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Chapter 552: The Land of Gentleness in Sigil's Dreams
Chapter 552: The Land of Gentleness in Sigil's Dreams
Several days later.
Deep within the Land of Eternal Night lies the city of Hector, a beastman city-state also known as the City of Small Nights.
On the fringes of the snowy plains, the city-state of Small Nights stands peacefully amidst the perpetual dusk, as if at the end of the world.
Here, at noon, the daylight is but a fleeting glimpse, a brief interlude in the everlasting night.
The city-state is situated at the edge of the vast snowfields closest to the entrance of the Demon Realm, surrounded protectively by majestic mountain ranges. Their spines, heavy with snow, resemble a group of gray giants.
The city itself is often blanketed in white, embraced by an eternal winter.
At the heart of the Small Nights city-state lies a large plaza, beside which stands a towering tower-like structure. Built with care from dark stone bricks, its conical roof sheds snowfall, resembling a silver-white cape. Crystal wind chimes hang from the eaves, tinkling gently in the wind.
This is the most renowned hotel in the city-state, catering to wealthy merchants willing to pay a premium and also serving as a venue for the grand lords to entertain their esteemed guests.
On the top floor lies a spacious executive suite.
Regardless of the biting winds and snow raging outside, the room is always bathed in soft lighting.
Occasionally, the pages of a book on the round, tall wooden table are gently turned, accompanied by a soft rustling sound.
"Today is the thirteenth day of your new job."
"News from the front lines of the neighboring Kingdom of Bliss has you anxious and worried."
"But you know that for now, all you can do is focus on the task at hand."
Suddenly, Lanchi gently presses down on Cat Boss's head, silencing it.
Every day now, Cat Boss provides a news broadcast.
As a casserole bakes in the oven, Cat Boss scampers over to talk to Lanchi again.
Although Lanchi feels that Cat Boss's functions are expanding, which is a good thing, he is currently reading a book.
And across the round table.
Sigil is seated, her head pillowed on the table's edge as she sleeps soundly, emitting soft snores from time to time.
Cat Boss nods its head.
It didn't even notice that Sigil had dozed off so quickly.
Throughout their journey, Sigil has had very little sleep, and most of her waking hours have been spent driving intently through the snowy nights. Anyone else would have likely collapsed from exhaustion by now.
Yet, she remains focused and dedicated to her task.
Only during these rare moments of respite does Sigil allow herself to catch up on much-needed rest.
Earlier that morning, Lanchi had successfully restored the statue of the God of Night and Silence, the last of the six relatively prosperous city-states in the Land of Eternal Night.
Now, Lanchi and Sigil are taking a brief respite in the City of Small Nights before embarking on the final leg of their journey to the Demon Realm. After lunch, they will set out on the road once more.
From here on, they won't encounter any more habitable city-states, and they estimate they will reach the Demon Realm by dawn tomorrow.
"I never expected your affinity for small animals to extend to the Beastman race as well."
Cat Boss climbs onto Lanchi's shoulder and whispers in his ear.
This way, he won't disturb Sigil's slumber.
"......"
Lanchi tilts his head, looking at the little black cat with a slight smile.
Perhaps it isn't so much an affinity, but rather that they naturally grow fond of him.
Take, for example, the Great Lord Argo of the City of Small Stones. Initially, he hadn't been particularly friendly towards Lanchi, but over time, Lanchi noticed that the Great Lord seemed to transform into an adorable little bear in his presence.
In this region, the rabbit-like beastmen of the City of Small Nights are accustomed to the lengthy nights and brief days. Their daily rhythms are attuned to the darkness, but the unique geographical location and abundant natural resources of the city-state still attract scholars, hunters, explorers, and travelers seeking temporary refuge.
Within the city-state, one can encounter not only the rabbit-like beastmen who rule over it but also members of the Demon race.
And here, far from the realms of humans, any human who ventures here without sufficient strength or bodyguards does so at their peril.
Fortunately, Lanchi had forged a beneficial connection in the City of Small Stones, and from there on, each subsequent Great Lord he encountered viewed him with increasing favor. After he completed the statue's repairs and engaged in conversation with the Great Lords, they became even more partial towards him, offering him assistance along the way.
Thus, the six-day journey from the City of Small Stones to the City of Small Nights proceeded smoothly, with barely any unforeseen incidents or troubles. The latter half of the journey involved navigating more mountainous terrain, and the trio of Lanchi, Sigil, and Cat Boss had to take shelter in a cave during a sudden blizzard, briefly escaping an avalanche.
Perhaps it was because Sigil had witnessed Lanchi's work on the statue that day that she became curious about his artistic tools and carvings while packing their luggage.
Lanchi patiently explained the purpose of each tool and shared his insights on using them, as well as his knowledge of art appreciation.
After all, most of their time on the road was spent in conversation, whether learning or teaching, as it helped accelerate their perception of time passing.
Contrary to her outward appearance, Sigil isn't averse to learning; she merely strives for efficiency in many aspects of life, such as her speech habits and her approach to tasks.
Lanchi pondered as he perused the ancient tome, "Meow, what are you looking at?"
Curious as to why Lanchi was ignoring it, Cat Boss padded over and followed his gaze.
Lanchi was reading the 'Book of Creation' of this era.
There hadn't been a suitable opportunity to read during their journey through the Land of Eternal Night, so this quiet moment in the lodge, while their meal was baking in the oven, was a rare treat.
The little black cat also snuggled up nearby, its curious eyes scanning the pages.
This era's translation of the 'Book of Creation' had many interpretations that differed from those of the modern age, and most of the content was in the form of mythical stories and folklore rather than divine techniques.
For example, regardless of the version, the 'Book of Creation' always consisted of thirty-three chapters. The first chapter was the 'Chapter of Primordial and the Blank', and the last was the 'Chapter of Fate and Reincarnation'. Neither of these chapters contained any divine techniques, while the remaining thirty-one chapters did.
However, the last chapter mentioned that the Goddess of Fate sometimes bestowed gifts upon the descendants of those who had prayed to her.
This was what Lanchi had heard the three clergy members talking about at the Cathedral of Evil—
The divinity of the Goddess of Fate lies in the fact that as long as you pray to her, she gains a slight power to interfere with your fate. The more devout and prolonged your prayers, the more your pleas reach her.
Oaths sworn to any deity must never be taken lightly, for regardless of whether these gods still exist or are able to interfere in mortal affairs, doing so may create karmic consequences.
Thus, in legends, there was a protective stone called the Reincarnation Jade.
It could be any stone associated with the Church of the Goddess of Fate, and as long as it served as a medium, the deity could faintly interfere with the mortal realm from the conceptual side.
The Reincarnation Jade was a gift to those with a connection to the Goddess, and if one prayed devoutly to her, she might grant them a pleasant dream—perhaps a coincidence, perhaps a memory of a past life.
However, as this concept was extremely abstruse and unverifiable, it was largely regarded as a myth or fairy tale.
"Meow meow meow, is reincarnation really true?" Cat Boss gazed at the 'Book of Creation' that Lanchi was almost finished reading and whispered softly.
It didn't understand much of what it was seeing, but it knew that Lanchi was the best person to ask about such things.
"It exists if you believe it does; it doesn't if you don't," Lanchi replied softly, careful not to disturb Sigil's sleep. "Whether reincarnation is real or not depends mostly on your personal beliefs."
"Even if there is a past life, letting go of attachments means not dwelling on who you were before, not being anxious about who you will become, and not letting your present self be swayed by emotions or losing your composure. When you truly understand this, why would you need to hold on to any shadows from your dreams of the past?"
Of course, this was merely about achieving the state of no-self, doing as one pleased without overstepping boundaries, not about having no desires, but rather controlling and transcending them.
One should not be fixated on the opinions of others, for others are hell. This is the state of no-others.
No living being means all living beings are equal.
No mortal being means understanding life and death and finding meaning in existence.
"If you can comprehend these four states of being, you'll realize that whether reincarnation is real or not becomes irrelevant."
"Stop reading, stop reading! I'm going to be converted by you, meow!" Cat Boss covered its ears with its paws and grumbled.
It was just a little cat; it couldn't understand the profound concepts Lanchi was explaining.
Soon, Cat Boss jumped down from Lanchi's shoulder and nimbly made its way to the kitchen, leaving only Sigil's soft breathing audible in the room.
Her features, usually so guarded, now appeared relaxed in the warm light, her eyelashes fluttering gently as if she were hovering at the edge of a dream.
Then, she inhaled softly and slowly opened her eyes.
To be honest, she hadn't been to Small Night City before either.
The indoor decor, with its warm-toned wood, brought a unique sense of warmth to the harsh winter.
Sigil's gaze soon landed on the figure sitting not far away.
He was a graceful man, reminiscent of a principal, holding a book in one hand, his posture dignified and serene.
In the dim light, his figure seemed particularly tall and imposing, dressed in a non-traditional dark suit with a crisp lapel.
His eyes were deep and wise, as if gazing into a deeper realm, and his left hand held the book firmly as he immersed himself in the ocean of words, occasionally turning a page gently, the sound echoing clearly in the wooden room like a whisper from time itself.
"Are you awake? Dinner will be ready soon," Lanchi said softly.
He turned his head slowly, his eyes reflecting the warm light of the room and meeting Sigil's drowsy gaze.
"Sorry, I fell asleep," Sigil mumbled, feeling the chill of the winter in her bones and wishing she could burrow back into warm blankets. But she knew she couldn't be indulgent; her work required her to stay alert, even in a place as safe as this.
She shook her head vigorously, trying to clear the remnants of sleep from her mind.
(End of Chapter)
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