Chapter 114 - 39: [Idealism and Romanticism]

Chapter 114: Chapter 39: [Idealism and Romanticism]

Within the borders of the Empire, beneath the hidden shade of a grove beside the main road.

An old man wearing a leather hat and a sheepskin coat slowly stepped down from the carriage, supported by Yaki Yevir. He gazed at Samael and Talia before him.

"Although Rondolan has fallen, its spirit of mutual aid has not been forgotten. Thank you both for saving us from Sittika’s vicious hunters—the Desert Tyrant has a terrible attitude toward Exiles and often captures those passing through the surrounding areas to use as slaves. It has been a long time since we ran the eastern route," he said in a hoarse yet refined and gentle voice. "I am Collins Duke, the patriarch of this Exile Tribe."

His hair was gray, and his white beard and sideburns were neatly trimmed. He wore a pair of small, metal-rimmed round glasses with lenses that looked like high-end goods polished by the master craftsmen of the Floren Kingdom. Although his clothes had been torn to shreds by Musa’s Inverted Hook Whip, it was clear that he was a respectable man—perhaps even a handsome old gentleman.

"What are you doing? What is this? Why are you holding me up?" He brushed off Yaki’s supporting hand. "No matter how old I am, I’m still a member of the Demon Race! These minor injuries—a few punches and some scraped skin—have already healed! Do you really think I’m just some frail old goat?"

"Oh, right." Yaki snapped back to his senses and let go of Old Duke’s arm.

"Daughter of Rondolan, and the Ghost Knight who conquered death." Old Duke raised his right hand, pressed it against his left chest, and bowed in greeting to Talia and Samael. "If there is anything we can do to help you two, please do not hesitate to ask. Our Exile Tribe always repays our debts of gratitude. Please do not decline, or we won’t be able to rest easy."

The merchant carriages of the Demon Race Exiles had already sprinted for dozens of kilometers along the main road. The Imperial Foundry had become nothing more than a blurry little dot on the horizon. They were safe now, so the convoy had stopped for a brief rest.

Talia and Samael had been warmly entertained by the Exiles along the way. Since Samael couldn’t eat, they had woven two giant floral wreaths and placed them over his neck and shoulders. Talia, meanwhile, wore a crown woven from flowering vines and leaves. She had been continuously fed throughout the journey; even now, she was munching on two pastries and clutching a cup of sweet-and-sour nectar brewed by the Exiles.

"Uh... we need to head to the Hai Xin Plain in the center of the continent," Samael replied awkwardly, tugging at the large, colorful wreath around his neck. "It would be wonderful if we could trouble you to take us there along the way."

"Oh, that’s a trivial matter! We also plan to head to the Hai Xin Plain to gather another batch of materials after selling our goods." Old Duke smiled. "There are many Exiles on the outskirts of the Hai Xin Plain. Since the rest of the Demon Race usually disdains disguising themselves as humans to cross the defense lines of the habitable zone, such a massive, bountiful Demon Realm has actually become a paradise for Exiles."

Who knew such a good thing existed? Talia and Samael exchanged a glance. This was quite an unexpected harvest.

"However, what do you two plan to do in the Hai Xin Plain?" Old Duke asked. "The Hai Xin Plain is different from other Demon Realms; it’s filled with organized, uncontrollable Undead Legions. Even for the Demon Race Exiles, the Hai Xin Plain is far from safe. We only dare to operate on the outskirts; otherwise, we might disturb the dangerous High-Level Undead in the inner zones..."

He paused, suddenly realizing that standing right in front of him was a top-tier High-Level Undead, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Samael’s undead aura can suppress other Undead, and he has a way to command massive Undead Legions, so there’s no need to worry," Talia replied. "We plan to go to the Hai Xin Plain to build a new Underground City."

"More accurately, an Underground City similar in style to Rondolan," Samael added.

Talia looked at him, and he nodded.

"If any of you pass by the Hai Xin Plain in the future, you are always welcome to rest at our newly built Underground City—just like in the old days at Rondolan," Talia said.

"However, we lack professional knowledge in constructing an Underground City. If you Exiles would be willing to join us, become a part of the new Underground City, and help lay a solid foundation for it, we would be incredibly honored!" Samael pressed a hand to his chest and bowed to the surrounding Exiles.

Old Duke pondered in silence. The surrounding Exiles stirred slightly, whispering and exchanging comments with one another.

"Uh... you don’t mind that we’re weak?" Yaki peeked out from over Old Duke’s shoulder. "We aren’t Warriors. If we don’t control Magical Beasts, our individual strength is only about equal to that of a level three or four adventurer."

"’Knowledge is power’—that is a saying from my homeland. I believe that professional expertise is another level of strength, perhaps even more important than individual combat prowess, my friend Yaki." Samael gave a courteous nod. "I have already witnessed your clean, swift, and skillful modifications of the harvester vehicles and your handling of the flamethrower mechanisms. That is a formidable power, without a doubt.

"I believe that everyone here possesses their own unique strength. It has simply gone unappreciated, undiscovered, or misunderstood, or perhaps it has been gathering dust because of past events. In the Underground City we are about to build, all of you will be able to unleash your power to the fullest."

Yaki and several other Exiles looked toward Old Duke.

"It is not that I don’t trust you two, but we have personally experienced the destruction of Rondolan," Old Duke said gently. "The destruction of something beautiful is the most tragic thing in the world. We do not wish to experience such overwhelming heartbreak and sorrow a second time."

"Past sorrow is no reason to reject a beautiful future," Samael replied. "All fortresses will fall, and all great endeavors will eventually be destroyed, but there will always be new fortresses to build and new great endeavors to achieve. We must stop yearning for a better past and instead strive to create a better future."