Chapter 343: Chapter 342: The Secret of Folk Songs and Hush Hush Hush! Chapter 343: Chapter 342: The Secret of Folk Songs and Hush Hush Hush! Richard looked at Rose and said, “I won’t explain the working mechanism of ‘Small Dehydration Technique’ to you, as there’s a high chance you wouldn’t understand it anyway. But its effect, you must have fully experienced it by now, yes, just as you imagined.”

“You!” Rose glared at Richard, gritting her teeth, “You–scoundrel!”

“Scoundrel or not, dear Princess Rose of the Black Holy Mountain Kingdom, you should worry more about yourself,” Richard spoke calmly. “Night has just fallen, and it’s a long time till dawn. I can wait it out with you. I wonder if you’ll manage to hold out till dawn, as you said earlier.”

“Just you wait!” Rose shouted, her body trembling continuously, whether from anger or something else. “I, Rose Jane Elsa, would rather die, hit my head against the wall in this room, than ever submit to you! I will keep resisting. I swear!”

“Very well.” Richard nodded, looking impressed, and fell silent.

The room fell into silence for the second time.

Time passed.

After a while,
Rose, sitting on the chair, kept twisting and turning, her face as red as if on fire. Her waist slowly bent, and her whole body curled up, emitting unconsciously “eeh eeh” noises. Her gaze towards Richard was murderous, yet he completely ignored it.

Another while passed.

Rose could no longer sit still; she tried desperately to stand up from the chair, but Richard held her down, making it impossible. Frustrated and anxious, she tried to bite Richard’s hand but missed, instead biting her own tongue, causing tears to flow from the pain.

Another while passed.

Rose was near breaking point, her entire skin turning pink, her body limp. Yet, her legs were tightly clenched together, almost merging into one.

Once Richard released his hold, Rose slid off the chair, her expression distorted, crouching on the floor.

Looking at Richard, her teeth seemed on the verge of breaking, but, due to the physical torture, she finally softened, her voice trembling, “You… you bastard, don’t you need my help? I’ll help you, alright, but… but you have to let me out first.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Richard shook his head.

“Why!” Rose yelled, “I’ve already agreed to help you!”

“But… I don’t trust your credibility,” Richard said seriously. “So, resolve the issue for me first, then I will let you go.”

“You!” Rose looked at Richard with fury, hating him to the core. In her view, she, a noble princess, had already compromised, yet Richard was still being petty, which was despicable.

Rose really wanted to show Richard that she was not to be trifled with, that she had principles, that her help was a favor, not a compromise. She…
But her angry gaze at Richard lasted for less than three seconds before she held her stomach and said, “Alright, have it your way, I… I agree to help you first. The favor you’re asking isn’t it a folk song from the Black Spirit Empire? What is it exactly? Tell me, I’ll translate it right away.”

Richard glanced at Rose, his eyes flickered, ignoring her attitude and tone, took a breath and walked over to a wall, tapping lightly with his finger.

“One part of the song goes like this, ‘pop, ta-da-da-da, pop, ta-da-da-da’… The lyrics probably go… ‘weep, Ancient Spirit Dance, sacrifice, Heng’er Yingyu…'”
After hearing this, Rose blinked, her eyes rolling within their sockets as if thinking, then she said, “I… I don’t know this song.”

“Hmm? Don’t know? Really don’t know?”

“I really don’t know, why would I lie to you!” Rose shouted loudly, “Just let me out!”

“No,” Richard curtly denied Rose’s request. “If you don’t know, you can’t leave this room.”

“You!” Rose exclaimed, “Does it mean I will die here just because I don’t know?”

“It’s not that serious, but I’d like you to stay here a little longer.”

“But you know, I have that…”
“Dear Princess Rose of the Black Holy Mountain Kingdom, if you have any problems, you can figure them out yourself. I won’t help you, just like you won’t help me.”

“But I don’t know, I really don’t know!” Rose screamed.

Richard said, “Oh, is that so?”

“I…” Rose’s body shook violently, and she suddenly knelt on the floor, not begging Richard but simply because her physical needs had reached their limit. Her face was no longer red but turned pale, clenching her teeth as she struggled to endure.

“Okay… okay…” Rose’s face beaded with sweat as she spoke with a crying tone, “Can I just tell you already? This song is an old folk song from the Black Holy Mountain Kingdom. My mother used to sing it to me when I was little. It seems to be about a captain’s story. I don’t remember the beginning and the end, but the part you sang should go like this:
Oh, my captain!

Oh, my captain!

The perilous voyage has now ended,
The ship has safely passed through grave dangers.

Thousands of people cheer loudly,
As we make fast at the home port.

But,
My captain, you,
Have fallen,
Have died,
Oh, my captain!

Banners, flutter for you,
Horns, sound long for you.

For you, the shore is crowded,
For you, countless ribbons and wreaths.

The bustling crowd is calling,
Turning so many earnest faces.

You will sleep in the grave,
You will rest in eternal peace.

…”
Having finished, Rose looked at Richard and shouted, “I’ve told you, can I leave now?”

“Just a moment,” Richard raised his hand and started pacing the room.

“Why, you said I could go…” Rose protested.

Richard raised his finger, motioning her to be silent, “Shush! I need to think!”

Richard’s mention of “Shush” startled Rose, her kneeling body swayed and she collapsed to the side, unable to speak anymore.

Richard did not pay much attention to Rose; enjoying the rare silence, he continued pacing and pondering.

Rose had translated and sung the song on the spot, in a tune similar to that of the woman in the Salt and Fire Tavern, even more accurate, essentially ruling out the possibility of forgery. It meant, surely, that vital information about the secrets of the White Stone Tower and the Black Spirit King was hidden within this folk song.

But… what could that key information be?

The folk song told only a vague story of a captain, a common type in this Medieval-like world. After all, combining songs with stories makes them easier to remember and spread.

So, what does such a common folk song, the story in the folk song, aim to convey?

A captain, a dead captain?

Could it be that the secret is related to the dead captain?

Wait a minute!