The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 165 Fairy Tales and Baseness (5k1w)

Hope turned around and showed the scabbard as well.

It was a pure white scabbard, and judging from its length, it should be a two-handed greatsword.

Its surface is as smooth as white jade, but upon closer inspection, it can be identified as platinum.

The tip of the scabbard is engraved with a rose-gold sun, beneath which appear to be clouds, the light soft and gentle, which should be a sacred emblem.

It is set against the backdrop of priceless star-like rubies, their crimson hue shimmering with starlight.

The lining must be made of lambskin? It's so smooth and new that it makes one wonder if this scabbard ever actually held a sword.

"It fits my stereotype of an 'expensive scabbard'—but isn't it a bit too extravagant for a saint's scabbard?"

Tang Qi was somewhat confused.

"That's because you haven't been to the Holy City. When you see St. Andrew's Cathedral, you'll realize that luxury only occupies a small part of it."

"Is the holy city dedicated to the god of wealth?"

"No, it's [Valenne]."

As dawn broke and the tents were pitched, the morning light suddenly turned slightly away.

Tang Qi looked at her curiously:

"you have heard?"

"I remember, but I've forgotten."

"That's normal. After all, you should only remember your past achievements."

Tang Qi approached Hope, attempting to touch the [Saint's Sword Sheath] so that the log could help him explain the saint's glorious past.

But Hope turned away to avoid it:

"Don't you recognize Valenne? Are you even a member of the Lords' Alliance?"

"I come from the Terran Empire." Tang Qi felt that Hope was like a possessive cat, but with the existence of the [Fair Contract], he couldn't force anything.

“Then it’s understandable. I’ve heard that it’s a country that forbids religion and worships magic—but [Valenne] is the only god in the world who still keeps his eyes on this land, according to legend.”

"Legend?"

"Because I have only heard of people being favored by the gods, but I have never been favored by the gods myself."

Hope recalled the prayer she had once offered beneath the stained-glass window.

"I thought you were born in Longjincheng."

"So perhaps my childhood was relatively happier?"

"Are you going to tell me about your painful past?"

"Will this allow me to obtain more treasure?"

"No."

"Then I have nothing to say."

Hope weighed the scabbard in his hand and chuckled.
"But you'd better remember this."

"You mean—that He is the only one who still performs miracles?"

"Otherwise, when you encounter His pastors, you might hear them buzzing around your ears like flies—"

They will tell you that Valenne is twilight, tranquility, and a benevolent father who protects those who long for sleep from fear.

At times like these, you'd better put away your usual mocking smile, because they really might shower you with holy light.

It differs from the 'oath' of a paladin.

A priest's magic truly requires divine permission.

In other words, the very fact that genuine priests still exist in this world signifies the existence of God.

"But 'Twilight'... if you ask me, this word is so tragic that even Ulasan's 'Praise' would hardly find anything to match it in praise."

Twilight is like the setting sun.

Perhaps it can also emit a sliver of orange-red light.

But you still know that night is about to fall.

“I look forward to you going to the Twilight Temple in the Upper City and saying those words in front of those ‘fathers’ who preach their teachings day after day.”

Will you take me away to escape?

"I will take you to turn yourself in."

"How heartless."

Tang Qi waved his hand.

"So you can only take this scabbard, and the rest is mine, is that alright?"

"Of course, I imagine you earn just as much as I do."

This is a consensus between the two of them.

After all, it was the "Dragon's Treasury," so even if the Red Scarf Gang was just putting on an act, they still had to stuff some valuable items in.

For example, the treasure chest containing the Saint's sword sheath also contained some other novel trinkets—

[Abyss Candle: This candle's flame will not go out even when submerged in water, and it will emit light and heat just like a normal candle.]

"So you can grill meat in the deep sea."

[Quick Leather Armor Removal: You can remove this full set of leather armor in one second.]

"It feels like only adventurers who are about to pull up their pants need it."

[Cheat Dice: When you roll this six-sided die, you can manipulate the number it rolls.]

"I strongly suspect that it was a gambler from some Red Turban Gang who discovered someone cheating at the casino."

As Tang Qi searched, he couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

"There are also magic scrolls for tricks, shields that show smiling or crying faces, and even prosthetics—ha, I've found a way to make rubble grow taller."

Wait, what's this... a third leg and a love potion?

Tang Qi curiously examined the small bottle in his hand—

It contained a rose-colored potion, and a heart-shaped bubble could be faintly seen floating inside.

[After drinking this potion, you will be charmed by the first creature you see within the next 10 minutes. If the creature's species and gender match your sexual orientation, you will consider it your true love during the charm period.]

"Throw any unwanted items into this box."

Considering that most of them were trinkets that could be bought in the shopping street, Tang Qi sighed, then tossed the [Trembling Music] into the treasure chest and placed it in front of Iwu:

"Eat them."

He didn't know why he had to let Xiaolong eat it.

I did it subconsciously without considering whether it was appropriate or not.

But if dragons must consume inorganic matter, then they do indeed have a strong affinity for the magic contained in magical objects.

Even after consuming a magical item, one can still acquire the item's power for a certain period of time.

Iwu didn't stand on ceremony. It seemed to have been coveting them for a long time. However, it was still young and couldn't swallow the treasure whole. So it used its tiger teeth to crush the [Trembling Music] and swallowed it while chewing.

From the [Ring of Love], Tang Qi could feel the joy of eating.

So much so that Xiaolong let out a joyful cheer:
"Ouch!!!"

But the cheer was mixed with a shrill scream, so high-pitched and ear-piercing that Tang Qi couldn't help but cover his ears.

Immediately afterwards, he heard a "plop" sound, turned around, and found Hope kneeling on the ground, looking at Iu eating with an extremely terrified gaze, retreating in panic until she reached the edge of the open space and almost fell into the water before stopping.

"Iwu, let's go eat over there."

Realizing that Iu had inherited the magical effects of [Trembling Music], Tang Qi had no choice but to take the little dragon to a corner.

But if Tang Qi had known that swallowing Le Sheng would even have the effect of 'Dragon's Might', he would have regretted letting it swallow this strange object so early.

After watching it disappear into the distance, Hope patted his chest with lingering fear:
"What's going on? I've never seen a pseudo-dragon so terrifying before..."

Iu's current form does indeed lead people to mistake it for a magical pet.

Tang Qi shrugged, offering no further explanation:

"It's rather special, so there's no need to worry about it too much."

"Sword sheath—"

Once Hope came to her senses, she realized that in her panic she had also dropped the scabbard on the ground, and she quickly tried to retrieve it.

But then he discovered that Chenxi had already picked it up, held it in his hand, and examined it carefully.

"Miss Knight, may I have the scabbard?"

Having witnessed Chenxi's abilities, the two didn't exchange many words from beginning to end.

Hope thought she might be a loyal and taciturn paladin, which is why her tone was rather soft.

Chenxi hesitated before handing over the sword sheath.

Tang Qi had rarely seen her hesitate like this:

"Have you seen it?"

"Familiar, but... no, not at all."

"Then there is."

Tang Qi approached and looked at Hope.
Have you ever heard of the "Sword of Dawn"?

Hope shook her head.

"Really not?"

"What did I lie to you about?"

Haven't you lied to me enough times?

"There's always a purpose behind lying. Why would I lie to you for a name I've never heard of?"

"Are there similar records in the holy city or the cathedral?"

"Then you'll have to go ask him yourself. All I know is that there's a sword sheath in the tomb."

She weighed the scabbard in her hand, and to avoid letting go again, this time she put it directly into her pouch. Then she extended her hand to Tang Qi.

"Besides, even if I lied to you, didn't we still get a result that satisfied both of us in the end? It was a pleasure doing business with you." Tang Qi could only make a mental note of this, gently holding her fingertips:
"But there's another problem: how will you leave here without underwater breathing apparatus?"

"You don't need to worry about that. After resting for a while, I will use a ritual to call for the sect leader's help."

Do the [Old Ones] also respond to a call?

Logically speaking, establishing a contractual relationship with such void entities usually involves the sorcerer's own study of occultism, during which they glimpse certain truths and gain power in return.

And those ancient gods themselves might not even be aware that someone has established a connection with them.

An ancient god capable of answering the prayers of sorcerers...

Tang Qi felt something was off.

"Humph."

But Hope clearly had no further plans to explain, so Tang Qi started cooking a farewell dinner.

To accommodate more treasure, Tang Qi discarded most of the grain.

Now, only two jugs of plum wine remain, which, paired with dry rye bread, don't seem too shabby.

Fortunately, Chenxi didn't need to eat and had already returned to her tent to recover her soul power.

"Ugh!"

Xiao Long was clearly the most satisfied with the meal. He had already swallowed the magical items that Tang Qi didn't need, and seemed to feel that it wasn't enough, so he wanted to take the last of the dry rations.

“Hey, Iu, go eat those crystal coins. I’m saving some of these breads so we can get back to the surface—you don’t want your master to die on the way, do you?”

Tang Qi waved to it, but then noticed that Iwu's physique was somewhat strange.
"Wait, haven't you grown up a bit?"

It's not just that the stomach has accumulated a lot of magic and bulged out.

In the past, Xiaolong's neck was about the thickness of a middle finger, but now it seems to be approaching the thickness of a thumb.

It's like suddenly getting older—

"Could it be that consuming magical items will accelerate your growth process?"

Tang Qi looked at the Iwu circling in front of him with surprise and suspicion.

These are not recorded in the knowledge base!
"Wait, why did I feed you the magical item? It seems like Xingchen instructed me to? She seems to have told me to go to the mage academy to see her—but why am I being so obedient?"

Having fulfilled the conditions for the [Suggestion Spell], Tang Qi realized that he had been under the spell all along.

He quickly grasped Iwu's legs and examined them closely:

"So she knew that you would grow faster by consuming magical items, and she also knew why you were in that ruin?"

So, regardless of whether the suggestion technique works or not, I need to go to her and find out the truth, and write it in my journal…

"Ouch——"

It seemed that Xiaolong's movements were restricted, causing him discomfort, or perhaps he had eaten too much and was experiencing indigestion, but Tang Qi could sense Iwu's restlessness.

It exhaled a cloud of pink smoke, which, along with a sweet scent, filled Tang Qi's nostrils, causing him to cough involuntarily.

"Are you OK?"

Hope watched with some surprise as the little dragon flew toward the pile of money.

Tang Qi waved away the smoke in front of him, looked at Hope, and shook his head:

"It's alright, I don't know what it ate just now... Anyway, let's eat first."

The conditions were rather basic, but they were enough for the two remaining people to sit on the floor and clink glasses.

The fruit wine dances on the tongue, each drop a delightful sensation, like a fairy twirling between the lips and teeth.

Although it tastes sweet, it does not reduce the intoxication caused by alcohol.

Having filled his stomach, Hope gazed at the crackling campfire and suddenly asked:

"So why did you save me in the first place?"

Tang Qi found it rather strange that she would ask such a question:

"You want me to watch you die?"

“If I were you, I would do the same. If you drown, the scabbard is mine, and the treasure is mine too.”

"That's a real shame, since I can't drown."

"But what if I didn't return your cloak?"

"Isn't there still Chenxi to save me?"

"If it weren't for her, and I hadn't returned the cloak to you, wouldn't you have died in the water?"

Tang Qi scratched his head and glanced to the side—

He felt a burning sensation in his body, so he didn't dare to look at her for long.

Some inexplicable flutter in his heart had brought him to the point where the sight of a pair of white, bare thighs made him think about marriage...

"Damn it, I think I know what Iu swallowed."

"What did you say?"

"What I mean is—what's the point of making assumptions all the time? Assumptions and facts are two different things."

Tang Qi pinched his burning cheek and replied,

"I just did it subconsciously."

"You're not the kind of person who would do anything to save a life."

"So, in your eyes I'm on the evil side?"

"It's not evil, but—shrewdness. You're like a fox; when faced with a choice, you should first choose the one that's more advantageous to you, not the one that's more humanitarian."

Tang Qi wanted to adjust his bulky pants to hide his embarrassment, but he felt that doing so might make it even more awkward, so he simply propped one leg up in front of him to cover himself.

"How could I possibly overthink things in that situation? Do I really need to give you a reason for saving you to put your mind at ease?"

"Correct."

Hope insisted,
"Because I think we're similar—we only pursue things that are profitable."

Tang Qi found it somewhat amusing:

"That only shows that you don't understand me well enough; you're just projecting your own perceptions onto me—"

That may be a part of me, but it's not my whole self.

But that was all I had.

Hope was unable to speak, and could only try to make out the shimmering plum wine inside the flask by the firelight—

But she can only see herself.

Tang Qi suppressed his restless thoughts and turned to look at Hope.

I felt like she was a mouse hiding in a corner.

Clutching a small piece of cheese or sunflower seeds, huddled in the shadows, gazing at the world beyond the grayness, blinking bewildered eyes, both laughable and pitiful.

"What, did my saving you have some kind of [Fear Spell] effect that could cause significant damage to your mind?" Tang Qi couldn't help but ask.

Hope also felt a bitterness in her smile, even though it was for no reason:
"Do you know how this feels to me? It's like the fairy tales I heard when I was a child—in the forest kingdom, mice and foxes are the best thieving partners."

In their final act, they cooperated to steal the king's crown, sold it, and split the spoils.

The mouse hoarded its wealth in its nest and lived a life of luxury and extravagance for a wonderful time.

Bored, it realized it hadn't seen its good partner in a long time, so it went to the fox's house, hoping to be treated to a good meal.

But when he opened the door, he saw his old friend, whom he hadn't seen for many years, sitting forlornly under the dilapidated eaves, looking drunk and trying to avoid the rain.

It stepped forward and asked, "Hey, my best friend, didn't we rob a huge sum of money back then? How come your life is so miserable?"

But the fox simply shook his head, lamenting, "Why, despite spending so much money, could I still not save my mother?"

The mouse fell silent.

She looked at Tang Qi, but still couldn't meet his gaze.

Because his gaze kept drifting downwards, he would quickly turn his head away after noticing it.

Hope didn't care and continued:

I asked my grandfather, "Why can't the mouse say a word anymore?"
Grandpa answered me—

Because it sensed its own baseness.

Just like...

It's like I thought you would be as despicable as I am.

"I understand."

Tang Qi took a deep breath.

"So you're the kind of person who feels uncomfortable if someone helps you for free."

You could say that.

Hope then took a sip of plum wine to moisten her throat.
“I believe everything in this world has a price. Everything is a transaction—you saved me because you were asking for something more valuable than the scabbard.”

"Do you know that this statement negates all clergy who do good deeds and provide disaster relief?"

"They exchange practicing doctrine and showing goodwill for an opportunity to ascend to heaven, accompany the gods, or realize their self-worth—how can this not be a transaction?"

"So you believe that selflessness does not exist in this world?"

"The essence of selflessness is the selfishness that is used to satisfy one's own pursuits."

"Damn, I totally agree with you."

Tang Qi turned his head and raised his glass to her.

"Respect selfishness."

Don't you think it's impolite to offer a toast like that?

"I also want to look you in the eye, but I hope it will be an hour later."

"why?"

“Iu just swallowed the [Aphrodisiac] and then poured the whole potion on my face.”

(End of this chapter)