Chapter 88: Chapter 87: What Decent Person Reads Novels?

To bid farewell to the departing Mutos, High Cliff Castle held a grand bonfire party after nightfall.

Of course, this was just a remote corner of the vast Wilderness, with only a crescent moon blanketing the land. For fifty li in any direction, High Cliff Castle was the only sign of civilization.

But with High Cliff Castle’s now-sizable population, the place was bustling with life and more than capable of throwing a lively celebration.

Whole forest deer, hunted by the High Cliff Castle Warriors during the day, were mounted on spits, dripping fat as they roasted in the orange firelight.

The wine Miriel had brought was uncorked and poured down the gullets of the Beastmen into their massive stomachs.

Levi used his own special blend of chili powder while grilling, and paired with the meat—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside—it was enough to make even Baisitina and the others, who had never eaten spicy food before, grudgingly accept it.

To express their gratitude for being accepted as subjects of High Cliff Castle, the Federation People had dozens of their loveliest young women perform the Treading Dance, once the most famous dance of the Feder Kingdom, by the central bonfire.

The dozens of young women held hands, their long, fair legs kicking in a flurry of motion, weaving about like butterflies. The crowd’s eyes darted back and forth, unable to take it all in.

A melodious, lilting folk song rang out, sung in the girls’ clear, lark-like voices, and the audience couldn’t help but lose themselves in the tranquil moment.

Even the hulking Beastmen paused what they were doing, savoring the performance.

When the young women ended their performance with a shy curtsy, hands placed over their hearts, the Lord led a round of thunderous applause.

"Whenever we celebrate the Spring Equinox, the Federation People put aside all their work for the day. When night falls, we gather around a bonfire and perform this dance, which has been passed down for hundreds of years."

Baisitina’s eyes were filled with nostalgia, her face full of wistful longing.

"Did you know, Levi? On this holiday, a girl confesses her feelings to the one she loves."

In this world, the four seasons were each governed by a different goddess. The former Feder Kingdom had worshipped the Goddess of Life, the guardian of spring. Thus, they placed great importance on the first day of spring, considering it the most important festival of the year and imbuing it with the meaning of nature’s rebirth and a new beginning.

Having lived in this world for three years, Levi was practically a local and naturally understood all this.

"Speaking of which, how did the Feder Kingdom fall?" Oblivious to the romantic undertones, Levi was more curious how such a massive kingdom could have collapsed in an instant.

The fall of the Feder Kingdom had been so swift and effortless that it felt unreal, as if a great mountain standing before you one moment had silently vanished into a flat plain the next.

"According to our ancestors, the Royal Family of Debei suddenly led the Griffin Knight Order in an attack on the Royal City. The King was betrayed by his most trusted Guard Knight, which paralyzed the Feder Kingdom’s command structure. After that, the usurpers picked them off one by one." Baisitina paused to recall, then added, "This is all passed down by word of mouth, so I don’t know if it’s actually true."

Her tone was placid, as if she were discussing something that had nothing to do with her.

After all, it was ancient history from hundreds of years ago. Even the deepest hatred eventually fades with the passage of time.

"I know a little about that. The traitor knight later became known as the ’King Slayer.’ He thought his betrayal would earn him a high position, but in reality, no ruler would ever place their trust in a villain who treats loyalty as a bargaining chip."

Knight Si Kai from Bailiu City, having wandered over at some point, chimed in.

"Hmph. He was the first to defile the spirit of knighthood. A man like that doesn’t even deserve to be called a Knight!" he added with a look of disdain.

Si Kai was supposed to be with the Mercenaries from the trade caravan, but the air of mystery around the Lord of High Cliff Castle was too intriguing, and he couldn’t resist coming over to learn more.

Thinking about what he’d done to his Feudal Lord, Liya, Levi subconsciously touched his nose to hide his awkwardness.

’Looks like this Knight Si Kai is a man who strictly abides by the knightly code,’ the Lord thought to himself.

"And what happened after that?" Miriel joined the conversation, cradling a cup of mulled wine in her hands.

The firelight cast her alluring curves into sharp relief.

Drinks, a bonfire, roasted meat, a captivated audience—all the essential elements for a night of tall tales and gossip were in place.

"Later... while the new rulers would never place their trust in a King Slayer, they didn’t skimp on his reward. He was granted a fairly fertile knight’s domain and eventually died a miserable man on his own estate."

Si Kai said, shaking his head. His expression was hard to read, but it seemed to be mostly one of regret.

"At the time, no one could understand his betrayal. The Knight had an excellent reputation; otherwise, King Feder wouldn’t have made him the Kingdom Knight Commander and given him a territory so grand it would make a Count feel inadequate."

Si Kai downed a large cup of wine. "And his betrayal earned him nothing but some money, some Maids, and a piece of land that, while fertile, was a fraction of the size of his original holdings. Hah..."

"Maybe the King was actually the Knight’s mortal enemy. A young man whose family was destroyed by the King works hard for years to climb to a high position. When he sees his chance for revenge, he naturally takes it without hesitation."

"Afterward, having slain his nemesis, he no longer had a reason to live and so, naturally, he wasted away."

"What an inspirational story."

Levi speculated, his imagination running wild.

"Lord Li, you must have read too many popular Knightly Novels," Miriel said, pressing a hand to her forehead, unable to stop herself from making a dry comment.

"Hahaha, just a wild guess, just a wild guess." The Lord chuckled. Fearing they wouldn’t believe him, he added emphatically, "In any case, I don’t read such degenerate novels. What kind of respectable person would?"

Everyone shot the Lord a skeptical look.

Lord Li grew flustered and snapped, "Believe it or not!"

The bonfire party continued late into the night until the excited subjects finally grew tired. Levi’s cheeks were slightly flushed, but all the Beastmen who had tried to challenge him to a drinking contest had been utterly crushed. Every last one of them had to be carried away.

In his past life, Levi had drunk more than his fair share to entertain demanding clients. He was a legendary drinker who claimed he could swim a lap in a vat of alcohol and still not get drunk.

And that was before his current, superhuman constitution; now, he could drink it like water and not get drunk.

Miriel had even hoped to get him drunk to pry more information out of him. Instead, she was the one who ended up dead drunk, spilling all sorts of things. Fearing she might say something that wouldn’t pass the censors, the Lord quickly arranged for a few Maids to escort her to a guest room in High Cliff Castle.

In any case, Lord Li became a legend that night. He had single-handedly drunk the entirety of High Cliff Castle under the table—a feat he could boast about for the rest of his life.

"Two Levis... hehehe..." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

With everyone else dealt with, only Baisitina was left, hugging her legs and giggling foolishly.

The Lord felt helpless.

"What am I going to do with you..."