The City of Marronligar

Winters in Marenliga are cold, but not always unrelenting: the deep snow packs also pave the way for spring.

I am not very familiar with farming, but judging from the reactions of farmers outside the city and small businessmen in the city, a "understanding" winter can always bring them good returns.

For me, the most intuitive feeling probably comes from the Silver Bay mead produced every year.A good taster (although that's my self-proclaimed one) can always make a natural trajectory out of a wine throughout the year.As for the unavoidable price fluctuations, that's the story of wineries and pub owners alike.

——Miscellaneous Notes of the Silver Bay Tower: The Four Seasons of Malunliga

"You're back."

As soon as Adrian returned to the Feishi Mansion, he pushed open the door of the study anxiously, when he heard Sophia's voice.

Torreso's acting patriarch closed the ledger, folded his hands gracefully, with a characteristic reserved smile on his face: "The informants in the harbor area have told me that in the middle of the night, he saw the fire."

"The middleman who sold Bliss Tobacco to the Cobblestone Inn, and the workshop owner who produced the banned drug, they are all dead. There are indeed other investors behind the workshop, but... Master Cormac said that it is best not to do it in the short term Involving those 'big shots'." Adrian withdrew many details, and Sophia didn't ask.

"Well, your judgment is correct. Even if it is our Torresso family, it is not appropriate to offend too many people in Marenlica." Sophia did not hesitate to affirm her nephew after solving the worries of the Flying Lion Mansion. . "You did a great job. When my brother comes back from Logmar, he will definitely praise you."

Adrian let out a sigh of relief—fortunately, she didn't blame herself for making things too big.He bowed and replied modestly: "This is what I should do. Master Cormac also helped me a lot."

"Louis? Well, it seems that I have to find a chance to come and thank you." Sophia nodded.

Thinking of Louis, Adrian felt a little guilty: In order not to let other people notice the strangeness, he went to the public bathhouse to take a bath before returning to wash away the "unnatural" smell that might remain on his body.

Of course, this operation seems to have failed to hide from Sophia's eyes.She showed a sly smile, and asked again: "Speaking of which, the workshop was destroyed in the middle of the night, and it is almost noon now. What has delayed you for so long, or is the harbor area starting to repair roads again?" The municipal project made the way home suddenly longer?"

In the end, she concluded: "You seem to be different."

Adrian was speechless for a moment.

Although he is not good at lying, he still doesn't want anyone to know about his relationship with Louis.

However, based on Sophia's current expression, Adrian infers that she has probably seen through herself—whether it is the source of the current tension or "what have you done" in the past half a day.

Even if she guessed all the details, Adrian would not be surprised - this woman is not simple.Sophia is so keen that she can read minds. In front of her, no one's secrets seem to be hidden.

Fortunately, Sophia didn't make any comments, and just reminded two words lightly: "Adrian, you can make your own choices, I will not stop you, and I believe that my brother will not stop you. But at the critical moment, Don't forget that you are from the Torresso family and don't forget where you stand."

When talking about this topic, she looked very serious.

Adrian also subconsciously stood up straight: "I will keep it in mind."

Sophia quickly recovered her previous complacent expression: "Now that the workshop has been settled, we can finally deal with the aftermath with peace of mind. Later, I have to go to the prison, and those imprisoned girls are waiting for the final judgment. Most of them will He was dispatched to a farm outside the city to work for ten or twenty years, and it is uncertain whether he will be able to return in his lifetime."

Compared with the innkeeper who will be executed, the punishment they face is considered light.Some girls were born in peasant households, and they are kind of familiar with farm work and handicrafts, but they are returning to the poor life of the past during the confinement; but for girls who are used to selling their bodies and never rely on other skills to make a living, the next I'm afraid life is not easy.

"I don't know what's going on with my brother," Sophia sighed again. "I wish him and Judge Sauron all the best."

Speaking of this, Adrian suddenly remembered the scene he encountered in the temple.

——Don't tell Sophia, or she will directly tear down the temple.

The disheveled Samuel stood in Hagrid's office and said such words with a calm face.

Adrian couldn't help thinking to himself: Does she really not know what happened between them?If she knew, would she really go to the temple to make a fuss and fight the judge directly?If there is a fight, my uncle will definitely help my sister, so who will win?

Thinking of such a scene, Adrian's cold sweat was about to break down, and he could only pray that Sophia would be as far away from the truth as possible.

On the other side of Marenliga, the "Barque" tavern in the harbor area was as lively as ever, and the fire in the old shipyard the night before had become a new topic of chatter.

"Is that the territory of the Black Fang Gang?"

"Yes, but why did they focus on fighting instead of fighting the fire?"

"Don't mention it, I heard that a low-key rich man died in the alleys of the Black Fang Gang a few days ago, and he died in his home."

"Rich people? Don't be joking, there are still rich people living here, the taste is really bad."

"How can we understand the minds of those rich people?"

"However, the past two days have indeed been a little strange. Early this morning, someone found a fresh corpse in the cemetery, but all the valuables on him were taken away by the homeless. Not to mention the purse, they even The blood-stained clothes were not spared."

"Oh, there's no other way, otherwise, how will those poor fellows survive the winter."

The guys chatted with the customers in full swing.Stepping into the tavern from the snow, the hot smell of wine is oncoming, which always gives people a rough intimacy.

Louis sat in the corner of the tavern, ordered a jug of Silver Bay mead as usual, with a small plate of jerky, and drank it all by himself.

This place is different from the tavern in the market, there is no "Saint Roland Picking Roses of Stone Heart" on the mottled wall. The small wooden statue of the "God of Business" stands quietly in the corner of the counter, and the one-eyed boss always polishes it with a cloth.

A familiar figure squeezed through the bench blocking the way, sat down next to Louis, and patted him on the shoulder boldly: "Louis! Buy me a drink."

Louis looked at the person and smiled helplessly: "Seamus, you're here to drink again."

Seamus grinned: "How can it be called 'Ceng'? You 'invited' me to drink."

After two glasses of mead, Seamus leaned his back against the wall in satisfaction, squinted his eyes and looked at the man sitting across from him: "Louis, you seem to be in a good mood, you must have met something good."

"Good thing? What good thing?"

"Why did you ask me instead!" Seamus laughed. "I mean you, I haven't seen you so happy for a long time. Even if you don't smile on your face, there is a rare look in your eyes. To use an inappropriate analogy, you have heard the song 'Sailor and Girl', right? , if the sailor and his beloved girl finally get married, it will probably be your expression now."

——It was a sad ballad, and the people in the song couldn't be together in the end.

Louis slandered, thinking that Seamus's rhetorical level was getting better and better, and most people might not be able to bear this.

He shrugged and suppressed the smile on the corner of his mouth: "You're right, I'm really happy, but I can't tell you the reason."

Seamus curled his lips in dissatisfaction: "Aren't we good friends! I have helped you many times, and you are not even willing to share your own happiness!"

Louis smiled and patted Seamus on the shoulder: "Of course you are an important old friend of mine. But if this matter is revealed, some people will be unhappy, and I don't want to give you, a great writer, anything for free. No countertop inspiration."

Seamus patted the table, his eyes lit up: "Well, it really is an affair, and it is an affair that really makes you fall in love."

"...were you also so frivolous when you were studying at Silver Bay Tower?"

"Scholars and scholar assistants can't read some hot and vulgar things? Let me tell you, besides serious learning, Silver Bay Tower also has a lot of obscene songs. Not only can we read, but we can also write." Seamus He raised his chin and seemed genuinely proud of it.

It took Louis some time to finally get away from his aimless gag.

It wasn't until Seamus was so drunk that he couldn't even straighten his tongue, and sang out-of-key nursery rhymes lying on the table, which attracted the good-natured laughter of other drunks, that the bounty hunter "outside the association" stood up without changing his expression leave the tavern.

Touching the current weight of the money bag, Louis secretly sighed—he is not short of money, and he doesn't feel sorry for this kind of extraneous things that can be earned back at any time, but after being drunk so much by Seamus, Louis always feels that he is taken cheap.

In winter, the twilight falls very early in Marenliga.

Louis habitually walked to the cemetery on the other side of the city.Just like the morning class and evening prayers of the priests in the temple, he visits his mother who has passed away for many years every day, even if he only stays for a short time.

After killing the bounty hunter, he didn't forget to take away the murder weapon - Adrian's dagger.Otherwise, the Torreso crest on the dagger would point the arrow directly to the Mansion of the Flying Lions.

The bodies, scavenged by the homeless, had been taken by the city guard and placed in the morgue.Louis guessed that the association should have claimed the identity of the deceased, but even if they guessed who the murderer was, given the clues in Louis's hands and the rhetoric of "justifiable self-defense", Chu De and others probably would not pursue the matter any more.

There were no witnesses around when the incident happened. To the guards, this was an unsolved case with no clue.

The cemetery was not far from the barracks, so Louis saw the guards returning to the camp after their shifts.One of them nodded at him from a distance, his helmet hiding his face.Louis thought it was Cynthia.

There were still bloodstains on the ground, but it had seeped into the dark soil.The edge of the wing of the praying angel was also scratched by the arrow, which may be difficult for ordinary people to find.

A few more steps and you're at Annice Cormac's grave.Louis lowered his head and found that there was something more there, which was very conspicuous reflected in the white snow and the stone tablet.

It was a bouquet of fresh strelitzias.The colorful petals stand upright, and the slender stems are tied with elegant white ribbons, and the ribbons are covered with fine flow patterns.In this freezing season, it may be difficult to find a blooming flower in the wilds of the entire peninsula. Only well-managed greenhouses can support these precious plants imported from overseas.

Adrian's figure quickly appeared in Louis' mind.

"...It should have been brought by that child."

Sophia has a hobby of tending flowers and plants, and the Flying Lion Mansion also has a greenhouse for them to spend the winter. Maybe Adrian will help water and cut branches in his spare time.

Louis imagined this scene, and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but raise a smile.

During the long night they spent together, Louis told Adrian many things, many of which were secrets he had never thought to share with anyone.About himself, about his mother and biological father, and about the slave ship incident that caused an uproar six years ago.

Facing these secrets rushing to him, Adrian may have hesitated and wavered.But he still said to Louis: Your belief has not changed.

- This is great.

Adrian's expression was so sincere that Louis almost felt guilty for his indulgence.Because of the existence of this young man, he saw hope that he thought would not appear.

When spring comes, Malenliga may also look brand new.

With rare optimistic thoughts, Louis stretched out his hand and once again wiped the snowflakes off the tombstone for his mother.

On the sea at the southwestern end of the mainland, the Valkyrie is sailing towards the "rest station" during the long-distance voyage - a seaport city similar to Maren Liga.

That will be the last temporary stop before the Valkyrie goes straight to the Logmar area.

The weather is fine, the wind direction is just right, the sails are sparse on the calm sea, and the edge of the land has appeared at the end of the field of vision.Bibo hugged the hull and rocked gently, like a sleepy mother shaking the cradle feebly, urging the noisy baby to sleep as soon as possible.

In this "warmth-filled" shaking, Samuel was sitting in the cabin room, writing a letter to Sophia.Hagrid stood in front of the bookshelf next to him, flipping through old manuscripts from centuries ago, and glanced at Samuel at the table from time to time.

During the long voyage, it was a test for Hagrid and Samuel to always be in the same room with each other.

"...Why haven't you finished?" Hagrid closed the book with a "snap" and urged impatiently.

Samuel shook his head: "I am preparing a will, and I must write it in as much detail as possible, so as not to leave gaps for others."

Hagrid was very disdainful: "It's not that I haven't written a will. One is for the rector, and the other is for the headquarters of the church. I will explain the funeral affairs neatly, and I don't even need a third piece of paper."

Just after Samuel finished writing a paragraph, he started another line to explain the succession sequence of the industries in the Marenliga area.

Facing Hagrid's doubts, he retorted calmly: "The Torresso family is no more united than your church. I'm afraid Sophia won't be able to control the situation. If something happens to us, Adrian has to do a good job of taking over." Prepare."

Hagrid frowned, not knowing what he was brooding over.

He crossed his arms and urged again: "Then you write it quickly and hand it over to the courier to send it back to Marunliga before you leave the port. The Valkyrie will not stay in the port for too long, and leave after loading the necessary supplies. You and I are also the last Better not disembark—this city isn't as friendly to the order as Marenliga."

The Order has lost control of the continent of Kuno.It is precisely because of this that they desperately need a glorious victory to prove the sanctity and legitimacy of the church's power.

Finding the Hallows and ending the Cataclysm could not have been a more fitting victory.

But the closer they got to their destination, the more anxious Hagrid felt: he didn't know where this journey would take them.

What will happen to Samuel when this is over?Hagrid didn't know.

The author has something to say: ForgottenStories - Marvin Kopp