Chapter 572 - Dreamland (1/2)
“Sigh…” Lize sat by the table with the wine glass in her delicate hand.
The celebration feast wasn’t that grand, but it was extremely lively. The residents welcomed the faraway guests passionately after they were finally released from the painful curse of Frozen Lake. This feast was perhaps also to make up for their rudeness from before. Rhode was supposed to be around during such an occasion, but he threw everything into the back of his head and left without even stepping in here. The residents who didn’t express their gratitude were rather worried as they had heard from the Law Enforcing Officer just how powerful this young man who looked like a beautiful young lady was. A several meter tall creature couldn’t withstand his sword strike and furthermore, he was also a noble. If he was dissatisfied with the residents’ behaviors from before, perhaps they wouldn’t lead a great life even without the existence of that plague.
Lize knew that Rhode always disliked such occasions and she had to take up the responsibility of the guild with Rhode’s absence since she was second only to Marlene in terms of position who also wasn’t around. Besides, she was a kindhearted girl and she felt uncomfortable seeing the residents trembling with fear in such a joyous occasion. Therefore, she approached them and consoled them that Rhode wasn’t unhappy and everything was fine. But it was also due to this that the residents were exceptionally passionate toward her which left Lize catching her breath. After the celebrations ended, Lize felt exhausted and dizzy even though she drank only fruit wine.
“What’s wrong? Sister Lize doesn’t look too well. Is Sister Lize feeling ok?”
When Lize was sighing and shaking her head, a vivacious, skylark-like voice sounded in her ears as Anne skipped toward her and looked at her with a curious smile. Lize forced out a bitter smile as she couldn’t understand how Anne managed to stay this awake after she had been forced to drink that much alcohol. Lize had witnessed Anne gulping down a whole barrel of spirits and she was worried that Anne would simply collapse into a deep sleep after she finished the last drop. In the end, this little rascal became even more energetic as though she just drank a whole bucket of cool water. On the contrary, she had filled so much of the residents’ glasses that they had become drunk…
“It’s nothing,” Lize shook her head and gazed toward the horizon. “I was just thinking that this feels like a dream…”
“Dream?” Anne blinked her eyes curiously and sat beside her. “What nice dreams did you have?”
“If it was a nice dream, then I would be in the most wonderful place now.” Lize turned to Anne. “Anne, you still remember the day when you first joined us, right? We, Starlight, were only a small mercenary group. No, we could hardly call ourselves a mercenary group. Based on the number of people we have, we should be called a mercenary team instead. Back then, there were Mr. Rhode, you, Marlene, Mr Walker, and me… But now… ” Lize paused and looked into Anne’s puppy eyes with mixed feelings.
As a Cleric, Lize had heard a lot regarding Starlight and the rumors surrounding it, especially after Anne murdered Rosen during the Midsummer Festival and shot to fame. If Anne was only known in the Deep Stone City in the past, she could be considered a widely popular Shield Warrior in the entire Munn Kingdom with the nickname of ‘Child of the Storm’. Not only Anne, but even newbies like Joey and Randolf had also become well-known figures in the whole Paphield Region. There were even some rumors going on about Starlight gradually looking like Munn Kingdom’s number one Guild. Lize was also praised for her great battles in the Midsummer Festival and her impressive performances afterwards.
But everything seemed surreal to her.
In the young lady’s imagination, the legendary beings had eminent statuses, powerful strength, and were dignified. However, Anne was merely 15 years old and no matter how the world saw her as a powerful Shield Warrior, she would always appear to be the same Anne as when she first joined the mercenary group in Lize’s eyes. She continued to eat, sleep, play, and repeat and she didn’t have the graceful bearing of a ‘Child of the Storm’ in her at all. Whereas for Lize, she felt incomparably frightened of those who praised and admired her greatly. She was only doing her part and couldn’t be considered as a hero or sort. However, she was treated like a character in a hero story spread within a night pub which she didn’t know how to react to them.
Moreover… Starlight.
Lize still remembered the situation when she and Rhode returned to the Deep Stone City. She was the only survivor in the entire mercenary group and her future was looking bleak. She was only a powerless Cleric and wasn’t a formidable Warrior who could carry the entire mercenary group by herself. Therefore, when Rhode suggested helping her build Starlight up, she agreed without any hesitation. Back then, Lize wasn’t a newbie who had just left the Golden City and she knew how to get on in the world. It was also rather ridiculous thinking back now when Rhode suggested helping Lize rebuild the mercenary group. Lize had suspicions if this man was just eyeing for her body, but she didn’t have other choices. Even if Rhode’s target was really her, she would have no choice but to become his woman if it was what it took for the mercenary group to survive… Moreover, compared to those fat and arrogant men, Rhode appeared much better than them.
But things didn’t develop in the way that Lize had imagined.
Mr. Walker came. Marlene came. Anne came. Randolf, Joey, and Lapis also came. Afterward, due to the crisis of the Paphield mercenary group, Rhode took in Shauna and the mercenaries under her. Then, they participated in the Midsummer Festival and defeated the Sky Sword and Liberty Wings Guilds to become the winner of the event. Thereafter, Starlight promoted to become a large-scale Guild.
And now, they had built their Fortress and conquered the Land of Atonement…