Chapter 16: The World Outside

Women held their children, while men carried their baggage upon their backs. Handcarts, mules, and packhorses traversed the path, a continuous stream of refugee processions passing by or cutting across the distance. Almost all of them were heading in the same direction.

Cana and his four companions rode their horses along the dirt road.

"I never realized so many people had managed to escape," Aliris remarked. She had seen quite a number of refugee groups along the way, far more than she had anticipated.

"The Count is leading the rearguard, holding back the bloodkin and buying these people time to catch their breath," Black noted from beside her.

Cana nodded; that was true enough. His uncle was indeed determined to preserve the last seeds of this nation, which, in a way, also served to cut off the bloodkin's source of reinforcements. Unfortunately, he had underestimated the sheer power of the bloodkin’s assault upon the land. This nation would never have the opportunity to rebuild.

Aliris looked at the refugees with a bewildered expression and asked in a hushed voice, "Where are we to go from here?"

Aliris had never left this country. After her village was destroyed in her childhood, she had spent her life as a knight-errant. For her, the future had always meant protecting the royal family, acting as their sword and shield. She had never considered a situation like this. With the nation fallen and the royal family revealed as the architects of their own demise, she felt utterly adrift.

"Have you ever been to other countries? Have you seen other races? Have you ever yearned for the world beyond?" Cana asked suddenly.

The question caught his companions off guard. Whether it was Aliris, Black, or the other two knights, they all instinctively lowered their heads in contemplation. It seemed they truly had never left the country. Knights generally began their training at a very young age—around eight or nine, sometimes even as early as six or seven. This training continued until they were fourteen or older, at which point they would gradually begin their service as official knights.

If one were to categorize them by game levels, Cana estimated Black to be Level 3, and Aliris likewise a Level 3. However, the current Aliris could be considered an "Elite" template, represented in the game by a bronze border on her portrait. If she were to master the power of blood, she would qualify as a "Heroic" template, indicated by a silver border. Eventually, she might even reach a Legendary status, after all, she was one of the recurring event bosses in the game, appearing alongside the Joker King—himself.

As the game progressed, her strength would naturally grow. Simply put, she was a character with immense potential. As for the other two knights, they were likely Level 2. Of course, even among those of the same level, differences in equipment meant a vast disparity in combat prowess. A knight’s full plate armor cost at least two gold coins; when combined with a warhorse and weapons, a complete set could cost four to five gold coins. Compared to a soldier of equal level wearing only cloth armor and carrying a spear, it was a total mismatch. Even someone like the former Captain of the Guard, Nickern, who was also Level 2, would be soundly defeated by a knight.

"No," Aliris replied, recalling what she had heard. "Sometimes I’ve heard others speak of it—of incredible magic in the outside world, or strange races like the Elves, who are beautiful, possess pointed ears, and live for a very long time, or the Dwarves, who are short and stout, live in the mountains, and are master blacksmiths."

"Ah, I know the Elves! I’ve seen one," the knight riding in front turned back, speaking with a touch of pride. Cana remembered his name was Kecha. "I saw one on a merchant ship while patrolling the docks of Coral City. They had pointed ears, like fish fins, and large blue eyes."

Listening to his account, Aliris, Black, and the other knight all wore expressions of sudden realization. Cana shook his head helplessly. "You’re mistaken. That wasn't an Elf; it was likely a Child of the Sea."

The others turned their gaze toward Cana, waiting for his explanation.

"Elves vary in hair color depending on their region, usually gold, silver, or emerald green. They are tall, graceful, and possess a distinct elegance. If you had seen one, you would never forget or mistake them." As the most popular race in the game, they were no joke. Statistics showed that 80% of players who had played *Stone of Creation* had created an Elf character, and the percentage of active players using the Elven race consistently remained above 23%. They were a major race indeed. In contrast, the average online population of human players rarely exceeded 20%. Cana seriously suspected that the total number of actual Elves in the world didn't even add up to the number of Elven characters created by players.

"As for the Children of the Sea, they are just as you described, with fin-like ears. They usually have beautiful scales around their collarbones, behind their ears, and along their spines. They are born with the ability to sense ocean currents and breathe underwater." Seeing their interest, Cana elaborated further. "They are few in number and mostly found on merchant fleets, usually serving as navigators. They are a race altered by the Stone of Creation, though not by a complete one. Instead, a large fragment was used to grant their race the ability to adapt to their environment. Legend has it that their patriarch once knelt before the Stone of Creation and prayed: 'Gem that created the world, source of all life, grant us the ability to survive safely upon the sea.' His wish and will moved the stone. From that day on, they could sense the movement of the tides and predict tsunamis and storms, gaining the power to live safely upon the vast ocean."

After hearing Cana’s story, the group was left in awe, clearly wanting to hear more.

"I never knew your Highness was so learned," Black praised, and Aliris nodded in vigorous agreement.

"Then, Your Highness, is the legend of the Stone of Creation true? Can you really make any wish you want?" Aliris’s eyes sparkled with longing.

The legend of the Stone of Creation permeated the world, with countless stories woven around it. The mix of truth and myth led most commoners to believe it was merely a fairy tale. Yet, those with even a modicum of power knew the truth. Especially the small fragments, which could descend directly into a person's body. One might suddenly awaken the fragment within and become a genius, gaining extraordinary abilities. Such occurrences were frequent.

"Of course it's true. Why else do you think the stories are everywhere?"

"It’s actually real?" Black asked, surprised. He had always assumed it was just folklore.

Cana looked at Black with a puzzled expression. Logically, Black should have known it was real. But then, he reconsidered—it made sense. This country existed in a state of semi-isolation, surrounded by the sea on three sides and mountains on the fourth. The only safe land route was not exactly convenient, and the sea routes were neither numerous nor safe. The Kingdom of Safro happened to be located on the tip of the continent, which gave it a decent position to collect significant taxes from its ports. One would think such natural conditions, combined with the kingdom’s free and relatively lenient policies, would favor interaction and integration. But in reality, that was not the case.