Chapter 138: The Bard’s Tale

Going to a bar, after all, is for drinking.

But holding Sister Menglinna in both arms made it impossible to drink. With some reluctance, Nana still chose to let go.

After all, she could touch her whenever she wanted.

Explaining this to herself, Nana reached for her glass and took a sip. The liquid had a faint sweetness and a slight chill—quite pleasant.

After a brief pause, Menglinna also picked up her glass and took a small sip.

Since she was free now, Menglinna said in a plaintive tone, “Nana, where did you learn such behavior? As a devout believer, forcing others like this is not right!”

Nana set down her glass and gave Menglinna a light smile. “I learned it from my senior, of course. She almost took my virginity.”

Menglinna’s face flushed. “What nonsense are you talking about!”

Nanaya just chuckled. “Isn’t it true?”

“I can’t be bothered to argue with you!”

As they chatted, a bard wearing a tricorn hat approached. Perhaps sensing an opportunity, she stopped beside them and began to play her lute.

“My hometown is old Yharnam,

In the dungeons lie countless hakimi♪

The sandworm swallows them all♪

Leaving only the treasures we all love♪”

Menglinna didn’t mind such bards; after all, if she only wanted to drink, she wouldn’t need to come to a bar.

When the song ended, Menglinna fumbled in her pocket for a while but only found a single silver coin, which she tossed to the bard.

Such generous patrons were rare, and the bard couldn’t help but show a fawning smile. “Thank you for your contribution to the arts!”

Seeing that she seemed ready to play another tune, Menglinna quickly stopped her.

“Did you write that song yourself, or did you hear it from someone else?”

Bards wandered everywhere; besides busking, they often brought news from along the way.

To be honest, the lyrics had caught Menglinna’s attention.

Recalling the time she was nearly killed by a sandworm thanks to Miaomiaonia during a hunting mission, Menglinna felt curious about the legendary old Yharnam.

The locals rarely mentioned Yharnam, and most of the younger generation had never even heard of old Yharnam. But the more mysterious it was, the more Menglinna wanted to find out.

Just curiosity.

The bard lifted her head proudly. “Yes, I wrote it myself.”

“So your hometown is old Yharnam?”

“That’s right.”

Menglinna looked up and stared at her seriously.

For a bard, her face seemed too young, lacking the weary, dust-covered look of most wandering minstrels.

The reason was simple: this bard was a half-elf.

Meeting Menglinna’s gaze, the bard grinned. “Milady, are you interested in the legends of old Yharnam?”

Menglinna nodded slightly. “A little.”

The bard nodded and began her tale.

…

At first, Yharnam was no different from any other place—just a simple small town, nothing special. Because it was remote and surrounded by beasts, the adventurer industry there was especially thriving.

Hunting naturally had risks. Injuries were commonplace for adventurers and hunters, which created a demand for healing arts.

Early Yharnam was also a city that believed in gods, but their faith was purely for healing miracles. Only when injured would they reluctantly cry out, “Thank the Goddess.”

Such a perfunctory faith naturally wouldn’t earn the gods’ favor. The healing effects of divine spells grew weaker, and the people of Yharnam had to find a new path on their own.

No one knows exactly how blood healing emerged, but some elders say it was related to the so-called Great Ones. The Great Ones were beings akin to gods. Many adventurers aspired to become higher-dimensional existences on par with them, and blood healing was a ritual gradually developed through such attempts.

No one knows which step went wrong, but in the end, the actions of the Yharnamites angered the Great Ones. Sandworms and beasts from unknown places destroyed old Yharnam.

It is said that beneath present-day Yharnam, there are still many passages leading directly to the underground of old Yharnam.

…

After listening to the bard’s story, Menglinna couldn’t help asking, “Is there really treasure in the underground of old Yharnam?”

“I don’t know,” the bard shrugged. “But the fact that old Yharnam has been buried for so long without being explored says something, doesn’t it?”

“I see…”

Thinking about it, the bard sighed. Menglinna forced a smile and invited her to go exploring.

But discretion is the better part of valor.

“However, I’ve heard a new legend recently, about the Great One that destroyed old Yharnam.”

“Oh?”

Menglinna gestured for her to continue.

“They say that a few days ago, the Yharnamites used Its hand to eliminate their enemies, which made the Great One feel used. Now It’s very angry.”

Menglinna nodded. “So It wants to destroy Yharnam again?”

The bard shrugged. “I’m not sure, but at least It will catch the culprit, right?”

“So it has nothing to do with us?”

“Probably not. It shouldn’t involve most people.”

With that, the small talk ended. The bard played a few more songs before taking her leave.

Perhaps satisfied with the taste of “Blue Planet,” Naya had a few more drinks, and Menglinna also had a few more. Both were a bit tipsy.

Menglinna watched the bard’s retreating figure. When she saw the javelin strapped to her back, the tipsy feeling vanished instantly, replaced by a cold sweat that sobered her up completely.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, the bard turned around and smiled at Menglinna.

In the blink of an eye, the bard vanished completely, as if she had never been there.

It wasn’t strange for a bard to carry a weapon—they were travelers between cities, after all, needing something for self-defense.

But the javelin on her back was the problem.

Menglinna recognized that javelin. It was the “Infinite Javelin,” a spear that could summon phantom copies with minimal magic. These copies ignored the traditional problem of retrieval and could pierce physical defenses through magical damage.

That javelin was powerful. As for why Menglinna knew its properties so well—the reason was simple: she had made it.

More precisely, the previous incarnation of Menglinna had forged that javelin.

That javelin was crafted by her former self as a gift for herself. In return for the Flame Giant’s Whip, Menglinna had received a branch of the World Tree from Inquisitor Naya.

For that, she had studied enchantment extensively and forged this javelin.

But the problem was that in this life, Nana had not become an Inquisitor, nor had she gifted the Flame Giant’s Whip.

Menglinna saw clearly that the engraving on the spearhead was unmistakably her own style. That javelin couldn’t be a fake.

But whether it was fake or not, Menglinna found it terrifying.

Even Nana hadn’t been told about her rebirth, but judging by the bard’s expression, she seemed to know all along.

Spooked like this, Menglinna had no mood left for drinking and wanted to leave.

But things rarely go as planned—just as someone eating fish doesn’t expect to choke on a bone.

Nana’s tolerance for alcohol was clearly poor. She was now sprawled on the sofa, apparently drunk from too much wine.

How irresponsible…

Menglinna sighed, preparing to take her back.

Just as she reached for Nana’s shoulder, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Nana caught her wrist, her alcohol-laden breath exploding against Menglinna’s nose. “You want to take off my clothes?”

“No,” Menglinna replied calmly. “You’re drunk. I’m taking you home, that’s all.”

“Are you taking me to bed?”

Nanaya blinked her big eyes, as if anticipating something unobservable and indescribable.

Menglinna felt a bit speechless but finally gave in. “Yes. Will you be good?”

Strictly speaking, Nana wasn’t entirely wrong, but things might not develop as she imagined.

Menglinna sighed inwardly and crouched in front of her. “Can you put your arms around my neck?”

Nanaya obediently wrapped her arms around Menglinna’s neck, then suddenly let go. “But won’t I choke you, Sis?”

Menglinna found it amusing. “It’s fine. Come on up.”

Nanaya carefully leaned onto Menglinna’s shoulders. Instantly, Menglinna stood up, using both hands to support Nanaya’s bottom so she wouldn’t fall.

“Sis is being a pervert again. Are you trying to play with me?”

Faced with Nanaya’s strange outburst, Menglinna could only look helpless.

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