I Have the Right to Rule Over Everything

Romain had heard Mol mention them before, but he had never looked into them in depth.

Treacherous knights, bizarre quack doctors, legendary thieves, deserters from the battlefield...

These people were far more dangerous than hunters. Basically, they were all wanted criminals. Otherwise, why would they flee to this godforsaken backwater?

Mol still adhered to the principle of keeping out of each other's business.

Romain frowned. "There are no Witches in the mountains?"

Mol was astonished. "I've never heard of one... Lord Romain, do you think that Witch was looking for companions?" He thought of the strange figure someone had seen two nights ago.

Romain merely suspected it; he had no proof.

The greatest obstacles to traveling through the mountains were the perilous terrain and rushing streams. The elevation changes were immense, making passage difficult.

But that did not mean there were no shortcuts.

There had never been roads in this world. Walk a path often enough, and one would appear.

Hunters were not mountain immortals who came and went without a trace. If they intended to live there long-term, they needed fixed residences and had to trade with Sigg Town for essential supplies.

Fixed residences meant fixed routes.

Over time, it was only natural for the people of Sigg Town to learn where the hunters' camps were.

Romain and the others followed this route toward the settlements of the mountain folk and hunters.

People had to farm in the mountains too, scattering seeds into cracks between rocks or clearing small patches of flat ground.

But they were farming on his land without even paying their respects to him? Outrageous!

Before they reached the hunters' settlement, Romain suddenly furrowed his brow. A certain premonition came from the forest on the sloping side of the mountain.

He practiced archery, and he was highly skilled at it. Whenever an arrowhead was pointed at him, he sensed a certain premonition.

If it had been a sniper rifle, the effect would have been even stronger.

Aaron also noticed something strange. The woods and shrubs in some areas were stirring unnaturally.

Aaron realized someone was trying to circle around and surround them. He removed the round shield from his back, planted his feet firmly, and stood to Romain's left. Green's gaze sharpened as well. He drew his great steel sword alloyed with Mountain Copper and stood back-to-back with Romain, forming a triangular formation.

Seeing the two men's reactions, the guards belatedly realized what was happening and nervously spread out.

"Are you going to make enemies of your lord?" Romain called out.

A voice came from the forest. "We have no lord."

Romain said calmly, "Now you do."

Creak~

The sound of bowstrings being drawn rang out one after another through the silent forest.

Both sides became poised for battle.

Yet Romain did not draw his weapon. He said openly, "You want to oppose a War Knight? You cannot do it. Come out now and kneel before me, and I will forgive you."

Silence fell. Romain, Green, and the other keen-eared Transcendents vaguely heard whispers drifting through the forest.

The hunters were discussing the matter, but some clearly held different opinions, so it sounded more like an argument.

A moment later, a young hunter emerged from the forest. "We only want a way to survive. If you are willing not to disturb our lives, then from now on, we can offer you the game we hunt..."

The hunter was about to state his conditions when he saw the surprise in Romain's eyes and the strange expression on his face.

His heart immediately sank. He felt that things were about to go wrong, but then he heard Romain say, "Then swear loyalty to me."

The hunter's mind went blank. "..."

Romain snorted softly. "On this land, I have the right to rule over everything. Everyone is my subject. Tell me your name, my apostle."

"Do... Dota Gurney."

Two-Star Dota

Attack: E+, Defense: E, Speed: E+, Constitution: E+, Energy: E

Talent: Keen Eye—heightened observation of the environment

First Skill: Tracking—detect subtle traces and deduce the movements of whoever left them

...

On the day he recruited an apostle, Noah's Ark's other modes had been unlocked.

For example, Battle Simulation, Combat Deployment, Integrated Combat, Apostle Warband, Fated Expedition, and more.

However, they were of no use to him right now.

Those functions required combat operations and a sufficient number of apostle units.

Romain snorted softly. "Take me to the other people in the mountains. All of them. I will decide whether they are worthy of swearing loyalty to me based on their conduct."

In truth, every adult farmer in Sigg Town was familiar with the mountains.

During lean years, when food was scarce, Sigg Town's farmers survived those difficult times through gathering and hunting.

Not to mention that the mountains and forests were where they obtained firewood for fuel.

But because of savagery, ignorance, and other reasons, many people only dared explore the outskirts. Even seasoned hunters did not dare venture too deeply inside. It was said that the mountains ate people and were home to ferocious magical beasts.

All Shasta could see were forests, mountains, and rocks.

She could not help but sigh.

The mountains were not particularly high, but the forest was dense, and the trees grew wildly.

The narrow, enclosed space felt especially oppressive.

She understood why people said the mountains ate people.

Within those dangerous mountains, no matter which way humans went, it was as though they had crawled into the mouth of a giant beast. In the blink of an eye, they could vanish without a trace.

Shasta had obtained a clue about the Witch of Sigg Town.

Following the woman's instructions, she brought a cloth bag containing two pounds of peas and followed a stream upstream. Eventually, deep within the complex mountain terrain, she found that enormous, crooked Dwarf Chestnut Tree.

Its branches were lush, resembling a massive afro. As the temperature rose, countless dense branches had sprouted green buds, adding a touch of spring.

There were as many Dwarf Chestnut Trees as one could want in this forest.

But few of its kind were as thick and twisted as it was. It grew beside the stream, its crooked upper half seeming as though it were about to dip into the water to wash its hair, its drooping branches brushing the river's surface.

Shasta tied the bag of peas beneath one of the Dwarf Chestnut Tree's branches, then hid somewhere on higher ground.

She spent the first day without seeing anyone. She could only sleep in the forest. The early spring chill was biting, and the temperatures in the mountains were even lower. Fortunately, she was a Witch rather than an ordinary person, so she could keep herself safe for the time being.

On the second day, Shasta finally saw a skinny, ragged figure. The person stood beneath the Dwarf Chestnut Tree, stood on tiptoe to take down the cloth bag, then lifted her tattered clothes like an apron and poured the peas into them.

Then she looked around, lowered her head, and hurried away.

Seeing this, Shasta immediately followed her.

She followed the child to her home. It was a shack made from leaves and branches, enough only to shelter her from wind and rain. Shasta was somewhat surprised. Even the simplest shelter was not something a child could build alone. Perhaps someone had helped her.

That was only natural. Without anyone's help, a child could not have lived alone deep in the mountains for more than a year.

Shasta felt a pang of sorrow. She stepped out before Gevra.

"Gevra!"

Gevra jumped in fright, and all the peas in her arms scattered across the ground.

Her dirty little face stared in terror at the beautiful woman before her.

"I'm Shasta, Gevra. Don't be afraid. We are companions." A faint black smoke rose from Shasta's body.

"You're a Witch?!" Gevra said in shock. She took a step back in disbelief, as though she had seen something terrifying.

"...You are a Witch too."

With tears in her voice, Gevra said forcefully, "No, I'm not!"

"Are you going to deny your power? Or deny yourself?"

But Gevra shook her head and cried, "I don't have evil powers. I'm not possessed by a devil. Don't come looking for me."

Gevra staggered backward as though preparing to turn and run. Shasta reacted quickly, pouncing on her and pulling her into an embrace. Afraid that Gevra might lose control, she soothed her at the same time. "Good child, I know you're afraid, but you don't have to be anymore. I'll take you away. Every day, you'll have bread and wheat porridge until you're full. You'll sleep soundly in a soft bed without worrying about being battered by wind and rain. My sister, I will not let anyone hurt you again. We were not born into this land merely to suffer, and we did not awaken only to be burned to death..."