Whispering Verse

"The middle-aged man knew that he should not have anything to do with anyone, but this place was in a remote location, so he had to choose to send the girl back to her hometown. He was determined not to have any involvement with the girl, and deliberately kept a distance along the way. The noble girl saw the man's indifference. Fortunately, although there were no servants around her, there was still a cat and a dog accompanying her.

They walked a long road together, the middle-aged man silently accompanying the girl, and solved one enemy after another. The relationship between the two, under the light of bonfires night after night, under the coldness of fallen leaves and drifting snow, under the sound of dogs and cats, finally produced wonderful changes. But no one said anything about their thoughts, and they just returned to the noble girl's hometown. "

"I'm already waiting for another tragedy. Who died this time? How did he die? What role did the devil play?"

Shade asked, laying three cards on the table:

"Flower 7, moon 7, sun 3, 17 o'clock, I won't take risks this time. I will stop trading."

"Actually, you should take the risk."

Mr. Sean Asmon shows himself Moon 4, Sun 12 and Flower 2, which is 18 o'clock.

Shade shook his head and started the last round of cards:

"Continue the story, I hope I guessed the ending wrong."

"The middle-aged man who was guarding the demon alone and the noble girl hid their feelings. They did not express their feelings until they finally separated. The middle-aged man accepted the lord's reward and left silently. After a long time, In another season of falling leaves, he should have continued to travel forward, but instead returned to this city. As for the reason for coming back."

The man opposite the candle didn't say anything.

"I knew a tragedy was coming."

Shade said, took a look after drawing the card, and continued to touch the third card.

The demonologist shook his finger:

"He did not find the young girl, and the people in the city could not tell her whereabouts. So, he found the cat and the dog that accompanied them along the way, violating the rules he had set for himself, Using the power of the devil, the cats and dogs were given wisdom, spirituality and strength. The cats and dogs then told the middle-aged man the final fate of their former owner: in the second month after returning home, she was burned at the stake by the lord and sacrificed. To an unknown being."

The rain falling from the terrace on the second floor of the flower shop really formed a curtain, and the sound of splashing made no other noises this night.

Shade said "tsk~" and looked at his hand:

"This is true. You continue."

He placed the third card down and then revealed the first card. 1 sun, 12 flowers, 7 stars, a total of 20 points.

The demonologist who told the story also put down all the cards in his hand, Moon 5, Stars 10, and Sun 11 [Tragic Opera·The Wedding at Lehman Manor].

The two men's six cards were displayed on the table, and Mr. Sean Asmon took out the coin and prepared to throw it. But before that, he first concluded the story:

"The middle-aged man who learned the truth, with the help of cats and dogs, killed the lord's family, and through a transaction, got the girl's soul back from the unknown great existence, and sent her to where she should go after death. place. The middle-aged man continued his journey. In his long life, he would witness many stories with the original demon. Only this time he had companions, cats and dogs with wisdom, who were willing to take his place. The master who cannot express his feelings will accompany him to continue walking through that life."

The demonologist said softly:

"I guess head-on."

He tossed the one-ohle coin up, let it fall on the back of his hand, and covered it with his other hand. During this process, his eyes kept staring at Shade on the other side of the candle:

"Of course, behind them, the city that lost its protection fell into raging fires and protracted plagues. But this has nothing to do with our story. After all, in the era long, long ago when the story took place, there were really many such things."

Shade didn't care much about that city:

"The story this time is very interesting. Your previous stories are all closely related to that terrifying demon. Even if it doesn't appear, it will affect the direction of the story in other ways. But I noticed that this time the demon It's just that the power was borrowed, and the middle-aged man's story would still be true even without it. So, this story appeared under the guidance of that demon?"

Mr. Sean Asmon took away the hand covering the coins and glanced down:

"My guess was wrong. It seems I lost to you again."

He shook his head and did not answer the question. He handed Sun 11 [Tragic Opera: Wedding at Lehman Manor] to Shade. Shade also took out his wallet and gave him the agreed 40 pounds.

"Or maybe this story just wants to show that there is actually not a big difference between the viciousness of people's hearts and the evil of demons?"

"Mr. Watson, I am just a storyteller. As for how to understand this story, it is not my responsibility."

The scholar in robes put the banknotes in his notebook:

"As for the good and evil of people's hearts, that is a question for sociologists and psychologists. This is just a story that I know. I will tell it to you. You can get pleasure from it, and our chat in the rain tonight is not in vain."

Shade nodded:

"You're right. As long as the story is interesting, it's not important. It doesn't matter what you can learn."

He also turned around to look at the continuous rain. I'm afraid this rain will continue for a long time:

"Mr. Asmon, you said you want to see that Devil's Island? I think you have no chance. Nowadays, the relationship between the two countries is delicate. My acquaintances in the army said that Delarion is trying to Troops are stationed on the central island of Green Lake to seize advantageous positions on the waterway. Although Green Lake has not been blocked yet, ordinary people like us may not be able to penetrate that water easily."

Sean Asmon shook his head again:

"It doesn't matter. There are still many stories waiting for me to learn about in this ancient city, and there are also many people waiting to ask me about those weird ancient evil stories. It's actually better not to go to that island, you know. Although I study their legends and stories, I have always hated actually getting involved with anything related to them.”

Of course Shade still remembers it. After all, he first met this scholar in Coldwater Port. It was for this reason that the other party was willing to sell Moon 9's [Demon·Soul Stealer Bishop] to him.

The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and neither of them had any intention of leaving now, so they chatted a few more words across the candle:

"Is there anything else interesting in Green Lake City? To be honest, I've been here for a while, but all I heard was 'endless alleys', 'crossroads with confusing spaces', and 'doors connecting to distant places'" ’ and other urban legends.”

Shade said, and the demonologist stretched out his fingers that were a little pale under the candlelight and pointed at the Duyin River across the street:

"There have been rumors in the past two days that a treasure has appeared in the river. Whether it is Green Lake City upstream or City of Glass downstream, people have encountered similar things. But those who pursued the treasure toward the source of the river have not returned. "

"I also heard other guests mention this in the hotel where I stayed. It is said that the ancient tomb further upstream collapsed in the heavy rain, causing the burial objects to flow out. But even if it is true, you can really pick up the treasure. What are the possibilities?"

He looked in the direction of the dark river in the night rain. The lights had not yet appeared, and the boat coming to pick him up should still be on the way.

"There is still a possibility."

The demonologist said, and Shade looked at him in surprise:

"Did you pick it up? Gemstones? Gold and silver jewelry? Or gold and silver cups?"

"A mirror with gems embedded in it. I sold it to the pawn shop. Together with the Rhodes cards I just sold to you, it will be enough to pay for the next trip."

He was very distinctive when he spoke, and his slowness was quite charming:

"However, Mr. Watson, I would not suggest that you try your luck. Now more and more people know about this matter, and those who gathered on the shore to try to salvage the 'treasure' have begun to have conflicts. De Larionans and Carsonics, natives and strangers, city dwellers and country folk, neighborhood townsfolk and slum poor, co-believers and heathens, men and women, the treasures that emerge in this rainy spring are simply It’s the devil’s trap to induce chaos.”

He wagged his finger:

"Although the negotiations are temporarily over, the assassination of the princess and the duchess is definitely not the end of the conflict. Even on this rainy night, I can still smell the smoke."

As he spoke, he relaxed the five fingers of his right hand and raised them in front of him like claws, and really sniffed gently:

"But the smell is really charming."

Shade knew that the adjectives used by the scholars across from him might not be appropriate sometimes, but as long as the other person was mentally normal, that would be fine.

After the two chatted for a while, the rain seemed to lighten a little. So Mr. Sean Asmon stood up and picked up the umbrella standing aside. Shade also stood up to say goodbye to him:

"I always meet you in different cities. I'm really looking forward to where I will meet you next time and what kind of new surprises the devil's story will bring me."

The man with a sallow complexion grinned and waved his hand:

"Then, let us look forward to meeting you unexpectedly next time. Goodbye, Mr. Watson."

The black umbrella opened with a bang, and he walked into the rain with his notebook under his arm. Instead of walking in a straight line, he was swaying from side to side like he was drunk. At the same time, Shade heard his whistle again.

Even amidst the pounding rain, the sound was quite penetrating. It seemed like a country ballad somewhere, not like Delrayon, not like Carsonrick. However, the tune is obviously normal, but the whistle that is getting farther and farther away seems a bit weird and eerie in the rain.

PS: The picture of this chapter is "The Faraway Traveler, the Cat and the Dog".

The picture shows cats and dogs leaving with travelers in the sunset. If you see them in a destroyed city, you are seeing the wrong version of the story.