Translator: Cinder Translations
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Hydra is a large city located in the northeast of the Duchy of Eaton and serves as the capital of the duchy. Eaton is a member of the New Faith Army. After the outbreak of war, although the Duchy of Eaton does not share a direct border with the territories of the church, it was one of the first countries to start supporting the Horn Bay Alliance, quickly dispatching a military force to the border to join them.
However, after the church-led crusaders launched a large-scale flanking attack by occupying several neutral small countries in northern Horn Bay, the military forces of the Duchy of Eaton, already weak, immediately fell into a dangerous predicament.
Not long ago, terrible news arrived that the crusaders had captured Mata—the most important fortified town in the northern part of the duchy—opening the gates to Hydra.
It's easy to imagine that the crusaders are now marching steadily towards Hydra.
The entire city of Hydra has fallen into chaos, with various credible and incredible rumors spreading through the streets. Some say the crusaders committed a massacre in Mata and its surroundings, while others claim that the crusaders only arrest Protestants and leave those who still wish to follow the church unharmed. There are also reports that the crusaders suffered heavy losses from a series of sieges and have begun to retreat.
With rumors flying and public sentiment in turmoil, many people are preparing to flee the city with their families to escape the disaster of war. The streets are filled with speeding carriages and pedestrians carrying bundles.
"Ah—ah—!"
A young mother kneeling on the ground screamed in terror, tightly holding a crying baby in her arms. In front of her, a black carriage was speeding toward them.
Just moments ago, she had fallen into the street while trying to dodge another carriage. The baby she was holding rolled onto the road, and without a second thought, she lunged to pick up her child. However, new danger approached in an instant.
The carriage raced toward her, leaving the young mother's mind blank. She could not react, seemingly giving up hope—or perhaps she did not have time to weigh the decision of whether to give up on survival, instinctively closing her eyes tightly and letting out an uncontrollable scream.
But all she heard was a loud crash, and the gruesome scene that should have unfolded did not occur.
The young mother, trembling, opened her eyes to reveal a horrifying sight.
Two black stallions—each taller than a person—were lying on the road, twisting their bodies and emitting pained whinnies. They struggled, trying to rise from the ground, but it was in vain; although their forelimbs were unharmed, their hind legs were bloodied and mangled.
A thick, long iron chain was wrapped around the horses and the carriage, which then fell to the ground with a clatter.
The people nearby, realizing what had just happened, saw that just as the horses' hooves were about to trample the unfortunate woman's frail body, the thick iron chain suddenly appeared, wrapping around the carriage and horses like a giant black python. The horse pulling the carriage was forcibly halted, and the carriage, due to inertia, crashed into the back of the horse—poor creature.
Standing at the side and rear of the carriage was a muscular man, towering over two meters tall, dressed only in gray-green linen pants, with his upper body bare. His brown skin was covered in intricate tattoos, and what stood out most were his broad shoulders and powerful muscles; his arms were thicker than an adult's thighs, and his exaggerated figure made him appear like an inverted triangle.
The iron chain resembling a black serpent came from this giant, who held the end of the chain with both hands, his face expressionless.
For the woman who had just escaped danger, the giant's presence seemed even more intimidating than the carriage that had nearly rolled over her. She hurriedly got up from the ground, trembling as she stammered a "thank you," without even bothering to brush off the dirt on her clothes before running away with her child.
The giant said nothing, shaking the chain with one hand. The chain, which had been wrapped around the carriage, returned to him as if it had a life of its own, then coiling around his body, giving him the appearance of wearing iron armor from a distance.
Beside the giant stood a young man with black hair, who smiled and clapped his hands. "You're still as charitable as ever, Xita!"
The man named Xita replied, "Helping the weak is a virtue."
"Haha," Nathan shook his shoulders.
Over by the carriage, the coachman was unconscious, and a series of loud banging noises came from inside the carriage. Moments later, the door to the carriage was flung open with a bang.
A middle-aged man dressed in luxurious attire and styled like a noble leaned out, though he looked somewhat disheveled, with blood seeping from his forehead and a large bruise on the left side of his face.
"Who! Who did this?"
He shouted angrily, his voice hoarse as he demanded answers from those around him.
The giant who saved the woman and the young man beside him had long vanished.
The Gray Bear Inn is famous within the city of Hydra for its unique architectural and decorative style. The architecture of the Horn Bay region is known for its exquisite elegance and vibrant colors, primarily using high-quality timber or fine red bricks. Naturally, the taverns here follow suit. However, this Gray Bear Inn, standing in the commercial area of Hydra, resembles a giant stone block placed in a garden, built entirely from massive blocks of gray rock hewn from the mountain.
The entire building is three stories high. The first floor provides meals, functioning as both a tavern and a restaurant, while the second and third floors offer lodging services. The roof of this building is not pointed like other Horn Bay buildings; instead, it features a flat roof, and what's even stranger is that the surrounding area of the roof is constructed with battlements, giving the Gray Bear Inn the appearance of a fortress.
Merchants and travelers are not particularly fond of this inn, but it is very popular among adventurers and mercenaries, who believe this building helps keep their minds alert and avoid the temptation of the luxurious lifestyle of Horn Bay—sleeping inside feels right, as a real man should stay in such an inn.
Because of this, after war broke out in Horn Bay and other inns suffered declining business due to merchants and tourists fleeing for safety, the Gray Bear Inn thrived, filled with mercenaries and adventurers drawn by the smell of blood.
However, no one would expect that the Gray Bear Tavern is one of the secret bases of a certain mage organization in Horn Bay.
"Sigh, what a bunch of useless fools," Edward complained to a red-haired woman in a room located in the southeast corner of the third floor.
The current situation left him feeling very frustrated, truly disappointing his efforts.
(End of the Chapter)
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