Chapter 52: The Transformation Fruit and the Candillac Imperial Capital

Walking across the bitterly cold, icy ground, Aric, wrapped in a blanket, exhaled warm breaths onto his hands.

“Where are we going now?” Aric called out to Logue, who was leading the way.

“To an alternate dimension, deep within the sewers of the Candillac Imperial Capital,” Logue replied with a chuckle, his hands clasped behind his back and a slight stoop to his posture.

“I know about alternate dimensions, but going to the Candillac Imperial Capital… that place isn’t very friendly to me,” Aric mumbled.

“I know,” Logue said, shaking his head with a sigh.

“Having left the church, that place isn’t particularly friendly to me either, considering the church’s affiliations with those empires. In any case, if you wish to find stability and a safe place, then stay close to me.”

Aric fell silent. He didn’t particularly want to go to Candillac with Logue, longing instead to return and reassure his sister of his safety.

However, he had no idea how far they were from Firefly Forest, and returning might take weeks.

‘Never mind,’ he thought. ‘I’ll just follow him for now. I can go back to find my sister and reassure her when the time is right.’

With a sigh, Aric silently quickened his pace, falling in beside Logue.

They walked for an unknown duration before Logue suddenly stopped.

Aric, not paying attention, collided with a snowdrift beside him.

After shaking off the snow that covered him, Aric cast a resentful gaze at Logue.

“What’s wrong? You weren’t watching where you were going; what does that have to do with this old man?”

Logue’s lips curved into a smile as he spoke cheerfully.

Rolling his eyes, Aric was speechless.

“Heh heh, we’ve arrived.” Maintaining his smile, Logue pointed forward.

“Candillac…”

Following the direction Logue indicated, Aric’s voice was low.

Ahead, a formidable fortress, like a monstrous maw bristling with fangs, loomed in the biting wind. Heavily armed guards, clad in menacing armor, patrolled the perimeter of the stronghold.

“How do we get in?” Aric asked Logue, his earlier solemnity still lingering.

“Simple. Here, eat this.”

From his arcane space, Logue produced two fruits as black as ink. He tossed one to Aric, then began to eat the other himself.

Aric silently glanced at the fruit Logue had thrown him. After a moment’s thought, he took a small bite.

A juice as sweet as spring water burst forth in his mouth, and Aric’s eyes lit up.

“Delicious!”

Having tasted its sweetness, Aric began to savor it.

Only when he reached the pit did he realize he had already devoured all the flesh.

“Old man, where did this fruit come from?” Aric asked, discarding the pit. He planned to bring some back for Aali when he returned to find her, as he felt such a delicious treat must be shared.

“Oh, a Transformation Fruit, from the distant reaches of the sky,” Logue said, a reminiscent expression on his face.

“Distant reaches of the sky? What does that mean?” Aric was confused, unsure what the old man’s words implied.

“Nothing.” Stepping out of his reverie, Logue shrugged.

“Then do you have any more of these fruits? I plan to bring some back for my sister and my tribe in a few days,” Aric said, rubbing his nose with a sheepish grin.

“Foolish boy, the Transformation Fruit isn’t an ordinary fruit you can eat every day,” Logue said, lightly patting Aric’s forehead.

“It’s a medicinal fruit. Eating it can change your appearance and temporarily make people lose memories of your transformed look. If you truly wish to give it to your sister and tribe, you must be prepared to temporarily lose memories of your sister’s appearance.”

“Oh, uh…” Aric looked slightly abashed.

“Even if you were prepared, these fruits aren’t enough for you to squander. After all, it’s a strange tree that only produces ten fruits a year.”

Upon hearing Logue’s words, Aric immediately discarded the idea of bringing the fruits to his sister and tribe.

“Alright, let’s go!”

Brushing off the snowflakes clinging to his black cloak, Logue strode towards the outer defenses of Candillac, positioned at the very front.

Seeing this, Aric hastily hurried after him.

With a clang, two long spears crossed, blocking Aric and Logue’s path into the fortress.

“Who are you?” the Knight asked in a muffled voice, holding a silver spear and wearing a full-face helmet.

Noting the Knight’s aggressive stance, Aric touched his pointed ears.

Logue remained silent. Instead, he cheerfully pulled a wolf-head crest from his pocket.

The Knight took the crest and, examining it, his eyes hidden within the helmet, narrowed slightly.

“Esteemed Viscount, I humbly apologize for my offense!”

Moving the spear that blocked Logue’s path aside, the Knight bowed, lightly touching his chest.

The accompanying Knight, seeing his comrade’s actions, also hastily bowed.

“Heh heh, it’s fine,” Logue said. “This old man merely hasn’t shown his face among the lower ranks for too long, causing you to forget my appearance. It matters not; just remember my face well now.”

Straightening his back, Logue, with one hand behind his back, waved the other to offer the Knights a few comforting words.

“Yes, Viscount!”

“Mm.” With a slight nod, Logue took the emblem offered by the Knight.

“Please, Viscount!”

Stepping aside to clear a path, the two Knights who had blocked Logue and Aric made a ‘please enter’ gesture.

With a slight nod, Logue led the somewhat bewildered Aric away.

“Wait, does that emblem really represent a Viscount of Candillac? And where did you get it?” Aric whispered his confusion once they were away from the Knights.

“I’ll explain once we’re in the alternate dimension.”

With that dismissive remark, Logue brushed aside Aric’s questions, then strode purposefully into the fortress.

Scratching the back of his head, a resigned Aric could only follow closely.

The Candillac Imperial Capital is divided into an Outer City and an Inner City. We are currently in the outer perimeter of the Imperial Capital’s Outer City, a defensive fortress guarding the capital itself.

Logue weighed the emblem in his hand, speaking as if to himself, yet also explaining to Aric. “If we wish to reach the Imperial Capital quickly, the best method is the teleportation array in the center of this fortress.”

“How do you know so much?” Aric mumbled, watching Logue, who was confidently speaking ahead of him. ‘This Logue doesn’t feel like an ordinary old man at all.’

“Cough, cough~” Logue coughed several times upon hearing Aric’s mumble. “This old man, after all, is a wandering teacher. It’s only natural to know this much.”

“A teacher?” Aric was unconvinced.

“Alright, more talk is useless. Let’s hurry.” Waving his hand, Logue practically fled forward, quickening his pace.

However, after walking nearly ten meters, Logue turned back, puzzled.

“What’s wrong?”

Logue followed Aric’s gaze, observing the Young Man’s face grow increasingly grim as he stared towards the northwest.

A man in a top hat and a black suit wielded a leather whip, lashing it at several shivering Orcs and Elves on the ground.

The man treated them as if they were cattle, no, perhaps even worse than cattle.

Upon realizing the cause of Aric’s darkening expression, Logue frowned. He walked back to Aric, grabbed his hand, and pulled him forward.

“Don’t meddle in others’ affairs. Let’s go!”

“What do you mean, ‘meddle’? I’m going to save them!”

Aric clenched his fists, trembling with rage.

The residents of the fortress, hearing Aric’s furious roar, looked over with confusion.

Logue, sensing that he and Aric had become the center of attention, immediately used all his strength to drag Aric towards the center of the fortress.

“We can’t save them right now. If you truly want to save them, we need to leave here quickly. Otherwise, things will change, and you won’t be able to save them at all. Even you, and possibly I, could be dragged into it.”

Logue’s solemn voice echoed in his ears, and Aric clenched his teeth.

‘I must save all enslaved races and overthrow the three great empires: Candillac, Ditters, and Lassaclu!’

Recalling the world history lessons taught by the mayor of Manda Town, a sacred seed had been planted deep within Aric’s heart, rapidly taking root and sprouting.

Sensing the subtle change in the person beside him, Logue showed a moment of surprise before focusing all his effort on walking towards the center.

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