After the crisis passed, Luo Wei tentatively tried to squat down. Sure enough, her mysterious knee condition that had prevented her from bending was miraculously cured.
The recovery process was as bizarre as the onset of the illness, deepening her understanding of the God of Death. Not only was He vain and loved flattery from believers, but He also had an intense possessiveness over His followers - He wouldn't even allow her to squat down for others.
Did He really hate the believers of orthodox gods that much?
Was it a case of guilt by association?
He must have nothing better to do than watch her all day long!
After silently complaining for a while, Luo Wei turned to the four and said, "Let's go buy the magic potions and leave. We won't stay here tonight."
...
The mayor's manor, officially named the Legdavo Manor.
The Church Prince was going to stay in the manor with his entourage, so the town mayor had moved his quarters to the side building to make room for them.
At this moment, Prince Alfried was sitting in the mayor's private chapel, eyes closed, listening to the mayor's report about the Magic Beast Mountains.
There was significant overlap between the high-ranking clergy of the Church and the leadership of the Magic Association, with most master mages holding positions in the Church.
Some even joked that the Magic Association was half of the Church.
Except for Headmaster Morrison of Siria Magic Academy, all other high-level mages were either Archbishop or Grand Archbishop of the Church, with the lowest being Bishop.
Of course, high magical power alone wasn't enough to hold senior positions in the Church. Roles like Pope, Cardinal, and Archbishop required an affinity for light element magic - magical power was secondary.
After the mayor finished his trembling report, Bruce Hewlett took the parchment from his hands and dismissed him with a wave.
After the mayor left, Bruce held the parchment with both hands, kneeling beside Alfried: "Your Highness, would you like me to read it to you again?"
"No need, just leave it there." Alfried opened his eyes, "His alcohol breath makes me sick. Don't let him near me again."
"Yes, it was my oversight." Bruce lowered his head.
"Don't let it happen again." Alfried's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest. "What was that girl's name?"
"She said her surname is Luo, given name Wei."
"Surname first?"
"Yes."
"Luo Wei, what a strange name," Alfried leaned back in his chair. "You said she only had that Intermediate Magic Swordsman with her?"
Bruce nodded: "Yes."
"No, there were two more people," Alfried closed his eyes in recollection. "She had a strange potion smell about her. The Magic Swordsman didn't have it, but the two young men kneeling beside him did."
"Actually, three people. Bruce, guess what interesting thing I discovered?"
Bruce showed a curious expression: "What is it, Your Highness?"
Alfried slowly opened his ink-blue eyes, showing a hint of amusement: "I caught three restless little mice. They neither dared to stand up to challenge my authority, nor were willing to kneel down in submission."
"They squatted on the ground like three worms who thought themselves clever but were actually foolish. Such little creatures are the most entertaining."
Bruce bowed and asked: "Your Highness, shall I have them brought here?"
"Why bother? Bruce, mice won't move when they're under watch, they'll only play dead," Alfried stood up from his chair and walked to the window, looking outside. "You have to let them go to catch more mice."
"I understand. I'll have people investigate their identities and put them under surveillance."
"Go ahead."
Bruce took his leave and left.
Soon after, Antoine came to the door: "Your Highness."
"Enter." Alfried turned around. "Is everything prepared?"
"Yes, five hundred loaves of bread and three barrels of gruel are ready to be distributed at any time, along with three hundred sheepskin coats and eight carts of charcoal," Antoine replied.
"Good, we'll distribute them to the refugees outside after dark."
"Your Highness, why not give them out now?" Antoine looked puzzled. "Those refugees are already freezing. It will be even colder after dark, they might not make it until then."
"Antoine," Alfried looked at him with feigned pity, "You're a good child. You feel sorry for them, but have you considered that if we distribute now while they still have strength, they might fight and push each other for food? What if the elderly and children get trampled to death?"
Antoine: "But..."
"Moreover, refugees don't know moderation. They'll devour everything as soon as they get it. Then those who finish first will steal from others. Do you want to see that happen?"
Antoine suddenly understood, feeling ashamed: "So that's why. Your Highness is merciful. I was too foolish to comprehend your deeper meaning."
Alfried said gently: "Child, it's alright to be slow. Your merit is your loyalty."
Antoine was deeply moved. Despite his slowness, His Highness still praised his loyalty. He must be even more loyal to His Highness!
Meanwhile, Luo Wei's group had bought their magic potions and were preparing to leave the city.
"One gold coin for a healing potion? He might as well rob us!" Theodore grumbled.
"Healing potions are already the cheapest. Advanced healing potions cost a thousand gold coins each," Hol Felix said.
"Good thing we didn't buy those. It's much cheaper to buy raw materials and brew them ourselves - ten silver coins can make a whole pot."
Indeed, Theodore hadn't bought ready-made potions but magical herbs instead, planning to brew the potions himself.
Luo Wei had kindly given each of them a bottle of low-grade healing potion. After drinking it, Hol's injuries were mostly healed, and Theodore grew back a tentacle, no longer having to switch between missing an arm or a leg.
When Theodore was in the sea, he had kept two arms and chosen to lose his legs for easier swimming and fishing. This morning when they were about to set out, he had switched to two legs and one arm for walking convenience.
Troy had been suspicious of him all morning, but after all four of them testified that Theodore had always been missing an arm, he started doubting his own eyes and ears instead.
The five were chatting and laughing as they walked toward the city gate, but their laughter came to an abrupt halt when they saw the hundreds of refugees outside the fence.
A husband was holding his wife, crying: "Darling, don't sleep, don't sleep, we'll have food soon!"
"You know what? His Highness has arranged porridge for us, hot gruel, and thick sheepskin coats, and warm charcoal. Hold on, my dear, open your eyes, we'll have food very soon!"
His wife was too hungry to speak, her eyes barely open, unable to shed even a tear. She could only part her purple, cracked lips to make a raspy "ha ha" sound, as hoarse as a stuck clockwork.
Nearby, a woman shivering from cold mumbled deliriously: "Always saying wait a little longer, how much longer do we have to wait..."
A man curled up in a ball also said: "Yeah, we've waited from yesterday till today, from morning till now. Half the people around us have died already, how much longer..."
As they spoke, the man's wife could no longer endure the hunger and cold, and breathed her last.
The man was too grief-stricken to make a sound, holding his wife tightly as he collapsed to the ground, motionless for a long time.
Just when everyone thought he had died too, he finally tilted his head toward the sky, tearing out an anguished howl from his throat, and began to wail uncontrollably.
Laura watched with reddened eyes: "Miss Luo Wei, why didn't the Church give out the bread earlier? We saw they had everything ready when we left."
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