Chapter 119: The Autumn Festival’s Shadow

Although Salome had promised Ellen to discreetly handle the ‘stolen goods,’ she did not immediately seek a place to destroy them after leaving Ellen’s room.

Primarily, while she was looking for a suitable location, Eve called out to her.

“Salome—where did you run off to? I was looking for you.”

“Ah, Sister Eve, is something the matter?”

Before Eve could reach her, Salome skillfully leaned against the wall, her hands clasped behind her back.

After so much time spent in a battle of wits with Eve, Salome felt she had accumulated enough experience to handle her.

For instance, in situations like this, as long as she acted naturally, there would likely be no issues.

She would never allow this book to be discovered by anyone. Having promised Ellen, she was duty-bound to conceal and destroy it!

Salome clutched the book tightly, feeling the once-flat pages crumple into a wrinkled ball in her hands. A profound sense of mission surged within her.

Surely, Ellen would be deeply moved once she found out.

“It’s nothing important,” Eve said, first patting Salome’s head. “I just wanted to ask, Salome, if you’d like to go out and explore tomorrow?”

“Mr. Albertson just told me that Ms. Turing and the club might be busy with other matters recently, so we should be quite free for a while.”

Salome nodded silently, understanding that Albertson’s ‘other matters’ likely referred to the situation in the East District.

“Alright, Sister Eve, have you decided where we’ll go?”

Salome didn’t think much of Eve’s suggestion; it was just going out to play, after all.

“Hmm… we might explore the center of Lund City. We’ve been in Lund City for so long, and I haven’t properly shown you around the city, have I?”

Salome hadn’t spent much time exploring the city, but she was intimately familiar with Lund City.

After all, Lund City’s title as a ‘metropolis’ meant its terrain in the game was incredibly complex. As a player, Salome had specifically memorized Lund City’s map. Compared to Karna City, Lund City’s terrain was more intricate, yet Salome remembered it clearly.

“And Mr. Albertson also told me that there’s some kind of celebration happening in the Central Plaza tomorrow. I want to take Salome to see it.”

A celebration?

The word that tumbled from Eve’s lips made Salome’s brow furrow moments later.

“Sister Eve, is Mr. Albertson referring to Lund City’s Autumn Festival?”

“That’s right. Salome, have you heard of this festival?”

Salome had certainly heard of it, though not in reality, but during her time playing the game.

Furthermore, it wasn’t that Salome had a particularly deep impression of this festival; she simply remembered the date.

Lund City’s Autumn Festival. In the original storyline, Eve arrived in Lund City on this very day.

They hadn’t experienced the Chaos Cult intercepting and stealing goods, and their arrival in Lund City was earlier than in the original plot. Therefore, theoretically, tomorrow would mark the first day of the hero Eve’s adventures in this city.

Thinking of this, Salome felt like covering her face and sighing. This meant that all the troubles, big and small, she had experienced since setting foot in Lund City had absolutely nothing to do with the original Lund City plot.

And starting tomorrow, it would be time to truly guard against the problems that might arise during this segment of the Lund City storyline.

The problem was, even before the Lund City plot had truly begun, she felt her actions in the city had already diverged significantly. Would this really be alright?

In the original plot, after Eve recuperated in Karna City, she returned to Lund City for another reason.

On the day she arrived in Lund City, the Autumn Festival was in full swing.

As for why Salome remembered this festival so vividly… it was because, in the storyline, the festival served to highlight Eve’s tragic plight.

After experiencing her friend becoming a monster as a cultist and all her companions transporting goods being killed, Eve was severely traumatized. Her recovery in Karna City was also incomplete.

When she entered Lund City, the expressionless and haggard Eve sat in a carriage. With her uncasted hand, she pulled back the curtain.

Outside the carriage, on the bustling street, people laughed and played, and a band performed. In short, it was a scene of vibrant revelry.

And Eve, sitting inside the carriage, simply watched these sights in silence, as if two different worlds existed inside and outside the vehicle.

This was why Salome had such a deep impression of the Autumn Festival—its original purpose was purely to use joy to underscore sorrow!

Salome actually suspected that the author of ‘Hero’s Adventure Chronicle’ had some psychological trauma; the protagonist Eve’s treatment in the story could only be described as abuse.

Fortunately, the current Eve was not nearly as depressed as her story counterpart. She even had the heart to invite Salome to the festival for fun.

However… remembering that this festival was the starting point of the Lund City plot in the game, Salome hesitated, wondering whether to stop Eve from going.

After all, the game’s style was not bright and cheerful; it was primarily designed to be melancholic. Coupled with the backdrop of Lund City’s Autumn Festival, Salome felt a shiver of apprehension just thinking about it.

But if she prevented Eve from going, what excuse could she use?

If they went, how could she avoid the troubles that might arise in the plot?

Salome sighed in distress.

From the moment Mr. Albertson mentioned the festival, Salome agonized over it until she fell asleep. Even in her sleep, her thoughts wouldn’t cease. The entire night, she dreamt of leading Eve to hide and seek throughout Lund City, and finally, out of desperation, fleeing with Eve to Karna City.

Consequently, when Salome woke up the next morning, she was completely bewildered.

Upon waking, Salome found herself covered with a blanket.

Salome remembered not using a blanket when she went to sleep yesterday, as the weather was quite warm, and her pajamas were thin.

Moreover, last night, due to her anxiety about the festival, she had fallen asleep directly on the sofa, not in her bed.

Salome turned over and sat up, only to see Eve sitting on the sofa beside her.

Eve was watching Salome.

“You’re awake.”

Eve smiled at Salome.

“Mmm…”

Salome rubbed her eyes, looking at Eve, unsure what to say for a moment.

“Did you sleep well?” Eve asked.

“Alright…” Salome replied. “Why are you here?”

“I had something I wanted to ask Salome, but Salome fell asleep, so I waited here for her to wake up.”

“Mmm…”

Salome felt Eve’s smile was somewhat peculiar, almost like a mischievous grin, as if she had thought of something.

Salome involuntarily grew nervous.

“Sister Eve, what did you want to ask?”

“It’s about what happened after Salome fell asleep.” Eve’s smile brightened even further, and alarm bells rang loudly in Salome’s mind.

“Salome, when you sleep, you always move around a lot, kicking off your blanket. When I was covering you, you even hugged me and gave me quite a fright.”

As Eve spoke, Salome’s face grew progressively redder.

Salome naturally knew that Eve was saying this on purpose.

It was Eve who had covered her with the blanket and tucked her in, and she hadn’t hugged Eve at all.

While Salome occasionally kicked off her blanket due to unconscious tossing and turning in her sleep, she had never hugged anyone.

Salome knew Eve was deliberately teasing her.

But knowing was one thing; hearing Eve utter such embarrassing words to her face still made Salome’s ears flush crimson.

“Sister Eve, Salome didn’t hug you!”

“Oh, really?” Eve feigned confusion. “But Salome held on so tightly last night, it took me a lot of effort to move your hands.”

After saying this, Eve even mimed hugging herself with both hands, making Salome even more shy.

“No, no, I didn’t!”

Salome desperately tried to refute, but she didn’t know how, as if she were speechless.

The more anxious Salome became, the happier Eve grew.

Eve’s smile became even more radiant.

“Sister Eve, you’re bullying me!”

Salome knew she couldn’t win an argument with Eve, so she simply complained directly.

“I’m not bullying Salome; I’m telling the truth.” Eve blinked, her smile unwavering.

Salome said nothing, merely turning her head away, pretending to ignore Eve.

Eve knew Salome was genuinely embarrassed.

“Alright, alright, let’s not talk about this anymore.”

After laughing for a while, Eve said to Salome, “Salome, you still haven’t answered me. Did you sleep well last night?”

Salome knew Eve was deliberately teasing her, so there was no need for her to continue feeling embarrassed.

“I didn’t sleep well,” Salome replied.

“Why didn’t you sleep well?” Eve asked.

“Because I was thinking about the festival.”

“The festival?”

Eve’s voice held a hint of confusion. “What’s there to think about with the festival?”

“Because I was wondering what might happen at the festival.”

As Salome spoke, Eve’s smile deepened.

“Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”

As Eve said this, Salome’s expression turned somewhat grim.

“Sister Eve, Salome isn’t going!”

Salome directly refused Eve.

“Why aren’t you going?” Eve asked.

“Because Salome is worried something might happen.”

As Salome spoke, Eve’s smile deepened further.

“Don’t worry, with me there, nothing will happen.”

As Eve said this, Salome’s expression became even grimmer.

“Sister Eve, Salome truly doesn’t want to go.”

As Salome spoke, Eve’s smile deepened even more.

“Salome, don’t you want to see the festival?”

As Eve said this, Salome’s expression grew even more unpleasant.

“Salome, did you have a nightmare last night?” Eve asked, and Salome’s face became even more troubled.

“Salome, are you worried something might happen to me?” Eve asked, making Salome’s expression darken further.

“Salome, are you afraid I’ll be taken away?” Eve asked, and Salome’s face grew even more distressed.

“Salome, are you…”

“Sister Eve, stop talking!”

Salome abruptly cut off Eve, then turned her head away, unwilling to look at Eve any longer.

Seeing Salome’s reaction, Eve’s smile deepened even further.

“Alright, alright, I won’t say anymore.”

With that, Eve hugged Salome.

Salome stiffened completely in Eve’s embrace.

“Sister Eve, let me go!”

Salome tried to struggle free from Eve’s arms.

“No!”

Eve said, tightening her embrace.

Salome knew she couldn’t break free, so she simply stopped struggling.

“Sister Eve, what do you want?”

Salome asked, and Eve’s smile deepened further.

“Salome, I just want to hug you.”

As Eve spoke, Salome’s face turned even redder.

“Sister Eve, please let me go. I need to get ready.”

As Salome spoke, Eve released her.

Salome broke free from Eve’s embrace and immediately rushed into the bathroom.

Eve watched Salome’s retreating figure, her smile deepening even more.

“Salome, you were talking in your sleep last night.”

As Eve said this, Salome’s face flushed even redder.

****

Lund City’s Autumn Festival began with laughter and joy, only to end in riots.

In the original plot, Eve eventually disembarked from the carriage to briefly visit the festival, only to be caught in the midst of a riot. It’s worth noting that in the original story, Eve encountered Ellen, the leader of the Destiny Observation Society, during this very riot.

“Um, Sister Eve…”

Salome opened her mouth, wanting to persuade Eve to stay at the Snail House tomorrow, but then realized she had no real reason to keep Eve indoors.

Moreover, she had just agreed to go out with Eve.

“What is it, Salome?”

“Uh, well, how about we don’t go out tomorrow?”

Though she hadn’t thought of a good reason, Salome ultimately spoke up weakly.

Mainly, if it were just a riot, it wouldn’t be a big deal. After all, Eve’s strength was undeniable; she could just smash the heads of anyone rioting with her staff and be done with it.

But therein lay the problem. In the original plot, when the riot occurred, Eve naturally wouldn’t stand by idly. She discovered traces of the Chaos Cult members among the rioting crowd. Having a significant grudge against the Chaos Cult, Eve, despite her injuries, went up and smashed the heads of the cult assassins she found.

The assassin who fled in defeat after being beaten by Eve was Irene, hired by the Chaos Cult.

Players at the time naturally didn’t know that the assassin they were chasing with their protagonist was the protagonist’s own sister. But Salome knew now!

Salome had two concerns. First, if she didn’t want the sisters to eventually turn against each other, it would be best to reduce their conflicts in the storyline.

Second, the Eve who beat Irene into a desperate retreat was a fifth-tier mage whose injuries had not fully healed. If the original plot were to unfold now, Salome worried that a full-strength, sixth-tier Eve might truly smash Irene’s head.

“Hmm? Does Salome have something else to do?”

“Not… really.”

Salome fell silent for three seconds, then gave up after failing to come up with a good reason.

“It’s just that, suddenly, I just don’t really feel like going out…”

As soon as Salome finished speaking, she felt the atmosphere around her change drastically.

Eve, though still wearing her usual expressionless face, radiated a different kind of ‘blankness’ than before.

“Salome, do you not want to go out and play with Sister Eve?”

For no apparent reason, Salome shivered.

“No, no… of course not.”

“Um, Sister Eve, I’ve thought about it, and let’s still go out together tomorrow, okay?”

Salome immediately changed her tune, like flipping a book page. This was mainly because her intuition had just screamed a warning.

She had a feeling that if she had continued along Eve’s line of questioning, something terrifying would have happened.

“I was just worried that Sister Eve has been so busy these past few days, and then having to take me out tomorrow, wouldn’t you be very tired, hmm?”

Salome’s explanation was somewhat flimsy, but Eve didn’t notice this, as she perceived Salome as caring for her.

“It’s alright. Just think of it as an older sister taking her younger sister out to play.”

An older sister taking her younger sister out to play… and incidentally smashing her biological sister’s head, right?

Salome chuckled twice, saying nothing.

This was a bit too dark.

However, since she couldn’t prevent Eve from going out, so be it. With her accompanying, perhaps she could try to guide Eve and Irene to avoid conflict.

Alas, she was truly putting her heart into this relationship between the sisters.

“Salome, what’s this?”

Her drifting thoughts were pulled back by Eve’s words. Salome snapped back to reality, realizing that the book she had hidden behind her back had somehow peeked out.

“Ah-ha, this, it’s just a book, Sister Eve, nothing important.”

Salome quickly tucked the exposed corner back behind her, but such a movement naturally heightened Eve’s suspicion.

“Reading is a good habit, Salome.”

Eve simply smiled naturally, reaching out towards Salome’s back.

“What book is Salome reading?”

“It’s just an ordinary book…”

Although she said this, Salome could only watch helplessly as Eve took the book from her hands.

After all, if she chose not to give it, the problem might become even bigger.

As she watched Eve’s face change from a smile to confusion, then quickly to an inquisitive look, Salome gritted her teeth and steeled her heart!

“It’s mine. This is my book, Sister Eve.”

Although Eve hadn’t asked her the question, Salome chose to blurt out the answer directly.

She had promised Ellen to secretly dispose of this book. Since she had given her word, she absolutely could not let Ellen’s reputation be tarnished by the book’s discovery!

Salome was a person of great integrity; she was all about keeping her promises. So, she would take the blame for this!

After shifting blame so many times, it was finally her turn, Salome, to take the fall. Perhaps this was what they called the cycle of karma.

However, Salome did not regret her decision. After all, Ms. Ellen was a respectable lady; how could she possibly read such things? This book, of course, belonged to Salome!

Facing Eve’s ‘really, truly’ questioning gaze, Salome merely met it with unwavering determination.

“It’s just that, I was a little curious, so I wanted to research it, Sister Eve, please don’t be angry…”

Eve nodded, seemingly enlightened. Indeed, Salome was at the age where she would naturally become interested in such things.

“It’s alright, Salome, this is very normal. Sister won’t be angry, you know.”

“However, Salome doesn’t need to research it herself… If you want to understand, I can teach you.”

Eve smiled, placing a hand on Salome’s shoulder.

Salome: “…”

****

“Hurry up, have you thought about it yet?”

Freya’s催促 (urging) did not make Salome move faster. She remained sprawled like a dead fish, staring at the chessboard for a long time before slowly making a move.

“Salome, why are you like this at such a young age? You have no spirit at all!”

Like a student lounging at home during summer vacation, Salome felt Freya’s criticism was akin to a middle-aged woman standing with hands on hips, pulling open the curtains at noon, and scolding her child for being a lazy dog.

But what could she do? She was simply tired.

“Tired…”

Salome merely exhaled a single word in response to Freya.

“This is a dream realm; your physical tiredness won’t have any impact here, will it?”

“Can’t my heart be tired?”

Salome looked at Freya with sorrowful eyes.

“You wouldn’t understand… but Eve just made me understand.”

Salome was indeed quite exhausted now. After all, she had just played chess with Eve in reality, and now she had to play chess with Freya in a dream. Of course, her spirit would be weary.

Freya rolled her eyes dramatically, showing no sign of sympathy for Salome.

“Fine, considering how diligently you’ve been replenishing your magic lately, I won’t hold it against you.”

Yes, after she had brought out the excuse, “I’m Salome, and I’m very curious,” Eve had thoughtfully stated, “If Salome is truly curious about such things, there’s no need to read a book; I can teach Salome.”

Salome didn’t know if Eve was genuinely so eager to teach, she only knew that Eve then enthusiastically instructed her on chess techniques in bed.

Hmph, you’re quite a good person, aren’t you?

However, to protect Ellen’s reputation, Salome could only suffer in silence, swallowing her bitterness.

But, even though Salome suffered, Freya was pleased!

Of course, this ‘pleasure’ was merely a description, not pleasure in the literal sense… though if we’re talking about literal pleasure, Salome’s physical sensations earlier could also be considered quite pleasurable.

Salome’s diligent magic replenishment meant faster recovery for Freya, so she was naturally very pleased. When Freya was pleased, her mood would improve, and when her mood improved, she wouldn’t mind being a little nicer to Salome.

So, after Salome, physically exhausted, slowly drifted to sleep, Freya, putting aside her divine status, indulged in common pleasures. She conjured up a Gobang board in the dream realm and played with Salome.

She just wondered if Eve, who always felt fatigued after playing chess with Salome, would be worried about her own health.

“So, you conjure these things out of thin air?”

Caressing the chess pieces in her hand, the tactile sensation was undoubtedly real. This reminded Salome of her first encounter with the Nightmare, when she had also woven an illusion of a giant dragon in the dream to scare her.

“It’s not exactly conjuring, as this isn’t the real world; it’s just a dream.”

As Freya spoke, she slapped a chess piece onto the board with a ‘thwack.’

“Although my authority isn’t related to dreams, I do reside within your body, after all. From a mental and physical perspective, you can simply understand it as these things being imagined.”

“Anyway, you’ve been replenishing magic so diligently lately that I can still spare some magical energy for this kind of thing.”

Salome looked at the chessboard, then at the large reclining chair Freya was sitting in and the various snacks, toys, and entertainment laid out before her. She somewhat doubted how much ‘some’ Freya’s ‘some’ actually meant.

“Are you sure it’s alright?” Salome pointed at Freya and the large pile of things around her. “Didn’t you say you had to go dormant inside me due to insufficient magic? Is it okay to use such precious magic for this kind of thing?”

Salome’s question made Freya’s small face stiffen, then she grumbled discontentedly.

“Mind your own business! I want to!”

“Besides, do you know how boring it is to be stuck here with nothing to do every day? What’s wrong with me finding something to do?”

‘You just need to focus on helping me replenish my magic more often. Once my magic power is almost restored… hmph!’

Although Freya didn’t continue, Salome indeed heard the implication of “thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, do not bully a young man in poverty” in her words.

Freya was undoubtedly thinking: ‘Once I have enough magic and don’t have to live in your body, why would I put up with your attitude?’

Thinking this way, Salome suddenly felt like a protagonist from a cultivation novel—from the perspective of hosting Freya, a parasite… *cough*, a divine being, within her body.

Don’t protagonists in those cultivation novels often inexplicably host fragments of some powerful immortal’s soul, and then this remnant soul, after slowly recovering, grants the protagonist various cheats?

No, on second thought, it’s not quite like that. After all, old man Ring, once his abilities recovered, would give the protagonist some cultivation techniques, spiritual artifacts, or other golden fingers. What could Freya do once her magic recovered? Conjure a Gobang board for her to play with?

It wasn’t that Salome looked down on Freya, but it seemed Freya was somewhat useless.

Compared to a powerful remnant soul from a cultivation novel, Freya, who developed the function of playing Gobang, might indeed resemble a certain AI.

“Freya, don’t you think there’s a certain ‘kindred spirit’ between you and some A.I.s?”

Salome’s words naturally provoked Freya’s displeasure.

“I am a divine being! Don’t compare me to those unconscious things from your previous world!”

Freya, as always, asserted her divine nobility.

“No, if we’re just talking about alarm clocks and Gobang, they might even be more useful than you.”

“What do you mean? Are you looking down on me, your divine self?”

Salome gave Freya a deep look.

“It’s just that this ‘A.I.’—at least it won’t talk back to me.”

After saying this, Salome distinctly saw Freya’s expression falter.

“I’m not playing anymore!”

It seemed the divine being was about to throw a tantrum.

“Don’t be angry, Freya, I was wrong, I was wrong. A divine being is naturally superior.”

Although Salome found it strange that Freya, a divine being, would compare herself to an artificial idiot in the first place.

Who knew Freya wouldn’t say her usual, “Hmph, seeing how sincere you are, I, the divine one, shall spare you this time,” under Salome’s coaxing tactic.

“No, you’re overthinking it.”

Freya put down the chess piece.

“I’m not angry because of you…! I wouldn’t bother with someone like you!”

“Following your analogy just now, it’s because you have a call.”

With that, Freya pointed towards the depths of the pitch-black dream space.

A call?

Freya’s statement startled Salome, but before she could ask for clarification, Freya’s figure, along with her pile of chessboards, toys, snacks, and chair, all vanished.

In the pitch-black dream space, Salome was suddenly left alone.

“Cat Tail, good evening.”

It wasn’t until Salome heard another familiar voice that she realized.

So, Freya’s ‘call’ referred to Nightmare.

However, although the voice was familiar, something felt subtly off.

It was probably some kind of intuition, but Salome felt that the Nightmare she met today seemed different from usual.

“Good evening, Nightmare.”

“I have a mission for you, Cat Tail.”

Without any pleasantries, Nightmare got straight to the point.

Salome instinctively frowned. Now she could be sure that Nightmare was indeed different from before.

Salome felt that after meeting Nightmare a few times in the dream realm, like online friends, she had a general idea of what kind of person Nightmare was. If Nightmare needed her to do something, they would definitely ask with a cheerful, “Cat Tail, could you do me a favor?” or something similar.

Such directness, without any idle chatter, was not Nightmare’s usual personality.

However, Salome wasn’t a child who had to point out every problem. After realizing the significant difference in Nightmare’s demeanor, Salome merely pretended to know nothing and spoke calmly.

“What is it?”

“Tomorrow is Lund City’s Autumn Festival. The Cult plans to use the displaced people from the East District to create some unrest during the festival.”

Salome had probably guessed Nightmare would say this.

Indeed, the riot of displaced people that occurred during the Autumn Festival in the original plot was secretly orchestrated by the Chaos Cult.

In the original plot, there had been many conflicts between the displaced people of the East District and the club, who managed the West District.

Players would also receive many quests to deal with the displaced people of the East District. Although these quests didn’t explicitly state it, players could discover signs of the Chaos Cult’s covert mischief.

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Law of Reaction

ActionDramaPure Love

Read Now →
Not interested