Chapter 173: Banquet and Statue

The Moon Feast.

It is one of the important annual festivals on the Aifala Dalu, and the time is in the Decaying Moon when the harsh winter is approaching.

On this day every year, people pray for their deceased relatives under the moonlight and hope to survive the coming harsh winter.

Of course, because of the festival's own overly distant history and the vast and boundless area of the Aifala Dalu,

the specific customs related to the festival have long since undergone corresponding changes due to the different living habits, geographical environments, climates, and other aspects of various races.

For example, parading along the road from the cemetery to the town, and under the leadership of the priest, scattering bone fragments mixed with phosphorus powder along the way to guide the lost souls back to their hometown;

adult men put on new clothes and lie in snow pits they dug themselves to pay tribute to the deceased, while wives and family members stand on both sides and throw pine branches into the pits to pray for blessings.

It is said that in the wild wilderness far from civilization, filled with strong winds and beast roars, those marginalized people who are excluded by society, draped in long hair and with sharp fangs, in order to commemorate this festival, will specifically spend more than half a month traveling to dangerous areas to hunt.

And on the night of the Moon Feast, they use the flesh, scales, and feathers of the most powerful and beautiful prey they can find as sacrifices to offer to their Mother Goddess.

Niumu, as a large city with a massive population and prosperous commerce, naturally holds corresponding celebration ceremonies when the festival approaches.

Even the impoverished civilians in the slums who are already struggling to fill their stomachs do not skimp on the copper coins in their hands on this day and eat a fragrant "sumptuous" dinner with their families—even if the price is to go hungry for a few more days afterward.

Residents living in the urban area will purchase candles and candlesticks in advance to light up every room until dawn the next day.

It is said that this can obtain the blessings of the dead, allowing family members living in the house to be safe and healthy and obtain good luck.

As for those dignitaries in the center of the city...

To some extent, for every festival of the year, the customs are the same for them.

There are only celebration banquets one after another.

A night with bright moonlight.

Niumu, city center.

A spacious hall decorated gorgeously.

It can be seen that it has been carefully arranged.

The silver-blue wool carpet laid on the ground is specially prepared for the feast, fitting the festival theme of night and moon; the family crest symbolizing the organizer's identity, which should have been hanging on the wall, has also been replaced with an exquisite tapestry printed with a silver-white crescent pattern.

The frost-patterned velvet cloth on the long table echoes the black gauze and lily of the valley wrapped around the gallery pillars on both sides; the dark blue flames flicker slightly between the clean and flawless silver-white ritual vessels, casting quiet and holy shadows on the ground.

Smoked venison legs, roast wild boar meat, fragrant pies with a milky taste, piled fine salt and spices, seasonal vegetables, and honey sweet wine...

Even if ninety-five percent of them will be wastefully thrown into the trash can after the banquet, or packed and taken home by a few bold waiters when the owner is not paying attention.

These extravagant delicacies, which the poor in the Lower City District might not be able to eat a single meal of in their entire lives, are still piled up on the long-shaped tabletop.

Left out in the cold, perhaps only scooped by a guest passing by when the banquet just started, they maintain their decent and complete posture until the banquet ends.

To some extent, these steaming delicious dishes on the plates are no different from the candlesticks and paintings on both sides.

They have lost their essence as "food" and only serve as decoration.

"Beautiful lady like the moon rose, thank you for your invitation, and I also sincerely hope to appreciate your elegant dance steps at close range."

"It's just a pity that I have just finished a rather dangerous mission, and my body has not yet fully recovered; today, my feet are only worthy of kissing the earth rather than dancing with the moonlight."

"If you don't mind, perhaps I can recommend a few good candidates for you; I think they won't refuse a lady as beautiful as you."

Softly declined.

Cornell sat on an armchair lined with velvet cushions, his eyes reflecting the back of the young girl in a tight-fitting dress who was walking away, revealing her slender figure.

He shook his head slightly.

Although he was no longer young, he was not the kind of character among his peers in the laboratory who seemed to want to dedicate his entire life to arcane magic.

His physical state was far better than that of ordinary professionals because of year-round maintenance.

And he was not an ascetic monk who needed to abstain from desire.

He didn't mind indulging his desires slightly after a hard mission.

And that beautiful girl with a crisp and soft voice, good looks, and a temperament that showed she had received a good education since childhood, also quite fit his aesthetic.

Under normal circumstances, such as a chance encounter on the street, or a "hero saving beauty" in the traditional sense.

He would likely not avoid the opportunity to have close contact with the other party.

But now it was different.

Right now, Cornell was at a high-end banquet held in a mansion in the city center to celebrate the upcoming Moon Feast.

The people coming and going were basically nobles with titles, municipal officials in the city, and some rich merchants with abundant financial resources.

Of course, there was a possibility that the girl just appreciated his appearance and temperament, but if the other party's purpose was impure and she was involved with other dignitaries at the banquet...

He didn't want to be inexplicably involved in any disputes because of his momentary indulgence.

Especially at this time node when the City Lord's position was precarious.

Withdrawing his gaze, Cornell gently rubbed the enchanted silver ring on his finger, feeling the fine and complex textures on its surface, and his eyes looking at the crowd coming and going were slightly distracted.

Not to mention the mentor behind him and his background in the Royal Academy.

Just by virtue of his professional level of "9," which was close to Transcendence, and his relatively rare identity as a "Spellcaster," it was enough to make him an object that many dignitaries scrambled to befriend during his days in Niumu.

Although he had long been accustomed to it, he couldn't help but feel a bit impatient after so many days.

This point could be seen from him moving his residence to the Moon God Church.

If it weren't for waiting for the night of the "Moon Feast" to resurrect his teammates with the help of moon phase changes and divine power fluctuations, he would have already left.

His gaze swept over the food on the table ahead, and the corpse of the blonde elf was suspended in the ring space under the perception of mental power.

For some reason, Cornell suddenly remembered his half-orc teammate named "Volga" who had already died in the goblin lair.

He rejoiced in his heart that the other party had already died.

Otherwise, if he brought that reckless guy here now, he was afraid he would have already swept away the food on the table.

That would be too indecent.

"Refusing the invitation of a cute lady is not like your style."

"Taste changed, don't look down on people?"

A voice with a thick teasing tone came from his ear.

Turning his head to look, the person who appeared before his eyes was naturally the core figure of this banquet, the priest Isidore from the "Moon God Church."

At this moment, he was holding an exquisite wine glass, and his cheeks were slightly flushed.

Although he was still wearing his priest robe and the Goddess's holy emblem was still hanging around his neck.

But perhaps it was because the surrounding environment had changed from the quiet and holy church to the noisy banquet filled with the smell of alcohol.

The temperament on his body also lacked a bit of the holiness and solemnity of a member of the clergy and added a bit of the fireworks of ordinary people.

"Drinking so much again, you really aren't worried about the Goddess blaming you."

Smiling and replying casually, Cornell raised his wine glass toward the other party and took a light sip.

The priest Isidore drank it all in one gulp quite simply.

Then he raised his left hand, gently covering the holy emblem on his chest, closed his eyes slightly, and prayed with his lips moving.

"Selene," who holds the 【Moon】 and 【Stars】 and is known as the 【Silver Mother】 and 【Moon Maiden】, is a peaceful and inclusive lady.

She does not, like a few other gods, harshly require her believers to follow certain rigid criteria or offer specific offerings regularly.

Consistent with the Goddess's doctrine that hopes for holy light to shine on everyone in the world, wishes for all living beings to receive her blessings and guidance, and focuses on "tolerance" and "acceptance,"

this Goddess requires her faith to develop in an equal and understanding way among her worshippers.

It is also because of Selene's own inclusiveness that her believers are exceptionally diverse and extensive.

Women, sailors, soldiers, beast-kin...

The lady guides the way for the lost under the moonlight and also bestows freedom as a gift to her worshippers.

Isidore is indeed the priest with the highest status in the Moon God Church and the one who has walked the farthest on the professional path.

And it is precisely because of this that he understands the Goddess's doctrine and the behavioral criteria required by it even more.

Drinking, taking vacations, and even occasional slight indulgence do not affect his lofty faith in the Goddess.

As long as he sticks to his original heart and does not cross the bottom line that was already engraved in his heart when he joined the religion,

then he will always be the most pious believer of the Goddess.

Being an old acquaintance with Isidore and knowing that what the other party said was just a joke, Cornell had long been accustomed to this personality of his.

Cornell had been to many places, and he had encountered many priests and pastors of various gods.

He knew very clearly in his heart.

Members of the clergy, after taking off that robe, are also ordinary people who need to eat and sleep and have their own desires.

Unless they are some fanatics whose doctrines have completely entered their brains, no one can guarantee that every word and action of theirs fits the requirements of the gods.

He just gently twisted the ring on his finger.

Hum—

Silver light flashed slightly.

A bottle of fruit wine with a thick natural style on the outside appeared on the small table beside him.

"Try it, a specialty from Cui Lin; you definitely haven't drunk it."

"His again?" Isidore raised his eyebrows slightly, stepped forward, and picked up the wine bottle to fill himself up.

"Hey."

"After he is resurrected, he shouldn't know, right?"

"Just treat it as interest for the resurrection fee."

Cornell crossed his legs, the wine glass in his hand shaking gently, his expression appearing exceptionally comfortable.

The two chatted one after another, and after sending away a few guests who came to get close, the others at the banquet knew that these two professionals didn't want to be disturbed and sensibly didn't approach again.

He had thought that tonight would pass so steadily.

As the banquet was about to enter its end, a set of footsteps with a very strong purpose approached the two rapidly.

Cornell glanced over, and coming into view was a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties with wrinkles piled up at the corners of his eyes.

It seemed that he had specially dressed up for the banquet, his hair was pasted on his head obediently, and he was wearing a custom-made dress that looked somewhat expensive.

In the eyes of ordinary people, perhaps he was a slightly down-and-out noble, or a merchant whose business was doing quite well.

But Cornell, a mage who had been adventuring for many years, noticed at a glance the awkwardness the other party showed in his actions because he didn't often wear formal clothes,

and the fierce temperament unique to adventurers and people in the grey industry.

His gaze subconsciously swept over the eight fingers on the other party's hands that were missing two little fingers.

After pondering slightly in his heart, he already had a rough guess.

—A leader of some small-to-medium-sized gang.

"Good evening, two gentlemen."

Eight-Fingers had a polite and slightly flattering smile on his face that he had rehearsed countless times before coming.

His murky eyes swept over the holy emblem on the priest's neck and the few rings on the mage's fingers.

Knowing the identity of the two as high-level professionals.

He leaned in carefully, not even daring to look at their faces, just lowering his head and looking at the soft suede short boots they were wearing.

"Hope I didn't offend you two, I..."

"Speak directly." Cornell acted contrary to his usual behavior and said clearly, "What do you have, and what do you want."

The banquet was about to end, and the mage, who had only agreed to attend because of the priest beside him and a few high-level officials in the city, had lost the patience to worry about wording and deal with people.

Especially when the other party was just a leader of an ordinary gang.

But on the other hand, being able to sneak into a banquet of this grade and seeing that his gaze should know their identities, yet still daring to take the initiative to strike up a conversation, obviously meant he had something to rely on.

And this was precisely the reason why he was willing to listen to the other party continue.

He hadn't expected the progress of things to be so smooth. Eight-Fingers couldn't help but grin, took out a package that had been specially re-wrapped with silk cloth before coming, and handed it to the other party:

"To tell you two, I am the operator of a security organization called 'Grey Badger' in the West District. Recently, a friend sent me something, and I thought you two might need it, so I specially brought it over, hoping..."

Subconsciously ignoring the voice of the man in front of him.

Cornell pointed his fingertips, and a translucent human palm floated out of thin air, taking the package from the other party's hand.

He opened the silk cloth outside layer by layer.

The grey-black and blue color appeared even more gloomy under the light, and the smooth lines fitting the texture of the material revealed beauty in simplicity.

A blurred figure standing upright like a humanoid creature, two ancient-looking curved horns like withered branches winding upward and disappearing into the depths of the lines...

Appearing before his eyes was the 【Sheep-Deer Statue】 that he had seen once in the hands of the priest Isidore but could not obtain.

Cornell's expression paused.

His gaze raised abruptly, looking at the middle-aged man in front who was hunching over with a flattering smile.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 174 =====