithril Ring.

A subtle magic flowed through this delicate and precise magical device, reaching out toward distant Thalund — and yet...

There was no response at all.

……

In the north of the Loren Continent, atop the towering peaks of the Holy Dragon Duchy.

A bitter cold wind howled through the mountains; snow blown from the summit of Dragon Leap Cliff swirled in the wind, sweeping past the great stone structures arrayed in unbroken ranks across the high mountains, then curling up against the thick, ancient outer walls of Dragonrest Keep — where it was held outside the fortress by those blazing braziers and by the invisible Dragon-tongue magic.

Grand Duke Baryangul K'Narl stood upon a circular platform at the highest point of Dragonrest Keep; he had dissolved the protective barrier around the platform and let the howling wind whip his gray hair and heavy cloak.

His gaze pierced through wind and snow, looking far off toward the northern sea.

Omega's voice was screeching in his mind, but as a special kind of "Departure," he had until this moment kept thinking with his flesh-and-blood brain, and had not answered Omega's call.

Even so, it was time for him to "go home."