novelraw Chapter 320: 95 Hodgepodge
Chapter 320: 95 Hodgepodge
"Clop, clop, clop!"
On a road covered in ice and snow, several galloping horse carriages quickly traversed the distance between the port and the city. In the middle carriage carrying Fisher, both he and Filis drew back the curtains on the left and right sides of the cabin respectively, surveying the situation outside, although the contents of their respective observations differed greatly.
Fisher was looking at the Sema Mountains in the distance. Having now reached the northernmost tip of the Northern Border, the massive silhouette that previously seemed as distant as the sky, like a shadow, was finally magnified. It was presented in an extremely awe-inspiring manner before the living beings gazing at it. The massive mountain range, with distinct edges like a spine, was entirely covered in pale white frost and snow day and night, devoid of any other color. Behind its sky-obscuring height, peak after peak rose higher and higher, as if presenting its ferocity and mystery like layers upon layers of endless, ferocious maws.
This was the most mysterious and treacherous natural landscape of the Northern Border: the Sema Mountains Range. Such a wondrous and spectacular landscape made Fisher, who had lived on the coast year-round, gaze for a long time. Though he had visited many places, the Sema Mountains were absolutely one of the most unforgettable landscapes.
Filis, on the other hand, was different. She wasn't looking at the spectacular Sema Mountains; instead, she had been staring at the city in the distance. To her, a city with curling smoke wasn't merely a gathering place for humanity, it also signified an important concept:
Consumption!
Yes, although this fellow Filis was a master who loved money, she was rather generous when it came to spending. She would purchase all sorts of desired items, decorations, and treasures. This was likely the reason why Heidelin previously mentioned her room had a massive pile of stuff that was very difficult to clean up.
She wagged the tail behind her, and the fluffy waffle-like ears on her head twitched as well. Instantly shrinking back from the windowsill to the middle of the cabin, she looked restless and fidgety, wishing she could immediately fly into the city and go on a shopping spree. Yet unpredictably, her sudden movement out of the way allowed the wind and snow from outside the window to pour directly inside, blowing right into Balzac's face, who was reading a book.
His face darkened. Wiping away the traces of wind and snow on his face with his red sleeve, he pointed at Filis and cursed,
"You country bumpkin, why didn't you close the window after opening it? What's there to look at in a rundown city? It's not like we've even arrived yet, but you just can't stop looking..."Sitting cross-legged, Filis reached up and dug her ear, smiling,
"Heh, he's also looking, why don't you tell him off? Besides, I'm a country bumpkin from the Southern Continent, but what are you? A fallen noble exiled by your entire clan from Schwari? Do you have a slave brand stamped on your body?"
"You!"
It was as if Filis had instantly poked at Balzac's sore spot. Now, he completely disregarded the rank disparity between a human and a Lion-kin. Slamming his book shut, he prepared to roll up his sleeves and fight. Filis curled her finger at him with an expression of indifference, just as she was about to spit out a couple of mocking remarks, another window suddenly emitted a crisp sound.
"Snap!"
Filis's finger-curling motion instantly turned into a crossed defensive posture. Balzac's motion of standing up also suddenly froze in place. They simultaneously turned to look at Fisher, who had settled back into the middle of the cabin. They only saw him gently hook a finger, and the Fluid Sword hidden within his sleeve nimbly closed the window Filis hadn't shut just now. The cabin interior was restored to warmth once more.
"..."
Fisher didn't speak much to them. He merely smoothly placed Eimhart, who was soundly asleep in his arms, flat onto the tabletop. Seeing his square body flip over on the table and continue sleeping, he couldn't help but crack a dumbfounded smile and lay him flat again.
Filis and Balzac first glanced in unison at the book on the table, then simultaneously shot each other a vicious glare. Both crossed their arms impatiently and sat back down in their original spots, not sparing the other another glance.
"Choo-choo!"
The whistle of a steam train in the distance, intermingling with the vibrant hustle and bustle of the city, entered the cabin in unison. Mya was about to enter lockdown, so this train would be the final one able to formally enter Mya.
Within the city district, Mya's buildings were quite tall. Even residential buildings were six or seven stories high, significantly larger compared to Fisher's four-story house in Saint-Nazareth. Naturally, there was a reason for this. Mya had very few cities, mostly being autonomous demi-human settlements. Thus, a conspicuously industrialized human city like this would instantly squeeze in a vast amount of humans and demi-humans. To enhance land utilization efficiency, they increased the volume of the buildings.
The Turan Family's fleet of luxurious horse carriages, escorted by the Myan army, galloped through the city. This attracted the attention of numerous pedestrians walking on the roadside clad in heavy clothing, among which were not lacking three bizarre figures wrapped in black robes sitting by the road.
The three figures, with their entire bodies concealed under black robes, sat sparsely clad by the roadside at the exit of the train station. A broken bowl was placed in front of them, and a vividly painted, coarse canvas strip was hung on the wall behind them, depicting clowns and elephant-like images.
Within their embraces, the one or two musical instruments they held tightly were also stained with dirt, seemingly proclaiming their identities. They were pitiful street performers at the entrance of the train station. This place was usually bustling with people coming and going, yet today, due to Mya's lockdown order, sparse foot traffic was seen. Consequently, they had little business, and not a single Northern Border silver coin lay in the broken bowl before them.
"Over there, carries the scent of [High Value]..."
The three fully black-robed figures simultaneously raised their heads just as the Turan Family's horse carriages swept past. It was only after that horse carriage gradually moved further away did the foremost black-robed figure suddenly blurt out a female voice.
"Mom, I'm so hungry, I want to eat something delicious."
Behind her, one of the black-robed figures abruptly spoke up timidly, simultaneously clutching the musical instrument tighter to her body. However, this pitiful utterance garnered zero sympathy from the person leading, who was referred to as 'Mother'. She merely cast a glance at the train station that had already started unloading passengers, abruptly turning her head to curse,
"Then put your backs into it quickly! Otherwise we'll all be feeding on the northwest wind today. Bust out all your special skills!"
The trailing two black-robed figures hastily nodded, raising the bizarrely shaped instruments in their hands. Looking closely, the instruments resembled both flutes and accordions. Yet the moment they simultaneously brought the instruments to their mouths, a passionate and fervent melody instantaneously rang out.
It was the purest, most fervent, and jolliest music. Despite the melody's resounding vigor, the music rippled as three incessantly repeating vocalizations,
"Kexiening! Kexiening! Kexiening! Kexiening!"
Accompanying the emergence of that singing voice, the foremost black-robed figure also began singing loudly,
"Passing guests! Snow and ice abound, please pause a moment and listen to the old woman sing, listen to the old woman guess! Where do you hail from, please let me perform a song of your hometown for you, let me warm your coldness from traveling!"
At the train station, several stern-faced men in heavy trench coats and gentleman's hats exited holding suitcases. The leading man, possessing blond hair and a glimmer of dim golden light in his eyes, surveyed his surroundings while speaking in a low voice in Nari Language,
"Your Majesty, we have arrived in Mya. According to intelligence reports from the Patroshen Islands, Fischer Benavides has disembarked in the Northern Border and is entangled in some inexplicable way with the Turan Family. Yes, operatives in Nebalen have spotted him making landfall at a port... After we settle down, we will immediately commence our pursuit. We acknowledge his peril, but we brought along the Relic that can definitely capture him alive, please rest assured Your Majesty..."
The black-robed figure singing while clutching her instrument shifted slightly. Having seemingly caught a whiff of some scent, she instantly discerned the Nali Person identity of the group before her. Thereupon, she promptly changed her tone, singing a Nari folk song in Nari Language.
"Ah, the fishy stench of the sea fishes, the fury of the vast sea, and countless sums of gold... all for the sake of the great Captain and leaving a name in history! All of this is but a trifle, please tell my father and mother, please relay to my siblings and wife, I shall sail far away tonight! I shall sail far away tonight!"
Right after finishing this passionate song, those stern-faced Nali Person sharply turned their heads and shot vicious-looking glares at the group of performers disturbing their conversation with Your Majesty. It made the black-robed figure who was about to pick up the bowl and ask for money stall slightly, out of fear that they would pull out guns and shoot.
Fortunately, those Nali Person seemingly had other affairs to attend to. They merely spat at the singing figures behind them, snorted coldly, and departed the spot.
The foremost black-robed figure dodged backward slightly, evading the spit attack. This caused her black robe to quiver slightly, revealing the frail, drooping-skinned aged body enveloped within. She fiercely glared at the trench-coat-wearing men walking increasingly further away, subsequently cursing in a low voice,
"Hmph, if it weren't for that unfilial son! That ungrateful wretch! He stole all the Value I meticulously saved up... How could I, Kexiening, degenerate to such a state... Bah! These humans, truly dogs looking at people from their lowered stature! Damn cops of Naris! I'll go report to the Myan police about your bunch, you bunch of spies!"
While this old crone named 'Kexiening' was whispering her curses, the two black-robed figures behind her lightly removed the black robes draping their bodies, exposing two youthful yet varied facial visages. They pursed their lips, tugging at their mother's black robe to cautiously remind her,
"Mom, it was just last month we got incarcerated for seven years due to theft. To think how arduously we escaped... performing on the streets here is already dangerous enough. If we additionally go and report to the police they will undoubtedly arrest us first..."
This momentarily stunted the fiercely furious Kexiening's momentum ahead. Her face grew even uglier, whirling her head backward to curse her two daughters,
"...If I had the money to convert into Value, I would have already teleported to some other place! If it weren't for you two liabilities! Even something as simple as stealing can't be executed adequately! What use is there in raising you?!"
Curled up under the verbal assault, the two girls shrank their bodies until they limply leaned against the wall behind them. Yet Kexiening persisted in her relentless cussing, as if venting years of pent-up resentment. She stood up swaying slightly, point her finger at the two trembling daughters hiding along the wall, and shouted loudly,
"Keria, Keni, you two useless trash who only know how to eat! Why didn't you flee alongside that ungrateful wretch Korin who stole everything of mine? You two beasts! I—"
Cowering against the wall, the two girls whispered defensively,
"We... we wanted to either, but he didn't bring us along when he teleported away with all your possessions, we couldn't keep up..."
"You... you guys! I'll beat you to death!"
Kexiening was angered to the point of nearly vomiting blood, raising her instrument to beat them up. Unforeseen to her, the raised instrument abruptly smacked into a certain individual passing behind her. The moment contact was established, Kexiening understood things were going wrong. The instrument in her hands was a hefty Boundary Flute; accidentally hitting someone with it was far from a laughing matter.
If the counterpart was injured, did that mean she would have to pay compensation yet again?
Kexiening's half-raised instrument froze mid-air. Even she didn't dare to turn around and afford the counterpart a singular glance. Faint sweat profusely manifested on her face. Her eyeballs rolled around several times, then abruptly, she decisively knelt onto the ground, performing three loud kowtows directed at the counterpart,
"Good sir, spare me! I didn't do it on purpose! Should your body feel unwell, I likewise possess no money for compensation... I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!"
The two daughters trailing behind her turned as pale as a sheet out of fright. They didn't even possess half a copper coin left; paying for compensation again really meant they would have to pawn off their undergarments too. Therefore, they similarly patterned after Kexiening and prostrated together on the ground, expressing apologies towards the gentleman before them whom she had struck.
"Ah, it's fine, it's nothing major... The picture hanging behind you guys should be imagery solely meant for the circus, correct? Why are you street performing now?"
"This is... a long story."
Directly in front of Kexiening, a tranquil voice that made it hard to discern age or gender resounded from that gentleman. Kexiening couldn't see his actions at this moment, solely able to guess that he was analyzing the painting they hung onto the wall. That was the last shred of circus item remaining that Korin hadn't nicked.
"This is truly intriguing. To observe several Slime-kin cloaked in counterfeited skins weathering the wind and snow to perform... this is genuinely rare. I had heard rumors that all legendary Slimes were entities wealthy enough to rival entire nations. How did you degenerate to such a miserable state... then what did you hold the Boundary Flute for, to dedicate a song for me?"
Now slightly flushed with shame upon his deduction, Kexiening apologetically pursed her lips. Nonetheless, she acutely caught his interest in their street performances. Such patrons were the most probable to reward some tips. As such, she instantaneously donned a toadying, fawning smile and said,
"I've traversed many places! Without you parting your lips, I can already conjecture your provenance, along with singing a home country's tune... Let me take a whiff... you're from Schwari, correct? Schwari tunes I excel at... I shall sing them for you! Red flowers of the mountains! The general venturing out of his hometown... I remain halted on the day of your departure... Picking the—"
Right as Kexiening dryly sought to persist singing, individual dazzling silver-glistening Northern Border silver coins had already chimed consecutively as they fell into the broken bowl before her. Kexiening's singing pace steadily grew slower and slower, until finally her eyes were wholly devoured by the brilliance of the silver coins, involuntarily gulping a mouthful of saliva.
"Oh my... this is truly... excessively generous! I thank you, thank you, gentleman from Schwari..."
Afraid that the other party would snatch them back, she hurriedly hugged the worn bowl brimming with silver coins closely to her chest. Only then did she attentively look up to confirm the counterpart's actions, finding the gentleman had already marched several steps forth. It was solely at this very juncture that she suddenly realized it was a profoundly peculiarly-dressed gentleman.
Clad in a thick set of full-body black leather, his face was obscured by an indistinguishable object resembling a beak mask that seemingly devoured his countenance. Pushing the jet-black tricorne upon his head, he nonchalantly waved his hand backward towards Kexiening,
"Keep those silver coins safe! I've heard the Slime-kin are a wondrous race capable of reaping hundreds and thousands of times profits from trace amounts of capital... I cordially look forward to it."
That silhouette strode progressively further, shortly vanishing amongst the throng. Being such an anomalous individual, he yet merged effortlessly within the sea of humanity... making one involuntarily ponder.
However, Kexiening paid no heed to this completely. She simply stared dumbfoundedly down at the overflowing bowl of silver coins, avariciously burying her face into that pile of silver coins, then dragging a profoundly deep inhalation,
"Yes, we are precisely such a race."
By the time she raised her head anew, her originally pallid countenance had reddened into a healthy flush, as if she had grown thirty years younger. She raised her head, gazing avariciously towards another direction of the thoroughfare, the identical direction where those horse carriages brimming with noble Value departed.