novelraw Chapter 315: 90 Half-Bad and Half-Not (Two in One)
Chapter 315: 90 Half-Bad and Half-Not (Two in One)
"Our hometown is situated halfway up the Sema Mountains, with all the houses built against the rock faces. Because of this, we had to learn how to jump and walk through the freezing mountains since childhood, so our bodies are a little bit stronger..."
"Then why didn't you migrate further inwards or outwards from the Sema Mountains? There are plains beneath the snowy mountains, and the environment inside the Sema Mountains seems to be much better than there."
The Sheep-kin, Parfait, sat on a chair assembled from stacked boxes, watching as Fisher gently reached out to touch her firm skin. His actions were not out of line; even the doctors in the Northern Border who treated illnesses were more heavy-handed than him. For Parfait, a Sheep-kin accustomed to working outdoors year-round, there was naturally nothing to be embarrassed about... well, as long as she didn't look at Fisher's face.
Even a Sheep-kin like her couldn't help but feel shy when a handsome gentleman stared at her body with absolute focus.
"Ah, it seems others have indeed moved away, but they weren't from our village; they were from other villages. However, I've heard that where we live is a rule laid down by our ancestors. Running around haphazardly doesn't seem quite right. If my father hadn't sent me out to work, I'd probably still be in the village."
"I see..."
Fisher was steadily taking notes. Behind him, Valentina had huddled her entire body inside that thick cold-resistant clothing. Her legs lacked sensation and remained perfectly still, but her body trembled ceaselessly. It was obvious she was freezing. Heidelin, beside her, couldn't bare watching but knowing the Eldest Miss's temperament, she didn't offer any words of persuasion. She merely silently squeezed the doors and windows tight behind her to prevent more of the frigid wind from seeping in.
"It's not that simple. The demi-human species near the Sema Mountains have strictly delineated distribution areas. If you go below Parfait's village, you'll find the fiercely xenophobic Snow Fox-kin. To venture deeper into the Sema Mountains is extremely dangerous... Every year, many outsiders and locals alike go missing within the Sema Mountains, and very few species actually survive inside. As for why some Sheep-kin would migrate, it's likely related to the avalanche that occurred in the Sema Mountains before."
Despite freezing terribly, Valentina interjected to explain for Fisher after hearing his conversation with Parfait, as Parfait clearly didn't understand many things and their background.
"Avalanche?""Ah..."
Valentina clutched her body. It was quite intriguing; her legs seemingly had absolutely no feeling, so when she trembled, only her upper body shook, making the motion look rather amusing.
"It is said that over a decade ago, a massive avalanche occurred in the Sema Mountains, burying many of the species living inside and around the snowy mountains. Unfortunately, I was born not long after that, so I don't know the exact details of what happened."
"I see..."
After Fisher gained a certain understanding of the ecological distribution of demi-human races around the Sema Mountains, he caught sight of her violently trembling body out of the corner of his eye and suggested,
"The weather outside is simply too cold. Why don't you go down and rest? Rest assured, I won't do anything strange to this Sheep-kin here... Besides, your constitution is already very poor; it wouldn't be good if something happened to you."
Initially, Valentina was somewhat swayed upon hearing Fisher's words. However, when she heard his final sentence, her small face fell, instantly looking displeased, perfectly interpreting the so-called erratic moods of a young girl. She merely shook her head and said,
"It's fine. By staying here, I can also help answer some questions you aren't clear about... Wasn't I the one who just told you about the Sema Mountains?"
"...Then let Heidelin go down and bring you another piece of clothing to wear."
Fisher glanced at Heidelin behind Valentina. Heidelin deeply agreed. She first took off her own outer garment and draped it over Valentina. The moment the coat came off, she drew in a sharp breath of cold air, shivering from the cold. She had no choice but to hurriedly clutch her body and run outside.
"Eldest Miss, wear mine first so you don't catch a cold. I'll go down, put on a coat, and come right back up! Hiss! So cold!"
Having been hastily draped with two coats, Valentina now resembled a bulky penguin. One or two strands of her long white hair peeked out from the tightly wrapped clothing. Her face, flushed from the cold, hid shyly inside the garments, watching Heidelin scamper away.
But soon, because the improperly draped coat felt uncomfortable, she shook her head slightly. She didn't expect this slight movement to cause the loosely draped coat Heidelin left. to slip and fall to the ground.
"My coat..."
The bitterly cold wind immediately poured back in, causing Valentina to tremble all over again. She wanted to pick up the coat from the ground, but her legs were like cold, unmoving machine parts. She gritted her teeth, bending her upper body down as far as it could go, yet she still couldn't reach the garment.
Just as Parfait was about to move, Fisher sighed, walked over to her wheelchair, and picked the coat up. He patted the dust off it and draped it back over Valentina.
This time, Fisher tied the knot at the front to prevent it from falling off again. Only then did he take a step back, looking with satisfaction at Valentina, who had once again transformed into a penguin.
She exchanged a look with Fisher, shook her head uncomfortably once more, and after a two-second pause, spoke somewhat bashfully,
"My hair... It's a bit tight, loosen it for me."
"You're welcome."
Fisher nodded calmly, looking rather amusedly at Valentina huddled inside the clothes on the wheelchair. Obviously, previously she hadn't trusted that his research into demi-humans had a specific purpose, which was why she deliberately arranged for this tall, robust Miss Parfait for him to research.
And now, not helping her untie the clothes pulling her hair tight was his small punishment for her distrust.
Valentina understood Fisher's meaning. Looking up from within the clothes, she wanted to glare at him but accidentally tugged at her own hair. The pain caused her small face to scrunch up. Her two hands, wrapped inside her clothes, rubbed against her head, yet she couldn't extend a finger to untie the tight garment on her head.
"Hiss..."
This annoying Naris person!
Valentina patted her head indignantly but didn't dare move another inch for fear of pulling her hair again. She could only maintain her head-tilted posture and glare 'viciously' at Fisher. However, there was absolutely no sense of threat coming from her. This immediately brought back memories of the little girl Fisher used to bully to the point of crying back at the orphanage.
Back then, relying on his older age, he had stolen a piece of maltose from a little girl, making her cry her eyes out. As a result, not only was he beaten by Sister Teresa, but he was also punished to continuously transcribe the Scripture of Creation.
It's just that, unlike the Fisher from childhood who refused to yield even while being beaten, the current Fisher stopped bullying his boss. Instead, he approached her and slowly pulled open the garment on her head, releasing her from the restriction.
The moment the garment was undone, her long white hair bloomed like a white carnation. But before the strands could fall, Fisher had already gently let go. Valentina gripped the ring on her hand, not daring to move, while out of the corner of her eye she saw Fisher's slender fingers skillfully avoiding her falling hair.
She was lost in thought until Fisher looked back at her and spoke, interrupting her reverie.
"Is it better now?"
"...Mn, you may continue your research."
Valentina gently released the white ring from her grasp and leaned her back against the chair again as she spoke thus.
Fisher nodded and prepared to return to his research on Parfait, but upon turning his head, he only saw Parfait sitting motionless on the boxes behind him, having quietly watched the exceedingly brief events that just unfolded. Seeing Fisher turn back towards her, she coughed and extended her right hand, which Fisher had just been researching.
"Shall we continue?"
"Alright."
In truth, the progress of researching a humanoid demi-human species from the Northern Border like the Sheep-kin was very fast. It was similar to when he researched Renee. Apart from the unique trait of being a Witch, as long as Fisher could recognize that she didn't differ vastly from other humans, he could gain biological research progress.
Amusingly, the Sheep-kin of the Southern Continent looked soft and fluffy, like completely harmless sheep, whereas those from the Northern Border were large and robust, more resembling goats or antelope. Yet, the Demi-Human Completion Handbook classified them under the same category, meaning they possessed almost identical racial traits...
Wait, meaning this Sheep-kin before him, towering at two meters, was an extremely similar creature to the Sheep-kin beloved by the Schwari nobles with an affinity for young men?
Fisher suddenly realized this and subsequently matched it with what he had read in the Soul Completion Handbook earlier.
In the past, the West Continent and the Southern Continent were connected; they were only split into two places due to that earth-shattering war involving Mythical Species. So, could it be that the Sheep-kin of the Southern Continent were a branch that migrated from the Northern Border?
In the ensuing period, Fisher meticulously examined Parfait's body while pondering this question. Behind him, Valentina had waited for quite a while, yet not seeing Heidelin return, she asked Fisher,
"Are you finished? I saw you deep in thought about something."
"Mn, most of the records are complete. I just need to ask some questions about the Sheep-kin settlements next."
Valentina tilted her head, watching Fisher scribbling away in his notebook, and suddenly asked,
"I'm somewhat curious. Exactly what is your purpose for researching these demi-humans? I have heard that the West Continent is not very friendly towards demi-humans, and the academic circles naturally uphold this attitude as well. Unlike Balzac, who researches demi-humans to discover the Frostwood Sycamore Tree and retrieve it for his family, why do you research demi-humans?"
"...Because of interest, of course."
Fisher lied with a calm expression, prompting Valentina behind him to involuntarily roll her eyes.
"A lie... or rather, not the whole truth. Although you are relatively friendly towards demi-humans, researching them clearly holds a utilitarian motive. Either it is for their bodies, or it's for... achoo!"
As Valentina spoke, she uncontrollably sneezed. She froze for a second, the color of her originally cold-flushed little face deepening a shade, before she lowered her head slightly, even her voice growing quieter.
"Or, it's because of some other... purpose I don't know about."
Upon hearing that Fisher's research was for 'their bodies', the massive Sheep-kin Parfait absentmindedly backed away a bit. But for some reason, the man before her always gave her an exceedingly genial feeling, making her reluctant to doubt Fisher's intentions. She wanted to refute Valentina's words, but upon remembering that Valentina was her boss, she sensibly kept her mouth shut and remained silent.
Fisher possessed an enhanced [Northern Species Affinity]. Aside from the Phoenix-kin, it increased his affinity with other demi-human species to a certain degree.
Fisher neither agreed nor disagreed. He could already feel the temperature of the Demi-Human Completion Handbook inside his coat steadily rising, seemingly symbolizing that his research into the Sheep-kin had reached a new stage. He looked back at Valentina, feeling for the first time that she was a bit noisy, so he blankly admitted,
"I am after their bodies."
Valentina was startled frozen in place. She seemed to want to push her wheelchair back a bit, but her plump, penguin-like hand wrapped in layers of clothing just couldn't grope the joystick beside her. Just as she touched it, the main door behind her suddenly opened, revealing Heidelin holding two steaming cups.
She had changed into winter clothing. After catching her breath, she gave a somewhat confused sweep of the room's situation.
"What's going on, why does the atmosphere feel a bit off? Right, I brought you guys some hot tea to warm your stomachs?"
"Why were you gone for so long?"
"Eh, me? I went to brew some hot tea. And the Captain also asked me to pass a message to the Eldest Miss. He said news of us heading to Mya was relayed to the Miya military by someone in the family. They are currently on their way to escort us over the border. Mya has its ports locked down recently; if it weren't for them leading the way, we definitely couldn't get in. The Captain asked me to come ask your opinion."
Valentina stopped trying to push the joystick, glanced at Fisher, who had turned back around to continue his research, pursed her lips, and then looked at Heidelin to deduce,
"Because of that piece of True Ice? The Sardin Woman's Country definitely knows the whereabouts of the True Ice. The difficulty for small nations lies precisely here: if the Sardin Woman's Country obtains the True Ice, they can openly declare themselves the orthodox followers of the Frost Phoenix faith, but the nation of Mya cannot. It doesn't matter, let them lead us into the Miya Nation. I'll go speak with the Captain, and pass word to the family while I'm at it..."
Valentina looked again at Fisher, who only left her his back. The words brewed in her mouth for a while before she finally said,
"Then Mr. Fisher may temporarily continue your research here. I'll take my leave first."
"Alright."
Fisher nodded in response. Waiting a second or two before the door closed, he exhaled a breath of relief and stood up. But unexpectedly, Heidelin's laughing voice resounded from behind him.
"Did the Eldest Miss make you feel troubled just now?"
"You didn't leave?"
Just now, Fisher assumed Heidelin was going to accompany Valentina out together. He didn't expect that she would still be in the room. He turned to look; Heidelin placed the remaining cup of hot tea into his hand and blinked an eye at him,
"I never said I was leaving... Ah, could it be you have categorized both the Eldest Miss and I as troubles?"
Fisher took the hot tea she handed over but didn't drink it. Instead, he handed it to Parfait, who was sitting behind him, making her feel flattered yet prompting her to decline it. For a lowly porter like her, to think this gentleman would directly offer her hot tea—she simply didn't dare accept it.
"It's very cold here in the Northern Border. You've been here for so long, drink it to warm your body. I'll be going down soon anyway, so I don't feel cold now."
"...Thank you."
Parfait carefully stole a glance at the smiling Heidelin. Only when Heidelin nodded did she take the hot tea from Fisher's hand and take a sip. Finding it tasted much better than expected, she then gulped down most of the tea in the cup.
"Mr. Fisher is truly gentle. I definitely like you even more now... It's fine, if you want something to drink later I'll brew more for you; I have a lot of this type of tea leaves stored away. You haven't answered me yet, Mr. Fisher, did the Eldest Miss make you feel troubled just now?"
"Trouble? What are you referring to?"
"Hmm, such as arranging for Parfait for you to research this morning to prevent you from touching the demi-human ladies? Or constantly asking questions and disturbing your work while you were researching? Or perhaps, having a stubborn mouth, clearly shivering from the cold yet refusing to leave no matter what?"
"...Those are your words."
"..."
In a flash, extremely prominent veins appeared on Heidelin's smiling face, as if declaring her annoyance. It was obvious she had hit the nail on the head, yet he couldn't be bothered to admit that that was what he thought.
Truly a bad man. For the women you dislike, do you really relish the peace and quiet so much?
Heidelin rubbed her temples and sighed as she said,
"Sigh, what an utter, utter bad man you are. No wonder Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth has hunted you all the way here, leaving you the constant linger in her dreams. But today, I am not saying all this just to flirt with you. On the night you rejected me, I had already given up. So you can completely rest easy, there's no need to be so guarded."
Parfait blinked her eyes, silently taking a sip of tea, but didn't dare say a word.
"Mr. Fisher, do you know, if a person is born with a disability, the pain of that incompleteness drills deep into their heart like it's boring into their marrow, following them like a shadow they can never shake off their entire life. When they are at a distance from her, people like Balzac and Phyllis cannot feel these details, but you are different, Mr. Fisher."
"Before Herdor died, he asked the Eldest Miss to trust you. No matter how much she refuses to admit it, she inevitably has developed a bit of trust in you. For an incomplete person like the Eldest Miss, trust is both a blessing and a curse. Because of her disability, she possesses both a resilience surpassing ordinary people and the most sensitive fragility; because of her disability, she possesses both proud confidence and the most conspicuous inferiority."
"I don't know what goal you wish to achieve by gaining the Eldest Miss Valentina's trust, but as a servant who has been by her side for a long time, I'll tentatively offer you a piece of advice: once you've given her the signal that you can be trusted, you must uphold it to the end. Otherwise, seize the moment right now, decisively distance yourself from her, and maintain that distance."
Heidelin wrapped her arms around her chest, leaning against the room's doorway. Looking at the wind and snow outside, she said with some sarcasm,
"If you were a purely bad man, I wouldn't have said any of this to you, because a truly bad man would have slept with me that night... But alas, Mr. Fisher, a man who is half-bad and half-not is the absolute worst kind of person, especially to the Eldest Miss."
After these words were spoken, the room instantly sank into quietude. Fisher stared at Heidelin's distant gaze, unaware of what exactly he was thinking. Yet the next second, the calm look in Heidelin's eyes was instantly overlaid with a smile, turning back to its smiling state,
"Oh my, have I said too much? Have you finished your research? Do you mind if I have a smoke now?"
She held up her boxed Northern Border cigarettes, then, without waiting for Fisher to respond, struck a match and lit her female cigar. The lit portion of the cigarette resembled a giant pillar of fire, meanderingly engulfing the tobacco and combusting the ethereal white mist, much like the words out of her mouth whose true meaning was unclear.
The research didn't continue. All that remained was smoke dispersing in the air, blurring Heidelin's expression as she leaned against the window.