"So, all the clues point to one place." Humboldt's long fingers tapped the charcoal circle on the map. "With the giant tree as our destination, if we travel in a straight line with the help of Magic, it will take... about four days at the fastest."
"We could wait for reinforcements before setting out."
"No, I'm afraid we won't be getting any powerful reinforcements this time," Peterson said, pouring cold water on the idea.
"Last year, the farms under the Magic Guild and the Empire Council both reported that pests and diseases affecting the land and crops throughout the Empire were extremely severe, leading to widespread production losses. Most of the Mages from the Tower of Forest have thrown themselves into related research.
"They need to complete the disease investigation, sample collection, and create a prevention plan before the spring planting starts in February. The Tower of Forest can't spare anyone; all the big names are out in the fields across the country right now."
