Traveling through The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

According to Irina, after our first meeting ended on bad terms, Danger chatted with her father and daughter for a long time. The old fox naturally knew all the troubles in her sister's family, so he praised me highly and expressed the hope that this good marriage could make up for the hurt Irina had suffered.

I touched my nose guiltily.

"Lord Danger is a man of peace and stability, believing that a woman's destiny lies in marriage. I suppose you would rather live in the temple for the rest of your life, right?"

Irina lowered her head and remained silent for a while.

"Please rest assured, my lord. Since I am your wife, I will fulfill my duties as a wife."

Without any warning, the ship began to shake violently, and the fishy smell in the cabin and the faint floral scent on Irina's body mixed together and hit my fontanelle.

dong dong dong...

There were three soft sounds on the hatch door, and then it was pushed open a crack, and Lai Mei's voice came in.

"Sir, it's getting late, and there are many hidden reefs in this area. We won't go any further today. Stein and I are going to hunt some game. If your wife gets seasick, you can go ashore and get some fresh air before it gets dark."

Irina nodded slightly and took my arm. The lakeshore scenery on a spring day was unremarkable; sparse grass shoots lay languidly in the mud. The damp, cold breeze, however, sobered us up. We walked side by side, both silent.

To be fair, the fact that I, a commoner and former bandit, was able to rise to the rank of Baron of both Falkreath and Whiterun in such a short period of time was largely due to Danger's promotion and trust. While we did have some minor friction, it was nothing compared to the kindness he bestowed upon me. The old fox was no stingy boss; even though he asked for much, he still gave more than enough. He was far superior to those stingy yet pretentious lampposts.

As for Irina, a few months wasn't enough for me to develop any deep feelings for her. Emotionally, I sympathized with her plight and resented the actions of Baron Sengard and Lady Ganglie, but at the same time, I worried she might demand revenge for her mother. After all, risking the old fox by dealing with his own sister was beyond the realm of sympathy.

Furthermore, having been deeply influenced by journalism in my past life, I'm reflexively skeptical of one-sided accounts. It's not that Irina would deliberately lie, but the truth of what happened back then is hard to say now, and I'm afraid what she knows may not be the whole truth. Continuing to dwell on this topic will only make the atmosphere more awkward.

A philosopher once said, "If you don't want to talk about something, change the subject to something else, preferably something that will pique their interest." So, I decided to start a conversation and ask Irina about her life in the temple. She stopped and stared at me, her eyes filled with confusion, quickly becoming misty.

"Even though I was a virgin on our wedding night, Your Excellency still suspects me of having an immoral life?"

"Huh? No, no, no, of course I didn't mean that. I'm just curious. I heard that men are not allowed to enter Dibella's temple."

Irina's gaze drifted toward the mountains to the northwest. The setting sun cast a golden hue on her dark hair, illuminating two lines of tears. Though her face was tearful, I could detect a hint of joy in her voice.

"Actually, it's not that strict. The inner chambers of the temple are where the nuns live, and no one, male or female, can enter without permission. But the lobby is open to the public, and every time the temple holds an event, there are always many gentlemen and ladies present."

"Are there any activities in the temple?"

"Of course. We hold free clinics on the seventh of every month, and some common medicines are also discounted that day. New Year's Day and the Harvest Festival in Hearthfire Month are also important festivals, and the temple arranges performances. However, the most lively event is the Love Festival on the sixteenth of Rising Sun Month. The temple is open to the public all day and offers candies blessed by Dibella. Eating these candies will make love even sweeter! From dusk until midnight, it's time for dancing. Lovers dance under the goddess's blessing, and singles often encounter love."

Irina tilted her head slightly, her eyes a little out of focus, but the light in them became brighter.

"So, you used to make the candies for Love Heart Festival?"

"To be precise, I am merely the intermediary between Dibella and Candy. I cannot explain the specific ritual process to you, my Lord."

"I understand, I understand. It's quite surprising to hear you say that. I thought life in the temple would be very hard."

"DiBella isn't a deity that advocates asceticism. Quite the opposite. She encourages her followers to seek out and enjoy the love and beauty in life... but not in the ways adults think..."

Irina came back to her senses from her memories, her face flushed.

"You know what I'm thinking?"

"What else can you think of?"

Her face turned even redder, spreading all the way to her ears.

"People in other territories have misunderstandings about Dibella. The temple does recruit female students and instructs them on how to attract and please the opposite sex, but it doesn't teach them to commit fornication. I know some people use the goddess's name to do obscene things, which goes against Dibella's beliefs."

"Oh? I'd like to hear the details."

I found a big rock, helped Irina sit down, and sat cross-legged on the grass opposite her, pretending to be willing to learn, but in fact I was admiring her pretty face in the sunset.

"Your Excellency will surely understand that pleasure based on sexual desire has nothing to do with love. DiBella appreciates the resonance of souls and the resulting joy and satisfaction. A deeply cherished, sworn love far surpasses countless fleeting romances, and should not be equated with the actions of a beast driven by instinct."

I nodded and moved closer to her.

"It takes a long time for strangers to get to know each other, develop mutual admiration, and ultimately fall in love. If a woman can fully demonstrate her charm during this process, whether long or short, it will surely make the fire of love burn even more intense. Remember, not everyone can be kissed by the Holy Spirit and possess the perfect face they dream of, but Dibella's priestesses can guide them to discover their beauty in other aspects. For example, posture, figure, and conversation can all be improved through training, thus reshaping a woman's temperament, enhancing her self-confidence, and making it easier for her to find love."

"That's right! No wonder I thought your manners were so elegant the first time I saw you. Every movement was impeccable. Any more would be artificial, any less would be stiff. I assumed you must have undergone extensive etiquette training, but I certainly didn't expect it to be in the Temple of Dibella."

Irina stood up, nodded slightly, and knelt in response to my compliment.

"Your Excellency is too kind. Etiquette is only the most basic of lessons. Proper makeup and elegant manners are far from enough to achieve a beautiful love relationship. Sister Hamar always said that a woman is like a book. A beautiful cover will attract a man to open it, but it is the content of the book that determines whether he will read it with gusto. Therefore, the temple also provides advanced education, and the specific content varies from person to person. For example, the lover of a wealthy merchant will receive training in music and dance, while the wife of an aristocrat will learn to appreciate the arts."

"It's like cooking. Some people like sweet, some like salty, and it's hard to satisfy everyone. So a good chef will consider the flavor of the dishes based on the diners' preferences."

"Your Excellency is truly gifted. If we had met at the temple a few years ago, we would have become close friends."

"Come to think of it, I've actually been to Markarth, about five years ago. I don't know if Lord Danger mentioned it, but before I followed Lady Rigel, I worked as a traveling merchant with my uncle for a few years. He usually avoided Richland, always saying it was unsafe. But that time, someone paid a large sum of money to help deliver something, something like wood carvings and stone carvings. Merchants, you know, are sometimes willing to take risks to make money. Luckily, we followed other caravans and didn't encounter any robbers. After entering the city, we stayed at the Silverblood Inn for one night before leaving."

"In that case, we are truly destined to meet. The artifacts Your Excellency transported are likely for the exhibition held at the temple."

Hearing her say that, I of course cooperated and put on an expression of surprise and curiosity.

"Dibella is not only the goddess of love and beauty, but also the god of art. Every three to five years, the temple hosts exhibitions, competitions, and auctions of various artworks. Those that stand out are considered masterpieces worthy of being passed down through the ages. Markarth has many devout and wealthy nobles who take turns providing human, material, and financial support for the exhibitions, with the Silver Blood family being the most generous. For such grand events, the lords and great families always send soldiers to maintain law and order, so there's no danger."

"What about when there's no expo? I heard the Forsworn are causing quite a stir in the Reachland."

"It's not that bad, is it? Lord Igmund has reportedly annihilated most of the rebels, imprisoned their king, and taken control of the major settlements. However, the terrain of the Reach is complex, and some of the rebels have taken to the mountains to hide, making it difficult to completely eliminate them. Regardless, Markarth is definitely safe. I've lived there for fifteen years."

Irina sighed softly.

"Actually, there's no need for those natives to cling to their crude and bloody customs. I believe that as long as they are willing to embrace the Holy Spirit, they can live a civilized and respectable life like all humans and elves. I know a man named Nepos, a native of Richland. In his youth, he was bewitched by traitors and became a rebel. But inspired by the Holy Spirit, he turned his evil ways and became a follower of the Church. Now he's the steward of the Silver Blood Family and often represents his master at temple events."

"Nepos? You mean 'Big Nose' Nepos?"

"Does your Excellency also know Mr. Nepos?"

I was speechless. This Nepos was no good. He feigned loyalty to the Silver Bloods, but secretly continued to serve the captive Forsworn King Mednarch. For twenty years, he had commanded his assassins to commit countless bloody crimes in Markarth. Previously, the assassination of General Tullius's envoy to Markarth was also his doing.

However, this is all information from the game. In the alternate world, Locker did indeed travel to Markarth with Sunil. But the Forsworn were so notorious, so upon entering the city, the uncle and nephew hid quietly in an inn, leaving with the other caravans only after daybreak. They didn't dare wander around and cause trouble. So, I definitely shouldn't be acquainted with someone of Nepos's stature.

Fortunately, now I can tell lies easily.

"I heard it from others. I heard from other caravans that the goods we delivered were purchased by him."

"If there's a chance in the future, I'll definitely introduce you to him. Mr. Nepos is a kind old man, and very kind. Not only content with his own comfortable life, he has adopted many indigenous orphans, raised them, arranged jobs for them, and guided them on the right path. I heard there's also a kind lady in Riften. It's because of people like them that children like us who have lost our loved ones have not gone astray..."

Sister, if you keep chatting like this, I don’t know how to respond.

Judging from Irina's expression and tone, she wasn't lying. She truly believed Markarth was prosperous and peaceful, and she considered Nepos a friend. This suggests that the situation in the Stone City is turbulent. Although Lord Igmund has the support of the Imperial Legion, the Sidana Mine, which provides a large supply of silver, is controlled by the Silver Bloods. The open and covert struggle between the two provides the Forsworn with an opportunity to bide their time.

Perhaps Danger's suspicions are correct. With internal and external troubles, it's difficult for Lord Igmund to organize an offensive of the scale he did last winter in such a short period of time. But I'm also concerned that he might resort to military force just to establish his authority. After all, that's what the history textbooks and news reports from my past life all said: someone provoked a war to deflect internal conflict. So I need to be prepared for war, not just focus on farming.

However, preparing for war requires soldiers, and population is a major issue. Fortunately, Granite Village is flat and open, and I have ample land to gather refugees and reclaim. However, this terrain also means there's no strategic location to defend. If a real fight breaks out, let alone waiting for reinforcements from Falkreath, it's uncertain whether I can hold out until the people from Sunny Garden Fortress descend.

What a headache...

"My Lord, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"

Ok?

Only then did I realize I had been distracted. Irina had actually been talking, but I didn't hear a word she said.

"Um... I think it's necessary to remind you that Sunny Garden Fortress is currently under the control of a Reach tribe. The Reach people have their own dignity. You can reserve your opinions on their traditions, but it's best not to express them to their faces. This is also for your safety. The matriarch of that tribe is a crow hag. I'm definitely no match for her."

I was met with a pause, but thankfully, Lami and Stein showed up just in time to break the awkward silence. By now, building a fire and cooking outdoors was a breeze for me. Before long, a few unfortunate rabbits were washed and skinned, sizzling over the fire. Irina, who never ventured into the kitchen, sat quietly nearby.

The woman was clearly angry at my previous snub. Although she remained gentle and docile in front of others, she did give me face. However, her attitude towards me remained perfunctory, and after receiving Lund's letter, I was no longer in the mood to coax her.

"How ridiculous! These sons of bitches are trying to take advantage of me? Do they really think I'm easy to bully?"