Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 817 - 758: This is Paradise

Rosa pushed aside the dense foliage overhead; the thick forest located in the remote southwestern corner of Posuwa slowed the young girl’s movements considerably. She didn’t feel irritable, though; the green canopy above shielded her from the scorching sun, and the rare coolness brought her some joy. Rosa was no stranger to this dense forest; it was one of the few reliable sources of food for the Exiles, with the vegetation’s fruits being their main staple. However, they did not surrender themselves to an attachment to the woods, even though this place was more suitable for survival than the desolate lands of Posuwa.

The Exiles thought not to destroy their source of food. The curse of the land drove those with malice to madness; these Demon People, like sharks drawn by the scent of blood, ceaselessly pursued the Exiles, destroying everything in Posuwa with bloodshed and flames. The Exiles would leave the dense forest after obtaining enough food to avoid these villains from destroying it. Experiences of blood and tears had made it clear to the Exiles that there was no room for luck on this land.

A longing to leave, a desire to escape beyond this land, such aspirations kept every Exile going, as they scurried in all directions on the lands of Posuwa, seeking possibilities for the future. Sadly, Posuwa was a vast basin, and the few defensible passes were already occupied by the frenzied Demon People, trapping them within their homeland, slowly awaiting death.

"There will be one, a beautiful future." Rosa silently cheered herself up, calming the panic in her heart. Having ventured deep into the forest, the unfamiliar environment caused some chaos for this Guide, afraid of getting lost, as getting lost often led to misfortune.

Suddenly feeling her backpack growing heavier, the dryness of her lips alerted Rosa that she had traveled far. As she took out her water pouch to drink, her thoughts began to drift.

How were Jeremiah and the rest doing? It shouldn’t be hard for them to avoid the Demon People, Uncle Bradley... The true misfortune wasn’t the precarious life, but that family members, whom you cherish and spend every moment with, might become a Demon at any moment, showing you madness. In Posuwa, malice was poison to the Exiles; the land’s curse would ignite the malice within, and if filled with anger or hatred, one would be mind-washed by the curse into a crazed Demon Person, causing harm to loved ones. Rosa still remembered how Uncle Bradley transformed, a result of a Guide’s mistake. To save Jeremiah and herself from the Demon People, this elder who watched Rosa grow up and always smiled chose to resist.

No one had the right to question this father; he saved the children, creating chaos with the power of transformation. On the night Jeremiah cried in pain, Rosa held him tightly, watching the smile on her childhood friend’s face disappear forever. Uncle Bradley was gone, what returned, would only be Jeremiah’s nightmares.

Rosa thought of her own father as she touched the bracelet on her right hand, a magical device that her father had personally put on her. With it, the wearers of the bracelet could sense each other.

"You don’t have to be scared anymore, my daughter. As long as we can sense the position of those Demon People, we can avoid them in advance." Rosa still remembered her father’s proud smile at that time.

"I’m scared, father. Those bad people have hurt so many; they come and go without a trace. How are you going to put bracelets on them?"

At that, her father just smiled and hugged Rosa tightly.

"Silly girl."

The next morning, the first person Rosa saw was Uncle Bradley, who hugged her tightly and kept repeating, "He loves you very much."

Since then, the Exiles were able to sense the movements of the Demon People, and every Guide wore a magical bracelet that enabled mutual sensing.

Tears dropped, wetting the old parchment. Rosa hurriedly wiped the water stains; thankfully, the dry sleeve cuff quickly absorbed the moisture.

"I’ve rested too long; time to get back on the road." Although Rosa was just standing there, she took out the map and looked at it for no more than a dozen seconds.

"This position, we should be almost there." Rosa surveyed the surrounding scenery, trying to find some anomalies, but unfortunately, the uniform greenery mingled and confused one’s sense of direction.

"Am I lost?" Rosa was somewhat anxious. She revealed a brass bracelet, took a few quick breaths to compose herself, and pressed the slightly prickly rust spot against her lips, whispering softly.

"Great deity, please help me."

"Do you need help?" A light, comical voice emerged beside Rosa’s ear. She became somewhat flustered, for this voice did not match the dignified Great Deity she held in her heart. She quickly suppressed the blasphemous thoughts within, and Rosa answered loudly with sincere fear and reverence.

"Yes, divine one, your faithful needs your help," Rosa closed her eyes, praying devoutly.

"Open your eyes, lost traveler. I am not a deity; I am behind you."

Rosa turned her head following the instruction, seeing a wall covered with ivy and moss, its bending cracks forming the vague features of a human face.

The Wall Monster blinked, asking curiously, "What’s your name, sweet girl?"

Rosa froze in place, and after a few seconds, her trembling lips moved, "The... The wall is talking, it’s... a monster!"

"It’s Magic!!!!!" The Wall Monster’s loud affirmation overpowered Rosa’s panic, and the awkward staring contest was interrupted by twitching branches.

"Don’t tease the girl, Wall Monster." Mumu’s branches scraped the moss off the Wall Monster’s head, leaving it bald.

"My hair! I wasn’t bullying her; I was merely correcting her misconception."

Watching the exchange between the Wall Monster and Mumu, Rosa regained her composure and asked with uncertainty, "Is it truly magic? You’re not going to eat me, are you?"

"No, child. I am Wall Monster, and as everyone knows, walls provide shelter from the wind and the rain. We are illusions, guardians of our own paradise."

"Illusions?" Rosa’s eyes gradually lit up, and she bounced excitedly, despite carrying a backpack taller than herself, "Kind illusions, please help me and everyone; we need the assistance of illusions!"

The Wall Monster chose to part, revealing the scenery and buildings behind it.

"Certainly, dear. Please come in and take a seat. Before making your request, you need to rest. You seem a bit weak and dehydrated."

Rosa gazed at the world behind the wall with hesitation and trepidation. The paradise was beautiful, far more so than the desolation of Posuwa. Rosa worried about its authenticity; more so, the dusty, travel-worn exile girl felt a sense of inferiority.

Mumu noticed the girl’s hesitation and came up with a good idea. She bent down, shook her arms, and an apple, as red as a ruby, rolled out of the paradise, stopping at Rosa’s feet. Unable to resist the sweet temptation, Rosa picked up the apple and started munching on it. Then, Mumu rolled another apple a little closer to the paradise. This time, without hesitation, Rosa, like a rabbit lured by bait, was enticed into the paradise.

"Stream Princess, we have a child who needs cleansing; it’s convenient since Lyle is away."

"Stonemason, prepare a place for her to rest."

"Snake, she also needs delicious food. Could you dress her up a bit, please?"

With Lyle gone, for the sake of others, his whole community sprang into action.