The Paranoid Elf Queen Turned Me Into Her Sister

Volume 3, 19~Enter Here, Those Unwilling to Be Oppressed

“Hold it there, where are you two from??” Just their luck, they were stopped by a few patrolling imperial soldiers not long after leaving the Kanz City domain.

Dylin looked at their attire, which was different from the imperial legions directly under the imperial capital. They were likely local armed forces.

“Officer sir, we are from Coleman Academy. We are both Coleman students, here on vacation.” Several experiences dealing with the imperial army led Dylin to wisely state their origin. As long as they indicated they were not locals and were from Coleman, these imperial soldiers, who only picked on easy targets, would step aside.

“Students from Coleman? Sorry, both of you, that’s just talk. Can you show us your student IDs?” Hearing this, the soldier continued.

“Of course.” Dylin handed his Coleman Black Card to the soldier. The soldier asked them to wait a moment, and soon after, a middle-aged man with slightly graying hair walked over, put on gloves, and examined the Black Card carefully.

“Youngster, are you the Coleman Champion?” When he saw Dylin’s student card, the middle-aged man was slightly surprised, and then his expression became a bit more respectful.

“Yes.”

“A Champion Divine Child.” The middle-aged man sighed. “Still so young. In the future, your prospects are boundless.”

“You flatter me.”

The middle-aged man returned the two student cards to Dylin and Yimi. “Identities are correct. You are indeed students from Coleman Academy. Let them pass.”

“Understood, Captain.” The soldier replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, allowing them to pass. “Sorry, routine check. Hope you two don’t mind.”

“Officer sir, you are too kind.”

“Speaking of which, youngster, you haven’t chosen your branch yet, right?” The middle-aged man suddenly asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you have a personal preference?”

“Not yet.”

“Oh, then I recommend you choose [Grand Scholar]. A Divine Child as talented and capable as you would be a shame not to choose Grand Scholar.”

“The so-called Divine Child is someone who knows the past and present, and sees through countless things. Naturally, the Grand Scholar path is the most suitable for a Divine Child. As for the others, those are all unorthodox paths. If any tutor in the academy tries to sell you on other paths, no matter how flowery their words are, don’t believe them. Whoever believes is an idiot.” The middle-aged man waved his hand, speaking quite boisterously.

“Especially the [Voodoo] path, absolutely don’t choose it! Is that even a Divine Child? That thing is definitely not a Divine Child.” As he spoke, this man was completely at ease, chatting with Dylin.

“...........”

Yimi frowned almost imperceptibly but said nothing, only feeling that this old man in front of her was inexplicably noisy.

Dylin could only nod stiffly. He felt that this man was somewhat out of sync with the overall atmosphere of the imperial army.

“What should I call you, officer sir?”

“Ah, me? Just call me Uncle Grant, don’t be a stranger. Speaking of which, the three of us are alumni. Calling me a senior wouldn’t be a loss.” The man said with a chuckle.

“You are also from Coleman Academy?”

“Yes, but I didn’t have as much success as you. Frankly, it’s quite shameful. I just managed to graduate, and didn’t delve into anything else.”

“Oh, right, you’re going to Corinthe City, right? That city is just ahead. Our army is stationed there. If you need anything, you can find our commander. Also, we received intelligence from the front lines. Try not to go to Mosuo City and Kanz City. Both cities have been plagued by cultist disturbances. But don’t worry, the imperial capital has sent elite troops to suppress the cultists, and I believe the trouble will be quelled soon.”

“..........”

“What’s wrong?” Seeing that they were both silent when this topic was mentioned, Grant asked.

“Mr. Grant, Kanz City has fallen.”

“Ah, I know, that’s news from a week ago, right? Based on the timing, the troops belonging to the imperial capital should have set out and are likely clearing out the cultists entrenched in Kanz City now.”

“No, I’m not referring to news from a week ago. It’s news from yesterday.”

Hearing this, Grant was silent for a moment. “Where did you hear this?”

“We just came from Kanz City.”

“..........That’s not right. If the rescue force is insufficient, the imperial capital troops should have sent out scouts to explain the situation and request reinforcements. Why aren’t they here now? Could it be that they retreated directly to the imperial capital?”

“They didn’t have time to send out scouts.”

“Completely wiped out??” Grant said in surprise. “Impossible, right? Those were the elite troops of the imperial capital?”

He had been in the army for decades and had never heard of any disruptive cultists capable of fighting back and forth with regular troops, let alone wiping out a regular imperial army.

“Youngster, is what you said true??” Regarding this matter, Grant’s expression became much more serious.

“I’m sure.”

“Then, are the cultists in Kanz City still entrenched there??”

“No, Kanz City is gone.”

“Gone? Are you saying Kanz City was occupied by cultists?”

“No, it’s physically gone.”

“............”

Grant’s face fluctuated between shades of emotion. After a long time, he took a deep breath.

“Thank you for bringing us this valuable information. Thank you both.”

“Caro, go inform the commander in the city that the cultists in Kanz City are out of control, and the imperial capital direct legion is missing. We might need to make a trip there.”

“Understood.” The soldier who received the order saluted, mounted his horse, and left.

“Mr. Grant, you just mentioned not going to Mosuo City. Has something else happened in Mosuo City?”

“It’s an old problem.” Grant shook his head and took a cigarette from his pocket. “For the past few hundred years, the empire has been busy quelling the hidden cultists within. But I don’t know why, the cultists just keep popping up like mushrooms after rain, no matter how many are killed, even when the most deterrent methods are used.”

“These common folk who secretly study cult doctrines are like they aren’t afraid of death. They inexplicably pop up and cause trouble in various places.”

“I’ve done some related research and found that these cultists have no connection with each other. From elderly people in their twilight years to young and tender teenagers, all could be hidden cultists, even honest people with no record of illegal activity.”

“The lives of these people have absolutely nothing to do with the word ‘cult,’ yet they ended up becoming monsters that harm the villagers. It’s really thought-provoking.”

“Mosuo City is an old problem. Cultists causing trouble in other places generally don’t become a significant threat. If worse comes to worst, sending out the imperial direct army can usually solve it. But Mosuo City is different. That group of cultists is surprisingly difficult to deal with. They have occupied Mosuo City and its surrounding areas for half a year now and have not yet been defeated by the empire.”

“Cultists occupied a town??” Dylin was a bit surprised.

“That’s right. This group of cultists is very strange. After occupying the town, they didn’t continue to cause destruction, nor did they set fire to the city and slaughter people. According to reports from front-line scouts, the farmhouses and water conservation facilities around the town are intact, and there are even signs of regular use.”

“These cultists are probably using Mosuo City as their lair, and they even spread some misleading propaganda to bewilder people.” Grant frowned as he said this.

“What kind of propaganda?”

“You’ll know if you go see the city gate tower of Mosuo City.” Grant’s expression changed slightly.

“But neither of you should be Divine Princesses, so you should curb your curiosity.” Perhaps because Dylin and Yimi were both students of Coleman Academy, Grant couldn’t help but tell them a bit more.

“Let me go! This is my freedom, I don’t need you to control me!” Just as they were speaking, a man’s struggling voice came over.

“Here we go again.” Grant rubbed his forehead, looking very troubled.

“This is?” Dylin shifted his gaze to the man who was being held down by two soldiers but was still struggling to get up and walk in the opposite direction of the city.

“Didn’t I just mention the ‘propaganda’ issue? Well, this is one of the bewildered citizens.”

“Please calm down, sir! If you go, you won’t be able to turn back!” The two imperial soldiers held down the man, who was as strong as an ox, not allowing him to get up.

“I said this is my freedom, I don’t need you to control me! My wife and children are still there!”

“This imperial citizen, please calm down. I understand your feelings. We will liberate Mosuo City as soon as possible so you can reunite with your family.” Grant walked over with a frown.

“Liberate? What liberation? You will only cause trouble! Let go of me, I’m going to Mosuo City!” The man shouted angrily.

“Ah, ah.........” Grant sighed.

“Sir, your wife and children are in the city. It’s useless for you to go. Isn’t that just walking into a tiger’s den?” Dylin said.

“What walking into a tiger’s den? Our whole family decided to go to Mosuo City together. Only I was unlucky and got caught when I was climbing the wall and was brought back.”

“Sir, we are responsible for your life!” The imperial soldiers said sternly.

Dylin was a bit surprised. The attitude of the imperial soldiers here was infinitely better than those in Kanz City and the imperial capital.

It seems that you cannot generalize about any group.

“If you were really responsible for my life, you would let me go to Mosuo City!” The man was unyielding.

“Is this gentleman a local?” Dylin asked.

“This gentleman is not a local of Corinthe City. He came from out of town and checked into a local inn a few days ago.”

“Then he specifically wants to go to Mosuo City?” Dylin was surprised.

“This is not a secret. It can be said to be a quite common phenomenon.” Grant sighed.

“What do you mean?”

“Because Corinthe City is the closest city-state to Mosuo City, for several months now, a continuous stream of imperial citizens from various places have been bewildered by the cultists and secretly traveling to Mosuo City.”

“I said I wasn’t bewildered!” The man held down on the ground shouted. He looked at the seemingly endless road ahead, his eyes longing, as if staring like that could make him reach the gate of Mosuo City.

“Everyone who is bewildered says that, sir. Your words have no convincing power.”

Grant began to do psychological work, using words to persuade the man to turn back, attempting talk therapy. Dylin, meanwhile, looked into the distance, lost in thought.

Yimi glanced at Dylin and understood what he was thinking.

The two deliberately walked towards the city gate, turning into an empty corner when the soldiers weren’t paying attention.

Dylin put on the hair ornament and turned into Teresa. Under Yimi’s puzzled gaze, she took out two bottles of potion from her chest.

Looking at the bottle of potion in her hand, which still had residual warmth, Yimi was stunned.

“You were carrying these two bottles of potion in your chest the whole time you were here??”

“Doesn’t it feel awkward?”

“It’s fine, it fits.” Teresa took the potion and entered stealth state. “Talk less when invisible, it’s easy to be exposed.”

Calling it invisible was actually just a kind of optical camouflage. You could still be discovered.

Yimi pursed her lips. What she was holding was the medicine that had just been in Teresa’s chest. Rounding up, what she was holding now was...

Not daring to think further, Yimi twisted open the cap and drank the potion.

The two walked along the city wall of Corinthe City. Yimi walked behind Teresa. The stealth potion could not hide footsteps. Yimi could vaguely hear the sound of Teresa’s feet landing on the ground ahead, using this to judge Teresa’s position.

The garrison of Corinthe City was only deployed around Corinthe City. Outside the jurisdiction of Corinthe, there were no Corinthe soldiers.

After walking a few more kilometers, the humidity in the air seemed to increase significantly.

Teresa frowned slightly. This feeling, as if the sun had dimmed, was exactly the same as the feeling when entering Ruglian.

She saw a large plaque hanging horizontally on the beautifully decorated city gate tower. The plaque was written in clear Common Tongue in a high-profile manner.

“Those unwilling to be oppressed, those who resist noble rule, enter this gate.”

Teresa was stunned, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Were the people in the city really cultists??

Did those cultists who turned into monsters have such high consciousness?

“You two humans down there, what is your intention in coming here?” A rough voice with a hint of distortion suddenly came from the city gate tower.

Only then did Teresa realize that their stealth effect had ended, and outsiders could see them.

On the city wall, a burly man, completely black with barbs covering his body, held a long spear. Seeing the golden-haired Teresa and Yimi below, his tone immediately became somewhat harsh.

“Do you know where this place is?”

“Coming alone? Despicable nobles, I admire your courage.”

“Wait a moment, what if they came to join us?”

“Join us? Impossible. Looking at their appearance, these two humans are clearly the wives and daughters of those nobles. Even if they came to surrender, they must be spies!”

“Don’t speak too soon.” Another monster with a different appearance, still with black skin, spoke human words. “Do you think nobles would dare to approach our city defense without any guards?”

“If you have come to surrender, then enter the city, sisters. Mosuo City welcomes you.”

“To put it bluntly, if you are spies for the imperial nobles, we will hang you on the city gate tower to feed the crows.”