Stray

Nemo shuddered.

He certainly remembered what Vincente looked like—the pastel-hued houses, the well-tended flowerbeds, and the breath of life that permeated every corner of town. The people passing by were mostly neat, though not brightly dressed, and they spoke in Common, with a heavy accent, and would deliberately lower their voices as they approached. The town is indeed clearly marked with ink on each map.

"It's impossible," he murmured, "Merotti mentioned that people can't hear the bluebird song... Vincent is a town recognized by Willard, they are Willard legal citizens of Germany."

"Like the opening lines of a fairy tale, it's a long-long time ago. But I don't like telling stories, and you're not sleepless kids." , "I just need an answer, do you want to help? Don't be nervous, I don't need you to smash any earth-shattering conspiracy, and of course I won't ask you to save every single one. It's enough that these little birds are not extinct - that is to say , Just make sure that one male and one female are alive. Is this a very low requirement? Of course, if you want to give up directly, I will definitely not stop it."

"Three days." Oliver pondered for a moment, "Give us three days. We need to determine if you're lying, and before that, let's... maintain a cooperative relationship."

"Then I'll take it as your agreement." With a triumphant smile, Jesse looked at their faces one by one, then turned her back contentedly, and headed toward the tree hole with ease. "I believe you need some time to digest... When you want to see Pasototu, just come and find me in the tree hole. The weather is so good today, I have to take a nap."

The blue birds looked at them from a distance, their whispers were like a soft chorus. Nemo almost lost his mind over the beautiful music again, and he struggled to get his attention back to his companion.

"You're going to be in muddy water again." An said calmly, unlike the last time, there was no dissatisfaction in her tone this time.

"I can't believe what Jesse Dillon says." Oliver shook his head, "But once that is true... At least Merotti is still our mission target now, and she may be willing to know the truth. Like Nemo said, 80% of our mission is going to fail, and it won't matter if we stay for a few more days."

"I have no opinion." Ann said simply, "I don't think her parents are pleasing to the eye."

"War is not an ordinary battle." Adrian said in a serious tone, "I don't think you are ready."

"But they won't necessarily—" Every time he faced Adrian, Nemo felt a little lack of confidence.

"They will." Adrian whispered, "more than half of the bluebirds are very hostile to us, and I am familiar with the atmosphere. At least Dylan didn't lie about this."

"War!" the grey parrot shouted happily, "Oh, the last time I saw the war was in the abyss, I want to see it!"

"Then that's it." Oliver said calmly, "Let's get this straight...starting with the Pasoto map."

"I have reservations." Adrian thought for a moment and added. "Watch out for that Jesse Dillon. It's all too coincidental, and I kind of care about who he says he deals with."

"Who knows if he's telling the truth." An pouted, "Let's go meet Merotti's boyfriend first."

When he first heard that Pasototu was the chief's son, Nemo thought he would be under house arrest like Merotti - it turns out that the blue bird here is more than the "human" of Vincent Township more stringent.

A few blue birds with ore hanging around their necks followed closely behind them, and the magic circle was suspended in the air, ready to attack their heads. Jesse's reassurance really wasn't credible—they were not wronged physically, not mentally.

Blue Bird led them around behind a tree, through overgrown ferns and oddly large fungi, into a slightly eerie tunnel. At the entrance of the tunnel stands a terrifying sculpture of unknown meaning, and the walls are made of blue-gray stones, without any decoration, with a taste of inhumanity. Prison-like rooms are embedded on both sides of the passage, and the end of the passage seems to lead to the ground, engulfed by thick darkness. Nemo took a few more glances in the direction of the end curiously, and was almost pushed to the ground by the blue bird behind him.

They stopped in front of one of the cells.

Blind in one eye, the sturdy blue bird had both wings tied by iron chains and was firmly tied to the stone wall, only the hole at the top of the room cast a dim light. Although the underground is not too hot, it is also surprisingly humid. Nemo was pretty sure he smelled the festering stench of festering wounds.

Jesse was not pointed at the head by the circle. He leaned against the stone wall easily, his face full of a cool smile watching the excitement.

Pasototu was not alone in the dungeon, standing in front of him was a taller blue bird. The muscles of the free blue bird looked extraordinarily strong, and the edges of the feathers were glowing with a faint streamer - at this moment they were slightly exploding, and it could be seen that their owners were very angry.

"Swear to me." The bigger one's voice was low, and Nemo could tell the anger from the melody.

"I can't do it, I love her, father." The one-eyed blue bird raised his head.

"It's only three months." The leader roared, "Don't you know your identity? If you are caught by humans, there will definitely be turmoil in the tribe, and humans will take advantage of it. ...I thought we had enough lessons on this one!"

"There is no conspiracy, she will not lie to me." Pasototu's tone was calm, "Merotti must be waiting for me, I don't want her to wait too long."

"Don't you think it's disgusting? She's just a flat-faced monster without feathers, a pagan living in a world of ignorance. Think about it, child. If you want, you can go after the people of this tribe Any girl, no one's going to say no to you."

"She is unique, Father," Pasototu said firmly, as if that were the only truth in the world.

"...Looks like you need to calm down for a while." The leader took a deep breath. "If you continue to be so obsessed, even if you are my son, I will act according to the rules."

"You are my father, I don't want to lie to you." Pasototu lowered his head.

"Didn't you tell them?" Nemo couldn't help turning his face to Jesse. "...The facts of Vincent Town."

"Tell me." Jesse shrugged exaggeratedly, "People like to hear me lie more when I share a little secret - when I tell the truth, they won't believe a word of it. "

"What did they say?" Oliver asked tentatively.

"Let Bagelmore translate, Ollie, it's idle anyway. I have something to ask Dylan."

"Translate what?" The gray parrot's bird's eyes were blank, "I didn't hear anything just now?"

Nimo looked at it sharply, and the smile on Jesse's lips deepened.

"Isn't that the power of the devil?" Nemo said in horror, "I thought I could hear it because of you—"

"Of course not! These birds don't have demonic blood...Even if they did, you humans wouldn't understand all human languages. Why do I have to understand them? No, I can't even hear them. !"

For a time, the eyes of the other three people instantly focused on Nemo. Nemo flinched uncomfortably, he didn't like being stared at like that. Those glances, though not malicious, slammed into his stomach like fists. Seemingly aware of Nemo's discomfort, Oliver quickly turned his gaze back to Pasototu. Coan and Adrian were still staring at him - the latter's expression became more serious.

"I heard. Translate." Jesse spoke again with interest, "It's really amazing, I didn't expect this - a demon warlock with abilities beyond the possessed demon. Or something else..."

"I thought you could hear too," Nemo said dryly.

"Oh, you see, we communicate in words." Jesse looked him straight in the eyes. "You know, their voices are beyond the range of human hearing, and I don't have the ability to—"

"We probably know about the Pasototu situation." Oliver interrupted Jesse directly, "Nimo, tell us about the conversation later. I also want to talk to Dylan alone. said Mr.

Jesse raised his eyebrows high, and he again drew complicated unknown words in the air. The Blue Birds turned their heads, half-inviting and half-coercively leading the three towards the exit, leaving only Oliver and Jesse. In the cage separated by a wall, Pasototu was panting in pain because of the wound, while another blue bird had already flown away from the hole at the top of the room, leaving only falling feathers.

"Ann told me about the woods." Oliver's tone was still polite, but with a rare coldness, he no longer used honorifics to Jesse. "Wherever you got the information... you've been implying that Nemo 'he's not human.' And you see, he doesn't like that."

"Aren't you curious?" Jesse said with a smile, "You spend every day with him, you should know more than me."

"Not curious, Nemo is Nemo." Oliver's tone was steady.

"Ah, I forgot." Jesse glanced at Pasototu in prison. "Beautiful love blinds one—you like him, don't you? Inexperienced, Mr. Ramon, you can't hide your eyes at all."

“…”

"You can confess to him today and I can assure you he will never turn you down - in a week you might all be in the same bed, you know what I mean Bar?"

"...You're changing the subject." Oliver breathed hard, his face pale with anger.

"I didn't, I said the same thing. Mr. Knight Commander is such a gentle man, he hid a lot that night. He must not tell you the real reason for the alienation of the demon warlock ."

"This conversation ends here—" Oliver moved his fingers.

"Ah, after all, that wish is about you. Fate is so cruel." Jesse shook his head without any intention of being obedient. "Alienation is because of desire beneath desire, whether it be love or hate, or whatever - Nemo Wright is not alienated, you know what that means? The desire he made to the demon was neither out of selfish desire, Nor with any kindness. Humans can't do that."

"I know he behaves like a man. But honestly, what you're in love with is probably nothingness. Didn't you notice? Maybe he's just imitating a human."

"That's your opinion." Oliver calmed down and even smiled. "If that's your opinion, then I have nothing to worry about."

Oliver took a long sigh of relief, the fungus and moss smelled in the humid air, which was neither smelly nor fresh at all. But at this moment it made him feel a lot easier.

"You're right. I like him, very much. But it has nothing to do with what he is, whether he will respond to me..."

(m..=)