Arthur suddenly spoke. "Excuse me, Mr. Grann, is this the main road to Shield River City?"
Grann shook his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings. "No, this is merely a side road passing through Baron Landon's territory. Few merchant caravans or travelers usually take this route."
"But silence like this, where not even a dog can be heard barking, is indeed rather strange."
The moment his words fell, Arthur abruptly stopped. The soul fire in his eye sockets drifted as his hollow gaze seemed to pierce through material obstacles, locking firmly onto a dense patch of shrubs ahead. Slowly, he drew the gleaming Knight Sword at his waist.
"Then it seems these people appearing here was no accident."
"Many... living breaths are hiding ahead."
"What?!" Calvin's heart jolted.
Although his own senses had detected nothing unusual, based on his understanding of and trust in Arthur, he did not hesitate. He swiftly drew his Knight Sword and warily swept his gaze ahead.
"Huh?"
A man's startled cry came from the shrubs ahead.
Clearly, the ambushers had not expected their tracks to be discovered so quickly.
"As expected of Calvin the Gray Hawk, the knight once called a genius."
A steady voice sounded from behind the shrubs. Then, a male figure draped in a gray cloak slowly emerged.
Behind him followed more silent figures.
They appeared one after another as though drilling up from the earth, quickly sealing off both ends of the road and forming an encirclement.
Most of them wore light leather armor or chainmail and held crossbows or longswords. They were clearly seasoned warriors.
Grann was greatly alarmed. He had never expected Calvin and Arthur's senses to be so accurate—there truly had been people lying in ambush here beforehand.
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind at once—had