abcnovels
Book 5: Chapter 72: Gathered
Book 5: Chapter 72: Gathered
Book 5: Chapter 72: Gathered
In the moonlit river, a lone wreckage of half a massive boat floated. The majority of the debris had been carried far away by the current, but this particular section, held in place by some magical force, remained standing firmly as if on solid ground. It was now surrounded by smaller boats filled with people holding torches, illuminating it in a circle of light.
As Security Enforcement Team C swiftly responded, the other Security Enforcement Teams began to arrive as well. The atmosphere in Jeorgetown City was already tense in the first place and now, the boat on the city’s only big river exploded without any apparent reason. This event was considered significant, and to make matters worse, Durance, the son of a count and witness to the boat explosion, claimed that the owner of the establishment had a strong connection to the recent self-immolation incident involving the former chief security enforcer. This revelation quickly grabbed the attention of Jeorgetown City’s higher authorities.
If it was not for the envoys from the Macedonian Empire that happened to enter the city at this time and required manpower to maintain law and order, this place would have been even livelier.
“You said you… took her away?”
Durance gave the leader of the Security Enforcement Team C standing before him a strange look, struggling to find the right words to say to the simpleton under that heavy armor.
After the massive explosion that destroyed half of the boat’s hull but miraculously left the protective arrays intact, access to the remaining half of the boat was restricted to outsiders. No one was allowed to enter, and those inside were unable to leave. Durance, who had not yet truly reached the Saint Realm, was deeply devoted to swordsmanship and thus had limited knowledge of arrays. He was only finally able to break through the array after spending a great deal of effort.
When he inquired the members of the Security Enforcement Team, who had been waiting outside for a long time, if they had seen a blonde loli and a “woman” in a maid dress, he was informed that… the “woman” in the maid dress had been apprehended and detained in the temporary detention center on suspicion of intentional homicide. As for the blonde loli, she was brought in as a witness… as expected.
“Intentional homicide… witnesses…” Durance furrowed his brow in confusion as he looked at the conscientious squad leader. “I’m afraid I didn’t understand what you said.”
The information provided by the team leader was completely unrelated to what Durance was aware of. As a result, the leader of Team C, whom Lilith referred to as the “old-fashioned armored man,” recounted the incident that took place here with great precision.
“I-I see…” The corners of Durance’s mouth twitched. “That indeed sounds like what she would do.”
Lilith was the only one who could betray her teammates so readily and justifiably. He even felt sorry for Kieran.
“What now?” Durance returned his gaze to Lesiah, who was behind him.
“What else? Let’s go get Lilith first.” Lesiah, who was already in a foul mood, shot Durance a disapproving glare. “Aren’t you the son of a count? Surely you can handle such a small matter, can’t you?”
Durance forced a smile as he discreetly scanned the members of the Security Enforcement Team, who were diligently working around. Privately requesting the release of one or two individuals was not a very difficult task for him, but making such a request in front of everyone would undoubtedly be viewed as a blatant abuse of power. If news of this were to spread, it could severely damage his reputation…
Perhaps sensing Durance’s thoughts, Lesiah rolled her eyes and reminded him, “Aren’t you afraid that Lilith might accidentally cause another major incident when she’s locked up?”
Realization immediately dawned upon Durance that the person in question was not just anyone, but Lilith. If she were to get bored, she might start playing with a couple of Saint-level magic scrolls to relieve her boredom.
Thinking of this, Durance’s face turned grim, and he immediately ordered the team leader in front of him, “R-Release Lilith at once.”
“That’s…” The team leader hesitated. The education he received since childhood did not allow him to do such a thing.
“What are you waiting for!?” Durance, rarely losing his temper, was about to explode, but in the middle of his outburst, a faint red light emitted from his waist. Touching his waist, his cheek twitches, and cold sweat started forming on his forehead.
Seeing Durance frozen in place, Lesiah asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”
Durance gulped, turned his head, and stammered to Lesiah, “Lilith… is wanted again.”
“……”
???????
The Inhuman Restaurant, located in the northern city of Jeorgetown City, gained fame not for its exceptional food or service, but for its unique concept catering to the “inhumans.” To dine at this establishment, patrons must first prove their non-human status. However, it was important to note that this policy was not rooted in discrimination against the “inhumans”.
The Holy Dragon Empire, since its founding, had upheld enlightenment and tolerance as its guiding principles. As a result, all races, except for the Demon Race, were welcome to freely visit the grand capital, while still abiding by the laws of the Holy Dragon Empire.
In Jeorgetown City, one would notice “inhumans,” who had slightly distinct body features compared to normal humans, on the street and in stores. Even so, people treated them just like anyone else and did not show any discrimination because of their “inhuman” identity or appearance.
The people of Jeorgetown City had grown accustomed to the diversity within their community, and anyone who held prejudiced views was frowned upon. Despite the peaceful coexistence between humans and “inhumans,” there were still many inhumans who had customs and habits that differed from those of normal humans.
For instance, the beastmen in the cold land in the north had a preference for consuming raw meat and drinking blood. On the other hand, the elves in the forest in the south had a deep love for nature and strictly forbade the consumption of meat and fish. There was also a peculiar race that would perform an ancient strip dance, offering sacrifices to their deities prior to partaking in a meal. This dance was unlike any other, as it was a strip dance performed by esteemed elders who were older than fifty years old.
Naturally, these behaviors impacted the appetite of normal people, leading to the emergence of the Inhuman Restaurant. This restaurant was specifically created for inhumans and featured hundreds of special private rooms catering to the customs of different races, with each room corresponding to a specific race. However, the usage of these rooms differed due to the varying number of races.
For example, when it came to major races such as beastmen and elves, the waitlist for a private room could be as long as six months. In contrast, private rooms for minor races like demon beasts were only used once every two weeks.
After fourteen years since its establishment, the private room with the best location, largest size, most exquisite decoration, and most extensive arrays, finally welcomed its first group of guests. Remarkably, it was also the cheapest room available, almost equivalent to nothing in terms of cost.
Wearing a white tank top, shorts and flip-flops, the burly man pushed open the door to the private room. He scanned the room and saw a man, a woman, and a child who had been patiently awaiting his arrival. Although they appeared to be a typical family of three, they were not biologically related.
A wide, friendly grin spread across his face as he chuckled and exclaimed, “Long time no see! It must have been a thousand years since we last gathered!”