Chapter 414: Chapter 411 – Willowbrook Village and Slow Steps
The next morning, a thin mist still blanketed Willowbrook Village as the soft red light of dawn gently seeped between the simple wooden rooftops. The morning air felt fresh and piercingly cold, mixed with the scent of damp soil after the night dew, wood smoke from newly lit stoves, and the sll of fresh, still-wet grass. Small birds chirped softly in the trees at the edge of the village, while the crowing of roosters and the bleating of goats began to break the calm morning silence.
Sylvia woke earlier than her two sisters. She stood in front of the small wooden house they had rented, her gray rchant robe already neat and unwrinkled. Her long black hair was tied loosely behind her, with only a few strands falling beside her face. Her cold red eyes gazed at the still half-asleep village with a calm, attentive look. The morning air brushed her face, bringing a rare sensation of cold she seldom felt in her life as the Queen of Death.
Not long after, Stacia and Alicia stepped out of the house. Their appearances were still those of three ordinary human girls black, silver-gray, and shimring silver hair glowing softly in the dawn light. Alicia walked with slightly steadier steps than the day before, though there was still a faint stiffness in her hips and shoulders.
"Let’s take a short walk," Sylvia said softly, her voice barely louder than the breeze. "Before continuing our journey, let’s look around this village. Maybe there’s sothing useful, or at least we can understand how ordinary human life flows in a place like this."
Stacia nodded while slipping her thin novel into the small bag hanging at her waist. "Good idea. I also want to see if there are any local products or specialties here. Who knows, there might be so herbal redies or small artifacts we can buy cheaply. Little bits of information like that can sotis be useful."
Alicia rubbed her sleeve, feeling the rough texture of the fabric against her new human skin. "I’ll join you. I want to learn how to interact with ordinary humans... without floating among them. It still feels strange to walk on the ground and look people in the eye from the sa height."
The three of them walked slowly along the village’s main dirt road. Simple wooden houses stood neatly on both sides, and so residents were already out starting their morning activities. Children ran around laughing cheerfully, housewives swept their yards with twig brooms, and farrs carried hoes and baskets toward the fields at the village edge. The village atmosphere felt slow, peaceful, and far removed from the bustle of great powers.
Sylvia and Stacia casually approached a few villagers, asking questions in a friendly tone like ordinary rchants seeking information.
"Are there any special local products in this village, sir?" Stacia asked an old farr who was repairing a wooden fence with a small hamr. Her silver-gray hair swayed gently in the morning breeze.
The farr scratched his nearly bald head and smiled widely, revealing teeth yellowed with age. "Sadly, no, young ladies. Willowbrook is just an ordinary village. We only have pretty good wheat, potatoes, and a bit of wild honey from the forest behind the village. Nothing special. That’s why this village develops so slowly. The roads are bad, and big rchants don’t want to stop here for long. People prefer to pass through to the bigger towns."
Sylvia nodded slowly, her face remaining calm and polite. "But this village still stands well despite its simplicity. Soone must be taking good care of it."
"Yes, miss," the farr answered with genuine pride. "Our village chief is a good man. His na is Mr. Eldon. His son too, his na is Rian. They’re the ones keeping this village from falling apart. Without them, this place might have been swallowed by wild monsters or raided by bandits from the mountains long ago. They’re fair, not greedy, and always help villagers in need. Mr. Eldon even shared his grain reserves during last year’s dry season."
Stacia smiled softly, her expression gentle. "It sounds like a peaceful and warm village."
"Peaceful, yes," added a middle-aged housewife who had joined the conversation while carrying a basket of vegetables. "But we’ve also heard news from passing rchants. They say there’s a kingdom called Nocture that just destroyed several big cities in the south. It was brutal, like a storm of death. Hopefully our little village won’t get caught up in it. We just want to live quietly."
Sylvia only nodded, her expression unchanging. "We’re just ordinary rchants trying to make a living. We don’t get involved in big political matters like that."
They continued their leisurely walk through the village’s very simple market. There were only a few rickety wooden stalls selling fresh vegetables, coarse wool cloth, farming tools, and small bottles of wild honey. No rare artifacts or potions. Willowbrook truly was an ordinary village quiet, slow, and far from the centers of power or worldly intrigue.
By midday the sun felt warr as they returned to the small house. Sylvia and her two sisters began preparing to continue their journey. The remaining trade goods were neatly packed back into the carriage. The zombie horses were already standing ready in front, their red eyes glowing faintly in the daylight.
Before leaving, Sylvia paused in front of the house. She turned toward the village chief, a middle-aged man with a short beard standing on his porch with his son, Rian, a strong young man around twenty-five years old with a sturdy build from field work.
"Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Eldon," Sylvia said in a polite and gentle voice. "We’ll be continuing our journey now. Your village has been very pleasant."
The village chief smiled warmly, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening. "Be careful on the road, young ladies. The path to the northern mountains has been a bit dangerous lately. They say wild monsters are becoming active again. If you need help or a place to rest, our village is always open to you."
Rian nodded in agreent, his voice deep and sincere. "That’s right. If you pass by again, feel free to stop. We can help fix your carriage wheels if they break."
Sylvia nodded slowly, a faint smile appearing on her lips. "We’ll rember that. Thank you again."
They climbed into the carriage. Sylvia returned to the driver’s seat, while Stacia and Alicia sat comfortably inside. The carriage began to move slowly, leaving Willowbrook Village behind. The rhythmic sound of iron wheels on the dirt road echoed clop... clop... clop... growing farther from the simple wooden houses and the friendly waving villagers.
Inside the carriage, Stacia leaned back and opened her novel again. "Such a quiet village. The chief really is a good man. Without him and his son, this place might have been destroyed or swallowed by the forest long ago."
Alicia nodded slowly, her hand occasionally gripping the edge of the bench to keep her balance. "I like villages like this. Simple. No intrigue, no great powers elbowing each other. Just ordinary life, hard work, and helping one another. It feels... peaceful."
Sylvia, sitting at the front, answered without turning around, her voice carried by the wind. "That’s exactly what has kept them safe all this ti. As long as they don’t get involved with greater forces, they can live quietly. But the world has changed after the World Fusion. Places like Willowbrook are becoming rarer. Soday, even this small village might be pulled into a bigger current."
The carriage rolled farther away. The road began to slope gently upward toward the northern mountains. The trees grew taller and denser, and the red sunlight struggled to pierce the thick canopy of leaves. The air beca cooler and more humid, the forest scent growing stronger.
Stacia closed her novel for a mont and looked out the small carriage window. "If we keep going at this slow pace, we’ll reach Eldridge by tomorrow afternoon. What’s our plan there?"
Sylvia gently pulled the reins, giving a ntal command for the zombie horses to maintain a steady speed. "We’ll stay a few days in Eldridge. The town is big enough for small rchants but not too crowded, so we can train without too many eyes watching. There’s a small dinsional rift nearby that few people know about. It’s full of pure, untainted energy. Perfect for the three of us to adjust to our new power."
Alicia nodded slowly, her silver hair swaying gently. "I’m starting to get used to this body. Tomorrow I should be able to walk more naturally in front of people. Maybe even talk to rchants at the market."
Stacia smiled widely. "Good. In that case, tonight we’ll rest at the edge of the forest. We’ll continue calmly tomorrow morning."
The carriage continued its slow journey through the afternoon. They stopped briefly at a clear little river to let the zombie horses "drink" (though they didn’t actually need to) and to rest for a while themselves. Sylvia sat on a rock by the riverbank, gazing at the rushing water in quiet thought. Stacia read her novel again under a tree, while Alicia practiced walking on the grass with increasingly steady and natural steps.
As the red sun began to set behind the mountains, they continued onward. The road grew quieter, with only the occasional passing rchant hurrying ho before nightfall.
Night began to fall when they decided to stop at a small clearing beside the forest. They set up a simple tent from the carriage canvas, lit a small campfire, and ward the leftover soup from the previous night. The small fire crackled softly, illuminating the faces of the three girls sitting calmly around it.
"Tomorrow we’ll enter wilder territory," Sylvia said softly as she stirred the soup with a wooden spoon. "Eldridge is a border town. Many people from different places co and go there. We’ll need to be more careful with our disguises."
Stacia nodded while blowing on her bowl of soup. "I’ll strengthen the illusion spell before we enter the town. So no one can spot even the slightest flaw."
Alicia stared at the campfire, her silver hair faintly gleaming in the firelight. "I’m ready. This body is starting to feel like mine. I don’t want to be a burden."
The campfire crackled quietly, crackle... crackle... casting a warm light on their three faces that contrasted with the darkness of the forest. In the distance, the sounds of the night began: the faint howl of wild wolves, the rustle of leaves, and the wind blowing through the tall trees.
Sylvia gazed at the night sky dotted with faint red stars. "We have ti. We’ll do it our own way. Slowly... but surely."
Stacia smiled softly, her eyes gentle. "Just like this journey. Slow, but enjoyable."
Alicia simply nodded in silence, holding her bowl of warm soup tightly.
The simple rchant carriage was parked beside the tent, the two zombie horses standing guard faithfully through the night. In the middle of the dark, silent forest, three figures carrying pure deathly power sat around a small campfire, just like ordinary humans on an ordinary journey.
Tomorrow, their journey would continue once again with deliberately slow steps.
And the world far behind them was still in turmoil because of the na Nocture, unaware that their queen was enjoying a peaceful night at the edge of the forest, moving toward greater power at a calm and patient rhythm.
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