Chapter 42: Chapter 42: The Arrival of Humans
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Late at night, the wide central square of the ancient castle was as bright as day under the magical lights and torches.
On the bluestone ground, the shadows of the bases of the magical lights and torches swayed quietly in the breeze.
After receiving the message returned by Ivy, Lide immediately arranged for the remaining two second-generation Bloodlines in the castle to prepare.
Augustine Kachar
Harrison Kachar
Augustine’s profession was an extremely rare archer among the Bloodline, at the same level as the other second-generation Bloodlines, Level 9, with a secondary profession as a Level 4 warrior.
A narrow face, a high hooked nose, sharp eagle-like eyes, dressed in a black leather coat, a long bow on his back, and two quivers on his waist filled with specially made arrows.
The other second-generation Bloodline, Harrison, had the main profession of mage, also at Level 9, with a secondary profession as a warrior.
These two second-generation Bloodlines were somewhat unusual. Augustine was an archer, which was as rare among the Bloodline as a dwarf discarding a hammer for a human longsword.
Harrison, on the other hand, was a research-based mage focusing on assistant magic, with only one attacking spell – the Small Fireball Skill.
His other spells were all supportive, such as the Strengthening Skill, Stone Skin Skill, Swift Skill, etc. His role was more like a priest in the temple, responsible for adding beneficial magic statuses to the frontline personnel in battle.
Audis, Ivy, Lucy, and Dylan were responsible for abducting the population, while Harson and Augustine were responsible for settling these humans.
“They’re coming,”
Sharp-eyed Augustine pointed lightly at the pitch-black sky above the castle.
Lide raised his head and found a patch of darkness, not seeing any trace of the Magic Language Bat, just about to speak.
The sound of bat wings flapping came from afar, and the first Magic Language Bat to reach the castle slowly descended.
Lide glanced peculiarly at Augustine. As expected of an archer, such keen eyesight! Nothing could escape him.
The Magic Language Bat was driven by a member of the Bloodline, with a family of three seated on the bat’s back. The two adults were dressed in tattered burlap clothes, looking fearfully at the brightly lit square.
Especially under the slightly dim magical lamps in the square, the blurry silhouettes of the Bloodline intensified their inner fear.
The bat wings flapped, and the huge airflow stirred up fine dust.
Safely landed.
The man holding the child in his arms got off the bat, his legs a bit weak, but he tried hard to suppress his inner unease.
Lide was not surprised by this. The current reputation of the Bloodline was too bad, and it would take a lot of time to change humans’ perceptions.
He approached them proactively.
“Welcome, Dawn City has prepared everything for you.”
Dawn City, the new name Lide gave to the castle.
The original castle had no formal name, the Bloodline liked to use the surname Kachar, calling it Kachar Castle. Lide was indifferent to this, so he officially named the castle Dawn City.
Dawn represented hope and light, but before dawn was the darkest part of the day, also the strongest moment for the Bloodline… Only the strong could possess the light.
Meaningful.
Seeing the family of three, a genuine smile appeared on Lide’s face. The grand agricultural plan had finally begun.
The man’s nervous heart gradually eased at Lide’s smile. These vampires were indeed not like the legends. Maybe, as they said, they wouldn’t harm us.
Suppressing his inner fear with some caution, he asked tentatively,
“Ma-Master Mage, what do you need us to do?”
Lide motioned to the ten tables arranged in the square, each with a member of the Bloodline responsible for registration.
“No, you don’t need to do anything. You will first register here, then be assigned to your residence.
Those who can read and write, or have special skills, will receive an additional private house as a benefit.”
The man felt slightly relieved after hearing this and led his wife and child to a registration table as instructed by the adult in front of them.
“Good day, Clan Leader.”
“I will handle the first person personally. You all watch how I ask the questions…”
Lide had the Bloodline member behind the table vacate the seat and personally took over the questioning.
This was the first human joining Dawn City. It was a momentous occasion.
“What’s your name?”
“Porcupine.”
Lide’s fingers paused at this response, looking up at the blushing man, shaking his head without saying anything.
Among humans, many living at the bottom would never have a name their entire lives. These illiterate people often used a familiar term for their whole lives.
It was a luxury for the commoners to have a decent name.
Ignorance and naivety.
“Do you have any special skills? What kind of work are you particularly good at?”
For the first time, Porcupine felt ashamed of his name, and he hurriedly answered when he heard the adult’s question.
“Sir, I know how to farm wheat. I’ve always managed the mayor’s fields.”
Porcupine said these words with a trembling voice, but he was already somewhat desperate inside.
In the past, he took pride in his skills, as he was one of the best farmers in Eric Town.
But now, facing an adult in mage robes, saying he could farm might only invite ridicule.
In front of his wife and child, Porcupine had no way to escape, so he lowered his head, waiting for fate’s judgment.
But the imagined ridicule didn’t come, instead, he heard something unexpected.
“Hmm, not bad. Farming is indeed a skill. If all goes well, you will be allocated ten acres of land.”
Hmm? Farming is a skill? And I can get ten acres of land? The sudden surprise made Porcupine incredulous, with doubt and uncontrollable hope in his eyes.
“R-Really? Thank you, Master Mage, thank you…”
“Don’t rush, there are more questions.”
To thoroughly understand these people, Lide had specifically designed a series of questions.
Such as where are you from, what were you originally doing, any special skills, how many people are in your family, and so on.
And each person’s identity information would be archived. After detailed questioning, each person would receive a small paper slip as identification.
It would contain detailed information and number, and Lide had especially equipped those who could use Second Circle Magic—the Image Retention Skill—to leave the person’s image on the hard paper.
Although not as clear as a photograph, it was more than enough for identification purposes.
The Image Retention Skill was a permanent spell, as long as the identity proof wasn’t damaged, it would always exist.
Only an upper race like the Bloodline, where everyone possessed casting talent, could find five spellcasters who knew such an obscure supportive spell at once.
Even in a human country, no matter how populous a city like Green City was, Lide was sure there would be no more than five who knew the Image Retention Skill.
The long lifespan gave the Bloodline enough time to study some obscure spells.
“What’s in your backpack?”
At the last question, Lide noticed Porcupine trying to hide a backpack behind him, but its bulk made his attempts very conspicuous.
“N-No, nothing, I…”
Porcupine was full of nervousness, stuttering, and his eyes full of evasiveness.
“Let me see it.”
Instantly alert, Lide had just accepted humans, and no trust had been built yet. If this guy was hiding an alchemy bomb, it would be a disaster.
Porcupine’s face turned pale. Seeing the Bloodline members already drawing their weapons, he dared not resist.
With great reluctance, he placed the cloth bag on the table.
Augustine stepped forward, slowly opening the bag.
Lide had activated the Mage Shield magic model, ready to release this powerful defensive spell at any moment.
As the bag opened, a sack of wheat appeared.
Lide quietly sighed in relief, glad it wasn’t an alchemy bomb.
But Porcupine wasn’t relieved, nervously staring at the wheat.
Augustine glanced at Porcupine, whose anxious demeanor said a lot, and curved his lips in a mocking smirk.
“There’s something else inside.”
Lide’s heart, just settled, tightened again.
Porcupine faced despair.
Augustine reached into the wheat, feeling around.
Soon, with a tug, he pulled out a small package wrapped in tattered cloth.
Lide’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Porcupine, what is this?”
“M-Master, this…”
Augustine didn’t give Porcupine a chance to explain, directly tearing off the cloth.
Tinkling~ The items revealed on the table stunned everyone.