Contrary to what Lux expected, the Ancestral Land of the Rowan Tribe was located in the snowy Mountains that go by the name, Kolbein Mountains.
His image of the Nomadic Tribe was that of people who always wore clothes that were meant for traveling to sunny places, and not in the cold, wintery landscape that he was facing at the moment.
"Surprised?" Maximilian chuckled after seeing Lux's reaction.
"Very," Lux replied. "I think my image of the Rowan Tribe took a ninety degree turn."
Cai, who was standing beside Lux, giggled after hearing her lover's words.
However, she couldn't blame him for thinking such a thing.
The Rowan Tribe was a Nomadic Tribe, which was always migrating to the warmest regions of the Six Kingdoms, following the change in the seasons.
For their Ancestral Land to be located in the coldest region of the Six Kingdoms was something that an outsider wouldn't expect.
This land was actually not under the control of any Kingdom. It was a neutral ground where religious people would come to as part of their pilgrimage.
The High Priestesses of the Rowan Tribe held the highest authority in this place, for the Kolbein Mountain was one of the locations that one of the Gods of Solais had declared as His Holy Land.
Even though that God was no longer in Solais, the Six Kingdoms still recognized His authority and didn't dare to claim the territory in fear of divine retribution.
Maximilian guided his guests along the secret route that was used by his Tribe to traverse the mountain.
Blizzards were an everyday occurrence in the Kolbein Mountains, so it wasn't a touristy area despite being a Holy Land.
Even so, there was still a small village that was located near the base of the mountain, which was protected from extreme weather changes due to a powerful defensive formation.
This was where those who were doing pilgrimages stayed and conducted their religious ceremonies.
The people managing this village were members of the Rowan Tribe.
It was the first stopover before entering the secret passage that allowed entry directly into the mountain, where the Ancestral Lands of the Rowan Tribe was located.
After seeing Maximilian and Cai, the people there didn't hesitate to approach and give their greetings.
The High Priestess and the Patriarch were the two highest authorities within the Holy Land, so everyone naturally treated them with respect.
"Are you ready to meet your future in-laws?" Lux asked Keane in a teasing tone.
Keane simply nodded his head. However, Lux could see the determination on his face.
His close friend was like a soldier who was about to fight a great battle, and he had every intention of emerging victorious.
Lux had invited the swordsman to join them on a whim, and the latter readily agreed to his invitation.
Maximilian didn't say anything and allowed Keane to join them.
Truth be told, Lux had a feeling that his Grandfather-in-law was already aware that Rose and Keane were secretly dating each other.
Since the old man wasn't saying anything, it meant that he had given the swordsman his tacit approval, deeming him worthy of Rose.
Lux didn't know Keane's background, but he knew who his Master was.
He had been able to meet that person, and he had to admit that Keane's Master had left a good first impression on him.
People simply called him The Void and he was a Pseudo-Saint.
Even if he was only a step away from a Saint, there were rumors that he had no trouble defeating real Saints, who were supposed to be stronger than him.
Of course, the Half-Elf was more inclined to believe these rumors since he had personally met the man.
His Aura was as sharp as a sword, and even looking at him would make someone feel as if they were about to be cut in half.
Even Alexander and Maximilian didn't have that kind of dominating presence, making Lux believe that the rumors had some truth in them.
After entering the secret passageway of the Rowan Tribe, Lux felt a very strong itch start to spread across his body.
He was the only one who was feeling this, so he was a little confused.
Perhaps, knowing his discomfort, Maximilian chuckled and said something that the Half-Elf didn't expect.
"The God of Snow and Ice, who made this land a Holy Land, was said to hate the God of Death with a vengeance," Maximilian explained. "Because of this, those who carry the power of anything related to Death, like Necromancers, are supposedly unable to enter this Domain.
"Actually, I was half expecting that you would be unable to enter this place because of that restriction. But, since you are different from other Necromancers, I thought that there was a possibility that you would not be affected by the Holy Power that still permeated this place."
After hearing Maximilian's explanation, Lux finally understood where the strong itch was coming from.
Perhaps because he was a Heaven's Necromancer, the restriction that prevented him from entering the Kolbein Mountain was negated.
Even so, only half of his authority was recognized, and the latter half had to suffer the consequences of entering the Holy Land that hated anything related to Death.
"Are you alright?" Cai asked with concern.
"I feel itchy all over," Lux replied.
"Do you want me to scratch you?"
"No. If you do, I'd probably lose control and start to scratch myself as well. I am only using my willpower to prevent myself from doing that."
Lux was feeling very uncomfortable. The deeper they traveled into the underground maze within the mountain, the stronger the itch became, making him subconsciously scratch his neck, and face from time to time.
"Let me try something," Cai said as she held Lux's hand. Seeing her beloved suffer made her feel sorry for him. "Close your eyes. I will plant a blessing on your body."
The Half-Elf nodded and closed his eyes.
Cai then took out a feather fan and started to dance and sing around Lux, touching him with the fan from time to time.
Every time the fan touched him, he could feel the strong itchiness subside a bit, making his body shudder.
Particles of golden light appeared around Lux and slowly merged with his body, coating him with divine light.
Half an hour later, Cai stopped dancing. She pressed the tip of her finger against Lux's forehead and drew a symbol that looked like a mountain.
She then moved closer to him and stood on tiptoe to kiss his forehead.
A moment later, the drawing of the mountain on his forehead glowed and sent faint ripples of golden light all over Lux's body.
This ripple dispelled the feeling of itchiness, making the Half-Elf breathe a sigh of relief and comfort.
"Thank you, Cai," Lux said gratefully. "I feel a lot better now."
"You're welcome," Cai replied. "However, that blessing will only last for half a day. We will have to renew it again later."
Lux nodded his head in understanding. He then shifted his gaze to Maximilian and gave the old man a thumbs up.
"Very well, let us now continue our journey," Maximilian stated. "We will reach our destination just in time for lunch. I have already informed them of our arrival, so I'm sure that they have already prepared a feast for everyone."
After saying those words, Maximilian once again led their group within the underground maze that could only be traversed by the people who had received the blessing of the God of Snow and Ice.
