After the terrifying defeat at Dexinci Kain alongside the surviving members of his guild took refuge in Leceiviester city, disguising and protecting Duke Bryand.
"You should know your place old man... The only reason I'm still stuck with you is my payment. The agreement was to pay regardless of if it is a victory or a defeat. I lost men, valuable men, i even lost three out of my board members, my assistant is in crucial condition, thank God for his recovery. Now you have to pay damages fee alongside our original agreement"
"I know I owe you a lot and I'll do all I can to repay it, but i don't feel relaxed here at all. We have to move, if anyone recognizes me." Duke Bryand who was not so looking like a duke tried to calmly convince Keiji-sama.
𝘨𝘣𝘢𝘮𝘮
Keiji-sama hit his fist on the table in between them.
"I'll leave when I want to"
He rested his back, folded his arms and crossed his legs on the table.
"what you should be worried about is paying me."
Someone arrived in front of them, tall slim.
"Master, we might need to change where we will sleep tonight."
"why?"
Fuchs replied, "Kain caused trouble again"
Keiji-sama slapped his forehead, "arrghhh that guy again"
Fuchs continued, "he seems to have been devastated ever since the incident, he gets angry at just anyone and beats up anyone that looks too much at him. I would say it a complete personality change."
"leave him to me. Check on any other Inn available and prepare to leave here tomorrow."
"Yes master"
Keiji-sama stood up and went to Kain.
On getting to Kain he was continuously drinking alcohol amd and was already so drunk. Keiji-sama sat in front of him.
"what's your problem?"
Kain looked up at him, "fuck off" he poured the wooden cup of beer he was taking on his face.
Keiji-sama who flared a bit but soon calm down stood up and dragged Kain by the collar and went out of the bar. He dragged him to a dirty alley and punch him in the face.
Kain touched his face surprised,
"what... You thought I can't punch you because you're precious to the guild"
"You must be crazy! Do you know who I am?!!" Kain shouted at him.
𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘸𝘸𝘸
He threw another punch on his face Kain fell on his butt.
"I admit I don't really know much about you. But was a flying wyvern and a knight in shining armor all was needed to break your morale, to name your purpose useless."
Kain bent his head, "its not worth it" he talked slowly.
"If I die, I die for real. Does guys are different from just hunting dumb monsters. They're humans like us and will really kill us."
"So you decided to give up"
"It called saving my ass." Kain raised his head.
"I thought there was someone you needed to fight and you needed to be as strong as possible."
"He'd be dead anyway. That dumb boy cannot survive this long."
"apparently I've been doing my research lately since we got to Leceiviester. It's said that the only Duke that lives in this city has a son by the name Reinard."
Kain's eyes brightened and widened as he heard his name."how's that possible, he's an earthling..."
"Yes, so it only mean he got adopted"
Kain stood up, "that bastard....so he's in this city afterall"
"hmm hmmm... He's not" Keiji-sama nodded.
"uhh why?"
"he's in the central artic"
"uhh where's that?"
"You're probably the only earthling that does not know of the central artic. It's a continent, you know like Asia, Africa... ."
"I know what a continent means" Kain cut in. "But why is he there"
"He's training, it's an academy that trains warriors. So if you don't get your ass together, you'll be disgraced. Your rival is facing hell to grow stronger and yet here you are giving up because you met one strong enemy that could end your life. I won't say much it's your decision to make. If truly fighting that Reinard guy is what is fueling your passion, if truly you have something to prove to him, then stop behaving like a fool and train more, get stronger brat"
He kicked him and left.
"(tchi... He didn't need to throw me a kick, is he still angry i poured beer on his face)"
Kain stood up and tightened his fist.
".... He's fueling my passion... That bastard, he's father literally pointed a gun to my father and shot him, yet he's fueling my passion what misplacement of words...this is not some friendly rival shit.... "
Kain's face got distorted and scary,
"this is revenge you bastard"
°°°°°¬
The news of the Forgan empire new riders squad was a surprise to the Eastern Continent which was not familiar with higher level mythical beast like that. Reason being unknown beautiful mythical beast were only found in Central artic, small and cute ones were found in Eastern Continent while the wild and bizarre ones could be found in Northern Continent. Even though the Forgan empire was able to defend Dexinci, they didn't push to reclaim their conquered lands.
"If we push further, it's until a while before they'll find a way to counter our wyvern squad. Right now this is the most powerful squad we have and we shouldn't use it anyhow." The strategist made her point.
"I agree with you, but do you think we should just sit around like this and wait. Because you instructed us to wait, the Gillievia kingdom lost their king"
"You are the newly appointed Army General, personally I don't have anything against you. You are the youngest ever and your judgement skills supercedes every other commander not to say your skills are not a joke. But you lack experience, you're soft hearted. You will not last like this. You'll die on the battle field and your position will be filled. So get a grip"
Everyone in the meeting hall gulped as the strategist lashed at the army lord, the person that had the control of the empire's entire war soldiers.
In a war meeting the strategist held the highest authority if the king was not present, even amidst Duke. Though it wasn't very compulsory for nobles to pertake in the war unlike the Azure empire. The Forgan empire just makes sure they give a large contribution. And still the ones that were not able to make such contributions go to the war front themselves but they start from the rank of a general being given a total of 30 000 units each.
The Forgan empire strategist was harsh and her face was straight. Even though she was a female and had no combat skills. She talked like she didn't care if her head would drop any moment but she did it for the sake of the empire.
The young army lord gulped.
"But still...."
"Don't be impatient... Think about it, we didn't start this war we didn't want it. Even with the way the war is going its so uncoordinated, they just took a large amount of force to attack us. Either their luring us into thinking they have used all their men and lay a trap for us, or they're being manipulated not knowing anything. Whichever the reason is I cannot make a move. I don't make my move based on assumptions."
Everyone uhmed again and relaxed.
She continued, "So yes we are going to be waiting again but this time around we won't just be waiting... " she smiled and continued. "... we'll be attacking while waiting.
"What do you mean?... How's that even possible"
Of all the squad generals and commanders that sat in the imperial war meeting hall, Bertram was the most outspoken he didn't care and voiced out.
He was more than qualified to be the army lord, he wasn't the youngest commander with the highest achievements so far.
Bertram was revealed to the art of war at the age of 9, unlike many others who went through official training, he was his father's squire as he's family was poor even though they were nobles. It was just his father and him and they really struggled to make ends meet, during the last war he worked as his father's squire and witnessed killings from a young age, then he started to be trained by Warsword sir Zefril. After which he started to kill at the age of fourteen, the battleground was his home but when it came to handling a unit, leading he was like a baby, he cared too much about his soldiers. It was natural since je spent most of his time being a soldier before the Warsword called for him to be a general. That was why the strategist regarded him as inexperience. He had the nature of a die hard soldiers and everyone respected that.
"You'll and some others will be disguising and joining a guild of my selection"
"ehh..."
Everyone in the war meeting hall was dumbfounded except Bertram who had a large smile on his face, "undercover uhh."
.