Chapter 14

The two days passed in excitement for everyone. The scenery below the spacecraft was no longer desert; instead, there were farmlands, pastures, vast lakes, and winding rivers.

Occasionally, cities appeared that were different from Qishui City, along with mountains and forests, making those who had never left the desert feel fresh.

Even Gongsun Murong and Nalasha, who had trained in the survival pod's virtual system, were very curious, as their training always involved danger and not an overhead view.

Due to the lack of need to stop for supplies, the journey was shortened by more than half a day, and it would take a little over four days to reach the capital, Xileste. They were now halfway through the journey.

Just as everyone thought they would have a safe trip, a city appeared below, and the spacecraft began to slow down, eventually stopping in a spacious area on the outskirts of the city.

The door to the room where Gongsun Murong and Nalasha were staying was knocked on.

"Come in, Balen, why did we stop?" Nalasha shouted, asking before the person even entered the room.

"Miss Nalasha, the spacecraft received an emergency signal. According to the empire's regulations, we must dock and inquire about what happened," Balen explained helplessly.

"Oh!" Nalasha clearly didn't understand.

But she knew that people had boarded the spacecraft, and there were fifteen of them.

Sure enough, footsteps followed, and voices could be heard.

"Bobo, see? I told you we would return to the capital quickly. The facts prove I was right. Although the spacecraft is a bit old, it can still fly, can't it?"

"Yes, yes, if we ride it, we can save a lot of time. But it's a transport spacecraft. I regret coming out to hunt with you, Derek. You violated the empire and the duchy's regulations. We cannot stop a border spacecraft without an emergency. Who knows what mission the spacecraft from Qishui City might have?"

"Don't mention that damned regulation. Do you want to ride a horse for twenty days to get back to the capital like we did on the way here? Bobo, according to the regulations, you would be imprisoned for using the army's crossbow to hunt."

"No, no, no, those are two different things, like... like..."

"Like a deserter who ran ten steps mocking a deserter who ran twenty steps. You understand."

"No, what I mean is..."

"Bobo, don't say anything more. The spacecraft has already stopped, and we've come aboard. Do you want to get off?"

"Alright, but we must agree not to disturb the normal arrangements of the spacecraft. We should be grateful that they are willing to take us, not..."

"Heavens, Bobo, look. I thought it was all cargo, which would have given us less space to move around. Who knew there would be people, separate rooms, and a little girl, like a doll." Derek, whose name was mentioned in the conversation, was already standing at the door of Gongsun Murong's room.

Balen, standing beside him, became nervous and quickly said, "Young Master Derek, we have already prepared a resting place for you, although it is a bit crowded, but..."

"No, it's not crowded. I like the current room. You did a good job. Now... I declare, the little girl like a doll, you and the ugly big boy can leave the room." Derek said, with a restrained smile on his face.

Nalasha, holding Little Jin, sighed and turned her head, saying, "Brother Murong, I hate the current situation. It's like the story Grandpa Butler told. We encountered something similar in Sosha Town before. What should we do now?"

"Let them." Gongsun Murong pondered for a moment and replied with one word. His eyes were calm as he took Nalasha's hand and walked out of the room.

Derek's smile became even gentler, "I like sensible people, but... the little tiger the little girl is holding interests me, so..."

"So what?" Gongsun Murong looked at Derek for the first time, his tone as calm as his eyes.

For some reason, Derek's hair stood on end. It felt more dangerous than when he was hunted by a third-stage dark-patterned leopard. He was so nervous that he didn't know how to respond.

Derek didn't want to believe it, but he had to. The people of the Derek family were the most sensitive to danger, and he had escaped at least four life-threatening situations.

"Young Master Derek, Young Master Murong and Miss Nalasha's room is the best. I hope you will be comfortable here," Balen said in a timely manner, giving a grateful look to Gongsun Murong and Nalasha.

When the mayor invited the two of them, he was also a servant. He knew how terrifying they were. Even though Young Master Murong had never shown his abilities, Miss Nalasha had demonstrated an instant water domain, or ice domain, and the ice she condensed became a gift for the mayor.

He knew that if Miss Nalasha couldn't control herself, no one on the spacecraft could escape, no matter how young and cute she looked.

Derek's heart was pounding, his face pale, and his hands trembling. Hearing Balen's voice, he immediately agreed, "Ah, ah."

Gongsun Murong led Nalasha out, and Derek, leaning against the wall, moved to a chair and sat down, drenched in sweat, feeling the relief of being alive.

"Always boasting about your strength, Derek, what's wrong? This room is nice, but it's a bit crowded with fifteen of us. Do you want to go..."

"No, listen, Bobo, I'm fine. Let's stay here for now. Maybe I'm just tired from hunting. Give me a moment, and then we can discuss other matters," Derek panted.

Balen also chimed in, "Young Master Bobo, Young Master Derek is right. There are no more available spaces on the spacecraft. You can't go to where the servants stay, can you? Even if they leave, the smell would be unbearable."

"Alright, we're hungry," Bobo said, his mind mostly on Derek. He didn't believe Derek's words; he was fine just a moment ago.

Balen agreed to arrange the meal and quickly found Gongsun Murong and Nalasha in the corridor.

"Young Master Murong, Miss Nalasha, thank you both for earlier. Regarding what just happened..."

"We just want to reach the capital smoothly," Gongsun Murong seemed indifferent and then asked, "Who are they?"

"Third-class Earl Derek's family, Third-class Earl Bobo's family, four daughters of barons from the capital, six guards, and three servants," Balen answered quickly without hesitation.

He continued, "Derek's family has a daughter who is the third wife of the second son of the duchy's inspector, Pusenxi. The current head of the Bobo family has a good relationship with the commander of the duchy's ninth division, Fred, who they grew up with."

Gongsun Murong nodded and asked, "Do they know Mayor Aurel?"

"Sir is dedicated to the country and the people. People like him support the entire duchy. The current Duke Gers ascended to power under the protection of the gods when the ruins appeared. From then until last year, through Duke Gers' efforts, all the key border towns have been replaced by mayors or nobles like Sir," Balen explained in a low voice.

Gongsun Murong nodded slightly, indicating he understood.

Nalasha, however, was puzzled and asked, "Did you ask if your grandfather the mayor knows them? What did you answer?"

"Of course, Sir knows the nobles of the duchy," Balen had to answer Nalasha, as she was a child and didn't understand his previous explanation.

"I was asking..."

"Nalasha, I'll explain later," Gongsun Murong led Nalasha to where Kellyser and the others were.

"Oh," Nalasha didn't ask again.

Normally, Kellyser and the others didn't have extra space, but by squeezing or not lying down, they could free up a lot of room.

Gongsun Murong didn't make such demands. He just instructed Kellyser and the others not to go to the luggage area.

Then he and Nalasha went in and stored the luggage in their spatial storage.

Gongsun Murong's spatial storage was very useful, especially during the journey.

Nalasha also had spatial storage in the small room where she lay in the coffin, or rather, the cabinet, on the eighth level of the ruins. There were several sets of clothes and various pieces of jewelry, such as earrings, necklaces, hairpins, bracelets, and anklets.

Gongsun Murong stored all these items.

Some of them had their own spatial storage, which Nalasha could use easily, but the spaces were small, totaling less than fifty cubic meters.

Most importantly, Nalasha thought these pieces of jewelry were not beautiful. The colors were not bright, such as a dark green bracelet with pine-patterned dark marks, a deep blue ring with no carvings, resembling a pebble, and a hairpin with white spots like flowing clouds on a deep black background, which was too dark and not clear.

Nalasha now wore jewelry of various colors, with smooth patterns, designed by Grandpa Butler and handmade by Brother Murong.

Although they had no other functions, they looked beautiful.

Actually, they did have a function; they made Nalasha look even cuter.

The women and girls in the adventurer's family, as well as the little girls, all envied Nalasha's accessories.

After resettling, Nalasha, who didn't want to think about the room being occupied, played with her beautiful bracelet and asked Gongsun Murong, "Brother Murong, what did you say to Balen?"

"Balen said that Mayor Aurel and the two new nobles don't have a good relationship. The current Duke is someone who wants to bring a good life to his people, but the new Duke must endure and wait because he doesn't want the duchy to fall into chaos. Some nobles represent territories and military forces."

"Is it the feudal system that Grandpa Butler talked about?" Nalasha asked again.

"It seems so."

"Brother Murong, when we reach the capital, where will we go to study?" Nalasha asked about another matter.

"To the best place," Gongsun Murong answered.

"Um! It must be the best," Nalasha agreed, raising her little face.