Chapter 462: D170. Barus
“Anyway, that was my experience back in the day.”
Even though it was a story from some years ago, the Sergeant’s narration was as vivid as if it happened yesterday.
That exploration was deeply etched in his heart, so much so that with just a few questions from the girls, he didn’t need to recall too much to vividly paint the desolate and dangerous scene of the Catastrophe.
After finishing his recollections, the Sergeant looked back at the two delicate girls, whose eyes were full of shock and wonder, and he continued with some emotion:
“Since then, I returned to serve in the Border forces. Although my strength has improved since those days, I never had the chance to explore such Secret Realms again.”
The Hero and the Princess exchanged glances. Despite the lifelike sketches drawn by the Sergeant before them, they still found it hard to imagine the scene where the Ruined City under the sky was devoid of Vitality and forbidding to mortals.
The Fourteenth Princess’s physical condition was only equivalent to that of a healthy ordinary person, not even at the level of an Apprentice Level Professional, so it was needless to say that she couldn’t explore such realms. Even the Hero, who was considered experienced and knowledgeable, had never seen a whole Royal City floating in the air.
“I heard that the air on the Highlands is also very thin, and ordinary people would feel suffocated upon ascending. Is the feeling in the Ancient Royal City somewhat similar to this?” the Fourteenth Princess asked curiously.
The Hero pondered for a moment, then shook her head: “I don’t think it’s the same. Actually, except when the Corrupted Phoenix appears, the air on the Highland is quite fresh, and the ambient Magic Element is also very calm, giving me a ‘clean’ feeling, which doesn’t relate to anything berserk…”
After the Goblins were extinct, it became even cleaner.
The Fourteenth Princess and the Hero whispered to each other, trying to imagine the dangerous feeling the Sergeant had described.
Suddenly, the Hero seemed to remember something, first rubbed the goosebumps on her arm, and then said: “It’s perhaps more similar to the air around the Goblin Nest we had in the city before. When I saw it from a distance, it made me feel uncomfortable all over; I didn’t want to get close and dealt with it directly from the air. I suppose ordinary people would faint if they got too close.”
“Goblins, huh? I’ve also seen Goblins on the journey, though they were slain by the Guards before getting close, but to be honest, they’re really… nauseating,” the Fourteenth Princess hesitated a bit but still accurately described her feelings.
“That’s right, all Goblins deserve to die!”
The Hero gave a decisive response.
However, thanks to the Sergeant, the Count, and everyone in the army, there were much fewer Goblins around the Border City.
“When I see them on the road, I want to exterminate them all…”
Seeing that the girls’ whispers were getting more and more off-topic, especially the Hero who was becoming more and more excited as if she would rush outside the city to slay Goblins the next moment, the Sergeant couldn’t help but show a wry smile.
“Alright, let’s go to the dining hall and continue our talk while eating. Princess, you’re here to inspect the military rations as well, aren’t you?”
He coughed lightly, steering the conversation back on track.
“Besides, your discussion just now reminded me that the Magic Cloud Layer surrounding the Ruined Royal City indeed bears some similarities to the Magic Cloud Undercurrent disrupting the Kingdom’s airspace.
“Taking the opportunity of our conversation, I will also organize the relevant information afterward and send it to the Church, to be handed over to the Cruising bishop, perhaps it could help a bit in the search for the Saintess.”
The Sergeant’s main topic successfully reclaimed the girls’ attention, with the Fourteenth Princess standing up after the Hero, slightly tidying up the practical yet still exquisitely elegant dress, and then posing one last question before departure.
“That Sergeant, do you happen to know the name of that ancient country?”
The Hero, who was wrapping herself in a scarf, perked up her ears curiously upon hearing this.
The Sergeant replied directly: “Ah, although writing and history are not my fields of study, the scholars with us at the time referred to that civilization as—”
[Critical Success roll, the connection with the Hero is—]
1. Phoenix Feather
2. Moon Climbing
3. Angel ♛
4. Ash
5. Phoenix Wings
6. Returning Moon
7. Sky Emperor
8. Death Ash
9. Bird Cage
10. Critical Success / Extreme Failure
D10=d10(3)=3
“‘Angel Ancient Country’, that’s what those scholars called it then.”
“Angel? Could it be related to the Western Kingdom’s—”
Seeing the Fourteenth Princess with a surprised look, the Sergeant nodded affirmatively.
“That’s right, the legends passed down from generation to generation in those tribes of Winged People. They were once known as Heavenly Messengers, and the standouts among them could even reach the High-level Winged People ranks of Fantasy Species.”
The surprise on the Fourteenth Princess’s face intensified, and her brow showed an air of disbelief.
“So such Demons truly exist? I always thought it was just a fairy tale, or a legend conjured up by the Winged People themselves…”
A trace of emotion flickered through the Sergeant’s eyes: “When I first heard about it, I was quite astonished too. However, perhaps only such a powerful Species would have had the ability to build such magnificent Sky Royal Courts in the distant past.”
And the Hero by his side—
1. Looked utterly clueless
2. Was brimming with vitality ♛
D2=d2(2)=2
The Emerald Eye girl’s eyes sparkled brightly, eager to join the discussion between the two.
“Angels, that kind of Angels? Like the ones in fairy tale picture books, with big white wings…”
Although the bookshelves in her parents’ study had almost no useless books like fairy tales and picture books, her grandfather’s collection, however, contained many, as many fairy tales and customs are closely related. Although the content isn’t always beautiful, they often contain profound knowledge that needs to be taught to local children.