Chapter 484 Are You the Humanoid Succubus?
On the wide road, a sturdy donkey pulled a fully loaded truck, creaking over the hard frozen soil and moving steadily towards the setting sun.
A middle-aged man with a shabby head and a beard sat on the rafter of the cart. He raised his hand and took out two carrots from the bag on his shoulder. He generously stuffed them into the donkey's mouth so that the animal carrying the cart could eat and drink enough and continue on its journey faster.
As the familiar scenery around him gradually faded away, the familiar hometown behind him sank completely below the horizon. The middle-aged man looked at his daughter snuggling beside him. He had no nostalgia for his hometown at all. Instead, he felt grateful for having broken free from a cage.
Thanks to the reliable and kind-hearted witchers from Heath Island, otherwise his daughter and even he would have lost his life in the village today.
At the same time, in the carriage.
Ciri picked through the eggs, fruits, dried meat and other country specialties around her, and counted the gold, silver and copper coins and some sparkling gemstone jewelry that were almost filling up the carriage, her pretty face flushed with excitement.
As a princess of the Kingdom of Cintra, although she is not short of money, she still feels a sense of accomplishment when she can make a fortune with her own abilities.
It’s a pity that the source of this money is not very legitimate.
Ciri put down the handful of gold, silver and copper coins in her hand and asked Lorne hesitantly:
"Let us exorcise the demon, but you robbed all the villagers. Isn't that a bit too much?"
"Isn't what I'm doing exorcising demons?"
Lorne took a bite of the apple and asked nonchalantly,
"You don't think that only inhuman monsters are demons in this world, do you?"
Ciri heard the hidden meaning and suddenly realized it.
That's right.
Demons kill people, people kill people. Those villagers who have lost their sense of right and wrong, dare not resist the fog monster, but instead raise their knives against the weaker ones, are they not also monsters in human skin?
Realizing this, Ciri's remaining sympathy for the villagers disappeared.
She looked down at the gold, silver and copper coins in the carriage that were almost up to her calves, and she still disagreed with some of Lorn's actions:
"But you are too mean, aren't you? You said we were merchants passing by, and you even used the excuse that our goods were damaged by the fog monster to extort 30,000 gold coins from them."
"Although we are not merchants, there are many merchants who were dragged into the cave by the fog monster and used as food. If we look into it, if it weren't for these idiots in the village who have been performing evil sacrifices for years, the little fog monster wouldn't have caused such a big mess and harmed the whole area."
While chewing an apple, Lorne replied calmly,
"We helped them solve their problem and only asked them to pay some hard work fees and mental compensation. We didn't burn their house down, which was already considered merciful."
"You call this kindness?"
Ciri looked at the carriage filled with gold, silver and jewelry, recalled the scene of the villagers crying and holding their heads before leaving, and their eyes that looked like they were sending off a plague, and couldn't help but suspect that someone was bragging.
Although they were unable to collect 30,000 gold coins in the end and did not force all the villagers to death, after Loen's "friendly donations" and digging deep into the ground, Ciri estimated that they had taken away at least 80% of the village's wealth, turning the originally wealthy village into a poor village struggling to make ends meet.
Hearing the doubt, Lorne picked up a few pieces of exquisite and elegant jewelry from the sundries and threw them to Ciri:
"Look carefully, how could so many valuable jewels appear in such a remote village? Although those villagers don't have the courage to fight the fog monster, they probably used it to make money. These things are not theirs in the first place, so what's wrong with me snatching them away? Besides, this is also for their own good, they should be grateful to me!"
"What do you mean?"
Ciri had learned from her previous lesson and did not refute, but instead put on an attitude of humbly seeking advice.
Luo En threw down the fruit core and snorted coldly:
"Sacrificing human lives to the fog monster can be a big or small thing. If it's a small thing, it's because you've been deceived by the monster, and you're not guilty if you don't know. If it's a big thing, it's an evil sacrifice, murder for money, and blasphemy against the gods, which is unforgivable. This time it's the demon hunters who came, so we can solve it with money. If the matter gets out of hand, and it's those temple warriors who come, it won't be excessive to kill their entire family!"
“Hiss~~”
Ciri gasped as she anticipated this possibility.
Yes, there is a true God in this world.
And, a lot!
At the same time, they attached great importance to faith and were extremely disgusted with pagan worship.
And if those temple warriors really came after hearing the news, the charge of engaging in pagan worship would be enough to massacre the entire village.
In a sense, the guy in front of me really saved the lives of the entire village.
At this time, Lorne presented facts and reasoned:
"Look, we only spent a little money to buy back the lives of the entire village. Moreover, we helped them wipe out the traces of the fog monster and took away the treasure that could easily lead to gossip. In addition, they have learned a lesson this time, and they will definitely not dare to have any relationship with the fog monster, and the final hidden danger is gone. For this service, with this input-output ratio, is it expensive to charge them 30,000 gold coins?"
“Not expensive at all!”
Ciri nodded vigorously and sighed seriously,
"It's worth a hundred thousand gold coins!"
Hearing this and looking at Ciri's seemingly admiring gaze, Rose on the side secretly gave a thumbs up to her new boss.
He actually sold out other people and asked them to help count the money and be grateful!
He is indeed an evil god who is more evil, more shameless and more treacherous than her.
Galadriel on the side could not help but raise her hand to touch her forehead, unable to bear to look at Ciri who had been fooled and crippled.
After all, she is an elf in her thirties, but she is not as naive as Ciri.
Punishing those villagers and looting their gold, silver and treasures were just Loen's original purpose. Saying that this would help the villagers avoid future disasters was purely confusing cause and effect and beautifying his own behavior.
As Galadriel coughed slightly, Ciri seemed to remember something, slapped her head, and spoke to Lorne generously:
"Aren't you short of money? How about this? Everything in the carriage is yours. I didn't do anything after entering the village. Also, after we complete the mission at Heath Island, the bonus will be divided equally among us."
"When did I say I was short of money?" Loen was confused.
"Then why do you knock so much?" Ciri was also confused.
"I don't need it, but they do." Loen raised his hand and pointed at the employer and his daughter who were driving the carriage outside the curtain.
Xili suddenly realized: "The money you want is for them?"
"What else can we do? They must have spent all their savings to hire the witcher. We can't let them sleep on the streets after they finish this journey, right? Houses near Heath Island are not cheap."
When Xili heard this, her face suddenly turned red.
She lived a comfortable life and never thought of this.
Lorne took out an apple from the basket and added while chewing it:
"Since it was this old father who risked his life to invite the demon hunters to help the village get rid of the fog demon, then the money naturally belongs to them. This can be regarded as a thank-you fee from the villagers to compensate them for the relocation expenses. Isn't it reasonable?"
"You've even thought of this!"
Ciri looked at the man in front of her in surprise, her expression growing in admiration.
During the "polite donation solicitation" process, the father and daughter had already used up all their savings to hire a witcher and had no money left, so they were forced by Lorne to get on the car, carry their belongings for them, and work as laborers to pay off their debts.
Ciri thought that Lorne was simply putting on a show to avoid arousing suspicion.
Unexpectedly, he not only took this opportunity to take the father and daughter out of the village to protect them from revenge by the villagers who noticed something was wrong, but he even prepared resettlement money for the father and daughter. He was truly an example of planning one step ahead.
In comparison, my own behavior seemed much more reckless and immature.
Ciri tapped his head in shame, and then thought of a new question:
"So, you also calculated that you could win that bet?"
"Not too stupid."
Lorne nodded and explained with a smile,
"If those villagers really knew right from wrong, they would have picked up their swords and fought the fog monster or fled the village. Those who stayed behind were mostly cowardly and humble bloodlines. They have been disciplined by [tradition] for a hundred years. Even if you untied their shackles, the first thing they would do is not to thank you, but to swing their swords at the weaker ones.
Isn’t it normal that you will lose? "
“That makes sense.”
Ciri suddenly realized, and then touched the silver sword behind him, feeling a little depressed.
"So, shouldn't I have been so kind? Not only did I put myself in danger, but I almost hurt the father and daughter."
"Not really. There's nothing wrong with being kind. But you need to use your brain before you act."
Lorne shook his head and gave his own opinion.
"In this world, good people don't necessarily die, bad people don't necessarily die, only stupid people die first."
After hearing this, Xili suddenly became enlightened and lowered her head in admiration.
At this moment, she was convinced of her defeat and couldn't help patting her chest and speaking loudly:
"Tell me, how much does Galadriel owe you? As agreed, I will help her pay it back!"
When Luo En heard this, a hint of teasing appeared on his face:
"Before you place your bet, you should first ask Galadriel what exactly she owes me."
Ciri's eyelids twitched, and she suddenly had an ominous premonition in her heart. She turned her head to look at Galadriel in the corner.
Seeing that she could not hide it, Galadriel could only expose her shortcomings and, with a wry smile, told about the debts of favor and the time she had worked.
As the truth was revealed, Ciri felt as if the sky was falling and the earth was collapsing.
Lorne pretended to be serious and said with a sense of malice:
"The last lesson is that nine out of ten gambling games are frauds. It's better to play less in the future."
Watching Ciri sign the employment contract with a sad face and then throw herself into Galadriel's arms wailing, Lorne lifted the curtain with a refreshed look and chatted with the middle-aged man driving the coach about family matters.
Rose, who also witnessed a good show, couldn't help but walk out of the car with satisfaction.
"This is for you. It's very sweet."
A fair little hand reached out from the side and handed over a bright orange pear. The girl with long flaxen hair looked at the dark elf sister who had saved her with gratitude.
Along the way, after her old father's explanation, she roughly understood what had happened and was grateful to the demon hunters who had eliminated the fog monster and saved her and the village.
Rose wanted to refuse, but for some reason she took the pear.
When you take a bite, the sweet juice bursts in your mouth, bringing a sense of pleasure and satisfaction.
It was like an experience that hadn’t happened for a long time, and a voice deep in my heart seemed to ring in the dark.
Seeing that Rose was somewhat absent-minded, Lorne could not help but sit over and ask:
"What's wrong?"
Rose came back to her senses and shook her head to indicate that she was fine. She then pointed to the carriage and changed the subject.
"Sir, a mortal girl like this, even if she has some talent, is not worthy of you to make a contract in person, right?"
"You don't understand. They are very useful."
Lorne replied vaguely, his eyes flickering faintly.
The reason why he had Galadriel, Rose, Ciri and the other three under his control was not because he coveted the beauty and bodies of these women.
What he really cares about is the [weight of destiny] and [possibility] given to these women.
Just as Hecate had taught him back then, fate is never fair, and the attention and power given to different lives are never the same.
And because the entire Nordic world has undergone changes for some reason, the direction of its fate has become even more confusing.
Whether or not one can gather enough shares of destiny before the coming of Ragnarok and interfere with the trajectory of destiny is extremely important for future planning.
On the other hand, it is better to have these [variables] that do not originally belong to the Nordic world in one's own hands than to let them fall into the hands of outsiders.
Moreover, what kind of impact will the superposition of these [variables] have on destiny and what kind of changes will it cause to the future are also issues that Loen needs to figure out.
If used properly, these three cards in your hand may play an unexpected role.
——For example, fishing out more [variables] and [destined people]?
If he could accumulate enough [company] shares in this way, he might be able to kick out Olvig and the three goddesses of Norn, become the chairman of the Nordic world himself, and decide how to compose this [great symphony] in the future.
~~
Dozens of days later.
A verdant island appeared on the horizon, and the towering walls were inlaid with various crystals that connected the magic power, reflecting gorgeous colors from time to time.
Large numbers of travelers, either merchants, pilgrims or tourists, went in and out of the city gate which was dozens of meters high. The crowds were shoulder to shoulder and the scene was very lively.
Here we are, Heather Island!
Looking at the old place which was completely different from his memory, Loen couldn't help feeling mixed emotions.
After instructing Rose and Galadriel to settle the father and daughter, and Ciri went to hand in the task, he went straight to the former Temple of Plenty.
However, the building in front of him surprised him.
The sacred and solemn temple has turned into a chamber of commerce with people coming in and out.
Merchants exchanged their information and goods, or received business orders from tellers of different races at the counter, preparing to buy low and sell high to make a fortune.
Looking at the giant wolf stone sculptures on both sides of the steps, Loen knew without hesitation that this was most likely the work of his good daughter, Holo.
It allows you to develop business beliefs, but does not allow you to actually become a businessman.
Loen muttered to himself, then came to a counter and asked the teller girl with dwarf features:
"Is Lady Holo here? I'd like to see her."
"I'm sorry, Master Holo has a big order from the Dwarven Kingdom and is not in Middle-earth at the moment."
The dwarf girl flipped through the records and answered seriously, then kindly reminded,
"Also, even if Lady Holo comes back, I'm afraid you won't be able to make an appointment if you want to see Lady Holo."
"Why?"
"Because Lady Holo's visitor list is already scheduled for 30 years later. She will not meet with outsiders without special reasons."
After hearing this, Luo En didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Unexpectedly, after only a hundred years, his daughter's status and prestige have risen dramatically.
Forget it, he doesn’t know how to face Hela now, so it’s better not to meet Holo first.
After giving up the idea of reuniting with his adopted daughter, Lorne turned and walked out of the Chamber of Commerce and came to the door of the tavern where he had agreed to meet with Ciri, Rose, and Galadriel.
It's called a "tavern", but this place should probably be more appropriately called an "Adventurer's Guild".
Pushing the door open, one can see fully armed human warriors and warlocks, as well as distinctive dwarves, half-elves, elves and descendants of gods everywhere.
Some of them were drinking, some were recruiting teammates, and some were receiving and handing over tasks...
Looking at the bustling hall, Loen's eyes flickered.
On the way, Ciri told him that it was not someone else who established the "Tavern", but his good daughter Holo.
The Chamber of Commerce is responsible for maintaining the operation of the [Tavern] and regularly issues tasks, using generous rewards to call on adventurers from the nine kingdoms to complete the commissions.
Over the past hundred years, with the expansion of the Chamber of Commerce, [Taverns] have opened up across the nine kingdoms, becoming a platform for trade and communication between different races.
It must be said that Holo's transformation of the temple into a chamber of commerce and the change of her own beliefs from open to covert was indeed a brilliant move.
This not only avoids the race for faith with the Aesir, but also will not easily leave room for gossip.
This girl has so many tricks up her sleeve.
Lorne sighed at the growth of his adopted daughter, and his eyes quickly looked around and fell on Ciri who was chatting with the female bartender at the counter.
She was a tall, plump, beautiful woman with tan skin. With her deft hands, she could easily mix a glass of beautiful drink with different colored layers by flipping it up and down.
cocktail?
Could it be that she is also a variable related to "fate"?
Loen was stunned, then walked over calmly.
"You're here?"
Seeing Lorne coming, Ciri at the counter waved excitedly and pointed at the female bartender behind her and took the initiative to introduce him.
"This is Ulu, a friend of my godmother Yennefer, currently working in the tavern."
"Lorne, nice to meet you."
Lorne took the initiative to extend his hand, and the female bartender responded politely with a smile.
However, at the moment their skin touched, an electric current seemed to surge through Loen's body, and his blood, muscles, and even soul all produced a pleasant resonance.
At the same time, the desire that had been suppressed for a long time surged in his body, and he couldn't help but have a strange urge to pin down the female bartender in front of him and kill her on the spot.
Humanoid succubus?
As this thought popped into his head, Lorne quickly let go and looked strangely at the brown-skinned female bartender behind the counter.
At the same time, the female bartender quickly retracted her arms, her face was flushed, her eyes were as bright as a pool of spring water, and her body trembled slightly.
It seems that in this contact, her reaction is more intense.
What's going on?
The sudden situation left Loen with a lot of questions in his mind, and he couldn't help but become very interested in this strange female bartender.
(End of this chapter)
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