Chapter 5: Run!
"Lord, these mules are still alive—this is great news."
"The food and clothing are also undamaged, but the axle we just repaired seems to have broken again. I'll have Old John fix it right away..."
After inspecting the supplies they had left behind, Steward Ralph finally relaxed, a barely concealed smile on his lips.
Angela also let out a sigh of relief, occasionally casting curious glances at the little creature sleeping soundly in Matthew's arms.
"Much cuter than the Earl's most cherished summoned creature, the Wind Serpent King!"
"Ahem, forgive my disrespect."
Standing before the body, Matthew noticed at least three or four valuable magical items.
Whether kept for himself or sold through the right channels, they could significantly speed up the development of his territory.
However, Matthew didn't dare to touch them!
The hidden dangers of Luck +4 made Matthew too cautious to gamble!
So, he ignored the corpse and, to prevent others from getting any ideas, sternly instructed the still-shaken Angela:
"His death has nothing to do with us. No one is allowed to take anything from his body—let's not invite unnecessary trouble."
With the example of Luck 4 before him, Matthew was on high alert for the impending Misfortune 4. All he wanted was to safely reach his territory.
Angela nodded, still shaken, and warily scanned the members of the convoy.
She clearly remembered how some people's gazes turned odd when the Lord was forming a pact with the dragon whelp.
"I will become the Lord's sharpest sword and strongest shield, defending him from all dangers and malice, and annihilating all his enemies!"
This was Angela's vow and her unwavering belief!
Because everything she had was given to her by the Lord!
Matthew was naturally unaware of Angela's thoughts, and even if he knew, he had no time to discuss them with her.
He was now looking solemnly into the distance, at the billowing smoke and the ruins of Sweetwater Town, now a living hell, and said resolutely:
"Abandon the supplies; take only the mules. We must leave quickly—the black dragon could return at any moment!"
Steward Ralph nodded without hesitation and immediately began giving orders:
"Abandon the cargo in cart 3. Old John, replace the mules, let them rest for an hour, and then replace the weakest mule."
"Numbers 1 and 10, take up your weapons and shields, lead the way at the front of the convoy. The rest of the group from cart 3, take their positions..."
Watching the old steward expertly manage the situation, Matthew gently patted the little creature, nodding in approval.
He returned to the carriage, noticing that the little one hadn't caused any discomfort to the mules, immediately realizing it was the Time Dragon's doing.
"I hope the dragon is okay. If this Time Dragon really has the time, it would be the best support and ally I could ask for..."
Thinking this, Matthew looked at the increasingly distant Sweetwater Town, imagining the tens of thousands who had died without resistance or struggle.
Most of them probably didn't even know who killed them as death approached.
An indescribable sense of crisis and anger surged in his heart, only to be buried deep inside, waiting for time to ferment and strength to grow.
As the convoy passed by the ruins of Sweetwater Town, most of the others remained silent.
Seeing the broken walls, the crumbling buildings, and the charred bones scattered around, it was hard not to feel a chilling fear.
Glancing warily at the ruins, Matthew frowned in suspicion, vaguely sensing some dangerous eyes watching.
There shouldn't be any life left in the ruins after the black dragon's corrosive breath!
But whatever it was, Matthew had no desire to provoke it. He had no interest in the remains of Sweetwater Town either.
The crisis in the back of his mind urged him to leave quickly, to run!
Matthew acted as if nothing had happened, suppressing the sense of danger, as he gently stroked the staff made from fire dragon wood.
This was a gift from his father, Count André, when he was six years old as a reward for becoming an arcanist.
Spell enhancement +1, daily casts of Fireball 3/3!
It should have been just a childhood toy for Matthew Serre, a keepsake like a stuffed panda, but now it was the only magical item he had.
The soft golden sunlight fell on Matthew's face, but the long-lost warmth brought him no comfort, failing to dispel the coldness in his heart.
The ruins of Sweetwater Town gradually receded, until they disappeared beyond the horizon.
Not long after the convoy left, a twisted spatial ripple appeared in the smoke-shrouded ruins of Sweetwater Town.
The inexplicable pressure seemed to have vanished.
Everyone felt an unexplainable relief, and the thoughts and words they had been holding in began to come out in light banter and conversation.
In no time, the convoy was filled with the sound of quiet discussions.
Smiles gradually appeared on everyone's faces, and they occasionally glanced at the little creature in the Lord's arms.
"The stronger the Lord becomes, the safer we are!"
"You're right, as long as we follow the Lord, our future will be bright."
"When the Lord's dragon grows up, it will protect us and our descendants for hundreds of years. Who knows, we might even be able to expand our territory, and we could become knights ourselves..."
"Hey, you're dreaming! You think you could become a knight with that attitude?"
"Why not? When our Lord becomes a Duke, a merciful lord like him won't forget my contributions..."
"That little dragon seems to have grown a bit bigger. It's growing so fast..."
"That's a legendary dragon after all. Most people won't see one in their entire life, let alone get this close..."
"Come to think of it, thank goodness the Lord didn't rush into Sweetwater Town, otherwise..."
"Do you think we can boast about surviving a black dragon attack to others later?"
"Haha, good point!"
"..."
All sorts of quiet voices reached Matthew's ears, and his vision was getting sharper, his body and strength gradually increasing.
Whether this sudden change had just begun or had been happening all along, only now accumulating to a noticeable level, Matthew didn't know.
Matthew even felt that with each breath, his body became stronger than before, and so did the little one in his arms.
Matthew unconsciously became immersed in the feeling, unaware of the passing time.
His contemplative expression caught Angela's eye, and to her, it appeared incredibly charming.
The sun was setting, the distant sky painted with red clouds.
The dark green Misty Swamp gradually began to stir.
The road beyond Sweetwater Town, due to a lack of regular maintenance, became increasingly difficult to traverse.
Fortunately, after surviving the black dragon's attack, everyone was more resilient to such things.
Having crossed the threshold between life and death, these minor issues seemed insignificant.
Steward Ralph hesitated, licking his lips, before carefully studying the map. The wrinkles on his forehead deepened as he seemed to make up his mind, gently tapping the map with his finger.
Then, Ralph put the map away and quickly walked over to Matthew, reluctantly interrupting the Lord's thoughts:
"Lord, our original plan was to rest for the night in Sweetwater Town and get through tonight's Scarlet Moon..."
"At our current pace, we will reach a military outpost in about 30 minutes, around 5 PM."
"Normally, a 10-man garrison would be stationed there, and under normal circumstances, we could rely on the outpost's tower and walls to safely get through the Scarlet Moon."
"However, if there are too many mutated creatures in the wild, there's a risk of the entire outpost being overrun..."
"If we only rest for half an hour at the outpost, we could reach the territory around 9 PM."
"But before that, we would have to endure two hours under the Scarlet Moon's light, a very dangerous time..."
Matthew snapped out of his thoughts, focusing on Ralph's hesitant face, and saw the familiar blue light flash in his vision once again.
He expected another fate choice, but it was something entirely different!
Instead, the long-lost character attribute panel appeared.
Just a glance was enough to make Matthew's eyes widen in disbelief as he exclaimed:
"What the hell? Are these the stats of a 1st-level arcanist?"
Second chapter of the day.
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