novelraw Chapter 358 Mist Empire’s Rise- 356: Thanks to Name's Three Divine Certifications
Chapter 358 Mist Empire’s Rise- 356: Thanks to Name's Three Divine Certifications
Mist Empire's Rise-Chapter 356: Thanks to Name's Three Divine Certifications
Every elf was a divine gift to the elven race. They cherished each other—how could they ever enslave their own kind?
The dark elf couldn't comprehend humans enslaving their own people. He asked Luo Wei, "Your Highness, why do Western Continent people do this?"
Luo Wei: "Who knows? Maybe reproduction is too easy for them."
Because life came too easily, they lacked reverence for it.
Troy and Zachary, listening to the conversation, both flushed red to their ears.
They were also from the Western Continent. Hearing how Misty Plains people viewed them inevitably brought shame.
Though Troy's embarrassment lasted less than half a minute. He quickly remembered—he'd joined the Misty Plains. He was a Misty Plains person now!
As for Patrick, his emotions hadn't stirred from beginning to end. He was undead, no longer human. What did human affairs have to do with an undead?
In the end, only Zachary remained awkward.
Fortunately, Luo Wei realized her words had been somewhat inappropriate, as if targeting Zachary. Considering his feelings, she added a few more sentences.
"Actually, for humans, the slave system has benefits—like developing productivity and advancing human society."
"This system brought humanity into the age of civilization. It has both flaws and merits. We can't judge it simplistically."
When the time was right, the slave system would collapse on its own.
Historically, Europe's slave system didn't truly end until the late eleventh century. The Western Continent's social structure resembled eleventh-century Europe.
The feudal system was established, but slavery hadn't completely disappeared.
In the central and southern Western Continent, advances in ironwork led to large-scale land reclamation. Many slaves transformed into serfs. Though serfs weren't free either, they lived slightly better than slaves.
The northern Western Continent had a cold climate unsuitable for farming. Most people still made their living through herding, and conflicts between tribes were frequent, so slaves far outnumbered serfs.
Northern slave traders were popular in the south. They sold slaves to southern territories that needed labor, completing the transformation into estate serfs.
From this perspective, Zachary had actually advanced social progress, making a small contribution to societal development.
For those slaves, Zachary might even be their benefactor.
Prisoners who'd already become slaves had little chance of survival in the Northlands. They'd either be tortured to death for entertainment, eaten alive as food reserves, or freeze and starve to death.
The Northlands lacked resources and didn't need so many people.
In this sinful era, the line between good and evil blurred. Sometimes killing became saving, and doing good became doing evil.
As dusk darkened, Luo Wei brought everyone back to Star Luo Residence.
Bella knew guests were coming and had prepared a lavish dinner, just waiting for them to return so she could serve it.
The dark elf surveyed the courtyard scenery. Luo Wei's carefully designed ecological landscape gave him a sense of familiarity, as if returning to nature.
Elves loved natural environments. Their dwellings nestled against mountains and water, integrated into forests. They didn't like establishing city-states like humans.
Night fell, and maids lit the garden's ground lamps.
The maids moved with light steps. During work hours, they never laughed or played around. In front of guests, they were especially careful with their words and dignified in bearing.
The dark elf silently observed everything, a faint sadness spreading through his eyes.
He'd built many structures in the Misty Plains, but those buildings lacked vitality—not lively like the Western Continent.
Her Highness's power in the Western Continent was so strong. Would she prefer living here? Would she... like humans more?
"Meow~"
"Meow meow meow~"
Reaching the main hall entrance, the dark elf heard strange sounds.
He looked toward the source questioningly. An orange-yellow object jumped down from a chair by the window, meowing as it ran toward Luo Wei at the front.
"Big Orange," Luo Wei bent down and picked up the kitten, rubbing its fluffy head. "So proactive—don't tell me you're after chicken legs again?"
"Meow~"
The kitten meowed guiltily, its tail swishing back and forth.
The dark elf stared at the cat in Luo Wei's arms. After hesitating a long while, he asked uncertainly, "Your Highness, is this a Western Continent tiger?"
"Tiger?" Luo Wei turned her head in surprise. "Where's a tiger?"
The dark elf pointed at Big Orange. "Isn't this a tiger cub? It looks very similar to Misty Plains tigers, just different coloring. Also... Misty Plains tigers aren't this round."
"Meow!" The kitten whipped its head around, staring at him in disbelief.
The dark elf watched the kitten twist itself into a circle, finding it novel. "It looks like a ball."
"Meow-ow-ow—"
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That comment completely set Big Orange off. It bared its teeth and hissed at him, throat rumbling with threatening sounds.
Luo Wei struggled to hold back laughter until her stomach hurt. While smoothing Big Orange's fur, she explained to the dark elf, "It's not a tiger. It's a cat."
Dark elf: "Cat?"
Luo Wei: "Yes, a cat. A creature from the same family as tigers."
The dark elf looked at Big Orange twice more, thinking this cat was more impressive than tigers. It had magical talent—animals in the Misty Plains couldn't use magic.
Reaching the dining hall entrance, Luo Wei put the kitten down and had Chris take it outside for chicken legs.
During the meal they might discuss certain topics. Some secrets weren't suitable for a kitten to know.
The five entered the dining hall. The aroma of roasted meat fat and fresh cake sweetness filled the entire room.
After they washed their hands and sat down, maids helped remove the dish covers, revealing an array of delicacies on the plates.
"Alright, you may go."
Luo Wei dismissed the servants. Bella also left the dining hall, closing the door behind them.
Five place settings sat on the table, but only four would eat. Undead didn't need meals.
Patrick revealed his tightly covered face. Seeing the pan-seared beef eye round before him, the ghostly blue flames in his sockets flickered.
These foods looked delicious, but unfortunately he couldn't enjoy them.
An undead's body was full of holes. Even if he put food in his mouth, it would leak out from his jaw the next second, dirtying his clean ribcage.
Zachary and Troy, smelling the food's fragrance, were already impatient. Both were carnivores with strong appetites.
The dark elf sniffed the beef on his plate. Learning from Luo Wei's example, he picked up his knife and fork, cut a small piece of meat, put it in his mouth, and chewed slowly.
It tasted good, but he still thought flower nectar was better.
Zachary grabbed a chunk of beef and swallowed it in two or three bites. Looking up, he realized everyone else was using knives and forks to eat small bites.
Meat should be eaten in big chunks. Why cut it so small? Wouldn't that get stuck in your teeth?
Zachary found the utensils annoying. He pushed them aside, reached out to grab a large piece of meat, and continued gnawing.
After eating his fill, Zachary wiped his mouth, picked up the wine glass on the table, and tilted his head back to pour it all in.
The strong liquor burned his throat. The fiery heat flowed into his stomach. He smacked his lips and burped.
"What kind of wine is this?"
Zachary savored the taste in his mouth, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at Luo Wei.
"Whiskey," Luo Wei took a sip of wine and said with a smile, "fermented and distilled from various grains. Reserved for honored guests."
This whiskey wasn't authentic. She'd had it brewed last year—only aged in oak barrels for six months, not blended, so the botanical aroma wasn't rich enough and the taste wasn't smooth enough.
It needed at least three years of aging for the flavor to be pure.
But Zachary didn't know that. He slapped the table. "Whiskey! Good wine! Another glass!"
This glass had already intoxicated him. Compared to sour grape wine and bland-tasting beer, this wine was stunning.
"Good wine intoxicates easily. Savor it to know its flavor." Luo Wei pushed the wine jug over, having Troy pour him another glass.
"I'll do it myself!"
Zachary filled a glass, then hefted the jug and discovered with regret it was empty.
"Good wine, but too little." He cherished the cup in his hands, reluctant to drink while smelling its aroma.
Luo Wei sighed. "Grain is precious. Brewing this jug requires much grain. The Western Continent's grain yield is too low. People can't even eat their fill—where would there be extra grain for brewing?"
Zachary's eyes flashed. "Miss Luo Wei says the Western Continent's grain yield is low. Does that mean the Misty Plains' grain yield is high?"
"A few percentage points higher," Luo Wei answered. "Unfortunately, I have no farmland in the Western Continent to grow grain."
Zachary put down his glass. "Miss Luo Wei has methods to grow high-yield grain in the Western Continent too?"
"Just some small techniques summarized by predecessors," Luo Wei said modestly. "My servants planted an ornamental wheat field in the back courtyard. If Mr. Bunian has time tomorrow, you can take a look."
The spring wheat planted in early April—two months had passed, and it was nearly mature. In another month it could be harvested.
When planting, Luo Wei had calculated that this wheat field, strictly managed according to her requirements, would yield at least five times the current Western Continent wheat yield per acre.
Seeing her confident expression, Zachary couldn't help believing her.
If she really had methods to increase the Western Continent's grain yield, then his lands...
Zachary drained his glass in one gulp and made an immediate decision. "Good! Then I'll go look tomorrow!"
Luo Wei showed a slight smile. "The wheat field scenery in the back courtyard definitely won't disappoint Mr. Bunian."
In three more months, winter wheat planting would begin.
She hoped before then, Zachary could help her prepare enough land and manpower.
Thinking of people made Luo Wei feel deflated.
The passage to the Misty Plains was open. Boundless fertile land lay before her, yet she couldn't find people to clear land and farm for her.
The dark elf?
She'd already had him work for five hundred years. Making him cultivate thousands or tens of thousands of acres more wasn't quite right, was it?
After dinner, Luo Wei had Bella prepare three guest rooms. Tonight Zachary, Patrick, and the dark elf would all stay here.
The dark elf would temporarily stay in a guest room tonight. Tomorrow she'd personally help him choose a room and decorate it according to his preferences. After all, he'd be living at Star Luo Residence for a while—this was half his home too.
Worried the dark elf might not adapt to his first time here, Luo Wei instructed Troy to talk with him more, to care for him like a good friend.
She noticed the dark elf's personality was somewhat lonely and withdrawn. Since coming to the Western Continent, he hadn't smiled once. His eyes occasionally revealed traces of sadness.
Troy was carefree. Having the dark elf interact with him might make him more cheerful.
After Troy agreed, Luo Wei looked at those honest green eyes that revealed a hint of simple-mindedness and felt she'd made a desperate, terrible suggestion.
She'd known Troy for almost a year. Didn't she know what kind of person he was?
He had no friends himself and didn't like talking. You couldn't beat three words out of him with a stick. His hobbies were pitifully few.
Besides following orders and practicing swordsmanship, Luo Wei had never seen him relax or show interest in anything—wait, that wasn't quite right. There were some things.
Sweets and gold coins—Troy's two favorite things.
The former went without saying. He ate cakes by the basketful. He could eat thirty sickeningly sweet macarons in a row, one after another. Just watching made Luo Wei feel nauseated.
The latter—probably those two years of supporting his griffin alone had traumatized him with poverty. His eyes went straight at the sight of gold coins.
Sigh. Luo Wei worried—why wasn't there a single normal person around her?
Bella, who used to be the most normal, could now roll up her sleeves and make dogs tremble in fear. Not a single servant in Star Luo Residence dared disobey her.
Those muscular arms—Luo Wei couldn't figure out where they came from.
She remembered last year when she'd just bought Star Luo Residence, during those first few months when the courtyard was short-handed, Bella had been both housekeeper and cook while also training female workers for the dessert shop. That's when her arms had gotten a bit thicker.
But over half a year had passed. Now Bella just had to give an order and others did the physical work. How had she gotten even more muscular?
Back courtyard, secondary building.
After a tiring day, Bella returned to her room. Her bottom hadn't even settled when she had to start coaxing a child.
A maid held an eight or nine-month-old baby, looking miserable. "Housekeeper Bella, you're finally back. No matter how I coax her, Luo Lin won't sleep. She just keeps crying."
The baby in her arms had cried herself hoarse. Seeing Bella, she finally giggled, bubbles of drool forming in her mouth as she squirmed forward.
"Ma, mama, hug, hug~" Chubby Luo Lin stretched out two lotus-root-like arms toward Bella, her big watery eyes staring unblinkingly.
Bella reached out to take Luo Lin, saying distressedly, "Poor baby cried herself tired. Are you hungry? Want a bowl of egg custard?"
The maid's arms were sore from holding her. She shook them out. "Earlier I was afraid she'd disturb the master and guests, so I coaxed her into eating a bowl of egg custard. But after eating her fill, she kept crying, so I fed her another bowl before you got back."
Bella felt Luo Lin's belly—round and full. Confirming the baby had truly eaten her fill, she relaxed.
When Luo Lin was first brought back, she'd been thin as a monkey—big head, small body, limbs thinner than matchsticks.
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