Chapter 86 The City of Sin (Part 1)
“That little girl Shiel… sorry to make you laugh, Veer,” Ig said with a wry smile as he walked beside the girl.
Ig couldn’t help but recall the scene at that time.
When he questioned her, Shiel’s small face was slightly red, and she stammered a reply, her gaze seemingly evasive. It seemed to be her brother’s opposition, but in reality, Ig could feel the girl’s will was very firm.
Ig thought that even if he had spoken out against it, Shiel probably wouldn’t have agreed. Given her personality back then, she would have probably argued with him.
Although Ig felt he had no reason to interfere with what Shiel wanted to do, for some reason, he felt a strange sense of melancholy.
“What’s there to laugh about? From this young lady’s perspective, Shiel is clearly very cute.”
A soft and pleasant voice sounded, and Verafia casually held her hair, her big eyes lifting cheerfully, appearing bright and cute.
Ig chuckled wryly. He had forgotten that this young lady was already satisfied after hearing Shiel call her “Sister Veer.”
Just as he was about to reach out and ruffle the girl’s beautiful hair, Verafia slightly retreated her delicate body. On her exquisite face, as pure as snow, a pair of dazzling golden eyes flickered, and the corners of her red lips curved into a smile.
“However, no matter how you look at it, Ig, you seem very lost. Are you perhaps upset that your sister inherited the family title before you?”
Before she could even finish speaking, Verafia couldn’t help but cover her mouth and let out a silver bell-like laugh. Obviously, this young lady was deliberately provoking him to tease him.
“Veer refused to rule the Elf Empire, you know. Titles and fiefs don’t mean much to me. As long as I can be by Veer’s side, I’m content.”
Ig did manage to ruffle the girl’s smooth, beautiful hair and said with a laugh, “Moreover, Shiel has put in so much effort over the years, and it’s thanks to her that Father’s legacy has been preserved… I have no reason to demand it back.”
“Hmm, then let this young lady guess again… Are you perhaps reluctant to part with Shiel?”
“Reluctant… it’s not that either.”
Ig was speechless. He thought for a moment, “It’s just that thinking about my once clingy and cute little sister now has someone she likes, and in the future, she will always be with that person. I feel a bit emotional.”
“Tsk, isn’t that reluctance?”
Verafia tilted her snowy face, her long eyelashes blinking against her beautiful golden eyes. She grabbed Ig’s arm and proudly lifted her pure white chin. “This young lady remembers that little girl Shiel even competed for attention with me back then… Hmph, and that little girl Flarn even secretly ran off to make plans with her.”
“Shiel was still a child back then.”
Ig recalled and smiled with relief, “But I don’t think there’s any need to worry. Shiel has always been a smart child. The person she likes and can rely on must be extraordinary. Moreover, Shiel and Grayreal must have experienced a lot over the years.”
“Is it like a princess in distress in the darkness falling in love with the knight who went through hardships with her, rescued and helped her?”
The girl’s interested and pleasant voice was like the song of an oriole. Ig couldn’t help but turn his head. The incredibly beautiful, snowy, fair face came into view, adorned with a bright smile, making the corners of his mouth curve up. “Then, where is my princess?”
“Hmph, clearly, this young lady is more powerful, and it’s this young lady who rescued you more. In that case, you are the princess.”
Verafia tilted her pure white face slightly, her big eyes looking up at Ig, arguing illogically. Seeing the boy trying hard to suppress a smile, the girl became a little annoyed and, with a haughty air, raised her head.
“Fine! This young lady is the Princess! Hmph, in that case, where are my attendants serving this Highness!”
“My Highness, your attendant is here. May I ask, beautiful Princess, what are your orders?”
—
After returning to the camp where the “Public Welfare Alliance” was stationed with Elishia, Flarn, and others, Verafia and Ig stayed for a few days.
She accompanied the boy during the ritual for Eggesti and met his clansmen who had followed Shiel here. Ig’s mother was still alive, but Shiel had not brought the Marchioness with her to the army. Therefore, Verafia couldn’t travel halfway across the kingdom at this time either, so it was postponed for now.
During their stay at the camp, knowing that her sister Fraria was not in danger, Ophi, unable to bear the loneliness, along with Anrijia, pulled Elishia along and asked her to show them around.
Sometimes, Verafia would also join them with Flarn, who came to visit.
Perhaps because she knew of her presence here, during this period of nearly a month, the Peka Kingdom’s army did not attack once. Instead, they gradually withdrew their forces.
Thanks to this, although shrouded by the night sky caused by the endless abyss, Verafia experienced a long-lost moment of peace.
However, she knew very clearly in her heart that this peace was merely the last calm before the final act.
Verafia gently raised her head. The abyss still permeated the sky, but the rotting silence did not exist. The mirror-like tranquility reflected the commotion gathered here.
This was the aura of humanity.
“Veer, the Elf army has also arrived. Her Majesty the Queen is stationed in a废弃堡垒 fifty miles away. I have already informed Shiel,” Ig’s voice sounded from behind.
Although it was only a month, enough time for the Empire’s army to establish supply lines from the border to here, her friends had all arrived during their stay. The Elf army led by Lavnos was the last to arrive.
“Yes, I’ll go see Sister Herafir first.”
Verafia nodded at him, then her golden pupils gently shifted, looking towards the deepest darkness in the east, “Then, we’ll go to Lichen.”
The advance towards Lichen had begun. A journey of a thousand miles, even the vast night could not conceal it. The sword of judgment for the abyss was thus stirred.
Verafia did not encounter any attacks. There were only innocent residents clinging to survival in the darkness. It was as if the army created by the abyss had already retreated before their arrival.
It was like a decaying heart, with dark, corrupt blood eroding the kingdom’s land, but as their army advanced, it contracted, abandoning all the lands it had eroded. All corruption flowed back to its heart, which was the royal capital of Peka, Lichen.
This, however, slightly increased Verafia’s worry.
But no matter what, it couldn’t change the destination of the girl’s gaze.
Verafia slightly raised her face. The vast, boundless plain was shrouded in darkness. A city, pitch-black, decaying, and entangled with endless sin, came into her sight.
