The scent of blood scattered in all directions as if the god of death had passed by.
Sir Brian Kendrick, a formal knight of Belias, couldn't believe the scene that unfolded before his eyes.
Screams of knights were heard almost every second, while at the same time, crimson rain poured cruelly from the heavens.
Could an 11-year-old boy truly be responsible for this?
The boy whose gaze had been on the bodies of the knights now turned toward him.
"Eek!"
Upon making eye contact with the boy, Brian's legs gave out, and he collapsed. Sian Vert, the youngest son of the Duke of Willius Vert, protector of the continent.
Just a year ago, he was derided as the incompetent of his family.
Yet, over the past year, he grew to become the most talked-about son in the territory.
A son who earned the Duke's recognition,
A prince who protected the princess from demons,
A returnee who had survived the Devil Dragon.
Sian's reputation had risen so swiftly that those who didn't know could only wonder whose story was being told.
But…
'Did he learn assassination techniques from the knights?'
Even those highly-reputed senior knights would not employ such brutal swordsmanship.
Holding a small sword no larger than a lady's comb, he would first sever both arms that wielded weapons, then both legs to prevent standing, and as a finale, he would decapitate the head. It was a wonder that anyone witnessing such brutality did not faint.
Sian, who had executed such gore without a second thought, casually approached the valley and began to wash his face.
The action seemed so natural, as if it were something he often did.
"It seems knights nowadays also double as coachmen, don't they?"
Sian asked indifferently, but Brian was unable to respond.
He wanted to say something, but only futile moans escaped his trembling vocal cords.
After washing up, Sian walked towards Brian, who was on his knees, and met his eyes.
"Speak."
With a phrasing that stimulated all senses like a whisper from a ghost.
It meant for him to confess everything without any resistance.
What stood before Brian was no longer a young boy.
It was an executioner of cruel death, who could send anyone to the pits of hell on a whim.
Brian, terrified, began to reveal everything as though bewitched.
"I received the orders from Duchess Margaret! 'Assassinate Lord Sian on his way to the Royal Academy.' It was a secret mission assigned to me and six other knights!"
"Why?"
"I do not know the details, but I heard something! Before going to the academy, the fourth young lord, Crantz, earnestly requested something from the Duchess! Perhaps the Duchess accepted his request and decided on this action, and we could only speculate among ourselves."
Sian let out a hollow laugh.
"No wonder he fled with his tail between his legs."
The questioning continued.
"So. What were your plans after killing me?"
"We were just planning to return and report the situation, then claim we were attacked by bandits and killed, and deal with the situation that way… followed by receiving the promised compensation."
"Compensation?"
Hearing the story, Sian chuckled.
"You're all minor knights, aren't you? Just promoted from apprentices…"
"Yes, but…"
"Let me tell you something. If you had returned, you would have been executed immediately."
"…!"
"You think if you had failed to protect me and let me die, saying 'The prince has unfortunately perished from a bandit attack,' they would just accept it and move on? Of course, they would make you pay for your failure."
Brian's eyes darted wildly.
"And do you think she would quietly let you go after you killed the heir of the Duke's family, even if you're not professional mercenaries but just minor knights?"
"But she promised us safety…"
Sian continued with an almost pitying look.
"Well, what can you, being so minor, know about the Duchess? You're nothing. Just disposable pawns to her. Pawns that knew nothing and were meant to be discarded."
It was a truth anyone could realize with a bit of thought.
The sudden assassination mission assigned to seven minor knights.
While they might have felt something fishy, they were loyal knights of the territory and had to follow orders.
In short, they were simply unlucky.
With no right to refuse, they had been thrown into the pit of death.
Realizing the truth, Brian shook uncontrollably from emotions indescribable.
"Are you going to kill me too?"
He asked tentatively, sounding resigned.
"Why do you think that?"
"I have nothing left to tell you. There's no reason for you to keep me alive."
"…"
Sian silently stared at him, head bowed.
"Don't you resent me?"
"It was us who first tried to kill you. Do I have the right to resent?"
Sian smiled enigmatically.
"Not being needed and not being worth keeping alive are different things."
"Sir?"
"I'm not that kind of person."
Brian couldn't understand his words.
"Besides, you still have work to do for me."
"What work are you speaking of?"
Sian just jerked his head towards the carriage left alone next to the strewn bodies.
Despite some splatters of blood, the horses and the carriage were still in perfect condition.
"You drive a carriage quite well."
* * *
[What are you thinking?]
"What do you mean what? I can't walk all that distance on foot."
[Come on, are you keeping the power of that fancy god just to grind sesame seeds? You could use a carriage and move it with the help of ghosts. Why bother with such a guy?]
"Why bother advertising ghost carriages? Why not just declare that the appearance of the legacy of the mist god?"
[The merciful assassin arrives!]
Although Cayram jeered, she couldn't help but click her tongue.
Merciful, huh…
Not sure if that's what to call it.
It's sort of like the only one who survived among his companions is driving the cart of the enemy.
Honestly, sure, it might be shameful, but…
Well, I understand Cayram's question of why there was a need to spare him, but on the other hand, there was also no need to kill him.
If you're going back to face certain death, making good use of him could be beneficial, and maybe if he had something to live for, it would be a win-win, right?
I leaned out of the carriage window.
– Thump thump
His alert eyes and firm grip on the reins.
He maintained the right speed, seamlessly navigating obstacles.
Despite rough terrain, the carriage provided a very satisfying ride without jolting.
So much so that I even fell asleep for a while which says it all.
"…Huh!"
Brian turned around, startled by an unfamiliar presence, and saw me.
The sudden motion twisted the reins, rocking the carriage noticeably.
"Is, is there something you need?"
"Nothing. Focus on driving."
"Yes…"
Brian quickly corrected his posture and continued the journey.
"How old are you?"
"I, I am nineteen this year."
Nineteen. The same age as Emily.
"What makes you so good at managing horses? How did you become a formal knight?"
With an awkward scratch of his head, Brian cautiously answered.
"Truth to be told, I was just an apprentice knight. I used to do odd jobs around the territory. Due to the mass transfer of formal knights to other places, I simply got lucky and was appointed a knight."
"Formal knights were moved? Why?"
"I'm not quite sure, but since a year ago, There's been an increase in the number of nobles from the capital and other parts of the empire looking for personal guards. The pay's good, and the treatment is quite decent, so a lot of competent knights have already left, as I know."
Maybe because I've been on the front lines for so long, I hadn't heard about this?
Then again, the knights defending the front lines are mostly from the Order of Light, separate from the territory's knight orders, but this was an unexpected fact.
To think the frequency of looking for guards would've increased so much that even knights from the territories had been drawn out…
It seems something significant has occurred.
"So, you simply filled a headcount to become a knight?"
"Yes… being formally knighted isn't easy, and I thought I was just lucky. It was a rare opportunity, after all. Even after becoming a knight, the work I did remained the same…"
Yeah, I'd say you're lucky alright.
If you had been wearing armor instead of a coachman's uniform, you would have met the same fate.
As the silence lingered, the city's outline became visible within the vast wilderness.
"Sir, Safurn is in sight, my lord!"
Safurn, a mid-level city within the empire.
It might not be large, but it was known as a rather wealthy land within the empire.
As we slowed and reached the checkpoint, armed guards approached and blocked the carriage's path.
"Where do you hail from?"
"Uh, the thing is…"
Brian, sitting on the coachman's seat, was sweaty and unable to form a coherent sentence.
Any onlooker might think he was hiding corpses.
I stepped out of the carriage and showed the guards the Vert family crest.
"Sian Vert, the son of the Duke of Belias. I am on my way to Luwen for the Royal Academy."
After inspecting the crest, the guards began to scrutinize my attire.
Inspecting one's attire was a traditional method to verify status, and my crisp, flashy silver uniform did just that.
"Are you… traveling alone?"
"Just with one coachman and a guard."
The guards looked skeptically between me and Brian for about three seconds.
"Alright. We'll grant you permission to enter."
Once the guards completed the process, they cleared the way.
"I hate to give advice, but if you have the chance, it might be wise to hire a few guards in the city. The atmosphere of the empire is quite uneasy these days."
"Thanks for the advice. I'll think about it."
I climbed back into the carriage and entered Safurn.
"…"
As soon as we entered the city, I could feel a bleak atmosphere permeating the air.
A sense of caution, perhaps?
To confirm this, I saw many guard troops armed with swords and spears patrolling the streets.
This was certainly not the Safurn I knew from this era.
A feeling of unease told me that I might not just be passing through this city.
"Where should I go, my lord?"
"To an inn. Avoid the luxurious ones. Any place where we can leave the carriage will do."
"Understood."
For now, I decided to leave my things and explore slowly.