Affinity: Chaos

Chapter 2197: Be Careful What You Wish For

Grey and Reynolds traveled to the Harp Region, where Kyle’s family was located. It had been some time since Grey last came here. As they flew across the territory, he felt a quiet sense of relief. Unlike the Archon Region or the Pyre Region, this place was not under constant heavy assault. The land looked relatively peaceful, though they still heard occasional reports of small Gnome attacks during their journey.

The duo arrived at Westford City, the nearest major city to the Langford Family grounds. Unlike the Dawson Family, who had built their manor in the middle of Thalor City, the Langford Family had chosen to settle several kilometers outside the main urban area.

The moment they entered Westford, both of them noticed how busy the streets were. The city felt more crowded and lively than most places they had passed through recently. Large groups of people moved in the same general direction, talking animatedly among themselves.

Grey and Reynolds slowed down and listened to the conversations around them. They drifted closer to two young men walking ahead.

"I can kill six," one of them said confidently. "With the rewards from those six, I’ll finally be able to afford an essence fruit and break through to the Venerable Plane."

His companion scoffed. "Do you think Gnomes are that easy to deal with?"

"Of course!" the first youth answered without hesitation. He looked at his friend. "Didn’t you kill two Gnomes last week?"

"I almost died just to take their heads," the second man replied. A trace of lingering fear crossed his face. "Don’t treat Gnomes like ordinary magical beasts. We’re not Grey Dawson, who can kill them like chopping vegetables."

The first youth’s eyes lit up at the name. "What do you think he’s doing right now?"

"How should I know?"

"I wonder if Grey can really wipe out the Gnomes. I heard after he handled the ones in the Pyre Region, he went to the Archon Region and did the same thing."

"It won’t be that easy," the second youth said more seriously. "I don’t think one person can tip the scale of the entire war. The Gnomes are still leading overall. We have to look for other methods."

"You’re just jealous of Grey," the first one laughed. "I know if Aaliyah hadn’t said she liked him, you wouldn’t hate him so much."

"Aaliyah never said that," the second youth snorted. "Besides, why should I care who she likes? It’s not like she’ll ever meet him."

Grey and Reynolds walked past them at that moment. Hearing ordinary youths casually discuss him, and even bring up some girl who supposedly admired him, left Grey slightly taken aback. He kept his expression calm, but a faint awkwardness flickered in his eyes.

Reynolds, clearly holding back a laugh, muttered just loud enough for the two youths to hear as they passed, "Be careful what you wish for."

The two young men froze for a second. The second one looked embarrassed, while the first only glanced at Grey and Reynolds before turning back to his friend, completely unaware of who had just walked by.

Grey did not comment on Reynolds’s remark. They continued gathering information as they moved deeper into the city. Before long they understood the full picture. The Langford Family had issued a public order: anyone who killed Gnomes could turn in the corpses or heads for rewards based on the strength of the ones they killed. That single policy explained why Westford City felt so lively. Although the Gnomes were not launching large-scale attacks in the Harp Region, they were still hiding in various places. The Langford Family had chosen to deal with the problem by encouraging independent Elementalists to hunt them for profit.

Both Grey and Reynolds found the method surprising. It was very different from the large army battles they had grown used to in the more contested regions.

They eventually reached the city square. A sizable crowd had gathered there. In one area, people stood in a line and handed storage rings to a group of guards. Grey watched as a guard examined a ring, pulled out three Gnome corpses, confirmed them, and then passed a different storage ring back to the hunter as payment. The process repeated steadily.

Nearby stood a large wooden board. Grey walked over and studied it. A detailed map of the surrounding area had been pinned up, with several locations clearly marked. These were the places where Gnomes had been sighted recently.

They stayed in the square for a while longer, observing the flow of people and the general mood of the city. When they had seen enough, Grey turned to Reynolds.

"Let’s head to the Langford Family."

The two of them left Westford City and flew the remaining distance to the Langford Family grounds. The estate sat in a quiet area of rolling hills, surrounded by well-kept forests and open training fields. The main buildings were elegant but not overly flashy, reflecting a family that valued strength without needing to display excessive luxury.

When they landed near the main entrance, the guards on duty immediately stepped forward. One of them, a mid-stage Sovereign, looked at the two young men carefully. His eyes paused on Grey for a moment longer than normal.

"State your purpose," the guard said politely but firmly.

"We’re here to see Kyle Langford," Grey answered. "Tell him Grey is here."

The name produced a clear reaction. The guard’s expression shifted from professional caution to surprise. He quickly assigned another guard to watch the gate and hurried inside himself.

Only a few minutes later, hurried footsteps approached from within the grounds. Kyle appeared, moving faster than usual. When he saw Grey standing at the entrance, a wide grin spread across his face.

"Grey! You’re actually here!"

He crossed the remaining distance in a few strides and clasped Grey’s arm firmly. His gaze then moved to Reynolds, and his smile grew even brighter.

"Reynolds too? I didn’t expect both of you."

Reynolds smiled back. "It’s been a while."

Kyle looked Grey up and down, as if checking that he was still in one piece. "I heard about what you did in the Pyre Region and the Archon Region. Half the continent is talking about it. I thought you’d be busy for months."

"I was nearby," Grey said simply. "Figured I should come see how you’re doing."

Kyle laughed and stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter. "Come in. You’re staying at least a few days. No arguments."

As they walked into the Langford Family grounds, several disciples and guards turned to look. Whispers started almost immediately once people recognized Grey. Kyle ignored the attention and led them toward one of the main courtyards, already asking questions about their recent battles and clearly happy to see his friends again after so long.

Kyle led Grey and Reynolds into a quieter inner courtyard, away from the main paths where disciples were still glancing over. A few stone tables and chairs sat under the shade of old trees. He gestured for them to sit and called for refreshments.

Once the drinks arrived and the attendants left, Kyle leaned forward slightly.

"Alright, tell me the real version," he said. "I’ve heard all kinds of stories about the Pyre Region and the Archon Region. Some of them sound completely exaggerated."

Grey gave a short summary of what had happened, keeping the details practical and without embellishment. He mentioned the key battles, the use of the arrays, and the final results, but left out most of the more dramatic moments. Reynolds occasionally added a dry comment when Grey understated something too much, which earned him a sideways glance from Grey more than once.

Kyle listened carefully, nodding at certain points. When Grey finished, he let out a low breath.

"So the rumors were actually understating it in some ways," he said. "No wonder the entire continent is talking."

He then explained the situation in the Harp Region. The Gnome presence here was different from the large camps they had faced before. Instead of concentrated forces, the enemies stayed scattered and hidden across forests and remote areas. Large army movements were inefficient, so the Langford Family had decided to issue bounties and let independent Elementalists hunt them for rewards. It kept pressure on the Gnomes without leaving their own defenses thin.

"We’ve still lost people," Kyle admitted. "But compared to what you’ve described in other regions, we’ve been fortunate."

After a while he asked, "How long are you staying?"

"A few days," Grey answered. "Long enough to rest and catch up. We won’t remain too long. I still have to visit some other places while I’m there."

Kyle accepted the answer without trying to change it. "That’s fine. It’s already more than I expected, I didn’t think you’d come this way."

The three of them continued talking as the light in the courtyard gradually softened. Kyle was already a Seventh stage Sovereign which came as a shock.