"It is a good move. Ensuring your soldier's loyalty without great cost. I knew you would be a cunning one." Karla lightly remarked, as she looked out of the window while sipping her tea.
Marcius had to postponed his meeting with Ser Janus and his trainees due to Karla's visit. Now they were in Marcius's office, with its window overlooking the training yard. They could see soldiers as they continued drilling.
"They are going to be accompanying and protecting me in this expedition. Of course, I would make sure to gain their loyalty." Marcius replied.
"And, you also would expect them to die for you."
"If needed, yes. They are soldiers. And I'm paying them to fight and die for me." Marcius also took a sip of his tea.
"But make no mistakes. They are not some disposable minions, even if I have to sacrifice them. I put so much work into training the troops to label them as anything 'disposable.'"
"So, you say." Karla replied noncommittally.
"Your obvious dislike for me aside, may I know the purpose of your visit?"
Karla gave an annoyed huff as she answered.
"My mother has agreed to your terms. You will be allowed to build an outpost at the edge of our forest. There will be no interference from the village. You will also be allowed to hunt down and kill dangerous predators without repercussion. But you are only allowed to cut down the forest and expand your city's walls after you successfully took the test at our scared temple."
Marcius hummed. He was keeping a letter correspondence with lady Sabbargh, to discussion the conditions of his expedition into the Falvic forest.
After all, their village of magic users were the unofficial guardians of the forest. If he went ahead and did as he wished, without notifying lady Sabbargh and her village, it would not look good for both him and his city.
"The conditions are more than acceptable. Please give my thanks to your mother."
Karla quietened a bit after their conversation. She just looked out of the window, contemplating something.
After a few minutes of silence, Karla addressed Marcius again.
"Mother expects so much from you. I don't know why. But she trusts you a lot. So, I will be giving you benefits of the doubt." She stared hard at Marcius.
"But know this. Falvic forest is my sanctuary. The village is my home. If you do something that would cause harm to both, I will end you myself."
At the end of her sentence, daughter of lady Sabbargh had a threatening glint in her eyes.
"You don't need to worry about that. I only want cooperation with the village." Marcius replied as he turned a lazy eye towards Karla.
"Good. And for your security, two high priestesses of Fall, and myself will be accompanying you for this entire journey. We will be protecting you from shadows."
Karla finished the conversation as she turned to leave. But Marcius's call stopped her.
"Lady Karla."
The girl with ebony complexion stopped, with her back facing Marcius.
"Yes?"
"I know you are protective of your home. But I'm getting sick and tired of your passive-aggressive threats. So, let me give you a warning in return." Marcius started.
"If you so much as cause harm to my city and mine, due to your unreasonable overprotectiveness," In this, Marcius tone also took a chilling turn. "I'll destroy everything you hold dear. I'll lay waste to your village. I don't care how strong you people are. I will destroy you."
Marcius didn't watch Karla left. He just stared through the window and observed as his troops trained.
*** *** ***
At that night, Marcius laid in his bed as he reviewed the tablet, which was connected to the six scout drones he put up in the skies of Mediolan.
Everything the drones recorded throughout the day and the night was regularly sent back to tablet for review.
As he idly observed the video recordings, Marcius paused as he saw something unusual.
"Well, well, well. Look at this. I knew you were hiding in plain sight. Got you."
Marcius murmured to himself as he watched the recording more closely.
It was a figure in black robes, existing the premises of Aemilia clan. That alone was normal.
What was not normal was the recording of the same robed figure, entering one of many Sergia clan affiliated shops. And the figure stayed there for a long time before leaving.
Naturally, no one from Aemilia clan had any business to stay so long at one of Sergia clan's shops.
The figure was a spy.
A spy from Sergia clan, who had infiltrated Aemilia clan's social structure.
The spy was good. Marcius could give him, her? that.
If someone wasn't specifically looking into it, the spy wouldn't have been discovered.
But unluckily for the spy, Marcius was specifically looking into it.
From Joseph's memory of the novel, Marcius knew there was a spy. The novel itself didn't reveal who the spy was, but Marcius was sure there was a spy.
'Let's see what you are up to, huh.'
Marcius hummed, as he redirected all the scout drones spread across the city, to focus on the movements of the robed spy.
"Arh, shit. This probably means Sergia clan knows about my plans and schedules regarding the Falvic expedition. I should expect assassins very soon."
Marcius groaned out loud.
"Well, at least the trip would not be so boring."
*** *** ***
It was the day of the expedition.
Marcius was just about ready to depart from the city, and begin his mission.
Or, at least he was trying to.
The process would be so much easier, if he could just pull of the little menace, who was desperately clinging to one of his legs.
"No! No! Big brother is not leaving. There is no way!"
Livia's cries could be heard from Aemilia's clan gates, throughout the entirety of the city.
"Come one Liv, you need to let me go. Everyone is done preparing and waiting for your big brother."
"No! Marci, you are not leaving. It is not even a month after you have recovered, and now you are going away."
Actually, Marcius was sure it was nearly two months since he woke up from the coma, but well… you didn't argue with Livia.
You just didn't.
"If you are leaving, take me with you. I want to go with big brother!"
"I can't take you with me, Livia. It is dangerous out there. Be good and... ouch, ouch, ouch!"
And, there came the bites. Livia usually bit him when she didn't get her way.
And the bites hurt! He had a body which could go toe-to-toe with cultivators' bodies; which were protected by spirit energy.
And, somehow, the bites hurt him! How?!
"Alright, Livia. Let go of your big brother. You are making him feel bad."
That was when Helen decided to took a pity on Marcius.
She pried off the little girl, kicking and screaming, from Marcius's legs.
Marcius shot his mother a grateful look, and lady Aemilia smiled back in return.
"Good luck on you trip, son. And be safe." Helen softly said her goodbyes to him.
"I will, mother. And please take care of things when I'm not around."
Marcius turned from his mother, and headed towards where his father and grandfather were standing.
"There will be assassins from Sergia clan. Always be aware of your surroundings."
His father said as he approached them.
"I will be careful. Besides, with the amount of protection I am getting, I doubt I will be in any serious danger."
Marcius replied as he subtly looked towards a group of individuals on horseback, wearing black clothing.
They were Titus's shadow guards. He lent them to Marcius for his protection.
"John and his team are the best of my guard. With them on your side, I can at least put your mother's worries to rest." His grandfather replied.
After saying a few more words with his father and grandfather, Marcius turned around and walked towards the clan gates, where his mount and troops were waiting.
He mounted his war horse. A specie, which was cross-bred between an ordinary horse and a demon beast.
Marcius observed his expandatory troops, and noted that all of them looked eager.
Out of the 500 soldiers, he had around 300 infantry, 150 archers and 20 cavalries.
Himself, Leon, Ser Janus, the 23 people with spirit beasts and the group of shadow guards were also mounted.
Marcius nodded in satisfaction, as the troops stood in attention, while he slowly directed his mount to the front.
"Alright, lads. Let us start the journey."
*** *** ***
Author Notes
Hello! MidnightMK here!
Finally! The journey is underway!
Please leave comments and feedbacks. I really appreciate it.
Please enjoy the chapter! And please vote if you do!