《Demi-human Girls Completion Manual》


 Chapter 1 - 1 1

    ?1: 1.


    Fisher 1: 1.


    Fisher The entire sky was covered with dark clouds, and although it was noon, the sunlight struggled to pierce through the layers of seemingly endless clouds, turning them into a desolation nearly akin to death.


    Below, the land was uneven and appeared uninhabited.


    But whenever a breeze passed by, the soil trembled slightly, revealing bits of sparkling light that blinked at a colorful and fluffy cluster of tents in the distance.


    Those flashy tents, with their ostentatious array of colors, were adorned with strings of shimmering decorations, which set off the text printed in Western Continent Language.


    ¡°Kexie Ning Circus.¡±


    This was a circus that traveled and performed across various countries, and the contents of its performances were no different from those traditionally known.


    Between the tents, various exotic animals were led around by circus personnel; many performers, painted in bright makeup and donning poofy wigs on their foreheads,


    ¡°Mr.


    Colin, everything¡¯s nearly packed up; we can proceed to Brian City.¡±


    At the entrance of the circus, a clown-dressed staff member spoke to a middle-aged man holding a cup of coffee in front of him.


    The man¡¯s hair was unkempt and bushy, his beard long uncombed, and his belly so fat that it couldn¡¯t be concealed by his suit, making it look as unflattering as a barrel.


    ¡°Ah¡­


    Well, if everything¡¯s ready, let¡¯s prepare to leave¡­


    Yes, let¡¯s wait a bit longer for the buyer.


    If he doesn¡¯t show up by tonight, we¡¯ll depart.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let them know.¡±


    The clown returned to the tents, and the man known as Colin rubbed his nose.


    The wind in the Brian Wilderness was as sharp and harsh as blades, almost unbearable even for them who regularly traveled between countries.


    Saint Nali was still the most hospitable place to live.


    The middle-aged man sipped his coffee, thinking this.


    There, with the most comprehensive educational and health systems, the brilliance of human civilization existed in every stone of the town¡¯s pavements.


    For those like them who wandered, merely entering the city made one feel infected by its comfortable and beautiful atmosphere, almost making one wish to kneel and kiss the spotlessly clean tiles.


    Instead of being here making deals, with the buyer playing truant and reluctant to show up.


    Colin glanced at the sparkling eyes beneath the soil, only to see them retract back into the ground like little spirits in the next instant.


    His pupils narrowed slightly, and he seemed to sense something as he looked towards the distant reaches of the limitless wilderness.


    A strengthening sound of hooves, like thunder, shattered the quiet of the field.


    On the roadless field, a tiny black dot accompanied by the sound of these hooves approached the circus.


    ¡°Coming¡­¡±


    Colin fattened¡ªahem, slightly protruded his stomach, finishing the last bit of his coffee before turning around to hand the cup to an employee.


    Rubbing his hands, he straightened his excessively corpulent appearance, and then stood at the circus entrance with a courteous smile, waiting for the far-off guest to arrive.


    Two black stallions, pulling a carriage behind them, sped towards the circus.


    As they neared, Colin could finally see the man sitting at the front of the carriage, holding the reins.


    The man, dressed in a tasteful and fitting Saint Nali suit, between light-gloved hands held the reins, his appearance young, handsome, and manly under a black gentleman¡¯s hat, yet his expression was cold, giving him an aura of aloofness that seemed to add a layer of iciness.


    ¡°Hiss!¡±


    As the distance closed, the man appeared to gently pull the reins, the two black stallions in front, as though blocked by a great force, whinnied and raised their heads slightly, stopping not far from the circus, panting heavily.


    Quickly awakening from his initial admiration of the man¡¯s appearance, Colin felt a sense of dread but kept a friendly smile on his face.


    He ambled towards the carriage.


    ¡°Grace us with your presence; welcome to the Kexie Ning Circus, I am the ringmaster, Colin.


    Nice to meet you, nice to meet¡­¡±


    The man stepped down from the side of the carriage, holding a Handcane, his leather shoes hitting the soil of the Brian Wilderness, firmly stepping on the curious Earth Spirits beneath wanting to peek above.


    The soil jumped a few times and moved away in a small wave as the little spirits seemingly scurried away.


    With a neutral expression, the man removed his hat, addressing Colin,


    ¡°Hello, Mr.


    Colin, I am Fisher, here to finalize a previously arranged order.¡±


    Colin took a moment to assess the man in front of him, his eyebrows suddenly twitching before he hesitantly and apologetically smiled,


    ¡°Um¡­


    I remember that it was supposed to be Orn from Philone City finalizing the transaction, not a gentleman like yourself.


    Or perhaps, you are just here to see our performance, in which case I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to wait until we¡¯re in Brian City¡ªOh!¡±


    Before Colin could finish, Fisher lightly tapped his Handcane, a faint smile on his face as he emphasized,


    ¡°It¡¯s the order, not the performance, Mr.


    Colin.¡±


    ¡°Err, well, we have principles, and by principle, since the order was confirmed, then we¡­¡±


    ¡°Principles?¡±


    Fisher lightly tapped his Handcane against the side of the carriage, and a small secret door opened revealing a bag with a bloody smell rolling out.


    Judged by its length, it seemed to fit an adult man, though it was uncertain whether it could fit someone as corpulent as Colin.


    As it rolled, the bag came to rest at Colin¡¯s feet, its mouth slightly agape revealing a frightened, bloody face inside.


    Who else could it be if not the original buyer, Orn?


    Colin quickly shut his fat mouth, fearful of the bloody scent seeping into his body and polluting it.


    His eyes trembled as he saw the gentlemanly man extract another bag from the same secret door, except this one jingled, filled entirely with Saint Nali gold coins.


    The amount was more than what had been agreed upon in the initial transaction.


    ¡°Ah¡­


    ah!


    That¡¯s right, principles!¡± Colin swallowed his saliva, clapped his hands vigorously and righteously spoke, ¡°In our line of work, the most important thing is principles.


    Since it was agreed to trade with Mr.


    Fisher, of course, we wouldn¡¯t give the deal to someone else¡­


    hahaha¡­


    hahaha, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Mr.


    Colin is a humorous man.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher, still holding his hand cane, watched the fat man in front of him with a smile in his eyes.


    As his gaze remained flat, Colin hesitated for a moment, picked up a bag filled with gold coins from the ground, opened it to confirm that it was full of authentic gold coins, and then he ignored Orn, who was still wrapped in a bag on the ground.


    As he said, he indeed was a man of principle; his principle revolved around gold coins, directing his conscience.


    Mr. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fisher put on his hat, ignoring his actions, and simply spoke,


    ¡°Let me see the merchandise.¡±


    ¡°No problem at all, Mr.


    Fisher, right this way, please¡­¡±


    Colin put the large bag of gold coins into his inner coat pocket, his corpulent body getting distorted as he forcefully stuffed it in, and surprisingly, despite the vigorous effort, the large bag of gold coins actually fit inside his coat pocket, or more precisely, inside the fat of his belly.


    He seemed to have gotten a bit fatter, even letting out a full belch.


    ¡°What country¡¯s magic is this?¡±


    Asked Mr.


    Fisher, intrigued.


    Noticing Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s gaze, Colin awkwardly smiled and explained,


    ¡°Just a little sleight of hand, nothing compared to real magic¡­¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher nodded his head, not pressing further.


    Even if it was real magic, it was likely this man¡¯s closely guarded secret; there was no need to pry deeply, as that wasn¡¯t his goal.


    As long as he could successfully obtain what he came for, Colin was of no concern to him.


    ¡°We have guests arriving, get ready to welcome them!!¡±


    Colin suddenly shouted at the front, lightly clapping his hands.


    As the sound faded, the tent behind them seemed to come alive, opening up like a mouth to reveal the many performers, steam engines, and exotic creatures inside.


    Among them, a tiny elephant jumped around in the hands of an actor like a rat, ethereal steam train filled with indistinct ghostly figures shrieking, an actress took a deep breath and then spewed endless flames towards the sky, and then, from within that fire, another human figure emerged, landing on the ground.


    ¡°They are all in rehearsal¡­


    especially those ghosts, we haven¡¯t applied the Revealing Powder, so it¡¯s hard to see them clearly; that stuff is too expensive, we barely use it except for official shows.¡±


    As Colin led Mr.


    Fisher inside, he introduced the signature acts of their circus.


    Spirit Crossing Train, the locomotive was an expensive mimic of a real steam train made from a Spiritual Body.


    Shrinking Technique, using magic to shrink large creatures to complement the performances.


    Fire Spirit, the human figure in the fire was a mature Fire Spirit, similar to the Earth Spirits below ground.


    Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s gaze fell on the deep purple emblems glowing within the folds of the actor¡¯s clothing, then nonchalantly withdrew his gaze.


    Slave seals, with the seal engraved, the owner could fully control the slave¡¯s life and actions, which meant all the workers at the circus were slaves.


    The master was this fat man beside him, Mr.


    Colin.


    ¡°These people are all slaves.¡±


    ¡°Ah, haha, you know, it¡¯s a cost issue,¡± Colin said, rubbing his hands embarrassedly, ¡°ever since those council bumpkins passed the Schon Charter, the hiring cost for workers in the city has skyrocketed compared to before, not to mention the fees for vaccination emblems and so on¡­


    for a small honest businessman like me, these aren¡¯t small sums¡­¡±


    He seemed very dissatisfied with the Human Rights Schon Charter passed by the Kingdom Council, his pudgy face slightly quivering, he pondered, ¡°What was that saying again, those council scoundrels, sanctimonious bloodsuckers, something something God, ensuring everyone enjoys a unified minimum wage standard¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®We and our successors do hereby vow to God, per this charter, allow adult workers to receive an equal minimum wage¡­''¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher recited the original text of the charter beside him, prompting Colin to clap vigorously,


    ¡°Exactly, exactly!


    Damned council scoundrels!¡±


    The charter protected all the kingdom¡¯s free and equal citizens, regardless of gender or age¡­


    Except for the slaves and filthy demi-humans.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, Mr.


    Fisher¡­¡±


    Having reached the end of the circus, a black tent stood before them; Colin rubbed his hands once more and pulled back the curtain for Mr.


    Fisher.


    Inside, in the dimly lit tent, only a faint glow lamp hung in the center, around which, shadows whimpered and cowered in filth mixed with excrement and food within stacked iron cages; the deep purple slave emblems on their bodies gleamed faintly, revealing their non-human features.


    Mr.


    Fisher covered his nose and mouth, seeing this, Colin bowed and apologetically said,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, you can wait outside; I will have someone bring out the merchandise¡­


    as previously discussed, five female Dragon-man Species, right?¡±

 Chapter 2 - 2 2

    ?2: 2.


    Dragon-man Species 2: 2.


    Dragon-man Species Mr.


    Fisher followed Colin to a corner of the tent that Colin had opened and looked inside; within the darkness, stacked cages captured his attention.


    Pairs of eyes, bright and dull, full of hatred, all turned towards the entrance.


    He leaned on his hand cane, pulled his hat brim slightly higher, and walked ahead of Colin,


    ¡°No need, just take me to see.¡±


    ¡°Sure, right this way,¡± Colin said, gesturing with his hand and following Mr.


    Fisher into the small tent.


    As soon as Mr.


    Fisher entered, a low growl erupted from a cage beside him, resembling a cat¡¯s hiss.


    He glanced sideways and saw a young Cat-man curled up in the corner of the cage, his pupils almost completely vertical, warily watching Mr.


    Fisher enter, especially observing the hand cane in his hand.


    But when Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s calm gaze met his, the young Cat-man lowered his head as if startled, simply growling softly.


    ¡°You damned thing!¡±


    Seeing this, Colin fiercely moved forward and kicked the iron cage containing the Cat-man.


    The heavy impact made the Cat-man slam against the edge of the cage, and the chain around his neck glowed as the slave seal illuminated, causing the Cat-man to let out a painful howl.


    However, the howling only lasted a few seconds before it stopped, and upon looking again, the child seemed to have lost consciousness.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry for startling Mr.


    Fisher,¡± Colin came back, wiping the sweat from his forehead as if the act of kicking the cage had been strenuous.


    ¡°These creatures don¡¯t understand human language, training them is quite troublesome¡­


    Please, come this way, the Dragon-man is here.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher stared at the silent Cat-man in the cage for a moment or two before shifting his gaze and following Colin deeper into the tent.


    The arrangement of cages inside the tent was meticulous; the more valuable and cherished demi-humans were kept further inside. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The outer cages held Cat-men, Dog-men, and Werewolves¡ªdemi-human species still relatively abundant in the wilderness.


    Walking deeper, Mr.


    Fisher, lit by fluorescence, discovered a male Grey Bird demi-human with white feathers, barely clinging to life, seemingly not long for this world.


    These beings, even lower than slaves capable of labor, had no basic rights and were scattered throughout the world.


    Since the chimneys and steam machinery emitting the glow of human civilization had been built, humans were driven by various interests to plunder everything in the world, generating more value.


    Geographical distances shrank, productive capabilities increased daily, and the human world prospered and thrived¡­


    But who could foresee that the future might be destroyed by these seemingly inferior beings?


    The rooftop fluorescence flickered, and Colin stopped in front of another cage, clapping his hands.


    The fluorescent light above, as if coming to life, fell down exactly on the cage ahead, illuminating the scene inside.


    Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s gaze was drawn to the cage¡¯s center, first lit by the fluorescence, showcasing dark red hair, as deep as blood.


    Following that, Mr.


    Fisher saw what looked like human arms thinly covered in clearly defined scales, and a slender tail gently wrapping around her curled-up legs.


    Sitting there was a young girl, wearing a dirt-covered linen tunic that she had been wearing for who knows how long.


    Her limb ends were not human but resembled the sharp claws of Dragon-types.


    Her eyes unnaturally glowed green, and after her eyelids opened, another layer revealed gem-like emerald pupils.


    This was a young, red-haired, red-scaled, long-tailed Dragon-man, likely the target Mr.


    Fisher was seeking.


    Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s examining gaze met her emerald eyes, and in the next moment, golden pupils sharply narrowed, expressionless yet chilling to the bone, as if the creature before him could tear him apart the next second.


    ¡°This is the treasure we caught with great effort, injuring many of our slaves,¡± Colin somewhat gritted his teeth and again kicked the cage holding the Dragon-man girl, but unlike the Cat-man, the girl inside remained silent, just quietly watching the people outside.


    ¡°But indeed, they are treasures¡­


    Their blood can be refined into ¡®Dragon Blood,¡¯ hehe¡­


    That¡¯s some good stuff, especially for a handsome gentleman like you; you particularly need this.


    Ah, and the dragon scales too, you can do quite a lot with them, I¡¯ve heard that nobles in Schwali like using their scales as warm pads, during winter, it¡¯s really¡­


    heh..¡±


    Speaking thus, he looked at the girl¡¯s scales inside the cage like they were precious treasures.


    Dragon-man scales, even when removed, could stay warm because they could absorb the energy of the Sun, making them a favored household item among nobles and merchants, especially during winter.


    And Dragon Blood wasn¡¯t the actual blood of true dragons, as there were no true dragons in this world.


    So-called Dragon Blood was merely a purified substance from the blood of these Dragon-man demi-humans, which upon consumption by humans, could enhance vitality and health, and was a highly prized medicinal ingredient.


    Mr.


    Fisher looked up at several cages around him, containing female Dragon People, two white, one blue, and one yellow.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take¡­¡±


    ¡°Three things,¡± Mr.


    Fisher nodded, holding up three fingers to Colin, ¡°First, give me the slave seal; second, have them bathed; third, five new linen tunics.¡±


    ¡°No problem, no problem.¡±


    Colin waved his chubby hand, and the cages containing the Dragon People gently began to move.


    On closer inspection, he saw that beneath those heavy iron cages, dozens of dwarf-like beetles were rolling, forming a moving track that transported the large cages out.


    The smell inside was unbearable, and after one last glance at the scene inside, Mr.


    Fisher walked out and waited by his carriage at the entrance of the circus.


    This place was the wilderness near Brian City, and there was a month-long journey ahead to reach Cal Port, the harbor that could take him to Saint Nali.


    Unlike the Western Continent, the South Continent lacked a comprehensive rail system and infrastructure; it only had vast wilderness and monsters.


    Of course, for those money-hungry folks from the Western Continent, this place was filled with unmined gold.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, it¡¯s all ready¡­¡±


    Colin, holding a deep brown leather scroll, jogged from inside the circus.


    His fat jiggled with his movement, and sweat fell like raindrops.


    Behind him, several women dressed as maids led a few chained Dragon People out following Colin.


    At that moment, as they emerged from the dim tent, Mr.


    Fisher could fully see the entirety of those Dragon People.


    The female Dragon People weren¡¯t very tall, which is in comparison to the male species that stood about two meters tall; yet, they were generally around 1.7 meters tall.


    Particularly, the red Dragon Person stood a head taller than the others.


    A long dragon tail hung behind them which, due to their height, did not touch the ground.


    The eyes of the Dragon People behind her were dead, but the leader, the red one, had calm eyes.


    Yet, within those eyes, green like a lake, hid unknown turmoil.


    ¡°I¡¯ve instructed the maids to ensure that every scale and gap of these Dragon People is washed clean.


    Here is the Contract Emblem Book, please place your hand on it.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher did as instructed and placed his hand on the brown leather scroll.


    A series of purple light glowed up his arm, and after two to three seconds, a strange sensation surged through his mind.


    Faint heartbeats emerged in his ears, and those sounds seemed tangible¡ªhe could slow them down, speed them up, or even stop them if he wished.


    Now, he completely owned these Dragon Man Species.


    The maid came forward, handing him the chains that bound them.


    Mr.


    Fisher stepped into the carriage first, opening the door and motioning for the Dragon People to enter.


    As he stepped aside, the young Dragon girls glanced at him warily before entering the carriage one by one.


    Mr.


    Fisher didn¡¯t enter with them; he gently closed the door behind him and, as he had when he arrived, placed his hand cane aside and took hold of the horse¡¯s reins.


    ¡°Goodbye, Mr.


    Colin.¡±


    ¡°Take care, take care.¡±


    Colin¡¯s body quivered with his bow, trembling as he waited to lift his head again.


    By then, the black carriage thundered off toward another part of the Brian wilderness and soon disappeared from sight.


    As he watched the carriage slowly vanish from his view, he muttered to himself,


    ¡°Unbelievable, to meet such a person¡­


    I must leave quickly.¡±


    He slowly walked back to the area covered by tent curtains, his bulky figure gradually disappearing, only the sounds of clapping could be heard.


    As the claps followed, the whole circus¡¯s lights and music suddenly burst into life, as if coming to life, the white curtains spinning faster and faster, until it enveloped the entire circus, which then began to shrink while the music grew louder.


    ¡°Kexie Ning!


    Kexie Ning!


    Kexie Ning!¡±


    The chants grew louder, but the circus became like a basketball, and in the next second, the white basketball vanished, along with the soaring music, leaving only a sack containing a corpse and the perennially watching Earth Spirits on the ground.

 Chapter 3 - 3 3

    ?3: 3.


    Demi-human Girls Completion Manual 3: 3.


    Demi-human Girls Completion Manual Opening the door of the carriage, the space inside was not as cramped as it appeared from the outside; what lay before the Dragon-man Rafael was a long staircase akin to those found in a basement.


    Glancing back, one could see at the junction of the door and the staircase, a layer upon layer of glowing magic runes, rotating as though alive.


    ¡°Lord Raphael¡­¡±


    The Blue Dragon-man behind the leading Red Scale Dragon-man timidly spoke up, uttering a complex and ancient language.


    Demi-humans were not without their own languages; for example, the Dragon-man Species generally used the Fermat Baha Dragon Court Language, with origins traceable back to the Ancient Divine Court in Dragon-man legends.


    However, there were no surviving artifacts to demonstrate the existence of those ancient magnificent civilizations.


    The existing Dragon-man settlements were mostly small and primitive.


    The Red Scale Dragon-man Rafael with red scales was the daughter of a leader from a Dragon-man settlement on the South Continent, and all the few Dragon-men beside her were from the same tribe.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk, Lar, the Human is still outside.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lar, the Dragon-man with the smallest stature among the five, had an immature look on her face and immediately glanced behind her in fright when she heard the soft warning from her companion.


    The sound of galloping hooves came from beyond the back door, and with it, the entire space inside slightly jostled forward.


    Apart from its larger size, there was nothing different about this space compared to a normal carriage compartment.


    Thankfully, the Human had not appeared¡ªthat tall Human looked even more terrifying than the fat men in the circus.


    Lar was always afraid that he would hit her with the black stick in his hand, which was surely a dreadful torture device.


    The leading Rafael glanced at the space below, and with a raised paw, descended the stairs.


    The space below was even wider, and from left to right, there were four doors in a row, but only the middle door was open.


    When she looked inside, it was completely empty, devoid of anything.


    After hesitating, they did not touch or open any door, and after waiting a while, they sat down against the wall.


    Lar lowered her gaze slightly and, listening to the sound of the hooves outside, voiced her despondency to her companions.


    ¡°Where are we being taken this time¡­


    Will we be eaten¡­


    Can we still go home¡­¡±


    The atmosphere among the Dragon-men became deathly still, with no companion providing an answer, as even they were not certain of their own fate.


    The thunderous sound of hooves could not dispel such oppressing heaviness.


    Ever since they were taken away from their birthplace, they had been treated like non-humans, and their prolonged hopelessness and pain dulled the light in their hearts, numbing them.


    Only Rafael¡¯s drooped emerald eyes flickered.


    She continued to stare blankly at the floor but clasped the delicate paw of Lar beside her.


    ¡°I will take us back¡­¡±


    Back to their free-roaming Dragon Nest, back to the embrace of their kin, and they would make these damned Humans pay the price.


    However, in the end, it was a hollow promise, vanishing like bubbles in mere seconds, falling into the boundless silence of the carriage.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Outside the carriage door, the man Fisher, wearing a black hat, was looking out over the endless wilderness.


    He reached inside his breast pocket, turned his hand, and pulled out a small manual.


    The exterior of the manual was brightly colored and patterned, much like the fairy tale books sold to children that were seen everywhere in Saint Nali, with the title in gold embossed script:


    ¡°Demi-human Girls Completion Manual.¡±


    This was a booklet Fisher had stumbled upon five years ago.


    At that time, Fisher, who researches Demi-human Species as a hobby, casually bought this manual from an unscrupulous merchant, thinking it detailed the features of the Demi-human Kind, and even treasured it as he took it home.


    After all, at the moment, there were very few books about Demi-humans.


    When he opened it at home, other than the preface, it was to his surprise completely blank.


    Thinking he had just bought a pirated book, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it until a year later, when he first came into close contact with Demi-humans, he realized the frightening nature of this blank book.


    When he flipped open the cover, the first page of the preface was written in an epic-like language,


    ¡°The Red Dragon Queen will rise first, and with fiery rage, she will silence all that belongs to Humans.¡±


    ¡°The Mysterious Sea Child will stir up giant waves, washing away the sins of Humans.¡±


    ¡°The Sky God will leave no place for the Remnants to hide, no refuge to turn to.¡±


    ¡°The Undead Witch will compose an epitaph with Magic for them.¡±


    Fisher¡¯s pupils lowered slightly, and to this day, he still couldn¡¯t forget the images that had flooded his mind the first time he saw these languages.


    So-called Hell illustrations were nothing compared to this.


    After much study, he finally confirmed that it recorded four demi-human species that would destroy human civilization.


    Why was Fisher so convinced these prophecies were true, rather than deciding it was just a terrible joke by some humorous gentleman?


    He turned the page again, skipping the already lit ¡°Witch¡± section.


    Suddenly, the blank second page flared with brilliance, and lines of text shimmering with golden light began to activate, slowly filling the top of the second page and forming a new section.


    ¡°Dragon-man¡±


    Then, that energy suddenly grew bright, displaying a line of illusory text that only Fisher could see.


    ¡°Please select a research subject, available subjects 0/2¡±


    ¡°Lord Raphael, Red Dragon Man¡±


    ¡°Lar, Blue Dragon People¡±


    ¡°Fasher, White Dragon People¡±


    ¡°Kexier, White Dragon People¡±


    ¡°Mier, Yellow Dragon People¡±


    Hopefully, this time he wouldn¡¯t make the wrong selection like the last time.


    After searching for so long, he had to succeed¡­


    The Red Dragon Queen.


    Fisher flicked the whip, hastening his journey and choosing Lord Raphael as a research subject.


    The remaining subject slot was left as a fallback, in case he had chosen incorrectly.


    The Completion Manual lit up with another golden glow, and beneath ¡°Dragon-man,¡± there appeared a strange text, looking like knife or claw marks.


    The text, like a black hole, began to emit an illusory suction.


    At the same time, Fisher¡¯s muscles, concealed beneath his suit, suddenly tensed, and then his whole complexion turned pale.


    He gripped the reins tightly, and only after his forehead broke out in a fine sheen of sweat did the searing pain diminish completely, as the odd runes finished etching themselves.


    But his pallid complexion did not fade.


    Each time he bound a new demi-human research subject, it was like enduring the most severe punishment in the world, a pain Fisher, having experienced it before, still struggled to endure.


    After a good while passed, Fisher, still grimacing, finally took a deep breath, and his rigid body eased.


    The next second, the illusory text flickered once more.


    ¡°Research subject binding successful¡±


    ¡°Constitution +7, reproductive ability +4, Fermat Baha Dragon Court Language +3¡±


    ¡°Research demi-human subjects to unlock more¡±


    Fisher, his face lined with exasperation, ignored some of the strange prompts within.


    The next moment, he felt the strength of his body increase several folds, even strong enough to kill a cow with one punch.


    Indeed, the enhancements to his constitution were far more substantial compared to [Witches].


    Blinking, Fisher suddenly looked up and saw the sky over the South Continent slowly turning red.


    On the other side, where the red was faint, it was like the sandy beach left by a receding tide, dotted with shining stars.


    Night was approaching, and the horse¡¯s breathing grew more intense.


    ¡°Hiss!¡±


    ¡°Clip-clop¡­¡±


    Fisher pulled on the reins, slowly bringing the horse to a stop right beside a quiet river.


    But the surroundings were still devoid of people, eerily silent. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He would have to rest here for the night.


    Fisher closed the small booklet and placed it into his inner pocket, then turned to look at the tightly closed doors of the carriage behind him.


    Inside that space, five Dragon-man demi-humans awaited him.

 Chapter 4 - 4 4

    ?4: 4.


    Three Rules 4: 4.


    Three Rules ¡°Creak,¡±


    With the door opening, the staircase leading to the underground space became visible.


    This space was much larger than it appeared from the outside because Fisher had inscribed an Extension Technique on the entrance.


    This was a kind of magic that was expensive and time-consuming, and the cost to extend four rooms was probably much higher than buying a house on the mainstream streets of Saint Nali.


    However, the benefits were also obvious.


    Now, Fisher could carry a small house with his carriage, so he didn¡¯t have to spend his journey across the South Continent exposed to the elements with the five Dragon People.


    He took his Handcane and walked into the space below, and he almost laughed when he saw the five Dragon People crouched in the corner of the living room like chicks.


    But the smile faded when he saw Rafael¡¯s emerald green eyes.


    If it was true, if the girl before him was really the Red Dragon Queen foretold to destroy the human world, how would he stop her?


    For instance, killing her now might work.


    But Fisher wasn¡¯t sure whether this young Dragon-woman named Rafael was truly the one from the prophecy.


    Should he exterminate all the Red Dragon People?


    He suddenly thought of those interesting comedies in the Saint Nali Theatre.


    For example, the King¡¯s advisor predicted that a blond man would kill the King and seize the throne, so the King had all the blond men in the country killed.


    Who knew that because of this, the Queen hid her blond child to save him from the King¡¯s wrath, but ultimately this led to the King being killed by his own son, fulfilling the prophecy.


    This was the existence of fate; no matter what choice one felt, everything seemed wrong.


    Fisher couldn¡¯t possibly kill all the Red Dragon People, even if this particular color was rare among them.


    What if the ¡°Red Dragon Queen¡± mentioned in the prophecy was just a Blue Dragon-woman who liked to wear red clothes?


    While these distracting thoughts passed through his mind, Fisher¡¯s expression remained unchanged.


    He gently tapped the wall of the small living room with his Handcane, and the wooden wall sprang open, revealing the bedding inside.


    Then, speaking in Dragon Court Language, he instructed,


    ¡°Take out the bedding and move it to the room with the opened door.


    You all will be staying there for the time being.¡±


    Yet as soon as he spoke up, all the Dragon People¡¯s gaze toward him changed.


    Since they had been captured by humans, they had been sold throughout the South Continent but had never encountered any Human who could speak Dragon Court Language.


    Besides the fact that humans had not been exploring the South Continent for long, there was also human arrogance.


    How could they who treated demi-humans like beasts learn their language?


    Fisher¡¯s gaze swept over them, several Dragon-girls shifted their eyes away somewhat fearfully, but Rafael just watched him quietly.


    In her heart, the shock was no less than that of the other Dragon People, in fact, it was even more intense.


    The previous slave traders, no matter how they whipped or tortured her, could not make her feel subjugated or scared; those people were just flaunting the power granted by the slave seals they bore.


    But in this Human who spoke Dragon Language, she felt a trace of fear and wariness for the first time.


    If it was such a Human, could she still lead them to escape?


    She couldn¡¯t help touching the slightly glowing slave seal on her chest, feeling an icy coldness as if countless blocks of ice had been poured into her heart.


    ¡°¡­Just wait a minute, you four go tidy up¡­you, come with me.¡±


    He pointed specifically to Rafael, then, carrying his Handcane, he opened the first door on the left.


    Rafael glanced at Lar beside her and felt the worried gaze from her companions.


    She shook her head and followed Fisher into the separate room.


    The space inside turned out to be quite spacious, comparable to the size of the outside living room plus their rest room.


    It contained not only a wardrobe but also a whole wall of books, all of which were in the Human script that Rafael could not understand.


    Besides that, there was also a clean and tidy bed, clothes rack, and a large desk.


    It appeared to be where this Human male lived.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Fisher hooked his Handcane, and the door behind Rafael suddenly closed.


    Her body didn¡¯t move, with only her tail slightly raised, indicating her vigilance.


    ¡°Names, and the names of those others.¡±


    The tall Fisher stood his Handcane by the desk, hung his hat and coat on the nearby rack.


    Underneath his coat, he wore a luxurious yet subdued dark grey vest.


    Rafael had seen the fat Human wearing this kind of clothing in the circus, but because of that person¡¯s appearance, it lowered her overall impression of such garments, until now when she understood how these clothes were supposed to look when properly worn.


    ¡°Rafael¡­Lar, Fasher, Kexier, and Mier¡­¡±


    Fisher poured himself a cup of cold coffee, then took out the leather scrolls Colin had handed him earlier, inscribed with the magic seal.


    He closely examined the Dragon-blood pact on each, and then he took out the one with the freshest, warmest blood.


    As he moved that scroll, points of light from the slave seal on Rafael¡¯s chest began to glow.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself.


    I am Fisher Benavides, a scholar who studies demi-human.


    You may call me Fisher, or address me as teacher or professor¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he suddenly reached out and tore the leather scroll in her hand into two pieces.


    Even Rafael failed to react in time, but as the magic seal that bound her soul shattered on her chest, she quickly realized what had happened.


    In the next split of a second, the girl¡¯s pupils abruptly narrowed into thin slits, and with a light flick of her tail accompanied by a burst of wind, she launched herself at the man before her.


    As long as she killed him, the slave seal would disappear.


    Rafael didn¡¯t understand the composition of the slave seal, but he recognized the operations of magic and thus knew how to break it.


    Her claws spread like five sharp knives, aiming straight for the man¡¯s heart; in the next second, she would tear open the hateful human before her, consuming him for satisfaction.


    All the past torment and pain, the desire to take her companions home¡­


    But in the next second, the man slightly side-stepped and, with a grip strong as a vice, clamped tightly onto Rafael¡¯s neck.


    With her entire body spinning half a circle in mid-air, he slammed her hard into the ground.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The wooden floor slightly cracked, with sparkles of magic light leaking through the wood shavings.


    Rafael¡¯s body felt like it had fallen apart, transmitting intense pain.


    She wanted to resist, her claws intended to slice through the man¡¯s flesh, but the tightening strength of his fingers slowly kept her from even taking in oxygen.


    Was this human¡­


    A monster?


    Why was his strength so great?


    Her green eyes fixated on the human who clutched her neck, seeing what seemed like a demon dwelling under that expressionless human face.


    The ringing in her ears from lack of oxygen grew louder, and her tail couldn¡¯t stop trembling.


    The sounds of bedclothes being moved outside suddenly stopped, but the door did not open; Fisher had not locked the door.


    ¡°I hate it when people interrupt me when I¡¯m speaking, so I had to adopt this measure.


    I hope it makes a deeper impression,¡± Fisher said, still gripping her neck but easing the pressure to allow some oxygen to flow.


    ¡°I bought you for¡­


    research.¡±


    Fisher paused then continued, ¡°The research can¡¯t have interference from magic elements, so I removed your slave emblem¡­


    Of course, I don¡¯t mind playing an interesting game along the long journey, such as you, the subject, attempting to kill me to gain freedom.


    But the premise of playing the game is, you must comply with the content of my research.


    If you run away or resist, I will kill your companions.¡±


    ¡°Cough¡­cough cough¡­¡±


    Rafael¡¯s saliva uncontrollably ran down along her cheeks, dropping onto the tips of Fisher¡¯s fingers.


    The deafening ringing in her ears indicated oxygen deprivation, yet she stared violently at the human man¡¯s face.


    Her suppressed ferocity and hatred, freed by the removal of the slave seal, could not yet be fully reined in.


    She had to kill this human before her; even if it led to her death and being devoured, it didn¡¯t matter!


    ¡°And the rules of the game are quite simple.¡±


    ¡°First, you cannot attempt to assassinate me inside the carriage.


    Outside, no matter the method¡ªambush, poison, duel¡ªas long as you kill me, you¡¯ll gain your freedom and can take your companions with you¡­


    after all, things here are quite expensive,¡± Fisher noted as he glanced at the cracked magical floor beneath her, his eyelids twitching imperceptibly. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Second, you have four assassination attempts, which correspond to the number of your companions.


    So, plan your moves carefully.


    Each assassination failure would lead to punishment.


    My research is generally normal, but some parts may not be presentable.


    Failures will require your cooperation to complete these parts of the research.¡±


    ¡°Third, you must keep the game¡¯s content a secret from your companions.


    If the secret is revealed, the game ends immediately.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice, mingled with the ringing in her ears, ingrained into Rafael¡¯s mind like a demon¡¯s whispered curse.


    She glared at him with bitter resentment; had glares could kill, Fisher would have died countless times over.


    ¡°If you agree, the game starts now.¡±


    Her red tail swayed faintly, and after pondering for a couple of seconds, her hatred-filled eyes subtly moved, indicating acceptance.


    She had to accept; the slave seals of her companions were still in his hands.


    It was her fault they had been caught; she had to bring them back.


    ¡°Heh¡­¡± A faint smile finally appeared on Fisher¡¯s stern face as he gently released Rafael¡¯s neck, then returned to his desk to enjoy the iced coffee he had poured earlier.


    ¡°We have a journey of about thirty days ahead of us.


    During this period, the game will continue¡­¡±


    Rafael, shaking, stood up.


    Her green eyes blazed with fire, but she just rubbed her reddened neck, her expression gradually calming.


    Outside, the young horse gave a soft snort, the stars in the sky flickered, and the winds of the South Continent began anew, as if heralding the start of some game¡¯s trumpet call.

 Chapter 5 - 5 Be kind to people

    ?5: Be kind to people 5: Be kind to people The door reopened, and Rafael rubbed his slightly reddened neck.


    There, the warmth of that human still lingered, mingling with his words around his ear.


    White beddings had been all moved into the room by Lar and the others, and at the doorway, Lar peeked out with her bright, watery eyes, cautiously observing Rafael who walked out of Fisher¡¯s room.


    ¡°Lord Raphael¡­did he¡­did he hit you?¡±


    After entering the room, where the beddings had been laid out on the floor, her own was near the door, and Lar sat on the bedding next to hers, looking somewhat anxiously at Rafael¡¯s reddened neck.


    Lar was the youngest among them, and just seeing such a scene made her eyes go soft, as if they were about to brim with tears.


    Rafael paused for a moment, still pondering the game terms she had agreed upon with Fisher, and she was momentarily at a loss for words.


    The slave emblem on her chest still existed but was now only a simple shell, no longer accompanied by the controlling sensation of the past.


    ¡°¡­¡± She opened her mouth, but in the end, revealed nothing, only gently embracing the petite Lar before her, ¡°No¡­no need to worry, I¡¯ll take you all home.¡±


    ¡°Lord Raphael¡­¡±


    Behind her, Kexier and Fasher were a pair of twin sisters, rare white members of the Blue Dragon People, originally assigned to accompany and guard Rafael, who knew that due to Rafael¡¯s negligence had all been captured by humans.


    Mier was the oldest among them, the only adult Dragon-man, who had already had a marriage ceremony in the tribe, chosen a tail-matching partner, and now, after having been captured, had been a long while since seeing her relatives.


    If it weren¡¯t for her own mistake, they would never have had to leave their homeland.


    ¡°Knock, knock¡­¡±


    Just as Rafael embraced Lar in her arms, a gentle knock sounded at the door frame behind her¡ªit was Fisher appearing at the doorway.


    Except for Rafael and Lar in her arms, everyone else instinctively shrank back.


    ¡°Come out to eat.¡±


    After uttering these simple words, he disappeared from the doorway.


    The Dragon-people inside the room exchanged glances and only Lar¡¯s stomach answer with a small rumble.


    ¡°Lord Raphael, I¡¯m so hungry¡­¡±


    Lar¡¯s pitiable voice emanated from within her arms, and Rafael, looking around, saw that her companions were also looking toward her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Stepping out of the room, Fisher¡¯s figure was no longer inside the carriage, and looking up the stairs, the door stood open to the almost darkened sky outside.


    Rafael led the way outside, where the fresh night air struck her scales, and as she stepped out of the carriage, she remembered the game rules she had set with that human¡ªit was now possible to assassinate him outside the carriage.


    To win the game and gain freedom, all she had to do was kill him.


    Her green eyes glinted slightly as she subconsciously searched for the man¡¯s figure.


    But she saw him standing by the river, holding a strange long stick, looking out over the wilderness on the other side of the river.


    In the distant wilderness, now sunk in darkness, a few faintly glowing eyes observed from this side.


    Fisher raised the ¡°long stick¡± in his hand, aiming toward the distance, and Rafael suddenly realized something.


    Her tail lifted slightly, and then the next second, his stick made a loud bang,


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    ¡°Roar!!¡±


    Fisher watched as an unlucky wild wolf collapsed to the ground in the distance, its companions scattering in fear.


    So, that somewhat terrifying roar had not come from them.


    He put away his firearm and turned back to look at the red Dragon-man whose pupils had shrunk to fine lines, her scales slightly raised, emitting a lot of steam, she lay on the ground, warily watching the man with the gun, seemingly afraid he would shoot her.


    The other Dragon-people all hid behind the carriage, only their fearful eyes showing.


    So that was it.


    Fisher glanced at Rafael and put away the firearm without a change in expression.


    ¡°Can you make a fire?¡±


    ¡°¡­.Roar.¡±


    Rafael¡¯s claws trembled slightly, her mouth still emitting a bit of growling, like a frightened beast.


    ¡°If not, go pick up that wolf, and if you don¡¯t want to go hungry tonight, be quick about it.¡±


    Toting his gun, he placed the fearsome weapon behind his back, walked past Rafael lying on the ground in a battle state, and went straight to the side of the carriage, pushing away the Dragon-people hiding there.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    In this dark room, there was a portable fireplace that could be lit with magic, though no one knew how many more uses it had; the array had already faded significantly the last time it was used.


    Magic was always like this, taking a long time to construct an array, not very durable, and also very expensive.


    It¡¯s no wonder those guys in Saint Nali were studying steam engines day in and day out.


    ¡°What¡­


    What is that thing?


    The one that makes noise¡­


    that¡­¡±


    Fisher, who had been setting up the fireplace, suddenly heard a soft and sticky small sound.


    At first, he thought it was the chirping of an earth spirit from the ground, but when he turned around, to his surprise, it was the smallest Blue Dragon People talking to him.


    Her name was¡­


    Lar, right?


    She looked pale as she glanced at the firearm strapped to his back. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With heart palpitations, she stared at the smoking muzzle, as if the bullet that hit the wolf had struck her too, causing her to empathetically touch her own scales to make sure no blood was seeping out.


    ¡°This?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a gun.¡±


    Fisher replied to her while activating the magic array, which was about to fade completely, without even looking back at her.


    ¡°Is it made with magic?¡±


    ¡°No, made by humans.¡±


    ¡°Is it¡­


    for use against us?¡±


    Not sure if she was referring to the demi-human or the Dragon-man Species, but this guess clearly wasn¡¯t right.


    Under the glorious light of human civilization, there were always countless shady affairs, so he shook his head,


    ¡°No, it¡¯s meant for use against humans.¡±


    Lar¡¯s mouth dropped open, her brain churning like a pot still simmering with the flavor of their recent exchange.


    ¡°Lar!¡±


    Mier, who had only taken her eyes off for a second or two, realized that Lar was conversing with that dangerous human.


    And just as the human stood up with his gun, she raced toward Lar, hoping to use her own body as a shield.


    However, she saw the man fire a shot towards the other bank of the river.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The distant earth exploded from the shot and frantic cries followed,


    ¡°Damn it, Rania¡¯s been hit!¡±


    ¡°Move it, that bastard¡¯s bad news!¡±


    ¡°Press on his chest, he¡¯s bleeding!¡±


    In the darkness, some commotion stirred on the other side, with vague arguments and one or two reckless shots fired, as if to cover their own as they retreated.


    Lar and Mier, who had rushed over, stared blankly at the shadows gradually disappearing into the darkness on the other side of the river.


    They opened their mouths in disbelief and looked towards the human male, who had resumed working emotionlessly at the fireplace on the ground.


    The South Continent was all gold, luring countless explorers from the Western Continent to open up these precious treasures.


    Of course, there were also some desperadoes among them.


    Fisher had heard before coming that the Council had plans to exile these vile criminals to an island near the South Continent, as it would save considerable costs on building and maintaining prisons.


    In any case, the South Continent was full of a diverse mix of characters, resulting in many never returning to the Western Continent.


    Those bandits had likely been drawn by the sound of gunfire and horse hooves; Fisher, whose physical abilities had been enhanced by previous demi-human research, keenly heard their faint exchange.


    The results of the last demi-human research had brought him a lot of benefits, such as his body¡¯s formidable strength and observational skills, as well as the ability to wield magic.


    ¡°Lar!¡±


    Lord Raphael, too, came running back carrying a wild wolf, and only after seeing Lar safe did he heave a sigh of relief.


    Fisher glanced emotionlessly at her and pointed to the fireplace that was now lit,


    ¡°There¡¯s research to do tonight, let¡¯s eat first.¡±


    The others didn¡¯t understand Fisher¡¯s words, only Rafael¡¯s lips tightened as she fixed a hard gaze upon the man¡¯s figure.

 Chapter 6 - 6 6

    ?6: 6.


    Them 6: 6.


    Them The black steed let out a gentle neigh by the river bank, followed by the sound of it bowing its head to drink deeply from the river water below.


    By the carriage, a de-furred wild wolf was roasted to a perfect crispness on the outside and tenderness inside.


    Unfortunately, Fisher hadn¡¯t brought any spices, so the meat tasted rather bland, which was why he didn¡¯t eat much.


    However, the Dragon-men, especially the Little Dragon Man named Lar, devoured the wolf with greasy lips, the majority of the wolf ending up in her stomach.


    He leaned against the carriage, confirming that the recent fight with Rafael inside had not damaged the overall enchantment Array.


    If the carriage¡¯s Space Magic were to collapse, he was unsure what would happen to the creatures inside.


    They might get instantly squashed by items being squeezed into a mass.


    The Yellow-Scaled Dragonman called Mier, like Fisher, ate very little and had sat down early next to the carriage, watching the younger Dragon-men enjoy their meal.


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    Fisher caught sight of her yellow scales gradually transitioning from close-fitting smoothness to sharpness, slightly raising on the surface of her skin to form a small armor-like layer, and his interest piqued, so he asked.


    Mier¡¯s pointed ears lifted slightly, and she turned her head with a bit of surprise, meeting Fisher¡¯s direct gaze.


    She quickly lowered her eyes slightly to avoid his stare.


    ¡°Twenty¡­


    twenty-two years old¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­


    How long does it take for Dragon-man Species to mature?¡±


    ¡°Mature?!¡±


    Mier opened her mouth as if she was thinking of something, her head drooping even lower, and her voice shrank to almost a whisper, ¡°By¡­


    by my age, I should already be able to bear children¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fisher¡¯s eyes glazed over like dead fish eyes, and he found himself speechless.


    Is this guy an idiot?


    The language enhancement from the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual was directly poured into his mind, which was a novel experience.


    Many strange grammatical structures and language thoughts filled Fisher¡¯s brain in an instant, conveying that clearly, he still wasn¡¯t very adept at using it and sometimes blurted out ambiguities.


    ¡°I mean, how long until you¡¯re of age.¡±


    He rubbed his temples and then adjusted his phrasing, searching his brain for a while to find the corresponding word in Dragon Language.


    ¡°Ah¡­


    Ah!


    That¡­


    um¡­¡±


    Mier¡¯s scales bristled slightly, she became even more embarrassed, and her tail kept sweeping behind her.


    Her body language was animated, but the words that finally came out were still soft-spoken,


    ¡°Twenty¡­


    twenty years old¡­¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    So, Rafael¡¯s age must be approaching twenty.


    ¡°What¡­


    What is your name?¡±


    Mier stole a glance at Fisher beside her and hesitated before asking.


    For some reason, she always felt that the Human next to her was different from other Humans, though she couldn¡¯t quite specify why.


    If it were any other Human, she would have been scared speechless, considering her Mother had told her she was the most timid among all the Yellow Dragon sisters.


    She also hadn¡¯t been home for a long time, wondering if Burr had married another Dragon-man¡­


    At that thought, Mier suddenly felt a twinge of discomfort.


    ¡°¡­Fisher, Fisher Benavides.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­


    Fisher¡­


    Fisher¡­¡±


    She was yanked from her thoughts and murmured Fisher¡¯s name to herself a few times.


    Then she stole another glance at the tall Human man, and quickly averted her gaze, falling silent once more.


    Fisher didn¡¯t speak again; he looked towards the fire, where Lar was still noisily munching.


    It was astonishing that one person could outeat the two White Dragon People sisters, a testament to her formidable might.


    Rafael, meanwhile, held a wolf leg, eating while keeping a wary eye on Fisher who was talking to Mier, fearful he might pull some trick again.


    Fisher smiled faintly, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it; he moved a bit farther from the carriage.


    He needed to call the horses back, as night was approaching, and it was almost time to set up defensive enchantments to avoid any unwelcome visitors during the night.


    ¡°Drip~¡±


    ¡°Whoosh whoosh whoosh¡­¡±


    He whistled sharply, and the two horses joyously galloped back, returning to the side of the carriage behind him.


    ¡°I command thee, O misfortune of the assailants, shelter us.¡±


    Subsequently, Fisher tapped the edge of the carriage, and as he began to mutter a low spell, one ring of the complex magic array inside was awakened, glowing with a deep purple brilliance.


    Upon closer inspection, that deep purple radiance was completely filled with layers of ring-shaped magical characters, symbolizing the profound magical prowess of the person who had set up the enchantment.


    This magic hadn¡¯t been arranged by Fisher; he didn¡¯t possess that level of skill.


    As Fisher watched the purple glow before him, he suddenly thought of the figure of a certain witch and couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft chuckle.


    Not until the purple radiance had completely enveloped the surrounding space did he relax.


    A few Dragon-men were awestruck as they watched the purple light cover the nearby space like an aurora.


    Although only Rafael was able to see the terrifying level of magical arrangement, the other Dragon-men simply felt the purple light was ominous and frightening in color.


    ¡°Have you all eaten your fill?¡±


    Fisher pinched out the butt of his cigarette, had just asked when he saw the bones scattered by the fire, stripped clean of meat, with Lar holding his stomach on the ground picking his teeth, and Kexier and Fasher weren¡¯t faring much better.


    It seemed the answer was obvious.


    ¡°You guys can move around freely here for a while, Rafael, come with me first.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Rafael pursed her lips, knowing what he wanted to talk about¡ªit was about ¡°research¡±¡­


    although she didn¡¯t know what exactly the human meant by ¡°research,¡± Rafael had already deemed it to be something bad.


    In her eyes, everything Fisher did was bad.


    She glanced at her partners and instructed,


    ¡°Don¡¯t stay out too long and do not leave this purple circle of light.


    Keep an eye on Lar¡­¡±


    After receiving nods from her partners, she leaped into the carriage and entered its interior space.


    Mier, who was outside, looked worriedly at the disappearing back of Rafael, then turned to ask a partner,


    ¡°Why did Fisher only call for Rafael to go in?


    Is it because he knows Rafael is the daughter of the Clan Leader, or is there another reason?¡±


    Lar, however, pointed at Mier in shock,


    ¡°Fisher?


    Fisher?


    Is that the human¡¯s name, Mier, you know his name?


    How did you know that?¡±


    Fasher and Kexier also turned their heads to look at her, causing Mier to wave her hands in panic,


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­


    he told me¡­


    I¡¯m worried about Rafael..¡±


    When she got nervous, her tail started swishing back and forth.


    Fasher pondered for a moment and said,


    ¡°¡­Mier, where did he say he¡¯s taking us?¡±


    ¡°Maybe to sell us¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­


    To their homeland, maybe?


    I¡¯ve heard other Dragon-men say humans come from a place far away¡­¡± Kexier added.


    But Lar exclaimed, ¡°No, that¡¯s wrong, we have humans here too!


    And goblins!¡±


    Fasher glared at Lar, ¡°No, Lar, don¡¯t interrupt!


    I¡¯m talking about those dressed in nice clothes, holding¡­¡±


    ¡°Guns!¡± Lar said.


    ¡°Right!


    Yeah, guns.


    Those humans that can cast magic and hold guns, they¡¯re from another place¡­


    They might have come by sea or maybe they flew here, who knows¡­


    What I¡¯m saying is, he might not take us back the same way¡­¡±


    At this, all the Dragon-men were frightenend. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a long silence, Lar raised his hand pitifully,


    ¡°I¡­


    I can¡¯t swim¡­


    even if we have to go by sea, Mier will have to carry me.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Lar!¡±


    The flames at the campfire flickered as the Dragon-men speculated about Fisher¡¯s journey, as if facing a math problem during final exams, guessing without reaching an answer.


    However, at least they had gained something¡ªthe roasted wolf meat that had filled their bellies, and they had learned the name of that human, Fisher.

 Chapter 7 - 7 7

    ?7: 7.


    Study 7: 7.


    Study ¡°Just find a spot to sit, today¡¯s research is merely for some basic external data.¡±


    Rafael followed Fisher back into the room they had been in before, only to see him explaining as he took a paper manuscript off the table, which Rafael could not recognize.


    External data?


    Rafael hugged her arms uneasily as the door behind her closed automatically, and the whole room became quiet in an instant.


    This Human always used some incomprehensible words like ¡°research¡± and ¡°data,¡± which held unclear meanings in the Dragon Language.


    Most were replaced by Fisher with similar words, and when there was no direct translation, he would use the Nali Language phonetically.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, sit down in the chair behind you.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Without uttering a word, Rafael sat down on the wooden chair behind her.


    Then, the man in front of her touched the black, long, bar-shaped objects around her, and the transparent cover surprisingly began to emit light, startling her.


    It¡¯s not Magic¡­


    Could it be some type of bugs or stones that are glowing?


    Or is it the gathered souls of demi-humans glowing?


    She had heard from her Mother that Dragon-man souls were scorching hot, thus they radiated light, which guided those lost in the wild back home each year.


    However, she had never seen it, and didn¡¯t know if it was true.


    Unbeknownst to her, the gathering light on her body was simply to allow Fisher a better observation of his research subject.


    He put on a monocle that emitted flecks of soft light.


    It was a special Magic Item that allowed him to see the flow of Magic Power within living beings.


    Some demi-humans¡¯ physical traits changed with the flow of Magic Power inside them; he wondered if the Dragon-man was the same.


    In the Western Continent, it was rare to directly study the Dragon-man Species, and he had scoured the South Continent until he found this red Dragon-man.


    According to others of the same species, this color was exceptionally rare.


    If she was the so-called Red Dragon Queen, then he would simply have to acknowledge his defeat.


    ¡°From now on, don¡¯t move.¡±


    He pulled over a portable table that had been set next to the desk, which held some tools Rafael did not recognize.


    But seeing the iron objects shining brightly under the light, she suspected they might be some form of strange torture device.


    Is this what research is?


    She clenched her teeth.


    Just as Fisher took out a tape measure, he saw her close her eyes in a gesture of tragic heroism.


    He was momentarily startled, but his expression remained unchanged as he started his task.


    First, he had to take some basic measurements.


    Like height, weight, tail length, and age, among others.


    ¡°You¡¯re very afraid of guns.¡±


    Feeling something cold suddenly cover her legs, her eyelids trembled slightly.


    However, the man¡¯s matter-of-fact, definitive statement made her open her eyes.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve been shot through by that thing, it¡¯s like you¡¯d turn into a caterpillar¡­¡±


    ¡°Caterpillar?¡± The tape measure stretched slightly, reflecting Fisher¡¯s serious expression, ¡°Good description.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Rafael bit her teeth harder, her claws in hand clenched tight.


    She wanted to tear this annoying Human before her into pieces.


    Dragon-man scales did not cover the whole body, but they did cover a large part; it seemed there were no scales from the knees up to the lower abdomen, but her current burlap clothing made Fisher uncertain.


    When will she try to assassinate me?


    If she fails, then I can investigate further.


    Fisher looked down at the scales on her lower legs.


    There, a small handful of circular scales, lighter in color than the others, caught his eye.


    He reached out gently, grasping her lower leg, feeling the shape of the warm scales along with the underlying muscles.


    Dragon-man scales were not uncomfortable to touch, quite pleasant, except for a few armor-like scales that developed as a form of protection upon reaching adulthood.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Rafael inhaled slightly unnaturally, her right foot¡¯s claws curling up faintly. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Beautiful scales¡­


    You¡¯ve been shot here; these scales are newly grown.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­


    If it weren¡¯t for those detestable guns, not only would those Humans fail to capture me, they¡¯d all be dead¡­¡±


    She licked her lips, her emerald eyes brimming with bestial hunger, as if ready to devour a person whole.


    In the effort to capture her, humans deployed over a dozen slave catchers armed with guns.


    She killed three-quarters of them, so after she was caught, she received ¡°special treatment.¡±


    She still remembered how the humans brutally beat her, how they pulled off her scales with pliers, how they sliced her skin with the edge of a knife.


    Rafael¡¯s pupils narrowed into vertical slits, just by killing the human in front of her, she could return, she was determined to seek revenge on humans, to make them pay for everything they had done¡­.


    Her murderous aura was so obvious that the scale in Fisher¡¯s hand stood on end.


    Whenever Rafael became agitated, her scales would respond by standing up to express her mood, but he had no idea what was up with that steam, he would have to figure it out later.


    He gently smoothed the standing scale with his hand, then sidestepped to pick up the silver knife from the table.


    Seeing him take up a weapon, Rafael let out a roar like that of a dragon, causing the temperature in Fisher¡¯s hand to surge, as if he had seized a boiling kettle, forcing him to release his grip.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    In the face of her terrifying threat, Fisher sat squarely facing her, unfazed.


    ¡°The places where you were shot hurt at night, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Rafael¡¯s pupils dilated slightly.


    ¡°After you were shot, they simply removed the bullet fragments.


    They have no knowledge of how to treat wounds on demi-humans, and it¡¯s likely that none of the doctors that treated your wounds were proper physicians, which has left lingering injuries in your right leg and left hand¡­


    Rain, movement, the shifting of scales, all of these can aggravate the underlying muscle damage, so it hurts, doesn¡¯t it¡­¡±


    ¡°You failed to attack me earlier because your body isn¡¯t coordinated, your right leg can¡¯t keep up with your left leg, your left hand can¡¯t keep up with your right hand, you¡¯re too slow, and I caught you off-guard¡­


    You¡¯re injured, without my healing, you won¡¯t be able to carry out your assassination.¡±


    While Rafael was distracted, he gently lifted a slightly pale scale with the silver knife to reveal the flesh underneath, which was dark purple, starkly contrasting with the surrounding fair skin.


    ¡°This is none of your business, I will kill you!


    I¡¯ll skin you, smear your blood across this land, you will die in the most agonizing way possible, I keep my word!¡±


    Rafael¡¯s scales stood on end again, but no steam came out this time, so Fisher reached out and grabbed her right leg.


    With a mocking smile, he raised the silver knife,


    ¡°Do you think you can, little dragon?¡±


    The side of the silver knife cut into the putrid flesh.


    Besides her right leg, which Fisher gripped firmly, her entire body arched in pain as if reliving the day the bullet entered her body, only this pain was much more intense, as if boring into her marrow.


    Lord knows what those slave traders coated the bullets with to bring down demi-humans, stronger than humans, as the muscle around the bullet was almost rotten to the bone.


    ¡°Bang bang bang!¡±


    The silver knife trembled slightly as Rafael¡¯s tail thrashed wildly on the ground, but Fisher¡¯s left hand clamped down on her right leg, immovable as an iron vice.


    ¡°Kill you!¡±


    ¡°I will kill you!¡±


    ¡°Kill¡­


    you¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    From her right leg to her left hand, as the healing progressed, and as time passed, the deadly threats gradually took on a sobbing tone.


    Drops of blood fell down her body onto the ground, where they gave off steaming wisps, causing Fisher to wince and look away.


    His floor¡­


    But thankfully, the healing was finally done.


    Fisher picked up gauze and medicine, wrapping them layer after layer around her calf.


    Actually, it hadn¡¯t been that long.


    The sound of the other demi-human girls returning hadn¡¯t even reached them yet, but even one more second of this pain was torture, especially without anesthesia.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ll have your chance if you can seize it.¡±


    This was his response to her supposed threats of killing him.


    Fisher looked at Rafael slumped in the chair, continuing to measure the rest of her body¡¯s data with a measuring tape, ignoring her murderous gaze.


    ¡°Demi-human bodies heal quickly.


    You should recover before long.


    I look forward to your assassination attempt.


    Tonight¡¯s research is over, you may go now.¡±


    He stood up, tossing the bloodied silver knife into the side dish, then washed his hands with clean water, and turned off the nearby light.


    Although the light had vanished, colorful afterimages persisted in Rafael¡¯s eyes, along with the back of the man walking away, etched into her mind.


    ¡°Kill¡­


    you¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm, do your best, Miss Dragon.¡±

 Chapter 8 - 8 8

    ?8: 8.


    Map 8: 8.


    Map At night, after the research had finished, Raphael limped back to her room harboring a sense of hatred.


    Her right leg and left hand were both wrapped in bandages, the wounds throbbed terribly, and every movement brought pain that seemed to bore into her bones.


    Unable to move, she quietly lay on the bed for a good while before her companions returned one by one.


    They had been in the cage for too long, rarely having the opportunity to move about outside, so when they came back, the reluctance was clear on their faces.


    But soon, they were drawn to the pitiful sight of Raphael on the bed; Lar carefully knelt at her side, dragging her claws, looking quite worried.


    ¡°Lord Raphael, your wounds¡­¡±


    They all knew about the shots Raphael had taken before, and they also knew how those wounds tormented her at night.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡±


    Raphael cracked her eyelids open a bit, but since she didn¡¯t fully open them, her vision was still rather blurred.


    But Lar wasn¡¯t convinced and lowered her head to sniff vigorously at the bandaged spots, then exclaimed with her nose covered and a crumpled face,


    ¡°So bitter..


    that human must have poisoned Lord Raphael!


    I¡¯m sure of it!


    My mother used such poison before; I saw with my own eyes her pigs squealing!¡±


    Kexier smacked her on the head hard,


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, your mother raises Lulu Pigs, why would she use poison on them, step aside¡­¡±


    She leaned down and sniffed at Raphael¡¯s wound, then raising her head to speak to Fasher and Mier,


    ¡°It¡¯s Blue Flower, a medicinal herb used for stopping blood and healing¡­


    Lord Raphael, he treated your wounds.


    That fat one before definitely didn¡¯t heal you properly, or else it wouldn¡¯t hurt like this at night¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him to treat my wounds!¡±


    Raphael was a bit ungrateful, suddenly opening her eyes and interrupting Kexier.


    But seeing the worried look in her companions¡¯ eyes, she pursed her lips again and closed her eyes.


    How could she not know that the human had treated her wounds?


    She simply didn¡¯t want to admit it, or perhaps she wanted to treat the help she received as mockery, making it easier to assassinate him later.


    ¡°¡­Anyway, the most important thing now is to let Lord Raphael get some proper rest.


    Lar, stop making noise, come sleep over here.


    Your tail¡¯s always twitching; it¡¯ll be bad if you hit Raphael¡¯s wounds.¡±


    Mier chuckled, smoothly changing the subject.


    She looked at Lar, taking Raphael¡¯s place and arranging the sleeping arrangements for the night.


    ¡°No, no, why is it always about my tail moving?


    I clearly don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asleep, how would you know?¡±


    Fasher said teasingly with a smirk as she touched her tail,


    ¡°Lord Raphael likes to sleep holding her tail; I was just imitating her.


    I¡¯ll hold it properly and won¡¯t let it move.¡±


    Lar hurriedly lay down beside Raphael, imitating her by grabbing her own blue tail, but her tail wasn¡¯t as long as Raphael¡¯s, so it was quite a struggle to hold, and she soon felt uncomfortable in that position.


    She pouted at Raphael who lay motionless beside her.


    Tonight, Raphael couldn¡¯t hold her.


    But Mier, understanding as ever, took her in her arms and lay her down in the bedding,


    ¡°Alright, alright, we all know, it¡¯s just somewhat unruly¡­


    at least your intention to hold it was good¡­¡±


    ¡°You just spoil her, Sister Mier, her mother will think you¡¯ve spoiled her rotten.¡±


    ¡°My mother would never think that!¡±


    Kexier also lay down on the bed, murmuring to herself.


    She and Fasher were on the same side, lacking patience for Lar, the mischievous child.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The room remained brightly lit, with the kind of luminous objects Raphael had seen in Fisher¡¯s room ever glowing overhead.


    They never turned them off, thinking that humans slept in light during the night.


    Raphael felt somewhat weary, so she closed her eyes.


    With each breath, the pain at the wound slowly subsided, turning into sensations akin to coolness and heaviness; she grew sleepy.


    But just before sleep took over, she suddenly couldn¡¯t remember when was the last time she and her companions had such a conversation.


    When exactly had they been captured by humans?


    Several months?


    Half a year, or even longer?


    She thought groggily, suddenly feeling a strong desire to go home.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°It seems the wound doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡±


    The next morning, Fisher called Rafael to his room.


    When Rafael saw him, he was wearing a white shirt, standing behind a desk, drinking cooled coffee.


    After Rafael approached, he clapped his hands to turn on the lamp beside him and, just like the night before, gently held her right leg.


    This time, her scales didn¡¯t rise, nor did they release the intimidating steam.


    That human seemed extraordinarily serious when he was researching.


    His eyes focused entirely on her body, as if visually scanning every one of her scales, each inch of her skin.


    Thinking about this, she suddenly felt somewhat uneasy and shifted her gaze to the other decorations in the room.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    It took her a long time to reply to his question.


    Fisher didn¡¯t mind.


    After confirming that the wound wasn¡¯t bleeding anymore, he slowly stood up and said, ¡°The recovery speed of a dragon-man is beyond my imagination.


    I estimate within a day or two, you¡¯ll be able to run at full strength¡­¡±


    ¡°Dragon-man are born warriors.


    Our blood is ignited with flames from birth.


    Such trivial injuries¡­¡±


    Rafael withdrew her right leg and stretched her claws on the ground, her words tinged with pride.


    Fisher didn¡¯t continue her line of thought.


    He returned to his desk to clean his hands with water and addressed her, saying,


    ¡°There¡¯s no breakfast today.


    We¡¯re temporarily changing our route, going to the nearest Keken City for supplies first.


    We¡¯ll stay there for a day and a night.


    This period away from the carriage would be a good opportunity for you¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Rafael had no recollection of the city mentioned in his words, let alone understood their current location.


    The South Continent¡¯s land was vast, and for the dragon-man species that lived on the southern coast of the continent year-round, they didn¡¯t even realize that the circus had taken them across half the continent to the north, closest to the Western Continent.


    Fisher dressed neatly, donning a waistcoat and pocket watch, transforming back into a proper gentleman.


    With a light tap of his finger, a map unfolded from the wall, revealing its pattern.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    A ¡°world map¡± made by the Saint Nali Royal Cartography Committee appeared before Rafael¡¯s eyes.


    Though she couldn¡¯t understand any of the text, the vast extent of the lands still allowed her some simple guesses.


    ¡°This is the continent where your people have lived for generations.


    As for your homeland, it¡¯s probably in this area, and at most wouldn¡¯t extend to the central region¡­¡±


    Fisher pointed to a small section on the southern part of the South Continent, encapsulating the history of many generations of the Dragon-man Clan with a simple stroke.


    Rafael had once longed to travel far from her tribe, to see the outside world.


    She left home several times and embarked on journeys alone, thinking she had gone very, very far, to the ends of the earth, but in reality, she had only traversed a small corner of this vast continent¡­


    She looked further up on the map, to another land with more detailed divisions and many more annotations. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as large as the South Continent and faced it from across the sea, laden with human script.


    ¡°You¡­


    you really came from across the sea¡­¡±


    They had come from the sea bringing slaughter and flames, occupying this originally tranquil and peaceful land.


    ¡°Yes, to be precise, we came by steamship¡­


    If your assassination attempt hadn¡¯t failed, I would¡¯ve shown you what that is¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see it!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm¡­


    Go wake them up; we need to set off.¡±


    Fisher snapped his fingers, and the map that had left a deep impact on Rafael rolled back up.


    He grabbed his hat and hand cane and pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, walking out from the staircase of the carriage.


    Outside the carriage, the early morning wilderness brought a breeze laden with moisture.


    Fisher lit his tobacco, surrounded by a wisp of smoke.


    Through the purple array outside the carriage, he gazed into the distance and faintly made out a wisp of grey smoke rising from a distant mountaintop.


    There lay a settlement of West Continent people, no doubt the Keken City they were heading for.


    He whistled softly, and the purple magic slowly retracted to the outside of the carriage.


    The horses, woken up, shook their tails and went down to the river to drink.

 Chapter 9 - 9 9

    ?9: 9.


    Tail 9: 9.


    Tail ¡°Tap, tap, tap!¡±


    A gust of wind passed as Fisher¡¯s carriage wobbled into view, appearing in front of Keken City, which was still undergoing road repairs.


    The newly completed city walls faced uneven, muddy terrain scattered with cart and hoof prints.


    Guards holding guns patrolled the entrance, and numerous farmers laden with produce queued at the gate awaiting entry.


    Countless posters adorned the city gate, heralding the town and advertising local shops, featuring paintings of barely clad blond women along with shop addresses.


    A griffin flag fluttered above the city, catching Fisher¡¯s eye beneath the brim of his hat.


    Lucky for him, it was a Nali city.


    Had it been a Schwali or Kado city, as a Nali citizen he would have had to pay an entry fee and probably taxes as well.


    Fisher gently tapped his horse¡¯s rump to move forward.


    ¡°Respected gentleman, please present your identity documents.¡±


    At the gate, a bearded soldier holding a musket coughed respectfully, asking Fisher to show his documents.


    Behind him, several eager young soldiers eyed Fisher¡¯s intricately patterned carriage, seemingly impatient.


    However, once Fisher produced his ¡°South Continent Travel Permit¡± and ¡°Citizen Certificate¡± issued by the Nali Government, the leading officer signaled the others, who, disappointed, returned to their posts to chat.


    ¡°So you are from Saint Nali, sir.


    Have a pleasant stay and welcome to Keken City¡­


    Next!¡±


    Fisher glanced at him imperceptibly, retrieving his documents.


    His carriage passed through the city gate arch followed by a burgundy carriage, clearly belonging to someone from Schwali, where deep red was favored even in wedding attire.


    The same document check occurred, but this time the young men behind were busier.


    Fisher averted his gaze, pulled his hat lower, and ignored the ongoing activity behind him.


    The city¡¯s roads were yet unfinished, littered with filthy mud and drainage from shops.


    In cities on the South Continent, the priority was to construct walls and shops; other amenities could wait, resulting in somewhat embarrassing sanitary and living conditions.


    But it was bearable, and Fisher didn¡¯t plan to stay long.


    ¡°Sir, please look here; we have a night rest inn, free care for horses and carriages, and in the morning, warm water and a towel are provided, all for just 50 euros per night, with discounts for long-term bookings!!¡±


    ¡°Authentic Saint Nali cuisine!¡±


    ¡°South Continent natives!


    Saint Nali ladies!


    Schwali sisters!


    Sir, are you alone tonight?¡±


    The carriage moved slowly, and all along the way, shop boys ran after it, pitching their establishments to Fisher.


    Of course, there were also promotions for eateries and brothels, each frantically highlighting their uniqueness.


    Fisher paid them no mind and gently tapped the rear of the carriage with his hand cane, waiting for the door to be opened.


    Suddenly, he pressed his hand against the door, preventing it from opening fully,


    ¡°This is a human city, stay inside for now.¡±


    ¡°But you were the one who knocked.¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After Fisher spoke in Dragon Language, the force pushing the door gradually ceased, with only a pair of emerald eyes peeking through the gap.


    ¡°¡­


    After buying some food and feeding them, go to the second room on the left to find a set of clothes to wear, then follow me to buy supplies.¡±


    The eyes assessed him briefly before silently retreating back into the carriage, likely to inform her partner.


    As his carriage was equipped with Space Magic, he didn¡¯t need to stay in an inn¡¯s room, but he still needed a place to park his carriage.


    So, he summoned a boy from an establishment that allowed carriage parking only, and had him lead the way.


    Once the carriage was backed into a corner of the rudimentary ¡°Horse Parking,¡± he finally opened the rear carriage door.


    Many travelers¡¯ carriages were parked here, some residents being the drivers themselves.


    Fisher deliberately picked the most distant corner to avoid any discovery of his carriage¡¯s contents.


    He ordered the chef at the hotel to prepare a meal for five people and a bread meal for one; the dragons¡¯ meal alone nearly cost 100 euros, making Fisher grimace as he paid.


    The money had come from an unfortunate fellow named Orn, whom Fisher had simply intended to ask for leads on the Red Dragon People.


    Unexpectedly, the informer-cum-buyer decided to double-cross him, leaving Fisher no choice but to tearfully accept all his possessions.


    Fearing the costs of his stay in the South Continent might be high, Fisher had brought almost all his assets, but every time he paid out, his facial expression grew more rigid, as if it were causing him physical pain.


    There were plenty of ways to make money in this era, but none seemed to suit him.


    It appeared the Mother Goddess did not intend for him to have financial luck this year, making his fiscal situation the worst phase of his life.


    Fisher received the heaping platter of turkey and, under the horrified gaze of the hotel staff, steadily carried seven plates back to his carriage.


    He had barely opened the carriage door when a cacophony erupted from within, making him feel as though he had walked into a cotton factory near Saint Nali.


    ¡°This definitely isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to be worn; I think it should be turned inside out¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see!


    These are human clothes; no wonder there¡¯s no gap for a tail.


    That¡¯s why we couldn¡¯t find the correct way to wear them!¡±


    Apart from Lord Raphael, Fasher was likely the next brightest of their group.


    Despite her youthful naivety, she often noticed things her partners missed, like the current situation.


    Just by listening to the conversation inside, Fisher could roughly guess the kind of ¡°disaster¡± unfolding.


    He descended the steps, carrying the turkey, and indeed, faced with the chaotic dressing room, he suddenly wanted to rub his brow but realized he didn¡¯t have a third hand.


    Apart from a few chattering Dragon Ladies, what caught Fisher¡¯s attention next was a long red tail.


    Following the tail up to where it connected to the spine, skipping over some smooth red scales, he saw a back covered in pale cream-like skin, scarred with faint red marks.


    Even from the back, Fisher could still catch a glimpse of the broad, soft outline ahead.


    Lord Rafael turned around in a panic towards Fisher, his tail lifting slightly, but possibly recalling something, he quickly lowered it again to cover his lower half.


    ¡°Human clothes don¡¯t suit me well.¡±


    Fisher collected the scene in his eyes without any outward reaction, before shifting his focus to the white shirt and trousers on her, which hung like tattered rags.


    He had already prepared suitable clothing for these Dragon People and sealed them in the dressing room using Dragon Language.


    Why hadn¡¯t she found them?


    ¡°You, come and get your lunch first, one serving each, don¡¯t take more.¡±


    ¡°Yummy!¡±


    ¡°Lar!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, Mier, you must have spoiled her.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Lar was the most excited; just moments ago she was fiddling with clothes on the ground, but now seeing food, she hurried over, wanting to be the first to eat.


    Her companion couldn¡¯t hold her back and had to drop the clothes they were handling to come eat.


    Their chicken had all been handed out, and after setting aside Rafael and his own portions, Fisher finally had the space to walk into the dressing room to help Rafael with her clothing.


    He saw her claws had ripped through the holes of the white shirt, bursting the seams that once fit, and she simply draped her upper body with a long shirt that only covered the front, possibly stuck, restricting her arms¡¯ movement.


    Thus, large patches of red Dragon Scales appeared in Fisher¡¯s view.


    ¡°I should have written the instructions for your clothes in Dragon Language right here.


    Why did you scramble through everything?¡±


    Rafael couldn¡¯t see Fisher¡¯s figure, just feeling his voice very close behind, even his breath felt by her scales.


    Strangely, although Dragon People¡¯s scales are typically very hot, at that moment her sensation of the breath on her scales felt extremely hot.


    ¡°It was¡­


    it was Lar who came in first..¡±


    She felt a bit embarrassed, especially looking at the messy dressing room around her.


    Fisher didn¡¯t respond but bent down to find among the clothing spread on the floor a box labeled in Dragon Language,


    ¡°Dragon lady¡¯s clothing.¡±


    Fortunately, the contents inside weren¡¯t taken out by Lar the troublemaker, otherwise, it would be impossible to repair them on the South Continent.


    ¡°You shoved your head into the sleeve of the clothes; that¡¯s why it got stuck¡­


    Hold the clothes, and slowly pull your head out,¡± he suggested.


    Fisher reached out to hold the long shirt hanging between her neck and red hair, and upon contact with her neck, her body suddenly shivered, followed by her thick dragon tail instinctively gently wrapping around Fisher¡¯s waist, causing him to look down in surprise.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Rafael¡¯s scales slightly opened, emitting a bit of hot steam, but to Fisher, it felt warm, not burning like that night, so he didn¡¯t withdraw his fingers.


    The next second, the entire room fell into a second of silence, no movement, no speech, Fisher just felt a long tail gently tugging at his body, her red hair falling over his chest, but he couldn¡¯t see any of her expressions.


    Unprecedentedly, he was stunned for a second, before relaxing his expression and softly reminding,


    ¡°¡­Your tail.¡±


    ¡°!!¡±


    But that remark seemed to open a steam valve as if in a factory machine.


    The familiar scorching steam burst uncontrollably from Rafael¡¯s body, her previously gently wrapped tail at her waist suddenly thrust outward, causing Fisher to stagger back abruptly.


    But he was still holding the cloth wrapped around her neck.


    ¡°Rip!¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Predictably, at the moment the clothing tore apart, Fisher fell backward, and Rafael also fell forward dramatically, instantly two loud sounds echoed in the dressing room.


    ¡°You¡­you¡­you-you¡­¡±


    Her red tail gently shook in the front covering her body as she fell, Rafael adjusted her posture, leaning in the corner of the dressing room, her intelligent red tail protectively wrapping around her.


    While Fisher stared vacantly at the ceiling, not looking in her direction, the next moment it was Lar, with her mouth dripping, heard the commotion and hopped over, entering his view.


    ¡°Wow!


    Lord Rafael has fallen, Fisher has fallen too!


    Mier, come quickly, it must be because Lord Rafael¡¯s tail is too big, it won¡¯t fit in the clothes!


    I told you so, no one believed me!¡±


    It seems that even without research time, some information about Dragon People can be revealed.


    He sat up, turned his head silently and tossed the clothes still in his hand to Rafael, who was sitting on the ground.


    ¡°There are instructions inside, this time you should be able to wear it properly, do not let Lar plan for you again.¡±


    Ironically, he suddenly found himself expecting Rafael to assault him and then fail to await punishment¡­


    He took a glance at Lar next to him, who unbelievably stared back and then showed a hint of grievance; he reached out, ruffled her head, picked up a piece of bread, and headed outside the carriage.

 Chapter 10 - 10 10

    ?10: 10.


    Keken 10: 10.


    Keken Mr.


    Fisher lit a cigarette at the door.


    Clad in a well-fitted black suit paired with his youthful and handsome appearance, the surrounding coachmen couldn¡¯t help but glance sideways.


    They wondered what kind of noble family could attract such a gentleman to willingly work as a coachman?


    At that moment, various speculations surfaced in their minds, unbeknownst to Mr.


    Fisher himself.


    Before he had finished his cigarette, the carriage door slowly opened, revealing a simple skirt.


    Although the color was plain, the style was appropriate and could certainly be considered ladylike, if one could ignore the dragon tail hanging down from the skirt and her bold stance.


    ¡°Very nice, it seems my design skills are still on point¡­¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher glanced at Rafael who was also looking at her own body, making such a remark.


    But obviously, with the dragon-man¡¯s brain, she couldn¡¯t understand the human preference for such clothes.


    She felt the attire more cumbersome than armor, with so much fabric that even her tail couldn¡¯t stretch comfortably.


    ¡°The tail still doesn¡¯t feel quite right.¡±


    Indeed, human taste was the worst.


    Seeing her lift her tail again, unnaturally lifting the back of her skirt, Mr.


    Fisher pointed at her back with a frustrated face.


    ¡°Keep your tail still, let it hang¡­


    This outfit is already the most suitable for you, and it won¡¯t affect your combat abilities.


    Once your wounds heal, you should be able to run at full strength in a day or two, but if you can¡¯t resist acting today, I can accept that¡­


    Have you put on the underwear?¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s gaze fell on her tail hanging between the skirts, and for some reason, Rafael could always hear a lot of expectations in his tone, which made her suspect that he had some trap waiting for her.


    ¡°Underwear¡­


    what is that?¡±


    Rafael glanced at Mr.


    Fisher, then spoke with a bit of confusion.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher didn¡¯t respond but simply stretched out his index fingers and drew a triangle in the air before looking at her seriously.


    Rafael opened her mouth as if she hadn¡¯t caught on yet, then suddenly her tail shot up and she shouted,


    ¡°I¡¯m wearing it!


    I¡¯m wearing it!


    Isn¡¯t it on your instructions!!¡±


    She became somewhat embarrassed and angry, and steam began seeping through her clothes while the screeching sound startled the coachmen at the Horse Parking, who were taking a noon nap, causing them to look up.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, come with me.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher slightly curved the corners of his mouth, put on his hat, and walked outside with his hand cane.


    This human¡­


    Rafael clenched her teeth.


    She felt a hopeless irritation towards Mr.


    Fisher, who teased her, only now realizing that the human hid a demon-like soul beneath his serious exterior, extremely annoying.


    She hadn¡¯t moved yet, but the man in front suddenly snapped his fingers, and the carriage lit up with a purple glow, isolating everything inside as if just to urge her to hurry up, which also startled Rafael.


    Once my wounds heal, I must kill him!


    Rafael silently affirmed her resolve to deal with the annoying human ahead but still flicked her tail and followed the footsteps of the man in front.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Leaving the Horse Parking, Mr.


    Fisher moved swiftly, passing countless travelers along the way¡ªnewsboys, soldiers, and of course, the little lads they had already seen on the carriage.


    The area was still under construction, the roads muddy, with occasional sounds of carriages jostling and people chatting nearby.


    Despite it being noon, several ladies in pajamas lazed on the balcony of the second floor.


    Their pure white gowns barely covered their breasts, generously revealing their collarbones and shoulders.


    One lady with a pipe caught sight of the rushing Mr.


    Fisher, her eyes brightening as if a hawk had spotted its prey¡ªafter all, well-dressed, handsome gentlemen were always their favorite.


    The nights filled with romance and pleasure always yielded handsome rewards.


    Thus, she lightly plucked a rose planted on the adjacent balcony and dropped it as Mr.


    Fisher passed by.


    Mr.


    Fisher, sensing it, caught the falling rose.


    He slightly raised his hat brim, just in time to see the blonde lady on the second floor winking at him.


    Mr.


    Fisher kissed the rose towards the lady and made a gentlemanly gesture, causing the lady on the balcony to blush slightly, almost dropping her pipe from the second floor.


    ¡°What a gentle gentleman, such a pity¡­¡±


    Watching Mr.


    Fisher walking further away with the rose, she thought.


    Further away, Rafael, who had already reached the entrance of a shop, looked incredulously at Mr. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fisher selecting goods and asked,


    ¡°So, this is how your humans court each other?¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher picked up the fruit sold by the store and gently sniffed its scent before responding,


    ¡°Courting?¡±


    The disdainful look on Rafael¡¯s face beside him piqued his interest, so he handed the fruit back to the storekeeper and casually pointed to a few others as he said, ¡°This isn¡¯t about courting, it¡¯s just her way of attracting customers.


    To her, I¡¯m a bit special because of my appearance and attire, she thinks she can gain something in return through this method¡­


    She might do this with a dozen men every day, and occasionally one or two would be enticed up to spend the night together, only to be severely overcharged¡­¡±


    Rafael gaped, then said with extreme surprise,


    ¡°Wait, you mean¡­


    she would do that kind of thing?


    And with so many¡­


    so many people?¡±


    ¡°If by ¡®that kind of thing¡¯ you aren¡¯t referring to something else, then yes, that¡¯s about the size of it¡­¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher paid the storekeeper, took the fruits and flowers, and placed them all into Rafael¡¯s hands, turning her into a sort of storage rack, though she was still engrossed in the conversation they just had and had not yet noticed.


    Rafael shuddered all over, as uncomfortably as a human getting goosebumps, even feeling reluctance to hold the flowers in her hand as if the roses were contaminated by something invisible.


    Mr.


    Fisher ignored her, carried his hand cane, and continued forward, interested in buying a magic item that could create fire, just like the one in his carriage.


    However, such items seemed scarce in this part of the South Continent, and the city¡¯s only magic shop merely sold some disposable magic items and raw materials.


    It seemed he would have to make one himself.


    Creating a magic item was extremely difficult and time-consuming, and if it weren¡¯t necessary, Mr.


    Fisher wouldn¡¯t want to do it at all.


    But since he had already driven that person away, he regretted not having her make more items, which could have just repaid his expenses on her.


    Mr.


    Fisher and Rafael, who was carrying the magic materials, came out of the store, and he picked up the next topic, chatting about her companions.


    Besides genuinely being interested in the Dragon-men, the most important thing was to keep Rafael talking so that she wouldn¡¯t realize that she was continually carrying things.


    It was a strategy that killed two birds with one stone.


    Initially, Rafael was reluctant to talk more since she still harbored a strong suspicion towards Mr.


    Fisher, but after Mr.


    Fisher shared some information about the human world, she, as if wanting to repay the information, mentioned some trivial matters of her tribe, especially about Lar.


    ¡°Lar, that guy, is the youngest child in their family, and also the most mischievous one among eleven siblings.¡±


    ¡°Eleven?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­


    their family has the fewest children in our tribe; missing Lar her mother would indeed be very sad¡­¡±


    ¡°The fewest?¡±


    Even Mr.


    Fisher, who had studied demi-humans for many years, couldn¡¯t help but blink in surprise upon hearing this peculiar information.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher!


    Mr.


    Fisher!


    Please wait a moment!¡±


    Just as Mr.


    Fisher and Rafael had just entered the main street and the topic had slowly shifted from the mischief-maker Lar to issues of childbirth, a man¡¯s voice speaking in Nali Language loudly called out from behind.


    Mr.


    Fisher turned around, only to see a luxury but restrained carriage stopped next to them.


    The carriage¡¯s curtain was drawn back, revealing a young man inside dressed in a Saint Nali suit, with a light beard and an excited expression on his face.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°It really is you!


    I¡¯m Keken, also a graduate of the Nali Royal Academy, two grades junior to you!¡±


    Seeing that it was Mr.


    Fisher, the bearded gentleman in the suit grew even more excited, hurriedly stepping past the coachman and jumping down from the carriage.


    So he was a student from the Nali Royal Academy; Mr.


    Fisher had completed his own university studies there, acquired his degree from that place, and was somewhat of a notably famous figure, so it was normal for the younger alumni to recognize him.


    ¡°I see, a pleasure to meet¡­


    is there something you need from me?¡±


    ¡°May I have the honor of inviting you to share a lunch with me?¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher shook his hand, but in the next moment, Keken grabbed Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s hand and wouldn¡¯t let go, shaking and pleading with him.


    His overwhelming enthusiasm caught Mr.


    Fisher a bit off guard, even making it hard for him to maintain his composure.


    Just as he was about to step back, he got pulled back by the hand Keken had seized.


    Wait a second¡­


    Keken?


    Isn¡¯t this place called Keken City?


    Is this guy the City Lord?


    Watching the overly excited and flushed face of Keken, Mr.


    Fisher seemed to think of something.


    Then, he gently pulled his hand from Keken¡¯s grasp, glanced at the bewildered Rafael beside him, nodded, and accepted the invitation.


    ¡°That would be troubling, but actually, I do have some things I¡¯d like to ask you about.¡±

 Chapter 11 - 11 11

    ?11: 11.


    City Lord Mansion 11: 11.


    City Lord Mansion ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, if possible I would have preferred to host you in the Saint Nali Elegance Restaurant¡­


    This city was built in such a short time, and there are many aspects that are still not perfected.¡±


    Fisher and Rafael followed Keken onto his carriage, which took them towards his ¡°City Lord Mansion.¡± It was a building more completed than others, situated at the center of the city streets, flanked by some banks and government offices of Saint Nali.


    The distance from where Fisher had been shopping was just a few streets away, so there was time for a little chat on the carriage.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, this is already considered a good city on the South Continent.¡±


    Fisher had traveled south from Cal Port and had passed many cities built by West Continent people.


    Keken¡¯s city was among the best.


    He remembered staying in some small cities where shootings occurred, and residents were killed; the perpetrator still wouldn¡¯t have been caught the next day, with the police giving up after a fruitless search.


    Fisher¡¯s praise made Keken somewhat embarrassedly scratch his head, Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That is too kind of you¡­


    May I ask where Mr.


    Fisher is planning to go now?


    Will you continue exploring southward, or¡­¡±


    ¡°My destination this trip is Cal Port, planning to return to the Western Continent from there.¡±


    Upon hearing Fisher¡¯s words, a look of disappointment crossed Keken¡¯s face, but he quickly thought of something and reminded Fisher,


    ¡°Ah, Cal Port likely hasn¡¯t had any ships returning to Nali in the past few months.


    If you want to leave from Cal Port, you have to go ashore at Schwali first, then head back to Nali from Schwali¡­


    I¡¯ve heard that the port¡¯s contract with the Nali Government expired, and the Council members aren¡¯t very satisfied with the annual fee Cal Port is asking for, both parties are still discussing how much the fee should be for this year.¡±


    Fisher was momentarily stunned, then sighed helplessly.


    It wouldn¡¯t surprise him whatever shenanigans the Council members were up to.


    It reminded him of a proverb passed down from student to professor at the school,


    ¡°The Council¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Put together, all members of the Council don¡¯t equal one complete brain.¡±


    He was just about to utter the words, but Keken had already beaten him to it.


    Then, seeing Fisher¡¯s reaction, Keken chuckled,


    ¡°Indeed, the tradition of the Royal College is such¡ªto criticize the Council.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s based on the premise that the Council always provides something to criticize.¡±


    Beside them, Rafael, who didn¡¯t understand the conversation, leaned close to the window nearer to Fisher, looking out.


    Suddenly seeing something, Fisher noticed out of the corner of his eye her pupils become slit-like and her scales stand on end.


    This sudden action startled Keken inside the carriage; he looked towards Fisher,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, is this the slave you purchased here?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­


    a research subject, you needn¡¯t mind¡­¡±


    Fisher didn¡¯t say much more, following Rafael¡¯s gaze outside, he saw several cages erected along the street.


    Outside the cages, a bandage-wrapped man was soliciting customers.


    Inside the cages, as expected, were a few demi-humans, likely captured by local hunters.


    In the topmost cage, a young male Dragon-man Species cowered in a corner, his body covered with wounds.


    Fisher saw Rafael¡¯s claws tightly gripping the window frame and understood what was going through her mind.


    However, Fisher merely took note and without a word turned his head back to Keken, continuing with the previous subject.


    ¡°If Mr.


    Fisher still wishes to go directly by ship to Nali, I suggest heading in the direction of Philone City to the northwest after leaving from here.


    Krit Port, to the north of Philone City, still has a contract with the government.


    And¡­¡±


    A hint of envy appeared on Keken¡¯s face,


    ¡°Philone City is the most bustling city on the entire South Continent, and it doesn¡¯t fall short even when compared to Saint Nali.¡±


    Saint Nali?


    Mr.


    Fisher felt a wave of doubt arise in his heart upon hearing the other¡¯s description.


    No matter how early one arrived, Philone City had been constructed in no more than five years, and yet its reputation allowed people to compare it with Nali¡¯s capital, Saint Nali.


    Should one say that the Council¡¯s governance was just too poor, or that Philone City¡¯s governance was simply too good?


    ¡°I see, I understand now; thank you for the heads-up.¡±


    Keken nodded with a smile, gesturing that there was no need for politeness.


    The carriage had already passed the street where demi-humans were sold, so Rafael withdrew his gaze.


    However, his pupils remained contracted, and his entire dragon demeanor seemed ready to leap into action, causing Keken to shift uncomfortably toward the coachman.


    Would he have jumped out of the carriage had he known that the article on Rafael¡¯s slave status had been revoked by Mr.


    Fisher?


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, Mr.


    Fisher.¡±


    The carriage slowed to a halt at the gate of the City Lord Mansion, where the somewhat lazy-looking guards with rifles stood up straighter.


    Leading Mr.


    Fisher and Rafael into the mansion, a woman with black hair and black eyes dressed in a cream-colored long dress stood gracefully at the entrance.


    Upon seeing Mr.


    Fisher and his company, she curtsied with ladylike grace,


    ¡°Welcome.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher also gave a gentlemanly bow, while Keken walked up to the woman and introduced her with a lift of his hand,


    ¡°This is my wife, Dora¡­


    This gentleman here is Mr.


    Fisher, a distinguished gentleman renowned in Saint Nali.


    I am hosting him for lunch; would you kindly let the chefs know to prepare a bit more?


    Ah, and also tell your sister.¡±


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll go right away.¡±


    Dora smiled shyly, gave a slight curtsy, and then left.


    Mr.


    Fisher glimpsed the two rings on Keken¡¯s hand and couldn¡¯t help but ask with a smile,


    ¡°Is she from Kado?¡±


    Kado, along with Nali and Schwali, was one of the three major nations of the West Continent and was known for its nearly ascetic religious atmosphere.


    The source of the religion currently worshiped in Schwali and Nali originated primarily from Kado, but they had made some adaptations, which led Kado to not recognize their religious orthodoxy.


    However, Schwali and Nali didn¡¯t really care; after all, not everyone can endure praying daily and bathing in Holy Water, nor choosing specific days for conjugal relations with their spouses, with separate sleeping arrangements on other nights to prevent the ¡°inversion of sun and moon¡±¡­


    In short, it was an extremely conservative nation, but, surprisingly, it was also the birthplace of Magic.


    After reforms several decades ago, Kado had changed a lot; otherwise, Mr.


    Fisher wouldn¡¯t have been able to learn from the ¡°Magic Books Complete Explanation¡± compiled by Kado scholars at the Royal College.


    Black hair and black eyes were characteristic of its residents, and Dora was just like that.


    ¡°Ah, yes, both Dora and her sister are,¡± he said with a gentlemanly smile, glancing at the rings on his hand.


    ¡°Back then, Kado¡¯s theological college exchanged students with our school, heh heh¡­¡± his voice trailed off.


    ¡°Although the South Continent has many faults, it still has some advantages.


    For example, its virtually non-existent marriage laws.¡±


    Here, there was no legal committee to pursue whether you were practicing polygamy.


    As long as you paid the Council, they would grant you permission to establish a city¡ªalthough the Council had never actually declared sovereignty over this continent, nor did anyone know why they presumed to do so.


    However, Schwali and other minor nations did the same; the Council might not be proficient in many matters, but it surely knew how to follow by example.


    This resulted in a rather confusing territorial situation in the South Continent.


    For the most part, people considered cities the boundary markers, with the wilderness beyond being deemed public¡­


    along with the demi-humans living there, all regarded as a public resource.


    Mr.


    Fisher glanced at Rafael, who was standing behind him, vigilantly surveying the opulent decor inside the City Lord Mansion as if trying to spot poison spikes or traps with her eyes.


    After a thorough search and finding nothing, she began to yawn, fighting off sleepiness.


    ¡°Lunch will be ready soon; please come this way, Mr.


    Fisher, and rest awhile.¡±


    Keken respectfully approached, took the hand cane and hat from Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s hands, and hung them on their designated coat rack before leading Mr.


    Fisher toward the direction of the dining room.

 Chapter 12 - 12 12

    ?12: 12.


    His Past 12: 12.


    His Past The luncheon prepared by Keken for Mr.


    Fisher could be described as luxurious.


    Although the luxury by South Continent standards was somewhat lacking for a gentleman who had lived in Saint Nali all year round, it at least showed Keken¡¯s enthusiasm.


    Two bottles of unopened authentic Nali West Coast wine were brought to the table by servants.


    Mr.


    Fisher and Keken sat at opposite ends of a rectangular table, signifying that they were the focus of this luncheon.


    On one side sat two similar-looking, elegantly dressed ladies with black hair and black eyes.


    Their serene smiles were sweet like lilies blooming by the side of a church.


    On the other side sat an uneasy Rafael.


    Catching a glimpse of two smiling human women opposite her, their postures light and legs modestly covered, even a Dragon-man would find such sitting positions graceful and beautiful.


    Thus, she awkwardly let her tail hang and, breaking custom, kept her legs still, maintaining her posture.


    But such a pose seemed more tiring than fighting, and soon she became uncomfortable, her tail behind her starting to sway slightly as proof.


    She knew she should not have followed Mr.


    Fisher here, but¡­


    Suddenly, she thought of the young Dragon-man Species she had seen in the cage in the carriage, who, despite being so young, was suffering because of humans.


    What she was thinking was unknown to others, but it was precisely because of such thoughts that she momentarily forgot the discomfort of her sitting position, preventing dinner from being too impolite.


    According to normal rules, Rafael, who was ostensibly a slave, should by no means be seated at this table.


    However, Keken held Mr.


    Fisher in such high regard that, no matter how Mr.


    Fisher declined, Keken still offered him the head seat and even arranged one for Rafael.


    A great man¡¯s Slave is not my slave; in terms of saving face, Keken missed nothing.


    ¡°To this glass of wine, a toast to the legend of our Royal College, Mr.


    Fisher!¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher instructed the waiter not to pour wine for Rafael, who knew what she would turn into after drinking.


    After the other guests¡¯ glasses were filled with the golden ambrosia, Keken raised his glass first and said this to Mr.


    Fisher.


    ¡°That¡¯s really too much praise.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher also raised his glass, but he dared not agree with the ¡°legend¡± part, adding, ¡°If Principal Damien knew what you called me, his beard would spiral from anger.¡±


    Keken set down his glass, laughing,


    ¡°His beard has already spiraled, since¡­


    um, let me think, it was something from a couple of years ago, you know?


    Ever since King-sanctioned Saint Nali University began enrolling students, the old man has stopped attending the annual alumni gatherings.


    Now, the topics of those meetings are all about that new school, overshadowing Royal College completely.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher was aware of the establishment of the new University in Saint Nali, a comprehensive university founded under the king¡¯s supervision.


    It probably also reflected a realization that the previous teaching contents of the Royal College were too rigid and outdated for current developments, hence the recruiting of many new talents for this new institution.


    Many of these professors were deemed lowly by the Royal College, such as those old parts who researched steam engines, chemistry, and physics principles.


    ¡°Yes¡­


    but I haven¡¯t been back to Saint Nali in a long time, so I don¡¯t know how things are there¡­


    I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here.


    Your speech at the graduation ceremony, I remember it vividly.


    You dared to call the principal and dean ¡®decaying bones of the old era,¡¯ hahaha, our batch of freshmen were all frightened by you.¡±


    Keken¡¯s tolerance for alcohol wasn¡¯t very good.


    He had just had a drink and his face was already flushed, yet he still spiritedly began to speak.


    Rafael thought he was about to breathe fire, her careful posture lost once again as she warily watched him.


    ¡°Haha¡­


    at least they gave me a diploma¡­¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher also suddenly thought of those past events.


    Six years ago, at twenty-two, he was full of youthful verve.


    Although he still despised those decayed old antiques today, he would definitely not attack someone personally without leaving any room for face as he had before.


    After all, many things are pointless to say and only serve to leave obstacles for oneself.


    However, the bounding joy of youth now feels quite pleasant when brought up by Keken as a topic of conversation.


    ¡°You were the top student of the advanced academy back then, a treasure in the eyes of many professors.


    If they dared not to issue your diploma, I bet their office would have been flooded with complaint letters the next day.¡±


    The waiter poured another glass of wine for Keken, which he quickly drank, his face growing redder by several shades.


    He didn¡¯t know what he was thinking of, but his eyes grew somewhat desolate, and he sighed and said,


    ¡°Back then, all the freshmen of our year idolized you, but after I started my studies, I realized I couldn¡¯t become someone like you¡­


    I¡¯m not only foolish but also cowardly, incapable of doing anything right¡­¡±


    His tolerance for alcohol was really poor; after just two drinks, his emotions were spilling out, and at that moment, he was nearly shedding tears.


    Dora, his wife sitting beside him, hurriedly handed a handkerchief to him to wipe away the teardrops, S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You have exceptional talent and enjoy a great reputation¡­


    And me?


    Besides my family¡¯s million inheritance, besides the city that my family bought for me with money, besides my two beautiful and kind wives, what else do I have that¡¯s truly praiseworthy?¡±


    The two beautiful women beside him hurriedly cast comforting gazes at him, and Dora, who was closest to him, directly took his hand, allowing him to softly smile and held onto her tender hands in return.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fisher¡¯s fingers clutching the glass suddenly stiffened, and he pursed his lips, the taste of the steak in his mouth no longer seeming so savory.


    He couldn¡¯t tell if this guy was just being pretentious or if his emotions were truly showing, but after seeing the flickering gaze in his eyes, Fisher still believed it was genuine, otherwise he would really have to use his hand-cane to give this annoying younger colleague a good thrashing.


    ¡°Ah¡­


    Why am I talking about these unpleasant things?


    I¡¯m truly sorry; I can¡¯t hold my liquor well.¡±


    Keken rubbed his temples, and then he declined the waiter¡¯s offer to pour him more wine.


    Once his gaze cleared a bit, he glanced at Rafael, who was using his claws to cut his meat,


    ¡°So, Mr.


    Fisher, are you currently conducting research on demi-humans?


    Is it in biology or sociology?¡±


    ¡°Both.


    I am very interested in the demi-humans of the South Continent and the Western Continent.¡±


    Fisher mentioned briefly, but Keken did not seem to show any corresponding interest.


    Demi-humans were viewed so lowly in the eyes of humans that, in his view, even as slaves, humans were much nobler than demi-humans, for at least humans could communicate, right?


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    He tapped his ring-embellished fingers on the table, his expression revealing a hint of contemplation, as if considering something.


    Fisher continued cutting his steak, not looking at him, but suddenly said,


    ¡°Is there something?


    If you need help, just ask, and I will do what I can to solve it for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­


    No, you misunderstand.¡±


    Keken, still in thought, was interrupted by Fisher and, upon hearing the latter¡¯s words, hurriedly explained with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.


    Just that I thought you might find it interesting, or at least it¡¯s something I¡¯ve never encountered before.


    I¡¯ve invited doctors and scholars from the Western Continent to take a look, and they also said they have never seen it before¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Fisher temporarily stopped cutting his steak and looked with interest across the table at Keken.


    Keken cleared his throat and mysteriously said to Fisher,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, I wonder if you¡¯ve ever heard of the Mad Blue Disease?¡±

 Chapter 13 - 13 13

    ?13: 13.


    Mad Blue Disease 13: 13.


    Mad Blue Disease ¡°Mad Blue Disease?¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher chewed over the term, which sounded extremely awkward in Nali Language, and spoke up with some confusion.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Keken first bit into a steak, then rapidly swallowed it before continuing, ¡°Have you ever seen someone go mad, becoming like a simple beast?¡±


    ¡°You mean, like some kind of mental illness?¡±


    Keken, however, shook his head, as if a terrifying image had come to mind, causing him palpable distress,


    ¡°What if the person¡¯s eyes, nostrils, and ears all oozed blue liquid?


    While in a frenzy, trying to bite into your flesh with a mouth full of blue liquid¡­


    as if we taste delicious¡­¡±


    Countless diseases recorded in medical texts flashed through Fisher¡¯s mind, yet none matched.


    During his extensive education, such a condition had never appeared in the Western Continent.


    It didn¡¯t sound like a purely psychological disorder.


    How should one explain the blue liquid?


    Was it poisoning, or an infection by something else?


    His curiosity quickly peaked, and after wiping his mouth, he addressed Keken,


    ¡°Interesting¡­


    tell me more about it, how many samples, and what is their current condition?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let me think¡­¡±


    Had Keken known they were to discuss serious matters, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have drunk so much.


    The alcohol, like an adhesive, slowed his thoughts, recalling details as painfully as winding a rusted spring.


    Then again, it was the drinking that reminded him of this matter.


    Otherwise, he would never have brought up such a troublesome subject during a pleasant reunion.


    Fortunately, Fisher was patient.


    While Keken pondered, he took the opportunity to observe the absent-minded Rafael.


    Turned out, Keken¡¯s two ladies were curiously observing her, making her adjust her sitting pose awkwardly.


    But her flamboyant way of eating rendered such attempts to appear refined too late.


    Several seconds passed before Keken resumed the topic.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, about a month or two ago, we just received our first such patient.


    It was a city doctor who reported to me¡­


    she suspected a new contagious disease and came to ask for my opinion.¡±


    ¡°So, after the report, did anyone else get infected?¡±


    Upon hearing Fisher¡¯s question, Keken shook his head,


    ¡°No, after I learned about it, I immediately isolated the first patient in a cell, along with the doctors and nurses who had contact with him.


    But a month passed with no sign of infection, so I had to release those doctors and nurses.


    Yet, cases kept arriving from outside the city, and up to now, there are already over a dozen, all locked up in the city¡¯s cells.¡±


    Fisher pinched his fingers, pondering diseases that could cause such symptoms, but few could meet both conditions¡ªespecially the oozing of blue liquid from all orifices.


    ¡°Fascinating¡­


    take me to see the cells then.


    Perhaps we¡¯ll discover something new.¡±


    ¡°Are you interested?


    That¡¯s great!


    Why not set out now?


    Dora, go arrange the carriage; we¡¯ll go take a look right away.¡±


    With Fisher¡¯s affirmation, Keken was visibly excited.


    As Dora left to prepare the carriage, Fisher briefly mentioned to Rafael about visiting the cells to examine the peculiar disease.


    Fisher thought the disease, being confined to the South Continent, might be caused by something endemic to the region, so he casually inquired with Rafael.


    Knowing they were departing, she was more than willing.


    Those two human women had nearly driven her scales to stand on end¡ªany longer, and her rear would have stiffened like a slab of iron.


    When Fisher described the disease, she simply pursed her lips and responded,


    ¡°Dragon-men rarely fall ill; how would I know about your human diseases?¡±


    Fisher dismissed her slightly sharp tone; after all, he hadn¡¯t expected a reliable answer from Rafael in the first place.


    As they waited at the gate for Keken to return from the lavatory, Fisher used the moment to confirm through his hand cane that no one had approached his carriage.


    Only when he saw no light up or gaps in the purple stripe in the middle of the cane did he breathe a sigh of relief.


    It meant no one had tampered with the protective Emblem of the carriage, either from the inside or outside.


    If the carriage was his most precious possession, then this cane was his second most important.


    It bore many ready-made magic emblems, of various types and effects.


    Mages in this world could not cast spells instantaneously as in novels and myths, where merely chanting a few spells would trigger wondrous effects.


    After all, the essence of magic was to invoke the ¡°Reverberation¡± of the world through a Magic Circuit, and the more powerful the ¡°Reverberation,¡± the more complex the required Magic Circuit.


    Such a level of Magic Circuit could not be completed in a blink of an eye.


    Real mages often engraved their magic in certain places for future use.


    When danger or other situations arose, they would release their prepared Magic Circuits like using disposable items.


    ¡°Magic is not a fortunate miracle, but a rigorous structure.¡±


    This was Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s introductory speech for the first session of ¡°Basic Magic Theory¡± at the Royal College.


    Despite the pervasive decay of Saint Nali Royal Academy that he could hardly bear, he had to admit that there were many wise scholars there, from whom he had benefitted greatly.


    The handcanes Mr.


    Fisher held in his hands were engraved with all the Magic Circuits he possessed.


    Losing them would be a tremendous loss indeed.


    It probably hurt about ninety percent as much as losing a carriage.


    Mr.


    Fisher was making this odd comparison in his head.


    ¡°We¡¯ve kept you waiting, let¡¯s set off now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble.¡±


    Keken grabbed a towel to wipe his hands, then donned his suit jacket again and walked out with Mr.


    Fisher, while Rafael trailed beside Mr.


    Fisher, warily watching the two ladies who were smiling and waving at her.


    Truly strange humans.


    She thought as she flicked her tail.


    ¡°Speaking of which, things are hardly peaceful in the Western Continent¡­


    I¡¯ve heard the friction between Schwali and Nali has been getting worse lately.


    Even here in the South Continent, you can smell the gunpowder.


    People from Schwali next door have been visiting us less and less, and they¡¯ve also been shipping in a lot of weapons¡­¡±


    In the carriage, Keken rattled on about the affairs of the Western Continent.


    Mr.


    Fisher and Rafael looked out of the window, where they passed the marketplace that sold demi-human slaves again, only this time the slave trader was not hawking his goods but taking a small rest on a nearby chair.


    ¡°They do this every year.¡±


    ¡°No, Mr.


    Fisher, this time is serious¡­


    Schwali¡¯s new Queen is a sharp and capable woman.


    The development of the South Continent is an opportunity she¡¯s long-awaited.


    She no longer wants to play house with the Nali and Kado in the Western Continent.¡±


    ¡°¡­She¡¯ll have to deal with those nobles in her own country first, Nali and Kado won¡¯t let her have her way so easily.¡±


    While discussing this sort of gossipy political news, they were getting closer to the prison that Keken had mentioned.


    The prison was just a street away from where the demi-human slaves were sold.


    When they got off the carriage, Rafael looked in that direction for a long time, her expression indiscernibly somber.


    But she didn¡¯t speak, and Mr.


    Fisher didn¡¯t bring it up on his own accord.


    He slowly withdrew his gaze from Rafael and simply urged her to keep up, heading towards the jail.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, this way.


    I¡¯ve locked them up on the top floor, isolated from the other prisoners.¡±


    The conditions in the prison were abysmal; there was no coal lamp or any form of illumination, aside from an oil lamp at the guard station.


    The weather in the South Continent was humid, causing a thin mist of moisture to hang on the stone walls.


    In the depths of the dark cells, the dripping sounds echoed continuously.


    Mr.


    Fisher, holding his handcanes, followed Keken upstairs.


    The further up they went, the more distinctly they could hear the moaning and groaning that was barely audible below.


    It was the sound of humans but sounded utterly vacant, as if they were unconscious beasts.


    Unlike the lower levels, this area had more guard stations arranged by Keken, and torches were planted all around the cells, allowing Mr.


    Fisher to get a clearer view of the inside as he walked past the cells.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, look.¡±


    Heeding the instruction, Mr.


    Fisher peered inside through the light from the outside torches.


    He saw several figures in the spacious cell, murmuring in low tones as they sat or lay like zombies.


    Many were still wearing their original clothes, but after months of confinement, they were dirty and foul-smelling.


    Yet they seemed completely unaware of their condition, appearing emaciated and withered, their faces gaunt and twisted.


    ¡°Do they eat?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they do.


    They ingest raw meat and water unconsciously, but they have no cravings.


    If we don¡¯t feed them, they won¡¯t cry out.


    We¡¯ve already had one or two starve to death.


    They only react to¡­


    well, people.


    If someone gets too close, they¡¯ll attack in a frenzy.¡±


    It sounded like a monster crafted by a science fiction writer from Saint Nali¡ªbut they were real and right before their eyes.


    Mr.


    Fisher stood at the entrance of the cell, a bit too far to see details clearly.


    Yet, from the darkness, he could distinctly see the bright blue liquid dripping from those people¡¯s faces onto the floor of the cell.


    Rafael¡¯s pupils narrowed, her dragon-man vision allowing her to see the humans clearly in the darkness.


    Watching those pitiful humans, a twisted sense of pleasure arose in her heart, as if they were the ones tormenting her kin.


    But soon, she thought her feelings were foolish.


    Obviously, she could not muster any sympathy for the humans inside. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So she quickly lost interest and occasionally glanced at the intently focused Mr.


    Fisher, wondering if it would be possible to attack him at this point.


    But then even if she killed him, she would be captured by the other humans, right?


    Unaware of Rafael¡¯s thoughts, Mr.


    Fisher narrowed his eyes for a moment, then suddenly turned to Keken and said,


    ¡°Open the cell, I want to take a closer look.


    It¡¯s too far from here, and I can¡¯t see clearly.¡±

 Chapter 14 - 14 14

    ?14: 14.


    Anger 14: 14.


    Anger ¡°Are you sure?


    As I¡¯ve said before, they exhibit a certain aggressiveness towards the living.¡±


    ¡°No matter, even if they are somewhat aggressive, their physical condition no longer allows them to engage in any strenuous activities.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher looked at the nearly disassembled skeletons in the cells; if these people were still alive, it was a miracle given their minimal sustenance over the long term.


    Seeing Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s desire to enter, Keken eventually let the soldiers open the gate of the cell and passed him a torch, intending to go in with Mr.


    Fisher.


    ¡°Actually, you can stay outside; I can go in by myself.¡±


    Keken smiled,


    ¡°No worries, I can provide illumination with the torch, and answer any queries you might have on the spot.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher nodded and stepped into the dark and damp cell.


    Sensing the entry of a living person, the patients in the cells struggled to rise, but their frail bodies couldn¡¯t move an inch.


    They just writhed in place, staring at Mr.


    Fisher with their bulging eyes.


    A few patients, who had been in the cell for a shorter time and were still somewhat robust, struggled to crawl toward Mr.


    Fisher and reached out their hands in madness, but even so, they barely moved a step or two before running out of strength, only managing to roar helplessly in place.


    ¡°Have their identities been confirmed?¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher squatted beside an immobile patient.


    It was only when the torch was brought close that he saw the dried blue substance on the patient¡¯s face.


    Just as Keken had said, the blue liquid had seeped out of the patient¡¯s body.


    ¡°Ah, this¡­


    this is a bit complicated.


    These people come from all walks of life: farmers out in the fields, hunters, merchants from Schwali, and female servants who were traveling¡­


    They don¡¯t seem to have anything in common.


    Moreover, according to descriptions from their friends and family, they didn¡¯t visit the same places.


    In fact, many of them fell ill without ever leaving their homes.¡±


    The more Mr.


    Fisher listened, the deeper his brow furrowed, finding the details Keken described increasingly mysterious.


    If there were no commonalities, what could be causing the disease?


    ¡°The Western Continent hasn¡¯t had a corresponding disease before, right, Mr.


    Fisher?¡± Keken crouched down, holding the torch, and spoke to Mr.


    Fisher, ¡°If you¡¯re interested, you could include them in your new paper.


    Mad Blue Disease is just a name I made up.


    How about calling it Fisher¡¯s Mad Blue Disease?¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher was somewhat bemused,


    ¡°It¡¯s not me who¡¯s sick, why use my name for it?¡±


    Keken laughed too, and the torch flickered slightly, shifting the light in such a way that Mr.


    Fisher just caught sight of the patient¡¯s somewhat blackened blood vessels.


    Something wasn¡¯t quite right.


    Mr.


    Fisher seemed to have discovered something and borrowed a knife from a nearby soldier.


    He made a small cut on the patient¡¯s withered skin, and as they groaned numbly in pain, a blue, viscous liquid slid out of the wound and dripped onto the floor.


    ¡°Wait, is that blue liquid their blood?¡±


    Keken also noticed this, Mr.


    Fisher had earlier realized that something was off with their body color; he had thought it was due to insufficient nutrition, but it turned out that all the blood in their bodies had turned blue.


    The blood vessels and bodily functions seemed unaffected, with no other abnormalities except the blood turning blue.


    If that was the case, what about the Magic Circuit?


    Mr.


    Fisher suddenly thought of this.


    Every human has a complete Magic Circuit within their body, though unlike demi-humans like witches, a human¡¯s Magic Circuit comprises only a small part of the body.


    The academic community is still hotly debating the reasons behind the formation of Magic Circuits.


    There are two mainstream views: one is that the Magic Circuit is a much finer biological structure that cannot be observed due to the limited technology, so humans cannot see them with the naked eye and can only sense their presence; the other view is that the Magic Circuit is an entity independent of human biology, and its perceptibility is due to its origin from a deeper existence, such as the ¡°soul.¡±


    This line of thought flashed through Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s mind, and he suddenly held up his hand cane.


    At the end of the cane, a light halo with intricate engravings lit up and gently touched the patient¡¯s skin.


    But in the next moment, the full glow of the magic light disappeared without a trace upon contact with the patient¡¯s body, causing Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s expression to change slightly.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, what is this?¡±


    Hearing Keken¡¯s puzzlement, Mr.


    Fisher didn¡¯t speak but merely touched the glowing hand cane to Keken¡¯s trousers.


    This time the light from the cane followed a winding but complete path up Keken¡¯s body.


    Then the light circled inside his body and returned to Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s hand cane.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Keken breathed a comfortable sigh and when he opened his eyes again, the haze from the alcohol had completely disappeared, ¡°Is this¡­


    Healing Magic?¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher nodded, his expression turning extremely grave,


    ¡°The Magic Circuits in these patients have disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Gone¡­


    disappeared?¡±


    Keken was almost shocked speechless.


    Humanity had not yet understood the formation of Magic Circuits, nor had they managed to observe the presence of Magic Circuits using non-magical means; yet now, right before their eyes, there was a disease that could completely strip away a human¡¯s Magic Circuits.


    And the reason Mr.


    Fisher had never encountered such a disease was that they had never come across a case where Magic Circuits had disappeared, nor did they know what would happen to a human without Magic Circuits.


    ¡°If those Forbidden Magic Scholars of Schwali knew about this, it would definitely shatter their worldview.¡±


    After a silence, Keken muttered to himself.


    The Forbidden Magic Scholars of Schwali are an academic faction in the scholarly world, who, based on the view that using magic imposes a burden on the body, claim that magic is an action that consumes life, which has led to many viewpoints on the uselessness of Magic Circuits.


    Mr.


    Fisher stood up and said to Keken,


    ¡°The conditions here are too rudimentary, I¡¯ll take some samples back to Saint Nali for a closer look.


    If I come to any conclusions, I¡¯ll contact you immediately.¡±


    Keken glanced at the simple surroundings and knew that even Fisher wouldn¡¯t be able to come to an immediate conclusion here.


    After collecting some of their blue blood and checking their Magic Circuit status with his handcane, Fisher prepared to take his leave from Keken temporarily.


    ¡°Are you only staying here for one day?¡±


    As they reached the bottom of the prison building, Keken still felt some regret, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay a few more days?


    I heard that the Kexie Ning Circus is currently touring the South Continent, and I was planning to go see it.¡±


    Faced with Keken¡¯s invitation, Fisher smiled.


    After all, he had just brought Rafael and the others out from Kexie Ning, and he wondered if that circus master named Colin would be scared enough to run away upon seeing him again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not, I still have other important matters to attend to,¡± he glanced at Rafael, who was looking in a certain direction, ¡°If there¡¯s a chance, invite me to the opera house after returning to Saint Nali.¡±


    ¡°The Black Mamba Palace would be more suitable.¡±


    He smiled like a gentleman; the Black Mamba Palace was a prestigious restaurant in Saint Nali, famous for Black Mamba Wine. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Previously, it was exclusively for the Royal Family¡¯s enjoyment, only becoming available to the public after the Council¡¯s reform, although it was expensive indeed.


    Fisher nodded, bid farewell to Keken, who was boarding the carriage, and then deliberately walked down the street that sold demi-human slaves.


    Rafael followed silently behind him.


    Despite the lively atmosphere on the street, the air between them turned eerily silent, like a heavy pool of water.


    ¡°Take a look at my goods, passersby, gentlemen ¡ª werewolves that guard homes and precious Dragon-man Species with blood and scales that are valuable treasures!¡±


    Fisher glanced at the trembling young Dragon-man Species in the cage, paused slightly as if waiting for something, but after a second or two, the silence remained.


    He pinched his hat and continued walking towards the Horse Parking, cane in hand.


    Rafael behind him looked at the slaves of the Dragon-man Species in the cages, clenching her fists till her claws dug in, her tail¡¯s tip tied in a small swirl ¡ª anyone familiar with the Dragon-man Species would recognize this as a prelude to an outburst.


    ¡°Go on, get out of here, Dragon-man Species slave; move away, don¡¯t block the road here.¡±


    Perhaps Rafael had stood in front of the cage for too long, the bandaged Hunter clicked his tongue and waved at her like shooing away a fly.


    She just lowered her head, steam beginning to emit from her clothes, frightening the Hunter who instinctively stepped back.


    ¡°You damn¡­


    Where is your master?


    Why let such a beast roam the streets!¡±


    ¡°Rafael¡­¡±


    Rafael¡¯s body stiffened, she twisted her head stiffly only to see Fisher looking sideways at her, speaking softly.


    She understood the meaning behind Fisher¡¯s words; the game belonged to the two of them.


    If she dared to strike at other humans, the game would no longer continue, and then Lar and the others¡­


    Rafael gritted her teeth as if she wanted to shatter them, bowed her head in silence, and even the haunting steam began to slowly abate.


    ¡°Ha¡­


    your damn master finally knows the trouble you mad dogs cause running around, stay away from me, or I¡¯ll call the soldiers to take that damn bastard away!¡±


    Watching this scene, the frightened slave trader next to him seemed to see her bound by a slave Seal, his expression turning to anger, and he pointed at Rafael and yelled.


    Although Rafael couldn¡¯t understand human language, she saw clear disgust in the Hunter¡¯s face.


    Damn damn damn damn damn damn!!


    Damn humans!


    Damn!!


    ¡°Roar!!¡±


    The steam on her body exploded, scalding the nearby slave trader and sending him flying.


    She could no longer contain herself, her clawed hands spread like five blades, her pupils contracted sharply, and she charged towards the tall, back-turned figure of Fisher.


    The rage in her heart seemed to burn her body to ashes, the whistling steam on her body caused passersby to retreat in fear, lest they were hurt by the enraged Dragon-man.


    Yet the gentleman directly in Rafael¡¯s view still didn¡¯t move.


    Fisher only looked back slightly towards her, his left hand on his hat brim.


    Under the pure black edge of the hat, his eyes were chillingly cold.

 Chapter 15 - 15 15

    ?15: 15.


    The so-called transaction 15: 15.


    The so-called transaction ¡°Ah!¡±


    Rafael charged at Fisher with her body steaming hot, and her red dragon tail streaked across the sky like lightning, fully unleashing the ferocity of the Dragon-man Species at that moment.


    As she had previously stated, all Dragon-men were born warriors, and that was no lie.


    However, the gentleman at the end of her attack showed no sign of panic.


    Instead, he glanced at the people scattering around to ensure they had put some distance between them before his body suddenly sank.


    He lifted the hand cane in his left hand, which aligned perfectly with her claw that was sharp as a blade.


    ¡°Rip!¡±


    Sparks flew from the hand cane as Rafael¡¯s claw, about to slice into Fisher the very next moment, was met with a fierce punch to her abdomen from Fisher, halting her terrifying cutting motion.


    Her body, propelled by inertia, flew backward.


    But Fisher caught her arm as she was about to be sent flying and yanked her back, tossing her to the ground with a turn.


    ¡°Cough cough¡­¡±


    Rafael looked down, covering her mouth as she coughed several times.


    Fisher¡¯s blow had been merciless, leaving her stomach in disarray.


    The pain, the sensation of tearing on her unhealed wound, and a mixture of humiliation and rage burned within her, causing her scales to bristle.


    Fisher glanced at her condition and waved to the curious onlookers around him to keep their distance, realizing that the little dragon¡¯s temper had not fully subsided yet.


    After the other citizens stepped back a few paces, Fisher then looked down and locked eyes with Rafael¡¯s angry green pupils.


    His own eyes showed no emotion, or perhaps it was just that Rafael, in her current state, could not discern any from him.


    The next second, her tail lifted slightly, her mouth opened enough for a deep breath.


    As she breathed in and out, a faint glow emanated from her red scales, causing Fisher to look askance.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    With the glow intensifying, her body leaped up, and she smashed a fierce punch straight for Fisher¡¯s face, which, unsurprisingly, was blocked by his hand cane.


    Unlike before, Rafael¡¯s attack was terrifyingly powerful.


    So much so that the hand cane itself lit up with a ring of Magic Emblems¡ªa Reinforcement Emblem Fisher had inscribed for the sake of strengthening the hand cane against more formidable attacks.


    He had not expected that it would be triggered by Rafael¡¯s punch.


    Feeling the immense force transmitted through the hand cane, Fisher took a step back and tilted the cane, deflecting the dragon-like strength.


    It seemed the Dragon-man Species had a way to momentarily enhance their physical capabilities, as shown by Rafael, whose scales visibly glowed.


    It was unclear whether it was because Rafael wasn¡¯t fully mature yet, but the light was faint, more like a reflection of the Sun on her body.


    Had Fisher not felt the immense strength himself, he would have been oblivious to the difference.


    While fighting Rafael, Fisher was deepening his research on the Dragon-man Species.


    After this assassination attempt ended, he might even unlock more content about the Dragon-man Species in the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual.


    His mind was racing, yet Fisher¡¯s actions in reality did not break.


    He dodged to the side and, with a swing of his hand cane, aimed for Rafael¡¯s body.


    The power of her punch was so great that, once the strength was deflected, she fell forward.


    She turned her head to see Fisher¡¯s move but felt a sudden pain in her arm¡ªthe place where Fisher had once tended to her wounds.


    Had the wound¡­


    split open?


    She had just had this thought when Fisher¡¯s staff came down on her back with the sound of rushing wind.


    ¡°Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Fisher hadn¡¯t used much strength, his blows were akin to those of a primary school teacher sternly striking a student¡¯s palm with a rod.


    Those three strikes struck her back, buttocks, and tail, causing her to lie in agonizing pain on the mud-soaked ground.


    ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡±


    The abdomen that Fisher had punched began to throb faintly again, and the pain in her calves and left hand grew even more intense, rendering her whole body sore and difficult to control.


    But even so, she struggled to try and stand up.


    It was only when Fisher¡¯s faint voice reached her,


    ¡°Think it over for yourself, was this assassination attempt a success or a failure?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, well done, such a stupid Dragon-man slave deserves¡­¡±


    The slave trader watching Rafael¡¯s miserable state quickly propped up his body, which had been frightened into weak knees due to the fight, and burst into laughter at Rafael sprawled on the ground, as if he was the one who had beaten her.


    But suddenly, he caught sight of Fisher¡¯s eyes, cold as an ice cave


    ¡°¡­.¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Bzzz bzzz bzzz!!¡±


    Rafael gritted her teeth wanting to struggle onto her feet but then saw the staff by Fisher¡¯s side suddenly light up with a deep white brilliance.


    Layers of halos circulated, not even waiting for all of the Magic Emblems to light up, Fisher flicked his staff causally, turning the light at its edge into a Light Blade that streaked past the Hunter¡¯s cheek faster than sound.


    That Light Blade emitted a buzzing sound akin to a bee, slicing his face as easily as cutting through vegetables, and in an instant, all the hunter¡¯s shotgun and luggage behind him were cleaved by such magic.


    By the time the Hunter realized what had happened, he felt his entire right face numb as if it had been injected with thousands of doses of anesthetic.


    He tremblingly touched it with his hand, only touching deep red blood on that sensationless skin.


    That Light Blade had left a gash on his face, making him think he had already been killed by that man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± The slave trader¡¯s legs gave out, and he fell backward, hitting his head on his shotgun, which had broke in two, but before he could even feel the pain, he frantically began to plead, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me¡­don¡¯t kill me¡­don¡¯t kill me¡­please¡­¡±


    Fisher, with an expressionless face, put down his staff, ignoring the Hunter, his voice cold as iron,


    ¡°Think it over for yourself, was this assassination attempt a success or a failure?¡±


    He was speaking to Rafael, repeating the question he had asked earlier.


    Rafael stared blankly at the magic-split wall, shotgun, and luggage, even the stone bricks of the nearby building had been cleanly sliced, yet not leaving a single Trace, attesting to the lethality of the magic.


    She opened her mouth but quickly bowed her head again, teeth clenched tightly, yet remaining silent.


    Rafael¡¯s body ached terribly, but it was the blow to her heart that was even more painful.


    ¡°I¡­


    I¡¯ve lost¡­¡±


    Her voice was thin, carrying a sob, as blurry as a little spirit in the wilderness, but Fisher heard her.


    Not knowing what expression the human had, Rafael only felt discomfort and sadness, for the helplessness of her clan being captured, and the pain of burning anger with nowhere to go, scorching her heart and lungs.


    The power of this human man made her suddenly doubt whether she could save not only the captured Dragon-man clansmen but also herself and Lar¡­


    ¡°Are you still able to walk?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Not responding to Fisher, Rafael hung her head low, even her tail, dragging in the mire, was still, as if struck by a terrible blow.


    ¡°Truly¡­¡±


    Following this simple utterance, a pair of strong hands suddenly grabbed Rafael¡¯s waist, hoisting the entire Dragon-man up.


    The mud that clung to her clothes dripped onto the human man¡¯s clean black suit, leaving conspicuous traces with every drop.


    The sight of Rafael biting her teeth entered Fisher¡¯s eyes.


    Her emerald eyes shed steamy teardrops, constant as the warmth of mountain springs.


    So, Dragon-men can cry after all.


    That¡¯s what Fisher thought.


    Just as Rafael felt immense embarrassment, Fisher reached over, placing his hat over her face, conveniently covering her tear-streaked visage.


    Her vision plunged into darkness, with just Fisher¡¯s voice remaining clear,


    ¡°Foolish¡­


    You attacked me in anger despite your wound not being healed, not only wasting my effort in dressing your wound but also wasting the chance to assassinate me¡­


    If a warrior of the Dragon-man Species is just a little dragon that dances with its emotions, then it seems there¡¯s no injustice in you being captured¡­¡±


    Detestable human¡­


    Detestable human¡­


    Rafael lightly grasped Fisher¡¯s suit; she wanted to cut open his chest with her claws but found that even a slight movement was a luxury for her.


    Because beneath that garment, the searing blood was trickling down through the bandages, the wound underneath fully split apart, perhaps even worsened by the recent fight.


    So, for now, she cannot kill this human¡­


    in his arms.


    ¡°You wish to save that Dragon-man but have utterly no means to do so.


    The only way to save him is me, yet you persistently refuse to speak to me¡­


    heh¡­¡±


    ¡°What makes you think you can help me save him?¡±


    Rafael finally remembered to retort and spoke up, but her voice was still tinged with a sob.


    ¡°Fair enough, after all, I¡¯m not a philanthropist.


    But it seems you¡¯re overlooking that you still have something to negotiate with me, like the chance to assassinate me¡­


    If you trade one such opportunity with me, I might just agree.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    In his embrace, Rafael seemed to feel Fisher moving towards the carriage.


    She pursed her lips in struggle, as if speaking to this human and interacting with him was an extremely difficult thing to do.


    His footsteps didn¡¯t falter, each step sounded like a death knell against Rafael¡¯s chest.


    The next second, her claws gripped Fisher¡¯s clothes, and his footsteps stopped along with her movement.


    Even though her face was covered by Fisher¡¯s hat, she seemed to feel so embarrassed that she unconsciously turned her face deeper into Fisher¡¯s chest, unable to speak to him directly.


    ¡°To exchange with you¡­


    save that child¡­¡±


    ¡°One assassination attempt?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°If you voluntarily accept the punishment, you¡¯ll face it twice now.


    And there are only two attempts left at me, are you sure about this?¡±


    The man sounded like a demon speaking, making Rafael¡¯s head tilt further into his embrace, unable to speak directly to him.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    She said so.


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    The next second, the hat was removed, and light returned to her view.


    They were standing in front of the cage that held the captive demi-humans.


    He hadn¡¯t gone back¡­


    Rafael suddenly realized.


    Fisher looked at the slave trader sitting on the ground, dumbstruck, and said,


    ¡°I want to buy that Dragon-man slave, for how much?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­


    Ah!


    That one!


    For free!


    For free!


    Please, just take him, take him!¡±


    The sight of this Death God-like figure approaching scared the slave trader witless, not daring to bargain, he would have knelt down and apologized if he could.


    Fisher nodded slightly, the sounds of the carriage from behind and city guards arriving at the scene filled the air, the guards, guns ready, formed lines and surrounded the area.


    ¡°Sir, please refrain from moving; this is Keken City¡¯s security squad.


    You are suspected of disturbing the peace, according to Nali and Keken City laws¡­¡±


    Many voices and noises from the humans behind her started to rise, and only then did Rafael¡¯s body and thoughts seemed to return to her, stunned as she looked at the young Dragon-man Species confined within the cage.


    Even she hadn¡¯t expected that the child would be rescued just like that¡­


    The pain in her body slowed her thoughts, so naturally, she didn¡¯t notice her tail making its own decisions again, as it sneakily wrapped around Fisher¡¯s waist and comfortably wiggled at the end before becoming still once more.

 Chapter 16 - 16 16

    ?16: 16.


    Growth 16: 16.


    Growth ¡°It was a misunderstanding, Mr.


    Fisher, since it concerns you and the slave, there¡¯s no problem, and you are free to leave now.¡±


    The kindly-looking captain of the soldiers smiled at Fisher, setting aside the way that led out of the prison.


    Fisher¡¯s fully black suit was covered in mud; he straightened his clothes and then turned to look at Rafael and the Slave Trader behind him.


    He had been caught by the soldiers of Keken City following the fight with Rafael in the streets, but fortunately, after the soldiers understood the situation, they, in good conscience, let them go¡­


    Well, actually, it was because Keken, hearing of the matter, had hurried over; the city was his, after all, and releasing one or two people was no trouble to him.


    This left Fisher feeling somewhat uncomfortable as he disliked being in someone¡¯s debt; after all, he had bothered someone for an entire day, and, because of such a trivial matter, had caused someone to make a fruitless trip in the afternoon, which was not gentlemanly behavior.


    ¡°Thank you for the trouble, Keken.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, I don¡¯t have much to entertain you with, so I¡¯m already lucky to be able to help a little.


    By the way, you were looking to purchase that Dragon-man Species slave, right?


    Although the other party has agreed to give the slave to you for free, it is still not quite appropriate¡­


    I¡¯ve already paid for you, so you can just take the slave with you.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Fisher opened his mouth, smiled at him, and suppressed the urge to offset the debt of gratitude for the time being.


    With the other party¡¯s sincerity, he decided he would be fully prepared to help with anything needed in the future.


    Having thought this, Fisher no longer declined but simply bade farewell to Keken, who, sitting in his carriage, waved at him with a smile.


    Then, as Fisher was about to depart, Keken suddenly pulled back the curtain, his expression becoming a bit more solemn,


    ¡°Right, look at my forgetful mind, I almost forgot to tell you¡­


    Be careful when you pass through Philone City.


    Although the environment there is pleasant, it¡¯s best not to linger too long¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Fisher had just put on his hat and was interested in learning more about what he mentioned regarding Philone City, ¡°Is there anything in particular to note?¡±


    Keken smiled, slightly hesitant,


    ¡°It might just be my imagination¡­


    but I feel that the City Lord there is an odd person, and he¡¯s very fond of someone as talented as you, which might cause you many delays.¡±


    ¡°I see, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    Fisher bid farewell to Keken once more and waited for his carriage to disappear at the end of the street before turning back to look at the Slave Trader, who stood there with a smile, holding onto the Dragon-man Species slave.


    ¡°Ah, sir, here¡¯s your slave and the Emblem, please confirm.¡±


    Fisher did not take the slave seal but instead glanced at Rafael,


    ¡°It¡¯s just your return exchange; decide the treatment yourself, but don¡¯t delay us for too long.¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rafael looked slightly startled and quickly ran over to take the leather scroll of the slave seal and tore it in half.


    The Slave Trader, seeing the slave seal being torn, twitched his brow but said nothing, hastily dropping the iron chain that he was using to hold the young Dragon-man Species slave and then hastily bidding farewell to Fisher and running away.


    Rafael lowered her gaze to the young Dragon-man Species whose body was covered with scars.


    She was just about to squat down to keep the same height with him but found that the wound on her left foot was extremely painful, so she had to bend slightly and asked in the Dragon Language:


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, and which tribe are you from?¡±


    ¡°¡­Qiu¡¯er, I¡¯m¡­from the Northern Branch Tribe, ran away from the forest after¡­


    arguing with Mother.¡±


    It seemed there was a slight accent difference between the Dragon-man Tribes, Fisher noticed a bit of grammatical difference in the language he used.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Rafael looked at Fisher who had remained silent beside her.


    His clean suit was now covered in dirty mud, a result of him holding her earlier, which made her feel even more embarrassed to speak up; but after hesitating for a moment, she still requested,


    ¡°Can you take this child out of the city?


    When we leave this place¡­¡±


    Fisher glanced at her and then smiled.


    ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re due to receive two punishments, that actually puts me in a good mood.


    I¡¯ll take him out of the city with me when we leave tomorrow.


    As for tonight, his food will have to come from your share¡­


    As for now, come with me, wash yourself and your clothes.¡±


    The tone of that human man was as nasty as ever, but this time Rafael didn¡¯t get angry again.


    She covered her injured arm and turned to look at the dragon-man child,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, tomorrow you¡¯ll be able to go home.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    There was no need to spend extra on hotel rooms since they had a carriage, but because they needed to change clothes and bathe, it became a necessary expense.


    It seemed that spending money was an inevitable part of traveling.


    ¡°So¡­why did you only book one room?¡±


    Rafael, shrinking within the bath tub, suddenly spoke in the steam-filled bathing room.


    From the next bathing room, separated by a wooden wall, Fisher¡¯s voice came through,


    ¡°If it¡¯s just for a bath, isn¡¯t this suite with two washing chambers the most suitable?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t for the ridiculous reason of saving money, it was just to make the most of the available resources, that¡¯s all.


    They had just returned to the carriage to tidy up a bit, had their dinner, and stowed away the muddy supplies that had been scattered on the ground.


    Then Fisher had booked a hotel room to wash up.


    He had also handed their clothes over to the maid for cleaning, which incurred an additional tip.


    ¡°I¡¯ve finished bathing¡­¡±


    After receiving his reply, Rafael spoke softly, feeling somewhat uneasy even though they were separated by wood.


    Her red tail emerged from under the water¡¯s surface, and she looked down at the gash on her arm, which was still painful.


    She suddenly couldn¡¯t understand why, despite her earlier intent to kill Fisher with all her might, he seemed unfazed as if nothing had happened, not taking it to heart at all.


    Was it because she was too weak, so in his eyes, her attempt to kill him was really just a trivial game?


    How could he possibly be emotionally affected by a simple game?


    Rafael stood up carefully, using a piece of fabric called a ¡°towel¡± to wipe her scales.


    While wiping a certain spot, she suddenly hissed softly.


    Although it was not a wound and no scales had fallen off, a tingling pain surged through her.


    It was as if something was growing.


    That was a symbol of the dragon-man species reaching maturity.


    After becoming an adult, her bodily functions would fully awaken, and those scales would turn as hard as armor.


    So, I haven¡¯t matured yet?


    If she were in her tribe, her mother would certainly arrange a grand coming-of-age ceremony for her¡­


    Although if she hadn¡¯t been caught by the humans, she would have certainly resented such a spectacle.


    Rafael¡¯s lips turned up slightly at the thought.


    ¡°Knock knock¡­¡±


    The door was suddenly knocked, startling Rafael into withdrawing from her thoughts.


    ¡°Are you done yet?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Rafael hastily put on her previous sackcloth clothes, responding while dressing, ¡°I¡¯m done, what is it?¡±


    ¡°You forgot, tonight is the time for punishment¡­¡±


    Rafael¡¯s movements in dressing froze slightly.

 Chapter 17 - 17 17

    ?17: 17.


    Punishment Segment 17: 17.


    Punishment Segment The Gate creaked open, revealing her clawed hand adorned with red scales.


    Rafael slowly emerged from the steam-filled bedroom, her tail swishing back and forth as she struggled to move half of her body out of the bathroom.


    The man had apparently bought a whole set of shirts, having changed into them, and was now standing at the edge of the room, lighting a coal lamp.


    ¡°Although it¡¯s not as bright as the lights in the carriage, it will suffice¡­¡±


    In his hand was a small booklet with an unclear cover.


    Fisher looked at the section for the Dragon-man Species in the second part, lines of text that only he could see floated before his eyes.


    [Physical Research Progress: 10%]


    [Dragon-man Species Society Research Progress: 2%]


    [Next Phase Rewards: Physical Research Progress 20%, Dragon-man Species Society Research Progress: 20%]


    [Rewards: Constitution +2, Reproductive Ability +10, Fermat Baha Dragon Court Magic Book]


    Fisher closed the notebook in his hands, his gaze meeting Rafael¡¯s who was partially hidden behind the gate.


    For some reason, after wearing those heavy clothes today, she suddenly felt uncomfortable in her linen clothing, especially when facing the human man who was about to perform a punishment activity.


    ¡°Stop dawdling, come here and let me redress your wound.¡±


    Rafael glanced at the wound where scales had fallen off, revealing the deep red skin beneath which would definitely ooze blood if pressed.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    She walked silently to Fisher.


    Without a chair as wide as the one in the carriage, Fisher had no choice but to have her sit on the bed. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Experiencing this soft bed for the first time, she curiously swept her tail over it and then comfortably curled around the pillow at the end of the bed.


    Fisher picked up the bandages and the herbs, and suddenly asked,


    ¡°I¡¯m rather curious about something.


    You mentioned earlier that your Dragon-man family has strong reproductive ability, and such numbers should be relatively large among the demi-human species.


    Why then, is the overall population of the Dragon-man Species not as large as other demi-human species?¡±


    Rafael did not expect him to bring up this topic suddenly.


    She initially didn¡¯t want to answer, but since it was the time for the game¡¯s punishment, she hesitated and then said,


    ¡°Although we long for¡­


    such things¡­¡±


    Rafael¡¯s scales slightly parted, releasing warm steam.


    Fisher noticed the steam clearly reflected her different emotional states; shy moments produced this warm temperature while anger and rage made the steam even hotter than inside a steam engine.


    So she was feeling shy now.


    ¡°But such things only occur with tail-matching partners.¡±


    ¡°Tail-matching partners?¡±


    Fisher¡¯s movement of bandaging paused momentarily.


    ¡°Ha, you think like humans, courting so casually?¡± Rafael sneered lightly, perhaps remembering the incident today when a lady had passed him a rose, clearly disdainful, ¡°A true Dragon-man¡¯s tail-matching partner is selected through meticulous screening and must absolutely fit physically and spiritually for that kind of reaction to occur¡­¡±


    It turned out that finding a compatible partner among the Dragon-man Species was extremely difficult.


    If they couldn¡¯t find a suitable partner, they would choose to live alone and would not develop the urge to reproduce.


    But once they found a tail-matching partner, their hidden reproductive drive would burst forth, ensuring progeny numbers.


    No wonder their tribe¡¯s couples had many offspring, though most of those offspring ended up as bachelors their whole lives¡­


    ¡°I see.¡±


    After clearing up the confusion, Fisher gently set her injured right leg on the bed, then stood up, ¡°The wound has been taken care of, so let¡¯s continue with our research.


    Since this is a punishment session, it might feel rather uncomfortable, please try to endure it¡­¡±


    The more he said this, the more Rafael feared, dreading that he would do something terrible, much like a proclamation before torture.


    ¡°Lie down¡­¡±


    His voice, devil-like, rang out, Rafael pressed her lips and followed his command, her untrimmed long red hair spreading out like a sea of roses on the white sheets, highlighting the Dragon-man¡¯s elongated, beautifully shaped body magnificently against the white.


    ¡°By the way, in case you¡¯re not comfortable, here is a blindfold to cover your eyes, would you like it?¡±


    ¡°I could hardly be scared, just come¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±


    ¡°Wait!


    Wait!¡±


    Feeling her clothes being gradually pushed up, Rafael immediately panicked and stopped his next action.


    ¡°Do you need a blindfold?¡±


    Fisher asked again.


    ¡°¡­..No..¡±


    Rafael shakily closed her eyes.


    Fisher¡¯s eyes seemed devoid of warmth as he nodded, his finger tracing upwards from her abdomen.


    He was now about to confirm the Dragon-man species¡¯s Magic Circuit.


    As magic surged, the Magic Circuit, starkly different in color from that of humans, emerged like nerves.


    The bright red circuit began to glow,


    It appeared that the Magic Circuit among different species was vastly different.


    Though humans also displayed slight variations in shape, the fundamental structure of the Dragon-man species¡¯s Magic Circuit varied significantly.


    Rafael was unaware of the contents of Fisher¡¯s research.


    She could only feel his human fingers gently sliding over her scale-less skin, and as she saw his fingers sliding toward a more dangerous area, she quickly spoke,


    ¡°Maybe give me the blindfold after all¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The next second, her vision was shrouded in darkness, a pitch-black silence.


    Deprived of sight, her other senses were heightened instead, as Fisher¡¯s fingers traced slowly, causing her to unconsciously shiver.


    ¡°Wait, actually¡­


    let¡¯s not use the blindfold¡­¡±


    Fisher¡¯s look conveyed speechlessness as he reached out to remove her blindfold, ignoring her trembling gaze.


    His expression was serious, indicative of his utmost seriousness whenever it came to his research.


    ¡°Stay still.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Rafael¡¯s scales continuously emitted hot steam, reminiscent of a warm furnace or a sauna, so hot to the touch.


    Fisher observed that many parts of the Dragon-man species were similar to humans.


    Through the magic halo of his ring, he could even perceive the appearance of her internal organs beyond her exterior.


    The metabolic organs buried under a Dragon-man¡¯s skin were vastly different from those of humans, which perhaps explained why she could always emit steam-like substances, like now¡­


    The entire room turned into a sauna, visibly steaming, causing the maid cleaning at the door to cover her lips and dash past; the inside of the room was unbearably hot.


    Even Fisher, focused as he was, noticed something amiss.


    He glanced down, only to see Rafael with her eyes closed, gasping for air as if she were enduring something unbearable.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­


    ah¡­ah?¡±


    Rafael, equally puzzled, opened her eyes, looking around at the misty surroundings and her own weakened body.


    Her limbs felt a tingling, electric sensation from her scales, especially a severe headache.


    Fisher glanced at her pale face, silently covering her snow-white body with a blanket, then stood up,


    ¡°Your condition seems off, I¡¯m going to find Mier.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    He had just gotten up when he realized something was pulling at him.


    Looking down, he saw a red tail had somehow entangled around his thigh.


    Fisher looked up, Rafael¡¯s feverishly flushed face stirring something within him.


    As he had said, the body of the Dragon-man was indeed beautiful.


    He gently reached out and grasped her restless tail, loosening the not-too-tight coil.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be considered a punishment, right?¡±

 Chapter 18 - 18 18

    ?18: 18.


    Conversations of Adulthood 18: 18.


    Conversations of Adulthood When Fisher returned to the carriage to look for Mier, Lar was chattering nonstop, tugging at the new little dragon Qiu¡¯er.


    ¡°Can Northern Branch Tribe kids have honey at night?


    I mean, more honey than a finger¡¯s length¡­


    My mom won¡¯t let me have honey at night, she says my teeth will rot, but how could a dragon¡¯s teeth rot?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The little dragon was somewhat afraid, not quite comfortable with the lively Lar, so he remained silent, shrinking into himself and leaning towards the corner of the room, not interested in dealing with this annoying Dragon-man kin.


    ¡°Lord Fisher¡­


    is there something you need?¡±


    Mier was kneeling on the floor, making the bed for the newcomer, but when she turned around, she saw Fisher opening the door and stood up to ask.


    Aside from Lar, she probably had the best senses towards Fisher.


    Fasher, Kexier, and even Lord Raphael, like her, were somewhat wary of Fisher, remaining silent whenever he appeared, as if she and Lar were two extremes.


    ¡°Lord Raphael¡¯s body is showing some symptoms I don¡¯t quite understand.


    Come with me to take a look.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming too; Lord Raphael will definitely want to see me because he¡¯ll get better when he sees me!¡±


    Lar lifted his blue claws, excited to go along with Fisher.


    But before they got far, Kexier caught him,


    ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble, Lar; you might as well keep asking about the honey here¡­¡±


    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t talk, it¡¯s so boring!¡±


    Watching the carriage get noisy again behind her, Mier smiled helplessly and followed Fisher out of the carriage.


    Only when they stepped out did she hesitate to speak up,


    ¡°Sorry, Lord Fisher, Lar has just been in the cage for too long¡­


    If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll ask him to be quiet¡­¡±


    After all, Mier was the eldest among the few dragons and was more mature compared to the other naive Dragon-people, considering things more comprehensively.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; she hasn¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±


    Fisher¡¯s pace did not stop; he certainly didn¡¯t care about the noisy little dragon Lar.


    During his university days when he was tutoring, he had met children ten times more troublesome than Lar, which had trained his patience.


    It was a commendable quality.


    Mier followed behind, looking at Fisher¡¯s back, and just as she thought, this Human was different.


    She smiled silently to herself and followed Fisher into the room upstairs at the inn.


    As soon as she entered, she was blinded by the steam filling the room, and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust before she could see Lord Raphael lying weakly on the bed.


    ¡°Lord Raphael!¡±


    Mier hurried over and reached out to touch her skin.


    When she touched the scalding scale on her arm, she quickly pulled her hand back.


    ¡°Mier¡­¡±


    Lord Raphael¡¯s voice was listless, making Fisher wonder if she was ill.


    He remembered Lord Raphael had said before, ¡°Dragon-people don¡¯t get sick like Humans,¡± yet now she seemed to have proven herself wrong.


    ¡°Is she sick?


    She has been off since earlier.¡±


    Mier sighed and said to Fisher,


    ¡°No, Lord Raphael is coming of age; these are signs that she¡¯s about to reach her full maturity¡­


    I went through it too, it¡¯s not a serious issue, she should complete it within a couple of weeks.


    Once she comes of age, Lord Raphael¡¯s power will be even greater, it¡¯s just a pity that she cannot have the tail-fitting ceremony in the tribe¡­¡±


    ¡°Tail-fitting ceremony?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­


    because the chance to find a partner is greatest when one has just come of age, the tribe holds a banquet to facilitate better tail-matching.¡±


    As she spoke, Mier reached up to brush aside the yellow bangs on her forehead, and Fisher caught a glimpse of a small upward-curving horn.


    ¡°This is the symbol of maturity for Dragon-people and the source of our power.


    The larger the horn¡¯s ¡®Magic Circuit,¡¯ the stronger it becomes; it¡¯s just unfortunate that I¡¯m quite timid, so my horn is small¡­¡±


    Fisher looked at the small Dragon Horn on her forehead; he had never seen such a feature before, which intrigued him.


    He looked extra serious and all of a sudden asked Mier,


    ¡°May I touch your horn?¡±


    ¡°Bu¡­


    wha-wha-what?¡±


    Mier¡¯s face turned a shade of red, perhaps thinking of something; within Dragon-man Species, it was usually only close friends and tail-matching partners who would touch each other¡¯s horns with their own, but it seemed that Lord Fisher had no idea about this custom¡­


    And besides, he probably didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­


    With her yellow tail flicking, Mier looked at Fisher¡¯s serious expression and hesitated for a moment before nodding softly in agreement.


    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s possible, but if it¡¯s not with a horn, you can¡¯t touch it¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Fisher reached out to touch the horn that was emitting a faint glow, and to his surprise, his hand passed right through the little horn as though it were air¡ªan astonishing spectacle that immediately piqued his curiosity.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± He suddenly thought of something and picked up the handcane beside him.


    After the handcane lit up with a faint light, he extended it toward the horn.


    This time, the illuminated handcane actually touched the seemingly illusory little horn, causing Mier¡¯s face to instantly turn crimson, and she awkwardly stepped back, sitting down on the ground.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey¡­


    why¡­


    can it be touched?¡±


    Could it be¡­


    Could it be that the handcane is made of a Dragon-man Species¡¯ horn?


    ¡°As I suspected¡­


    The Dragon-man Species¡¯ horn is actually the physical manifestation of a Magic Circuit.


    After a Dragon-man reaches adulthood, the Magic Circuit will grow again, but since there¡¯s no more space inside the body, it forms outside, becoming the tangible manifestation of the Magic Circuit, which is the Dragon Horn.¡±


    Fisher seemed to have uncovered something incredible.


    He put the handcane away, and the Completion Manual over his chest warmed slightly, reminding him of the progress in his research on the Dragon-man Species.


    Seeing Fisher¡¯s serious expression, the blush on Mier¡¯s face slowly faded a bit.


    Indeed, Lord Fisher wasn¡¯t that kind of person, and besides, as a Human, how could he be interested in the Dragon-man Species¡­


    in that way?


    Although Lord Fisher indeed looked very nice, Mier already had a tail-matching partner, but even by Dragon-man standards, Lord Fisher seemed quite nice¡­


    And Lord Fisher wouldn¡¯t have interests in the Dragon-man Species¡­


    Mier had just breathed a sigh of relief and didn¡¯t interrupt Fisher¡¯s thoughts, planning to turn around and check on Rafael¡¯s condition again.


    So, she reached out and gently lifted a corner of the bedding, only to see Rafael¡¯s naked body inside.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Her brain went slightly offline, and then her entire face blushed deeply, quickly putting the lifted bedding back down. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ah, ah, ah, ah??


    Why¡­


    What were Lord Fisher and Lord Rafael doing in the room before??


    Wait, wait, wait¡­


    Could it be that Lord Fisher is interested in the Dragon-man?


    Mier turned to look at Fisher beside her, a vague guess forming in her heart.


    No wonder he bought us¡­


    it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of a Human with such a fetish.


    But Shel and Fasher are still so young, and I too have already¡­


    She pursed her lips, and her body also began to emit steam slowly, just like Rafael, only much less in quantity and temperature.


    ¡°What to do¡­


    Should I tell Lord Fisher that it¡¯s impossible for the Dragon-man Species to do that kind of thing before reaching adulthood?¡±


    ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, only I am of age¡­


    wouldn¡¯t that mean Lord Fisher could only turn to me?¡±


    ¡°But I already have a tail-matching partner, right?¡±


    ¡°But if it¡¯s for Lar and the others¡¯ sake¡­¡±


    Fisher nodded, now that he confirmed Rafael wasn¡¯t sick, he felt relieved.


    Given Rafael¡¯s physical condition, further research was impossible, so he might as well study Mier¡¯s horn¡ªthe only adult specimen.


    He spoke to Mier without thinking,


    ¡°Mier, could you¡­


    hmm?¡±


    He then saw the Yellow Dragon People next to him emitting steam like Rafael, her whole face unnaturally flushed, her gaze trembling as though about to brim with water.


    ¡°No¡­


    we can¡¯t do that kind of thing¡­


    Lord Fisher¡­


    I¡­


    I have already¡­¡±


    Watching Fisher extend his palm, Mier sat back hazily, stumbling backward while speaking words of refusal, yet she seemed utterly defenseless.


    As she had said, among all the sisters, she was the most timid, but even so, she couldn¡¯t help but say to Fisher,


    ¡°Sorry¡­


    They haven¡¯t reached adulthood yet, so they can¡¯t do that sort of thing¡­


    but¡­


    but I already have a tail-matching partner, so¡­


    I am sorry, Lord Fisher¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Fisher¡¯s expressionless face stiffened slightly, and the room fell back into silence with only the fragrant steam of the Dragon-man filling the air.


    Two maids walked past the door, covering their mouths and whispering to each other,


    ¡°Did you hear?


    That gentleman took two ladies into his room and hasn¡¯t come out yet, and there¡¯s smoke coming from the room.¡±


    ¡°Ah, young gentlemen are certainly like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡±

 Chapter 19 - 19 19

    ?19: 19.


    The Continuation of the Journey 19: 19.


    The Continuation of the Journey ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­¡±


    The afternoon¡¯s research was forcibly interrupted, and Mier¡¯s level of daydreaming often made Fisher wonder if she was a complete fool.


    Even after he had explained things to her, her face remained flushed, and she dared not even make eye contact with Fisher, as if she feared his gaze would scorch her.


    In the evening, Fisher took dinner to the Dragon-men in the carriage.


    It was then that Mier, whose face had been red for half a day, couldn¡¯t resist speaking out this simple apology.


    Before this, her brain had been in a crashed state, even more muddled than Rafael who was undergoing the coming of age ceremony.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Ignoring his own bashfulness, Fisher placed a roast chicken into her hands.


    He had previously said that the little dragon¡¯s food was to be shared with Rafael, but now that she wasn¡¯t in a good state, he gave up on the idea.


    Fisher still ordered an extra dinner, which was an additional expense, but fortunately, there was still plenty of money in his wallet, enough to keep his savings from bottoming out.


    At night, Rafael stayed in a hotel room upstairs, while Fisher and the little dragons stayed in the carriage, recording the day¡¯s findings on the Dragon-man species into the Completion Manual.


    As each golden letter was engraved onto the manual, the biological research and societal study on the Dragon-man species had both progressed to about twenty percent.


    He estimated that in a few more days they would reach the twenty-five percent needed to receive the reward.


    Later in the night, Fisher sat in the study room, picked up a small knife and various Magic Materials, and prepared to engrave the fire-making Magic Items he had planned to do previously.


    This magic wasn¡¯t difficult; it was about the level of One-Ring Magic.


    The level of magic is measured by ring number.


    The so-called ring number refers to how many rings of Magic Emblems a spell needs to be engraved with.


    The higher the ring number, the more exaggerated the ¡°Reverberation¡± the Magic Emblem could invoke.


    Regardless of size, an engraved Magic Emblem could function.


    In theory, even if the Emblem was only one millimeter, it could display the full power of the magic, though this is a real test of the engraving mage¡¯s skill.


    Fisher was a mage who liked meticulous crafting because the Witch liked to do so.


    Since he had picked up some of her habits while learning magic from her, and another reason was that Fisher didn¡¯t have many items to use for engraving magic; one item often had many Magic Emblems engraved on it by him.


    But making a fire pit didn¡¯t require so much fuss.


    He took the iron fire pit, whose Magic Emblem had already vanished, and while recalling the Magic Emblem of ¡°Rootless Fire,¡± he first sketched a rough shape of the Magic Emblem with the knife.


    As he began to carve, applying Magic Materials onto the knife, his hands slowly shone with a pale white light, which was his Magic Circuit.


    The light that the Magic Emblem shone with matched the color of the mage¡¯s Magic Circuit.


    Fisher¡¯s Magic Circuit was pale white, same as most Humans.


    Some fewer Humans and demi-humans had more unique Magic Circuits, for example, Rafael¡¯s was red.


    The ancient, ethereal script was carved into the surface of the iron fire pit, and Fisher soon blew away the carving residues with a breath, revealing the particularly bright Magic Emblem.


    The ancient script shimmered with a strange fluorescence, as if forming an indescribable connection with this world.


    With that, the task was accomplished.


    A One-Ring Magic had been engraved, taking Fisher around ten minutes.


    Low Ring Magic carving took little time and consumed very little Magic Power.


    However, engraving High Rank magic would require much more time, and the enormous demand for Magic Power could completely deplete you, typically requiring segmented carving to prevent hazards.


    Saint Nali Police frequently discovered cases of unprofessional mages that attempted to carve beyond their limit and turned themselves into dried corpses.


    Carving magic carries certain risks, especially for high ring number spells, which could even cause additional losses if one is not careful.


    After storing the newly engraved Magic Items properly and checking the purchased supplies, Fisher completed all of tonight¡¯s tasks.


    Under the moonlit night, even a mischievous child like Lar had fallen into a deep sleep in the neighboring bed, let alone the other Dragon-men.


    After reading through some documents, Fisher also rested.


    ¡­


    ¡­ S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next morning marked the day Fisher had originally planned to depart from Keken City.


    Rafael was feeling much better compared to yesterday, though he still seemed quite limp, unable to even wiggle his tail, feeling numb all over.


    Mier stated this was normal as his scales and body were both growing.


    It was fine as long as he rested on the bed.


    Fisher let him onto the carriage and, after saying goodbye to the Duke of Keken at the City Lord Mansion, he headed towards the city¡¯s outskirts.


    According to information provided by Keken, Cal Port was temporarily impassable.


    He didn¡¯t want to spend half a month looping around Schwali, being scrutinized by various departments from beginning to end, before returning to Nali.


    His wallet wouldn¡¯t support such a decision either.


    So he had to change his route, heading towards Philone City in the northwest direction.


    ¡°In which direction is your home?¡±


    ¡°Over¡­


    there¡­¡±


    Having previously promised Rafael that he would send the little dragon away, Fisher called him out as soon as they left the city and asked this.


    He hesitated for a long time before finally pointing in a direction.


    ¡°Be careful on your way back, don¡¯t get caught again.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    It was only after walking in that direction for a while that he caught sight of a dense forest.


    The little dragon nodded at Fisher and jumped off the carriage at the entrance of the forest, quickly running into the thicket.


    He looked back at the departing carriage for a long time before sprinting deep into the forest.


    ¡°Thank you..¡±


    The door behind Fisher opened slightly, revealing a pair of emerald eyes watching Fisher holding the reins outside.


    Rafael was still uneasy.


    She came to personally see the little dragon being released by Fisher before she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡°No thanks, fair trade, we each got what we needed.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fisher didn¡¯t look back, focusing his gaze instead on the endless wilderness.


    The weather was overcast today, the clouds heavy and terrifying.


    A gray fog had also started to spread in the distance, obscuring the view of the wilderness.


    The only company was the sound of horse hooves.


    After a long wait, Fisher finally turned back to look behind him, seeing the door still wide open.


    Inside, Rafael leaned on the edge of the stairway, her eyes closed as she rested, her tail coiled around her body.


    ¡°If you¡¯re feeling unwell, go back and lie down to rest.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a bit stuffy inside, and Lar is really noisy.


    I¡¯d rather stay here for a bit.¡±


    Fisher didn¡¯t continue the conversation, only focusing on the journey.


    What he didn¡¯t realize was that as soon as he turned his head away, Rafael silently shifted her gaze onto him.


    The sound of horse hooves continued, and after watching for a long time, she finally closed her eyes to rest, fatigue setting in.


    Her tail swished lightly, unclear what she was thinking.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    However, in that wilderness slightly obscured by the clouds, the gaze of two shadows quietly fixed on the speeding carriage.


    ¡°Did you see clearly, Fama Xi?¡±


    A cold female voice sounded, and within the mists, the vague outline of a graceful female figure appeared.


    Beside her, another small shadow peered toward the distant carriage with hands cupped like binoculars.


    ¡°Umm¡­


    Ah, I see it.


    Two black horses, gilded carriage, only one coachman, a human male¡­


    Looks like a private human vehicle, not a merchant or transport company¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh, what do you know?


    It¡¯s exactly this kind that pays off¡ªlow risk and might even hit a big fish¡­


    What is the coachman wearing?¡±


    ¡°Black clothes¡­


    what¡¯s it called again?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember either¡­


    Is it dirty?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right then!


    Go quickly and call Kree over, we have work tonight.


    Even the coachman is dressed so well, there must be someone inside from those filthy rich humans.


    If so, we could make a killing this time¡­


    They¡¯re heading northwest now.


    I¡¯ll follow them first, remember to send a signal after you¡¯ve called for help.¡±


    ¡°Hey!


    Xi Ya, wait a minute.¡±


    Upon finishing her statement, the female suddenly rose to her feet.


    The statuesque upper body suddenly rose to reveal a massive, ferocious spider body beneath.


    The blade-like legs moved swiftly across the wilderness, and the menacing red glow from her eight crimson eyes appeared terrifyingly from her face.


    Without waiting for her partner to finish speaking, the spider¡¯s silhouette bolted away into the distance.


    Fama Xi reached out to stop her, but the fog was too thick, and the huge figure quickly vanished from sight, leaving her to helplessly purse her lips.


    ¡°Damn, I always have to do these errand runs.


    Xi Ya is such a¡­


    ¡±


    She muttered, placing cracked goggles over her head, then began to slowly dig at the earth.


    Her movements seemed slow, but the dust piled up more and more.


    Soon, she had dug a tunnel in the ground in front of her.


    She dove down into it, quickly disappearing from sight, leaving the fog to drift over the rest of the wilderness.

 Chapter 20 - 20 20

    ?20: 20.


    Brain Demon Species and Spider-man Species 20: 20.


    Brain Demon Species and Spider-man Species ¡°Fishel, Fishel, was Qiu¡¯er sent away?¡±


    As dusk approached, the carriage finally stopped; they had breakfast in Keken City in the morning, made do with some purchases from the city for lunch, and by afternoon, Lar was almost faint with hunger, swaying back and forth in the carriage, always urging Fasher and Kexier to ask Fishel for food.


    Knowing she was starving, Fishel stopped near a river bend, also informing the Dragon Ladies that they could come down for a free walk.


    Expecting Lar to ask about what was for dinner, he was surprised when her first words were about Qiu¡¯er.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    After receiving Fishel¡¯s affirmative answer, Lar glimpsed at him with pursed lips, but ultimately said nothing and ran off to play in the water with Kexier, her figure not as carefree as before.


    Fishel glanced at her, gripped his handcane and rifle, and walked down from the carriage.


    The wilderness weather was peculiarly foul today, the fog growing denser at dusk.


    Just as Fishel, who had thought about hunting, took a few steps and turned around, he realized he could no longer see the figures of the Dragon-man Ladies playing in the water.


    Lord Raphael was unwell and could only stay in the carriage as the sun was about to set, and no one was around to take care of those who were out.


    A sense of foreboding leapt in Fishel¡¯s heart; he called them to come back to the carriage.


    ¡°Mier, get them back on the carriage and don¡¯t come down.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes¡­


    alright.¡±


    Standing at the front of the carriage, Mier wagged his tail and hurriedly ushered Lar and Fasher onto the carriage.


    Lord Raphael, having slept all afternoon, had just opened his eyes, still weak, drinking a sip of the river water they brought back, but Fishel was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Lord Raphael, please continue to rest, Lord Fishel has gone to find dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I even brought back a lot of water, look¡­


    I even saw a fish in the river, but unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t catch it.¡±


    ¡°Lar, stop talking.¡±


    Lar, not taking it lying down, stuck her tongue out at Fasher who had just spoken, then annoyed, hid behind Mier.


    The dense fog outside gradually spread.


    Not daring to go too far, Fishel returned to the river to catch fish for dinner.


    As he wandered along the river, a faint female voice suddenly emerged from the engulfing fog.


    ¡°Is anyone there?


    Can someone help me?¡±


    The voice seemed to speak Nali Language, its hurried softness conveying the image of a noble lady possibly lost outside the city.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Fishel looked expressionlessly towards the direction of the voice and fired his rifle; the bullet¡¯s flash disappeared into the fog, followed by the abrupt silence of the voice.


    They were being targeted.


    Fishel remained highly alert, but did not notice behind him, that the eyes of the two horses pulling the carriage had slowly turned an unnatural white.


    ¡°Hush!¡±


    As the white spread through their eyes, they suddenly cried out and hurriedly pulled the carriage forward, causing the Dragon-men inside to stumble against the walls.


    ¡°Why is the carriage moving?


    Wait, Fishel isn¡¯t on board yet, quickly pull the horses.¡±


    Lar¡¯s shouting came, just about to leave the carriage when Fishel¡¯s voice followed,


    ¡°Do not come out of the carriage!¡±


    Lar¡¯s movement halted, and Mier pulled her back from behind.


    ¡°Bang, bang!¡±


    Outside, the dark mist ignited with gunfire, bullets whistling towards Fishel.


    Amid the faint smell of gunpowder, Fishel¡¯s body fell to the ground, while the carriage raced ahead into the distance, eventually obscured completely by the fog.


    Inside, Mier, startled by the gunfire, felt his legs weaken and sat down on the edge of the step, clutching Lar.


    ¡°Fish¡­


    where¡¯s Fishel?¡±


    Lord Raphael spoke weakly, looking towards the racing carriage, where the man was no longer visible.


    ¡°He¡­


    he is still outside, he just told us not to get out of the carriage..¡±


    Kexier and Fasher¡¯s expressions turned serious, and they turned to look at Mier,


    ¡°Take Lar and Lord Raphael back to the room first, we must have been attacked.


    We¡¯ll go and stop the carriage.¡±


    Before Mier could nod, a sudden noise of something landing on top of the speeding carriage roof was heard.


    The sound made Lord Raphael and the others all turn their eyes towards the door, where legs as sharp as steel blades steadily landed on the spot where Fisher had previously sat.


    Then, as the huge spider body completely landed on the carriage, they could finally make out the graceful figure of a female on the upper half of the spider¡¯s body.


    She was a stunningly voluptuous woman with silver-white short hair that fluttered in the wind, wearing only a simple cloth covering her chest ¨C her features were sharp and gallant, the only abnormality being the six crimson compound eyes above her normal ones.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, ladies, as long as you don¡¯t move, nothing will happen,¡±


    She glanced at Lord Raphael and the others seated near the stairs and spoke. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her lips clearly articulated some obscure language, but as it entered the ears of Lord Raphael and the others, it turned into Fermat Baha Dragon Court Language, allowing them to understand.


    Spider Lady raised her pale blue hands, each holding a human¡¯s short-barrel musket.


    ¡°I ask, you answer¡­


    Who else is on the carriage?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s just us.¡±


    ¡°Playing lies does us no favors, or are you trying to protect your human masters?¡±


    Lar couldn¡¯t help but lean out from Mier¡¯s arms and shout,


    ¡°It¡¯s really only us, there is no one else!


    Fisher hasn¡¯t boarded yet!¡±


    Spider Lady frowned and spoke towards the air,


    ¡°Kree, how is that human?¡±


    From within the void, a delicate female voice faintly spoke,


    ¡°He got shot.


    He should be dead.¡±


    Mier and Lar¡¯s faces slightly changed, showing a mix of disbelief.


    ¡°Tsk, seems I misjudged, this isn¡¯t some rich human¡¯s carriage¡­


    But a mosquito¡¯s leg is still better than none.


    We might as well take the carriage back.


    You come back too, Kree.¡±


    Spider Lady put down the guns.


    Her bulky body squeezed into the narrow passageway of the carriage, but just upon entering, she was startled by the magically expanded space inside.


    ¡°It turns out someone had set up magic inside the carriage¡­


    Maybe my guessing isn¡¯t wrong after all¡­¡±


    Spider Lady murmured to herself, lowering her head to look at several Dragon-man Ladies inside the carriage, ¡°One, two¡­


    five dragon-man slaves, plus one red one¡­


    this color of Dragon-man is quite rare.


    It should fetch a good price.¡±


    While she was talking, behind her, on the swiftly galloping horse, a translucent humanoid phantom suddenly appeared and, after a second or two, completely transformed into a young girl¡¯s figure.


    She turned her head; she appeared as a human-like girl, her left eye tightly closed while her open right eye swirled with a faint glow like a vortex.


    But she certainly was not human, for her head, apart from her face, was transparent, floating in the air ¨C from here, her brain, like a starry sky, was visible through her transparent hair.


    Her head was transparent except for her face!


    Lord Raphael finally understood why they could understand Spider Lady¡¯s language ¨C the other party actually had a Brain Demon Species.


    Such a demi-human species could facilitate communication beyond linguistic boundaries and also control mundane animals.


    Before humans entered the South Continent, the Brain Demons were naturally excellent diplomats, serving as bridges of communication among various tribes.


    The other was a Spider-man Species, a rare demi-human species dwelling in the forests, and the other was an even rarer Brain Demon Species.


    ¡°Xi Ya, have the humans inside been killed?¡±


    ¡°No, apart from that human who got off earlier, there are no more¡­¡±


    The Brain Demon named Kree nodded, her expression emotionless as she looked at the various dragon-men inside the carriage, her tone somewhat cold, ¡°That fellow is already dead.¡±

 Chapter 21 - 21 21

    ?21: 21.


    Criminal Gang 21: 21.


    Criminal Gang The carriage shook just as it had when Fisher was still present, only this time, there was no tall figure of a human man in front of the carriage compartment.


    Instead, there was a Spider-man Species named Xi Ya holding two guns.


    ¡°Someone actually expanded the carriage to this extent?


    Hey, little dragon, what does that human do?¡±


    ¡°Ooh¡­¡±


    Xi Ya pressed her firearm against Lar¡¯s head, causing her little face to turn pale with fright.


    Ignoring the danger, Mier hugged the tiny Lar in his arms, using his body to block the gun¡¯s barrel.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move her!¡±


    ¡°Tsk¡­


    You¡¯re meant to be sold for money, so how could I harm you?


    Moreover, to encounter a maturing Dragon-man Species, that¡¯s indeed lucky.¡±


    She looked at the weak-looking Rafael sitting at the edge of the steps, smiling, ¡°Though it¡¯s not maturing within your tribe, the quality might be a bit off, but humans won¡¯t know the difference¡­


    Let¡¯s see what treasures might be inside.¡±


    She opened the first door to the left, revealing Fisher¡¯s room.


    She glanced at the books inside and then opened the drawer in front of his desk.


    Inside the topmost drawer was a men¡¯s genuine leather wallet.


    Xi Ya unbuckled the wallet and counted the coins inside, only to find it barely amounted to a few thousand Narliou.


    Having robbed often, she was, of course, familiar with human society¡¯s currency ¡ª the Narliou paper tickets called ¡°Narliou,¡± Schwali¡¯s red paper tickets named ¡°Vali Gold,¡± and Kado¡¯s called ¡°Holy Maiden Coin.¡±


    To the Demi-humans, these were merely numbers, vaguely remembering their respective values was sufficient.


    She pouted, saying,


    ¡°Turns out he¡¯s a pauper.


    Oh well, who knows how much these books might sell for.¡±


    Meanwhile, outside, Rafael took advantage of the moment the other was searching the carriage and quietly called Fasher over.


    Pulling back her garment, he saw the bright Slave mark on her chest, indicating that Fisher was not yet dead.


    For some reason, Rafael actually felt relieved, but then immediately felt it was akin to a terribly unfilial act, retracting his previous expression.


    The massive Spider Lady made the interior of the carriage extremely cramped, particularly when she entered the changing room to search for items.


    Her colossal arachnid body remained outside, terrifying Lar significantly, who dared only bury her face in Mier¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Clothes¡­clothes¡­


    nothing but clothes¡­


    Ha, clearly there are women¡¯s clothes here, but they¡¯re not for Dragon people, are they¡­


    Kree, come take a look.¡±


    At the door, Kree drifted over, her eyes drawn to the deep purple women¡¯s garment hanging on the rack in Xi Ya¡¯s hand.


    It was a complete set of clothing, resembling human-style tunics paired with light white silk fabric and looked exceedingly expensive, complimented by a floral hat and a beautiful purple long skirt.


    A blush came over Kree¡¯s face, the beautiful long skirt catching her eye.


    The design of the clothing suited her tastes, so she turned to Xi Ya and said,


    ¡°This one¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°Ha?


    Didn¡¯t I find it?¡±


    All of Xi Ya¡¯s eyes turned towards her, only to be met with a glare from one of Kree¡¯s eyes,


    ¡°Can you even wear it?¡±


    She also glanced at the large arachnid body below Xi Ya.


    Xi Ya opened her mouth and, resigning to her fate, tossed the garment to Kree before diving back into the changing room, intent on finding any hidden human treasures.


    Kree caught the dress, but it suddenly heated up, reaching a temperature as hot as lava that even burned her ethereal hands, leaving wounds.


    Rings of purple Light Halos appeared above the garment, and then unfamiliar text emerged,


    ¡°If anyone other than Fisher approaches this garment, they will receive my curse.


    This is the only warning, and please inform Fisher that I am aware of this.¡±


    The purple text gradually dispersed, and curiously, Kree felt the room¡¯s temperature drop slightly.


    Watching the wounds on her ethereal hands, Kree sensibly refrained from touching the dropped garment again.


    Even a fool could tell the garment was enchanted with Magic, and taking it recklessly could lead to more severe injuries.


    ¡°This dress has Magic; don¡¯t touch it.¡±


    Kree spoke calmly, making Xi Ya look at her with a touch of schadenfreude, seemingly in revenge for her spider body not being able to wear it.


    The third room belonged to Dragon-man Lady, naturally having nothing of value.


    Xi Ya thought to open the fourth room but found it locked.


    Xi Ya pulled out her gun, aiming at the lock, but Kree stopped her,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless, you fool¡­


    There¡¯s Space Magic arranged inside the carriage, and if you damage the Array, we could all be crushed inside.¡±


    Xi Ya pouted,


    ¡°Fine, fine, fine, you¡¯re the experienced one, we¡¯ll listen to you¡­but that human was really poor, wasn¡¯t he?


    He had nothing valuable¡­¡±


    Little did they know, this was all of Fisher¡¯s belongings.


    ¡°This carriage and those few Dragon-men are already a decent profit.


    Selling these items to humans could earn quite a bit.¡±


    Kree floated to the front of the carriage, seemingly at her destination.


    She gently pulled on the reins, bringing the galloping horse to a stop.


    Darkness surrounded them on all sides; other than the wilderness, there seemed nothing of note.


    However, soon after Kree spoke a few words into the void, the ground in front of them suddenly collapsed into a slope, revealing a brightly lit cave inside.


    ¡°Ha, finally home.¡±


    Xi Ya felt uncomfortable in the cramped carriage, so she got out first and led the horses.


    Rafael leaned against the side of the door, looking towards the cave they were entering.


    Down from the slope, the tunnel expanded into a surprisingly large space.


    The first thing in sight was a hall lined with stone walls storing various items.


    There were human firearms, drugs, coins, and gold.


    On one side of the hall, there was a simple cell.


    Rafael saw a few humans peering out; seeing the massive Spider Lady dragging stuff inside, they disappointedly sat back down in the cell.


    Were these guys robbing humans around here?


    ¡°Any valuable stuff?¡±


    From another tunnel came a petite girl covered in dirt, trailing a long, hard tail reminiscent of a pangolin¡¯s tail; her hands were disproportionately large compared to the rest of her body, perfect for chiseling rocks and digging through soil.


    [Mountain Armor Species], a type of cave-dwelling demi-human that inhabited the mountains.


    Rafael, living in that region, had never seen one of this species in person before; she¡¯d only read about them in tribal records.


    Today was her first encounter with an actual Mountain Armor Species, though she hadn¡¯t expected it under these circumstances.


    ¡°No valuables, just a few Dragon-men and a carriage engraved with some magic ¨C can¡¯t say it¡¯s a loss¡­


    Remember to contact that human tomorrow and ask if he wants these.¡±


    ¡°Why do I have to go again?


    I have to dig!¡±


    ¡°Dig, dig, dig, you¡¯re always digging!


    Can¡¯t you take a day off?!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to dig if you guys didn¡¯t need somewhere to live!


    Xi Ya, I said I¡¯m not going!¡±


    ¡°How do you expect me to, looking like this, go meet with humans in the city?¡±


    Hidden from view inside the carriage, they could only hear the fierce argument between the two demi-humans.


    Lar glanced outside, then popped his head out of Mier¡¯s embrace to look at Rafael,


    ¡°Lord Raphael¡­


    I¡¯m a bit scared..¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Fisher is still alive.¡±


    If Rafael¡¯s body hadn¡¯t been so weak, she would have insisted on taking them out herself¡­


    But she didn¡¯t know why, mentioning that the human was still alive felt like relying on him. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No, not relying, just¡­


    Her current state was not good, and that human was so strong, these hoodlums were no match for him.


    If she were older, she was confident she could defeat that guy.


    So it wasn¡¯t about relying on him, it was just a temporary measure for now, believing in him because that human wouldn¡¯t let them just walk away.


    That was it.


    That¡¯s what Rafael thought as she looked up, only to find a ghostly figure watching them emotionlessly,


    ¡°Even if that human is still alive, he won¡¯t be able to save you.


    Give it up, and get off the carriage now.¡±


    Humans wouldn¡¯t likely send soldiers from within the city walls to help; they understood very well the attitudes of nearby human cities.


    They wouldn¡¯t venture easily into the wilderness.


    If they did, they would sell that information to the goblins in the north.


    Those fools harbored a strong grudge against the humans hiding behind the city walls.


    And if it were just that one human¡­


    Heh, if he dared come, they¡¯d make him give back the life he barely hung onto.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    In the night¡¯s fog, Fisher slowly walked to the river¡¯s edge, placing the hat he¡¯d dropped avoiding gunfire back on his head.


    He picked up his hand-cane, looked toward a certain direction in the darkness, and then walked towards it, slowly disappearing into the night¡¯s fog.

 Chapter 22 - 22 22

    ?22: 22.


    Renie 22: 22.


    Renie ¡°Damn it, why did they capture more people, and they¡¯re demi-humans¡­


    Have they even written a letter to the City Lord?


    I¡¯m friends with the Lord of Keken.


    He would definitely come to save me.¡±


    Rafael and several Dragon Ladies were captured by a Brain Demon named Kree and thrown into a makeshift cell in the great hall, where three humans were also detained¡ªtwo men and one woman.


    With the presence of the Brain Demon, Rafael could understand the humans¡¯ language, which made her look over curiously.


    ¡°Quiet down; there are still ten days left.


    If no ransom is paid, we¡¯ll tear you apart.¡±


    The enormous Spider Xi Ya threatened them from outside, scaring the humans inside greatly,


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t kill us¡­


    I¡­¡±


    Ignoring the voices of the humans in the cell, Xi Ya climbed up the adjacent rock wall and lay down in a small cave at the top, where another Brain Demon was sitting in a neighboring cave.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Fama Xi?


    Still digging?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, he went to bathe.¡±


    Kree closed a jewelry box in her hand and then turned to look at Xi Ya, who was smearing something white on her face, apparently inexperienced, making her face unnaturally pale in contrast to her ghostly figure.


    Xi Ya, having just sat down, was amused by her odd appearance and pointed at her,


    ¡°What is this stuff?


    You look so ugly, hahaha!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Kree opened her mouth, looking down at the mirror expressionlessly, ¡°I bought it in a human city.


    The women there love to wear it. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It looked good there, but it seems I applied it too thickly¡­¡±


    Xi Ya lay down, pulling on her massive spider legs beneath her, and extracted some spider silk from her body.


    The silk of a Spiderman is very precious; they must save up their own silk for nest building.


    The more they eat, the better, as it leads to more and whiter silk.


    The spider silk in Xi Ya¡¯s hand looked like white jade as she fondly examined it for a long time, slowly removing impurities as if kneading mochi from the silk produced within her body today.


    ¡°How much silk have you actually stored?¡±


    Kree glanced at her huge spider body and asked.


    Xi Ya didn¡¯t look at her,


    ¡°What do you know?


    I¡¯ve been saving up these silk for years.


    Everything I eat goes into making more silk, so it¡¯ll be the most beautiful and comfortable nest when it¡¯s time¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh, building a nest, huh¡­¡±


    Kree put down her makeup box, and in the mirror, her ethereal expression gradually faded, ¡°This isn¡¯t a solution; humans won¡¯t be content to stay within the walls forever.


    Many goblin tribes in the north have been annihilated by humans, and once the larger tribes are killed off, the wilderness will belong to humans¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsk, then we just hide in the mountains then, I might reluctantly let you live in my nest.¡±


    Xi Ya seemed not too bright, utterly oblivious to Kree¡¯s concern in her words, instead optimistically and storing all her precious silk back into her giant spider body.


    Kree opened her mouth and then murmured,


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so¡­


    I¡¯ll take care of contacting the humans.


    I¡¯ll be leaving soon, just the right time to further see how they use this thing.¡±


    She set her makeup box next to the cave before looking at Xi Ya,


    ¡°You guys get some rest.


    Wait for my news.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure, go ahead.


    I¡¯m going to see what Fama Xi is up to; he better not have gone digging again halfway through his bath¡­¡±


    Watching Kree¡¯s figure gradually disappear from the spot, Xi Ya also jumped down from the cave and walked in another direction.


    The dim firelight flickered as her enormous spider shadow grew longer until it finally disappeared completely.


    ¡°We¡¯re done for, we¡¯re going to be killed¡­¡±


    A few humans murmured in desolate low tones, but by this time, Rafael could no longer understand their language as the Brain Demon Species demi-human had already left.


    Rafael still wanted to bravely go to the cell to see if she could physically break open the doors, but merely walking there made her feel weak, her scales aching intensely.


    Mier came over and helped her sit down, speaking in a low voice,


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Fisher will definitely come¡­¡±


    Rafael glanced at her, and Mier, thinking of something, blushed again and frantically waved her hands, saying,


    ¡°I mean, Fisher¡¯s carriage is still here¡­


    he¡­


    should come to get his carriage and, also, incidentally¡­


    rescue us¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister Mier, how can you trust that human!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Fasher and Kexier pointed at Mier, making her blush even deeper,


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that Fisher is a bit different from other humans¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Brother Burr!¡±


    ¡°Hey hey, stop talking nonsense, Kexier!¡±


    Burr was Mier¡¯s tail-matching partner, and also the brother of Kexier and Fasher.


    The room started to get noisy again, but they still kept their voices down, fearing that the earlier Spiderman would come and blow a big hole in their chests with a firegun.


    The next second, Lar, who was beside Mier, shouted,


    ¡°Fisher!¡±


    ¡°Shh, Lar, keep your voice down¡­


    ah¡­


    Lord Fisher.¡±


    Rafael seemed to hear the name, and suddenly looked up to see a human man in a black suit standing at the door of the cell.


    Seeing Lar shouting, Fisher raised his index finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet.


    ¡°Fisher, how did you get in?¡±


    ¡°Sir, sir!


    We are from Nali, please save us, tell the Lord of Keken City our location, and we will definitely reward you generously after we get out!¡±


    Fisher ignored the gleaming-eyed humans and the chattering Lar, merely pointing his finger to count the number of Dragon-men, confirming none was missing.


    He didn¡¯t open the cell door, instead, he started to look for his carriage.


    Seeing it parked next to the cave, he left the cell door with his hand cane.


    ¡°Hey hey, sir, don¡¯t go, please!¡±


    Watching the unresponsive Fisher, the human prisoners¡¯ faces turned gloomy.


    Rafael leaned against the cell door, gently closing her eyes, not knowing why; she felt a bit upset about him not opening the door first, but it also seemed reasonable that he valued his carriage more than her and her partners combined.


    She suppressed the discomfort and sadness in her heart without saying a word.


    Fisher opened the carriage door and entered the messy room, opened a drawer, and found that his leather wallet was still missing.


    His expression grew grim, and he gripped his hand cane even tighter.


    Coming out of his room, he suddenly noticed the deep purple dress that had fallen on the floor.


    Slightly startled, he picked up the clothing, the purple rings of light began to move again, but disappeared completely the moment Fisher touched it.


    It seemed the Magic had already been triggered¡­


    Fisher sighed, and suddenly the image of the Witch flashed through his mind.


    He re-hung the dress in the deepest part of the changing room, and as the dress flipped, a small line of text written in Nali¡¯s cursive script appeared on the dress collar,


    ¡°Renie¡±

 Chapter 23 - 23 23

    ?23: 23.


    Spider Silk 23: 23.


    Spider Silk The massive underground cavern had a smooth perimeter, occasionally showing traces of being scraped by some sharp object.


    Moreover, even from the wilderness outside, the camouflage was seamless.


    Had Fisher¡¯s hand-cane and carriage not been magically connected, he might not have even noticed the entrance to the underground passage.


    However, their vigilance still needed improvement, as someone had entered the cavern without them noticing anything amiss.


    Fisher walked into the cavern, its walls adorned with glass bottles containing Thunder Worms, a firefly variant native to the South Continent, hence the visibility inside the cavern was quite good.


    Following the direction of the light, beyond the large hall in front, there were several connected caves.


    He had already guessed that demi-humans had ambushed them, but was unaware that there would be a Spider-man Species inside.


    In a small cave ahead, there were drooping white spider webs, which were incredibly soft and organized, resembling the lacey bed of a lady.


    However, there was no creature in that cave.


    ¡°Bang!!¡±


    At that moment, a gun fired from behind Fisher.


    Before the sound was heard, Fisher had already dodged; his ears had caught the sound of the trigger being pulled, allowing him to react in advance.


    He would not have been able to make such a reaction before studying the Dragon-men, whose constitution enhancements were indeed far too exaggerated.


    But now was not the time to sum up the bodily enhancements.


    Fisher pressed close to the inside of the web-covered room, catching a glimpse in his peripheral vision of the enormous Spider Lady standing in the middle of the cavern¡¯s passage.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a human to dare come here alone, are you seeking death?¡±


    Fisher leaned against the wall behind him and lifted his hand-cane; his ears twitched, but there was no response.


    He couldn¡¯t understand the language of this Spider-man Species; demi-human languages were complex and varied, many races having their unique systems, some of which were regional dialects.


    Fisher didn¡¯t know most of these languages.


    But he never intended to communicate anyway.


    He lifted his hand-cane, suddenly lunging out, his left hand clutching his hat to prevent it from falling off, his body shape constantly changing to avoid being hit by bullets.


    Xi Ya fired a gun and, to avoid reloading, tossed away the firearm, picking up another, but after several exchanges, none hit their mark.


    However, as the distance between the gentleman and her narrowed, a smile appeared on Xi Ya¡¯s face.


    ¡°Huff huff!¡±


    Suddenly, the ground behind Fisher cracked open, and two huge claws emerged.


    A girl wearing goggles burst out from the ground, heading straight for Fisher¡¯s back.


    The consequences of those rock-drilling claws entering a human body were undoubtedly severe.


    Fisher glanced at her calmly; his hand-cane lit up, reflecting the change in his expression.


    Three deep white Light Halos lit up; he had previously displayed this Three-Ring Magic in front of Rafael, although at that time, there was no need to fully cast it.


    Three-Ring Magic, ¡°Bee Dance.¡±


    The moment the Light Halos lit up, a buzzing like that of bees filled the cave, but upon closer inspection, it was a sign of the halos spinning at high speed.


    ¡°Bzzz bzzz bzzz!¡±


    The two halos charged toward the neck of Fama Xi, who was dashing from behind.


    Fama Xi instinctively dodged, but still, the halos plunged effortlessly into her armored shoulder, cutting through her scaled armor and then her body before slamming into the wall behind.


    ¡°Fama Xi!¡±


    A burst of blood mist exploded behind Fama Xi, and she fell to the ground, her complexion turning deathly pale.


    Knowing it was foolish to draw a gun at this distance, Xi Ya moved her spider legs toward Fisher¡¯s wrist holding the hand-cane, trying to stop him from casting further magic.


    However, Fisher had no need to use more magic; his fingers flicked the hand-cane upwards, the great force driving it into the rock above.


    This movement also neatly avoided the slashing attack at his wrist.


    The next moment, his eyes darkened, as did his descending body.


    Xi Ya¡¯s spider legs lifted, exposing all her weak points.


    Fisher adopted a Sanda stance and aimed a fierce punch at her abdomen.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    After the sound of breaking wind, Xi Ya vomited out of her mouth; her entire huge spider body followed suit, tumbling backward.


    Using the same technique he had used on Rafael, only this time Fisher didn¡¯t hold back at all.


    His gaze was as calm as water; he tightly grabbed the arms of the thrown opponent and pulled her back, then followed up with two or three punches to her already injured lower abdomen.


    The once fair stomach instantly showed purple bruising from the punches, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.


    By the time Fisher made two or three punches, and she fell down, she seemed to want to vomit, but instead, fresh blood spewed onto the ground.


    ¡°Fama¡­


    Fama Xi¡­


    run¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xi Ya seemed to be urging her fallen companion to flee quickly.


    The human in front of her was like a monster, with no possibility of defeating him.


    Her face was pale with despair as she called out to Fama Xi, but Fama Xi was motionless, her blood spreading in a pool, unknown if dead or alive.


    Silently, the human retrieved his hand-cane, looking at them as if they were dead.


    He turned over the demi-human behind him, who, despite bleeding profusely, was at least still breathing.


    It seemed she wouldn¡¯t die.


    Expressionlessly, Fisher dragged the tail of the Mountain Armor Species behind him, gripping the immobile Spiderman¡¯s neck with one hand and lifting her up, step by step, walking back to the previous hall.


    ¡°Sir, sir, save me!


    Save¡­


    save me¡­¡±


    The gentleman inside the cell became excited when he saw Fisher return, extending his hands out of the cell and waving them frantically.


    However, upon seeing the miserable state of the two half-dead demi-humans, his cries for help grew weaker until they disappeared altogether.


    How does it feel¡­


    like this human is an even more violent thug¡­


    Rather than being killed by him, it might be better to stay locked up here.


    Rafael¡¯s gaze was complex as he looked at the beaten Spider-man Species, pursed his lips, and he and Kexier Fashi¡¯er exchanged looks of complexity at each other¡¯s miserable state.


    If I had not admitted to my assassination failure back then, would I also have been beaten like that?


    ¡°My wallet, is it with them?¡±


    Fisher didn¡¯t ask the two demi-humans, because he couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying, so he had to ask Rafael and the others.


    ¡°Yes!


    She also said Fisher, you are a poor devil!¡±


    Lar pouted, her small fingers pointing at the pale-faced Spider-man Xi Ya.


    Black lines appeared on Fisher¡¯s face, and he looked down at Xi Ya, who he had thrown to the ground.


    Even though he knew she couldn¡¯t understand, Fisher still extended a hand towards her, demanding his wallet back.


    But not only did she ignore him, she even tried to spit blood-stained saliva at Fisher; however, her body was in too much pain and she couldn¡¯t spit it out, so the blood and saliva simply dribbled down the corners of her mouth.


    Fisher¡¯s gaze gradually turned icy cold, and for some reason, Rafael¡¯s body shivered.


    This expression¡­


    this human must be angry.


    ¡°Spider-man Species like to store nesting silk, which is their most precious possession¡­¡±


    Fisher spoke in words Xi Ya couldn¡¯t understand, while he fetched a small glass jar from the carriage. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He silently moved to the rear of the Spider-man¡¯s body, patted the massive spider body, and then placed the glass jar underneath her.


    ¡°Wait¡­


    wait, human, what are you doing?


    Ugh¡­¡±


    Xi Ya¡¯s compound eyes suddenly brightened, she just wanted to shout angrily, but her entire body went limp as if electrified, her spider limbs hung weakly, and her face also turned red.


    Behind her, the human¡¯s powerful hands kept kneading her spider tail, and her uncontrollably twitching tail began to slowly expel silks, all falling into the jar on the ground.


    Despite the large amount of silk, it seemed like tiny dust particles when it fell into that small jar.


    This jar had Space Magic cast on it, just like the one on the carriage.


    ¡°No¡­


    don¡¯t¡­


    my silk¡­


    don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Xi Ya¡¯s body trembled, it was painful to have her silk taken away, but being forced to squeeze out silk, aside from pain, she strangely felt a weird pleasure.


    ¡°Ugh¡­


    no¡­¡±


    Eventually, her upper body weakly collapsed onto the ground, her eyes full of blush and moistness were reluctantly looking back at the human behind her.


    Rafael opened his mouth, Mier blushing fiercely behind, held her hands tightly over Lar¡¯s face, while Fasher and Kexier covered their faces without saying a word.


    ¡°I want to see, I want to see!


    That detestable Spider-man actually pointed a gun at Lar!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still young, Lar¡­ these matters¡­¡±


    It took several tens of minutes before Fisher finally held the jar filled with silk in his hand, looking at the despondent Xi Ya in front of him, he actually felt a faint pleasure.


    The feeling of taking everything away from someone else, let you experience it as well.


    ¡°Kill me¡­¡±


    Xi Ya¡¯s eyes were blank, but the blush on her face never faded, this contradiction made her unable to look at herself directly.


    ¡°Heh, where is my wallet?¡±


    Fisher quietly reclaimed justice for the thousands of euros in his wallet, but within a second he realized something was wrong; why could he suddenly understand her, why had this Spider-man¡¯s language turned into Nali Language.


    Fisher made no moves, just the handcan in his hand lit up again, targeting the Spider-man on the ground.


    Suddenly, the surroundings went quiet, then an unknown sigh came from somewhere,


    ¡°Please stop, spare them.¡±


    A semi-illusory figure appeared inside the cave, quietly looking at Fisher holding the handcan; who else could it be if not the Brain Demon Kree?


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    Fisher¡¯s words were as cold as iron, his gaze also turning towards that ghostly figure, ready to instantly pierce through the skulls of the two demi-humans.

 Chapter 24 - 24 24

    ?24: 24.


    The Witch¡¯s Trick 24: 24.


    The Witch¡¯s Trick ¡°Although those two guys are indeed stupid, it¡¯s not easy to get by in this era¡­


    Let them go, and not only will all the wealth here be yours, but I¡¯ll also hand over several other hidden treasures to you, just spare their lives.¡±


    Kree looked at Fama Xi, who was bleeding on the ground, and resisted the urge to reach out, her expression still maintaining composure.


    Fisher didn¡¯t think twice, the glow in his hand growing stronger,


    ¡°Hmm, not bad, but killing you and taking the visible treasures here would satisfy me as well¡­¡±


    A crack appeared on Kree¡¯s calm face as she saw the light getting closer to Xi Ya¡¯s body, and she couldn¡¯t find any other way to stop Fisher for the moment.


    She hesitated for a moment, then suddenly shouted,


    ¡°That red Dragon-man didn¡¯t come of age within the tribe, so she can¡¯t be complete.


    I can provide a method to help her reach her full form, and all those treasures will be yours as well, just let them go!¡±


    But after saying this, even Kree regretted it.


    Those Dragon-man Species were just this Human¡¯s slaves, and to Humans, demi-human slaves were merely objects, probably not as attractive as those treasures.


    Rafael closed his eyes too, for the answer was obvious.


    ¡°..Interesting.¡±


    Unexpectedly, the light from Fisher¡¯s handcanedims dimmed, and he lowered his hand, ¡°Your partner needs to stop bleeding.


    Come over and take care of it.¡±


    Kree was stunned for a second before she hurriedly floated behind Fisher, looking at the underground, closed-eyed Fama Xi.


    The blood on her had already dried quite a bit, but those two wounds still startled Kree.


    She frantically covered the wounds with her ethereal hands, a ring she wore beginning to emit a faint light, seemingly engraved with a simple Healing Magic, but Fisher didn¡¯t bother anymore and just sat on the carriage, quietly waiting for her response.


    Meanwhile, Rafael opened his eyes in surprise upon hearing Fisher¡¯s response, turning his head to look at his comrades; they were also looking at him.


    ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡±


    Now it was Rafael who became a bit nervous and shy; his expression unchanged, his tail flicked back and forth, catching the gaze of the Human prisoners nearby.


    ¡°Kree¡­


    Fama Xi.¡±


    Xi Ya also finally snapped out of her previous daze.


    Kree didn¡¯t look at her; she sighed in relief after confirming Fama Xi¡¯s wounds were no longer bleeding,


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, she¡¯s still breathing.¡±


    She turned to look at the messy state of Xi Ya next to her, realizing they were definitely no match for this Human.


    They had robbed many surrounding Humans, but this was the first time they had encountered such a Human, an absolute monster¡­


    ¡°Can you now tell me the method for the Dragon-man¡¯s coming of age?¡±


    Fisher tapped his handcan on the ground with a crisp sound, drawing Kree¡¯s still treating attention.


    Kree removed her hands from Fama Xi¡¯s body and then turned to Rafael to say,


    ¡°The coming of age for the Dragon-man Species requires a ceremony to guide the growth of their Dragon Horn.


    Without specific Spell guidance from the Dragon-man Species, their horns will grow haphazardly and might sprout from different places.


    I just happened to have exchanged with a Dragon-man Tribe before for this part of the content.


    This Dragon-man should be coming of age in a few days, and the timing to prepare is just right.¡±


    Kree continued,


    ¡°The entire ceremony requires many items for the setup, and some things still need to be purchased from other tribes, some of which only accept Gold, not Human coins¡­¡±


    Fisher glanced at the treasures they had placed in the hall, and casually said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money.¡±


    Kree¡¯s face darkened, and Xi Ya next to her, covering her stomach, tried to speak,


    ¡°Hey, at least leave something for us.¡±


    Fisher looked at her expressionlessly, and her body suddenly weakened, not knowing what strange cases she had touched again as a blush rose on her face and the spider behind her trembled without spitting any more silk.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your money, let these people go, help me set up the ceremony, and we¡¯re even¡­¡± he glanced at the two beaten demi-humans unable to fend for themselves and then added, ¡°and my wallet.¡±


    Kree glanced at Xi Ya, who then took out the real leather wallet hidden inside her bra and tossed it to Fisher from a distance.


    Fisher first opened the wallet to count the Narliou within.


    The money was fine, mainly because it also had banknotes and photos entrusted to him by Renie.


    After confirming nothing had changed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Tonight we¡¯ll stay here, and start preparing tomorrow.


    You all take care of your comrades first.¡±


    He walked up to the front of the cell, releasing everyone.


    Lar excitedly ran out and hugged Fisher, hanging on to him which startled his comrades,


    ¡°Lar!¡±


    ¡°Fisher, Fisher, I thought I wouldn¡¯t see you again, that Spiderman said you were beaten to death, scared Lar to death¡­


    I was wondering if there would be new holes in your head or somewhere else¡­¡±


    ¡°How could that be.¡±


    Fisher looked down at the lively Lar, her tail swishing lightly but her body very light and easy to lift.


    Could she actually trust him, this Human, so much?


    ¡°Alright, Lar, come down now.¡±


    It was Mier who was most understanding, quickly running over to lift Lar down from Fisher¡¯s arms, ¡°Sorry, Lord Fisher.¡±


    Fisher touched Lar¡¯s head to indicate there was no issue, then he remembered to ask Mier,


    ¡°Does the Dragon-man Species have a coming-of-age ceremony?


    Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡±


    ¡°Ah?


    That¡­ when I came of age, I was feeling awful and was mostly sleeping, so I¡¯m not sure what my family did to me.


    All I know is that when I woke up, horns had grown¡­ Sorry.¡±


    Mier felt somewhat guilty and lowered his head.


    Fisher nodded his head then was about to ask how those humans were captured when suddenly, a chirping of birds came from the hall behind them,


    ¡°Chirp~ chirp~¡±


    Fisher turned his head and saw a long-tailed lark emitting a deep purple glow flying around in the hall.


    It twirled in mid-air, reluctant to land, emitting clear chirping sounds.


    A frustrated look crossed Fisher¡¯s face as he glanced at the demi-humans,


    ¡°Who touched the clothes on my carriage?¡±


    Kree paused for a moment before raising her hand,


    ¡°It was me¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine then.¡±


    Such a silly question to ask as all these demi-humans were females.


    The lark caught Fisher¡¯s reflection in its eyes and joyfully landed on the shoulder of Fisher, who had just stepped out of the cell, but what it received was not a welcome but a gentle pecking sound,


    ¡°Fisher, bad man!


    Fisher, bad man!¡±


    This child-like voice emanated from the lark, and with each peck, it shouted, drawing the attention of everyone in the cave towards him.


    The bird was speaking in Nali Language, but due to the Brain Demon Species, everyone could understand.


    Rafael, with sharp eyes, focused intently on his profile.


    ¡°Alright, Hart, does she have something to tell me?¡±


    Fisher reached out to grab the little bird¡¯s head to stop it from pecking him, then he stroked its soft feathers and asked,


    ¡°Three things, three things¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°First thing, first thing, stay away from those women, she touched Renie¡¯s clothes, Renie is angry, asked me to peck you.¡±


    ¡°¡­And then?¡± Fisher inquired about her current situation.


    ¡°Second thing, second thing, Kado has not found her home, so she is planning to continue searching south.¡±


    Fisher pondered for a while before responding to the little bird on his shoulder,


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°Third thing, third thing.¡±


    Hart, the magic lark, began chirping again,


    ¡°Renie says she misses you.¡±


    The cave fell silent, only the cute little bird Hart tilted its head looking at him, seemingly waiting for his response.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Fisher¡¯s silence was longer than before, and it took him a while before he squeezed out a normal response and pinched his hand cane, then walked a distance toward the carriage.


    ¡°Any message you want Hart to take back? S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Any?¡±


    In the cell, Rafael¡¯s gaze had always been on the human man¡¯s retreating figure, but their conversation was clear and audible, which she listened to intently, her tail still as she closed her eyes, seemingly indifferent.


    ¡°Tell her to take care of herself.¡±


    ¡°Alright alright¡­ Fisher says, take care of yourself, Renie, Fisher says take care of yourself¡­¡±


    After hearing this, the little bird flapped its wings which began spinning faster in mid-air as rings of magic emblems appeared along its flight path.


    However, the movement was too rapid to discern what kind of magic it was.


    As the bird¡¯s speed reached its apex, it suddenly transformed into a shooting star that shot out of the cave straight up into the foggy sky of the South Continent, until it found a specific direction in the star-filled area and vanished into the horizon.


    Meanwhile, in the far-off Western Continent within Kado, buildings filled with an ascetic architectural style were engulfed in a pallor amid good weather, sunlight spilling over a spire-like hotel on the second floor.


    At this moment, the southern-facing room¡¯s window was wide open, letting bits of incense drift outside, and a raven-haired beauty leaned by the window, apparently resting with closed eyes.


    Waiting for that purple shooting star to return to her side, the purple lark fluttered several times at the edge of the window sill before settling down, but when it spoke again, it was no longer in the chirpy tone it had by Fisher¡¯s side.


    ¡°Alright, return my body to me, Hart.¡±


    The female opened her eyes, her vacant eyes gradually filling with a purple deeper than the starry sky until it completely filled her pupils.


    She then stretched lazily, gathering the now vividly chirping little bird into her palm.


    Unfortunately, Fisher, that fool, was unable to discern the difference.

 Chapter 25 - 25 25

    ?25: 25.


    Arrogance 25: 25.


    Arrogance ¡°We were on the carriage heading northwards to Philone City when suddenly such a huge spider emerged on the road and killed my horse.¡±


    Inside the cave, Fisher lit a fire and, holding a feather pen, ceaselessly wrote something while occasionally speaking with the rescued humans.


    It turned out they were a couple along with the man¡¯s sister, a family traveling in the South Continent.


    Initially, they planned to visit Kexie Ning to see the circus, but they decided to vacation in Philone City instead.


    However, when passing through Keken City, they were kidnapped by several demi-humans.


    ¡°If you ask me, we shouldn¡¯t have sent Annie back to the city.


    She was already sick.


    If we had taken her to Philone City with us, we wouldn¡¯t have run into this lot.¡±


    The man¡¯s sister¡¯s eyes were crooked, displaying a harsh demeanor.


    She glanced cautiously at Kree and the others beside her who were healing, looking down on the demi-humans and even the dragon-men around Fisher, finding them filthy and despicable.


    However, since those dragon-men were the slaves of this young and handsome gentleman, it was somewhat acceptable, so she left it at that.


    Oh, such a young gentleman¡ªhe really should be asked where his residence in Nali is.


    He must work as a lawyer or a surgeon; just right for my daughter¡­


    ¡°Stop it, sister.


    Annie has served our family for a long time.


    If not for her contracting such a dreadful disease, I wouldn¡¯t have left her here¡­


    blue blood oozing from her mouth and eyes.


    I bet she was cursed by a demon!¡±


    At that thought, the man shivered.


    Their conversation caught Fisher¡¯s attention.


    He paused his writing and looked at him,


    ¡°Is it the disease where the person¡¯s mind deteriorates, and blue blood oozes from their seven orifices?¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes!


    She acted like a wild beast.


    About a few weeks ago on the carriage, she suddenly attacked me and almost bit off my ear.¡±


    ¡°Before that, had you encountered anything or experienced any peculiar incident?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    The people exchanged looks and thought for a long while before shaking their heads,


    ¡°How could there be anything peculiar¡­


    we¡¯re here on a trip.


    We didn¡¯t dare to venture into the wild for long and stayed mostly in cities.


    Others who stayed in the cities didn¡¯t contract such diseases.


    Plus, she was always with us.


    If there had been anything peculiar, we all should¡¯ve gotten sick.¡±


    Fisher thought for a moment, then resumed writing with his feather pen.


    Meanwhile, the wife seemed to have remembered something, her expression turning pensive,


    ¡°Speaking of which, Annie fell ill just after receiving news that her daughter had died in a textile factory.


    Her husband had already died young, which is really¡­¡±


    Fisher flicked his gaze, memorizing the details they described, then nodded and stood up,


    ¡°I understand now.


    You should leave this place tomorrow morning and try to travel in crowded areas.


    The South Continent is not safe, and next time, try not to get caught by either demi-humans or humans.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you, please¡­¡±


    The gentleman tried to express his gratitude, but Fisher had already walked away towards the group of dragon-men, leaving him to reluctantly withdraw his hand.


    Fisher, carrying the papers he had just written, walked toward Rafael, who was resting.


    Although she lacked strength, her mind was still clear.


    She leaned against the carriage, watching Lar and Fasher playing, occasionally keeping an eye on Xi Ya and Kree, fearing they might try to escape or attack.


    Her vigilance in this regard was always surprising.


    Seeing Fisher coming expressionlessly, she pursed her lips, her tail flicking behind her.


    Ultimately, he had saved them, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say ¡°thank you¡± like Lar did.


    Her tail swayed for a long time, but in the end, she said nothing.


    ¡°Here, take this.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±


    Rafael subconsciously took the scroll handed to her, only to see it simply inscribed with directories in Dragon Language.


    ¡°Basic Vocabulary, pages 1 to 117¡±


    ¡°Basic Grammar, pages 118 to 201¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fisher handed her a basic book on Nali Language before saying,


    ¡°I just remembered, not knowing human languages is troublesome for you.


    After I bring you back to the Western Continent, I can¡¯t always act as your interpreter, so use this time to quickly learn Nali Language.¡±


    Rafael glanced at the books in her hand, then threw them aside, her expression turning defiant as she spoke to Fisher,


    ¡°Are you so certain I cannot kill you?


    I definitely will kill you and escape.


    Even if I can¡¯t kill you, I won¡¯t learn human languages!¡±


    She glanced at the books beside her.


    She had neither interest in nor respect for human languages.


    The identity of human invaders coated everything about them in a disdainful light.


    Fisher looked at her expressionlessly, those cold eyes making Rafael wonder if he was about to hit her again or use her companions to threaten her¡­


    ¡°Rafael, what do you think humans are like in your eyes?¡±


    To Rafael¡¯s surprise, Fisher only asked such a simple question, and Rafael¡¯s answer was also straightforward,


    ¡°Shameless invaders, criminals, robbers, arrogant pests!¡±


    Those humans wickedly tainted this land with flames, regarding demi-humans as inferior beasts, and they could take everything from them without even needing a reason.


    This was the true nature of humans, greedy and arrogant.


    Fisher¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he continued to look at her and said,


    ¡°I am such a human, yet I understand the Fermat Baha Dragon Court Language and am willing to spend more time deepening my understanding of it.


    So now, I can communicate with you face to face¡­


    yet you scorn the languages of humans with disdain.


    Arrogance is the original sin of humans, it seems the Dragon-man Species cannot be spared either, can it?¡±


    Rafael turned her head away but found herself unable to refute Fisher¡¯s words.


    Fisher picked up the study document next to her, placing it back in her hands.


    This time, she did not refuse, nor did she turn to look at Fisher.


    Her conflicted inner self was a true reflection of Rafael, and Fisher no longer spoke, simply turning silently and walking in another direction.


    Rafael¡¯s Dragon Claw pinched the book in her hand.


    Again, it was like this: only when Fisher could not see her, would she set her eyes on him.


    Forever, forever, what she always saw was the back of Fisher.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Ignoring the haughty Rafael behind him, he was about to tell Lar to stop causing a fuss, saying it was time to go to sleep, but from the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Kree, her body half ethereal, leaning against the stone wall with a complex look in her eyes.


    At her feet, the Mountain Armor Species Fama Xi slept with a pale face, his body simply bandaged and now free from harm.


    Spider-man Species Xi Ya had yet to rest, his large body entirely cautious not to trigger Fisher, afraid of any peculiar reactions.


    She didn¡¯t even dare to ask for her precious spider silk back.


    ¡°Is there something?¡±


    ¡°Your name is Fisher, correct?


    I am Kree of the Brain Demon Species.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    Kree smiled and continued,


    ¡°Nothing much.


    Just that your words to that Dragon-man Species girl earlier intrigued me¡­


    About her coming of age ceremony, I should be able to gather the materials by tomorrow, so there is no need for you to worry.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another thing.


    If you are planning to continue traveling northwest, you might encounter some unfriendly goblins.


    If possible, it would be safer to take a detour around them.¡±


    ¡°Goblins?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kree nodded and added, ¡°They are creatures that live generation after generation in caves but are not good at digging like the Mountain Armor Species.


    Thus, the natural caves where they reside typically have minerals of the kind spoken of by humans.


    Since humans have come, many goblin tribes have lost their original homes, so they are quite aggressive toward humans.¡±


    ¡°Although you are very powerful, dealing continuously with the goblins would undoubtedly be troublesome, so taking a detour might be better¡­¡±


    Fisher looked at the impassive Kree, considering the advice she had mentioned, and then nodded,


    ¡°Thank you for the warning; I¡¯ll be careful.


    What would you like in exchange from me?¡±


    He thought Kree provided the information in hopes of taking something back, such as the spider silk, for instance.


    ¡°Although I didn¡¯t tell you this for an exchange, if you return Xi Ya¡¯s spider silk to her, she would surely be pleased¡­¡± Her gaze was a bit wistful, and the luminance of her transparent brain dimmed,


    ¡°Our Brain Demon Species, capable of making interspecies communication barrier-free, often serve as translators for humans due to survival needs.


    Demi-humans see us as lapdogs, humans treat us as slaves, which is why I escaped from my homeland¡­


    Perhaps you are right, none of us should be so arrogant..¡±


    Her gaze was blank, the specific ¡°us¡± in her words uncertain, but such sadness and emptiness were instantly visible.


    Yet Fisher¡¯s expression did not change, appearing completely unrelated to him.


    As he silently turned back, he tossed the canister of spider silk to Kree, still dazed in her place.


    Kree caught the magical flickering jar, looking up in astonishment at the departing human.


    He gave no reply, just a retreating slender figure growing distant.


    ¡°Lar, stop making a fuss, go back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°But Lar has been confined for so long today and hasn¡¯t moved much¡­


    Okay, but Fasher and the others need to sleep too!¡±


    ¡°You all need to rest.¡±

 Chapter 26 - 26 26

    ?26: 26.


    Dragon-man Magic 26: 26.


    Dragon-man Magic [Dragon-man Species Biological Research Progress: 21%]


    [Dragon-man Species Society Research Progress: 20%]


    [Unlocked Rewards: Constitution +2, Reproductive Ability +10, Fermat Baha Dragon Court Magic Book]


    At night, lying in bed, Fisher took out the demi-human girl¡¯s Completion Manual.


    As the illusory text in front of him gradually disappeared, a strange power surged into his body.


    It not only enhanced his physical strength but also brought a weird burning sensation to his lower abdomen, as if the strength in his waist and certain other parts had also been significantly bolstered.


    Especially now, that part of him was exceptionally hard and full of aggressive desire.


    He suddenly found the demi-humans quite beautiful, especially the Dragon-man Species with their sturdy and sleek forms and that pale, smooth¡­


    He froze for a second or two, then covered his face with a face full of grim lines.


    The Dragon-man Species could restrain their desires through the mechanism of a tail-matching partner, but humans are beings that are in heat all the time, and this increase in reproductive ability made Fisher feel somewhat uncomfortable.


    He took several deep breaths before forcing himself to look at the thin and ancient book that had appeared in his hands out of thin air.


    On the book cover, the text was written in characters that resembled scales yet were sharp like blades: ¡°Fermat Baha Royal Magic Book¡±.


    Fisher turned on the lamp beside his bed with great interest and then opened the book.


    The desire for research and knowledge momentarily suppressed the intense reproductive urge as he carefully studied the magic passed down through generations of the Dragon-man Species.


    But soon, he was disappointed to discover that his Fermat Baha Dragon Court Language proficiency, as gifted by the Completion Manual, was insufficient to fully comprehend the magic book in his hands.


    Many obscure and archaic descriptions were far beyond everyday language, leaving Fisher to guess the operating principles of some spells through key terms alone.


    Since magic is an extremely precise science, even the slightest misunderstanding can lead to a very serious magical accident.


    Though it could also produce a brand new form of magic, the risk was too high and not to be attempted lightly without being a theoretician master of magic.


    It took Fisher a while to find one or two spells that he could understand at his current level, such as the ¡°Fermat Baha Dragon Breath¡± that could summon a large amount of flames, and the ¡°Fermat Baha Dragon Flame¡± that could create an instantaneous explosion.


    Dragon-men inscribed magic into their weapons and armor.


    During close combat, they would unleash the magic, often affecting both friends and foes with the power of the magic, making Fisher somewhat puzzled about their logic in using magic.


    Furthermore, such lethal spells were considered low-level magic among the ancient spells of the Dragon-men.


    The magical circuits of the Dragon-man Species were much coarser than those of humans.


    Their methods of invoking ¡°World Resonance¡± were also crude, and many spells were considered dangerous from a human perspective.


    Because there was little skill involved, the Dragon-man Species recorded few spells, and Fisher believed it wouldn¡¯t be long before he thoroughly researched them.


    However, he would first need to learn deeper knowledge of the Dragon Court Language.


    Fisher got up and used a carving knife on the table to inscribe some magic emblems of the Dragon-man Species.


    Unlike human magic, which activates the ¡°Reverberation¡± after the spell takes shape, this magic caused the air and space around it to visibly dent even while being written, and the emblem on the table also turned a faint golden color.


    More importantly, although Fisher¡¯s current magic ability was sufficient to complete all the magic emblems, the side effects were much greater than usual magic.


    Now he was starting to get a headache, and all the magic circuits in his hand lit up, indicating the sheer amount of magic power required by the Dragon-man Species¡¯ magic.


    After completing all the magic emblems, Fisher rubbed his temples and looked at the magic routes on the table.


    The magic of the Dragon-type was not like that of humans which cycled in rings but followed a structure similar to teeth for its cycles.


    The ¡°Fermat Baha Dragon Breath¡± was done, and he was somewhat eager to try it out.


    He put on his shoes, picked up the bedside table, and walked out from the caravan to the open fields outside the cave.


    The fog was still thick.


    Fisher laid the table down facing away from him, then stepped back several paces.


    After making sure everything was safe, he pointed a finger, and the magical route on the table immediately began flashing with a blinding white light.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t the roar of a Dragon-man but the thunderous noise of a massive amount of flames bursting out instantly.


    Just one second later, the spot on the table inscribed with magic emblems seemed to sink in, erupting with a torrent of flames that shot forward, creating a fire pillar that extended several dozen meters.


    Before Fisher could marvel at the strength of the spell, the table bearing the magic emblems was the first to catch fire completely.


    And more terrifyingly, the void dent caused by the spatial recession started to spin the table around.


    Fisher¡¯s face changed immediately as he watched the table, with its dozens of meters of fire pillar, spin around like a top; he quickly ran back.


    It was a good thing his physical constitution had been enhanced again; otherwise, the scorching flames were about to burn his nightgown.


    ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡­¡±


    The spell, like a storm of flames, continued to operate, burning the entire table through and leaving behind a ground covered with steam and char until it gradually came to a stop.


    Is this the magic of the Dragon-men?


    Although it was powerful, it was far too unstable, actually burning away the magic emblems themselves.


    Fisher had never seen such a situation before.


    ¡°Better to continue researching such dangerous magic after mastering more of the Dragon Court Language,¡± Fisher thought, his expression one of resignation as he returned to his own room in the carriage.


    When he pushed open the door, however, sitting on the bed were two dragon-girls with white scales.


    It turned out to be Fasher and Kexier.


    The twin sisters looked very much alike, and one could only distinguish who was the elder and who was the younger by their eyes, with the elder sister Fasher having black pupils, and the younger sister with silver ones.


    Sitting side by side on Fisher¡¯s bed, the two of them looked at Fisher as he entered the room, their tails drawing a circle behind them.


    Their serious expressions made Fisher raise an eyebrow.


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    They exchanged glances, maintaining their previous expressions but clasping each other¡¯s hands.


    Then, turning to look at Fisher with a sideways glance,


    ¡°Lord Fisher, you bought Rafael for that sort of thing, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That sort of thing?¡±


    Fisher asked, his tone flat, suddenly recalling Mier¡¯s reaction back in the hotel room.


    Surely that idiot hadn¡¯t shared such stupid speculations with Fasher and Kexier, two even bigger fools?


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    ¡°But please, Lord Fisher, spare Lord Rafael.¡±


    ¡°Lord Rafael is a good person¡­¡±


    ¡°As guards of the dragon-man, if possible, please take us as Lord Rafael¡¯s substitutes.¡±


    ¡°We will do our utmost.¡±


    The two of them spoke one after another, their expressions unchanged, but their eyes fixed steadily on Fisher at the doorway, as if to affirm their determination.


    As Rafael¡¯s guards, lacking the corresponding strength, always needing protection from Lord Rafael, if that was the case¡­


    Let us do this just once¡­


    Fisher approached with an expressionless face, their hands gliding over the faces of the two dragon-girls, brushing gently over strands of their hanging hair, reaching the soft tips of their long dragon ears, his fingers pinching them softly.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Ooh¡­¡±


    Their complexions gradually warmed, taking on a rosy hue.


    Fisher leaned in close, breathing softly against the ear of the second sister where they touched, and they both shrank back as if electrocuted.


    The pretense of composure crumbled entirely, giving way to panic and shyness.


    Underneath the rough fabric, their silver-white tails swished, and steam kept billowing from within their bodies.


    ¡°You two little kids¡­¡±


    Fisher said emotionlessly, patting their cheeks, causing their eyes to close in a somewhat panicked manner.


    Despite clearly understanding nothing, despite being completely unprepared, they had dared to say such words.


    It was at that moment.


    Fisher suppressed the urge to taste their fair skin, sighing as if to catch his breath, and then patted their heads,


    ¡°Go back to sleep.¡±


    Fasher and Kexier could not help but gaze at him for a moment before reluctantly climbing down from his bed.


    Only at the doorway to the room next door, a red tail flicked momentarily.


    Upon hearing the sound of the sisters¡¯ footsteps, it quickly withdrew back into the room.

 Chapter 27 - 27 27

    ?27: 27.


    Signs of Adulthood 27: 27.


    Signs of Adulthood ¡°Raphael, come take a look at this part of the content.¡±


    Early in the morning, after Fisher had sent away the Human who had stayed over the night, he returned with the Fermat Baha Dragon Court Magic Book and sought out Raphael.


    Just yesterday, he had said he would temporarily put aside this part of the research, but as soon as he closed his eyes to sleep, he wondered if he could integrate Human Ring Magic with Dragon-man Magic.


    It might substantially increase the upper limit of Dragon Magic or perhaps even create a new type of magic.


    However, such an attempt would have to wait until he completely understood the content of the Magic Book.


    With a Dragon-man right in front of him, resolving linguistic issues would be easy.


    For breakfast, they ate some kind of roasted mole, a food stored by a mountain armor subhuman named Fama Xi, which Lar liked very much.


    Raphael was getting closer and closer to her coming of age ceremony, and although her body was growing weaker, her spirit was highly excited, even her breath was hot.


    Raphael wiped her mouth and looked at the antiquated manuscripts Fisher passed to her with Dragon Court script annotated with a quill pen, neatly accompanied by a line of Nali calligraphy text, which Raphael couldn¡¯t understand.


    Fisher had the habit of marking books; when he read them the second time, it always reminded him of what he had been thinking before, which could possibly broaden his other lines of thought.


    ¡°Explain to me the sentences and phrases where it¡¯s underlined.¡±


    Raphael opened her mouth, then flipped through the book cover,


    ¡°Wait, this is our Dragon Court Magic Book.


    Where did you find it?¡±


    ¡°I bought it.¡±


    Fisher lied expressionlessly, hiding the Completion Manual that only he could see, and he would not discuss the existence of the Completion Manual with anyone.


    ¡°¡­How many treasures have you Humans dug up?


    Our tribe doesn¡¯t have such things; perhaps only much older tribes would possess one or two copies,¡± Raphael browsed through the content, then said, ¡°We do not use Magic much.


    Although it¡¯s powerful, the user itself is vulnerable to harm from Magic; it¡¯s probably been a long time since there has been a Dragon-man Mage¡­¡±


    It seemed that the Dragon-man Species was not foolish; they were aware of their own Magic¡¯s flaws.


    Fisher thought about last night¡¯s Magic and suddenly felt that Dragon-man Mages were a kind of suicide soldier to some extent, needing only to rush into a crowd, shout ¡°release Magic,¡± and then everyone would meet their end together.


    ¡°It¡¯s just for academic research, and it might also help improve some of your Magics¡­ The terms used inside are very archaic, making it hard to read, so I need your help to translate part of it.¡±


    Raphael looked at Fisher skeptically, although she did not quite believe Fisher would do such a good deed.


    But as he had said the night before, he truly could put aside his prejudices and wholeheartedly study something, even if that something belonged to demi-humans whom Humans considered very lowly.


    Raphael was silent for a while, then her Dragon Claw pointed to the first place Fisher had marked, beginning to translate the content for him,


    ¡°Dragon General¡¯s Claw, Boiling Fire¡­¡±


    While Raphael was explaining that extremely abstruse and ancient Magic Book, Lar blinked her eyes and looked at the two White Dragon People in front of her with dark circles under their eyes.


    ¡°You two!


    You definitely went out and had fun without Lar yesterday.


    Tell me, what fun thing did you not want to include Lar in?¡±


    Kexier and Fasher seemed to be pondering something and were startled by Lar¡¯s sudden questioning, their faces filled with exasperation as they poked her cheek,


    ¡°You little brat¡­¡±


    ¡°Stay away from us, yesterday¡­¡±


    The two sisters exchanged glances, then said somewhat guiltily and in unison,


    ¡°We didn¡¯t sleep well.¡±


    Lar chewed on the new term ¡°little brat¡± that the sisters suddenly used, curious where they had learned it.


    Just as she was about to ask, the two sisters stood up and walked away in another direction, seeming not to want to pay her any attention at all.


    Who knew what the two of them thought about last night.


    The Human¡¯s touch seemed to set them ablaze, and even though they usually slept together, they had temporarily kept some distance from each other for fear of touching the same spot again at night.


    However, the embarrassment did not fade, leaving them troubled and sleepless all night.


    Since Fasher and Kexier did not want to play with her, she could only wander nearby, catching sight of Spiderman Xi Ya and Brain Demon Kree emerging from the cave, their faces returning to their normal shades.


    Seeing the enormous Spiderman come out, Lar got a fright but quickly crossed his arms and made a face at her.


    Just as Xi Ya frowned and was about to move, Lar quickly ran over to Fisher¡¯s side.


    ¡°This little Dragon-man kid!¡±


    Xi Ya bit her lip, just about to act, but the semi-illusory Kree stopped her with a look,


    ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble, Xi Ya.


    The fact that we¡¯re still alive is all thanks to that unusual Human¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also because we still have utility.¡±


    Xi Ya murmured under her breath.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±


    Kree floated towards Fisher¡¯s direction and waited until both his and Lord Raphael¡¯s gaze were drawn to her before she slightly bowed her head and said,


    ¡°Lord Fisher, the materials have been ready since this morning, and the coming of age ceremony for this young Dragon-man Species lady can be held tonight.¡±


    Fisher nodded and said indifferently,


    ¡°After the ceremony, we will leave.¡±


    ¡°The ritual needs to be performed near a water source.


    There¡¯s a lake near the forest around here.


    If you don¡¯t mind, we can set off in the afternoon, and if all goes well, she will transform into a true Dragon-man Warrior tonight.¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fisher glanced at the now weakened Lord Raphael beside him.


    The red scales on her hands were already starting to fall off, with harder scales growing out from where the old scales had shed.


    With closer observation, Fisher discovered that her breathing was very rapid, exhaling a large breath of scorching air with each breath, as if there was a perpetual steam engine inside her.


    Every sign indicated that the unique red Dragon-man Species before him was about to come of age.


    Fisher looked down, locking eyes with her emerald pupils.


    After a second, Lord Raphael turned her gaze away first, looking elsewhere.


    She was not very good at making eye contact with the Human in front of her, especially after spending so much time together.


    After waiting a moment for her to avert her gaze, just as she was about to lift her head to make eye contact again, he had already turned and walked towards the direction of the carriage, his voice growing more distant.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s prepare to depart.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Lord Raphael, you¡¯re coming of age!¡±


    In the next moment, Lar dove over and interrupted her thoughts, his small body almost knocking Lord Raphael over.


    Fortunately, Mier was behind her to steady her, ¡°My mom always said that when Lord Raphael comes of age, she will be the most beautiful and powerful Dragon-man.


    When Lar grows up, I want to be just like Lord Raphael¡­


    It¡¯s just that my scales aren¡¯t red.


    I heard Humans dye things; maybe I could dye myself red¡­¡±


    ¡°Lord Raphael, you¡¯re finally coming of age¡­


    If it were in the tribe, the Clan Leader and the others would definitely be overjoyed to see you grow up.¡±


    Mier also smiled, causing Lord Raphael to involuntarily think of her parents.


    That somewhat elderly couple would still be looking at her sternly if they were here.


    Among the children of her parents, she was the only one with red scales, which made her always feel like an outlier, different from her siblings.


    That was why she always wanted to avoid their gazes, their lectures.


    But now, having left the tribe, she missed them very much and longed to see them.


    Surely, upon seeing her come of age, they would have shown proud expressions.


    She gently held Mier¡¯s hand, the scales on her hands and legs so fragile they fell off due to the movement, but her breathing was getting hotter and hotter, as though it could scorch the air.


    She was about to come of age.

 Chapter 28 - 28 28

    ?28: 28.


    Coming of age ceremony 28: 28.


    Coming of age ceremony ¡°Ice blocks, Ketila Red Leaves, Crack Stones¡­¡±


    The sought-after lake was quite extensive, surrounded by a luxuriant forest, it resembled a colossal pupil reflecting the sunlight, glittering like fish scales.


    The materials Kree had purchased were rather primitive, suggesting that the coming of age ceremony of the Dragon-man Tribe wouldn¡¯t require items needing precise processing.


    For the relatively primitive demi-humans, ice blocks were precious; Ketila Red Leaves grew in the underground dark rivers, and Crack Stones were found deep in the earth¡¯s veins.


    Although these substances were different, they all served the same purpose.


    Absorbing heat.


    Before the medical revolution, humans often used Ketila Red Leaves to treat malignant fevers.


    Although clinically effective, the leaves could often cause frostbite to human organs, resulting in more severe complications.


    Now, no doctor uses such items anymore.


    Fisher watched as Kree fed Rafael the dark red leaves.


    He touched her forehead and the effect was evident, her body temperature quickly dropped.


    But she still felt as hot as a massive furnace to the touch.


    ¡°You¡­


    think it over, I will definitely try to assassinate you again after I come of age, so don¡¯t regret helping me with the ceremony¡­


    you humans probably rarely see a fully mature Dragon-man Warrior.¡±


    Indeed, most captured Dragon-people were in their juvenile state; capturing an adult Dragon-man was difficult, and even if captured, they were likely to be dead or severely injured, which was pointless.


    Dragon-people were born warriors, and their combat form would fully bloom after coming of age.


    Fisher nodded indifferently, and simply said,


    ¡°You still have two chances to assassinate me, and you owe me one punishment.¡±


    Rafael paused for a second, then laughed, suddenly speaking to Fisher in a stilted Nali Language,


    ¡°You¡­


    will¡­


    see¡­¡±


    The word ¡°see¡± at the end was supposed to be something else, but she couldn¡¯t remember the exact word, so she used a vague and incorrect word instead.


    Her learning speed for the Nali Language was rapid; she managed to remember many new words in just one night.


    It seemed that the human notion of demi-human intelligence being equal to a domestic pig¡¯s was completely incorrect.


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    At that moment, Kree floated over from the lake¡¯s surface and said to Fisher,


    ¡°Lord Fisher, the ritual is ready.¡±


    As the Sun gradually set, a round Moon rose at the opposite end of the sky, lowering the temperature of the ground.


    In the middle of the lake, Kree had Xi Ya pile up many Crack Stones to form a platform.


    As soon as they were placed on the surface, the water beneath them turned into a thin layer of ice, preventing the stones from sinking.


    And above those stones, ice blocks were laid out to form a bed, with several Ketila Red Leaves placed nearby.


    ¡°Please have your companions come and help, no clothing can be worn during the ritual.¡±


    Kree was about to help Rafael undress, but as soon as she touched her burlap clothes, she felt a scalding sensation, so she had no choice but to let the Dragon-people help her remove them.


    Mier and Fasher came over to help her strip, and Rafael self-consciously looked to see if Fisher was watching, only to see him in the distance, his back turned to her as he lit a cigarette.


    Rafael pursed her lips and was carried by several Dragon-men to the ceremonial spot in the lake.


    As soon as her flesh touched the ice bed, a massive amount of steam instantly billowed up, making the place seem enchanted.


    ¡°Rafael, I must remind you that the difficulty of the Dragon-man¡¯s coming of age ceremony differs from one Dragon-man to another.


    It could be as simple as sleeping through it or as excruciating as bone-deep pain¡­


    Your reaction is greater than any other Dragon-man I¡¯ve seen, so if it becomes unbearable, swallow the Ice Leaves beside you, as many as you need.


    They can temporarily relieve your pain.¡±


    Kree¡¯s ethereal body wavered in the rising temperature from Rafael, wiped nonexistent sweat, and looked down at the fallen scales of Rafael, which ignited from the heat, falling through the ice bed to the stones below.


    ¡°Once you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll begin to chant the spell and guide your growth.¡±


    Rafael took a deep breath, closed her eyes,


    ¡°Alright¡­


    let¡¯s start¡­¡±


    Kree nodded and then floated from the warming lake to the shore, taking out an ancient leather scroll from her bosom, gazing solemnly at the lake¡¯s center under the night sky.


    The several Dragon-men beside her all clenched their hands, looking worriedly toward the middle of the lake, silently praying for Rafael¡¯s coming of age ceremony.


    The Moonlight rose, and the icy Moon seemed to cover half the sky, turning the entire lake surface silver-white.


    Fisher, expressionless, lit another cigarette, leaning on his palm, his gaze likewise fell on the steam-enshrouded lake.


    ¡°Burn it, soul of the dragon¡±


    Kree took a deep breath, and incomprehensible Dragon Language spells were chanted out one by one.


    Although not loud, as they reached Rafael¡¯s ears, it seemed as if some invisible and violent energy was stirred.


    The next second, every Magic Circuit on her body lit up, those dense, magma-like circuits had grown not just one ring since Fisher last saw them, as if they were about to burst the original Magic Circuits, writhing continuously.


    ¡°Ooh!¡±


    The illusionary Magic Circuits moved, igniting every vein and blood in Rafael¡¯s body.


    She promptly tasted such agony, blazes like multiple Suns erupted inside her, scorching her senses and nerves to exhaustion.


    The previously consumed Ketila Red Leaves took effect, transporting icy cold air into her body with each inhale and exhale, which, though frigid to humans, resembled helpless firefighters in the current moment, awkwardly trying to extinguish the flames.


    But amid the pain, Fisher saw clearly the writhing Magic Circuit slide into place in an orderly fashion with Kree¡¯s Spell, and at the junction of all the Magic Circuits, in front of the brain, a hard protuberance slowly began to grow.


    That was Lord Raphael¡¯s horn.


    As Kree¡¯s incantation sped up, everyone by Mier¡¯s side held their breath, afraid that their breathing would affect the situation from afar.


    ¡°Lord Raphael¡¯s horn is growing!¡±


    Lar keenly noticed that long and beautiful red horn, which, at this moment, was emitting a dazzling brilliance, like the Sun itself.


    ¡°Such a powerful force, Lord Raphael¡­¡±


    ¡°Boom!!¡±


    The steaming heat completely burned through the bed of Ice beneath her, even the Crack Stones below began to crumble, stones exploding into fragments from the heat.


    The horn had fully grown!


    Kree finished chanting the guiding spell and, wiping her sweat, looked at the Dragon-man Lady surrounded by steam.


    The red horn was so beautiful, she seemed more powerful than any Dragon-man in history.


    ¡°It¡¯s done¡­¡±


    Lord Raphael¡¯s soul must be the hottest and strongest among all Dragon-men.


    Lar thought blankly.


    But Fisher¡¯s gaze seemed to penetrate the thick steam and see Lord Raphael¡¯s current state.


    A beautiful Dragon Horn had grown, but the magma-like Magic Circuit on her body did not subside.


    Instead, it moved about as if alive, crazily seeking an exit.


    No, the coming of age ceremony wasn¡¯t over!


    ¡°Kree, her coming of age ceremony is not finished!!¡±


    Fisher grabbed his Handcane and stood up, hastily alerting Kree who had just let out a sigh of relief.


    The Magic Circuit, activated by the Spell, was fully excited, frantically searching for a frail exit within Raphael¡¯s body.


    A Dragon Horn had formed, with a continuous flow of energy spilling from it, but that was not the outlet, causing that power to diffuse into the Air and flames to burst forth.


    All the preparation materials had already been completely consumed, and Kree was still unclear about the sudden situation, looking somewhat dazedly at the scene in the lake.


    ¡°Ah ah ah!!¡±


    Numerous unspent Magic Circuits tumultuously moved within Raphael, causing her such agony that she arched her body.


    At this moment, her body temperature had risen to a terrifying degree, as if her Five Internal Organs and Six Organs were about to burn through.


    ¡°Lord Raphael!¡±


    ¡°Why¡­


    why hasn¡¯t it ended?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and, recalling Kree¡¯s warning, instinctively reached for the Ketila Red Leaf beside her.


    However, the leaf, which burst with prickly coldness, ignited instantly upon contact with Raphael¡¯s Dragon Claw, and its boasted heat absorption seemed to be rendered useless, crushed by the terrifying temperature.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­


    her situation is too special, normal Dragon-men don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Kree hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Fisher stepped in front of her, throwing his outer garment on the ground, and raised his Handcane.


    ¡°Continue the incantation.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice came, making the flustered Kree quickly regain her focus.


    She returned to the beginning of the Spell, her voice trembling as she recited the incantation.


    The Magic Circuit was guided once more, but this time there was nothing to lower her temperature.


    The stones were completely burned through, and Raphael¡¯s body fell towards the lake, but her temperature only caused the water to evaporate the instant it touched her, causing her to keep sinking, and all eyes could only see the silhouette bubbling beneath the lake¡¯s surface, like the Sun.


    Fisher remained calm, placing the Magic Wand horizontally in front of him.


    As he closed his eyes, rings of purple light appeared on the Handcane, illuminating a peculiar power deeper than the starry sky.


    This was not the Magic he had carved, but it had to be used now.


    As eight constantly rotating deep purple rings whirled around Fisher, the world seemed to freeze, as if those rings levered something invisible.


    In the next second, under the gaze of the Moon, the vast lake reversed and rose towards the Sky.


    ¡°Drip, drip¡­¡±


    ¡°Tap, tap¡­¡±


    Eighth Ring Magic, ¡°Gravity Sky Ring.¡±


    Along with the burning Raphael who had already sunk, Fisher exhaled and, holding his Handcane, charged towards Raphael suspended in mid-air.


    ¡°Lord Fisher!¡±


    The Moon¡¯s light was subtle, and above the emptied lake, countless hovering and motionless water drops were scattered by the advancing figure of Fisher, then captured by an unseen force in mid-air, reflecting the silhouette ahead of him, like the Sun itself.

 Chapter 29 - 29 29

    ?29: 29.


    Double Horn 29: 29.


    Double Horn ¡°Rafael, Rafael¡­¡±


    It seemed as if Rafael¡¯s soul had been burned to ashes by that terrifying temperature, her consciousness still enshrouded in darkness, yet she seemed to glimpse a faint light.


    She frantically reached for that light, causing it to burst into a gentle radiance.


    The next second, confused, she opened her eyes, only to be met suddenly by a white-haired dragon-woman adorned with complex decorations, sitting by the side of the bed and looking at her with a smile.


    That was her mother.


    ¡°Mom¡­


    Mother¡­¡±


    It was as if she had returned to her own room within the tribe, a small space overflowing with things she had brought in from outside the tribe, yet a room she always refrained from staying in.


    She was the youngest child of her parents, and the most special one at that; the entire tribe had no other red dragon-people, making her always feel different from the other children.


    ¡°Ah, Rafael, you seem to have grown¡­¡±


    The kind dragon-woman touched the tip of her temple, where a glowing red dragon horn radiated energy unique to Rafael, but on the other side, her cheek seemed to bear cracks as if scorched by lava, with the wild magic circuits still pulsing, giving her face a somewhat grotesque appearance.


    But for now, Rafael seemed to have temporarily parted from pain under the soft gaze of her mother.


    ¡°But¡­


    but it seems I¡¯ve failed, Mother¡­


    It¡¯s too painful, the other dragon-people, Sister Mier and the others, they didn¡¯t suffer this pain when they came of age¡­


    Why am I different from the other dragon-people?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡­¡±


    The mother laughed softly and lowered her head, placing her golden dragon horn against Rafael¡¯s newly grown red horn.


    Both closed their eyes, yet they could still feel each other¡¯s emotions, feel each other¡¯s warmth¡ªthis was the meaning behind dragon-people touching horns.


    ¡°The souls of dragon-people are scorching, very hot, hot like the Sun.


    They always guide dragon-people who can¡¯t find their way home, and can follow them back to their tribes, becoming a new member of that tribe.¡±


    ¡°¡­


    Am I¡­


    the same?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother is the same¡­


    Each of our souls has undertaken a long journey, and Rafael¡¯s soul must be the brightest among them.


    Your soul is so outstanding, and you are our child, so don¡¯t be afraid, Rafael, you will definitely become the most excellent dragon-person¡­¡±


    Immersed in that lullaby-like tender voice, Rafael seemed to melt into her warm embrace, the surrounding flames continued to burn, yet no longer did she feel the searing heat, only warmth remained.


    At this moment, another red dragon horn slowly grew forth within the trust and warm embrace of her mother, just as fiery and beautiful as the one already there.


    The pain gradually receded, and Rafael¡¯s consciousness slowly returned to her body; she softly opened her eyes to behold a round and bright Moon.


    She numbly gazed at the beautiful sight, with red horns on her forehead, slender and elegant, and her hair, red as flames, spreading out mid-air like a vast sea of roses.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Why was there wind?


    Why was her hair lifted?


    She paused for a second, quickly realizing she was descending.


    And even more shocking was that the embrace was not an illusion; she stiffly turned her head to see the impassive Fisher, wrapping his arms around her bare self.


    ¡°Fisher¡­


    Fisher?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fisher didn¡¯t reply because he, too, was in a rather sorry state at that moment, his upper-body suit completely burned through, leaving only a few tattered rags draped over his reddened body.


    He had rushed to her side with his magic, lowering the terrifying temperature around her, and it hadn¡¯t been long before her horn had finished growing, and then she had fallen, leaving him no choice but to hold on to her.


    But it was because of this that Rafael caught a glimpse of some details of his muscular body beneath the tattered clothes¡­


    So that¡¯s how it is¡­


    Humans are this strong too?


    Was that embrace just now Fisher¡¯s?


    As soon as this thought surfaced, the new, armor-like tough scales she grew layered down like inputting the correct password, returning to their smooth form.


    Her slender red tail completely froze, motionless, and then, as if electrocuted, began to tremble a few times.


    ¡°You, you, you!!¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    This was a sign of tail-matching.


    In front of a tail-matching partner, the tough scales of an adult dragon-man would collapse for them, turning into a compliant and smooth surface.


    Only in the presence of a partner most cherished by a dragon-man would those battle-born scales unfold, right?


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    But before the tail-fitting signal completely spread through her body, Rafael¡¯s face flushed slightly as she pressed a dragon claw against Fisher¡¯s face and then began to struggle frantically in his arms.


    Throughout this process, despite the growth of such scales, Fisher felt no scraping or stinging sensation at all.


    Why is that?


    As soon as Fisher contemplated this question, they had already landed on the ground, and the water from the lake, previously suspended in the sky by the Gravity Sky Ring, began to fall like raindrops.


    However, it would probably take a very long rain to refill this lake.


    Rafael hurriedly jumped off Fisher¡¯s body without even looking his way, covering herself and retreating many steps.


    As she distanced herself from Fisher, the scales that had not fully unfolded stood up once more.


    But Fisher was completely clueless about what these bodily reactions meant after her coming of age, assuming it was just bodily pain.


    ¡°Lord Raphael!¡±


    Raphael turned her head so that Fisher couldn¡¯t see her expression, merely accepting the clothes Mier handed to her and putting them on.


    ¡°Lord Raphael, you¡¯ve grown two horns!!¡± Lar also ran up to her, and was embraced by Raphael.


    She wanted to rub against her like before, but frowned, saying, ¡°The scales¡­


    they¡¯re scraping Lar.¡±


    ¡°¡­You fool!¡±


    Rafael patted her back and set Lar down.


    Fasher and the others came over to congratulate Rafael on reaching adulthood.


    ¡°Lord Raphael, you have two horns, no other dragon-man has ever had two horns¡­¡±


    ¡°It could be that there were some in the ancient Dragon Court, but those are just legends.


    Lord Raphael is definitely one of a kind.¡±


    Indeed, since those two horns had grown, Raphael clenched her fist; the previous fatigue and weakness vanished, replaced by seemingly endless strength.


    She had completely become a warrior of the Dragon-man Species!


    For some reason, she was still reminded of the embrace she felt when she was on the verge of succumbing to the pain, and the thought of Fisher¡¯s body, barely clothed due to her flames¡­


    Rafael hesitated for a moment, then stepped past her dragon-man partners to search for Fisher¡¯s figure.


    This time, she still wanted to thank him.


    The curtain of lake water rained down heavier, crashing down like a storm.


    Rafael¡¯s turquoise eyes could only see through the sheet of rain, just catching the sight of that human man drifting farther away, his body bare, carrying his Handcane.


    She opened her mouth, uncertain if he could hear her from such a distance, so she remained silent.


    ¡°Wow, Lord Raphael, look, the lake water is in the sky¡­


    Fisher¡¯s magic is so powerful!


    And Fisher¡¯s skin is red, his clothes are all¡­¡±


    ¡°Lar! S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Watch your mouth, what nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    ¡°Sister Mier, Fasher is scolding me again!¡±


    The intended ¡°thank you¡± was drowned out by the rain and the clamor of her partners, but perhaps it was because the volume of that thank you was only ever within her heart.

 Chapter 30 - 30 30

    ?30: 30.


    That night 30: 30.


    That night ¡°Sometimes it really surprises me, what could possibly motivate Lord Fisher to do such a thing?


    To risk so much for a demi-human¡­¡±


    Kree looked up at the massive cluster in the sky that was descending slowly under the moonlight¡ªa spectacle so shocking that one might rarely witness it in a lifetime.


    Meanwhile, Fisher, who had returned, picked up the coat on the ground and covered his upper body with it.


    Due to the burns, the pain elicited when the fabric touched his skin made him inhale sharply.


    ¡°To go to such lengths for that Dragon-man Species, what do you want from her?


    The tribe of the Dragon-man, slaves, or¡­


    is it just the girl¡¯s body you desire?¡±


    Kree uttered the latter part of her statement without any expression, yet it frightened Xi Ya, the large spider beside her, who hugged herself and then took two steps back.


    Fisher lit a cigarette and took a long time before giving an equivocal answer,


    ¡°Heh, it¡¯s to save the world¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    But as he pronounced this answer, even he found it somewhat amusing, so a slight smile touched the corners of his mouth, rendering the two demi-humans before him completely baffled¡ªthey thought he was joking.


    Up to now, Fisher had almost confirmed that the red Dragon-man Species girl in his team was indeed the ¡°Red Dragon Queen¡± mentioned in the prophecy.


    She was more special than any regular Dragon-man; at least Fisher didn¡¯t think any adult Dragon-man would manifest such outrageous phenomena, nor would they have horns like hers.


    He remembered searching for the ¡°Undead Witch¡± in the Western Continent, only to find Renie¡ªwho was no different from other witches, except that she learned magic much faster.


    It took Fisher a long time to grudgingly admit that he had set his sights on the wrong person¡­


    But now the problem was, with the subject of the prophecy being Lord Raphael, how was he to prevent it from happening?


    For instance, by killing her directly.


    Even though Raphael had already come of age, killing her was still feasible with the help of the over hundred magics engraved in Fisher¡¯s Handcane¡­


    Fisher¡¯s grip on the Handcane tightened, and even the calmness in his eyes frosted over.


    ¡°Fisher, Fisher!¡±


    He turned his head to look at the beautiful Dragon-man who was being escorted by her partners toward the lakefront.


    In front of her, the little Lar ran over, eager to hug him, but he stopped her from coming closer by touching her forehead with a finger,


    ¡°I¡¯ve been burned. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Don¡¯t touch me for now.¡±


    ¡°Wuu¡­


    then Lar will blow on it for you, blowing on it will make it stop hurting, hoo~ hoo~¡±


    Lar first looked a bit aggrieved, but then her eyes lit up, and she began to blow cool air towards Fisher¡¯s body with her hands in front of her mouth.


    However, the effect was minimal, and it even tickled Fisher a bit.


    Fisher looked at Lar in front of him, then at the other Dragon-men behind her, including Raphael who was avoiding his gaze.


    Maybe, killing her wouldn¡¯t solve the problem.


    Fisher suddenly thought this.


    The issues between demi-humans and Humans were deeply entrenched and would inevitably erupt into the most intense conflict.


    What he was doing was essentially quashing the hope of the demi-humans¡¯ rebellion, followed by Humans completely crushing the demi-humans, reducing their land to property, their lives to stepping stones, and their offspring to eternally serve as Human slaves and livestock, until another powerful demi-human was born to lead them to victory.


    But what did he truly want to see?


    Did he want to witness his own kind, like the prophecy¡¯s Red Dragon Queen, utterly annihilate the demi-humans?


    If by any chance someone among the demi-humans got hold of the ¡°Human Completion Manual,¡± then the demon corresponding to the prophecy would certainly be Fisher himself.


    Fisher looked down at his Handcane; no light shone to suddenly kill Raphael.


    He just remained silent for a long time, then stood up and patted Lar on the head,


    ¡°Alright, now that Raphael has come of age, all is well.


    Let¡¯s go back and rest, and we¡¯ll continue our journey tomorrow.¡±


    He then looked towards Kree and the others,


    ¡°Thanks for your help, we¡¯ll be saying goodbye tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s our apology¡­¡±


    Kree also bowed slightly to Fisher, her lips smiling.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    At night, in the bedroom of the dragon people on Fisher¡¯s carriage.


    After living with Fisher for a while, they had mastered how to turn the room lights on and off; however, they would only turn off the lights before they fell asleep.


    Now they would also close their door, since Fisher always closed his when he went to sleep and wouldn¡¯t bother with their room.


    ¡°Lord Raphael, please let me see your scales, please.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just look at them?¡±


    Raphael, sitting on the bed, extended her hand after being pestered by Lar, who admired her beautiful scales with shining eyes.


    ¡°Wow, Lar wants to grow scales like Lord Raphael¡¯s too¡­


    huh?¡± Suddenly, Lar noticed something and focused her gaze on what was in front of Raphael, ¡°Lord Raphael¡¯s have gotten bigger.¡±


    ¡°Lar!!


    What are you looking at?!¡±


    ¡°Ouch¡­


    it hurts, Sister Mier, Lord Raphael hit me¡­¡±


    Raphael blushed and punched Lar on the head, leaving her to run to Mier¡¯s arms, holding her head and crying out in pretend agony.


    Mier rubbed her head, laughing,


    ¡°That¡¯s what you get for being so annoying, touching around like that¡­


    After becoming an adult, everyone goes through this, it¡¯s a sign of maturity.


    If we were in the tribe, Raphael would be able to participate in the tail-fitting ceremony.


    All the boys of a similar age would be there.


    With Raphael¡¯s looks, she will make many boys go through their tail-fitting¡­¡±


    As soon as the tail-fitting was mentioned, Raphael seemed to think of something, shuddering, and her cheeks, which Lar had touched, turned deeper red instead of fading.


    Suddenly, she thought of her reaction just now, that she could have feelings for that human¡­


    ¡°Hmph, by Raphael¡¯s standards, there¡¯s definitely no one in the tribe good enough for her¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly, you agree, don¡¯t you, Lord Rapha¡­


    huh?¡±


    Fasher and Kexier were sitting beside Raphael, just wanting to touch her body, but when they did, she jumped back as if shocked, her face turning bright red as she stared at the bewildered Fasher.


    Just now, she thought¡­


    it was Fisher, that human, who had come in¡­


    And then, as before, he had touched her scales with his hand¡­


    Wait, why would she even think that?


    Raphael¡¯s tail flickered joyfully a few times, and the pink on her cheeks deepened.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lord Raphael, why is your face so red?¡±


    Mier, a bit worried, reached out to her but was dodged by Raphael, who hurriedly turned off the bedroom light, plunging the room into darkness.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­


    I¡¯m a bit tired today, let¡¯s go to sleep.¡±


    After turning off the light, she immediately covered herself with the blanket, curled up motionless on the bed, leaving her companions puzzled.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, Lord Raphael has just come of age today and must be exhausted¡­¡±


    Raphael buried her face into the blanket and didn¡¯t move, finding that human Fisher annoying for always doing strange things.


    But after all, he had helped her a lot and had been kind to her companions.


    When the time comes, she¡¯ll just defeat him without killing him, and make him return her companions¡¯ slave Emblems¡­

 Chapter 31 - 31 31

    ?31: 31.


    Philone City Soldier (4500, request for pursuit reading) 31: 31.


    Philone City Soldier (4500, request for pursuit reading) ¡°So, we set off.¡±


    The next morning, after breakfast, Fisher pulled the carriage out of the cave, and his companions Kree and the others came out to see him off.


    ¡°Is your next stop Philone City?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just passing through.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve heard from many demi-humans that the City Lord of Philone is a good human.¡±


    ¡°Good person?¡±


    Fisher was a bit interested.


    Most of the humans who came to the South Continent were after wealth, and virtues in the traditional sense seemed far-fetched for them.


    Even Fisher himself wouldn¡¯t claim to be a good person.


    It was surprising to hear a positive comment about a human from a demi-human.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a rumor.


    He has adopted many demi-human children who lost their families.¡±


    ¡°It could be for experiments, or maybe he has some disgusting predilection towards children, or perhaps he¡¯s just a collector.¡±


    Fisher jokingly placed the worst assumptions on the City Lord, but if these were rumors, they must have originated from the demi-humans¡­


    Kree, noncommittal, bid Fisher farewell again.


    After Fisher put his hat on and urged the horses forward with his whip, he said goodbye to the three demi-humans,


    ¡°Take care¡­


    You¡¯d better find a different way to live, and don¡¯t trust humans too much.¡±


    Xi Ya and the injured Fama Xi, still bandaged, gaped at the gradually disappearing carriage, failing to grasp the meaning in his words.


    Kree was the first to snap them out of it and floated back into the cave,


    ¡°What are you standing around for?


    Let¡¯s go back¡­


    But he¡¯s right, let¡¯s pack up and hide.


    Let¡¯s find refuge in the mountains. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, it won¡¯t be long before war breaks out here¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Fisher drove for half a day, during which he and the Dragon-men got to know each other better.


    They weren¡¯t hiding in the carriage all the time now.


    Lar liked to squeeze into the small driver¡¯s seat with Fisher.


    While pointing to the wilderness outside, she talked to Fisher about what those places were in the South Continent.


    Although their home was in the far south of the continent, she said that traders from the north often traveled south; both humans and demi-humans came from whom they learned a lot about the north.


    The South Continent had native humans, primitive in some areas and less so in others, but most were organized no larger than villages.


    Once the humans from the Western Continent arrived, most of these natives were dispersed and forced to flee.


    Humans were cruel to demi-humans, no better towards their own kind.


    The local mines and city labor were filled with these people treated like animals, while their wives and daughters filled the brothels.


    Fisher had heard such propaganda back in Keken City, where Western Continent¡¯s merchants even transported some natives back home to let the aristocrats taste ¡°exotic flavors.¡±


    ¡°Bang!


    Bang!¡±


    Gunshots echoed from afar, and Fisher quickly patted Lar¡¯s back, who was almost asleep in his arms.


    ¡°Go back to the carriage, let the others do the same, there¡¯s trouble ahead.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Lar rubbed her eyes and called her companions in from the breeze to get into the carriage.


    Rafael was the last to enter, but the door behind Fisher left a small crack open, through which a pair of sea-green eyes peered outside.


    The carriage moved forward and soon, many soldiers in uniform appeared, lining up with their muzzles aimed at a forest up ahead.


    ¡°Sir, sir, please stop!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on ahead?¡±


    A significantly differently dressed sergeant stopped Fisher¡¯s carriage, and after seeing Fisher¡¯s attire, took off his hat to explain,


    ¡°Ah, we are soldiers from the eastern Hamate City.


    This road often witnesses goblin attacks on passersby.


    We were ordered by the City Lord to clear them out.


    We didn¡¯t expect some residual goblins to have fled here.


    You can take a detour or wait for us to deal with these goblins; it won¡¯t take long.¡±


    Influenced by Kree¡¯s advice, Fisher decided to take a detour to avoid unnecessary trouble.


    The road ahead was the only one leading to Philone City.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait here for a while.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll finish soon,¡± the sergeant smiled at Fisher, then put on his hat and shouted to the soldiers ahead, ¡°Force them out quickly, let¡¯s try to get back before evening!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!


    On my command, fire!¡±


    Behind the line of soldiers aiming at the forest, a few soldiers threw fire bottles into the bushes ahead.


    A pungent smell wafted towards them with the wind, and soon, the ancient forest began to burn fiercely.


    ¡°Kowda da la, Ula~¡±


    The smoke thickened, and several two-meter-tall, fanged, green-skinned humanoid creatures burst out of the forest¡ªgoblins.


    A dozen male goblins, their clothing singed black, still roared as they charged towards the humans outside.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    But the outcome was predictable.


    With a volley of musket fire, the large goblins fell one by one to the ground, the leader who yelled the loudest almost turned into a beehive.


    With just one volley, the last remnants were almost completely wiped out.


    ¡°Sir, there are still goblins at the back!¡±

 Chapter 32 - 32 31

    ?32: 31.


    Philone City Soldier (4500, request for pursuit reading)_2 32: 31.


    Philone City Soldier (4500, request for pursuit reading)_2 ¡°Oh?¡±


    The flames behind him grew increasingly fierce, and one by one, more figures emerged from the forest, surpassing the number of male goblins encountered before, but their height was clearly not the same.


    The last to come out were a group of female goblins, around one and a half meters tall.


    They were in a sorry state, their clothes burned to the point of barely covering their bodies, yet they still stepped out with their arms spread wide.


    Behind them, one could faintly see the silhouettes of children hiding behind their mothers. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was the last vestige of a tribe.


    Fisher frowned, his gaze growing deeper, and the temperature behind him rose.


    But the leading officer smiled, then waved his hand to signal his subordinates to open fire.


    There was no need for an order, as his soldiers had long since grown accustomed to the routine, and before the officer¡¯s hand even dropped, a barrage of bullets was unleashed upon those defenseless female goblins.


    ¡°Ku-tu-tu¡­


    Sis-te!¡±


    As the female goblins fell, screaming incomprehensible words that Fisher couldn¡¯t understand, they frantically shielded the children behind them.


    But just like their husbands and sons, their flesh bodies soon ceased to breathe and collapsed onto the ground.


    ¡°Reload!¡±


    The soldiers reloaded for another round, and after all the female goblins fell, those naive, unaware children began crying, rising from their mothers¡¯ sides and looking around blankly, spotting other surviving children.


    ¡°Ope¡­¡±


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Behind Fisher, a fiery meteor suddenly exploded, rushing out from his carriage in an instant, blowing his hat into the air.


    But faster than the wind, a red figure spun at high speed in mid-air, like a top, rushing through the ranks of people.


    Wherever it passed, soldiers were knocked flying, their firearms shattered and fingers fell onto the ground, stained red with blood.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°What is that thing!


    So fast!¡±


    ¡°Wait, reserve formation!¡±


    The soldiers in the front ranks descended into chaos, but were quickly reorganized under the command of their officer, forming a line facing the thick smoke produced by the movements of the red meteor in the gap left by the burning forest.


    Behind them, the great fire broke the tall trees, and right then, by the side of those bewildered goblin children, a tall, red Dragon-man stood breathing slowly, her eyes seeming almost ablaze as she watched the soldiers in the distance.


    Fisher¡¯s hat fell back into his hand; he blew the dust off it and watched Rafael in the distance in silence, though his hand cane was now placed at his feet, unnoticed.


    ¡°That¡¯s a Dragon-man Species!¡±


    The officer noticed the long, red horns on the head of the female and, of course, also saw her scale-like armor spreading open.


    ¡°You humans, even killing children!


    Damned humans!¡±


    Rafael roared, and her entire body unleashed a massive amount of steam before igniting like a meteor, charging towards the humans pointing their guns at her.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    The bullets that hit her steaming body immediately produced a piercing sound of friction, with sparks flying everywhere.


    Rafael grunted deeply but still pushed her way into the crowd.


    In an instant, the sounds of bones cracking and blood flowing were unending around her as soldiers were thrown into the air and landed harshly on the ground.


    ¡°Officer, I request to use that!¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±


    The officer silently nodded and took a ring from his hand, whispering softly, ¡°Fall.¡±


    He then threw the ring with force, and in mid-air, it lit up with a four-ring green light.


    Under the illumination of the green light, the rapidly moving Rafael suddenly came to a halt.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    She clenched her teeth as her steam-covered body crashed into the ground, with her claws digging in at the moment of impact, causing the ground to crack open like a turtle¡¯s shell.


    It was Gravity Magic¡­


    Rafa clenched her teeth and struggled to move a step, but the next second, a torrent of bullets poured onto her steam shell.


    This was an army of hundreds of people, and even if Rafael had knocked down half of them, the subsequent bullets, one per person, would be enough to overwhelm her.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    She yelled in anger as several bullets penetrated her steam shell, grazing her body, and the hot blood flowed from her wounds, further enraging her.


    The scales on her body suddenly lit up as bright as the sun.


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    But the next moment, a man¡¯s voice rang out, causing the soldiers to hesitate.


    ¡°Officer!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Next to their officer, Fisher swiftly grabbed the officer¡¯s neck from behind; he appeared non-threatening, but the officer¡¯s face turned purple as if he was about to suffocate.


    ¡°Stop firing at her, or he will die right away.¡±


    ¡°Uh!


    Uh!


    Save¡­


    save me.¡±


    The remaining soldiers hesitated for a moment but eventually lowered their guns.


    The glowing scales on Rafael also dimmed down as she gasped for air while still looking at the surrounding soldiers with eyes full of hatred.


    ¡°Alright, let her come here, and I will let your officer go.¡±


    A path was cleared for Rafael.


    She walked slowly back to Fisher, who then released the officer in his grip, allowing him to walk back.


    ¡°You dare to collude with the demi-humans; do you think you can still return, sir¡­¡±

 Chapter 33 - 33 31

    ?33: 31.


    Philone City Soldier (4500, request for pursuit reading)_3 33: 31.


    Philone City Soldier (4500, request for pursuit reading)_3 The officer rubbed his neck and waved in Fisher¡¯s direction, and the soldiers behind him also raised their guns to aim at Fisher.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, the main thing is to get her to come back, so she won¡¯t be accidentally injured later.¡±


    A glimmer of light appeared on Fisher¡¯s handcane, but it was suddenly interrupted by the sound of gunfire from the dense jungle.


    ¡°Bang!


    Bang!¡±


    ¡°There are accomplices behind them!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡±


    In the midst of the dense gunfire, behind the goblin children, many soldiers riding horses and dressed in uniform blue uniforms emerged from the thick forest scorched by the great fire.


    These soldiers were neatly arrayed, their gaze cool.


    After firing a few shots, the leading soldier shouted loudly,


    ¡°We are soldiers from Philone City, here by Lord Philone¡¯s orders to take over the women and children of the goblin tribe, anyone with sense better clear off!¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°They are people from Philone City!¡±


    ¡°Damn, how can we fight against this?¡±


    ¡°Officer¡­


    shall we retreat?¡±


    The officer clenched his teeth at the sight of more and more soldiers on horseback appearing in the dense jungle, and he even spotted the shadows of cannon carriages and mages.


    His face became rigid as he glanced at Fisher and Rafael, who stood expressionless behind him.


    Grinding his teeth, he still ordered the remaining soldiers,


    ¡°Take the injured, we¡¯re pulling out!¡±


    Rafael had single-handedly injured dozens just moments ago, ranging from mild to severe wounds, although her extraordinary nature was a factor, it still showed the combat abilities of an adult Dragon-man.


    Rafael gasped for breath several times, but turned her head and saw Fisher looking at her with a cold face.


    ¡°Foolish.¡±


    That was Fisher¡¯s assessment.


    Rafael gnashed her teeth,


    ¡°They, they are still so young, humans¡­¡±


    ¡°This is no reason for you to thoughtlessly charge in, taking on a hundred alone.


    Without me, you would be dead under a hail of bullets even if you had killed many.


    So only your body grew with age, but not your brain?¡±


    Confronted with Fisher¡¯s cold words, Rafael¡¯s claws tightened.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Rafael bit her lip, refusing to look at Fisher.


    She wasn¡¯t gravely injured, but blood was still streaming from a cut on her face, dripping down her cheek.


    ¡°Rafael.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Rafael, look at me.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Rafael turned her head reluctantly, still not meeting his gaze.


    ¡°In anything you do, even with passion, you must remain calm and think carefully before acting, understand?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Rafael didn¡¯t respond, appearing defiant.


    But Fisher, having made his point, said no more and simply walked past her with handcane in hand.


    In the distance, several soldiers carefully held the crying goblin children in their arms.


    They couldn¡¯t bear to let the children gaze any longer at the lifeless bodies of their mothers on the ground.


    ¡°Uh, that¡­


    Ka¡­


    Kotulu, Bard.¡±


    The soldiers awkwardly used the Goblin Language they had just learned before their arrival to wipe the tears from the eyes of the crying goblin children and embraced them, preventing them from seeing the dreadful sight of their deceased parents.


    ¡°Sir, thank you for buying us some time¡­


    I¡¯m Harry, the sergeant of Philone City Team One, pleased to meet you.¡±


    The leading young man on horseback, after ensuring there were no unseen children left, rode towards Fisher and the others.


    ¡°Fisher.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Mr.


    Fisher, hello.


    What¡¯s happening here¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re heading to Philone City, and just happened to come across this on our journey.¡±


    Fisher looked over the forces they had deployed from within the dense jungle.


    These soldiers were well-equipped, and there was a big difference compared to the others previously, and even the number of soldiers was much larger.


    All this for a group of women and children?


    Philone City¡­


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to Philone City, you might as well join us.


    It would also save Mr.


    Fisher some trouble.


    While the inspections at the gate are fair, they might delay you considerably.¡±


    ¡°¡­


    Trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, men of such kindness are most welcome by Lord Philone.¡±


    Harry smiled, tugged on his reins, and turned back to order the soldiers to prepare to march.

 Chapter 34 - 34 32

    ?34: 32.


    The Theory of Weakness 34: 32.


    The Theory of Weakness Fisher¡¯s carriage followed behind the luxurious-looking troop of soldiers, with several personal guards beside their captain cradling the shivering goblin children, protected amidst the ranks.


    He scrutinized the soldiers¡¯ attire and weapons thoroughly, noting not only that the guns were Narituqi Armament Company¡¯s latest model but also the presence of military mortars.


    In the corner of his eye, Fisher caught a glimpse of the belt adorned with Magic Radiance worn by Chief Harry.


    This kind of equipment, Fisher would believe it if said to belong to the King of Nali¡¯s Royal Guard.


    If Philone City could equip its army like this, there were two possibilities.


    Either the City Lord of Philone had Royal connections, indicating a powerful backer behind him,


    or he was very wealthy.


    Fisher leaned toward the latter, as the South Continent Protection Treaty, agreed by Nali, Schwali, and Kado in recent years, had explicitly specified that officials were not to preside over entrances into the South Continent.


    In name, all three countries maintained a protective stance toward the South Continent, and those entering now were merely ¡°friendly merchants¡± coming to support the locals.


    If Philone had connections with Nali Official, such overt displays wouldn¡¯t have gone unnoticed by Schwali and Kado.


    Fisher withdrew his gaze from the soldiers ahead and turned to look at Rafael, who sat beside him quietly, staring at the adjoining field without a word.


    Since boarding, she hadn¡¯t spoken a word, which Fisher guessed wasn¡¯t because she was sulking at him.


    Rather, she was angry with those humans.


    Since their last time in Keken City, she had become more restrained, her thoughts no longer so linear, yet traces of naivety lingered, for instance, this time.


    The Red Dragon Queen, huh?


    That was still a distant future.


    ¡°We had agreed previously that, until the game of killing me is over, you are prohibited from attacking other Humans.


    This is the last time I indulge you like this; should you act out again, don¡¯t blame me for being unkind.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you so wish for me to kill you?


    Are you counting this as another assassination attempt and going to punish me for it?¡± Rafael turned her head to look at Fisher, her emerald eyes narrowing into a slit.


    ¡°The reason you haven¡¯t received punishment is that I commend you for your courage in protecting the children of different races, but I¡¯m also angry that you still fail to remain calm, acting impulsively and causing trouble for both yourself and me.¡±


    ¡°¡­My mistake, I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±


    She turned her head away again, her voice much softer this time.


    Rafael was no fool; she knew her actions were impulsive, it was just that the anger burning within her heart was like steam in a steam engine, forcefully driving her to irrational rashness.


    ¡°Tell me about the goblin race.


    In the Western Continent, goblins are synonyms for Demons and are never portrayed positively in stories.


    But coming here, I¡¯m seeing a live goblin for the first time.¡±


    Goblins were a name coined by their own race, not given by Humans.


    When the first pioneering ship from the Western Continent arrived here decades ago, these creatures were encountered.


    An accompanying novelist wrote them into his stories, depicting them as blood-sucking of young maidens and plunderers of Human-kind.


    In the Western Continent, he had seen many goblin specimens brought back by Human hunters.


    Not particularly angry with Rafael this time, Fisher took the initiative to lighten the mood.


    Without turning her head, and only after a long wait, Rafael spoke calmly,


    ¡°Goblins, meaning ¡®earth spirits¡¯, simply prefer to live in natural caves.


    They are very friendly beings.


    You might not believe it, but their most adept skill is weaving.


    They tend to the animal hides found in the wild and create many handicrafts.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Those terrifying creatures from Human tales were starkly different from Rafael¡¯s description.


    ¡°My eighteenth birthday gift came from the elder of the Sate Tribe goblins who lived nearby.


    He gave me a necklace made of shells, which he said had been dug out from rocks, remnants of ancient creatures.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a fossil.¡±


    Fisher supplied the term in Nali Language.


    ¡°But they¡­


    really, really, really, really, really, truly are¡­


    are all an extremely kind, very peace-loving race.


    Throughout the long history of this continent, they never started any conflicts, and even the humans who lived here liked to trade with them.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand what sin they committed to warrant not even sparing their young children.


    Could humans be savage beasts that devour flesh and blood?


    Even if one cannot understand the goblin language, don¡¯t their pleas for mercy, their cries, mean anything to stop them?¡±


    This time, Rafael didn¡¯t cry.


    Up to now, her words were calm but filled with questions, as if she hoped Fisher could provide her with answers.


    Fisher lit a cigarette, his mind brimming with countless possible responses.


    He could say many good things about humans, like how there are also many good people among us, many kind-hearted individuals; he could skirt around the subject, letting the sadness remain buried in her heart.


    After all, that would be better than revealing the true thoughts of mankind, wouldn¡¯t it?


    Because humans simply don¡¯t care.


    Whether it¡¯s goblins or others, due to their weakness and primitiveness, they are rightfully subjected to plunder and aggression, their everything taken by force.


    Ha, isn¡¯t this just perfect for breeding the Red Dragon Queen who will exterminate humanity?


    Fisher sneered with mockery, and the next moment, he raised a finger to Rafael,


    ¡°Rafael, the sin of demi-humans lies only in their weakness¡­¡±


    Rafael turned her head sharply to look at him, her emerald eyes narrowing into slits, as terrifying as the giant dragons from legends known to ravage cities.


    But Fisher remained unfazed,


    ¡°Being so weak that humans don¡¯t even care about your lives.


    Such feeble life, no matter how forcefully it screams, it can¡¯t reach their ears; pity and compassion are the prerogatives of the strong, and precisely because they are a choice, pinning all hope on the subjective choices of humans is foolish.¡±


    Surrounded by the hoofbeats of the human army¡¯s horses, Fisher said these outrageous statements to Rafael without changing his expression.


    Her breathing was slow, she just stared motionlessly at Fisher in front of her.


    ¡°Therefore, you must be strong enough to make no mistakes, to not act rashly, not be weak, not hesitate, not be arrogant.


    Rather than being like now, acting recklessly like a child, completely disregarding the consequences.¡±


    ¡°And only then, when you are strong, will your kind have the chance to break free from human choices, have the opportunity to resist them¡­


    So, strive on, Rafael.¡±


    ¡°You, a human, are actually teaching me this¡­¡±


    Rafael said so and then turned her head to look at the field, not letting Fisher see her current expression.


    ¡°These are simple truths anyone can understand.


    Even if I didn¡¯t tell you, after seeing more demi-humans die, sooner or later you would come to understand.


    I¡¯m just telling you in advance to avoid losing your life to impulsiveness next time.¡±


    ¡°And besides, with your current level, the likelihood of defeating me is still slim.¡±


    This time Rafael did not argue, merely emphasizing, sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Heh, I¡¯m already preparing a strategy to defeat you.


    Remember what you said today when it fails.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    Rafael¡¯s tail swished, and it was a long while after the conversation had ended that she leaned a little closer towards Fisher.

 Chapter 35 - 35 33Philone City

    ?35: 33.Philone City 35: 33.Philone City From Keken City to Philone City, it took about ten days¡¯ journey.


    After setting off with the soldiers of Philone City through the wilderness, they encountered no trouble in front of their luxurious equipment.


    Along the way, it was peaceful, and they occasionally stopped to rest and talk.


    At first, Fisher thought they had taken these children for some special purpose, but during the journey, they actually coddled the children as if they were human children.


    If the purpose was special, wouldn¡¯t it be enough to ensure all captives were alive upon delivering them to Philone City?


    There was no need for such excessive effort.


    After ten days, Captain Harry met with other squads returning to the wilderness outside Philone City, unlike his group with only a few children, the other teams had living adult demi-humans.


    There were all sorts of demi-humans; werewolf species, goblins, and even the insect race that didn¡¯t resemble humans at all.


    Judging by their clothes and numbers, they seemed to be the remaining few from their tribes.


    Recently, entire tribes had been slaughtered by humans, and he originally thought all remaining demi-humans had been captured as slaves; he didn¡¯t expect Philone City to have preserved so many.


    Then, what was Philone¡¯s purpose?


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, please look, we have arrived.¡±


    Fisher peered through his hat brim towards a gigantic wall in the distant wilderness.


    That enormous surrounding wall, several times larger than any other city on the South Continent, appeared especially magnificent amidst the wilderness, with huge airships drifting among the clouds, and even from afar, the lively shouts from the city and the whistles of the air were audible.


    The city had no chimneys, its outer walls were white as new, and the walls were patrolled by guards holding rifles.


    Fisher opened his mouth in awe; if he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed such a large city existed on the South Continent.


    A few armies dressed in unified blue gathered in front of the city gate, then entered in a sequence.


    The massive gate was lifted by steam winches, the sound of the iron gears clearly visible.


    The gates usually stayed closed unless large numbers of people were moving in or out, with a side archway for individual access, similar to other cities.


    ¡°Chief Harry, who is this gentleman?¡±


    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s a partner we met during the mission.


    You take the report; we are taking the demi-humans to the City Lord Mansion.


    We will inform the City Lord about this.¡±


    ¡°Remember to come over to sign the record later.¡±


    ¡°Definitely.¡±


    The gate inspector glanced at Fisher¡¯s carriage amidst the soldiers, marked a few things on the paper in his hand, then set down the document, looking towards the demi-humans entering the city with the soldiers, he couldn¡¯t help but say,


    ¡°The City Lord has saved so many demi-humans again¡­


    really, how much money this must cost.¡±


    ¡°Since those demi-humans all live in the City Lord Mansion, it¡¯s none of the common people¡¯s business; don¡¯t worry about it for him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­


    go ahead in.¡±


    After Harry finished coordinating with the inspector, he remounted his horse, gestured to the soldiers behind him, signaling them to enter the city.


    Once inside, only a few officers and their soldiers escorting the demi-humans walked towards the city center, while the rest went to the military camp by the city walls for rest.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, that ahead is the City Lord Mansion.


    If Philone City is your final destination, we can part ways here, but if you plan to leave the city heading north, you better meet with the City Lord.¡±


    ¡°Oh?


    Why?¡±


    ¡°Northwards, a large gold mine has been discovered.


    The Schwali City Lord Alliance has sent troops to blast the mountains and mine, and a war broke out with the goblins and other demi-human tribes that have lived there for generations.


    The City Lord has signed a non-aggression pact with those lords from Schwali, and currently, the city prohibits leaving.


    If you see the City Lord, he may allow you to leave.¡±


    ¡°I see, then please lead us to the City Lord.¡±


    The distance from here to Krit Port farther north is significant, making the supplies in Philone City crucial; Fisher couldn¡¯t possibly bypass this city and head directly to Krit Port.


    Moreover, Fisher was curious about the lord of this place, the man named Philone.


    ¡°No trouble at all.


    I will report truthfully to the City Lord about your help to the demi-humans.


    He appreciates kind-hearted people and will definitely not make things difficult for you.¡±


    The state officer led Fisher¡¯s carriage through the city, and Fisher observed the city¡¯s environment for the first time.


    Unlike other South Continent cities which only have a few shops and key facilities, this city not only had paved tiles but even boasted parks and greenery.


    Fisher even noticed a shop selling musical instruments, and in a coffee shop at a street corner, maids in black and white attire were serving customers.


    The residential houses were neat and organized.


    Fisher saw children in uniform carrying school bags walking on the street, apparently headed to school.


    Nearby, a happy, bread-holding adult listened attentively as a child complained about something that happened at school.


    Most residents spoke Nali Language, but you could also see Kado¡¯s church.


    The living environment here was beyond Fisher¡¯s imagination; it was indeed a rare flower among the cities of the South Continent, and it certainly wouldn¡¯t lose out even compared to some cities on the Western Continent.


    No wonder when he was in Keken City, Keken even compared it to Saint Nali.


    Although there was still a gap, Saint Nali was, after all, the pearl of Nali with a long history and national dignity, so comparing this city to it meant that Saint Nali had already lost.


    Fisher retracted his gaze and looked towards the end of the road.


    Ahead, in the center of the city, was another wall, segregating the inside from the outside.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, the City Lord Mansion is just ahead.¡±


    ¡°The mansion of the Lord Philone is really grand.¡±


    Compared to a mansion, Fisher felt it resembled more of an ¡°Inner City,¡± as the area was indeed quite large, approximately one sixth of the entire city, with four separate gates for entry and exit.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that the City Lord is indulgent.


    He mainly shelters many demi-humans who have suffered¡­


    You know what humans think of demi-humans.


    So the City Lord specifically developed a place for the displaced demi-humans to live.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard the facilities inside are basically the same as those outside, you¡¯ll know once you enter.¡±


    Fisher nodded and then entered the City Lord Mansion of Philone City with the soldiers.


    The moment he entered, he didn¡¯t feel anything special; it was as vibrant as the city outside, the only difference being that here, demi-humans rather than humans constituted the majority.


    Along the street ran several school-dressed demi-humans of different races, and on the road, humans in work clothes were teaching new demi-humans how to fetch water.


    Inside, there were many humans too, but the majority were demi-humans, some of whom seemed to be working, while others were selling goods.


    The gate behind them opened, revealing Rafael¡¯s green eyes, she too was quite surprised by the harmonious coexistence of humans and demi-humans inside the city, seemingly incredulous.


    Even as Fisher found it hard to believe, frantically searching around for any flaw that might suggest they were coerced or restrained, the expressions on their faces made him abandon such thoughts.


    If it was possible, it might require some enormous magic that manipulated minds collectively to fake such expressions on their faces, unfortunately, no such magic existed.


    This also indicated that these demi-humans willingly lived here, unaffected by threats or discontent.


    ¡°Miss Nana, the demi-humans instructed by the city lord have all been brought here.¡±


    ¡°Ah, let them wait here for a bit, Mr.


    Philone will arrive soon.¡±


    Front soldiers had stopped, and a somewhat elevated female voice caught Fisher¡¯s attention.


    At the end of the road, in front of a tall house, a young girl in a standard Nali dress was smiling as she spoke to several soldiers.


    The girl had a gentle face; if one were to ignore the small cow horns on her head, her appearance was almost indistinguishable from that of a human.


    However, the right horn on her head was only half intact, seemingly chopped off, and the remaining part was replaced by a golden human-made prosthetic horn.


    She was a young Bull-man.


    ¡°Ah, who is that gentleman over there?¡±


    The Bull-man girl had also noticed Fisher sitting in the cart, and thus she spoke to Captain Harry.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s Mr.


    Fisher, and his Dragon-man friend, we met them during our rescue of the goblins¡­¡±


    ¡°Dragon-man?¡±


    Facing the girl¡¯s gaze, Fisher got off the cart, holding his handcane and hat, and walked forward.


    ¡°Hello, I am Fisher Benavides¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, a deep, magnetic male voice came from the direction of the building,


    ¡°Nana, have the demi-humans been sent over?¡±


    Fisher¡¯s gaze moved forward, and he saw a group of people coming out from the large house ahead, the speaker being the man in a suit at the front.


    The man was tall, but his entire face was covered by a mask resembling a gas mask, with one lidless eye visible through the mirror on the mask, and the inside of the mask seemed to be filled with some sort of liquid, making it completely sealed.


    Not just his face, the man¡¯s right hand was entirely replaced with some sort of steam-powered machinery.


    Following his exposed arm, some steam occasionally emitted from beneath the mask. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Several young demi-human children of various races were following him, some curiously sucking their fingers as they looked at the distant soldiers.


    ¡°Oh, and who is this gentleman from Nali?¡±


    The tall man saw Fisher through the single lens and then spoke in his magnetizing voice.

 Chapter 36 - 36 34

    ?36: 34.


    Settle accounts after the harvest 36: 34.


    Settle accounts after the harvest ¡°I am Fisher Benavides, a scholar.


    I¡¯m heading to Krit Port in the north.


    I heard that the City Lord is restricting leaving the city, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, Mr.


    Fisher, I¡¯ve long admired your great reputation.


    I saw your research at the Nali Academic Salon, and your contributions to steam ethics have benefited me a lot¡­¡±


    A bit of steam escaped from under Philone¡¯s mask, and even though only his eyes were visible, Fisher could still hear some joy in his voice.


    ¡°Oh?


    You know me?¡±


    ¡°After all, not everyone has the opportunity to study at the highest academic institutions, but I still admire the academic atmosphere there, so I pay special attention to the academic news from there¡­


    like, ¡®The Rebellious of the Royal College,¡¯ Mr.


    Fisher.¡±


    This was indeed the kind of evaluation Fisher Benavides should have received in Saint Nali¡ªKeken¡¯s respectful attitude was actually quite surprising to Fisher.


    After all, his resume and research directions often deviated from current trends and his findings were often startling, leading people to think he was ¡°rebelliously unorthodox.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve heard a pure Nali style evaluation in the South Continent.


    Like this city of Philone, it makes me feel like I¡¯m back in Saint Nali, except I can¡¯t smell the dirty coal gas here.¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha, ha.¡±


    Fisher teased Philone, who also laughed, before remembering something,


    ¡°I almost forgot there¡¯s still business to handle¡­


    Mr.


    Fisher, why not wait in my mansion while I arrange things for these demi-humans, and then we can talk over dinner?¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Fisher turned around and asked Rafael and others to get off the carriage.


    When he saw the red Dragon-man Species stepping off the carriage, the Bull-man lady behind him slightly changed her expression, as if she wanted to remind Philone of something, but he just raised his hand and stopped Nana from speaking.


    ¡°These new demi-humans should be allocated to the newly built district, assign one companion officer per three households to ensure they can adapt to living here¡­¡±


    ¡°City Lord, we don¡¯t have enough companion officers who speak the Werewolf Species language.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t some Werewolf learn Nali Language before?


    Hire them to help, and pay them the same salary as the companion officers.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Nana directed the soldiers to move the demi-humans in another direction, except for Harry and others who didn¡¯t move, looking at the children in their arms,


    ¡°City Lord, the parents of these children are already¡­¡±


    Philone¡¯s mask, which only had one eyepiece, turned towards the children and slowly walked towards them.


    His inhuman facade was seen by the goblin children, who immediately struggled in fear, their characteristic cries filling the space in front of the City Lord¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°Wahhh!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cry, this is the great City Lord¡­¡±


    Philone raised his hand, cutting off Harry¡¯s words, and then gently picked up the crying goblin child.


    ¡°Wah!


    Wah!


    Wah!¡±


    Feeling the child¡¯s vigorous struggle in his arms, he calmly picked him up, letting the child look into his eyes.


    The goblin child¡¯s gaze penetrated the gas mask and saw a pair of gentle, eyelid-less eyes.


    ¡°Can¡¯t speak yet, still so young¡­¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Wu wu.¡±


    The crying gradually softened, Philone chuckled lightly, and touched the goblin child¡¯s forehead,


    ¡°From now on you¡¯ll be called Ryan, and I am daddy.¡±


    ¡°Ba¡­¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha, ha.¡±


    Philone held the now-silent child in his arms again and then said to the other soldiers, ¡°These children who have no parents, send them to my mansion¡­


    Qi Qi, you have brothers and sisters now.¡±


    Several demi-human children behind him pouted and hugged Philone¡¯s legs,


    ¡°I don¡¯t want, daddy is mine!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so ugly.¡±


    All those demi-human children spoke in very native Nali Language, clearly having been educated in it from a young age, perhaps not even hearing their own language before being brought to Philone¡¯s side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Bochi, they¡¯ll grow up to be just as cute as you.¡±


    ¡°Wu¡­¡±


    Fisher, holding his hands, watched Philone, even Rafael was surprised, glancing around the Inner City environment, seeing happily settled demi-humans speaking a barely familiar Nali Language with the officers arranging their lives.


    Is this¡­


    heaven?


    After witnessing so many tragedies, Rafael still found such a scene somewhat surreal when he saw it now.


    ¡°You all go back first, thank you for your hard work.


    Mr.


    Fisher, please come this way, I will call the maid to prepare dinner.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Fisher glanced at Mier and the others who were slowly following Rafael, curiously observing their surroundings.


    Perhaps because the place was too peaceful, even the usually lively Lar was momentarily speechless, just memorizing the scenery in her heart.


    But upon entering the City Lord Mansion of Philone, she was quickly attracted by the various interesting steam machinery inside.


    ¡°Fisher, what is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a mechanical toy.¡±


    Fisher spotted the assorted toys placed on the shelf, explaining to Lar.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, can you speak Dragon-man Language?¡±


    Philone looked over, his eyes filled with surprise.


    ¡°I know some words for everyday communication.¡±


    ¡°Haha, that is an impressive feat.


    After all, the Dragon-man Species we see nowadays are either children who can¡¯t speak properly or half-dead warriors.


    Learning their language is incredibly difficult¡­¡±


    Philone glanced at the toys on the shelf and then laughed, ¡°There are many children at home, I inevitably made some little gadgets to divert their lively enthusiasm¡­stop causing trouble, go play with Sister Fei Lin, Mr.


    Fisher and I have matters to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Dad, remember to come see my drawings tonight, I drew a lot¡­¡±


    ¡°Hurry up, Qi Qi, or I¡¯ll finish your milk.¡±


    Philone also handed over the child he was holding to the maid to look after, watching as the children ran further away.


    Only then did Philone lead Fisher and the others to the nearby dining room.


    In the well-decorated dining room, several maids were already tidying up the table.


    Mier and the others could not understand the language between Fisher and Philone, so apart from the curious Lar, they all behaved obediently.


    Before long, the Bull-man girl Nana also finished her errands and walked into the dining room.


    ¡°Lord Philone, everything has been arranged.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, come and eat.¡±


    Nana nodded and sat next to Philone.


    Philone held a knife and fork, cutting the steak into bite-sized pieces, then slowly pushed the plate in front of Nana.


    ¡°I apologize, Mr.


    Fisher, I cannot eat in front of you, just eat yours, do not mind me.¡±


    He pointed to his face covered by a gas mask, explaining, ¡°Many years ago, my body was burned.


    All these years, I tried to heal, but it has deteriorated to the extent that it must be continuously wrapped in therapeutic liquid.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t breathed fresh air in a long time, which is regrettable¡­¡±


    As he spoke, streams of steam flowed down his mask, causing Nana to look at him with some sadness.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this¡­


    Mr.


    Fisher, you are planning to continue traveling north, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It might be difficult, the Schwali City Lord Alliance has about a dozen members, a force not to be underestimated on the South Continent.


    Many demi-human tribes were destroyed by them, and the best I can mediate is to shelter the remaining widows and orphans.¡±


    He said regretfully, his magnetic voice clear and distinct, ¡°It¡¯s the same this time; they discovered a mine with a large reserve of gold, so they went to war with the largest goblin tribe residing there.


    Both sides suffered heavy losses, but the goblin tribe will likely soon vanish from the northern map.¡±


    ¡°This process won¡¯t take long, according to intelligence, no more than fifteen days.¡±


    He continued regretfully, ¡°Unfortunately, human looting has become an inevitability; protecting those demi-human tribes means making enemies of all humans on the South Continent¡­


    But, after fifteen days, you can join the troops I deploy to shelter the remaining widows and orphans as you leave the city, they¡¯ll also ensure to escort you to Krit Port in the north.¡±


    Fisher tapped on the table, staying here for fifteen days meant doubling his original itinerary, but he had no better way to get out.


    The joint movement of the Schwali City Lord Alliance equated to a war, recklessly taking Rafael and the others through would be suicidal, problematic whether he encountered either side.


    ¡°Okay, I will wait here, and during this period, I will be in your care.¡±


    Philone nodded, not yet speaking when Nana, who had finished the food on the table, suddenly spoke to Fisher,


    ¡°Please wait, before that, I have another question to ask you, Mr.


    Fisher.¡±


    ¡°Please ask.¡±


    Nana raised her head, her gaze sternly fixed on Fisher,


    ¡°Do you know Orn from Philone City?¡±


    Fisher¡¯s fingers stiffened for a moment, and in that second, the atmosphere also slightly fell silent.

 Chapter 37 - 37 35

    ?37: 35.


    Bull-man¡¯s Broken Horn 37: 35.


    Bull-man¡¯s Broken Horn Nana had been talking about ¡°Orn,¡± the man previously mentioned at the Kexie Ning Circus, the original buyer of these Dragon Ladies.


    Back in Philone City, he was thought to be just a local wealthy individual, but, to everyone¡¯s unpleasant surprise, he turned out to be a representative sent by the City Lord Mansion.


    After a moment of silence, Fisher turned to Nana and said,


    ¡°In Brian City, he had his eyes on me, so I left him buried not far from Brian.


    If you go there now, you might still dig up his skeleton.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Nana frowned, about to speak, but was stopped by Philone raising his hand.


    It wasn¡¯t that Fisher wanted to be so aggressive in front of the other party, it was just the truth.


    If Orn hadn¡¯t tried to rob him of his carriage in the city at that time, Fisher would never have killed him.


    Since he wasn¡¯t at fault himself, there was obviously no need to feel guilty, even within the territory of the other party.


    ¡°Since this incident happened far away, Nana had no choice but to give the mission to mercenaries outside of Philone City.


    It¡¯s common for their quality to be unreliable.¡± Compared to the Bull-man girl Nana, Philone¡¯s tone was much kinder, ¡°And since Mr.


    Fisher has already helped us achieve our goal by rescuing those Dragon-man Species children, there¡¯s nothing much to fuss about.¡±


    ¡°Goal?¡±


    So, the purpose of Philone buying these Dragon-man was to rescue them.


    But the problem was, Fisher had specifically sought out the Red Dragon-man because of the Doomsday Prophecy, leading him to find Rafael and the others.


    Would Philone really go halfway across the continent just to look for a group of captured Dragon-man?


    How did he know about this information?


    ¡°There was a child with me before, called Nar, who must have been captured with your children.


    He told me his companions were still in the hands of the Slave Trader, so I specifically sent people to bring them back.


    Unfortunately, the mercenaries I sent haven¡¯t made contact, so I had to send Nar back to his tribe first.¡±


    ¡°¡­Lord Philone is really generous.¡±


    To fulfill a demi-human child¡¯s wish, he spent thousands of Nali gold coins to bring several never-before-met Dragon-man Species back from halfway across the continent.


    If the Nali Government had his kind of boldness and goodness, they wouldn¡¯t be criticized every day, provided the Nali Government had a healthy financial situation like Philone.


    So, this South Continent City Lord, where did all this money come from?


    ¡°Haha, let¡¯s set aside the matter for now; I¡¯ll have Nana arrange rooms for you to stay in tonight.


    More importantly, Mr.


    Fisher, would you like to visit my laboratory after dinner?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Fisher¡¯s interest was piqued, so he asked, ¡°Mr.


    Philone, what is your current research focus?¡±


    ¡°There are mainly three areas: steam engine dynamics, ethical morals, and pathology, but right now I am primarily focusing on the third¡­


    Did you know there¡¯s a unique disease in the South Continent?¡±


    At that moment, hearing Philone¡¯s mysteriously phrased words, Fisher suddenly thought of the Blue Madness mentioned by Keken before.


    ¡°Are you referring to¡­


    Blue Madness?¡±


    Philone paused for a second, then laughed,


    ¡°Blue Madness?


    Good name¡­


    Though the name is different, we might be studying the same disease.


    Let Nana arrange your rooms first; I need to tidy up the lab too.


    I don¡¯t have the habit of cleaning the lab; it might be too messy for the eye.¡±


    He glanced at Nana, who immediately got up to excuse herself to the guests, probably to confirm the available rooms.


    Meanwhile, Philone also excused himself and went outside, leaving Fisher and his group alone with a few maids in the dining room.


    When he explained the plans discussed with Philone and the itinerary to the dragon-girls nearby, Lar was still covetously eyeing the flashy mechanical toy outside, clearly indicating her thoughts.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please come this way.¡±


    Before long, Nana appeared at the dining room door, this time speaking in Fermat Baha Dragon Court Language.


    ¡°You¡­


    You speak Dragon Court Language?¡±


    Rafael looked at the Bull-man girl in surprise, who smiled and explained,


    ¡°Not only Dragon Court Language but also Nali Language and Bull-man Language, and I understand some of the Werewolf Language and Southern Tribe Language as well¡­


    There are only two rooms available here, how would Mr.


    Fisher like to arrange it?


    If necessary, this girl might have to squeeze in with you¡­¡±


    Nana looked at Rafael, whose gentle smile turned Rafael panicky.


    ¡°I definitely do not want to stay with him, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Lar wants to stay with Fisher.


    Sister Mier and I will go together.


    Let Lord Raphael and Fasher sleep there.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Mier¡¯s face also turned red, she glared at Lar who had run over to Fisher, seemingly scolding her nonsensical talk.


    Nana explained apologetically,


    ¡°I apologize, but due to the many demi-human children in the household, Mr.


    Philone has hired many maids, so room availability is a bit tight.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, we can just stay in the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Carriage?¡±


    While it seemed odd to stay in a carriage, since there were not enough rooms¡­


    If it weren¡¯t necessary, Fisher really wouldn¡¯t want to explain his carriage situation to strangers, such as things to do with space magic.


    But before he could speak, Lord Raphael next to him preempted,


    ¡°Wait, Fisher and I can squeeze together¡­¡±


    Fisher glanced at Lord Raphael¡¯s profile.


    Since she had no issues, it would make no sense for him to fuss, so he nodded in agreement.


    Thus, the room arrangements were made; Fisher and Lord Raphael shared one room, while Mier and the others occupied another.


    Nana moved with elegant steps leading Lord Raphael to the second floor, and Lord Raphael occasionally glanced at her light footsteps and also at the golden horn ornaments replacing the severed horns on her head.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Fisher asked.


    Lord Raphael glanced at Nana in front of him and whispered,


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the horns of the Bull-man species are incredibly important.


    Once broken, they suffer severe consequences ¨C breaking one horn usually results in virtually losing the ability to move, and they become extremely depressed; breaking two horns would likely¡­¡±


    Fisher¡¯s gaze also lingered on the broken horns on the head of the person in front.


    He had previously seen captured Bull-men in the slave market.


    Many Bull-men were sought after by humans for their beautiful horns to be made into handicrafts, and these slaves appeared as Lord Raphael described: no different from the dead, devoid of any desire to live.


    Fisher speculated that the horns of the Bull-man species might be connected to the brain; once broken or damaged, it resulted in feelings of depression and despair.


    Of course, it was also possible that this was a deeply ingrained cultural influence, embedding in their minds the critical importance of their horns, equating the loss of them to death.


    However, Nana in front did not exhibit these symptoms and seemed no different from a normal Bull-man, making Fisher question the accuracy of the first conclusion.


    ¡°This is your room, my room is right next to Mr.


    Philone¡¯s room inside.


    If you need anything, feel free to knock on my door.¡±


    The second floor had few rooms, and, located at the far end with the largest area, was the master bedroom belonging to Philone.


    Nana¡¯s bedroom was right at the entrance of Philone¡¯s, and further along the hallway was Fisher¡¯s room, with Lar and the others even farther out. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This area likely wasn¡¯t originally designed as guest rooms but as storage for the master; however, due to the tight room situation, they had no choice but to clean them up for use as guest rooms, allocating all original guest rooms downstairs to the maids.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Nana glanced at Fisher and then left silently downstairs.


    Beneath her skirt, a golden-furred Bull-man tail lightly swayed, touching softly against her tender calves, its color matching her hair.


    Fisher arranged the sleeping situation for Lar and the others before returning to his own room, where the Dragon Lady with red scales sat on the only bed, her tail coiling around the pillow behind her.


    ¡°Go get the bedding, you¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Lord Raphael opened her mouth, glanced at Fisher, and then went to fetch the bedding from the closet that Nana had mentioned.


    She wiped her face and then sat on the bedsheet spread on the floor, speaking to Fisher,


    ¡°Tonight, I want to duel you, I¡¯ve thought of a way to defeat you!¡±


    Fisher, leaning on his handcane, looked at her,


    ¡°You thought of this during dinner?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­


    and also before entering the city.¡±


    ¡°Knock knock¡­¡±


    Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door, followed by the voice of a maid, ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, the City Lord has sent me to take you to his laboratory¡­¡±


    Fisher glanced at Lord Raphael, took off his suit jacket and hung it on a nearby rack, saying,


    ¡°Then you might want to give it more thought.


    Remember what I told you before.


    Come for the duel tomorrow night.


    You still owe me a punishment¡­ I¡¯ll step out for a while.


    Keep an eye on Lar and the others.¡±


    ¡°¡­.


    I understand.¡±


    Lord Raphael pursed her lips and responded so.

 Chapter 38 - 38 36

    ?38: 36.


    Soul Loss 38: 36.


    Soul Loss ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, welcome.¡±


    It turned out Philone¡¯s laboratory was not inside his mansion but in a courtyard outside, specifically in a modest-sized room marked ¡°Philone¡¯s Laboratory¡± at the entrance.


    By the time Mr.


    Fisher was led there by the maid, Philone had already shed his suit jacket, revealing the leather straps covering his body, designed to secure his prosthetic arm and gas mask.


    If not for the somewhat terrifying gas mask on his face, he would have indeed been a graceful Nali gentleman.


    Even after some tidying up, the room still appeared somewhat cluttered.


    On the lab table at the back, resembling a workshop, many large steam machines were placed.


    In front of the workshop, there were two huge bookshelves filled with books.


    Fisher scanned the titles and, with a keen eye, recognized one of his published works named ¡°Good and Evil: A First Look at Ethics.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Mr.


    Fisher, this book of yours took me a long time to study, especially your views and interpretations on classical utilitarianism¡­¡±


    Philone, noticing Fisher¡¯s gaze, then took down the modest dark red-covered book and said with some emotion, ¡°Who would have thought the author of this book of wisdom was once just a student at the Royal College?¡±


    ¡°It quotes a lot of thoughts from teachers; I merely connected the dots¡­¡±


    Fisher, scanning the book filled with many notes, knew that Philone had read his work many times.


    At that time, although many scholars had discussed ethics, represented by the many professors at the Royal College, there was no book that synthesized their views and discussions.


    Consequently, Fisher spent a semester attending all the social science professors¡¯ classes, compiled the notes, and wrote this introductory text on ethics.


    Although the professors were pleased their representative views were compiled into a volume, they couldn¡¯t help but bristle at Fisher¡¯s critical ¡°author¡¯s comments¡± at the end of the book.


    They were a group of lovable old men.


    ¡°Ha ha, Mr.


    Fisher is too modest.


    I would like to discuss ethics with you more in the future, but for now, let¡¯s talk about the disease we mentioned before¡­


    I prefer to call this disease ¡®Soul Loss¡¯ rather than Blue Madness.¡±


    ¡°Soul Loss?¡±


    Fisher took a chair and sat down next to his desk, looking at Philone, who pulled out a small stack of manuscripts from under the desk lamp.


    Fisher saw the human anatomical diagrams penciled on them.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, how much do you understand about the patients¡¯ condition?¡±


    ¡°After the onset, their blood turns blue, they are basically unconscious, have a tendency to attack living beings¡­


    no, it should be living humans, and the Magic Circuits in their bodies completely disappear.¡±


    Philone nodded, handed the manuscripts to Fisher, which contained many densely recorded experimental case studies.


    The conclusions were roughly the same as Fisher¡¯s, but Philone had also investigated a lot about the patient¡¯s history before the onset of the disease.


    ¡°You refer to these patients as having Soul Loss; do you believe in the theory that Magic Power originates from the soul?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about belief, Mr.


    Fisher, it¡¯s a fact¡­


    On the South Continent, there has long been a belief in soul theory.


    At first, I thought the souls they believed in were just like the illusionary Spiritual Bodies created in circuses using magic, but a previous exploration showed me the reality of the existence of the soul¡­¡±


    Philone raised a finger, continuing,


    ¡°When I first arrived on the South Continent, I was just an external scholar accompanying the expedition.


    I accidentally got separated from the team, and got lost in the wilderness.


    The wilderness was cold at night.


    Just as I was about to freeze to death, suddenly several flickering demi-human shadows appeared in the sky, speaking to each other, although I couldn¡¯t understand.


    I thought it was a dying hallucination, so I followed the direction their fingers pointed and found the scattered team by the river.¡±


    Fisher tapped his fingers on the desk, pondering Philone¡¯s words.


    ¡°The most critical part is, I¡¯ve personally witnessed those souls performing engraving magic.¡±


    ¡°Engraving magic?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they were engraving warming spells for the demi-humans foraging in the wild, so they would not freeze to death.


    They had Magic Circuits capable of releasing engraving magic power; the patients¡¯ Magic Circuits, however, had completely vanished because the soul had taken away their Magic Circuits.¡±


    Fisher¡¯s expression changed, as all current Magic Theory indicated that the ability of living beings to perform engraving magic originated from their own Magic Circuits.


    Many scholars also believed that Magic Circuits existed within the body but were simply unobservable for the time being.


    However, if Philone¡¯s words were to be taken into account, the fact that souls could use magic suggested that Magic Circuits were not within the body but rather on the soul.


    This could also explain why the Magic Circuits in those patients completely disappeared¡ªthe true principle of the disease¡¯s onset did not lie in the Magic Circuits but in the soul.


    The disappearance of the Magic Circuits was merely a manifestation of the vanishing soul.


    As he conversed more deeply with Philone, Fisher gradually understood the soul theory that he had researched.


    In front of Philone¡¯s years of experimental data and evidence, Fisher found it nearly impossible to refute any point. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°If the principle of the disease¡¯s onset is that the soul has gone, then what causes their souls to vanish?¡±


    Philone raised a finger and explained,


    ¡°It¡¯s despair¡­


    You see, before each patient fell ill, they had all undergone a major life tribulation.¡±


    ¡°La Basher, robbed of his wealth by bandits; his daughter killed by a Maid¡­¡±


    ¡°Jack, his wife was unfaithful, and her lover absconded with all his property¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Philone recited the experiences of various cases, then said, ¡°It seems they have no connection, and according to traditional pathology, they could not have come into contact with any suspicious items.¡±


    Fisher suddenly thought of the group of humans he had met before in Kree¡¯s cave.


    Their Maid had also fallen ill, and according to them, her only daughter had died in Nali¡¯s textile factory before she became sick.


    So that¡¯s how it is¡­


    Fisher¡¯s gaze flickered for a moment, then he continued Philone¡¯s words,


    ¡°The reason souls disappear is that the despair generated by the brain creates an unstable condition, and then some external force takes advantage of it to steal their souls¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s my speculation.¡±


    ¡°Now, there are three problems: how the souls are being taken away, who is taking the souls, and what is the purpose of taking the souls?¡±


    Fisher scrutinized the pathology closely.


    Although he had a hypothesis, he felt it was increasingly absurd.


    Based on the current deductions, it seemed less like a disease and more like a deliberate act by someone.


    If the perpetrator was an intelligent entity, it would likely only be humans or demi-humans.


    But considering that human academia hadn¡¯t even acknowledged the existence of souls, where would the means to take their souls come from?


    Given the current primitive state of demi-humans, it was even less likely to be them.


    Moreover, according to the cases of Philone and Keken, many incidents occurred simultaneously and were separated by thousands of kilometers.


    Who could possibly have the power to commit such acts over such distances?


    They probably could have destroyed all three countries of the Western Continent.


    ¡°Ever since humans started entering the South Continent in large numbers, I haven¡¯t seen those demi-human souls that guide people through the wilderness for a long time¡­¡±


    Philone¡¯s gas mask released some steam, and he leaned back in his chair, then sighed,


    ¡°Who could take away so many souls at the same time, in multiple places?¡±


    Fisher was slightly taken aback by Philone¡¯s words, then looked up at him but couldn¡¯t see his eyes due to the reflection of the desk lamp on his glasses.


    Why was it that he only focused on who was taking the souls, and ignored the other questions?

 Chapter 39 - 39 37

    ?39: 37.


    Midnight Boudoir 39: 37.


    Midnight Boudoir ¡°Let¡¯s call it a night, Mr.


    Fisher,¡± said Philone, rubbing his somewhat sore shoulders.


    They had discussed the characteristics of the soul following the previous data report, but most of it was Fisher¡¯s guesswork and couldn¡¯t be verified.


    And indeed, the night had deepened.


    Seeing that it was getting late, Philone stopped his research for the evening.


    Just as he was about to get up, he found that his steam arm wasn¡¯t moving, so he sighed and took a bottle of lubricant off the shelf beside him.


    Leaning against the table next to him, he said to Fisher,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, could you help me apply some lubricant?


    My arm seems to be stuck.¡±


    Fisher took the lubricant Philone passed to him, gently applied it to the jammed gears on his arm, then aided by pushing the gears with his fingers.


    After several drops of lubricant, Philone¡¯s whole arm released steam again and became agile.


    ¡°Did you install a small steam device on your back?¡±


    Fisher commented, looking at the illuminated object puffing out slightly from under his shirt.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hide anything from you¡­


    I¡¯ve installed a small and intricate steam-powered ring that doesn¡¯t use much power normally, so it doesn¡¯t need to be refueled too often, and when not in use, it can be removed.¡±


    He gripped his mechanical arm, then smiled and said, ¡°But no matter what, it¡¯s still not as good as the original¡­


    Okay, it¡¯s working again, thank you.¡±


    Fisher smiled and placed the lubricant back on the table, then stood up and stretched.


    While doing so, he inadvertently caught sight of a miniature embroidery hanging on the wall of the laboratory. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The embroidery was exquisite, depicting a griffin that looked incredibly lifelike.


    ¡°Where is this piece of art from?


    I¡¯ve rarely seen such beautiful embroidery.¡±


    ¡°Ha, it¡¯s a specialty from my hometown of Wulun.


    When I was younger, people nearby were very good at embroidering,¡± Philone said, laughing.


    Fisher took a closer look at the beautiful embroidery and then, as if suddenly remembering something, said,


    ¡°Wulun?


    I remember that¡¯s a coal-producing area in Nali, right?¡±


    Philone also looked at the embroidery, silent for as long as Fisher.


    Finally, he broke the silence, speaking calmly,


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°Look, Fisher, they lent me a toy to play with!¡±


    Upon returning to the mansion with Philone, they encountered Lar playing with a steam toy on the first floor, followed by several children adopted by Philone.


    Apart from a Werewolf girl named Qi Qi, whom Fisher remembered, he was not too familiar with the rest, considering there were over a dozen children here.


    When they saw Philone enter, they all ran cheerfully to his side, hugging his legs.


    Qi Qi unhappily pointed at Lar in the distance and cried,


    ¡°Daddy, the little dragon took my toy away!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Fisher glanced at Lar holding the toy beside him and then at Raphael, who looked away.


    He was momentarily speechless.


    It seemed Fisher¡¯s gaze made Raphael a bit embarrassed; she stammered as she explained,


    ¡°Lar told them he wanted to borrow it to play, but they didn¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    Philone burst into laughter, holding Qi Qi he said to Fisher,


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, it¡¯s just a toy.


    Letting her play with it is no big deal¡­


    Have you kids listened to Miss Feiya and drank milk?¡±


    ¡°We did!¡± Qi Qi said, nestled in his arms.


    ¡°And what should you do after drinking milk?¡±


    ¡°Go to sleep!¡±


    No sooner had Qi Qi spoken than another Werewolf child tugged at Philone¡¯s trouser leg and shouted,


    ¡°Daddy, you promised to look at my drawing tonight!¡±


    ¡°Ha, sure.


    Why don¡¯t you show your drawing to our new Dragon-man friend as well?¡±


    Philone patted the child¡¯s head, making the Wolf boy named Bochi¡¯s tail wag uncontrollably, his eyes lighting up,


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get it!¡±


    At that moment, the Bull-woman girl in a skirt named Nana returned to the mansion.


    She appeared to be working in a role assisting Lord Philone with his duties, so busy that she had only just come back.


    ¡°Mr.


    Philone, those Werewolves have agreed, and they¡¯re thrilled about the job opportunity.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.


    That should solve any problems with the demi-humans¡¯ lives.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, look, this is my drawing!¡±


    Bochi ran back from his room, carrying a crayon drawing of a green field.


    On that field were he, the other children, and a tall man in a suit, albeit without any facial features.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± Philone squatted down, pointing to the figure in the suit.


    ¡°It¡¯s Daddy, Daddy without a mask¡­


    Daddy must have been without a mask before, so I drew it this way.


    Afterward, you will surely recover from your illness, and you won¡¯t need a mask anymore!¡±


    Philone smiled faintly, looking at Fisher, and then laughed,


    ¡°Ha-ha-ha, these kids really are amusing¡­¡±


    Fisher¡¯s face creased as he glanced at Lar, who was gnawing at the metal toy.


    He tapped her head, making her reluctantly stop.


    ¡°I want to be an artist when I grow up, okay Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, that is quite the formidable profession.


    Bochi, you¡¯ll have to work very hard.


    For instance, right now, you should go to bed.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Philone touched the child¡¯s forehead, smiled, and instructed the Maids to take the children back to their rooms.


    Many children were reluctant to go to sleep, begging in a coquettish manner for Philone to lull them to sleep, and Philone, troubled, followed them into their room.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take our leave and rest now, Miss Nana.¡±


    In the living room, Fisher glanced at the Bull-woman Nana beside him.


    Her impression of Fisher wasn¡¯t very good, probably because of the previous incident with Orn, so the expression on her face was merely polite.


    ¡°Good night, Mr.


    Fisher, Miss Raphael.¡±


    This time, she spoke in Dragon Language.


    Fisher, with Raphael and the others, headed to the second floor.


    Before leaving, he made sure Lar put the toy back, otherwise she would surely have slept with that mechanical car.


    In reality, she had no idea it was a car; she was simply amused by the object¡¯s four wheels and its rollability.


    ¡°Where are Mier and the others?¡±


    ¡°Ah, they came down with us earlier, but they went back first because there wasn¡¯t anything interesting.¡±


    After sending Lar back to Mier¡¯s room and waiting for the door to close, only Fisher and Raphael remained in the hallway.


    Fisher turned to look at her, which made her instinctively avert her gaze,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, time to sleep.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mhm.¡±


    Raphael had intended to change her clothes directly, but now with Fisher nearby, she crawled into the bedding on the floor and rustled as she undressed within the cover, laying her clothes outside.


    But Fisher wasn¡¯t looking at her; instead, he leaned against the bed, continuously writing something in the lamplight with a feather pen.


    Mostly, it was about the research he had conducted with Philone that day, including some speculations about souls, their traits, and observational methods.


    Fisher pondered in his mind what could be used as proof.


    Initially, Raphael didn¡¯t care to look at Fisher, but she soon realized that he was entirely focused on his research and not paying any attention to her.


    Thus, she turned her head and silently watched Fisher, who lay on the bed in a shirt, from underneath the covers.


    After writing for a while, Fisher rubbed his shoulders and placed the pen and notebook on the bedside,


    ¡°Time to sleep¡­


    huh, are you figuring out how to defeat me?¡±


    He noticed Raphael, who was still staring at him, and asked this question.


    Her red horns illuminated her face, making it hard to tell if her cheeks were tinged with a cherry color again.


    She pulled the bedding up, leaving only her eyes exposed, and whispered back,


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, think more, the success rate will be higher¡­


    I¡¯m turning off the light.¡±


    Fisher turned off the light.


    He seemed to have heard the sounds of Philone and Nana returning to their own bedrooms earlier.


    He also lay down under the covers and placed his Handcane on the bedside, in case he was attacked by the Dragon-man Lady in the middle of the night.


    As for Raphael, she had no intention of attacking him.


    Suddenly sharing a room with this Human, she couldn¡¯t understand why she felt an odd flush of warmth and had trouble falling asleep.


    In the silent night, with moonlight shining through the curtain, only the breaths of two people remained in the room, along with the faint, muffled chatter from Mier¡¯s room.


    It was probably Lar musing about what to have for breakfast and Fasher and Kexier tickling her, which Mier halted.


    The insulation of the house was poor, but luckily Lar¡¯s room was quite distant from Fisher¡¯s, at least farther away than Philone and Nana¡¯s rooms were from each other.


    Her ears trembled slightly as she unconsciously started listening to the sounds outside to disperse the inner heat.


    Soon, there was a sound of a door opening from the corridor ¨C likely Nana¡¯s room.


    Soft footsteps followed, and it seemed she had opened the door of Philone¡¯s room next to hers.


    ¡°Mr.


    Philone¡­¡± Nana¡¯s voice was tender and quiet, becoming somewhat indistinct when it reached here, ¡°Please allow me to serve you tonight too¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The door to Philone¡¯s room closed, and soon after, there were low breaths and Nana¡¯s soft moans.


    Raphael¡¯s mind blanked for a second, and then her whole face flushed red.


    Wait, the Bull-woman girl and the City Lord were¡­


    ¡°F-Fisher!¡±


    She burst up from beneath the covers in steamy panic, looking anxiously at Fisher lying with closed eyes next to her, ¡°You¡­


    did you hear that?¡±


    Fisher remained in his sleeping position, then opened one eye to glance at her.


    He was silent for a second before speaking,


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen, sleep.¡±


    Raphael pursed her lips and lay back down.


    Wait, wait, wait¡­


    Humans and demi-humans also¡­


    That¡¯s not¡­


    that¡¯s not¡­


    Despite her racing thoughts, only the concept of demi-humans and Humans intermixing clearly resided in her brain.


    It was like a clash of worldviews, causing her to start wildly speculating.


    So, does that mean Humans like Fisher?


    Wait, why am I thinking about Fisher?


    He¡¯s also Human, and I¡¯m a Dragon-man Species¡­


    No, no, that¡¯s wrong, although he¡¯s indeed strong and a good person¡­


    but I couldn¡¯t possibly choose him as a tail-matching partner¡­


    much less do that sort of thing¡­


    Right, that¡¯s true¡­


    It was like that.


    She covered her ears with the pillow to block out the inviting sounds, not realizing that her scales flattened and softened at the thoughts of a certain someone.


    She clutched at her long tail, as if holding¡­


    She shook her head, urging herself not to overthink and to sleep.


    Don¡¯t overthink!


    Don¡¯t imagine that scene!


    Don¡¯t think about Fisher!


    Humans and demi-humans¡­


    Stop thinking about it!


    Beside her, Fisher quietly opened both eyes, his expression turned to one of a dead fish due to the faint steam carrying the scent of Raphael filling the room again, knowing that she was lost in her thoughts.


    Wisely, he didn¡¯t speak or make any movement, only glancing towards Philone¡¯s room, unclear about what was on his mind.

 Chapter 40 - 40 38

    ?40: 38.


    Holy Maiden Chorus 40: 38.


    Holy Maiden Chorus The next morning, at the Philone family¡¯s breakfast table, Mr.


    Fischer elegantly forked a piece of fried egg while glancing at Rafael, who seemed lost in his thoughts next to him.


    Heaven knows when this guy fell asleep last night; maybe he didn¡¯t sleep at all, as he was already staring blankly at the ceiling when Mr.


    Fischer woke up.


    ¡°Good morning, everyone.


    Are you enjoying breakfast?¡±


    Miss Nana¡¯s gentle voice came.


    As she started speaking in Dragon Language to the Dragon-man girls who were having breakfast, she unexpectedly gave Rafael a fright.


    Miss Nana wore a light yellow dress, her skin pale and tender, with a healthy glow.


    Rafael measured her up and down for a long while before he awkwardly shifted his gaze, making Miss Nana give the puzzled Rafael a look.


    ¡°Good!


    Lar really likes eating this fried egg and milk!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.


    The City Lord is having breakfast with the children in another room and will join us soon, so please, Mr.


    Fischer, just wait a moment.¡±


    Mr.


    Fischer nodded, and then, as Miss Nana left the dining hall swaying her skirt, he wiped his mouth and asked Rafael,


    ¡°Have you already thought of the tactics for our duel tonight?¡±


    ¡°Tactics¡­


    Ah?


    Right, tactics.¡± Rafael blushed, his tail slightly raising behind him, and it took him several seconds before he seemed to grasp what Mr.


    Fischer was asking, ¡°Of course!


    You will find out tonight!¡±


    Mr.


    Fischer raised an eyebrow but just then caught sight of Philone entering through the doorway, carrying a Handcane and dressed in a lighter, travel-suited tan suit.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr.


    Fischer.¡±


    He nodded to the Dragon-man girls but did not speak further due to the language barrier.


    ¡°Good morning.


    Any plans for going out today?¡±


    ¡°Ah, speaking of which¡­


    I was planning to invite Mr.


    Fischer to wander around the city today.


    I had previously invited the Holy Maiden Chorus from Saint Nali.


    They agreed to perform but only for one day.


    I¡¯ve been considering when to schedule the performance, and now that Mr.


    Fischer is here, we might as well have it today.¡±


    ¡°Oh?


    Is it the Holy Song Opera House¡¯s Holy Maiden Chorus?¡±


    Mr.


    Fischer was quite surprised, as the Holy Song Opera House is the most top-tier opera house in Saint Nali, often frequented by members of the Royal Family and high-ranking officials.


    Amongst the three performing groups there, the Holy Maiden Chorus is the youngest and most renowned for their beauty.


    Tickets for a performance at the Holy Song Opera House are notoriously difficult to come by, let alone having the Holy Maiden Chorus come to the South Continent.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Philone seemed to want to blink, but since the eyes behind his mask supported no such action, he just chuckled and moved on.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious how you managed it.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t so difficult.


    The Church behind the Holy Song Opera House wants to collaborate with Kado to build churches in the South Continent.


    But as you know, the financial conditions of the cities only allow churches to be built within city limits without providing funds, so the Church had to fundraise in the Western Continent.


    The prize for their fundraising was a special performance by the Holy Maiden Chorus.¡±


    ¡°Mr.


    Philone¡¯s financial prowess always surprises me.¡±


    From his army¡¯s configuration and the city construction conditions to the unintended exposure of his fundraising situation, Mr.


    Fischer was quite curious about where all of Philone¡¯s wealth originated.


    ¡°This is something a devotee of the Mother Goddess should do, and having the Chorus sing praises is not too much¡­


    How about it?


    Would you like to join me to enjoy the performance?¡±


    Mr.


    Fischer smiled,


    ¡°Thank you for giving me the chance to witness the elegance of the Holy Maiden Chorus¡­


    Since Rafael and the others do not understand Nali Language, let them rest here.¡±


    ¡°Haha, okay.


    I¡¯ll go arrange the carriage.


    Milica¡­¡± Philone called the maid over, ¡°Take good care of these Dragon-man girls.


    If you don¡¯t understand their language, you can ask Nana for help.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Philone went out to arrange the carriage, and Mr.


    Fischer walked over to Rafael, taking her hand gently.


    ¡°What¡­


    what are you doing?¡±


    She looked at Mr.


    Fischer, her gaze slightly evasive, her tail perhaps mimicking Nana, rested beside her leg, maintaining the same angle as her skirt, only the scales hidden under the garment began to tilt.


    Mr.


    Fischer silently carved a One Ring sensor Magic on her hand with his Handcane, linking it to his own,


    ¡°If there¡¯s any issue, just crush this magic¡­


    Use a horn or activate your Magic Circuit, and I will immediately come back, understand?¡±


    Mr.


    Fischer¡¯s gaze fell on her, but she quickly withdrew her hand as if afraid of being burned by Mr.


    Fischer¡¯s touch, then replied,


    ¡°I understand.


    I will take good care of Lar and the others¡­


    Remember the duel tonight. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I will give it my all, so you¡¯d better be careful.¡±


    Mr.


    Fischer nodded, then patted Lar, and as he walked out, he said,


    ¡°I take every battle with you seriously, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Rafael pursed her lips, touching the magically engraved palm with her left hand.


    The pale magic circle slowly lost its brightness but still retained some warmth.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The Theater was outside the City Lord Mansion.


    From the outside, it didn¡¯t look too lavish, still displaying many traditional Saint Nali theater promotional posters, many of which were romance dramas, including story-rich ones like ¡°Prince Revenge.¡± Mr.


    Fischer noticed the ticket prices, significantly cheaper than in Saint Nali.


    All citizens could buy them, with the latest comedy listing board reading ¡°Holy Maiden Chorus tickets, 300 euros each, please bring identification to purchase.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher glanced at the citizens queuing for entry and joked with Philone,


    ¡°An exclusive performance by the Holy Maiden Chorus, and someone actually chooses to share such an opportunity with others?¡±


    Although it wasn¡¯t explicitly forbidden for the performance of the Holy Maiden Chorus to be shared publicly with the citizens, it was common for nobles or princes to enjoy such music in private, considering it a precious opportunity.


    To Fisher, a ticket price of 300 euros seemed like giving it away to the citizens for free.


    ¡°Ha ha, the performance is meant to be seen by people, and them watching together doesn¡¯t stop us from watching it too.


    Since it doesn¡¯t affect us, why not let them also have the opportunity to enjoy it?¡±


    Philone¡¯s facial expression was hidden behind his mask, only his kind and magnetic voice filtered through the escaping steam.


    ¡°Indeed¡­


    Is Miss Nana not coming?¡±


    ¡°Ah, her¡­¡± Philone tapped on his mask, seeming somewhat troubled, ¡°It appears Mr.


    Fisher knows about my relationship with her.¡±


    Fisher didn¡¯t mention that their voices last night were so loud, it felt as if he were right there, he simply nodded in acknowledgment.


    ¡°When I encountered Nana, her horns had been cut off, and she was lying in the wilderness as if dead.


    Horns are very important to her species, Bull-man, something Mr.


    Fisher you must understand?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°But I saw in her eyes the desire to keep living, and it was she who showed me the robust power of life, deeply touching me.


    Over the days that followed, she has helped me a lot¡­


    Although I am grateful to her, in the eyes of most humans she is still a demi-human, something she is very aware of and thus hasn¡¯t left my Inner City Mansion for a long time.¡±


    ¡°By the way, I forgot to ask Mr.


    Fisher, what is the significance of you taking these Dragon-man Species away?


    If I am not mistaken, the slave seal on that red Dragon-man has been removed, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Before Philone, Fisher couldn¡¯t use research as an excuse anymore.


    Rafael didn¡¯t know much about the slave seal, so she believed Fisher¡¯s lie that he bought her for research.


    The real intention was known only to Fisher himself.


    ¡°Although she is stubborn, it is undeniable that from a human aesthetic perspective, Rafael is indeed a beautiful girl¡­¡±


    Fisher looked out the window, told a lie, and repackaged his assassination pact with Rafael for Philone.


    From Philone¡¯s point of view, Fisher was a Nali Gentleman who fell for this wild Dragon-man girl and was troubled by her stubborn, wild nature, hoping to tame her with such methods.


    ¡°So it is..


    then tonight, she will have her third duel with you?


    How interesting, I have a steam engine testing arena in the Inner City; you can use it tonight¡­


    But I still must remind Mr.


    Fisher, the Dragon-man Species are natural-born warriors, do not lose your life over such a matter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, I will be careful.¡±


    Fisher laughed, expressing his gratitude for Philone¡¯s warning.


    The conversation in the carriage ended there; by now, most of the citizens who had bought tickets for the Holy Maiden Chorus performance had entered.


    Philone and Fisher were waiting at the entrance for the Holy Maiden Chorus, who had just arrived in Philone City a few days ago and were set to continue southward after the performance.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, they are here.¡±


    Philone pointed in the direction of the distant street, where at the end of the road stood two knights in silver armors, each holding a long spear, at the forefront.


    Behind them were three lavishly decorated carriages.


    Fisher glanced at the knights¡¯ armor which twinkled with silver magic light, and the densely packed white rings on their weapons were a sign that in Saint Nali, everyone knew these knights were not to be trifled with.


    They were Holy Hall Knights.


    ¡°They are responsible for the safety of the Holy Maiden Chorus in the South Continent¡­


    If this wasn¡¯t about the South Continent, the Church certainly wouldn¡¯t send two Holy Hall Knights.¡±


    Philone, carrying his handcane, stepped off the carriage, followed by Fisher,


    ¡°The South Continent is indeed not very safe, the Church¡¯s concern is justified.


    The distant carriages stopped at the Theater¡¯s entrance, and under the scrutinizing eyes of the knights, they made way revealing the girls stepping off from behind.


    The woman leading was slightly older, not quite young enough to be called a girl, dressed in a pure black Church ceremonial robe, she saluted Fisher and Philone without expression and asked,


    ¡°To confirm once again, Mr.


    Philone, are you sure you want to hold the performance here and share the chorus¡¯s performance with these¡­


    citizens?¡±


    It seemed the Holy Maiden Chorus was not pleased with performing in front of commoners.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure, Priest Kayu.¡±


    Receiving Philone¡¯s nod, Priest Kayu no longer objected but instructed the girls to quickly step off the carriage.


    The Holy Maiden Chorus consisted of young girls all under eighteen years, each dressed in a cream-colored silk dress with a golden ceremonial crown on their heads, all appearing elegant and holy.


    After stepping off, they saluted Fisher and others, then lined up to follow the knights into the Theater.


    However, as the last girl passed, she sneakily winked at Fisher, catching his attention.


    Beneath her young golden crown, the sweet-faced, black-haired girl looked at Fisher with a smile, as if reminding him.


    ¡°Teacher, do you remember me?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Fisher found the girl familiar, especially the unique address which reminded him of his tutoring days in Saint Nali,


    ¡°Milica!¡±


    Just as Fisher was about to speak, the black-robed Priest Kayu behind him spoke to the girl, interrupting her next words.


    The girl called Milica stuck her tongue out at Fisher and then quickly whispered,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, see you in Saint Nali¡­¡±


    The next moment, her expression switched to the same devout one as the other girls, quietly following them into the Theater.

 Chapter 41 - 41 39

    ?41: 39.


    Trolley Problem 41: 39.


    Trolley Problem ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, do you know that Holy Maiden from the choir?¡±


    ¡°Just a student I taught before.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­


    it¡¯s about time; let¡¯s go in then.¡±


    Seeing that Fisher was unwilling to elaborate, Philone didn¡¯t press further.


    He led the way like a perfect gentleman, his hand cane in hand.


    The rest of the audience watched from the main hall on the first floor, but Philone, with the privileges of the City Lord, could view the performance from a private box on the second floor.


    The citizens below were noisily chatting amongst themselves, a chaotic sight compared to the serene viewing environment of the Royal Nobles, causing the black-robed Priest Kayu on stage to frown.


    She rubbed her brow with vexation before instructing the already present girls to get ready.


    ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen.¡±


    Upon noticing this, Philone stood and approached the railing of the second floor, addressing the noisy audience below.


    As soon as he spoke, the crowd went silent and turned to look up at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s the City Lord!¡±


    ¡°Mr.


    Philone is up there!¡±


    Philone waved his hand and spoke to the audience below,


    ¡°Please keep quiet during the performance, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°No problem!¡±


    Then, after he spoke, the previously boisterous opera hall finally calmed down.


    As the noise below had quieted, the door to the private box opened, and an expressionless soldier walked in.


    Without speaking, Philone simply raised his hand, signaling him to stand by for the moment, then turned to Fisher and said,


    ¡°I apologize, Mr.


    Fisher.


    He¡¯s here with a report regarding work in the city¡­


    but there¡¯s no rush.


    Let¡¯s watch the performance first.¡±


    Fisher glanced at the soldier who had saluted with no expression and then turned to leave through the door.


    He silently turned back and gripped his hand cane, where Rafael hadn¡¯t crushed the magic he was given.


    On the distant stage, a group of pure girls spread out, beams of light as if from Heaven itself casting upon them.


    Despite their slow pace, they gave the impression of a dance to the onlookers, who all held their breath.


    Once one of the girls began to sing, their heavenly voices sounded like the ethereal whisper of a god.


    They were singing the first chapter of the Church¡¯s Creation Scripture, the Mother Goddess creating humans.


    Nali¡¯s sect worshipped the Mother Goddess, who, in their creation myth, lived in the Heaven filled with birdsongs and floral fragrances.


    Content and transcendent, she encountered a wounded rabbit in Heaven, who implored the Mother Goddess to save its life, promising in return the first apple of spring.


    The Moon and Sun beside the Mother Goddess advised her not to save the rabbit, as doing so would bring disasters to the other beings of the world.


    Yet the kind-hearted Mother Goddess saved the rabbit all the same and ate the apple it gave her.


    After swallowing the apple, the Mother Goddess became pregnant and, after seven days, gave birth to a male infant named Iya.


    Iya was the first human, and just as the Sun and Moon had warned, he brought the concept of Death to the world through his greed, creating the first death.


    To punish her child, the Mother Goddess cast Iya down to the human world.


    During his long descent, he transformed into a male and a female who then multiplied from one generation to the next, enduring the torments of death and illness.


    When the choir sang of the Mother Goddess tearfully pushing Iya from Heaven, the song was mournful and sad, as if it touched humankind¡¯s primal sense of empathy, causing the audience below to shed tears unwittingly.


    Philone watched, his gaze lively and his fingers trembling slightly.


    A couple of seconds later, he turned to Fisher, but noticed he was expressionlessly staring at the stage, seemingly unmoved.


    Philone watched Fisher for a long while, then asked with a smile,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, do you believe that all humans evolved from Iya?¡±


    ¡°Not at all; the Church¡¯s doctrine is no different from the beliefs of demi-humans, both being means to explain the world¡­


    Ancient Church thinkers believed that humanity is a whole, where each person is but a minute part of this grand body.¡±


    Suddenly, Philone placed one hand on the table separating him from Fisher, an intrusion that caused Fisher to glance at him, only to catch sight of the soldier¡¯s shadow through the slightly ajar door in his peripheral vision.


    Philone¡¯s eyes were fixed on Fisher as he began to smile and asked,


    ¡°There¡¯s a question that has troubled me for quite some time, and I have been eager to ask you¡­¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Fisher¡¯s right hand silently tightened around his hand cane, waiting for his question, while the shadow outside the door shifted a few times before slowly disappearing.


    ¡°Suppose you¡¯re a railway switch operator, and one day a runaway train appears on the track you¡¯re managing.


    On the track ahead of the train, there are five humans; if you do nothing, those five will die.


    However, you have a choice to pull the lever and divert the train onto another track where there is only one human¡­


    How would you choose?¡±


    Fisher watched Philone before him and after a moment of silence, leaned back against the cushion and chuckled,


    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything.¡±


    The singing outside reached its climax, bathing the viewing room in a light that was akin to Heaven, illuminating Philone¡¯s straight and astonished eyes.


    ¡°Haha¡­


    I see.¡±


    It took him a long time to wake up from the silence, and he slowly moved his body to lean back on the cushion, ¡°This is my first time listening to the Holy Maiden Chorus, their singing is beautiful, it always moves me a little¡­¡±


    ¡°That was indeed a wonderful opera.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher set down his hand cane, his gaze passing by the silent Philone.


    Behind them, the room¡¯s door had quietly closed at some point.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°Today¡¯s opera was wonderful, thank you for the invitation, Mr.


    Philone.¡±


    The carriage sped along the road, slowly entering the Inner City.


    Along the way, many demi-humans and their children waved at the City Lord¡¯s carriage, causing Mr.


    Fisher to glance sideways.


    ¡°Not at all, it probably would have lacked flavor if I had watched it alone¡­¡±


    Philone glanced at the time, the carriage conveniently stopped in front of the City Lord Mansion, where Nana seemed to have been waiting for a long time.


    After getting out of the carriage, Nana gave Mr.


    Fisher a lengthy stare, then turned her gaze away and spoke to Philone warmly,


    ¡°Mr.


    Philone, they have been waiting for you for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Philone turned to look at Mr.


    Fisher and said, ¡°I apologise, Mr.


    Fisher, but I have other guests to entertain and must leave for a while.


    As for our earlier matter, I haven¡¯t forgotten¡ªthe practice yard is just outside from here, near the city walls.


    If you can¡¯t find your way, just ask Feiya to guide you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your trouble, Mr.


    Philone.¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher took off his hat, bid farewell to Philone and walked into the residence.


    Philone looked at Nana and, together with her, walked in a different direction.


    They walked side by side for a good distance, and after making sure no one was around, Nana, looking somewhat concerned, turned to Philone,


    ¡°Mr.


    Philone, has something unexpected happened?


    Why has he returned?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t touch those Dragon-men, did you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good; let¡¯s just wait a little longer.¡±


    ¡°But, in a few more days¡­¡±


    Nana was quite worried, and she clasped Philone¡¯s palm, only to have it gently covered by his other hand,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher gave me a lot of inspiration yesterday; if realized, we can succeed without the old methods¡­¡±


    ¡°Now that you have what you wanted, you should quickly deal with him, what are you still hesitating for?¡±


    Steam leaked from under Philone¡¯s mask, and in the silence that followed, he thought of the man¡¯s response at the theatre, then shook his head, S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°¡­No, I haven¡¯t gotten what I want yet.


    Don¡¯t worry about him and that red Dragon-man for now, start recalling the others first.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, then I¡¯ll deliver this batch of goods to them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Nana.¡±


    Nana pursed her lips, then embraced Philone, whispering in his embrace,


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that¡­


    I will help you, no matter your decision, I will always follow you.¡±


    Philone¡¯s steam arm gently caressed Nana¡¯s long hair, bringing her fully into his embrace.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be long, I will have the answer soon.¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 40

    ?42: 40.


    The Duel at Night 42: 40.


    The Duel at Night In the evening at Philone¡¯s Mansion, only Fisher and Rafael were enjoying dinner; Nana and Philone seemed to be busy with other matters and were not in the room.


    ¡°Did anything strange happen today?¡±


    Fisher asked Rafael, who looked puzzled and then shook her head,


    ¡°Nothing strange, it¡¯s just us, those children, and the maid in the house.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s good, make sure to use the Magic I gave you if anything happens.¡±


    Rafael chewed her food and nodded,


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°I want Magic too!¡± Lar bobbed her little legs and called out, making Fisher unable to resist stroking her head and saying to her,


    ¡°You don¡¯t need it.¡±


    Because they still had the Slave Emblem, he could sense their location and state at any time; they did not need extra Magic crafted.


    Lar squinted her eyes and then said somewhat disappointedly,


    ¡°But Lar has never used Magic, Mom said that Magic would singe my tail like roasting a lizard, and then I¡¯d never see her again.¡±


    As Fisher listened, he suddenly remembered something and asked them,


    ¡°Do you know of a companion named Nar?¡±


    Philone had mentioned him before; the information about these Dragon-men had all come from a Dragon-man named Nar. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s Nar!


    Lar¡¯s brother!¡±


    ¡°Nar is Lar¡¯s older brother, shouldn¡¯t have been too far from us when he was captured, but some other humans took him away, now we don¡¯t know where he is¡­¡±


    Mier took a glance at the excited Lar, then turned to Fisher to explain.


    ¡°I see, I understand now.¡±


    Fisher nodded, noticing that the food was almost eaten, he then said to Rafael,


    ¡°Are you finished?


    If so, let¡¯s prepare to leave.¡±


    Rafael wiped her lips, then smiled, her eyes brimming with confidence,


    ¡°Humph, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Fisher caught her confidence, casually picking up his hand cane and hat, ¡°Hopefully so, follow me..


    Mier and the others will stay here; if anything happens, I will sense it.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The night in Philone City carried a peaceful tranquility.


    Since the arena required passing through the demi-human living area, Fisher and his group could see the contented demi-humans sitting leisurely at the doors of their houses, curiously watching the passing humans and the red Dragon-man Species.


    This environment was truly serene; it had been a long time since Rafael had seen such an atmosphere.


    Before, she might have seen something similar in the tribe, but seeing so many different races together so calm gave Rafael an unreal sense of unreality.


    Yet even so, she was captivated by this moment of serenity, unable to extricate herself for a long time.


    Despite the scenery, Fisher did not pause at all, his gaze sweeping over it for a moment or two before he quickened his pace, leaving Rafael behind to only see his silhouette.


    By the time she noticed, he had walked far ahead, forcing her to quicken her pace to catch up.


    Philone described the arena as a large, open circular plaza located at the base of the Inner City walls, still faintly showing the blackened, unwashable Traces likely left by some type of steam machinery.


    ¡°It¡¯s spacious enough here.¡±


    Fisher walked to the edge of the area, took off his coat, folded it neatly, and placed it on the ground.


    Beneath his coat, he wore a white shirt and a brownish-gray waistcoat, his figure tall and imposing as he took his hand cane and walked a good distance opposite Rafael before finally turning to look at her.


    Up to this point, he had not held back any of his abilities in front of Rafael.


    She knew the strength of his body and the Magic engraved on his hand cane, and if she had thought carefully about how to duel, then he would have to anticipate her moves based on the available information.


    However, Fisher had always taken his battles with her seriously, as he had said before.


    After all, an adult Dragon-man Species was not at the same level as before.


    Seeing her single-handedly penetrate an army with ease showed her formidable strength.


    Therefore, Fisher had also prepared a reserve tactic, which was the modified Dragon-man Magic.


    The traditional, pure Dragon-man Magic was crude and immensely destructive, but Fisher felt that the scope of application for that Magic was far too narrow.


    He had been trying to improve their Dragon-man Magic using Human Magic Theory throughout these days and had achieved some initial success.


    Thus Fisher raised his hand cane towards Rafael in the distance and said,


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, watch yourself!¡±


    Rafael closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly opened them again.


    Her green eyes under the night sky seemed to glow, and steam started to slowly rise from her body, indicating she was fully in Battle State.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    The next second, with a loud bang, the ground under her feet instantly cracked open, and she, like a red meteor, leapt up, spinning towards Fisher in mid-air.


    Fisher had anticipated her mode of attack, knowing that with his current physical strength, it would be foolish to engage in close combat with her as he had when she was not yet mature¡ªit would be like putting his hand in a meat grinder.

 Chapter 43 - 43 40

    ?43: 40.


    The Duel at Night_2 43: 40.


    The Duel at Night_2 So the first step Fisher had to take was to create distance.


    He suddenly leapt backward, and in a flash, the hand-cane in his grasp lit up with a Light Halo.


    The familiar Bee Dance spell was activated, but this time the Magic Emblem on the hand-cane dimmed slightly.


    The buzzing Light Blades in the air obstructed her movements.


    ¡°This move is no longer effective!¡±


    Steam gushed from Rafael¡¯s body as he spun at the speed of light, like a top, the Light Blades failing to hit Rafael who was midair.


    But Fisher¡¯s aim wasn¡¯t simply to rely on basic Light Blades to decide the outcome of the battle; delaying her offensive stance with this move was already enough.


    The white Light Halo on his hand flared up again.


    Above him, the most suitable Four-Ring Magic, Gravity Magic, to counter an enemy with extremely fast movement like Rafael.


    The familiar sensation of weight appeared around Rafael once again, causing her rapidly-spinning body to crash heavily into the ground.


    ¡°Ha¡­this move¡­¡±


    Gritting her teeth, Rafael slowly exhaled a breath.


    The next second, her scales began to shine like the Sun.


    The glow, starkly different from the hardly perceptible one before she came of age, was blindingly bright in the night.


    Immediately following, even the Air at her original position was heated to the point of distortion.


    For the first time, Fisher witnessed the Dragon-man Species¡¯ method of enhancing their physical attributes in such an exaggerated fashion.


    The ground around Rafael cracked completely, a consequence of her moving quickly while resisting the Gravity Magic.


    The concrete on the ground and the intensified Gravity twisted like Air as they were toasted by the extreme heat emanating from her.


    Once again, her body transformed into a meteor and violently rushed in Fisher¡¯s direction.


    Her strategy was simple¡ªengage Fisher in close combat.


    Fisher, being Human, couldn¡¯t match her enhanced physique.


    The countless spells were the only things that troubled her.


    However, spellcasting required time and distance; once engaged in close-quarters combat, Fisher would have no room to cast, and then he would have to face his defeat.


    Fisher¡¯s eyes flickered for an instant.


    As his body dashed backward, he tore the sleeve off his Left Hand garment.


    If one had keen eyesight, they would notice a transparent Dragon Tooth-shaped Magic Emblem etched inside the sleeve.


    With Fisher¡¯s improvement in the input and output of Magic Power, the Dragon-man Species¡¯ magic no longer appeared as conspicuous as before.


    Now, it only flared with light when activated, much like Human spells.


    The moment the sleeve was tossed aside, the Magic Emblem on the inside ignited, and from the void connected by that Emblem, a massive blue wall of Flames erupted, twisting out of proportion.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    Once again, a dragon-like roar sounded as the Flame wall surged, separating Rafael from Fisher.


    Possibly due to the refinement, the Flames weren¡¯t as exaggerated as during the night tests, but a wall of fire tens of meters high was enough to block Rafael.


    ¡°Ah-ah-ah-ah!¡±


    With an angry roar, her hands aglow with Dragon Claws fiercely pierced through the massive Flame wall.


    Then, with her claws hooking onto the Flames, she tore the wall apart as if it were tangible, her crimson horns shimmering in the night sky as if an invisible force enveloped her.


    So that was it.


    The outward Magic Circuit could grant a half-magical figure to the Dragon-man Species¡¯ body, allowing her to touch the very essence of magic itself.


    In Fisher¡¯s eyes, he saw Rafael¡¯s hands invisibly seize the magically imbued Emblem, and as she moved, the strength of the magic could no longer sustain, becoming increasingly precarious.


    Anti-magic combined with a strong physique¡ªthat was an adult Dragon-man Species¡­


    no, an ordinary Dragon-man wouldn¡¯t be so powerful; only Rafael was this exceptional. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fisher¡¯s expression remained unchanged, but his body continued to retreat in madness.


    In his vision, the scales around Rafael no longer shone as before and grew dimmer.


    Rafael sought to pursue once more, but was slowed by some Magic Trap.


    Throughout this process, he and Rafael maintained a certain distance.


    As time passed, fatigue crept into her body.


    With a determined grit of her teeth, she concentrated all her energy in her legs and, with a powerful push against the ground, instantly appeared in front of Fisher in his astonished gaze.


    ¡°You can¡¯t escape now!¡±


    Her claw formed into a blade-like shape, aimed precisely at his eyes, as sly as those of a fox¡­


    Ah..


    No, why can¡¯t I see any sign of panic in him!


    Watching the composed Fisher, Rafael, who got close, had already realized something was wrong, but she was still unwilling to give up this rare opportunity for close combat and struck at Fisher.


    But in the next moment, countless glowing silken threads beneath her, as tough as steel wires, tightly entwined her body, from her feet to her torso and then to her hands, binding her completely.


    These threads, coming from the void, caused her last strike to miss Fisher by just a little.


    Four-Ring Magic, ¡°Spinner.¡±


    Even so, the attack, though still at a distance from Fisher, brought a ripping wind noise as the tremendous force pushed the air toward Fisher¡¯s face, disheveling his hair and scattering his composed expression slightly.


    Then, the entire martial arts arena fell silent.


    Rafael was tightly bound in place, unable to move, and the scales on her body dimmed, bringing her immense fatigue.


    Rafael had lost again.


    After a second of amazement at the Dragon-man species¡¯ power, he clapped his hands and concluded,


    ¡°Excellent fight, at least you were conscious to play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses.¡±


    ¡°But you made two mistakes: you ignited your scales too early to boost your strength, even though I hadn¡¯t shown my hand and went all out.


    This shortened the overall fight time and reduced your margin for error; second, you failed to prioritize.


    You realized something was wrong with your last strike, but you still stubbornly attacked me, coveting the few opportunities to strike, and so you got caught by the Magic Trap I set.¡±


    Rafael puffed her cheeks and avoided Fisher¡¯s lecturing gaze, as if it could burn her.


    But she didn¡¯t feel resentful because everything Fisher said was right¡ªall were slip-ups she had made upon reflection.


    ¡°But¡­¡± The silk threads around her vanished, and a large hand covered her head, ¡°Aside from that, no significant flaws.


    You did well.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Fisher, carrying his hand cane, walked over to where he left his suit jacket, his calm voice lingering,


    ¡°You owe me two chances for punishment now, and tonight I will use one.¡±


    Rafael blinked in slight shock, her mouth trembling as she reached up to touch her red hair on her forehead.


    No¡­


    don¡¯t touch me¡­


    Such things¡­


    Her face flushed with a deep cherry color, and her armor collapsed again at his touch.


    Her tail shook excitedly, quickening her heartbeat.


    Was it the fight, or was it that person¡¯s touch?


    She dared not contemplate.


    And as for the matter of punishment, for some reason, Rafael remembered the voices she had heard the night before between Nana and the City Lord.


    What if Fisher¡¯s punishment was like that?

 Chapter 44 - 44 41

    ?44: 41. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Restless Night 44: 41.


    Restless Night Having just stepped out of the training ground, Fisher saw many demi-humans of various species observing from the roadside.


    The clamor from his battle with Lord Raphael was quite loud and had inevitably attracted the attention of the nearby populace.


    Upon seeing a well-dressed human gentleman, they seemed to dart away as if avoiding him, all but an Insect Race woman who stood next to the roadside.


    Through a window of the house behind her, a small head with compound eyes peered out at Fisher and the others.


    It turned out she lived here.


    Fisher smiled and addressed the woman,


    ¡°Sorry for the disturbance, we¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    The Insect Race woman waved her hand dismissively and spoke in halting Nali Language,


    ¡°No¡­


    no problem.¡±


    ¡°You can speak Nali Language?¡±


    It seemed the Philone family¡¯s efforts to teach the demi-humans the language had begun to bear fruit, with many who originally did not understand human language now being able to speak a little.


    ¡°Yes¡­


    the City Lord ordered¡­


    people to teach us.¡±


    ¡°It seems he is a good man.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­


    he is, and furthermore, he has adopted dozens of¡­


    children.


    He is very kind¡­


    to us.¡±


    Fisher¡¯s eyes lit up briefly, and then he smiled and doffed his hat, holding it in front of him by way of farewell to the Insect Race woman.


    Lord Raphael caught up to him, curiously taking in the demi-humans¡¯ living environment.


    Within the courtyard were many devices she had never seen in her tribe, like water taps and swings.


    ¡°Speaking of which, how is your Nali Language coming along?¡±


    ¡°Not bad¡­¡±


    Fisher looked back in surprise because Lord Raphael had answered in Nali Language, using several Nali phrases.


    In just over ten days, she had already begun to grasp the language.


    Although her accent was still odd, she rarely asked for his help, and all he had done was simply mark a few points of caution in the books in Dragon Language.


    Seeing Fisher¡¯s expression, Lord Raphael immediately laughed, almost as if she would put her hands on her hips and lift her chin triumphantly.


    After waiting a long while without receiving another compliment from Fisher¡ªthough his facial expression was still rather sour when he complimented her before¡ªit seemed this time would be no different.


    He quickly averted his gaze and appeared to casually praise her,


    ¡°Well done, keep it up.¡±


    Detestable human!


    While Lord Raphael was silently cursing him as she followed behind, Fisher suddenly came to a halt.


    Without a word, he reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the shadow of a tree by the roadside.


    In the shadow of the moonlight, Lord Raphael¡¯s gaze aligned with Fisher¡¯s as they looked toward a soldier dressed in blue directing other soldiers who were loading something onto a carriage in the distance.


    The items were cylindrical metal canisters, not particularly large or seemingly heavy, about a few tens of centimeters in length, and could be carried one in each hand.


    They carefully placed these items in the carriage, and then two soldiers sat inside the carriage, while another went ahead to drive.


    Lord Raphael¡¯s vision was much better than Fisher¡¯s, and she clearly saw what was happening, but did not understand what the soldiers were doing.


    Without an answer, she turned to Fisher, but he showed no reaction and simply leaned against the tree, observing the situation.


    After the carriage departed towards the outer city, Fisher led Lord Raphael out from the shadows.


    ¡°What are they¡­


    doing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Fisher watched the carriage move further away, then continued on the path towards the Philone estate, ¡°Let¡¯s go, head back.¡±


    Lord Raphael opened her mouth but then walked side by side with Fisher toward the Philone estate.


    ¡°Fisher, I always find something strange about this place.


    I don¡¯t quite like it here¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lord Raphael was full of surprises tonight, this being one of several of her astonishing comments, ¡°I thought you would like this place¡­ Any particular reason?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know, I just don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Lord Raphael pondered for a long while.


    She had intended to say something to catch Fisher off guard, but while she had the concept in her mind, she could not articulate it.


    ¡°It just feels¡­


    off everywhere.¡±


    Fisher glanced at her and then said,


    ¡°If you have a thought, keep looking and thinking.


    Hold on to it until it¡¯s disproven by facts.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Fisher, back at the estate, made use of the Philone family¡¯s bath.


    There were several bathrooms, so he let Lord Raphael and the others clean up as well.


    Lar clung to a toy and stubbornly refused to bathe, claiming she had promised the kids it would just be for a short while and wouldn¡¯t be able to play if she bathed.


    It was unclear how Lar, who did not speak the language, managed to borrow it, but in the end, she was subjected to Lord Raphael¡¯s righteous punishment, pouting and being carried into the bathroom in Sister Mier¡¯s arms.


    After the bath, it seemed Philone and Nana had also finished their tasks and returned.


    Nana was feeding a tiny goblin child milk with a spoon.


    ¡°Is it over, Mr.


    Fisher?


    It seems you¡¯ve won again.


    Surviving the attack of a Dragon-man Species proves you must be a Magic Master yourself.


    So, have you decided how to further your bond with her?¡±


    Fisher sat down, tapping his fingers on the table,


    ¡°I plan to go all the way¡­¡±


    Surprise showed on Philone¡¯s face behind his mask, and then he laughed,


    ¡°Indeed, but I¡¯ve heard that Dragon-men only feel desire for a tail-matching partner; be careful not to hurt yourself¡­


    Rather than that, Mr.


    Fisher, I think your previous proposal is feasible.¡±


    ¡°Which proposal are you referring to?¡±


    They had discussed numerous topics last night in his lab, where as a part of their academic discussion, Fisher provided some hypotheses.


    ¡°You said, since despair can produce the conditions that stir the soul, then such feelings could also be created by stimulating the human brain¡­¡±


    Fisher fell silent for a moment and did not continue Philone¡¯s line of thought but merely shook his head,


    ¡°But it¡¯s too difficult to determine the exact area of the brain that generates the same reaction.


    It¡¯s probably best to abandon that idea.¡±


    Philone nodded with a smile, then stood up.


    ¡°Yeah¡­


    that should do it for today; I¡¯ve got to go soothe those little guys.


    Mr.


    Fisher, you should rest early too.


    Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    After Philone and Nana left the living room, Fisher was the only one left sitting at the table, deep in thought.


    Fisher¡¯s fingers tapped incessantly on the table, thoughts gradually intertwining in his mind.


    The noise of Lar making a fuss in the bathroom could still be heard, yet amidst the soft tapping sounds made by Fisher, the atmosphere was as silent as death.


    ¡°Tap.¡±


    Fisher¡¯s fingers suddenly halted, and the magic circuits on his hands lit up like tree branches.


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°Lar, stop trying to take other people¡¯s toys!¡±


    Lord Raphael, hands on hips, glared at the little dragon Lar sitting on the ground, pouting.


    He grabbed her by the ear with his claw and sternly addressed her, word by word.


    ¡°Lar was just borrowing it!


    I told them that.¡±


    ¡°Miss Nana told me that you ran off with their toys, and you call that borrowing!¡±


    ¡°Lar said borrow and then ran!¡±


    ¡°Why run if you¡¯ve already borrowed?¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t agree to let Lar borrow, so that¡¯s why Lar ran.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lord Raphael, speechless, opened his mouth, and then with a harsh twist of her ear, made her scurry behind Sister Mier with a crumpled face.


    ¡°Sister Mier, sob¡­


    Lord Raphael hit me!¡±


    ¡°Lar, seriously, stop causing trouble; let¡¯s go to sleep.¡±


    Sister Mier hugged Lar, stroked her head, and laughed helplessly.


    Fasher and Kexier, standing nearby, pulled funny faces at the sniffling Lar, making her even less willing to lift her head from Mier¡¯s embrace.


    This kid¡­


    Suddenly reminded of Fisher¡¯s words, Lord Raphael hesitated before approaching Lar and spoke to her earnestly,


    ¡°Don¡¯t run off; make sure you stay where Sister Mier and the others can see you, understand?¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­


    I understand.¡±


    ¡°Alright, time to go to sleep.¡±


    After instructing Sister Mier and the others to go upstairs to sleep, Raphael followed them.


    As she closed their door, and the corridor fell silent, her body grew tense.


    Wait, did Fisher say that tonight¡­


    tonight he was going to punish her?


    Raphael swished her tail as she walked slowly to her own room.


    She grasped the doorknob but hesitated to turn it.


    After an unknown amount of time, Fisher, who was reading inside, saw her enter: the red dragon-woman with a blush on her cheeks, glanced aside, sweeping her tail in front of her as she walked slowly into the room.


    ¡°I¡­


    I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Not that she had said what she was ready for or anything specific ¨C just ready.


    Fisher nodded silently, closing the book in his hand,


    ¡°Mhmm, tonight¡­¡±


    Before he could speak, he felt the bed shake slightly; Raphael was already sitting next to him.


    ¡°What are you¡­


    What are we doing tonight?¡±


    Her eyes almost spiraled, her tail wagging behind her, her smile rigid.


    Steam hissed from the scales at her side, which softened from armored to supple as Fisher¡¯s gaze drifted over them.


    ¡°Been wanting to research this since before, why do your scales change like that?¡±


    Fisher, curious, touched her incompletely transformed scales, not expecting that to make her start like she¡¯d been shocked, causing her remaining scales to flop down and herself to shrink back several centimeters, her blush deepening.


    ¡°This¡­


    thi-this is¡­¡±


    Raphael began to make up any excuse ¨C maybe a cold, just returning from a battle, not feeling well¡­


    but she¡­


    No, wasn¡¯t today supposed to be her punishment?


    So, maybe telling a bit of the truth wouldn¡¯t be so bad?


    She opened her mouth slightly, took several deep breaths without speaking, and, panicking, looked down to meet Fisher¡¯s serene gaze.


    She then saw, in his still, pool-like eyes, ripples start to spread.


    For in his eyes, Raphael looked flushed, her blue eyes seemed to fill with water, and her presence was filled with alluring warmth and fragrance.


    He suddenly remembered the many reminders he had gotten.


    Dragon-men species only desire their tail-matching partners¡­


    I see.


    In that electrifying moment, Fisher¡¯s gaze turned serious, and he gently pulled the girl¡¯s face towards him amidst her startled and frantic eyes.


    And the next instant, their lips touched.


    Raphael¡¯s body shook violently, then softened like water, her tail frantically slapping the soft sheets of the bed.


    Scales and tail can¡¯t lie, and neither can a heart touched by frenzy.


    They both reiterated her affection for the human, as Raphael had never wanted to admit.


    Even though he is a human, I also¡­


    That flame, seemingly suppressed for so long, was fervently burning now, igniting her actions like magma, her mind filled only with his breath, drawing infinitely closer to him.


    And so, in the heat of the moment, she forgot ¨C this house had poor soundproofing.

 Chapter 45 - 45 42

    ?45: 42.


    Morning Routines 45: 42.


    Morning Routines Moonlight, like nature¡¯s own quilt, spilled across Fisher¡¯s bedroom.


    He lay with his eyes wide open, gazing intently at the moonlight outside.


    Underneath that enormous full moon, countless shadows hidden within the light surged, painting the hues of the night.


    Beside him, red rose-colored long hair sprawled out unrestrained, with Rafael¡¯s hand lightly encircling his shoulder.


    Her beautiful face rested against Fisher¡¯s neck, her every breath an echo of his own, lulling her into a comfortable slumber.


    She was sleeping deeply, yet her feet, hands, or even her tail were all entwined with Fisher, especially her presumptuous tail, which was even now peeking from beneath the quilt and occasionally quivering¡ªGod knows what she was dreaming about.


    Her normally sharp and hard scales became soft and smooth in Fisher¡¯s embrace, warm and skin-like to the touch, so supple that it stirred something within Fisher and ignited a new heat in him.


    The reproduction boost of the Dragon-man Species was quite exaggerated.


    The original Fisher would never have had such intense desires, but the advantages were also exceedingly clear.


    He was able to satisfy even a Dragon-man like Rafael and, in a way, he¡¯d already far surpassed Humans.


    Reminded of this, his face streaked with black lines, Fisher covered his face with his hands.


    Rafael, disturbed by his movement, stirred groggily and then propped herself up to rub her eyes.


    Fisher turned to look at her, thinking she might be awake, but saw that her eyes weren¡¯t open at all.


    She simply adjusted her position and comfortably wrapped her arms around Fisher again, motionless.


    In the deep silence, Fisher¡¯s thoughts began to race with astonishing speed, sorting through all the clues he had observed these past few days.


    Firstly, Philone definitely had unusual intentions for their group.


    His original target must have been Rafael and the other Dragon-men, but likely didn¡¯t anticipate Fisher¡¯s interception.


    So, Fisher¡¯s presence was unexpected for him.


    What was his purpose for wanting these Dragon-men?


    Fisher suddenly pondered a simple question: Why did Philone possess such wealth?


    The first possibility was that behind Philone, there were continual supports of a powerful backer, who must have had a certain reason for their support¡ªeconomic or political motives.


    But constrained by the ¡°South Continent Protection Law,¡± political aims seemed awkward.


    Besides, if politics were the motive, he would likely be expanding territories, claiming as much land as possible¡ªthere would be no need to harbor demi-humans and sign treaties with the Schwali City Lord Alliance.


    If the motive was economic, then whether he had a backer became irrelevant.


    Because Philone must have had a highly profitable product line in his hands, and it was most likely related to demi-humans.


    Only this could explain why he kept so many demi-humans in the Inner City, and why he needed a certain number of them.


    Moreover, this product couldn¡¯t just be the straightforward sale of demi-human species.


    Trading in populations might be profitable, but not enough to cover the costs of running such a large city¡ªotherwise, Slave Traders would long ago have become as wealthy as nations.


    Thus, his product must be very unique, of immense value, requiring few demi-humans, and something that required his deep processing and was scarcely known to the public.


    Fisher recalled something he and Rafael had seen before: those soldiers transporting enigmatic metal cylinders.


    So, what exactly were those?


    Fisher couldn¡¯t immediately come up with an answer to this question, as nothing he knew of so far had such high value without the need for massive production costs.


    But one thing was clear: Philone meant no good for him and Rafael.


    Fisher had already sensed Philone¡¯s trickery while watching the Holy Maiden Chorus; he had been prepared to confront Philone, but after answering that question posed by Philone, the man suddenly backed off.


    Philone must have seen something in Fisher that held the same value as what Rafael and the other Dragon-women possessed.


    Before obtaining it, he likely wouldn¡¯t easily harm Fisher or Rafael.


    During this period, Fisher had to resupply in the city to be ready to turn against Philone and then rush into the wilderness, heading straight for Krit Port.


    Fisher exhaled deeply, then reached out and stroked the red hair of the girl beside him.


    The Red Dragon Queen, hm?


    In his eyes, she still had many immature aspects; because of her lack of understanding of Humans, driven by hatred and anger, she often made impulsive and oblivious decisions, leaving Fisher speechless.


    But the longer he spent time with her, the more he understood that the still-naive girl in front of him was definitely the ¡°Red Dragon Queen¡± prophesied, destined to become strong and wise with the passage of time, unmatched across the South Continent.


    As a Human, he should have cut her down while she was still an unformed seedling, not allowing her to burst forth with radiance like the Sun.


    Fisher stared at Rafael¡¯s sleeping face for a long time, yet he did not make any move.


    It was only when the moonlight grew denser that someone gently embraced the Red Dragon Lady, accompanied by Fisher¡¯s somewhat indistinct murmuring.


    ¡°You¡¯re really selfish, Fisher.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    The morning Sun shone on Rafael¡¯s face as she opened her eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling for several seconds as if only then realizing what had happened last night.


    She turned her head in a panicked and bashful manner toward the bed beside her, only to find it empty.


    Then the shyness and panic disappeared without a trace, replaced by a deep void and a sense of loss.


    Maybe the Human considered last night¡¯s event merely a punishment, completely unaware of the importance of a tail-matching partner to a Dragon-man.


    Ha, after all, Humans are a species that takes mating lightly, nothing compared to Dragon-men.


    Yet his scent still lingered on the bed.


    Rafael¡¯s tail weakly slapped the bed, and she turned to look at the spot where Fisher had slept last night, lost in thought.


    After a long time, she finally got out of bed and turned her head, only to see Fisher dressed in a fresh, neatly tailored Nali suit, holding a book in his hand and looking expressionlessly at her from where he sat, legs crossed, beside her bed.


    Rafael¡¯s face turned crimson in an instant, and she pulled up the covers to hide her body, which Fisher had seen,


    ¡°Fisher!


    You, you, you, why are you in the room?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not in the room, then where am I?¡±


    ¡°I thought¡­


    no, why didn¡¯t you make any noise?!¡±


    Hadn¡¯t he seen all her movements since she woke up?


    Even so, he just remained silent, toying with her without saying a word?


    Such a terrible Human!


    ¡°I was studying how to improve your Magic, just lost in concentration.¡±


    In reality, he was just watching Rafael, but Fisher would never admit it, infuriating the bed-bound Rafael who was clutching the covers to herself.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re awake, go wash up quickly, then come downstairs for breakfast.


    In the afternoon, we¡¯ll bring Lar and the others to the city to buy some supplies.¡±


    Seeing her awake, Fisher closed the book and stood up. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rafael pouted and accepted, watching the tall Fisher put the book back alongside his luggage.


    But suddenly, she had an impractical suspicion.


    Could it be that Fisher had been sitting here all along, just waiting for her to wake up?


    Or¡­


    was it just by chance that he had just gotten up and happened to see her awake?


    This Human, as ever, was unfathomable.


    Though she was still not entirely pleased, it felt as if a strange void had been filled, not as desperately sad as before.

 Chapter 46 - 46 43

    ?46: 43.


    Qi Qi 46: 43.


    Qi Qi ¡°Good morning, Mr.


    Fisher, you¡¯re up a bit later than usual today.¡±


    By the time Fisher came downstairs, Philone was already seated in the dining room reading the newspaper, with Nana by his side eating breakfast.


    Unexpectedly, there was an additional little girl in the dining area, the werewolf girl Qi Qi, whom Philone had adopted.


    Her brown short hair was crowned with two pointed ears standing upright as she held a cup slightly larger than her palm, drinking milk.


    The biggest difference between the Werewolf Species and the Doggie Race lies in their ears and the amount of body hair.


    Dog-men have curved ears and generally have a lot more hair, including on their heads, than werewolves.


    Overall, werewolves have greater combat ability, whereas the learning capacity of the Doggie Race tends to be superior.


    Qi Qi cautiously glanced at Fisher, then at Philone beside her, and finally took another sip of milk.


    Philone raised the newspaper in his hand and said to Fisher,


    ¡°This is last week¡¯s paper from Saint Nali, mentioning that the King plans to establish an environmental investigation committee to inspect those factories near Nali that emit black smoke and to purify the air, so as not to have that smoke blown into the Golden Palace every windy season.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, at least the city residents won¡¯t have to worry about succumbing to lung disease one day.


    Even the King can¡¯t stand the clear skies over the Golden Palace being covered by coal gas¡­¡±


    Fisher took his seat and thanked the Maid who passed him his breakfast.


    Philone then set down the paper and sighed to Fisher,


    ¡°That¡¯s true, according to the latest survey by Saint Nali University, sixty-four percent of the residents in Nali City are most concerned about the air they breathe for their health¡­


    Sacrificing the interests of a minority of entrepreneurs for the health of the majority is a necessary measure¡­¡±


    Before Philone could finish, the werewolf girl at his side had already put down her milk cup and tugged at Philone¡¯s sleeve, pouting,


    ¡°Daddy, you didn¡¯t answer my question just now¡­


    Can¡¯t I go to the outskirts of the city to meet her today?¡±


    Philone tapped on the gas mask on his face, looking rather troubled, and said to Fisher,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr.


    Fisher, this child has corresponded with a pen pal from a school outside the city and insists on meeting her today¡­¡±


    He turned to Qi Qi and said,


    ¡°But Daddy has things to do today, and Nana also needs to take care of settling the demi-humans who recently came to live here.


    Daddy can¡¯t rest easy if I let a maid or a soldier take you out.¡±


    Qi Qi puffed out her cheeks, crossing her arms adorably in front of her chest.


    Despite looking quite miffed, the hint of moisture in the corner of her eyes made her all the more endearing.


    ¡°Daddy, you promised me¡­¡±


    Seeing Qi Qi on the verge of tears, Philone helplessly embraced her.


    Then, as if suddenly struck by an idea, he turned to Fisher and asked,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, do you have any plans today?¡±


    ¡°I was planning to go into town with Rafael and the others to buy some supplies.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s wonderful.¡± Philone stroked the girl¡¯s head and clapped, saying, ¡°Could you take Qi Qi with you, let her meet her pen pal from the outskirts of the city?


    You know how the humans out there view them; I really can¡¯t be at peace letting just anyone accompany her.¡±


    Qi Qi, cradled in Philone¡¯s arms and with tears in her eyes, cautiously observed Fisher, her ears twitching, filled with wariness.


    Fisher glanced at her, then nodded in agreement,


    ¡°I¡¯ll look after her.


    It¡¯s a good opportunity for her to keep Lar, that noisy little dragon, company¡­¡±


    ¡°Wu, Daddy, I don¡¯t want that little dragon with me, she always steals my toys!


    I hate her the most!¡±


    Philone laughed heartily, patted her head, and then said,


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk that way about others.


    Sharing toys with someone else won¡¯t hurt, and by being generous, Qi Qi, you might gain yourself a nice friend too¡­


    So that¡¯s settled then, Mr.


    Fisher, I¡¯m entrusting Qi Qi to you for now.¡±


    With the decision made, as Rafael came downstairs with Lar and the others, Philone briefly left for the laboratory, saying he needed to change the nutrient solution in his mask, leaving only Nana behind to instruct Qi Qi on what to be careful about in the outskirts of the city.


    ¡°Fisher! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Last night, Lar dreamt about Lord Raphael, I felt like I could hear her voice!¡±


    Lar ran over and threw herself into Fisher¡¯s arms.


    As she spoke, everyone¡¯s expressions shifted slightly.


    Mier¡¯s face reddened, Fasher and Kexier exchanged glances filled with inscrutable meaning, and Nana, holding a bewildered Qi Qi, pretended not to hear.


    Only Rafa, gritting her teeth, reached out intending to teach that outspoken Lar a lesson on the problems that come with idle talk.


    Fisher remained composed and simply said to Lar,


    ¡°That was a hallucination, you¡¯re probably just missing Raphael too much.¡±


    This remark earned disdainful glances from both Kexier and Fasher, the Dragon-men.


    ¡°However, today you¡¯ll need to come with me to get some supplies, and we also have to take Qi Qi to meet her friend¡­


    Lar, keep an eye on Qi Qi and stay with her.¡±


    With the Emblem still on Lar, Qi Qi¡¯s safety was assured when she was with her.


    Lar glanced at Qi Qi, who was warily looking at her from Nana¡¯s arms, and smiled at Fisher,


    ¡°Great!


    She and Lar are good friends, and she always lets Lar borrow her toys.


    Lar really likes her!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    That was probably the case, Fisher thought, and he didn¡¯t press the matter further.


    He also couldn¡¯t quite figure out why Philone would entrust him with taking Qi Qi out.


    If the other party had malicious intentions, they wouldn¡¯t have placed a child in his care, unless he wanted to use the child to set up some sort of scheme against him.


    For instance, kidnapping the child midway and slandering him for the murder of a demi-human child¡­


    All sorts of thoughts flickered through Fisher¡¯s mind as he arranged the details of their outing, aiming to leave no loopholes.


    ¡°Remember to listen to Mr.


    Fisher once we¡¯re out.


    This is Daddy¡¯s emblem.


    If anything happens, show it and tell them Daddy is Lord Philone.


    If there¡¯s trouble, he will definitely pursue it to the end¡­


    Got it, Qi Qi?¡±


    ¡°Mm..


    Got it, Miss Nana.¡±


    Nana handed a deep blue emblem to Qi Qi, touched her ears, and repeatedly warned her.


    Qi Qi lowered her head to grasp the emblem tightly and then nodded.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re all ready.


    The soldiers at the gate will let you out, and when you return, have Qi Qi show the emblem.¡±


    Not long after, Philone returned.


    He had changed his clothes and said so to Fisher.


    As the City Lord, he had many other matters to attend to, so he didn¡¯t go out with Fisher and the others and left first with Nana.


    Fisher then took Qi Qi and the others to get his own carriage, which had been parked in the courtyard outside his residence for some time, while the servants took care of the horses.


    After ensuring everything was ready and that no one had tampered with the locks on his carriage, Fisher instructed the Dragon-men to get on.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Lar.


    Even though you haven¡¯t spoken to me, I know your name is Qi Qi, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for lending me toys.


    I have some too, but they¡¯re not mine; Fisher gave them to me.


    Do you want to see?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Beside them, Lar chattered away as she approached the carriage, introducing the space magic within and picking up the hourglass Fisher had given her previously, in the room she had stayed in, to keep her quiet.


    Now she wanted to lend it to Qi Qi to play with.


    Wearing a little dark green dress and holding a gift wrapped in colorful paper, Qi Qi sat silently behind Fisher, occasionally glancing at Lar but remaining mute.


    Kexier and Fasher sat on the stairwell, laughing at Lar,


    ¡°You dummy, she can¡¯t understand you.


    You don¡¯t need to talk anymore; our heads are about to explode with all your noise!¡±


    ¡°Lar is not a dummy¡­


    Even if she can¡¯t understand Lar, she should still talk.


    Is she a mute?


    But Lar has heard her speak before.


    Or is she only mute around Lar?¡±


    Ignoring Lar, who had started making noise again, Fisher glanced back at Qi Qi and asked,


    ¡°Qi Qi, where is your pen pal?


    We¡¯ll go see your pen pal first.¡±


    She lifted her head to look at Fisher, her ears on top of her head fluttering, and then she held up the gift in her hand,


    ¡°She¡­


    She lives at 74 Second Street, named Angela.


    She said it¡¯s enough to call her name from downstairs.


    And¡­


    And I have a favor to ask of you, Mr.


    Fisher¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    She looked at Fisher in front, holding the reins, and then took a small sun hat from her embrace and put it on her head, covering her ears, glanced at the Dragon-man Ladies behind her, and said,


    ¡°Could you let them stay inside the carriage later on, and not let Angela see them?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Only after she spoke did Fisher suddenly realize that Qi Qi had become much quieter after they went out.


    It was as if she was afraid to open her mouth, for opening it would reveal the werewolf¡¯s characteristic sharp teeth.


    Her tail was covered by her long dress, and the ribbons under her hat were tied in a tight knot so it wouldn¡¯t fall off.


    ¡°I¡­


    I didn¡¯t tell Angela I¡¯m a demi-human.


    I heard Nana and the other soldier Uncles say that humans outside look down on demi-humans, that¡¯s why¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, but you better stay where I can see you.


    What did you arrange to do with her?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t arrange to do anything, just wanted to meet¡­


    but she said in the letter that there¡¯s a good coffee shop beneath her house and that she would treat me to a drink when I get there.


    I absolutely will stay within your sight, please.¡±


    Fisher nodded.


    They had already left the Inner City built by Philone for demi-humans, and were now heading towards the outside roads,


    ¡°For your safety, I have to stay by your side.


    Their safety is equally important to me, so I can¡¯t leave them.


    So, we¡¯ll enter the coffee shop with you.


    But, we will pretend not to know you until she leaves.¡±


    Qi Qi¡¯s eyes lit up, and she beamed a bright smile at Fisher,


    ¡°Thank you, Mr.


    Fisher.¡±

 Chapter 47 - 47 44

    ?47: 44.


    Exposure 47: 44.


    Exposure Philone City¡¯s streets lacked the historic and cultural flair of Saint Nali¡¯s names; instead, they were named in a stark and brutal fashion according to numerical order from the outskirts to the center.


    As one moved towards the periphery, houses became more dense and inexpensive.


    Similar to other cities, there were countless retail stores¡ªa perfect spot for Fisher and his companions to purchase goods.


    Fisher¡¯s carriage came to a stop at the end of Second Street.


    Glancing at Qi Qi, who seemed to clench her fists a bit nervously beside him, he donned his gentleman¡¯s hat and said to her,


    ¡°We¡¯re here, go ahead; we¡¯ll be watching over you.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­


    okay!¡±


    Qi Qi, her face flushed, used the carriage¡¯s edge to steady herself as she disembarked, holding a gift box half her size as she searched along the street for the address Angela had included in her letter.


    In front of a residential building with a fruit shop below, she hesitated for a long while before finally deciding that this must be where her pen pal lived.


    ¡°An¡­


    Angela¡­¡±


    She whispered to the room above, trying not to reveal her sharp teeth, but after waiting for a long time, there was no response.


    Qi Qi paused for a second on the spot, then took a deep breath and shouted up,


    ¡°Angela!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here!


    Who is it?¡±


    Her voice finally loud enough to attract the attention of the fruit vendors and passers-by, she also received a reply from a child-like voice above.


    Ah, no, my teeth.


    Qi Qi quickly covered her mouth with a flushed face, terrified of anyone seeing the part of her that differed from humans.


    A head peeked from the window of the second-floor room; it belonged to a girl with tea-colored long hair and freckles, roughly Qi Qi¡¯s age, whose big smile showed she was missing a tooth or two.


    ¡°Oh, are you¡­


    are you Qi Qi?!¡±


    Angela looked down at the girl below, dressed in a dress and sporting a western hat, her face red.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, she excitedly called out,


    ¡°Wait, Qi Qi, I¡¯ll be right down!¡±


    After she ran back into her room, Angela¡¯s shouts could still be faintly heard,


    ¡°Mom!


    I told you my pen pal isn¡¯t a scammer or a trafficker, but a girl around my own age!


    I¡¯m going out!


    I¡¯ll be back before dinner!


    It¡¯s just nearby!¡±


    Accompanied by a commotion, there was a ¡°ding dong¡± sound from within the residence, and several seconds later, Angela, putting on her shoes, rushed out from the gate below.


    ¡°Qi Qi!


    I finally get to see you!¡±


    She hopped over and hugged the petite Qi Qi, rubbing against her soft, long hair before happily looking at her.


    ¡°An¡­


    Angela, this is my present for you¡­¡±


    Qi Qi, her face still red, handed over the prettily wrapped gift box to Angela.


    Her skirt¡¯s hem was lifted slightly by her excited tail, but she quickly pressed it down with her hands to prevent it from wagging uncontrollably.


    Tail, tail, stop moving around, or I¡¯ll be found out!


    ¡°Ah, thank you, Qi Qi. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But I didn¡¯t prepare a gift for you¡­¡± Angela accepted Qi Qi¡¯s gift, looking somewhat troubled as she scratched her head, then suddenly proposed with a smile, ¡°How about I treat you to a coffee instead, come with me!¡±


    Angela grabbed Qi Qi¡¯s hand and pulled her toward another direction on the street.


    The street along the outer wall, unlike the interior with music, maids, and incense-filled coffee shops, could hardly be called a coffee shop¡ªit looked more like a simple outdoor beverage stall.


    Occasionally, workers passing by would buy some alcohol to drink here, also taking the opportunity to sit, chat, and rest.


    There were no elegant waiters here, only a bare-armed uncle walking around with a smoking pipe, serving drinks to the customers.


    ¡°Bert!


    I¡¯m bringing a friend, we want two milk coffees!¡±


    ¡°You should call me uncle, so impolite¡­¡± The uncle, glancing at Angela who ran over, pursed his lips while calling his wife in the kitchen to make the coffee.


    Then he noticed Qi Qi, dressed like a little princess, ¡°Angela, where did you meet this young lady?


    If she¡¯s lost, it¡¯s best you ask your mother to call the police.¡±


    ¡°No!


    She¡¯s my friend Qi Qi; I¡¯m here to treat her to coffee.¡±


    Angela stuck out her tongue at uncle Bert, with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°That so¡­


    find yourselves a place to sit; the coffee will be ready in a bit.¡±


    Angela helped Qi Qi climb onto the tall bar stool, placed the gift on the table, and then held her hands while looking at Qi Qi,


    ¡°Angela, did you¡­


    did you read the last letter I wrote to you?¡±


    ¡°I did!


    So, you like Lady Lao Fang¡¯s poetry as well, Qi Qi?


    I¡¯ve learned so many of her poems at school; they are hard to memorize but really well written.¡±


    ¡°I¡­


    I¡¯ve seen her collection of poems in my father¡¯s room before, Dad said her words are very gentle, and I think so too.¡±


    ¡°Shall we try to write poetry like her?


    I¡¯ve brought a pencil!¡±


    Angela pulled out a pencil from her pocket, suggesting with a smile.


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Qi Qi¡¯s eyes lit up, and her legs swung back and forth on the bar stool.


    Behind her, the neatly-dressed Fisher entered the outdoor drink stall with several Dragon-men.


    The appearance of these Dragon-men immediately drew the attention of everyone around; a few drunken men, eyes blurred, seemed about to say something scornful, but fell silent upon seeing the leading gentleman.

 Chapter 48 - 48 44

    ?48: 44.


    Exposure_2 48: 44.


    Exposure_2 ¡°What would you like to drink, sir?¡±


    Fisher thought that the Dragon-men had probably never tried coffee and would not like its bitter taste, so he only ordered a cup of coffee for himself and sweet juice for them.


    The items here were cheap; six drinks cost just over twenty euros in total.


    They found a place to sit, with Fisher¡¯s attention mostly focused on Qi Qi, who was talking with her companion.


    The girl in the western hat blushed slightly, discussing a collection of classic poems by Saint Nali enthusiastically with her friend.


    Although the poems recited by children were simple, they always revealed a different world, prompting many long-established poets to imitate children, yet they could never fully grasp the essence.


    The owner quickly served their drinks.


    Lar curiously examined the juice in her cup and cautiously licked it with her tongue.


    She was soon captivated by the sweetness and started to gulp it down.


    Her glass was empty in no time, yet she still wanted more.


    She mischievously eyed the drinks in Kexier and Fasher¡¯s cups, trying to sneakily grab them.


    However, Fasher quickly noticed and protectively hugged her cup to prevent the pestering nuisance from stealing her juice.


    ¡°Okay, Lar, you can drink mine.¡±


    Sister Mier smiled and handed her own cup to Lar.


    Lar looked at the barely touched juice and swallowed, but shook her head and pushed the cup back,


    ¡°You drink it, Lar has already had some, it¡¯s really tasty, Sister Mier.¡±


    She quickly noticed Fisher¡¯s drink, which was different from theirs, and observed the steamy brown beverage for a while before saying,


    ¡°Fisher¡­


    can Lar try your drink, just a little bit?¡±


    She illustrated a tiny gap between her thumb and forefinger to prove she really meant just a little.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Lar smiled as she picked up Fisher¡¯s cup and took a sip, then her face scrunched up,


    ¡°It¡¯s so bitter, woo¡­¡±


    ¡°You idiot!¡±


    The coffee here didn¡¯t taste very good, so Fisher drank little of it and took out the Fermat Baha Dragon Court Magic Book to study magic.


    The magic he had modified during his battle with Rafael could already be used, but it seemed he had over-corrected, making the originally immense magical power somewhat awkward, which Rafael easily disrupted.


    It seemed he needed to further improve, imagining a human-like closed-loop ring magic approach, potentially increasing its power through continuous reverberation force.


    ¡°Hey, Bert, a drink here!¡±


    ¡°¡­.Coming right up.¡±


    While Fisher was deep in thought, a bald man with a stubby beard that hadn¡¯t been trimmed in a long time, and a cigarette between his lips, walked into the caf¨¦.


    Stooping, he leaned on a nearby table, looking around the room.


    After scanning the caf¨¦, his eyes suddenly lit up when he saw Angela and Qi Qi nearby, and he walked over to Angela,


    ¡°Hey, little Angela, is your mom at home?¡±


    Still discussing poetry, Angela and Qi Qi turned to look at him, with Angela¡¯s face puffing up as she pointed at the man and shouted loudly,


    ¡°Baric!


    My mom has already said she won¡¯t see you, and you can¡¯t expect to get any money from her!¡±


    ¡°You disrespectful brat, how many times have I told you to call me uncle?


    Come with me and you¡¯ll know if your mom gives me money or not!¡±


    ¡°Ah, let go of me!


    Baric!


    Let go of me!¡±


    The man suddenly grabbed Angela¡¯s wrist, causing her to struggle frantically.


    But being so young, she was easily picked up by the man.


    Seeing her friend seized, Qi Qi also panicked, stretching out her little hand and forcefully pushing the man.


    ¡°Let Angela go!¡±


    Werewolves have significantly higher physical strength than humans, and this sudden push actually made the man step back.


    Baric, looking astonished at the girl catching her breath on the high stool, noticed her exquisite dress and small western hat, and said excitedly while wiping his mouth corner,


    ¡°Hey, when did you meet such a wealthy kid, which street is it from, come let uncle have a look.¡±


    He reached out to grab the other¡¯s neck but missed as Qi Qi dodged away, although he still managed to grab the hat on her head.


    The ribbon under the hat tied in a tight knot, the hat was pulled off and suddenly stuck on the back of Qi Qi¡¯s head, and the next second, her pair of sharp ears were exposed.


    Baric and Angela, along with the spectators nearby, all focused their eyes on the sharp ears on the girl¡¯s head.


    Qi Qi¡¯s complexion turned pale instantly, and subconsciously, she covered her ears with her hands.


    ¡°Ah¡­


    no¡­


    not my ears¡­¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!


    Little Angela, look, it turns out this is a demi-human mongrel¡­


    Who taught you to wear human clothes, was it your human master who beats you every night¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his words, an iron-like hand stick had already firmly grasped his neck from behind.


    Before he could react, his left knee was fiercely smashed, making him half-kneel on the ground.


    ¡°Who is¡­


    um!¡±


    The person behind him grabbed his neck and punched him in the face.


    The punch was relentless; instantly, his nose was smashed in, spurting a great amount of blood.


    Seeing stars, he saw Fisher wearing a suit, expressionless.


    Fisher grabbed his bald head, lifted the sturdy man like lifting a little chicken, and faced the two girls,


    ¡°Tell me, how old are they?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Before he could answer, Fisher smashed his head against his own knee.


    The strike directly swollen his face, and several teeth, along with his blood, fell onto the ground.


    ¡°How old?¡±


    ¡°I¡­


    don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Fisher lowered his head and punched him again.


    This time his eyes were completely swollen like bulbs; he couldn¡¯t even see the stars his brain conjured, let alone the people in front of him.


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Thirty-two years old¡­¡±


    Fisher lowered his head and punched him again; this time, he softened in all other parts, weakly hung by Fisher.


    He looked to the side at Angela and asked,


    ¡°Tell me, how old are you?¡±


    ¡°Sev¡­


    seven years old¡­¡±


    Angela, startled by the scene in front of her, stuttered in response. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fisher lowered his head, talking to the beaten senseless Baric,


    ¡°Do you now know how old they are?¡±


    ¡°I¡­


    I know..¡±


    Fisher¡¯s fierce punch smashed into his face once more, causing him to drop his head weakly.


    Fisher no longer held him and casually threw him onto the ground, glancing at the onlookers nearby.


    The humans, who had been eying Qi Qi maliciously, silently lowered their heads and drank their drinks.


    But Qi Qi, pale-faced, began to tremble.


    Just a moment ago, she had seen the surrounds¡¯ stares, and of course, Angela¡¯s shocked gaze too.


    The next second, unable to bear it any longer, she covered her ears with her hands and ran outside.


    ¡°Qi Qi!¡±


    The voice of Angela behind her gradually faded as Qi Qi quickly dashed out of the drink shop and headed in the opposite direction on the street.

 Chapter 49 - 49 45

    ?49: 45.


    Dream 49: 45.


    Dream Rafael was instructed to stay put and watch over Lar and Angela, while he ventured down the street alone with his hand cane following Qi Qi.


    No matter how fast a child moved, they couldn¡¯t outrun Fisher.


    Fisher saw her figure dash into a small side alley, and when he reached the spot, the alley seemingly no longer held her figure.


    Yet, Fisher spotted the deep green hem of her dress peeking out beneath a trash rack.


    Along with the hem of her dress, there was the soft sound of sobbing.


    Fisher sighed and walked into the alley with his hand cane,


    ¡°¡®A petite swallow called out to the giant dragon, conveying her fervent yet gentle feelings through her voice.


    She said, ¡®I am a swallow, the smallest of my kind, adoring the grandest creature¡ªthe giant dragon.


    Even though our stature differs as heaven and earth, my soul always meets yours eye to eye, and thus I can boldly proclaim my love for you¡­''¡±


    As Fisher walked, he quietly recited these lines of poetry.


    They were from a long poem, ¡°Dragon and Swallow Love Song,¡± created by Lady Lao Fang at a poetry tea party a few years ago in Saint Nali, telling the story of a tiny swallow falling in love with a giant dragon.


    Although Fisher thought Lao Fang was simply indulging the fantasies of impoverished girls suddenly clinging to the wealthy, he couldn¡¯t deny her exceptional literary talent.


    After finishing the recitation, Fisher approached the rack where Qi Qi, hugging her knees, met his gaze,


    ¡°Is this, a poem by Lady Lao Fang?¡±


    Her eyes blinked, tears rolling down her cheeks.


    It seemed she hadn¡¯t read Lao Fang¡¯s collection of love poems, as Fisher thought Philone wouldn¡¯t likely show her such youthfully vibrant poetry.


    Fisher crouched, nodded,


    ¡°You¡¯re smart, how did you figure it out?¡±


    ¡°Lady Lao Fang¡¯s poetry makes me see many imaginations before my eyes, so I remember her style of writing¡­¡± Qi Qi wiped the tears from her face and then added sadly, ¡°I wanted to share it with Angela, but it seems I messed up, my ears were showing¡­¡±


    ¡°Angela must have been scared because ever since childhood, only the deceitful big bad wolf in stories had such ears and tails, she must fear I¡¯ll eat her¡­¡±


    Growing up among humans, even if Werewolf Species learned human language and wore human clothes, seeing so many differences between herself, her father, and the humans in stories, she still felt odd.


    It had been a long time since she¡¯d left the Inner City of Philone, as she could not forget the disdainful looks from many outside even near Philone.


    ¡°Even a petite swallow must honestly reveal her identity, no matter how tiny she is.


    Hiding hurts, and relationships built on it can¡¯t last, so it¡¯s better to face it boldly.


    Real friends won¡¯t be scared off just because you have a pair of ears or a tail.¡±


    ¡°While it partly depends on how others see you, you must also trust your friends.


    Do you have that confidence?¡±


    Although principally a researcher focused on academics, since arriving in the South Continent, Fisher felt like he was always playing the role of a nursery school teacher, and without any salary at that.


    ¡°Really¡­really?¡± Qi Qi clenched her little hands, slowly crawling out from under the rack, ¡°I ..


    I want to meet Angela.


    If she dislikes me, can I hide in Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s embrace?¡±


    ¡°¡­If it really comes to that, I¡¯ll lend you my arms temporarily.¡±


    Fisher gently took Qi Qi¡¯s hand, leading her out of the alley.


    From the moment they stepped out, he had been worried about Philone setting traps for himself, Qi Qi, and Rafael.


    Yet, having been out for a while, Fisher saw nothing amiss.


    It seemed like Philone truly only wanted him to take Qi Qi out to meet her pen pal, fulfilling her simple wish.


    ¡°Qi Qi!¡±


    Standing beside the street, Angela saw Fisher holding Qi Qi¡¯s hand and quickly ran towards her, immediately wrapping her in a hug. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Sorry, Qi Qi, my uncle scared you¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, sorry, Angela, I¡¯m actually a demi-human, I didn¡¯t tell you before.¡±


    ¡°But your ears are really cool, are they wolf ears?


    May I touch them?¡±


    Ignoring the two children¡¯s scene, Fisher lit a cigarette and walked over to Rafael.


    Children really don¡¯t harbor any hatred or disdain for other races; they¡¯re taught all they know, much like Lar placing extraordinary trust in him as a human.


    Yet, Rafael, beside him, watched the scene for a long time, then unexpectedly grabbed Fisher¡¯s hand, her paws soft and no different from the delicate hands of a Nali Lady, making her body feel warm.


    ¡°Holding my hand shall count as one more penalty.¡±


    Rafael glared at the unromantic Fisher beside him, seemingly unable to understand why such chilly words could come from a human¡¯s warmth.


    ¡°You really are¡­¡±


    Rafael tried to pull his hand back, but it was still held in Fisher¡¯s palm, and the struggle gradually weakened until it seemed as if nothing had happened.


    After all, the punishment now isn¡¯t really¡­


    It can¡¯t really be considered a punishment anymore, adding once or twice or even many times doesn¡¯t matter¡­


    At least Rafael seemed quite happy.


    Thinking of strange things, Rafael¡¯s tail quivered with excitement, enhancing his fondness for the night.


    Watching Qi Qi and Angela say goodbye and run back flushing, Fisher pinched out his cigarette and released Rafael¡¯s hand, as he needed to buy some supplies for leaving the city.


    ¡°Fisher, Lar finished your coffee for you!


    It was a bit bitter, but after drinking it, Kexier said my tongue changed color, do you want to see?¡±


    ¡°Alright, Lar, sit tight, we¡¯re off to do some shopping.¡±


    Fisher patted Lar¡¯s head, helped her into the carriage, and when Qi Qi finally boarded, she chose to sit next to Fisher.


    When Fisher turned to look at her, she blushed and bowed to him,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, thank you for taking me out today, it¡¯s been a trouble for you.¡±


    The Church in Philone had taught her human etiquette; for things that caused others trouble, she knew to say thank you or sorry, and if not for her appearance being different, she would be no different from any other human child.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.


    I promised your dad I¡¯d take good care of you¡­


    Speaking of which, do you like to read?¡±


    Dry text was like poison to mischievous children of this age, let alone gaining anything from it, yet this demi-human child was an exception.


    ¡°Yes, I love reading poems and stories.


    In the future, I want to write many interesting things like Lady Lao Fang and have many, many people read them.


    I told my dad, and he told me to practice hard, starting with letter-writing, so I¡¯ve been trying to send letters to communicate with people outside¡­¡±


    She pinched the hem of her dress and looked at Fisher beside her, whispering,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher must be a well-known scholar like my dad, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not much of a scholar, just someone who understands some superficial knowledge and principles.¡±


    After all, most of the young scholars in Saint Nali thought they were heretics, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t besiege his published papers with the latest Nali academic journals and write countless academic papers to refute his views to meet their college or research organization¡¯s publication requirements.


    Among the young scholars circulated a maxim, ¡°Fisher¡¯s papers feed half of the young academic community of Saint Nali,¡± which probably referred to this situation.


    But before coming to the South Continent Fisher got truly tired of refuting those sophistical young scholars, so he reported it to the dean of the Royal College, who, it¡¯s said, exploded like an explosion at the research institute spanking them and forbidding them further writings about Fisher, giving Fisher some peace at last.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, when you return to Saint Nali, may I write to you?¡±


    Fisher glanced at the young werewolf beside him with perked ears and sighed, then pulled out a pen from his pocket,


    ¡°Do you have something to write about?¡±


    ¡°Ah, here¡­


    here¡¯s an envelope.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll write down the address for you; remember when mailing it to write my full name, Fisher Benavides¡­


    and also where it¡¯s being sent from, alright?¡±


    ¡°I got it¡­¡±


    Watching Fisher writing a line of flowing Nali text on the envelope, Qi Qi finally happily withdrew her hand and ran back into the carriage.


    After that, Fisher took them around the city, replenished many supplies, and then headed towards the Inner City of Philone.

 Chapter 50 - 50 46

    ?50: 46.


    Prepare 50: 46.


    Prepare Beneath the ground of Philone City, in a room filled with darkness, only a transparent container filled with pale blue liquid emitted a faint glow, perfectly illuminating Philone, who sat in front of it without speaking, wearing a gas mask.


    Inside the container, countless circuits connected to a human brain.


    Philone¡¯s fingers incessantly pressed on the adjacent instrument, and differing levels of electric shocks flowed along the circuits linked to the human brain.


    As the lights inside flickered, the recording device next to it would tick away, producing curves.


    ¡°Perfect, this is the spot!¡±


    Philone¡¯s magnetic voice sounded as he lowered his head to note the area stimulated by the electric current at that moment.


    He then attached another metal-shaped glove to his left hand and silently gazed at the brain in the container.


    Suddenly, he plunged his hand through the glass container, seizing the fragile brain.


    The next second, shockingly, the glove slightly vibrated emitting the same electric current that had been directed by the device.


    The brain trembled, and when Philone withdrew his hand, it appeared as though he was holding an ethereal human figure.


    Philone pulled it out from the small brain.


    ¡°The experiment is successful, Nana¡­¡±


    Philone lowered his head and placed the ethereal soul into a small metal container.


    As it closed, eerie screams soon echoed.


    Philone had sliced the test subject down to just the brain, but it was still alive, aiding Philone in completing the hypothesis previously mentioned by Fisher.


    By stimulating a certain part of the brain, it really produced the same effect, thereby facilitating soul extraction.


    From behind, amidst the shadows, innumerable unconscious murmurs and roars faintly echoed, and then, a Bull-man girl in a dress appeared behind Philone.


    ¡°Is it successful, Sir Philone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can start preparing now.¡±


    Philone placed the brain, now oozing blue blood, back into the container, casting his gaze toward a nameplate beneath the tank, ¡°Harry.¡± After a few seconds of silence, he diverted his gaze, removed the metal glove from his left hand, and casually held the metal container at his feet.


    ¡°But, what about Fisher?


    You brought back all the captains who had been in contact with him¡ªare you trying to conceal his tracks?


    But you must have seen his fight in the venue; the magic in his hands isn¡¯t very advanced, and we could have searched for soldiers or even poisoned¡­¡±


    Yet Philone raised his hand, cutting off Nana¡¯s words,


    ¡°I saw more than a hundred Magic Emblems on Fisher¡¯s Handcane.


    He didn¡¯t use much magic against that Dragon-man, which means he is already cautious of us.


    Other methods won¡¯t be effective against him.¡±


    Philone¡¯s gaze deepened, as if he was contemplating something,


    ¡°Moreover, Fisher is a rare talent of this era, with such a brilliant mind I won¡¯t kill him until the last moment¡­


    Let¡¯s finish this task first.


    Once I am fully prepared, I will have a discussion with him.¡±


    Besides, he still hadn¡¯t gotten the answer he wanted.


    That day in the theater, Philone clearly saw the certainty in Fisher¡¯s eyes regarding the answer.


    Philone was eager to know.


    ¡°Yes, Sir Philone.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Nana.


    You¡¯ll also need to ensure everything goes perfectly.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Without a word, Nana extended her hand and grasped Philone¡¯s shoulder, gently working the muscles there.


    In front of the container, blue blood dripped steadily down, disappearing into the deep blue floor.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°Miss Nana!


    I¡¯m back!¡±


    Having just disembarked from Fisher¡¯s carriage, Qi Qi saw the Bull-man girl standing by the mansion¡¯s gate with her hands on her abdomen.


    She ran over, smiling, and threw herself into her arms.


    ¡°Welcome back, Qi Qi.


    How was your day?¡±


    Nana¡¯s smile was gentle as she stroked the long ears on top of Qi Qi¡¯s head, allowing Qi Qi to comfortably lean into her embrace.


    ¡°It was great, I met Angela!


    She¡¯s a bit taller than me and even treated me to coffee.


    Although her uncle was quite scary, luckily Mr.


    Fisher helped me!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful,¡± Nana said, standing up and looking towards Fisher, ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, please come this way, we¡¯ve prepared dinner.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Fisher nodded and entered the room with Rafael and the others.


    The Maid had already set the food in the dining room where Philone also sat.


    This time, it was also filled with more than a dozen other children he had adopted.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, thank you for today.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, I didn¡¯t do much, just took Qi Qi along the way.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ha ha, Qi Qi, did you not thank Mr.


    Fisher?¡±


    ¡°She definitely didn¡¯t say thank you!


    Qi Qi, you went out today without telling us, are we not friends anymore?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    Children, when too many, make the entire room seem extremely noisy, like countless amplified horns chirping non-stop.


    But Philone seemed quite tolerant and didn¡¯t reprimand them; instead, he guided them by saying,


    ¡°At the dinner table, you should always maintain propriety¡ªit¡¯s too much to keep disturbing Mr.


    Fisher.


    Bochi, stop fidgeting.¡±


    The children pouted, made faces at each other, then obediently picked up their cutlery to eat dinner.


    After a relatively quiet dinner time, Philone didn¡¯t send the children back but allowed them to play in the living room to use up their energy, so they grabbed toys and started playfully fighting with each other.


    Seeing Lar envying them, she looked at Fisher tentatively and waited for his nod before she joyfully ran over.


    ¡°Ah, the little dragon is coming over again!


    Quick, hide the toys!¡±


    ¡°Bochi, lending her the toy to play for a while isn¡¯t bad!¡±


    ¡°Qi Qi, you traitor!¡±


    Noise came from their direction.


    Philone sat next to Fisher, watching this peaceful scene.


    After a long while, he reflected and said,


    ¡°Every time I see them, I feel like I¡¯m seeing myself as a child, and my brothers.


    They always liked to use apple tree branches as knights¡¯ treasure swords, and they made the youngest me be the knight¡¯s horse¡­


    of course, it was by turns, so each one of me and my brothers has been a brave and selfless knight, hahaha.¡±


    His magnetic and bland voice recounted the past, with a tone that fluctuated and rose, yet always revealing an untimely hollowness.


    ¡°Really¡­


    I hardly remember things from my childhood, I just remember attending a Church School that taught the Creation Scripture¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you¡¯re not too fond of the Church, so why go there?¡±


    ¡°Because the nun teaching the Creation Scripture was a young blonde girl with big breasts who would teach us to write the Creation Scripture by hand.¡±


    Watching Fisher speak such astonishing words with a deadpan face, Philone was momentarily stunned and then burst out laughing,


    ¡°It seems Mr.


    Fisher was destined to be a man of Saint Nali, haha.¡±


    In fact, it was because the Church School had a free library, free bread and jam, and dormitories with warm bedding.


    ¡°Dad, today I learned a new poem from Mr.


    Fisher by Lady Lao Fang, about the love story of swallows and giant dragons!¡±


    Qi Qi happily ran into Philone¡¯s arms and told him about the day¡¯s events, allowing Philone to touch her ear, then he said,


    ¡°Oh dear, such poetry is still too early for you¡­


    However, the skill of writing is universal; as your emotions grow richer, your writing skills will also become more adept in your hands.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Qi Qi, it¡¯s about time.¡± Philone¡¯s hand on Qi Qi became gentler, comforting her as she squinted her eyes contentedly, ¡°You should take your brothers and sisters back to sleep now, it¡¯s been a tiring day, and you need a good rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Qi Qi is the best!¡±


    Qi Qi climbed down from Philone¡¯s arms, and Nana had already begun instructing the playing children to head back,


    ¡°Qi Qi, hurry up and go to sleep!¡±


    In front of Nana, several children noticed Qi Qi was still around, so they began calling out to her.


    ¡°Ah, coming!¡± Qi Qi stuck out her tongue at them, then said goodnight to Philone before running off but then halfway seemed to remember something, turned her head, her cheeks somewhat flushed, and quietly said to Fisher,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, goodnight.¡±


    ¡°¡­Goodnight, Qi Qi.¡±


    After Fisher finished speaking, she made her way, like the other children, noisy, following Nana who was leading them back to rest.


    The door closed, shielding their figures, just leaving behind their fading conversation from the outer corridor.


    Lar sat on the floor holding a toy, unhappy playing alone, so she went back over to Mier and the others.


    In the room, only Fisher and Philone who had stood up remained.


    He was also ready to rest.


    As he picked up his coat, he suddenly turned to Fisher and said,


    ¡°Thank you for today, Mr.


    Fisher¡­


    by the way, do you like drinking alcohol?¡±


    ¡°I must admit, I am good at pouring drinks.¡±


    Actually, Fisher could hold his liquor, but here, it was better not to drink.


    ¡°Haha no worries, trying it out occasionally is fine.


    There will be a wine party here tomorrow afternoon in the courtyard outside.


    I have prepared lots of good wine for it.


    I heard that academic meetings at the Royal College always provide champagne for attending guests.


    We can use the occasion to continue discussing some other academic topics.¡±


    Fisher looked at Philone for a while, then smiling, replied,


    ¡°Thank you for your invitation.


    Goodnight, Mr.


    Philone.¡±

 Chapter 51 - 51 47Philone

    ?51: 47.Philone 51: 47.Philone Fisher watched Philone leave the room for a long while before suddenly tugging at Rafael by his side.


    Rafael, thinking Fisher was reaching for a handshake, extended his hand subconsciously only to be coldly rejected.


    Annoyed, Rafael turned his head, but found Fisher looking at him with a serious expression,


    ¡°Listen, Rafael, we are leaving here tonight.


    Keep an eye on Lar and the others while I go upstairs to pack.¡±


    Rafael blinked slightly, not quite understanding why Fisher was in such a hurry to leave but since he had spoken, there must be a reason, so he agreed.


    Fisher had already noticed that many parts of Philone City were amiss, and he had some guesses about Philone¡¯s actions, especially certain that the latter had set his sights on the dragon-people with him.


    The reason for staying so far had been because the journey ahead required some supplies, and since he had purchased these today, he was ready to leave at any moment.


    To not depart would be to place himself and the dragon-people in danger.


    That would be incredibly foolish.


    So it was best to make a decisive move; Fisher decided they would leave the city tonight with Rafael and the others.


    Ideally, Philone would only find out about their departure when they were breaching the gate, by which time it would be too late for Philone to catch up.


    Earlier that day, while in the outer city, Fisher had also memorized the routes within the city.


    Once they left, they would head directly for the north gate, even if it meant causing some collateral damage in the process of leaving.


    Fisher nodded his head, gripped his handcane, and left the room.


    The entire Philone¡¯s Mansion was frightfully quiet, with bright lights in the rooms but no signs of life.


    Fisher¡¯s steps did not falter as he headed straight for the second floor.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The entire dining hall fell silent, Mier, Kexier and Fasher, having been informed of the gravity of the situation by Fisher, stayed cautiously by Rafael¡¯s side, even confiscating the toys in the playful Lar¡¯s hands to prevent her from running around.


    Chastened under the stern gaze of Rafael, Lar sulked and sat quietly in her seat, staring wistfully at the moonlight outside the window.


    The moonlight was hazy, with clouds like scales partially obscuring the bright moon, casting an unclear shadow upon the land.


    Lar, daydreaming, stared at that distant moon in the sky, imagining it transform into a giant thin pancake, then doused in the dragon-people¡¯s favorite flame fruit juice, and finally devoured by her.


    Surely, that must be the most delicious food!


    Lar swallowed a mouthful of saliva and looked out at the moon again, but noticed that the moon seemed to be covered by a shadow.


    When Lar focused on the window, she saw a tall figure with cow horns and an expressionless face¡ªa Bull-man¡ªand she was startled for a moment before she cried out in panic to Rafael next to her,


    ¡°Lord Rafael, there is¡­uh!


    Let go of Lar!¡±


    A huge arm smashed through the glass window, and along with the sound of shattering glass, gripped Lar tightly by the throat.


    What¡­


    time¡­


    Why hadn¡¯t she sensed the presence of a living creature?


    Rafael¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits as he looked at the tall figure outside the window.


    It was an adult male Cowman, solidly built and about one point nine meters tall, half-naked, with a sickly grey pallor to his skin.


    The horns on his head were gone, leaving only smooth saw marks, as he stared blankly at the Lar in his grasp.


    ¡°Let her go!¡±


    Rafael¡¯s scales stood on end, and in the instant his body emitted steam, all the surrounding windows shattered, with one expressionless Bull-man after another bursting in from outside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, Rafael.¡±


    The next second Rafael tried to move, a gentle voice sounded from behind him, and Rafael incredulously turned back only to find his partners subdued by the imposing Bull-men.


    ¡°Lord Rafael¡­¡±


    ¡°Release me!¡±


    Outside the window, in the courtyard, stood rows of tall figures, each with broken horns and expressionless faces, lined up looking into the dining room.


    ¡°Nana¡­


    Miss?¡±


    Next to those Cowmen stood the dress-clad Bull-woman, Nana.


    After stopping Rafael¡¯s resistance, she remained silent to Rafael¡¯s questioning, as she needed to seize the moment.


    Nana, sitting on the shoulder of a sturdy Cowman, snapped her fingers lightly, and the Cowmen holding Mier and the others swiftly ran off toward the courtyard, seemingly reluctant to engage Rafael in battle.


    The thick crowd of Cowmen also emotionlessly blocked Rafael¡¯s sight as they sprinted towards a certain direction in the courtyard.


    Rafael, who had excellent night vision, saw in the darkness that a gate leading underground had opened, its destination unknown.


    Were they tempting her to follow? S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rafael stayed in her place for a moment, glanced upstairs once more, and then, after a second¡¯s hesitation, dashed towards the open passage.


    Upstairs, having finished packing, Fisher had heard the glass breaking.


    He paused for a moment, then sighed.

 Chapter 52 - 52 47Philone_2

    ?52: 47.Philone_2 52: 47.Philone_2 The worst had happened; the other side had detected his intentions.


    It seemed that Philone was constantly watching him; under such cautious circumstances, the slightest movement could disrupt the balance.


    At this moment, Fisher decided to relax, neatly placing his packed luggage and carrying his Handcane down from the second floor, he passed through the now empty dining room without pausing.


    Rafael must have followed Mier and the others, Fisher sensed the Slave Emblem¡¯s contract and discovered they were heading underground, where there must be some hidden construction.


    But Fisher did not pursue Rafael; instead, he could only silently wish Rafael could handle the situation there.


    There was no other reason; when he slowly walked out of Philone¡¯s house, Handcane in hand, and came to the outside of the courtyard, Philone in a changed suit was standing quietly in the courtyard, hands behind his back looking towards the Inner City, towards the Philone City beyond the Inner City.


    The night in Philone City was tranquil, from the City Lord Mansion¡¯s elevated terrain one could see the lives of the demi-humans below.


    It was deep into the night, they were either resting or sleeping, and currently, no loud noises emerged from the City Lord Mansion.


    ¡°Good evening, Mr.


    Fisher.¡±


    ¡°Good evening.¡±


    Fisher lit a cigarette and walked over to Philone, standing beside him, gazing at the peaceful and harmonious Inner City.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, it saddens me you have to leave so late¡­


    So, you¡¯ve already found out what I am doing?¡±


    Fisher nodded,


    ¡°You¡¯re trafficking souls, you¡¯ve made high profits through selling souls, and moreover, you¡¯ve targeted the souls of several Dragon-man Species.


    You started conducting similar research a long time ago, and the souls of the demi-humans in the wilderness have all been captured by you.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, such a smart brain, indeed I can¡¯t hide it from you¡­¡±


    Philone said to Fisher with a sigh, affecting an unsurprised demeanor,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, do you know how much energy is contained within a human soul?


    How much magic a human can release in a lifetime, all that released magic energy comes from the soul.


    By highly compressing their souls and releasing them through ignition, it produces more energy than many tons of coal¡­¡±


    ¡°In the beginning, inspired by Soul Loss, since deep despair could cause their souls to vibrate, then could love not do the same?


    Experiments show that it¡¯s possible.


    The stronger the love one feels towards a target, the greater the vibration amplitude of the soul, making it easier to extract the soul¡­¡±


    ¡°But, Mr.


    Fisher, people are always wary of each other, whether creating despair or love, designing against a single target is not only costly but also not suitable for mass production¡­¡±


    Fisher¡¯s thoughts moved quickly, immediately catching up with Philone¡¯s idea.


    He remained composed and completed Philone¡¯s words,


    ¡°So, you are looking for targets that can lower the standards of creating despair or love, a group whose despair and love can be easily granted, and eventually, you found the answer¡­¡±


    ¡°Correct, Mr.


    Fisher, it is children!¡± Philone clapped his hands, looking admiringly at Fisher, as if applauding his wisdom, ¡°Only the innocent children, only the pure ones can feel love and happiness up close without any guard and express it¡­¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher remained silent, watching the scene outside, simply taking a deep drag from his cigarette.


    ¡°So, you turned those children into products to make money?¡±


    ¡°Make money?¡± Philone¡¯s mask did not move, but Mr.


    Fisher saw his eyes, hidden beneath the gas mask, suddenly twist toward him¡ªseemingly annoyed at Mr.


    Fisher for suggesting such a motive.


    But after a second or two, his gaze shifted back, and his tone calmed down.


    ¡°Do you know, Mr.


    Fisher?


    My hometown, Wulun, was originally a quiet and peaceful place, until Saint Nali¡¯s geological survey team discovered coal beneath our land.


    To profit from it, people from different places, with the same intention, entered our homeland to seize the land that sustained our village life.¡±


    ¡°In resistance, they set fire to my village¡ªthe family and friends I grew up with were all burnt alive in that great fire.


    I survived under my brother¡¯s corpse; the next day when I got up, his body was stuck to mine and could not be washed off.¡±


    Philone¡¯s eye, devoid of eyelids, stared intently at Mr.


    Fisher, tapping his gas mask with one finger, ¡°Given a choice, my brothers and me, every child in Wulun would willingly sacrifice our lives for the coal they wanted to mine, so that not so many would have to die!¡±


    ¡°Mr. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fisher, you should see the demi-humans living inside the Inner City.


    Their homelands were destroyed, nearly exterminated¡ªwhy?


    Because humans covet their resources, pushing them towards extinction¡­¡±


    ¡°Without my intervention, they all would have been wiped out, dying unrecognized in the quiet wilderness.


    I provided them with a decent living environment.


    But could all this be without a cost?


    So much money needs to be paid, could just passionate fervor alone save them?¡±


    ¡°If you ask any of the demi-humans in this city, asking whether they would exchange a few children¡¯s lives for a peaceful and comfortable existence, what answer do you think you would get?¡±


    ¡°The efficiency of the Dragon-man species¡¯ souls in generating energy is seven to eight times that of humans; the sacrifice of one Dragon-man might save the lives of seven other children!


    Isn¡¯t that worth it?


    So, I¡¯m sorry, but I must take those few Dragon-man souls.¡±


    ¡°But Mr.


    Fisher, I am willing to let both you and the red Dragon-man leave.


    You are one of the few scholars in Nali; I¡¯d hate for such an intelligent mind to remain on this continent in such a manner¡­¡±


    The time taken for a cigarette passed, and Mr.


    Fisher pinched out his cigarette, seeming unfazed by Philone¡¯s lengthy monologue.


    He simply turned his head with a profound gaze and asked Philone,


    ¡°I just want to ask you, where are those children now?¡±


    Philone was slightly stunned, as if he had anticipated the answer, his magnetic voice tinged with a chuckle,


    ¡°Thanks to Mr.


    Fisher¡­¡±


    Suddenly, his suit burst open, revealing a slightly bulging steam apparatus behind him.


    There, the originally miniature steam rings had been replaced with a larger backpack; the surface of the backpack had several metal canisters deeply embedded into it, as if penetrating into his body.


    Steam continually burst from the backpack¡¯s surface, moving forward along linked lines to his prosthetic right hand and a glove device covering his left hand.


    The backpack vibrated slightly, and with an ethereal wailing sound, streams of pure blue energy flowed along those lines into his prosthetic hand, immediately covering his entire body in copious amounts of steam.


    Then, the backpack opened slightly, with metallic armor covering the energy-transmitting lines.


    His lidless eyes, through the gas mask, gazed at Mr.


    Fisher in front.


    He spoke word by word,


    ¡°They are with me now.¡±

 Chapter 53 - 53 48

    ?53: 48.


    The Weight of Life 53: 48.


    The Weight of Life Philone¡¯s stature seemed suddenly larger in the night, the deep blue light radiating from him appeared almost tangible.


    Then, his right prosthetic hand stretched out, aiming directly at the Fisher in front of him.


    ¡°To survive, you must go all out, Mr.


    Fisher,¡± Philone declared.


    ¡°Ding!¡±


    A shocking burst of light erupted from his right hand, causing Fisher¡¯s eyes to narrow as he pushed back.


    However, the light from his prosthetic hand had already solidified into a beam, shooting towards Fisher.


    Fisher¡¯s heart rang alarm bells; as he caught his handcane, purple Light Halos sprung up, making his surroundings seem illusory in just an instant.


    ¡°Deviate.¡±


    The ¡°Space Refraction¡± spell engraved by Renie.


    ¡°Boom, boom, boom!¡±


    As Fisher uttered the spell, the blue light beam in front of him twisted weirdly in the illusory space, refracting away from him towards the distance, striking the Inner City¡¯s wall without obstruction, cutting through the stone wall and causing chunks of stone ignited by the tremendous energy to explode into the sky.


    The beam continued unimpeded into the sky outside, slicing through the clouds in the moonlit night before slowly vanishing into the horizon.


    Fisher¡¯s expression immediately turned serious.


    The soul-ignited power exceeded his imagination; had this lethal weapon struck him just now, he would likely have evaporated.


    Half of the distant city wall turned into molten lava dripping down, but Philone didn¡¯t glance that way even for a second.


    His gas mask remained firmly fixed on Fisher, with steam surging around him rushing at Fisher.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Philone wanted to stop Fisher from casting magic, and with the support of his backpack, his physical abilities were enhanced to a horrifying extent by the steam mechanical device.


    His right hand suddenly punched at Fisher, who ducked and threw a punch back at the gas mask.


    But Philone¡¯s face didn¡¯t move at all; only scorching steam sprayed from under his mask, propelling his prosthetic hand to move swiftly.


    Having just thrown a punch, it retracted swiftly, striking Fisher¡¯s shoulder with mechanical precision.


    Fisher staggered back several steps, his shoulder numbing instantly as if hit by a bullet.


    Yet at the very moment of striking Philone, his own magic had been ready; he held nothing back now, his handcane firing all its might at Philone.


    The Bee Dance, Rapid Freeze Technique, along with the Spinner ¡ª the spells he had engraved ¡ª struck fiercely at Philone.


    Wrapped by the Spinner¡¯s threads, Philone felt a frost layer form over his skin before the intensely buzzing sawblades aimed for his neck.


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    A deep blue light burst forth from Philone¡¯s entire body, countless beams like the ones that had cut through the city wall scattering around him.


    Fisher¡¯s magic was instantly sliced apart by his beams, cutting the ground of the courtyard and causing huge explosions.


    A massive shockwave lifted trees and soil into the air.


    Fisher¡¯s eyes narrowed as he gripped his handcane, swept up into the air by the terrifying force, tumbling several times before planting his handcane into the ground to stop.


    His suit stained with the soil¡¯s dirt and mud, he looked up at Philone, who was gasping slightly.


    The backpack on his back suddenly popped open, ejecting a metal canister into the air, which disintegrated mid-air, revealing nothing inside.


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, show me some stronger magic!¡± Philone challenged.


    The backpack snapped shut, his eyes glowing with a blue light as another ghostly wail sounded, his right hand gleaming once more with the Death Light.


    Fisher¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his handcane instantly glowing with a high rank magic displaying a seven-ring purple brilliance.


    This spell, ¡°Renie Comet,¡± was uniquely developed by Fisher and Renie, inscribed into his handcane as they both had ample magic power to spare.


    The tip of Fisher¡¯s handcane collapsed inward like a black hole; next moment, as the darkest black turned into a brilliant deep purple, Philone issued the Death Light from his hand just as Fisher raised his handcane, meeting the purple beam that burst forth from the black hole.


    In an instant, where the purple and blue lights met in the courtyard, a bizarre explosion erupted.


    Philone¡¯s beam sank under the weight of the comet¡¯s brilliance, and the ground was once again covered by massive explosions.


    Yet Philone, without any hesitation, continued his assault with the Death Light from his prosthetic hand on the distant Fisher.


    With virtually no cooldown, the continuous barrage was unbearably tough for Fisher.


    Even amidst using magic, the increasingly violent explosions and their resulting shockwaves made the debris fly about as swiftly as bullets, punching several holes through Fisher¡¯s suit.

 Chapter 54 - 54 48

    ?54: 48.


    The Importance of Life_2 54: 48.


    The Importance of Life_2 Just as he stepped back, Philone¡¯s gaze, hidden underneath the gas mask, shifted slightly as if he had caught an opportunity and shot a beam of Death Light toward Fisher, who had no choice but to repeat his previous maneuver and summoned the ¡°Space Refraction¡± Magic he had used before. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Death Light was refracted, striking directly at a building in the demi-human residential area below, igniting it with roaring flames that pierced through the structure, sending large chunks of wood soaring into the air before falling back to the ground due to gravity.


    The sounds of the previous fight had already drawn the attention of the demi-humans in the district; they panicked, fleeing their homes to get further from the center of the battle.


    Many demi-humans poured onto the streets, but in Fisher¡¯s view, wooden debris was about to crush several slower werewolf women below.


    He hadn¡¯t moved yet, but then saw a dark blue figure hasten ahead of the others, landing in front of them and using a prosthetic arm to shatter the falling lumber.


    The building fragments were obliterated mid-air, leaving no trace.


    The frantic werewolf women turned around to see Philone standing silently behind them, lowering his smoking prosthetic arm.


    ¡°City¡­


    Lord¡­¡±


    ¡°You, go to the edge of the wall and stay away from here to avoid being hurt.¡±


    He helped the women up, pointed to the edge of the wall, and after they nodded and left, Philone slowly walked towards Fisher in the distance.


    The backpack behind him opened again, ejecting an empty metal can that fell to the ground.


    ¡°These demi-humans have survived because of those children¡¯s sacrifices.


    Don¡¯t waste their sacrifices, Mr.


    Fisher.


    Let¡¯s continue¡­¡±


    Fisher exhaled, watching the demi-humans running farther away.


    The moment Philone went to help the demi-humans gave him a brief respite.


    On his hands, a series of purple light halos were crystallizing¡ªhe was using the moment to prepare Magic.


    ¡°The kind of salvation that abandons principles is meaningless for them¡­¡±


    Fisher hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Philone just spread his hands,


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, let¡¯s continue our conversation after the fight ends, if we have the chance¡­


    You¡¯re secretly preparing Magic, and am I not using this chance to get closer to you?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until these words were spoken that Fisher suddenly realized the Death Light in his right hand hadn¡¯t activated, but he was instead raising his left hand high.


    A device resembling a glove was attached to his left arm, and the next second, Philone abruptly grabbed Fisher¡¯s shoulder.


    A numbing sensation passed in an instant from the glove.


    A strange feeling surged straight to his brain.


    Despite nothing happening visibly, Fisher felt his brain convulsing, as if his sight was growing farther away and his body was being peeled away.


    With his last bit of vision, he glanced at his arm, saw the Magic Circuit dimming, and witnessed his skin fading where the colors had vanished, as if his blood was being drained.


    He was stripping away his soul!


    Fisher clenched his teeth, a tremendous pain coursing through his body, but fortunately, his previous agonies during the use of the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual had provided him some resistance.


    He used all the tricks he had to stab his Handcane into Philone¡¯s abdomen, the purple light exploding with a massive impact enveloping both Fisher and Philone.


    ¡°Boom!!¡±


    Dust and flames erupted, and Fisher, with a splitting headache, felt himself plummeting.


    It should have been only a matter of seconds before he felt his body crash heavily onto a hard surface.


    His body felt like it was falling apart; had it not been for the added Physical Strength from his Dragon-man Species, he probably would have died by now.


    But what about Philone?


    He mustn¡¯t have been dealt with, because in the instant the Magic burst forth, Fisher glimpsed a surge of deep blue light engulfing Philone¡¯s entire body.


    Fisher focused against the overwhelming urge to faint, swaying as he stood up.


    Only when he saw that the skin on his hands had returned to its normal color could he breathe a sigh of relief.


    The surroundings were dim, with faint blue light flickering, illuminating the blurred contours of the place.


    Where was this?


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Around him, unconscious murmuring sounded, and Fisher faintly felt something tugging at his trouser leg.


    Looking down, he discovered it was a demi-human child with blue blood oozing from every orifice, staring at him intently.


    Fisher¡¯s pupils contracted as he turned to look around, only to realize he was in a huge underground plaza below the dwelling place of the demi-humans.


    The explosion had collapsed the ground above and he had fallen down here.


    Around him, numerous demi-human children unable to walk, all with ashen skin and blue blood flowing from their orifices, their eyeballs bulging as if yearning for something, were slowly crawling towards him.


    There was nothing here, only a chair embedded in the ground in the middle of the plaza, and a strand of moonlight shining down through the hole above, revealing Philone¡¯s figure slowly emerging from the darkness, steadying himself with the chair.

 Chapter 55 - 55 48

    ?55: 48.


    The Weight of Life_3 55: 48.


    The Weight of Life_3 ¡°It is truly remarkable, this is the first time I have encountered someone capable of casting magic while their soul is being extracted, it must require enduring tremendous pain, and a strong willpower to achieve¡­


    Indeed, Mr.


    Fisher, you are no ordinary person.¡±


    He did not continue to attack, it was as if he had taken a simple halftime break, Fisher¡¯s magic had shattered the protective barrier he could only use once, but it seemed that the fall had also caused certain damage to his human body.


    Philone looked at the children who were unconsciously climbing towards Fisher and himself, then started to laugh, his voice full of magnetism and faintly beginning to speak,


    ¡°Body shells without souls will unconsciously crave souls without ¡®Guidance,¡¯ so they approach you like this, but even if they sense the souls inside us, they can only perform simple tearing and foraging gestures, yet their souls can never return.¡±


    Philone bent down and picked up a child with blood flowing from every orifice, just as he had done countless times before, the child instinctively opened its mouth to bite him, but as the child was still teething, biting on Philone¡¯s metal mask posed no threat at all.


    ¡°They are the ¡®minority¡¯ sacrificed for the majority, even if for some reason those above will never know their contribution, I will always remember,¡± Philone said, caressing the child¡¯s hair in his arms, ¡°Bochi¡­


    wanted to be a painter in the future, loved eating steak the most, and hated peas.¡± S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    ¡°Rick wanted to be an official in my city one day, to help me deal with a lot of a lot of documents.¡±


    ¡°Woo¡­¡±


    ¡°Theresa wanted to design beautiful clothes for the demi-humans, to make all races of demi-humans have nice clothes to wear.¡±


    ¡°Hee.¡±


    As name after name was uttered, the children¡¯s terrifying, unconscious murmurs and growls ebbed and flowed in Philone¡¯s voice that was as serene as a lullaby.


    ¡°Even without their souls, I will always accompany them, until they grow old and can no longer move¡­


    Their sacrifice is worthwhile, just like those warriors who Saint Nali commemorates every year, who sacrificed themselves for the benefit of the majority, there is no difference.¡±


    Just as Fisher was about to speak, he found that someone was gnawing at the hem of his pants, he looked down to see a girl with wolf ears unconsciously tearing at his flesh through his trouser leg, her clothes were the same as the last time they met, a dark green dress.


    That was Qi Qi.


    ¡°Heh¡­


    ah¡­


    ow¡­¡±


    Fisher couldn¡¯t help but lower his head to move her away, only to see her similarly ashen, ice-cold little face constantly oozing blue blood, her eyes lifelessly bulging out, the blue blood that flowed down from the corners of her eyes, whether tears or something else, even once caught by Fisher, she still remained listlessly making biting gestures.


    Fisher¡¯s expression remained unchanged until he caught sight of the half-stained, blue-blooded envelope protruding from the pocket of her dress.


    On that small envelope, Fisher¡¯s signature flourish was written,


    ¡°Fisher Benavides¡±


    ¡°Mr.


    Fisher, can I write to you after you return to Nali?¡±


    Fisher¡¯s expression darkened, he silently held Qi Qi in his arms, and when she began to numbly start tearing at Fisher¡¯s shoulders and neck, Fisher suddenly clasped her neck with both hands, twisting the fragile thread of life to break it.


    Her soul had already been taken, only their empty shells remained here.


    ¡°Indeed, Philone¡­¡±


    Fisher stood up again, hand cane in tow, looking at Philone in the distance who also stood up after putting down the child, his facial expression as cold as an ice cave.


    ¡°Just go die, bastard.¡±

 Chapter 56 - 56 49

    ?56: 49.


    The soul she keeps burning 56: 49.


    The soul she keeps burning Rafael¡¯s silhouette followed the Cowman kind down the pitch-black corridor, descending until, after a considerable chase, she suddenly felt the footsteps ahead disappear, leaving only a faint echo of emptiness.


    Her figure burst into the corridor, and the cave ahead suddenly expanded; within that vast space stood many dazed Cowmen, both male and female.


    The only common feature was that the horns on their heads seemed to have been sawed off.


    On either side of the cave were wider areas with pools filled with pungent liquid.


    Upon closer inspection, it became apparent that the Cowmen were covered in the same liquid found in these pools.


    What is this?


    Rafael looked around suspiciously, only to see Nana, who was perched on the shoulder of a robust Bull-man, appear in front of her while Lar and the others were captured and placed in the back of the cave.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible, Miss Rafael?


    I didn¡¯t expect the beloved pearl of the South Branch Tribe Clan Leader to be captured by humans, and to top it off, you fell in love with that human, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Nana covered her mouth, pointed at Rafael with a laugh, ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful thing.


    Human bodies are very warm, aren¡¯t they?


    Even a demi-human and a human can bear offspring.


    Do you know what it feels like to have a child?


    Can you truly feel his existence, right here¡­¡±


    Her cheeks flushed, she tenderly stroked her belly, where seemingly the treasure of the entire world was being nurtured¡ª it was the life conceived after her union with Mr.


    Philone, the crystallization of their love.


    ¡°Shut up, where are Lar and the others?!¡±


    But Rafael didn¡¯t pay her any attention, just frowned and surveyed her surroundings warily.


    ¡°Tsk, how dull, just like that human called Fisher¡­ Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rafael, stop struggling.


    Give up on your partners, and stay here quietly for a while.


    I¡¯ll send you out after Philone and Fisher are done.


    Go back to the Western Continent with him.


    The South Continent no longer has space for demi-humans to live.¡±


    Nana waved her hand, and not only did the expressionless Cowmen nearby turn to look at her, but pools beside them also began pouring out demi-humans in the same condition as the nearby Cowmen.


    These were all materials left over from Philone¡¯s experiments, now conveniently handed over to Nana.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t behave, I won¡¯t be as loving as your parents; when you get spanked, don¡¯t come crying to me.¡±


    Rafael stared in shock at the expressionless demi-humans around her.


    Their bodies were still breathing, but they were colorless, devoid of life.


    ¡°These, all of these are¡­¡±


    Rafael¡¯s gaze swept over the surrounding Cowmen, as if remembering something.


    The hair color of these Cowmen was all golden.


    When she had seen Nana earlier, she had suspected that this color of Cowmen existed only in one tribe on the South Continent.


    Nana and these Cowmen were from that tribe.


    Rafael¡¯s shocked eyes swept the surroundings until she glimpsed a Dragon-man with a blue tail among the expressionless Cowmen.


    It was Lar¡¯s brother, Nar.


    ¡°Nar!¡± Rafael ran over in panic, grabbing his shoulders with her claws.


    His body had no wounds, but his skin was ashen¡ªno longer the fiery hue of Dragon-man kind.


    He remained unmoved by Rafael¡¯s shaking, just staring blankly at her,


    ¡°You¡­


    what¡¯s wrong with you?


    Speak to me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, Rafael, he won¡¯t answer you.¡±


    Nana¡¯s usually gentle smile tightened as she looked coldly at Rafael, interrupting her actions, ¡°His soul has already become a commodity, probably burning in some human factory by now, just like these Cowmen.¡±


    Rafael¡¯s scales bristled slightly, steaming fervently, as she turned to look angrily at Nana in the distance,


    ¡°They are all your people!


    Your people!


    How could you bear to do this?


    Why would you help that human in harming your own people?¡±


    ¡°People?¡± Nana let out a laugh as if she had heard some funny joke.


    She leapt down from the shoulder of the Cowman beside her, and her gentle face showed a horrific grimace as she pointed to her right broken horn, covered in golden ornaments, and said hysterically,


    ¡°My dear Cowman Race adhered to a hierarchy based on the size of the horns, with those with small horns being treated as less than livestock within the tribe!


    Do you know what my life in the tribe was like?


    Do you know the pain of trying to escape only to be caught and have your horns sawed off?


    Do you think I learned so many other demi-human languages for fun?


    My people bullied me, and you Dragon-man looked down on the Cowmen.


    Do you think everyone is kind?!


    Forget it, Rafael!¡±


    Her smile was terrifying as she violently kicked the nearby Cowman, swelling his body, but he, already without a soul, remained expressionless.


    ¡°You, Rafael, the daughter of the Clan Leader of the Dragon-man¡¯s South Branch Tribe, the Princess pampered by all, must feel sad and hateful for the life vastly different from before when captured by humans!


    Ha, but me, my life actually improved after my tribe was breached by the humans.


    Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°I just want to kill all these damned Cowmen, saw off their prideful horns, and make them taste this hellish pain!


    The more enormous and beautiful the horn, the more I enjoy it, including that pair of yours!


    It was I who led the humans to my tribe with information, they took my tribe¡¯s resources, and the condition was that all these damned Cowmen would belong to me!¡±

 Chapter 57 - 57 49

    ?57: 49.


    Her continuously burning soul_2 57: 49.


    Her continuously burning soul_2 Nana¡¯s smile was crazed, but it stopped abruptly the next second as if a switch had been turned off, calming her down instantly.


    She spoke indifferently toward Rafael in the distance,


    ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind.


    I want to saw off those damned horns of yours and keep them as a collection.


    Kill her.¡±


    The golden ornament on her right horn emitted a faint light.


    At her command, the expressionless demi-humans beside her started moving, launching a fierce attack on her.


    Rafael clenched her teeth, her claws extending like steel blades, about to lash out at a Cowman next to her.


    Suddenly, the Cowman¡¯s face changed, making a desperate and sorrowful expression,


    ¡°Wait!


    Don¡¯t kill me!


    My body is out of control!


    Save me!


    Save me, save me!¡±


    ¡°Clang!¡±


    Rafael¡¯s movements hesitated slightly, and the attacking motion of her hands paused.


    But the next moment, the Cowmen around her struck Rafael¡¯s body violently.


    In the distance, Nana sat atop a Cowman with a smile on her face, silently watching the spectacle unfold, her arms folded in front of her.


    Yes, those guys had long been dead.


    The reason they could still move was due to the ¡°Corpse Manipulator,¡± an Ancient Relic of the Bull-man race attached to Nana¡¯s horn.


    It was originally the treasure of Nana¡¯s tribe, but after the tribe was conquered by humans, Nana killed the Clan Leader and stole this secret treasure.


    Originally, this item was used to control the corpses in the wasteland, but Nana discovered that these bodies, stripped of souls, could also be manipulated.


    And since their bodies were still alive, they could perform more delicate acts, like now for instance.


    Ha, naive Rafael!


    Nana was already contemplating how to saw off those beautiful horns on her head, desiring to use the thickest saw to let her feel the sensation of the saw blade grinding against her horns.


    Obviously, she didn¡¯t know that Dragon-man Species¡¯ horns could not be touched by ordinary tools. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the situation on Rafael¡¯s side was nothing optimistic.


    As Nana saw, whenever the expression on a demi-human¡¯s face changed, Rafael hesitated to strike, punch after punch falling while Rafael¡¯s expression became increasingly blurry, a bit of scorching blood trickling down from her forehead.


    For some odd reason, rage and irritation gradually engulfed Rafael¡¯s heart, but this impotent irritation solved none of Rafael¡¯s problems, hence she always fell into an internal consumption of irritation, igniting herself with anger.


    ¡°Rafael, be calm.¡±


    Ha¡­


    With the strikes surrounding her, Rafael¡¯s eyes suddenly opened wide.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if she was hallucinating, but she seemed to hear that emotionless Fisher¡¯s voice again, his plain voice annoyingly familiar, repeating what he had said countless times before.


    ¡°Anger and impulsivity won¡¯t help you; only the calm and analytic coldness like ice can get you out of the current situation.


    Think carefully before acting!¡±


    Rafael¡¯s vision, obscured by blood, gradually pictured Fisher¡¯s silhouette, but where was Fisher here?


    But Rafael had already calmed down through the illusory figure of Fisher.


    Despite the violent strikes from the Cowmen around her, she suddenly spotted the dimly glowing ornament on Nana¡¯s forehead.


    Those beside her are all already dead¡­


    they are dead, Rafael!


    Fisher was right, such anger would only kill her, kill her partners, and do nothing else!


    Stay calm!


    Rafael bit down hard, steam furiously bursting from around her, sending the Cowman making that sad, desperate expression flying with a punch, uncontrolled claws opening wide.


    ¡°Miss, I am¡­¡±


    ¡°Rafael, save me!¡±


    Rafael opened her eyes, her inner rage gradually subsiding, yet her hands moved swiftly, slicing through the rushing demi-humans around her with a punch and a claw.


    ¡°Rafael, sister¡­¡±


    Rafael approached Nar, his face resembling Lar¡¯s and still so juvenile, tears streaming uncontrollably.


    Yet Rafael, without pausing, took a deep breath and, gritting her teeth, pressed down on his head with her claws, snapping his neck.


    Nar¡­


    The more she walked, the calmer her rage became.


    Not that the anger had vanished, but it was guided by cold rationality, gradually turning the flaming fury into a chilling state, a fury in such state that would terrify anyone.


    She moved forward stealthily, her figure growing more upright as she walked through the cave until she reached Nana¡¯s position.


    Nana¡¯s face slightly changed, motioning to the most robust Cowman beside her to go forward.


    This seemingly immense Cowman was even taller than Rafael, but before he could make a move, Rafael briskly swung her hand, slicing the Cowman into two halves.


    ¡°You¡­


    are truly a monster¡­¡±


    Nana¡¯s forehead showed a hint of cold sweat as she watched Rafael approach expressionlessly and exclaimed.


    ¡°Where are Lar and the others?¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I haven¡¯t had the time to deal with them, they are still alive¡­


    But, aren¡¯t you too confident, daring to come so close to me?¡±


    Rafael¡¯s expression changed, only to see Nana ferociously swing her right hand, covered in gloves, toward Rafael.


    However, Rafael reacted extremely quickly, her claws instantly grasping Nana¡¯s right hand like lightning.

 Chapter 58 - 58 49

    ?58: 49.


    Her continuously burning soul_3 58: 49.


    Her continuously burning soul_3 Rafael¡¯s cold-colored hair bristled, and with a slight increase in strength in her hand, Nana¡¯s gloved right hand emitted a sound akin to cracking bones.


    Nana¡¯s face turned pale, but her pupils held a madness-induced grin, as if she couldn¡¯t feel the pain at all.


    ¡°Haha, die!¡±


    Rafael¡¯s pupils narrowed slightly, and the next second, a bizarre current suddenly leaped from the hand she held.


    The current traveled up Rafael¡¯s arm and straight into her brain, causing her entire body to shudder.


    Rafael hadn¡¯t expected Nana to possess a hidden weapon that could take effect upon contact; she should have cut off Nana¡¯s entire arm right away, but it was clearly too late for regrets now.


    As the current penetrated, Rafael¡¯s vision began to darken, as if she were gradually being expelled from her own body.


    She tried to control her body to let go, but the place where their palms touched seemed to create a suction force due to the electric connection, making it impossible for Rafael to pull away.


    This is bad, the soul is going to be¡­


    The horns on Rafael¡¯s forehead dimmed, and a red, dazzling soul slowly separated from her body.


    ¡°Hahaha, idiot!


    Your soul¡­


    ah¡­¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rafael was still in pain, but in Nana¡¯s eyes, she saw both Rafael and the sun-like, blinding soul that had been pulled out, looking at her with fury.


    An overwhelming pressure and heat enveloped Nana¡¯s mind in an instant.


    This was the first time Nana had seen such a terrifying soul, a blazing soul as bright as the sun emanating terrifying heat.


    It passed through Nana¡¯s gloved hand, and in an instant, Nana¡¯s palm was completely vaporized without any pain being transmitted.


    Moreover, the flames did not stop.


    The entire cave was set ablaze by the immense heat, causing the corpses and the pools of liquid behind to ignite.


    The bodies craving for souls were too terrified to move, cowering on the ground.


    Such a soul¡­


    it was like a Queen, arrogantly observing everything in the cave.


    ¡°Monster¡­


    monster¡­¡±


    The red, horned Dragon-man soul moved along with her body, indifferently staring at the trembling Nana.


    The next second, waiting for the red soul to slowly return to its place, Rafael let out a breath full of steam with a deep exhale.


    Rafael raised her hand, and just when Nana thought Rafael was about to end her life, she merely gently removed the golden relic from her head.


    Then she crushed it in her palm, kneading it bit by bit until the relic turned into dust glowing with a strange light.


    ¡°Enjoy the rest of your life in petty fear, insect.¡±


    Rafael spoke indifferently.


    Strangely enough, after the golden horn was taken from her, Nana¡¯s expression changed abruptly.


    Her face was filled with intense panic, and her legs seemed to lose the ability to walk, collapsing beneath her.


    ¡°My¡­


    my horn!


    Give my horn back to me!


    My¡­


    ah¡­


    my horn¡­¡±


    Rafael threw the fragments of the relic on the ground, and Nana immediately scrambled in panic to collect the fragments of her horn.


    Her whole body shook violently as if she were being constantly crushed and violated by some fear.


    This is what happens to a Cowman when they lose their horns, Rafael had seen this scene before.


    Rafael watched Nana sympathetically as she lay on the ground, searching for the dust, then turned to look at the cave now fully engulfed in flames, grinding her teeth as she looked towards her partners who had passed out inside.


    She needed to rescue them before everything was consumed by the fire.

 Chapter 59 - 59 50

    ?59: 50.


    Endgame 59: 50.


    Endgame In the city filled with gunpowder and flames, Fisher leaned against the wall, gasping for breath, as the glow from his hand-staff dimmed once again; then, the magic emblem-overlaying the hand-staff slowly disappeared, one ring at a time.


    He was almost out of magic to use, having prepared over a hundred types of magic emblems for this journey, almost completely filling the entire hand-staff, and now nearly depleted in the battle with Philone.


    The other¡¯s fuel was the souls of those children and squeezing out a child¡¯s soul could burst forth a great deal of energy; now, behind Philone were five canisters, while he himself had only a few emblems left on his magic wand to keep it from being damaged¡ªthe ¡°Reinforcement¡± magic.


    Moreover, his own body had been grazed by many wounds from Philone¡¯s Death Light; his lower abdomen and chest were oozing blood, constantly sending forth waves of pain, but the adrenaline produced by the battle made the pain seem less severe.


    ¡°Ha ha, Mr.


    Fisher, your will to fight is indeed tenacious, but if I¡¯m not mistaken, the magic on your hand-staff is also about to run out, right?¡±


    From the smoke and dust created by the battle, that tall figure stepped out again, clapping his hands, and with that, his backpack opened, ejecting another metallic canister.


    He still had four canisters left, but Fisher couldn¡¯t wait for him to use up all his canisters.


    Fisher leaned against the ruins of the building, his face showing no panic from the desperation, because reason told him that he could only potentially survive by calmly thinking, and scrambling would be pointless.


    ¡°I originally planned to use only a few, but I didn¡¯t expect Mr.


    Fisher¡¯s magical strength to be so strong.


    So many dangerous High Ring magics are easily in your grasp.


    It¡¯s truly fitting for someone like you.¡±


    Fisher gripped the hand-staff beside him and said to Philone,


    ¡°This kind of technique, you couldn¡¯t possibly accomplish so much by yourself¡­


    Who¡¯s behind you?


    Nali?


    Schwali?


    Or Kado?¡±


    The underground of Philone City had very complex architecture; even if Philone discovered all the results about the soul by himself and even though he was selling this energy to other humans, he certainly couldn¡¯t escape investigation unless another power shielded his traces.


    Otherwise, Fisher wouldn¡¯t have only recently learned that such a thing existed in Philone City in the South Continent.


    Philone looked at Fisher, was silent for a bit, but didn¡¯t answer his question, just looked at his wounded body,


    ¡°Fisher, my previous offer still stands.


    I can let you and that red Dragon-man go.


    I can turn a blind eye to what you¡¯ve done in this city, but you must promise not to leak anything about this place¡­¡±


    Fisher¡¯s eyes flickered, propping himself up with the hand-staff, his hand now smeared with fresh blood.


    As Fisher moved, that blood stained his hand-staff.


    ¡°No need, this is the end.¡±


    Philone sighed, seemingly with some regret,


    ¡°Such a brilliant mind, a pity¡­¡±


    As these last words were spoken, a deep blue radiance lit up again on his body.


    Fisher also took a deep breath, gripped his hand-staff in reverse, and assumed a combat stance.


    ¡°Ding!¡±


    A Death Light shot towards Fisher; without any magic, for the first time, he charged towards Philone.


    His arm seemed to have been injured, his grip on the hand-staff kept it continuously scraping the ground, leaving a trace.


    He¡¯s coming close?


    Philone thought so but, empowered by the steam backpack behind him, his body¡¯s strength was not something Fisher¡¯s could match.


    The power of a full soul ignited gave him strength like Superman from the novels.


    In that case¡­


    His right hand, glowing with Death Light, gradually extinguished, turning into a fist and punching towards Fisher.


    Fisher raised the hand-staff to block, and in an instant, the hand-staff was struck, lighting up the emblem ring by ring.


    Fisher himself clenched his teeth and half-knelt on the ground, the hand-staff embedded in the dirt.


    ¡°Fisher!¡±


    It seemed Philone wanted to give him one last chance, but Fisher¡¯s expression was calm.


    He subtly tilted his hand-staff, dragging it in an arc on the ground, leaving behind a trace, and with his bloodstained left hand, he punched towards Philone¡¯s face.


    The punch landed, but Philone didn¡¯t move.


    Fisher deftly maneuvered with his hand-staff, dodging around, but his right hand that gripped the hand-staff seemed to be out of strength, dragging it along the ground.


    Attack his right hand, completely strip him of his ability to resist!


    Philone¡¯s gaze sharpened, his right hand bursting with light, smashing down on Fisher¡¯s body as he dodged, forcing Fisher to block with the hand-staff.


    Indeed, Fisher had no choice but to horizontally position his hand-staff while the blue energy behind Philone¡¯s body was transferred to his right hand, causing the strength to surge.


    ¡°Crack!¡±


    Fisher¡¯s right arm was dislocated, and the great force sent him flying backward through the air.


    With his left hand clenched on his hand-staff, he used it to stab into the ground and stop himself.


    The hand-staff remained stationary; Fisher also seemed to exhale a sigh of relief and came to a halt.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fisher.¡±


    Philone outstretched his right hand, the Death Light was already illuminated; he had given Fisher many opportunities, and since he insisted on hindering him, he could only¡­


    ¡°No need to apologize, Philone, it¡¯s over.¡±


    Fisher covered his dislocated right hand with his left, not moving the hand-staff.


    The reinforcement magic on the hand-staff had already dissipated, and without the magical protection, the hand-staff instantly turned to flying ash and vanished into thin air.


    His face was pale, but it remained calm as he stared at Philone before him.


    Over?


    Philone looked at the calm Fisher before him, but suddenly realized something.


    His expression changed as he lowered his gaze to the ground, only to see the traces that Fisher had been etching into the ground with his handcane while dodging, now seemed to be ignited, bursting forth with a hint of red light.


    It turned out to be an enormous Magic Emblem, but unlike the circular structure typical of human¡¯s, this one more closely resembled a deformed tooth, which made Philone fail to recognize at first that what Fisher had etched on the ground was a Magic Emblem¡­


    This guy, in the midst of battle, had carved a spell into the ground with his handcane!


    ¡°Human blood is a natural material for Magic.


    I¡¯ve improved this spell a bit, but the power should be enough¡­


    Get lost, I¡¯ve had enough of seeing your gas mask.¡±


    Fisher coldly snapped his fingers, and the Dragon-man Magic on the ground instantly collapsed, as a tremendous amount of Flames burst forth from the void, engulfing Philone who happened to be standing right on top of the Magic Emblem like a massive flamestorm.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    The extreme heat melted all the circuitry connected to his prosthetic arm, and the backpack on his back also exploded due to the immense heat.


    The faint blue ethereal bodies inside the remaining four canisters struggled and escaped, drifting off to who knows where.


    ¡°Ua tsaug¡­¡±


    Only the soul from one of the canisters affectionately landed near Fisher.


    The tiny mouth seemed to be saying something beside Fisher, but he couldn¡¯t make out what it was, only seeing the wolf ears on the tiny ethereal figure¡¯s head quivering.


    ¡°¡®Child yearning for freedom, follow the river of your dreams.


    Behold the budding flowers of spring.


    Behold the cicadas on the branches of summer.


    Behold the golden wheat of autumn.


    Behold the gleaming snowflakes.


    Just don¡¯t forget to send me a message, let me see you who have witnessed so much scenery.¡¯ Sleep, Qi Qi.¡±


    Fisher quietly recited a poem by Lao Fang, and the soul beside him, seemingly lulled to sleep, stretched, and ethereally wrapped its arms around Fisher¡¯s neck, leaning its face with wolf ears against him.


    She placed a nonexistent kiss, and then the next second, slowly dissipated in front of the still burning Flames.


    ¡°Boom¡­¡±


    The Flames of Dragon-man Magic gradually dissipated, and in the center of the burnt area, Philone, whose feet had been entirely burned away, looked blankly at the sky.


    His gas mask prevented him from being immediately burned to death, but the nutrient solution exploded from within the mask due to the high temperature, allowing the air to make contact with his scar-covered skin.


    In just a second, the skin began to redden and decay.


    But he didn¡¯t cry out in pain; he just stared blankly at the sky.


    After a second or two, he began to smile,


    ¡°Did I still fail¡­


    Putting aside our battle, Mr.


    Fisher, I would like to ask you once again the question I asked you before.


    As a railway track manager, what would you do?¡±


    Fisher was in great pain all over, he could no longer stand and leaned against the ruins behind him.


    Lighting a cigarette by the nearby burning Flames, he was just in too much pain and sought relief.


    He exhaled and said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve said, I wouldn¡¯t do anything¡­¡±


    ¡°What if there were fifty people standing on the train tracks?¡±


    ¡°Same answer.¡±


    ¡°Five hundred, fifty thousand, five hundred thousand?¡±


    ¡°Same answer.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can you tell me why?¡±


    Philone¡¯s eye was filled with an eager thirst for knowledge; he seemed to be only one step away from the answer he had sought his entire life.


    Even as his body neared death, his desire for the answer far surpassed his will to live. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fisher glanced at him, then looked in the direction of his manor far away, where smoke from burning debris continued to billow out.


    He felt Mier and the others getting closer and closer to the ground, and all were in good health.


    Had Rafael succeeded?


    Atop the hill, the Dragon-man with red horns dragged her comrades out from the cave one by one.


    Despite being covered in a lot of blood and filth, her beauty was hard to conceal.


    Rafael panicked upon seeing the scene outside and began frantically searching for Fisher, even though she had once found him so loathsome in her heart.


    Fisher¡¯s gaze was distant, contemplating for a long time, seemingly answering both Philone and his inner self,


    ¡°To kill one person and save the world, I disdain to do such a thing.¡±


    Philone looked at the distant Fisher, seemingly lost in thought, and after a long wait, as if he had realized something, burst out laughing at the dusty sky above,


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!¡±


    Fisher snuffed out his cigarette and staggered to his feet.


    Philone¡¯s voice on the ground grew fainter but still shakily took out an ancient book from his bosom and handed it to Fisher,


    ¡°Take this, how you choose to use this technology is up to you, but it¡¯s best not to destroy it, or it will appear in the hands of someone else somewhere else¡­¡±


    Fisher accepted the ancient book, somewhat surprised.


    The text on it suddenly changed, morphing into the language of Nali, which read,


    [Soul Completion Manual]


    Fisher¡¯s pupils contracted slightly, and he turned his head in astonishment to look down at Philone on the ground.


    The latter¡¯s eyes were empty, as if he had lost his sight, and his breath was growing increasingly weak,


    ¡°Fisher, get out of here quick, this place is going to be destroyed.¡±

 Chapter 60 - 60 51

    ?60: 51.


    Eyes 60: 51. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eyes ¡°Fisher!¡±


    At this moment, the ancient book Philone handed to Fisher began to emit a faint warmth, just like the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual in his arms, suggesting that they were essentially the same kind of object.


    Therefore, the Soul Completion Manual should also be invisible to others.


    From a distance, Rafael hurried over.


    Fisher held the Soul Completion Manual in his hand, yet she seemed unable to see it, her gaze only on the charred remains of Philone on the ground, and Fisher, covered in wounds.


    Rafael ran over worriedly, wanting to extend a claw to embrace and soothe Fisher, but fearing to touch his injuries, she hesitated before him, her tail shifting uneasily behind her.


    Fisher silently placed the Soul Completion Manual into his chest, alongside the previous Demi-human Girls Completion Manual.


    The Inner City had been nearly destroyed by the battle between Fisher and Philone, and the outside was becoming increasingly unsettled; it was likely that the soldiers outside had heard the commotion in the Inner City and were on their way here.


    They had to leave quickly.


    Fisher tried to move, his body aching fiercely.


    He closed his eyes and took a breath, and Rafael, seeing this, supported him.


    ¡°¡­thank you.¡±


    Rafael¡¯s azure eyes met his, but when he lowered his head to look at her, she diverted her gaze, her voice somewhat unclear,


    ¡°Thanks for what¡­


    you really are¡­¡±


    ¡°Where are Lar and the others?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re up there, nothing¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Rafael might be recalling the events in the cave with Nana, including when she killed so many demi-humans.


    Even though those were just soulless shells, Rafael could still feel the passing of life.


    Seeing so many demi-humans slaughtered by humans, and now, killed cruelly by one of their own, a fellow demi-human¡­


    Rafael¡¯s thoughts grew heavy, as she was beginning to notice the issues among the demi-humans.


    It was true the humans invading their homeland were the main culprits, but did the demi-humans themselves bear no issues?


    Banding together independently, indifferent to each other, dispersed until the humans picked them off one by one.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Fisher leaned against Rafael and looked towards the City Lord Mansion, only to see a disheveled, blond, bull-man girl with a vacant stare walking down from above ¨C if not Nana, then who?


    The golden adornment on her head was gone, and who knows what will sustained her escape from that cave.


    ¡°Phi¡­


    Philone¡­


    my lord¡­¡±


    Her legs seemed too weak even to walk down the slope of the City Lord Mansion, and after a few steps, she tumbled down, her body covered in cuts.


    She lay dazed on the ground for a moment before lifting her head to see Philone, lifeless.


    ¡°No¡­


    no¡­


    don¡¯t¡­


    Lord Philone¡­¡±


    Nana¡¯s once gentle face was now completely void, as if all of her had been cruelly stripped from within.


    Her low murmurs slowly turned to disbelief until the reality of Philone¡¯s death was fully engraved in her mind, and she realized what had happened.


    ¡°Lord Philone!


    Please, no!


    My¡­


    my¡­


    my Lord Philone!¡±


    Unable to shed tears, she covered her face with her hands, her fingers digging into her skin, blood seeping from beneath her nails.


    Her eyes were wide and staring blankly, as if wishing to cry, but blood was all that streamed beside her eyeballs.


    Rafael watched her somewhat pitifully, yet feeling no sympathy.


    But at her side, Fisher¡¯s expression suddenly changed.


    In that second, all the hairs on his body stood on end as if some great terror had descended upon them.


    He stared in horror at the distant Nana, only to see her bleeding slowly tainted by a blue hue, her soul torn away in an instant, not just hers, but also at her lower abdomen, there was a tiny speck of light.


    This was the onset of Soul Loss.


    Losing her horns, losing Philone, for Nana, it was the greatest blow.


    The intense despair had shaken her soul, which was then taken away.


    Taken¡­


    Fisher¡¯s eyes lifted, only to see in the night sky behind him, something vast and phantom-like had appeared behind Nana.


    It was an eye, like that of a human, a demi-human, and also like the pupil of an animal.


    In that pitch-black pupil, it seemed as though the entire galaxy overflowed, as if millions of souls were flickering.


    But most astonishing was that the upper and lower eyelids of that eyeball were not like a normal eye¡¯s, but resembled the upper and lower lips of a mouth, making the whole structure seem part eyeball, part mouth.


    Nana and her child¡¯s souls were swiftly engulfed in that thing¡¯s eyeball, crossing through a door and quickly submerging into the galaxy within.


    Little by little, blue light also rose from Philone¡¯s body lying behind her and entered into the body of that thing, resembling an eye.


    Fisher¡¯s body suddenly stiffened as, after consuming their souls, that enormous eye didn¡¯t depart but hovered mid-air, facing Fisher on the ground.


    The eye seemed to curl up in mirth or mockery; though curved as if smiling, the shape of the mouth turned down in a sobbing expression.


    The upper and lower lips parted and came together, slowly emitting sounds that seemed like murmurs, yet also like the tolling of a bell,


    ¡°Fisher¡­¡±


    ¡°Well¡­


    done¡­¡±


    ¡°Owed¡­


    one¡­


    time¡­¡±


    ¡°Hee¡­


    hee¡­¡±


    In the next second, that massive entity merged with the bright moonlight like a black hole, becoming darkness and vanishing into the sky, leaving Fisher soaked in cold sweat and rooted to the spot.


    ¡°Fisher!


    Fisher!¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s all right.¡±


    Amid Rafael¡¯s repeated calls, he snapped out of his dazed state and turned to look at her.


    She looked at him with concern, seemingly oblivious to the massive presence that had just been before them.


    She¡­


    couldn¡¯t see it.


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    Nana, in the distance, became like those other soulless demi-humans, a kind of living corpse.


    She struggled to stand, only to collapse weakly.


    But right beside her was the underground plaza where Fisher and Philone had fought, now ablaze with flames.


    She blankly fell into that flame-engulfed underground structure, vanishing entirely from sight.


    Fisher took a deep breath, pressing the vision he had seen to the back of his mind.


    This was not the time for distraction; soldiers were approaching, and they needed to leave the city at once, or else they would be in trouble.


    ¡°Rafael, get Lar and the others.


    We¡¯re leaving now, right away from here.¡±

 Chapter 61 - 61 52

    ?61: 52.


    Revenge 61: 52.


    Revenge Two steeds were neighing as they madly dashed through the city at night, ignoring the numerous citizens who, out of curiosity or amazement, poked their heads out to look towards the Inner City.


    Fisher was leaning against the carriage, calmly watching the distant city gate.


    There, an iron-like barrier had been lowered, blocking their way out of the city.


    Rafael sat next to Fisher, with several partners who had awakened behind them, but having been knocked unconscious by that group of zombie Bull-men earlier, especially Lar who was still feeling dizzy, kept shouting to fight back, only to be subdued by Fasher before he even left the carriage.


    ¡°Rafael, come here, take this.¡±


    Fisher clutched his abdomen, pulling out a Fermat Baha Magic Book from his bosom.


    His cane¡¯s magic had been exhausted, and his own magic power was insufficient to engrave any more magic; he could only rely on Rafael¡¯s magic circuit to engrave a magic spell together to break through the city gate.


    ¡°Fisher, I don¡¯t know how to engrave magic.¡±


    Rafael bit her lip and looked down at Fisher¡¯s body, only to see the spot where he was sitting soaked with his blood, his face pale, yet he still stared at Rafael very seriously without uttering a word.


    ¡°I will teach you how to engrave, just randomly take any book from inside.¡±


    Rafael nodded, went back to the carriage and randomly pulled a thinner book from Fisher¡¯s shelf.


    Fisher didn¡¯t have time to prepare extra magic materials, so he had to continue letting Rafael use his own blood.


    He grabbed Rafael¡¯s slightly trembling claw and pressed it on his wound, then he held her claw, using her sharp claw as a carving knife and the book as the material.


    Rafael saw Fisher¡¯s body, exposed due to his movements, with his suit having several blood-seeping holes, as if feeling empathy, her claws also began to tremble slightly.


    ¡°Concentrate, Rafael.¡±


    Fisher¡¯s voice was still calm, just quieter than before.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    She forced herself not to look at his wounds or feel the pain in her heart, just lowering her head to look at the book.


    ¡°The tricky part of Dragon-man Magic engraving is that during the engraving process, a ¡®collapse¡¯ phenomenon of unstable magic release occurs, which requires continuously pooling magic power to make the entire emblem stable¡­¡±


    Just as he had taught Renie before, under Fisher¡¯s soft guidance, he guided Rafael¡¯s fingers to slowly carve sharp lines on the book.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tense up, let the magic power flow naturally in your body.¡±


    The magic circuit of the Dragon-man Species was much more rugged than that of humans.


    This time, they used Rafael¡¯s magic power for engraving, and the reaction of this emblem was even more intense than his first time; the emblem almost glowed like a bulb, forming quickly, but the book seemed unable to withstand the power of the emblem, starting to heat up.


    Seeing that the book was about to catch fire, Fisher had Rafael quickly throw it towards the city gate.


    Rafael wasted no time, aimed at the gate, and threw the book out.


    The book collapsed into a narrow space mid-air, causing waves that were invisible to the naked eye, and like before, intense heat swept over the tightly closed gate.


    When the flames vanished, the gate had completely disappeared, even the surrounding gate frame was burnt black.


    ¡°Wait, someone is leaving the city!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a carriage!


    Captain, should we stop them?!¡±


    ¡°Stop my ass, didn¡¯t you see that explosion?


    Whoever wants to die, go ahead, something¡¯s up at the City Lord Mansion, anyone brave enough follow me to the city lord¡¯s office¡­¡±


    ¡°Captain, are you suggesting¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Noise came from the city, Fisher, gripping the reins tightly, passed through the smoke into the wilderness outside the city.


    The wilderness at night was both cold and quiet.


    Only after the carriage had rushed far away from Philone City did he look back at Philone City burning in the night, and finally relaxed.


    So much had happened tonight, but at least they were now safe.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Just as this thought emerged, Fisher felt an overwhelming pain and fatigue pressing down on him, his hand holding the reins loosened, and he nearly fell out of the carriage, but Rafael quickly reached out to hold him.


    She hurriedly embraced Fisher, and as she contacted him, her scales laid down to become smooth, so that he wouldn¡¯t be hurt by them when he entered Rafael¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Fish¡­ S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fisher?¡±


    Rafael lowered her head, only to see that he had already closed his eyes, seemingly unconscious, quietly leaning in her arms.


    His face was originally fair, but had grown some stubble during their journey on the South Continent, looking somewhat pale, yet like a defenseless child in his quietness.


    Looking at Fisher asleep, Rafael¡¯s face suddenly flushed red, she just felt that Fisher in this state was adorable, completely opposite to the stern face he put on during the day.


    Hmm¡­


    Even his nose, ears, and mouth were cute¡­


    Rafael held Fisher tightly, her tail swishing behind her, thinking that it would be great if this guy was always as peaceful as when he slept.


    ¡°How is Lord Fisher doing?¡±


    Mier, still worried, opened the carriage door to ask, but just happened to see Rafael playing with Fisher¡¯s black hair while holding him.


    Rafael¡¯s body suddenly stiffened, a bit embarrassed, and instinctively thought about throwing Fisher out, only to realize immediately that they were still in the carriage.


    Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t thrown him out.


    In Mier¡¯s view, she hesitated for a long time and finally, shyly, held Fisher closer.


    ¡°He¡­


    he got hurt.


    Oh, I remember there are white cloth strips for dressing wounds in his room.


    Mier, can you help me find them?¡±


    But Mier didn¡¯t respond, just staring in disbelief at Rafael at the moment.


    ¡°Lo¡­


    Lord Rafael¡­¡±


    ¡°What..¡±


    Rafael paused for a second, looked down at her entirely submissive scales and her swaying tail.


    Mier, a woman with a tail-matching partner, ought to understand Rafael¡¯s current state.


    That night, the sounds from the room were very faint; at the time, Mier and the others thought it might have been Fisher experimenting or the sounds of Nana and Philone.


    But Mier had already suspected something was off between Rafael and Fisher, the children didn¡¯t understand, but the only adult, Mier, could no longer hide it.


    ¡°Mi¡­


    Mier, go get the cloth strips first.


    We¡­


    we¡¯ll talk about this later.¡±


    ¡°Ah, um, okay¡­


    I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    After Mier ran inside the carriage, briefly informing the children of the situation, she hurriedly carried the bandages back out.


    Rafael laid Fisher¡¯s body flat on the ground, then began removing his clothes, turning to see Mier staring at Fisher¡¯s body, feeling somewhat displeased¡­


    No, this is the time to tend to the wounds, don¡¯t think about that!!


    Rafael wrapped Fisher¡¯s body with the bandage, circling around, and after making sure there were no further wounds, she finally relaxed, only to turn and see Mier, her face flushed, still staring at Fisher¡¯s body.


    ¡°Mier!¡±


    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s very strong¡­


    ah, no, not that!


    I mean¡­¡±


    Mier¡¯s eyes spiraled, her hands flailing, avoiding eye contact with a somewhat angry Rafael.


    The wild wind was cold, Rafael, fearing Fisher might catch cold, suppressed her shyness and pulled Fisher back into her arms in front of Mier, letting him feel the warmth of a Dragon-man.


    She awkwardly bent down to sniff Fisher¡¯s breath, ensuring it was stable before she relaxed, her tail loosening as well.


    Mier, looking at the two embracing, voiced her concern,


    ¡°Lord Rafael, he is human, unlike Dragon-men.


    They don¡¯t have tail-matching partners, and although it¡¯s just us now on the South Continent, what about when we go back?


    There will certainly be other human females around him, the ones dressed in pretty clothes, holding little fans.¡±


    Rafael looked down at the only piece of clothing Fisher had given her; it was simple and had gotten dirty from the recent fight.


    Her arms bore beautiful, smooth scales, but humans did not¡­


    ¡°Humans look down on us, even if Fisher is different from other humans.


    But when he goes back to his group, other humans will look down on you, and eventually, it might lead him to look down on you too.¡±


    Rafael just held Fisher, remaining silent for a long while before she calmly spoke,


    ¡°I won¡¯t let him look down on me.


    I am Rafael.


    One day, I will stand proudly before him, and tell all demi-humans and humans, that he is my tail-matching partner.¡±


    Rafael¡¯s expression was calm, a confident aura naturally emanating from her, and seeing Rafael like this, all of Mier¡¯s prior worries and anxieties vanished.


    Yes, she is Lord Rafael.


    I should trust her.


    ¡°I understand.


    I¡¯ll go back and check on Lar and the others first.


    Lar always complains about her head hurting, wanting to eat the bread from Fisher¡¯s room¡­¡±


    Mier pushed open the carriage door and went inside, leaving Rafael and Fisher in front of the carriage.


    She looked down at Fisher in her arms, remembered how he had teased her before, and so, somewhat vengefully, she poked his cheek with her finger, making it dimple slightly; then, drawn by curiosity to his Adam¡¯s apple, she touched there as well, thankfully not pressing down; and later, feeling that stroking his hair was comfortable, she touched his head, rubbing it gently.


    In short, she just couldn¡¯t stop playing with him.


    Wait, what am I doing?!


    Isn¡¯t this just like childish Lar?!


    Rafael¡¯s face flushed, suddenly feeling her behavior was childish, she was after all¡­


    already an adult, a matured Dragon-man!


    She thought hard with a blushing face, glanced at the closed carriage door to make sure no one was around, then she lifted a strand of her own hair and tucked it behind her ear before gently leaning down to kiss Fisher¡¯s cheek.


    Streams of steam trailed off with the carriage, just like Rafael¡¯s shed shyness.


    After all, no one was watching now, touching him a bit more, holding him a bit closer wasn¡¯t so bad.


    It was like a retaliation for the times he teased her before.

 Chapter 62 - 62 53

    ?62: 53.


    Interlude 62: 53.


    Interlude When Fisher struggled to open his eyes, the first thing he saw was the familiar ceiling of his carriage room.


    He stared blankly at the ceiling for a long time before finally turning his head to look beside him, only to find that there was no one next to him¡ªjust him sleeping alone in the bed.


    He sat up, only to discover that his body was severely sore.


    Looking down, he realized that his body was completely wrapped in bandages, but whoever had applied the bandages must have been a fool¡ªthey were as thin and loose as if he had been wrapped like a mummy.


    Nevertheless, they had at least managed to stop some of Fisher¡¯s bleeding so that he wouldn¡¯t bleed to death.


    Moreover, his enhanced constitution allowed his body to heal quickly; just over one night, most of his wounds had scabbed over.


    He seemed to have that miraculous healing ability of Dragon-man Species.


    ¡°Fisher, you¡¯re awake!¡±


    Just as Fisher was inspecting himself, the door to his room was pushed open, and Rafael stood in the doorway, looking at him with some joy.


    Just as he was about to speak, a loud voice came from behind Rafael.


    ¡°What, Fisher is awake?


    Let me see!¡±


    ¡°Lar!¡±


    The petite Lar wriggled out from beneath Rafael, ignoring Rafael¡¯s about-to-get-angry gaze.


    She happily ran to Fisher¡¯s bedside,


    ¡°Fisher, you¡¯re awake!


    Last night, Lord Rafael said your bed was too small and feared it might press on your wounds, but Lar thinks it¡¯s not small; I can lie down if I tuck in my tail.¡±


    Rafael¡¯s face flushed.


    She had intended to rest together with Fisher last night, but the bed in his room was a single bed.


    Although they could still sleep in it, given Fisher¡¯s current injuries, she had decided not to.


    Unexpectedly, Lar spilled the beans all at once.


    ¡°Lar, I told you to go wash yourself in the river outside, but you wouldn¡¯t budge, would you?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t!


    Lord Rafael!


    I don¡¯t want to go wash now, Kexier Fashi¡¯er and the others will definitely splash water on me, I promise!¡±


    Watching the quarrelsome Lar, Fisher smiled, but after a whole night of battle and having slept until noon, he suddenly felt very hungry.


    Remembering that he had kept some bread he bought in Philone City beside his bedside cabinet, he reached out to grab it, only to grasp at air.


    Huh?


    Where¡¯s my bread?


    Before Fisher could speak, Lar, caught by Rafael, buried her face in Rafael¡¯s chest and didn¡¯t move, her muffled voice coming from within,


    ¡°Ah, Lar so wants to take a bath, why not go now?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    No sooner said than done, Lar covered her ears and ran out the door again, disappearing inside the carriage.


    Thus, Fisher¡¯s room was left with only Rafael and himself.


    Rafael glanced at Fisher, who was half-naked, and said, as if remembering something,


    ¡°Your clothes are ruined, I took them off and placed them over there, but I guess they¡¯re unwearable now, everything else is here.¡±


    Beside the bed there were his wallet, a pack of Nali cigarettes, and matches, but his two manuals were not among them.


    Fisher nodded, rubbed his body and then said to Rafael,


    ¡°You go ahead, I¡¯ll come out after I change my clothes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Once Rafael closed the door, Fisher, rubbing his sore body, rose from the bed and looked at his suit jacket hanging on the rack, full of holes.


    Reaching into his inner pockets, he felt for the two Completion Manuals.


    Oddly enough, even though they were placed together yesterday, when he felt for them now, one was on the left side and the other on the right.


    He hadn¡¯t moved them, and since no one else could see them, could it be that these two objects could move on their own?


    Fisher took out the two manuals, then went to the next cabin to change into a new suit¡ªhis last custom-made suit.


    He hadn¡¯t anticipated that coming to the South Continent would find his money burning quicker than his clothes, either getting dirty or torn from battles.


    If he had known it would be this troublesome, he would not have worn a suit.


    Contemplating for a while, Fisher arranged his suit jacket and decided to just wear a plain white shirt.


    Feeling quite hungry, it was only when Fisher stepped out of the carriage that he realized they were now stationed at the edge of a forest by a small creek.


    Kexier Fashi¡¯er and the others had almost finished washing and, holding towels from the dressing room, were drying their hair, while Mier was nearby, using leaves to start a fire to roast meat.


    ¡°Lord Fisher, you¡¯re awake, come have some breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­where are we now?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Lord Rafael has been driving northward, we should still be on track,¡±


    Mier handed a piece of unidentifiable meat to Fisher, then continued,


    ¡°No one is chasing us from behind, but last night we heard the sound of human artillery fire in the distance, so Lord Rafael didn¡¯t move forward.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Fisher looked towards the distant forest.


    According to Philone, this area should be where people from the Schwali City Lord Alliance were about to go to war with the local tribes because of the mines.


    Fisher decided to recuperate here for a day, waiting for his injuries to improve a bit further before continuing forward, to avoid any accidents.


    ¡°Fisher, come and see, Lar has learned to swim!¡±


    Lar¡¯s loud shouts came from the shallow creek.


    Beside her, Mier¡¯s face flushed, and he stood up to scold,


    ¡°Lar!


    You¡¯re not wearing any clothes, I told you not to swim over here!¡±


    ¡°But I wanted Fisher to help me clean my scales¡­¡±


    Wipe¡­


    scales?


    Such a thing¡­


    Only a tail-matching partner can do that!!


    Mier blushed and didn¡¯t say a word, but it was Rafael beside the stream who got goosebumps and told Lar to quickly swim back and wash.


    Fisher didn¡¯t look at him, just kept chewing on his meat.


    ¡°Sorry, Lord Fisher, Lar was just being too mischievous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    After breakfast, the previously lively and mischievous Lar became listless, wrapping himself in a bath towel and shivering, unable to even open his eyes.


    They had stopped around dawn the previous day and had barely slept.


    Mier and Rafael were fine, but Lar, the youngest, really couldn¡¯t hold on any longer.


    After Mier had dried her hair, she was ready to take a nap with them, while Fisher went outside the carriage to get some air.


    The forest during the day was unexpectedly quiet.


    It seemed that the battlefield between humans and goblins was some distance away, so it didn¡¯t disturb the peace here.


    Taking advantage of this resting time, Fisher¡¯s mind surged with details of everything that had happened before, like the Soul Completion Manual Philone had given him, and that terrifying creature that took their souls at the end.


    When Philone handed him the Soul Completion Manual, he mentioned that it was for him to handle this technology himself.


    Was this technology about extracting and using souls?


    It seemed that he had to study the Soul Completion Manual now.


    Fisher tried to pull the Soul Completion Manual out from his chest, but in the place where he usually kept the manual, he only felt the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    He reached with his other hand and finally found the soul manual jammed in the right pocket¡¯s corner.


    Just as he was puzzled, a sound of footsteps came from beside him, and he turned to see Rafael standing beside him.


    She appeared to want to wash as well, wrapping only a simple towel around her body, her eyes avoiding his, her face flushed.


    Fortunately, her tail didn¡¯t move, otherwise that simple towel might not have held her beautiful body.


    ¡°I¡­


    I also want to take a bath.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Fisher glanced at her inadvertently revealed fair skin, which tempts like apples and cream.


    His gaze darkened for a second, but he still got up to leave, his body was full of wounds and it wouldn¡¯t be good to add more right now.


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll go back first.¡±


    However, as he passed by her, she grabbed his sleeve.


    He turned his head, but only saw her profile,


    ¡°Wait¡­


    wait a moment, help me, help me wipe my scales, I can¡¯t reach my tail and back.¡±


    ¡°¡­


    Okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The creek wasn¡¯t deep; even when Rafael kneeled in it, it only reached below her chest.


    She didn¡¯t fully open her towel, only exposing her back and the scales on her tail.


    ¡°How should I do it?¡±


    Her smooth and dense scales were perfectly shaped and finely laid on her fair back, her tail also lifted above the water surface, naughtily shaking from time to time, making Fisher always look through the water to see the towel that floated underneath.


    ¡°Use water¡­


    help me wipe¡­¡±


    Fisher scooped water with his hand and began to gently wet and clean her scales.


    Dragon-man Species¡¯ scales were hot, feeling like a small warm furnace to the touch, where his large hand passed, the scales subtly trembled but never stood up.


    Cool spring water rose like steam from a hot spring, enveloping them.


    In that moment, Rafael turned her slightly blushed face back and saw Fisher intently cleaning her scales.


    ¡°Fisher¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He responded expressionlessly, his hands wiping her usually restless tail, which now obediently trembled comfortably from time to time, without splashing any water.


    Rafael didn¡¯t speak, but reached out to grab the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer, then kissed him on the lips, softening Fisher¡¯s expression slightly.


    The kiss lasted for a moment before Rafael, breathing like she was out of breath, let him go, then turned her head to cling to her towel, not letting Fisher see her expression.


    ¡°Thank you¡­


    for helping me wipe my scales¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°After this, you can only help me wipe my scales¡­¡±


    Her last sentence was quiet, but in the quiet forest, Fisher heard it clearly.


    Perhaps Lar mentioning getting help with her scales earlier had reminded Rafael of this, prompting her to speak up now.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Hearing Fisher¡¯s affirmative reply, her slightly moist tail slowly wrapped around his trousers, not ready to let go just yet.


    The mist thickened, and the creek murmured on.


    S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 63 - 63 54

    ?63: 54.


    Soul Completion Manual 63: 54.


    Soul Completion Manual After the steamy cleaning session had ended, Fisher took the opportunity to return to his own room to study the somewhat strange Soul Completion Manual.


    Shutting the door, he first took out the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual and placed it on the desk, flipping to the classification of the Dragon-man Species.


    Gold magic-like handwriting instantly became alive on the page, frenetically leaping about, recording a lot of what Fisher had learned about the Dragon-man Species recently.


    Without the need for him to write, it seemed that merely by conceptualizing in his mind, the manual would automatically record the information.


    [Dragon-man Species Research Progress: 57%]


    [Dragon-man species society Research Progress: 42%]


    [Unlocked Rewards: Constitution +4, Reproductive Ability +4 (Your genetic material is now more active), Dragon Court Relic Clue]


    The biological research progress had increased substantially after the physiological classes with Rafael, hmm.


    Among Fisher¡¯s exasperated expressions, a leather scroll engraved with Dragon-man text materialized out of thin air on his desk.


    The scroll appeared to be a map, written in the ancient Dragon Court Language, saying, ¡°The gate will only open when all Seals are complete.¡±


    He glanced casually at the map¡¯s location.


    It was drawn in great detail, but Fisher, who was not very familiar with the geology and topography of the South Continent, had no idea about the specific direction.


    However, since it was a relic from the Dragon Court, it should be located on the South Shore of the South Continent, whereas they were currently on the completely opposite North Shore. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having hesitated for a long while, Fisher seemed to think of something and first placed the scroll on the desk.


    Having collected the reward, Fisher temporarily put aside the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual and opened the Soul Completion Manual given to him by Philone.


    The manual¡¯s surface was vastly different from his own, not only was the color dark and simple, but it also lacked any decoration, with only the name printed on the cover indicating that they were of the same kind of item.


    Upon opening the title page, there was no Doomsday Prophecy engraved like in the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual.


    The moment Fisher opened it, the phantom text instantly changed into Nali¡¯s language, reading,


    [A small gift left to this world by a traveler who can¡¯t leave it.]


    And then, beneath that introductory text, on the bottom right of the title page, there was a line of particularly small text, which was extraordinarily special, being the only handwritten text.


    Even though Fisher did not recognize those strange characters, he could understand their meaning.


    [Contributor: Caleb Woods.]


    Fisher furrowed his brows, as the meaning of that text endlessly flashed through his mind.


    Firstly, the manual¡¯s author referred to themselves as a traveler who could not leave this world, which also indicated that the author of the manual was not from this world, but an outsider who was unable to leave for some reason.


    By extension, could it be that all Completion Manuals were left by individuals not from this world?


    This might also explain why they were all so mystical?


    With such a question in mind, Fisher continued to flip through the manual.


    Unlike his own blank Demi-human Girls Completion Manual, this book was densely filled by the author, resembling more the scholarly books that Fisher frequently read rather than a magical artifact.


    The first chapter was: What is the nature of the soul?


    The author seemed to be encountering the concept of the soul for the first time, and expressed their records of researching the world¡¯s souls in a semi-biographical and semi-research record manner.


    But among the content, there were bits that intrigued Fisher.


    For instance, the author was quite unfamiliar with demi-humans and magic, even feeling fear upon their first encounter with a demi-human.


    Could this mean that such entities, including souls, did not exist in the author¡¯s original world?


    He said it was the first time he witnessed prosperity in another world, the immense Dragon Court in the south rising like the Sun, using its vast wings to shield the safety of the entire continent.


    Many strangely looking demi-humans were filled with wisdom and exchanged much knowledge about souls with him.


    Ultimately, he concluded: The soul is a material entity that influences and accomplishments the body mutually; it is the source of magic, the source of spirit, drawn by some kind of rule independent of the world.


    The souls of the deceased will be ¡°reset¡± until newly born life quietly receives them by some majestic power and fuses with a new body.


    Caleb emphasized multiple times that the soul and body were always unified, and that any views studying them separately were foolish, including the Ancient Dragon Court scholars¡¯ debates on whether the body or soul came first.


    Fisher, thirsty for knowledge, soon became immersed in Caleb¡¯s records and quickly noticed some issues.


    Firstly, the time Caleb was active in this world was very ancient compared to the current day.


    Secondly, the Ancient Dragon Court spoken of in Dragon-man legends did exist; he had close exchanges with the Ancient Dragon People within the Dragon Court.


    According to Caleb¡¯s description, the Dragon Court was a very friendly and open realm where numerous demi-humans lived under their jurisdiction, worshipping a dragon-shaped God named Fermat Baha.


    However, Caleb¡¯s analysis suggested that this was just a belief existing since their ancient primitive times.


    Upon confirming the unification of soul and body, Caleb began to discuss independently the properties of the soul, but Fisher soon realized that many of his discussions were based on the soul being verifiably tangible.


    Yet, Caleb did not mention by what means this was achieved.


    Did the ancient demi-people have a method to touch the soul so in that era, Caleb assumed that the readers knew of this method?


    But for some reason, the method had become lost?


    Fisher¡¯s fingers tapped on the desk, then suddenly he thought of something.


    The realm where Caleb lived was the Dragon Court!


    The realm of the Dragon-man species!


    Dragon horns were the outward traits formed by the Magic Circuit, which, in some sense, meant protruding souls!


    He did not need to extract souls; he just needed to study the traits of Dragon-man horns to infer the properties of souls!


    So all experiments needed only to be conducted on the horns of adult Dragon-man Species, touching them would thus be very simple; a Dragon-man¡¯s horn could touch another horn, and other magic-covered objects could also make contact, just like when Fisher had earlier touched her dragon horn with his Handcane.


    Did that mean last time he had accidentally poked at Mier¡¯s soul with his Handcane?


    No wonder her reaction was so severe¡­


    The content of Chapter One was quickly read through, briefly introducing the author¡¯s background and basic views on the soul¡ªmore of an introduction.


    When he wanted to read more, he found that the text ahead was all blurry, only slowly becoming legible for reading as his eyes focused on it.


    But then he discovered his entire Magic Circuit light up, reading the text was consuming his magic power, and the amount was substantially large!


    In the first line of Chapter Two, the author named Caleb wrote,


    ¡°The first property of the soul is [Self-Regeneration].


    It would be such a pity if you could only obtain a little information about my research from this Completion Manual, so I encrypted the text which requires the use of soul power to unlock.


    This process will bring pain, which is proof your soul power is being drained by this Completion Manual.¡±


    ¡°It will cause a massive burden on your soul, and you may need a long time to let the soul repair itself.


    But once it¡¯s repaired, your soul will become stronger.


    This is the principle behind Mages continually engraving magic to increase their magic strength, and it is also the proof of the first property of the soul: [Self-Regeneration].¡±


    Having just read two lines, Fisher felt as if he had suddenly inscribed a Six-Ring Magic spell, his vision becoming somewhat blurry, so he had to close his eyes and digest the information from Chapter One.


    It seemed he would have to study this book slowly.


    Fisher looked down at his body¡¯s Magic Circuit, seeing those lit up branches slowly reigniting; this was far faster than the speed of his initial magic engraving recovery, which corresponded perfectly with Caleb¡¯s theory.


    However, the intensity of Caleb¡¯s Soul Completion Manual¡¯s training was beyond Fisher¡¯s imagination: inscribing a Six-Ring Magic spell would take a long time, but this manual could achieve the same training effect instantly¡ªits miraculous nature was evident.


    It was a wonder how it was done.


    Fisher massaged his temples.


    Although he felt somewhat unsatisfied, he had no choice but to stop for now, planning to continue reading after a full recovery.


    Plus, being on the dangerous South Continent, it was very risky to deplete the Magic Circuit casually.


    He also needed to inscribe other spells to deal with danger, so he would probably wait until secure circumstances, like returning to Nali, before resuming his reading.


    But at this moment, Fisher suddenly thought of something¡ªif Caleb left his own mark on the Completion Manual, then what about his own ¡°Demi-human Girls Completion Manual¡±?


    Did it also have a mark from the author or its previous owner?


    He picked up the nearby Demi-human Girls Completion Manual, flipped to the title page, but saw no author¡¯s record beneath the Doomsday Prophecy¡­


    Not there?


    Or was every Completion Manual different.


    Fisher subconsciously stroked the same spot and felt like he touched a mechanism in the moment of contact; that spot burst out with a bit of active golden glow.


    Then, a line of text appeared before his eyes in a font Fisher didn¡¯t recognize, but seemingly hand-written.


    [Congratulations, you¡¯ve discovered an Easter egg!]


    The ethereal text floated up, and at the bottom of that page, the golden text was shaped like blocks, different from Caleb¡¯s own handwriting, but all Completion Manuals shared a nature that allowed Fisher to understand it.


    It read,


    [Contributor: First of all, I¡¯m not a Demi-human girl control]

 Chapter 64 - 64 55

    ?64: 55.


    Battlefield Situation 64: 55.


    Battlefield Situation Mr.


    Fisher looked down at the manual¡¯s inscribed name for a long while, besides learning the author¡¯s ¡°code name¡± of the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual, that was all there was.


    The only thing he could be sure of now was that there was more than one Completion Manual and the person who created them was definitely not from this world; he might later find more information in Caleb¡¯s Soul Completion Manual, but this required Mr.


    Fisher to possess strong soul energy.


    After all, other people could not see these manuals, and it wouldn¡¯t be possible to ask Renie for help.


    The words Philone left for Mr.


    Fisher before his death were also very interesting.


    As he was dying, he handed over the manual; back then, Mr.


    Fisher was not the owner of the Soul Completion Manual, yet he saw the manual itself and was also cautioned not to tear them up, or else they would be reborn in another place.


    These magical artifacts were full of secrets, much like the murals carved into stone walls, replete with legends.


    Fermat Baha Dragon Court, huh¡­


    Just how far back in history was that?


    A few hundred years?


    A few thousand years?


    Mr.


    Fisher closed both Completion Manuals, this time he didn¡¯t put them together, placing one on the left and the other on the right to prevent the rejection that had occurred previously.


    He pressed down the unthoroughly researched issues for now.


    He had already gained a lot today and did not plan to continue. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned his head, stood up, and examined the map.


    After leaving Philone City, he was not far from his final destination, Krit Port; with the carriage moving fast, it would take two to three days to arrive.


    Mr.


    Fisher stepped out of the carriage, not realizing he had sat inside for several hours.


    His body, covered in injuries, began to ache again, so he went out to get some fresh air.


    The few dragon-men were sleeping, and the sun outside was gradually setting, turning the clouds the orange hue of tangerines.


    Seeing that they showed no signs of waking up, Mr.


    Fisher decided to take some food replenished in Philone City out from the carriage to prepare for dinner.


    Those supplies were locked in the fourth room, so they weren¡¯t used this morning.


    They had instead casually hunted and roasted game to eat.


    In the fourth room, besides supplies, there were also some weapons, like muskets and saw-edged knives.


    He took out the purchased meat, as well as firewood and a pot, preparing to make a standard Saint Nali dish for dinner.


    It wasn¡¯t for the dragon-men, though; it was for himself.


    The dragon-men were satisfied with just meat; even though he had followed their diet, he still needed some vegetables and fruits.


    After setting up the fire for dinner, Rafael just changed her clothes and came out, only able to put on the hemp garments, as the dress Mr.


    Fisher gave her was previously dirtied.


    She had just finished cleaning up and washed the dress again, which would soon be ready to reuse because dragon-man bodies generate heat¡ªcovering the still sleeping Lar with the dress would dry it quickly.


    Who could blame Lar for sleeping so soundly?


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Rafael glanced at the vegetable soup Mr.


    Fisher was simmering in front of him and frowned subconsciously, seemingly sensing the aroma of vegetables in the air.


    ¡°I¡¯m boiling soup to drink, vegetables can provide some nutrients essential to humans, although I don¡¯t know if dragon-men need them.¡± Mr.


    Fisher continued to simmer the soup and suddenly asked Rafael, as if something crossed his mind, ¡°By the way, how is your Nali Language study going?¡±


    Rafael sat down beside the fire, hugging her knees, cleared her throat, and began to speak,


    ¡°Respected Mr.


    Fisher, may I have the honor of inviting you to dance?


    Your exquisite figure reminds me of the lotus flowers in the pond under the moonlight, so graceful, so beautiful¡­¡±


    Mr.


    Fisher glanced at the proud Rafael beside him, then stirred the soup in the pot,


    ¡°Pronunciation six out of ten, vocabulary nine out of ten, grammar eight out of ten, common sense zero.¡±


    ¡°Huh?


    Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the phrase a man would use to invite a woman to dance, you¡¯re female, you¡¯ve got it backward.¡±


    ¡°Who knows why you humans like to dance?


    We prefer to call someone down to duel at our feasts.¡±


    ¡°Customs, just show some respect.¡±


    Although he was harsh with his words, he was still astonished by Rafael¡¯s incredible ability to learn.


    To grasp a language in just a little over a month was indeed admirable.


    ¡°Keep it up, you¡¯re learning very fast.¡±


    ¡°I can understand your writing now, but some pronunciations are strange and I still can¡¯t quite speak them¡­¡±


    The corners of Fisher¡¯s mouth curved up slightly, clearly understanding her desire to prove herself.


    But just as he was about to speak, he seemed to realize something, and Rafael, too, looked in the same direction as him.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡±


    The direction was quiet, with only the rustling of some grass.


    Rafael stood up and leaped towards it, and as she dived into the bushes, cries of distress followed.


    Within a few seconds, Rafael emerged, holding a boy covered in fluffy hair, with a pair of spiraled horns on his head.


    Her expression was odd as she said to Fisher,


    ¡°It¡¯s a sheep-man child¡­¡±


    The child felt frightened as he dangled in the air, his gaze quickly falling upon Fisher, who was seated by the fire, and the pot of stew that was simmering, emitting a delightful aroma.


    His throat moved, but fear soon made him lower his head again.


    Rafael set him down on the ground, and he immediately prostrated before Fisher, stuttering timidly,


    ¡°So¡­sorry¡­Please¡­spare my life¡­¡±


    The language was obviously awkward for the sheep-man child, with inaccurate pronunciation.


    Rafael couldn¡¯t understand what he was saying, but Fisher took his gaze away as if he understood and explained to her,


    ¡°He¡¯s speaking the Schwali language.


    He must be one of the demi-humans who fled during the wars initiated by the lords of Schwali¡­¡±


    Observing the spirited eyes of the sheep-man child, Fisher suddenly recalled an interesting fact.


    Many male nobles in Schwali had a fondness for young boys.


    It was said that many nobles liked to keep boys in their homes, and over the years of expansion on the South Continent, slave traders found that the sheep-man boys looked quite animated and attractive after being shorn of their wool, and thus many were sold into Schwali.


    Indeed, those traders had struck gold.


    Soon, sheep-man boys had become the latest trend among the nobles there, with every male Schwali noble keeping them, sometimes even gathering for parties and such.


    All humans from the Western Continent looked down upon the demi-humans, seeing them as livestock.


    Not a single female demi-human would appear in a women¡¯s institute, and more often than not, they were used as servants.


    However, the Schwali nobles, by their own efforts, had managed to break this prejudice; whether to admire or¡­


    Fisher refrained from making a judgment, only adding one more bowl of stew to his own and turning to speak to the child in Schwali,


    ¡°Where are you from?


    Do you have anyone with you?¡±


    The boy just stared blankly at Fisher, afraid to move, his hooves quivering behind him as if he was terrified.


    It seemed he had only learned a word or two of the human language in his desperation to survive.


    Fisher scooped another bowl of stew and set it before the boy, who was initially very wary.


    But hunger would not allow him to wait any longer.


    He glanced at Fisher and then greedily embraced the bowl, guzzling the soup even as it burned his mouth, careful not to waste a single drop.


    ¡°The demi-humans¡¯ war has been lost.


    Now, it appears that many of them might be migrating this way.


    Let¡¯s leave this place first thing tomorrow morning and continue heading north.¡±


    Rafael watched the sheep-man child chewing on the vegetable leaves, then looked up towards the far-away setting sun.


    A flock of birds, startled, took flight to distance themselves from something that had happened at the heart of the battlefield.

 Chapter 65 - 65 56

    ?65: 56.


    Answer 65: 56.


    Answer As Fisher was stewing the vegetable soup and pondering what to do with the little lamb in front of her, the bushes where she and Lord Raphael had found the sheep-man¡¯s kind rustled once more.


    Not long after, a sheep-man female covered in fluffy white fur emerged.


    Her panicked gaze first landed on Fisher, before shifting to the child who was eagerly eating from the bowl.


    ¡°Child!¡±


    She cried out in alarm, rushing to the side of the sheep-man child sprawled on the ground and hugged him tight.


    Her fluffy fur covered much of her body, leaving only her dirt-covered face exposed where there was no fur.


    Clearly, she too had not eaten in a long time, her clothing barely covering her body, a strong scent of milk emanating from her.


    After she had confirmed the child¡¯s safety, her eyes fleetingly glanced at the bowl in the child¡¯s hands, her throat involuntarily gulping.


    Fisher¡¯s gaze lingered on the trembling sheep-man on the ground, and as she turned to look at Lord Raphael, her brows furrowed.


    Before Fisher could speak, she leaped up from where she was and ran back into the jungle.


    The sight of Lord Raphael moving caused the mother and child to panic.


    Their bodies began to quiver uncontrollably, with the sheep-man mother clutching the boy close, seemingly thinking that Fisher had discovered something and was about to harm them.


    However, Fisher simply continued to ladle out soup, absorbed in tasting its flavor.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    ¡°Ah!


    Please don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Buzz!¡±


    Not long after Lord Raphael had departed, the distant forest erupted with several roars and the sound of gunfire, with several trees toppling in succession, startling birds into flight.


    Then, silence fell over the area. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eventually, Lord Raphael slowly returned from the direction the mother and child had come, her expression somewhat cold as she dragged several muskets, her burlap clothes stained with blood.


    She let out a long, steamy breath and tossed the firearms to the ground.


    ¡°Who were they?¡±


    Watching Lord Raphael settle back by her side, Fisher scooped her a bowl of soup, but she sniffed it with wrinkled nose and appeared unimpressed.


    She looked at the blood-stained muskets with a complex expression in her eyes, took a sip, and said,


    ¡°It was sheep-men, I¡¯ve dealt with them all¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve improved quickly, not acting impulsively this time, and your observational skills have progressed.


    How did you find them?¡±


    Lord Raphael directed her gaze towards the shivering pair, scanning their emaciated bodies from hunger,


    ¡°Even if they¡¯re fleeing, sheep-man kind wouldn¡¯t normally be this starved.


    They could scavenge for grass even in the forest to satiate themselves; they shouldn¡¯t be in such a state under normal circumstances¡­


    There¡¯s only one situation: they¡¯ve been imprisoned, forced into starvation.¡±


    Lord Raphael then turned to look at the pale-faced sheep-man mother,


    ¡°That sheep-man has a scent of mating with others; humans generally don¡¯t violate female demi-humans, but she shows signs of such assault.


    This can only mean that it must be a demi-human coercing them, most likely someone of their own kind.


    It¡¯s probable that front-line demi-humans suffered a defeat, and some within their tribes took the opportunity to loot the women, children, and wealth.¡±


    ¡°They must have intended to rob their kin or others passing by, thus sending this mother and child to lower their guard.¡±


    As Lord Raphael considered this, her expression became sorrowful, and for a moment, she didn¡¯t know what to say.


    This was the plight of the demi-humans, oppressed not only by humans but also by short-sighted ones among their kind who failed to see the big picture, continuing to bully the weak for their selfish gains¡­.


    She had spoken at length, yet Fisher had not responded.


    She turned to look at him, only to find his usually stern face softened with a rare, gentle smile.


    Under his unexpectedly tender gaze, Lord Raphael¡¯s cheeks flushed red, and she instinctively averted her eyes.


    ¡°Your analysis is impeccable, full marks for you this time.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Rafael¡¯s tail swished once, and he even took several more sips of the unpalatable vegetable soup in the bowl, as if it had suddenly become sweet.


    ¡°Fisher!


    I heard a gunshot, did you catch some game?


    Lar wants to eat meat, oh, it¡¯s sheep¡­¡±


    Rubbing her eyes, Lar ran out from the carriage door and saw the situation outside.


    She was still not fully awake, wobbling as she walked towards Fisher¡¯s embrace, only to be intercepted halfway by Rafael, who confined her in his arms.


    ¡°Lar, come and drink some soup.¡±


    ¡°Wuu¡­


    what is this, no, Lar hates green food the most!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good for your health.¡±


    Rafael, like a Demon, force-fed the groggy Lar several mouthfuls of soup until he was sure she swallowed it, then let her go.


    Lar immediately ran to the river with a crestfallen face to rinse her mouth with the stream water, as though something unclean had entered her mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Sister Mier!


    Lord Raphael bullied me and even covered me with worn clothes!


    Lar is angry!


    Wuu wuu wuu¡­¡±


    Watching Lar run screaming back into the carriage, Rafael stood with his arms folded, indifferent.


    As a joke, in the tribe, not even her parents could handle her, let alone a little Lar.


    Seeing that Fisher hadn¡¯t spoken up, Rafael scooped up some of the vegetable soup and let the mother and son drink first before indicating a direction for them to hurry off without intending to take them along.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡±


    Suddenly realizing that Rafael was actually going to let them go, the Sheep-man mother couldn¡¯t help but hug her child and burst into tears.


    Comforted by the child in her arms, she took the shotgun that Rafael had given them and walked south.


    As nightfall approached, Rafael sat on the tallest tree watching the mother and child get further and further away, only withdrawing his gaze when they entered the wilderness.


    With his excellent vision, he saw that in that direction there seemed to be a tribe of Sheep-men migrating south, and it was probably a good time for the mother and child to set off and meet up with them.


    That was all he could do for now.


    They were close to the North Shore, and sometimes Rafael could hear the sound of seawater slapping against the coast, see the seagulls spreading their wings, leaping freely in the Sky, and at night, could hear the roars coming from the sea like that of massive prehistoric monsters.


    During dinner, Fisher mentioned that it was the sound of whistles from Human-made ships.


    Therefore, in Rafael¡¯s mind, those ships turned into huge creatures that let out great roars, their bodies filled with Humans, carrying them in their mouths across the Ocean.


    He just didn¡¯t know what those creatures ate to grow so large, to be able to carry so many people, to make such loud noises¡ªthey must eat a lot of meat.


    The sound of the steam whistle grew distant, once again rendering the wilderness of the South Continent silent, only reminding Rafael that they were about to reach the destination Fisher spoke of.


    Thinking about it, a peculiar sense of curiosity mixed with anxiety always surged through Rafael¡¯s heart.


    He really wanted to know about Fisher¡¯s home, to learn about his past and family, and to live with him.


    Yet, reason told her that such desires were indeed ridiculous, at least at the present.


    Fisher lived on the Other Continent filled with Humans, just as Mier had said, where Humans looked down on demi-humans everywhere.


    Even if Fisher was different, she could not accept that¡­


    Rafael had things that had to be done, just as she had seen on this journey.


    She wanted to bring her partners back to their homeland, to reunite them with their families; she wished to save those demi-humans who were continuously losing their lives, to allow them to return home; she aspired to obtain an equal status to Fisher¡¯s so that she could stand by his side without ridicule.


    And these¡ªshe couldn¡¯t get by going back to his homelands with Fisher¡­


    Rafael lowered her head towards the distant horizon, her green eyes occasionally filled with confusion, but eventually replaced by determination.


    She had already found the answer she was looking for.

 Chapter 66 - 66 57

    ?66: 57.


    Dessert 66: 57.


    Dessert The night had deepened, and Fisher watched as the Magic Emblem carved into the campfire began to wobble and the flames flickered dimly.


    Usual Magic Emblems would dissipate after a single use, but to reuse them multiple times, one must engrave an additional ¡°Continuous Cycle¡± on the circle.


    This was an advanced magic technique, allowing the Magic Emblem to be used continuously before the existence of the Continuous Cycle partition.


    He had added about three cycles to the campfire, and now the last cycle was also about to dissipate, but thereafter, there probably wouldn¡¯t be any need to use it anymore.


    Once he arrived at Krit Port, he could go directly back to Saint Nali, the most flourishing city recognized on the Western Continent and also Fisher¡¯s hometown.


    ¡°Lord Fisher, is this set right?¡±


    At that moment, above the campfire, Mier was boiling a pot of natural tree sap drink.


    That evening, Fisher had discovered a honey candy tree secreting high-sugar sap, which he often saw merchants selling as a natural drink in his childhood.


    Mier was using Human kitchen utensils for the first time.


    She was very fond of the various iron spoons and spatulas.


    According to her, most of the iron tools in her tribe were weapons, rarely used as kitchenware.


    ¡°Hmm, the color looks about right; you should take it to Lar and the others to try.¡±


    ¡°Okay, won¡¯t you have some, Lord Fisher?¡±


    ¡°No need, I have an alternative.¡±


    Fisher raised the iron liquor flask he held in his hand, which he had also bought in Philone City.


    The city was bustling, even selling rum from the Western Continent, allowing Fisher to taste it on his journey.


    Nali gentlemen had their own preferences; cigarettes, fine spirits, and ladies were all greatly cherished by them.


    The Western Continent was famed for its seven major distilleries, four of which were in Nali, showing their fondness for such indulgences.


    When Mier walked over with the pot of tree sap to find Lar and the others who were playing in the water, Lord Raphael slowly descended from the treetops and came over to Fisher¡¯s side.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see any other people approaching from this direction, and it seems there are no gunshots or cannon fire in the distance anymore, probably it¡¯s all over now.¡±


    Fisher and Lord Raphael both knew very well the outcome of this war and Fisher just nodded to indicate he understood.


    ¡°You¡¯re of age now; want to try a bit of the drink brewed by humans?¡±


    ¡°Even if not of age, the dragon-man species can consume alcohol; for us, it¡¯s just an ordinary drink.¡±


    Lord Raphael leaned closer to Fisher, sniffed the liquid in the flask, and then jokingly remarked with no change in expression,


    ¡°Your type of beverage would probably be considered water among the dragon-man species.


    If there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯ll let you taste our Flames liquor.


    I used to breathe fire the moment I drank it and we¡¯d often see who could produce taller flames.¡±


    Still, she took the cup of liquor from Fisher¡¯s hand and guzzled down half of it like she was drinking water, showing no reaction whatsoever.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you quite a bit about my tribe; now tell me about your life.


    I¡¯m quite interested¡­¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re curious about me?¡±


    Fisher took the flask handed back to him, asking with an unchanged expression.


    ¡°Hmph, to avoid being called arrogant by someone again.¡±


    Fisher pondered for a second, then switched to speaking Nali Language, as some terms were complicated to explain in Dragon Language, and at Lord Raphael¡¯s current level of Nali, slowing down the speech should make it understandable.


    ¡°I was an orphan since childhood, grew up in Saint Nali¡¯s orphanage¡­an orphanage is basically a place that houses many children who have lost their parents.


    Then I studied in the Church School for a few years, the Church is¡­¡±


    As he spoke, Fisher gradually introduced her to some unfamiliar Human society terms.


    She had seen them before but didn¡¯t know that these represented the Human Church, and being raised solely by parents, the dragon-man species wouldn¡¯t know what schools were.


    Fisher patiently taught her little by little.


    ¡°Who is Renie?¡±


    Lord Raphael asked casually, seemingly recalling the time they were attacked and kidnapped by demi-humans in a cave, when the bird that flew from the sky had mentioned bringing a message to Renie; even if Lord Raphael was oblivious, she knew it was a female¡¯s name.


    Fisher opened his mouth but was momentarily at a loss for words; this strange behavior turned Lord Raphael¡¯s casual question into a pointed one, her blue gaze intensifying on the man beside her.


    Unaware of the now somewhat dangerous gaze beside him, Fisher was just unsure how to appraise Renie.


    ¡°A witch, a unique demi-human species of the Western Continent; I taught her Magic Theory for a while.


    Many of the magics on my handcane were completed with her help.


    She¡¯s a woman of unpleasant temperament, taking pleasure in teasing others, but I have to admit, her magical talent is exceptionally remarkable even among witches.¡±


    Lord Raphael stared at Fisher¡¯s profile for a long moment before withdrawing her gaze, saying,


    ¡°Oh, like that.¡±


    Fisher¡¯s catchphrase was temporarily stolen by Rafael, even his expressionless face was stolen as well.


    Rafael suddenly regretted asking Fisher about his opinions on other women, because it seemed that no matter how normal Fisher¡¯s comments were, she felt unhappy whenever he praised other women.


    Though curious about who Renie really was, she was fundamentally conflicted.


    ¡°So, are all other humans like those we¡¯ve met on the South Continent?¡±


    The next second, Rafael awkwardly changed the subject.


    ¡°Not all of them, but most are.


    Technically, there are no officially backed humans here; the official ones are even worse than the locals.¡±


    ¡°You really are a peculiar human, to speak so about your own kind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth, not undermining them because I love you, nor exalting them because I¡¯m a human,¡± Fisher put down the jug.


    Although the amount of alcohol was not significant, he took a clear-headed breath, ¡°Anyway, the truth won¡¯t change because of a few words from me; you¡¯re not blind, you can easily see for yourself.¡±


    Love!?


    Rafael blinked, then her face gradually blushed to the color of the campfire and her tail flicked to and fro, seeming to leap with joy.


    This¡­


    this human!


    It seemed like the first time he had so openly expressed his feelings¡­


    Was it because of the alcohol? S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rafael covertly glanced at his sober expression, and her face reddened even more after confirming his lucidity.


    Why could someone say such things so seriously?


    And why did such a serious confession seem more appealing?!


    ¡°Um¡­


    um, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Lord Rafael, Lord Fisher, Lar and the others are getting sleepy, I will take them back to rest.¡±


    Just as Rafael was about to speak, Mier¡¯s voice came from behind, causing Rafael¡¯s tail to flutter anxiously as she turned her head towards the front of the wagon where Mier held the yawning Lar, followed by Kexier and Fasher.


    Lar yawned a ¡°blood basin¡± yawn, then rubbed her eyes and leaned into Mier¡¯s embrace,


    ¡°Goodnight¡­


    Fisher, Lord Rafael¡­


    Lar is very sleepy.¡±


    Fisher nodded, and then they walked into the wagon.


    ¡°We should rest as well.¡±


    He put out the fire in front of him; Rafael also tidied up the surroundings.


    After Fisher had set up the protective magic, they walked to their rooms.


    Rafael followed silently.


    When he realized something and turned to look at the door, Rafael had already quietly closed it, her cheeks a bit flushed, contemplating something in her gaze.


    After several seconds, she turned her beautiful pink face around, and pushed a strand of red hair behind her slender ear.


    ¡°You said¡­


    you love me, right¡­¡± She reached out and grabbed Fisher¡¯s shirt, then looked up into his eyes, ¡°Prove it to me.¡±


    ¡°I still have injuries.¡±


    Fisher was just preparing to take off his white shirt; he was still wrapped in bandages, and given Rafael¡¯s intense behavior, it seemed like it might fall apart soon,


    yet such a pale excuse seemed negligible in front of Rafael, the passionately tail-fitting Dragon-man Species.


    She just wanted Fisher.


    The next moment, Rafael disregarded his words, her gaze fiery as she pushed his bandaged chest back with her claw, until he had no place to retreat and sat at the edge of the bed.


    She then boldly leaned against him, her hot scales seeming to ignite her soul as she exhaled a fragrant breath, precisely on Fisher¡¯s neck.


    Rafael pressed against Fisher¡¯s chest, sniffed his scent, and her tail encircled his waist locking him in place, until she was sure he couldn¡¯t break free, then she licked her lips like a Saint Nali Lady about to enjoy an afternoon dessert, her blue eyes sparkling.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this better?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±

 Chapter 67 - 67 58

    ?67: 58.


    Krit Port 67: 58.


    Krit Port ¡°In fact, the wound had already healed quite well last night,¡± Kexier had said to Rafael, using it as bait to lure the enemy deeper before catching her off guard when she realized something was amiss.


    It had to be said, the Constitution and reproductive ability enhancements from the ¡°Demi-human Girls Completion Manual¡± were genuinely formidable, as evidenced by a minor incident the night before.


    Inside Fisher¡¯s carriage, there was Space Magic providing exceptional soundproofing.


    Otherwise, with just a room in between, Mier and Lar¡¯s expressions that morning couldn¡¯t have been so natural.


    Early the next day, after getting ready, Fisher prepared to head north to Krit Port.


    With the carriage fully rested, it set off northwards at full speed from the resting forest into the wilderness.


    By midday, Fisher could already make out traces of the battle that had taken place between Schwali and the demi-humans.


    Schwali was also known as the ¡°Sun Country,¡± and before the technological revolution, it was extremely skilled in melee combat.


    Centuries ago, during the war with Nali, they reached the capital of Nali three times, historically known as ¡°Gedelin¡¯s shame.¡± Gedelin was the surname of the Nali Royal Family, given by the Great Pope of Kado to the most distinguished emperor of ancient Nali after his conquests reached the east, symbolizing his authority over the entire continent.


    But his descendants, centuries later, were routed to the corners of the coast by Schwali¡¯s Sun Knights, playing hide-and-seek on their own soil, losing wives and children who each fled for their lives, which shows just how fierce Schwali was at that time.


    Therefore, Schwali respected martial strength and authoritarian power, developing a unique centralized political structure where the Council was essentially nominal, with real power held by the King and a few noble families.


    Oh, and by the way, that must also be the origin of their nobles¡¯ penchant for bravery.


    Fisher guessed, though he hadn¡¯t published an article on it for fear of being verbally and literarily attacked by Schwali¡¯s scholars.


    Since the technological revolution, Schwali had embarked on a one-way journey of studying explosions.


    Schwali¡¯s gunfire was the fiercest in the Western Continent; they had different specialized bombs for different types of structures and groups.


    They didn¡¯t prioritize research on firearms or ships as much.


    They leveraged their ancestral advantage in melee combat, bombarding enemy positions until the formation was loose, and then organizing their soldiers to charge in for melee combat.


    Sometimes the soldiers would advance under the fire of their own artillery, not giving the enemy a chance to react.


    The same strategy was used in the recent battle against the demi-humans.


    Though it wasn¡¯t an official military operation, the basic combat approach remained unchanged, no wonder that Rafael heard intense gunfire that night.


    One could see all over the wilderness craters more than two meters deep, with the bodies of goblins, centaurs, sheepmen¡ªsome intact, some mutilated¡ªlittering the battlefield, all lifeless.


    Here and there, one could see soldiers in red uniforms from Schwali, but often surrounded by many demi-human corpses.


    One glimpse was enough to know the outcome: the demi-humans had been defeated.


    The doors at the back of Fisher¡¯s carriage were open, with Rafael silently witnessing everything from inside, even catching the lingering scent of gunpowder.


    But her face showed no emotion, just silently committing the scene to memory.


    Fortunately, this seemed to be the last battlefield of the war between demi-humans and humans.


    After defeating the remaining forces here, the Schwali soldiers had turned back into the forest where their coveted gold mines seemed to lie.


    Thus, midway through, Fisher and his company encountered no humans, and naturally, no living demi-humans; they passed safely through this stretch of wilderness.


    After another day¡¯s travel, this area couldn¡¯t strictly be called wilderness anymore, as the grass was trampled flat by a steady stream of carriages, showing that human vehicles frequently traveled this route.


    Moving forward, Fisher encountered several passing carriages, two from Nali, one from Schwali, apparently all travelers who had just arrived on the South Continent.


    Fisher pulled on the reins; ahead in the wilderness was a large field of lavender.


    Lavender about half a person¡¯s height swayed in the wind, growing along the hillside, creating quite a splendid sight.


    The breeze brought the faint scent of lavender mingled with the sound of the waves and distant steamship whistles.


    From this vantage point, one could easily see the continent¡¯s shore lined with steel and stone-covered buildings, with several large steamships docked at the shore spewing black fumes from their tops.


    They had arrived at Krit Port.


    Fisher¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment, but he didn¡¯t continue forward, instead parking the carriage on the edge of the lavender field and entering the carriage.


    Rafael sat by the stairway looking at the carriage¡¯s interior decorations.


    Lar was next to Mier, chewing on bread and brightened at the sight of Fisher coming in.


    Fasher and Kexier still looked ghostly, but lacking the wary gaze, they just didn¡¯t wish to talk much with Fisher.


    ¡°I¡¯m going out for some air.¡±


    As soon as Fisher entered the room, Rafael, sitting on the steps, said so and then opened the carriage door and went out.


    ¡°Fisher, I ate your bread, hehe.¡±


    ¡°Eat it.¡±


    Fisher patted her on the head and then turned to Mier,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lock the fourth door, the supplies are in there, you already know the utensils.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­


    uh?¡±


    Mier nodded subconsciously but was very puzzled as to why Fisher was suddenly telling her all this.


    ¡°Rest here for a while.¡±


    After Fisher had spoken, he entered his own room and closed the door.


    A few minutes later, he came out with a meat saw in hand and headed into the wilderness.


    Lar opened his mouth, as if he wanted to follow him, but was caught by Kexier and Fasher from behind.


    ¡°Lar, don¡¯t go, stay here.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Lar, I said stay here.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Lar looked somewhat aggrievedly at Fisher, walking out with the weapon.


    He lost the appetite even for bread and could only lean into Mier¡¯s embrace.


    Outside, the scent of the lavender that rose with the wind was pleasant.


    Fisher took a deep breath, stepped down from the carriage, and tossed the meat saw into the field.


    In front of him, Rafael stood on a lavender-covered hillside, gazing from afar at the grand Krit Port. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Is that¡­


    the steamship you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Fisher lit a cigarette and replied thus.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s alive.¡±


    ¡°I never said it was alive.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Rafael stopped talking, just staring deeply at the distant huge ship, watching it sound its horn and then, driven by a mighty force, depart from the port and sail into the boundless ocean.


    One by one, carriages loaded with humans entered the wilderness of this continent; people from various nations, from Nali, Schwali, Kado, even from some smaller countries.


    The two of them stood there for a long time before Fisher patted her shoulder,


    ¡°I said I¡¯d take you to see a steamship; have you seen it this time?¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±


    Rafael retracted her turquoise eyes, turned her head to look at the man beside her, took a deep breath, and her expression gradually became serious.


    ¡°I have one last chance to assassinate you, right?¡±


    Fisher, sucking on his cigarette, nodded calmly,


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Rafael just looked at him while the scales on her body began to stand up bit by bit.


    Her red horns also burst into intense light, the steam from her body slowly moving, invisibly stirring the surrounding lavender.


    ¡°Your magic was used up in Philone City, even if you have inscribed some these past few days, it certainly won¡¯t be as much as before¡­


    but this time, I¡¯m still going to give it my all.¡±


    Fisher pinched out the cigarette and silently made his way to the edge of the carriage, picking up the folded meat saw.


    His expression was calm, returning to the sternness they had when they first met.


    The Western-style suit of a Nali gentleman adorning his body made him look incredibly handsome.


    Indeed, human clothing only looked good on him.


    This is what Rafael thought.


    But clearly, Fisher was unaware of her thoughts; he simply unfolded the meat saw with a bit of silver-white pattern shining on it, the magic he had inscribed temporarily these past few days.


    The wind stirred the lavender fields, carrying his voice,


    ¡°Come on, Rafael.¡±

 Chapter 68 - 68 59

    ?68: 59.


    The Last Assassination 68: 59.


    The Last Assassination The fragrance of lavender danced through the air, and even from a distance, Fisher could still feel the wave of steam that assaulted him like a heatwave.


    The beautiful Dragon-man¡¯s expression gradually turned serious, and her aura transformed from that of a lovely woman to a fearsome warrior.


    Her claws spread open, aiming at the expressionless Fisher in the distance.


    This time, Fisher did not launch an attack first; he just moved further away from the carriage and then stood still, waiting for Rafael.


    In that case, it was time for a little probing.


    Rafael took a deep breath and then stomped hard on the ground, causing a vast space in the lavender field to instantly cave in, while she herself sped through the swaying flowers and attacked Fisher like lightning.


    Her outstretched claws met directly with Fisher¡¯s calm gaze, a familiar feeling welled up in her heart, and the next second, her movements abruptly halted, stopping dead in front of Fisher, but this time, no countless bright threads surged up.


    No traps?


    Fisher¡¯s actions were anything but vague; seeing the other party stop due to a psychological ploy, he fiercely swung his butcher¡¯s knife at Rafael¡¯s head.


    Rafael dodged to the side, but still, some strands of her hair were cut by the blade.


    Her steam erupted violently yet without her full force, just spinning in place and lashing out with her foot claws at Fisher¡¯s raised butcher¡¯s knife, causing a clear clanging sound like a massive hammer striking a nail.


    Fisher was indeed very strong; even after such a fierce assault, his body only slightly bent, and he even observed Rafael¡¯s movements while defending.


    As expected, the next second, he seized the interval in Rafael¡¯s attack and suddenly changed his motion from defense to dodging to the side.


    The sudden shift caused Rafael¡¯s already launched kick to just miss Fisher¡¯s body, and then the dodging human man tightly grabbed her tail and flung her away.


    The tremendous force made Rafael roll a good distance through the lavender field, but she was unhurt.


    She gritted her teeth to regain her balance and, as soon as she raised her head, saw Fisher coming at her with the knife, exuding a heavy sense of suppression.


    ¡°Clang, clang, clang, clang!¡±


    Fisher raised his knife, emotionlessly hacking away at Rafael.


    Her claws stood sharp, meeting the strikes of her opponent¡¯s weapon, creating crisp sounds.


    It was only after Fisher¡¯s arm numbed from the vibration that he realized his knife was full of cracks cut by Rafael¡¯s sharp claws.


    The Dragon-man Species¡¯ claws were too sharp¡ªhad she hit him with her full strength, it would have been effortless for her to tear him in half.


    That¡¯s how the top predators of the South Continent operate.


    So Fisher didn¡¯t give her any respite, relentlessly pressuring her with strike after strike.


    Meanwhile, on the unseen side of the knife, the pattern grew brighter as he gathered magic within the momentum of the attack.


    ¡°Roar!¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, Rafael realized what Fisher was doing.


    Her cyan eyes narrowed to slits, and a massive amount of steam with scalding heat sprayed out around her.


    Fisher, who tried to block it with his sword, was still blown away.


    The Bee Dance that had been gathering was also invisibly shot into the air in the midst of it all, but due to the angle, it flew off to some unknown country.


    Not only did she neutralize my offense but also broke my magic?


    Fisher looked up at the sky while midair; his head was still, but he suddenly swung underneath fiercely, for he had already heard the sound of Rafael¡¯s attack approaching.


    The swing was just right to be blocked by her, turning it into a thrusting force that pushed Fisher away from her.


    At that distance, it was enough.


    This time, the emblem at the end of his butcher¡¯s knife, resembling a Dragon Tooth, flared up brightly.


    This was the full-fledged Dragon-man Magic, magnitudes more powerful than the previous one.


    Along with the swing of his weapon, flames danced as well, and since Rafael was still midair, the fire did not reach the lavender field below.


    The flames, solidifying like a fire dragon, opened wide to swallow Rafael whole.


    But at the center of the storm, Rafael¡¯s scales also lit up brilliantly.


    She was ready to use her full force.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    A thunderous boom sounded, and her speed reached its peak as she shot through the fire dragon like a meteor, her body enveloped in fierce steam, striking toward Fisher.


    Fisher couldn¡¯t dodge in time and simply had to take the blow.


    His blade no longer clanged crisply but instead let out a dull, pained wail as if about to fall apart.


    Continuing this way, the weapon would soon leave his hand, but at that very moment, countless threads wrapped around Rafael¡¯s body and restrained her, just like in their previous duel.


    However, this time, her full strength had only just begun to show.


    ¡°Roar!!¡±


    After the roar, Rafael¡¯s body moved again.


    She pulled the threads that grew from the ground up into the sky, tearing a large chunk of soil with them, which she tossed toward Fisher as if those threads were chains.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Fisher slashed the soil in mid-air, raising his blade and charging at Rafael.


    Rafael too raised her claws, slashing down at Fisher.


    One claw, two claws¡­


    countless claws.


    The intense collision and striking sounds, reminiscent of the ding-ding-dong of a blacksmith¡¯s hammer, slowly forged the soul that burned with the light of the Sun.


    ¡°I hate it when people interrupt me while I¡¯m talking.


    I had to resort to these measures¡­¡±


    ¡°Decide for yourself, was this assassination a success or a failure?¡±


    ¡°If a Dragon-man warrior is nothing but a little dragon dancing to the tune of emotions, then it looks like you were caught without any injustice.¡±


    ¡°This can¡¯t be considered punishment, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Arrogance is humanity¡¯s original sin, seems like Dragon-man Species aren¡¯t exempt from it, are they?¡±


    ¡°In everything you do, even if your heart is surging, you must keep a poker face, and only after thoughtful deliberation should you take action¡­¡±


    He was so strict, merely a human, yet his wisdom, his teachings¡­


    That¡¯s why Rafael wanted to know more¡ªwhy he treated her like this, why he was different from everyone else, why he stirred her heart so deeply¡­


    Strength wasn¡¯t the answer; it was that profound yet kind soul that was the answer.


    ¡°Fisher!!¡±


    In the midst of a fierce assault, Rafael¡¯s horns suddenly burst forth with brilliance like the Sun.


    All his words, his serious demeanor, his silhouette¡ªall of them flooded her mind, crystallizing into the most substantial, solid power, fully igniting Rafael¡¯s soul.


    In just an instant, a tremendous force blossomed on Rafael¡¯s body.


    Her entire being shone with a brilliance like scales.


    Gusts of wind rushed toward her from the mountains and ocean, causing the lavender to bow down in layers at her feet.


    Such beauty and strength even made Fisher briefly lose his composure.


    Maybe it wasn¡¯t because she was nearing the prophecy¡¯s predicted ¡°Red Dragon Queen¡±?


    It was the teardrop that drifted alongside the steam beside her emerald eyes¡­


    ¡°Rafael, stop!¡±


    At that moment, Fisher¡¯s expression turned to ¡°panic,¡± as if he feared Rafael¡¯s next powerful strike and wanted her to cease her motion.


    But Rafael¡¯s gaze flickered, and her body didn¡¯t pause.


    She flipped over him in midair, because in the next second, Fisher¡¯s right hand wielding the blade was slashing towards where she had been standing¡ªif she hesitated for even a moment, she would be hit¡­


    Without pausing, Rafael traced a perfect somersault through the air, landing lightly behind Fisher, her claws sharp as Steel Blades pressed against his back, just a step away from piercing through him.


    ¡°Huff¡­¡±


    The lavender field swayed again with the breeze, but the world suddenly fell silent, as if only their breathing could be heard.


    Fisher¡¯s ¡°panic¡± slowly faded from his face.


    Feeling the young girl¡¯s claws pressing against his back, he regained his calm.


    ¡°This was the last test, Rafael.


    You didn¡¯t waver because of me and perfectly completed this assassination.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Rafael¡¯s pressing gesture against his back held the menace of assassination but also the intimacy of an embrace.


    Yet, in her eyes, she could only see Fisher¡¯s back, not his expression, ¡°The acting, too fake¡­


    if you had said this without expression, I would have stopped.¡±


    Fisher felt excruciating pain all over his body.


    The battle had reopened all his wounds, and Rafael¡¯s speed was so great that in the rapid barrage, he¡¯d failed to block every attack; his left leg, right hand, and abdomen all bore fresh injuries.


    ¡°This also proves you have a good understanding of the enemy, making the right judgment on the spot¡­¡±


    His tone was light, but the pain caused fluctuations in his pitch.


    ¡°Why¡­


    do this to me¡­?¡±


    Rafael¡¯s hand remained pressed against him, now even her cheek rested on his back.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fisher chuckled softly, but didn¡¯t respond.


    He lowered his head, seemingly uncomfortable from blood loss, but certainly a faint smile must have been on his face, right?


    ¡°I made a promise with you, to not let you attack other humans until our game was over.


    And now, you¡¯ve won this game¡­¡±


    In Rafael¡¯s arms, his body grew weaker, and finally, he praised Rafael, emphatically, one word at a time,


    ¡°Well done, Rafael.¡±


    Fisher lost consciousness and collapsed in the fragrant Lavender Field.


    The wind nearby grew silent, and a few hot teardrops fell on the soil beside him.


    Regrettably, at this moment, he was unaware, with only the ancient, quiet soil of the South Continent to bear witness to this moment.

 Chapter 69 - 69 60

    ?69: 60.


    A Letter 69: 60.


    A Letter ¡°Bang!¡±


    The carriage door burst open, and Lar leaped out of Mier¡¯s embrace, her eyes shining brightly as she looked at the doorway only to see Lord Raphael, appearing utterly exhausted as if the battle outside had drained all her energy.


    ¡°Lord Raphael¡­¡±


    Mier, looking worriedly at the dispirited Raphael, couldn¡¯t help but speak out.


    ¡°Lord Raphael, where is Fisher?¡±


    Lar glanced out at the lavender field, but she didn¡¯t see the familiar figure of the human male, and just seconds before, their slave seals had all disappeared; naturally, Mier and the others knew what had happened, so they all looked at Raphael with complex expressions.


    As she faced Lar¡¯s somewhat anxious gaze, Raphael gently closed the door behind her, closed her eyes for a second or two, and then reopened her blue eyes, saying to Kexier and Fasher,


    ¡°You drive the carriage, we¡¯ll turn around and head toward the tribe¡­


    head south first, and after I look at Fisher¡¯s map, I¡¯ll take over the driving.


    Mier, keep an eye on Lar.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mier bowed her head in acknowledgement and held the petite Lar in her arms.


    Raphael glanced at her partner and surroundings, and only when Fasher and the others went outside to drive the carriage south did she move to the first door on the left-side, which was Fisher¡¯s room.


    The d¨¦cor and items inside had barely been touched, many human books lay there, quietly gazing at Raphael as she entered the room.


    She was about to turn around and look at the map of the South Continent hanging on the wall, but in the corner of her eye, she spotted a light yellow envelope on his desk, with an antique leather scroll lying beneath it.


    Raphael picked up the envelope, written on it in Fisher¡¯s signature Nali cursive,


    ¡°For Raphael.¡±


    Was it a letter?


    Raphael opened the envelope, inside was a folded piece of letter paper with Fisher¡¯s handwriting.


    ¡°Dear Raphael,¡±


    ¡°If you are reading this, it means you have won in our game, first congratulations to you and your partners on gaining freedom. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Also, it means our paths will diverge here, heading in different directions until they eventually converge or reach different ends.¡±


    ¡°Your strength and greatness made me consider eliminating you multiple times, but an independent perspective allowed me to see the Dragon-man Species¡¯ simple kindness and warmth, and it also made me grow fond of you, who possess such a fiery soul.


    Hence, after much hesitation, I decided to let you go.


    Your stage is not in the dark prisons of humans nor in my not-so-spacious Nali house, but the vast wilderness of the South Continent is your future.¡±


    ¡°At the same time, I hope you will always maintain your independent thinking, pondering deeply before doing anything; this will be beneficial for your decisions and path.


    The leather scroll below the envelope is a clue to the relics of the Fermat Baha Dragon Court, given as our parting gift.


    If you have a return gift, you can give it to me the next time we meet.¡±


    ¡°May your future path be filled with bright blessings.¡±


    ¡°Fisher Benavides¡±


    ¡°P.S.: You still owe me a punishment.


    Remember to repay it when we meet again.¡±


    Raphael clutched the thin envelope, her attention lingering long on Fisher¡¯s last signature.


    She silently lowered her head, pressing the envelope to her forehead, where the red, illusory Dragon Horns passed through the envelope.


    Strangely enough, although the human had no horns and physical objects couldn¡¯t touch the horns of a Dragon-man, at that moment, Raphael felt waves billow within her soul, as though her intentions were in sync with his.


    For a long while, when she reopened her eyes, those blue eyes were as deep as a pool, yet hidden in the depths of that blue, there seemed to be countless fiercely burning flames, radiating blinding light like the sun.


    It was time for her to embark, to complete what she had long wished to do.


    The midday sun was blazing in the South Continent, a carriage departed from the north of the South Continent, just as it had arrived.


    And now, the hands holding the reins were no longer those of the Nali Gentleman but those of a Dragon-man Species girl, dazzling like the early morning sun.


    The Red Dragon Queen was rising.


    (End of Volume One ¨C The Red Dragon Queen)

 Chapter 70 - 70 End of Volume Notes

    ?70: End of Volume Notes 70: End of Volume Notes Hello, everyone, I¡¯m Yiwei Crab.


    By now, the story of the first volume of ¡°Demi-human Girls Completion Manual¡± has come to an end.


    As you all might have noticed, the first volume serves more like a prologue, chronicling the tale of the scholar Fisher who traveled to the South Continent intending to take the future Red Dragon Queen away but ultimately decided to let go. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The narrative of the first volume is incredibly brief, setting the tone for the entire book without delving much into the major powers, and even the map of the South Continent remains largely unexplored.


    If we had to give it a precise name, this volume should be called ¡°The Prequel to the Red Dragon Queen,¡± given that the Rafael we meet here is still very immature, impulsive, volatile, yet undeniably endearing¡ªnothing like the Dragon Queen who would later sweep over humanity.


    However, after parting ways with Fisher, she will increasingly resemble the queen of the legends.


    Many hidden threads were interwoven in the first volume, many of which went unnoticed, but I hope that when they are mentioned later on, you might recall some of them.


    Overall, the first volume covers less than one-twentieth of the overall map, which is why I say that the book¡¯s design is grand, and I hope not to collapse under its weight.


    I¡¯ve enjoyed focusing on character development this time, with a relaxed tone and a fair amount of blush-inducing moments being the surface colors of the book.


    But, as you have seen, there¡¯s still plenty of dark and tragic essence embedded within, which I will try to express in not so explicit terms (laughs).


    Speaking of which, let¡¯s touch on Philone and Nana concerning the ultimate boss of this first volume.


    Philone was inspired by Bodordo from ¡°From the Abyss,¡± though his core character greatly differs from Bodordo¡¯s.


    His debate with Fisher over the trolley problem explains why Fisher ultimately chose to release Rafael, even knowing she was the prophesied Dragon Queen.


    From Fisher¡¯s perspective, placing the safety of the entire world on one person¡¯s shoulders is exceedingly dangerous and foolish.


    When faced with the need to sacrifice a few for the many, it indicates that many prior decisions have failed, leading to such a predicament.


    This also answers why I didn¡¯t set Fisher up as a transmigrator.


    He¡¯s a very accomplished scholar, who consistently maintains the critical thinking of an academic, hence why he does many things that other humans wouldn¡¯t, such as being intimate with demi-humans without feeling pity or sparing tenderness, yet always retaining the essential goodness of humanity.


    However, that doesn¡¯t conceal the fact that he is a scumbag (whispers).


    Alright, that¡¯s pretty much all I wanted to say.


    Lastly, I would still like to beg for the generous support of my readers, including following the series, voting with recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, and donations, as all are incredibly important to me.


    The next volume will be significantly longer, with the setting moving to humanity¡¯s crown jewel¡ªSaint Nali.


    Unlike the first volume, which only featured a few Dragon-man Ladies, there you will encounter many intriguing characters and powers, including the appearance of three female leads, among them Renie, and a vast array of male supporting characters.


    This will include the forces behind Philone, the history behind those big eyes, humanity¡¯s foundation and wisdom, the education and politics of Saint Nali, the Four Great Pirates, and the ecological dynamics of the demi-humans in the oceans¡ªall will be laid out for everyone¡­


    In short,


    Ladies and gentlemen, please continue the adventure with Fisher.

 Chapter 71 - 71 1

    ?71: 1.


    Witch 71: 1.


    Witch The sea breeze made its way up the slope, mingling with the scent of lavender to create an exceptionally comforting lullaby.


    Fischer felt as though he had been asleep in this tranquil place for a long time.


    When he groggily opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that his head was resting on something soft.


    His vision was still unfocused, engulfing his sight in a blur.


    However, after a few flutters of his nose, he caught the faint fragrance of a woman and the strands of black curly hair cascading down.


    As his gaze gradually cleared, he saw a beautiful and elegant young woman in front of him, her skin fair and soft.


    She had lightly dabbed her lips with a lipstick favored by Nali ladies, endowing her demeanor with a charming, tempting allure.


    Yet, what left the deepest impression were those deep purple eyes of hers, profound as the starry heavens.


    At that moment, her eyes seemed to hold a tinge of sadness as she gazed down at Fischer¡¯s body.


    It was only now that Fischer realized his clothes had been removed, revealing the bandages underneath that were stained red.


    ¡°Renie¡­¡±


    Fischer rubbed his temples, realizing that he was lying on her soft thigh.


    An elusive scent made him uneasily lift his head, and the lady beside him, Renie, didn¡¯t stop his movement.


    The sadness in her eyes slowly receded and was gradually replaced by playful teasing, intoxicating like Black Mamba Wine.


    ¡°Good morning, Fischer.¡±


    ¡°How did you get here?


    Weren¡¯t you sending Hart to tell me you had continued southward to Kado?¡±


    Around the lavender field, purple-feathered larks had unknowingly gathered, one after another.


    Further, at the edge of the forest under the azure sky, larks bobbed their heads, all fixated on Fischer as he awoke.


    ¡°Ah, my dear, I don¡¯t even know how I suddenly appeared here.


    Could it be because I missed you so much that the Mother Goddess answered my prayers?


    Praise the Mother Goddess.¡±


    She brought her palms together in front of her body, cloaked in a loose black dress, and mockingly made an informal prayer gesture with a mischievous smile.


    Winking with one eye, while the other remained open, she glanced at the speechless Fischer before her.


    She knew well that such a tall tale couldn¡¯t fool Fischer, so her praying hands quickly formed a victory sign in front of her eyes, attempting to charm him with her beauty.


    ¡°Are you tracking me?¡±


    Facing Fischer¡¯s expressionless face, Renie cried foul,


    ¡°I just happened to have Hart deliver a message and didn¡¯t expect to find you fallen on the ground, so I came to find you¡­


    Please, I flew over half a continent and an ocean to get here, and instead of being grateful Mr.


    Fischer even suspects me¡­¡±


    She weakly covered her face with her hand, feigning sobs,


    ¡°Wuu, I¡¯m so sad, so sad.


    I need a kiss from Fischer to feel better¡­¡±


    Fischer paid her no mind, turning his head to look southwards across the wilderness, as if he could see a carriage fading into the distance.


    No doubt, a red dragon-man girl would be sitting in it.


    Renie¡¯s fingers spread apart slightly as she covered her face, and with a side glance, she saw Fischer ignoring her.


    Her beautiful face, which looked similar to Fischer¡¯s elder sister¡¯s, puffed her cheeks childishly.


    Then, she effortlessly floated up and wrapped her arms around the front of Fischer, her intoxicating purple star-like eyes gazing southward with him.


    ¡°Do you want me to retrieve the carriage?


    My clothes are still on it, I can feel it¡­¡±


    Fischer extended his hand to push the witch a little further away, appearing somewhat vexed by Renie.


    Her personality was definitely the most troublesome he had ever encountered; troublesome and shameless, no matter what was said.


    You talk, I lost.


    ¡°Forget it, let her go.


    I failed¡­


    Let¡¯s go, I¡¯m ready to take a ship back to Saint Nali.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh ho, is it a failure?¡± Renie, pushed away by Fischer, wasn¡¯t annoyed at all and tapped her red lips with a finger.


    She tilted her head in innocent confusion and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it that you intentionally let the kid go?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    Fischer fastened the buttons of his shirt only to find that his wounds were enveloped in a layer of faint purple light.


    The blood had also ceased seeping out under the glow and was heading toward healing.


    Renie had tended to his wounds.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, if teacher Fischer says so, how could I, the student, argue?¡± Renie patted her head, muttering softly, ¡°It¡¯s just a shame that all your belongings were on that carriage.


    There¡¯s hardly anything left at your Saint Nali house, right?


    You used it all to buy supplies and weapons.


    To just give it away to that dragon-man girl like that, if you ever become so generous with me, I¡¯ll marry you, how about that?¡±


    ¡°Thank heaven, let¡¯s not¡­


    Aren¡¯t you going straight back to the Western Continent?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m out of magic power and can¡¯t cast the spell to return to the Western Continent anymore.


    Looks like I can only go back with you, what a pity, what a pity, to have to sit on such a long boat ride.¡±


    Fisher walked on ahead, and Renie just followed behind him with her hands clasped.


    But on closer inspection, her pale feet were bare, not even touching the ground, floating mid-air as she leisurely followed Fisher.


    Witches, these kinds of demi-humans, have very peculiar traits and, because their numbers are exceedingly rare, humans have very little understanding of them.


    The only thing that is well known is that they are all female, have great magic power and natural talent for magic, and each witch has a unique ¡°trait.¡±


    Renie¡¯s trait was simple; her Magic Circuit was in a state of perpetual growth.


    Although easily described in a single sentence, its existence in reality was quite fantastical.


    Her Magic Circuit was so complex that virtually her entire body was filled to the brim with it.


    Only after replenishing his knowledge from the Soul Completion Manual did Fisher discover this caused the boundaries between her body and soul to become very blurred.


    Her physical body even began to exhibit characteristics of her soul, which is why she could now float.


    Sometimes she could also virtualize to a certain extent, reducing physical contact depending on whether she wished to be touched or not.


    Even though she was filled with a Magic Circuit far exceeding that of any human by many multiples, it was still not enough.


    All those larks were formed from the Magic Circuit emanating from her body, and each had its simple consciousness.


    Their names were given by Fisher, all uniformly called Hart.


    Previously, Fisher had wanted to study the nature of Hart because, being emanations of Renie¡¯s Magic Circuit, there might be a possibility for her to transfer her consciousness into these birds.


    However, this conjecture was denied by Renie, who said she couldn¡¯t do it, so Fisher had to let it go.


    Usually, these birds always followed Renie, capable of both engraving magic and casting it, making them very powerful partners.


    Now, the Harts appearing around them were less than one-tenth of the total; he wondered where she had sent the other Harts.


    ¡°Fisher, I¡¯m so tired, how about you carry me?¡±


    Renie floated over after a while.


    That face, which normally carried a mature air, always deliberately uttered such young and cute phrases.


    But don¡¯t be deceived by her appearance; her true thoughts could be seen in those deep, playful purple eyes filled with mischief.


    ¡°When you go to buy the tickets later, don¡¯t float around erratically.


    If you¡¯re discovered and can¡¯t board the ship, you¡¯ll have to fly back on your own.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t answer me, I¡¯ll take it as a yes.¡±


    Renie didn¡¯t pay any attention to Fisher¡¯s words, simply placing her hands on his shoulders and floating as if being carried by him, without Fisher feeling any weight at all.


    Fisher sighed, no longer bothered by the mischief-making Renie behind him.


    It was indeed the right decision to send her away when he was back on the Western Continent; after not seeing her for a long time, there should be at least a hint of missing her.


    Yet, within minutes, the scarce missing feeling had been dissipated by her teasing.


    As they walked down the slope, many more larks rose into the air and followed their lead.


    ¡°You¡¯re too heavy, get down.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie, I haven¡¯t added any weight to you.¡±


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t added any weight to me, why should I carry you?¡±


    Just as Fisher finished his question, Renie didn¡¯t answer, but somehow produced a redwood inlaid with silver Handcane, topped with a griffin, and placed it before Fisher, cutting off his remaining words.


    ¡°A parting gift~¡±


    She smirked, sizing up Fisher¡¯s expression.


    She enjoyed seeing the frugal Fisher speechless before her expensive gifts.


    After a second of silence, Fisher reached out and took the Handcane, which was more exquisitely crafted and lighter than his previous one¡ªno doubt it was pricey.


    ¡°¡­.Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Renie yawned, then placed her hands on his shoulders and floated up, both tacitly avoiding the topic of her coming down from his shoulders.

 Chapter 72 - 72 2

    ?72: 2.


    Magic Proof 72: 2.


    Magic Proof ¡°Welcome aboard the Nali Exploration Company¡¯s passenger cruise, this is the Captain¡¯s office of the SS Lauren, Jack Type 1.


    I extend the warmest welcome to all passengers boarding the cruise,¡±


    ¡°Our voyage will last about thirty-five days.


    If you have any questions, please contact the cruise cabin service immediately.


    Our final destination is Saint Nali, so please ensure that your entry documents and credentials for Saint Nali are fully prepared.¡±


    ¡°In times of danger, the Captain¡¯s office holds the authority to make emergency decisions.


    In the event of storms, tsunamis, pirates, or other emergencies, please always follow the Captain¡¯s commands to avoid any accidents.


    Thank you very much for your cooperation.


    We will be departing shortly, please enjoy the voyage to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    The passenger cabins were independent of each other, generally consisting of a small living room, a bathroom, and the requisite accompanying rooms; for instance, Fisher and Renie¡¯s cabin had two rooms.


    ¡°So, since you could have gone directly back to the Western Continent, why did you mooch my ticket?¡±


    Having left the perilous South Continent, Fisher could finally let his guard down for a short rest.


    At the moment, he was lounging with his legs crossed, enjoying a cup of coffee provided by the cabin service, leaning next to the window.


    Across from him sat the beautiful woman in a black dress, Renie.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it worth it to exchange a 1500 Euro ticket for a beautiful girl to spend some quality time with you?¡±


    Renie¡¯s black chiffon dress fluttered slightly as she looked out the window, where, unbeknownst to her, a row of larks had already taken their perch, busily preening their feathers.


    The cleaning staff looked at the throng of birds with vexation, and, confirming that they had no other mischief planned, reluctantly moved on to clean elsewhere.


    ¡°Speaking of which, a lot of young women in Saint Nali recently have taken to wearing these kinds of stockings.


    Would you like to take a look?¡±


    Renie pointed to her lips with her finger and then stood up, lifting her long dress slightly, revealing her black semi-transparent lace stockings.


    She seemed to ¡°innocently¡± share the latest fashion she had seen; that is if one ignored the mischievous twinkle hidden in her eyes.


    Fisher didn¡¯t even look up, instead, he spread open a piece of paper and dipped a quill in ink, appearing deep in thought. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hey, Fisher, I told you to take a look.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t be noisy.¡±


    Renie floated up speechless, her hands cupping her face as she hovered, gazing at the article title he was writing, but her casual teasing slowly faded away, transforming into a serious solemnity.


    In a place Fisher couldn¡¯t see, her eyes, deep as the night sky, revealed a hint of surprise.


    This child¡­


    How did he learn so much after just one trip to the South Continent?


    The title on the paper read:


    ¡°Magic Power and Soul Origin Theory and Proof¡ªFisher Benavides¡±


    Fisher tapped his fingers on the desk, then pulled out a cigarette from his pocket to light it.


    Caleb¡¯s theory on the soul had already written a lot about the nature and origin of souls, but the current Human academic circles were still fiercely debating the issue.


    These past few days, Fisher had been pondering how to prove it.


    After much thought, there seemed to be no simpler proof than to create a magic that could touch the soul.


    But typically, the ¡°Reverberation¡± of Magic spells causes a resonance with the world, and the resulting effects are predominantly phenomena that manifest within the real world.


    There are two approaches to creating spells that can touch the soul.


    The first one is quite direct, which involves altering the design of the Magic Emblem so that the ¡°Ring Head¡± points towards the soul.


    The Ring Head is the heart of a Magic Emblem, and different Ring Heads determine the nature of the magic.


    For example, the Ring Head of ¡°Gravity¡± was designed by the master of Magic Theory during the early stages of the technological revolution, so strictly speaking, spells of the gravity type are considered new magic.


    The second method involves using other types of magic, such as ¡°Healing¡± spells, which can affect both the Magic Circuit and the body simultaneously.


    Certainly, some part of it must be touching the soul, and all that¡¯s needed is to bring this part, which touches the soul, into prominence.


    With this idea in mind, Fisher took out a piece of paper and began to draw the Ring Head of a ¡°Healing¡± spell with a feather quill.


    The origin of this spell is very ancient, traceable back to the earliest periods of the Church, when people only wore a piece of cloth and ran around bare-bottomed.


    No, that was the wrong approach.


    Fisher suddenly realized, since all magic power stems from the soul, and the carving of an Emblem requires the mobilization of the soul¡¯s power, there must be a section in the Emblem common to all that mobilizes the soul¡¯s runes, otherwise it would be too absurd if one¡¯s soul was stirred by merely writing a letter.


    Therefore, there is no need to look for spells that have an effect on the soul, but rather to find that common element in all spells.


    Despite the varied number of rings in a spell, their structures are the same.


    First is the ¡°Ring Head¡± which determines the nature of the magic and decides which part of the World Resonance to tap into; following that is the ¡°Main Ring,¡± which determines the exact effect of the spell, or in other words, how the World Resonance is leveraged; then comes the ¡°sub-ring,¡± which sets the extent and specifics of the spell ¨C a well-crafted sub-ring can make a spell very flexible, and it is here that the difference between a master and a novice lies; finally, there¡¯s the ¡°ring tail,¡± which decides the target in the real world.


    The ring tail is generally the most arbitrary as the casting of the spell can be controlled through manual aim and manipulation to decide the target, such as the Bee Dance, which Fisher had used before, where one simply needs to flick it at an enemy.


    So why is the ¡°ring tail¡± still indispensable?


    The academic world mainly believes it¡¯s for the sake of a spell¡¯s completeness, but Fisher had suddenly felt that the ring tail wasn¡¯t just for the structure¡¯s completeness, as repetitive parts of the ring tail would appear at other sections¡¯ ends.


    Fisher thought of something and recalled the structure of Dragon-man Species magic, finding that their tooth-like magic structure began with three to four strokes that were identical to the human¡¯s ring tail.


    No wonder, when engraving Dragon-man Species magic, the Emblem would light up at the beginning; it¡¯s because they placed the soul-manipulating structure at the start, whereas humans are accustomed to placing this kind of structure at the end of each section.


    Fisher¡¯s eyes lit up as he drew this part on the paper and then casually engraved a spell with general Emblem parts, attempting to create a Ring Head that specifically targets the soul.


    However, after he finished the drawing, his own magic circuits lit up, yet the spell produced no effect.


    This made Fisher frown, which meant he had engraved the wrong Ring Head; the magic power was mobilized, but it could not leverage the World Resonance, resulting in a wasted effort.


    Was this not correct?


    Fisher¡¯s mind hit a dead end for the moment, and after thinking for a long time without finding an answer, he crumpled the misshapen Magic Emblem into a ball of paper.


    Renie was floating in mid-air, reading Nali¡¯s newspaper, her pleasant fragrance pervading the room.


    Just then, at that moment, an idea suddenly struck Fisher.


    He hurriedly spread out the paper and suddenly felt that the Ring Head he had designed resembled something with a circular arc pattern similar to brackets at the top and bottom, and a simple dot in the middle.


    This thing closely resembled a peculiar-looking eye, except the top and bottom of the eye were too strange, almost like the upper and lower lips of a mouth.


    With a mix of shock and insight, he engraved a complex circular pattern over the location of the Ring Head, encompassing that single dot.


    With that, the pattern completely became the pictograph of the enormous eye structure he had seen on the South Continent.


    And the instant the engraving was done, all of Fisher¡¯s Magic Circuits lit up, accompanied by a deep glow that emanated from the Magic Emblem on the paper.

 Chapter 73 - 73 3

    ?73: 3.


    Her despicable conduct (seeking followers) 73: 3.


    Her despicable conduct (seeking followers) The moment the Emblem was completed, Fisher¡¯s entire body suddenly felt light, and his vision was enveloped by a dense darkness.


    However, faintly discernable, he could see numerous substances slowly flowing around him as if he had entered a deep-water zone, where all sounds gradually receded.


    The sensation was extremely uncomfortable and odd, like a baby observing the world for the first time with its eyes¡ªeverything was so unfamiliar and panic-inducing.


    Fisher¡¯s breath began to quicken unconsciously as he lowered his head to look at his body, only to discover that his body had completely vanished.


    In its place was a torso radiating milky white luminescence like branches of a tree¡ªhis Magic Circuit.


    At this moment, his Magic Circuit had temporarily freed itself from the constraints of the flesh and became independent.


    However, the light would rapidly dissipate once it drifted a little away from the body, which then emitted a strong suction force.


    He had entered the perspective of the soul!


    No sooner had this information popped into Fisher¡¯s brain than he suddenly felt something nearby staring at him¡ªsomething that made not only his body but also his soul bristle with the sensation of danger.


    Just as he tried to shift his gaze to see what it was, he found his soul being pulled by something.


    The dark world around him instantly surged with vivid colors, and all his senses and breath subsequently returned to awareness, back to normal vision.


    But Fisher felt a chill in his body, deeply unaccustomed to the perspective he had just experienced, or perhaps it was that presence somewhere that was watching him.


    Beside him, Renie¡¯s worried purple eyes were looking at him, her palms cradling his chill cheek.


    It was she who had interrupted Fisher¡¯s soul perspective with her touch,


    ¡°Are you okay?


    Your complexion suddenly turned much paler just now?¡±


    Fisher took a deep breath to relieve the pressure from the magic he had just experienced.


    Indeed, he had sensed that within the soul perspective, something seemed to be staring at him.


    Now, upon reflection, the impulse to turn and look at that thing while in a soul state was foolish and could lead to unexpected events.


    Luckily, Renie had interrupted him from the outside.


    Otherwise, Fisher couldn¡¯t be sure what the consequences would have been if he had directly faced that perilously unsettling thing in his soul state.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.


    This proves the method is effective¡­¡±


    Renie pouted and, seeing he was alright, floated up again.


    Fisher breathed a sigh of relief.


    The success of this magic could now prove the existence of the soul to those human scholars, as the Universal Magic Emblem he had drawn on the paper was intended to ensure the correct orientation of the Magic Ring Head for novices during the engraving and easily display the effects of a certain magic¡¯s Reverberation.


    Now, what really needed consideration was what that thing staring at him in the soul state actually was.


    For some reason, he was reminded of that big-eyed creature he had encountered on the South Continent¡­


    ¡°Woo~¡±


    A huge cruise ship belched slender black smoke from its top, and as the harsh whistle sounded, Fisher felt himself slowly leaving the shore.


    He turned his head toward the window outside, looking at Krit Port, or to be precise, the South Continent behind Krit Port.


    It was time for him to bid farewell to this place for now.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m so bored, so bored, so incredibly bored, Fisher.


    I¡¯m terribly bored.¡±


    Renie, this girl, had said she would accompany him on the boat back to the Western Continent.


    However, she hadn¡¯t even reached the Third Day before she started drifting around the room, murmuring about being ¡°bored.¡±


    ¡°You had the option to go back directly, but you chose to spend over thirty days with me on this boat.


    If you made that choice, don¡¯t complain now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it!


    I imagined these thirty days to be filled with us cooing and wooing in the cabin, not watching you write articles all day long.¡±


    Renie was on the brink of boredom, having flipped through the room-delivered newspapers two or three times already.


    Even floating in the air couldn¡¯t contain her restlessness.


    Fisher was starting to worry that any moment now she would burst out of the cabin to play pranks on the other passengers.


    Outside, the sea was calm with a gentle breeze.


    Fisher, looking at the sea, felt agitated¡ªnot out of boredom like Renie, but because of her.


    ¡°Do you really think I could be all lovey-dovey with you?¡±


    ¡°Fisher, look at me.¡±


    ¡°¡­What for?¡±


    Renie¡¯s teasing tone suddenly turned serious, which made Fisher think she had gotten angry, so he turned to look, only to see her pulling on her black dress to emphasize her figure, and then she seriously asked,


    ¡°Does it look good?¡±


    Fisher turned his head away, too lazy to bother with her, and continued reading his thesis. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His indifferent demeanor caused her to puff up her cheeks and, quite angry, she ran over to punch him on the head.


    ¡°Never mind¡­¡± Fisher caught her not-so-forceful fist, feeling quite exhausted himself after writing for so long, and he put down the quill, ¡°Earlier, when you sent Hart to send a message, I didn¡¯t ask in detail, did you not find your previous family in Kado?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Renie hadn¡¯t expected Fisher to suddenly ask that and said with some distress, ¡°I was too young when I left, I only have a vague memory of where I lived.


    Even if I passed by that place, it might have changed by now, so it¡¯s understandable that I couldn¡¯t find it.¡±


    Fisher had found Renie on the border between Schwali and Kado.


    At that time, Fisher had just discovered the miracles of the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual not long ago and had never heard of ¡°Son of the Sea¡± and ¡°Sky God.¡± Since the Dragon-man Species was unique to the South Continent, he had no choice but to start with Witches, which were only found on the Western Continent.


    The most notable trait of an Undead Witch is probably the so-called ¡°Undying.¡± Any kind of undying should count, the simplest being that the witch¡¯s trait is immortality, or the ability to reincarnate or something.


    But Renie didn¡¯t fit the bill in any way.


    Her traits were rubbish, she had plenty of Magic Power but couldn¡¯t engrave magic, not to mention she was particularly bad at learning.


    Other than delivering messages, the Hart Bird was nothing more than an ornament, which made Fisher completely give up the idea.


    After learning that Fisher was looking for the ¡°Undead Witch,¡± she tricked him by saying she knew information about the Undead Witch, promising to tell him after they crossed the Schwali border.


    At the time, Schwali and Kado were diplomatically hostile with a strong air of tension.


    Fisher took a risk by taking her across the border and in the midst of a fight, she ran away quickly.


    Eventually, after getting shot and nearly dying, crying and injured, she told him in Kado that the witch had already left Kado.


    Even a fool would know she was lying.


    Only under Fisher¡¯s pressing did she pitifully admit that her original intention was to have Fisher take her back to Kado to find the family she had left as a child.


    Of course, they didn¡¯t find them.


    Fisher ended up being stuck with Renie, who claimed she didn¡¯t know magic and promised to engrave Magic Emblems every day without fail for him as soon as she learned magic, to repay Fisher for saving her life.


    After engraving the Handcane with magic, she was too tired and shamelessly told Fisher she wanted to ¡°repay him with her body.¡±


    And then, an angry Fisher chased her away.


    Fisher was too young back then and didn¡¯t realize the dangers of the world, which is why Renie was able to trick him so many times.


    So after that, Renie earned the reputation in Fisher¡¯s mind of being a really nasty witch, a quintessential example of the worst among witches, single-handedly lowering the image of witches in Fisher¡¯s perspective and making him more convinced of the reliability of the Doomsday Prophecy.


    ¡°I think you might still find something if you look in the small countries to the south of Kado.


    Those places haven¡¯t been caught up in the tide of development yet; the local customs are still authentic.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense¡­


    wait a minute, you just want to get rid of me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Renie perceived the intent, a glint of intelligence flashing in her eyes, an ¡°I¡¯ve caught you¡± expression on her face.


    As soon as the topic of leaving came up, her back pain and leg fatigue vanished, and she wasn¡¯t annoyed anymore, hugging her arms midair and refusing to move a muscle.


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Fisher let out an exasperated noise to express his dissatisfaction, reaching into his pocket for a cigarette only to find, at some point, he had run out.


    He stood up reluctantly, sidestepping the unmoving Renie, and made his way to the door.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not planning on jumping into the sea, are you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fisher waved his hand dismissively, not wanting to acknowledge her at all.

 Chapter 74 - 74 4

    ?74: 4.


    Iceberg Queen 74: 4.


    Iceberg Queen The corridor outside was lined with many windows.


    As soon as he pushed open the door to his room and entered, he could see from here what was happening on the deck outside.


    At this moment, the sun shone brilliantly, but the sea breeze seemed quite strong, leaving the deck mostly empty.


    In contrast, the corridor was bustling with travelers in conversation.


    There was, for instance, a couple holding a child and an elderly person chatting with a service attendant, as well as a ¡®ship girl¡¯ soliciting passengers.


    Fisher glanced over the guests in the corridor but continued walking without stopping.


    He was unsure if there were any merchants selling goods here, so he decided to check out the restaurant below.


    ¡°Sir!


    Sir!


    Please wait a moment.¡±


    At first, when the voice came from behind him, Fisher thought it wasn¡¯t calling for him.


    It wasn¡¯t until the hurried voice drew near and a hand patted his shoulder that Fisher turned around to see a middle-aged man with a small mustache, panting and wearing a hat.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­


    finally caught up with you.


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, you are looking for a place to buy cigarettes, right?


    Allow me to introduce myself¡ªI am Leba, a merchant.


    I happen to have some for sale.


    Would you like to take a look?¡±


    As he spoke, he opened his overcoat to reveal several packages of the popular Saint Nali brand cigarettes from the inner pocket,


    ¡°Holy Maiden Brand, for the exclusive use of the Royal Family, and Banaba Brand too¡­


    This brand is new, quite strong flavored with some special products from the South Continent.


    It¡¯s also new stock that I¡¯ve just received.¡±


    ¡°How did you know I was looking for cigarettes?¡±


    While Leba was busy peddling his goods, he looked up and saw Fisher¡¯s wary gaze.


    Realizing that his approach might have been somewhat abrupt, he explained somewhat awkwardly,


    ¡°Ah, well, it¡¯s business after all.


    How many gentlemen from Nali enjoy a smoke?


    Eighty percent?


    Or perhaps ninety send more?


    They seem more anxious to find cigarettes than you are, but there are also many like you who remain calm.


    Not glancing at anyone around and just marching forward usually means they¡¯re either looking for a lavatory or cigarettes, heh heh.¡±


    The merchant named Leba was right.


    It was indeed a habit of Saint Nali gentlemen to enjoy cigarettes¡ªit was common among all classes, and even the King used to partake daily while his health was good, but he had been strictly forbidden to do so by the royal doctor since his health declined.


    Fisher was among those who used them the least, only occasionally indulging while engaged in his article writing.


    He pointed to the Holy Maiden Brand cigarettes in his chest pocket and took out his wallet,


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°75 euros, which is 10 euros more expensive than the retail price in Saint Nali, considering the additional transportation costs.¡±


    Leba rubbed his hands together, took the money, and placed a box of the Holy Maiden Brand cigarettes in Fisher¡¯s palm, giving him a box of matches as well.


    ¡°These are on the house.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I should be thanking you for your business¡­


    Ah, the wind has died down a bit outside.


    Would you like to join me to enjoy it?


    It¡¯s stuffy in the rooms, and I¡¯ve got a bit of a feeling coming on.¡±


    Leba glanced at the bright sunny sky outside and smiled as he invited Fisher to get some fresh air.


    The corridor was filled with the miasma of smoke and the noisy clamor of the ¡®ship girl¡¯ arguing with customers over prices.


    Fisher nodded his head, mainly because he didn¡¯t want to return to his room and see that Renie again; he might as well go out to clear his mind.


    His article was nearly complete.


    After finishing it tonight, he planned to polish his phrasing one last time, aiming to avoid any errors.


    The scholars of Saint Nali might not excel at much, but they were unusually adept at nitpicking words and phrasings.


    A single ambiguous or unclear sentence could end up heavily criticized in their papers, cornering you into giving explanations, only to have them shift their attack elsewhere, becoming quite the headache.


    ¡°Do you conduct business in the South Continent?¡±


    Once outside, the two of them started to chat leisurely, and Fisher glanced at the thickly wrapped overcoat of his companion and asked.


    ¡°Yes, I deal in cigarettes and fine liquor.


    The people of the South Continent lack nothing except for the taste of Saint Nali.


    Sometimes you can scour the entire wilderness without finding a single cigarette or a drop of liquor and nearly die of desperation.


    I¡¯m responsible for bringing these fine goods from Saint Nali and doing a bit of wholesaling¡­¡± Then, with a smile, Leba turned to Fisher, ¡°And occasionally a little retail.¡±


    ¡°The South Continent has so many City Lords, how do you sell your goods?


    Surely you don¡¯t go from shop to shop to sell them?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, that would be too laborious.


    Besides, I wouldn¡¯t dare to run around in the wilderness of the South Continent. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I hear it¡¯s full of man-eating goblins¡­


    all kinds of demi-humans that look like monsters.


    I just take care of bringing the goods over from Nali, and how they¡¯re sold is the concern of the local middlemen here.


    It may earn me less, but it¡¯s incredibly safe, and I don¡¯t have to deal with the taxes of various cities.¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you, sir, the South Continent is very dangerous.


    Just a few days ago, when I was in Krit Port, because I stepped out of the fenced area of the port to unload cargo, I saw¡ªum¡ªthis tall, a bit taller than me, a red Dragon-man who came up and spoke to me in Nali Language, saying there was an injured gentleman on a hillside far away¡­


    My God, Nali Language!


    That Dragon-man could speak Nali Language!¡±


    He vividly gestured with his hand a distance taller than his head and then, excitedly said,


    ¡°Mother Goddess bless, but when I went to the hill with the port soldiers, there was nothing there!


    I was scared into a cold sweat on the spot!


    This must have been a trap set by that Dragon-man.


    I heard the City Lords of Schwali are at war with the demi-humans, they must surely be seeking revenge on Humans!


    Stupid demi-humans, I am a gentleman of Nali, why didn¡¯t they go after those homosexuals from Schwali instead?!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fisher¡¯s expression froze slightly, seemingly understanding something as he nodded.


    Rafael must have informed the Humans of Krit Port to come take care of himself when he was injured, but it must have been interrupted midway, probably by Renie.


    Renie wanted to hide herself; it was impossible for others to discover her.


    The sea breeze whistled, and the outside Air was indeed much fresher than indoors.


    Standing here stretching, looking at the calm sea, it felt like all the fatigue of the body was washed away.


    Leba, as a merchant who often traveled between two continents by sea, had broad knowledge.


    He always told Fisher some mystical legends or legendary stories, including huge sea monsters at the Sea Floor and cursed treasures of Gold on the islands of the sea, but most were legends, more likely stories made up to captivate the audience.


    ¡°Hey, so you¡¯re a scholar?


    I knew it long ago; only those smartest folks from Saint Nali would have such an aura¡­


    what do you study?¡±


    ¡°Demi-human species.¡±


    ¡°Ah, oh!


    Demi-human species¡­


    My God, there¡¯s actually a study on that?¡±


    Actually, Magic and social sciences as well, but there was no need for Fisher to lay it all out.


    ¡°So, are there demi-humans in the sea too?¡±


    Leba puffed on his cigarette, looking down at the vast, blue Ocean with a surge of curiosity.


    ¡°Not sure, I haven¡¯t found any sea-originating demi-human species.


    Either they don¡¯t exist, or they are hiding so well that they haven¡¯t been discovered by Humans¡­¡±


    But Fisher actually speculated they did exist, because the Completion Manual clearly stated there was a demi-human species called the ¡°Mysterious Sea Child¡± that would bring about the Destruction of human civilization.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s possible.


    But the scariest things on the sea now aren¡¯t those elusive demi-humans or Sea Beasts, but the pirates that drive several governments to desperation.


    Imagine, a band of desperate men sailing a ship that appears and vanishes without a trace, with a skull banner, armed with several cannons stolen from Schwali, robbing here and there at sea, it¡¯s truly terrifying.¡±


    ¡°¡­.


    If there were a ship, very large, with a hull deep green in color, a flag of solid blue with an inverted hammer painted on it, and something resembling a giant spear hanging on the front of the ship, with many cannons on the sides, would that be a pirate ship?¡±


    Hearing Fisher¡¯s question, Leba was startled, then responded in surprise,


    ¡°Did you also hear about the legends of the ¡®Four Great Pirates¡¯ of the seas?


    What you¡¯re describing must be the ¡®Iceberg Queen¡¯ from the Northern Realm, the giant spear at the front is used for breaking Ice in the cold northern seas, and they¡¯re all manly women from the Northern Realm!


    But I heard they only rob Schwali, how could¡­¡±


    Leba was animatedly talking when he suddenly caught sight of something at sea, his gaze merging with Fisher¡¯s, both looking towards the distant ocean.


    A ship, huge as a Sea Beast, seemed to suddenly appear from the sea surface, steadily making its way towards them.


    The deep blue flag fluttering in the wind atop its mast matched exactly with what Fisher described.


    The ship¡¯s giant cannons on either side glinted with a deadly cold light, and at this moment, the ship was full-speed ahead towards Fisher and the others on the cruise ship.


    ¡°Ice¡­


    Iceberg Queen?!¡±


    Leba¡¯s mouth trembled.


    It seemed he didn¡¯t even have the strength to keep the cigarette pinched between his lips¡ªhalf-smoked, it dropped over the railing into the sea, sinking into the icy waters, a chilling reminder that they had been targeted by a colossal pirate ship.

 Chapter 75 - 75 5

    ?75: 5.


    Alagina 75: 5.


    Alagina Seeing the showy behemoth in the distance, it wasn¡¯t just the passengers on board who were panicking; the Captain, clutching his telescope on the bridge, was the most panicked of them all.


    As the Captain of a passenger cruise ship, he was responsible to the Nali Exploration Company above and to the safety of the few hundred passengers on board below.


    Any damage to the ship or passengers would be more than he could handle.


    And the Four Great Pirates were among the most unreasonable existences in the great oceans, with even the governments having little to no way of dealing with them, let alone this cruise ship that was not equipped with heavy weaponry.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Iceberg Queen, those crazy women should be appearing in the Northern Ocean by Schwali, how could they suddenly show up in the Southern Ocean?¡±


    The Chief Officer beside him didn¡¯t have a telescope and could only frown, placing his hands in front of his eyes to try to see the massive ship that was approaching, trying to improve his vision through this method. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Captain, they are signaling with flags¡­they want to board!


    What do we do, Captain?¡±


    The Captain opened his mouth and then put down his telescope, grinding his teeth before saying,


    ¡°Tell the engine room to slow down the engine¡¯s speed, we¡¯ll let them aboard.¡±


    ¡°But what if they come to rob us?¡±


    ¡°What else can we do?


    Either we don¡¯t let them on the ship and get our cruise ship immediately blown open by their cannons and we all fall into the sea and become fish food, or we take a gamble that they are not boarding to rob us!


    I¡¯ve heard that they only rob Schwali ships, and even if we¡¯re really out of luck, they take our money, at least we can keep our lives and return to Saint Nali.


    Hurry up and give the order, don¡¯t delay!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After hearing what the Captain said, the Chief Officer hurriedly ran out from the bridge to inform the engine room below.


    Not long after, the whole ship slowed down, and the distant deep green ship gradually moved parallel to it.


    Chains wound around the railings on the deck of the SS Lauren, linking the two ships together.


    ¡°All passengers, please pay attention, the cruise ship is now under an emergency restriction.


    All passengers, please immediately return to your own rooms, do not move around aimlessly!


    Follow the Captain¡¯s command and immediately return to your rooms!¡±


    Following the Captain¡¯s ship-wide announcement, passengers on the deck and in the corridors all returned to their rooms, and suddenly the entire yacht became extremely quiet, with only the friction from the proximity of the massive ship next door rumbling away.


    ¡°Captain, they¡¯ve boarded!¡±


    Looking down the chains linking the cruise ship, numerous tall and stout long-haired women leaped onto the deck of the SS Lauren, causing a clanging and thumping sound.


    Once aboard, they did not move around aimlessly, but stood in neat rows on the deck.


    Among them, a fat woman dressed as a pirate first mate stepped onto the deck and scanned the area before finally shouting towards the ship,


    ¡°Captain, all clear!¡±


    After that shout, a woman from the edge of the Iceberg Queen¡¯s deck leaped down silently onto the deck.


    This woman was quite tall, approximately one meter ninety, with snow-pale blond hair flowing from beneath a pure black Captain¡¯s hat.


    Unlike the other pirates, whether plump or thin, she had an evenly proportioned figure, wearing a pure black leather women¡¯s coat, with a face that was strikingly handsome and refined, more akin to an elegant and handsome Duke rather than a traditional concept of a female.


    However, her gaze was cool and her expressionless countenance instantly gave one the feeling of being transported to the furthest and coldest reaches of the Northern Realm.


    In fact, these pirates indeed came from the Northern Realm, a continent very close to the Western Continent.


    Before the Age of Discovery, the Northern Realm had always been considered part of the Western Continent.


    The countries there frequently interacted with the Western Continent, more precisely with Schwali, as Schwali was the nation closest to the Northern Realm within the Western Continent.


    Among the countries of the Northern Realm, Sardinia Female Country was recognized as the most powerful and famous one.


    This nation was peculiar in that all females were born taller and stronger than males, leading to a cultural tradition where women were revered.


    Of course, women in that region also shouldered more obligations.


    It is worth mentioning that the males of that region were renowned for their delicate beauty and grace, their frail bodies and fair skin, profoundly conservative and value chastity.


    And for some unknown reason, this quality reached the Nobles of Schwali, immediately triggering their insatiable desire.


    With demand comes supply.


    Unexpectedly, the Slave Capture Team of Schwali dared to venture into the Sardinia Female Country to capture local males, causing all the women of the Female Country to be filled with national outrage.


    Their cultural instinct was for females to protect males.


    To have their country¡¯s men humiliated was a national disgrace.


    Consequently, they became adversaries of Schwali in all avenues¡ªpolitical, military, and scholarly¡ªleaving the Schwali Official unable to explain, as they were well aware of the individuals who craved such things¡­


    The crew of the Iceberg Queen all hail from the Sardinia Female Country, and even though they are officially wanted by the authority of their own country, they only rob Schwali¡¯s ships.


    It¡¯s a situation of ¡°you issue your warrants, and I¡¯ll do my robbery, without interfering with each other.¡±


    And leading this iron-blooded maritime vessel is Captain Alagina, known as the Iceberg Queen.


    She¡¯s worth a bounty of seven and a half million Narliou, placing her among the ¡°Four Great Pirates¡± alongside the other three who also have the same bounty on their heads.


    Seeing the stunningly beautiful female pirate, Alagina, scan them with her icy gaze, cold sweat spontaneously trickled down the foreheads of the captain and chief officer of the SS Lauren.


    They felt as though they were under immense pressure, but after a second or two, the captain still managed to ask with some effort,


    ¡°We¡¯re not sure why Captain Alagina has stopped us.


    We are a passenger liner under the Nali Exploration Company, simply carrying passengers between the South Continent and the Western Continent.


    There are no valuable goods aboard¡­¡±


    ¡°Not¡­


    robbing you.¡±


    Alagina¡¯s expression did not change, and she spoke in somewhat awkward Nali Language, while the plump female first mate glanced at the extremely young male crew member behind her, and couldn¡¯t help but crack a slight smile.


    However, she had business to attend to, so she spoke up for the captain,


    ¡°Our ship has been stolen from.


    We are in pursuit of the thief.¡±


    ¡°Theft?¡±


    The captain and the chief officer exchanged glances, then swept their eyes over the boundless ocean surrounding them, momentarily at a loss for words.


    It¡¯s not like you¡¯re on the streets of Saint Nali where you could just catch a thief around the corner ¨C this is the Southern Ocean, the second largest ocean in the world!


    With not a hair in sight, why are you coming to us instead of searching your own ship for the thief?


    ¡°Could you be more specific?¡±


    With the gun in the other party¡¯s hands, the captain¡¯s tone remained quite friendly and gentle.


    The pirate first mate threw a coquettish look at the crew member behind her, and her greasy, chubby face induced a pale retreat from the crew member into the captain¡¯s room.


    She laughed it off nonchalantly and continued,


    ¡°The person jumped into the sea and swam towards your direction.


    We have been chasing for quite some time, and only saw your ship in this direction.


    The stolen item is quite valuable, so we would like to inspect your passengers for our treasure.


    If there¡¯s nothing, we¡¯ll leave right away.¡±


    ¡°Wait, are you saying your ship chased a living thief at full speed on the sea and never caught up?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The chief officer of the SS Lauren struggled to keep a straight face, as though hearing an incredibly amusing joke, and barely managed to pull the muscles of his face down with his finger to produce an expression uglier than crying.


    If he had laughed, he was sure his head would¡¯ve blown open with a big hole, he assured himself.


    But once this remark came out, an awkward silence immediately fell over the scene until the first mate realized the others¡¯ displeasure and seemed to offer an explanation,


    ¡°It could¡¯ve been Magic Items or some mechanical device!


    I¡¯ve heard there are many such new things at the Saint Nali Royal Research Institute¡­¡±


    The captain also coughed, turning to look at the dense crowd of armed pirates behind Alagina.


    Those uncivilized women were eyeing the ship¡¯s construction, and with the firearms and weapons in hand, they seemed capable of plowing through the tourists¡¯ heads several times over.


    He nodded and addressed the icy Captain Alagina,


    ¡°I will instruct the crew to comply with your search, but you must ensure that neither the passengers nor the ship suffers any damage.¡±


    Alagina nodded, her cold demeanor unchanged, and added,


    ¡°Search¡­


    whether we find it or not, we will leave.¡±


    It seemed she had lost something very important.

 Chapter 76 - 76 6

    ?76: 6.


    Famous flowers have their owners 76: 6.


    Famous flowers have their owners Seeing the giant pirate ship, Fisher and the merchant Leba beside him hurriedly walked toward the direction of their rooms, as the captain¡¯s broadcast echoed again and again in the hallway, warning all passengers to return to their rooms.


    ¡°What should we do, what should we do?


    How did we finally make some money just to run into pirates?


    Aren¡¯t these crazed women supposed to appear in the Northern Ocean, how come they suddenly show up here?¡±


    Leba¡¯s face fell into a sorrowful expression; he didn¡¯t even have the chance to lament his bad luck, as he already began scoping out places to hide his cigarettes and money, so they wouldn¡¯t be discovered by the pirates.


    After the long hard work, he had only just earned a little money and he certainly didn¡¯t want to return to the Western Continent with nothing to show for it.


    Fisher, watching the pirate ship drawing ever closer, remained calm.


    Although he didn¡¯t recognize the notorious names of the big pirates, having just heard about the Iceberg Queen¡¯s crew and their deeds from Leba, and knowing that they only robbed Schwali¡¯s ships, Fisher thought the likelihood of them robbing this ship was small.


    Considering the regular backstabbing among several countries, there must be a reason why Alagina in the Northern Ocean had yet to be settled for only robbing Schwali¡¯s cargo ships; Fisher did not believe that a pirate could contend with Schwali¡¯s army with just a few stolen cannons.


    Excluding some dependent small countries, there are three nations adjacent to the North Ocean.


    Firstly, there¡¯s the Sardinia Female Country, which itself is issuing warrants for Alagina, so it¡¯s unlikely to provide her with supplies; secondly, there¡¯s Schwali, infuriated by the pirates, conducting monthly North Ocean naval patrols to deter the pirates.


    Under such circumstances, Schwali would not condone merchants secretly selling supplies to them.


    So guess who the last neighboring country is?


    Right, it¡¯s Nali.


    Therefore, after hearing about the Iceberg Queen just now, Fisher, who had a considerable understanding of Nali¡¯s political arena, first thought that there must be people from Nali backing this pirate ship, regardless of the type of support.


    Fisher guessed that supplying provisions was most likely, after all, selling weapons to pirates was totally indefensible, but selling supplies could be excused as an act of individual merchants, which would be out of their control.


    So why not sit back and watch the pirates in the Northern Ocean rob from Schwali¡¯s shipowners?


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave now; you take care.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you too.


    May the Mother Goddess protect you!¡±


    After bidding farewell to Leba at the door of his room, Fisher walked a short distance to the door of his own room, only to see Renie was not inside.


    Instead, she stood by the window in the hallway, holding her face and looking at the pirate ship that was getting closer and closer to the cruise ship.


    ¡°You¡¯re back, there¡¯s a ship approaching this way, is it pirates?¡±


    Fisher nodded and took Renie by the hand, heading toward the room,


    ¡°Be still, pirates are greedy for profit, and if they find out you¡¯re a Witch, capturing you and selling you to the ¡®Witch Research Association¡¯ would be a big payday for them.¡±


    The Witch Research Association, a religious organization established in Kado, was considered a cult in both Schwali and Nali. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They believe that Witches hold secrets to approaching the Mother Goddess and are madly trying to capture Witches for research.


    Renie let him lead her into the room, with her other hand playfully touching her lips,


    ¡°Would you protect me then?¡±


    Without turning back, Fisher said,


    ¡°I¡¯d split the money from your sale, consider it compensation for earlier.¡±


    ¡°Drop dead!¡±


    The door to the room shut, and from outside on the deck, came the intermittent sounds of chains being thrown by the pirate ship and entwined around the railings.


    Just in case, Fisher still hid his unfinished thesis in a secure place to prevent his work from being lost.


    It was unknown how the negotiations between the captain of the cruise ship and the pirates from the Iceberg Queen were going, but when the cabin doors opened and the pirates walked in, many passengers still inevitably panicked.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, Captain Alagina is only aboard to search for a thief, please do not resist; they will not harm you!


    I emphasize again, they will not endanger the passengers¡¯ safety!¡±


    The captain¡¯s message was broadcast repeatedly, and Fisher, with legs crossed, calmly sat in the chair in his room reading a newspaper.


    Chatting sounds and the noise of opening room doors came from afar, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before they reached his area.


    Renie didn¡¯t seem worried at all, idly drawing circles on the table with her finger dipped in coffee.


    Outside, larks flew up and down, cocking their heads and scrutinizing the rooms inside the cruise ship.


    ¡°Thud!¡±


    After a while, the door was abruptly pushed open, and the rather plump and ill-tempered pirate first mate appeared at the doorway.


    She glanced at Renie and Fisher inside, then beckoned the pirates behind her with a hook of her hand, and said to them,


    ¡°Get up, we just need to search for our belongings.¡±


    Fisher and Renie reluctantly stood up.


    It was only as he stood that Fisher caught a glimpse of Captain Alagina at the door, her captain¡¯s hat now removed to reveal her long silver hair.


    Unlike the greasy and grubby faces of the other pirates, her cheeks were clean, as if frequently washed, making the woman look more like a noble than a pirate.


    Fisher gave the other party a look, then followed the pirates forward.


    They were actually going to be searched, men and women separately, women inside the room, and men outside.


    With only a box of cigarettes and two Completion Manuals in his possession, Fisher was not worried about the manuals being discovered by others, so he let them search as they pleased.


    When he stepped out of the room, a female pirate seemed intent on searching him, but Captain Alagina raised a hand to stop her efforts.


    The tall figure taller than Fisher approached and extended her hand toward him.


    ¡°Sorry, just a quick search¡­¡±


    Her fair hands reached out, first fumbling in Fisher¡¯s shirt pocket, pausing for a moment when she felt the shape of the cigarette case, and then quickly moved on.


    Fisher¡¯s pants had no pockets, so she didn¡¯t bother to search them.


    After a cursory check, Captain Alagina¡¯s hand lingered on Fisher¡¯s lower abdomen without retracting, and she silently closed her eyes, her breathing gradually becoming rapid.


    Fisher had started to realize something was off.


    His expression instantly turned to that of a dead fish.


    He had forgotten these women were from Sardinia Female Country¡­


    Just as he was about to react, he heard the female behind him draw a breath and emerge from her prior state, addressing Fisher,


    ¡°That skinny, short¡­


    female, is she your¡­


    wife?¡±


    She glanced at Renie inside the room, seemingly disdainful of such a woman, but her expressionless face made it hard to discern her emotions.


    It seemed she was just simply expressing confusion to Fisher.


    Having lived for twenty-eight years, this was Fisher¡¯s first experience of being harassed by a woman.


    It left him speechless.


    Because of geographical reasons, Sardinia Female Country didn¡¯t have much interaction with Nali, and Fisher had received letters from their schools during his time at Royal College, which seemed quite normal.


    He didn¡¯t expect his first encounter with women from Sardinia Female Country would be like this.


    ¡°¡­.Yes.¡±


    To get rid of this strange woman¡¯s harassment, Fisher lied to Captain Alagina with a headache.


    As expected, as soon as she heard Fisher was married, a crack of disappointment surfaced on her calm expression, and she stepped back a distance, no longer drawing close to Fisher¡¯s body.


    The men of Sardinia Female Country were conservative, and the women were no better, all pure-hearted warriors who believed in the unmatched power of fidelity in love.


    Naturally, they wouldn¡¯t engage in the act of stealing someone else¡¯s partner.


    Although this man was handsome and seemed more robust than the men from her hometown, and his expressionless face appealed to her, she had flickered with interest¡­


    What a pity, he was already taken.


    The pirates in the room behind them had finished searching and indicated to the overseeing plump first mate with a shake of their head that they found nothing.


    The perceptive first mate glanced at the scene, and seeing her captain had retreated nonchalantly, coughed and said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next room to search.


    We apologize for the disturbance.¡±


    Captain Alagina, casting one last glance at Fisher, suddenly pointed at his chest.


    Before Fisher could react, she had donned her captain¡¯s hat and walked toward the next room.


    Watching her slowly receding back, Fisher reached into his pocket and found something had been added.


    He pulled it out to see a pearl shimmering faintly.


    This was a gift from Captain Alagina to Fisher, a token of her favor for him.


    ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 77 - 77 7

    ?77: 7.


    Teasing 77: 7.


    Teasing On the deck, after a fruitless search, Alagina propped her hands on the railing, staring out at the boundless sea without uttering a word.


    She had not found what she was looking for on this ship.


    The lost item was the last relic her father left behind, a necklace meant as a token of betrothal for when she would marry, with a deep blue Ice Crystal Gemstone embedded within it, exquisitely crafted.


    Although the price of the Ice Crystal Gemstone had dropped significantly due to the many recent discoveries of gemstone deposits in the Sardinia Female Country, the necklace, made by her own father¡¯s hands, was extremely precious to her.


    Could it be that the thief had dived into the depths of the Ocean?


    She looked deep into the azure sea ahead as if trying to see something through its surface, but her prolonged silence only brought immense pressure to the others, especially to the captain and chief officer of the SS Lauren, fearing that the silent, cold woman before them might suddenly lash out and order a slaughter of everyone on board.


    ¡°Captain, should we continue searching in this direction?¡±


    The portly Chief Officer knew how much the Captain treasured the necklace; she rarely wore it, preferring to hang it beside her bed in her chamber.


    Who knew someone could steal aboard their ship so silently, and on the open sea at that?


    Alagina was silent for a second before shaking her head,


    ¡°No need, change course.


    We still have a mission to complete.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± the portly Chief Officer responded, waving to the female pirates nearby, ¡°Let¡¯s go, everyone on board!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Under the relieved gaze of the Captain and the Chief Officer, the pirates grasped the chains linking to the deck, climbing aboard the massive Iceberg Queen.


    Alagina gave one last look to the cruise ship, as if she were thinking of the man she had just met.


    Unfortunately, he was already married.


    She shook her head to cast aside her thoughts and lightly grasped the last chain, being pulled back to her own ship as the chain retracted.


    ¡°Humming¡­¡±


    The ship¡¯s engines roared to life as the dark green-hulled Iceberg Queen slowly pulled away from the SS Lauren, heading in a different direction.


    On the bow, dressed in black leather and holding a sea chart, Alagina pointed out a direction, commanding the ship to proceed onward.


    If anyone was familiar with geography, they could tell that the Iceberg Queen¡¯s current direction was completely opposite to that of the SS Lauren¡¯s, heading towards the distant South Continent.


    The portly Chief Officer rubbed his hands and came to Alagina¡¯s side, looking quizzically at his captain,


    ¡°Captain, what kind of job have we taken on?


    Can you tell us now?


    It¡¯s a long way from the Northern Ocean to the Southern Ocean, and all for so much Gold?¡±


    Alagina was silent for a second before replying calmly,


    ¡°A client simply wants the cause of death of a City Lord named Philone from the South Continent.


    Once we get the situation there, we can set sail back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?


    I thought we were going to engage in a sea battle with the local City Lord.


    Just to check the situation and get..oh, so much Gold?


    Don¡¯t tell me clients are into charity nowadays?¡±


    Alagina didn¡¯t answer but unfolded a small leather scroll from her bosom.


    A map of the South Continent was on it, with a red circle drawn on the northern part, marking the location of Philone City.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    As if the group of ferocious pirates were just a minor interlude, once the massive vessel of the Iceberg Queen disappeared from the view of the SS Lauren¡¯s captain, he finally let out a sigh of relief and ordered the engine room below to continue moving forward.


    Meanwhile, in Fisher¡¯s cabin, Renie covered her chest, her gaze filled with sorrow.


    Her purple pupils looked at the Pearls laid out on the table as if they were evidence of infidelity, wiping away non-existent tears from her eyes, she lamented,


    ¡°Sob sob, my husband¡­


    my husband actually accepted a gift from another woman¡­¡±


    Clearly, she had overheard the conversation between Fisher and Alagina.


    As soon as Fisher returned, she would confront him with the Pearl, questioning him like a wronged wife filled with grief.


    She couldn¡¯t suppress the laughter bubbling up inside her for more than three seconds before she burst out, clutching her stomach as she guffawed.


    ¡°Hahaha, Fisher, to think you¡¯d get teased by a woman!!¡±


    Black lines crept over Fisher¡¯s face as Renie¡¯s laughter echoed through the room, as irritating as a demon from Hell.


    Fisher reached out and grabbed her ankle, which was flitting about the room, and yanked her out of midair to land perfectly on the soft sofa nearby.


    With no room to catch her breath, Fisher suddenly leaned in close, grabbing her left forearm with his right hand and her shoulder with his left, their positions dangerously close to the point that with every breath he took, he was enveloped in her intoxicating, seductive scent.


    His gaze darkened considerably, meeting her mischievous but quiet smile.


    Renie¡¯s left hand gently brushed over his cheek, causing his skin to tingle as if electrified.


    She thoroughly enjoyed teasing Fisher; it seemed to bring her endless joy to see him provoked to the point of anger, capturing her and pinning her down, but she was far from panicked.


    Instead of backing down, she reached out and hooked her fingers into Fisher¡¯s shirt, her face close to his, exhaling a fragrant breath,


    ¡°Oh my, what does the naughty boy intend to do to me?


    Let me guess¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Fisher bit down on a lock of her black hair that was sticking out.


    Despite his poor opinion of her, he couldn¡¯t deny that Renie was indeed an incredibly enticing and beautiful woman, as irresistible as the most intoxicating wine in the world.


    ¡°You want to kiss me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Her finger rested gently at Fisher¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple, trailing lightly across as if naively guessing, unaware of the looming outburst of the man before her.


    ¡°Renie, stop.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t seem to want to let me go at all¡­¡±


    She paid no heed to Fisher¡¯s advice, her fingers sliding down his shirt.


    That instant movement ignited him, and as he bent his head to claim her, he grasped nothing but air.


    The delicate woman vanished from his arms like a shooting star, and by the time she reformed, she was already seated at the nearby table, holding the paper Fisher had just written.


    A hint of pink colored Renie¡¯s cheeks, tempting Fisher to taste the flavor of her lipstick.


    She shook the manuscript in her hand and pointed to the lipstick on her lips,


    ¡°Do you want the paper, or do you want me?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Silently, Fisher reached out, facing her expectant gaze as if he was about to grasp Renie¡¯s skin, but at the moment before touching her, he snatched the manuscript from her hand instead.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the paper.¡±


    Fisher replied calmly, causing Renie, who was sitting on the table, to pause briefly in surprise and then puff up her cheeks in vexation, floating back to her room in a huff, obviously not in the mood to deal with Fisher.


    Fisher exhaled a warm breath and straightened his somewhat disheveled shirt before resettling himself beside the bed.


    His choice hadn¡¯t been wrong.


    With Renie¡¯s character being terribly bad, choosing her wouldn¡¯t have allowed Fisher any real action.


    She was only enjoying the process of teasing him, relishing the sight of him becoming increasingly desperate for her.


    Fisher had seen right through her ploys and would not be swayed by her wishes, but he had to admit that just a moment ago, he had truly lost control due to Renie¡¯s allure.


    At least for that instant, Fisher truly wanted to devour her.


    That woman¡­


    Does she actually like the color black?


    For some reason, that thought suddenly crossed Fisher¡¯s mind, and then he somewhat speechlessly patted his head, banishing the ill-timed thought from his mind.


    Indeed, traveling with Renie was sheer torture, equatable to cruel punishment.


    Once back in Saint Nali, he¡¯d find an excuse to send her away.


    Outside the window, the setting sun cast its glow on the sea¡¯s surface, and the Hart Birds crowding the fence stretched their beautiful wings, happily chirping at Fisher, who was inside drinking coffee, as if in sympathy with Renie.


    Like their owner¡¯s treatment, Fisher ignored them with an expressionless face.


    He glanced at the pearl on the table, picked it up, and caressed it, finding it to be quite large and unusually attractive among pearls.


    He had to thank the female captain for being so generous to offer such an expensive gift at their first meeting. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fisher hesitated briefly, refraining from tucking the pearl away, and simply placed it on the guest room¡¯s table instead.

 Chapter 78 - 78 8

    ?78: 8.


    Crab Lady 78: 8.


    Crab Lady Night had already deepened, and aboard the SS Lauren, apart from a few crew members who were still on duty, most people were deeply asleep.


    The ocean, coated by darkness, was so calm; the nighttime sea breeze whistling past, from the ocean or from the sky, a shadow silently fell upon the deck.


    The shadow, carried swiftly along by the fierce deck winds, slipped into the passenger cabins.


    The corridor lights in the cabin area were already turned off.


    Apart from a few rooms that still had lights on or from which soft conversations could be heard, everyone else was sound asleep.


    The shadow silently moved down the hallway, leaving behind a large crab silhouette on the wall under the emergency lighting.


    Out of curiosity, the shadow closely inspected the tightly shut doors of the surrounding passenger rooms, wanting to get a glimpse of the construction and scene inside.


    However, a thick curtain hung inside every room¡¯s door; it could only vaguely make out the light situation inside.


    The cruise ship, encountering waves, slightly tilted, but the shadow stood steady as a mountain, pausing in front of a specific room¡¯s door.


    The body of the shadow trembled slightly, as if struggling to breathe, seemingly detecting the scent of something appetizing.


    It was the smell of a pearl!


    The shadow leaned against the door that was now darkened, repeatedly trying to glimpse the precious pearl inside through the thick curtain but couldn¡¯t fulfill its wish without the superpower of x-ray vision. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next second, the door handle was turned, revealing the dim emergency lighting outside.


    Silently, the shadow slipped through the door gap, immediately smelling the floral fragrance that filled the room.


    Unaccustomed, the shadow covered its nose, fearing that a sneeze might awaken the sleeping occupant the next moment.


    Soon, it saw the pearl resting on a table, gleaming like the moon.


    A treasure!


    A shiny treasure!


    Definitely very valuable!


    The shadow stealthily stretched out its hand and grasped the small pearl in its palm; the cold pearl was so enchanting that it wanted to lift it up in the moonlight to check its quality.


    When it lifted the pearl, however, instead of bright moonlight, it saw a face as expressionless as a shadow¡ªFisher.


    ¡°Whooaaahhh!


    It¡¯s a sea ghost!!!¡±


    The shadow let out a cry in a strange language that Fisher didn¡¯t understand at all, and its petite body collapsed to the ground in an instant.


    The pearl, now unsteady in its grasp, rolled across the floor and hit the wall.


    As the pearl touched the wall, that little body suddenly dashed backward, and its speed of escape was beyond Fisher¡¯s imagination.


    In the blink of an eye, the creature nearly reached the doorway.


    But Fisher didn¡¯t give chase, because in the next moment, a purple ethereal figure had appeared at the doorway and easily took control of the fleeing shadow.


    ¡°Whooahh, let go of me!¡±


    ¡°Fisher, look, it¡¯s a demi-human!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her escape.¡±


    The lights came on, and it was only then that Fisher, dressed in a white shirt, saw Renie, wearing a lace nightgown, holding a petite humanoid girl.


    The humanoid creature was about the size of a seven or eight-year-old human child, but instead of a human-like spine, her back was a complete shell like that of a crab.


    The clothing on the child was quite peculiar, resembling fabric woven from aquatic plant leaves, lacking any sensation of threads yet exquisitely beautiful, making her appear like an endearing doll.


    At that moment, she struggled continuously in Renie¡¯s hands, but being petite and with limbs hanging, she could only feebly flail around.


    Fisher also noticed that her left hand was clutching a leather pouch, bulging with numerous objects.


    Yes, you heard right¡ªclutching with a pouch.


    The demi-human in front of him had a complete crab claw for a left hand, but a human-like right hand, round and plump fingers with structures resembling webs in between, making Fisher, who had studied demi-humans for a long time, find the design of this creature very strange.


    Renie beamed as she turned the child, revealing the fierce struggling pink-haired kid in her arms.


    Her face was slightly chubby, her body damp, yet her skin wasn¡¯t peeling at all, suggesting its texture was far different from that of humans.


    Upon seeing Fisher¡¯s expressionless face, she panicked and puffed her cheeks, and the next moment, numerous bubbles started emerging from her mouth, seemingly warning Fisher not to come closer.


    ¡°Look, she¡¯s blowing bubbles.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, those bubbles could be poisonous.¡±


    Yet this entirely non-threatening gesture only amused Renie, who curiously prodded the demi-human¡¯s cheek, causing her to frantically blow out even more bubbles.


    Renie didn¡¯t touch the bubbles she blew; she simply kept prodding her face.


    Renie thought her cheeks were even more elastic than human skin, soft and mushy, extremely comfortable to pinch.


    This demi-human made no sound when walking, not even when opening the room door.


    If Fisher hadn¡¯t preemptively set up a magic alarm at the doorway due to his vigilant nature, he might not have realized this demi-human had entered.

 Chapter 79 - 79 8

    ?79: 8.


    Crab Lady 2 79: 8.


    Crab Lady 2 ¡°Let go of me, let go of me!¡±


    The child was babbling something incomprehensible, a language Fisher had never heard before, but quickly, she seemed to realize something and began furiously shouting at Fisher while holding up a bag clutched in her left crab-like claw.


    ¡°Is she going to use something from the bag?¡±


    Faced with Renie¡¯s confusion, Fisher remained silent for a moment, then turned to close the door behind and then activated the protective magic.


    The protective magic could guard from the inside out, ensuring that the creature couldn¡¯t escape no matter what.


    ¡°Alright, put her down and let¡¯s see what she¡¯s going to do.¡±


    After confirming that the child was unarmed aside from a leather bag she was carrying on her back, Fisher instructed Renie to set the creature down.


    The demi-human, resembling a crab, quickly landed on the ground and hurriedly opened her leather bag, revealing many shiny objects.


    Among them were human items, such as brooches, necklaces, and rings, as well as several other crafts that Fisher had never seen before.


    They were exquisitely made, not inferior to human creations, but their designs were too bizarre for human appreciation.


    After rummaging through for a long time, the child finally pulled a small sea snail from the bag.


    The sea snail was quite heavy, requiring the crab person to hold it with both hands.


    On closer inspection, it was filled with a blue, viscous liquid, sealed by some invisible force without spilling.


    She abruptly sucked the sea snail against her mouth, and the chill-colored liquid slowly slid down her throat.


    Just as Fisher, on alert, thought she was preparing for an attack or an escape and readied herself to smash the girl¡¯s head with her hand cane, the liquid instead spread slowly through her veins into her entire brain, even causing her eyes to emit a faint luminescence. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When she spoke again, her weird language seemed to be replaced by some magical force into Nali Language, which Fisher and Renie could understand, reminiscent of their previous encounter with the Brain Demon Species on the South Continent, only this time the speaker had first ingested some strange liquid.


    ¡°Bold humans!


    I am Lingna of the Ocean Emperor!


    A member of the royal family with endless life and a mighty Companion Sea Beast!


    I just need to wave my hand and my Companion Sea Beast will devour the vessel you ride.


    Be wise and release me¡­


    and also hand over that pearl!¡±


    She stood with her hands on her hips, her voice crisp like a child¡¯s, ignoring the limitations of her petite body; she seemed to possess an air that commanded the world.


    This being Fisher¡¯s first encounter with an Ocean Subhuman, he was captivated by the strange titles she threw out, pondering deeply as he scrutinized the petite, pink-haired girl.


    She was less than one meter forty, her pale feet covered by some transparent casing that left no footprints or water marks on the ground, made from some unknown material.


    Seeing that she had intimidated him, the girl who declared herself Lingna chuckled mischievously, waving her hand and generously said,


    ¡°Since it¡¯s your first time beholding my majestic appearance, I¡¯ll graciously overlook this.


    Next time, keep your distance from the nobles of the sea.


    Well, I am preparing to leave now¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she walked toward the pearl, but suddenly, a mahogany hand cane was placed in front of her, blocking her path, causing Lingna¡¯s body to stiffen slightly.


    Behind her, Fisher, expressionless like a demon, spoke calmly,


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯d be fooled by such a pale lie?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, indeed.


    This human in front of us really likes your kind, the adorable demi-human girls.


    He will definitely devour you.¡±


    Renie pinched the increasingly pale face of the Crab Lady in front of her, whispering into her ear as if she enjoyed the spectacle.


    The Crab Lady trembled all over as she looked at Fisher¡¯s hand cane drawing ever closer.


    Not knowing what she was thinking, she tried to push Renie away, the one who was pinching her cheeks, but she couldn¡¯t manage it no matter how hard she tried.


    She opened her mouth again, as if wanting to say something, her soft, big eyes glanced at Fisher and then weakly blew bubbles towards him.


    Fisher ignored her and simply grabbed the pouch she held, snatching it away amidst her panicked cries.


    He held up the pouch and opened it to find that the space inside was larger than he had anticipated.


    It contained various crafted artifacts as well as glowing pearls, shells, sea urchins, and even several lively fish.


    ¡°Give it back to me!


    Give it back!


    That¡¯s mine!¡±


    ¡°These items are all stolen by you, aren¡¯t they?


    How did they become yours again?¡±


    Fisher ignored Lingna, who was jumping around trying to get her pouch back.


    He suddenly thought that the theft on Alagina¡¯s ship might have been done by this Ocean Subhuman before him.


    Given her silent intrusion and her speedy escape, she wasn¡¯t someone easy to catch.


    Who would have thought that a thief would sneak aboard in the vast ocean?


    When Fisher mentioned the word ¡°theft,¡± Lingna¡¯s face became embarrassed and shy.


    Her small mouth puckered up as she stammered,


    ¡°You¡­


    you and that previous female human are in cahoots¡­


    She placed the items on the wall, taking them doesn¡¯t count as stealing¡­¡±


    Even she couldn¡¯t convince herself with such flawed logic.


    Fisher, holding her pouch, sat down on the sofa nearby.


    He didn¡¯t actually care about that pearl; he had suddenly become intensely interested in this Ocean Subhuman Species that had appeared so unexpectedly.


    A strong desire for knowledge was meddling within him, his fingers tapping incessantly on the table, deep in thought.


    Only Renie, who knew Fisher well, understood that he was up to no good once again.


    She guessed he was now contemplating how to trap this demi-human girl before him and study her thoroughly.


    ¡°Do you want this pouch?¡±


    Lingna nodded and hesitated for a moment before saying,


    ¡°I don¡¯t want that pearl anymore!


    I¡¯ll return that human¡¯s items to you!


    Just give me my pouch¡­¡±


    ¡°No, keep the pearl, and I¡¯ll give you back the pouch¡­


    but in exchange, I would like to have a basic understanding of you, and I hope we both remain honest.¡±


    Uncertain whether it was a threat or a deal, Lingna glanced at the glowing pearl and then at the pouch he held in his hand¡­


    Yet, the pearl was truly beautiful.


    A bit of greed and compromise led her straight into Fisher¡¯s trap.

 Chapter 80 - 80 9

    ?80: 9.


    God of Hundred Forms 80: 9.


    God of Hundred Forms ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°¡­Lingna.¡±


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    Fisher, holding a scroll of manuscript paper, looked towards Lingna seated on the sofa, while Renie, quite amused, was peeling candy for her.


    Initially, she suspected these humans wanted to poison her, but after she tasted one, she couldn¡¯t stop; it seemed candy was a rarity where she lived.


    She paused chewing the fruit for a moment and then looked away evasively,


    ¡°Eight¡­


    eight years old.¡±


    This vastly contradicted her previous claim of Endless Life, and probably even she knew the makeshift lie wouldn¡¯t fool Fisher.


    Earlier, Fisher had checked her body and found that the crab-like organs were intact, and the shell resembling a piece of jewelry was firmly attached to her back.


    However, according to her, the shell was light, and she couldn¡¯t feel its weight at all underwater.


    After understanding some of her physiological data, Fisher was actually more curious about what the Ocean Subhuman settlements looked like.


    Ocean Subhuman sightings were extremely rare from the human perspective.


    While in Nali, he occasionally heard news from the coastal fishermen about sightings of sea monsters, mermaids, and the like, which drew a large crowd of reporters and newspapers to rush there by train.


    However, the black and white photos they returned with only showed tranquil ocean surfaces accompanied by a bunch of various interviews and not a single substantial piece of evidence.


    Now that he had finally encountered a real, speaking Ocean Subhuman, wouldn¡¯t he gather some information?


    While Fisher had no intention of taking her back to Nali¡ªconsidering Nali¡¯s current level of technology, not only could they not reach the Ocean Subhuman settlements, but even if they could, it would only repeat the incident of the South Continent.


    This research was merely to satisfy Fisher¡¯s own curiosity, and the records would not be made public.


    Most importantly, Fisher wanted to learn about the Son of the Sea.


    After all, among the four Doomsday Prophecies, the description of the Son of the Sea was the most vague and wrapped in mystery, seeming utterly clueless.


    ¡°So you are only eight years old?


    No wonder you¡¯re so adorable¡­¡±


    Renie peeled another candy and fed it to her, puffing up her cheeks.


    Before she finished, she opened her mouth to signal Renie to keep feeding her, mouth stuffed too full to answer Fisher¡¯s questions.


    Fisher¡¯s fingers tapped on the desk, giving Renie an unforgiving glance as if blaming her for interrupting his research, causing Renie to turn an innocent gaze towards him,


    ¡°Renie¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright¡­


    But Fisher, I really love children, you know.


    If it were our child, it would definitely be even cuter than this one~¡±


    She emphasized the ¡°our¡± with a slight stress in her speech, her eyes, starry like the night sky, swept towards Fisher, as if trying to stir a certain desire within him.


    Wasn¡¯t such a young girl¡¯s request for an adorable child something you couldn¡¯t possibly deny?


    Fisher glanced at her expectant look; at that moment, Renie was like a wife you¡¯ve been deeply in love with for many years, longing for a love child with you, that single look making it impossible for you to refuse, filled with the desire to create life right there and then.


    But it was all just Renie¡¯s ruse, and Fisher was more aware of it than anyone.


    Thus, with difficulty, he diverted his gaze, prioritizing the desire for knowledge over the desire for reproduction, and continued questioning Lingna,


    ¡°Why did you come here to steal?


    Is your home close by?¡±


    He didn¡¯t directly ask about the situation in her Ocean Subhuman tribe, fearing that the direct question would provoke her defenses, leading her to give false or incomplete information.


    Yet, it seemed that Lingna was just a younger member of her race; this one question opened up a floodgate of words,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t steal anything!


    I just, just wanted to see what was above us!


    But there was nothing there, I heard from the old people in the city that there are many, many creatures above that look like us, like Humans and Sea Demons.


    I was nearly hit by one of your big machines!


    I wanted to go up and have it out, but then I saw a shiny gemstone necklace, and I just wanted to borrow it to have a look!¡±


    Lingna was stubborn as a mule in denying the act of theft, insisting it was only to borrow and take a look, but how exactly she planned to return it remained to be determined.


    ¡°So what¡¯s this royal family you mentioned before?


    Are there demi-humans who are of a higher rank than yours?¡±


    Since there were royalties, the social structure there must have already been relatively stable, at least forming a society similar to that of humans.


    Moreover, according to Lingna, it was very far from where she lived to the surface of the water; she swam for half a day before she could barely see the sunlight above.


    Fisher speculated that the settlement of the demi-humans must be on the sea floor of the Southern Ocean, but he couldn¡¯t calculate how deep specifically.


    According to the study of the physical structure of this Crab-man, her resistance to water pressure was beyond Fisher¡¯s imagination, and she also had the structure to react quickly to changes in pressure; otherwise, she couldn¡¯t possibly stay unharmed on the surface of the water.


    Although the overall appearance was somewhat strange, all the biological traits seemed to be perfectly utilized in reality, almost like some unspeakable Creation of God, which made Fisher marvel at the power of nature.


    ¡°Oh, that bunch of people¡­¡± Speaking of the royal family that Fisher mentioned, Lingna touched her head somewhat embarrassingly and said in a low voice, ¡°Actually, I have never seen them either.


    They stay in a sea trench far, far away from us.


    My dad said the royal family is very conservative and won¡¯t easily leave that sea trench.


    Plus, that trench is so dark I¡¯m afraid to go there.


    Ordinary people would get crushed if they went further down, only the royal family can come and go there freely¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Fisher wrote down the word ¡°royal family¡± on paper, as for the Ocean Subhuman race, the royal family seemed to be an extremely special existence.


    According to Lingna¡¯s family, the Ocean¡¯s royal family was unique, all pointing to the race living under the giant sea trench.


    Fisher drained all the remaining knowledge out of Lingna¡¯s little head.


    He even knew about the time the kids in her settlement rode fishes and dragged her around everywhere, all thanks to Renie¡¯s excellent candy pouring technique, which made her unconsciously spill out a bunch of things.


    ¡°You¡¯re not lying, are you?¡±


    After recording this information, Fisher looked at Lingna, whose cheeks were puffed up, causing her to panic and raise her claws, innocently calling out,


    ¡°I swear by the name of the faith in Ramasitia!


    I¡¯m not lying, otherwise, I¡¯ll¡­


    I¡¯ll vomit out all this tasty food I¡¯ve eaten!¡±


    As she spoke, as if to prove the cruelty of her oath, she hurriedly swallowed down the tasty candies in her mouth!


    ¡°Ramasitia¡­ Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What is that?¡±


    Fisher astutely caught the strange word that came out of her mouth.


    The word she uttered was very peculiar since she had just consumed the strange translation liquid, Fisher heard her voice as a stream of consciousness translation, only this term was brought out in its original pronunciation.


    ¡°Ah¡­


    so you don¡¯t worship the great Ramasitia,¡± she said, perplexed, hammering her own head with her claws as if pondering how to explain the meaning of Ramasitia in her mouth to Fisher and his people.


    ¡°My dad told me that all our lives were given by Ramasitia.


    Every year we have to worship Him by throwing a lot of fish and crafts into the sea trench, although I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll hit those royals on the head or not¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, are you saying that the royals and the God you worship live together?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­


    Um?


    The God you worship¡­


    uh, doesn¡¯t exist like Ramasitia?


    Then why do you worship Him?¡±


    This question actually stumped Fisher.


    Although he knew the Mother Goddess was just a means for humans to explain the world, more like a primitive belief, or rather, faith, he just hadn¡¯t expected that the demi-humans in the ocean would actually worship a tangible entity.


    That is, the God they worshiped really existed in this world, lying in a sea trench in the Southern Ocean?


    ¡°Have you ever seen that deity?¡±


    ¡°Nope.


    But every time I pray, I can feel His response, even though I don¡¯t understand it¡­¡±


    Seeing the human in front of her deep in thought, not knowing how to explain, Lingna stretched out her claws, bringing both hands and her entire forearms together, performing an action she had done many times before, similar to a human praying, just that this praying gesture was a bit too strange for humans.


    She closed her eyes, her voice serious and devout, murmuring low,


    ¡°Guardian of the Ocean, origin of Life, [God of Hundred Forms] Ramasitia, I pray to you, hoping that I can eat this delicious food every day¡­


    Yeah, something like this.


    My dad and I have to do this before every meal.


    Ah, I can¡¯t hear Ramasitia¡¯s voice here; probably it¡¯s too far, and He might not be able to hear me.


    Occasionally at night when I¡¯m bullied by other friends, I tell Him, praying He would have their parents spank their butts, I don¡¯t know if He agrees or not¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Fisher looked out at the vast ocean outside, and after a long pause, his quill pen noted down the last record on the paper,


    [God of Hundred Forms].