Chapter 133 – The Underlying Currents of Dolaiz

Forty-eighth day of the Evergreen Season, two nights before Punk and the others departed, in the Koala Family’s Mansion Chamber.

Zweig sat in the chamber’s chair, his thick fingers massaging his temples. This portly noble had lost his usual composure, for he had received news—the Tisha Xia’er Church had been outlawed, charged with attempted assassination of a Lord!

For Zweig, who had always positioned himself as “the most loyal collaborator of the Tisha Xia’er Church,” this was nothing short of a thunderbolt.

Just two months prior, he had been assisting the Tisha Xia’er Church in selling those eerie perfumes. Only two days ago, he had delivered a large batch of slaves “coerced” from refugees to the Tisha Xia’er Church as a gesture of devout loyalty.

He wasn’t the only one involved in these affairs; even someone like Hett had once been an accomplice of Tisha Xia’er. However, they had all shrewdly withdrawn when the situation turned sour. Hett, in particular, had promptly defected to Punk. Unbeknownst to him, only the Kela Family remained hesitating.

Zweig still clung to a sliver of hope for the Tisha Xia’er Church. The Kela Family had invested too much effort into the church, and the thought of withdrawing empty-handed pained him deeply.

Torn between greed and reason, Zweig pondered all night until finally, rationality overcame desire. He resolved to abandon the sinking ship that was Tisha Xia’er!

Even if Tisha Xia’er promised wealth, status, and power, one must have the chance to enjoy them—a simple truth Zweig understood well.

“Lord Zweig, are you certain about this? If we proceed, we will truly sever ties with the Tisha Xia’er Church,” urged Kela, the trusted Old Butler, with earnest concern.

“There’s no other way. If we don’t extricate ourselves now, we’ll become the scapegoat for all the nobles,” Zweig replied, a flicker of resentment in his eyes before he sighed in resignation.

“Our collaboration with Tisha Xia’er cannot be concealed—any Divination Spell would reveal it. So, we might as well cease hiding it. Immediately issue orders: publicly declare that we were deceived by the Tisha Xia’er Church’s evil and have now seen the light. Then, swiftly release grain stores to show goodwill. At the very least, this will prevent the Church from moving against us.

As for those slaves obtained from the refugees… pin it all on Hett. He was deeply involved in that matter anyway.”

Zweig, after all, was a figure steering a family, and he quickly made the decision to sacrifice a pawn to save the king.

“This way, though severe punishment and suppression are inevitable, we can at least preserve the Kela Family’s existence.”

Zweig leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and breathing heavily, his energy drained like a lump of mud.

“Why are you still standing there? Go and relay the orders now,” Zweig muttered weakly from his ornate seat, his tone sharpened by frustration and sorrow over the “outcome.”

“Mr. Zweig, are you certain you won’t change your decision? Are you truly determined to betray the great Goddess Tisha Xia’er?”After waiting a full ten seconds, what came from the room wasn’t the loyal affirmation of butler Kela, but a sinister and eerie voice.

“What’s going on… you… you…”

Zweig snapped his eyes open to witness a truly horrifying scene.

The old butler Kela, who had followed him since childhood, was grinning with a bloody smile he had never seen before, cackling “hehe” creepily. Simultaneously, his skin began rapidly cracking, with flesh and skin fragments “pattering” down onto the floor.

Soon, the skin known as “butler” became a pile of bloody minced flesh, replaced by the emergence of a gaunt humanoid figure clad in dark chitinous armor.

Most terrifying of all, at some point this “butler” had produced a small silver-glinting knife in his hand, its cold gleam so sharp it seemed to sting Zweig’s eyes.

“Since that’s the case, you’ve become useless. The Goddess Tisha Xia’er has no need for disobedient dogs. Now, your death shall be the Kela Family’s final tribute to Goddess Tisha Xia’er!”

“No… how is this possible… Guards! Guards! Ah…”

Unfortunately, this was the Kela Family’s secret chamber, and no one could hear Zweig’s cries.

——————————————

Outside Doleiz City, Refugee Zone

49th Day of Evergreen Season

Morning, one day before Punk and others’ departure

Dichiduo was in an uncommonly good mood. When he went out to fetch water, he even happily played with those mischievous children.

All this was because of Bilan. Only Bilan, whom Dichiduo cared for so deeply, could influence his mood to such a great extent.

In fact, Bilan’s condition hadn’t continued worsening as most people had pessimistically expected. Her body was recovering day by day, and the pace was accelerating, as if her dormant immune system had finally awakened. Within just a few days, Bilan—who previously couldn’t even move a finger—could now carefully stand up.

This situation was quite common among many afflicted professionals. Most professionals who had been “placed” in the refugee camp due to plague infection were gradually improving, as if the immune cells integrated with special abilities like Battle Aura and magic were finally demonstrating their proper power.

However, such fortune was limited to professionals. The “Grey Bone Plague” remained an incurable, inevitably fatal disease for ordinary people. Even if this disease could eventually self-resolve after some time, ordinary people with their fragile constitutions couldn’t possibly survive until then.

Although Dichiduo couldn’t help feeling sad about the deaths of those ordinary people, he still felt immensely relieved:

“It’s truly wonderful that Bilan is getting better.”

Dichiduo sincerely thanked the unseen hand of fate. He didn’t even want to recall what it felt like watching Bilan gradually weaken while being powerless to help. Fortunately, everything was in the past now.

Dichiduo walked through the somewhat filthy refugee camp. Although more than three days had passed, all refugees, recovered professionals, and even fleeing nobles were still not permitted to enter the city. The fear of plague on the Faerûn continent exceeded anyone’s imagination. Reportedly, even now, there were still people in Doleiz’s council chamber proposing to burn all the refugees.However, Dichiduo wasn’t worried at all. He believed that with the presence of Bilan’s teacher—Punk—the plague situation would definitely be resolved, and everyone could be saved, or at least Bilan would surely be saved.

“He’s a mage with a cold face but a warm heart. He will definitely save everyone.”

He believed this so firmly.

The naive Dichiduo went to the refugee gathering area and began distributing food to orphans who had been separated from their parents. Usually, aside from a very few Benevolent God Church priests, no one would do such things. But today, he discovered that there seemed to be others doing the same.

There were three people wearing brown linen robes, their faces hidden beneath hoods. Leading them was a petite young girl. They had brought a large cart loaded with grain and were distributing food tent by tent.

(End of Chapter)