Stray

There were no log houses with stripped bark or rough stones mixed with grass mud. The buildings were all made of square stone bricks. The spires of countless towers pierced the sky, and the touch of gold from the giant bell on the church bell tower could be seen from a distance. People walking on the streets were brightly dressed, and from time to time they can see the reflections of satin and silk top hats. All plants in their field of vision were well taken care of, and the artificially cut shrubs were almost integrated with their stone carving bases, becoming part of a piece of art that no longer bore natural traces of life.

They moved early in the morning and the sun had just risen giving off the glow of silky orange red. The stone floor tiles of the square had been polished by the flow of people. At this moment, the afterglow of the rising sun was reflected, looking a bit like sparkling waves across a lake. Iris Square itself had a relatively high terrain and an amazing wide view. The scenery of less than half the capital rushed to the bottom of Nemo’s eye as he stood there in shock.

‘It was indeed like two separate worlds,’ he thought. In Noer, the difference between them and the residents was only whether they had hats or not, but now it seems that Ann blended in, while the two of them, who was only wearing linen clothes, seem to be incompatible with the whole city.

Ann expected this, and she thoughtfully didn’t urge them, waiting for them patiently to recover.

“See the bell tower over there?” Seeing Nemo finally move— he fastened the wooden buttons on his cuffs— Ann began speaking. “That is the Church of Confession, but I suggest you think clearly before making a decision.” Ann added, “…Demon worshippers are fine, but if you’re really a demon warlock, you have to do your damnest to convince them not to kill you on the spot. Although the Wodenites are known for their kindness, there’s always a risk. I can understand if you don’t want to go, and there are also many free monks who you can consult—”

“I choose the free monks.” Nemo replied quickly.

Ann was taken aback for a few seconds by his overly cautious, or rather, timid declaration.

“…You said you would understand!”

“I was just trying to be polite. You don’t really want to try it?”