Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability Chapter 1181: Side Story: Daily Life in Cordu

Cordu Village, Ol' Tavern

"I'd wager anything, Oak, that Aurore is just some wealthy man's plaything who had to escape to the sticks after being caught by his dragon of a wife! Why else would a stunning woman like that settle in our tiny Cordu and mingle with us peasants?" Larca Guillaume slurred to his drinking partner, his state of intoxication evident.

Oak instinctively scanned the room before giving Larca a firm pat on the shoulder.

"I've got to return to the fields. You'd better pray Lumian doesn't catch wind of your talk. You've seen him—he turns into a rabid dog when provoked, and Aurore is a capable fighter herself. She's always got his back."

With those words, Oak rose and exited Ol' Tavern.

Just as Larca Guillaume prepared to finish his drink, his eyes landed on a provocative woman walking through the entrance. Her tight red dress featured a deep, plunging neckline that showcased a vast amount of pale skin.

Gulp... Larca swallowed hard, a flush of heat spreading through his body.

Once the woman took a seat at the bar, he grabbed his glass and strolled over with a subservient grin.

"Greetings, lovely lady. May I offer you a drink?"

He was attempting to mimic the sophisticated personas from the stories told by bards. Usually, his approach would be much more vulgar—along the lines of "Hey there, chick" or "Want a drink, pussy?"

The woman, who possessed an undeniable allure despite her features not being particularly remarkable, looked at Larca and gave a smile.

"The drinks I prefer are quite pricey—at least one verl d'or."

Larca caught her drift immediately and identified her trade. Following a brief pause, he finished his beverage and rubbed his palms together.

"Very well then. Shall we... head upstairs?"

Ol' Tavern maintained several guest rooms on its second floor.

The seductive woman's eyes flared with light as she leaned forward with a playful smirk.

"Would you prefer something a bit more thrilling? I was thinking we could..."

The rest of her suggestion was whispered directly into Larca's ear.

Larca went still, his breath turning heavy and his eyes taking on a crimson tint.

"Yes! Yes!" he answered with enthusiasm.

This alternative would be far more exciting, and it would conveniently save him the price of a room.

Moments later, he was guiding the tempting woman toward a dilapidated storage shed packed with bales of hay.

The woman pulled away from his hold and gave him a suggestive glance.

"Wait outside for a moment. I need to get ready."

"Ready for what?" Larca asked, unable to tolerate another second of waiting.

"If we want excitement, we should add some extra flair..." The temptress leaned in once more, whispering a few more instructions before finishing, "When you hear me call out, you can enter. But don't forget—strip off all your clothes first."

Huff... huff... Larca's blood hammered in his head like a bull seeing a red cape or a steam engine under full pressure.

"Rest easy, you haven't paid me yet. I'm not running off," the woman remarked, her right hand trailing slowly over Larca's cheek before she stepped gracefully into the shed and shut the wooden door behind her.

After what felt like an age—though barely more than a minute had passed—Larca heard her voice from within: "Come in."

Larca bolted forward, shoved the door open, and frantically tore off his garments.

Standing there completely naked, his eyes adjusted to the shadows inside the structure. However, instead of finding the alluring woman, he saw only a gray-and-white ewe standing by the hay, turning its head to stare at him.

"..."

Before Larca's brain could register the scene, a furious shout exploded behind him: "My sheep! My sheep! Larca, what do you think you're doing to my sheep!"

A group of villagers who had been searching for the lost animal charged into the building.

Among the crowd, Lumian signaled to a figure concealed in a corner behind the hay while simultaneously shifting his body to obstruct the view of the others.

...

Near the gently flowing stream outside Cordu Village.

Lumian produced five verl d'or and passed them to the seductive woman in red, grinning as he remarked, "My little cabbage, you possess a true gift for acting."

"It's all for the sake of a living. Praise the Sun!" The woman took her pay, performed a quick count, and offered a casual prayer of gratitude.

She looked at Lumian's handsome features and smiled charmingly.

"There is still plenty of time. I plan to return to that tavern to see if more business can be found. But before I go, are you interested? For you, I could do it for just ten licks."

Lumian laughed. "I should probably warn you about two things. First, the mail coach is preparing to depart. Second, that 'little cutie' from earlier is very close with our village padre. If he catches you... well, I tremble to imagine the consequences."

The woman hesitated for a second, then forced a grin. "I really should be on my way."

She then muttered under her breath, "How was that fellow a 'little cutie' anyway? He isn't exactly a youth anymore..."

As she spoke, her professional experience clicked, and she burst into laughter, finally getting the joke.

Only after the sultry woman had departed Cordu Village did Lumian leisurely stroll back to the semi-subterranean two-story house at the village boundary.

When he pushed the door open, his pupils shrank in surprise.

Aurore was standing there in light-colored fighting gear, her thick blonde hair tied in a high ponytail. She held a wooden rod in her right hand, tapping it rhythmically against her left palm.

"So," Aurore said with a thin smile as she observed her younger brother, "what kind of trouble have you caused this time?"

Lumian took a subtle step back. "You already know?"

That was incredibly fast! Doesn't Aurore almost never leave the house?

"So you really were causing trouble?" Aurore feigned a look of shock. "Do you stir up mischief every single day? How did I manage to guess correctly on the very first try?"

That stance of yours doesn't exactly suggest you're just guessing... Lumian's thoughts raced as he truthfully admitted how he had pulled the prank on Larca.

Aurore let out a sigh. "This is all because Larca was claiming I'm some rich man's mistress? Let them talk—I don't lose sleep over such things..."

Lumian tightened his lips and whispered back, "I care."

"Uh..." Aurore was momentarily at a loss for words.

After a moment, she sighed. "The real problem is that there's no reason to provoke the padre and his associates. While I don't fear him, if he continues to harass us, we won't be able to remain in Cordu Village."

Lumian nodded immediately and said with deep sincerity, "I'm sorry. My mistake."

"You're quite fast to admit guilt, aren't you?" Aurore snorted with a bit of amusement.

Lumian lowered his head in response. "I won't dare do it again."

Aurore arched an eyebrow and laughed.

"I believe I heard that exact same promise just two days ago. So you managed to behave for exactly one full day, is that it?"

Before Lumian could reply, she put down the wooden rod and clicked her tongue.

"It's not that you can't seek retribution, but it needs to be done with moderation—keep it in the category of 'harmless pranks.' Regardless, just stay out of trouble until you get into university and we can depart Cordu Village."

"By the way, where did you find the funds to hire an 'actress' from Dariège?"

Even though Aurore provided her underage brother with a few verl d'or as an allowance each month, the boy was a regular at Ol' Tavern and couldn't possibly have savings—and it wasn't even the start of the month yet.

Though that tiny allowance can't buy Lumian more than a few days of drinks, he somehow manages to go drinking every few days, and he always consumes quite a bit... That's a real talent... It's as if he'd still find a way to drink every day even if I gave him nothing... As Aurore complained to herself, she saw Lumian break into a smirk.

"Just some contributions from several generous souls," he answered.

"Fine, fine. Look at you, all grown and resourceful," Aurore remarked, glancing at her brother. "You have 45 minutes before lessons begin. I've prepared a lovely surprise for you."

A massive pile of problems to solve! A long text to transcribe!

"A pleasant surprise?" Lumian took another step backward. "Do you mean the kind where I'm shocked and it's pleasant for you?"

He turned and bolted, shouting back over his shoulder, "I still have something to handle! I'll return in 45 minutes!"

Lumian ran all the way to the village square, finding Reimund Greg waiting for him as they had agreed.

"Done with your prank?" Reimund asked with excitement. "Can I help you copy your homework now?"

To earn the right to help Lumian copy texts and complete homework—essentially receiving lessons in vocabulary and other topics from his friend—he had sacrificed most of the hard-earned pay he'd made assisting shepherds with cheese-making in the mountains.

Lumian laughed. "I need you to do one more task."

"What is it?" Reimund suddenly became anxious.

Lumian looked toward the cathedral on the side of the square. "Find an opportunity to tell the villagers that the administrator's butler, Louis Lund, gave Larca a nickname because of what happened today."

"What nickname?" Reimund asked with curiosity.

Lumian chuckled. "The Sheep's Man."

"Got it," Reimund agreed at once, then asked with eager eyes, "So when can I start copying your texts and homework?"

Lumian replied with fake gravity, "Tomorrow."

As he spoke, he laughed internally. Actually, I'd have taught you for free, my little cabbage. It's just that the notebooks and old pens aren't free...

...

Inside the subterranean two-story residence—

Aurore watched Lumian's fleeing figure, a smile slowly forming on her face.

She actually understood some of Lumian's income sources and knew he was "exploiting" friends like Reimund and Ava for money under the pretense of teaching them vocabulary and academic skills. But this was exactly what she intended.

She had noticed long ago that whenever Reimund and the others came over, they always envied Lumian for having such a great sister to educate him. At the time, she had thought about starting a free "literacy class" to assist all the children in Cordu Village. But upon reflection, this was a duty for the church and the state. If she took this on privately, it would surely attract notice and potentially an investigation from the padre and administrator.

As a Warlock, she could not afford such attention.

So when she saw Lumian's desire to help his friends, she purposefully let her brother know that she rarely checked his copied work and often bought him fresh notebooks and pens—indirectly fulfilling her goal.

As a transmigrator, she couldn't stand seeing children deprived of an education!

There was another major reason as well...

Aurore looked away and stretched contentedly, the image of bliss.

Rural life could become quite dull after some time, and this contest of wits with her brother was one of her few forms of amusement!