"I'll be leaving perhaps for a month or two"
I told Lucia as we were walking in the Imperial Gardens, due to the previous attack she was told to stay here inside the castle for a while longer hence she couldn't visit me.
"Please take care Alfred don't do anything rash"
She told me in return as if I was about to do a quest that I won't be able to return
"You're not going to ask if you want to join?"
"Its for a subjugation right?"
"Yes but its more of a vacation in my eyes"
"As much as I want to, I'll be a liability for now"
"What do you mean?"
"Isn't it better for me to learn how to wield a sword or use magic? That way I'll have an excuse to join you in the future"
She gave me one of her signature smiles telling me not to worry much, she then grabbed my hand.
"Besides, if I learn teleportation magic or gain enough strength to jump over the walls we can run anyway anytime"
"If that is what you want Lucia"
She chuckled and stood in front of me hurriedly
"Your hair is getting longer, when was the last time you had a haircut?"
"I forgot, does it bother you?"
"Not quite, I can't decide if you look better if you had longer hair or a short one"
"Then I'll grow it out and you decide when I come back"
"Is that a promise?"
"It is"
She is still the same, we continued walking and talking until it was time for us to separate.
-
"Young Master everyone is ready"
Noel called out to me as I was changing my clothes.
"I'll be there"
As I finished suiting up, I took my red coat, it was going to be cold today as its nesring winter.
As I arrived outside my siblings were waiting for me.
"Big brother!"
Eve ran in front of me and gestured for me to carry her and so I did, Cecille who was the quiet and middle girl of three siblings didn't say anything but clung on to my thigh.
"Big brother! Bring me some candies alright!"
Emily grabbed my hand as I nodded, Clyde on the other hand just walked beside me and smiled.
"Don't worry big brother! I'll take care of everything here"
I didn't see my Father nor Mother but I do know they're busy doing things for the duchy, as I was escorted outside everyone was waiting, even Sir Aaron, Sir Tristan came along just for the fun of it.
As I let go of my siblings and sat on the horse a man came up to me riding with his horse.
"Young Lord! My name is Norn! I was assigned by the Subjugation commander to be your aide this time."
"Please lead the way Sir Norn."
I waved good bye to my siblings as we headed to the Borders of Thi Alma.
-
We had travelled for a week and nothing important had happened, until now that is.
"You there!"
One of my knights yelled at a person who was carrying wood on his back, he was shocked and dropped what he was carrying, before he could run my knights caught up to him.
I slowly made my way as I hopped of my steed, he was kneeling as he was surrounded by my knights afraid to die.
"Please spare me!"
"Then tell me why are you here?"
"We had nowhere else to go."
"Lead us to your base then."
I told him, I do not want to waste my time speaking to underlings when I could speak to their leader immediately.
"Noel."
"Yes Young Lord."
"Scout the area ahead for traps if you see their encampment report to me immediately."
"As you wish."
Noel quickly left ahead of us as he disappeared, we followed the man who we captured who was sulking shortly after Noel returned.
"There are no weapons that's for war only for hunting."
"Alright"
I looked at the men behind me.
"Make our presences known, say we come in peace."
"I'll do the honors, men raise the flags! Even though I'm excommunicated I still know a few basic things, sound the horns!"
Sir Gale came forward and was laughing, my knights followed after him leaving me, Noel, Aaron, Tristan and Sir Norn as we waited for a while.
"Isn't it unnatural."
"Do you think so as well Young Master?"
Sir Norn replied to me, I looked at Noel and gestured for him to follow Sir Gale and the men with just a nod.
"There should have been monsters creeping around here, even if we didn't completely eradicate them there should have been at least a sighting of one or two and even then bandits couldn't take them down based on Noel's intel."
"I believe there's an individual hiding there."
"Then let's meet that individual then."
We followed shortly after and when we arrived Sir Gale was staring down at a man who looked like he was forty and had gray streaks on his hair.
As I looked at the small village, everything looked newly built, something that didn't look like a bandit base.
"Leave this place."
The man said.
As I saw him a new vision appeared in my head, and there he was slaying down countless demons and training someone?
"So that is his identity."
I looked at the man who was ready to draw his sword while Sir Gale just laughed at him.
"Stop, you there."
I yelled as I hopped off my horse, Sir Gale moved away as I was the one who confronted the man, right now he was looking down no me, literally.
"What can a kid like you do to me."
"I can do a lot of things, return to my household and eliminate this village, I'm sure a rank seven knight like you can't suppress multiple rank six to seven knights at the same time."
I could feel his bloodlust shot up the moment I said that but I didn't cower.
"Why are you angry old man? You asked what I could do to you and I answered what I can, are you a fool?"
"You little."
"Save it, I'll get direct to the point, I'll hire your entire village to take care of this land including you, what I want you to do is to protect this entire village, we are at the borders of Thi Alma and I will develop this place."
He retracted his bloodlust and let go of his sword as he looked at me seriously.
"Ready to talk?"
"Fine."