"Are you leaving, Uriel? How are the girls doing?" Sir Bunyoro turned sideways and motioned for him to enter the room.
"They are fine, but there is another matter." Uriel did not enter the door, "Ryan is missing."
"Madame Anjou told you."
"what happened?"
"You won't leave her and ask me alone, will you? I'm really flattered." Sir Bujoro noticed the strangeness and couldn't help frowning. "Ryan was responsible for soliciting customers, but he was caught by the night watchman. The city has been tightened recently, and he will have to stay in the dungeon for a while anyway. If you ask me, there is no need to get out the guy who is not helping. "
This is the truth, Uriel thought. The Miaoshou Group hinted that the missing person was dead, but the information had been passed on several times and the accuracy had been compromised. "Congratulations to him. Whenever someone borrows a debt and fails to repay it, he will hide in the dungeon. At least there are guards who can sleep more peacefully." The apprentice glanced at the room and said, "I have a problem here. Where is Enspan?" Don't be in the dungeon too. .
"What are you looking for him for?"
"I met a thief from the Mighty Hands." Uriel lied. "He stole my badge and threatened to send it to the Night Watch."
"That's too bad." Bunyoro muttered, "If you want me to see, you'd better just leave and leave Byrne. Why not? Otherwise, if the night watchman comes to visit, you will have to go and keep Ryan company." Still, he turned back to get the pansy.
Handy was not alone when he arrived. Two guards followed him, eyeing everyone warily. Seeing Uriel, he motioned for them to wait in front of the door. "Have you seen what the Nameless One is capable of, Uriel?" He pulled the door shut with his prosthetic hand.
"Fortunately I don't have anything else." Uriel handed him the form.
Enspan took it casually and glanced at it. "It's been a long time, and the bill has been settled." He tore the page into pieces, "There's no big problem."
"What happened to Karna Marin?"
"Don't pry into the passengers' secrets, Uriel. I don't want to lie to the Gaia believers. By the way, have you decided where to go?"
When the "fisherman" revealed the truth, he wore a noose shaped by divine writings around his neck. Uriel could not put Handy Espan in the same situation. The Ravens helped him, not only saving Worrell for him, but also after the city was sealed off, the Ladder was the only way out for everyone in the city, and they took great risks to provide it to their apprentices.
"I want to stay, my lord."
"Live and die with us? You don't have to do that."
"Of course it is necessary, my lord. Gaia says that the trapped must not be abandoned, and Heather teaches her followers that life is above all else. I am a knight of Gaia, and you are a follower of Heather. Please do not go against the will of the gods."
Handy's fingers made a scraping sound. He looked at Uriel and said, "Well, may your beliefs be stronger than your stance. What did the Mighty Hands say about this Karna Marin?"
"I didn't ask." If he was lying at this time, Handy Enspan would tell it right away. Uriel knew very well that there was a connection between the Mighty Hands and the Ravens.
"The fisherman is a smart man, but he always likes to do unnecessary things." Handy commented, "He didn't sow discord, which surprised me a little. It turns out you didn't give him a chance."
"He lived with his adopted sons." Actually it was the Nightingale, no, at most it was just the Nightingale Reserve. Uriel knew that spies could not be counted on. Provoking, spying, and stealing were their abilities to survive.
"Yeah, it's not easy to feed them. I dare say this guy has descendants in droves. The Mighty Hands placed spies on Byrne's corners to steal information, while the fishermen shamelessly sold the stolen goods for them. I know you took the initiative. If you go to see him, you will probably break up on bad terms, but he can't do anything to you."
Uriel hesitated for a moment: "Does the Miao Hands cooperate with the Night Watch?"
Handy shook his head, "The Night Watch can grasp the situation in the city by relying on the detection station. What is the Mighty Hands? But if your badge falls into their hands, it will probably be difficult to recover it."
"Then I want to avoid the limelight?"
"If you ask me, now we have a permanent solution, and you will never accept it. I can't tell you what your plan is." Handy snorted, "Whatever it is, I can't help. Our great Ryan Jazz is chained up in the dungeon like a dog, enjoying his vacation. Still, he is a raven and should not live the life of a dog. I have to find a way to fish him out."
"How can I help?"
Handy Emspan didn't look at him, and his fingers clicked. "I almost forgot, you are a raven too. What shall I do with you, my lord?"
"From the beginning there was no 'lord'." Uriel took out the raven badge that was stolen in the story from his pocket and placed it on Sir Bujoro's coffee table. "It is not easy to manage this city of unknown people. I should give you some respect. I hope to help with Sir Ryan's matter."
"A badge says nothing."
“It can hold true feelings, like the fire of an unknown person.” It can even be an anchor for someone’s reality, I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
"I can believe in your intentions, Uriel, but you have no way in Bain City, the Night Watch...wait." Enspan raised an eyebrow, "To be honest, how did you come to Bain, through Worley Your companion?"
"That's about it." The lord of Gavash personally saw me off.
"Some things are not so appropriate, but it is not my business. There are all kinds of birds in the night watch! Not only nightingales and ravens, if you have seen the knights on patrol, even moving bones are not uncommon there."
"I've seen all of this."
"You can't claim to have feelings for many things without experiencing them personally. I just hope you won't regret it when the time comes, Uriel."
"As long as we make a choice, we will regret it sooner or later." The apprentice walked to the door. "This is just the beginning. I stand with you. I swear I will."
The leader of the Ravens was still hesitating. "I have to remind you, Uriel, there are many outsiders in the city now. No one knows who they were originally, but now they are so proficient in sneaking around that even you can't avoid it. If, I mean, what if? , if something more important is stolen from you, such as hands and feet, we may not be able to get it back."
"I like your instructions." Uriel sighed, "I will keep them carefully, Handy. Wish me luck, that's enough."
Having said that, this matter was not difficult for him at all.
When Uriel walked out of Grainstone Street, two men followed quietly behind him. The nearest was a homeless man planning to steal or rob, and the other was a fellow traveler, but perhaps a former traveler.
This person has bad luck. He grabbed the apprentice's arm at the intersection and was about to speak out from between his tangled beard, but someone pressed his throat. Seeing that this unfortunate guy was about to die, Uriel quickly broke away and reached out to grab the knife.
"Hey!" the other party shouted, "this is a real knife."
"Enough to cut throats, I know that very well." Uriel knocked the man who was robbing him away. "Don't really kill anyone, Arthur, he just wants money."
"But he wants to kill you."
"Now he has changed his mind." Uriel turned his head. I saw the man staring at the fingers grabbing the blade. He turned around and ran away as if he had just woken up from a dream.
Arthur let go of his hand and his eyes wandered on the apprentice's fingers. "Is this magic?"
Uriel handed him the handle of the knife, but after taking it, the boy rubbed the edge of the blade with his thumb, leaving a red mark. It's a good habit to carry a knife with you, but he obviously doesn't know much about his weapons. "Why can you tell the difference so clearly? It's all mysterious means."
"I can't do it."
"You just need to know how to use a knife. Mystery is like armor. If you get around it, everything will be in vain. Look, you saved my life."
"And you saved that bastard?" the boy said.
"The fact that he was robbed on my head shows that the gods think he is not worthy of death." Uriel and him walked out of the corner, opposite a dusty tailor shop. A large bunch of broken dead vines hung down from the balcony on the third floor, and the young leaves were eaten clean by hungry people. This scene is really haggard, but it is the current situation in Bayern City.
Even if order could not be found here, Uriel thought, in three to five years, the secret society would collapse on its own. It's too crowded and impossible to grow food. He only stayed for ten days, and it rained for five and a half days. Every night, the excellent hearing given to him by the mystery can capture the sound of water in the distant river. The turbid and turbulent waves beat and collide under the huge stone wall, stirring up disturbing whirlpools.
And these undercurrents are covered by solid ice. The air was wet and cold, and it was cooling down every day. Uriel didn't know where Byrne was, but if the climate change continued, she would soon become as cold as Yotsuba City.
"My lord." Arthur plucked up the courage to speak, "I want to follow you."
The apprentice frowned. "what happened?"
"The Miao Hands drove me away." The reserve nightingale confided in frustration. "The fisherman took Qili away and left me to find my own way. Don't look for him again. I think he must be angry with me."
It was hard to reassure him that it was the other person's fault. If Uriel were a fisherman, this kid would definitely suffer. "Depending on your ability, it's the same as going anywhere else. If you're afraid of the Mighty Hands, you can try the Ravens."
"No, sir, the Miaoshou Group has been disbanded."
Hell, I only learned of its existence half a day ago. "Disbanded?"
"You caught the fisherman, and we all ran away. Later, Qili took several girls back, and the fisherman only kept her."
Uriel realized that the structure of the Mighty Hands was much looser than that of the Ravens. These children were homeless, and their purpose of existence was to wander around the city and collect intelligence. The fisherman left his personal guards behind and drove them away, as if casting countless eyes prying into secrets. "After this period, will they go back?"
"Except for me," Arthur muttered, "I can't go back."
"You won't say this is my responsibility?"
The boy shook his head and looked at him longingly.
"Sometimes I think you are a smart person." Uriel looked at him, "but sometimes you don't act so smart. What should I do with you, kid?"
"I fully obey your orders, my lord. Please accept me."
A few minutes later they stood on a clean street, the flagstones glistening in the rain. This place is no less impressive than Vivici Manor. The walls are painted white and thin columns of smoke float into the clouds. "As you wish." Uriel pointed to the door, "Go ahead."
Arthur stared at the sign, "Bronze... wheel?"
"A gear. A part that participates in the operation of a machine." Just like you and me. "Whatever it is, it's just a name. You're perfect to stay here."
"I know where this place is!" the boy shouted, "It's not suitable for me to stay anyway. No, sir, they will drive me away too."
"Chasing you like the Miaoshou Group? I don't think so. Most of them are as merciful as me. In that case, you can also pester them."
Arthur opened his mouth.
Uriel pushed his shoulder, "Go ahead. Just say I suggested you come."
A carriage passed by, splashing water. "Do you recognize the people here?" Arthur asked. He looked hesitantly at the warm light in the house. "I mean, the person responsible for arranging the reception. Well, Qili said there should be no mysterious creatures that have hurt people here. I'm not sure... Huh? Sir?"
No one answered him, only a groan from the carriage shaking violently. Arthur took a step back, probably realizing something was wrong, but Uriel's figure behind him had long since disappeared. The driver looked back and saw the wheel running over a piece of broken wood. He spat, turning back and cracking his whip.
Arthur's expression gradually lost control, shock mixed with obvious anger, but they all quickly shrank in the sound of the wheels rolling. He opened his mouth wide and seemed to be shouting, but the words only became a wisp of harmony in the center of the drama. As for the distasteful words that the apprentice recognized by the shape of his mouth, you can't always get to the bottom of it.
"Good luck to you," Uriel said. He waved to Arthur, then grabbed the protruding corner of the carriage and pushed up the roof. Countless brick and stone lines receded under the toes, and muddy water couldn't help but fly away, but the apprentice still sat firmly.
…
Hitarian awoke from his sleep as rain fell to the ground. She quickly looked at the hands for fear of missing the time. Scale five. One hour left. I can sleep a little longer.
But she couldn't sleep, the room was eerily quiet. In the past, it was Ruth's snoring that made her so upset that she didn't know where to put her hands and feet. Every time she slept until midnight, her sister would kick off the quilt and hang her head in the air, forcing her to drag her back to the center of the bed herself. At present, my sister is sleeping on the dead soil of Gavash. I wonder if someone has arranged her sleeping position. Murum said that Gavash has a palace made of bones. The cold fire ignited by the souls of the dead is always stronger than that in the wilderness. But if he really had to compare the wilderness and the palace of bones, Xitarian was not sure he would choose the latter.
The nobles will also build palaces again. She comforted herself that they were exactly the same as Byrne's palace. The undead are building houses for the living, and of course it cannot be out of their own will. If the undead lord gives an order, the undead will carry it out without any surprises.
...If there is an accident, it will be all over. Hitarian couldn't help but recall the Four Leaf City, her and Ruth's true hometown, which was massacred by the Necromancer not long ago and has yet to recover. Corpse eaters and ghosts roam the streets, killing every resident they come across regardless of identity, and tearing down buildings.
When someone steps forward to stop it, the undead will abandon the victim at hand and pounce on the fresh flesh and blood, and then the corpse on the ground will also stand up. Most of the people in Yotsuba City are mortals, not nameless ones. However, even a mysterious person like Hitarian, who has changed his profession, will suffer disaster if he rashly deals with a corpse eater. She didn't dare think about the consequences of the undead getting out of control...but how could it be possible? As long as the Black Knight is still around, this will not happen.
The clock continues to move forward, and the scale continues to decrease, gradually approaching the limit. Hitarian knew he had to go. So she picked up the lantern, put on the night watchman's cloak, and got into the rain.
There were more people on the street than expected, most of them homeless people dragging their feet numbly. A few strong mercenaries were holding weapons, and behind them two twelve-year-old girls were taking off their clothes. A group of men who couldn't afford it but stared at them gathered around them. Refugees in tattered clothes formed a team and took up the idea of living in a pack of wild dogs. A boy stood in front of the bronze gear door, staring blankly at the showdown. They were all far away from the small shop on the corner, where the door was wide open and a partition light curtain rose in front of the yard. So far, except for the demonization accident the day before yesterday, the order of this street is relatively stable.
Without a lantern, someone would soon be tearing Shitarion's cloak away. There was a mixed crowd at Byrne, and the night watchman gave each member of the society a lantern to keep them safe. Hitarian thought this was a new rule, but the magic lamp assigned to her was mottled and old, full of signs of repair. She opened the lamp cover and found a line of small words on the side wall: "Stars shining in San Carlos." Produced by the Aydin Family. 』
As the guard let her in, a hat flew from the sky and crashed into the muddy water. Hitarian saw a man who looked like an officer running from the school grounds and rushed towards the iron gate. When she walked into the corridor, she could still hear the sound of arguments coming from behind her in the distance.
Everyone is feeling depressed lately. She thought to herself that the smallest thing could cause conflict to break out. Byrne became a volcano under pressure, ready to boil and erupt. But if I can convince the other person during the meeting, this situation will be greatly alleviated...
"Miss Ringot?" The person she wanted to see did not show up, and the person standing in the corner was a young man. What an unfortunate start.
"I am Lingot." Hitarian looked at him, "Who are you?"
"Zeppe Brunken. The heir to Sarsbey, who is busy with his own affairs, asked me to come to the appointment."
Nothing is more important than meeting a teenage girl, right? "I wish your father could come in person."
The young man had an apologetic smile on his face, as if he was troubled by not being able to coax the child. "He really can't get away. I can convey any wishes you have, miss. Let's go in." Without waiting for Kitarian to respond, he turned around and opened the door for her. "Tea or juice?" He asked again while sitting on the sofa.
"Just hot water, thank you."
The young man hung the cloak she took off on the lowest layer of the hanger and asked the servant to add oil to the lantern. When the hot water is brought to the table, there are also mini muffins and cream pudding, as well as a fresh and attractive fruit platter with frosted fruit. Whether it's fruit or cream, they are rare delicacies in the city today. "Please use them, these are delicious."
"Thanks, but it'll be dinner time soon."
"Would you like to dine with me, Miss Ringott? I know a cook who can make vegetarian dishes taste like beef and swan meat. His mysterious skills can make the fake dishes look like the real ones. We can set off after the rain stops."
"I'm honored." It's hard to refuse at this time. "The detection station predicts that the rain will stop at half past six."
"You ordered the newspaper from the detection station, miss?" Zepe frowned.
"I worked there, before the ignition."
Zeppe finally looked at her, "You mean, you have passed the trial of fire?" Seeing Hitarian nod, he blinked in shock. "Oh, you are so brave, Miss Ringott, brave and beautiful."
But then he started talking about hunting experiences in the countryside. Regarding competition, tracking, hunting, and all kinds of things whose meaning is unclear but seem to have a sense of honor, Zepe tries to show it as much as possible. Hitarian didn't care about this at all, and the few times she mentioned the night watch and the ban on the city, he laughed it off.
Gentleman's behavior, contemptuous attitude. Hitarian was used to it. After all, if it weren't for the appointment of the undead lord, she would be worse than the guard in front of the door in the eyes of these people.
"The closure of the city will cause forest animals to multiply rapidly." Zepe said matter-of-factly. "In the worst case, the forest will die on a large scale due to the uncontrolled growth of the number of certain animals. For a long time since the establishment of Byrne Inside, the Blenken family plays..."
"...The role of the leader of the Craftsmen Association." Hitarian interrupted, "Mr. Sasbeth Blenken, known as the 'Paint Man', he and the ancient Blenken family sit on one-third of Byrne With his wealth, he manages the carpenters, painters, blacksmiths, goldsmiths and many other workers in the city. How difficult it is! I dare say he must have worked hard day and night and tried his best."
Zeppe dropped his smile. "You know so much, Miss Ringot, it really surprises me. Knowledge makes a woman very attractive, and now I know it."
Your knowledge is as shallow as the water outside the door, and we all know this. "Closing the city is a necessary measure, otherwise the mysterious fulcrum will continuously send nightingales to spy on the association." Hitarian said, "We must admit the necessity of its existence, sir, even if it does cause a lot of inconvenience. .The current situation is complex and the world is difficult, and there are some difficulties that we need to overcome together."
"Like not being able to hunt?"
"Of course not. We can still hunt, but not for harvest, but for revenge. In the mysterious realm, the Seven Pillars call war a hunting sport and regard associations as prey. You have the confidence to become a hunter, Mr. Zeppe , this is good, I hope you can keep it up.”
The young man frowned: "I signed up to join the army, but was rejected by your night watchmen. My father..."
"...There are faster and safer means of support than sending your heir to the battlefield. I'm sorry, Master Blenken." The ignorant young master of the Blenken family. "I want to come and discuss the cost of city defense with your father. When will he have time?" Hitarian asked.
"You come to teach me, eh?" Zeppe asked in disbelief, "I can represent the Blenken family, and you are just a foreigner."
At least you have a truth. No, it's half a sentence. Hitarian thought. "I had no intention of doing so, my lord."
"You'd better not." The young man stood up and walked out of the door without looking back. Soon a servant of the Blenken family took away the untouched snacks, and their destination was probably the trash can. Hitarian took advantage of the chaos and left a glass of juice to moisten his dry mouth. The first time I was kicked out by someone, I still felt uneasy, but now these are common experiences.
The "Paint Man" had nothing to lose and sent Zeppe to waste her time, but Hitarian was still a little sad at the thought of truthfully reporting the situation to the Black Knight. She always felt that the Lord was dealing with the offensive of the Alliance of Order alone, dragging along these imbeciles with noble blood who were unwilling to even take a step except for fun, including Byrne.
As for his own thoughts, Hitarian had no way of knowing.
Lady Liana wants me to come with her, Hitarian thought, and maybe she's very wise. She had thought she could help, and out of some self-delusion and desire for self-gratification - much like Zepe's thoughts when he volunteered for the army - she had convinced herself to stay in Byrne. We are essentially the same, but we don't feel at all that we are helpless. She had heard too many songs praising the glory of victory and the fearlessness of the defeated. Her soul seemed to be sublimated in some noble cause, burning herself towards great sacrifice.
As it turns out, these were illusions. She didn't even get a chance to kneel down and beg the powerful for alms, even though they were willing to entertain her with high-end snacks.
Hitarian waited there resignedly. The black knight appeared at an uncertain time, and she didn't expect it at all. Recently, the night watchman's attention has been focused outside the city. Celsus is training the soldiers and leading people on patrol. He Hanhu mentioned that the association was repairing something, but he couldn't tell the details. In fact, he only returned to the city once a week, and every time it brought a chill. Hitarian's chances of seeing them became less and less, and she herself became increasingly busy.
Thinking of this, waiting where she was made her feel uneasy. I can't do nothing, even preparing snacks and tea is better than staying still. Although she had never seen the Lord dine. After all, dead people don't need to drink water, they are different from living people...
On her scariest nights, she considered running away again. Not from Bairn to Gavash, but another unspeakable journey. She suspected that most people thought about their escape in secret and never communicated with anyone, but they showed it in their actions: hoarding food, wagons and coins, snooping out the situation, roads and watch patrol routes. They test each other with their eyes, talk about useless topics, and worry about the pros and cons of the lord's decision. He seems to be asking if he should run away? When to escape? Where to escape? Hitarian didn't know what answer they came up with.
Not all of the Ogrethals escaped to Byrne. According to the information from the detection station, a small number of people scattered and went deep into the Curtain Mountains. Some people who evacuated early dragged their families into Gavash and were placed in a special mysterious place by the night watchman. The rest either died in the siege or came to Byrne via a ladder. The latter is not much, partly because the Black Knight prohibits the passage of ladders in the city to avoid increasing Byrne's burden.
On the other hand, after Oglethel was destroyed, Byrne's turn was next.
People are staying away, driven by the desire to survive, and no one can blame them. Hitarian was already a formal member of the association, and even she would have the idea of escape, let alone others. The Bain people, represented by the Blenken family, are planning to move the royal capital to Garwash to prevent the entire family from being destroyed and their bloodline lost. The "lacquer man" is a wily politician, so Zepei is not allowed to join the army. The latter himself probably has no idea about this...
"You have nothing to do?" the black knight asked coldly. He appeared like a ghost, his silhouette reflected in the window.
Hitarian turned around suddenly, his heart beating wildly. "Lord." She took a deep breath, "Sasbeth Blenken did not come, and his replacement was Zeppe Blenken. I... we parted on bad terms."
"What did he say?" After hearing Hitarian's response, the Black Knight was indifferent. "He's not here to do business with you, Ringot, he's here to date a potential fiancée."
Hitarian was surprised: "Me?"
"You are a member of the Night Watch, my direct subordinate, and the Blenken family has no weight in the association. Before the city was closed, they thought very highly of themselves, but now they have discovered that the Night Watch really has the ability to block the city alone... This is what they An attempt.”
"But... sir, Brunken is a noble of Byrne. I don't understand..."
The undead knight was very impatient: "Nobles are different from lords. The king's capital is maintained by the nobles and cannot be completely handed over to a certain lord. You don't need to understand. Do you want to marry him?"
"No, my lord." Hitarian refused hastily. She had no favorable impression of Zeppe Blenken at all.
"You don't like him."
She preferred Murum, the boy who handed her a drink at the Wooden Spoon Mansion and let her play with the bald Dalmatian. These details of life are beyond the ears of the lord. Besides, no matter how much she thinks about the "paint man", she can't say it directly. "I think the Blenken family will pursue noble blood, my lord." Hitarian said cautiously.
"And you don't pursue it?" The black knight suddenly raised his head and looked out the window.
This is obvious. Hitarian almost frowned at him as she noticed that the conversation was starting to take an unexpected direction. what happened? "I have a fiancé, my lord."
"Then you wait here." The undead lord turned and walked away, disappearing in the blink of an eye, leaving the confused Hitarian behind.
