Chapter 229

Chapter Sixteen Subtle Influence

The sunlight was somewhat dazzling.

In the densely forested northern part of the capital city, all that could be seen were buildings of pale greenish-white and lush vegetation. The crisp chirping of insects could be heard from time to time.

There weren’t many people on the streets; only a few walked here and there, most of them in a hurry. It was about lunchtime, but I wasn’t hungry at all. It was very unusual for me not to have any desire to eat. Even when passing by the street corners with their abundant snack shops, I didn’t feel like going in for a look.

But I still picked an appealing shop and bought some tasty snacks, wrapping them in brown paper and eating as I walked.

I didn’t know what kind of flour and spices the snacks were made of, but they had a sticky sauce mixed in, tasting sweet and sour, which was quite palatable, yet I didn’t find them particularly delicious.

I knew it wasn’t the food’s fault. The problem lay within me. Ever since I woke up until now, I hadn’t felt that intense craving for food or the uncontrollable urge to bite anything in sight. Although this was also troubling, my current state worried me deeply.

Actually, I hadn’t eaten much in three days because I had been in a deep sleep. Under normal circumstances, I would have been so hungry that I’d want to devour an entire rhinoceros beast. But now…

I frowned and stopped at the corner of the street, looking at the half-eaten snack in my hand, lost in thought.

…I don’t want to eat.

Although I could feel emptiness in my stomach, my mood was as if I had already finished a sumptuous banquet and, despite feeling content, I had to force more food into my belly. Both my body and mind resisted it.

I clearly understood the reason.

I had “eaten” too much. That massive monster hadn’t been digested yet, so my body temporarily didn’t need more energy.

“Gulp.”

I forced myself to take a bite of the remaining half of the snack, my mouth bulging, struggling to chew while reaching into the paper bag for another piece, then continued walking.

I had to eat. Anything… just eat something.

I must make my body rely again on ordinary human food, rather than “abyssal sustenance.” Even though recalling it now, I still found it incredibly, unbelievably delicious, the most delectable thing in the world. The feeling was so captivating that I even wanted to eat Victoria and everyone else in the capital if I could. It would have been wonderful—

…What am I thinking?!

No, no… I don’t want to think about that anymore.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm down.

I had to overcome this temptation, as dangerous and addictive as the allure of a demonic poppy.

With a slightly heavy heart, I walked slowly along the gravel path, passing through one alley after another. Unconsciously, I had finished the snacks and came upon the huge chasm running almost across the entire Cataroma.

My stomach felt queasy.

“Haaah—”

I let out a short, sharp, cold belch, as if chilled, and slowly walked to the edge of the chasm, standing firm.

“Haaah!”

Gently patting my chest, I looked inside.

The cellar was covered with dirt and rubble, its original appearance long gone. Everywhere were scorched black marks. I walked halfway around the chasm, but found no trace of vertebrae, not even a fragment. Only dark, sooty stones, but I saw signs of someone having moved things in certain spots.

“Hey! Little girl, what are you doing here!”

Behind me, a rough and loud shout startled me, and I quickly turned around to see several bare-chested men carrying wooden poles standing not far away, glaring at me.

“Whose little girl is this? So mischievous! What if she falls? Hurry up and leave!”

One of the burly men shouted at me, and immediately someone patted him.

“Lower your voice. This girl looks so beautiful, her status must be high.”

“She must be a noble lady. Pixie, how could you shout without even seeing who she is? You’ve offended her…”

Their voices gradually faded, and the previous…

The person who shouted began to look tense and stared at me in panic.

They were probably all workers repairing the orphanage.

“Sorry.” I bowed slightly to them, feeling somewhat embarrassed, “I’ll leave right away—嗝—”

Unable to hold back another burp, I quickly covered my mouth and hurriedly ducked into a nearby alley, lowering my head as I went. Not far away, I faintly heard whispers behind me.

“A well-mannered young lady, completely different from those rude women at the tavern… She seems kind of cute? Pix, you’re lucky she didn’t argue with you.”

“There aren’t many such young ladies here, with black hair…”

Fortunately, no one mentioned my burping.

But even as I walked deeper into the alley, the quiet discussion did not stop.

“嗝!”

Due to the rain having stopped for a long time, the mud on the small path had dried up, making it less uncomfortable to walk on compared to that night. The smell was still unpleasant, and occasionally there were barks of dogs, or glimpses of people.

Following my memory, I searched for a while until I finally saw the house with the hole in its wall that I had smashed. Next to it was the alley where I had fought with Teresa; traces could still be seen, though the ice had melted.

Captain Gray and the axe were not here. I learned from others that both weapons had been taken by the Sword of Kanri two days prior, which reassured me.

“As for that scythe, wow! It took two people to carry it, and they had to switch every little while! They say it’s a hero’s weapon, truly impressive… Hey girl, what do you want with that?”

After finally escaping the nosy curiosity of the matron, I left the alley and waited for a rhinoceros carriage, riding it to the most devastated area.

My burping gradually subsided along the way.

I got off the carriage across the street and walked over, soon arriving at a large circular square.

This place was on the edge of the disaster zone. I saw many tents set up in the square, stretching densely far into the distance.

These… were people who had lost their homes, and even their loved ones.

It had been several days since the incident, and they seemed to have mostly come to terms with their losses. Some chatted happily with guards, while others even set up stalls in the center of their tents, selling sausages, jewelry, and other things. Their moods were generally low, but they had to survive somehow.

Occasionally, I heard them mention Victoria.

“The houses don’t need to be rebuilt at our own expense, it’s wonderful! All thanks to Her Majesty the Queen.”

“What a wise queen Her Majesty is. Did you all listen carefully to her speech just now? She truly considers us… Praise her…”

“Even though Her Majesty is young, she already has the shadow of King Rodny IV, the wise king… I’m really glad Ethanbel can have such a good king again…”

“Why aren’t those snobbish nobles saying anything now…”

“Don’t mention those disgusting people… One day, I will break their noses!”

From their conversation, it seemed Victoria had recently given a speech here.

Just after such an incident…

I didn’t stay long, nor did I venture further. Instead, I chose some vendors who looked weary, as if they had weathered this disaster, and bought some food and jewelry from them, which I probably wouldn’t wear, before leaving.

In truth, I didn’t understand why I felt compelled to see this place. It wasn’t meaningful. I couldn’t help everyone; rebuilding the burned houses would surely cost astronomical sums. I didn’t know how Victoria planned to solve it, and I still remembered the debt the royal city owed to Saint George’s Bank.

I wondered if the gold coins in my hand could help her…

My stomach felt uneasy. It was a sensation of indigestion I hadn’t experienced in a long time. I looked up at the sky and decided to walk home.

This place was already in the city center, actually not far from Longdor Street. I deliberately walked slowly, and by the time I approached my front door, dusk was settling.

I heard singing coming from the courtyard far away.