A violent thunderstorm lasted for a full day, and the ground inside the Grigori Cleft was flooded with water. The road became muddy and difficult to navigate. As a result, the group of people who hoped to reach the other side as soon as possible failed to do so and had to return to their original speed.
Fortunately, this situation is equal to others, and probably because of the warning left before, Henry and the others, who walked on the last third of the road for a whole day, did not encounter any more assassins. attack.
The corpses of those mercenaries abandoned majestically on the canyon floor may later become food for some reptiles in the unknown night. Nature always has its own way of solving problems. Many bloody conflicts have occurred in the Grigori Rift for thousands of years, but the human skeletons who died here often disappear mysteriously.
Similar incidents occurred all over the West Coast, so much so that there were legends in many places that the skeletons turned into undead creatures seeking revenge on those who killed them.
People from various kingdoms who share a common concern and are superstitious about ghosts and gods often use this legend to scare their naughty children. What may frighten those who laugh at them is that this legend actually has some credibility. degree exists.
Undead creatures such as zombies and skeletons really exist on the continent of Rigar. But they are not so much the vengeance of the dead with their own consciousness, but rather just puppets controlled by magic.
——Yes, magic.
Every creature on the continent of Rigar is more or less affected by magic. People have discovered a long time ago that things related to magic have two sides - those with high sensitivity to magic and those with low sensitivity to magic.
The former are often associated with various types of magical beasts, and their internal organs and blood are filled with this wonderful ability because they are born with the ability to use magic; while the latter is almost exclusive to dragon-like creatures.
Interestingly, monsters that are extremely sensitive to magic will become anti-magic if their body materials are not processed in time after they die for a period of time. This may be the reason why their prices remain high, but here we Let’s not mention it for now——
There is still no definite explanation for the reason why magic drives dead creatures to move. What people know is that in areas where undead creatures are infested in large numbers, there is usually some kind of powerful magic item.
This item may be a vein that produces magic ore somewhere, or it may be an indescribable magical plant - neither the driver nor the driven party has consciousness, they just instinctively emit magic power. The field, like a magnetic field, constantly attracts these undead to gather nearby.
The story that "you can get treasures by killing undead creatures" that is very popular in West Coast aristocratic circles is based on this fact to a certain extent.
Of course, the real undead creatures are not as scary and evil as described in the story. They are actually more similar to plants than living creatures. They are passive and dull. Even the lowest-level green card mercenaries can kill them without any pressure. Slaughter them.
Really ferocious and evil undead creatures like those described in those knight novels can only be the kind that are commanded by someone. In addition, the difference between wild individuals and ordinary skeletons and dead corpses is probably that they will wander around. It's just a matter of walking around the destination - we're getting too far away.
Returning to the Grigory Rift, the inexplicable disappearance of skeletons over the past thousands of years, if Henry is to speak, probably has nothing to do with the evil of the Roushzi and the undead, but is just some birds. Cats and reptiles just pick them up and take them home to make nesting materials.
The journey continued, and as time went by the sunshine gradually replaced the gloom. Perhaps because of the strong contrast, after spending a full two weeks and finally reaching the other side of the Grigori Cleft, everyone only felt that the sun was So dazzling.
The grass swayed slightly.
On the smooth and straight road, bluestone slabs that have changed their appearance over the years are laid flat on it.
Thousands of years of wind and rain have left indelible traces of time on them, like songs that have been sung from the distant past and no one knows the meaning of the lyrics but only remember the melodious melody - the precipitation of time. , giving them a unique charm.
The road was wide and straight. Most of the merchants who traveled to this side let out a long sigh, because the next road would be much easier.
The Aika black pines on both sides tower into the clouds. From a distance, the dome building at the end of the road shining dazzlingly in the sun is so eye-catching.
——This was the pride of the Luoan people.
This sense of historical sedimentation alone cannot be compared to Avenella on the other side. Even in Prosper, the proud capital of Sivalier, you can hardly feel this simple and heavy atmosphere.
The bustling Varsha Port's endless flow of caravans and goods brought prosperity to Prosper. The city itself and the number of residents have expanded repeatedly, and are filled with beautiful works of art and endless decorative buildings. Every public place. They are the pride of the Shivaliya people. But when you take a long time to cross the Grigori Gap and come to the true west of the Rigar continent, you only see the straight road on this side and the outline of the city looming in the sun for the first time. I don’t know how many streets I have to throw Prosper off.
The people of Sivalier who advocate romanticism may never understand the simple and rough beauty of Louan style, and this style will not withstand the erosion of time like the fragile decorations of Sivalier. , but glows with a delicate sense of layering and a simple sense of heaviness.
"..." Perhaps she was moved by the beautiful scenery, and Mira, who had been having a cold war with Henry for several days, finally reached out and pulled the corner of the sage's clothes.
She looked up from the carriage to the sage on horseback with a very well-behaved expression. The white-haired Luo An looked a little apologetic, but perhaps more confused and overwhelmed.
The two have never had any real conflicts before, because Mira has always been very sensible.
This also makes people understand how heavy it is for this girl to take a life with her own hands.
She was born in troubled times.
On the West Coast in this day and age, more people have killed than anyone could imagine.
A quarrel in the tavern developed into a fight, and eventually got out of hand; the nobles regarded the common people as nothing, and ordered their men to kill everyone who just blocked the way forward.
The lives of ordinary people living in this era are like chirping insects on a summer night. They disappear at a certain time without noticing.
But this act of putting yourself at the top to judge the lives of others has no real sense.
Unlike Mira, this kind of murderer often does not realize that what he has taken is a life equal to his own. They are heartless and either do not care at all, or they are also in this circle. Maybe he will be the next one to die.
The girl still remembers how she felt when she took the mercenary's life.
This was an experience that was truly reflected in every nerve of hers and penetrated her soul through their vibrations again and again.
The pain in her body, the fear in her soul, the desperate and helpless feeling of being about to die, all these emotions were intertwined, and under such circumstances, she fought back and killed the other party——
The real feeling about "killing" is real.
And, it's heavy.
At least not to the extent that an eleven-year-old girl could bear. So Mila collapsed as it should, even though she was far more mature than her peers.
Horseshoes and wooden wheels made a clear sound on the bluestone, and groups of businessmen began to walk towards the checkpoint guarded by Otolo soldiers in front.
A few days were not enough for Mira to completely forget about this incident, but as Henry put his hand on her head again, the feeling of "everything will be fine" came from the silent sage. "The warm feeling of security made the girl exhale a long breath again.
The wheels rolled and after some pretentious questioning, two spear soldiers wearing simple leather armor allowed the group to pass the level.
The huge city gate paved with bluestone has the same quaint feeling as the road. The stones in many places on the city wall are mottled with different colors. It is obvious that the city wall was damaged in the war twenty years ago, and the nearby white limestone was used. filled.
The traces left by the war can be clearly seen in many places. The marks left by swords are only superficial. The various deep scratches on the walls on both sides of the road are left by the huge siege engines.
As soon as you enter the city gate, you can see a huge cemetery surrounded by iron fences to the right. This may be an unlucky symbol to the people on the west coast, but the Otolo people who have absorbed the cultures of various ethnic groups have no taboos. .
The unique Otolo language was written on the top of the huge iron gate. After Henry's explanation, the group understood that it meant "resting place". And this is also a word with a pun. "rest" in the Otto language also means "glory" - in this regard, they have the same approach as the residents of the four distant northern islands. Otto Luo people also believe that if a person lives an elusive life and dies on the hospital bed, then his or her life can be considered meaningless and completely devoid of any glory, and such a person will naturally not be able to rest in peace.
In fact, in the traditional Otolo culture, there is even a saying that "if a person dies in an dishonorable manner, he will return as an undead to cause trouble for his family until someone among the descendants achieves glory." exist.
Inferring from these details, it is not difficult for us to draw conclusions.
The cemetery built at the entrance of the city gate is considered unlucky by the people on the west coast. For the Otolo people, perhaps not only is it not unlucky, but it is also a symbol of honor.
Two flowers bloom, one on each side.
The other people in the team may be concerned about the cultural differences, but His Highness the Prince's focus is different. He carefully looked at the rather vast cemetery, and finally came to the conclusion that the amount of money spent just to forge the walls of this cemetery was enough to make his teeth tremble.
The handiwork of the great empire is beyond the imagination of ordinary people, even though Avenella is already considered a wealthy country on the west coast.
The wheels were rolling, and the shouts of various languages were heard one after another in the bustling city-state. Mira looked around curiously, but it was Minna who spoke first before her.
"So many people..." The blonde girl did not hide her surprise at all. The words she used were in the language of Avenella, and the meaning of "many" in this was not just an adjective of quantity, but also a sigh of people. There are many species.
——And this is exactly the first impression that the country of Otolo gives people.
The traditional Otolo people are a mixture of the Avenella and Danlasso people. They have the generally tall and strong bodies of the Danlasso people, but also have the blond hair and blue eyes of the Avenella people - and like this The pure-blood Otolo people, at a glance, appear to be only one-tenth of the number in the streets and alleys of the entire city-state.
There are obviously slimmer West Coasters, blond, brown, and red hair, crowded and densely packed.
In addition, there were a large number of black-haired people of Lamani descent about the same size as the West Coasters walking around. And perhaps because of the sensitivity of her own race, Mira saw a family of three Luoan people walking by in a corner, carrying a vegetable basket, talking and laughing.
There were no shackles or dirty clothes.
The Luoan people who preferred death to surrender suffered a lot and fled to the west coast, but those who stayed here did not suffer as much abuse as they thought. On the contrary, these people seemed to be enjoying themselves.
There is no hostility between ethnic groups, and people of all major ethnic groups with different skin colors, hair colors, and physiques get along naturally and harmoniously. This is an eye-opener for the six of them, and they feel that something they have always been accustomed to in their hearts has been completely eliminated. Ground subversion.
"So a place like this...exists?" Mira murmured quietly to herself. She seemed a little dull, and she sighed slightly after a while.
"It exists in the hometown we abandoned..."
The emotions contained in the white-haired girl's simple sigh were complex and heavy. Mingna leaned over and hugged her. Edward continued to drive the carriage forward, and when he arrived in front of a certain tavern, a A short red-haired young man approached the carriage.
"Your Highness?" he said, and Edward turned his head.
"Is it Marvin?" Naturally, such an important matter as forming an alliance with Otolo must be fully prepared. Before the group set out, Charles and Edward had contacted someone on Otolo's side through raven messaging. A traveling businessman.
The emperor of a country does not just meet him on sight, even if Edward is a prince. Without the help of local snakes who are familiar with the local area, they may not even be able to enter the palace gate.
Two weeks had passed from the time the contact was completed to the time of departure. Because he could not receive information during the journey, Edward did not know whether the other party could do it. Fortunately, the young man named Marvin smiled and nodded.
"Yes, Your Highness, I have successfully established some connections. His Majesty the Emperor will meet with you." He said, bowing to the group.
"Then, please allow me to formally welcome you to the Otolo Empire."
"This is a country for 'all'."
