"But Miss, won't you be sad if we go to Gelu City?" Roman was both excited and conflicted.

  Luo Wei stretched out both hands. Roman and Rosie knelt down so she could place her hands on their heads.

  "No, because I trust you," Luo Wei said, patting their heads. "You're the best young knights. You definitely won't let yourselves get hurt, right?"

  Miss said they were the best young knights!

  Both children's faces flushed red with excitement. "Right! We definitely won't disappoint you, Miss!"

  Luo Wei smiled and ruffled their hair. "Bring your weapons. When you meet enemies on the battlefield, use strategy, not brute force."

  "Also, you don't have armor yet. Go to the market later and see if you can buy some that fits. Your swords aren't sharpened either—find a blacksmith to do that."

  "Yes, Miss!" Roman and Rosie answered crisply.

  Luo Wei still couldn't help worrying. "It's a long journey. With your short little legs, who knows how long it'll take. Let me have someone take you there."

  Griffin and Troy were still in Gelu City and couldn't leave yet. But wasn't there free labor right here in the courtyard? Might as well use it.

  After eating that huge basket of carrots yesterday, even if Joshua didn't want to stay, he should at least pay back some interest before leaving.

  Under the two children's puzzled gazes, Luo Wei stood and knocked on the open stable door. "Joshua, can you help me with something?"

  The Pegasus walked to the door and looked at her with big, dark eyes. "Whinny whinny whinny?"

  [What kind of help?]

  Luo Wei pointed at Roman and Rosie behind her. "Help me take these two kids to Gelu City."

  The Pegasus still remembered yesterday when Luo Wei said it couldn't compare to the raven or the griffin. It had been looking for a chance to prove itself, so it immediately agreed. "Whinny whinny whinny neigh neigh!"

  [Don't worry, leave it to me!]

  The Pegasus excitedly lifted its front hooves and reared back. Then it remembered something, lowered its head, and flattened its ears sheepishly. "Neigh neigh whinny whinny..."

  [How do I get to Gelu City? I don't know the way...]

  "No problem. I'll have my raven messenger show you the way." As Luo Wei spoke, she glanced at the wicker basket under the eaves. The raven was sleeping inside, sprawled on its back with both wings and feet hanging over the basket's edges.

  "Luke!" she called toward the basket.

  "Caw?"

  The raven flipped over and sat up suddenly, its messy black head poking out. Its beady eyes looked at her drowsily.

  "Caw caw caw caw caw?"

  Stolen novel; please report.

  [I'm so tired, I haven't slept enough yet. What does the beautiful lady want now?]

  Luo Wei's mouth twitched. She chose to pretend she hadn't heard. "Did Troy send a reply last night?"

  The raven shook its wings and stood up, pulled out a copper tube from the basket, and flew over to hand it to her.

  "Caw caw caw caw caw caw..."

  [He didn't reply! After reading the letter he just froze like an idiot. I called him but he didn't move, so I grabbed the letter and burned it over a candle. See how smart I am...]

  Luo Wei unscrewed the copper tube and shook it. Empty.

  Troy's reaction confirmed her guess. He was so shocked he didn't even write back—which could only mean he really was a follower of the God of the Undead.

  "Thanks, Luke." Luo Wei put away the tube and squeezed Luke's claw. "I'll write another letter in a bit for you to take to Troy. You don't need to fly too fast this time—just show Joshua the way. It needs to take Roman and Rosie to Gelu City."

  The raven tilted its head. "Caw caw caw?"

  [Who's Joshua?]

  "I forgot to introduce you two." Luo Wei held out her arm for the raven to perch on and introduced it to the Pegasus. "This is my raven messenger. His name is Luke."

  The Pegasus pricked its ears forward, its grape-sized eyes staring at the raven, narrowing slightly.

  So this little guy flew faster than it? Hmph. Today it would definitely compete and show him who was the true master of the skies!

  Thinking this, the Pegasus's face showed a humble, friendly expression. "Neigh whinny neigh neigh."

  [Hello Luke, nice to meet you.]

  Luo Wei then introduced the raven. "This is Joshua. Its ancestor was Pegasus himself. It came to visit us yesterday—it's our guest."

  The raven looked curiously at the Pegasus. What a strange big guy—so black and strong, with such cool big wings.

  But looking at the Pegasus's dark coat, the raven felt especially close to it. A big guy as black as itself must be its long-lost brother!

  The happy raven sent out a friendly signal. "Caw caw caw caw caw!"

  [Hello Joshua! Come on, come on, I'll take you flying in the sky!]

  After listening to the friendly exchange between bird and horse, Luo Wei felt oddly touched.

  Her little animals always had various conflicts. The Infernal Arachne hated the raven, the raven hated the cat, the cat and Pegasus had an awkward relationship after their first meeting. But unexpectedly, the raven and Pegasus hit it off.

  Maybe their friendship could set an example for the other animals.

  "Alright, you two rest for a bit." Luo Wei raised her hand to release the raven. "I'll have the kitchen make lots of your favorite foods. We'll treat you well before you leave."

  "Caw caw!" Luke called loudly. It wanted roasted lamb chops!

  "Whinny neigh!"

  Joshua's tail perked up just thinking about sweet candy. But in its joy, it felt like it was forgetting something important. Strange, what was it?

  After thinking for two seconds without remembering, Joshua pushed it aside. Forgotten things could be remembered later, but sweet candy wasn't available all the time!

  With its mind full of malt candy, the Pegasus unconsciously lifted its upper lip, showing a row of neat white teeth and pink gums, neighing with laughter toward the sky.

  ...

  Somewhere in the southern mountains of the Western Continent, deep in the uninhabited wilderness.

  A boy in tattered clothes, covered in dirt, had searched the forest all night and finally found all his luggage and belongings that had scattered when he fell from the sky.

  "Joshua—"

  "Where did you go—"

  Fourteen-year-old Aiden looked up at the sky and shouted, tears streaming from his eyes.

  His Pegasus, his childhood companion Joshua, had suddenly been sucked into a black vortex yesterday afternoon while carrying him through the sky. A whole night had passed and it still hadn't returned!

  He'd fallen from the sky at that moment. Fortunately, he'd reacted quickly and summoned his wings, or he would have become a puddle of mush on the ground.

  Although Aiden had a pair of white wings, his flying ability wasn't strong. He couldn't fly far before getting exhausted.

  Usually when he and Joshua traveled, they took turns flying—he'd carry Joshua for a while, then Joshua would carry him for a while. If both got tired of flying, they'd land and walk together.

  No choice—Joshua had a delicate temperament and stubborn personality. If it wasn't well-fed it wouldn't walk, if it wasn't happy it wouldn't walk, and he couldn't even drag it.

  Getting Joshua to do anything was harder than climbing to heaven.

  This Pegasus was lazy and greedy, with a brain sharper than a human's. It demanded equal effort in everything, and if it flew even a few dozen meters more, it would demand payback from him.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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