The evening breeze weaved through the alleyways, producing a soft, whistling sound.
It was as if invisible spirits were wailing.
The two Patrol Guards escorting Vyea walked along a fairly spacious Main Road, wide enough for two carriages to pass side by side.
Kerosene lamps lining both sides of the road had already been lit, casting a warm yellow glow like scattered beans in the darkness.
There was no unpleasant smell on the roads of the Commercial District, yet the number of Patrol Guards on duty was no less than in the Residential District.
A carriage came driving from the opposite direction. The guards raised their torches and stepped aside to clear the way. The petite Vyea only needed to stand close to the wall.
She was still draped in her disciple’s large robe, the kind embroidered with the Hero’s exclusive Sword and Shield Insignia. She had once owned a similar one herself.
When Lania was young, she liked to wear her robe and cause mischief everywhere, playing until the sun set without returning home.
Vyea would go looking for her, eventually finding the little disciple covered head to toe in mud in some small grove.
The outcome was obvious—Lania, embarrassed by her muddy state and unwilling to go home, would inevitably receive a harsh scolding.
Once Lania grew a little older and became more sensible, she started pestering Vyea to accompany her to the Story and History Zones in the basement of the Academic Tower to find books to read.
“Ah—choo!”
A heavy sneeze escaped Vyea in the chilly wind.
Damn, are Slime-girls really this fragile? She rubbed her nose and pulled the robe tighter around her.
Could it be that her level-up stats only increased by a few decimal points each time…
“Miss, it’s been a bit cold lately at night. Would you like a torch to keep warm?” The tall, slender Patrol Guard offered as they walked.
“I’m fine…” Vyea replied softly. “Better to save the torches for you to light the way. It’s safer with them.”
“Ah, I wonder when these anxious days will finally end.” The shorter guard sighed, holding his kerosene lamp.
“Don’t think about it. Monsters can’t all be wiped out. Even the Hero’s Teacher—the one once known as the Strongest Hero in history—fell on the frontlines… Small fry like us might get buried in the aftermath any day.”
“My home is here. Why worry about the nobles’ gossip?” The shorter guard sighed again. “But I really do miss those years when the Strongest Hero was alive.”
“Why do you miss him?” Vyea, who had been quietly listening, couldn’t help but ask.
“Hey, Miss Vyea.”
The two guards lowered their gaze to measure her tiny frame, guessing that this young noble lady was probably not very old. She might not have even been ten during the days when the Strongest Hero was active.
Most daughters of wealthy families were like this—rarely leaving home as children, spending most of their time learning etiquette or attending various classes, probably never even meeting that Strongest Hero in person.
Sigh, thinking about it, it was likely that some misfortune had befallen the family of this noble little lady, to have her out this late alone without even a single escort.
Feeling a bit sorry for Vyea, the shorter guard’s tone carried both regret and a hint of boasting:
“Miss Vyea, you might not know, but that hero was extremely proactive in hunting monsters, and incredibly powerful. Monsters that usually required several heroes working together were dispatched by him with ease, often not even lasting a single blow.”
Vyea: Is that so?
“About five or six years ago…” The shorter guard recalled, speaking passionately and without pause, “I was just a logistics soldier back then, worrying every day about what to eat for lunch, dinner, and tomorrow…”
“Uncle, you only ever think about food, huh?” Vyea said wearily.
“What are you talking about!” The shorter guard grumbled indignantly.
“Haha, I think you still only think about food to this day,” the tall guard chimed in with a laugh. “Plus some sentimental, poetic stuff.”
“What are you talking about!” The shorter guard stomped harder as he walked. “My idol died gloriously years ago, but so what? Someone has to inherit his spirit of ‘Though there be thousands, I shall go!’”
His righteous declaration made even Vyea a bit embarrassed.
What spirit exactly?
“I witnessed the miraculous transformation of the Strongest Hero, from a lone figure setting out from the city to hunt monsters, to gathering more and more companions around him! You wouldn’t understand!” The shorter guard said with grief. “If I weren’t so weak, I’d gladly spend my life as a logistics soldier just to support him!”
“Star-chasing with reason,” Vyea felt ashamed. “That hero probably wasn’t as perfect as you imagine.”
The shorter guard shot Vyea a deep look, as if silently warning her: you better not be a hidden Little Black Spot!
At the street corner near the Patrol Station, there were obviously more guards patrolling than when they set out. Luckily, with the two guards accompanying her, Vyea returned smoothly to the gate of her own Residence.
She turned around and thanked the guards, “Thank you for escorting me this far. I can manage the rest myself.”
This was the Core District, where patrol forces were much stronger than in other areas.
“Miss Vyea, then we shall return and report.”
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