Unless Elias was an idiot, he'd definitely know that he wasn't welcome here.

Instead of looking serious, he looked worried. I was sure he knew why I joined with the excuse of calling this a double date and why Lee Ji-Hye suddenly came here. He had to have realized that the people who appeared here as Jo Hye-Jin's friends were trying to interrupt their time together.

‘It came out of nowhere.’

Ji-Hye noona was too aggressive, so there was no way he wouldn't notice that.

We left the restaurant and sat on a carriage that would take us on a tour all over Laves, but Jo Hye-Jin was still busy comforting Lee Ji-Hye.

Meanwhile, Jung Ha-Yan was actually enjoying the trip.

“Laves!”

“Laves! Look to your right, everyone! What you’re seeing now is a statue of Father Lee Ki-Young, the pride of Laves! I’m sure you already saw it when you arrived, but looking at it up close… isn't it really detailed?” the guide asked.

“...”

“It can’t be compared to the statue at the Temple of Sacrifice and Revival, which was made with blood, sweat, and tears… our dwarf craftsmen have also put a lot of work into creating this statue!

"Thanks to this statue, Laves became the third city to own a statue of Father Lee Ki-Young!” the guide added.

“W-Where are the remaining two statues?” Jung Ha-Yan asked.

“One is in Laios, while the last one is in the temple in Lindel. In addition to those statues, I’m sure there are other statues in many cities, but the third statue to be officially certified is located here in Laves! All right! Did you all get a good look at the Laves Temple?” they asked.

“Yes!”

“What did you think of the temple?” they asked.

“I-I-It was pretty! It’s holy… and I-I like Oppa’s statue the most,” Jung Ha-Yan answered.

“For those who were disappointed, we’ll give you souvenirs for free! It’s a wooden statue of Father Lee Ki-Young!” the guide announced.

“R-Really?” Jung Ha-Yan asked.

“Yes, of course! I am happy because you

are

happy! Now, let’s go to the next location! We're going to Laves Desert Rock, which was originally very famous in Laves! Since ancient times, the desert rock has been a resting place for wanderers.

"Hizkan, the hero of the Laves Desert, has apparently defeated countless monsters living in this rock!” Mesili, the guide, explained.

“

Woooow!

”

‘Tour buses are the way to go.’

We could visit all the famous sites thanks to the buses.

The temple was excessively fancy. It was built so that they could worship other gods as well, not just Benigoa, so the space was evenly divided. Of course, the local god of the wanderers had its place in the temple as well, but the real attraction was here. ℞

‘It’s a new scenery, so of course it all feels new.’

The interior was decorated with many colors and ornate patterns. Since the desert landscape was fancier than I thought, there were many things to see even while we were headed to the Laves Desert Rock.

Actually, we had to get on the carriage that would take us there first.

‘It gives off a good vibe.’

Basils were a species of large lizards, and it was famous in the Laves Desert. The carriage was being pulled by a lizard instead of a horse or a griffon, so it was a special experience.

“

Wow!

It’s so fast! S-S-Sora, Oppa, it’s really fast,” Jung Ha-Yan exclaimed.

“You’re right, and the lizard looks cute…” Han Sora agreed.

“The basils of the Laves Desert were used frequently as a means of transportation by the wanderers in ancient times! The special muscle in the soles of their feet helps them move fast through the desert. When on sand…”

“What?”

“If you want to find out more, I recommend visiting the Laves Desert Monster Museum. The entrance fee is just one gold! From extinct monsters to the plants and animals that are a part of the Laves Desert's ecosystem… everything can be seen there.

"The Ruler of the Laves Desert. Its title alone is enough to make everyone tremble, but the desert worm—has also been restored and displayed there. Its body is four kilometers long!" Mesili said.

“

Wooow!

Four kilometers long?!” Jung Ha-Yan exclaimed.

‘That guide is pretty good at her job.’

However, I was heartbroken when I noticed her gaze lingering on the excited Jung Ha-Yan and Han Sora. She was trying her best to avoid looking at the other side of the bus because Lee Ji-Hye, Jo Hye-Jin, and Elias were sitting there.

“

Heuk… heuuuk…

”

“I was too harsh, Miss Ji-Hye. Please don’t cry,” Jo Hye-Jin begged.

“No, I’m… okay now… I’m okay, Miss Hye-Jin. I feel like… I shouldn’t have interfered… and… I feel really bad… for staying here…” Lee Ji-Hye said.

“It’s okay. I wasn’t angry… I just wasn’t able to understand your feelings, Miss Ji-Hye. It’s just…” Jo Hye-Jin paused.

“I-I’m leaving now,” Lee Ji-Hye said.

‘You’re leaving in a moving carriage?’

“I feel like I’m getting in the way…” Lee Ji-Hye said.

‘You’ve already gotten in her way…’

“I’m… too ashamed to see you…” Lee Ji-Hye added.

‘You don’t seem ashamed at all.’

I could confidently say that she had ruined their date, and Jo Hye-Jin was definitely thinking of Elias as an uninvited guest at this point.

Elias was being treated as an outsider, as Jo Hye-Ji was busy comforting the emotional Lee Ji-Hye.

Meanwhile, Han Sora was enjoying the trip with Jung Ha-Yan.

The poor elf had no idea what to say nor when to speak, so he had no choice but to sit quietly and wait for the right time to speak. He couldn't even glance at the beautiful scenery because his anxious eyes were focused on Jo Hye-Jin and Lee Ji-Hye.

“This is the famous Laves Rock! Now, let’s take a short break here,” Mesili suggested.

“Okay!”

“Excuse me… Miss Ji-Hye…” Jo Hye-Jin said.

“I’ll just… head back now,” Lee Ji-Hye said.

“No, Miss Ji-Hye. Let’s talk for a moment…” Jo Hye-Jin said.

“There’s a resting place for wanderers on Desert Rock! It’s being used by other wanderers as well, so please don’t forget about the rules I explained earlier!” Mesili reminded us.

“Okay! L-Let’s go, oppa!” Jung Ha-Yan said excitedly.

“Okay.”

“H-H-Hurry, Sora. Th-There are real desert elves over there. Real ones!” Jung Ha-Yan shouted.

‘The guides are real desert elves, you know that, right?’

I couldn't really imagine what a "wanderer" would look like, but they looked exactly as I would expect from the word "wanderer." The wanderers gathered under the Desert Rock were exactly what I had imagined—outfit and behavior-wise.

They had set up a large tent under the rock, which helped them cool off the desert heat, and in addition to the wanderers, lizardmen, desert elves, and members of other races were there as well. They didn’t seem wary to see newcomers, and they actually made room for us.

I was sure it was a rule here. It was a shelter that allowed entry to basically anyone.

“Hello, Father Lee Ki-Young,” they greeted me.

“

Ah

, you know me?” I asked.

“How could I, a wanderer of the continent, not know you, Father Lee Ki-Young?” the wanderer asked.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Chief,” I said.

“I don’t know about hospitality, but this place is open to everyone… and you saved this desolate desert. I don’t know how else I can thank you. If you don’t mind, I’d like to guide you to our shelter,” said the chief.

“Yes, of course,” I answered.

“C-Can I sit here, Chief?” Jung Ha-Yan asked.

It was a new experience, and we were meeting new people as well, which was the fun part of traveling. There were many things to talk about as well.

There was a saying that old lizardmen were wise, so it was easy to communicate with them, and it seemed that saying was correct.

While we were deep into our conversation, Lee Ji-Hye’s plan to ruin their date had to have worked because their emotions had returned to normal. Elias aside, it was an undeniable fact that their words were interesting.

There were many wanderers who wanted to stop wandering, and the birth of Laves allowed many wanderers to settle down here. The old lizardman and the others were telling me that this kind of life was more comfortable for them.

What I found kind of strange was Elias’ date. Of course, I was not saying that it was bad, but spending time with the wanderers didn’t seem romantic at all.

The people danced with the dancers and talked about their lives while drinking wine. They talked about meaningless things while looking up at the sky, and then they watched the lizardmen fight each other using only their tails.

Once the events were done, everyone said goodbye to each other and greeted those who had arrived at Laves Rock. They would then share their experience with the newcomers.

It wasn’t really my type, but this was a vacation and a trip, so I felt great. I actually enjoyed it. The chair they were using felt comfortable to me, and their snacks were delicious as well. Ji-Hye noona seemed a bit skeptical as well, but Jo Hye-Jin seemed to be enjoying all this.

‘It’s not enough to make an impact.’

Friendships were created in settings like this rather than love. First of all, there were too many characters, and there were too many wanderers here, so the couple wasn’t able to spend any time together.

And that was when I realized what the sly Elias was up to. I wasn’t sure whether this was a coincidence or not, but I saw a couple who managed to break the awkwardness between races.

“...”

“...”

The couple was a male human and a female member of the Lizardmen Tribe.

“Father Lee Ki-Young,” the man greeted.

“It’s nice to meet you, but…” I paused.

“

Hahaha

. I somehow ended up with a lizardwoman. I was actually summoned here as an adventurer as well, but I was treated well during my time here. I got tricked and sold a fake Laves Desert treasure map, but the Lizardmen Tribe discovered me just as I was dying,” the man explained.

“...”

“I ended up spending time with them, and in the end, I decided to stay with my other half. I have been living here since then.

Hahaha

… I actually consider myself lucky. I heard you were coming, but I never imagined I’d meet you in person…” he said.

“...”

“I get those questions a lot. I’d be lying if I said that there were no differences… between our races. Our life, culture, and everything is different. There are usually a lot of differences even when you meet the opposite sex from another country, but we’re from two different races.

"It was difficult at first, but we eventually started understanding each other. Maybe this is just the way I'm built,” the man continued.

“...”

“Some minority races forbid meeting other races, but most of the wanderers are in a similar situation as me. Of course, it’s rare to find a human living their life as a wanderer,” he added.

“I see,” I said.

“There are many other races in our tribe besides me, and I’m sure the situation is similar for the other races. Of course, it could also be because of the rumors circulating among the wanderers,” he informed.

“Such as…” I asked.

“Understanding, helping, and loving each other. These are the words of the Desert God,” he answered.

“...”

“

Ah

, if you’re wondering whether I miss my old life or not, I honestly… do miss it, but that doesn’t matter to me anymore. As long as I can be with the one I truly love… things like that are really trivial issues,” he said.

Of course, if he couldn't love at this point, then he’d end up in America in less than a month. Given the harsh environment, I could see why he would tell me that, and that was probably why that saying was spreading like some kind of trend. However…

‘Seeing his expression, I don’t think this was his intention.’

Elias looked kind of touched. Had he regained the emotions he felt when he sat by a campfire and shared a heartfelt conversation with someone? He was trying to read the room, and finally—exactly six hours and thirty minutes later...

“I also…”

“Mr. Elias?”

“I think I can also abandon everything… for the person I love,” Elias said.

“...” “I can abandon everything I have,” Elias said.

They weren’t just empty words.

“It wouldn’t be just me taking them to Everia…” he paused.

“...”

“I think I can share and accept the things they consider precious… while staying at an unfamiliar place,” Elias continued.

He looked sincere.

‘Stop looking so sincere, man.’

“I don’t need anything else,” Elias added.

'Stop looking so embarrassed, Jo Hye-Jin. Don’t assume that he’s talking about you.'