Chapter 221

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Chapter 221: Killer Whale!

Lolth has almost never doubted that the landlady is a hidden master.

Since she discovered that Ann and Maider were both Superoperators who had concealed their powers and once ruled the world, she became even more convinced that the two landladies she deeply respected could not be ordinary figures.

Running a small tavern in a quiet little town, no one knows her real name, her origins, or how long she has been managing the place… and she has earned the admiration of two formerly powerful individuals.

This certainly matches the classic profile of an exceptionally strong person.

Even her adopted daughter is gradually revealing remarkable talent.

And when Kanor gained her extraordinary power, she mentioned to Lolth several times that she felt unable to see through her adoptive mother, the tavern landlady.

Everything suggests that “the landlady is strong” and “has profound experience.”

So it makes perfect sense that Lolth would think of the landlady when she encountered the mysterious whale statue.

The last time Lolth asked about the list of suitable companions for Hillenbrand Town, the landlady provided good, honest advice that greatly helped Lolth.

Even if the other party might not know exactly what this object is, she could still offer fresh ideas and insights.

With this in mind, Lolth stepped into the small tavern of Hillenbrand Town again after a long absence.

When she pushed open the door and entered, Lolth saw the landlady, as usual, lazily resting with half-closed eyes behind the bar.

“Wow—you’re quite relaxed…”

Lolth raised her hand to greet the landlady.

“There’s really not much to do, so of course I’m relaxed,” the landlady replied, slightly opening her eyes upon hearing Lolth’s voice and sitting up from her chair. “Oh dear, it’s you, my dear lord… what a rare guest!”

As she spoke, the landlady stood up and retrieved a pair of crystal wine glasses from the cupboard. She poured herself a glass of golden fruit wine and a light golden juice for Lolth.

“So, what brings you to the tavern on this rare visit?”

Lolth took the cup and sipped gently. Though the juice lacked any magical sensation, it still brought a strange calm to her soul after she drank it.

The taste was sweet with a hint of refreshing flavor, leaving a delightful aftertaste.

“This is really good juice,” Lolth praised the landlady’s drink and sat down at the bar. “I do have some matters to discuss, but it’s nothing urgent… I just have a few questions for you, landlady.”

“If even Lord Lolth doesn’t know about it, how could I?” the landlady laughed and shook her head. “I’m just an ordinary tavern keeper in Hillenbrand Town.”

“You’re joking, landlady,” Lolth said, eyeing the simply dressed woman who didn’t seem special but exuded an intriguing presence. “You have the ability to easily see through someone’s true nature, and you raised such a talented Kanor… You’re definitely not an ordinary person.”

She quickly finished the juice and smiled softly.

“Also, there’s no need to hide your strength around me… I’m not trying to pry into your past; I just have some questions to ask.”

“True, you, as a succubus, are also quite skilled at concealing your strength,” the landlady shrugged and continued, “Well, anyway… It’s not the first time people have mistaken me for a walking encyclopedia. Feel free to ask whatever you want.”

Lolth nodded and pulled the grayish-white whale statue from her pocket, placing it on the small table.

“This thing… was found alongside the alchemy item that Kanor is wearing now. You must have noticed that companion-type alchemy item… After it was absorbed by Kanor, this object fell out,” Lolth said, tapping the statue. “At first, I thought it was just a decoration, but now it seems alive—whenever it comes into contact with ancient magical structures or high concentrations of magic, it actively absorbs that magic.”

As she spoke, to demonstrate, Lolth drew an ancient rune in the air in front of the landlady, then let the whale statue absorb it.

When the landlady saw the grayish-white whale statue, she was slightly stunned, and when she watched Lolth draw the rune and the whale absorb it, her expression shifted to one of shock.

Seeing that reaction, Lolth knew she had a lead.

This landlady surely knew something about this object.

After taking a small sip of her drink, she paused for a moment before continuing to speak.

“I do recognize this thing, but… you need to tell me first: when did you learn this rune? Was it in the previous half-plane of the evil Divine Kingdom…?”

The landlady looked at Lolth and asked slowly.

“Ah, it seems you also noticed that the half-plane opened,” Lolth said, confirming the landlady’s strength once more through her question. “And… you know it’s the evil Divine Kingdom?”

“I just happened to know—after all, that altar has existed for a long time, and I’ve lived in Hillenbrand Town for a while.”

Facing Lolth’s question, the landlady seemed to realize her slip and offered an answer that sounded reasonable but wasn’t entirely convincing.

Lolth didn’t press further into the landlady’s words; she simply nodded and said, “I did indeed learn it inside. I encountered a lingering presence of an evil god who seemed to see me as one of its own… Then, it taught me the complete technique of these runes and told me to prepare for the ‘End of Days.’”

At this point, Lolth shifted the topic and looked at the landlady. “So… how do you know about these runes?”

“I just saw them in some ruins,” the landlady replied, her answer still cautious. “But the ‘End of Days’… that’s quite a long way off.”

“You must know something about the ‘End of Days,’ right?”

Lolth listened to the landlady’s words and pressed further.

“Don’t be so sharp; when it’s time to tell you, I won’t hide anything,” the landlady said with a helpless smile. “Aren’t you here to ask about this whale? It is indeed an ancient magical creature. There were once hundreds of them in a population, mainly located in the northern seas and skies of the continent during the early First Era.”

“The scientific or formal name should be ‘Trado Whale.’”

“However, generally speaking, many people call them… ‘Killer Whale.’”