Chapter 107[Guy's POV]
Farrowgate had changed. I could scarcely believe just how drastically an entire town could divide itself and flip its beliefs in such a short amount of time.
Granted, I wasn't exactly free of guilt in that regard either. I was only in Farrowgate due to a sense of duty to the people there. The same was true of my brethren. We were there as protectors of the weak, and how were we repaid?
The citizens formed a night watch specifically to keep an eye on us, supposedly to “maintain security from within.”
I knew from the start what they really meant, but I figured we could leave them be so long as they weren't hurting anyone or inciting the townspeople. But then Dinu disappeared.
Our kind can survive in direct sunlight so long as we are not blood-starved, but there is one way to reverse that resistance.
We can survive intense wounds, but losing our fangs is akin to cutting the carotid artery. We bleed out, and all our stored blood rushes to replace what has been lost, causing an endless cycle until we are completely dried out. Once that has happened, our resistance leaves us, and the sun can reduce us to ash.
It's a horrifically painful experience, and a taboo among our kind. For generations, we worked to keep the weakness a secret, and the rulers of Soleo had assisted in removing any record that referenced de-fanging.
We don't even use it against the feral members of our race. So, who would know how to do such a thing?
Those who fight vampires, those with knowledge of the forbidden, and other natural-born vampires.
There is the chance that whoever did it had simply been a barbarous person attempting to harm Dinu in whatever way they could think of, but none of us believed that to be the case. After all, for Dinu to be strapped to the wheel and exposed to the sun in a weakened state, he would first need to be subdued.
Someone must have taken him out without alerting anyone in the middle of the night. Anybody capable of that wouldn't be thoughtlessly torturing a vampire on a quiet night. They knew what they were doing.
And most likely, they were in a group. A group large enough to quickly overwhelm Dinu, then keep the whole incident quiet afterwards.
We no longer knew who to trust, and although Kenneth Faelora denied involvement, he had been anything but silent ever since we confronted him. Each day, he cried out against us, and each day his following grew.
Emily, one of the few humans still friendly towards us, had not been seen since she left Dinu and me together that night. I wasn't sure if she was avoiding me or if things had just become too dangerous for her to go out alone.
“Chin up, kid. Once your old man gets here, things will brighten up.”
The man who spoke thumped me roughly on the back.
“I'm not so sure… Won't that just make everything worse?”
“Maybe at first. But I've worked with your dad before, kid. He'll clean things up one way or another.”
The knight, Sir Connor, smiled at me.
I'm sure he was trying to reassure me, but honestly, his words made me uneasy.
What did he mean by “one way or another”? The implication was concerning.
We were meant to be guardians, surely my father would not suppress them with force when there were real enemies to deal with? Even if I resented them for what happened to Dinu, was it really okay to use force to make the humans behave?
I just didn't know what to think anymore. I had begun to feel like we were destroying each other more effectively than the empire ever could. Naturally, many had already concluded the friction was all the empire’s fault, but with no proof of their meddling, how long would that belief last?
“Hey, kid, why don't you just make a run for it?”
Sir Connor leaned in and whispered conspiratorially.
“My daughter was a part of that group that was escorted out of Borderton. I bet they're already out of Lion's Maw by now. If you ran, you could catch up. It'd put my mind at ease knowing you were there to look out for her.”
The knight had always been like this. Light hearted and friendly towards Oliver and I. I knew he was capable, but he just didn't give off the impression of a Solean knight.
“Take that mopey kid with you, too, while you're at it. Being in this town isn't doing his mind any good if you ask me.”
“Sorry, Sir Connor. I can't just leave…”
I rejected him and prepared to explain myself.
But that explanation never came. I could only trail off uselessly.
“Is it because of your friends on the other side? You keep warning the others about them in every meeting.”
Sir Connor yawned casually.
“It's not good for friends to fight, you know? You might think you can save them or whatever, and they might think the same. But at the end of the day, you're all fighting for different reasons, right? If nobody backs down, you'll kill each other eventually.”
“Yeah… I know. But, I won't sleep right if I don't at least try. Axel might be beyond hope, but Rex might be willing to listen. Or at least…”
Convince me I'm wrong.
I couldn't say the words. I wanted to hit myself for even thinking of them. I hated how brutal and heartless his methods were, but I couldn't deny the pragmatism that always motivated them.
Just looking at the state of the Verdant Divide was enough to prove his dishonourable actions yielded positive results. Thanks to him, the tribes united under one banner and went on to take control of far more than we were ever tasked with managing.
I couldn't stomach speaking to him back in the library, due to the putrid stench of death that engulfed him. It was on his breath and absorbed into his pores. That could not have happened under normal circumstances, meaning he must have been particularly savage, maybe even cannibalistic.
But now that I had time to think and be exposed to such smells every day, I had reconsidered. Rex's fighting style forced him to fight like an animal to be effective. It's not unreasonable for a wild dog to emit a similar stench after feeding on its prey, but I wouldn't hate the dog for it. Maybe, whatever savagery he exhibited in Borderton was also justified. Maybe there was a reason for it.
“He's a strange one, isn't he?”
Sir Connor, possibly seeing the conflict on my face, spoke with a hint of admiration.
“I'm a bit sad he hasn't tried to send through any letters. We may be on opposing sides, but I still hope he's doing well.”
“W-wait, you know Rex?”
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“Hm? Oh, did I not mention it? I worked with him on that whole Black Dael Banshee issue. Still can't believe he killed that demonkin. Or how he survived alone against that hag for so long.”
He laughed as he reminisced, oblivious to how baffled I was.
Rex never really talked much about his accomplishments. I knew he helped defeat the Black Dael Banshee and even claimed the bounty on her. But I didn't know he fought a demonkin and challenged the Banshee alone.
“How much do you know about that mission?”
Curiosity got the better of me.
“Pretty much everything, really. I had to submit my own report, so there was some back and forth between Sir Falk and me as we helped each other hash out the details.”
“Could you tell me about it?”
“I suppose. Doesn't seem like our imperial friends are coming today anyway.”
We chatted leisurely as we patrolled the noble district. After hearing everything about the mission itself, Sir Connor began to vent his frustrations about our current situation.
“Rex and I both knew something fishy was going on, you know? But gods, who would have thought our King would declare war so suddenly?”
Admittedly, it wasn't a topic we should have been gossiping about. But Sir Connor had this affable energy that disarmed me without me realising it. It felt like I was back in class, gossiping with my classmates about the cute teacher's assistant.
“How do you think this will end? Honestly, I mean. Can we win?”
I asked bluntly.
“Win?”
Sir Connor frowned and shook his head.
“We can only hold out. The terrain is to our advantage, but an overall victory is impossible. Our best hope is to dig in, survive, and wait until the brass comes to an agreement. What we're looking for is a truce. Nothing more.”
He looked around cautiously before continuing.
“Problem is, we still don't know what caused all this. If the King wants something in particular, then we're in for a troublesome time. I don't see the empire handing over whatever it is he wants after already defeating him in Borderton.”
“You don't think we can take Borderton when my father arrives?”
“Hmm… Hard to say. Klaus Esienruf is bad enough, but they've got Draven Pancia, too. Those two are absolute nightmares on their own, and we still aren't even sure who their commander is. Anyway, I think we're much safer here. The defences in Borderton aren't great, and our supply line would have to travel right past the Verdant Divide. Goblins would probably raid us again with even greater strength, then we'd just end up abandoning the town anyway.”
“But… With the way things are now…”
“We're screwed.”
Sir Connor shrugged.
“How can you say it so casually?”
“Because it's the truth, kid. Our heavy hitters are being ostracised by the bulk of our forces, while the empire remains united against us.”
“Why don't you leave, then? If things are so hopeless, just run away!”
“Whoa there, take a breath. I'm just speaking my mind here. If you want to hold out hope that we come out on top, go right ahead. Maybe Leonidas will return and charge right through their ranks.”
He let me simmer as those words sank in.
“...Damnit, it's really hopeless, isn't it?”
Finally, I faced reality.
“Yep. Hey, I swore an oath, so I'm stuck here. But you're a volunteer. Seriously, just go. There's no point in torturing yourself like the gloomy kid.”
“Not yet.”
“Looks like we're going in circles. Hey, why not speak to the oracle?”
“Who?”
“You haven't heard? Oh, right, you're being excluded… Sorry.”
He awkwardly looked away.
“The oracle is this kid who popped up not long after Klaus was here. She's been prophesising all sorts of events that have come true. Some are even saying she was sent by the god Aelthara himself to guide us in place of the King.”
“That's… Insane, right? We can't let them undermine His Majesty, can we?”
“Why not? The gods come before our monarchs, right? If she really is one of the chosen, then she has the right to speak her truth. Besides, she is helping keep things relatively stable around here. I reckon if we suppressed her, there would be riots in the street.”
“Do you believe she's legitimate?”
“I hope so. She said my daughter would make it home safely after all.”
It was worth considering. If even a knight like Sir Connor had faith in this person, maybe I should try to get some answers from her. Besides, it's not like foresight is an unheard-of ability.
“Where can I find her?”
I made up my mind.
***
[Rex’s POV]
Once again, I strode through the forest in calm silence. But unlike the last time, I did not have Lily’s incessant jabbering beamed directly into my brain.
The trade-off, however, had me lamenting the absence of my devilish friend.
A silent pressure bore down on Bubblin and I from our rear, almost as if our heads were already laying on the chopping block, and we were just waiting for judgment.
The cause of this was the cloaked, masked figure. Her piercing violet eyes were assessing our every action.
“Your pace increased. Slow down.”
She spoke quietly, but the authority was no less present than if she had been barking orders as usual.
Why was Alma Drachenskrone following along in such attire? Why was she not leading the army of 500 as they approached Farrowgate?
Great questions. I wish I knew the answers.
She had shown up in my room, already in disguise, and informed me that she would be travelling incognito as Lily's replacement. When asked why, she said not to question my superior and threatened to demote me.
Bubblin, bless his soul, remained unaware of her true identity even as we travelled together. Still, he seemed to instinctively understand that he should show respect to her. And so, he ignored her completely out of fear of saying something wrong.
For a goblin, this was an incredibly intelligent approach, and one I tried to emulate.
Still, I found myself doubting every step as those eyes burned holes into the back of my head.
"Kiriri!"
The sun began to fade, and Pyressa, the bat I had named only recently, emerged to fly alongside me.
Besides her, I also had Noodle, the marrowthief, still attached to my wrist and entirely unbothered by my erratic movements.
Soot remained with Bubblin, and Tiara was clinging to Alma’s back. I wouldn't be able to bring her with me once I entered Farrowgate, but it would be good to reunite with her before continuing into Lion's Maw.
To that end, I figured Alma was the safest place to be.
“Tell your pest to stop biting my hair.”
Alma coldly glared over her shoulder at Tiara, who was happily trying to catch the stray hairs fluttering in the wind with her mouth.
“Tiara, be good.”
We continued.
“Hey.”
We were making good time.
“Stop ignoring me.”
The trees sure were green.
“I swear to the gods I will throw this cat into the ocean if she doesn't stop eating my perfect hair. Make her stop!”
“She's a cat. She does what she wants.”
I finally acknowledged the complaining princess.
“Don't give me that, I know you have some weird connection to each other.”
“Yes, but that doesn't mean I can control her. If I could, I wouldn't be missing so many of my socks.”
“Then you carry her. I'll take her when we split up.”
“But Pyressa is scared of her. And you know that we need her to take Farrowgate.”
“Tch. You're full of crap.”
She grumbled, but maybe because she forced herself into my group to begin with, she didn't argue further.
I did hear her softly cursing as she steadily continued to lose her hair, though. She eventually tucked it all away, much to Tiara’s disappointment.
“Hey, boss.”
Bubblin spoke up, making an exaggerated effort not to meet Alma's eyes.
“Why can't me—er, why can't I come with you? You not trust me?”
“That's not it, Bubblin. We just have different strengths that need to be leveraged. Besides, you will be helping so long as you help cause a ruckus outside the walls.”
“What bout vampy vamps? Boss lady say they too dangerous for me. Do me ignore them?”
“If they come out, just keep your distance and support the others. A true blood knight is way beyond you.”
“Beh! Fine! What bout little vampy?”
“Hm… If you come across him, keep him busy. But do not kill him, understood?”
“Yepyep! Maiming only!”
“...Fine. Whatever.”
I would have preferred letting Axel handle Guy again, but there was a reason why I couldn't specifically ask him to do so.
I would be absent from the Farrowgate battle this time, and that fact implicated me somewhat. Axel, being as deceptively intelligent as he was, surely would not fail to link me to events in the future if I asked him to keep Guy on the battlefield.
Still, I really didn't want to run the risk of Guy returning to find me while I was in the mayor’s estate, so I would be shooting myself in the foot if I did nothing. Alma couldn't do it, as she also wasn't participating in the Farrowgate attack. That really only left Bubblin, who wasn't likely to look too deeply into my actions. Even if he did express suspicion, nobody else would take him seriously.
I noted the last of the sun's rays taking refuge beneath the horizon and called the group to a stop. As planned, we would camp separately, and ahead of the main group while keeping watch. This was recommended by Leon, who argued that the main army would be too vulnerable to attack due to the need to spread out in the narrow terrain.
He wanted a scouting party stationed far ahead during rest periods, so that the army could be forewarned should an enemy approach be detected. He wasn't wrong, as was demonstrated during our first march. Still, I didn't believe for a moment any Soleans would be leaving Farrowgate this time. At least, not in our direction.
“How should we rotate our watch?”
Alma asked.
This caused Bubblin and me to exchange an awkward glance.
“We usually just all stay up.”
I answered bluntly.
“I don't sleep, Bubblin only needs an hour, and Lily… Well, I don't actually know about her. I think she just sleeps because she wants to, but she usually stays up all night with us.”
“You sleep. We watch?”
Bubblin suggested.
“Hmph! I'll have you know I once remained on high alert for a full month without rest when we defended the Spine of the West from the—”
“Alright, you take first watch then.”
I cut her off and turned to Bubblin instead.
“Wanna help me tame some wolves for the next three hours?”
“Yee!”
And so we ran off into the forest, leaving Alma to set up the camp alone.
That would probably come back to bite me, but in the moment, it was quite satisfying. She couldn't even reprimand me right away, seeing as she was posing as a temporary squire in my employ.
More importantly, we were able to send an additional seven wolves back to be trained into warhounds.
The kennel master must have loved having me around.
