Nemo shuddered.
He certainly remembered what Vincente looked like—the pastel-hued houses, the well-tended flower beds, and the breath of life that permeated every corner of town. People passing by were mostly neat, if not brightly dressed, and they talked in common language with a heavy accent, keeping their voices low as they approached. The town is indeed clearly marked with ink on each map.
"It's impossible," he murmured, "Merotti mentioned that people can't hear the Blue Bird song... Vincent Town is a town recognized by Willard, and they are Willard's legal citizens."
"Like the opening line of a fairy tale, it's a story from a long time ago. But I don't like telling stories, and you're not sleepless kids." Jesse said in a tiresome voice, "I just need an answer, Do you want to help? Don't be nervous, I don't need you to crush any earth-shattering conspiracy, and of course I won't ask you to save every single one. It's enough that these birds are not extinct - that is to say, as long as one male and one female are kept alive That's good. It's very low, right? Of course, if you want to give up directly, I will never stop it."
"Three days." Oliver pondered for a moment, "Give us three days. We need to determine whether you are lying, and before that, let's... maintain a cooperative relationship."
"Then I'll take it as your agreement." With a triumphant smile, Jesse glanced at their faces one by one, then turned her back contentedly, and headed toward the tree hole with ease. "I believe you need some time to digest... When you want to see Pasototu, just come to me in the tree hole. The weather is so good today, I have to take a nap."
The blue birds looked at them from a distance, their whispers like a soft chorus. Nemo nearly lost his mind in the beautiful music again, and he struggled to get his attention back to his companion.
"You're going to be in the muddy water again." An said calmly, unlike the last time, there was no dissatisfaction in her tone this time.
"Jesse Dillon's words can't be trusted." Oliver shook his head, "but once it's true... At least Merotti is still our mission target now, and she may be willing to know the truth. Like Nemo said, we are here. 80% of the mission will fail, and staying for a few more days will not affect anything.”
"I don't have any opinion." Ann said simply, "I don't think her parents are pleasing to the eye."
"War is not an ordinary battle." Adrian said in a serious tone, "I don't think you are ready."
"But they don't necessarily—" Nemo felt a little underwhelmed every time he faced Adrian.
"They will," Adrian whispered. "More than half of the bluebirds are very hostile to us. I am familiar with this atmosphere. At least Dylan didn't lie about this."
"War!" cried the grey parrot happily, "Oh, the last time I saw the war was in the abyss, I want to see it!"
"Then it's decided," Oliver said calmly. "Let's get this straight... Let's start with Pasototu."
"I have reservations." Adrian pondered for a moment and added. "Watch out for that Jesse Dillon. It's all too coincidental, and I kind of care about who he says he deals with."
"Who knows if he doesn't tell the truth." An pouted, "Let's go meet Merotti's boyfriend first."
When he first heard that Pasototu was the chief's son, Nemo thought he would be put under house arrest like Merotti - it turns out that the bluebirds here are more strict than the "humans" in Vincennes.
A few blue birds with ore hanging from their necks followed closely behind them, and the magic circle was suspended in the air, poised to attack their heads. Jesse's reassurance really wasn't credible—they were not wronged physically, not mentally.
The bluebird led them around behind a tree, through overgrown ferns and oddly large fungi, into a slightly eerie tunnel. At the entrance of the tunnel stands a terrifying sculpture of unknown meaning, and the walls are made of blue-gray stones, without any decoration, with a taste of inhumanity. Prison-like rooms are embedded on both sides of the passage, and the end of the passage seems to lead to the ground, engulfed by thick darkness. Nemo took a few more glances in the direction of the end curiously, and was almost pushed to the ground by the blue bird behind him.
They stopped in front of one of the cells.
The sturdy blue bird, who was blind in one eye, had both wings bound by iron chains and was firmly tied to the stone wall, only the opening at the top of the room cast some dim light. Although the underground is not too hot, it is also surprisingly humid. Nemo was pretty sure he smelled the festering stench of festering wounds.
Jesse was not pointed at the head by the circle. He leaned against the stone wall easily, his face full of a cool smile watching the excitement.
Pasototu was not alone in the dungeon, standing in front of him was a taller blue bird. The muscles of the free blue bird looked extraordinarily strong, and the edges of the feathers were glowing with a faint streamer - at this moment they were slightly exploding, and it could be seen that their owners were very angry.
"Swear to me." The taller one's voice was so low that Nemo could tell the anger from the melody.
"I can't do it, I love her, father." Blue Bird, who was blind in one eye, raised his head.
"It's only three months." The leader roared, "Don't you know your identity? If you are caught by humans, there will definitely be turmoil in the tribe, and humans will take advantage of it... I think we have a lesson in this regard. That's enough!"
"Without conspiracy, she won't lie to me." Pasototu's tone was calm, "Merotti must be waiting for me, I don't want her to wait too long."
"Don't you think it's disgusting? She's just a flat-faced monster without feathers, a pagan living in a world of ignorance. Think about it, child. You can go after any girl in this tribe if you want, and no one will do it to you. Say no."
"She is unique, Father," Pasototu said firmly, as if that were the only truth in the world.
"...It looks like you need to calm down for a while." The leader took a deep breath. "If you continue to be so obsessed, even if you are my son, I will act according to the rules."
"You are my father, I don't want to lie to you." Pasototu lowered his head.
"Didn't you tell them?" Nemo couldn't help turning his face to Jesse. "… Facts of Vincent Town."
"Tell me." Jesse shrugged exaggeratedly. "When I share a little secret, people prefer to hear me lie—when I tell the truth, they won't believe a word of it."
"What did they say?" Oliver asked tentatively.
"Let Baglmore translate, Ollie, it's idle anyway. I have something to ask Dylan."
"Translate what?" The gray parrot's eyes were blank, "I didn't hear anything just now?"
Nemo glanced at it sharply, and the smile on Jesse's lips deepened.
"Isn't that demon power?" Nemo said in horror, "I thought I could hear it because of you—"
"Of course not! These birds don't have the blood of demons... Even if they did, you humans don't understand all human languages. Why do I have to understand their words? No, I can't hear them!"
For a time, the eyes of the other three people instantly focused on Nemo. Nemo flinched uncomfortably, he didn't like being stared at like that. Those glances, though not malicious, slammed into his stomach like fists. Seemingly aware of Nemo's discomfort, Oliver quickly turned his gaze back to Pasototu. Coan and Adrian were still staring at him - the latter's expression became more serious.
"Hear. Translate." Jesse spoke again with interest. "What a skill, I didn't expect this—a demonic warlock with more power than a possessed demon. Or something else..."
"I thought you could hear it too," Nemo said dryly.
"Oh, you see, we communicate by words." Jesse looked him straight in the eyes. "You know, their voices are beyond the range of human hearing, and I don't have the ability to—"
"We probably know about Pasototu's situation." Oliver interrupted Jesse directly. "Nemo, tell us the content of the conversation later. I also have something to say to Mr. Dylan alone."
Jesse raised his eyebrows high, and he again drew complicated unknown words in the air. The blue birds turned their heads, and half-inviting and half-coercive led the three towards the exit, leaving only Oliver and Jesse. In the cage separated by a wall, Pasototu was panting in pain because of the wound, while another blue bird had already flown away from the hole at the top of the room, leaving only falling feathers.
"Ann told me about the woods." Oliver's tone was still polite, but with a rare coldness, he no longer used honorifics for Jesse. "Wherever you got the information... you've been implying Nemo about 'he's not human'. And you see, he doesn't like that."
"Aren't you curious?" Jesse said with a smile. "You spend every day with him, and you should know more than I do."
"Not curious, Nemo is Nemo." Oliver said calmly.
"Ah, I forgot." Jesse glanced at Pasototu in prison. "Beautiful love blinds people—you like him, don't you? Inexperienced, Mr. Ramon, you can't hide your eyes at all."
"… "
"You can confess to him today, and I can assure you that he will never turn you down—you might all be sleeping in the same bed in a week, you know what I mean?"
"...You're changing the subject." Oliver breathed hard, his face paled with anger.
"I didn't, I said the same thing. Mr. Knight Commander is such a gentle man, he hid a lot of things that night. He must not tell you the real reason for the alienation of the demon warlock."
"This conversation ends here—" Oliver moved his fingers.
"Ah, that wish was about you, after all. Fate is so cruel." Jesse shook his head with no intention of being obedient. "Alienation is because of desire beneath desire, whether it be love or hate, or whatever - Nemo Wright is not alienated, you know what that means? The desire he made to the demon was neither out of selfish desire, Nor with any kindness. Humans can't do that."
"I know he acts like a man. But to be honest, you're probably in love with nothingness. Didn't you notice? Maybe he's just imitating humans."
"That's your opinion." Oliver calmed down and even smiled. "If that's your opinion, then I have nothing to worry about."
Immediately, Oliver let out a long sigh of relief. The humid air of the tunnel was mixed with the fishy smell of fungi and moss, which was neither smelly nor fresh at all. But at the moment it made him feel a lot easier.
"You're right. I like him, very much. But it has nothing to do with what he is, whether he will respond to me..."
,Wonderful!
(m.. = )