The surrounding environment suddenly became very quiet, with only the crackling of wood burning in the flames and the sound of the blizzard blowing outside the window.
Even though these two sounds should have been noisy, Talulah did not know why, but in this environment, she could actually feel an unprecedented sense of relaxation.
When this sense of relaxation welled up in her heart, the fatigue that had been suppressed throughout the entire day of fleeing finally took complete control at this moment. Talulah could no longer endure it. She leaned back against the chair, gradually closed her eyes, and her breathing also gradually slowed. She actually fell asleep just like that.
Caelus turned his head slightly and looked at Talulah in her sleep. He felt that she should also be a person with destiny.
After all, the other party had an "old mentor" in her mental consciousness. It seemed she was also a person who had encountered some kind of fortuitous event. After all, having a teacher in this world who could impart knowledge, teach, and resolve doubts was truly far beyond what many people had.
Caelus took out a book and began to browse through it. During his time on the Xianzhou, he had not yet finished the various novels he had collected, so in his spare time, he would always take some out to continue reading.
Although there were e-books, the feeling of holding a physical book in one's hand while reading gave people a kind of charm different from e-books, so Caelus preferred physical copies.
The rustling sound of turning pages made the surrounding atmosphere even more peaceful, and also caused Talulah, who was sleeping soundly while leaning against the back of the chair, to fall into a deeper slumber.
When the blizzard outside gradually ceased, the sky outside had completely turned pitch-black. Even though the wind and snow had stopped, it was impossible to see the surroundings.
At this moment, Talulah's eyelids trembled slightly, and then she opened her eyes, looking around with slightly hazy eyes. When she saw Caelus, her somewhat drowsy thoughts finally began to move again, and she recalled what had happened before.
"It's really strange. I only just met this person, yet I trust him so much that I even fell asleep safely. Is the surrounding atmosphere really that peaceful? No, it doesn't seem to be just because of the atmosphere. I always feel that as long as I stay by this person's side, it's as if I'm not afraid of anything. What is this strange sense of security?"
Talulah shook her head, feeling that she might truly be too tired, which was why such a strange feeling had appeared.
"Awake? Though it is pitch-black outside right now. It doesn't matter to me, but it probably wouldn't be convenient for you to travel, would it? Do you need food?"
Caelus picked up the wooden cup on the table nearby and took a sip of the tea steeped inside.
Talulah looked with some confusion at the book in Caelus's hand, the fragrant aroma wafting from the cup, and the potted plant placed not far away... Wait, hold on, why was there a potted plant there?!
Talulah instantly focused her entire gaze on the potted plant that looked like a cactus.
"That's a potted plant I collected earlier. Is there a problem?"
"No... how exactly do you carry so many things on you? I don't see a backpack on you either."
"This is a spatial backpack. I have a small personal space where I can store items."
After hearing this, Talulah fell silent for a long time. She realized a fact: the person before her might not be a Catastrophe Messenger, but based on this extremely bizarre ability and the way he acted as if all of this were perfectly ordinary, this guy might just be a Feranmut.
So-called Feranmuts were the gods of this continent.
Those Feranmuts possessed various strange abilities. Some even mastered mysterious and unpredictable powers like time.
Seeing Talulah's slightly dazed expression, Caelus shook his head. He pulled a few packs of biscuits from his System space and added a bottle of iced cola for good measure.
Ah, delicious and refreshing.
"If you want to eat, help yourself."
Caelus said this, then continued leaning back in his chair and flipping through the novel in his hands.
Talulah thought about it. She had already drunk the hot water he offered and had slept in front of him without any defenses, so there was no point in being on guard anymore. She casually picked up the biscuits on the table, tore open the packaging, and began to eat on her own.
Although the taste of the biscuits was not exceptional, to someone starving, they were delicious.
After finishing the biscuits and taking a long drink of the soda, Talulah let out a sigh of relief, then looked at Caelus, who was reading, and asked, "Excuse me, are you a Feranmut?"
"A Feranmut?"
Among the knowledge Caelus had obtained, there were no records regarding Feranmuts.
"I mean, are you a god?"
"No, I still have a long way to go before becoming a god."
Caelus shook his head. He was only at the Fifth Order. He was still far from the Seventh Order of an Aeon.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment. After a long silence, Talulah slowly exhaled and said, "Then, would you be interested in hearing about my past?"
Previously, she had been running for her life, leaving Talulah with no mental energy to think about the future. But now, in a safe environment, no longer needing to think about survival and fleeing, chaotic thoughts began to flood her mind, leaving her feeling somewhat lost.
"Please, go ahead."
Just as Talulah was about to speak, she saw that the man already had a notebook in his hand and had picked up a pen, looking as if he intended to record it. This immediately caused most of her melancholic mood to vanish.
Talulah began to tell the story of her past. Of course, she did not reveal everything. She selectively shared information and expressed her desire to help the Infected, wanting those who were oppressed and persecuted to be able to live like human beings.
"I just want them to at least be able to live like human beings: have a decent job, have their own family and home, be able to eat their fill and dress warmly. Why is it that such simple requests can never be satisfied? It's clearly something those nobles and officials could accomplish with just a little help, just a little mercy, so why are they so unwilling?"
"The Infected could clearly live normal lives if they were just properly settled, yet on this continent, even basic human rights are hard to come by. Why is this?"
Looking at Talulah's bewildered expression, Caelus knew that the young girl before him was an idealist, a kind person who could not bear to see the suffering of others.
Still young, she wanted to change this chaotic world, but she did not know how to go about it, nor did she know the direction for the future. She did not even have a complete goal. She just wanted to do something.
Such a person would either realize their own path by falling and getting back up again and again, then pass it on to light a faint spark for those in the darkness.
Or they would fall completely in one of those instances, unable to get back up, and have their ideals swallowed by the darkness.
Caelus closed the book in his hands and began to think. If it were the original him, he might not have interfered in this matter. He would just follow the young girl and witness for himself which outcome this idealist would head toward. But now, he wanted to provide her with some guidance.
Therefore, Caelus took out the books he had collected from other worlds. He placed the book in his hand on the table and tapped it, imbuing it with the colors of memory so that people of this world could understand it.
Talulah turned her head upon hearing the sound and looked at the book on the table. Then she heard Caelus say, "The answers you want to know are all in the book. Go find them yourself, summarize the knowledge within, and then walk the path you wish to walk."
[Main quest issued.]
[Main quest: Prairie Fire]
[Quest Objective: Sow the seeds of hope for this land, for this planet.]
Quest Reward: Unlock the Path of Destruction.]
"Giving hope, yet the reward received is destruction."
[Because sometimes destruction comes from hope. Moreover, even if this land beneath our feet receives hope, it might not necessarily escape the final outcome of destruction, unless...]
"Unless what?"
[Unless you step onto the stage and let that outcome of destruction know what the hidden hand of an otherworldly demon is! Send it flying!]
(To be continued.)