Traveling through The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

"When are you going to get to the point?"

The only thing Annis cared about was where Helgi was and whether he was safe. However, the plagued cat rambled on, avoiding the main point, with no intention of revealing the answer. What did all that talk about big noses and little lovers have to do with her precious niece?

Agis was suddenly scolded and was a little confused. He didn't dare to say a word. However, the little cat girl took a peek and found that the other people in the room were obviously more interested in the story she brought.

Lund goes without saying. He and Leimei, each in their own right, both know that I consider Lord Igmund of Markarth my primary adversary. Intelligence from the enemy's heartland will undoubtedly influence future domestic and military decisions. With Lydia absent, he demands a thorough understanding, fearing that Agis might not be providing sufficient details.

Nari played the role of a good wife, always following her husband's lead. Since Lund was so absorbed, she didn't care whether he was really paying attention or just pretending, she looked like she was enjoying the conversation.

The other two women, Kalan and Irina, had both spent their childhoods in Markarth. They had met a few times in their youth at the Temple of Dibella, but it was little more than the usual greetings and farewells, never a close acquaintance. Now that they had each established their own families, they felt a sense of familiarity, akin to meeting old friends in a foreign land. Upon hearing of the catastrophe in their childhood city, both wore expressions of nervousness.

Especially Irina. It's funny, this woman mentioned Nepos to me just a few days ago, praising him as a kind, generous, benevolent, and pious elder. Those words are still fresh in my mind. Ever since that name came up, the expressions on her face have been truly fascinating. God bless me, it took a tremendous effort for me to restrain myself from teasing this unfortunate woman.

Of course, from my perspective, what Aigis said wasn't just a funny story about Irina embarrassing herself. Nepos and Iola, mentioned by the cat girl, both have their own side quests in the game and are considered important characters with a certain amount of screen time. Yet, in another world, these two unexpectedly have some interactions.

Iola's identity is relatively straightforward. In the game, she's a follower of the demon goddess Namira, organizing cannibal feasts in the wilds of the Reach. The intelligence Aigis brought back also revealed that her people participated in the Forsworn Rebellion over twenty years ago, and now she's the only one left. Furthermore, she and Cindy are old acquaintances; one a carnivore, the other a vampire, so they might have a mutual sympathy.

The situation in Nepos is much more complicated.

The game does not explain this person's early life. We only know that he is the mouthpiece of Mednach, responsible for instructing his men to carry out assassinations according to the orders of the King of the Forsworn.

The Rage King himself was defeated and captured, serving his sentence in a prison deep within the Sidana Mine. If the official announcement from Markarth City were true, the rebellion had been quelled, the ringleaders brought to justice, and the situation throughout the territory was remarkably positive. However, the reality was that the Silver Bloods not only spared Maidenach's life but also secretly allowed the Forsworn to continue to exist and grow, using the organization as a pawn to eliminate dissidents.

Although Nepos was loyal to Mednatch and carried out the king's orders to the letter, he still wrote about his doubts and guilt in his diary. He regretted the young lives lost under his orders and even questioned the necessity and legitimacy of these actions.

When the player tracks down clues to the murder and eventually finds him, Nepos remains composed in the face of the accusation, speaking calmly while also expressing his weariness with the killings. However, after confessing his guilt, he suddenly overturns the table and attacks the player with his men.

In the game, he seems to be an old man who still has good intentions but is helpless, and eventually falls under the player's hammer, which is hard to say whether it is just or not.

But in the other world, the information Aigis brought was too explosive.

This old man is really good at playing!

Even though most of the people in the room were married and relatively harmonious, they all felt a little awkward after hearing this. I stole a glance at Irina and met her gaze. The woman blushed and turned her head away, pretending not to notice.

I comforted my anxious old aunt and gestured to Aigis to continue.

Iola told the little cat girl that, while she wanted to investigate Nepos, she was reluctant to confront her followers. They came from all walks of life, a mixed bag, and she couldn't tell who she could truly trust. As the host of Namira's banquet, she couldn't just disappear for no reason. As a result, the matter was delayed for several more months.

It wasn't until last year's Frostfall that Lord Igmund and General Tullius launched a combined campaign against the Reachman settlements. The small cult of Iola was caught in the crossfire, forcing them to flee deep into the mountains. Unfortunately, their carefully chosen caverns were infested with ghouls. After a lifetime of feasting on human flesh, they were driven away by the dead.

The residents of Markarth, led by Lisbet, suggested that Iola go to the city. Firstly, several people died there almost every day, so if they wanted to host a feast, it would be easier to find a main course. Secondly, there were more people in the big city, so perhaps they could hire some thugs to come back and exterminate the ghouls.

Iola, who had already had this intention, naturally followed suit.

After entering the city, she didn't go directly to Nepos. Instead, she leisurely searched for shelter and quickly found a prime location. The owner was a timid and incompetent Achaean priest, and Iola used a simple trick to frighten him out of his wits. After a small cannibalistic gathering, Verulus simply declared the Hall of the Dead closed.

Iola's original intention was to lurk in Markarth, gather information about Nepos on her own, and, by the way, get a feel for his background. Once she had thoroughly investigated the situation, she would then, after weighing her own strength, look for an opportunity to confront him face to face.

This inquiry almost made her angry to death.

The rumors turned out to be true!

Iola spent several weeks working odd jobs at a pharmacy called Hag's Apothecary. The shop was close to the Hall of the Dead, and from what she'd observed, the owner, Poscerra, was a kind soul. This Reach native at least harbored sympathy for the Forsworn. This was evident in the fact that her shop often housed individuals of questionable origin, and Poscerra was even willing to provide them with cover, even at the expense of the city guards.

Over time, many Nords came to loathe her, saying she was as troublesome as a hag. But Porserra actually wrote her insults on the sign, using them as the name of her pharmacy. But her medicine was genuine, a reputation well-known throughout Markarth. So, despite their harsh words, they didn't dare to harm her.

Normally, most people would be unwilling to take in a one-eyed stranger like Iola. But Bosela didn't care at all. She didn't even ask about Iola's background, which made the cannibal woman, who had prepared a long story, feel quite disappointed.

One day after New Year's, the shop was even more deserted than the Hall of the Dead. To save money, Bocella only had a small flame in the fireplace. Whenever Iola passed by, she would grab her sleeve to prevent the draft from blowing out the fire.

The door opened quietly and closed quietly, and a slender figure walked into the pharmacy.

"You're late. Is it still snowing outside?"

Aiola had initially assumed the cat-like, quiet girl was Murui—one of her colleagues, who had been taking turns covering the shift. But she was wrong. The person who had arrived was slightly taller than Murui, with a more rounded figure, and had long, light-colored hair. Her clothes, though made of ordinary fabric, were spotless, without a single patch.

It seemed that she was either the daughter of a small family or a servant of a large one.

"Sorry, I recognized the wrong person. What do you need?"

The girl didn't answer, didn't even offer any response, she peered over Iola's shoulder into the store.

This guy is so rude!

If Bosela hadn't added a few more sticks, which happened to illuminate the girl's bloodless face, Iola would have pounced on her and bit her to death.

"My dear, go and rest. I will take care of her."

The two men definitely knew each other, so Bosela didn't ask any questions, but simply took out a small bottle from the medicine cabinet and handed it over.

"It's the same dosage as before, remember?"

The girl nodded, left a bag of coins, and walked away silently.

"Don't be angry, dear. Wu Ailu is a poor girl. The contents of that little bottle will help her sleep better at night."

Posella turned around and comforted Aiola.

"Then you have to control the potency of the medicine. This girl looks dead. If she doesn't wake up tomorrow morning, you'll be in big trouble."

"No, that's not for her to drink, but... you understand?"

"In that case, I'll give her this bottle."

Aiola pointed to her left, where a whole shelf was filled with poisons for killing insects and rodents. Of course, if the dosage was right, it could certainly kill some larger pests.

Posella smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"No. That's why I say this girl is pitiful. She is using her body to save her father's life. It's just that the man who possesses her is too unrestrained, so she comes here once a month to buy medicine to make these days a little better."

"Who is so disgusting?"

As soon as the question left her mouth, Iola had already guessed the answer. Sure enough, Bosela gritted his teeth and uttered the name.

"Nepos."

It snowed heavily that day, and Murui was completely stranded on the road. Aiola used this opportunity to talk to her boss about Nepos. She then learned that Bosela himself was also one of the victims.

"That big-nosed man has a gang of scoundrels who specialize in frame-up and despicable acts. More than twenty years ago, my poor nephew, Oddfan, was a guest at my house. He was just taking a nap when they took him away, mistaken for a Forsworn. Ever since then, the Silver Blood family has had a lackey named Invar who has been coming to extort money from me every now and then."

Posela, childless, doted on her nephew. To rescue him, she made numerous overtures, ultimately gaining access to the Silver Blood family. A man named Yingwa claimed to know the prison administrator and could offer money in exchange for a reduced sentence.

After receiving the first payment, Odfan's sentence was indeed reduced from death to fifty years in prison. Seeing hope, Bosela offered more money. Little did she know, it was all a trap. By the time she realized what was happening, her savings had been drained, and she ultimately failed to secure Odfan's release.

After this incident, Bosella harbored a deep hatred for the lords and nobles. She was too old to fight for her life, but she spared no effort to thwart these colluded and reckless individuals. Over the years, countless individuals with sensitive identities had escaped capture thanks to her protection.

"It's not just you, dear."

Posella gave a kind smile.

"And Murui. You children all have your own stories. How could I not see that? Just go ahead and do it. I won't betray you."

Later, Bosela heard that the man who had accused Odfan in court was a pariah named Degain. He nominally made a living by mining, but in reality he was lazy and unproductive. But by then, her money was almost gone, and she had no energy to pursue the matter.

At the beginning of last autumn, a wealthy indigenous girl approached her, asking to buy some sleep aids. These drugs, while they can cure illnesses, can also harm people, so they certainly weren't sold for a fee, especially since the Bosela family was embroiled in a lawsuit. After several interrogations, Wu Aile broke down and tearfully recounted her ordeal.

Wuelle's father, Urazen, was a servant of a Nord nobleman. One day, his master was assassinated, and Urazen was accused of the murder. He fled, but was soon apprehended and sentenced to death. His family, though not implicated, became beggars.

Just as the family was in despair, a kindly old man approached them, offering to help Wu Lazen get his sentence reduced in exchange for Wu Aile becoming his maid. Seeing that Wu Aile, a native of Reach, was well-dressed and elegantly spoken, and with no other options available, the mother and daughter gratefully accepted the offer.

As a young girl, Wu Ai Le moved into Nepos's home and was soon pinned to bed by the old man. After a night of terror, Nepos, admiring the pitiful appearance of the girl huddled up with her knees hugged, casually told Wu Ai Le that it was he who had ordered his men to kill Wu Lazen's master.

That Nord nobleman, close to Lord Igmund, had repeatedly obstructed the Silverbloods' proposals in court, and thus lost his life. The decision to pin the blame on Ulazen was a last-minute one; after all, he had only discovered the beauty that was Ulazen when he visited the crime scene.

Nepos fed Wu Aile with good food and drink, and Wu Aile had no choice but to serve him obediently. To outsiders, this was a beautiful story of a kind adoptive father and a filial daughter, but who knew the sordidness within it?

After two years, Nepos finally grew bored, but the old man, seeking novelty, traded Wuelle for another woman. The poor girl was sent to live with the Silver Bloods for several months. This experience was deeply traumatic for her. As her temporary master, Tonar shared many terrifying experiences with Nepos, inspiring the big-nosed old man to explore from a new perspective.

However, there was a kind old maid in the Silver Blood Family who recommended the Ghost Potion to Wu Aile, saying that she could find the antidote to heal the trauma here.

"So, you also know the servants of the Silver Blood Family?"

"I've known her for almost twenty years. Now, everyone calls her Nana, which seems to mean old nanny in Nordic."

Posella recalled the past with a smile.

"They don't know how capable Idene was back then."