NOVPUBThat night, Siegler finally arrived with Lanci at an independent city-state known as "Glatstone Castle," also called Small Stone City.
The sky had turned pitch black early, with only twilight and lamp light serving as their beacons.
Beneath the towering city gate, thick layers of snow had accumulated.
"It’s been dark for three or four hours now, and it’s only seven o’clock."
Lanci stepped off the sled, pulling a pocket watch from his pocket and sighed as he looked at it.
In Small Stone City, daylight probably lasted only a few hours, and further north, it would decrease even more.
This was also why this snowfield was known as the Land of Perpetual Night.
Originally, he and Sigrid had traveled to Bandera City at the very north of the Protoss Empire, and if they moved further north, they would enter a similar zone known in this world as "Perpetual Night."
"Don’t worry, regardless of whether it’s dark or light, I’ll deliver you on time as per our agreement,"
Siegler had already hopped off the sled before Lanci and began handling his luggage.
Since this guy seemed to have brought a lot of tools, the luggage was very heavy, totaling three boxes.
With her own, that made four.
"Hmm."
Lanci watched Siegler work.
One of the reasons his secretary highly recommended Siegler was her extraordinary endurance at night, virtually unfazed by the poor visibility and inclement weather, able to deliver clients to their destinations.
If she was driving the sled, they would practically be able to stop at a Beastmen City-State every day; six in total, and on the seventh day, they would successfully reach the Demon World.
As soon as the two arrived in town, they could see the station; for a small fee, it provided a campsite for resting travelers and their mounts.
Siegler handed over the Mystical Deer and the sled to the Orcs at the station, and these experienced keepers quickly took them for feeding and grooming, ensuring they were well-rested and cared for that night.
"By the way, I need to remind you, the recent situation in Palante Empire has led to the possibility of encountering something on the snowfield that no one wants to see; you should mentally prepare yourself,"
Siegler said as she returned to Lanci’s side, waiting by the roadside.
This was the reason she had been reluctant to take on new jobs recently.
But the offer was too good to refuse.
With the income from this job alone, the Church orphanage would have no worries for an entire year. Even if war broke out, the nun could take the children to neighboring countries to escape without having to become refugees.
"Okay, but can you tell me specifically what sort of creatures they are? So that I can be mentally prepared."
Lanci inquired with interest.
"Those Blood Clan... if the Honing Empire covets Palante Empire, it’s very likely they’ve already begun infiltrating Fuclo Kingdom and Idiss Kingdom to the east and west of Palante Empire. Just crossing those two kingdoms would allow them to move to the snowfields to lay out their plans in advance,"
Siegler said, not appearing to expect Lanci to believe her as she spoke offhandedly,
"The Blood Clan will certainly want to first seal off the northern snowfields behind Palante Empire and then surround and consume it by land. Of course, these are just my speculations, which might greatly differ from what those imperial politicians think since they believe the real enemy is more the Honing Empire, not the Blood Clan."
She knew that a customer of his kind, an artist likely to put more faith in the elite of his own stature, wouldn’t take her words seriously, so she didn’t mind speaking her mind.
Of course, someone of his privileged background, as if living in castles and palaces, might not care at all about her opinions on warfare.
After all, if the Blood Clan actually took over Palante Empire, they wouldn’t bother killing someone like him, who posed no threat and possessed artistic talent. He would be considered a plaything for humans.
And someone like her, seen as a thorn in the side of the Blood Clan, would become their first target for assassination.
But she no longer feared, for her parents and people had been killed by the Blood Clan; she had long learned to endure darkness and solitude, barely surviving in this world from one day to the next.
"Wow."
Lanci looked at Siegler in astonishment.
"Wow, what wow."
This made Siegler look up at him, confused, wondering if something was wrong with his brain.
"You’re very smart."
Lanci admired the small figure beside him.
He felt like he was on the same wavelength as her.
"What do you mean?"
Siegler didn’t understand why Lanci would suddenly praise her, as she had prepared herself for rejection.
"I just think you analyze problems very thoroughly, much better than those nobles in the council."
Lanci helplessly closed his eyes and spread his hands.
"Really?"
Siegler was skeptical but thought it was decent that her employer was willing to listen to her advice.
Of course, it was more likely that this painter really didn’t care about the situation in the Palante Empire, so he believed a child’s words without questioning her reasoning or offering a rebuttal.
If possible, she actually didn’t want to encounter the Blood Clan again, especially on the snowfields between the city-states of the Land of Perpetual Night.
If they were to encounter them, nightfall would be extremely disadvantageous for her.
Unless she could escape the snowfields, she would almost not make it to daylight.
The Blood Clan was nearly invincible.
After a little idle chat,
Lanci and Siegler waited for a cabman in the city, who loaded their luggage onto the conveyance and began their journey through the city.
This Small Stone City stood at the southernmost edge of the Land of Perpetual Night, an eternally winter wonderland covered in snow, a community dominated by Orcs, filled with primal rough beauty yet integrated with the modernity of human city-states.
Among the six city-states along the route, Small Stone City, being the closest to the Palante Empire and at the southern edge of the Land of Perpetual Night, had the most normal relations between Orcs and humans, with frequent trade and strong human cultural influences.
Going deeper into the Land of Perpetual Night, things would start to worsen until the last city-state, where it was almost impossible to find humans in the city, and even the Demon Race might be seen.
"In this city-state, it’s relatively safe for now. From the day after tomorrow, don’t you ever leave my side or act alone,"
Siegler said, looking at the familiar architecture of the city-state, most of which was constructed from hard stone materials and specially treated timber, offering sturdy structures that could withstand the harsh cold and blizzards.
She reminded Lanci.
Small Stone City was where she visited most frequently among the cities of the Land of Perpetual Night, and while she visited the cities further along less often, she was well aware of their perilous environments.
"Right, got it,"
Lanci confirmed.
Listening to the guide was extremely important. Having a reliable bodyguard by his side also gave him considerable peace of mind, including for tomorrow’s activities—the meeting with the Lord and the repair of the statue for the city.
It was said that in the temple of Small Stone City stood an ancient relic, a statue of the God of Rock and Shelter, which in its solemn and majestic stance, guarded this land and the Orcs’ oaths.
The God of Rock and Shelter, also known as the God of Rock and Soil, was in charge of the Earth Attribute Divine Art in the Genesis Record.
He was also the deity worshipped by the Bear Men of Small Stone City.
Lanci and Siegler continued their carriage ride to the interior of Small Stone City, passing through roads paved with grey stone slabs, flanked by low buildings. The streets were lively, with various furry Orcs wearing distinctive clothing, and occasionally human figures weaving through them. The marketplace was brilliantly lit up this night.
After more than ten minutes, they finally arrived at their accommodation for the night, the Snow Bear Hotel, the most luxurious hotel in the city-state.
