“Wait, don't! If you leave, how am I supposed to survive?”
“Do you really not remember everything we've been through, Miss Hero?”
“If I’m without you, Miss Hero, please, I...”
Never had there been such a desperate start.
Year 1453 of the New Calendar, October 16th.
Silvervein City, Solitude.
When Sophie heard Kaila’s request to part ways, she was completely stunned.
Weren't we supposed to be a team for life?
It had taken less than half an hour to get from the camp to this city, and they had easily wiped out four bandit camps along the way.
Their perfect combination was an absolute slaughterhouse.
Sophie was responsible for the 'slaughter,' and Kaila was responsible for the 'house'—or rather, the other way around.
And now, having just entered the city, her powerhouse carry was about to run off.
“Because you, Sophie, need to investigate things concerning the Witch, right?”
Noticing the strange looks from people around them, Kaila pulled Sophie into a deserted corner.
Both were wearing masks, and combined with Sophie’s bizarre phrasing, they were drawing quite a bit of attention.
“Then wouldn't it be twice as efficient if we investigated together?” Sophie argued. “You wouldn't want the New Moon Witch to remain at large, spreading her curse, would you, Miss Hero?”
Though she felt Sophie’s choice of words was odd, Kaila patiently explained, “Because I must do things that befit a [Hero]. I also need to increase my strength and prepare for battle.”
Must do things that befit the status of a Hero?
That didn't sound like someone acting out of a sense of justice or personal interest; it sounded more like a curse.
Sophie frowned slightly, but she didn't dwell on it, instead continuing her proposal. “Then I can go along with you to perform heroic deeds! I can investigate while we’re at it.”
Kaila fell silent for a moment.
Is there a chance? Sophie’s eyes lit up.
“If I’m always carrying someone... it’s not very convenient to move,” Kaila whispered.
She was clearly referring to how Sophie had to ride on her back the entire way from the camp to the city to make any decent time.
Sophie: “...”
She was truly sorry for only having a maximum of 2 points in Agility.
“It’s not as if I’m saying goodbye to you forever, Sophie,” Kaila comforted her. “Once you’ve found enough clues or if you need my help, I will definitely appear.”
I need help right now, Sophie thought silently.
“Then it’s a promise. Once I find clues about the New Moon Witch, you must show up, Miss Hero.”
“Of course. It’s a promise.”
Kaila nodded, her lips twitching into a stiff attempt at a smile.
Then, with a sudden flash, she vanished.
The snow flurries drift, and the north wind whistles.
Sophie felt her heart shatter.
Without the protection of high stats, without her gold-standard bodyguard, the entire world felt so dangerous.
However, Kaila’s behavior was also quite strange. What did she mean by having to do things that befit a Hero?
Perhaps it was related to the essence of her power? After all, no one possessed such terrifying stats for no reason.
If she had known Kaila was going to leave the party, she wouldn't have banked on the idea that Kaila would reveal her backstory once her affection level was high enough.
She had miscalculated.
Sophie adjusted her wooden mask, ensuring it covered most of her face, and wrapped her worn, grayish-brown linen cloak tightly around her before stepping out onto the main street.
Even so, the faint glow reflecting off her skin under the sunlight and the strange magical aura in her every movement were enough to make passersby turn their heads frequently.
Silvervein City, a medieval city built atop rich mineral veins, was a world apart from the cities of the Red Moon Empire five hundred years ago in Sophie’s memory.
The sights of the Red Moon Empire—where public debauchery was everywhere and the lingering scent of gorse filled the air—were gone; this was now a very proper human city.
Or rather, a city with very unique characteristics.
The roof of every building was covered in heavy black lead tiles, and the eaves extended outward to an exaggerated width to ensure that when the moon rose, they would cast a sufficiently large shadow.
There was almost no gap between buildings. The narrow alleys originally meant for light were all sealed off with rough wooden boards, interlocking vines, and even thick canvas, creating moonlight-proof tunnels.
Along the main road stood towering iron pillars with large, weathered shading nets stretched between them. These nets would be rolled up halfway during the day to let in light, but by evening, they would be fully deployed, plunging the entire street into shadow.
The doors of the shops had all been modified to a standard double-width. There were no single-panel wooden doors; every doorframe and threshold was built to accommodate two people walking side-by-side.
The walls were coated in thick gray anti-corrosion paint, a product used to resist the magical erosion that might permeate the night air.
The streets gradually grew lively as the bustle of the morning market filled the air.
The citizens of Solitude had lived and bred under this curse for five hundred years; it had long since become part of their common sense. On this wide street, countless pedestrians came and went, yet not a single person could be found acting alone.
They either walked side-by-side in pairs or moved in groups of three or four. Couples held arms, merchants pushed carts together, and even the patrolling city guards moved in two-man squads, their steps perfectly synchronized. A thin hemp rope or leather belt often connected them at the wrists or the hems of their clothes.
This was to prevent anyone from falling or getting separated during a sudden emergency, which would lead to them being consumed by the moonlight at night.
Even though it was daytime, people clung to each other as if it were night.
After all, a single moment of carelessness would cost them their lives.
“Freshly made double sleeping bags! Damp-proof and warm! A must-have for night camping! Sewn with double-layered sheepskin, guaranteed warmth!” A peddler in a felt hat slapped a massive sleeping bag on his stall, hawking it to passersby.
Nearby was a tailor shop. The ready-made clothes hanging outside weren't elegant gowns but strangely designed conjoined cloaks.
These cloaks had two massive hoods and a wide hem, enough to wrap two people together from head to toe.
“Latest urgent report from the Matchmaking Office! An apprentice from the eastern smithy lost his companion last night and is now urgently seeking a sturdy Night Companion! Gender is irrelevant! As long as you can maintain body temperature at midnight!” A uniformed official stood before a bulletin board at a crossroads, loudly reading from a piece of parchment.
The bulletin board was plastered with missing person notices, marriage proposals, and advertisements seeking Night Companions. For the rest of their lives, everyone was destined to be bound to another every single night.
Looking up, the castle of the local nobility sat at the highest point of Silvervein City. Its design also followed the principle of even numbers. There was no single central main tower; instead, there were twin towers of identical height and size, firmly connected in mid-air by a thick covered bridge.
I hope the twin towers of Solitude don't dream of an Airship 767, Sophie thought.
The New Moon Witch, Miaoyue.
The little girl who once did nothing but hide behind her and cry had now become this kingdom's deepest nightmare.
Rate on N.U.
