Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 516 - 472 Regional BOSS

Verlet didn’t dwell on Ralph’s judgment which, in her eyes, was made without reason. She nodded in agreement to the intelligence about a vampire mole. The two were old partners who had worked together for a long time. If one were to speak of Ralph’s strengths, it would probably be his extremely proficient work capability. Ralph’s personality meant he wouldn’t recklessly voice speculations he wasn’t certain of, unless it was part of a deliberate deception.

"Regarding the mysterious force causing the seal, firstly, we have confirmed it truly exists—part of my power is sealed; secondly, the test was successful, this power is indeed imitating a bureaucratic system similar to town management, although there’s only one official, Silvette." Ralph set aside the absurd familiarity in his mind and continued to sort through the intelligence, "As demon hunters, we currently have a public alliance with Mayor Degonris and thus have a certain level of influence."

"Whether that pretty girl with the purple eyes is a friend or foe is yet to be determined, but I’m more inclined to believe she has no malice—without any concrete evidence," Verlet said, hands on her hips, facing Ralph with a cheerful and optimistic smile, "This is a woman’s intuition!"

Ralph covered his face. Verlet was a tomboy whether it be in her emotions or work, behaving willfully seemed to be a habit of all the upper classes. Fortunately, her disposition was as favorable as her luck.

"I remember you have good swordsmanship skills, Verlet." Ralph took out a straight sword from the compartment of a long box where Dragonfire was placed. The sword was a bit thinner and shorter than a standard longsword, resembling a flattened knitting needle. It was made of pure silver, and crafting it had caused Ralph significant financial strain, tailored specifically for Verlet. The blade also carried a pungent smell of grease, which was an alchemical paste designed to harm vampires. Ralph was not accustomed to using a sword; he had prepared a small dagger for himself, which he slotted into the strap inside his overcoat.

"A gift?" Verlet’s eyes gleamed as she took the silver sword, swinging it around with such adoration that she nearly chopped off the head of a statue of a martyr.

"A weapon." Ralph pointed at Verlet, "I need a cover to charge into battle, and you’re well-suited for the role."

After a brief exchange of intelligence, the two left the chapel.

Town Mayor Silvette stood on a simple hay stack, her mud-stained boots stepping on the dry yellow straw, which made the already ragged hay heap look dirtier. Silvette concentrated her attention on the townspeople; she was coordinating them on basic tasks. Time was pressing; the sun hidden behind the clouds was like a giant stone hanging over their heads. As it fell to the horizon, the man-eating night would begin.

The Mayor was directing them with great vigor, and the townsfolk were following orders, going about their emergency harvest work with as much order and precision as ants. It looked like a magnificent scene of people united in resistance against a disaster, if one ignored the numbness on their faces and the anxiety in Silvette’s eyes.

The two new big shots stood in a corner, critiquing everything about Degonris.

"Strange."

"The girl is too naive. Her leadership skills aren’t one-tenth of her negotiation abilities; she’s made her job harder than it needs to be. I now believe she’s a temporary mayor. Not to mention you, Ralph, even I could do a better job."

Ralph’s gaze was fixed on the moving crowd, "The workers are indeed skilled, even as Silvette is practically leading blindly, they still carry out their tasks in an orderly fashion."

"Isn’t that normal? That food is their only chance for survival. If they don’t work hard, they’ll starve."

Ralph shook his head, "That’s the biggest anomaly. The instinct to survive can indeed motivate human spirit, but fear would overwhelm the vast majority, which is why desperate struggles often fail. The most efficient way to work is to keep a level head, as they are now." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"They’re not following Silvette’s commands; they’re working according to their own will."

The group transporting the grain changed their route, carrying the food into the surrounding houses, perhaps hiding it in deep cellars. Then they, carrying the barely edible food, passed by Ralph on their way back to the chapel, leaving behind a scent akin to rotting food.

Silvette jumped down from the haystack and walked over to Ralph and Verlet, as the melodious sound of the bell came from a distant tower, and the blood-red sky was stained by the twilight glow.

"The sun has set so quickly, I feel like only a few hours have passed." Verlet complained softly beside him, lamenting her own dull senses.

"It’s not a big deal, the gloomy environment around Degonris is constant, only we natives can accurately control this time," Silvette said, pulling the female sheriff into the chapel, "Nightfall approaches, demon hunters, and the night belongs to the cursed angels."

Ralph observed the desolate surroundings, as sunshine once again fell on Degonris’s land during twilight, staining the ground blood red, and as the sun set, that "blood" seemed to ebb away, flowing into an unseen corner of darkness. "That bell sound, it’s coming from the tower, who is in there?"

Silvette looked puzzled, and then the townspeople beside her gently reminded the forgetful young lady.

"An odd bell ringer lives in that tower, he has never come down from the tower, in fact, whether he exists has become a legend in doubt, as people continue to die. We haven’t been there because some who went to search for supplies in the tower never came out."

"The Eastern tower and its strange bell ringer..." Ralph glanced at the townspeople standing beside the recovering Silvette, who shrank his neck under Ralph’s gaze, concealing his grooved, aging skin under a dark cloak.

"If I remember correctly, aside from the main urban area, Degonris has four notable buildings occupying its corners, including the Eastern tower."

"You’re right," Silvette said, locking the iron gate as she moved through the crowded people.

"The bell ringer in the East tower, the librarian of the Western library, the Tomb Guardian of the Northern cemetery, and the Priests in the Southern wine cellar."

"They occupy the four districts of Degonris and have never met with us. Some say they have found a way to survive on cursed nights, others say..."

"They’ve become monsters."

"But don’t worry, they have never left their respective areas, as long as we stay away from those dangerous districts, we’ll be alright."

Verlet curled her lips, revealing Ralph’s signature smirk.

"Dear evil wolf, we have work to do," the female sheriff caressed her newly acquired silver sword, playing with the weapon that, paired with her dreadful expression, made the crowded people tremble and keep their distance. "Shall we knock with bullets or with blades? I enjoy making house calls."

Ralph’s expression was impassive, his profound eyes seeming to swallow the light.

"Knock with hands, I’m not that violent. Force is but a reluctant choice, when my words fail to move someone."