Chapter 222: Holy Light Flowers and Holy Light Fruits!

"Go over there to be weighed?" Valen and Pika froze, not understanding what it meant.

"What, didn't you hear at the town gate? Our lord has arranged for all refugees to sell their goods in Stormhold within three months!"

"Any normal goods arriving before noon that remain unsold by nightfall will be purchased by Stormhold at market price!"

"Your dried meat and hides count as normal goods and are eligible for purchase! Of course, taxes still apply—at a rate of two in ten!"

Valen and Pika were stunned. "L-Lord, do you know we're refugees?"

"Of course. Do you think I didn't know? You're refugees, and so are they—I know all of you… Wait, didn't you see the reception staff at the town gate?" Thomas frowned.

"N-No! Civil Administrator, we came straight into town, then feared our refugee status would be exposed…"

The two were overwhelmed with emotion—they had thought their identity hadn't been discovered, yet the truth was, they'd been known from the start.

But if they'd known all along that they were refugees, and that all these merchants were refugees too…

Then Stormhold freely distributed black bread!

Was this really not a dream?

Could there truly be a lord so generous and kind?

"It seems I've failed in my duties as Civil Administrator, causing this misunderstanding. Very well—keep carrying your dried meat over there to be weighed. Consider it compensation for the confusion I caused!"

"No, no, no! Civil Administrator, Stormhold hasn't arrested us and even gave us space to set up stalls—we're already deeply grateful!"

"Besides, we've eaten free black bread. How could we keep taking advantage of our lord's kindness? That would invite divine punishment. We'll go set up our stalls now—we're certain we'll sell everything by afternoon!"

Valen and Pika hurriedly refused.

Such a fine land and lord—they truly couldn't bear to keep taking advantage.

After all, if such a lord and land could endure forever, that would be the true fortune of refugees like them.

"Then alright. There's free drinking water over there too—if you're thirsty, help yourselves. And if you still haven't sold everything by dusk, remember to bring it over for weighing…"

With Valen and Pika's excited gazes fixed on him, Thomas walked away.

He went to the town gate, only to find Porter sitting in the shade beneath the tree—clearly not absent from his post.

After questioning him, he learned the man had gone to the latrine earlier that morning and likely missed Valen and Pika during that time.

Thomas naturally couldn't blame his subordinate for this.

…

Gervas felt completely at ease leaving the griffin in Isabella's care.

After lunch, Gervas once again led the Swift Demon Hawks toward the southern border of his territory.

This time, however, he wasn't planning to push deeper into the Death Mountains—he was after the precious Holy Light Flowers and Holy Light Fruits.

Though affinity for light magic held little use for Gervas, who had no intention of becoming a priest.

But don't forget this world has dark creatures—and right now, on the edge of the Chaotic Wastes, there happens to be one.

So, better safe than sorry; he couldn't afford to miss this opportunity.

"Lord, look over there!"

Flying toward the Death Mountains and the Chaotic Wastes, less than half an hour passed before a horrifying sight appeared below.

What had once been a patch of yellow-green pine forest and grassland was now utterly black.

As if a god had overturned a basin of ink, spilling it directly onto this region.

Even more chilling was the faint black mist hovering above the area.

This was Dark Death Aura.

Cold, evil, ominous—thick with the scent of death!

Even from over a li away, Gervas and his men felt their hairs stand on end.

Chirp-chirp-chirp!

Before they even neared within a li of the Dark Death Aura, the Swift Demon Hawks began resisting, refusing to approach further.

This was a normal reaction.

After all, Dark Death Aura could infect all living things.

Even magical herbs or beasts couldn't escape its corruption.

The stronger the creature, the longer it took to be corrupted—that was all.

Once fully corrupted, the end was either ash or undeath.

"Since the Swift Demon Hawks won't approach, we land here. Everyone proceeds on foot!"

"Our mission today is to harvest magical herbs called Holy Light Flowers and Holy Light Fruits!"

"But remember—safety first. Stay in formation behind me. If you spot any danger, prioritize your safety above all!"

"Yes, Lord!"

After landing, Gervas left the Swift Demon Hawks in place and led his men forward on foot.

Zuiyue, however, was sent aloft—for as a divine being, Zuiyue feared nothing so petty as dark creatures.

The Holy Light Flowers and Holy Light Fruits were far easier to find than Gervas had imagined.

In fact, they were unmistakable!

"Lord, look over there—plants are glowing!"

As Gervas's group neared the edge of the Death Zone, several plants emitting a faint white light came into view.

These plants grew precisely at the boundary between the Dark Death Aura and normal land.

When the rising death aura enveloped them, they glowed.

When the aura drifted away and normal air returned, their light vanished.

Without needing further explanation, these were almost certainly the Holy Light Flowers and Holy Light Fruits.

As Gervas and his men drew closer and probed with spiritual sense, his judgment was confirmed.

A warm, pleasant energy radiated from them—directly opposite the cold, evil nature of the Dark Death Aura.

The Holy Light Flowers were short, only twenty to thirty centimeters tall.

They resembled the golden coins from Plants vs. Zombies—beautiful and charming.

At their center rested a white berry, the size of a pigeon's egg, shimmering with seven-colored light.

"Look closely—this is the Holy Light Flower. The berry at its center is the Holy Light Fruit…"

Within half an hour, Gervas's group harvested over a hundred Holy Light Flowers and Holy Light Fruits.

To test their effects, Gervas immediately ate a Holy Light Fruit.

As soon as the fruit entered his stomach, Gervas stepped directly into the Dark Death Aura.

True enough—he found the aura's penetration had slowed dramatically.

His status as a Title Knight now allowed him to remain in the Death Zone for more than three times longer than before.

Moreover, when he returned to normal land, the death aura slowly drained from his body on its own.

But Gervas felt this wasn't enough—he ate several more.

After consuming about ten, he was effectively immune to the Dark Death Aura; even staying within it for weeks posed no threat.

"Excellent!"

Gervas was overjoyed.

Immunity to Dark Death Aura meant near-total resistance to dark creatures—an irreplaceable treasure.

Without delay, he led his men back to the castle.

The remaining Holy Light Fruits and Flowers were left for his subordinates.

But given the potency of the Holy Light Fruit, only knights would be permitted to consume it.