Sail Shadows in the Sea of ​​Fog

Chapter 120 The Origin of the Silver Queen
"Lord Night God, should I continue to tell you what happened next?"

At the top of the clock tower, the Magic Mirror spoke with exceptional humility, but strangely, he remained hidden in the mirror the entire time, which made everyone secretly worried about his condition.

"When I awoke, apart from the princess's bedroom which was sealed by my parents, the entire castle had become a paradise for adventurers."

Night Demon sat down obediently, wrapped its long tail around its paws, and said calmly, "Every room contains fragments of the city's souls, every room has become the adventurers' base camp, every room is filled with garbage, corpses and excrement, and every room is also corroded by those roots that can make souls lose their minds."

After this long string of parallel sentences, Nightshade raised a paw to its mouth and licked it, then continued casually, "I put on the crown left by the princess, which is also the key to controlling this castle."

It kept me rational enough to calmly kill any intruders.

At this point, Ye Di looked at the large bell above his head, "Because of the existence of this Soul-Suppressing Bell, adventurers will turn into undead after they are killed."

Following the instructions of Instructor Morwin, I reversed the runes of the Spirit Gathering Tower, using the fragments of these dead souls to nourish the city dwellers who were one with the bricks and tiles. This continued for more than two hundred years.

Over the past two hundred years, the souls of the city's inhabitants have been nourished, but they have also become inseparable from this royal city.

Fortunately, those adventurers who became undead have also become servants of this royal city under my tutelage. Although they are not very bright, they are at least able to learn to do some things.

“But later…” Yavso couldn’t help but speak.

"Later, the god of the sea was killed."

Night God said calmly, “You ugly, hairless rats with two legs have appeared. You are more numerous and more cunning than the adventurers in the sea.”

One of the rats stole the princess's crown with a shameful trick, but accidentally stumbled into the Spirit Gathering Tower and had its soul drained.

Without the crown, even I couldn't have entered the Spirit Gathering Tower. From then on, I gradually lost my mind, until you decided to return the crown to me.

"So what are your plans next?" Cheng Lang asked. "Eat us, or let this castle sink back underground?"

"My rationality has returned."

Ye Di said, "Besides, I'm a picky eater, and I have absolutely no appetite for you ugly, hairless two-legged rats."

"Night Di, what do you like to eat?" Yafso asked subconsciously.

"Those sirens tasted good."

As Ye Di spoke, he unconsciously licked his lips, "I like those water rats covered in scales. They... um... are very delicious, slurp."

After saying this, Ye Di couldn't help but swallow, and some of the saliva he hadn't managed to swallow dripped from the corner of his mouth onto the floor.

Carelessly covering the water stains on the floor with its long tail, Ye Di changed the subject, "Now is not the time to talk about food, let's talk about you. Out of gratitude, I will not kill you, and may even give you some small rewards."

"How about you help us open these two boxes and give us the boxes and their contents?" the Magic Mirror suggested at the opportune moment.

"Let me also explain the origin and purpose of these things we found," Yun Lan added.

“I can open it for you, but there’s nothing inside that’s of much value to you.”

As Ye Di spoke, he stretched out his hind leg and scratched his left ear, which was not pierced with an earring. With a "clink," two keys that were strung together fell out.

Before anyone else could say anything, Shenba had already cheerfully bent down to pick up the key, then untied the box from his back, and while inserting the key into the lock, said, "You big cat are just as generous as our captain. Let me see what's inside. What is this?!"

Amidst Shenba's exclamation, everyone instinctively looked at the opened box.

Inside the opened box, there were countless coffins, each no bigger than a finger joint, arranged densely. The coffins appeared to be located very far inside the box, as if the box were the opening of a well.

"This box is connected to the royal tomb of the castle."

Night Demon licked its paws and explained, "The bodies of all the city's inhabitants are forever resting in the royal tomb, so you cannot take this box with you."

Upon hearing this, Shenba looked at Cheng Lang, and seeing the latter nod, he locked the box and placed it at Ye Di's feet. Ye Di then used his thick, long tail to hook the box, which was no bigger than his claw, inside.

"The other box is connected to the royal treasury."

Although Ye Di's words excited everyone, he immediately added, "I just went to check, and it's been emptied out, so there's nothing in this box."

Sure enough, when Shenba opened the box, it was completely empty—like a dry well.

"These were also found in the princess's bedroom."

As Cheng Lang spoke, he opened the canvas bag on his back and took out the few items he had found.

There are several rings and necklaces, a brooch shaped like a small black cat, and a rag doll, also shaped like a small black cat, only the size of an egg.

“And this rapier,” Yun Lan pointed out, holding up the rapier in her hand.

“Those jewels belong to the princess and are also my childhood toys. They may be worth some money, but I hope you can leave them to me as a keepsake.”

Ye Di brought his enormous head closer, sniffed the dull jewelry in Cheng Lang's hands, then sat up straight and said, "That rapier is a keepsake of the princess, a coming-of-age gift from the king. But Her Highness doesn't like fighting, so you can take it if you like."

After saying that, Ye Di reached out his paw and hooked the fluffy little black cat doll, saying sadly, "This is a talisman made with a part of my soul. I can use it as a vessel to appear by the princess's side at any time to protect her safety."

Sadly, the princess didn't take me with her when she sacrificed herself for the city's people; that's my greatest regret.

"Your Highness, if you would be so kind as to offer us a small gift as well."

The magic mirror replied obsequiously, "Perhaps we have a way to slightly alleviate some of your regrets."

"Flattering mirror, what have you taken a fancy to?"

Ye Di asked, "Also, I seem to smell a familiar scent on you."

"Perhaps it's Mr. Morwin's flavor."

The magic mirror replied respectfully, "When I was erasing the array patterns, his spirit was projected into my mirror."

"Tell me what you've got your eye on," Nightshade asked gently, then slowly licked its paws.

"What about the chest leading to the vault and the soul-suppressing bell overhead?" the magic mirror asked.

"That depends on how you make up for my loss."

Ye Di was stunned before he could finish speaking. Those around him could clearly see surprise and excitement on the face of this guardian beast, which resembled a large black panther—especially its dark, round cat eyes.

"This is...this is..." Ye Di asked incoherently, even moving closer to the mirror.

At this moment, however, the image reflected in the mirror was that of the little girl, Wuying.

The little princess, who was left behind on the Valkyrie, was lying on a deck chair on the second deck at the bow of the ship, with a pacifier in her mouth. Beside her, her poor pet snake, Hiss, was gently patting her tender little legs with its snake head.

She's on our ship.

The Magic Mirror said, "Her name is Mist Shadow, and she is the little princess on our ship. I suspect that her birth may be related to this royal city buried deep underground."

Before Ye Di could say anything, the Magic Mirror added, "But she does look very much like your princess, doesn't she?"

Moreover, she is unique; her mother was a spirit, and there is no one else in the world beyond the Sea of ​​Despair who looks exactly like her.

Before the Magic Mirror could finish speaking, Nightshade had already jumped off the tall clock tower and was running swiftly towards the Valkyrie at the edge of the island, stepping on the surrounding spires and rooftops that still had remnants of mud, grass, and even trees.

"We..." "Let's wait a bit."

As Cheng Lang spoke, he plopped down on the floor. "Magic Mirror, are you alright?"

"My esteemed captain, thank you for your concern. Your loyal servant is fine, please do not worry."

The Magic Mirror said respectfully, "I know what you're going to ask, but how about I explain later?"

"no problem"

Cheng Lang readily agreed, "Let's see what happened on the Valkyrie."

Upon hearing this, everyone on the clock tower looked at the mirror.

However, to their surprise, the big cat Night Demon simply sat on the high city wall, quietly observing the Silver Queen playing the piano on the Valkyrie and the little mist princess sunbathing.

After a long while, Ye Di turned around and ran back towards the clock tower.

“It seems that Mr. Ye Di does not believe that Wu Ying can make up for his inner regrets,” Yun Lan said.

“We’ll find out soon,” Yun Ji said, frowning as she watched the approaching black figure. She seemed to have figured something out.

Before long, Ye Di leaped to the top of the clock tower, but then used his large, powerful claws to pin Cheng Lang to the floor.

Ignoring the whip wrapped around his neck and the dagger, sickle, rapier, and scissors pressed against his throat, Ye Di stared directly at Cheng Lang and asked, word by word, "What's the story with that undead lady on that ship?"

"Silver Queen? You know her?"

Cheng Lang simply put away his whip, then waved to signal his companions to put away their weapons. Next, he pushed away the claws that were holding him down, but without any force.

"You said she calls herself the Silver Queen?" Ye Di asked.

"That's right, do you know her?" Cheng Lang asked again.

"Why is she on your ship?" Night Di asked, without answering the question, "and her life is tied to that ship's."

“It’s a long story.”

Cheng Lang sat cross-legged on the floor, then snapped his fingers at the magic mirror. The mirror, receiving the signal, displayed everything that happened when they first met the Silver Queen.

Cheng Lang, on the other hand, recounted everything that had happened in detail, as if he were giving a PowerPoint presentation, using the image in the mirror as a guide.

"So, do you know the Silver Queen?" Cheng Lang asked as he finished telling the story.

"know"

Ye Di sighed, "She is the princess of this royal city, the Silver Queen, which is the title of her mother, and also the person she misses the most."

Ye Di pointed with the tip of its tail to the crown on its head, "Before I put on this crown, the princess was in charge of the royal city and its people. She fell into a deep sleep and disappeared while leading the people to resist the seal and capture."

She doesn't remember anything from before.

Cheng Lang said, "Just like I said, someone has tampered with her memories."

“That’s not bad.”

The big cat, Nightshade, was remarkably carefree. "Everything about this royal city is too heavy. I hope she can live an easier life."

“I thought you would want us to return the princess to you,” Cheng Lang said with a smile.

"That's not necessary. It's clear she's very happy living on that little wooden boat, and that's enough."

As Ye Di spoke, he forcefully lashed his tail, striking the Soul-Suppressing Bell above his head.

"This bell is the key to the city's inhabitants becoming spirits."

As the night bells rang melodiously, Night Truth said, “Therefore I cannot give it to you.”

Before anyone could say anything, Ye Di added, "But I can offer the princess some help with your little wooden boat as well."

As he spoke, Ye Di pushed the two wooden boxes to Cheng Lang's feet, "Mr. Morwin must have a memory of how to use these boxes to establish a medium channel."

"Flattering Mirror, I will assemble two guards for Her Highness the Princess. In return, I need you to provide me with some delicious food and a sufficient amount of necromancy through the medium."

“No problem, Your Highness Nightshade,” the Magic Mirror said respectfully. “Don’t you intend to stay by the Princess’s side?”

"My name is Yedi, the 77th generation guardian beast of the royal city. My mission is to protect the royal city."

As Ye Di spoke, he used his fluffy tail to hook up the equally fluffy black cat pendant and black cat-shaped brooch, and tossed them to Cheng Lang with a light flick. "Two-legged ugly hairless rats, give these to the princess and that little princess. Consider them a small gift from me. Remember to give them my regards."

"I will pass it on," Cheng Lang replied.

"Soon, I will make this royal city sink completely underground."

Ye Di said, "But we'll meet often. Finally, if you want treasure, you might as well look around the island. If I remember correctly, there are quite a few shipwrecks in that direction, and there must be something you're interested in among them."

Following the direction Ye Di pointed with its tail, Cheng Lang said, "May you, the royal city, and all its citizens never be disturbed again."

Thank you for your blessing.

Ye Di yawned as he spoke, "Alright, you should leave now. Ugly, hairless rats with two legs, please take good care of the princess."

Prince Yedi

But then the magic mirror asked, "Our ship has been on a long voyage. I wonder if we can replenish some fresh water in the fountain in the royal city?"

Please make yourself at home.

After saying that, Ye Di left the tower again, disappearing in a few leaps and bounds.

"Is that all?" Yun Lan asked, still somewhat unsatisfied.

"We've got quite a haul, let's grab these and leave."

The Magic Mirror urged excitedly, "And Mr. Morwin has left a surprise for everyone in his memory."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately grabbed the two wooden crates and followed Cheng Lang down the tower, heading towards the castle's exit.

"Magic Mirror, what surprise awaits us?"

As Cheng Lang walked along the streets of the royal city after leaving the castle gates, he finally couldn't help but ask.

"You'll all find out soon enough."

The Magic Mirror urged, "Now follow my directions. Turn right at the crossroads ahead, and hurry up! The Shadow of Mist is almost there!"

"What exactly is it?" Cheng Lang pressed.

"The Fountain of Repentance!" The Magic Mirror finally stopped keeping everyone in suspense, but what he said left everyone speechless.

Immediately, everyone quickened their pace—they never expected to encounter the Fountain of Repentance here!
(End of this chapter)