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| Author: Return of Han & Tang |
Original Source: SFACG |
Word Count: 2255 characters |
| Translator: Fishead |
English Source: Re:Library |
Word Count: 1492 words |
In the Papal States, the area of Trika Earldom near the kingdom of Baal sat at a higher altitude, coupled with the fact it was now deep into autumn, a slight chill lingered in the air.
As a blazing bonfire brought light and some warmth, a sudden, piercing gust of wind awakened Mo Li’s groggy consciousness.
“Nnn… hmm?” Licking his slightly parched lips, Mo Li opened his heavy eyelids, his tired body in complete disarray as if every cell was resisting waking up due to the cold.
Mo Li unconsciously went to move his body but felt as if he had been tightly restrained and couldn’t move no matter what he did.
What’s going on? Why am I…
“Yo, little monster, you’re awake.” A piercing male voice like a needle stabbed into Mo Li’s ear.
Little monster?… Who’s a little monster?
As Mo Li’s weary eyelids gradually lifted, the blurry light in his vision slowly solidified. A blazing bonfire, the damp forest, and two vomit-inducing faces appeared before him.
“? Who are these two ugly men?” Since you’ve grown up so ugly at least have a little self-consciousness ok? Getting so close to someone as they’re waking up aren’t you scared of scaring them sick?
“Ha, ugly man??” The narrow-mouthed and skinny-cheeked man wearing a chicken feather on his head became enraged, lifting Mo Li by his neck.
“Little monster, you dare to slander the appearance of a human lord??”
“Agh, ack…” Mo Li, still trying to make sense of the situation, was abruptly lifted upward, and as the suffocating pressure caused her face to flush red she managed to wheeze out a sentence.
“You, you’re the monster, I, I’m not a monster…”
“Haha, you aren’t a monster?” The chicken feather man looked as if he had heard a funny joke.
“White hair, heterochromic, gold and purple pupils, plus the weird horns and a scaled tail, you tell me, just what part of your body resembles a human?”
“What…” Mo Li was stunned, only now realizing her small, tender hands and white hair scattered around the chicken-feathered man’s arm.
I’ve turned into a juvenile dragon? But when did it happen?
Mo Li remembered that he’d been very cautious this entire time.
Just where did he go wrong?
Jasmine started to recollect.
Considering that dawn was already breaking after she used her meager amount of gold coins to purchase the necessary alchemy potions and the urgency of her situation, she decided to set off immediately for the road leading to the Trika Earldom; running to the Flan city station in search of a carriage going from the Viscounty of Munster to the Trika Earldom, foregoing any rest.
“Boss, your carriage is headed towards the Trika Earldom, right? How bout taking me along and I’ll give you two copper coins afterward, what do you think? Taking one extra person for two more copper coins, it’s not a bad deal right?”
The carriage driver looked at Mo Li as if he was looking at an idiot, he didn’t know if this kid was an idiot or if this kid thought he was an idiot. “Kid don’t try your little tricks with me, if you don’t have 7 copper coins then don’t bother!”
“Why so expensive? It’s not like the wheels or your carriage are made of some precious metal and your horses aren’t some treasured Ferghana horses, how bout this, my final offer, 1 copper coin.”
The carriage driver’s veins almost popped, when other people bargain they offer a higher price but Mo Li; after being refused, actually lowered his offer making the carriage driver feel that he was just poking fun at him.
“Seven copper coins, if you don’t have it then get lost!”
“But I don’t have that kind of money.” Mo Li shrugged his hands, replying with confidence.
“Why are you riding a carriage if you don’t have the money? Poor *******, wouldn’t there be no issue if you just walked there?”
“But I’m in a rush, how about accommodating me a little?”
“Get lost!” With these two words, the carriage driver rode off.
“Tch, why so fierce? Refusing money that’s coming to you.” Mo Li complained while looking for the next carriage.
However whenever the topic of pricing came into matter, without exception every carriage driver replied with a loud ‘get lost’.
“Tsk, these carriage drivers nowadays really don’t know how to do business.” Mo Li started grumbling, he really couldn’t afford their prices, otherwise he wouldn’t have spent so long bargaining with these carriage drivers.
After searching for the entire morning without finding a carriage willing to take him, Mo Li became a little anxious. He decided to leave the city and search for one on its outskirts.
In that area there should still be some carriages preparing to set off, but Mo Li wasn’t ready to give up hope yet.
If it really came down to it he decided to hitch a free ride; after all, if he just unreasonably snuck onto the carriage, what could anyone do to him?
But unfortunately for Mo Li at this hour the city’s outskirts no longer had any carriages.
“No way…” Mo Li held his forehead.
Please don’t tell me I’m going to miss out on this opportunity before I even start just because I couldn’t find a way to begin!
Suddenly Mo Li felt that he could see the quasi-epic weapon slowly slipping away from his reach.
Unwilling to give up he persisted in his search. Perhaps fortune finally smiled upon him, as he stumbled upon a parked carriage in an obscure part of the forest.
This time Mo Li decided to skip asking about directions, as a carriage parked at the northern outskirts of Fran city had no other road to follow except the one heading towards the Trika Earldom meaning that he was completely free to sneak aboard and take a nap.
While the people on the carriage were distracted Mo Li took this opportunity to quietly jump onto the roof of the carriage, as the old saying goes the most dangerous spot is often the safest.
Quickly after, the carriage set off, and due to going the entire night without sleep Mo Li who was lying prone atop the carriage gradually succumbed to his tiredness, quickly falling asleep.
Mo Li’s assumption was correct, and it also wasn’t the first time he’d hitched a ride for free as a season ride hitcher.
Normally speaking, he really wouldn’t be found but he forgot about a certain variable. As he slept his pendant started to glow…
The people within the carriage felt an increase in their roof’s weight, along with a sky-piercing noise.
“Grumble, grumble…” Unfortunately for Mo Li as she dreamed her belly started grumbling again as she had yet to eat breakfast.
“What’s going on??” Upon noticing the disturbance, the man driving the carriage immediately stopped the carriage, and upon checking the roof almost received a big shock.
A little girl was lying on his carriage!
“Son of a *****, actually dares to hitch a free ride on my carriage! Quite the brave one huh??” The chicken feather man took a few seconds to sort out his thoughts before instantly exploding in rage.
“What got you so riled up?” The fatty in league with the chicken feather man also emerged from the carriage.
“A stinky little girl, hitched a free ride on our carriage while we weren’t paying attention!”
“And here I was wondering what was wrong, isn’t this a good thing?” The fatty grinned crookedly “Free stock delivered right to our door and you’re still not happy?”
“Ah?… Hahaha! You’re right this stinky little girl really has some guts and since she likes my carriage so much she can just stay!”
As he spoke the chicken feather man pulled Mo Li off the carriage.
“Eh, you don’t say this girl’s pretty heavy…”
Unfortunately for Mo Li, this carriage parked in an obscure part of the forest was one used for illegal human trafficking, and at his weakest moment, he was caught.
“Tsk, she’s wearing such a thick cloak? Lemme check this girl’s quality… Wow! Fatty Fatty, quick, come take a look!” The Chicken-feather man’s voice suddenly became excited.
“What’s up? Are you going to tell me that this girl’s a fairy straight outta heaven or something?” The fatty impatiently walked over and upon seeing the white hair girl’s appearance his words stopped even his breathing almost stopped.
‘Beautiful, so beautiful…’
Upon seeing the girl, their attention wasn’t focused on her non-human attributes but on her captivating appearance. As if one glance at her beautiful face could mesmerize anyone, and even though she was just a budding child her boundless potential was evident
“Hey skinny1.” The fatty’s body twitched a few times as it had been shocked by something, followed by a face full of embarrassment as if it was inconvenient for him to move.
“? Huh, what?”
“…. I came2.”
“What??”
