The soldiers guarding the city, noticing someone stepping forward, scrutinized Fars for a moment. Seeing that he bore no insignia of rank and lacked any noticeable aura of strength, they felt emboldened. Even if they knew that confronting them could be dangerous, they figured that it would be a shame to back down now, especially with a crowd gathering around the gate. If they showed fear, who would respect them in the future? With that thought, they ignored the fallen boy and surrounded Fars instead. The leader of the group pointed angrily at Fars, saying, "We caught this one sneaking around outside the gate. What's wrong with questioning him? But you, what are you hiding under that dark cloak? Brothers, let's take him in for questioning."
His words were not directed solely at Fars; he scanned the area, clearly trying to intimidate everyone present. The common folk rarely dared to confront soldiers, even if they were adventurers who didn't fear them. Typically, these soldiers wouldn't provoke those who looked tough; if they got beaten up, so be it. Today, however, they saw an easy target in the boy, who was dripping green blood from his bag. Having seen many adventurers carrying goblin heads in recent days, the soldiers recognized that the boy likely had something valuable inside.
If it weren't for their duty, they would have preferred to venture into the woods themselves. Since they had encountered someone they could bully, they thought that if he was smart enough to offer them something, they wouldn't have to make things difficult for him. But Linte had never faced such a situation before. He had hoped that these soldiers would protect him from the predatory gazes of other adventurers, only to find himself cornered instead. Having never seen even a few gold coins in his life, Linte was unwilling to give up the goblin heads he had collected through sheer luck. These soldiers were no better than thugs, especially the leader, who was using his connections to command his subordinates to rob the boy. As for the onlookers waiting for the gate to open, who among them was wealthy or powerful enough to challenge the soldiers?
Fars couldn't be bothered to lift a finger against them. With their skills, they dared to point weapons at him? He wouldn't even dirty his hands by killing them. Instead, he merely glanced at the arrogant soldier. To everyone's astonishment, frost began to creep up from the soldier's legs, and before he could shout for help, the ice enveloped him completely, freezing him in place.
The soldiers who had surrounded Fars finally realized what was happening and, terrified, tried to flee. But Fars's voice rang out sharply, "Open the gate."
The frightened soldiers dared not argue and obediently retreated into the small door, turning the crank behind the gate to open it ahead of schedule. The onlookers had seen similar situations before, but they had never witnessed anyone forcing the guards to open the gate early. When a significant figure arrived, they would immediately rise to open the gate, no matter the hour. Once they realized what was happening, Fars had already led the boy, Yuna, and Lilith through the entrance. As the gate opened, some people began to enter, and soon, a crowd followed suit. The guards knew they would face severe punishment for this negligence, likely losing their positions or spending years in prison. They could blame Fars for the incident, but the fact remained that they had opened the gate.
Fars had no interest in the fate of the guards. If they had the power to bully ordinary people, they should be prepared for the day someone bullied them in return. The city lord of Ironwood would surely send someone to investigate the matter, and many witnesses were present. However, having already used his identity as a mage in Nordan City, he had no qualms about doing so again in Ironwood. It wasn't a large city; a mage needing to enter early? Surely, a mere city lord couldn't punish him for that. In the Duchy of Tondun, this wouldn't even be a problem. Fars remained unfazed as he led the girls toward the inn where they were staying, making sure to keep an eye out for the boy he had encountered earlier.
Lilith had already woken up and curiously glanced at Linte, who seemed hesitant to speak. She asked, "Hey, why are you following us?"
Startled, Linte shivered and struggled to explain himself, but Fars came to his rescue, saying, "I didn't tell him to leave." After considering it, he added, "Kid, aren't you going home? Don't worry; this isn't your problem. I'll handle it."
Yuna had never seen Fars show such kindness to anyone before. Her impression of him had always been that of a cunning and somewhat malevolent person, with only occasional glimpses of warmth. Could this boy be his long-lost son? When she boldly suggested this idea, she received a sharp knock on the head.
Linte, feeling the gentleness emanating from Fars, began to relax. However, a hint of sadness slipped into his voice as he replied, "I don't have a home anymore. I've been living alone in Ironwood City for years. If you hadn't saved me, I might have ended up as food for the wild dogs outside the city."
"I don't have anything valuable to repay you, but please wait until morning. I'll sell the goblin heads in my bag for money and give it to you." Linte was not the type to accept favors without gratitude. Despite his young age, he understood the importance of being grateful. To him, offering the few coins he had earned was a significant sacrifice, but it was the only way he could feel at ease.
Fars could see that aside from the goblin heads in Linte's bag, the only thing of value he had was the steel fork. Knowing that the boy relied on those heads to survive, he appreciated the sentiment behind the offer. For Linte, those few coins represented a fortune, while for Fars, they were inconsequential. He didn't mind the boy's unkempt hair and instead ruffled his messy, straw-colored locks, leaving Linte with an exciting promise: "If you're willing to wander with me, once you receive your reward, buy yourself some new clothes and come find me at the largest inn ahead. Remember, my name is Fars de Hill."
With that, Linte was left in a state of excitement, unable to pull himself back to reality. Fars ignored Yuna's persistent questions and headed straight back to the inn. Upon encountering the innkeeper, who had opened early, Fars handed him a badge and instructed, "If the city's enforcement team comes looking for me, give them this to show the city lord. If a boy comes looking for me during the day, let him wait outside and prepare some food for him."
The innkeeper found the request odd but nodded in agreement. When he examined the badge in his hand, he nearly collapsed in shock. The badge of the New Moon of Ashaia—praise the gods! It was a symbol of a mage's identity. Could the guest who had just spoken to him be a distinguished mage? Suppressing his overwhelming emotions, the innkeeper trembled as he held the badge, unable to find his voice. Resolute, he decided to keep the badge close and fulfill the mage's request without question.
News of the gate being forced open quickly reached the constable. Without needing to inform the city lord, the constable immediately dispatched people to apprehend the audacious troublemaker who had threatened the guards. Fars's whereabouts were easy to track, and when the dispatched team arrived at the inn, the innkeeper nervously approached the leading knight, trembling as he presented the item and recounted Fars's instructions. He also reminded the knight that the person they were looking for was a distinguished mage.
The skeptical knight examined the badge closely, unable to determine its authenticity. Reluctantly, he ordered his men to retreat and decided to present the badge to the city lord.
The subsequent events unfolded smoothly. After the city lord's men verified the badge, they confirmed that it indeed belonged to a mage, and the incident was swept under the rug. The city lord even punished the negligent guards and sent gifts to the mage as an apology. Of course, the city lord would not personally visit a stranger mage passing through; if the mage refused to see him, it would be quite embarrassing.
"Teacher, that boy seems to have been waiting outside for a long time. Shouldn't we let him in?" Lilith whispered to Fars.
It was about time; Linte had likely been standing out there for quite a while. Fars nudged Yuna, who was leaning against him, to straighten her clothes and go invite the boy inside.
"Sit down. What's your name?" Fars asked, his tone not overly gentle. He had shown kindness earlier out of pity, but now that he had promised to take Linte under his wing, he needed to maintain a certain authority in front of his subordinates.
The boy was still a bit nervous and hesitant to sit down, especially with the two enchanting women standing beside the strikingly handsome man. However, he quickly answered Fars's question, "My name is Linte. I come from a poor family and don't have a surname."
"Oh, let me tell you, I'm a bloodline vampire, a wicked creature that feeds on human blood. Think carefully about whether you want to follow me. If you regret it now, I can erase this part of your memory." Fars didn't need to coax Linte like he did with Lilith; he was more than willing to be direct with a boy of such resolve.
This revelation startled Linte, but after a moment of contemplation, he realized this was his chance to change his fate. A vampire had saved him? With newfound determination, he replied, "Please accept me! I, Linte, am willing to offer my soul and serve you for eternity." He knelt on one knee, mimicking the way knights pledged their loyalty. Although his actions were somewhat comical, the conviction in his eyes moved Fars.
Waving for Linte to stand, Fars asked, "How old are you?"
"Fourteen," Linte quickly replied.
"Ah, just fourteen. Not bad; there's still potential for growth. With proper guidance, it wouldn't be too late to teach you some combat skills." Lilith, excited, rushed over to Fars, boasting, "He's younger than me! That makes me the big sister now!"