When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 541: Chapter 422 The Melancholy Queen Chapter 541: Chapter 422 The Melancholy Queen Isabel began in a quiet tone, “It’s like a canvas that has only been outlined, giving a general impression.

It’s also like a piece of music with the rhythm, yet it lacks a ‘theme’.”

“Within or outside of the outline, there is only that kind of ‘blankness’ yet to be filled in.

I know there is still much missing, but I just don’t know how to start writing.”

“…That really is an answer with an artistic touch.”

“Sounds like something you would say,” Aiwass commented.

Yet, it was unexpectedly fitting, he thought to himself.

Isabel closed her eyes slightly, stood erect, and recalled softly, “Those cities have no opera houses, no commercial centers, no museums, no universities.

They lack alchemy shops, tall buildings like those of the Lohar Society.

No meeting places like the Round Table Hall, and the size of the municipal centers is smaller than the villa I gave you.

“Most cities only have one library, and some have none; many people are illiterate.

Two-thirds of cities have no paved roads, local newspapers are few and even the Glass Staircase Daily is hard to come by.

A town may have at most three churches, and when people are ill, they can only go to the hospital, yet even a proper hospital is hard to find.

“Many places have overflowing prisons with walls that let in the draft.

Prisoners can starve or freeze to death inside, and in some cities, hanged individuals remain suspended for a month or two without anyone removing them because they no longer have any family.

“On Glass Island, child workers must at least be fourteen; even the cruelest factories only make them work for twelve hours at most.

But in some cities to the west of Avalon, I’ve even seen ten-year-old child laborers.

Their earnings are meager, virtually non-existent; they receive only a meal or half a meal and have to start working from four or five in the morning.

They wear only a thin single layer in deep winter and get less than six hours of sleep a night…

“In most cities, when night falls, there is no light.

Less than half of the cities have electricity, and most residents still rely on kerosene lamps.

They still have what are known as adventurers, but they are more like mercenaries and bandits.

Their most common assignments involve dealing with the Undead—those who died in the wilds, uncared for and unburied…”

Isabel never wanted to say anything in the first place.

But once she started talking, it was as if she opened a box she could not close again.

Aiwass just listened quietly, and then said softly, “To be honest, I’m quite surprised.”

“…Surprised for the fate of these children, for the residents of these cities?” Isabel opened her eyes and looked at Aiwass.

“No, I’m surprised that you actually had the chance to come into contact with them.”

Aiwass shook his head, offering a sharp and somewhat sarcastic remark, “No sense of secrecy—actually allowing Her Majesty the Queen to see the real situation.”

If he were the manager of these cities, he would have at least ensured the facade was maintained during the Queen’s visit.

Everyone would pull together to weave a beautiful dream for Her Majesty—how could they possibly allow the respected Queen to see such things?

“…Indeed, that’s what they tried to do.”

Isabel sighed softly and explained the reason, “But I did not stay overnight in those cities that required a pilgrimage.

Instead, after the pilgrimage ended, I traveled by Gryphon to cities not on the schedule and reached the next scheduled city before the pilgrimage time.

Therefore, the cities I actually visited were twice as many as those on the pilgrimage.

And half of those cities did not know I was coming or that I had already been there.”

“Oh, I see.”

Upon hearing this, Aiwass had a realization, “You were thinking, since it’s a rare chance to get out, you might as well enjoy yourself to the fullest…right?”

Isabel nodded silently, without a word.

Because in the cities where everyone recognized her, Isabel did not have the chance to truly enjoy herself.

Her itinerary was meticulously arranged, naturally leaving her no chance or time for contact with others.

Unexpectedly, their young queen was so mischievous, even more extreme than Queen Sofia.

Amidst the dense schedule of her pilgrimage, she managed to squeeze in time to visit twice as many cities on her own.

——Without a doubt, she must have rushed there excitedly.

In disguise and incognito, accompanied by the Gryphon and Arbitrators acting as her guards, she slipped into various cities.

She might even have gone without her guards.@@novelbin@@

Although Aiwass did not know how Isabel managed to uncover the real situation, it was undoubtedly very difficult.

And she did so with utmost seriousness.

The cost seemed to be near depression.

While the time allotted for the new king’s pilgrimage was quite generous, if one were to “make rational use” of it once again, there might not be much time left to spare.

And such shocking information must have prevented her from getting any proper sleep.

…No wonder she looked so tired.

She was likely tired not just physically or from lack of sleep, but due to the emotional drain of worry and sadness.

“Those children in the factories…

I spoke with them.

Not just in one factory, and not just once,” Isabel sighed, her eyes and brows showing visible fatigue, “I expressed my anger on their behalf, and even intended to stand up for them, demanding more income and more reasonable working hours.

However, those working children didn’t understand why I was angry…

They thought I was being nonsensical and even tried their best to stop me.

They just wanted to earn a little extra food without causing any trouble.

“Do you know, Aiwass?

For the first time, I learned that people could starve to death…

In some towns outside of Glass Island, there are people who work hard yet starve to death.

Logically, the church should be responsible for providing free food, but why…

why is it like this?”

Isabel looked in pain, her brows tightly furrowed in distress.

Aiwass shook his head and spoke softly, “Because the church’s income mainly comes from providing powerful treatments to the rich and from blessing specific places and items.

In reality, not all cities have such wealthy people.

“Due to the existence of Round Table Hall and the Port District, the truly rich tend to congregate on Glass Island.

Local merchants might not have much money, and local churches may not be able to supply much free food.

Most of the clergy trained in church schools are then sent to such remote rural areas.”

“…Do they know what their future holds?” Isabel couldn’t help asking.

“Most of them are unaware.

Only the most excellent ones can stay on Glass Island or a few relatively affluent cities.

It is for this reason that many clergymen, unable to bear the hardship, resign within a year.

Those who remain basically come to adore the true spirit of Dedication.”

Aiwass sighed.

In his view, this was somewhat unethical.

But there was really no remedy—while doctors could take care of healing injuries and sicknesses, even the smallest of villages needed someone to oversee funerals and dispel the Undead.

Not to mention weddings, celebrations, and other ceremonies, for which at least several years of focused study were required.

Who would suffer in small cities when they could enjoy the benefits of the larger ones?

Simply relying on the “Contributors” who had awakened a sense of Dedication to fill this massive gap was clearly insufficient.