Chapter 763: Prayer Festival

Beside a section of the old city wall that only had ornamental significance, Lu Mian's gaze passed through the gray-white stone buildings, high or low, and saw a magnificent temple standing on the side close to the mountains.

It was over thirty meters high and composed of multiple towers, as if it were a war fortress left over from ancient times.

At this time, influenced by the mountains and clouds, the sunlight falling at noon was stained with a dim color, making that magnificent temple seem to be draped in a coat woven from twilight.

"Temple of the God of War Church?" Lu Mian didn't turn his head and asked "Knight of Swords" beside him.

The God of War Church is the only state religion of the Feysac Empire, but the defeat in the war a few years ago gave other organizations like the "Evernight Goddess" Church the right to preach in the Feysac Empire, but the "Evernight Goddess" Church didn't seem keen on this matter.

"Knight of Swords" answered concisely:

"Church."

Not a temple, just a church? As expected of Feysac people with giant worship syndrome, and the aesthetics are quite good... Lu Mian didn't know why, but he suddenly associated it with a sentence he heard in the "Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society":

More is beautiful, big is good.

He turned and asked:

"Is this a colony of Feysac people?"

"Yes." "Knight of Swords" said in a low voice, "But now, Ruen people have the right to come here for business."

Lu Mian nodded gently, didn't say anything more, and entered Rakle City along the road ahead.

Along the way, he clearly distinguished people from different countries in the crowd coming and going:

Feysac people are tall, most males are over 1.9 meters, and many females are close to 1.8 meters, which matches Lu Mian's stereotype of them—a kingdom established by descendants of giants, and there are even many half-giants. And these Feysac people dress relatively casually, either not buttoning their formal wear or not wearing formal wear;

Ruen people are mostly black-haired, pay attention to appearance, always dressed meticulously, ladies like to wear round-brimmed gauze hats and hold sun umbrellas, and gentlemen's top hats and canes are all complete;

Local Rakle people have dark skin, are lean, males mostly wear canvas worker clothing, females also dress for labor, only a few wear brightly colored skirts and robes, driving cattle, sheep, and horses.

Lu Mian glanced at the ponies and long-haired cattle passing by and saw a local man wearing a dark red robe with a white skull on his head, and that skull was even wearing a gray-white hat woven from wool.

"Is this the death worship you said remained in folk customs?" Lu Mian didn't deliberately choose the street and moved forward by instinct.

"Knight of Swords" nodded slightly:

"Yes, people in the Rakle area will keep the skulls of deceased relatives at home, believing that this can protect them, bring good luck, and help them fight against dangers in the dark. The more skulls kept at home, the more prosperous the family."

This is similar to Cordu Village keeping the hair and fingernails of deceased relatives at home... But the color of death worship here is stronger, so they chose skulls, which seems more exaggerated... Lu Mian felt a bit sentimental.

"Knight of Swords" continued:

"Some people will also make the skulls of deceased relatives into amulets and carry them with them at all times. This is the situation you just saw. And every year during the Prayer Festival, all local people in the Rakle area will bring the skulls at home to the street, dress them up carefully, revel together, and pray together." (Note 1)

"Prayer Festival?" Lu Mian's heart moved, and he asked solemnly.

After experiencing festivals like the Lent, Prayer Sea Festival, and "Dream Festival," he felt like he had a gift trauma syndrome, suffering from a headache whenever he heard of special festivals.

Osseto, this important believer of the "Primitive Moon" from the "Rose School," stayed in the Rakle area, wouldn't it be for the Prayer Festival?

"Knight of Swords" answered in a low voice:

"The Prayer Festival ended long ago. That was in November last year, more than a month earlier than the 'Dream Festival'."

You know about the "Dream Festival"... Lu Mian breathed a sigh of relief first, then asked worriedly:

"Did Osseto appear in the Rakle area before or after the Prayer Festival?"

"Knight of Swords" recalled:

"Before."

"In other words, during the Prayer Festival, he should have also been in the Rakle area?" Lu Mian frowned slightly.

"Should be." "Knight of Swords" answered very restrainedly.

…………

Franca's gaze withdrew from a local woman with a colorful skull sewn on her shoulder, and she smiled at the Feysac woman with high stature, smooth blonde hair, and crystal-clear green eyes in front of her:

"Sorry, I have a female companion!"

Is the style of these Feysac people too straightforward?

Besides men, even beauties are hitting on me and Jenna and inviting us!

That Feysac person chuckled:

"I don't mind you coming to my house as guests together."

"I mind." Jenna helped Franca say her inner voice.

They had been wandering around Rakle City for nearly two hours. Although Franca didn't take the initiative to release the charm of the "Pleasure Witch" to avoid being suspected of deliberately fishing, the appearance, temperament, and figure of the two "Witches" were enough to attract a lot of attention.

Among them, Feysac people were bold and direct, both men and women; Ruen people were conservative and reserved, always finding good reasons before daring to come forward; locals basically only dared to watch from afar, following quietly, and occasionally a few who gathered the courage were just talking as guides.

"Okay." The Feysac woman, who was half a head taller than Franca, waved her hand regretfully and turned into the coffee shop next door.

Franca and Jenna were currently in the central area of Rakle City, placed in a street with architectural styles that had the atmospheric and gorgeous characteristics of Feysac people.

"It's almost noon, how about trying Feysac food?" Franca looked up at the non-hot but dazzling sunlight.

She was referring to the "Saint-Emilion Restaurant" diagonally in front.

Saint-Emilion is the capital of the Feysac Empire, and using it as a restaurant name seems to want to show a kind of "authenticity."

"Okay." Jenna nodded gently.

When the two "Witches" stepped into the restaurant with atmospheric decoration and exquisite details, Anthony sat on the street chair opposite the street, silently gnawing on his lunch—a corn tortilla rolled with beef and mutton and several spices.

…………

Lu Mian took Ludwig and Lugano and walked all the way to the holy lake church that looked like a temple.

And after they truly entered the city, "Knight of Swords" Maric disappeared, but Lu Mian's intuition told him that this minor arcana card holder was still nearby.

"Do you have any abnormal sensing?" Lu Mian asked Ludwig.

"No." Ludwig shook his head.

Lu Mian looked at Lugano again:

"What about you?"

"Me?" Lugano was confused.

Isn't it relying on Ludwig to find people?

What does it have to do with me?

"Do you have any abnormal sensing?" Lu Mian repeated the question calmly.

For some reason, Lugano felt that during this period, his employer had added a temperament that made people feel close, so he answered honestly:

"No."

Gurgle, gurgle, a strange sound rang in his and Lu Mian's ears.

Both cast their gazes toward Ludwig.

Ludwig touched his stomach and said with desire:

"Time for lunch."

"Okay." Lu Mian agreed readily.

His philosophy is that no matter how hungry you are, you can't starve the child. After all, this child will eat people if he is extremely hungry.

He looked around and pointed to a street that was still quite prosperous to the northwest of the Holy Dalsh Lake Square:

"There seem to be many restaurants there."

This time, Ludwig didn't need Lugano to lead him, trotting over with his short legs. Lu Mian accelerated his pace, following beside him seemingly leisurely, with Lugano following closely behind.

That street had very typical Feysac characteristics, and also had street trees and street chairs, looking more like the streetscape of North Continent countries.

Lu Mian glanced simply and pointed to the "Saint-Emilion Restaurant" not far away with his chin:

"Try Feysac food."

"Okay." Ludwig wiped his mouth.

Suddenly, his eager expression was filled with confusion, and his head moved left and right subconsciously, as if looking for something.

Lu Mian noticed this abnormal performance.

"What's wrong? Still want another ice cream?" He asked in a tone of teasing a child.

Ludwig imitated Lugano's usual performance and said in a low voice:

"I seem to have sensed the child of the corpse, but it's very blurry."

Sensed the bird-claw monster infant? Lu Mian looked around, but didn't see other children. The pedestrians coming and going were mostly Feysac people and locals, with Ruen people dotted among them.

There wasn't even a pregnant woman here.

At this time, Ludwig added:

"Can't sense it now."

Out of the 30-meter range? Lu Mian withdrew his gaze thoughtfully:

"If what I encountered just now was really related to the bird-claw monster infant, then my Omebella bloodline might have also been sensed by them..."

Lu Mian nodded and revealed a smile at Ludwig:

"Never mind, eat first. Nothing is more important than filling your stomach."

"Right!" Ludwig felt for the first time that his godfather's words spoke to his heart.

Entering the "Saint-Emilion Restaurant," Lu Mian saw Franca and Jenna sitting in a conspicuous position at a glance.

The two "Witches" who had dressed up carefully made Lu Mian couldn't help but look for two more seconds.

At the same time, he sighed in his heart:

Is this the aggregation law of Beyonder characteristics?

Actually making us choose the same restaurant so coincidentally...

Franca and Jenna noticed his gaze, looked back at him, one opened her mouth in surprise, and the other laughed dumbly.

They immediately controlled their expressions and cast their gazes back to the beet soup in front of them.

Led by the waiter, Lu Mian, Ludwig, and Lugano sat in the corner.

"Sir, what would you like to order?" The waiter handed over a menu decorated like a book.

Lu Mian glanced at it, didn't flip through it, and said directly:

"Except for drinks, bring one of everything else."

Note 1: Refer to the Bolivian Skull Prayer Festival

(End of chapter)