Volume 1 Chapter 543
by post_apiChapter 543: A Beautiful Dream
Hillenbrand Town now basks in a serene and harmonious atmosphere.
Though Lady Lolth is no longer present, the town continues to thrive and function smoothly.
Indeed, referring to Hillenbrand Town merely as a town no longer does it justice.
It has grown to resemble a city.
The southern and western districts, along with the newly established industrial park, have expanded significantly since Lolth’s initial arrival.
With an influx of people from nearby villages, small towns, and even other capital cities, Hillenbrand Town has become one of the most prominent and populous locations on Vera Plain.
Despite the continent’s increasingly dire and chaotic situation, it seems as though a magical barrier surrounds Hillenbrand Town, shielding it from any adverse effects.
Today, as usual, the town’s public transportation welcomed new visitors.
Most were merchants, laden with bags and gold coins, eager to purchase the unique "standard magic devices" exclusive to Hillenbrand Town.
Motivated by some unknown reason, Tina and Isabella had already surpassed the tasks assigned by Lolth.
They even initiated a trial sale of household standard magic devices.
Without any advertising, merchants from other demon races across Vera Plain quickly caught wind of this and flocked to the town.
Standard, household, magic device.
These three words together resonate with the sound of clinking gold coins, even to the most oblivious merchant.
Thus, upon disembarking, these merchants made a beeline for the store in the West District.
Only one young man, dressed as a merchant, stood out.
He wore fashionable satin shorts from Seychelles, carried a small bundle, and after surveying his surroundings, leisurely strolled into Hillenbrand Town.
As he walked along the newly paved road, observing the unlit streetlights adorned with magic crystals, the young man slightly squinted his eyes.
"Truly, seeing is believing," he murmured, continuing his journey until he reached the central square.
There, on a bench by the square, he spotted a figure that took him by surprise.
Adjusting his expression and raising an eyebrow, he briskly approached.
"Hey, old man… What are you up to?" he inquired.
The gray-haired Gandhi Alter turned at the sound, meeting the gaze of a handsome young man smiling at him.
Having lived in Hillenbrand Town for some time, Gandhi Alter could easily discern whether someone was a local.
Realizing the young man before him was likely not a resident, he offered a friendly, albeit slightly stiff, smile.
"I’m feeding the chickens," Gandhi Alter revealed, opening his hand to show a handful of feed. "The central square is home to many birds, and you can purchase a small bag of feed at the store over there for two copper coins."
The young man paused, observing the chickens and a large white goose fluttering near Gandhi Alter’s feet, then scratched his head.
"Oh? Who do these chickens belong to?" he asked.
"These chickens are public property; they belong to no one," Gandhi Alter explained, scattering a handful of corn.
The birds immediately lowered their heads, scurrying around to peck at the scattered feed.
"Public property?"
The young man pondered the term, his confusion deepening.
Grandpa Gandhi observed the young man’s expression and smiled even more warmly.
"First time in Hillenbrand Town, isn’t it? It’s indeed quite perplexing."
"Simply put, these poultry were introduced by the lord and placed in the square for anyone to feed… Eventually, the edible varieties will be harvested, transported to the dining hall, and turned into meals at very low prices—since, after all, they’re collectively raised."
As Grandpa Gandhi explained, the young man nodded, somewhat grasping the concept.
"Truly a remarkable initiative," he remarked, his face reflecting deep admiration. "Though the lord here is of the demon race, seeing is believing. They’re entirely different from the demon race portrayed by those influential figures."
"Indeed, I once shared that view," Gandhi Alter replied, then abruptly shifted the topic, "By the way, which country’s spy are you?"
He spoke casually, and the young man looked at Gandhi Alter, puzzled.
"Huh—?"
"I merely came to Hillenbrand Town to explore, nothing more!"
Gandhi Alter remained silent, his gaze fixed on the young man.
The young man scratched his head, his expression innocent.
"Alright, alright… I’m a noble from Seychelles… I recognized you, Mr. ‘Old Order Sword’; your tales were part of my upbringing…"
"My visit to Hillenbrand Town was simply to wander and discover its wonders."
Gandhi Alter listened, then pulled out a small booklet from his pocket, flipping through it swiftly.
He then looked up.
"Hmm, I see, a member of The Church of Light."
At this, the young man’s composure shattered.
His expression shifted until it was utterly blank.
"How did you deduce that?"
He inquired, his voice devoid of emotion.
Gandhi Alter regarded him and silently displayed his handbook.
The cover read, "Common Phrases and Reactions of Various Spy Forces."
Author, "Kululu Bobo Puchi."
"You might not be aware, but Hillenbrand Town is home to two demons…"
"This handbook, recently given to me by Lord Kululu, contains exhaustive information on such matters."
After hearing Gandhi Alter’s words, the young man fell silent for a moment.
Then, he sighed softly.
"Gandhi Alter, I once admired your loyalty, wisdom, and decisiveness."
"But now, it seems you’ve fully succumbed to the sins of evil, cunning, and cruelty."
He gently raised his hand, a glimmer of light appearing at his fingertips.
"Loyalty, wisdom, determination, evil, cunning, cruelty," Grandpa Gandhi repeated these words as he rose from his chair, "they all sound like the same thing to me."
The young man narrowed his eyes.
"So, you dare to defy the glory of my master?"
As he spoke, his aura surged like a tidal wave, pressing down on Gandhi Alter.
Gandhi Alter, who had once stepped into the Holy Domain, felt a heavy weight on his shoulders, his face paling slightly.
Yet, aside from him, none of the passersby in the square felt even a trace of this oppressive force.
The young man’s power was so restrained that not a hint of it leaked out.
Nevertheless, Gandhi Alter kept his gaze fixed on the young man.
"Has the light of your so-called master ever made the world as peaceful as Hillenbrand Town?"
"The Holy Lieto Empire… even the Holy Capital cannot compare to this place, can it?"
The old man spoke with calm dignity.
"Your sins now include the crime of ‘false speech.’"
The young man retorted.
"By condemning me without cause, you have already shown your inferiority."
Gandhi Alter said, his eyes flicking towards the young man’s side.
The young man instinctively followed his gaze, landing on the "Decree" stone tablet standing in the center of Hillenbrand Town’s square.
He remained silent for a moment, then shook his head.
"Tell me, where is Her Holiness of The Church of Light being held?"
As he spoke, the light at his fingertips intensified.
The threat was unmistakable.
Although his severe wounds had long since healed, and even the hidden injury from Sword Saint Seychelles’ strike had mostly recovered, Gandhi Alter’s fallen level meant he might not even be able to defeat Isabella now.
Though he couldn’t gauge the young man’s strength, he knew…
This man could definitely kill him.
The young man was equally aware of this.
However, he didn’t believe Gandhi Alter would yield.
If this man were to yield, he wouldn’t be known as the "Old Order Sword."
He was Seychelles’ most notorious rebel, known for his extreme methods.
Even in the presence of the National Sword Master, he dared to draw his sword and challenge him.
This was the "Old Order Sword"!
Even though he now served the demon race…
But, as he had seen and as Gandhi had just said…
Gandhi was not submitting to the demon race; he was moved by what the demon race had accomplished!
The young man had already anticipated that this would be another legend from the past, fallen by his hand.
He felt a tinge of regret as he waited for Gandhi Alter to speak.
However…
"Oh, Her Holiness, in the torture tower—that tallest tower over there. Enter through the main door, and a golem will open it for you. Tell the golem you’re here to see the Holy Maiden, and it will guide you there."
"Of course, it might also be an elf or a human knight… If it’s one of those two, make sure to speak clearly."
"Janine Irene is also in the same place."
The imposing aura around Gandhi Alter suddenly dissipated, and he pointed towards the tall black tower in the northeast corner.
Like a helpful old man, he eagerly and meticulously directed the young man to the Holy Maiden’s location.
The young man was stunned.
He looked at Gandhi Alter, his eyes filled with confusion.
"What… are you doing?"
"I’m feeding the chickens, as I just mentioned."
Gandhi Alter scattered the last of the corn crumbs from his hands and replied.
The young man opened his mouth but eventually lowered his hand.
Gandhi Alter’s posture remained as upright as a sword, yet the young man felt as though this sharp blade had already been sheathed.
He walked past the young man, heading towards his back.
"If you want to talk, go chat with your own Holy Maiden."
Grandpa Gandhi said this and quickly left the scene.
The young man turned around and watched the white-haired old man walking side by side with another man who seemed utterly ordinary.
"Hey, Brother Gandhi, done feeding the chickens?"
"Yes, Harper, finished with your duties?"
"Come on, brother, don’t embarrass me… What duties? I just took a stroll to City Hall."
"Ah, I see… Shall we play chess now?"
"Sure, let’s play a couple of games, but this afternoon I need to head north to pick someone up… Heard there’s chaos in South Sotua, and a group of mercenaries is arriving. My former captain is among them, along with some big shots from South Sotua—legendary mercenaries, princesses, all brought back by that kid Ann and Kanor!"
"That’s impressive! I’ll join you this afternoon to check it out!"
"No problem—by the way, that guy you were chatting with at the square, what does he do?"
"Oh, just some charlatan asking for directions."
The two old men walked further and further away, while the young man stood still, lost in thought for a long time.
Finally, he decided to stop overthinking and walked towards the torture tower that Gandhi Alter had pointed out.
Old Order Sword wouldn’t lie to him about this…
Would it?
The young man pondered to himself.
At the same moment, in the Holy Lieto Empire.
Lolth, now clad in her bishop’s robe, carried Dorothy back to the front hall and laid her on a bench, letting Dorothy rest her head on her lap.
Though initially startled, Lolth, upon checking, found that Dorothy wasn’t seriously harmed; it seemed to be just another faint induced by intense emotions, which made her breathe a sigh of relief.
Simply lying down to rest for a while would suffice.
Thus, Lolth took Dorothy into a church that was relatively bright and airy.
In fact, Dorothy, though unconscious, did not completely lose her awareness.
On the contrary, her soul and mind were surprisingly active at that moment.
Forgotten images and emotions kept flashing and leaping in Dorothy’s consciousness, like fragments of a shattered dream.
The malicious and suspicious nobles wore sickeningly false smiles, speaking cold words laden with formality.
The woman who seemed to be a highborn elder always scrutinized her with almost undisguised malice, her face perpetually adorned with a cruel expression.
Even the one she trusted most, who seemed like a sister to her, had betrayed her and nearly caused her demise.
Everything in her memory felt freezing cold, as if she were submerged in icy water.
"You should take responsibility for your mother’s situation."
"You are just a burden."
"A cursed one… truly quite pitiful."
"This is what you must bear as a ‘princess.’"
Dorothy felt suffocated.
Just as she was about to scream, she suddenly felt warmth on her cheek.
A familiar, fragrant, soft touch.
The gentle touch made the bad images and sounds vanish in an instant.
"Alright, alright."
"The teacher is here."
The figure of the black-haired succubus girl suddenly filled Dorothy’s entire consciousness.
And the little moments spent with her.
Though she couldn’t remember clearly, she could vaguely see a bit, and Dorothy seemed to catch a glimpse of something.
It must have been the happiest past of her previous life.
The reasons for liking her teacher must be a hundred times stronger than she had imagined.
Memories receded like the tide, leaving only a wet beach.
Dorothy opened her eyes and saw Teacher Lolth gently stroking her head.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
Lolth asked gently.
Dorothy shook her head.
"It was a very nice, lovely dream."
The girl said softly.