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Chapter 144 Taming the Madman (4)
Chapter 144 Taming the Madman (4)
Nielrin drew his sword, revealing a murderous intent.
Come out. Your tailing skills are embarrassingly amateurish.
Despite the limited visibility of dawn and the distance too great for a normal person to perceive, he had pinpointed the location of his follower.
A man emerged from behind a rock.
It was Damian.
He slowly approached the large tree where Nielrin stood. Nielrin asked him in a pressing tone,
Hmm, a new rat from Eternia. Speak. Were you ordered to extract information about the Duchy?
Damian answered calmly and politely,
I was under the impression that when one moves at night, it should always be in pairs according to the regulations.
Nielrin retorted sharply,
It doesnt seem like you were moving in a pair with this maid.
No, but I could not simply overlook a young girl leaving the camp alone at night without permission. My apologies. Had I known that it was for a private meeting with the commanding officer, I would not have come.
He attempted to extricate himself with polite but incisive words, trapping Nielrin in a rhetorical mire.
Nielrin chuckled at the cunning retort,
Whatever you say doesnt matter. Just remember, if you spill anything you overheard tonight, there will be severe consequences.
I will take it to heart. My apologies for unwarrantedly interrupting what was a private moment.
Nielrins killing intent subsided. He sheathed his sword.
You seem to have an abundance of camaraderie, yet I hear you had the audacity to request becoming a direct guard for Lady Vivi?FiNd updates on
It was only in keeping with the oath I swore to Lady Vivi.
Nielrin gestured to the maid standing by. She bowed to both Nielrin and Damian and then disappeared toward the camp.
Nielrin lectured in a condescending tone,
Do not delude yourself into thinking youve achieved something great by merely beating up a low-ranking soldier. The position at Lady Vivis side is not even granted to knights who have dedicated years of service to the Duchy.
Not being part of the guard meant he was also not included among those needing protection. It would have been a non-issue if Damian had just passed by quietly.
Damian provoked him, as if deliberately poking at his nerves,
Then shall I prove my worth by fighting you directly?
Perhaps Damian was too eager because he carried Silveryns name. If that were the case, he couldnt be utilized. Firstly, Vivi would not allow it, and secondly, those who rush into things often ruin them.
Nielrin didnt react much to the provocation.
The guard still has a long way to go. I have no desire to waste energy on needless matters.
Nielrin turned and walked away into the darkness.
Damian nodded quietly and then, as Nielrin walked away, he bowed politely and uttered something indecipherable,
I certainly hope so.
***
The night passed without further incident, and I woke up in the tent to a new morning.
As I opened my eyes, I briefly reviewed the situation from before. Nielrin and the maid had been discussing something secretive concerning Lady Vivi.
While suspicious, I could not be certain if it involved treachery or betrayal. If it were indeed a plot, they would have killed me on the spot to make it look like an accident. But they hadnt done that.
The evidence was tenuous, but I couldnt relax. Sooner or later, they would come at me with bulging eyes, intent on killing Lady Vivi and myself.
During these thoughts, Misha, one of the maids I had become friendly with, peeked into my tent.
Are you awake?
I cast off the blanket and stood up, replying,
Yes, what is it?
Oh, its nothing. No.
The knights took the front line, countering the beasts growls and swipes with synchronized sword strikes. Meanwhile, the mages in the rear hurriedly began chanting their spells. The aerial and ground coordination was seamless.
Soon, fireballs materialized in mid-air and hurtled toward the beast.
Boom!
The explosion narrowly missed, and the creature swiftly retreated, its mane whipping in the wind. The standoff quickly switched to a stalemate.
In an instant, dozens of reinforcements swarmed and surrounded the beast, which turned and fled into the forest.
The leading female knight shouted,
Cease the pursuit!
The knights hesitated, stopping in their tracks.
It was a wise decision. There was always a principle emphasized in the Monsterology classes: the forest is a battlefield that heavily favors beasts. Charging in because of numerical superiority was akin to entering the mouth of a predator.
It was clear that they would first sort out the injured, prepare thoroughly, and then set out to subdue the beast.
And for me, this was an important opportunity.
***
It seems the Robillion has finished hibernating and is coming down to the village to stock up on nutrients.
Upon hearing Geralds words, Vivi nodded silently.
The village headman lay prostrate before the Lady, trembling. He feared being blamed for not providing a timely warning about the appearance of the beast.
However, Vivi did not seem very interested in ascertaining blame.
Is this village often attacked by beasts?
The headman replied,
No, not usually. However, that creature used to come down once or twice a year to hunt our livestock and newborns. Last year, it was no bigger than a stray dog, but now it has grown so much that its
Some beasts, unlike humans, reach full growth within a year or two. Thats why its important to subdue them early.
The village, lacking young men, could never have dreamed of subduing it.
From the guards perspective, it couldnt be ignored. If left alone, not only would the villagers become prey for the beast, but it could also follow the guard later.
Vivi did not ponder long.
She signaled to the headman to leave. After he bowed and exited, she spoke to Gerald,
Leave only the minimum troops necessary to protect the village, and assemble the rest into a subjugation force to advance on the beasts territory.
I will issue the command immediately.
Oh, and
Vivi hesitated as if there was more to say, and Gerald turned around with a sense of foreboding.
Is there something else you wish to convey?
Vivi hesitated for a moment before speaking,
How did Silveryns disciple react?
Do you want to know about his reaction to the beast that appeared?
Vivi seemed reluctant to show that she was paying special attention to Damian.
Yes. Well, I heard that during his attendance at the Eternia class, he threw away his weapon in fear and fled at the sight of the Kiraklo.
Vivi remembered the situation from when Gerald attended the combat class in Eternia. However, she seemed to have a distorted understanding of the events based only on reports; at the time, although it appeared he fled in fear, keen observers understood there was more to it.
Gerald reported that during the clash with the beast, the young man from the Duchy didnt join the fight but watched from a distance.
Vivi then covered her mouth with her fan and laughed,
So he rushes headlong into fights against manageable opponents, but suddenly becomes prudent in front of a beast.
This might be a good opportunity to have Damian observe the subjugation force.
Its a dangerous task. Are you sure its okay?
If he has any sense, he wont try to fight the beast alone. Take him with you and clearly show him the gap between him and the Duchys elite knights.