VOLUME 2 CHAPTER 14: THE HERO AND THE REMNANTS OF A DREAM
Editor: Skoll, potatos
The dream had already ended.
An opportunity appears, and then wanders. Wanders without rest, and then returns.
In the end, I had to pay the price for my wonderful past. When I destroyed mankind’s beautiful dream to capture the demons, I needed to destroy my own dream.
I should probably say, that all dreams will end.
According to The Record of the Rise and Fall of Middle Earth, 230 years ago, mankind was unified under one country called Lie.
“The King of Lie went west, subdued the demons, and cleaned up the government. He defended the territory for thirty years, because of his strategy of lying low. In those thirty years, he also raised an army and finally obtained all the land under heaven.”
“Then the King of Lie grew old. He desired the demons’ homeland and dispatched his forces on an expedition. The Sheng King rebelled, and the King of Lie’s dynasty could not recover.”
The one called the Sheng King is Sheng Qiao Yi’s founding emperor.
What the King of Lie sought was a kind of a dream: uniting all the lands, invading the demons, believing his name would be passed down to future generations, believing that the unity was permanent. And he gave up his own life for it.
When the good dream was crushed, he was left empty-handed.
Today was the fifth day. Tomorrow, the list of names of the official tour would be released.
At this moment, I was seated at a bar alone, drinking beer. I drew the hood of the cape low enough to cover my eyes and took off my scarf. I sat down at the corner table to drink.
It’s not correct to say that I was alone, because Mademoiselle Phantom was sitting in front of me.
I know she was sitting there, but I couldn’t see her.
Any city will have the flourishing and the destitute, these two harsh opposites. There were royal chancellors as wealthy as a nation, and beggars wandering destitute on the streets. There were immaculately dressed nobles, and commoners with their shirts full of holes. There was the upper class and the lower class. This was unavoidable.
Svalundine was the same.
For the upper class, all was a celebration and dance, beautiful women being the greatest enjoyment. The flower willow street’s [1. Red-light district] queen of flowers [2. Most famous prostitute] cost up to seven gold coins a night, yet everyday there were lines of guests.
The high-ranking nobles drank at places that were quiet and elegant. Everyone was dignified in manner. Their glass goblets tinkled melodiously on contact.
The low-ranking nobles drank at places that weren’t just noisy. Every person held exposed beauties to their left and right. While not hiding their hairy hands that stuck into the women’s chests and under their dresses, they would rub their bellies.
As for travellers and heroes, commoners and beggars, they could only go to the small pubs on the street to buy their alcohol.
Fortunately, the subsidiary city, Arsailles, supplied quite high-quality beer. The price wasn’t high, only several bronze coins for a drink.
So, since it was late at night, the small pub was filled with people.
There were rowdy groups of people, and also loners like me drinking on their own.
“Fucking Sheng Qiao Yi. Every year they play at this broken trick. Our taxes shouldn’t be used for this festival. Give that money to your daddy[3. Cocky way of referring to yourself]. Your daddy won’t be around much longer!”
An iron sword on his back, the approximately thirty year old man took a swig of his beer and then slammed his cup onto the table.”
“Don’t talk so much. If the guards hear you, you’re finished. Recently investigations have become super tight.”
A person at the same table jabbed him with his elbow.
“Don’t let me talk, your daddy wants to talk! Last year that woman came and was crying while walking. What’s the use of that?”
“Okay, okay, you’re drunk.”
“How am I drunk, what I’m saying is true!”
At that time, several people at the nearby tables raised their drinking cups.
“Sheng Qiao Yi will soon be finished. The First Division of the Expedition Regiment is not up to par. All the elites died at the Disaster of the Three Hundred, what right do they have to take a tour to our Dopplernova[4. Formerly Duopunuowa. Suggested names include “Electricity Provider” and “Many(多 duo) Ordinary(普pu) Promise(诺nuo) Watts(瓦wa)”]? Sooner or later, we, Dopplernova, will replace Sheng Qiao Yi!!”
“Sooner or later…….we will replace Sheng Qiao Yi!”
With a raucous cheer, everybody toasted and drank, then put down their drinking cups.
“Now that we’re talking about that Leon killed by a thousand blades. I don’t acknowledge him as someone from Dopplernova. If it weren’t for him, our days would be a lot better.”
The atmosphere around the man who started the conversation visibly intensified and became more arrogant.
Unsteadily he stamped one foot on the stool and gesticulated wildly in the air.
“Well, it’s all right. That Leon is done for, he died without peace. His wife will sooner or later run off with another man.”
Hearing something related to Ailee, I gripped my cup tighter.
“So you say.”
The man took another drink from his cup, his whole face flushed bright red.
“I want to say that princess is quite stubborn. I heard that she had a falling out with the emperor because she would not marry. Sheng Qiao Yi refused to give her any of the royal guards.”
“That beautiful woman did not bring guards with her? Isn’t that making light of us?”
“Ke, we still don’t know where she’s going.”
The man laughed twice.
“Also, I don’t know what the princess saw in Leon. I could tear Leon’s heart into pieces, no problem. That woman is still so single-minded.”
“Last time she came, she didn’t show her smile.”
“Her hair was all disheveled and she was thin all around.”
“No etiquette or bearing at all. No different than a wild girl.”
“Say, recently, there are more and more demon beasts slipping through. Two days ago I heard that there was a lone beast suppressed near the subsidiary city.”
“You’re saying that a demon beast attacked near Svalundine? Haha, not possible. This is the ‘Miracle of Svalundine.’”
“It’s true. Several days ago a small team of some heroes went over there.”
“Okay, okay, let’s quiet down. The guards will walk by in a moment. If you don’t want to be arrested then talk in a whisper.
The fat lady boss served alcohol while speaking.
“I say, boss lady, do you know about that matter?”
“Me? Ke, that is a matter that concerns women. This year, at the year end, no matter if Her Highness, Ailee, agrees or not, marriage will be unavoidable.”