Quest Completed

The gloomy sky drizzled continuously, the rain light but persistent.

The road outside Weismar Town was a muddy mess, the horses' hooves squelching as they stepped into it.

Rhine sat on her horse, wrapped in Rosie's black waterproof cloak. The cloak was a bit too large for her, and she still shivered slightly whenever the cold wind blew.

Daisy was in an even worse state, even though Rosie had cast Holy Light on her during the journey to heal her concussion and forehead scrape.

But the holy light could not cure the cold.

The maid's dress was completely soaked, the fabric clinging tightly to her body. She shivered violently with every gust of wind.

To reach Weismar Town as quickly as possible, the three had been traveling since the middle of last night.

They had only taken a few brief rests along the way, eating some of the dry rations Rosie had brought before pressing on.

Even while riding, the two women looked thoroughly exhausted.

Even their horses walked with sluggish steps, their ears drooping listlessly, and their occasional snorts sounded completely drained of energy.

Carrot, on the other hand, was still full of energy, trotting with a light step and looking around from time to time.

Rosie was also in good shape; the fatigue of the journey was nothing to her.

The bloodstains on her plate armor that hadn't been wiped clean were washed away by the rain, giving it a free wash.

When they reached the town entrance, three guards in worn leather armor and holding spears were standing under a shelter to avoid the rain.

A simple wooden barricade blocked the entrance.

Seeing the three riders approach, one of the guards stepped forward and asked, “Who are you? What is your business in Weismar?”

Rhine reached up and pulled back her hood, revealing her rain-streaked face.

The guard recognized her instantly and hurriedly saluted. “Miss Rhine... What happened?”

Rhine caught her breath on her horse. “The carriage broke down, so I rode back.”

The guard glanced at Rosie, who was clad in full plate armor. He wondered in confusion: Since when does the master have such a knight?

But he didn't pry. He simply turned and helped his companions move the wooden barricade aside, stepping out of the way. “Please enter, Miss.”

Rhine nodded and nudged her horse forward.

The streets in town were just as muddy, with rainwater pooling in shallow puddles in the low-lying areas.

The houses on both sides were also quite old. It didn't look like a wealthy place at all.

Riding her horse, Rosie muttered to herself, This place looks pretty shabby. Can Rhine's father really afford a decent reward?

Before long, a manor came into view.

The stone wall surrounding it was about two men high, with moss and weeds growing along the top, looking wet in the rain.

The gate was a thick, iron-banded wooden door, with a faded iron plaque nailed above the frame, engraved with a simple coat of arms.

There was a small guardhouse by the gate, where a middle-aged guard in worn leather armor sat, staring listlessly outside.

The moment he saw Rhine, he stood up, his face lighting up with joy. “Miss Rhine!”

He then turned and banged heavily on the door behind him several times, the thudding sound echoing through the rain.

“Open up! The young lady is back!”

A moment later, the gate was opened from the inside by two servants.

A young man dressed in coarse gray cloth poked his head out. Seeing Rhine, a smile spread across his face. “Miss!”

Rhine nodded and dismounted. Although she was exhausted, her spirits visibly lifted now that she was home.

She looked back at Rosie, her voice carrying a hint of relief. “Miss Rosie, please follow me.”

Rosie also dismounted, leading Carrot as she followed.

Rhine led her past the main entrance, following a gravel path toward the stables at the side of the manor.

The stables were built of wood and were rather simple, but at least they provided shelter from the wind and rain.

A stable boy came forward, taking the reins from Rhine and Daisy to lead their horses into the stalls.

Rosie noticed that while there were quite a few stalls in the stable, there weren't many horses. There wasn't even a single warhorse; there were only three riding horses, while the rest were packhorses and draft horses.

A broke lord? Rosie silently appraised in her mind.

She held Carrot's reins and gave the stable boy a few instructions.

The stable boy nodded repeatedly, carefully leading Carrot into a clean stall.

Rosie followed Rhine and Daisy toward the manor's main building.

The main building was considerably grander than the surrounding houses. It was a three-story brick-and-stone structure with plastered outer walls. Though it showed signs of age, it was well-preserved overall.

The windows were just small, irregular arrow slits for letting in light, and the entrance was a thick oak door. Once closed, it could practically function as a small fortress.

Still, it felt a bit shabby.

After all, Baron Rhodes of Frostmoon Town in Norman had a genuine castle.

Although Rhine was freezing, she forced herself to keep her head held high and walked as upright as possible, introducing the place as they walked:

“My family has guarded Weismar for generations. This manor was built during my grandfather's time.”

Her tone carried a sense of pride in her family's heritage.

“Yes, it looks very nice,” Rosie replied politely.

In truth, after seeing Dawnguard Keep, ordinary castles looked average to her, let alone what was merely a manor.

Occasionally, Rosie would think to herself that joining the Dawnguard wouldn't be a bad idea either.

“Ah! My sweet daughter! You're finally back! I was worried to death!”

A voice echoed from the direction of the main building's hall.

A man of about fifty walked out of the main entrance. He wore a dark gray coat, its collar slightly askew as if he had thrown it on in a hurry.

Ignoring the drizzling rain, he strode straight into the courtyard and wrapped his arms around Rhine.

“Father,” Rhine said, her voice trembling as she buried her head in his shoulder.

“My Lord!” Daisy spoke up from the side, her voice filled with indignation. “We were attacked on our way back! Old Jason and Moke are both dead!”

Rhine also quickly added, “It was all thanks to Miss Rosie's help. Father, you must thank her properly!”

Baron Weiss only then noticed the metal tin can standing nearby.

He sized Rosie up, his gaze sweeping over her plate armor and the sword at her waist.

Then, he spoke politely, “Thank you for your assistance, Miss. Weiss is deeply grateful!”

Rosie lifted her visor, revealing her face. “You're welcome. It was only right to step in when I saw people in trouble.”

Baron Weiss's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at her young face. “Miss Rosie is a knight?!”

Rosie shook her head. “I'm just an ordinary adventurer.”

Baron Weiss smiled. “Miss Rosie, you are too modest. Your knightly bearing is admirable.”

【Completed a knightly deed: Gained 2% advancement experience】

A line of text floated before Rosie's eyes.

“Someone, show Miss Rosie to a guest room to rest.”

The baron didn't ask further questions. He ordered a nearby servant to settle Rosie in a guest room, then excused himself and left with his daughter and the maid.

“Honored guest, please follow me.”

The young servant curiously sized Rosie up as he led her to a guest room on the second floor.

The room wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy. It had a wooden bed with dark gray sheets, a table and a wooden chair by the window, and a pitcher and a clean cup on the table.

“Please rest for a while, guest. I will notify you when dinner is ready,” the servant said before politely bowing out.

Rosie set down her pack. Just as she was about to lie down and rest, several lines of translucent text appeared before her eyes.

【Target has returned home safely. Quest completed.】

【Optional Quest Reward: Trait—Sleeping in Armor: You can sleep peacefully while wearing armor without affecting your sleep quality.】

【Optional Quest Reward: Trait—Wilderness Walker: When traveling in the wilderness, the negative effects of complex terrain are reduced by 50%.】

Rosie paused, her gaze slowly drifting between the two rewards.

This meant she could sleep in her armor overnight. Just like the ambush at the tavern last night, if she could sleep in her armor, she wouldn't have to scramble to put on her plate armor in a panic.

This was highly useful for an adventurer, making it much easier for her to cross mountains, navigate forests, and wade through swamps.

She pondered for a moment.

She wasn't someone who hid behind high walls; she spent most of her time in the wild, on the road, or in unfamiliar inns.

In such situations, being able to wear her armor and remain combat-ready at all times would allow her to nip danger in the bud.

While the utility of Wilderness Walker was mostly felt during long journeys by reducing the physical toll of terrain, it wouldn't save her life in a critical moment.

Besides, she already had Tireless Marcher for long-distance travel, and she now had Carrot as well.

Rosie chose Sleeping in Armor.

This trait didn't bring any unusual physical sensations, only a strange sense of security, as if she could lie down on the bare ground right now and fall fast asleep.

She stood quietly for a moment, digesting the novel feeling, then walked over to the bed and lay straight down.

The wooden bed creaked under the combined weight of her and her plate armor.

She felt that she could truly relax inside the plate armor, with her breathing completely unrestricted.

The rain outside continued to fall, its pattering sound filtering through the walls.

Rosie closed her eyes.

The sound of the rain gradually faded, and her consciousness drifted down into a peaceful sleep.

She fell asleep faster and deeper than usual.

After an unknown amount of time, a knock on the door woke Rosie from her deep slumber.

She opened her eyes, momentarily dazed, thinking she was camping in the wild in her armor, before she remembered where she was.

“Miss Rosie, the master requests your presence in the hall for dinner,” the servant who knocked said softly from outside the door.

“Alright, I'll be right there.”

Rosie sat up. She felt bursting with energy, as if she had enjoyed a full night of peaceful sleep.

She stretched her shoulders, stood up, adjusted her plate armor, and pushed open the door to walk out.