The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 224 What I Owe You (4k)

Lilith held the original manuscript of the "Guide" in her hands and finally read to the end.

After a brief hesitation, she turned back to the first page and began reading the text on the first page.

Like an infant playing with a new toy, even if they don't understand it or can't figure it out, they will always turn it over and over in their left hand and right hand.

Due to historical amnesia, travelogues about this continent have also disappeared.

This is the dilemma that must be faced when recording 'truth'.

However, Tang Qi's "Guide" leans more towards the narrative style of a novel, even embellishing his self-praise with some irrelevant fabricated content, which effectively avoids this problem.

In addition, his existing knowledge base allowed him to list and analyze most of the encounters he had seen and heard, enriching the content and making it somewhat interesting while adding a touch of professionalism.

Now, his individual and team strength is sufficient to ensure his safety during his travels...

This is the only systematic travelogue we can find in this day and age.

Tang Qi has this confidence.

The very fact that it is 'unique' is enough to pique the curiosity of Lilith, this ancient lord.

She is a prisoner trapped in the fog.

Even compared to the criminals in shackles on the Southern Great Wall, she was free enough—able to leave the castle and walk on the edge of the mist.

Ultimately, however, they were still confined to this unchanging forest.

Since she gained her memories, she has never touched the world beyond the mist.

Forget about the stars and the sea, even Long Jincheng, which displays "The House of Mist," was something she had only ever seen in Merlin's oil paintings.

So after going through it many times, she suddenly wrote a line in her notebook:

"Any more?"

She was curious about everything beyond the fog.

"Then there's the truth about the fog, but you know more about that than I do."

Tang Qi tried to pull the manuscript back from her hand.

However, very few babies are willing to give up their new toys, so much so that Tang Qi tried several times but couldn't get the manuscript back.

I can't really tear the document to shreds, even though there's a priest nearby who can cast [Repair] spell.

But Tang Qi still cherished this original document, so he gently patted her tightly clenched fingers, which felt cold and smooth.

Lilith reluctantly released her fingers.

"If you want to know more, wait for my 'Wilderness Guide'. It might take a while—but even a year or two should be just the time it takes you to sleep, right?"

Tang Qi smoothed out the crumpled marks on the paper and put it back into his dimensional bag.

"The Lords' Alliance has fairly developed trade routes. After I finish writing, I will have someone send the manuscript to Dragon Gold City. After it is published, Merlin will send it directly to you. It's a very easy thing."

You and he have maintained contact, right?

"He found me, read my book, and told me that it could earn me other people's favor. After that, I would occasionally see him and he would urge me to write a new book."

After Sean took complete control of the Night Raven family, he maintained his rule for a hundred years, which became the reason Lilith wrote *The House of the Mist*.

"If you don't want to study anymore, how about trying to write a book?"

"I won't."

"We can take it slow—for example, write down whatever comes to mind?"

Even the most harmonious families will always have disputes, big and small.

Moreover, this applies to relatives and friends who are suspicious after witnessing their brothers killing each other.

This became her best inspiration for recounting stories.

A hundred years of depiction, a hundred years of simplification, have finally transformed into a classic that has swept through Longjin City.

However, this also limited her inspiration to the mundane matters of her family.

Even after his inspiration dried up, he could only continue writing along the same path he had taken before, resulting in the controversial novel "The Ghost Bride"...

"He wasn't lying to you about that. At least within Longjin City, you do enjoy a reputation and have gained a group of loyal followers."

"He told me."

Lilith pulled a stack of letters from the enormous coffin. Tang Qi glanced at them and found that they were reading notes sent by many book lovers through the port's carrier pigeons.

She seemed to enjoy it so much that the sealing wax on every letter was perfectly preserved.

The novelty and feedback from her creations allowed her to remain in a coffin for ten years, finding endless joy in it.

"Besides these? For example, the revenue? He probably took more than just the cover fee from you."

"What benefits?"

Tang Qi understood: "He didn't give you a single penny?"

While Lilith certainly doesn't need the money, this actually confirms another fact—

Most of the profits generated from the pen name "Mary Sue" belong to Merlin personally.

"But when I first met him, that guy was still in debt to the Red Scarf Gang and was hiding in prison, refusing to come out no matter what..."

Tang Qi rubbed his temples, trying to clear his mind.

"So, did he simply squander his entire fortune overnight, or is there another reason?"

He looked at Lilith, then asked:

"So he contacted you on his own initiative, right?"

The House of Mist was published more than a decade ago, so they must have known each other even earlier.

Tang Qi hadn't asked Merlin's age, so he assumed he was over forty—though it wasn't apparent from his appearance.

But at that time, the castle should still have been occupied by the witch.

He said he was tricked into coming here by three women while tracing his ancestors' footsteps.

Tang Qi could roughly imagine what that scene would be like.

I also understand that she probably doesn't know much more about Merlin.

It's a pity that he's probably already wanted by Long Jincheng, otherwise he really would turn back and ask what's going on.

For now, I can only put it aside and wait for the completion of "The Wilderness Guide" before sending it to someone along with my questions.

Thinking of this, he changed the subject:

"So you knew about those three witches and allowed them to live here?"

“Every time I wake up, they make sure I have food.”

If someone makes offerings voluntarily, there's no reason to drive them away.

What happened after they left?

"Go out and find something to eat, then come back."

"The territory has been submerged by forests, so it's unlikely we'll find enough blood."

"There are many wolves outside, which can easily cause bloating."

Tang Qi then realized that she no longer deliberately sought the taste of blood, and with food already laid out in front of her, she would not excessively seek human blood.

Therefore, whenever the beastmen sacrifice large quantities of food near the castle, she will not go out to forage.

"So, you often wake up on nights with two moons?"

Lilith's sleep schedule is not fixed.

It can take anywhere from three to five days to three to five months.

It depends on how long she wants to sleep before getting up to write.

But at least one day, she will become uncontrollably lucid.

"I have nightmares," she wrote.
"It's like a premonition."

What does this foreshadow?

"I do not know."

"So this actually suggests that the double moon itself represents some kind of meaning?"

Tang Qi could only guess at this.

After all, the legend of the 'inauspicious twin moons' circulates on every inch of the mainland.

Aside from the beastmen, very few people were actually affected.

Therefore, its existence has become more of a symbol of maintaining stability, which is why there is the curfew system of the Tyran Empire and the two-month feast in Dragon Gold City, two completely opposite ceremonies.

For the time being, Tang Qi considered investigating the truth behind the Twin Moons as another long-term goal. He realized that he had already learned most of the truth about the Dawn Forest and the ancient castle.
"It seems it's time to continue our journey."

Although none of the initial goals were achieved—

The food offered is sucked dry and turns into bones on the night of the two moons each year.

The witch they were looking for had been taken to Longjin City ten years ago.

But at least I learned the truth about the Dusk Forest and witnessed a real historical event, so it wasn't too bad.

"Are you leaving?"

Lilith wrote in her notebook.

"Yes. I also need to record some new stories so that you can see a new 'Guide' later."

Lilith rarely showed a stunned expression.

So much so that after hearing Tang Qi's answer, he hesitated for a long time before continuing to write:

"Thank you."

"Wait, so we're just going to leave like this? Just leave a vampire here like this?"

Arthur couldn't help but ask.

"What else? If you want to die, I have no objection. Besides, no one can kill a Dark Lord."

Tang Qi reminded him,
"Perhaps you can look at it from a different perspective: being trapped here is a kind of punishment in itself."

"No, no, I just—I just don't know how to deal with this."

Realizing that doing nothing was the only option, Arthur sighed in frustration.

His universal concepts of good and evil made him instinctively reject Lilith's existence.

But setting aside the undeniable fact that she was her, Arthur couldn't judge whether his hostility towards her was justified—she seemed like a good person, the cessation of the chaos was related to her, and it saved countless lives.

But she's a good person, so it's impossible.

Otherwise, how could they be imprisoned in this fog?

The confusion between good and evil also made him confused.

But Tang Qi had already told him about the black, white, and gray theory once, so he had no desire to repeat it:
"Clearly, the Holy City wants you to understand this, which is why it is urging you priests to go out and gain experience—this is your task, think about it slowly."

Arthur hesitated, then looked at Lilith, who looked completely bewildered, and suddenly asked:
"Three months ago, did you drink the blood of a human and turn him into a vampire?"

She wasn't as eager to communicate with Arthur.

I hastily wrote down a single line as a response:
"Just woke up."

Tang Qi explained on her behalf:

"The essence of the vampire mist is the lingering remnants of a dying creature, which means that the mist itself may also possess vampire characteristics—"

Not to mention that Sean spent over a hundred years in his vampire form, making him a formidable vampire lord in his own right.

The vampire you encountered before venturing into the forest was most likely an individual that was attacked by the mist in the forest and unconsciously transformed.

If you want to settle scores with him, you should go find the mist outside the castle.

"..."

Fede touched his neck with a hint of lingering fear.

It was as if he was contemplating the possibility of being transformed into a vampire derivative.

"This is just a random event. Besides, as a hybrid of a half-orc and a beastman, your physique is far stronger than that of an ordinary person. There's no need to worry about this."

Tang Qi waved his hand, pushed the silent Arthur away, and walked straight out of the tomb to the banquet hall, intending to give this story a final ending.

Van Frien remained seated at the piano, playing the same recurring theme.

After Tang Qi recounted the truth he had learned, he seemed to finally understand:
"So that's why I'm stuck here and haven't completely disappeared."

His soul was still solid, and Tang Qi knew that his obsession had not yet been resolved.
"It's clear that Sean did this for the family, but the harm it caused you is also undeniable."

"No, I have never resented him for anything. Just as we once firmly believed that Elizabeth could only belong to both of us—now that things have come to this point, I have no right to blame anyone."

Van Frien stopped playing and turned to look at Tang Qi.
"I'm just worried about the child's situation."

You said his body could not find peace, and thus turned into blood mist, spreading deep into this forest, is that right?
Is there a way to bring him relief?

"That's why I'm telling you the truth."

Tang Qi nodded.
"Just like you, you are trapped in this fog because of your obsession."

I think there's only one way to completely dissipate that blood mist.

“Me?” Van Frien pointed to himself.

"He stepped into the sunlight because of his guilt towards you. Now, it's your turn to end all of this."

"But... I can't even leave this castle."

Van Frien chuckled self-deprecatingly.

It's as if his memory is stuck on the day of his wedding.

His soul, too, is imprisoned here.

"If we can't leave, then let's lure him here."

Everyone turned around and saw Arthur with the holy emblem drawn on his chest. Finally, they looked at Tang Qi.
"The fog will be drawn by blood, just as we used blood to lure him away back then."

"Although injuries can be healed with magic, it may not be able to completely replenish the lost blood—be careful not to exhaust yourself."

Tang Qi offered a subtle reminder.

Just like when the stone was starving and died from exhaustion, it never fully recovered by the time they parted.

This kind of physical damage ultimately requires time and nutrition to replenish.

"This is what I should do."

Arthur did not expect anyone else to take on the responsibility of 'bleeding'—

"To bring rest to the world is the guidance that Varenne gives to every believer. Believers should follow the guidance, but should not force others to follow it."

He already felt that the line between good and evil was somewhat blurred.

But at least he remembered his loving father's teachings and knew his responsibilities.

"That's good, it saves us the trouble of searching everywhere for living wild animals."

As Tang Qi spoke, he handed the fiery red scimitar to Arthur.

But Fide snatched it away first.

She looked directly into Arthur's questioning gaze and sighed:

"My self-healing ability is stronger, so let me do this."

Anyway, I'm the one who owes you.

(End of this chapter)