Chapter 891: The Mountain
Chapter 891: The Mountain
"...”
Lindsey couldn't bring himself to speak, as Yana Fien had seen both names as her own.
Especially the Eternal One before him, with his vast knowledge and keen mind.
Not wanting to bring up this topic about himself and gain insignificant astonishment, he continued toward the City of Law.
...
The sun rose and set.
Compared to the speed of their departure from the City of Law.
Due to the consideration of the young Awakened in the carriage, the journey took much longer.
Lindsey himself wasn't slow, and he could communicate with Alice in the carriage.
He kept the distance to within a day's travel from the caravan, which was no issue at all.
As for Yana Fien's identity.
The Princess requested that Lindsey keep it strictly confidential, and he didn't inform others.
After all, according to her—
The City of Law was in turmoil, but there were spies from other worlds infiltrating. If her information were to be discovered by these spies, it would easily cause trouble and lead to consequences that were difficult to estimate.
The sun rose once again.
Lindsey and Yana Fien continued as they had in the past few days.
But after passing through a plain that had been split in half, the former Princess suddenly recalled the scenery of the past.
"Lindsey, while asking:
"You remembered the plain, and the impression is very deep?"
Yana Fien nodded:
"When I left the City of Law, I happened to pass through this village."
"The people there were very cautious of outsiders. But after confirming that I posed no threat and was just a pitiful traveler, they were very kind and gave me food and clothes, and even took care of me for several days without asking for anything in return."
Lindsey could tell that Yana Fien was recalling the past with a heavy heart.
He didn't mind offering help to friendly commoners during their journey:
"Then why not go and take a look now?"
"Although this place is far from Camp Mountain, it might still be disturbed. We can selectively provide them with some food or medicine."
Yana Fien immediately nodded:
"Okay, then thank you."
The two slightly altered their direction, which didn't affect their overall itinerary.
But after walking for over ten kilometers.
At the end of the plain, what first caught their eyes was a patch of tall grass, and the Sense of the Atmosphere also brought information to Lindsey.
—A faint smell of burning.
"...”
"Yana Fien, do you really want to go over there?"
Lindsey issued a warning.
Yana Fien paused for a moment, and in that instant, she realized the implication of Lindsey's words.
"That village... something happened?"
Lindsey unfolded the map while speaking to Yana Fien:
"Currently, there are still survivors."
"But the entire village has become a ruin, and it won't be long before it's completely abandoned."
"...”
Yana Fien's footsteps halted.
A cool breeze blew across the plain, sweeping the maiden's hair back.
She was just an ordinary person, unlike Lindsey who possessed the Awakened's ability to enhance his senses.
But in the midst of this cold plain wind.
Yana Fien inexplicably smelled a hint of pain.
"...”
"Sigh..."
All the sighs, anger, and sadness ultimately turned into a single sigh.
After leaving the Realm of Law, the experiences of the past decade had exposed Yana Fien to far too much, and she herself was one of the victims of these hardships.
"Lindsey, go take a look."
Seeing his companion nod, Lindsey instinctively rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a bottle of pale blue potion.
"I also have some calming medicine here, do you need some?"
Yana Fien shook her head in refusal.
"Witnessing reality with your own eyes is the true way to clarify your heart's true intentions."
With a completely different mindset from before, the two continued forward.
Pushing through the overgrown grass, Yana Fien's memory of the village had indeed turned into a scorched earth. The limited wood was gathered and hastily assembled into a crude shelter. The people wandering here seemed more like soulless walking dead than living beings.
Lindsey's gaze swept across the area, and through his skills, he quickly discerned what had happened:
"They've been raided, and there are traces of an Awakened Being's attack."
Yana Fien shook her head, choosing to remain silent as they continued forward.
As they approached the ruins, she tried to call out:
"You..."
The maiden's words were cut short as sharp gazes pierced her heart.
The once kind and cautious eyes had now transformed into pure hostility.
If not for Lindsey's display of Essence intimidation, these people would have swarmed them in an instant!
"..."
Seeing this situation, Yana Fien understood even more clearly.
Without Lindsey, if she had come alone today, her current fate would likely not be much better than what she had experienced in the Camp Mountains.
Yana Fien composed herself and tried to speak:
"Tell me, what happened here?"
"..."
"Do you know who attacked the village?"
"..."
"We mean no harm!"
"..."
No response came to any of her calls, and Yana Fien didn't ask Lindsey to force an answer.
The two exchanged a glance.
With the same heavy footsteps as when they arrived, they turned and left the village.
The scene behind them gradually faded into the distance, but as it tugged at their hearts, the power of this moment lingered.
After walking a few hundred meters, Yana Fien turned to Lindsey and said:
"Lindsey, when I lived in the Capital City, there were many things I never thought about. The food we ate. The clothes we wore."
"These were things I never imagined back then."
"So, after experiencing the kindness and gratitude I felt when we first arrived here, I truly appreciate it."
Lindsey asked:
"What are your thoughts now?"
Yana Fien replied:
"I'm thinking that... have Awakened Beings ever considered the plight of commoners? Or perhaps they have, but they simply don't care?"
The former Princess's face contorted with a complex expression:
"I've heard that those who live in the mountains, when they look down from their lofty heights, often see a landscape far more beautiful than reality. It's a type of upper-class optical illusion."
Lindsey shrugged:
"You used to live in the mountains, so it's understandable that you'd see it this way."
Yana Fien nodded:
"Yes, I used to live up there. But now I live at the foot of the mountain."
"And I know what it's like to look up at the summit, and even more so, I know how difficult it is to climb up there..."
(End of Chapter)
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