The City of Marronligar

When I was working in Silver Bay Tower, I was still very young, too young to spend time in nameless pubs in the harbor area, thinking that it would lower my so-called style.I later discovered what a vulgar idea this was.Whether it is a noisy wharf, a bustling market, a small hotel on the edge of a farm outside the city, or an aristocratic district that people love and hate, there is actually no essential difference.

The older I get, the more I like the feeling of the harbor area and the market.The half jug of warm Silver Bay mead is just a foil, what is more exciting is the other people in the same scene.Stepping into that warm din, you can hear many things worth more than money.

Their pain, their anger, their joy, their desire, their life.my food.

——Miscellaneous Notes of Silver Bay Tower: The Diet and Recreation of Commoners in the Harbor District

Leaving the collector's mansion, Louis said that he would invite Adrian to the tavern to relax and summarize what he saw and felt that day.

Adrian raised his head and looked at the bright moon hanging above the city of Marunliga. He hesitated between returning directly to the Flying Lion Mansion and staying with Louis for a while, and finally chose the latter.

The "three-masted ship" in the harbor area is too far away, and the market is next to the edge of the aristocratic area, and Louis claims that he "knows the owners very well" and "can get a good price."Adrian didn't have much right to speak, so he half pushed and followed.

Although it is not as luxurious and exaggerated as the noble district, the tavern they are in is still more refined than the one in the harbor district.The frames of tables, chairs and wooden windows are covered with simple and smart lines, the metal wine utensils are polished, and the preserved fruit and steaming barbecue are spread out in the center of the plain monochrome porcelain plate.

On the counter against the wall is a small bronze statue of the "God of Business" that symbolizes wealth - it is a goddess covered with a veil, her right hand is naturally hanging down with her skirt slightly lifted, her left hand is holding a scale, and the weight is pressed down. There are a few coins on one side, and two seabirds flapping their wings on the upturned side.Money and the sea, like concise.

After observing the surrounding environment, Adrian looked at the painting on the wall, thinking that it would seem out of place in the atmosphere of the tavern: "'Saint Roland picks the rose of the heart of stone'? Why is there such a religious painting in the tavern? Meaningful paintings."

Opposite Adrian, who was sitting well, Louis crossed his legs, rested one arm on the back of the chair, and flicked the wine glass with the other.The honey wine in the glass was almost shaken over the edge several times, and fell back again.Hearing Adrian's question, Louis then looked at the old hanging painting.

In all fairness, the price of this painting will not be too high, it is just a copy and combination of several masterpieces by an unknown painter.However, there are all the necessary elements, even redundant: the saint Roland, who is the pioneer of the order, the mount wearing the armor, the blurred distant mountains, the setting sun, the river and the nearby clear spring, the growth of the spring Rose bushes, and a mysterious woman standing at the other end of the spring, holding a torch for Roland.

The woman is said to be a female ancestor of the Torresso family.Adrian remembered that there was a similar painting in the Flying Lion Mansion, but the author had a higher level and the layout of the picture was much more refined.

"After careful calculation, the Saint Roland was already a thousand years ago. Before his death, he happened to witness the end of a catastrophe. At that time, Marunliga probably didn't even have a tile-roofed house."

Louis loosened his collar, raised his glass and took a sip: "Are you asking about this painting? The boss may not know about it. He probably just thinks that 'it looks classy when hung up'. Some customers will like it—except for the church, here People don't pay too much attention to the political or religious significance of works of art. They only make judgments based on their own ideas and potential benefits. So, you don't need to make too many associations, they want to do it, that's all. Don't make people just think You stayed on the first floor, but you ran to the fifth floor."

Adrian nodded silently.He picked up the barbecue skewered with an iron skewer, and waited for the honey juice on the surface to drip almost before eating—because most of the locals in Marenliga are sweet, and many foods here like to add honey (so Adrian understands why There are large beehives in the farms outside the city), and even the air in the streets of the aristocratic district is sweet and greasy.

Although the Torresso family, like the religious order, has taken root here since the early days of the city of Marenlica, except for a few people who run businesses here, most of the clan have been living in the distant Heshan Manor.Affected by the flavor of his hometown, Adrian prefers spicy food, but now he can only follow the Romans, and fully integrate into the honey-like life like Samuel and Sophia who have lived here for a long time.

The same is true for honey-glazed barbecue, and the silver bay honey wine that Louis likes can also be regarded as the embodiment of the character of this city-state.Probably because last time Adrian said he didn't drink, this time, Louis only wanted a glass.

"Actually, the Silver Bay mead here comes from the same winery as the one in the harbor area, and the taste is exactly the same, but the 'feel' will probably change." Louis stared at the wine glass in his hand, thinking.

He seemed to have forgotten to give Adrian the task of "summarizing experience", and only cared about enjoying the food and drinks alone, and Adrian didn't know whether he should remind him: from entering the tavern until now, they haven't said a word of business.Louis has been sitting sideways, drinking while watching the singing of the bard in the center of the tavern, shaking his legs to the rhythm of the tambourine and the lute, and glancing at Adrian with a reserved look from time to time.

However, Adrian is not the kind of withdrawn and stubborn person.He looked at the jug in Louis' hand, and began to think about how to be a "qualified" citizen of Marenliga.

Maybe learning to drink Silver Bay mead is a good starting point?Even if the taste is not right, try not to show disgust or discomfort as much as possible, so that it will appear more reliable.

Louis noticed Adrian's gaze resting on the flagon.He teased: "What's the matter, the 'little rookie' of Torreso's family? Could it be that he thinks this jug looks good and wants to take one home with him?"

Adrian glared at him displeasedly: "Please don't treat me like a child, master."

He stared at the upturned spout, connecting the clear liquor in Louis' glass with the dense aroma in the tavern.

"...I want to try it too."

"what?"

"Silver Cove Mead."

Louis was taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help laughing.He beckoned, and called the waitress who had just cleared away the cups and plates at the neighboring table, and asked for a clean wine glass, and poured half of it for Adrian himself.

Adrian stared at the half glass of mead for a long while before making up his mind to drink it all in one gulp.Different from those strong and spicy spirits, although the mead running down his throat had a bit of alcohol stimulation, what permeated his mind was more of a light sweet taste, and the mellow taste matched this sweet accident.

Even so, Adrian was choked because he drank too quickly.He hurriedly put the back of his hand against his mouth and coughed for a while before he recovered.Looking up, I saw Louis on the opposite side propping his chin with his hands, tilting his head, with a smile on his face, with an expression that watching the excitement is not a big deal.

Adrian blushed, and was embarrassed to admit that he had exposed his weakness, so he had to pretend nothing happened: "It actually tastes good." He was telling the truth.

"Is—is it?" Louis prolonged his voice on purpose, and retrieved the wine glass from Adrian's hand. "Don't force yourself, rookie."

After the temperature on his face dropped slightly, Adrian raised his eyes to observe Louis' expression.The bounty hunter's attention has returned to the bard, with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth, a very relaxed expression.

— But, is he really laughing?

This question suddenly flashed through Adrian's mind.

Yes, Louis was indeed smiling.But Adrian was keenly aware that Louis's smile was probably just a camouflage made up of facial muscles and skin.Under this disguise, in the deep eyes that always calmly observe everything, Adrian can't see anything, only chaos.

There's no joy there, at least.

Looking back on the day they acted together, Louis seemed to attach great importance to Adrian: leading him to complete the commission, using his five senses, and helping him in the battle against the Lightless.But other than that, Adrian always felt that Louis was deliberately keeping a distance from him, and there seemed to be an invisible and intangible barrier between the two of them—Adrian couldn't find evidence, but there was such a vagueness a feeling of.

It was the same before, not pessimistic and depressed, but Adrian could feel that there was always a sense of despondency and lack of passion lingering around Louis.

The man in front of him was clearly here, but he seemed to be looking at something else.alone.

This cognition felt like a thorn in Adrian's heart.He knew that he didn't need to know more - learning something from Luis was what his uncle meant, which was what the Torresso family meant.

But for some reason, perhaps because of curiosity, perhaps because of his sensitive nature and his ability to perceive details that others do not want to reveal, Adrian could not control his "hungry for knowledge", and could only organize his language so that the questions he asked were not so obtrusive.

"Before I came to Marunliga, I had never dealt with bounty hunters." Adrian murmured.

"That's right, the folk customs in your place are simple and simple, and you can solve any problems by yourself, and you don't need people like us."

"With your qualifications, you should be admired by your peers. You probably have many outstanding students."

Louis shook his head: "I have no students. I don't expect the admiration of my peers. The attitude of this group of bounty hunters towards me is completely inferior to that of the guard named Cynthia. But it's not because my peers are inferior, but because of me and theirs. Stand... Forget it, this has nothing to do with you."

Adrian looked at him suspiciously: "Aren't you the honorary president of the Bounty Hunter Association?"

"You also mentioned that it is the 'honorary' president. This is the last bit of face they save for me. It sounds more decent than being directly expelled from the association." Louis lowered his head, staring at the wine glass in his hand. "So the entrustment I receive now does not go through the association, and I don't partner with other bounty hunters very much. The client will find me directly, and the fame accumulated in the early years is rewarded. There is no need to share with the association or with my companions. fine."

There is no need to intuit to tell Adrian anything, Louis' helplessness and bitterness are already on the surface.This topic should not go any further.Adrian looked away, and kept his presumptuous question in silence.Even if you want to know these details, you can only wait until later.

"You seem to know your uncle very well," Adrian asked about something he had always cared about. "And I don't know much about him. May I venture to ask, have you guys acted together before? Like hunting fugitives, or destroying the Lightless."

Louis smiled and said perfunctorily: "We have known each other for many years. Samuel has extraordinary talent and is also very good at dealing with people, so he can get along well in Maren Liga. But everyone has their own advantages. talent, you don’t have to compare yourself to Samuel all day long.”

He obviously didn't want to continue this topic: "I'm afraid it's unreasonable to ask an outsider about my elders. Of course, I won't tell the truth."

Adrian tactfully didn't ask any further questions, and kept in mind: This should be one of Louis' secrets, at least something very important to him.

At the same time, Adrian warned himself: don't be shaken by childish inferiority complex and competitiveness.

Probably realizing that the young man in front of him wanted to use his own words, Louis began to send Adrian back to the Flying Lions Mansion, as if to get rid of someone who had nothing to do with him: "The wine is over," he pointed to the porcelain plate on the table. "The honey barbecue that you don't like is finished, and the next is a wonderful private time. It doesn't matter if you want to stay here, the boss will not drive away rich guests."

Seeing Louis standing up, stretching slowly, and starting to walk towards the door of the tavern, Adrian suddenly had a strong urge.

He wanted Louis to stay a little longer.

He would try to get used to the mead and roasts of Marenliga, to the overly sweet ditties of minstrels, to the way the natives spoke and their taste in art.

He wants to know more about Louis.Not just Louis, but Samuel, and a city that is both cruel and gentle.He could wait silently like a shadow until Louis was willing to tell him everything.Another voice in his mind repeatedly told Adrian: Don't forget who you are, what you should do, and don't even think about anything.

So, Adrian once again chose to remain silent.He followed Louis out of the tavern and strolled up one of several unnamed arched bridges.After walking for a while, there was an intersection, Louis returned to the unremarkable three-story building, and Adrian's destination was the Flying Lion Mansion in the aristocratic district, and the day ended like this.

The night of Marunliga is as bright as water.

Pearl River - this is the name of the water system in the city of Marunliga.Some nobles once felt that this name was "too vulgar", so they searched all over the classics and dug up an ancient name that was used seven or eight centuries ago.But the citizens have become accustomed to calling it Pearl River, and that awkward name has been buried in the memory of a few people.

The moonlight shines into the river that passes through the city and flows into the sea, like a tulle on a mirror.

Adrian watched as Louis approached the young girl who was soliciting guests at the door of the hotel.No surprise there, it's not uncommon here to pay someone to spend the night with.Their own Rosary Church is also doing a similar business, but it looks more "high-end".

The thorns in my heart seem to be growing.

Adrian didn't know whether the source of the dull pain was the drowsiness after drinking, dissatisfaction with his ability, or Louis's arm on the girl's waist.

"Grandmaster!"

Before he could think it through, the voice had escaped from his throat against his will.

Louis stopped in his tracks.He turned around, and the girl who was snuggling beside him also looked back curiously.

"What's the matter, Adrian?"

Adrian collected himself and forced himself to be calm: "Tomorrow, do I need to act with you?"

Louis froze for a moment, then smiled wryly, "Okay. But there is no entrustment, only boring training. You don't mind?"

"I don't mind." Adrian replied almost reflexively.

——What am I thinking?

Adrian tried to question himself.

In addition to the inexplicable joy, he felt a kind of sadness that he had never felt before.