area51novel Page 69
Page 69
[You scratched your head as you walked back. This is a serious matter; you need to discuss it with the half-elf.]
As you approach home, you notice people talking amongst themselves on the street. Curious, you approach them and strike up a conversation. They generously show you today's London newspaper.
The newspaper's headline read: "A suspected 'giant golden mushroom' appears on Tianhai Street; is the ancient ecology of Lundia about to arrive?!" And the accompanying picture was none other than your giant bull breaking through the roof.
Your face is pale, your bloodless lips tremble incessantly, and at this moment, only one thought fills your mind:
"This city is unbearable... Arte, quick, let's escape together!"
Chapter 83 Damn, their emotions are so stable (Part 2)
Artemis is happy for your promotion, but also saddened by your impending departure.
"Oh right, we didn't finish talking last night..." She rubbed her face, regaining her composure, but the drooping ivy leaves in the room betrayed her inner thoughts. She said:
"High-ranking mages are qualified to build mage towers in Lundia. Once they have a mage tower, they can go to various academies to audit classes and exchange ideas... Ah, I suddenly remembered that you've already graduated, but I'm still thinking about accompanying you to class..."
The half-elf, dressed in a long robe, had been drooping his head slightly, but suddenly perked up, grabbed your hand, and exclaimed excitedly:
“However, the mage tower also implicitly has the right to operate, so I can open a magic materials shop after building the mage tower. The gold coins I earn should be enough for both of us!”
You sighed, and the image of the two of you running a mage tower together in the future flashed through your mind. You ruffled her hair and suddenly asked seriously, "Arte, what exactly was the effect of the spell you used last night?"
The half-elf chuckled dryly, his gaze darting away as he muttered under his breath, "So, he couldn't hide it from his elder brother after all..."
She looked at you pitifully and said, "It's just a simple spell to share life force..."
You asked seriously, "What price did you pay?"
"About ten percent of your lifespan..." She lowered her head as if admitting her mistake, closing her eyes to await punishment.
You look at the half-elf, who is nervously closing her eyes, and think helplessly how you could bear to punish her. Exchanging a tenth of an elf's lifespan for several decades of yours doesn't seem like a worthwhile trade.
You hugged her tightly and whispered something she couldn't understand: "I will never let you use this spell again outside."
Over the next few days, you and the half-elf purchased many items for planning the construction of the mage tower. She chose a site on a small hill outside the city of Lundia. When you later emerge from the teleportation array in the Golden Hall, the first thing you will see is the vegetated spire of her mage tower.
You asked Headmaster Zerris for an advance of your basic salary of five thousand gold whites for the next two years, and handed it over to the penniless half-elf. Seeing her surprised and worried expression, you couldn't help but feel the exhilarating sensation of giving the god of gold pocket money. Then, patting your chest, you said:
"Don't underestimate me, little elf! As a legendary warrior, I could live for decades just by eating dirt!"
After bidding a reluctant farewell to the half-elf, you followed Headmaster Zerris into the Golden Hall.
Jennifer, whom you hadn't seen in a long time, punched you hard in the shoulder, then rubbed her aching wrist with a surprised look. She told you to be careful of the nobles of Siyuanhua Castle; in such a small place filled with various factions, there must be many conspiracies and schemes lurking in the shadows.
Before leaving, Jennifer said with a hint of worry, "My father's health is getting worse. I'll probably be stationed at the Golden Hall less often from now on, and instead take on more travel-related assignments. That way, it'll be easier for me to go home and visit him from time to time... Ah, traveling is so tiring..."
You smiled and wished her a speedy adjustment to her newfound "normie" life, then exchanged a sharp punch with her before stepping into the teleportation array.
Spatial turbulence swept past you and Principal Zerris. Looking at the interwoven gray lines, you suddenly realized you were about to be transported to a very distant place.
[You see a flash of white, and then an elegant chapel appears before you. Before the exquisite stained glass windows, Slinger, dressed in a heavy white gown, awaits you with her eyes slightly closed.]
"The destination settings for teleportation arrays aren't that flexible," she explained to you on the way to the Royal Gardens.
"For example, to travel to Yanium, we would need to use the teleportation array on the floating island or go through the Kingdom of Andora. Since Norard and Yanium are separated by a huge floating island, it is impossible to teleport directly there."
[You understand that this is precisely why trade between the two countries is extremely difficult. Large quantities of goods cannot be transported via teleportation arrays, so the two countries must engage in lengthy and constantly evolving negotiations regarding the profitability of trade.]
[But what does that have to do with you? Asking you to solve economic problems is less useful than having you fight in the dust; you're just there for show in the team.]
The Queen received you. She looked remarkably young, not at all like someone who had given birth to four children. Her exceptionally high magical affinity kept the magical energy around her constantly active, proving that the rumors of the Queen symbolizing magical favor were not unfounded.
Looking at her renownedly large breasts, you couldn't help but scoff. "Right now, if you activated your bloodline, five of hers combined wouldn't be as big as yours."
"Your Excellency Latis, depending on the outcome, we will reward you further. Do you have any particular requests regarding the type of reward? Solidification spells? Materials?" Queen Whiteley tapped her scepter, asking very generously.
"Your Majesty, I want money," you declared bluntly and unabashedly. You couldn't wait to see the God of Coins overwhelmed and bewildered by a deluge of gold.
The Queen chuckled, did some calculations, nodded, and said, "For every 1% increase in profits generated by this negotiation compared to the previous contract, you'll receive 0.5% of the profits; if other cooperative agreements are reached with your help, you'll enjoy a 20% rebate. How about it?"
"Such a good thing? You immediately agreed, although the unbearable expressions on Slinky and Jersey's faces puzzled you greatly, but you couldn't ask in front of the Queen."
They later told you that you would have received an extra reward for renewing the original treaty, but because you agreed to the Queen's profit-sharing terms, there was no longer a fixed gold coin reward. Therefore, if you had renewed the treaty according to the original terms, you would have received zero reward.
"Damn it, that cunning old woman!" you cursed angrily, gritting your teeth as you thought to yourself, "I'm going to go and give her a piece of my mind! If I don't make at least ten thousand gold coins out of you, I'm not a man!"
Next, you met with the delegation responsible for the negotiations. Most of them looked much like the nobles you had seen at the Queen's Academy, the only difference being that they were all bald as they got older.
You touch your thick hair, and a strange sense of superiority arises within you. Hair is a symbol of dignity, an attitude; it's a man's outward appearance, and thick hair can give you a sense of triumphant dominance.
The next day, you led a fully armed delegation into the teleportation array, directly traversing the mountainous wilderness surrounding Siyuan Flower Fortress and arriving at Shuangxia Territory.
[I've heard that the situation on the floating islands hasn't been peaceful lately. For the safety of the group, you've chosen the route through Andora.]
[After leaving the main city of Twin Gorges, the delegation needed to travel by carriage to the border peaks before entering the cities of Andora to continue using the teleportation array. You randomly chose a decent-looking carriage, but unexpectedly, upon entering, you saw Slingk sitting regally inside.]
[After waiting patiently for you to sit down, Slingk tells you that she snuck out and wanted to visit the United Nations in Janium.]
It turns out that not long ago, every time she went out, she was attacked by black-hat sorcerers. No matter how secretive she was, those people could always accurately pinpoint her location and whereabouts. And the black-hat sorcerers, having changed their attack strategy, would always shoot and run, causing her endless suffering.
She simply couldn't stand staying in the capital any longer, so she secretly took this opportunity to slip away, hoping to relax in another country. Although her key only covered areas within the Kingdom of Norard, it's believed that once she left Norard, even if there were an insider constantly monitoring her location, the Black Hat Sorcerers wouldn't launch an attack so easily.
After all, apart from Norard, other countries aren't fully covered by the internet. You're using nationwide Wi-Fi coverage here, while other places might still be using China Telecom 3G.
"What a runaway princess!" you thought to yourself. Her fate was unexpected, and you couldn't help but think of Mi Tu, who had also been ambushed, and silently mourned for them for a moment.
"So why don't you have your mother hire some legendary figures as your bodyguards?..." Just as you finished speaking, a loud explosion erupted outside. You peered out and saw a carriage blown apart, the nobleman inside barely clinging to life.
You stared blankly as the other mages stored the nobleman's corpse into the dimensional rift, then calmly continued on their way. You couldn't help but cover your head and mutter, "Damn, their composure is incredible..."
"This happens all the time," Slinger explained, his face slightly pale. "The Black Hat sorcerer's attack was just one example of an accident. People from other countries occasionally engage in aggressive behavior too..."
She took a deep breath and calmly continued, “You just asked why my mother didn’t hire bodyguards for me. I think there are several reasons. First, Queen Whiteley is not my biological mother, and I’m not sure if the other princes and princesses are her biological children. Her Majesty’s age and background are kept secret.”
"Secondly, she didn't know I was a cyber police officer, and I never told her. When the goddess of magic bestowed the key upon me, she reacted strangely because of the divine aura emanating from her. Therefore, I dared not tell her that I was carrying out the mission according to the goddess's will and would be facing so many dangers."
"Third, the legends generally no longer accept jurisdiction or command. They need to undergo a long period of self-study before embarking on their journey to the stars, and worldly interests will gradually lose their appeal to them."
As you watch her earnestly analyze the situation with reason and evidence, your attention suddenly drifts to her voluminous golden curls and her matching golden eyebrows, eyelashes, and pupils. The outline of Slinger's soft, white stockings peeks out between her calf boots and comfortable riding breeches, and you seem to catch a faint, elegant scent of incense.
Slinger paused, carefully observing your expression, and then smiled, saying, "Lord Latis seems to be a man of deep feeling."
You gave an awkward, dry laugh. The princess's reaction was remarkably quick, and she seemed quite adept at social interactions.
After nearly a week of arduous trekking, you have finally bypassed the formidable barrier facing Andora and ascended a mountain path with an almost right-angle incline.
[Slingk tells you that if you were using a truck, you'd have to take a longer route. In a place like this, with countless icebergs standing tall, even a slight detour could add four or five days to the journey. It's fortunate you only have people and horse-drawn carriages, yet you're still managing to climb the mountain.]
In the dim sky of the far north, you lost count of how many days you had trekked, finally arriving at a place that could barely be called a city before the entire mission was utterly exhausted.
[Mlida Greenhouse, the southernmost human settlement in Andora. Here, on clear, cloudless days, one can overlook a small part of Lundia through the narrow crevices of the canyon. At the same time, three or four floating islands will appear in the greenhouse's view at certain times.]
This place is home to a considerable number of Anium and Norard people, as well as many mysterious visitors from the floating islands, who see it as a refuge from family feuds.
[You and the delegation enter a sunken space covered by enormous monster wings. Unidentified monster pelts and cold-resistant plants are woven by the locals into excellent heat-insulating and waterproof mats. Although the hygiene conditions don't seem great, it certainly gives you a novel experience.]
The mission plans to rest here for a day before teleporting directly to the border city of Janium. Vehicles such as wagons will be handed over to the Norard merchant group stationed there.
Slingk, disguised and wearing a white cloak, led you out of the damp inn and sampled a local specialty—haggis, a lamb stomach delicacy.
You reluctantly finished your meal, watching Slingk, who was sweating profusely from the heavily salted and spicy food but still enjoying it immensely, and you couldn't understand it.
[Is the food at Siyuanhua Castle even worse than this? Your longing for the capital and the palace instantly vanished.]
[After watching Slingk slowly devour a whole haggis, it was already late at night. The dim light, similar to dusk or dawn, made it hard to tell the time. The towering ice houses reflected fragments of sky, and Slingk's satisfied figure patted his belly. Suddenly, you thought, "The North isn't so bad after all."]
However, what Andora is more famous for is not its unique urban ecology and beautiful history, but rather its humans, most of whom possess demonic blood.
[You're inside the room, looking out the window at the catgirl leaping and bounding across the roof on her paws, and you feel even more certain that you've come to the right place.]
[Unfortunately, the night is long, and you begin to miss your little fairy, wondering if she'll get hurt building her house all by herself... You look at the sleeping face of your fairy that you secretly photographed with your image-capturing spell and can't help but marvel at how image-capturing is truly one of the greatest inventions in the history of mages.]
The following day, you and the delegation traveled to the teleportation array in the Murida Greenhouse. This teleportation array was located inside the remains of a monster, and you couldn't help but admire how uniquely Andora it was.
"Mianmi Silk, come back here!"
Suddenly, a loud shout interrupts your thoughts. You turn around and see a fluffy cat paw with pink paw pads getting closer and closer to your head.
As you wished, it stepped on your face.
Chapter 84 Drink! The Laws of Heaven and Earth! (Two-in-One)
Cat paws, a top-quality ingredient. Pink cat paws possess both the flexibility and elasticity developed through years of exercise, and the aroma of saliva left behind by cats licking their paws daily.
[What? This isn't a food tasting channel; it's just an excerpt from Chapter 83 of La's "I'm Not the Warden: A Jailer's Memoir."]
"Hello?" Latis glared angrily. "I'm suing you for defamation, huh? Remember to bring your book to court!"
When you pulled the iron head out of the ground, the catgirl from before had already skillfully assumed a dogeza (a traditional Chinese kneeling posture) in front of you, shouting:
"I'm sorry, Master!"
You scratched your head, completely bewildered. Suddenly, you saw a slightly thinner catgirl chasing after you, shouting, "Mianmi, don't run away!"
Seeing this, her little face instantly turned pale with fright, and like the first catgirl, she also did a deep bow.
Slink whispered behind you, "The common people of Andora, due to their reverence and sense of distance towards magic, hold mages in extreme awe. There have been instances where ordinary mages from other countries have attempted to use this to trick them into offering themselves to them. Fortunately, each greenhouse has extremely powerful bloodline warriors who protect their own people very well."
The catgirl named Mianmisi stood up, patted her legs, lifted the catgirl behind her, and muttered:
"Alright, alright, tell the wise man that I'll be back in half an hour..."
[After saying that, she jumped up and sprang into the air, then did a double jump in mid-air, and the cat disappeared from sight.]
"This child used to be so well-behaved, how come he's getting more and more naughty!" the remaining catgirl muttered angrily. She stomped her foot, bowed to you, and left.
[You've noticed that while the ordinary people of Andora hold mages in awe, their attitude is impartial, seemingly not the foreign-worshipping mentality you initially assumed, but rather... an attitude to avoid being retaliated against by mages using mysterious magic?]
You watched the delegation walk into the teleportation array, shook your head, and followed. However, a strange feeling lingered in your mind. You glanced at Slink, who was dressed plainly among the delegation, then nodded to the mage who activated the teleportation array.
The spatial turbulence high in the mountains is chaotic and intense. Just as you're about to close your eyes to get through this dizzying experience, you're suddenly horrified to find a cat's head peeking out from your shadow!
"Ugh... What is this feeling? It's worse than rolling off a cliff..." Mianmi Si seemed to be squeezed out of your shadow as she knelt on the ground, dry heaving.
Looking at her tail drooping listlessly on the ground, you couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Are you the catgirl from earlier? Why did you appear in my shadow?"
[The silky creature lay on its side on the ground, its ears twitching and its tail swishing.]
[Three question marks appear above your head: Can catgirls really ignore people like cats?!]
So you kicked her butt, and she finally stood up amidst an awkward atmosphere, looking down as she explained, "Mianmi saw that you're also a bloodline warrior, and thought you were trustworthy, meow..."
Before you could reply, the scenery flashed, and you found yourself on a spacious high platform. Hundreds of steps led downwards, descending into a densely populated area.