Chapter 817

Chapter 817 Crimson Hearthfire

“Quite quiet on the streets,” Lolan Hill remarked, observing the desolate street beside Ye Ling.

“There’s a faint scent of blood,” Ye Ling sniffed, uneasily rubbing against Lolan Hill’s arm.

The caravan passed through the mottled white cobblestone streets and halted outside a courtyard. This was a place specifically rented out to traveling merchant caravans, with warehouses and lodgings inside.

“Stop here,” called Vio, the elf youth, addressing the people ahead of the carriage. Then he led the group into the courtyard to negotiate briefly.

Soon, the caravan entered the courtyard, and the accompanying personnel settled down.

Finding such a comfortable place to rest, the kitchen staff quickly started a fire to cook meals and boil water for a good bath later.

“Let’s go in too,” Lolan Hill said, leading Ye Ling off the carriage. Amidst the greetings and farewells of the crowd, they walked into the central hall.

The floor of the hall was made of smooth marble, and above was a grand chandelier of golden glass that could be used for banquets or balls. The red carpeted staircase on the side led up to various rooms used for receiving guests and conducting business, while the topmost floor was reserved for distinguished guests’ bedrooms.

As a structure in the imperial capital, the building was quite ornate, with exquisite carvings and oil paintings everywhere, depicting magnificent scenes from history involving elves, humans, angels, and more.

“At last, I can have a proper sleep~” Ye Ling exclaimed, throwing herself onto the soft bed after entering the bedroom, bouncing slightly before rolling around, her two pigtails flipping along with her movements.

“You should rest well. I might be busy these next few days and won’t have time to visit you,” Lolan Hill said, tucking Ye Ling under the covers, then returning to her own room.

Lolan Hill changed into a comfortable nightgown and lay down on the bed to sleep.

As dusk approached and the sky darkened, Lolan Hill finally woke up to the sound of a maid knocking on her door. She felt as if she had returned to the days spent in Hope Lane again.

“Just a moment, I’ll be right there,” she replied simply, changing into a simple dress before opening the door.

“Would Miss Lacy need some food? Dinner is ready,” two beautiful elven maids bowed and asked.

“A little bit, please,” the young lady nodded. One maid went to fetch the meal while the other lit the fireplace in the bedroom and lit the candles.

The maid’s fair fingers gently turned, and a slender flame

The flames condensed in the magic, then entered the brick fireplace, igniting the dry firewood. Soon after, a slight crackling sound came, and a wave of crimson warm flames flickered within.

The gilded candlesticks shaped like flowers were lit one by one and placed beside the small table in front of the fireplace. The maid carefully laid out a pristine tablecloth and tidied up the chairs and sofa before allowing the young lady to wait a little longer.

“Thank you, Eugenia,” Loran Hill sat down and looked at this beautiful elven maid in front of her, sizing her up slightly.

Elves, indeed, were a race created by the culmination of the ‘Divine Winged Sun’ summarizing the techniques of the ‘Tree of Life,’ possessing many advantages over other races.

Their appearances were generally very beautiful, with fair and smooth skin, better mana adaptability, and longer lifespans. Their preference for peace made internal conflicts less frequent. If there was one flaw, perhaps it was because of their long lifespans, they grew slowly and reproduced at a slower rate.

This also led to greater internal stability and slower evolution.

For an individual, slow evolution was a happy thing, but for the entire race, it would slow down the progress of history, which might not be perfect.

Shaking off these thoughts for now, Loran Hill sat by the warm fireplace, looking at the flames in the hearth, slightly lost in thought.

Since going to the Eastern Continent, she hadn’t sat by a fireplace and daydreamed like this for a long time.

When she lived alone in the forest, there was no one to talk to. Every night, she would sit by the fireplace in her small cabin, quietly watching the flames crackle, reminiscing about past events.

Scenes from her previous life and figures from her memories flowed through her eyes illuminated by the firelight. She savored the bittersweet taste of those memories and slowly wrote down her feelings at her desk.

Now sitting once again by this warm red hearth, the scenes of the past resurfaced in her heart.

She wondered how Chelsea, Sares, and the others were doing. Had the child who returned to his mother grown up?

What about Pullman, the rabbit-eared girl Mira, Aliya, and Bard? Were they injured or survived in the war?

The previously unnoticed nostalgia was stirred up by the warmth of the autumn hearth, slowly enveloping the young lady’s heart.

“Miss Lacy, dinner is ready.”

An elven maid with light pink hair carefully placed the plate in front of the young lady. It contained grilled tender steak, complemented by fresh rosemary, coconut-scented bread, and raspberry juice with ice cubes, exuding alluring aromas and colors. At the corner of the plate were a few slices of fruit.

Good oranges, as dessert after the meal.

  ”Thank you, Yustilia,” the young lady thanked the two elven maids again, then picked up her utensils and took small bites.

  The texture was excellent. The tender meat was interspersed with a hint of pepper aroma, bursting in her mouth, followed by the soft coconut bread, filling her hungry stomach. The raspberry juice cleansed the greasiness in her mouth, and then she ate several slices of the orange segments. Dinner came to an end.

  ”Good night, Miss Lacy.”

  After finishing her meal, Lolan Hill took a hot bath, then lay down on the bed more comfortably. At this moment, the two maids quietly closed the door and left the room. The young lady’s consciousness entered a peaceful sleep, slowly processing the emotions accumulated during the day.

  —-

  At the same time, there was no peace in Titania’s Rose Palace.

  In the courtyard of the palace under the cover of night, torches were lit and held by the elite royal guards. They stood on both sides of the open space, surrounding and guarding the queen in the center who wore a light veil.

  This slender girl held the only flesh and blood of the Empire’s emperor, standing quietly at the center of the courtyard, while six powerful personal maids waited silently on either side.

  ”Derosa Lord has arrived!”

  Accompanied by royal guards clad in steel armor and deep red capes, the red-robed official stepped into the palace interior. His face was like an unchanging glacier, solemn and stern.

  ”I do not know why Her Majesty summoned me at this late hour. Is there something important?” He stopped about ten meters away from the queen, bowed deeply, making his actions impeccable but devoid of any warmth.

  ”I hope Lord Derosa will stop the ongoing purge order and resign from his position as the captain of the royal guards,” her voice trembled slightly, yet it conveyed a long-suppressed pressure.

  In the orange-yellow flames, Lily’s petite face was illuminated, half bright and clear, half swaying in the shadow.