Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

Lyle moved through Andrei's light and shadow, his mind still preoccupied with how to save Vena.

Until that undeniable figure appeared before them.

A figure, draped in white patterned fabric like a curtain, with two antlers protruding from the floral pattern on her head, leaned against the door of the Cup of Extravagance, writhing like a worm.

Feeling nauseous, Lyle decided he should come back in a few minutes.

"Doctor of the plague, don't go, it's me!"

A wriggling figure hopped over.

Lyle had no choice but to resume his manners.

"What are you doing in front of our club, sir?"

"Ah, I was hoping to dig up some gossip about Ariana here, but halfway there, the belt on my ruffled floral plaid skirt broke, and it's been hanging loosely the whole way, which is a bit of a hassle."

So, were you wearing a skirt just now? Lyle regretted asking the question.

"Mr. Reporter, even if you're wearing nice clothes, no one can see you if you're covered by this curtain."

"This isn't a curtain! This is a limited edition of the Royal Glory Fabric from the Farsnow family! Do you know that such a small piece cost the entire sum of money that Gentleman's Delusion and I earned? This is fashion, this is art. I follow fashion not to impress others, but to satisfy myself! Forget it, there's no point in arguing with you. Plague Doctor, I have a few questions for you, and I hope you can answer them."

"If I can answer that."

"Recently, members of the Andrei family saw Ms. Ariana walking with someone who appears to be her daughter at Andrei Castle. Are you aware of this? Do you know how Ariana got a daughter? Do you know who the child's father is?"

"Ariana's daughter?" Lyle pondered, just as Nia's black tentacle poked his back. Perhaps Ariana was taking Nia, disguised, for a walk.

“I do know quite a bit about it, but I must state beforehand that it is not Ariana’s daughter. It is my alter ego, you can think of it as my creation.”

"What? This is big news!" The reporter pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote quickly.

"The goddess Ariana of Andre has an indescribable relationship with the Plague Doctor, the Pure One of the Seeds of Holy Light, a newcomer to Andre. Shocking! The Plague Doctor is suspected to be the biological father of Ariana's daughter! Furthermore, Ariana is embroiled in a dispute over the legitimacy of her children, and is she even about to lose her identity as a mother? She only recently managed to beg the Plague Doctor to see her beloved daughter a few times. What will become of this family? What kind of identity does the Plague Doctor, who can make the Naslan family bow down, possess? What role does Mr. Raymond, the cancer of Holy Light, play in this oppression? In any case, please give the child a complete family. Welcome to the 1423rd issue of the Andre News Report, the love-hate entanglement between Naslan and Holy Light. I am the reporter, and I will follow the development of the story. Please stay tuned."

Lyle looked at the reporter in surprise.

Are you even human?

Chapter 133 The Dragon?

"You dare to publish such fabricated nonsense in the newspaper? Are you even human?"

The reporter waved his hand and tucked the manuscript inside his royal curtains. "Relax, I'll mark the fabricated parts. Besides, this kind of news is more interesting."

"But this is not true."

“What they need is not authenticity. It’s conflict, conflict and contradiction that can stir up their peaceful lives, and the satisfaction of seeing others living worse lives than themselves. That’s what people want.”

"Is everyone like this?"

"Believing the majority without thinking is wrong. There are always smart people in this world who are good at discovering the truth, like me."

Lyle looked at the shameless fellow in front of him.

The reporter wore a mysterious smile, his tablecloth rippling like waves in the breeze, and a playful voice that seemed to freeze all enthusiasm.

"Secrets only have value if they are true."

Lyle heard the sound of chains sliding, and the scene around him was as blurry as an old television screen. The only things that were clear were himself and the reporter.

“I smell a secret, Plague Doctor.”

The reporter's secret talent began to emerge.

"You have a secret hidden in your heart, Plague Doctor. I wonder if I have the honor of making a deal with you."

The reporter seemed more like he was trying to force a sale; is this the keen intuition of a shrewd businessman?

Lyle didn't feel offended; rather, the reporter had just reminded him of something.

"Sir reporter, you always manage to satisfy your customers, right?"

It was that mysterious laughter again.

“We can begin trading now, Physician.”

"The secret I want to exchange is that mermaids can communicate telepathically with living beings."

A metallic scraping sound came from behind Lyle's head.

A crisp clang.

He saw the blurry shadow behind the reporter suddenly become clear, and on a huge brass clock, the sharp minute hand slid a small increment. A sense of loss washed over him.

"This is the truth, this is the secret."

Suddenly, a powerful aura emanated from the reporter; his expression changed drastically, and his voice became unfamiliar and aged.

Lyle was startled because a sudden gust of wind blew up the reporter's royal tablecloth, revealing a loose plaid skirt over his white trousers.

But soon, Lyle's attention was drawn to his words.

"In the City of Wanderings, in the Agave District of the Central Garden, on a starless night three days from now, the Red Dragon Fang will tear open a hidden door. Behind the door lies the remnants of a bygone era. Your heart's desires will be answered."

The sounds around him became clearer, and the reporter started to writhe again, just like he had seen it the first time.

Will we find a way to save Venus if we go to that place?

"Sir reporter, is this really reliable?"

"That's a secret that others have made with me, a truth that I've recognized through my talent, and it won't disappoint you."

"Thank you, Mr. Reporter."

……

Lyle returned to his cabin and, under the lamplight of the grape vines, copied down the knowledge in his mind.

Mermaid.

This is the text written on the first page.

The light-bat grapes hovered in the air, ensuring that the light was not blocked by Lyle's arm.

"Does Lord Lyle want to study mermaids?" Curious Grape approached, and as a member of the Scholar Lightbats, she easily recognized the text above.

"No, I've already encountered mermaids, and perhaps I'm even one of the people who knows them quite well." The image of Venus in the deep water lingered in his mind.

"Was it an encounter like that of the Little Mermaid, Lord Lyle?"

"The Little Mermaid?"

"The fantasy poems created by the poet Brans tell the story of a mermaid and a human prince who meet and fall in love."

"And how does the story end?"

"The prince and princess got together, and the little sea maiden became the foam of the waves."

……

Day three.

The city of wandering is brightly lit at night.

Lyle tapped the tip of his cane with his index finger, his eyes glancing occasionally at the Eye of the Central Tower, where the purple time indicated it was nighttime.

No wonder it was a starless night, Lyle tugged at his collar.

Above the city of wandering, the blazing sun shines brightly, and this mobile city has once again moved to a different time zone.

He stood on the outskirts of the central garden, enduring the scorching summer heat even though the purple canopy overhead reduced the sunlight.

The beautiful flowers were in full bloom, and even their fragrance carried the scent of sunshine.

Lyle glanced at the time again; there were still three minutes left.

The central garden, as a neutral zone, will be open to different factions at different times.

Unfortunately, Andre belongs to the Chaos faction.

Lyle originally intended to sneak in, but Nia revealed herself under the magic scan, causing quite a bit of trouble.

So much so that the arcane warriors on guard around him would all focus their attention on Lyle, fearing that the monster attached to this thin body might cause some greater danger, and Lyle could only stay put and behave himself.

"It's time. You may go in, Andrei."

Lyle walked into the garden, wanting to find a shady spot rather than searching for the agave section.

It turned out that the agave section was found first.

Lyle then realized that the agave in this world was the true "agave," a light green plant with sharp leaves that looked like barbed tongues, constantly slapping against the leaves of the surrounding plants.

There was no one else in the Tequila section.

These crazy plants are spewing flames into the air from the center of their converging leaves, like gaping mouths. It's like a fanatical fan at a concert, shining brightly for their idol. When one plant spews flames, the surrounding plants seem to be infected and follow suit.

It is said that in order to balance its body temperature and protect itself, this agave will spew flames when its leaves are subjected to pressure or high temperatures.

This makes the temperature in this area much higher.

I really don't know what the people in the Secret Council were thinking, classifying this plant as an ornamental plant. Are they out of their minds?

Lyle grumbled as he dodged the flames beside him.

Nia spread out completely behind him, and whenever an unruly agave turned its mouth toward him, the black tentacles would first stuff it in. Nia was not afraid of the flames, although the high temperature would turn her body into a charred, oily substance.

Lyle eventually found a mutated red agave in the middle of the agave plants. It was hiding among its burly relatives, not spewing flames, its body drooping, with a crystalline texture.

Lyle reached out to it, feeling a pulling sensation in his body, much like the teleportation sensation brought by the Andrei emblem.

Lyle's body twisted like a noodle and burrowed into the mouth of the red agave.

When Lyle stepped onto the floor again, he almost vomited from the jolting of the teleportation.

He arrived at a vast, dark place. Beneath his feet were large, flat stone slabs, on which runes written in blue paint shimmered, like a glittering road extending into the unseen darkness.

Before Lyle could properly observe his surroundings, a noise came from the darkness.

With a heavy sigh, Lyle's skin broke out in goosebumps, his heart raced, and he slowly knelt on the ground, silently enduring the pressure acting on his blood vessels.

It sounded like the stomping of feet on a stone slab, followed by a gentle breeze created by the compression of air.

Lyle knew that the visitor must be very powerful.