The two of them left the Dock District and headed toward the so-called Iron Stake Street.

Leaving the dilapidated Dock District behind, they arrived in the Trade District of Thousand Masts City.

True to its name, this district was arguably the most prosperous in all of Thousand Masts City.

The air was a mix of roasting spices, salted fish, and unfamiliar perfumes. As far as the eye could see, shop signs were dazzling and varied, with everything from simple herb stalls to grand jewelry stores.

You could find any kind of legal shop here... and even small inns staffed primarily by women, selling comfort and pleasure.

Of course, many illegal establishments had room for Survival here too.

Colin waved a hand at Kase, who was behind him.

Walking through an alley, the two stepped aside to make way for a passing patrol of the City Guard.

Due to the complexity of the trade here, it was also a place strictly monitored by the City Guard. Outside of the Castle District, this area had the highest concentration of Guards.

After asking a few City Guards for directions, the two arrived at their destination.

It was an aristocratic villa in the Trade District. Unlike the bustling sights they had seen along the way, this villa was remarkably understated.

Thick stone walls were covered in lush ivy. Peeking through the iron-barred gate, they saw no movement within the courtyard. A large portion of the villa’s roof was made of glass, and they could faintly make out green plants growing inside, suggesting it was some kind of indoor greenhouse.

Colin pushed open the iron gate and tentatively stepped inside.

The moment he entered the courtyard, the hustle and bustle of the city behind him vanished completely. The fresh scent of plants and the aroma of damp earth took center stage.

"CAW, CAW!"

The caws of two crows echoed.

A puff of white mist, swirling with a few falling black feathers, landed before them.

From the mist, which now carried withered leaves, a man emerged. He wore a brown Cloak, and his gaze was as Sharp as a falcon’s.

’He’s most likely a Druid,’ Colin thought. ’In the games and movies I saw in my past life, only Druids could turn into animals.’

He sized them up and said, "The Great Druid has been waiting for quite some time."

"This is as fast as we could get here," Colin said.

"Perhaps I have not interacted with humans for a long time. I meant no blame," the man before them continued. "Follow me."

The two hurried to follow the Druid to the villa’s entrance.

He pushed open the wooden door and led them inside.

Behind the wooden door was the greenhouse they had seen earlier. All sorts of ferns and exotic flowers thrived in the warm air, like a miniature tropical rainforest.

The three of them walked in silence past the diverse flora, arriving at the edge of a pond.

The Guard stopped.

Before long, Kase, figuring it was better to just get it over with, asked impatiently, "So, where’s the person we’re here to see?"

The words had barely left his mouth when ripples suddenly spread across the surface of the pond before them.

The ripples quickly churned into a massive vortex. At its center, the water’s surface grew calm, and an old man’s face formed from the water itself.

"Companions of the Weston Clan, you have been guided here this day..."

The elderly face continued, "My apologies. I mean to say, welcome, friends of the Weston Family. Come forward, hero bound by winter."

Kase and Colin exchanged a look.

Colin gave an encouraging nod. The Half-Orc gritted his teeth and walked up to the edge of the pond.

The pond water, as if alive, flowed over the edge and swirled around Kase’s feet.

A warm breeze suddenly gusted through the insulated greenhouse. The leaves of the surrounding plants began to rustle in unison, as if they were singing and dancing together.

After a while, the sound slowly died down.

A sigh seemed to emanate from all directions.

Colin noticed Kase’s back shudder violently as if he’d been shocked. His head, with its bound ponytail, slowly drooped.

"So... what’s the result?" Colin asked, taking a step forward.

The face made of water spoke as if to itself. Its cadence was drawn-out, and it would occasionally drop ancient words that most people wouldn’t use.

"The will of the Gods is like the path of the stars—distant and restrained. Their punishments upon the Mortal World are like the turning of the seasons, each with its own measure.

"But Lady Rime is an exception. Cold fear is the soil that nourishes her, and mortal terror, the roots of her power. She will not relinquish this punishment easily."

After a moment’s pause, he said in a more understandable tone, "I am powerless to help. A more powerful Druid is needed."

Colin frowned.

’So this is how it ends? Even the Great Druid of Thousand Masts City can’t remove the Curse?’

"Alright, let’s just leave it at that, Colin my friend." Kase turned and waved a hand dismissively.

His expression was a mix of complex emotions, but the most obvious was a hint of relieved resignation.

Colin sighed and said, "Then we’ll be on our way. Thank you for your help, Great Druid."

"Wait, hero."

The watery face spoke. "Do you carry a ring on your person?"

Before such a supernatural being, Colin had no intention, nor any reason, to hide anything. He had originally planned to show the ring to Edwin in a couple of days to see if it was cursed. Showing it to this Druid now would likely yield better results.

He took Silent from his pocket, displaying it as he answered, "I do."

"Ah, a creation of the Elves. An unfalling autumn leaf dwells within this ring..."

Colin had a faint premonition.

He asked, "What does that mean? Does it mean there’s some kind of Curse on this ring?"

"Not a Curse. Unlike humans, if an Elf dies of old age without being given last rites, they cannot enter the realm of their Gods. In such cases, the memories of their entire life come to reside within one of their personal belongings. This is a memory crystal of an Elven soul."

Colin started to break out in a cold sweat.

’That sounds even more like some kind of weird curse. This thing isn’t going to be haunted at night, is it?’

"So, you’re saying it’s a Magic Item, and there are no side effects from wearing it, right?"

"Correct. You can experience the Elf’s memories and benefit from them. You are quite lucky, little one."

Hearing that, Colin was relieved.

The ring’s value was somewhat beyond his expectations.

According to what those Dwarves had said, the rarest Magic Equipment were those that formed naturally. Such items were even more precious than the Rune Equipment the Dwarves took such pride in.

Speaking of which, Colin had actually seen Magic Items in other people’s hands before.

So far, only this ring had shown question marks on its Panel. Because of that, he still didn’t know what Level of Magic Item the ring was, or what its specific effects were.

’So I’ll have to try it out over the next couple of days.’

"Every Great Druid is constantly busy. If we find someone who can resolve this matter, we will find you, heroes."

"Thank you, Master," Colin said with a slight nod.

In any case, there was at least some follow-up on the matter now. It wasn’t completely hopeless.

For now, there was nothing to do but wait for news.