Chapter 226

Chapter 41. Tangled and Twisted Fates (3)

That fact left me feeling unsettled.

‘Is it really just a coincidence that the people from Agnotia and Senoa keep getting involved with the traitors?’

Then is it also a coincidence that both Orders are dominated by the radical factions, not the moderate ones?

Where is the guarantee that this issue is limited to just the priests and devotees?

What if it’s the gods themselves who committed betrayal, causing their followers to stray?

‘That can’t possibly be true…’

If Bihar disappears, the 7 Great Gods would no longer be able to act as gods.

The idea of them abandoning the dimension or siding with the enemies has too low a probability.

But it felt uneasy to dismiss it outright.

I sensed there was some critical puzzle piece I was missing.

There was suspicion, yet there was nothing definitive to turn that suspicion into certainty.

“Tsk.”

As I fiddled with the compass in my hand and clicked my tongue, Rice Cake once again connected their vision to me.

At that very moment, someone appeared on the left side of Rice Cake’s line of sight.

Black hair with vivid green eyes, a face that still bore traces of youth.

‘Why is he here?’

If it wasn’t a mistake, I had seen someone I was familiar with through Rice Cake’s vision.

Furthermore, the direction in which he was moving happened to align with where I intended to go.

Frowning at this sudden variable, I briefly hesitated before muttering to myself.

* * *

After being expelled from the Bennett family and wandering away from Habon, Walter settled about three months ago at the count’s residence of Borman, part of the Atar Empire.

He didn’t want to leave his hometown, but there was no other way.

Nothing had leaked about his incident at the Bennett family, but he hadn’t received a recommendation letter.

Not having it was as good as being dismissed for inappropriate conduct.

No family in Ferrell would accept a young knight without a recommendation.

So, he chose exile to another country.

Of all the options available, Count Borman’s Family in the Atar Empire offered Walter the highest salary.

‘No one would willingly come here, so offering money was their only choice.’

Count Borman’s family was based in Santorna, a nest for traitors.

Once a prospering city thanks to mages, it had turned desolate.

Only one type of person remained there, those born and raised there, with no place else to go or means to survive elsewhere.

For a land inhabited only by the powerless and unfortunate, what progress or prosperity could there be?

How many knights would there be eager to serve a declining family in a dying city?

Most of the knights employed by Count Borman were, like Walter, in urgent need of money or those who had caused trouble and were expelled from their previous families.

‘Yet surprisingly, it seemed better than I expected.’

Contrary to Walter’s thoughts, the Borman family was thriving.

They even lent money to their retainers at low rates so he could clear all the usurious loans he had taken as a freelance knight.

‘Perhaps I should be grateful for that.’

Walter began to meticulously adapt to his new life.

He thought he could now live a settled life.

Just last week, he had brought his grandmother, whom he had left alone in Habon.

And today, Count Borman had personally called him for a task.

– There are refugees hiding in the mountains.

– As the weather in the forest will soon turn cold, they will need warm supplies.

– Go and deliver them with Lord Homal.

Was it thanks to his diligent execution of unpleasant tasks without complaint?

Walter had caught the count’s attention in just a few months.

Although he had not willingly come there, it was still a fresh start.

Walter resolved to do his best for his new lord.

Thus, he met the representative of the refugees living in the forest as instructed, handed over the carriage, and froze.

“Sa-save me! Someone, please help!”

The door of the cart, which supposedly contained relief supplies, suddenly flung open, and a poorly dressed child sprang out.

Unlike the frozen Walter, Homal skillfully caught the fleeing child and knocked him unconscious.

“Darn it, why is this open? How were the people in charge of sealing this?”

And then, he casually put the child back inside the carriage.

“Sir, Homal, what on earth… What exactly is happening here?!”

Walter finally came to his senses and asked in a trembling voice.

His answer was a calm and indifferent rebuke.

“What, didn’t you come here unknowingly?”

Hadn’t you borrowed money from the Borman family recently?

Count Borman only employs those in debt to do the dirty work, they said.

“And just in case, don’t do anything unnecessary.”

He added that if you went against the count or tried to leave, you’d immediately be threatened to repay the loan.

“No point in reporting it elsewhere.”

The neighboring territories are all in cahoots.

There was no hint of agitation in Homal as he said this while closing the carriage door, as if he had grown accustomed to such deeds.

Walter watched his natural behavior in a daze.

“You should go.”

The person who took over the carriage hurried away at Homal’s gesture.

“Let’s head back.”

Homal tapped Walter’s shoulder before turning around to leave.

Left alone, Walter’s body began to tremble violently.

Before the door closed, he had seen dozens of unconscious children lying inside.

All those children were poorly dressed.

Which meant they were impoverished commoners unable even to afford a decent set of clothes.

Kidnapping them wholesale and relocating them was anything but a righteous act.

A moment ago, hadn’t Homal said so himself?

Count Borman made indebted knights do his dirty work.

‘Slavery requires authorization, even in Atar.’

Though poor commoners, they were citizens, not classified as property like slaves.

Kidnapping them was a definite crime.

“Damn it…”

Walter began trembling uncontrollably, grasping his hands tightly.

He felt deeply ashamed of his complacent thoughts.

For even a short time, he had believed that his sincere work had caught the count’s attention.

The reality was entirely different.

He was as laughable and foolish as ever, rejoicing in having been called by the count.

Disgrace quickly piled upon that awareness.

Due to his circumstances, he couldn’t even testify against the crime he had witnessed today.

Homal’s words lingered ominously in Walter’s mind.

‘If I get expelled from here…’

Walter faced many potential problems.

His fall from the position of knight back to a freelance knight was a given.

Moreover, he’d have to repay the debt he owed to the Borman family immediately.

In addition to losing stable income, he wouldn’t be able to afford the medicine for his grandmother he had painstakingly brought over.

Furthermore, the count’s family wouldn’t let him be, knowing about their illicit activities.

Surely, they’d attempt to silence him one way or another.

Chain-linked thoughts bound Walter tightly.

‘Just for this once, if I feign ignorance…’

He reached the same conclusion he had during that past incident.

“Hey, kid.”

Homal urged him on.

“Let’s head back, okay?”

Flinching repeatedly, Walter hung his head low and trudged away.

Not in the direction where the carriage vanished, but towards where Homal was.

Back at the Borman manor, Walter locked himself in the knights’ quarters.

No one came looking for him, as if Homal had made sure of it.

He didn’t even have the presence of mind to lay down on the bed or sit on a chair.

Walter simply stood there aimlessly by the door.

How much time passed? Slowly, his body began to tremble.

Shivering without knowing where it began continued throughout the night.

‘And what exactly can I do?’

Judging by Homal’s words, it wasn’t something involving just a few people.

Indeed, it seemed like Count Borman was orchestrating the whole affair.

Even if he involved himself, what could truly change?

Moreover, those kids lying unconscious in that cart.

‘Let’s say I do rescue them.’

What then? Can he take responsibility for them?

“This, this matter is not…”

He mumbled to validate that he shouldn’t be involved.

As soon as he did, that uncontrollable trembling began to subside.

Gradually, Walter, who had been bowing his head, clenched his fists tightly.

“Again, just like this…”

Living each day in regret over that one excuse, he was about to make the same choice again.

Grinding his teeth, Walter lifted his head.

‘This isn’t right.’

Accusations he heard from an outsider once started coming back to him.

The day he couldn’t even hold his head high as someone supposed to uphold chivalry.

He couldn’t repeat the disgrace of that day.

‘This isn’t right.’

Didn’t he swear never to commit such shameful acts again?

Let future outcomes be future concerns; for now, focus on the kidnapped children.

Walter began making preparations hastily.

Clothing in dark colors, which could help him blend in.

Instead of making noise with chains or iron armor, he wore soft leather armor.

To reduce noise, he put on shoes with soles made of fabric.

Just in case, he also strapped a secondary dagger he normally didn’t use to his waist.

He attached a small leather bag to his belt, one which he hadn’t parted with since becoming a knight.

– Despite the unfortunate incidents, you’ll do well wherever you go.

– May Palao’s blessing be with your path.

What Sylvia, the 3rd Division Commander of the Bennett family, had given him upon leaving.

“Haah.”

After taking a deep breath, Walter climbed out the window, avoiding the door.

Assuming everyone here was in on it wasn’t too cautious a measure.

It was time to move while keeping as low a profile as possible.

Thus, Walter made his way through the knights’ quarters, the Borman manor, and to the heart of Santorna.

In the still, chilly autumn dawn wind, he slipped out without getting caught by anyone.

He then sprinted with all his might.

Towards the mountain he had headed to by carriage earlier that afternoon.

Finally arriving at the location where he had handed over the cart, he began tracking the traces left on the ground.

‘I’ve got to be quick.’

No one knew what the kidnapped children might be going through.

Having already wasted a lot of time, he couldn’t delay any longer.

Walter picked up speed as he climbed the mountain.

Yet, his rescue plan faced setbacks from the start.

“What in the world…”

Somewhere along the forest path, the tracks of the cart wheels abruptly stopped.

As if the cart had vanished into thin air.

He tried following along the path where the trail ended but found himself coming back to the same place.

Unable to hide his confusion as he groped the ground, Walter murmured softly.

“Could it be…”

He opened the leather pouch tied to his belt and took out a magic stone.

Soon, he executed a search magic to detect hidden magic circles or traps.

Sure enough, not far from where the cart traces disappeared, wisps of mist gathered.

‘Is it a barrier? Or an illusion magic?’

Walter couldn’t identify precisely what kind of magic it was since he wasn’t a mage.

All he knew was that he couldn’t enter that place on his own strength.

‘Should I hire a mage…’

Should he commission a mage from the mercenary guild?

But what about the kidnapped children in the meantime?

‘What should I do?’

Despite being knighted, Walter was merely a sixteen-year-old boy.

He lacked the solid foundation of experience needed to bolster his reasoning and judgment.

Though guided by what was right, he didn’t have the strength to transcend reality.

Confronted with an insurmountable obstacle, Walter simply stood there frozen, like a malfunctioning machine.

While Walter stood in a stupor, the blue mist cleared away.

Behind him, a rustling noise could be heard.

Walter quickly turned, sword drawn.

Yet, what stood behind him was emptiness.

Instead, shrubs moved in the distance about a dozen meters below the hill.

‘… A wild animal?’

Walter thought it might be a spy or pursuer and moved down towards the rustling shrubs.

While he descended, the movement in the brush stopped.

What remained were only tracks that appeared to belong to an animal.