Chapter 224: Stillness
The Vampire clerk slid a thin, bone-carved identification plate from his drawer
as he spoke.
"In three months' time, present this plate here to finalize your Imperial
Residency Seal." He offered a polite, practiced smile as he handed the card
over. "Keep this safe. If it is lost, a replacement fee of ten copper coins will
be required."
Lia accepted the plate, holding it up to the fading light to inspect the etched
grooves. She tucked it into the bodice of her dress.
"Understood."
Seeing the paperwork finished, William clapped his hands together. "Right then,
bureaucracy is behind us. Now, we need to procure some essentials. Aside from
the rags on your back, you're currently a beggar."
They exited the Logistics Management Bureau. The sun was beginning its slow
descent, and the foot traffic had thinned since noon. The air was a heavy mix of
baking bread and savory meat stew.
William led Lia into a clothing shop. The proprietor, a middle-aged woman,
beamed as soon as she saw the doctor.
"Ah, Doctor William! What brings you to my humble racks today?"
"A few changes of clothes for the girl," William said, gesturing to Lia.
The shopkeeper turned her gaze toward Lia. Her eyes lingered for a fraction of a
second on the jagged scars covering the girl's face before she tactfully looked
away. "How old is the lass?"
"Seventeen," William answered for her.
"Perfect. I have a few sets that should fit a young lady of her stature."
The shopkeeper pulled several outfits from the shelves. They were simple
designs—homespun linen and cotton in muted greys and browns. Lia inspected the
garments, her mind running a rapid tactical analysis. The weave is coarse. No
magical reinforcement or complex dyeing. It suggests a civilization where Mana
is hoarded for military or administrative sectors rather than civilian industry.
"Try this one," the woman suggested, handing her a charcoal-grey long dress.
Lia took it and stepped into the small changing area at the back. She emerged
moments later, standing before William with a stiff, doll-like posture.
William nodded with satisfaction. "Decent enough. We'll take this one and two
others for rotation."
The doctor paid the coin, and they left with a bundle of clothes, undergarments,
and a pair of sturdy cloth shoes. Their next stop was the general store, where
they bought toiletries, a comb, a towel, and a simple shoulder bag.
At every stop, Lia's purple eyes scanned the environment with predatory focus.
She mapped the layout of the streets, the distribution of guards, and the
density of the populace. She noted the script on the signs, the conversion rates
of the currency, and the names of locations mentioned in the idle gossip of
passersby.
"Lia, are you feeling the pangs of hunger?" William asked suddenly.
Lia shook her head. "No."
"Nonsense. Your constitution is still a ruin; you need sustenance to anchor your
Od."
William guided her into a small tavern. It was a modest establishment with only
a handful of tables. The owner, a portly Orc, was busy grunting over a large pot
in the kitchen.
"Two portions of stewed meat and a bowl of vegetable soup," William ordered,
finding a table by the window.
Lia sat opposite him, her gaze drifting back to the street. The golden hour had
arrived, painting the cobblestones in a warm, amber hue.
"Lia."
William's voice pulled her back.
"Mmh?"
"What do you think of our little town?"
The doctor's tone was casual, but Lia sensed the undercurrent of observation.
She thought for a few seconds.
"It is... quiet."
"Haha, quite right!" William laughed. "But it wasn't always this way."
"Before?" Lia seized the thread.
"Aye, before. Before the Evernight Empire unified the continent, these lands
belonged to the Holy Empire of Gusteko." William's expression turned somber. "In
those days, war was a constant neighbor. The Theocracy was always clashing with
the neighboring borders, and plagues would sweep through the slums every other
season. A commoner's life was worth less than a draft horse."
Lia listened in silence, recording every word.
"Then, the Evernight Empire arrived," William continued. "At first, everyone was
paralyzed with terror. After all, it was a kingdom of the Undead. Who could have
imagined that the living and the dead could share a hearth in peace? But the
Sovereign proved us all wrong. Life today... it is a paradise compared to the
era of the Church."
A flicker of interest stirred in Lia's violet eyes. "When was the Empire
established?"
"Mmh..." William scratched his chin. "My memory for dates is failing, but
perhaps two or three years ago. The Sovereign and his legions swept across the
land like a storm. Gusteko, the beastkin tribes, the Elven Forests, the Empire
of Vollachia... all of them were brought under the banner. The entire conquest
took barely a year."
One year to unify a Tier 7 Plane?
Lia's pupils contracted. The Sovereign's power level must be astronomical.
"What manner of being is the Sovereign?" she asked.
William shook his head. "I am but a retired doctor; I haven't the standing to
glimpse a God. However, rumor says he favors the Iron Fortress Territory. It's
the most prosperous city on the continent now."
Iron Fortress Territory. Lia etched the name into her mental map.
Just then, the Orc owner brought over the steaming stew and soup. "Eat while
it's hot," William encouraged.
Lia looked at the bowl. The meat was cut into large, irregular chunks, and a
layer of oil shimmered on the surface of the thick broth. She picked up a spoon
and took a sip. It was heavily salted and saturated with pungent spices.
By the time they finished their meal, night had begun to fall. The Lights of
Evernight flickered to life along the street, bathing the town in an artificial,
steady radiance.
William led her back toward his home. "You'll stay with me tonight. Tomorrow,
we'll find you a proper place of your own. You can't live with a dusty old man
forever."
Lia nodded.
They turned the final corner and approached William's small courtyard. The gate
was slightly ajar. William pushed it open and stepped inside, then abruptly
froze.
Lia followed a step behind, her gaze sliding over his shoulder.
A half-dozen Skeleton Berserkers stood in the center of the yard, their black
plate armor gleaming in the magical light. In their midst stood a towering
Dragon-man—Ignius.
But it was the figure in front of them that held her focus. A skeleton sat
comfortably in William's favorite reed chair, the one he used for sunbathing. He
sat there, his head tilted back, staring directly at Lia as she entered.
William instinctively took a half-step back, positioning himself in front of the
girl. "Who are you... what is the meaning of this?"
The skeleton ignored the doctor. His soulfire was locked entirely on Lia.
After a heavy silence, he spoke.
"First, I welcome you to the Evernight Empire." He paused, the air growing cold.
"Second... tell me."
"Who are you?"
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