671-676

Chapter 671: Between Light & Light (IX)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The next two days were considered the final two days for many people.

If one were to look over the entire situation from above, one would discover that secret documents containing all sorts of information were rapidly being delivered to every corner of the continent using teleportation spells. Even though Casabianca appeared to be in a state of tranquility, the signs of peacefulness gave rise to more fear. What left the people hopeless was that no matter if it was the Light Parliament or Munn Kingdom, after the clash, neither of them had privately dispatched their men to engage in communications with each other! This meant that both sides had no intentions of weakening the possible crisis and were determined to remain tough to the end!

That was the way with politics; one could say anything as long as one was willing to talk. One would only be afraid if the other party wasn't willing to because this meant that there was no more room for negotiation. The development of the situation was extremely critical. Some people tried to persuade both sides to calm down, but the representative team of the Munn Kingdom expressed that Lydia was getting ready for the Dragon Soul Ceremony and wasn't convenient to meet anyone. On the other hand, the Light Parliament was also busy with preparations and refused to meet anyone. This meant that they weren't willing to listen to any advice at all.

In an instant, this situation sunk the other territories into the mourns of despair. Not an inch on them was willing to get sucked into this large-scale conflict. But the problem was that the fuse wasn't in their hands. The two parties holding onto torches and could light the fuse weren't willing to step away. Perhaps those people felt unlucky, as though they were trapped beside a time bomb and apart from watching the clock run down, there was nothing they could do. Even though they were only 'pitiful onlookers affected by the unknown truth', who would give a hoot about them?

Compared to other chaos, this conflict was unprecedentedly peaceful as they didn't need to make a choice. They had no alternatives and could only just follow. It was due to this that the representative teams of both parties weren't as busy as others. Rhode suggested to take a tour since he was idling around anyway and Lydia was frequently missing, so he couldn't discuss anything to prepare for the negotiations with the Light Parliament. But... Rhode had neglected something when he raised this suggestion...

"Mr. Derick?"

Rhode gazed helplessly at the man who displayed an elegant smile, standing in front of a large group of people.

"What's going on?"

"This was what happened, Earl Rhode," Derick said.

"I heard that you have plans to bring Miss Marlene and the others for a stroll outside, so we came here. If we aren't disrupting you, can you bring us along for the tour in the city? We aren't familiar with this place; after all, and we will easily stir trouble if we head out alone. But with you leading us around, everyone feels much more assured. After all, you seem to be more familiar with this country and city than us."

"What does Mage Amund think about this?"

Rhode let out an inward sigh. Even though the group was young and talented, they were young people with playful mentalities, after all. They had great self-control to restrain themselves from leaving the imperial residence, but they couldn't control themselves after hearing Rhode's words. Have I already become the fella to lead their way in running the red light?

"Grand Mage Amund has agreed to our request. It will be fine as long as we return before night."

They sure are prepared for this...

Rhode couldn't help but roll his eyes. He gazed at the group before him and didn't feel like he was an Earl at all. He looked more like a tour guide to them. Where's my yellow flag printed with 'Munn Kingdom Tour Group' that I need to wave later when we're on the streets?

Suddenly, an idea cropped up in his mind. A small plot had been shaped. This might be a great idea...

"No problem."

Rhode nodded. He looked sternly at the group.

"But before that, I will need to put some things up front. I hope everyone has realized that the people here aren't friendly to us. Also, be prepared to face hostile speech and commotions. When that happens, I hope that you'll remain calm and not get into any conflict with them. If we are to get ourselves into trouble, the Light Parliament will be sure to use this chance in making us suffer. This is their territory, after all, so I hope you'll promise to never leave my side, not get into conflict with the people around us, and not disclose your identity as the Munn Kingdom's diplomatic envoys... If you can fulfill these three points, I will bring you along."

"But... Earl Rhode?"

The lady scholar pushed up her spectacles worriedly.

"There were so many of them when we stepped down from the warship... Even if we don't disclose our identities, they will also recognize us, isn't it? Should we disguise ourselves...?"

"Don't worry about that, Miss."

Rhode gazed at the young lady.

"Dogs will always bark at anyone who isn't their owner."

The 'Munn Kingdom Tour Group' had been confirmed. There were a total of 18 people, including Marlene and the other young ladies, who were willing to join Rhode in touring Casabianca. But Rhode wouldn't be bringing them to view the historical sites and scenic spots.

He had his own plans.

Got to say, Rhode's opinion was correct. They didn't attract too much attention after they sneaked out of the imperial residence and arrived on the streets of Casabianca. Rhode had warned them to be low-profile in the Country of Light and not dress up too elegantly. Such elegant costumes would only be suitable for upper class balls and it would be insane to roam streets in them. The group donned their plain, basic attire. Marlene and Lize followed closely behind Rhode while Anne was sandwiched between them—just in case.

Although there weren't many problems with their attire, their group eventually garnered a lot of attention. After all, most of them had striking appearances and fortunately, foreigners were common in Casabianca due to the Dragon Soul Temple.

As the 'tour guide' of the 'Munn Kingdom Tour Group', Rhode had led them to the most 'popular' venue in the heart of Casabianca: Freedom Square. It could easily accommodate 100,000 people, but Rhode didn't bring them here to admire the view. They were here to enjoy watching a bustling scene.

"What is that, Mr. Rhode?"

Lize blinked curiously. Although this public square was huge, it looked mediocre without any beautiful sculptures or famous scenic spots. There were some stone platforms present and a man stood on one of them, appearing to be doing something in front of the crowd gathered below him.

"Is he a poet?"

The group squinted for afar and one of the young men asked with knitted brows. But his companion denied the possibilities.

"How is that possible? I don't hear any music. Besides, I guess we can't hear his performance with the clamor around."

Most of the people were curious while the minority who had come here before displayed rather gloomy expressions. They puckered their brows at the man on the platform and didn't hide their disgusted expressions. Then, Rhode revealed the answer.

"They're giving a speech."

"Speech?"

"That's right. I guess you're aware that the quadrennial election is coming up. They are giving a speech to win the favor of the people in order to be selected as the new parliament chairman. Unlike the Munn Kingdom, the leaders of the Country of Light are voted by the people and as long as they can keep the people happy, they will have a big chance of winning."

As Rhode's group spoke, they approached one of the stone platforms. Shortly after, they heard the impassioned speech from the man above.

"I promise you, my dearest people! I know the dangers which the Country of Light is facing now. We've lost what we should have had and our lives are getting tougher with many of us losing our jobs! I know where the source of the problem is! This isn't your fault, my people!

"In order to bring us back to our blissful days of life, I will reduce your taxes! I promise that I will lower the taxes by half! Not only that, but I will also give you stable jobs. I assure you with my reputation! The jobs will be full of rewards, safe, and have reasonable working hours. Besides, you won't be working under the arrogant and naive people from the Munn Kingdom! Your salary will increase multi-folds! Everyone, the nation ruled by that evil Angel dictator is a sinister monster. We will not be bullied and humiliated by it! I promise you that once I've taken over as the new parliament chairman, I will do my best to make that evil country disappear from this continent! This Light Mainland doesn't need those tyrannic dictators. Their times are long over! Now is the time for us, Humans, to make the call! No matter the Elves, Dwarves, or Angels—they have no right to criticize our decisions and fate. My people, open your eyes wide, and don't be fooled by their friendly appearance. They are no different from the Undead Creatures of the Country of Darkness. They are our eternal enemies! They are an obstacle and threat to all Humans on the continent! I will instill our Human values and make everyone aware that we, the Country of Light, are the final and most perfect hope on the entire continent. My people, let's stand together and face the challenges with me. The path ahead may be tough, but with your support and trust, we will overcome it together. We have never forgotten this truth: our fate and justice isn't decided by the heavens. It is within our grasp instead.

"So I earnestly request for you to write a great, new chapter with me. Not only will we win this election if you vote for me, but we will also reshape this country and continent together!"

"Oh my goodness."

Many in Rhode's group sucked in a deep cold hair. The young lady standing beside Derick looked with an ashen expression. She gazed worriedly at the impassioned man above and couldn't believe her ears.

"Are they announcing war against the Munn Kingdom?"

"This means nothing."

Rhode displayed an incomparably calm expression. He shrugged and curled his lips.

"Destroying the Munn Kingdom has always been the standard catchphrase of every parliament candidate. The elderly man who knelt down before Royal Highness Lydia yesterday once said that he would raze the Munn Kingdom to the ground within three years of his service. And now, eight years have already passed."

"But..."

A young man in a thick-framed glasses knitted his brows.

"This man must be quite capable, isn't it? The financial deficit of the Country of Light isn't small and they can't even support themselves without help from the Munn Kingdom. Now he's even suggesting cutting down taxes and promising them rewarding jobs..."

"Those are just empty promises."

Rhode waved his hands and interrupted. The group widened their eyes in astonishment.

"Empty promises?"

"That's right. Everyone, perhaps you're unaware that there's a saying in the Country of Light: I may not be able to fulfill my promise, but if I don't make a promise, I won't even have a chance to fulfill it... The Light Parliament elections have been going on for years and almost every candidate has expressed that they can make the Country of Light stronger and better. If everyone did as they promised, there would be no sightings of Dwarves, Elves, Angels, Undead Creatures, Demons, Devils and others anymore. But now..."

"But this is deceiving their people!"

Another man shook his head and expressed a look of disbelief.

"The people aren't fools either. What will they do if they realized that the things they were promised can't be fulfilled?"

"Simple. Just elect another one."

Rhode provided a short and sweet answer that left the group flabbergasted. Then, Lize gazed anxiously at Rhode.

"But, Mr. Rhode... Even if they elect another chairman... Wouldn't the... four years be wasted?"

Rhode twitched his brows and turned to her.

"Remember, Lize. They have the privilege to be silly while we don't have the right to stop their idiocy."

Chapter 672: Between Light & Light (X)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Frankly speaking, Rhode's statement was partially right and wrong because the people of the Country of Light could still ridicule them. At the very least, we have the privilege to be silly while you people don't even have the rights to.

Rhode was clear that both sides weren't wrong. The Country of Light's aspirations in establishing the parliamentary system was to prevent the emergence of a powerful 'dictator' like the Light Dragon Soul. If another powerful dictator were to emerge after they finally broke free from the Light Dragon Soul and became independent, they would be better off remaining under the Light Dragon Soul's guidance. Since the Light Dragon Soul was still one of the Creator Dragon Souls, it would be better than being under a Human dictator.

This was mostly so in the case of the Munn Kingdom. The reason why the Munn Kingdom was able to last throughout the ages was because the dictator wasn't a Human, but an Angel instead. Angels were born kindhearted and their positions were preordained that they wouldn't do anything cruel like a tyrant would (But this concept started to reshape through the emergence of an unusual presence like Lydia). However, Humans were different. Rhode had been educated on history. On Earth, there were no lack of great rulers building up a powerful, wealthy empire, but it was eventually destroyed by their muddleheaded descendants. The emergence of elections was meant to stop this possibility. There would no longer be a single family that ruled the nation. Instead, candidates would take up the post through competition and the most supported one would have the right to rule the nation. Although this sounded like a perfect solution, it was only an ideal, after all.

Reality was cruel.

There were differences in social classes, race, gender, and many other factors, which predetermined that they couldn't abandon the differences in one another. This was also why great rulers and leaders often emerged in times of war as only then would people temporarily abandon the differences in themselves to fight together as one. But they would once again confront one another after the war ended and the country entered a process of prosperity and peace. This was why aliens invading Earth type scenarios were the best at promoting peace among Humans.

The candidates couldn't possibly support the poor and wealthy, nobles and civilians, merchants and workers all at the same time as it was extremely difficult to find a perfect balance between the different social classes and statuses. Even if one had unrivaled wealth, one couldn't possibly satisfy every social class. It was due to this that every candidate would target a social class in which they would fully support. Just like the man whom Rhode's group had listened to—he had clearly announced that he would create more job opportunities and also increase their salaries. But where would the increased salary come from? An increase in the workers' salaries meant that the trade associations would fall lower in profits, which would leave the merchants dissatisfied. Of course, they could cut down on taxes to appease the merchants, but this sum of money had to be replenished. No matter how they replenished, there would be a social class that would take a hit and no one would be willing to be the victim. The poor had insufficient wealth to fill up the deficit while the rich were unwilling to suffer losses. But there would be debt if this deficit wasn't filled up and in the end, it would be like a dam crumbling entirely due to a crack in its wall.

There was no perfect solution for it. The merchants craved for more benefits while workers hoped for more rewards. The poor yearned for more welfare while the rich wished to gain more resources. The size of the cake still remained the same. The more you have, the less I have. Therefore, they would pick candidates who would represent them in fulfilling their wishes and oppose other candidates who wanted to damage their welfare. The conflicts between social classes became clearer. The workers berated the merchants for being heartless as they paid the workers little in comparison to the amount of hard work they put in. The merchants complained that the workers were a lazy bunch who craved for more rewards without working up to five hours a day. The poor wished that the rich would provide financial assistance. The poor roamed the streets in tattered clothes while the nobles wore luxurious fur coats. The rich believed that the poor should work hard in searching for jobs, rather than begging for help on their bums all day. Our money didn't drop from the sky! We worked hard for it!

It was due to this that conflicts between social classes were apparent. Every social class did their utmost in protecting and receiving more benefits while strongly resisting other social classes as they would possibly become the culprits that violated them. Although such situations more or less existed in every country, it was much more prominent in the Country of Light as the supporters of each social class might possibly be the next ruler of their nation.

And in a country with a strong government, the clashes between social classes were less prominent as no matter if one was a merchant, worker, civilian, or noble, one wouldn't have any advantage in the face of absolute authority. Just like the malicious increase in price in the Paphield region previously—Lydia gave a word to lower the price and those who refused were hung to death. She didn't need to consider the benefits of merchants like the Country of Light. Perhaps they might be resentful of her decision, but the peace and stability of the Munn Kingdom was far more important than the merchants' petty profits in Lydia's eyes. And she didn't need to wag her tail to express goodwill in exchange for the merchants' support.

But there were also flaws in her policies. If not, the Munn Kingdom wouldn't have ended up in this sad state in the game. But... the world wouldn't be in your favor forever.

Many in the group had differing thoughts in their heads after experiencing the scene in the Freedom Square. Even though they more or less heard about the situation in the Country of Light, it was still shocking for them to experience it personally. This was because no such things existed in the Munn Kingdom. Perhaps people would head to the pubs to chatter, but they surely wouldn't make such a crazy speech in public. On the other hand, the nobles were even more cautious. They had to uphold their dignity before the civilians while also being aware of political spies. They surely wouldn't be blabbering such ridiculous words out in the open.

But as a qualified 'tour guide', Rhode wouldn't allow his group to continue sulking. Shortly after, he led them to another bustling venue—Glory Theater.

小田急江ノ島線本鵠沼駅 徒歩11分 - 2LDK／52.87㎡

"This is... a theater?"

The group gazed at the building in astonishment. Derick turned to Rhode curiously.

"Earl Rhode, are you inviting us to watch a play?"

"Yes, Mr. Derick."

Rhode replied with a smile. A cunning glint flashed in his eye.

"I promise that this will be rewarding for all of you."

Watching plays was a popular entertainment activity in the Dragon Soul Continent. This time, the play that the group was about to watch was named 'Sword of Justice'. The plot was fairly simple. It told the story about a group of people living in Annas, a place in the Country of Light. The protagonist was an ordinary mortal who led a normal life in this small town of Annas. One day, their peace was broken. A group of red-skinned Demons intruded their town and not only did they kill the protagonist's lover, but they also set fire and burned down his homeland. Most of the victims died in the conflagration while the protagonist and his friends resisted and drove off the red-skinned Demons. But shortly after, they learned another truth: the red-skinned Demons had another tribe that was even more powerful and they were looking to destroy this small town. The residents of the small town united in strength and gave up their conflicts and clashes to protect their homeland by battling. In the end, under the protagonist's lead, the group defeated the red-skinned Demons and slaughtered their leader to save their homeland.

The play was so enchanting that it captured the full attention of the entire group. Anne was excited. She had a lively personality to begin with, and she couldn't help but scream and jump on her feet as she watched the fascinating play. On the other hand, Rhode sat in the corner and watched everything with a faint smile.

In the end, the story ended with the protagonist gaining the victory with his companions.

"Awesome!"

Anne skipped out of the theater while brandishing her fists.

"Anne has never seen such an interesting play. The residents of that small town are so brave when facing the Demons. They actually protected their homeland. Leader, is this real?"

"Yes. It is based on a true story."

Rhode shrugged. He displayed a mocking smile, but no one noticed.

"There is indeed a place called Annas in the Country of Light and this story is true, which was why the Country of Light has adapted it into a play."

"I didn't expect there to be people who are this brave in this country... Anne thought that everyone in this country is a bunch of baddies. It seems that they will still protect themselves by fighting with their all."

"That's right, but there's something that I must correct. In the original story, the residents of Annas were the intruders while the red-skinned Demons were the true owners of that piece of land."

"Eh?"

The group stared blankly while Anne who was hopping around suddenly froze like she was under an ice spell. Rhode shrugged.

"The story was true, but they didn't include the premise. The red-skinned Demons were the actual natives of Annas. Back then, the Country of Light sent out their men to Annas. The natives assisted them in passing through the turbulence of Chaos and successfully awakening the Light Dragon Soul. But everything changed shortly after. Country of Light dispatched their army and annihilated the natives of Annas. At the same time, they migrated their people to Annas to build their own homeland. However, it goes without saying that the original residents of Annas were unwilling to let their home soil be occupied by outsiders. As a result, the Country of Light once again mobilized a fully-equipped army to slaughter the remaining red-skinned Demons. Most of them were killed while others either escaped or captured to become slaves. Those who escaped regrouped and launched attacks on the Country of Light's soldiers in order to snatch their home back and you've seen the results for yourselves..."

Rhode spread his arms apart.

"They failed."

"That's shameless!"

Anne gritted her teeth and brandished her fist furiously.

"Those people are liars. How dare they lie to Anne. They're too much!"

"They're not lying to you, Miss."

Derick shook his head with a smile.

"They've only told you the truth since this is the truth, isn't it?"

"Hmph. Anne still doesn't like it. How annoying..."

Anne said indignantly. At this moment, a sharp, annoying voice sounded from behind the group.

"Eh, aren't they the lackeys of that prostitute Angel? What are they doing here?"

Chapter 673: Between Light & Light (XI)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Rhode reacted as though he didn't hear the insults and he shot a glance to the sky. Then, he clapped his hands.

"Alright, you guys must be tired after a long day. We should head back for our meals and take a break. I'll bring you to another place later on. Even though it's interesting to look at the monkey show here, you'll still feel sick of it after awhile, won't you?"

The group revealed playful smiles and followed Rhode's lead as they ignored the clamor behind them. Anne looked around curiously and also followed Rhode obediently.

That voice became louder after it was ignored.

"Hah. Why aren't you bunch of degenerate lackeys who have abandoned your prides willing to talk? Could it be that you know that you're the disgrace of all Humans?"

"Lize, what do you wanna eat?"

"I want to have something light... The food here is too greasy..."

"Me too. The food isn't too healthy here..."

"Anne feels that the food is decent. All the big chunks of meat are quite delicious."

"Anne, you should be more cautious. Eating too much meat is bad for your skin."

"Eh? Is that so, Sister Marlene?"

As the group faded into the distance, none of them turned around to see who uttered those hateful words. That sharp, annoying voice became even more agitated.

"Hey! You bastards, I'm talking to you! Bastard! Stay there!"

Of course, Rhode wouldn't stop as he knew what the other party was plotting. If he were to obediently stop, wouldn't it mean that they were indeed the 'Prostitute Angel's lackeys' and 'Bastards'? Only an idiot would take a general comment as a personal attack, which was why nobody bothered with the idiot at the back. However, Rhode found it strange that even Anne was able to keep calm. Perhaps she really didn't know that the idiot was speaking about them, judging from her inquisitive glancing about.

Natural foolishness was rather useful at times.

But the other party apparently wasn't convinced to give up just yet. Rhode heard a burst of hurried footsteps behind him. He slowed down his pace and rolled up a smile on his face while placing his hand on his sword hilt hanging by his waist. The sword wasn't one of the Holy Sword Cards. Instead, it was just an ordinary sword. As a noble, a sword was also a symbol of one's identity at times.

Rhode looked sideways and shortly after, a young man just over 20 years old with freckles across his whole face and wearing an expensive-looking attire rushed over to block Rhode's group.

"Bastard, I told you to stop! Who do you think you are to not obey my words! Listen here, lackeys. This is our land, the Country of Light! We don't welcome you. Get lost to your doghouse! You have no right to be here!"

"I guess you've mistaken, Mister."

Rhode twitched his brows and stroked the hilt gently. At the same time, he revealed a gentle smile while narrowing his eyes.

京急本線県立大学駅 徒歩9分 - 1LDK／39.78㎡

"I have to correct you. This piece of land here belongs to the Light Dragon Soul. You're nothing more than its people, just like us. Therefore, you have no rights to make us leave."

Even though Rhode spoke in a collected tone and without any obscenity. It left the young man before him in an ashen expression because he had mentioned exactly the weakest spot in the hearts of the Country of Light's people! Although the Country of Light people believed that they were the true owner of this country, the Light Dragon Soul was the one and only ruler of the Country of Light regardless of legal principles or procedures!

This was a taboo among the Country of Light's people. It humiliated them whenever an outsider spoke about it before them as they, Humans, were most proud of their achievements in snatching authority in ruling the nation from the hands of the Creator Dragon Soul. This was the Country of Light's people's biggest pride and the source of confidence that they had to look down on other countries. Undead Creatures who were born to follow orders in the Country of Darkness were completely worthless in their eyes. The Dark Dragon was a sinister and horrifying presence of darkness and a nation of death wouldn't have a bright future. On the other hand, the Elves of Country of Law were rigid, bound by convention, and lacked the courage to change. The Dwarves who hid in the mountains all day led backward, barbaric underground lives were meaningless. Only the Country of Light—only them, Humans—could overthrow the tyrannical rule of the Creator Dragon Soul. This was Country of Light's eternal pride and was something that they were proud of over the other nations and races!

But...

There was an absolute flaw in their pride. It wasn't identified this way in terms of jurisprudence and order. In fact, in the records belonging to every country, the Country of Light's ruler was the Light Dragon Soul, and it had always been this way.

This left the Country of Light's people stamping with fury. They felt that the other nations were just jealous of them. Grow some eyes to see for your pitiful selves! It's the Light Parliament that is ruling and managing the Country of Light! The Light Parliament established by us Humans! How is it possible that the Country of Light belongs to that Creator Dragon Soul?!

Their reasons were fairly simple. The day that the Light Parliament was established was the day that it had become one of the affiliates of the Light Dragon Soul. This was why there were no issues with recording the Light Dragon Soul as the ruler of Country of Light, which left the Country of Light's people fuming in rage. They couldn't do anything to change this fact that was recorded in historical accounts belonging to other nations. They had sacrificed their blood, sweat, and lives in exchange for everything. But they weren't recognized for their efforts, which was unacceptable for them. It was due to this that the Country of Light's people would fly into a rage immediately whenever this topic was mentioned before them.

And now, this was what Rhode was plotting.

"What did you say!?"

The young man blew his top. He widened his mouth with a flushed expression and pointed at Rhode's group. But suddenly, his face turned incredibly pale. The reddish radiance on his complexion turned into a ghastly whiteness in the blink of an eye. Not only that, but his eyes had also widened so much that they almost popped out of his eye sockets. He shuddered and shrunk his extended right hand, clutching his neck as though a beached fish gasping for air.

Rhode squinted and gazed at the man with a gentle smile. But no one noticed that Rhode's thumb was slowly drawing out the sword from its sheath inch by inch. At that moment, their conflict had garnered curious gazes and crowd. Marlene and Lize stood quietly behind Rhode because they knew that Rhode wouldn't let off anyone who found trouble at his feet.

The scene was exceptionally strange to the gathered crowd. They naturally couldn't bear the sight of Rhode's group after knowing that they hailed from the Munn Kingdom and they gloated over their predicament after witnessing the young man pointing to their noses and shouted curses. Then, many of them gritted their teeth after Rhode completely shattered their pride as the Country of Light's people. They couldn't wait to teach his pretty boy a tough lesson with their clenched fists. Some of them even looked up to the freckled young man to represent them in chewing out this bunch of bastards.

But they were disappointed that the highly arrogant young man had become so miserable as though he was drowning in water. What exactly is happening to him?!

No one knew what happened to him and he was the only one who knew. He saw the glint in Rhode's eyes and instantly felt an ice-cold, invisible sword piercing into his throat. Even though he knew that this was just a misconception, the sensation felt so real as though the razor-sharp blade was sliding down his throat inch by inch and could split him into two in the blink of an eye. If it wasn't for the fact that he saw nothing penetrating his mouth, he was bound to believe that a sword had indeed been plunged into his throat!

"Argh... Argh..."

The young man breathed painfully. He clutched his throat and put up a meaningless resistance. Rhode watched him quietly with a graceful smile. But at this moment, the crowd realized that something was amiss and the place gradually quietened into completely stillness. They gazed forward worriedly, not knowing what to say.

"... Ah.... Ah... Ah..."

The pitiful young man couldn't utter a word and his eyes rolled.

"What's wrong, Mister? You blocked our way and now you're not speaking? What do you want exactly? It seems that you're not feeling too well?"

"Stop right now."

A stern voice sounded. A man in military attire separated the crowd and stepped forth with a team of fully-armored soldiers behind him. The soldiers rushed in and surrounded Rhode's group while the leading man in military attire went up to Rhode. The smile on Rhode's face remain unchanged.

"What exactly is going on here?!"

"Just as you've seen, this man here is blocking our way. It seems like he wants to speak, but for unknown reasons, he can't speak a word at all..." The corner of Rhode's lips perked up. He shrugged. "... That's interesting. Even though I want to hear what he has to say to us, it's a pity that w have to head back for lunch. If it's possible, can you please make way for us?"

The man in military attire didn't answer immediately. He stared at Rhode silently. At this moment, the freckled young man staggered to his side as though seeking for help.

"... He... Hel... Help..."

The man in military attire stepped aside and made way for Rhode's group.

"I'm sorry to hold you back, you guys may leave now."

"Thanks a lot."

Rhode nodded and beckoned to his group. When Rhode's shoulder brushed the freckled young man, the latter said grudgingly into Rhode's ear with lowered voice.

"This is the Country of Light's territory. I hope you Munn Kingdom lackeys will look out for yourselves. Stop strolling around because you won't be that lucky every time."

Rhode didn't answer. Instead, he lifted his head and looked at the man with a smile. At the same time, he pushed the sword hilt down with his right hand. The razor-sharp blade slid back into its sheath, letting out a crisp sound from their collision.

"Ahh...!"

The freckled young man widened his mouth abruptly and spurted out fresh blood. The crowd shrieked in horror and hurriedly stepped back to avoid him. The freckled young man had lost his mind out of fear. He spread his arms wide in despair as though seeking for help. However, more crimson blood gushed out of his mouth as soon as he started talking. Then, his eyes rolled and he collapsed to his death.

This scene had caused a stir instantly. The crowd screamed and stepped back fearfully while the soldiers hurriedly maintained order to prevent any accidents. The man in military attire sulked. He extended his arm to command his subordinates and at this moment, Rhode's voice sounded beside his ear.

"You get what you deserve. Some idiots will never understand this... What a pity."

The man in military attire turned around furiously, but Rhode had disappeared into the crowd. This left the man's expression incomparably gloomy. He glared into the crowd and clenched his fists.

"I didn't expect that guy to be here."

The group restored their playful mentalities after getting away from the center of the turmoil. Derick came to Rhode's side with a smile and said with some regrets.

"Frankly speaking, Earl Rhode, I thought that things were about to take a terrible turn when that man walked up to you. I didn't expect him to let you off so easily... But please be careful. He isn't easy to deal with."

"Mr. Derick, you know him?"

Rhode twitched his brows curiously. In fact, he had realized that something wasn't quite right with the man in military attire. Even though the man was as disgusted with Rhode as the other Country of Light people, Rhode sensed a burning wrath and murderous intent in his eyes. Those emotions weren't imaginary, but were true detest and loathe instead. Even though Rhode didn't know where he had offended him before, he knew that this man wouldn't be easy to deal with due to the fact that he held back his anger on the spot.

Derick was stupefied. He shook his head and let out a bitter laugh.

"Earl Rhode, you actually don't know who he is? But come to think of it... Hahaha. If that guy knows about this, he will surely be angered to his death."

"???"

A few question marks emerged in Rhode's mind. In the game, Rhode had clearly remembered the threats in the Country of Light. But he couldn't recall a man like him at all. As a player, who would care about an NPC who wouldn't drop exclusive items when he was killed? But judging from Derick's reactions, should I know this man?

"Please pardon my rudeness."

Derick thought that he was behaving rather inappropriately. He kept the smile on his face.

"His name is Kramer Belson. I guess you must be very familiar with his grandfather because he's the grandson of the Mist Sword Saint, Daviet."

Chapter 674: Between Light & Light (XII)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

This was considered an episode for Rhode. Meeting an unfortunate enemy in Casabianca was nothing more than a common thing. But the enemy indeed had a reason to detest him. Daviet was a legendary being who was hard to come by, but he was crippled by Rhode. Even though it wasn't Rhode who had done the deed, the culprit appeared the same for the Light Parliament. Rhode sighed at how amazing the world was. Two of the five legends in the Light Parliament had fallen under his hands. Other than the Mist Sword Saint, the Cyan Goshawk had also been messed with by him. Although his views didn't align with the Light Parliament's, they still stood on the same side while facing external threats.

Even though there were a few hiccups along the way, the group's following tour went rather smoothly. They had returned to the imperial residence safely and benefited a lot from this tour. On the other hand, Rhode had achieved what he wanted. It seemed that the group had begun considering and facing the precarious situation and the Country of Light itself...

The group could be said to have fulfilled their wishes after the day tour and everyone started preparing for the Dragon Soul Ceremony. They knew that this Dragon Soul Ceremony was exceptionally important, so,for the sake of safety, they were better off being better prepared, where even Lize and Anne were forced to take up etiquette training from Marlene. After all, this was an important ceremony to meet the Light Dragon Soul, so distinguished and complicated etiquette were essential. Who knew what a naturally foolish young lady like Anne would do during the ceremony...

Everyone was busy with their preparation while Rhode had nothing on his hands. In fact, he wasn't feeling thrilled or nervous meeting the Light Dragon Soul, so he didn't value the ceremony as highly as the others. But when one entered a village, one had to follow their local customs and the same went for Rhode. He wasn't that silly to remain idle before Lize and Marlene. He found an excuse to slip away and dodge Marlene's harsh etiquette training. I'll leave such things for Anne and Lize to suffer.

Lydia's imperial residence was situated halfway up the mountain of the Dragon Soul Temple. Even though she wasn't a permanent resident of this place, she had her own palace as one of the three Archangels. But the palace would only be occupied whenever she visited the Country of Light. But even so, the palace was comfortable and luxuriously decorated. Sleek floors. Soft, extravagant carpets. Beautiful and expensive murals. They appeared rather inharmonious with the temple emanating in a sacred aura, but who cared, as long as Lydia didn't mind?

"Phew..."

Rhode laid back leisurely on a stone bench in the garden and enjoyed the picturesque scenery. He looked down to view the entire Casabianca presenting a gentle whiteness under the glaring sun as though it existed in pure, spotless radiance. Judging from this, the reputation of Casabianca was indeed well-deserved. But... that was a false sense of prosperity, after all.

The corners of Rhode's lips perked up as he once again recalled the memories he had of Casabianca in the game. It was a city that sunk entirely in the war. In the game, the Country of Darkness sliced through the Country of Light like a hot knife through butter, leaving them in an extremely miserable state. This was especially so after losing the Light Dragon Soul and its protection, where the Country of Light sank into turmoil from the envelope of Chaos. Back then, even if Rhode or Dark Dragon didn't infiltrate the Country of Light, it would still perish on its own. But Rhode was determined to do it himself. After all, he would be letting them off easy if he didn't personally destroy them with his own hands and allow them to head into a path of destruction themselves.

Rustle.

Suddenly, the bush beside him shook. He turned around curiously and spotted a petite figure emerging from it.

It was an adorable little girl who was about 10 years old. Her exquisite facial features and delicate face complemented one another perfectly. She wore a relatively plain white robe inlaid with a golden-stitched design and the glory of the sun set off her silver long hair as it draped over her shoulders, emanating a dazzling sight. She spotted Rhode and appeared seemingly surprised as she subconsciously came to a halt. Then, she asked in a timid manner.

"Who... are you? Why are you here?"

"This should be a question from me, Miss."

Rhode shrugged. He stood up and waved to the little girl.

"I'm a guest to this place. One of Royal Highness Lydia's subordinates. My name is Rhode Alander, and I am the overlord of Grenbell. You are..."

"Ah..."

The little girl appeared seemingly to have understood the situation and nodded slowly. Then, she relaxed her tensed body like a tiny squirrel watching its natural predator walked away. She lifted her head and hesitated for a few moments.

"You... You... can call me... Lily. I'm the... the... Yes. Someone from here."

Lily?

Rhode twitched his brows, but he didn't probe further. He nodded to the little girl and beckoned to her. "Alright then, Lily. Are you here to admire the view too?"

"Yes, Mister."

Lily nodded hesitantly as though she was Little Red Riding Hood who knew that the Big Bad Wolf had disguised as her Grandma and didn't know if she should step one foot closer. After a few moments, she approached Rhode step by step. She sized up his face before quietly sitting on the other end of the stone bench. Rhode rolled his eyes hopelessly and sat back on the stone bench with a shrug.

The little girl rested her chin on her hands and she was entranced in the awesome view before her. Then, she mumbled to herself.

"I like the view from here. I feel peaceful every time I sit here and look down at the scenery below. Everyone seems to be really happy living their blissful lives... No one in pain. No one is crying. A happy city. A blessed country..."

"Ha."

Rhode curled his lips and let out a subtle sneer. Although he didn't like to destroy a little kid's dream, he instinctively felt hilarious listening to the little girl's portrayal of this perfectly wonderful city. The little girl turned over in displeasure.

"What's wrong, Mister? Am I wrong?"

"No no no."

Rhode waved his hand without showing any emotions.

"I didn't say anything, Lily. You must've misheard me."

"No, I did hear something."

The little girl pouted and stared at Rhode in dissatisfaction.

"Don't treat me like a small child. I know what you're thinking about, Mister. You think that I'm a naive and silly little girl who loves to daydream, right?"

"..."

Rhode didn't refute and he had no intentions of denying her either. For unknown reasons, he felt rather strange as soon as he saw her as though somewhere in his body felt particularly close with her. It also felt as though he had met a familiar person in a foreign land, which gave him a kind and nostalgic feeling. But he couldn't explain why he had such emotions because, no matter what, he had never seen this little girl in the past. It would still be possible if she was born in the Eastern Plain like Gaya, where they might have familiar appearances. But this little girl... I have never seen her before and yet, I don't feel like I'm speaking to a stranger at all.

"Well, that's the truth, Lily. This world isn't as peaceful as you think."

Rhode curled his lips and gazed at Casabianca before him.

"Especially this city. I don't find it beautiful at all. Instead, I hate this place."

The little girl opened her eyes wide. She stared in shock as though she had heard something that toppled all the truth in her world.

"Why, Mister? This is Casabianca, the city under the Light Dragon Soul's protection. Under the sacred brilliance, isn't it normal that people lead blissful lives? Why do you hate this place?"

"Because all I see here are terrifying, meaningless battles."

Rhode shrugged and answered her doubts casually. Even though he knew that he shouldn't speak to a little child this way, he instinctively felt that it didn't matter even if he said it.

"On the surface, this place is indeed protected by the Light Dragon Soul. But what about the truth? The people holding on to authority fight against one another to secure their positions, berated one another to expand their strength, incited hatred and blinded everything with lies. These people are living in the false dreams of lies. They think that they are the center of the world, but they are nothing, in fact."

Rhode pointed to a place in Casabianca.

"Have you been there. Lily?"

"Yes. It's a beautiful and quiet place."

Even though she didn't know why Rhode asked her this question, she answered swiftly anyway. Rhode shrugged and pointed at another place.

"What about there?"

"It is... Ah. Freedom Square. Of course I've been there."

"Then, what about there?"

Rhode pointed at a white region in western Casabianca. This time, the little girl didn't answer instantly. She knitted her brows and tried to recall its name. Then, she shook her head helplessly.

"No... Mister. I've not been there before. Where is that place?"

"That place is called 'Dalkest'. It is the largest slum in Casabianca."

"Slum?"

Judging from her vacant expression, it was apparent that she didn't understand the word at all.

"It is a place where the poor lives in. They are undressed, poor, and have never eaten a full meal before. People there kill for a piece of bread. No one dares to roam the streets with money because they will be robbed at the very next moment. The corners of the dark alleyways are filled with scrawny thugs with sharp weapons. They widen their eyes greedily while scanning for their next prey. They may even be lucky enough to drag a person into the dark alley and kill him to rob his assets. That is all that they can do to survive in this city."

Rhode shot a glance at the little girl beside him who had frozen to the spot. She widened her eyes unbelievably at the direction where Rhode was pointing to and mumbled to herself.

"That's impossible. How... Why are those people... Why are they so poor..."

"There are many reasons for poverty. Some who have lost their abilities to carry out labor were chased out by their employers. Their physical disabilities prevented them from searching for work and they could only resort to living this way. Some are born in that place and they don't know what else can help them with their lives. Those who are simply unlucky might have ended up in that state after losing their wealth and families. Of course, some people are just purely lazy. No matter what... such people are everywhere. But some places have more of them while some have much fewer."

Rhode reminded himself of Golden City. The Munn Kingdom strictly prohibited the free movement of population, which resulted in no slums in their region. But similar places still existed. The rich and poor were like a pair of brothers. The poor couldn't purchase their own houses and gain a foothold in the big cities, which was why they had to come together. This was unavoidable everywhere, where even the legends and beliefs reflected the same shadows of slums. Hell was meant to take in such people.

"I... I don't believe it..."

The little girl paled and covered her mouth tightly. Her eyes were filled with fear.

"I don't believe it... This isn't real..."

"Don't be that surprised, Lily. Don't let your imagination run wild. This is the world. With the existence of beauty, there will always be ugliness, which is extremely normal. Not everyone can lead a blissful, happy life. It's good enough if most people can lead such lives."

"..."

The little girl sunk into silence. After a few moments, she spoke with her trembling jaw.

"Mister... You mean we can ignore that one poor man as long as the other 100 people live well?"

"What I meant is to not forget their existence or purpose, that's all."

Rhode spread his arms apart.

"Many of them indeed require help, but manpower is often limited. However, this is much better than covering one's eyes and turning a blind eye to the situation. Lily, haven't you met with such similar situations whenever you headed out?"

"..."

This time, the little girl pondered in silence before lowering her head that was in complete chaos and contradiction as though what Rhode said had crushed her views on this world. She was worried, fearful, and dubious. On the other hand, Rhode wondered if he had gone overboard with his words. She was only a little girl and was still years from entering the society... But this was the only chance for him to say these words since he was only speaking to her.

"I don't believe this... Light should shine and protect everything equally. Everyone is living in bliss... But... I know... I..."

The little girl bit her lips and lifted her head as though she had made up her mind. She turned to Rhode determinedly.

"I-I don't believe your words. If you want to prove that what you said was true, then bring me there!"

Chapter 675: Between Light & Light (XIII)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Rhode felt like a tour guide for the past two days.

He wouldn't usually agree to such demands, but he eventually agreed after pondering for a while. Then, both of them slipped out of the imperial residence and headed to Dalkest. Back then, Rhode didn't bring Derick and the others for a trip there because most of them were young adults who had seen such places, so it wouldn't alter their thoughts even if they were to visit the slums. But the situation was entirely different from a little girl like Lily. But Rhode brought along another person for safety.

"Leader, where are we heading to? Who is this little girl?"

Rhode rescued Anne from Marlene's 'etiquette hell' and the little girl who followed Rhode around piqued Anne's curiosity. Marlene's etiquette education wasn't tolerable for most people. She was brought up in an environment where her ceremonial postures were accurate to the extent of centimeters. This was also why Rhode slipped away immediately after watching Lize and Anne suffer under Marlene's lectures. In the game, the players' greetings to the NPCs were more like they were pretending to be elegant and grandeur, allowing for a sense of incorporation. Who would even bother with learning the proper noble etiquette? Of course, if one could receive aid from the dark by displaying precise hand gestures to illegal gang... It would be a whole other situation.

Marlene showed no mercy. Perhaps she knew that Anne wouldn't understand any noble etiquettes judging from her carefree nature, she instantly force fed Anne and requested that she repeated the proper greetings a thousand times! Since Anne couldn't remember everything, Marlene might as well force Anne into remembering them instinctively!

Anne was suffering bitterly. It was imaginable how painful it was for this lively young lady to repeat the complicated ceremonial etiquette a thousand times, so she was thrilled when Rhode asked for her as though she had been rescued from concentration camp. She was so deeply grateful for Rhode that she treated him like a benefactor.

"She's Lily. She wants to look around the place where the poor lives, so I got you along to protect her. You should know what to do, Anne."

"That kind of place?"

Rhode knew that Anne wouldn't understand what 'slum' meant and he explained to her simply for her to understand the situation. Mercenaries mostly lived in the bottom of the social class and often interacted with the poor people in the slums. Rhode shook his head at this thought. Come to think of it, this was the first time that he had such an innocent and unaffected young girl beside him who didn't understand the pain and difficulties of the world. Lapis, Anne, and Lize had been mercenaries for a long time and they knew it inside out. As for Christie, perhaps she had experienced the darkest side of the Humans, much more so than most people. But even then, she was still able to maintain her kind side, which went to show how determined she was. As for a rich young daughter like Ann Clark, she had tasted the warmth and heartlessness of humanity after she returned from being kidnapped by the Cultists. But Lily was unlike all of them. Rhode felt that this little girl was like a fragile flower in a sterile greenhouse, protected by glass walls, warm temperatures, and having grown up in fertile soil. She had grown up in an incredibly comfortable environment and was never exposed to heat, storms, harsh chills, and dry, barren soil. None of them existed in her entire world and she firmly believed it.

Anne widened her eyes in astonishment and turned to the little girl.

"What do you want to do at a place like that? It is very dangerous there. A cute girl like you may be kidnapped and sold away in the blink of an eye."

"Eh?"

A ghastly whiteness spread over the little girl's face. But she plucked up her courage and lifted his head. She said with a shaky voice.

"But... Miss Anne, haven't you..."

"Ah, Anne will do. Don't call me Miss. Anne can't stand hearing people calling me with 'Miss'."

"... Ah. Sorry. But, Anne, haven't you... been to those places too?"

"That's right."

Anne shrugged.

"Anne often followed my previous mercenary group leader to those places. They were dirty, messy, and terrible. There were many times when people tried to snatch me away. Hehehe. But, those guys aren't Anne's match at all! Anne swings my fist and those guys ran away! Hahaha. How funny."

"But..."

Lily puckered her brows as though she was dissatisfied.

"Those people are so pitiful..."

"Anne knows that they're pitiful, but what has it got to do with Anne? They're in the wrong for finding trouble with Anne in the first place!"

"..."

Rhode let out an inward laugh as he gazed at Anne brandishing her tiny fists about and Lily who looked at her at her wits' end... It seemed to be a right choice to bring this duo along. From a certain perspective, Anne was also a child. But she was one who had witnessed the hypocrisy of the world. The personalities of those people who experienced what Anne had gone through would usually change. The elderly mercenary group leader who fostered her died and it led to the cracks in the mercenary group due to them snatching the benefits and Anne was dragged into the situation too. One who got involved in such a predicament would more or less change mentalities. But Anne was different. She firmly left the mercenary group, but it wasn't for the sake of stabilizing the harmony of the mercenary group by sacrificing herself. It was purely because she didn't like the tense atmosphere of power struggles in the mercenary group. It was due to this that her every decision was based on her mood and she basically wouldn't consider what others thought of her. From this perspective, Anne was still indeed like a child.

It was due to this that Rhode had chosen to bring her along.

Marlene belonged in the rational party while Lize was in the gentle camp, and their reasoning couldn't get into a child's head. Rhode knew that most children grew up without listening to major principles from their parents. The children defined matters by whether they liked it or not, and it was apparent in Lily's case. Although Marlene and Lize could protect Lily well enough, their mentalities were too far off from the little girl's. As for Anne... to put it bluntly, Anne and Lily's mentalities were quite identical from a certain perspective.

Dalkest.

The trio didn't attract a lot of attention as they strolled along the streets like yesterday. This was the place of residence for commoners and was filled with busy workers or shoppers. Rhode's 'beauty' and Anne's splendid body, along with the large shield on her back garnered a few looks. But onlookers merely gave some curious glances and turned back to continue with their businesses.

Lily wrapped herself in a white cloak and stood close to Anne while curiously scanning the place. Rhode noticed a few looks of disapproval on her expression as it was apparent that this place wasn't what Rhode had described. However, he had chosen this place for a reason. As the saying 'nothing can surpass your enemy in understanding you the most' went, Rhode had led players into death clashes in the Country of Light and he could even remember how many bricks were there on the street of Casabianca. He knew how to give this fragile flower the biggest shock of her life.

"This is the place."

Rhode turned the corner at the end of the street and came to a halt. Then, he turned to Lily.

"Here?"

Lily revealed a discontented expression. She turned around the corner and scrutinized dubiously. Then, she froze to the spot.

Unlike the clean, orderly streets, what presented before her very eyes was a pitch-black, muddy inclined path. Shabby houses made up of straws and wood extended along both sides of the path. The ground was uneven with trampled mud ponds. Some people in their tattered shirts trembled in the chilly winds as they curled up in the corner and gazed vacantly at the sky bleak of hope.

"T-This is..."

Lily gawked at the horrible sight before her. She stepped back subconsciously and faced the street on the other side. Flat, clean paths and neatly aligned houses that dazzled exceptionally under the bright sun. But here, just a turn of a corner, the world had as though transformed itself from light to shadow. It was only a step apart.

"H-How, how is this possible..."

The little girl stood on the spot blankly, but it wasn't the tragic scene that she couldn't accept. Instead, it was the heartless attitude of the people. They were leading their own busy lives blissfully, roaming the streets, and completely oblivious to the dark place separated by a wall as though what the trio saw was an illusion that didn't exist. Not only that, but it was also obvious that no one was willing to get close to it. They wouldn't even look toward this direction as though it was tainted by evil and darkness.

"Alright, Lily. From here onward, it will be the main dish. Anne, protect her well."

"Yes, Leader!"

Anne nodded swiftly before retrieving her heavy shield. Shortly after, in a series of mechanical noises, the shield expanded and revealed countless barbs by its side. Anne winked at Lily.

"Alright, come here, Anne will protect you. Don't leave Anne's side, ok?"

"I-Is this necessary?"

Lily was taken aback by Anne's actions. Then, she gazed at the people curled up in the dark corners with sympathy.

"T-They are just a group of pitiful people, there's no need..."

"Lily, it isn't only those fierce-looking people who are bad guys. Do you know why the people there aren't willing to come close and even steal a glance at this place?"

Rhode extended his hand and pointed at the blessed, peaceful street.

"Why?" asked Lily.

"Because this is the gathering place of thieves, bandits, and prostitutes."

Rhode lifted his head and narrowed his eyes. His voice was filled with indifference.

"These thieves will steal their assets when the owners aren't home. At night, the bandits will weld their sharp weapons and hide in the shadows to rob their targets. The prettified prostitutes will stand on the streets and seduce every man they meet. These people are just a bunch of criminals to the residents here, and not people who are worth their sympathy. You can ask any of them. If it's possible, they would rather this place and its residence disappear forever."

"But..."

Lily puckered her brows and displayed a discontented look.

"Mr. Rhode, you've mentioned that the people here are pitiful. They're also the residents here, so why aren't those people helping them..."

"Help?"

Rhode let out a snort disdainfully. He lowered his gaze and pointed forward.

"Do you know how many people live here, Lily? Hundreds? Thousands? Ten thousands? How to help them? Don't forget, those living on the clean streets and houses are just ordinary people who neither have the authority of nobles nor the wealth of merchants. They work to provide a living for their families and themselves. Do you think they'll put in unnecessary energy in caring for those who rob and steal their assets and are unrelated to them in any way?"

"But isn't the parliament meant to..."

Rhode shook his finger and continued walking. Lily closed her mouth hurriedly and followed him into the dark corridor-like passage as though leading her into hell.

Lily sploshed across the muddy path in her expensive, buckskin leather boots. Even though it was winter, they could still smell the stench lingering in the air. In the total darkness filled with death and the ugly side of Humans, Rhode's group, which was donned in vibrant clothes, garnered a lot of attention. Even though they had put on cloaks to conceal their luxurious apparels, the finely manufactured cloaks and outerwear was striking enough for this place, where people couldn't afford decent clothing.

As they headed deeper, they felt an increase in malicious gazes projected on them. But it appeared that the presence of Anne's massive shield forced them to give up on their wicked plans.

Lily looked forward with a heavy expression, but Rhode had no intentions of covering her mouth and nose from the pungent smell.

At this moment, a drunkard who screamed loudly was seen taken down by several rogues who pounced on him and held him to the ground. Lily puckered her brows, but the people around her appeared to be oblivious. Then, she witnessed one of the rogues lifting a large rock and smashing the drunkard's skull.

Boom!

The drunkard twitched uncontrollably and took in a final breath of air. Just a little distance ahead, a woman in revealing clothes was being pinned to the wall by a man and they were breathing rapidly in their short-lived enjoyment, totally heedless of the pitiful drunkard who had gotten his head smashed. The group of rogues sneered as they searched the drunkard's body. Finally, everything including his ragged, filthy coat was snatched away, leaving a naked corpse in the muddy, dark alley. Lily shrieked in horror.

"Mr. Rhode! T-They just killed someone!"

"I saw it."

Rhode simply swept a glance, which left Lily increasingly worried.

"Q-Quick. Call the city guards. The murderers... They..."

"The city guards wouldn't care. They have never come here."

Rhode continued walking.

"To them, it is best for the people here to massacre one another until there are no survivors."

"Why..."

Lily lowered her head and gazed in silence. Suddenly, a filthy child ran up to Rhode's group from the side with a smile. Then, he extended his hands dirtied with mud.

"Dear sir and misses, please give me some money. I'm so poor that I can't afford food. I beg you. Just one silver coin and I can survive. Please, kind=hearted sir..."

"Ah, please wait a moment."

Lily retrieved a sack of coins from the fold in her clothes. As she untied the strings, suddenly, the child revealed a malevolent expression and pounced on Lily with a dagger that he had hidden!

"Get lost!"

Anne snarled and swung her steel shield to strike off the rascal. The rascal rolled on the ground continuously before coming to a stop. Then, he quickly stood to his feet and glared at Anne. Anne was not at all afraid. She welcomed his sinister gaze and plunged her shield into the ground.

"Don't even think of it with Anne around. Get lost, or Anne will crush you into mince meat!"

"Tsk. Bitch!"

The rascal spat disdainfully before disappearing into the dark alleys.

"He... He..."

Lily looked vacantly at the commotion. She couldn't believe her eyes. She was petrified when the rascal darted toward her with his dagger. She felt as though he wasn't a Human, but a ferocious beast instead! If it wasn't for Anne who came in time to strike him off...

"Why did he... I agreed to give him money already..."

Lily couldn't find an explanation. Meanwhile, Anne curled her lips.

"Don't be silly. He isn't just begging for your money. Anne has seen this many times. This group of people will appear to be begging for money, but they are actually waiting for you to whip out the coin sack so they can snatch it away! What's the point of you giving him one or two gold coins? They will still be living in this horrible place after they finish spending them, isn't it? Only large sums of money can make them get away from here. Hmph. But that rascal is really stupid. Even if he snatched your money, Anne guarantees that he won't survive for more than 2 hours. With that many people around and without Anne's protection, he must be really blessed to be able to leave this place safely."

"..."

For unknown reasons, Lily's expression turned incomparably complex when she heard the word 'blessed'. She opened her mouth as though to speak, but she eventually didn't say a word.

The trio headed forward, but the dark inclined path seemed to be endless. The farther they entered, the more uncomfortable Lily was. Her pale expression due to the harsh winter had become ashen. She leaned close to Anne and if it weren't for Anne, perhaps she would've collapsed.

Rhode came to a halt as they had arrived at a small plaza, which was also considered a market in the slum. There were some shabby-looking street vendors and several poor people gathered around. They stared at Rhode's group almost simultaneously. There were hostilities, hatred, disdain, and uncertainties in their eyes. Rhode understood these emotions as nobles wouldn't normally step into such places, after all.

"Mr. Rhode. They are..."

Lily was at a loss. She couldn't finish her sentence.

"They're losers. Losers who are abandoned by society. I think you can see it for yourself, Lily, that many of them don't belong here. They've left their homes and came to Casabianca to start a brand new, better life. But they failed. They can't find jobs and no one was willing to employ them. They've been abandoned by the city and can only gather in this place and live day by day."

"Why didn't they leave?"

"Leave?"

This time, it wasn't Rhode who answered her doubt. It was an elderly man seated near them. He laughed grimly and gazed at the little girl.

"You think that we don't want to leave, Miss? But how can we leave? Do you know how much hard work we've put in to come to this city? Some of us sold our properties while others gave up everything just to come here, for the sake of living the days of their dreams. But those sons of bitches who rule Casabianca are nothing more than vicious, ruthless devils!"

The elderly man pointed his trembling finger at himself.

"Look at me. My leg was broken off by cruel thugs and no one is willing to hire me. My family is gone. The financial groups and politicians got together and snatched my everything away! I hate myself for believing that this is a great, magnificent city. Ha! Have you heard what the group of politicians say? Casabianca was snatched away from the Light Dragon Soul by them and a paradise built by them, Humans! This place welcomes everyone equally! That's a complete lie! The politicians don't give a damn about our benefits. All they think about is themselves!"

The elderly man displayed a bitter smile.

"Back then, a politician specially visited us and brought a few men out. He claimed that he was the companion of the poor people and would assist us in breaking free from poverty! But what happened thereafter? After the elections, those men were thrown back into here like trash! Those sons of bitches politicians don't care about our lives at all. We're merely their bargaining chip to display their kind heartedness and loving care during the election! We instantly became a pile of worthless rubbish after they succeed. No matter the politicians, nobles, or anyone else, no one gives a damn about us at all!"

The elderly man coughed violently before spitting out a mouthful of pitch-black blood. He lifted his head and waved his hand weakly.

"Leave this place, Miss. This isn't a place for you people. We're just like the kind of people who that person beside you said—losers. We have no value in existing. Even though the Light Parliament claims to help us, they're just a group of liars. Those politicians are busy fawning over the big bosses and trade associations everyday. How is it possible for them to care about people like us? We don't have the right to vote and can't help them gain their reputation and position in any way."

"But shouldn't the Light Parliament be watching over everyone? For the sake of equality, freedom, and happiness..."

"Hahaha. Things have reached a stage where even a little child like you believes in their nonsense."

The elderly man interrupted with his laughter.

"They only think about themselves. Why would they care about such things as long as they have authority, position, and wealth?"

The elderly man lowered his gaze.

"Leave this place, Miss. This isn't a place for you people, neither for us. Ultimately, we're still outsiders in this place... We were never the owner and we won't ever have the right to be one. Hah... Not only us, but also the Elves, Dwarves... None of them like this city, this nation."

"... Thank you, Sir."

Lily said. She retrieved a few gold coins from her pocket.

"This... Please have it..."

"These things are useless to me."

The elderly man waved his hand with an airy gesture.

"Money is the source of all evil in this place. I'm old and I don't dare to accept the money. Perhaps I won't survive to see the moon tonight after you people leave, so you're better off leaving this place..."

It was already dusk when Rhode's group returned to the imperial residence. The clear, vibrant glints in Lily's eyes had as though been contaminated with darkness and became dull.

"Today... thank you, Mr. Rhode."

Back to the place where they first met, Lily seemed to have suffered from a huge blow, judging from her appearance.

"I've never known... that these people exist. I've always thought that the Light Parliament existed to bring happiness and freedom to the people and everything that they have done is to make the lives of their people better because only Humans can change themselves... I've always believed that light will shine on everyone and nothing will change..."

Lily lowered her head.

"But... is this right? Mr. Rhode?"

"This isn't a problem that I can answer."

Rhode shrugged. Then, he gazed at the sky.

"But I can tell you a story, Lily. A story between the northern wind and sun."

"Northern wind and sun?"

Lily looked curiously while Rhode nodded slightly.

"The northern wind issued a duel with the sun to see who was more powerful in strength. They chose a travel in their sight and whoever could make the traveler remove his cloak would be the winner. The northern wind blew as hard as it could, but the traveler didn't remove his cloak in the ferocious gust. Instead, he held it even tighter. Then, it was the sun's turn. The sun used its warm rays to shine on the traveler. After a while, the traveler took off his cloak due to the stifling heat..."

Rhode shrugged.

"In other words, if the northern wind continues to blow and the sun doesn't appear, the traveler won't remove his cloak."

"... Thank you, Mr. Rhode."

Lily revealed a complex look. She pondered for a moment before nodding.

"Today... I've learned things that no one has taught me before. I'm deeply grateful for that... Alright then, I shall take my leave now."

The little girl turned around and her petite figure vanished as she turned the corner of the lush bush in the garden. The corners of Rhode's lips perked up and he said softly.

"... You're welcome."

Rhode turned around and faced Casabianca.

The scarlet brilliance of the setting sun illuminated a layer of bright, fiery red that had as though devouring the spotlessly white city. Rhode squinted and his eyes revealed a merciless smile.

"... Since everyone is being used for their selfish benefits, you're better off being used by me, Your Majesty."

He mumbled under his breath.

Chapter 676 Between Light & Light (XIV)

Dragon Soul Ceremony.

The grand ceremony to praise the Light Dragon Soul. After two days of anxious and anticipated preparation, it was finally about to begin.

Everyone gathered in two rows in the spotlessly white palace hall with solemn expressions. The Dragon Soul Ceremony wasn't open to the public, so the Light Dragon Soul wouldn't step out and speak to the people like Lydia in the Midsummer Festival in the Munn Kingdom. This was also considered a small resistance from the Light Parliament as they were afraid that the Light Dragon Soul would mention 'inappropriate' topics that weren't favorable to them and it would be in a huge headache if chaos broke out in the people. On the other hand, the Munn Kingdom didn't care about such minor details and nodded in agreement. But the Munn Kingdom had bad intentions of their own. According to their conditions, in every annual Dragon Soul Ceremony, every person in the Light Mainland would be given three working days off to express their gratitude to the Creator Dragon Souls, which left the Light Parliament as disgusted as if they were forced to swallow a housefly. Rhode knew what the Munn Kingdom was plotting. This was just like how people remembered Children's Day, Labor Day, and National Day clearly as these days more or less provided them with benefits and holidays. As for a celebratory day like the Youth Day which didn't provide them with a holiday, most people would forget about them. The Munn Kingdom requested for the Light Mainland to provide three working days off for the people during the Dragon Soul Ceremony so the people would surely remember this ceremony in their heart. Whenever people asked about it, they would know that the three days were meant to thank the Creator Dragon Soul, which entirely destroyed the Light Parliament's hopes of wiping out the Dragon Soul's existence.

Rhode stood in front of the representative team with Grand Mage Amund in the first row. Marlene, Derick, and Gaya stood in a row behind them, while Anne, Lize, and the others positioned themselves at the back. Even though Lize had the right to stand at the front in terms of identity, she didn't like standing out in the crowd and she had to look after Anne well, just in case she caused any troubles in this grand, solemn ceremony.

Even though the ceremony was closed to the public, there was still a huge number of overlords and representatives under the Light Dragon Soul protection. But even so, the spacious, bright hall was more than enough to accommodate them. The brilliance of the sun spilled through the coloured-glass on the dome in the ceiling, bringing a fantasy-like radiance to the serious atmosphere.

Even though it was a solemn occasion, Rhode's thoughts weren't revolving around it. Instead, he scanned the crowd curiously to find any familiar faces and as expected, he found some friends and even enemies. Overall, enemies made up the majority.

The groups in the hall had indistinctly been divided into two camps. The Anti-Parliament camp led by the Munn Kingdom massed on the left while the Light Parliament camp stood on the right. The neutral parties stood at the end to draw a distance from both camps and express their standpoints.

Rhode noticed a skinny, elderly man putting up a gloomy face at the corner of the Parliament camp while maintaining a distance away from them. He glared menacingly at Rhode and let out a snort after detecting Rhode's gaze. Then, he turned around as though nothing had happened. But Rhode knew why this elderly man presented such an expression.

The elderly man was Walter Chelis, the patriarch of the Chelis family, and also the overlord of Barce.

What a gathering for sworn enemies.

Rhode shrugged helplessly. He remembered clearly when he annihilated the third heir of the Chelis family in Deep Stone City for the sake of regrouping his mercenary forces. The heir used money to gather the Jade Tears Mercenary Group and went against Rhode. However, the fallen ritual turned him into a Devil and he was sent to his grave by Rhode, caringly buried underground mine below Deep Stone City. Thereafter, Rhode dug deep for the clues to the schemes of the Country of Light that caused the Ocean Trade Route incident and Paphield battle. However, Rhode wasn't too vigilant toward that elderly man. He merely swept him a glance and shifted his gaze away. If it were other overlord representatives, perhaps Rhode would have taken it to heart. However, Rhode held no high regards since the elderly man was from Barce.

The reason was fairly simple. The Barce Dominion was an extremely unpopular existence.

Unlike the groups that were willing to seize risky opportunities to gain benefits, the Barce Dominion was forced into being a neural party instead of being self-willing.

This was because neither the Parliament nor the Anti-Parliament camp welcomed them.

Barce used to be part of the Anti-Parliament camp and was considered an ally of the Munn Kingdom. Barce had a tradition of resisting the Light Parliament. They were situated in a commerce-rich region and gathered a whole of of wealth. As a result, Barce had been looking to break out from the Country of Light and become an independent nation. For this reason, they once launched an armed rebellion against the Light Parliament and it was during that period when the Anti-Parliament camp led by the Munn Kingdom had joined in.

The Light Parliament sent out their troops to suppress Barce's armed rebellion, but what happened next stunned everyone.

In the start, Barce Dominion's army was able to put up a fight against the Light Parliament. However, as time passed, their fallen soldiers retreated while the Light Parliament's army infiltrated them. But, the General leading Barce Dominion's army didn't give up and he continued to fight while seeking assistance from the Munn Kingdom. Back then, many territories of the Anti-Parliament agreed to his appeal for help and sent out reinforces. If the war was successful, perhaps it could start a prairie fire against the Light Parliament and perhaps more territories would be willing to break free from the Country of Light.

But... this was only perhaps.

When the Anti-Parliament overlords gathered their army and were ready to give a beating, a piece of news left everyone dumbfounded: Barce surrendered.

This piece of news came as a bolt from the blue. It was unacceptable and even treated as an inappropriate joke. However, it was the truth. Barce didn't wait for the reinforcements while suffering from the Light Parliament Army's aggression. Instead, their knees weakened and not only did they give up instantly, but they also handed over General Lorraine. Of course, he was eventually sentenced to the death penalty.

This black comedy had left everyone in the Anti-Parliament wide-eyed and completely speechless. They discovered that Barce was only a paper tiger who was only great at growling, but was, in fact, terribly weak. This large-scale battle that might possibly turn into an independence battle ended abruptly. What made the Anti-Parliament even more furious was that Barce actually handed over the documents regarding the Anti-Parliament to the Light Parliament in order to express his devotion. This had caused the Anti-Parliament to be suppressed by the Light Parliament for a brief period. Fortunately, the Anti-Parliament had the Munn Kingdom as their pillar; if not, they would have been extremely miserable.

It was due to this that Barce Dominion wasn't well-liked in the Anti-Parliament camp. Enemies were meant to be detested, while traitors were meant to be hated... Thereafter, many of the territories belonging to the Anti-Parliament camp severed ties with Barce entirely.

Judging from another perspective, perhaps Barce could be considered the lackey of the Light Parliament, right?

Wrong!

Even though their desires for independence had failed, Barce couldn't forget the potential 'great feats' if they broke free from the Country of Light. Even in the Country of Light, the territorial wealth of Barce was considered huge. Their wealth had been used by the Light Parliament to assist territories in poverty, which strongly dissatisfied Barce as they believed that the large sums of money were meant for them to receive more support from the Light Parliament and not meant to be donated. As a result, they wanted to be independent from the Country of Light for using their money to support the poor people. But this time, they only spoke about it without taking action. However, the problem was that this thought had been spread by the overlords of Barce in public venues. Not only that, but the prominent figures of Barce Dominion also used their own way in expressing that Barce should be an independent country and not a territory of the Country of Light. The Light Parliament became aware of this and detested Barce Dominion to the core. However, they couldn't take actions against them. After all, these 'rumors' weren't illegal. But it was as annoying as a swarm of houseflies flying around their ears. Not only that, but also on large-scale gatherings, Barce Dominion would fly their own flag and not the flag of the Country of Light, which placed the Light Parliament in a horrible position. Many of the parliament members complained about why they didn't get rid of this bunch of worthless bastards.

The Anti-Parliament watched a good show from the sidelines at the Light Parliament's predicament. But once bitten, twice shy. They were obliged to watch the show, but never in favor of recruiting Barce back into their forces.

Rhode shifted his gaze and narrowed his eyes. The atmosphere in the hall was tense. At this moment, the Anti-Parliament members were also displaying stern expressions as they knew that this wasn't as simple as dividing the camp. It could be considered as the only choice to divide between enemies and allies.

Ooo...

The deep, loud bugle horn filled the hall. Rhode and the crowd turned to face the wide, scarlet carpet that led to the large doors. Shortly after, the grand doors opened gradually and two Battle Angels emerged with the flag of the Light Dragon Soul.

Unlike Munn Kingdom, the Battle Angels mostly had their tails tucked in the Country of Light. Battle Angels seldom reveal themselves in the public of the Munn Kingdom due to Lydia's self-discipline. After all, it would be disturbing for the people if Battle Angels were to fly around in the sky all day. But Battle Angels were still highly respected in other territories apart from the Munn Kingdom and Country of Light as they possessed powerful strength, were kind-hearted, and willing to assist the people. However, the situation was different in the Country of Light. After years of brainwashing by the Light Parliament, the Country of Light people were exceptionally vigilant against the Battle Angels, where they treated them as presences like Demons and were unwilling to accept their kind gestures. They believed that the Battle Angels had ulterior motives in their kind gestures and that was to make the people recognize the rule of the Angels. However, the people would never give up their prides as Humans!

It was due to this that Battle Angels basically wouldn't appear before the people in the Country of Light. Rhode had even heard that almost two-thirds of the Battle Angels in the entire Battle Angel Army had been assigned to Lydia. Of course. In name, they existed to exterminate evil presences and maintain peace and harmony. But Rhode was clear that even Buddha would be furious to face such treatments. Battle Angels weren't respected in the Country of Light so they were better off going to places where they would receive the respect that they deserved. Taking down evil presences was nothing more than an excuse. Everyone knew that the nobles of the Country of Light were the ones who were most closely linked to dark magic, curses, and Demons on the entire Light Mainland.

Rhode sensed as though the atmosphere in the entire hall had frozen, which made him feel rather uncomfortable. Shortly after, the two rows of Battle Angels raising the flags stood before the crowd and formed a barrier to keep the people away from the red carpet. Then, two Battle Angels holding white bugle horns in their hands flew into the hall and spun above everyone before quietly landing on both sides of the empty throne. Once they were in position, they blew the bugle horns.

00... Oo... Oo...

Two long notes followed by a short one.

A petite figure emerged from in between the large doors under everyone's watchful eyes.

Lily.

I knew it.

Rhode twitched his brows and revealed a smile in his eyes for a split second.

Unlike her outfit yesterday, Lily wore an exceptionally glorious white silk robe that dragged along the carpet up to three meters. Not only that, but she also wore a wide triangular hat and held a white staff that was taller than her. Standing beside her were the three Archangels.

Lydia wore her usual luxurious dress, while the other two Archangels were dressed differently. Archangel Serene wore a baggy, judge-like white gown. She appeared to be about 30 years old. Even though she wasn't as young as Lydia, she emanated a mature and grandeur aura. She held a thick, golden-edged, red book and had a gentle and calm look.

That should be the Book of Law in the legends.

As a devoted follower of the Light Dragon Soul, it went without saying that Archangel Serene possessed unique abilities. Rumor had it that the Book of Law recorded the treaty and rules made during the Creation War, the operations of the entire continent, as well as the development of the statutes. In the game, players heard rumors that this Book of Law could alter the laws of this continent to a certain extent. If that rumor was true, Serene's abilities would be comparable with Lydia's. However, what was strange to the players was that even though she held such a formidable legendary artifact, her presence had always been close to nothing. In the game, she disappeared to nowhere after the Light Dragon Soul died. Before that, she seldom emerged on the battlefield and before the public. No one knew what her true job was.

Archangel Boulder on Lydia's right was entirely different. He was a handsome, charming man with a head full of red, fiery spiky hair and a stern look on his face. His brows were knitted tightly and thick lips sealed closely as he gazed solemnly at the crowd. One could feel like he was like a ball of flames that was unapproachable just by looking into his eyes.

But... this Archangel... in Rhode's eyes...

Rhode shifted his gaze to the sword completely burning with flames hanging by Boulder's waist. The scorching flames materialized into the shape of a blade from the sword hilt, emanating extreme heat. However, it didn't set his white armor and cape on fire. Then, Rhode pondered in silence before looking away.

At this moment, Lily slowly approached the throne at the farthest end of the palace under the three Archangels' escort. The little girl sat down with a serious expression, but Rhode could sense some emotions hidden behind that facade.

It was apparent that the shock to her earlier was a huge blow.

Rhode lifted his head at this thought. At this moment, his gaze came into contact with Lydia's and the latter winked playfully at him. Her eyes revealed some praise. Rhode was slightly taken aback. But shortly after, he understood what was going on.

It seems that a good show is coming up soon.

At this moment, Lydia stepped forth with an alluring smile.

"Everyone. It is the sacred Dragon Soul Ceremony today. Under the Light Dragon Soul's protection, we've gathered here to express our gratitude to the Dragon Soul who has been selflessly protecting us from Chaos and evil, and to offer our most sincere greetings and respects to the supreme existence on this continent..."

Lydia turned around and half-knelt to the little girl before her.

"Your Majesty. These are your people who are offering their supreme honor and respect. With your protection, your people are able to live such blissful, peaceful lives. Perhaps we may have faced difficulties, but with your protection, we will walk out from the shadows of failure and darkness and return to the holy radiance."

Grand Mage Amund stepped out with a stern look. He held an exquisite box and stood behind Lydia, lowering his head and extending his hands respectfully. Everyone knew that this scene would happen in the Dragon Soul Ceremony. Lydia would present wealth from the Munn Kingdom and this sum of money would undoubtedly be accepted by the Light Parliament.

Shortly after, the elderly chairman tidied his clothes and stepped out in large strides from the other side. He stood before Lydia and nodded before extending his hand...

"Please, wait a moment."

Suddenly, a childish, crisp voice broke the solemn atmosphere.

Everyone lifted their heads and gazed at the little girl in astonishment. Lydia revealed a rare look of anxiousness. But shortly after, the worry in her expression faded away.

"Serene, accept this gift on my behalf. Just as Lydia has said, I think it's about time to present this wealth... For much more meaningful purposes."

Everyone were rooted in their place by this bold statement!

The elderly chairman sulked instantly. Not only him, but the crowd behind him widened their eyes in disbelief. Most of them had participated in the Dragon Soul Ceremony more than twice, but they had never seen the little girl speak a word before as though she was nothing more than a decoration for the throne. But now, she actually made such a firm decision before everyone!

Everyone knew that the wealth the Munn Kingdom presented every year would be taken by the Light Parliament to fill up their financial deficits. But now, the Light Dragon Soul actually decided to take it away.

What would happen to the Light Parliament? What should the Country of Light do? No, most importantly...

Why did the Light Dragon Soul make such a statement?

Could it be that she has decided to snatch back her authority that was stripped away from the Light Parliament?!