Baron Sirdis didn't have much choice, so he naturally boarded Linton's carriage. It was clear that the shabby state of the carriage made Baron Sirdis feel a bit uneasy. He had no idea about Linton's current situation, nor did he know that the carriage was borrowed. All he knew was that it was quite strange for a ranked mage to be riding in such a rundown vehicle.
However, Baron Sirdis didn't say much. His men had already gone after the previous carriage, but with the horses frightened, who knew how far they would run or if they would even be able to catch up? Sirdis didn't have much hope, so for now, he decided to go along with Linton.
And so, the group resumed their journey. This time, because there were more walking guards around them, their speed slowed down a bit. Still, they were expected to reach their destination by the next day.
Inside the carriage, Eck was still in shock. He could hardly believe his eyes—Linton knew magic? And he had managed to fend off several powerful warriors? This had to be a joke. Not long ago, Linton had been challenging Kiola, a thug who couldn't even use battle aura, and had lost. How had he suddenly turned into a grand mage?
Eck was so shocked that he forgot about the presence of Baron Sirdis, a true noble with actual authority. In the past, Eck would have been so terrified just seeing Baron Sirdis that he would have jumped out of the carriage to walk instead. But now, he had completely forgotten about that.
Of course, Linton didn't want Eck to leave. After all, he didn't fully understand his own situation, and he needed Eck, who was more familiar with the circumstances. Thankfully, Baron Sirdis didn't know Linton well either. Otherwise, Linton might have been exposed right there, and he wouldn't have known how to handle it.
Naturally, the two of them didn't just sit in silence. Soon, the conversation turned to the topic of the assassins. Linton took the opportunity to recount the recent assassination attempt he had experienced.
"What? Nephew, you were also attacked by assassins?" Baron Sirdis was shocked.
"Yeah, just two days ago," Linton replied. "I barely escaped."
"Was it the same group of people?" asked Baron Sirdis.
"I suspect it might be. The person who tried to kill me also used battle aura, so they weren't just ordinary thieves," Linton said. "Plus, I've heard that not long ago, my second brother was assassinated as well."
"What? Landner?!" Baron Sirdis was even more surprised. "What happened?"
"I don't know the full details. Clearly, my older brother hasn't made this public. I only heard about it," Linton explained. "That's part of why I'm heading to ask more about it."
"I see. I hadn't heard anything about this," Baron Sirdis said with a nod. "It seems like someone might be targeting the nobles in the southwest. Even I was attacked… This is no ordinary situation."
"Since I've been targeted, I want to know who's behind it. Uncle, do you have any leads?" Linton asked.
"To be honest, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head," replied Baron Sirdis. "Who would target me? Whoever could afford to hire a mage certainly isn't just anyone. What would they gain by having me killed?"
"I... have a suspect," Linton suddenly said.
"Who?" Baron Sirdis asked immediately.
"My older brother," Linton said, shrugging. "Look at the people who've been targeted—my second brother, me. We all pose a threat to his inheritance. As for you, Uncle, maybe my brother is eyeing your lands and wants to take them."
"Don't talk nonsense!" Baron Sirdis said sternly. "Your brother, Jorabo, isn't that kind of person. I watched him grow up—he's not capable of something like that. He even fought alongside your father and me on the battlefield. He would never do such a thing."
"Is that so?" Linton nodded slightly. To be honest, he was just speculating. However, Eck, who was sitting nearby, was sweating bullets. How could Linton dare to speak ill of the current Baron Melovey? If word of this reached him, who knew what might happen? This was dangerous talk.
"Frankly, your brother isn't the type to come up with such a scheme. Back when we fought together, I could tell that he was more of a brute—good for charging into battle, but not for plotting," Baron Sirdis added, seeing that Linton still seemed suspicious. It was clear that Baron Sirdis genuinely cared for Linton and his brothers. As a close friend of their father, he didn't want to see them at odds. Though noble families were often devoid of affection, Baron Sirdis truly hoped to avoid such conflict.
"Oh... I see," Linton replied. He really didn't know much about his older brother, but from the sound of it, it didn't seem like it was him. "Still, something doesn't add up. What about the Temlin family, the one my brother's marrying into? Could they be involved?"
"Them?" Baron Sirdis looked puzzled.
"Well, their territory is nearby, right? Maybe they have their eyes on your lands too. If they assassinate members of our family, they can inherit our land. Then, by killing you, they could take advantage of the chaos in your territory and invade, eventually uniting all three baronies," Linton suggested.
"That…" Baron Sirdis seemed to be seriously considering Linton's theory. It wasn't impossible, after all. "The Temlin family... I don't know much about them, but their head, Johan Temlin, is a sly fox. Not easy to deal with."
After pondering for a moment, Baron Sirdis said, "What you're saying isn't out of the realm of possibility. I'll talk to your brother and warn him to be cautious."
"Uncle, you're the one who should be careful," Linton advised. "They're clearly targeting you. If my brother is involved, you need to be on guard in the city. If anything happens, you can always come to me."
"I told you, stop suspecting your brother!" Baron Sirdis said, a bit exasperated. It was obvious that Linton was sharp and quick to think things through, but for some reason, he seemed deeply mistrustful of his older brother. Sirdis, as a close friend of their father, didn't want to see the brothers torn apart by suspicion.
The two men shifted the conversation to other topics. It seemed that Baron Sirdis, perhaps because of his age, enjoyed reminiscing about his youth. He recounted many stories from his days on the battlefield alongside Linton's father.
Linton listened attentively for most of the conversation. After all, there was a lot about his own identity that he still didn't know, and learning more about his father was certainly useful. From what he gathered, his father and Baron Sirdis had both served as squires to the head of the Raiden family during their early years, which eventually led to their rise in status.
The Raiden family was now one of the most powerful families in the empire, and both the Melovey and Sirdis families were considered part of their faction. However, the knight they had once served was long dead, and the current head of the Raiden family, Lorris Raiden, was now the marshal of the empire. Though they still bore the Raiden family's mark, the relationship had grown more distant.
As they continued talking, nightfall approached. There were no streetlights along the road, and with the poor road conditions, they had no choice but to camp for the night. After all, if the carriage overturned in the dark, it could be disastrous. Everyone was on high alert, unsure if the assassins might return.
The soldiers took turns standing watch in pairs, but thankfully, the night passed without incident. Baron Sirdis didn't sleep well, as he felt unsafe in the wilderness, but Linton slept soundly. After all, he knew that if anything happened while he slept, his automatic battle system would activate, so he had nothing to fear.
The next day, the group quickened their pace. Even Baron Sirdis spoke less, as the tension made everyone feel somewhat exhausted. Still, the journey was uneventful, and by the afternoon, they safely arrived at the city of Degarnor.
Degarnor City was far grander than the small town where Linton had been staying. The massive city walls and the towering castle on the hill within the city were truly awe-inspiring. For Radnor and Zag, who had never left their hometown, the sight of the large city left them speechless.
Linton, too, was deeply impressed, though he couldn't show it. After all, his character was supposed to have been born in this city and had lived here until his father's death earlier that year. He couldn't exactly act like this was his first time seeing it. Baron Sirdis and the others were watching him closely.
Naturally, they didn't have time to tour the city. Baron Sirdis sent someone ahead to announce their arrival, while the rest of the group slowly made their way toward the castle.
In the city of Digarno, there is a small hill, and atop it stands a magnificent castle. This enormous castle is the residence of the Meloway family. The castle is quite famous and even has a nickname, "Fang Castle." As for why it's called that, Linton isn't quite sure. The castle wasn't originally built by the Meloway family; it was already there, and they simply renovated it.
The carriage slowly arrived at the base of Fang Castle, and when Linton and the others got out, there were already people waiting at the door. Among them, Linton noticed several people with black hair. Judging by their appearance, these were likely his relatives. Naturally, they were quite surprised to see Linton, especially since they hadn't expected him to arrive with Baron Sothers.
(End of chapter)