The reward Natalie Serling paid me also included a portal from Dalaran to Lordaeron. "Go to the market and find a green dwarf." At that time, Natalie stroked her hand obsessively. Xal'atath, who was there, told me, "He would stand on the fountain and do tricks for everyone to earn pocket money. Although he had made a lot of money supporting the portal for Dalaran, you know, goblins always He has a mysterious obsession with gold coins." As she spoke, she shrugged.
I have heard about mages' portals. It is said that even they themselves are unwilling to use them, not only because of the discomfort caused by the vibration, but also because the portal will take travelers through the void, and they may be strangled by the void storm. No bones remain.
As if she understood the embarrassment on my face, Natalie walked over swayingly and patted my shoulder, "Don't worry, Messiah, Akaza Manzarak has opened at least 50,000 portals. A man died on the journey.”
"Fifty thousand?" I couldn't help but be surprised. "During his career as a mage, did he only use magic to open portals?"
"Hmm, everyone has their own area of expertise, right? Just like that child that day, his name was..."
"Minigbu. Magic explosion."
"That's right, didn't you say that he only knows how to transform into a sheep? If, one day, his sheep-changing skills no longer require reciting magic, do you think an opponent like him is scary?"
I looked up and thought about it, too.
"Also," she continued, plucking my bangs with her scarlet nails, "Messiah, do you like that silver-haired knight very much?"
Her sudden turn made my face heat up, "You, how do you know?"
She curled her lips and said, "Isn't it written on your face?" As she said that, she came close to my eyes and said, "That little knight has a nickname, Dawn. He was very popular when he was at Holy Light Academy, but , but he doesn’t get close to girls. Well, do you understand what I mean? He is very lovable, but he doesn’t know how to, um, how to take it further, do you understand? "
*
Dalaran's marketplace is as lively as ever, even after a disaster.
"Messiah, have you brought everything with you?" Selin looked down at the small cloth bag in my hand and asked hesitantly.
"Everything else is in the magic pattern bag that Dallion sent yesterday," I said, patting the luggage on my waist, "my skirt, gold coins, letters of recommendation, and a bunch of potions that Wendell gave me. …Oh! It’s hard to believe that these things can fit into such a small pocket!”
He pursed his lips slightly, then nodded and stepped out of the way for me.
The crowds are bustling and the stalls are endless.
"Selin," I said after walking in silence for a while, "are you really not going to come with me?"
"I have two more motorcades to receive, Miss Messiah. I swear, I will rush back as soon as my affairs here are over."
"I don't know what the Royal City of Lordaeron is like. I'm really afraid that I will get lost in it."
He patted the backpack behind him, feeling a little proud, "Don't be afraid, I have prepared a map for you."
I looked back subconsciously, "What else is in the bag? Is it so full?"
"And some thick clothes." As he spoke, he picked up his backpack and took out a thick gray cloak. "It's still winter outside in Dalaran, and it will be very cold." As soon as he finished speaking, the heavy The things have been draped on my shoulders.
My body sank, and I felt my heart start to beat rapidly.
Looking up, I looked at him as he concentrated on tying the knot on my collar, his green eyes seemed to be filled with lake water.
I really like those lakes, they are so gentle and thrilling.
*
"Come and watch the magic show of the great Akazar Manzarak!" The fountain of the market is not far away, and the green-skinned goblin standing on the edge of the fountain is particularly conspicuous. "Just one silver coin, one For silver coins, you can draw one from my card... Oh! That lady!" He suddenly waved to me, "You are the friend that Ms. Serling mentioned, right? Come here! The portal is ready for you!"
"Messiah, please don't run around when you get to Lordaeron." Selin bent down and told me, "Don't go to Jon's Alley in the old city. It's very chaotic there. Give the recommendation letter to the guards at the city defense camp, and they will bring it to you." You go see the person in charge. The teleportation hall is far away from the city defense camp. You can rent a fast horse outside the door, just like in Dalaran. If you are hungry, there is some dry bread and water in the backpack..." His breath was fresh, yet extremely hot. For a moment, I felt a fire in my heart was ignited, and the scorching flames rose all the way up, rushed to my cheeks, and rushed into my mind.
"Selin!" Biting my lip, I suddenly grabbed his finger hard. I was sure that I wanted to say something to him eagerly, but I didn't know how to say it.
The apprentice knight was stunned for a moment, and then his handsome cheeks turned slightly red. How could he not understand the eagerness in my eyes?
"If..." I held his fingers tightly, my palms were sweating, "If... you don't hate me..."
"Miss Messiah!" He interrupted me anxiously, and his calloused hands clenched mine, "I don't hate you, never have."
"Really?" I felt his trembling palms and my heartbeat was like a deer bumping.
"Really." He looked at me, his eyes flashing fiercely, and the light inside was brighter than the sun above his head.
To be honest, at this moment, I was so nervous that I almost ran away, but I still couldn't help but want to laugh.
Because, he said, really!
Standing on tiptoes, I quickly brushed his cheek with my lips, then snatched away his cloth bag and ran towards the portal of Akaza Manzarak.
Arcane energy like lightning surged on the portal, causing the ground to tremble slightly.
Selin seemed stunned by my actions. He covered his cheeks and stared at me with a look of disbelief. When he reacted and ran towards me, the energy of the portal had suddenly exploded, and I only saw a dazzling purple. In a flash of light, his face disappeared into the darkness.
*
I think I'm a little confused by the portal.
When I stumbled onto a marble platform covered with purple arcane light, everything I saw was reflected in triple shadows.
"Are you okay?" Someone held my arm and asked with concern.
"No...nothing."
"Haha, welcome to Lordaeron!"
*
I held on to the wall and staggered towards the door of the hall. When the arcane light in front of me dissipated, the cold air penetrated into my neck, making me tremble.
I immediately looked outside, and suddenly everything outside the door burst into my sight.
At this moment, the sun was shining overhead, illuminating the snow-covered city in front of me. The blue-grey stone wall is topped with a white gauze, stretching far and far away.
To the west, slight bells ring slightly in the air, and faint chants echo between heaven and earth. People can't help but want to fear and worship the huge and towering spire at the end. a feeling of.
It is far away from me, but I can still see the shaking bronze bell on the top floor and every green-gray simple stone brick on its thick walls.
Dalaran also has a spire, which is very magnificent and shocking, but it is far less majestic and sacred than the one in Lordaeron.
I think I can guess where that is, it must be the Cathedral of the Holy Light!
Then, due south, the large area in front of me, surrounded by inland rivers and thick city walls, must be the imperial city!
From my vantage point, I could see countless white stone handrails, winding corridors, and layers of marble terraces.
From time to time, there will be knights in armor riding horses on the paved road. These knights have a more chilling atmosphere than the purple robes of Dalaran. When they look at me, I will feel All of his vital points have been exposed to their sight.
They were either holding guns or shields engraved with a double-headed eagle. I knew that it was the royal emblem of Lordaeron.
*
I followed a few people down the high steps of the teleportation platform, bypassed the snow-covered archway under the steps, and could see countless houses in the north of Lordaeron.
Not many people walked out of this teleportation hall, but I could see that the people outside had a kind of...I can't explain the respect for the people who walked out of here.
I spread out the map in my hand. The place I wanted to go was the city defense camp in the northwest of the city, which seemed to be thousands of miles away from here.
"Hey! Miss!" Just as I sighed and stepped on the snow to leave, a voice rang.
I looked around, and at the corner of the stone street, I saw a boy trotting towards me. He was wearing a gray-black fur cloak, his face was red from the cold, and he couldn't help breathing white air.
"You must be Ms. Messiah Rubio, right?" He looked at me, and those smart eyes reminded me of Lafayette.
I looked him up and down. He was a little thin. Even with the leather hat, he was only as tall as me. I was sure to knock him down in one blow. "That's right. Who are you?"
"I'm Ryder, and I'm Young Master Darien's servant. He asked me to come early in the morning to wait for you, but I didn't expect you to come so late. Phew, I'm frozen."
"...Dallion?"
Ryder turned sideways and said, "Let's go quickly. The carriage is at the corner of the street. It's far away from the city defense camp. We have to walk all morning. Oh, let me carry your bag..."
"No, thank you."
*
Along the way, I saw Ryder's ability to talk non-stop without being annoying.
"Look at these houses. They are all very old, with a history of hundreds of years! This area is called the Old City. The roads are very narrow and complicated. People who have just arrived here will get lost."
I looked at the almost identical stone alleys and nodded with deep sympathy.
"But the house here is very expensive because it is very close to the imperial city and is patrolled by royal guards every day. But there are exceptions."
"What exception?"
"There is Jon's Alley in the easternmost part of the city. Even if the patrol passes through it every day, people often die in it. People say that it is a cursed street of the dead."
"Oh!" I couldn't help but glance eastward, but all I could see were layers of old houses dripping with ice water.
*
"If you want to buy something, it would be better for you to go to the west of the city. There are all kinds of shops there, and there is also a huge auction house. I dare say, the goods there are more complete than Dalaran."
"Have you ever seen the market in Dalaran?"
"Uh...well, I only saw it briefly, when young Master Darian went there. Oh, there is Kingdom Square ahead, miss. I swear, you will be shocked and speechless there. "
The road turned and the sight before me made me take a deep breath and suddenly I knelt straight in the carriage!
It was a huge square with countless statues in it. They were almost four or five people tall, and carriages and pedestrians had to pass under them!
The snow there was very clean, so I could clearly see some of the statues waving battle axes, some riding horses with their front hooves raised, some holding their spears high, and some looking straight ahead. !
As we gradually got closer, I was surprised to find that each of them looked different, and their looks, expressions, the scales of their armor, the threads on their gloves, and even their hair were all carved lifelike!
As they stood there, I seemed to be able to smell the blood on their weapons!
They were standing there, and I seemed to be able to hear their loud shouts!
They stood there, as if they were about to jump out of time and space the next second and continue fighting!
"Those are the masterpieces of dwarf craftsmen! Aren't they particularly lifelike and full of momentum?" Ryder smiled proudly and puffed out a big breath of white air. "Some of the statues here are of heroes who conquered the trolls a hundred years ago, and some are ten years old." The heroes who fought against the orcs a few years ago, but I don’t know much about their deeds.”
I looked up at those huge statues and couldn't help but swallow my saliva, "...You're right, I'm almost speechless."
*
"Speaking of which, are you hungry, Miss?"
"...sort of, I brought some dry bread..."
"No, miss. When you put down your luggage, I will take you to eat something hot. How about eel pie?"
"Oh, I love hot pie."
"There is a shop called 'Old Captain' next to the city defense camp. The eel pie there is the most delicious pie I have ever tasted. It is soft and fragrant... Oh, by the way, young Master Dalian also likes it very much. Don't look at it. The 'old captain' has a wrinkled face, I mean the shop owner Bauer. He is actually very young, only in his thirties, but he looks like he is fifty! Oh, don't call him old, he will be angry! He is extremely shriveled, but extremely strong. Last time, I saw a group of sailors wrestling with him one by one, and he easily won from beginning to end! He has a daughter named Lillian, who is very beautiful, and She's very gentle and smiles at me every time I go to buy a pie."
"Oh!" I pricked up my ears gossiping, "Is the young man in front of me particularly attracted to Lillian?"
"Uh... to be honest, a little bit."
We looked at each other and laughed.
The carriage creaked and drove onto the main road in front of the square. The road was very wide and could accommodate four carriages in parallel. People were coming and going on the road, and there were many vendors selling things. There are intoxicating fruit wines, fragrant bread, cheese, and spicy spices, which are not as weird as Dalaran at all.
Looking west from this road, the houses over there are neat, beautiful and well-proportioned. At the end of the west is the Cathedral of the Holy Light with its melodious bells.
Looking eastward is a bit unsatisfactory. The houses facing the street are okay, but the houses further away are dark and there are countless shacks, which look low, crowded and rough.
"Don't go to the east of the city, miss," Ryder pointed to the east with his horsewhip and said, "The road there is a dirt road. It's so muddy that it's impossible to step on it. Moreover, those poor people are used to pouring sewage. On the road, even in winter, it stinks to death. I went there two days ago to deliver a letter, and my God, I was hit by the shit and urine on the second floor! Oh, this is Lordaeron, how did you do it? Is it more disgusting than Den Holder? I rushed up with a disgusting thing on my head, wanting to teach the criminal just now a lesson. However, there were only a few hungry and pale children and a child lying on the second floor of the dilapidated house. Woman on the sickbed, tell me, what should I do? I can only admit that I am unlucky..."
"You're a pretty good guy, Ryder."
"Thank you, although this is already an open secret. But when it comes to good people, Young Master Darien is a truly good person," he said, lowering his voice. "The Master is too strict. Young Master Renault is a bit arrogant. The late Madam They are also kind-hearted, but they are far inferior to him."
I retracted my gaze from the shop along the street and said, "He is indeed a very good person."
"Of course. In the past, when the cold winter came, he often went to deliver dry bread to the poor. Later, after he went to the Royal City of Lordaeron and received the blessing of the Holy Light, he often went to the east of the city to treat the injured poor. People were very interested. I like him. I heard someone say behind his back that he is soft-hearted like a girl, haha, soft-hearted is soft-hearted, but like a girl or something, they are really blind, the young master is very strong! Tall and powerful! You Did you notice his arms?"
"Ah?" I was stunned, and I held my head and thought carefully, but I remembered that his arms seemed to be hidden under the purple robe... Oh, let alone his arms, even the hand holding the pen I can't even remember.
"The young master's arms are extremely strong and strong! I've seen him cut such a deep wound on a training dummy with just one sword strike!" As he said that, Ryder turned around and gestured to me with his finger.
*
Darien…
I couldn't help but hold my chin and fell into deep thought. What I remembered was Dallion who was beaten to the point of crying by me a few years ago.
At that time, he was not taller than me, and his body was thin. His hair was half-long and his features were delicate. When he cried, he felt extremely embarrassed and aggrieved. He needed countless momos and servants to comfort him.
"Oh, Darien, my dear Darien, don't cry, you are breaking our hearts."
"My sweetheart, I baked you your favorite apple pie. Don't cry, come and try it."
Oh, that memory made me shudder. He did look like a girl, well, at least at that time, it was particularly disgusting.
*
"Speaking of which, how did Dallion inform you? Ryder? I think I need to say thank you to him in the same way."
"Oh, it's totally unnecessary, miss," Ryder drove the carriage through the bustling crowd without looking back, "Master Dalien should be back in the next few days, you can tell him in person."
"Come back?! Didn't he work as a purple robe in Dalaran?!"
"Oh, he just went to Dalaran for an internship. Don't you know? It seems that he should be about the same age as you, and his studies in the city defense camp are far from over!"
I couldn't help but sigh deeply.
