Chapter 34 - 25 The Sound of Flipping Pages (Vote for Recommendation)

Chapter 34: Chapter 25 The Sound of Flipping Pages (Vote for Recommendation)

Translator: 549690339

“Alaya, Alaya, are you there?”

Just as Alaya made sure the two children had fallen asleep and was carefully walking to her own room, the voice of Bailuo came over.

His voice was very low, with a sense of being suppressed to the extreme, feeling sneaky.

“Lord Bailuo?”

“What ‘lord1? Just call me Bailuo.”

Bailuo wouldn’t be visiting Alaya in the dead of night with any ill intentions.

Alaya was the kindest woman in the village, beautiful though she was, but since she had lost her ability to bear children, no one from the Yatun Clan would have relations with her.

This was not out of contempt, but a natural instinct of the People of Yatun.

If it was only for her beauty, what difference would there be between that and insulting Alaya, treating her like a prostitute?

The People of Yatun would not offend this pure woman, and naturally, Bailuo was no exception.

He would give Alaya a better life, make her happy, cheerful, but as long as Alaya didn’t agree, Bailuo would always respect and protect her.

Besides, Bailuo already had a senior sister.

With his senior sister not yet won over, where would he find the heart to gaze upon another girl?

Bailuo’s nighttime visit to Alaya was mainly because of something his uncle had told him a couple of days ago.

Right, it was about Inya.

“Is that so?”

Alaya followed Bailuo to the courtyard outside the house, their voices low, so as not to disturb the two children.

“My great father took away Inya’s warhorse, deceiving the child,” Alaya said, “You feel guilty about it, thinking you have hurt her, right?”

“Yes, I do feel quite guilty.”

Bailuo nodded; this was something he truly didn’t know whom to discuss with.

His senior sister was certainly formidable and exceptionally wise, but this was the one thing Bailuo couldn’t ask her about.

Didn’t his senior sister know?

Could she possibly not know?

Bailuo was a strong man, capable of killing and arson with a resolute heart.

But Inya was Bailuo’s weakness, the only person he had regrets about.

“Feiya knows, but she made the same choice as our great father,” Alaya said, “Do you think Inya is pitiful for being kept in the dark?”

“I have indeed thought that.”

Alaya was blind, but her heart was clearer than anyone else’s.

Her uncle once described her that way, saying she was the heart of the Yatun Clan, the bulwark that guarded their souls.

“I’m actually quite envious of Inya.”

Alaya spoke, “Our great father protected her in his own way, Feiya, too, loved her as a sister, and you...”

“You don’t love her?”

As her brother, Bailuo stated that if anyone dared to touch a hair on Inya, he would kill them!

Despite her being one to eat a lot, kick off the blankets, grind her teeth, and talk in her sleep, Inya was his sister, his most cherished sister!

“Actually, there are two solutions to this problem.”

“What are they?”

Alaya’s solutions might not always be the best, but they were sure to be most agreeable to Bailuo.

She always managed to put everyone at ease.

“Weakness is the original sin, and only one’s own strength is the best protection.”

Alaya said, “The reason you find it difficult to accept is actually because of the pressure grandpa puts on Inya, forcing her to be the weak one, which is so unreasonable.”

“Yes, that’s it.”

What Bailuo really rejected was the act of doing just that, like a bad parent, dictating his daughter’s life.

The daughter must learn piano, must study arcane arts, must attend a reputable university, must marry a wealthy husband.

Inya’s life should belong to her!

“But Inya is a bit slow.”

After Alaya said it, she quickly covered her mouth, “Sorry, I, I didn’t mean that.”

“The honest truth, the bitter truth.”

Bailuo didn’t feel that this was an insult to Inya at all, “You didn’t say she’s hopelessly stupid, which in itself is a compliment.”

The person who stays up all night is now claiming he can’t stay up?

“Hrrr diss, ah, don’t call me General, it’s embarrassing hehehe.”

Back in his room, as soon as Bailuo entered, he heard Inya talking in her sleep and felt like an idiot for worrying about the girl.

“Such a grown-up.”

Bailuo shook his head. He covered the girl’s exposed skin with the clothes she had kicked off and gently placed a wolf fur over her before lying down to rest.

The next day, everyone packed up and was ready to set off.

They followed Uncle’ s arrangement and didn’ t bring many belongings.

The children and the elderly rode in carriages, while the village’s able-bodied warriors, including dozens of women, followed suit.

Those who were on Inya’s level of strength rode horses to scout ahead or flanked the carriages to protect them.

“Clip-clop, clip-clop.”

Nors sped ahead to scout for the group.

“There’s a monster over there, John, go lure it away.”

“Okay, sister.”

Jiera, with her brother John, wandered around the convoy. They aimed to protect the People of Yatun from wild beasts as well as guard against arrows shot from the shadows.

“Everyone stop, change course, there are people ahead!”

His sister noticed tracks and quickly turned around, directing everyone to alter their path.

This forest, unlike the mountain range where the People of Yatun resided, was too close to villages and towns inhabited by people.

For this reason, every year people would turn to banditry for one reason or another.

Whether due to heavy taxes or unending conscription, for the people of Thistle Province, simply farming the land was not enough to survive. Becoming a blood-licking mercenary was one of the few options available.

But once a mercenary abandoned their morals, like plundering the employer they were supposed to protect, they would wholly lose their credibility.

Then, it was all or nothing; they might as well become bandits or pirates.

“Are there any major bandit strongholds nearby?”

Bailuo walked at the front of the group, alongside Isefia, with Inya and Uncle in the center of the convoy.

“There are a few.”

Isefia said, “But the route was planned by Daddy and I together. Even though it will take a few extra days, the likelihood of encountering bandits will be much lower.”

“Even if we happen to run into them, we can always change paths. There’s more than one way to go.”

The route they chose had been carefully considered, with ensured safety and risks brought down to the minimum.

Indeed, after traveling for two or three days, Bailuo and the group did not encounter any bandits.

That night, the People of Yatun found a forest clearing, made a space, and lit a campfire.

They were straightforward; encountering trees, they simply chopped them down without hesitation and then, working together, moved them aside.

By the time everything was taken care of, the women had already prepared dinner for the night.

During the day, to save time, they only ate dry food.

Only at night, when not on the road, did they take the time to prepare meals.

“Mmm, smells good!”

“Noodles, noodles, noodles!”

The main dish was noodles, accompanied by roasted meat and fresh fish caught from a nearby river, making for a very decent dinner.

With all kinds of spices to remove any gamey taste, the evening meal became unbelievably delicious.

The People of Yatun had grown accustomed to wheat-based food and loved the taste, especially Inya. With her stomach growling, and the food smelling so good, she was almost drooling.

“Wipe it off, Inya.”

“Oh, oh, oh.”

Inya reflexively wiped her mouth corner, but there was no drool, “Brother, you tricked me, there’s no drool.”

“There isn’t? Ah, really, there isn’t.”

“Brother? ”

Even Inya would get annoyed at being teased like a child.

“Here, noodles, abigbowl.”

“You’re the best, brother!!”

Grabbing the noodles handed to her by Bailuo, Inya’s displeasure vanished instantly, and she started gobbling them down, “So delicious.”

“Eat slowly.”

Bailuo scolded with a laugh and then instructed everyone to start distributing food.

“Splash, splash.”

After dinner, while everyone was resting, Bailuo arranged the night watch. But just then, he heard a faint sound of pages flipping.