In the Nord Kingdom, only three months of the year are warm; the rest of the time, it seems to be perpetually shrouded in wind, snow, and cold. The winters here are so cold that the God of Dawn can bring morning light but cannot bring warmth. The followers of the Goddess of Agriculture always strive to sow hardy crops such as wheat, barley, and rapeseed on those fertile yet perpetually cold lands. The agriculture, with only one harvest a year, barely meets the country’s staple food needs.
At night, Wulan Town, located in the northern part of Nord Territory, is quiet. It is yet another harsh winter season, and the sky starts to snow heavily as always, covering the rooftops of every household, and even leaving a thick layer of snow on the roads. The air of the small town is silent and calm, with smoke billowing thickly from chimneys. The stars in the sky provide faint starlight on the ground, though the snow buries everything.
During this season, the sun sets very early. After nightfall, the sooner one returns to the town, the safer they are. Conversely, the later they return, the more dangerous it becomes. Anything can happen outside after sunset: bandits, Beastmen, the Northern Barbarians occasionally raiding, or even the terrifying Green Skins or Undead. The residents of the small town generally choose not to go out at this time; only the doors of their homes and the warmth of their fireplaces can bring them a sense of security.
A world covered in silver and white; aside from the occasional passing patrol guards, the small town is shrouded in darkness, like a ghost town. The cold winter wind howls continuously, snowflakes dance in the sky, and in this coldest season of the year, the small town’s residents can only hide in their homes, hoping eagerly for the arrival of spring. This update is available on noᴠelfire.net
A pair of black leather boots stepped on the steps at the city gate, making a creaking sound. A person dressed in all-black tight leather clothing appeared. He wore a leather tricorn, with the brim pulled down low, and there was quite a bit of snow on the hat. This person was tall and powerful, carrying on his back a single-handed longsword with gold and silver engravings, and in his hand holding a golden warhammer. The handle of the warhammer was very long, half the length of a person. The bottom of the handle was a spiral spike, emitting a cold, chilling gleam.
This man had a handsome face, always with a smile, seemingly a priest. But judging from the light fluff around his lips, this man could not be more than twenty-five years old, and from the blood on his chain armor and his fierce eyes, it was clear that he was definitely not a priest.
The man looked around, observing, the road was empty, and there were no footprints in the snow on the muddy road. He sighed lightly and approached a sentry at the city gate, asking casually, "Excuse me, have you seen a man wearing a high-top round hat, a cloak, outdated long trousers, and black leather boots, with a pale complexion, in the past two days?"
The guard did not wish to respond, but the man gently brushed aside his front cloak, revealing a silver white wolf head emblem to the guard.
"My apologies! Excuse me, Lord Knight!" The guard, upon seeing this emblem, instinctively straightened his body and saluted the man, "Three days ago, indeed such a man came here! He claimed to be Mr. Butt, a friend of the Lord, so we let him in. He left early yesterday morning, heading southwest!"
"Mr. Butt? Haha, let me think, the situation three days ago must have been : a stranger rode into town..." The man chuckled disdainfully, gesturing with his hand as he met the guard’s uneasy gaze: "Then our loyal guards stepped forward to inquire, but this traveler took out a few silver coins, giving them to our loyal guards, implying that he couldn’t reveal his identity. Our loyal guards felt the traveler’s sincerity, no, it was the sincerity from ’Mr. Butt’, and then let him into the town, right?"
In the freezing cold weather, the guard’s forehead immediately broke out in cold sweat, which quickly froze over. He stammered in a small voice: "Knight, Lord Knight, please forgive us, forgive our moment of folly; I must have been possessed by the Evil God at that time! Those coins, I am willing to hand them over to you, please forgive our sins!"
The man seemed displeased, snorting, and after a breath of white mist emerged from his mouth, the man waved his hand: "Forget it, let me into the town!"
"Yes, yes! Many thanks!" The guard, as if receiving a great pardon, hurriedly opened the city gate. The wooden gate slowly opened under the movement of the simple wooden mechanism, and the man led his horse into the town, leaving the guard in lingering fear.
It was only six in the evening, which should have been the time for town activities, but with Nord’s climate, the sun had already set at three. So he could only walk alone through the streets, pondering over the happenings along the way.
"The soldiers’ pay ensures food and clothing but cannot guarantee a prosperous life; in the face of some matters that are non-essential and do not violate military orders, accepting bribery is understandable. Mr. Belte is indeed clever, having been a Demon Hunter for many years, he understands human nature. Just a few silver coins allowed him to avoid much trouble along the way. However, it makes things difficult for me." The man raised his head to look at the bright, clear moon in the sky, whispering to himself: "Heading southwest, is Mr. Belte planning to head for the port?"