Chapter 58 – Lotalan on the Journey

Near the border between the Dillon Kingdom and the Kamos Kingdom lay a small city called Doleiz, renowned for its spice production. Though distant from the royal capital and bordering the semi-hostile Kamos Kingdom, this modest spice-producing region thrived and prospered through spice exports, fueled by the high demand and inflated prices of spices in Faerûn.

To the south of Doleiz, a trade route passed through the Lush Forest, directly connecting Doleiz City to Niquerry City south of the forest. During Niquerry City’s heyday, merchant caravans on this route could truly be described as an endless stream.

However, over a decade ago, relations between the Dillon Kingdom and the Kamos Kingdom deteriorated. Niquerry City, which had heavily relied on trade with the Kamos Kingdom, lost its vital economic lifeline. Compounded by the incompetence of its ruling lord, the once-flourishing Niquerry City declined, and this trade route fell into semi-abandonment, becoming a gathering place for bandit gangs.

In recent years, even the bandits had grown scarce, as few merchants ventured onto this overgrown, neglected path.

But today, an ornate carriage edged with gold trim appeared on this deserted trade route. Emblazoned in silver on its body was a diagonally slashing sword—a mark denoting the noble status of its owner. Yet this noble seemed rather pitiful: not only was the traveling party small in scale, but only a few dozen ordinary soldiers served as listless guards trailing behind. Only an Apprentice-Level knight riding a fine horse somewhat resembled a proper noble entourage.

The owner of this noble carriage was 13-year-old Lotalan. The beautiful little girl wore two splendid golden ponytails, her smooth, delicate skin as pure and lovely as fresh milk. With slender willow-leaf eyebrows, enchanting, expressive eyes, an elegant, upturned nose, slightly flushed jade-like cheeks, and dewy, alluring lips, her snow-white countenance glowed like crystalline jade. Her jade-like skin was exquisitely beautiful, and her petite figure made her utterly adorable.

Though at an age untouched by sorrow, Lotalan rested her head lightly against the window, appearing downcast and despondent.

Lotalan Minohorn—this was the little girl’s full name. She was the only daughter of the Minohorn Family and, simultaneously, its last remaining member. Her family had once flourished alongside Niquerry City’s glory and now declined with the city’s fall.

After the old Lord Minohorn passed away, Niquerry City no longer had a place for young Lotalan, who possessed nothing but a few loyal private soldiers. Thus, she was journeying with her last bag of Gold Coins to the fabled city of Doleiz, rumored to be brimming with commercial opportunities, in hopes of restoring the Minohorn Family’s fortunes.

Of course, she was no prodigy. The heavy responsibility of establishing a merchant guild would fall upon her devoted Old Butler…As little Lotalan gazed blankly at the Lum trees passing by outside the carriage window, lamenting her uncertain fate, her playmate and little maid sitting beside her comforted her: “Miss, it’s alright. Doleiz is famously known as the City of Opportunities. With your intelligence and talent, why worry about not finding a chance to revive the Minohorn Family?”

“Of course! I am the Lady of the Minohorn Family, after all.”

Being an energetic child at heart, Lotalan puffed out her chest and lifted her chin in a “Queen-like” manner at her little maid’s playful praise. However, due to her petite stature, no matter how she posed, she simply looked like a proud little lolita. The little maid couldn’t help but giggle!

“How dare you laugh at me! Just you wait—I’ll teach you a lesson!”

Blushing fiercely, Lotalan pounced on the little maid, mischievously tickling her under the arms until the poor girl was laughing so hard that tears streamed down her face. Only then did Lotalan relent.

Hearing the faint sounds of the two girls’ mischief from inside the carriage, the Old Butler and the tall warrior, who had been grim-faced since the journey began, exchanged a glance and finally smiled.

Once the playful scuffle in the carriage subsided, the restless Lotalan sat down next to her little maid, who had just straightened her clothes. With a blush and a mischievous grin, she leaned close to the maid’s ear and asked, “What kind of boy do you like?”

“Oh, Miss, you’re so mean!”

At this question, the little maid’s cheeks flushed so hot they seemed to steam. She reached out to push the teasing Lotalan away, but the proud little lolita wasn’t about to let her off so easily—not until she got the answer she wanted.

“Come on, tell me~! Otherwise… otherwise I’ll tickle you again!”

“Alright, alright, I can’t take it anymore! I’ll tell you!”

Hearing that the mischievous Miss Lotalan was about to start another round of teasing, the little maid quickly surrendered.

“The boy I like… must be a mighty warrior, one who can easily chase away five… no! Ten big bad guys!”

The shy little maid covered her flushed face but spoke with a tone of pride.

“Hmph! If it were me, I wouldn’t need any mighty warrior. I could chase away all the bad guys myself! So…”

At this point, Lotalan’s fair little face also turned bright red.

“…So, as long as he’s handsome and gentle, that’s enough.”

Her last words were so soft they were almost inaudible.

Lotalan’s voice may have faded to a near-whisper, but another earth-shattering sound erupted 300 meters ahead on the road. The solid, wide trade route was struck by several pale violet light spheres, unleashing a deafening blast. Large chunks of gravel flew in all directions as the shattered ground spread right up to the carriage wheels. The frightened horses neighed incessantly. Three or four deep pits—large enough to bury the entire carriage—now occupied what was once the “road.” The overwhelming sense of danger, capable of crushing the entire convoy—people and horses alike—into dust with a single strike, made the ordinary soldiers tremble uncontrollably. Had they not been somewhat trained as elites, this sheer pressure alone would have been enough to make them flee in terror.The little maid sitting in the carriage had already begun crying in fear, while Lotalan knelt on the floor trembling like a frightened little rabbit. The overwhelming pressure that seemed capable of destroying everything had even made the little girl’s undergarments slightly damp!

Fortunately, the oppressive aura came and went quickly. When the mysterious roadblocker withdrew the terrifying pressure, nearly all the ordinary people collapsed onto the ground, murmuring prayers to their respective deities!

Little Lotalan, however, managed to control her still-trembling legs and stood up. Biting her pale lips in shame, she stubbornly held back the tears that threatened to fall, then stubbornly leaned out to look ahead down the road!

Through the swirling dust ahead, a young boy in a cyan-blue hooded Mage Robe was steadily stepping over every larger stone as he approached the caravan frozen in place. Not a single speck of the dense dust in the surrounding air could approach the boy’s clean and tidy Mage Robe. Though not particularly strong—even somewhat slender—his figure projected an absolute, disaster-like oppressive force upon everyone!

It was the absolute crushing pressure of a higher soul upon lower souls!

(End of Chapter)