Chapter 7: Cold Mist Wine
Several minutes later, bright lights lit up inside the inn. Several cavalry members bound the man with thick rope, and as for the wound on his shoulder, they only applied simple bandaging to stop the bleeding.
Many people gathered inside the inn, curiously watching, inquiring, and whispering discussions.
In the room, Frien Captain, the inn boss, and merchant Fanderxi gathered together, while Xilutiya and Talil sat by the bedside.
“After that black shadow bumped me awake just now, I immediately called for people. He became very panicked and tried to escape through the window, but Tiya blocked him in an instant…” Talil excitedly explained what had happened.
“So it was a thief.” Frien rubbed his brow, still not fully awake.
“Boss, do you know that man?” He turned to look at the inn boss standing uneasily to the side.
“Him, I have some impression. He’s a local in town, usually idle and doing odd jobs. I didn’t expect him to be a thief.” The boss explained with his hands overlapping uneasily in front of him. Although this matter had little to do with him, it was hard to say he had no suspicion. If this cavalry captain pursued it and took him away, the outcome would not be good.
“Speak slowly. Is there anyone else in town who knows his situation well?” Frien thought of the local magistrate.
“This… I don’t know much more.” The inn boss really couldn’t recall more; after all, he had only seen that man a few times before and heard others talk about him.
“Alright, you wait here first. I’ll have someone call the magistrate.” He waved his hand.
River Stone Town was Viscount Xue Feng’s territory and did not belong to Baron Holin. For a public security incident here, he had to consult the local magistrate.
“Mister Frien, can you come with me to see the place where that person is being held?” Xilutiya stood up.
By now, she had put on her reddish-brown cloak again, with only a little silver hair exposed from her neck.
Wondering why she made this request, Frien still nodded in agreement.
Soon, the two arrived with several cavalry members at the holding place, which was the inn’s cellar, just cleared out by the cavalry to hold people.
“Captain!” A young cavalry member stood straight and saluted.
“Mm.” Frien scanned the area, feeling it was acceptable, then had several people guard the door before entering with Xilutiya.
The man who had sneaked into the inn to steal moments ago was now bound layer upon layer with rope, lying on the cold ground, with dark red blood stains seeping on his clothes.
“Miss Tiya, did you find something?” Frien glanced at the thief on the ground and asked.
“Yes, his strength is not weak. He should know a breathing technique and some ability to conceal his form.” Xilutiya’s eyes blinked slightly, and the opponent’s information reappeared in her mind.
——
Name: Unknown
Race: Human（Mortal Body）
Status: Injured（Bleeding Stopped）
Talent:
Dim Light Vision【Good Grade】: Even in dimly lit places, you can see a bit clearly. Don’t rely on it too much; if it’s too dark, you still won’t see.
Fate Card:【Nimble Person】（Nature Tier: None）
In the dim border, a figure walked stealthily, with nothing else around.
Ability Card:
【Breathing Technique Lv.1】（Blood Law）: Regulates blood flow rate through breathing, driving and enhancing full-body power and reaction speed. This ability burdens the heart and body and cannot be used for long periods（Recommended not to exceed 1 minute per day）
【Shadow Concealment Technique Lv.0】（Mist Shadow）: Blurs the body in dim environments, making it hard for others to see or hit.（If there are candles, this ability has no effect）
——
“You mean this guy knows a breathing technique?” Frien looked somewhat surprised after hearing Xilutiya’s explanation.
Breathing techniques were not rare abilities, but those who knew them could generally find a job, at worst patrolling in the village, which was much easier than other work.
“Yes, he should also have some ability to hide his form, but it’s not strong, only with slight effect.” The maiden added again.
“If he really knows that, I have to suspect if he’s from the Thieves Guild.” Frien rubbed his chin beard.
A moment later, he shook his head.
“No, he shouldn’t be from the Thieves Guild.”
“Although the Thieves Guild isn’t some powerful organization, this kind of character is too damaging to their reputation. He probably stole some things through certain channels.”
“Leave the interrogation to me, Miss Tiya. You have to set off tomorrow, so go rest early.” He had some means not suitable to show in front of the maiden.
“I understand. You should rest early too.” Xilutiya nodded, glanced at the man curled on the ground, then left the cellar.
……
Back in the room, the candle was now lit. Talil was eating apology delicacies sent by the inn boss, looking quite happy.
“Tiya, look, I saved half a roast chicken for you. It’s especially delicious~”
On the wooden plate was half a roasted chicken, still emitting heat and aroma. It should have been made temporarily by the chef on the inn boss’s order.
Xilutiya was also a bit hungry now and didn’t refuse. She sat down, carefully picked up the chicken leg with her fingers to eat. It had to be said this was the best food she had eaten in ten days; no wonder Talil was so excited.
After enjoying this rare delicacy, Xilutiya curiously asked, “What’s the usual price for such roast chicken?”
“The price of a chicken is about 8-12 copper coins each. If made into roast chicken, the price rises by 2-5 copper coins.” Talil recalled.
100 poor copper coins=1 silver leaf coin（Usually need 110 of others to exchange）. Ordinary villagers have 2-3 silver coins monthly income; roast chicken is about 1.5 days’ wages.
If wanting to eat meat every day, it really is a luxury. Tiya thought, now somewhat missing the prices from her previous life.
After finishing the night snack, the two returned to bed to sleep, but this time without blowing out the candle; they entered dreams with the candlelight.
……
The next morning, with some drowsiness, Xilutiya and Talil went downstairs. By now, many people were already eating in the inn lobby.
Everyone was discussing last night’s incident, and several local security team members were sitting there.
They got a free breakfast from the boss and sat quietly at a corner table enjoying it until finished, when a cavalry member came to invite Xilutiya over.
“It’s the captain looking for you; the magistrate is also there.” He explained.
Xilutiya stood up and followed. Soon they arrived at a room in the inn backyard. Besides Frien, there was a not-tall, chainmail-wearing big-bellied man, who should be the local magistrate.
“This is Miss Tiya, right.” As soon as the maiden entered, he focused his gaze on her face.
At Xilutiya’s appearance, the magistrate looked quite surprised, his originally lazy and casual attitude becoming slightly more formal.
“Yes, may I ask who you are?” Xilutiya raised her light blue eyes to look at him.
“Ahem, I’m the local magistrate. I’ve been informed about last night’s incident.” If it were a commoner, he would have brushed it off casually without staying to explain.
Although he didn’t know which family Xilutiya was from, he could tell this maiden was of high origin, so he was more polite.
“I apologize for disturbing Miss Tiya’s rest. I’ll take that thief back and interrogate him properly, making him know the consequences of offending you.”
“This…” The maiden’s voice hesitated as her gaze turned to Frien beside her.
After several days of interaction, Frien could guess what this maiden meant: probably hoping not to be too harsh.
“Lord Mote, I think it’s necessary for me to take this thief back to Three Towers Town for detention.”
“Oh, why is that?” Magistrate Mote frowned slightly.
Though a thief was a small matter, he was Viscount Xue Feng’s subordinate. If he let Baron Holin’s cavalry captain take the person away arbitrarily, wouldn’t that lose Viscount Xue Feng’s face?
Usual work performance could always be explained with various reasons, but losing face, if not explained well, could lead to a scolding from Viscount Xue Feng or even losing his position.
“The target was Miss Tiya, Lord Holin’s distinguished guest. After such a big incident last night, if I don’t take him back to account for it, it will be hard to face Lord Holin.”
What Frien said made some sense. As a fellow official, Mote could understand, but these were ultimately Frien’s matters, unrelated to him.
Shaking his head, Mote indicated he was also in a difficult position and couldn’t release the person easily.
The scene fell silent for a moment; neither spoke anymore.
“Lord Mote.” Xilutiya spoke up then.
“What is it, Miss Tiya.” Mote turned around.
“I hope you can agree to Mister Frien’s request.” She said directly.
“This…” Mote didn’t know why this maiden said this.
“I’m about to set off for Jiaoshi City. Mister Frien is escorting me on this trip. If I meet Lord Xue Feng in Jiaoshi City, I will praise your excellent work and performance in front of him.” Xilutiya’s words resolved Mote’s prior concerns.
“In that case.” His expression showed hesitation; after holding back a little, he nodded in permission.
“Then I’ll grant Frien’s request, but you still need to give me a detailed report, so if Viscount Xue Feng asks, I can account for it.”
“Thank you, Lord Mote.” Frien knew calling Xilutiya over earlier was absolutely the right choice.
Afterward, the handover proceeded smoothly. Frien had the man from last night bound on the horse carriage, then went with Xilutiya to a separate room for detailed talk.
“The details you discovered yesterday yielded quite a bit through my interrogation.” This was why he wanted to take the person away.
“These are some money and valuables found at his home.” He placed a money bag on the table.
“Of course these are incidental. The important things are a thief’s diary and a bottle of ‘Cold Mist Wine’.”
He took out a tattered diary from the nearby cabinet, and a dark glass wine bottle containing gray mist-like liquid.
【Thief Diary】: Records a thief’s life and notes, can teach simple lockpicking skills and the cultivation secret art of ‘Shadow Concealment Technique’.
【Cold Mist Wine】（First Order-Mist Shadow）: Special liquid containing ‘Mist Shadow’ nature, can be used for cultivating ‘Mist Shadow’ nature abilities or other purposes.
The liquid in this bottle was less than a quarter left, apparently having been used.
“He probably learned the shadow concealment ability using the method in the diary and this bottle of Cold Mist Wine.” Frien explained.
“Besides natures inherited in the bloodline, to gain other ‘nature power’, one must use external objects as seeds for cultivating that ability.”
“Everyone has a faint and hidden ‘Blood Law’ nature in their body. Learning breathing technique directly nurtures and strengthens this faint Blood Law nature power, but other natures require methods. For example, this bottle of ‘Cold Mist Wine’ can enable cultivation of ‘Mist Shadow’ nature power.”
“Every Sinking Mist Season, on nights when moonlight is hazy and indistinct, some flowers and grass in the forest absorb faint ‘Mist Shadow’ nature power. If collected before dawn and given to those skilled in special secret arts, it can be refined into ‘Cold Mist Wine’.”
“This is what I heard from Scholar Fegen. He is the Baron’s advisor. Many years ago, when I was still a small soldier, I went to the forest to search for such flowers and grass, but with little harvest.”
Frien picked up the wine bottle and gently shook it; the liquid inside tumbled like mist, quite peculiar.
“Looking at it, it should have been refined in the last Sinking Mist Season, at least twenty years ago now, with most of the ‘Mist Shadow’ nature dispersed.”
“That man’s talent is average; he used most of the bottle but didn’t complete cultivating ‘Shadow Concealment Technique’. It could also be that too much nature power in this bottle of ‘Cold Mist Wine’ has dissipated.” He analyzed.
“Tiya, you probably can’t use this, and I don’t recommend you learn it. I’ll take this bottle of Cold Mist Wine and the diary back to give to the Baron and Scholar Fegen.”
“Even if not very useful, Scholar Fegen is very interested in such things and should give a sum of money as reward.” Saying this, he took out about 20 silver coins and put them into the bag on the table.
“Take these as travel expenses. Your origin is surely not low, but searching for relatives won’t be easy. Having money is always more convenient.”
Taking the money bag, Xilutiya bowed in thanks, then straightened up.
“Where did that person get these things?”
“I asked him. He found them in a hidden cave by the riverbank. It used to be a place where some thieves hid stolen goods, but later an accident happened, several members died inside, and the things weren’t taken away, so it benefited that guy.”
“Valuable things inside have all been secretly sold by him now; many others have rotted and are useless. If you’re interested, I can have someone take you to see.”
“No need.” Xilutiya shook her head. Such a place probably had a bad environment, who knows how much mud and stench; she didn’t want to go.
“Heheheh.” Frien also laughed at this.
“Alright, prepare in a bit; we should set off.”
After delaying until noon, the group had lunch before departing. Soon after leaving River Stone Town, they parted at the road junction.
“I know Mu Yan Blacksmith in Jiaoshi City fairly well. Mention my name when you go there; he won’t cheat you. If you need to maintain your sword and weapons, you can go there.” After last night’s fight, Xilutiya’s short sword, which she had just gotten, now had several small nicks and needed a blacksmith for maintenance and repair to continue using.
“Got it, thank you, Mister Frien.” Xilutiya bid farewell to the departing cavalry team, then returned to the horse carriage and resumed the journey.
Reflecting on last night and today’s encounters, Xilutiya lightly rubbed her brow, feeling somewhat incredulous. Probably because such experiences were too different and stimulating compared to her past bland life?
Leaning on the chair back, Xilutiya sorted her thoughts, then returned to that【Thief Diary】.
Before leaving, she asked Frien for this diary, read it through completely on the road, noted down important contents, then returned it to Frien. She also gained much understanding of the ‘Shadow Concealment Technique’ and ‘Mist Shadow’ nature inside.
She didn’t expect ‘Mist Shadow’ nature to be related to ‘Brilliant Moon’. She opened her light blue eyes and looked at the forest scenery outside the window.
As one of the three major moon attributes split from ‘Illusory Moon’ in ancient times, ‘Mist Shadow’ inherited ‘Illusory Moon’s’ hazy, illusory, concealed, shadowy, obscuring, confusing traits, while ‘Brilliant Moon’ inherited the clarity after ‘Illusory Moon’ shed the haze, that is, pure moonlight.
————
Nature【Mist Shadow】:（Absence of brilliance, blurred form and lightless shadow）
Thanks to Striding Forward, South City Wind zch, Yo Yo Deer Cry Nova
Salty Fish Cuisine, u Night Tide u, Don’t Part Casually When Idle, Chen Fangmo’s rewards~
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