The village under the midnight sky was very peaceful.
Occasional barks from dogs drifted through the air.
A vibrant sense of life washed over her.
It was completely different from the decadent atmosphere of the demons; every corner here was filled with vitality.
A rake rested by the roadside, still clinging to a few withered leaves.
A bucket left by someone's feet still held half a bucket of water, as if it had been abandoned right after being filled.
How careless.
Leaving it like that, won't that bucket be crawling with bacteria by morning?
Walking a few more steps, she reached the entrance of a house.
The gate was closed but not locked.
With a gentle push, the latch slid open, and she stepped into the courtyard.
The yard was full of the traces of daily life.
Tools like sickles and rakes were piled in the corners.
The stone-brick walls bore the marks of past rains.
The soil beneath her feet was slightly muddy, but it had clearly been covered with a good amount of charcoal ash.
Though it was a bit dirty, at least it didn't stick to her shoes.
In the nearby stable, she could faintly see two donkeys, and beside them sat a cart that had been unhitched.
A drizzling rain swirled overhead.
The lady's hat and the cloak she wore kept the water at bay.
However, they couldn't block out the oncoming chill.
Taking a few steps to the front door, she raised her hand and knocked gently.
Knock... knock-knock...
She knocked once, but no one answered. She raised her hand to knock again, and finally, there was a reaction from inside.
"Hmm? Who is it? Can't a person get some sleep in the middle of the night? Is that you, Pete from next door?"
The girl replied in a soft voice.
"I am so sorry to disturb you. I am a traveler who has met with some misfortune. I saw the donkey cart in your yard and wanted to ask for your help."
"Hmm? An outsider?"
Hearing Luo Li's voice, the person inside suddenly perked up.
At the same time, the voice of a child drifted out.
"Daddy... it sounds like there's a big sister outside."
"Yeah, wait a moment. Daddy will go out and take a look."
As they spoke, a rustling sound came from inside the house.
Then, accompanied by heavy footsteps, the door in front of her opened just a crack.
Through the gap, she could see a faint shadow and a single eye.
He was peeking out cautiously.
Luo Li knew the other party was wary.
After all, anyone would be on guard if someone came knocking in the middle of the night.
She took a step back and elegantly lifted the corners of her skirt on both sides.
She performed a perfect, standard curtsy.
Hmph, I might not be a real noble, but I've certainly seen enough of them to know the part!
I learned these manners ages ago.
"Hello, sir. I am a traveler who has fallen on hard times. I saw the donkey cart in your yard and would like to ask you to take me to the nearest town."
"Fallen on hard times?"
When the man saw her curtsy and her obviously expensive evening gown, his wariness dropped by a third.
After all, no bandit would use such a beautiful girl to deceive someone.
"Yes. Due to an accident, I got lost in the forest. I finally managed to make my way out when I saw this village."
"Wait a moment."
Saying that, another flurry of movement came from inside.
Then, the man reached through the crack in the door and handed out a small bottle.
"Put a drop of this on your hand."
"This is... what is the meaning of this?"
Luo Li was stunned for a moment as she took the bottle.
She looked at the small glass vial; it seemed to contain nothing but clear water.
What was the point?
"Don't ask so many questions. Are you going to drop it or not?"
Luo Li blinked. Naturally, she didn't hesitate. She removed a glove, opened the bottle, and dabbed a drop onto the back of her hand.
Nothing happened.
"Hold your hand closer so I can see clearly."
"Alright."
Luo Li reached out again. The man studied her hand carefully for a long time under the dim moonlight.
Only after confirming something did he let out a long sigh of relief.
"Whew... it's fine. Wait a moment."
With that, the sound of a chain rattling came from behind the door, and the lock clicked open.
The person inside was revealed.
It was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties. Behind him stood a middle-aged woman of similar age.
A child of seven or eight was clinging to the woman's arms, peeking out at her cautiously.
Seeing such a cute child, Luo Li smiled and waved a greeting.
But the kid didn't give her any face at all, immediately turning around and burying his face in his mother's embrace.
Well, that was a bit awkward.
Fine, I'll just ignore it.
The man looked Luo Li up and down, a sleazy look instantly flickering in his eyes.
Even though Luo Li had prepared herself for this, being looked at with that kind of gaze still felt uncomfortable.
In her previous life, she had never been stared at by a man like this.
"Sir, thank you for your generosity. I would like to ask you to take me to the nearest town. Once we arrive, I will provide you with a generous reward."
The man didn't speak, instead reaching out his hand.
"Give it back. That's Holy Water I worked hard to get. A single drop is worth half a month's living for my whole family!"
Holy Water?
Luo Li blinked, looking down at the small glass bottle in her hand.
Good grief, you should have said so earlier. I could give you a whole bucket for free.
She handed the small bottle back, and the man questioned her a bit more.
Seeing that Luo Li answered his questions logically and politely, he couldn't help but ask.
"Are you... a noble?"
"Something like that."
Luo Li thought about it.
Did she count as a noble?
Technically no.
After all, she was a Saintess, and her surname was that of a god; she hadn't had her own surname since she was a child.
However, based on her status, there was nothing wrong with saying so.
"So you are a noble lady. This... please forgive my rudeness."
"There is no need to be so formal, sir. When one is in trouble, there is no distinction between noble and commoner."
The man hesitated for a moment before stepping aside to clear the path.
"My lady, please come inside and sit for a while. The nearest town is at least several dozen miles away, and it is already very late. Why don't you rest here for the night? I will take you into the city first thing tomorrow morning."
"Then I shall trouble you."
Luo Li knew better than to flaunt her wealth, so she hadn't taken out any money yet.
But her clothes alone were enough to demonstrate her status.
"Clean up the west room for the lady."
"Yes!"
With that, the house became a flurry of activity. Luo Li wanted to help out.
But she was stopped by the middle-aged woman.
"How could a noble lady like you have ever done such work? Just let me do it."
The tone was a bit sour and strange, making Luo Li feel quite awkward.
She decided to let it go.
There was no need to argue with a farmwoman.
The night passed without incident.
The next day, Luo Li quickly changed her clothes and sat on the host's donkey cart to head toward the nearest town.
Upon arrival, she wasn't stingy, handing over two gold coins directly.
The man's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head as he thanked her repeatedly.
Luo Li didn't say much more and walked into the city.
The city seemed fairly prosperous.
However, this wasn't Moonrise City.
This place was still over seventy kilometers away from Moonrise City.
After passing through the city gates, Luo Li looked up at her surroundings.
Vendors were shouting at their stalls, and people were coming and going in a bustling crowd.
She found a small stall and spent fifteen copper coins to buy an apple that was nearly as large as her head.
Cradling the apple, Luo Li looked left and right.
For a moment, she didn't know where to go.
She took a bite of the apple, and the sweet juice exploded in her mouth. The rich apple aroma was enough to make anyone's mouth water.
As she wandered aimlessly down the street, a young man by the roadside spotted her.
The young man's eyes instantly lit up.
He nudged his beastman companion beside him.
"Hey, Shinke, look at that woman. Sss... she's gorgeous!"
This beastman was clearly of the gorilla tribe.
His features were close to human, but he was covered in black fur and stood over three meters tall, like a small giant next to his companion.
"Hmm? Gorgeous? Which one? That one?"
As he spoke, Shinke raised a hand and pointed. His companion followed the direction of his finger.
He saw... a man with a scruffy beard.
"Dammit! Can you be serious for once? Is that a woman?!"
"Hmm? It isn't?"
Shinke curled his lip in disdain.
"Tch... Bit, your human standards of beauty are really strange. You all like them hairless. What's the point of being bald?"
The youth named Bit couldn't help but twitch his lips.
"You think everyone is like your gorilla tribe, only liking hairy things? Look closer! The one you're pointing at is a man!!"
"Oh... never mind then. I like hairy ones, but I don't like men."
Shinke seemed quite honest, but Bit's mouth nearly twisted sideways at those words.
"Forget it! I can't explain it to you."
Bit turned his gaze back to the woman.
A black evening gown, a black cloak, and a black lady's hat.
One look at her outfit told him she was a noble lady from some family.
However, there was one detail that made Bit's eyes light up.
This woman actually had silver hair and red eyes.
That was an extremely rare bloodline among humans on this continent.
He didn't know why, but this bloodline was worth a lot of money!
Still... Bit thought about it and decided to test the waters first.
After all, he didn't know her family name yet. If he just kidnapped her like this, it could be very troublesome.
"Shinke, don't say a word. I'll go up and say hello to see what's what."
"Tch! You humans are so much trouble. If it were my tribe, we'd just snatch her if we liked her."
"Yeah, yeah, we're not as simple as you."
Bit curled his lip and ignored his companion, carefully observing the woman's figure.
She was truly a rare beauty.
If he could kidnap and sell her, the money would be enough to live on for three to five years, wouldn't it?
However, as a human trafficker, Bit was very professional.
He would definitely kidnap those who could be kidnapped, but he wouldn't dare touch those who couldn't.
After a moment's thought, he stepped forward and offered a greeting.
"Excuse me, my lady. Do you require any assistance?"
Luo Li was cradling her twenty-pound apple, which was as big as her head.
She was looking around blankly, calculating where she should go next.
When someone suddenly appeared beside her, she jumped in surprise.
Regaining her composure and steadying the giant apple in her arms, Luo Li turned to look at the young man before her.
Blonde hair and blue eyes—a standard look for this era.
"And you are?"
"Oh, forgive my late introduction. I live in this city. My name is Bit, and I am an adventurer. May I ask your name, my lady?"
"I am Li Luo."
"Uh... and your family name?"
"It is not convenient to disclose."
Hearing this, Bit's heart skipped a beat.
For a moment, he couldn't quite figure out this woman's background.
Not convenient to disclose?
Was she a fallen noble?
But looking at her luxurious evening gown, she didn't seem to be in dire straits.
Only that giant apple she was cradling felt a bit out of place.
"Miss Li Luo, I noticed you've been wandering aimlessly since you entered the city. You must be facing some difficulty, right? As long as you pay, I can solve any problem for you."
"Is that so?"
Luo Li looked at Bit. Although she didn't know what this man did for a living, he gave her an uncomfortable feeling.
"I want to go to Moonrise City. I don't know which way to go. Do you know?"
Luo Li took out a silver coin and tossed it to Bit.
Bit caught it naturally. Feeling the weight of the silver coin in his hand, a smile instantly broke across his face.
"Hehe, Miss Li Luo, the direction to Moonrise City is that way. There are carriages waiting at the city gate every day."
"However, I'm afraid today won't work. Since Moonrise City isn't exactly close, the carriages heading there all depart early in the morning. If you go now, there probably won't be any left."
"Why don't you come with me? I'll find you an inn close to the city gate. You can take a carriage to Moonrise City first thing tomorrow morning. How does that sound?"
Looking at the smile on Bit's face, Luo Li just felt uneasy.
It was an indescribable feeling.
So, after a moment's thought, she declined.
"That won't be necessary. Thank you for your kindness, but I only need to know the general direction."
With that, she ignored Bit and turned toward the North Gate.
Watching the woman in black disappear into the crowd, a sleazy, unpleasant grin curled on Bit's lips.
"Shinke, we've got work."
Shinke, the gorilla-beastman, stood up, his face full of excitement.
"Good!"
...
The girl walked down the street, looking at the surrounding scenery with interest.
That man, Bit, had given her a very uncomfortable feeling.
Even so, Luo Li didn't have any thoughts of disdain.
After all, people have their own biases; perhaps she just naturally disliked the man.
The demon problem was solved, which felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
But... it seemed like someone was following her?
In the distance, she seemed to catch sight of a massive figure.
From the gorilla tribe?
Isn't that the same gorilla who was with Bit earlier?
Does that mean Bit is following me?
What does he want to do?
Luo Li's eyebrows shot up.
No matter what he was planning, she couldn't panic.
Maybe they were just heading the same way?
But if they really intended to follow her, then things were about to get interesting.
She had heard that there were human traffickers within the Kingdom of the Moon. Could she have run into some?
But then again...
With my looks, it's only natural to be targeted, isn't it?
Rate on N.U.
