Chapter 25: Redcaps

The bonfire gradually died as the firewood was all consumed. Specks of faint red glows remained within the cinders. Yi Longlong looked at Lin Qi with curiosity and some nervousness, unable to figure out what he was doing.

Lin Qi’s fine and beautiful face did not show any anger. He did not respond to Yi Longlong’s question, and even seemed to be unaware of the existence of the people around him. His pitch black pupils were as though it was bewitched by something, carrying a demonic energy. His gaze was cast far, far away to a void that was impossible for people to trespass; something was calling to him.

And after an unknown period of time, Lin Qi finally moved. He raised his foot and took a step, a snowy white bare foot stretched out from the black robes, but in the next second, his face planted on the ground.

Yi Longlong widened her eyes in bewilderment, seeing two small glowing things hopping to and fro beside Lin Qi’s feet. Those things were very much like the little people within stories. They were dressed in green leaves, revealing long and slender limbs. Their whole body emitted a faint glow and on their heads they wore a huge hat that looked the same as a mushroom cap. The caps were bright red with several white spots. These caps also gave off a gentle white glow, making it look like a mushroom shaped light bulb at first glance.

These two little cap wearing people were pulling a grass string which they had used to trip Lin Qi when they were lurking on the ground. Seeing Lin Qi topple down, the little people giggled and guffawed, rolling on the floor laughing while holding onto their caps.

At this moment, Lin Qi slowly got back up. He touched his elbow hurt from the fall with confusion, and although his expression was muddled as always, his pupils recovered its lucidity; the air of demonic energy from before had vanished.

Yi Longlong was quite startled, not understanding what had occurred. A cool voice transmitted from behind her. “Looking at Lin Qi just then, he was probably being summoned by something, or perhaps the person who chained him had left some mystic arts on him that we don’t know of… luckily, it was interrupted by those two little guys.”

She turned around and saw Roland who had woken up at some point of time sitting up with his legs crossed. In a low voice he explained, “The silencing forest’s environment is not quite the same as other places so it’s possible to come across some rarely seen creatures here. The things that tripped over Lin Qi are called redcaps, they’re tiny sprites that love playing practical jokes. They have a naughty and mischievous nature and usually don’t have bad intentions. It’s just that they like playing tricks on others.”

Watching the two redcaps that resembled mushrooms, Yi Longlong’s little claws were itching a bit. She really wanted to catch one to take a closer look, but was also worried of scaring away or wrecking the tender little people.

Noticing her strange look, Roland talked her down from it, “Don’t try to catch them. Being able to survive up till now, they possess their own defense mechanisms. Once they’re caught, they will outright disappear like a wisp of uncatchable air, but they will then very quickly appear in some other place and proceed to wreak vengeance against your actions, causing you nightmares, make your food go off, or even whisk away your good luck, causing you to be out of luck for a very long time.”

Yi Longlong looked back and drifted a glance at Roland. “You trying to scare a dragon?”

Roland had a face of serious business. “No, I’m advising a dragon.”

Although she still looked down on the rogue profession, Yi Longlong still cautiously listened to the advice of the experienced person. Worried Lin Qi will provoke the redcaps, she rushed over and grabbed the white flawless hands with her tiny white claws, placing them onto his knees that were covered by the robe. “Be good and don’t move, ‘kay.”

The Adonis from the tower obediently nodded and truly sat on the ground in a behaved manner, the two hands motionlessly covering his knees.

The two little redcap sprites had their laughs, then went on to pull on Lin Qi’s long black hair while giggling away. Due to Yi Longlong’s previous exchange, Lin Qi actually remained still without protest, letting the tiny little sprites turn his hair into a total mess. Seeing this situation, Roland felt he was truly being too stupid from before to even relate Lin Qi to the dragon slayer.

The redcaps played for a while, the two hand in hand, caps leaned together and were preparing to hop away. Yi Longlong became alarmed, but she couldn’t reach out a claw to catch them, and so turned around and gave Roland an imploring look. “Is there no way of making them stay?”

Her beautiful blue eyes were crystal clear, carrying a naivety that did not belong to a grown up.  It was displayed with even greater purity in the dark. Meeting up to this gaze, Roland was taken back. In the next second, he immediately reproached his conscience for actually being slightly moved. He spoke with a darkened face, “You think we have the time? Don’t forget, our current circumstances aren’t really favorable. Even if we traversed through the silencing forest, we still don’t know how long it’ll take to get out of the sea of trees. We might come across ferocious monsters, or perhaps reach a food or water shortage, and yet you’re still thinking of playing around, why not take a good think about these problems of reality.”

Out of Roland’s expectations, after the scolding Yi Longlong did not become ashamed or furious. She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then earnestly tugged on Roland’s sleeve, a childish voice slowly saying, “I don’t agree with your view points, those dangers you spoke of do exist, but just because the circumstances are unfavorable, do we have to pull a long face?”

This was a question she had already thought through in her previous life. Now she can use it to rebut Roland smoothly without a hitch, “Do we have to pass our days tearfully just because we’re fated to die? Do we have to close our eyes, just because we cannot see the light?” Speaking of unfortunate circumstances, no one was more unfortunate than her because after meeting the palette squad, she realized the problems she will be facing in the future, just when will that dragon killing monstrosity come knocking on the door. However, instead of worrying about a matter far off into the future, why not first enjoy the most out of each day.

A childish voice so soft that it could scoop out water resonated from the small tender body, the rhetoric carrying a penetrating insight that was beyond an adult. “Mister rogue, it’s because circumstances are difficult that we should seize onto anything happy…”

With a morose face, Roland made a time-out gesture, interrupting Yi Longlong from continuing. “Fine, you just want the redcaps right? You want how many I’ll give you how many, don’t go preaching on me, my head hurts just from listening to this.”

These were all probably taught to this little dragon by that swordsman called Alvin, right? Although it was an admirable outlook on life, it was not suitable for him.

Seeing Roland was willing to help, Yi Longlong cheerfully shut up. She did not hold out hope that a few words could persuade a grown man with independent thoughts, and was also not interested in becoming someone’s spiritual guru. She spoke so much before, all with the end goal of just persuading Roland to help her lure those little redcaps over.

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Chapter 24: Night watch

Chapter 26: Party deep in the night