https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-700-Lunch-with-Lanchi-Turns-into-Dinner/12585114/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-702-Lanchi-Finishes-Off-Kaliera-Part-1-/12585127/
Chapter 701: The Conclusion of Ranchi and Talia's Journey in the City of Flowers
Chapter 701: The Conclusion of Ranchi and Talia's Journey in the City of Flowers
The golden twilight faded, sinking into the darkening streets.
A single lamp was lit, then another, and another... Until countless lights twinkled like stars reflecting on the river.
Warm sky lanterns rose gracefully, dancing like fireflies towards the night sky.
"This is the festival of Pariel, the City of Flowers."
Ranchi and Talia walked up the hillside stairs of Montmartre, overlooking the entire city.
"It's so beautiful," Talia murmured, gazing at the bustling city that had suddenly come to life.
The breathtaking view before them took their breath away. The twinkling lights illuminated the stone houses, and the people donned festive attire, their faces radiant with joy.
Some citizens stayed indoors, lighting bamboo lanterns on their window sills and releasing them into the sky, letting the wind carry them towards the stars.
"Soon, when the night is at its darkest, the fireworks will begin," Ranchi told Talia.
He had read about the firework festivals of Pariel before.
Currently, they stood at the border of District 3 on the north shore of Pariel. By walking down the stairs from the highlands, they could directly reach the adjacent District 1 and head to their final destination for the night—the Temple of Love.
However, the view from the highlands was spectacular. In the distance, they could see buildings several kilometers away.
If one were to ask for the best place to view the fireworks, it would undoubtedly be the riverfront square behind the Temple of Love, where terraces had been set up.
There, one could witness the unparalleled brilliance of the fireworks up close.
"Actually, I can see fireworks every day from the card-making room..." Talia started to say something.
A crisp bell rang out, piercing the night's tranquility and rippling through the air, capturing the attention of the two.
It was the sacred music played to purify the land.
A crowd had gathered in the distant square, surrounding the altar.
Unbeknownst to them, a bonfire had been lit in the center of the plaza.
A priestess dressed in a white skirt slowly approached. She was the high priestess who served the goddess of love and will.
"The morning breeze blows, and petals scatter," the priestess chanted, waving her scepter. Each movement left a trail of silver and white, accompanied by the crisp ringing of bells.
"Your voice gently resonates throughout the world."
This was a sacred dance performed to honor the gods, imitating their movements.
The prayers rose above the square and reached the peak of the Montmartre highlands.
"People seek blessings from the gods, hoping for better fortune," Talia said, sharing her understanding of human nature over the years.
However, that was just one side of the story.
On the surface, a grand festival seemed to be in full swing.
But today was not as harmonious as it appeared.
Along their journey, they had overheard snippets of conversations from passersby.
Due to the recent unrest, Pariel had suffered casualties and losses the previous night. The tension between humans and demons was palpable, and even during the day, there had been protests and conflicts.
"The sky lanterns are used to guide the souls of the departed," Ranchi murmured, a hint of regret in his tone.
"Under Your blessing, emotions flourish," the distant priestess chanted, her voice carrying across the distance.
"May love flow like a gentle stream, gathering into an enduring ocean."
As the bonfire died down, the crowd dispersed, and new visitors arrived.
Only the solitary lamps in the night sky remained, faithfully illuminating the earth.
It was unclear who took the first step, but Ranchi and Talia continued their descent from the highlands, walking towards the square that led to the temple.
"I never expected that the relationship between the humans and demons of Pariel would deteriorate like this," Talia said, her eyes fixed on the city illuminated by the lamps below.
In the eyes of the common citizens, the instigator of these events was the demon ambitious noble, Perlman. The mad demons that attacked the city were the ones to blame.
In just one night, the peaceful district had transformed into a cruel battlefield, and anyone would feel a sense of trepidation towards the demons.
"It's not entirely their fault," Ranchi nodded in agreement with Talia. "Since Pariel chose this path of coexistence, perhaps this is an inevitable part of the journey. The process of mutual understanding is often accompanied by conflict."
As they walked along the mountain path, which was sometimes rugged and sometimes smooth, colorful stalls began to appear on both sides, displaying a dazzling array of goods.
Many booths displayed masks, ranging from artistic Bosen-style masks to those resembling demons.
These masks would have been popular tonight.
The Temple of Love was hosting a masquerade ball.
The original intention of the ball was to bring the humans of Bosen and the demons together, setting aside their prejudices and fostering friendly interactions.
Behind the masks, one could be human or demon.
Everyone was the same.
"Pariel, the City of Flowers, is a miracle to me," Talia said as she listened to Ranchi, strolling through the festival night market alongside him.
A century ago, she never imagined she would witness a city where humans and demons coexisted.
This trip to Bosen had truly broadened her horizons as a historical demon princess.
"So, Perlman is a complicated figure," Ranchi said, reflecting on the three impressive enemies he had encountered.
Of the three, he felt the most regret for Perlman because Perlman had once been kind, as evidenced by his student, Nigel.
Nigel was like a younger version of Perlman, but the two were also fundamentally different. Nigel possessed a heart as strong as steel.
Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that Nigel believed in himself and his convictions firmly.
"But didn't Perlman ultimately shatter his own ideals and veer towards another extreme?" Talia asked. She had to admit that their demon race tended to be overly emotional.
The more she adapted to and accepted life in human society, the more alien her own people seemed to become.
"Perhaps, as he neared success, he realized that ninety-nine steps are but a single step away, and that final step is another step altogether," Ranchi said, gazing at the lamp-lit street ahead.
"If he realized that the last crucial step was an unattainable goal, the closer he got, the more painful it would be. After all, as a pioneer and practitioner, he would know better than anyone if his ideal could be truly achieved or if it was just an illusory bubble."
"Lanchi felt that if it had been him in the past, he would have confidently believed that if he could have met Perlman earlier, he might have untied the knot in his heart and prevented the tragedy of the Flower City from happening.
But now that he thought about it carefully, perhaps what Professor Polaau had told him before they left was even more correct—
It's not that the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. Sometimes, the greater your ability, the greater the consequences of a single mistake. When your ability reaches a certain level, you need to learn to be an observer.
If it's not a terrible situation where you have to intervene, you should consider what changes your interference will bring.
Lanchi had only remembered what Professor Polaau said at the time, and it was only now that he truly felt the weight of those words.
Inoan's death made him think more and not be overly confident.
"So, was Perlman wrong from the very beginning?"
Talia lowered her eyelids and asked softly.
Regarding the coexistence of demons and humans, she also had her doubts.
She didn't think that she and Antanas were truly coexisting with humans, because they were all pretending to be something they weren't in order to live a peaceful life in Icelyte.
This wasn't true coexistence.
And just like Shubelian, who lived in Icelyte without deception, despite being the daughter of a duke, she had endured hardships and prejudices since childhood and was unhappy, even dreaming of the day when the people of Icelyte would no longer see her as a demon.
If the coexistence of demons and humans was inherently wrong, she didn't know why, but she felt that her heart would become hollow.
"I think I can't give you an answer either," Lanchi said, looking at Talia.
The Great Wizard Palroni's hatred for the demon tribe had caused a catastrophe and left seeds of hatred. The greed of the Senate over the generations caused it to take root and sprout, indirectly causing the death of Perlman's daughter and passing the hatred on to Perlman, which also led to the shattering of his ideals and a new round of revenge.
Perhaps the chaos caused by Perlman would cause the grieving families of the human victims to remember this hatred and one day erupt once more.
It was hard to say what the final outcome would be.
This was the cycle of cause and effect.
"Is that so," Talia said, her expression unchanged by Lanchi's answer.
Or perhaps she had guessed this answer and was already prepared to hide her disappointment.
"But if you ask me, one side has to take the first step and believe, even if there's a risk of being betrayed. Otherwise, if no one takes that first step, a better ideal will never be achieved."
Lanchi continued, his tone more assured, and the smile in his eyes as he looked at Talia was as gentle as ever.
"..."
Talia turned her head to gaze at his profile.
Her cold and noble eyes couldn't hide her confusion and emotion.
It was as if she wanted to push him away and yet, at the same time, wanted to understand him a little more.
Lanchi noticed her gaze, and the two looked at each other.
"What's wrong, Tata?"
Lanchi tilted his head and asked.
"Look, masks."
Talia said flatly, naturally shifting her gaze to the stall behind Lanchi.
The colorful masks filled the entire wall, shining brightly under the illumination of the magic lamps.
They displayed a range of emotions, from joy to sorrow, from ferocious to gentle.
"The masks of the Bosen Kingdom are quite interesting. I've never seen craftsmanship like this before," Lanchi said with great interest as he examined the masks.
"Young man, young lady, these handmade new masks are completely different from last year's! The craftsmanship of my shop is quite renowned on this street!"
The stall owner noticed their gaze and immediately spoke to them enthusiastically.
According to previous years, these masks would have sold out quickly, but since the festival wasn't as lively this year, the stall owners were actively trying to attract customers.
"..."
Talia was deep in thought, her fingers lightly tracing the surface of a purple-black mask with pointed horns.
It seemed to evoke a sense of nostalgia in her.
"I'll take this one," Talia said, reaching out to touch the mask.
Lanchi, standing beside her, had already taken out his wallet and was paying the owner.
"Young man, you're quite the charmer. You know what your girlfriend wants just by looking at her," the owner said with a laugh.
He liked customers like them who were quick to make a purchase.
Especially since it was hard to sell demon masks tonight, and he was glad they were willing to buy one.
"We're not in that kind of relationship," they both immediately denied.
"Oh, I see. You're a married couple, then," the owner realized.
"..."
They both looked a little tired; they had been mistaken for a couple too many times that day.
The more they argued, the more confusing it became.
After a moment of silence, Talia finally took the purple-black demon mask.
"Why don't you buy one too, young man? Buy a pair of masks from me, and I'll give you a 10% discount!" the owner quickly added.
Lanchi smiled helplessly.
He looked around the stall and spotted a human mask with a white background and golden patterns.
The mask had soft lines, a serene expression, and eyes that seemed to convey a compassionate pity for the world.
Without hesitation, he picked up the mask.
He was usually quick to decide when it came to choosing things, trusting his first impression to find the one that appealed to him the most.
After paying, the two of them put on their masks and blended into the bustling crowd.
At that moment, no one paid attention to their true identities beneath the masks.
They strolled through the night, surrounded by humans and demons, indistinguishable from one another.
In the heart of this lively celebration, they walked among the many visitors, some engaged in enthusiastic conversations, while others focused on the lottery tickets in their hands.
Many people had eager expressions on their faces, obviously hoping to win a big prize.
"Want to give it a try?"
Talia's request was simple.
She and Lanchi had three special lottery tickets for the fireworks festival, and all she wanted was the third-place prize, a supper exchange voucher.
"Of course," Lanchi replied, his voice full of anticipation. He quite enjoyed the lottery.
They approached a beautifully decorated lottery center and handed their tickets to the friendly staff.
"Good luck to you both!" the staff member said sincerely.
Lanchi and Talia exchanged a glance, both holding their breath as they watched the screen in front of them.
The sight that greeted them was not the third-place prize they had wanted, but a participation award—a small packet of colorful candies.
The results of all three attempts were the same.
"Oh well," Lanchi sighed softly, sounding resigned.
"It's fine," Talia said, pocketing the candy.
After a moment's thought, she secretly slipped another packet into Lanchi's pocket.
Then, opening one of the packets, she brought some candy to her mouth and, from time to time, fed a piece to Lanchi.
Lanchi accepted them readily.
The fact that Talia was now sharing food with him was something he wouldn't have dared to imagine a year ago.
Ascending the steps, they soon reached their destination—the Temple of Love, or more specifically, the Church of the Virgin of Pariel.
It was said that the church boasted a massive 6,000 square meters in terms of floor area.
But what truly caught the eye were the two towering bell towers that soared into the clouds on either side of the western facade.
Standing sentinel-like, these towers seemed like loyal guardians of this sacred sanctuary.
Although this wasn't their first visit, Lanchi and Talia still found the sheer size of the church astonishing as they stepped inside.
Beyond the five longitudinal chambers arranged in a row, the central nave and the narrow side aisles were both bustling with activity.
People with masks of all sorts wandered through this space.
As they ventured further into the main hall, the high ceiling cast a dim light, seemingly isolating this place from the lively atmosphere outside.
Looking up, their gaze followed the arching lines of the vault until they reached the vicinity of the majestic rose window, which was quietly embedded like a brilliant eye, watching over the mortals below.
And beneath it, music swelled.
In the play of light and shadow, the masked figures flitted in and out of view, their faces obscured by the dance of light, making it hard to distinguish reality from illusion.
With everyone donning masks, identities, statuses, and races became blurred and inconsequential in this moment.
However, it was noticeable that most of the masks were of human faces.
There seemed to be very few members of the demon tribe participating in the festivities within the temple today.
Lanchi and Talia made their way around the periphery of the main hall, walking on the marble floor towards the statue of the goddess, intending to offer a prayer for blessings before ending their outing for the day and returning to practice their collaborative card-making.
Suddenly, a priest seemed to spot them and called out, stepping forward to stop the pair.
"You two, now is not the traditional time for prayer. A more sincere way to seek blessings from the goddess is to—"
The priest explained, gesturing with one arm towards the center of the main hall.
He believed that they surely understood what the more sincere way to pray to the goddess of love was during this special event.
"Well..."
Lanchi and Talia exchanged a glance, their voices tinged with hesitation, unable to see each other's expressions behind their masks.
After all, blessings from the goddess were a matter of faith.
"And if you participate in the masquerade ball and complete the dance, you'll receive a raffle ticket for the fireworks festival."
The priest grinned, pulling out a raffle ticket from his sleeve and waving it at them.
Talia's eyes sparkled at the mention of this.
She wanted to try her luck again.
Not having won the special dinner voucher prize had left her disappointed.
Although trying again might not guarantee a win, she felt that the ticket the priest was offering had a good chance of winning something.
Or perhaps it was simply a case of her being bitten by the gambling bug.
However, she soon schooled her features.
After all, Lanchi probably wouldn't be willing to indulge her in this.
"Let's dance, then. Consider it practice for our teamwork."
Lanchi smiled.
It was as if he had read Talia's mind.
He extended his hand to her, inviting her to dance.
"..."
Talia looked at him, her eyes reflecting her confusion.
Finally—
"Although I am a princess, I haven't danced in a long time. The last time was with my sister."
Talia placed her hand in his, her voice soft.
"It's alright. I've never danced with an eight-hundred-year-old princess before either."
Lanchi replied.
Talia resisted the urge to throw him over her shoulder.
Together, they stepped into the dance floor, their figures merging with the crowd, soon becoming indistinguishable.
As the music reached its climax, the atmosphere grew more excited.
Laughter, conversations, and whispers intermingled, creating a cacophony of sounds.
Overhead, the rose window shifted in color with the passing of time, its hues reflecting off the lights of the hall, alternating between passionate and intense, then cold and mysterious.
And among this sea of dancers, Talia's figure, with her demon mask, stood out, drawing curious glances from time to time.
"How can there be demons participating in the festivities so soon after they went berserk the other day?"
"That's just how demons are. Killing a few people means nothing to them."
"Most of those wearing demon masks today are probably humans. Who would be crazy enough to want to live with demons?"
Such voices could be heard, and Talia could read similar thoughts in the eyes around her.
Her steps occasionally lagged, out of sync with the music.
Gradually, she felt less inclined to step on Lanchi's feet.
She should have chosen a human mask, she thought. If only she had continued pretending to be human like she did in Icelyte, everything would have been much smoother.
She had been challenging Lanchi all day, never letting go of his hand, but at this moment, she wanted to withdraw her hand.
But Lanchi wouldn't let her.
"Tata, don't regret the choice you've made."
Lanchi, as if reading her thoughts, fixed his gaze on her beautiful golden eyes.
"Whether you wear a demon mask or a human one, you're still Tata to me."
Lanchi held Talia's hand tightly, his words causing her eyes to widen in surprise as she could only stare at the man before her.
"..."
Talia didn't respond, but a slight curve lifted the corners of her mouth behind her mask.
He couldn't see it, so it didn't matter if she smiled.
The dance continued.
Despite their seemingly uncoordinated movements, they didn't falter.
Perhaps it was because the dance steps belonged to different eras, one more ancient than the other.
Just like the humans and demons of the Bosen Kingdom, their harmony was still a work in progress.
But amidst the stumbling, they didn't hesitate.
Their figures, one human and one demon, gradually drew attention.
This harmony born of contradiction was filled with an unusual possibility.
It was evident that they were enjoying themselves.
Supporting each other, they bravely took the next step.
(End of Chapter)
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