Returning to the castle with his guest, Logan was pleased to hear the wyvern riders speak about him. They exchanged pointers on how to properly ride a beast for extended periods, especially powerful creatures like wyverns.
Many topics came up, including their care, the illnesses that afflicted them, and techniques to avoid remaining in the same position for too long while riding.
Logan not only discovered what he had been doing wrong with Wyver but also gained valuable insights into managing his other flying beasts and monsters in general.
Healing magic was indeed helpful—especially when Lisa used it—but he also learned the importance of not relying on it excessively. Overuse diminished its effectiveness over time.
"As you know, we haven't been here long. You've provided me with invaluable knowledge. Now, I must leave you here. Please take your time resting and enjoy my kingdom as I've enjoyed yours.
I have to seek out more beasts to tame before entering the war. So, the next time we meet, I hope it will be amidst the battle," Logan said to Jenin, who had been conversing with him throughout their walk.
"Sure thing. I'll have a good meal and bath before we head back. Thank you for everything you've done. My beast will no longer be limited to fighting from a distance. If it becomes like yours, I hope it can finally perform land-based attacks. Using its arms for balance will address the weakness all wyverns share."
Jenin smiled radiantly. He noticed Thalor's best features reflected in the girl, who couldn't have been older than 21. Her tired face revealed the toll of the fight, but seeing Rosethorn's vibrancy gave her hope and a renewed sense of purpose for why she was fighting.
"I'll return later tonight. I'll have my administrator issue you a free pass for anything you need within this town. Take it as a token of my appreciation for the knowledge you've shared and repayment for your long fight," Logan said.
Rubina, Lisa, and Alma were near the entrance, waiting for Logan to arrive with the guest.
"Girls, please give them a thorough tour of the place. I'll be leaving with Silvia shortly," Logan instructed, calling for both Zyphyr and Wyver, who had been following them in the air.
Not long after, Logan and Silvia returned to the small city of Nabolcs. Their journey would take them to Spignano by the end of the day, a settlement nestled on the border of the Kingdom of Veridith.
This stop was chosen strategically, as it allowed them to initiate communications with the Kingdom of Eta to gain entry into its borders.
During their stay, Logan needed to determine whether they would have to visit the capital to meet the king or if they could proceed directly to the electrical plains.
According to their map, traveling to the capital would be the longer route, requiring them to first head south and then spend another day going north to Corileven. Logan was confident the king would want to meet him before granting free passage into his territory.
"So, we'll keep going north. Are you ready, Silvia?" Logan asked as he secured his saddle on Zephyr. Silvia, meanwhile, was doing the same for Wyver. Both were nearly ready to depart.
The townsfolk, eager to witness the dragon-like beasts take flight, gathered around them in anticipation. In this small village, there seemed to be little else to occupy their time, which made Logan consider introducing more of his world and kingdom to the people of this land.
Zephyr and Wyver finally took flight, with Silvia adding a touch of flair by setting off fireworks around her. She clearly enjoyed the attention, determined to give the small town a memorable show.
The next few hours of their journey, however, were less eventful. Flying over endless forests, they only encountered a few battles between other airborne creatures—none of which piqued Logan's interest for taming. At times, he found himself dozing off, lulled by Zephyr's expert use of wind magic to stabilize the flight.
Logan occasionally switched places with Silvia during the long flight, as her weight helped ease the strain on Zephyr, preventing exhaustion. Wyver, on the other hand, struggled against the cold; his tough scales made the blankets placed over him rigid like stone. Fortunately, the saddle was well-designed to handle such situations, and a few shield spells sufficed to ward off the biting chill.
Their only stop during the flight was to eat, giving both beasts the energy they needed to continue.
With at least two more days of flying ahead, their return journey would rely on teleportation arrays. Silvia's unique ability to maintain up to twelve arrays at once was invaluable—a skill that would surely grow over time. However, it also limited the number of arrays they could prepare for an active teleportation gate.
Luckily, they arrived at the city before nightfall. Unlike the others Logan had visited, this was a heavily fortified city.
[Seems the two neighbors aren't exactly on friendly terms,] Silvia said through their link.
[Yeah… if the high walls didn't already give it away, the ice spears lining the top of the walls and the constant surveillance definitely do,] Logan replied.
As a precaution, he waved the flag of his new kingdom—one he had prepared in case anyone demanded identification. The flag bore a shield adorned with symbols of four creatures: an eagle, a dinosaur, a slime, and a fox. Few, if any, would recognize that the rose vines encircling the shield symbolized Scarlet.
A torch was being waved around in the distance. Logan could only guess it was the signal to descend, so he did so carefully. Whether it was the flag of his kingdom or Wyver's imposing presence that caused the soldiers to stir, he couldn't tell. Among the commotion, a general stepped forward to greet them.
"I'm guessing you're the Hero of Taming. We've been expecting your arrival. Please forgive my soldiers for not extending the proper courtesy of our kingdom's welcome," the general said.
He was stout yet well-mannered—likely the first of his kind Logan had encountered. He reminded Logan more of a merchant attempting to curry favor than a battle-hardened warrior.
"Yes, I'm Logan, Hero of Taming and ruler of Highrule. Thank you for allowing us to land," Logan replied, helping Silvia dismount from Zephyr. It was clear she wasn't accustomed to flying; her legs trembled from sitting for so long.
Logan cast a quick healing spell before turning back to the general. "We won't take much of your time. We just need to set up a teleportation array before departing for the night."
Reaching into his storage, Logan retrieved food as an offering. He wanted to extend hospitality to the soldiers, believing it would help foster goodwill. Of course, he didn't forget to include some alcoholic drinks—they would undoubtedly appreciate that gesture.