I, Who Came From the Abyss, Will Save Humanity Again Today - Volume 2 Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Strange Merchant

 

***

 

Northern region of the Western Continent.

 

Cotton-like snow fell like scattered petals, like countless delicate and beautiful flowers, covering the earth in silver white, connecting with the sky in one line.

 

On the spacious road, a small unit of over 100 knights in shining armor walked through the frosty world, leaving behind a string of mixed tracks with the sound of metal and leather.

 

From within an elegant horned carriage sandwiched in the middle of the long procession, casual and bored voices could be heard.

 

“…three pairs and two singles.”

 

“Pass.”

 

“Pass.”

 

“Straight from 8 to K, one card left.”

 

“Rocket.”

 

“…Little Syl, we’re on the same team, why did you bomb me? Bomb him! He’s the landlord.”

 

Carlos, his face covered in small paper notes, looked at me across from him, also covered in paper notes, with quite a helpless expression.

 

“I don’t care. Who told you to bomb me last round?”

 

I snorted smugly upon hearing this and gave him the universal hand gesture. This guy actually dared to bomb me last round, I don’t care who the landlord is, I just don’t want him to win so happily.

 

“…You traitor.”

 

“A pair of Aces.”

 

“A pair of 3s, anyone else want to bomb? If not then a pair of Kings.”

 

Knight Commander Klar, who was forced to join the game of Fighting the Landlord, spoke with a calm expression and indifferent gaze. Having grown accustomed to this scene, he no longer felt any enjoyment from the game.

 

Although when first invited, Klar was indeed somewhat impressed by this game called Fighting the Landlord, the rules were interesting, and he prided himself on being clever and good at these kinds of card games. As a man, Klar naturally wanted to take this opportunity to show off in front of the strikingly beautiful Miss Sylvia, hoping to win her favor.

 

But after playing a few rounds with such thoughts, he discovered a sad truth, regardless of whether he was the landlord or not, Miss Sylvia would only target Sir Carlos. As long as Carlos lost, she would be happy whether she won or not. Even when he got the landlord role, he didn’t need to think at all, could just play randomly, and had no chance to demonstrate his cleverness.

 

Clearly, he was just there to make up numbers. Whether he won or lost, he couldn’t attract the beauty’s attention.

 

One must know their place, Klar had come to terms with it. He was just a companion player, and should just be content with that role.

 

Regardless, being able to interact with Miss Sylvia up close was still very pleasing to the eye. Although she looked young, her bright eyes and white teeth, that slightly melancholic face, no matter how long one looked it still made one’s heart itch like first love.

 

Who knows which lucky fellow would end up with her in the future. Klar glanced at Carlos, who was also a Pontifical Knight like Miss Sylvia, thinking somewhat resentfully.

 

“Hey hey hey, Little Syl, stop him, he only has one card left!” Carlos’s attention was completely on the cards now, staring with lifeless fish eyes, occasionally glancing sideways at me.

 

“Can’t stop it.” I shrugged at him, saying carelessly.

 

“You can’t even stop a pair of Kings, then what did you bomb for!”

 

“Because I wanted to.”

 

“Sir Carlos, you don’t want to play either? Then pardon my rudeness.”

 

Klar played his last card, announcing the end of this round.

 

“I’m done playing.” Carlos slammed down the cards and pointed at my nose, saying, “You have no card ethics.”

 

“So what~?” I picked up a small paper note that had been torn and prepared on the side, making to stick it on his face, but Carlos immediately dodged away.

 

“What are you doing, lost and want to cheat?” I complained loudly at him.

 

“Put it on yourself first.”

 

“No, I want to put it on you.”

 

The Knight Commander watched the childish behavior of the two heroes with some helplessness, showing a silly smile.

 

“Sir Carlos, Miss Sylvia, if you’re not planning to continue playing, I should get off and lead the troops.”

 

“Oh oh, alright, thanks for your hard work~” Carlos waved at him, and after the Knight Commander got off, he turned to me with renewed interest, “Little Syl, did you come up with this way of playing?”

 

“Mm, sort of.” I gave an ambiguous response, this kind of thing couldn’t be explained, and not wanting to say more, I immediately changed the topic, “This is the Valen Empire?”

 

“Yeah, didn’t we just pass the watchtower? That was the checkpoint set up at the border.” Carlos pushed the deck of cards far away and lay back comfortably in his seat, “The Church has special entry channels, and this road we’re taking is one of them. You just need to have the decree to avoid a lot of trouble. When we get to Winter City, I’ll have someone get one for you too. Make sure you keep it safe then, it’s very troublesome if you lose it.”

 

“Mm. How much further?”

 

“At our current speed, if all goes well it might take another 10 days or so, not far now.”

 

“That’s… still half a month?”

 

My face immediately fell, and I kicked my feet listlessly. It had been over a month since we left Emerald Capital, and we had barely stopped to rest during this journey. Although the scenery along the way was quite beautiful, as someone who had experienced the internet age, spending this month either inside the horned carriage or near it, I now had emotions reminiscent of a lonely maiden in deep chambers.

 

Having often taken airplanes before, I hadn’t felt much then, but now I suddenly understood what a great invention that truly was.

 

Carlos tilted his head to look at me, seeing my dejected expression, he seemed to find it quite interesting.

 

“What, feeling a bit impatient?”

 

I nodded at him pitifully.

 

“Really no patience, why don’t you go down and walk with the knights?”

 

“……”

 

Well, might as well go get some fresh air.

 

I tightened the small shawl around my body, gave Carlos a resentful look, then lifted the curtain and jumped down.

 

The biting cold wind hit my face, suddenly making my hair disheveled, the ends tickling my face.

 

I raised my hand, hooked my pinky around my hair to tuck it behind my ear, revealing my small delicate earlobe.

 

“Miss Sylvia, why did you come down?” The Knight Commander saw me get off the carriage and was quite surprised, “The weather in the Northern region is very cold, you should go back, be careful not to catch a cold.”

 

Hearing this, I gave him a charming smile, then gently shook my head.

 

“It’s fine, I’m not cold. It’s stuffy in the carriage, I came down for a walk.”

 

Just kidding, how could I, who was close to the Frost Order feel cold? If anything, the more snow and ice filled the weather was, the more comfortable and familiar it felt to me.

 

Moreover, this body of mine seemed like it wouldn’t get sick anyway.

 

“Oh, then please be careful, if you feel unwell quickly return to the horned carriage.”

 

The Knight Commander’s gaze towards me was very concerned, I found it quite amusing and nodded. But I couldn’t help thinking, was my appearance so easily making others treat me as a frail young lady, to the extent that the Knight Commander before me had completely forgotten that I was still a Pontifical Knight?

 

Why couldn’t I have been given a tough guy setting, like the kind of character who would jump out shouting “RUA!”

 

Now not only was I far from being a tough guy, but I was also naturally quite effeminate.

 

Feeling somewhat dejected, I lowered my head, the pristine snow under my feet wasn’t even ankle deep, making crunching sounds as I stepped on it.

 

I breathed out a white mist and looked up at the sky.

 

The sunlight was hidden behind dark clouds, somewhat hazy and dim.

 

We could probably walk for a while longer, but when it got completely dark we would have to make camp.

 

After all, they weren’t like me and Carlos, they were just ordinary people, and didn’t even have horned carriages to ride in. The knights regularly practiced Body Refinement Power, so they could still chat and laugh at this point, but those currency merchants already looked quite tired, if they didn’t rest soon it would likely affect tomorrow’s journey.

 

“It’s still quite far to the next town, we definitely won’t make it today, we need to find a place to camp soon.”

 

“Mm.”

 

“Miss Sylvia, is this your first time coming to the Valen Empire?”

 

The Knight Commander seemed to be making conversation for conversation’s sake, and I actually saw some awkwardness on his face, which I found quite amusing.

 

I raised my palm to catch the falling snowflakes, just about to respond to him.

 

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck my heart like electricity, and familiar scenes swept over me, flashing by like slides before my eyes.

 

I stood still in place, as an indescribable emotion gradually welled up in my heart, my eyes briefly losing focus.

 

This anomaly passed in an instant, and I unconsciously covered my forehead.

 

What? Just now that was…?

 

Those scenes flashed by too quickly, I can’t remember clearly… it seems like at the last moment, a pair of somewhat rough large hands stroked my head.

 

A very gentle touch, what was that?

 

This person doesn’t exist in my memories.

 

Looking at the vast snowy field again, a dreamlike sense of familiarity rose in my heart.

 

Suddenly, I felt like… maybe this wasn’t my first time coming here…?

 

“Miss Sylvia, are you alright? Is something wrong?”

 

“I’m… fine.” I shook my head.

 

Snowflakes kept falling onto my outstretched palm, quickly melting from my body temperature into drops of water.

 

“Perhaps you should return to the horned carriage.” The Knight Commander said with some concern.

 

“What’s wrong?” Carlos heard the commotion and poked his head out of the carriage.

 

“Nothing. Maybe… my eyes were playing tricks?”

 

I tilted my head, giving him a confused expression.

 

“…Snow blindness?”

 

“Probably.”

 

“Then why are you still standing there, hurry up and come back?”

 

“Oh.”

 

But maybe it was just hallucinating from being cooped up in the carriage too long.

 

I lifted my foot, just about to get in the carriage, when I saw a knight hurriedly walking over from the front of the procession.

 

“Commander Klar, there are people ahead.”

 

“People? What kind of people?”

 

“From their dress they look like merchants from Sylgaria.”

 

“Merchants from Sylgaria? At this time? Taking this road?” The Knight Commander frowned upon hearing this.

 

Sylgaria was an agricultural powerhouse, almost all their exports to other countries were agricultural products. By rights, trading activities should have ended a month ago. This was considered the off-season, so why were there still merchants heading to the Valen Empire?

 

Moreover… they were actually using the Holy Church’s special entry channel?

 

Strange.

 

“Commander, they seem to be having some trouble, should we go help?”