"The sky is already very late; we should go back."
The sun was about to set, and Barbara started to feel a bit urgent, suggesting to the two of them.
"But..."
Arkz looked at his full haul for the day, while Barbara, who had worked hard all afternoon and helped a great deal, had nothing to show for it. At this moment, he didn't want to leave so early.
"Barbara, you still haven't found the red Wolfhook you were looking for."
Fischl nodded, seemingly in complete agreement with what Arkz said.
"Exactly, Barbara. It would be too much of a waste to give up now after searching so hard for the red Wolfhook."
Barbara stood on her tiptoes and looked towards the setting sun. The sun's glow dyed the sky red, making the distant scenery look incredibly beautiful.
"I promised Sister Victoria that I would return to the Church before dark. There is less than an hour until nightfall now."
As if recalling Sister Victoria's stern appearance, Barbara nervously fiddled with her fair, tender fingers.
"If I can't get back before dark, it will be very difficult for me to come out again next time."
"Besides, although the red Wolfhook is slightly more effective, adding a few more regular Wolfhooks can achieve the same result."
Seeing the troubled Barbara and the setting sun, Fischl remembered her parents' instructions and immediately changed her stance.
"I think what Barbara is saying makes quite a bit of sense."
"Since the red Wolfhook isn't mandatory, there's no need for us to be so rushed. We can just come back to look for the red Wolfhook later."
"And besides..."
Oz: "Furthermore, Her Ladyship's father and mother have also set a strict curfew time for Her Ladyship. If she doesn't return, both she and I will be criticized."
Seeing the firm attitude of the two, Arkz couldn't find any more reasons to argue.
"Fine, if that's the case, let me escort you back then."
Arkz manipulated his Dendro Elemental Power to summon a wooden horse and a carriage. With the speed of the wooden horse, he could definitely send Fischl and Barbara home before dark.
Seeing the wooden horse Arkz summoned, Fischl and Barbara's eyes lit up, and they stepped forward to stroke it.
Fortunately, the wooden horse had a docile temperament, and with Arkz, its master, standing nearby, the wooden horse did not fiercely resist the intimate actions of strangers.
"What a beautiful little horse, so cute."
"Indeed, as cute as Oz."
Oz flapped his wings and landed on the roof of the carriage.
"Two beautiful ladies, I must remind you that I prefer to be praised for being handsome, powerful, and overwhelmingly imposing."
Fischl stroked the wooden horse's smooth mane, completely ignoring Oz's remark.
"Yes, yes, handsome Oz, powerful Oz, overwhelmingly imposing Oz..."
Arkz walked to the carriage and comforted Oz.
"Oz, don't be too sad. There's always a new successor to the old. Spring comes and goes, and flowers wither; you just have to get used to it."
While there was laughter and joy around the wooden horse, the carriage side felt lonely, and Oz and Arkz could only console each other.
"Just get used to it."
...
"Ladies and gentlemen, and Mister Night Raven, please prepare yourselves. The Springvale Farm Express is about to depart."
"Beep beep beep."
"The speed of the wooden horse will far exceed your imagination."
However, just as Arkz was about to command the carriage to move, continuous cries for help came from not far away.
"Help! Help!..."
Barbara and Fischl immediately jumped off the carriage, activated their Elemental Sight, and looked solemnly towards the source of the cries.
In the Elemental Sight, the Wind Element and Cryo Element in that area were so dense they were almost liquid, and even the weather, drawn by this power, changed from clear skies to dark, heavy clouds.
It was easy to imagine how powerful the controller of these Elemental Powers must be.
But would Barbara and Fischl give up saving people out of fear of the opponent's strength? Of course not!
"Save people?"
"Save people!" x2
Arkz immediately turned the carriage around and urged Barbara and Fischl to get on.
"Hurry up and get on. Running over with the wooden horse is faster than us running on foot."
"There might be a tough fight ahead, so you need to conserve your strength and adjust your condition."
Since lives were at stake, Barbara and Fischl jumped onto the carriage without hesitation, checking their carried weapons and recovery potions.
"Giddy up—!"
...
Under the wooden horse's swift gallop, the three quickly arrived at the location where the cries for help originated.
As expected, it was the location of the North Wind Wolf King within Wolvendom. In Wolvendom, only this remnant soul of a God, existing since the Archon War, could possess such strength.
Although initially intimidated by the North Wind Wolf King's massive size and powerful oppressive aura, with a powerhouse like Arkz, whose strength was at the level of a God's familiar, present, coupled with Fischl and Barbara being resolute individuals, the three quickly regained their fighting spirit.
"Are you the legendary North Wind Wolf King, Andrius, one of Mondstadt's four winds?"
"We do not know why these people have angered you."
Barbara and Fischl were both startled and looked at the giant wolf before them in disbelief.
"Lord North Wind Wolf, there must be some misunderstanding in this."
"Yes, if we can explain clearly, we definitely won't have to fight."
Even when facing a powerful enemy, Fischl and Barbara would not lose the courage to fight, but when the enemy facing them was the North Wind Wolf, one of the four winds, the situation became exceptionally awkward.
As Mondstadters who grew up listening to the stories of the four winds, both Fischl from an ordinary family and Barbara, who came from nobility but became a nun early on, held genuine respect for the four winds in their hearts.
To suddenly draw weapons against the North Wind Wolf naturally caused them immense hesitation.
It was just like how, in the story, Acting Grand Master Jean could not bring herself to strike the East Wind Dragon, Dvalin, after he had turned into the Stormterror.
"There is no misunderstanding. They have initiated a trial, and the trial must be completed; it cannot be interrupted!"
Barbara recalled the records about the North Wind Wolf she had seen in the Church, and a sharp light flashed in her eyes.
"According to the Church's records, the King Wolf of the North Wind will conduct a trial for the brave who dare to challenge it. For those recognized by the King Wolf, it will bestow rewards."
"The King Wolf repeatedly emphasizes the trial; could it be hinting that the solution to breaking the deadlock lies within the trial?"
After a moment of discussion, the three decided that Fischl would initiate the trial.
"Great North Wind Wolf, Fischl, prinzessin der verurteilung, the holy nun Barbara, and the forest tyrant Kan... Arkz, hereby volunteer to undergo the trial on behalf of these people."
The North Wind Wolf King lowered its massive head, staring intently at the three people before it.
"Your spirit is good; you are worthy of me conducting a trial for you."
The North Wind Wolf King ignored Oz's action of secretly dragging away the stray passersby and used its aura to oppress the three young people before it.
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