Lord of Mysteries: Yao Guang

After the Tarot session, Esther sat in her room for a long time.

She didn't feel the "Fool" watching her above the gray mist, but as soon as she returned to reality, she felt a pain in her head that spread from the inside out.

The fragments of memory that were vaguely glimpsed in the gray fog quickly faded away, as if a handful of sand had been grasped and quickly slipped through the fingers.

Esther rubbed her right eyebrow vigorously. The throbbing pain coming from her eyebrow was at a different frequency than the pain in her mind. There was no conflict between the two, and they tortured her nerves at the same time.

This headache lasted for several minutes. When Esther opened her eyes again, she found that there were some double images in what she saw, and everything was blurry.

It took almost an hour for this weird visual aberration to disappear.

"Can't think, can't ask, can't know...that's what you mean, right?" Esther slapped her forehead hard twice, but of course she didn't get any response.

The most direct response "Zoya" gave her was when the great smog occurred. In the East District... I don't know how the people there are doing now.

Esther gradually came back to her senses, because this time her memory was disturbed, and she was slightly closer to a part of her mind that was not her own.

For "Zoya", it seems that there is no need to care about what happens in the real world. It is enough for him to ensure that he does not die. Why did he agree to help her at that time?

Esther couldn't figure out the key. She always felt that her understanding of this matter was missing a very important link.

——

The next morning, west of Port Behrens.

The "Four-leaf Clover" put away the pirate flag and got into a damp cave full of moss.

In addition to some sailors who went to purchase resources, those who disembarked also had Thomas and Aaron who went to trade with others. Alexander stayed on the ship, and the "Clover" also needed to undergo routine inspections. After three days of rest, it would set off again and return to the remote Intis on the other side of the Raging Sea.

The sailors responsible for disembarking and purchasing are different every day. They only need to return to the ship the next morning, which can leave some time for everyone to relax in the local area.

At Mary's invitation, Esther readily agreed to go with her to Port Behrens for a stroll.

Originally, Aaron was a little worried about Mary, but since Esther was with her, Aaron didn't care too much - not counting the various magical items Alexander had on hand, Esther was probably the entire "Clover" "The person with the highest combat effectiveness.

Even Toma didn't say anything, he just told the two of them with a cold face not to get into trouble.

Mary hugged Esther's shoulders carelessly and was in high spirits. Sailing on the sea, it was hard not to be bored by the scenery day after day. Mary never missed any opportunity to relax.

She smiled and said to Esther: "Originally, I was worried that the captain and the others would not agree. Fortunately, they did not object, otherwise your ready-made translator would have been wasted."

"So that's what you had in mind..." Esther twitched her lips.

Mary said very calmly: "You don't know, we were all shocked when you appeared in the woods. No one would have thought that we really met a helping hand, even though it was just one person - but it was just that one person! You can still Take Mr. Alexander back to the ship with you.”

She smiled very slyly: "So I brought you with me to ensure my own safety. Do you have any objection?"

"If I had any objections, I wouldn't agree to disembark with you. This is my first time in the Southern Continent, and of course I want to walk around."

Mary patted her chest: "The Intis immigrants in Behrens Port are the largest. There are also Loen people, Fusac people, and Feneport people, but the number is much smaller."

"Most of them are locals, right? That's why you need to be familiar with Dutan translation."

"Yeah, we can go have a drink and then find a hotel to stay overnight. Aaron never lets others touch his stash of wine, you stingy guy!"

Esther is not as enthusiastic about wine as she is about food: "I seem to have seen it in a travel magazine, saying that there are a lot of pork dishes here. I want to try it too."

"Behrens's pork knuckle! Of course this is a meal, and I bet you haven't had Guadal either! But it's still early, so we can take a stroll..."

——

Compared with East Balam, whose colonial status has been confirmed by Roen, the forces in West Balam are more complicated.

The Zhengshen Church only cares about believers, and the traditional belief in the God of Death in Balam is still widely spread at the bottom. Alexander also introduced to Esther some of the secret organizations operating in Balam, including the "Spiritual Religion Group" and the "Rose School."

Militaries of various countries are constantly having small frictions over the colony. Native generals and local tribes have their own plans. Warlords are full of intrigues. Even if an alliance is reached on the surface, they may turn around and betray each other to the other party's allegiance.

These situations are not very favorable for the big pirates, because anyone can resell them. For the small pirates, there are some opportunities to fish in troubled waters in West Balam because of the chaotic situation.

But the Southern Continent is definitely not as happy as Bayam. Most of the maritime people who come here specifically have commissions or transactions. Only speculators who seek wealth in the land will choose to take root in East and West Bayam.

The weather here is also much hotter than in the northern continent. Although Esther is not very afraid of heat, Mary rolled up her sleeves early in the morning to try to make herself cooler, and also put away the black headscarf that was always tied to her hair. Tie it to his arm.

Esther and Mary were just strolling leisurely among the vendors. Esther saw many decorations with local characteristics, including feather earrings and various skull-looking decorations.

"Are those real skeletons?" Esther asked Mary in a low voice in Intis.

Mary took two glasses of Gwadar juice, which was slightly brighter than orange juice, from the vendor next to her, and handed one to Esther: "Of course, that's the custom here."

Esther took out a few copper coins. When the vendor took them, she was still very indifferent. However, when he saw the feather pattern on her palm, he looked at it a few more times in surprise. The dark-skinned vendor immediately put on a smile. , and his attitude became more and more respectful.

He even gave the two of them an extra handful of fried cashew nuts. When Esther asked, the other party repeated in Dutan dialect: "No charge! It's for distinguished guests."

Esther was confused, but she did not refuse, so she could only thank her and continue walking in the market with Mary.

"Is his attitude a little strange?" Mary is now used to communicating directly with Esther in Intis.

Esther nodded and replied in a low voice: "Didn't Mr. Alexander say that there is a tradition of belief in the 'God of Death' here? Maybe the pattern left by the bone sword is a bit special."

Esther turned her palm over so that Mary could carefully examine the strange pattern.

"If there is a possibility, would you like to wear gloves to cover it?" Mary suggested.

So the two of them found a clothing store that looked more elegant. The clothes and decorations in the store all had an obvious Intis style. The clerk in charge of the reception was no longer dark-skinned, but a tall-nosed person with more facial features. Three-dimensional black-haired woman.

"Good afternoon, beautiful ladies, what do you need? In addition to the ready-made clothes displayed in the store, we also provide customized services. You can choose your favorite fabrics here. These patterns are all embroidery with Bailang characteristics. Look Look, how beautiful it is, purely handmade..."

Mary had no choice but to interrupt the enthusiastic saleswoman: "We just want to buy a pair of gloves. Are there any gloves of better quality here?"

"Of course, of course!" The woman smiled and led the two of them to a counter. "Look, this is cowhide produced in the Harvest Plains, and the quality is absolutely excellent. And this pair is inlaid with gem particles. You can’t find anywhere selling lace gloves in the Port of Behrens. If you transport them back to Trier and sell them, the price will increase several times!”

Mary glanced at Esther. Esther glanced at the gloves inside and clicked on the cheaper pair at the corner: "How much does this pair of fingerless gloves cost?"

The black-haired woman's smile was still warm: "Although it looks ordinary, it is also made of the toughest cowhide. I have nothing to lie to you, Sanferkin."

Mary looked at her suspiciously: "Isn't the price a bit exaggerated?"

Esther neatly took out a gold Louis from her pocket and put it on the counter: "Just buy it, there's no need to wrap it, I'll put it on directly."

"Okay, okay, I'll take it out for you right now."

After receiving the change from the smiling black-haired woman, the two of them walked out of the store.

Esther has put on these elastic and not too stuffy leather gloves on her hands. She tried to move her fingers, but it did not hinder the flexible movement of her fingers, but she did not like this kind of hand restraint. a feeling of.

Anyway, it's only for these few days, so it doesn't matter. When I leave Bailang, I can stuff it into my satchel, which is full of miscellaneous items.

"Will this affect your ability to use extraordinary abilities?" Seeing the displeasure on Esther's face, Mary couldn't help but ask her.

Esther immediately looked at her: "You want me to try?"

Mary took two steps back with resistance on her face: "You think I didn't say anything!"

Esther smiled proudly: "Just kidding, ordinary gloves have no effect."

The two of them walked to the other end of the street talking and laughing, wanting to find a neater restaurant and taste West Balam's specialty pork knuckle.

When four dark-skinned men passed by carrying a black wooden coffin, Esther couldn't help but glance sideways.

When Alexander taught Dutan language to the two of them, he also introduced many customs of Balam. This was the corresponding means of transportation passed down by the belief in the "God of Death". After seeing it with her own eyes, Esther was convinced that this was simply sleeping. Out of the coffin.

When Mary saw Esther's eyes turning that way, she smiled and asked her, "What, do you also want to experience traveling in a 'coffin'?"

"This is no longer necessary..."

It’s not like I’ve never been inside a coffin. I’ve experienced the feeling of lying in it a long time ago. Esther muttered in her mind.

Suddenly, there was a knocking sound from the coffin a few meters away, and Esther and Mary subconsciously speeded up their pace.

Four locals carrying the coffin put the coffin on the spot, and a young man with dark skin and long black wavy hair sat up inside. His arms and neck were wrapped with dazzling gold ornaments, and there was a gold rim on his forehead. Colorful, slender feathers hang from both sides of the strap.

Even among the Bailang people, this young man's appearance was particularly handsome and gentle, but his eyes were unwavering, exuding an unusually cold and deadly aura.

"What happened just now?"

"No, distinguished sir, I just passed by a few shops and a few passers-by." One of the coffin bearers lowered his head and replied respectfully.

The young man shook his head: "Go on, don't be late."

"yes!"

Lying back in front of the coffin, he ordered the man: "When you arrive at your destination, write down the general characteristics of the passers-by so that people nearby can pay more attention in the past two days."

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