Yuder had deliberately concealed his true intentions. His primary goal was to track down any trace of Devran Hartude, but to do that, he needed to meet the Lord of the village. This question would also serve to confirm whether the bandit's information was reliable.
As expected, the guards' expressions darkened immediately, confirming that Yuder's suspicions were correct.
"You must have come from quite far and not heard the news yet. Our Lord passed away in an accident a few days ago,"
"Is that so? Then, who is currently overseeing the village?"
"Lady Sabelrina, the Lord's eldest daughter, and her husband, Sir Ryel, also met with misfortune on the same day..." The guard trailed off grimly. "At present, the youngest son, Lord Zakail, is handling the funeral arrangements and the aftermath."
"In that case, I'll need to meet him."
"Yes, of course. Today is actually the last day of the funeral. All the villagers are completing the rites at the back of the mountain. You'll find them there. But before you proceed, all outsiders are required to leave their horses at the stables. Please hand over your reins."
The guard returned Yuder's identification, watching him closely with suspicion. Yuder pocketed his ID without a word.
He observed as Gakane and Jimmy handed over their reins to the guards. Then, Yuder carefully opened the small birdcage that hung from his saddle.
The bandit leader's eyes were on him, his curiosity piqued as Yuder retrieved a small bird and perched it on his shoulder. Yuder ignored the man's gaze and swiftly conjured a dust storm. The gritty wind kicked up dirt, causing the guards to shield their faces in alarm.
"Damn it, what's going on?"
Taking advantage when the guards covered their faces, Yuder released the messenger bird. It was trained to fly around for a day without carrying a letter and would return once Yuder called it back.
'They'll figure out I had a messenger bird eventually, but for now, it can't be helped,'
As they passed the guard post and entered the outskirts of the village, Yuder's nostrils filled with the acrid smell of burnt wood.
He picked up a stick from the ground and lit it. Although he could easily summon fire with magic, using a torch would draw less attention if they encountered anyone.
Under the flickering light, the charred ground and scorched plants confirmed the rumors: half the village had indeed been set on fire.
"Is that the castle over there?" Jimmy whispered to Yuder, his voice laced with anxiety. He pointed at a dark structure in the distance. Though it wasn't large, its looming silhouette in the night was undeniably a castle. The sight of its excessively dark silhouette in the night provoked an eerie sensation.
"There's no one left in the village. Everyone must have gone to the back of the mountain," Gakane murmured, his eyes scanning the desolate surroundings.
"That looks like a cornfield over there… but it's completely burnt," Jimmy added, his gaze fixed on the blackened field. "It's harvest season too…"
Yuder glanced at the bandit leader, who was walking quietly at his side, still dressed in the uniform.
"How long do you intend to keep up this charade?"
"Isn't it strange if I'm the only one dressed differently? I know it's uncomfortable, but keeping up this guise helps reduce the suspicion and wariness that might otherwise be directed at you all," the bandit leader calmly retorted in response to Yuder's question. He certainly had a way with words.
"If you're so considerate, why not tell us your name?"
"You're asking that now?"
As if he had been expecting the question. His gaze settled on Yuder's face.
"Nahan."
Whether it was his real name or an alias, Yuder couldn't be sure. But he decided to include it in his report to Kishiar later.
They continued walking deeper into the village. What should have been a lively settlement was desolate, with no one in sight. Despite the territory being large, the inhabited area was quite small.
As they passed a charred windmill and drew closer to the castle, the acrid smell of burning grew stronger. The road was strewn with black ash, and the fields, still scorched from the fire, had yet to be cleared.
"With damage this severe... I imagine there were many casualties," Gakane muttered, glancing around at the devastation.
"There were hardly any, aside from the Lord and his wife, who perished in the castle. No one outside the castle was harmed," Nahan answered promptly, causing Jimmy to shoot him a suspicious look.
"How do you know that so well?"
"With my ability, it's not difficult to slip into the castle and overhear the talk among the servants."
Nahan's power, an illusion that allowed him to mimic someone else's appearance perfectly, would indeed make it easy for him to blend in unnoticed. Yuder began piecing together how Nahan might have obtained his information.
'So despite having that kind of ability, he couldn't locate his missing comrade or Devran. Strange.'
Why would a noble go to such lengths to keep a few commoner prisoners hidden? The situation struck Yuder as odd, but he was beginning to understand why Nahan was so invested. In his place, Yuder might have done the same. He glanced at Nahan, who seemed lost in thought.
"How long can you maintain your illusion?"
"I'd prefer to keep that a secret… but it's not as short as you might be worried about. I can hold it for a few days, as long as I don't overexert myself."
At the mention of "days," Gakane's expression shifted slightly. He, too, could sustain his shadow clone ability for extended periods, but illusions were trickier to maintain than simple clones. It was unsettling to see a former bandit wield such impressive skills.
"Who goes there!"
Just as Yuder was about to ask Nahan something else, someone shouted with a full measure of wariness.
In the darkness ahead, a few men dressed in guard uniforms with black cloaks for formal occasions staggered forward. They moved cautiously, their hands resting on their sword hilts, but paused in surprise when they saw Yuder and his group's uniforms.
"That uniform... Could it be...?" the younger guard blurted, unable to hide his shock.
"Heng, shut up! Identify yourselves!" snapped an older man with a white beard, whose surprised expression couldn't be hidden, His uniform was more ornate than the others, and a shield-shaped badge on his chest indicated a higher rank.
Yuder stepped forward, his posture firm. "We are from the capital, acting under the orders of His Excellency, Duke Peletta. I am Yuder Aile, from the Cavalry. Am I speaking to the captain of the Hartan guard?"
Upon hearing the mention of the capital and Duke Peletta, the guards stiffened as one.
"Indeed, I am Eclen Bukan, captain of the guards," the older man confirmed. "If you're here on the Duke's orders, have you come to meet our Lord?"
Despite learning they were sent by the Duke, the guard captain's tone remained sharp, his demeanor unyielding.
"Yes. But we were informed at the entrance that, unfortunately, your Lord has passed away. Please accept our condolences."
Though Yuder's voice was cool and emotionless, his courtesy was impeccable. After serving as the Cavalry commander for so long, this level of etiquette came to him as naturally as breathing.
"Spare me the empty pleasantries. What's your business here?"
"We were told that Lord Zakail is currently in charge. We wish to meet him,"
"He is occupied," Eclen said curtly. "You can wait in the castle. I'll inform him that you've arrived."
"Understood."
"Heng! Escort them to the castle. The steward will take over from there."
Eclen, finding the conversation increasingly tiresome, barked at a younger guard. The guard, wearing a reluctant expression, muttered a few unintelligible words in an Eastern dialect and gestured vaguely toward Yuder and his group.
"Follow me,"
Their poor treatment continued when they reached the castle. The elderly steward, after hearing the young guard's explanation, glanced skeptically between the charred castle gate and Yuder's face. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly before leading them to a dark, worn-out room with no place to sit.
"Please wait here."
"Wait here? Really?" Gakane, who had been silently following until now, finally spoke up, unable to hide his disapproval. It seemed absurd to be asked to wait in a room that resembled a storage closet, especially so late at night.
"It's the only room left intact that's suitable. My apologies for not being able to offer better accommodations to visitors from so far away," the steward said, his apology lacking any sincerity. Without waiting for a response, he quickly shut the door, leaving behind a small lantern.
"This is outrageous. Such blatant disrespect, No one even mentioned Devran, despite knowing who we are."
"And the guard who escorted us was openly hostile,"
"Hostile? When?"
"You wouldn't have noticed. He was speaking in an Eastern dialect," Jimmy replied with a resigned look, prompting Gakane to let out a short, bitter laugh.
"So, is all this tied to Devran's disappearance… Yuder, are we really just going to sit here and wait?"
"For now," Yuder answered quietly, his eyes scanning the room.
The damp, dark space reeked of rotting old boxes, and there wasn't even a proper lamp. A single tiny window allowed a faint draft of air in, but the room was otherwise oppressive.
"Well... standing around will just wear us out. Let's sit and wait,"