Chapter 88 An unexpected encounter with people should be met with reverence. ...
After the meal, the two were sent away by Sepins, who meant that he would see them again at afternoon tea and they shouldn't get in his way.
"Do you think he's just deliberately trying to make things difficult for others?" Aribo complained the whole way. "I'm convinced he's just envious and jealous. He can't stand seeing others doing well, especially couples. Why is he so petty?"
Easter had a faint smile on his face; he liked this side of Aripelago that he saw—livelyness.
“Oh well, never mind, I also think he’s a bit of a nuisance,” Arribel said. “If it weren’t for the fact that he cooks the best food, who would want to go to his place?”
“Let’s not talk about him anymore. Let’s just take a walk,” he changed the subject. “I really want to take you to my place for a while, but I’m worried about taking up our private space. So you can forget about going out today.”
Given their current situation, it's really not suitable to go into either of their private spaces. It's too easy for things to go awry. After all, they haven't seen each other for a month or so, and even when they have, they haven't done anything. They've only been together a few times, and once it was just in a dream. It's kind of pathetic to think about it.
Perhaps they both thought of their situation at the same time, and they laughed out loud without prior arrangement.
“So you can’t blame me for being so eager every time. I just found a partner, and the number of times we’ve slept together over the past six months is unevenly distributed each month.” Aripel hooked his finger around Easter’s palm. “I’m happy to talk about love with you, but you should also satisfy my normal needs.”
East quickly glanced around. He didn't care; he wasn't using his real appearance from this continent. Areper was still openly displaying his true appearance. If he ran into an acquaintance and word got out, what would become of his reputation? After all, he still had the identity of the Knight Commander of the Sky God Cathedral.
“Don’t worry, the church doesn’t require chastity,” Areper seemed to read my mind. “Even if there were a rule, it wouldn’t bind me.”
Easter often overlooked the fact that Aripelago was actually an aristocrat, and one of the highest-ranking members of the aristocracy, because of Aripelago's approachable manner.
Having figured all this out, he asked, "Don't you think I'm overthinking things?"
“No, no,” Arip said with a smile. “Honey, I’m overjoyed. Doesn’t this prove you care about me? Okay, let’s not talk about that. I’ll take you to an interesting street.”
“Normal streets aren’t very interesting when there’s no market. I’m not very familiar with them either, so I can only take you to places I know better,” he explained.
East had a rough idea of where he was going. He thought of his last experience, and his anticipation grew even stronger. Shopping alone was definitely not as good as shopping with someone else.
He completely forgot about the players and Pearl.
Cyrus Royal City truly resembles a royal city, far surpassing the remote and insignificant Ester Royal City in both area and architecture.
The streets of Cyrus Royal City are well-connected, the land is wide and flat, and there is even a tram system within the city. The buildings are also well-constructed, with a Western city style and a unique artistic charm. What is even more commendable is that the city is very clean, surprisingly so. There is practically no litter on the ground, and if there is, it is quickly cleaned up by sanitation workers in uniform. Coupled with excellent greenery, it doesn't seem like a city from this era at all.
East rubbed his head helplessly. It turned out that he was also viewing things through tinted glasses. Like a frog at the bottom of a well, he carried the superiority and arrogance of a transmigrator. If he didn't come out and explore, it might be a long time before he realized his own problems.
"Not bad, right?" Aribel asked. He was born and raised in this city and had a sense of belonging to it, so he naturally hoped that his partner would also like it here.
“Very good,” Ist replied. “Once my summoned creatures’ city is built, we can go and visit it as well.”
The locations assigned to the players have been marked. From the very beginning, everything is up to them to decide. Apart from exchanging magic crystals for building materials, Ister will not provide any other assistance, such as city blueprints, planning and construction, or building styles. The goal is to give them the experience of building a city from scratch in their own hands, which will strengthen their sense of belonging and make them more dedicated. It's not because Ister wants to be lazy; there's not much room for laziness anyway, with the system around.
The division of players' settlements in the future will be calculated separately. It's impossible to have no requirements at all. In normal games, you almost have to spend money to get a settlement. Ist can't be too unconventional, can he? However, the requirements are not too harsh. The performance during the construction process and the amount of magic crystals are the two most important requirements. More details will be added after the city is built. Anyway, compared with other games, the requirements are quite low.
“That will definitely be interesting.” Based on Areper’s understanding of Ister’s summons, he knew that once the city was built, it would be unique.
Easter was naturally delighted to hear Areper's affirmation. He was also curious about what kind of city the players would build. They were currently leveling the land, planning the size of the city, and laying the foundation. The final building plans were still under debate, with four main versions: one that fit the style of this continent, one that was modern, one that was surreal and cyberpunk, and one that was ancient. All four styles appealed to different audiences. Because this continent was a magical continent, some ideas that were impossible to realize on Earth could be easily achieved here. This led to even more creative thinking among the players, resulting in heated debates and increasing the game's popularity.
“We’re almost there,” Arip said.
East snapped out of his daze. The path in front of him was lined with trees and stretched straight ahead, but he didn't know where it led.
Arip put a mask on East and then put one on himself. East's personal style was too distinctive; simply wearing a mask wouldn't be enough to hide him. This action was mainly just a formality.
East let Aripelago do as he pleased; their masks, one gold and one silver, only covered the upper half of their faces, which was better than nothing.
Under East's curious gaze, Aribo led him forward by the hand, and in the blink of an eye, the scene before them had changed.
The previous change was subtle and imperceptible, leaving East with little to experience. This time, however, it was different. A quiet, ordinary path transformed into a bustling street after just a few steps, making the transformation all the more astonishing.
“There are too many people coming lately, it’s a mixed bag, stay close to me.” Arip held East’s hand to prevent them from getting separated from each other in the crowd.
Easter naturally didn't refute it, "Yes."
"But there are also quite a few good things," Areper explained to Easter in a low voice.
Precious alchemical ores, rare medicinal plants, gemstones with special effects, rare magical species, and a considerable number of finished potions and alchemical items... all kinds of things, too numerous to list.
When Ariber saw something that interested him, he didn't hesitate to spend money. "Honey, this red crystal is perfect for making a hair accessory for you. It's quite effective."
It was said to be a crystal, but it was not as hard as gold or stone. It was more like a pool of blood, and it looked very strange.
“Is it appropriate?” Easter asked.
After asking the price, Arebo paid for the magic crystals directly, and then said to East, "What's wrong with it? It won't be like this after it's been refined. Your treasure will definitely be dazzling when you wear it."
"Should I return the favor?" East's eyes darted around. Unfortunately, he was always buried in his work and didn't have much time to pay attention to the species on this continent. He could only recognize a handful of them. Luckily, he had a cheat code.
"Host, the 'mermaid heart' over there is very suitable," the system said thoughtfully.
East's gaze followed the movement, and there was a red dot in the azure blue. It was a rhombus-shaped crystal with a hard exterior that refracted a faint light. From certain angles, it seemed to ripple and sway with that bright red dot, like a beating heart. It was a kind of magnificent and indescribable beauty.
Arribel laughed and said, "Honey, you have such good taste. You spotted one of the most expensive items on this street at a glance."
East, "..." Actually, it's not that he has good taste.
"Is it very expensive?" He pondered his belongings. He couldn't possibly have nothing to give back to Arribel after Arribel had given him so much.
Arip carefully put away the red crystal he had just acquired and led East to the stall. On a wooden table was only the "mermaid heart". The stall owner was dressed in a black robe and leaned back in a recliner, completely indifferent to his business.
Arip reached out and tapped the wooden table.
"Barter only," the stall owner said without changing his gesture, "summoning items."
Arip chuckled and pulled Easter away, saying, "Honey, we have plenty of good stuff, we don't need this one."
Easter's eyebrows twitched slightly, and he gave a soft "Mmm".
Arip squeezed his hand and told him that he would keep an eye on things.
This situation seems too much like a setup. Regardless of whether it was intentional or not, once you realize it, you should either nip it in the bud or investigate further.
East didn't care. Players weren't so easy to catch. He even thought that instead of having someone watch them, it would be better for him to have the players pretend to be caught and see if they could get to their base. After all, it wasn't the first time he'd done this.
But thinking about it again, if the players were actually allowed to go in, they might not get the results he wanted, but it might actually suit their wishes.
“Don’t overthink it,” Arip said. “Chaos may be chaotic, but if we don’t want to die, we shouldn’t… go to extremes…” He hesitated as he spoke. Given his precious child’s status, it was undeniable that his summoned creatures were very useful in the current situation, but the number of summoned creatures was too large. If a few went missing or had problems, they wouldn’t receive much attention.
“It’s alright,” East narrowed his eyes, “No matter what you try to do to them, it will all be in vain.”
The faint sound of a piano flowed through the streets, deep and melodious, yet tinged with sadness and desolation, like a piece of history that had been hidden and buried.
Ester felt a sense of familiarity and followed the sound of the harp. It was a small tavern, and in the center of the tavern was a black-robed man playing a harp taller than himself.
The man in black robes raised his head, turned his hand, and changed the tune. Every melody was tinged with ambiguity, and every casual flick of his wrist seemed like flirting.
East's expression changed, but before he could do anything, a magic crystal flew straight towards the man in black robes.
It was Arriber. His gaze was extremely cold. He could tease and flirt with his own precious child however he wanted, but no one else was allowed to interfere even slightly.
Don't ask if they misunderstood. It's obvious that such an accident wouldn't happen.
The man in black robes casually raised his hand, and the magic crystal fell into his hand. The music naturally stopped. "Why are you such a sore loser?" A clear, youthful voice asked, with a tone that sounded both complaining and coquettish.
Ester shuddered at the thought of the black-robed man's identity. Was this the bard he knew? Had it been replaced? The style was completely off.
The bard gently stroked the harp, which shrank back to a size that could be just held in one's arms. He carried the small harp and skipped down from the platform. "Long time no see! I'll treat you to some drinks."
"Is it because your voice doesn't allow it that you can't sing and play like other bards?" Ister's question was purely retaliatory, without any attempt to hide anything.
The bard glanced at Areper beside East and asked, "Is it because you're too good, or is it just his nature?"
Arip managed to suppress his laughter and said, "Why not say you're the one who's most hated?"
The bard chuckled and said, “I advise you to think twice before you act. Don’t offend me too much, or you’ll be in a difficult position when you come to me for help in the future.”
The bard spoke with such certainty, as if he had absolute certainty, and considering his unpredictable abilities, he predicted that the two of them would definitely encounter danger in the future.
"Ding~" The bard plucked a string on his harp, bringing the two back to their senses, and said, "Don't be afraid, I'm not an unreasonable person, I'm very kind."
East/Arip, "..." We'll listen to your nonsense.
"Am I not telling the truth?"
The three entered the tavern, attracting subtle glances. However, on this street, anything could happen; everyone has secrets, things that are not known to outsiders. Unnecessary curiosity can only lead to disaster. So while there was attention directed at the three, it wasn't much.
The three best drinks from the tavern were each placed in front of the three men.
The bard casually pulled off his hood, holding a small harp in one hand and a wine cup in the other.
"Hmm? Is it hard to answer?" He finished his small sip, stuck out his tongue, and asked with feigned grievance, "I am clearly the kindest person in the world. Where on this continent can I find someone kinder than me?"
A black ribbon with gold foil was placed over his eyes, obscuring his expression and making him seem so superficial and fake that even he himself didn't believe it.
“You’re right.” The bard chose to feign blindness, while Ister chose to lie through his teeth. He knew a principle: those who know when to yield are the wise. He would tell him what he wanted to hear, even if it was just empty talk.
The bard curled his lip; his little gestures and expressions were worse than those of an eight or nine-year-old, let alone a fifteen or sixteen-year-old.
He said, "I'm not happy if you agree with me, and I'm even happier if you don't. So, in order to make me happy, how about you include me in your little gathering today?"
Arip raised an eyebrow. "Oh, how did you know?" he asked meaningfully.
“It’s easy,” the bard replied, unperturbed and with a particularly innocent air, “Listen.”
It's still that same word, still so inexplicable.
Easter and Areber didn't ask any further questions. Regardless of how much truth or falsehood the answer held, these were questions that couldn't be asked too much. A person's abilities were something that only their closest relatives, or even only they themselves, could know.
"Are you very free?" Aribo asked. Before, you couldn't find a soul in sight, but now you see acquaintances every three steps and close friends every five. Don't you have anything to do? The crisis on the mainland is imminent, so why do you all seem more leisurely than the last?
"I'm bored~" the bard replied matter-of-factly. "I'm so bored. I know too much, everything is so dull. I can't miss out on something fun!"
The bards were frighteningly frank, making no attempt to hide their amusement, and were rude and arrogant.
Areber frowned in displeasure. "Bard, are you truly without any scruples?"
He could trace the origins of everyone on the continent, and even had some understanding of certain sparks hidden by various races. But the bard was different; he appeared suddenly. His abilities, his strength, his mind... everything about him could only be described as mysterious. And that was why he was excluded from their small circle—he was uncontrollable.
"What do I need to worry about?" the bard asked quite sincerely.
Indeed, the bard's existence is too special. There are even some unreliable rumors that he is related to the gods and may be a favorite of a god, otherwise his excessively strong abilities would not make sense.
“No,” Easter said, “but one should have a sense of awe.”
The bard simply smiled, slowly drank the wine in his cup, the red liquid staining his lips even redder and making them moist.
"Never mind him, is there anywhere else you want to go, baby?" Arip would never compromise himself.
The bard remained silent, his head turned toward Ist, as if observing him through the ribbon covering his eyes.
Easter pressed down on Areper's hand and looked at the bard as well. The bard's face was exquisite and beautiful, yet it had an almost feminine quality. His black hair slipped off his shoulders as he moved, pure black, thick as ink, and even darker than the black robe he wore.
“You don’t care, you just want to watch the show, we all know that,” Easter said slowly. “But I don’t care either. I know that in your eyes there are no secrets on the continent, and I also know that with your strength, the difficulties and obstacles we face are nothing to you. You look down on everyone, you are an observer of the world, watching the laughter, anger, life and death of the people on the stage. You can comment on whether it’s interesting or not, but you don’t understand. You don’t understand human joy and sorrow, you don’t understand why they cry or weep. You are pathetic.” When he said the last four words, a pity that even he himself might not have understood appeared in his eyes.
The bard laughed, a particularly bright and radiant laugh. Behind him appeared a thick black shadow, isolating this space. "Your Majesty King Felix, I hope you can stay true to your original intentions and remember these words." A strange curve appeared at the corner of his lips, and his clear, youthful voice was cool and chilling.
“I am pathetic, no, you are pathetic,” he said, falling into darkness. “I was going to tell you some little secrets, but it seems that this is fate, and I should not interfere.”
Arip's face darkened a bit. He said, "Honey, why are you talking so much to a lunatic? Bards are the kind of people who get more and more excited the more you talk to them."
East closed his eyes briefly and said wearily, "I don't know, I just couldn't resist when I saw him."
Arip paused for a moment and said, "He really is a black crow. Wherever he goes, trouble follows. He'll only ever cause trouble for others."
Easter laughed. "No need for that."
The bard's appearance dampened their spirits. It was easy to glean from his words that in the future the bard had foreseen, they would encounter a situation where they would need to ask the bard for help.
It was a perfectly good date, and they had all put everything aside, but then some clueless person showed up and started babbling on and on. How could that not be frustrating? Absolutely frustrating.
“Let’s go back to my house first,” Arribel said. “It’s all up to us.”
Easter nodded and said, "I believe you, and I believe in us."
Arip put his arm around East's shoulder. He admitted that his mood had been affected and he couldn't help but think a little more. But his darling's words gave him a lot of confidence. As long as they faced it together, there was no danger they couldn't overcome.
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