For dinner, Lai Yi and Neil ate roasted venison leg.
The deer leg was too large for the two of them to finish.
Lai Yi had only roasted part of it, preserving the remainder with salt and spices to make smoked cured meat for winter.
Neil sold his herbs to the village physician and received two silver coins. When he tried to give the coins to Lai Yi, his brother refused and told him to keep them.
After dinner, Lai Yi washed pears and apples. Neil held his pear without taking a bite.
“Brother, we have so much fruit at home. Let’s sell these pears – they could fetch many silver coins.”
“Alright.”
“How many bird eggs do we have left?”
“Only twenty-one from our own birds, but we’ve collected sixteen assorted bird eggs found by the gate.”
Neil retrieved a small basket from the storage room containing various sized bird eggs.
Since first discovering the eggs, they had found several more batches. Worried Neil might overthink and become frightened, Lai Yi had lied that village girls might be secretly leaving them, making Neil blush intensely.
“Brother, what should we do with these eggs?”
“Eat them as usual.”
“Oh.”
Some of the previously preserved eggs had been consumed, tasting exactly like salted duck eggs. Since the preservation had been experimental, Lai Yi hadn’t made many, insufficient for winter. He planned to preserve 150 more and give dozens to Haggard’s family.
With insufficient eggs at home and village purchases being too conspicuous, he decided to take Neil to town tomorrow to buy some while selling the pears.
“Neil, come to town with me tomorrow.”
“Yes, brother!”
Neil grew excited, having never visited town in his life. So many wonderful things had happened recently.
Ah! If he’d known about the town trip, he wouldn’t have sold the herbs to the physician.
“After hunting today, won’t tomorrow be exhausting? We could rest first.”
“No, I want to go with brother! I’ve never been to town!”
Lai Yi had considered going later, but seeing Neil’s eagerness, he swallowed his words.
Tomorrow would be fine if Neil didn’t mind tiredness.
“Alright.”
Lai Yi and Neil packed pears for sale, adding some presentable apples. They could simply carry the baskets tomorrow.
After arranging tomorrow’s oxcart transport, everything was ready.
The sky deepened from light to dark blue as if veiled in gray gauze. As light faded, villagers returned home after long days, candles flickering to life like starlight across the mountain village.
“Brother, if I don’t wake up tomorrow, remember to call me.”
“Alright, off to bed now.”
Neil yawned and trudged wearily upstairs.
In villages with little entertainment, everyone retired early. Lai Yi immersed himself in “Casa Continent Magic History,” one of the original owner’s few books.
Bound in leather, its pages showed aged yellowing with rough, frayed edges.
The book detailed the magic history of Casa Continent where Lai Yi now lived, interwoven with historical stories for deeper understanding of the magical world.
The language is ornate, with praises to the gods woven through every chapter of the book. One need not even look to know it must be published by the church.
Lai Yi treated it as a bedtime story—both to pass the time and to learn about the history of the Casa continent. However, he remained skeptical of its contents.
After all, history is always written by the victors, isn’t it?
“Chirp chirp chirp! Chirp chirp chirp!”
“Woof! Woof!”
Outside, the panicked cries of red prairie birds and the barking of dogs could be heard.
At first, Lai Yi paid it no mind, assuming it was just fledglings squabbling. But when the noise continued without ceasing, he grew suspicious.
Tucking a weapon into his pocket, Lai Yi pushed open the door. A figure was lingering hesitantly at the gate of his courtyard. The light was dim, making it impossible to see the person’s face.
“Who’s there? What do you want?”
Hearing the voice, the figure instinctively tried to run but stopped abruptly after a few steps.
The courtyard walls and gates in the village were low—typical designs meant to deter the honorable rather than the wicked. In daylight, the view would be almost unobstructed.
The figure approached the gate, pulling back a large hood to reveal reflective beast-like pupils.
“Respected Mr. Victor, I am the Goblin Iru.”
Lai Yi thought for a moment—it seemed to be the Goblin whose wife was pregnant.
He still remembered the ferocity with which Iru had bitten the leg of the fleeing Goblin that day.
“What brings you here so late at night?”
“I am deeply ashamed and remorseful for stealing your birds before. I have nothing worthy to compensate for your loss, so I’ve brought you some bird eggs.”
Iru spoke slowly, struggling with the common tongue, doing his best to make his words clear.
“Were all the bird eggs at the gate from you?”
Lai Yi was somewhat surprised but kept his expression neutral as he asked.
“Yes.”
“I’ve accepted them all. Please don’t send any more.”
Lai Yi’s tone was cold.
“There are a few more here.”
“Just leave them at the gate.”
Iru hunched over, carefully placing the eggs on the ground.
“I…”
Iru stammered, his cold beast-like eyes seeming to hold a plea as he stared directly at Lai Yi.
“What else is there?”
Lai Yi asked.
Iru swallowed nervously.
“I heard it was because of your suggestion that we were allowed to stay. On behalf of my family, I offer my heartfelt thanks. May the Lord bless you with good health.”
“You should thank the Clan Elders. I merely offered a suggestion.”
“Yes, yes. I also thank the merciful Clan Elders and the villagers.”
Iru murmured meekly.
Lai Yi sensed that Iru might have something else to ask of him.
“If there’s nothing else, I’m going to bed.”
Lai Yi made as if to turn away.
“Wait!”
Iru called out anxiously, stopping him.
“Actually, there is something I wish to ask of you.”
Lai Yi gestured with his eyes for Iru to continue.
“My wife has grown increasingly thin since giving birth and now cannot even leave her bed.” Tears welled in the poor Goblin’s eyes. “I was wondering if you could help me buy some potions.”
With that, Iru prostrated himself deeply on the ground, afraid to hear Lai Yi’s refusal.
He had reached the end of his rope. The Goblins’ notorious reputation made them like rats in the streets—no physician was willing to sell them potions.
Lai Yi looked at Iru on the ground and recalled that sweltering night from his childhood. He had suddenly developed a high fever that wouldn’t break no matter what medicine he took. His grandfather had carried him through the darkness to the clinic, pleading with the doctor in the same tone.
Iru was a thief, but he was also someone’s husband and father. His love for his family was impossible to ignore.
“Get up quickly. I can help you find a doctor in town.”
Lai Yi’s words instantly lifted Iru’s spirits.
“Your wife is already so seriously ill. It would be better for you to explain her condition to the doctor yourself so they can prescribe the right treatment.”
“But my appearance…”
“Just find a mask to cover it.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Tomorrow I’m going to town to buy supplies. Find a way to get to town and meet me at the city gate.”
“Okay, okay.”
Iru nodded repeatedly.
“It’s late. Go back now.”
“Thank you, thank you, Mr. Victor.”
Iru bowed once more before turning to leave. Lai Yi watched his figure disappear into the darkness.
The next morning after breakfast, Lai Yi and Neil boarded an ox cart heading to town.
Little Neil brought his entire savings with him, sitting obediently beside Lai Yi during the journey while curiously looking around at everything.
The two got off the ox cart at the city gate. Lai Yi said he was waiting for an acquaintance, and the others didn’t ask further.
“You came!”
Iru was completely wrapped in a cloak, not showing any skin. A wooden board with eye holes cut out was tied to his face with cloth strips—a makeshift mask that looked rather strange.
“Mm, let’s go.”
The two humans and one Goblin queued to pay the entrance fee. Unsurprisingly, Iru was stopped.
“Remove your hood.”
Iru trembled nervously.
“I… I…”
“He’s my cousin, suffering from a serious illness with many pustules all over his body and face. We came to town mainly for medical treatment. He kept his hood on to avoid frightening you gentlemen.”
Upon hearing Lai Yi’s words, the people queuing near Iru quietly stepped back half a meter.
While explaining, Lai Yi discreetly slipped them a silver coin.
“Ahem, in that case, just go straight in.”
The knights let the three pass. Iru breathed a sigh of relief.
“Brother, where are we going now?”
“Let’s visit Dr. Black. It’s been a long time since we last saw him.”
“Mm.”
Lai Yi led the two to Black’s clinic. Black was searching for herbs on the first floor while Jack was crushing a blackish substance.
The jingling of bells sounded as Jack looked up toward the entrance.
“Little Mr. Victor and little little Mr. Victor, you’ve come.”
Jack revealed an eight-tooth smile that appeared somewhat ingratiating and forced.
What’s going on?
“Jack, you don’t have to smile if you don’t want to.”
Lai Yi said.
Jack’s face immediately fell.
“Little Mr. Victor, you’re so understanding. Dr. Black said, ‘We must extend the most sincere welcome to every customer,’ so he made me practice smiling for a long time.Lai Yi was speechless, with too many points to criticize.
A clinic smiling to welcome patients—aren’t they afraid of getting beaten up?
“Oh, little Neil, your new hairstyle looks very spirited!”
“Greetings, Dr. Black! My brother cut this hairstyle for me!”
Neil smiled sweetly, proudly introducing his new hairstyle.
Lai Yi felt somewhat awkward, but thought it was fine as long as the child was happy.
“What brings you here today?”
“Could we speak upstairs?”
Black noticed the cloaked figure who had entered with them.
“Alright.”
“Neil, wait downstairs for your brother.”
“Okay.”
Black, Lai Yi, and Iru went upstairs.
“Actually, his wife is ill.”
Lai Yi introduced Iru to Black. Black poured tea for both of them.
“Please describe the main symptoms in detail.”
“My wife Nana gave premature birth to two children. At first, she bled continuously, but later we managed to stop it with herbal medicine. However, since giving birth, her appetite has been getting worse, and she’s become increasingly thin. Recently, she vomits everything she eats and can no longer get out of bed.”
By the end, Iru’s voice was choked with emotion.
“You’re not human, are you?”
Cold sweat broke out on Iru’s back.
“If a human bleeds during childbirth, it doesn’t stop.”
Black took a gentle sip of tea.
“What race are you?”
Lai Yi was slightly impressed by Black’s keen observation.
“Goblin,” Iru stammered, his voice trembling.
“Please, I beg you, save my wife!”
After saying this, he knelt deeply and pleaded.
“Ah, what are you doing? I never said I wouldn’t help. As long as you pay the silver coins, I’ll help anyone. Do you have silver coins?”
“Yes! I do!”
Iru pulled out a small piece of gold and placed it on the table—something he had accidentally found while still living in the forest.
“Is this enough?”
“Enough.”
Black grasped the gold piece in his hand, a very sincere smile spreading across his face.
“Your wife’s condition is somewhat tricky, but it’s not incurable. I’ll prepare two bottles of potion for you using precious medicinal ingredients. Have her drink a little each day, and with some rest, she’ll recover over time.”
“Thank you, doctor! May the Lord God bless you!”
Iru finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Come back in two hours to pick it up. You can take a stroll around town in the meantime.”
Iru was afraid of drawing attention and being captured by the church, so he didn’t want to leave.
Lai Yi had no choice but to take Neil to handle the day’s tasks first and return later to pick him up.
Author’s Note:
During the Holy War, the Grand Archbishop received a divine revelation from the God of Light in his sleep.
The God said, “Go east, and seek a child with dazzling golden pupils.”
Following the God’s command, the Grand Archbishop found the first Saint, Antonio, in the east. He had striking golden hair and golden pupils that seemed to see through everything; he was the embodiment of righteousness and courage, the God’s apostle on earth.
The God was pleased and bestowed upon the Grand Archbishop light-based magic.
Using this light magic, he ended the chaos of the warring races and drove the demons from the continent. From then on, the entire continent was bathed in “light.”
—Excerpt from Casa Continent Magic History