After listening to the information Starlight described, Noah couldn’t help but feel a sense of oddity. In the era he remembered, although the various races on the continent were engaged in sporadic battles with the Demons, they were at least working together. How could things have turned out like this after only fifteen years?
“Hmm, it’s certainly different from my impression. However, I don’t think you need to worry about all that yet. If you truly intend to settle the score with the Heavenly Demon, your primary goal should be to surpass Carlos. Even if the external situation is a bit chaotic, with your strength, you’ll be able to live just fine.”
“What exactly are the Demons?” Starlight suddenly asked, seeing that Noah had nothing else to add.
“You’ve got me there. That has been an unsolved mystery since ancient times. Currently, we only know that they primarily emerge from the Death Desert, but that place doesn’t look like it could support any living beings at all.”
“Some people also speculate that the Demons are products of other creatures being corrupted and fallen. But in my opinion, they don’t possess the same eerie aura as undead creatures, so that hypothesis doesn’t seem to hold up either.”
“Also, I must remind you that the Heavenly Demon you encountered is completely different from other Demons. Ancient records state that ten thousand years ago, it was he who personally ended the Age of Gods. However, no one knows why he has remained entrenched in Sky City instead of rampaging across the continent like other Demons. If he were to roam about like the rest of them, the continent would likely have fallen into an irreversible abyss long ago.”
Noah spoke slowly, seemingly making an effort to recall those long-buried memories.
“You’re saying the Heavenly Demon ended the Age of Gods?! How is that possible?” Starlight exclaimed. If the Heavenly Demon truly could defeat gods, wouldn’t it be impossible for him to ever reach such a height in his lifetime?
“Well... I can’t say for certain, but at least many ancient texts say so. After all, another title for the Heavenly Demon is the ＜Godslayer＞. Since this is your... Sigh~ let’s not talk about that! Stop thinking about those things for now! Just focus on how to improve yourself.”
Noah seemed to have more to say, but he suddenly sighed and fell silent. Starlight was still in a state of shock and didn’t notice anything unusual.
During the subsequent journey, the caravan moved exceptionally smoothly, as if Starlight’s presence had brought them good luck. The revenge Tara feared did not arrive as expected. They increased their pace and, in just two days, were approaching the borders of the Violet City-State.
In these brief two days, Starlight also quickly became well-acquainted with the people in the caravan.
Everyone showed great care for this young and inexperienced boy. Although they might not be able to compare to Starlight in terms of strength, they were undoubtedly his seniors when it came to life wisdom and practical experience.
That night, the caravan veered slightly off the main road to find a sheltered mountain hollow, where they set up a simple camp.
Everyone was busy pitching tents, lighting campfires, and preparing dinner. The firelight flickered in the summer breeze, emitting a warm and bright glow, while the clear moonlight bathed the land, reflecting a serene and mysterious scene.
Sitting around the campfire, everyone enjoyed the delicious food and shared their stories and experiences.
Starlight showed a keen interest in the novel dishes and seasonings. In these two days, the new things he had seen far exceeded what he had experienced in the fifteen years he spent in the valley, which made him incredibly excited.
“Starlight, my boy, come over here and look. We’re using top-grade spices famous throughout the continent, so you won’t be able to eat food like this anywhere else. You should take this chance to eat more! Hahaha!”
A merchant by the fire laughed as he handed a sizzling, oily meat skewer to Starlight. The tempting aroma was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.
The primary goods of Tara’s caravan were various spices and handmade products. According to them, they had gone to great lengths this time to procure a shipment of high-quality goods from the elves in the southwestern part of the continent. If they could bring them back to the Egret City-State intact, they would surely make a fortune.
During the conversation, Starlight suddenly remembered the Shadow Leopard pelt rolled up on his pack, so he took it out and asked everyone to help appraise its value.
At first, no one noticed what the dark pelt Starlight carried on his back was. It wasn't until he spread it out by the campfire that it immediately became the center of attention.
The unfolded pelt was like a scroll of the deep night sky, mysterious and charming. Under the firelight, the black fur revealed a unique texture that was both noble and solemn, yet not lacking in wild charm.
When they learned it was the pelt of a Shadow Leopard, everyone was even more amazed. Magical beasts were not common to ordinary people. Although the processing of this pelt was a bit rough, its intact state made it highly valuable.
“Brother Starlight, you actually used such a precious pelt to make a backpack? What a waste! If it were one complete piece, its value would have increased several times over! Speaking of which, where did you get this skin? A Shadow Leopard is quite dangerous; even a dozen men might not be able to subdue one!” one of the merchants asked curiously while carefully examining the pelt.
Starlight didn’t hide anything and recounted his battle with the Shadow Leopard without any exaggeration. This made everyone admire him even more; after all, even if the dozens of people currently in the caravan attacked together, they might not be able to take down such a high-tier magical beast.
Thus, everyone crowded around wanting to see the rare pelt. For a moment, the scene became a bit chaotic. Ultimately, Tara coughed twice to signal everyone to quiet down.
“Ahem, Starlight, we aren’t in the fur trade, so we might not know the exact price. But I estimate this skin could sell for at least a hundred gold coins. However, I have a suggestion: once we reach Violet, you should first go to the Adventurers Guild to see if there are any commissions to procure this kind of pelt. If there are, the price will be even higher than a regular sale.”
Starlight nodded and thanked the old man for his suggestion, stating he would definitely check it out. Over the past two days, he had gained a rough understanding of the continent’s prices and general situation. Generally speaking, one gold coin was enough for a person’s living expenses for a month, so even a little more would be a significant sum.
As the night grew deeper, the campfire gradually died out. The people of the caravan fell into slumber one after another, their breathing echoing in the quiet night like a soft lullaby. Starlight also returned to the wagon where he rested and took Noah out again.
“Phew~ this book was bored to death! It’s really too frustrating to listen to you all chatting and not be able to join in!”
Noah let out a long breath and complained in a low voice. There were too many people around Starlight during the day, so he could only quietly act as an accessory, which was utterly boring. Sometimes he could only pass the time by sleeping.
“If you want, it’s not like you can’t join in. Wouldn’t a talking book be quite interesting?” Starlight said to Noah, who was floating in front of him.
Through their time together, he had gradually figured out Noah’s personality. His flighty and restless nature was completely the opposite of Carlos. His master must have been just like this when he was young, right? It was truly hard to imagine!
At this thought, a smile couldn’t help but appear on Starlight’s face. This naturally did not escape Noah’s eyes. He swayed back and forth, his pages making a rustling sound.
“What are you smirking at? Didn’t I say I don’t want unrelated people to know about my situation? If Carlos were here, I could just contact him directly...”
“Hmm? Direct contact? That’s it! Why didn’t I think of that?”
Noah suddenly let out a low shout, startling Starlight. He hurriedly got up to check outside the wagon. Fortunately, no one noticed the commotion inside. Then he turned back and asked.
“Noah, can you stop being so jumpy? It’s the middle of the night! What are you talking about? What do you mean you didn’t think of it?”
Noah’s paper face actually squeezed out a smug expression as he spoke happily.
“In the past, Carlos and I communicated through a soul link most of the time because we were originally one. So, I forgot about it later. Now that I think about it, I can actually modify the method of that link. As long as you carry me with you, we can talk directly!”
Rate on N.U.
