To avoid attracting attention, Lette waited at ho until midnight.
At this hour, most people in Harbor City were already in a deep sleep. Only then did Lette take Unica and hastily leave the general store.
At this mont, the fog had reached its densest point of the day, and Lette, to prevent Unica from getting lost, carried her on his back.
The two of them kept moving forward in the silent Harbor City. Although Lette had exceptional perception abilities, navigating in the night combined with the dense fog was still challenging.
Fortunately, Unica grew up in Harbor City and initially worked as a patrolling officer, so she was very familiar with the city’s routes.
With her guidance, Lette avoided many unnecessary detours and quickly arrived at a neighborhood in the Lower City where many impoverished people lived.
Even though the Upper City was filled with dignitaries, the nobles and wealthy rchants also had their own circles.
And in the Lower City, it was naturally the sa.
Fishern fishing at the harbor were considered a relatively well-off group.
But Lette didn’t expect that the place they lived in was so rundown, practically the lowest of the Lower City.
"Where do these people spend their money?"
"I don’t know... It’s common for fishern at the harbor to have better boats than houses."
Lette agreed deeply with Unica’s words.
Amidst the thick fog and darkness, the two of them weaved through nurous low and rundown houses. After searching for a long while, they finally found the house where Old John lived.
"Be careful."
Lette led Unica to quietly enter the house. This old man lived alone, and the fact that there was nobody else inside made it easier for Lette and Unica.
"This should be the right distance, so I’ll blow it now."
Unica found a suitable spot, took the conch that Lette handed over, and took a deep breath before gently blowing into it.
As she exhaled, the rmaid’s song flowed softly from the conch, and the expression on Old John’s sleeping face relaxed imdiately, showing that the song had already taken effect.
Ding-dong, ding-dong! Ding-dong, ding-dong!
Just as Lette thought things were going well, the sound of wind chis suddenly echoed inside the room, startling both of them.
Lette reacted swiftly, holding Unica in his arms and flying up to the rooftop. With a technique of withdrawing the Light Elent, he shrouded them both in darkness.
As expected, Old John turned over and sat up, sleepily looking around the room.
After finding nothing amiss, he lay back down.
Lette was a bit speechless: "Hiss... What just happened, why did the wind chis ring? I didn’t feel any wind!"
Unica quietly replied: "I... I heard about it. So fishing boats going deep-sea fishing hang similar wind chis.
If there are unusual storms or strange phenona, the wind chis will alert.
Maybe these things respond to the rmaid’s song as well.
After all, to sailors, rmaids can also be deadly creatures."
"What a troubleso thing, hold on to ..."
"Huh?"
"I need to deal with this wind chi."
"Oh, okay!"
Unica turned over and held Lette, resting her head on his shoulder.
Lette freed a hand and summoned the Holy Truth Magic Ring. He then used Ice Magic to completely freeze the entire wind chi.
After succeeding, he beckoned Unica, embracing her as they slowly descended back across the room.
"Alright, you can let go now."
Unica was taken aback for a mont before she belatedly released her arms and legs.
"Blow again."
"Okay!"
Unica walked over to the bedside but suddenly turned back.
"Um, why didn’t we land first and then freeze the wind chi?"
"Uh... Ignore those details, hurry up and blow!"
Unica moved back to the bedside, picked up the conch, and blew into it again. Gretel’s lodious and enchanting song drifted out, and this ti, there were no more wind chi disturbances.
Old John’s body relaxed, and he quickly fell under the spell.
"Lette, it’s done!"
"Alright, go ahead and ask, and I’ll supplent."
Unica nodded and leaned closer to the bedside: "Uncle John?"
Although Old John didn’t open his eyes, he responded groggily: "Hmm?"
"What exactly happened to Hegro Fishing Village?"
Lette nearly stumbled: "You... asking so bluntly, don’t you know any investigation techniques? Can’t you coax out the details skillfully? Haven’t you been learning from Emily too long, getting influenced by her?"
Unexpectedly, tears suddenly welled up in Old John’s eyes.
"Hegro was wronged. We were frad!"
Lette was surprised: "Did you really just ask it out like that?"
Unica quickly asked: "Who frad you? And who subrged Hegro Fishing Village?"
Old John, amidst sobbing and sleep, narrated a chilling story in a broken manner.
Hegro, an inconspicuous small fishing village next to Kedrus Harbor City, was much older than Kedrus Harbor City itself.
This ancient small fishing village had always had minimal contact with the outside world.
Isolated, they maintained the oldest beliefs and sacrificial rituals.
They worshiped the sea and didn’t believe in a so-called God governing everything.
They believed that the sea is just the sea, great enough on its own.
They were devout in their worship of the sea, a tradition passed down to this day.
Under the sea’s protection, they were prosperous year-round, and there were rarely any casualties during fishing trips. Even though the village was located in a low-lying area, they had never experienced any floods.
If not for that accident, this small fishing village might have continued its peaceful heritage.
But one day, a group of outsiders ca to the small fishing village.
The leader was the City Lord of Kedrus Harbor City, and among their group were the Guard Corps Commander of the city and several hooded mages.
They brought a great amount of treasure and things new to the villagers.
They told the secluded fishern about the wonders and excitent of the outside world.
They were willing to purchase the villagers’ fish and open a trade route by building a dock in the fishing village to enhance its connection with the outside world.
The elderly villagers were very resistant to these outsiders, but the mages and warriors in their group were very strong.
Under the threat of force, the elderly villagers dared not speak up.
But the younger generation within the village was deeply attracted to the world depicted by these outsiders.
The outsiders lingered for a long ti in the fishing village, spending large sums to buy things that the villagers thought were useless, leaving behind many novelties and books introducing the outside world.
After they left, the village head imdiately organized a group to destroy everything left behind by these outsiders.
The village head prohibited any further discussions about the outside world and forbade anyone from leaving the village.
But once the breach of desire is opened, it grows uncontrollably.
Soon, there were villagers attempting to escape.
Although this person was captured and brought back, unrest had taken root in the hearts of the villagers.
The village head was furious and ruthlessly executed the escapee.
It was the first ti the village executed its own mber.
However, this harsh thod did not stop the villagers from wanting to leave.
More and more people left the village, almost turning it into a trend.
Even those who chose to stay no longer focused on fishing and began to trade with the city.
The fresh fish from Hegro Fishing Village beca all the rage in Harbor City, becoming a tourist attraction.
The once isolated fishing village gradually beca like any other surrounding village, losing its uniqueness.
Everyone thought this was a natural progression.
Until one day, the village head called everyone together.
"The sea is about to get angry."
The old village head said, "Leave, this village will cease to exist.
We have broken the Oath and betrayed Him, and now He seeks to avenge us.
Leave, and do not return.
In the future, do not engage in any sea-related trades. The sea will no longer offer any blessings.
Go before the tide rises, leave this place."
At first, everyone thought the old village head was just angry and speaking in anger.
But soon, they realized sothing was wrong.
The sea’s tides surged remarkably. Coupled with the village’s low-lying position, it was quickly subrged.
Fortunately, every house had fishing boats, preventing them from perishing with the village.
They struggled to leave the village and docked at Harbor City.
After coming ashore, they found that everyone had escaped, except the village head who was missing.
So returned to find the village head but never ca back.
Everyone then realized the village head’s warnings were no joke.
Upon arriving at Harbor City, the City Lord’s attitude was no longer warm. He hastily arranged accommodations and established the fishing port.
Failing to find other ans of livelihood, Hegro villagers had to continue fishing.
However, they were no longer as successful as before in the sea.
Moreover, their boats and fishing gear inexplicably broke frequently.
The money earned from fishing was quickly spent on repairs.
They struggled on the brink of subsistence, never starving but unable to save money.
It seed as if an unseen presence cursed their lineage, preventing them from gaining from the sea again.
After listening to Old John’s tale, Lette and Unica were silent.
It seed like a story of a village once blessed by the sea, only to be punished after forsaking that blessing.
Lette rubbed his chin: "It feels like soone raised a pet cat, pampered it with good food and drinks. But the cat, oblivious to its owner’s kindness, was enticed by a feral cat and yearned for the outside world.
The cat frequently ran outside, not only taking the good things its owner gave but also bringing back dead mice and slly socks alike.
Eventually, the original owner lost patience, cast it out, leaving it to roam, constantly struggling to find the next al?
Unica frowned, "Originally a decent story, but after your rendition, how did it beco..."
"Easily understood! No need to praise , I know."
Lette looked at the sleeping Old John: "So the wild cat is the City Lord of Harbor City. Why did he invest so much effort and money into a small fishing village?
What does he want?
Surely not just for the fish?
And there were several mages in his group?
Why take so many mages to a non-threatening fishing village?
How does a re City Lord of a small harbor city have the power to employ so many mages to serve him?"
Unica shook her head in confusion: "Rather than dwell on that, I’m more curious about the ’Him’ ntioned by the old village head.
In His view, what was Hegro Fishing Village’s role?
He nurtured generations of a whole village for so many years. Was it really just as pets?
Those outsiders, scheming to sow discord within the village, ultimately leading to its downfall.
They must have been targeting that ’Him’, right?"
Lette mused briefly: "Looks like we’ll need to have a word with the City Lord."
Unica suggested, "I think we should investigate the ruins of the fishing village."
"Anyway, it’s late, we should head back and plan more thoroughly."
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