Chapter 1170 - 350: Interlude Tune (4)
Chapter 1170 - 350: Interlude Tune (4)
However, Luo Yan had no intention of disturbing the local lord.
The Rhode Kingdom was not his destination on this journey, merely a stop along the way. He preferred to experience the local customs outside the Holy City as a traveler.
"No need, Sarah, just find a hotel outside the city to stay for now... and prepare a cloak for Taufu, don't let it scare the locals."
Sarah respectfully said.
"Yes, Your Highness."
The carriage continued on the country road, and the shining emblem drew the attention of countless farmers, though it didn't attract too much attention.
The Imperial trade caravans often bore the emblems of various families, and they frequently saw the carts of the Valencia family and the Castelion family here.
They were just curious because they had never seen this purple moon before.
It didn't take long for Sarah to find a clean and simple hotel near a camp teeming with adventurers and traders outside the city.
The carriage stopped.
Cloaked, Luo Yan handed over the luggage, reins, and a tip to the inn's attendant, then walked into the hotel lobby with Sarah and Taufu, also cloaked.
The lobby was bustling with the loud chatter of mercenaries and adventurers, with some suspicious characters in the corner selling useless amulets to the naive-looking adventurers.
This place was surprisingly similar to Thunder City.
Luo Yan found an inconspicuous spot by the bar and ordered a local ale.
At the same moment, a minstrel in the corner of the inn began to sing, cradling an instrument like a lute, his voice rich and slightly rustic.
"Come, traveler from afar, sit by my side,
The fire will warm your frostbitten knees.
I shall pluck the Luo De harp to sing you a song of bygone sorrows,
Of how the majestic High Tower was buried in flames."
"Its fleet was a moving city-state on the sea,
A thousand flags, kissed by the salty waves.
Its King, crowned in gold, sang atop the giant dragon's skull:
'Behold! My dominion, even the tides bow before me!'"
The inn erupted with scattered applause, and the noisy crowd ceased their chatter, casting curious glances at the minstrel.
The minstrel strummed the strings, his eyes acknowledging the crowd, then raised his voice like the flames in the fireplace.
"Yet a crimson disaster star ripped through the night's velvety tent,
It was not a meteor, but the angry eye of the sky opened wide.
A fiery rain bearing the scent of brimstone fell from above,
Brightening every sail and every rope!"
"The giant ship wailed, splitting into two on the boiling seas,
Like a helpless beetle crushed by a monstrous foot!
The unsinkable legend, the awe that subdued the ocean,
Ended amidst the furious flames, so hastily ended!"
"The King's crown shattered into seven pieces, scattered on charred soil.
No longer did people sing of the Dragon God's name, for new names were worth their songs.
On the old ruins, they built new high walls,
With rusted swords, they marked new hatreds and borders."
"So, down this bitter ale, my friend,
Do not speak of those dreams gone and never returning.
When the wheel of fate rains down fire, all turns to naught,
Leaving only the minstrel's song echoing in the cold wind!"
As the song concluded, the tavern was momentarily silent and then erupted in enthusiastic applause.
The minstrel rose, smiling and bowing in thanks to the crowd, while his young apprentice skillfully navigated between tables with a shabby hat, collecting tips from the patrons.
Copper coins were tossed into the hat by patrons without hesitation, these adventurers not short of small change.
Luo Yan thought the minstrel indeed sung well, the song's epic tone and tragic sentiment far surpassed the overly emotional romances penned by the Holy City's nobles.
He too smilingly took out a silver coin from his purse, flicked it with his finger, and the silver coin traced a beautiful arc in the air, landing precisely in the apprentice's hat.
The young apprentice's mouth gaped open in surprise at the shiny silver coin, hurriedly came over to repeatedly thank Luo Yan.
"Thank you! Sir! Have a pleasant day!"
"You're welcome. Can you tell me the name of this song?" Luo Yan nodded slightly in courtesy, asking politely.
"This is a Rhode Kingdom folk song called 'Crimson Disaster Star Song', a sea shanty taken from an ancient prophecy! Legend has it that a fiery star eclipsed the earthy yellow star, and mighty battleships turned to ashes, sinking into the white waves, ushering a new era on the vast earth."
Thanks to the generous silver coin tip, the apprentice babbled excitedly, almost forgetting his work.
It wasn't until a cough interrupted that he hurried off to the next table.
Unlike the smiling Luo Yan, Taufu, hidden in the cloak's shadows, was gritting her teeth in anger, wishing to devour everyone in the room.
She, of course, realized the song was about the fall of the Holy Armor Dragon Kingdom, an incident that was her greatest embarrassment in her past life as "Dragon God Gutaf!"
But unfortunately—
Bound by the "master's command," she couldn't speak in front of strangers, and could only bury her little head deep in the cloak, silently grinding her teeth.
Luo Yan naturally noticed her excitement.
He raised his glass and gently pressed the restless little head beneath the cloak, smilingly comforting her.
"Why are you excited? They aren't singing about you."
Taufu peered at him through the cloak's seam with puzzled eyes, as if asking, "Then what is it?"
"Since it's a Rhode Kingdom folk song, it's naturally singing about the Rhode people's own story."
Luo Yan didn't answer the question directly, instead sipping the aromatic ale, his gaze drifting to the unfamiliar, snow-clad land outside the window.
"All today's events are actually yesterday's events, and tomorrow's events too."
The Holy City's prosperity is built on vast poverty, just as the Demon's luxury rests on the goblin's hasty foundation... and this is destined to be unsustainable.
Though a fire that burns everything may not change anything, once everyone yearns for this fire to descend, it will happen.
Clearly, my arrival in this world is not accidental, including Linte Isaac, including Gutaf, and including the bloodthirsty Chaos—
This is the heartfelt 'Thoughts of All' from countless people longing for change.
Linte Isaac clearly foresaw this, hence predicting that I would come here.
As for Luo Yan himself.
That was discovered long ago.
novelraw