That being said, mixed bloodline is a common situation in the Nobos Iron-Blood Empire. The residents of the village, to varying degrees, have diverse bloodlines. Most pure humans have migrated to the more powerful Human United Kingdom in the north.
It is said that life and treatment there are far better than here, and Theresa sometimes hears travelers mentioning it with a hint of envy.
But there’s no way around it. She is a mixed-blood with one-quarter monster bloodline. Although the only difference from the so-called pure humans she has encountered is a slower aging process, a slightly longer lifespan, and hair and pupils that exhibit a plant-like bluish-green color, being a mixed-blood is being a mixed-blood.
The Human United Kingdom would never accept her.
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Moreover, Theresa, a young girl without any means of self-defense, doesn’t believe she can traverse the entire Forbidden Zone alone. While the village is not absolutely safe, the outside world is even more perilous.
So, she just thinks about it.
Today, she heard that some important figures from the Human United Kingdom would pass by nearby.
The 27th village is located in an area close to the main road. Travelers often stay in the village and share their travel experiences with the locals, which eventually reach Theresa’s ears.
Earlier, out of curiosity about the distinguished guests from the prosperous Human United Kingdom, she abandoned her spring planting duties and went to the roadside to sneak a peek.
Among the local residents who gathered to watch, Theresa saw the disciplined black-armored troops composed entirely of humans, advancing like a gradually unfolding long dragon.
So formidable, truly formidable.
Previously, she thought that the military of the Nobos Iron-Blood Empire was the most fierce in the world, and neighboring countries would fear the might of their homeland’s army. However, what she witnessed today overturned the little girl’s perception.
The aura, discipline, military equipment – even from this distance, Theresa could still sense the suffocating oppression emanating from those soldiers whose faces were covered by steel helmets.
They are definitely stronger than the armies seen in White City.
However, the real important figures from those delegations seem to be seated inside the carriages, surrounded by the black-armored troops. Theresa couldn’t catch a glimpse of their appearance.
Are pure-blood humans really this powerful? But the merchants and travelers who came from afar before were not lacking in humans, and Theresa felt that there wasn’t much difference between them and mixed-blood like her.
It’s confusing.
In the end, she doesn’t understand why the Human United Kingdom insists on making a distinction between pure-blood and mixed-blood.
As someone who barely knows any big words and grew up in the village, destined to marry, have children, and grow old here, Theresa naturally cannot comprehend these profound matters.
Theresa becomes even more puzzled.
Well, having sneaked out for so long, she needs to hurry back to work. If her parents find out, she’ll probably get scolded again.
The massive procession continues to advance along the main road in front of Theresa.
Just as the little girl is about to turn around, at this moment, the curtain of one particularly exquisite and luxurious carriage is suddenly lifted. A girl with long black hair peeks out, seemingly bored, gazing outward.
The other person probably didn’t pay much attention to this ordinary village girl in the crowd. She casually glanced over Theresa but, for Theresa, her gaze cannot be torn away from that face. A strong and unprecedented palpitation surges in her chest!
“Ah...”
The girl lets out a somewhat foolish-sounding low hum, drowned out by the sounds of passing carriages, unnoticed by anyone.
This... what a beautiful and noble existence!
Her eyes, like clear and transparent silver-blue crystals, are devoid of any impurities. Three thousand strands of azure hair flow smoothly behind her, a few playful strands lifted by a gentle breeze, giving her an ethereal and elegant appearance that accentuates her purity and natural beauty.
She wears no makeup, yet her skin is as tender and fair as a newborn baby’s. Regardless of where she looks, a delicate and gentle smile seems to linger at the corners of her mouth, reminiscent of the goddess honored by the temple disciples as the “Utmost Holy and Pure.”
Theresa has seen beautiful girls passing through from other places, but this girl is different. In addition to possessing extreme beauty, she seems to radiate an endless warmth, akin to the radiant sun in the sky bestowing vitality and daylight upon the earth.
Unconsciously, one is inclined to approach her, even if it means being drawn like a moth to a flame.
Suddenly, Theresa questions her previous judgment that there is no difference between pure-blood humans and mixed-blood.
Among the various creatures she has encountered in her twenty years of life, Theresa has never witnessed such a noble and beautiful existence. Reason tells her that this girl is undoubtedly one of the true dignitaries in the delegation.
If she were human, then even the concept of the collective “human” seems to have been elevated.
In the momentary distraction caused by the indescribable beauty of the black-haired girl, the procession slowly passes by, and the carriage carrying the noble figure gradually moves away, leaving Theresa with an infinite sense of regret.
In the future... there probably won’t be another chance to meet.
The other is like the unattainable radiant sun hanging high in the sky, while she is just an ordinary and unremarkable village girl found everywhere.
With a deep sense of disappointment, Theresa returns to the fields and unsurprisingly receives a stern lecture from her parents who caught her red-handed. However, despite her parents’ scolding, Theresa, strangely enough, doesn’t offer any excuses but quietly listens from beginning to end.
Although harsh in words, Theresa’s parents are genuinely concerned about their only daughter. Seeing her unusual expression, they initially think she might be unwell. After a few more nagging comments, they allow the girl to return home and rest.
Theresa doesn’t say much, she indeed needs some time to cope with the impact of that brief and stunning encounter.
Tomorrow, she’ll make up for today’s work properly.
Theresa walked towards the village alone, but gradually, she felt some strange sensations in her heart. It was different from the sense of awe she experienced when seeing the noble girl, and it was identified as a feeling—crisis.
She possesses one-quarter tree spirit bloodline, and tree spirits are not a singular entity; rather, it is an extensive and diverse race with various classifications—some excel in combat, others in support, and many specialize in production and various miscellaneous skills.
According to Theresa’s mother, the bloodline they inherited belongs to a special branch called Earth Ritualists, which, long ago, served as intermediaries between the tree spirits and the divine beings who blessed them. It’s akin to magical talent among humans, but in the case of Earth Ritualists, it involves affinity not with elements but with divine beings.
However, the deity that the tree spirits once served disappeared suddenly, and various branches associated with it, especially the Earth Ritualists, are on the verge of extinction due to the loss of inheritance. Now, only Theresa and her mother, as mixed-blood descendants, seem to be drifting outside.
Theresa is not aware of her affinity level, considering she has only one-quarter of the tree spirit bloodline. Nevertheless, she has had a very faint yet precise ability to sense impending danger since childhood. It’s not a mystical power predicting the future as in legendary tales but a simple premonition that manifests as palpitations just before encountering danger.
Now, that sensation has returned, and it’s growing stronger as Theresa moves.
“How could this be... Is it in the village?”
Despite feeling uneasy, Theresa has no intention of turning and fleeing. White City’s 27th village is her home, where she has many close friends and elders. Regardless, she needs to issue a warning.
Sprinting along the narrow paths of the farmland, Theresa has pushed her speed to the limit.
Unlike the wealthy young ladies from affluent families, Theresa, engaged in farm work year-round, may lack combat abilities, but she possesses considerable physical stamina—something the people of Nobos value due to their emphasis on physical training.
As she had to work in the fields today, Theresa opted for loose-fitting clothes rather than the cherished coarse dresses. Quickly, she arrives at her destination.