The next morning, the air still held the damp chill peculiar to the forest.
Ye Wei'an pushed aside the tent flap and stepped out, only to find the camp wasn't as noisy as usual at mealtime.
Knight Cain was waiting outside.
As soon as he saw Ye Wei'an, Cain came forward. "Young master, the men are all waiting over there. They have something they want to tell you in person."
Ye Wei'an followed Cain's gaze. More than twenty soldiers had already formed neat ranks, each one staring at him with fervent eyes.
When Ye Wei'an walked up to them, the old soldier at the front dropped to one knee with a heavy thud.
Then, as if toppled by a row of dominoes, the soldiers behind him knelt one by one.
"Lord Ye Wei'an!" The leader was Rochi, the man with one arm. His voice was hoarse with emotion. "We were kept in the dark before and nearly became expendable pawns! Now we understand. From this day forward, we won't serve that future baron in Firefall Fortress—we'll serve you! Your will is our direction, and your enemies are our enemies!"
"We are at your service, my lord!"
The soldiers' shouts sent birds fluttering from the trees.
Ye Wei'an stood above them and looked at the soldiers. A sense of security unlike anything he'd ever felt welled up inside him.
This was the first armed force under his command since he'd come to this world.
Though these men couldn't be called elite—many of them didn't even have a Fighter level—Ye Wei'an considered them the best raw material.
With the Companion System, even ordinary militia could become a truly elite force.
"Good. Remember the oath you made today." Ye Wei'an accepted their allegiance. "Since you've chosen me, I won't let you down. Your glory will be mine as well."
The change in their spirits transformed the entire company.
They broke camp with astonishing speed. The soldiers even shouted work songs as they went about their tasks, making the tedious march seem almost cheerful. They moved more than twice as fast as before.
A journey that should have taken two days was completed half a day early.
By the time the group reached a point ten miles from Firefall Town, word had already reached the town that the illegitimate son of the Summerstar Family was on his way.
The mayor, Bartok—a middle-aged man with a stout build and a neatly trimmed mustache—was waiting at the town entrance with several constables.
The moment he saw Ye Wei'an, his face lit up with practiced warmth and humility. He came hurrying over.
"Praise be to the great goddess Waukeen! Lord Ye Wei'an, Firefall Town is honored to see you return safely." Mayor Bartok pressed a hand dramatically to his chest. "I heard you encountered some savage thugs on the road. How terrifying! All the respectable folk in town have been praying for you."
"I appreciate your concern, Mayor Bartok." Seated atop his tall warhorse, Ye Wei'an looked down at him, his tone cool and even. "But I've returned on official business, and some of it may not be an honor for Firefall Town."
Bartok's smile froze for a moment. He cleared his throat twice to hide his unease. "My lord, you jest. It's my honor to serve you. I've prepared the best inn in town for you, and the soldiers can rest at the barracks in the eastern district..."
"I appreciate the offer, Mayor Bartok." Seated atop his tall warhorse, Ye Wei'an cut him off, looking down at him. "I'm not used to staying in someone else's place. I have somewhere of my own."
With that, he gave the order.
"Enter the town. Our destination is South Street."
To the astonishment of the townspeople, the caravan passed straight through the busy streets and finally stopped in front of the grandest building on the entire street: the Old Oak Leather Shop.
At the mention of "South Street," Mayor Bartok had already sensed something was amiss.
When he saw the caravan come to a stop, he clung to one last hope and asked, "Young master Ye Wei'an, is this place you mentioned..."
"You guessed right. It's this trading company." Ye Wei'an's words extinguished the last of Bartok's hopes.
"My lord, this... The owner of the Old Oak Leather Shop isn't just any merchant." Bartok tried to make one last attempt, frantically signaling to Ye Wei'an with his eyes. "He's trusted by certain important people in Firefall Fortress. If you charge in with your men like this, and that noble decides to pursue the matter, a lowly mayor like me won't be able to answer for it."
Ye Wei'an watched Bartok struggling to decide what to do and couldn't help finding it amusing.
Bartok was clearly afraid of getting caught up in the infighting among members of the Summerstar Family and was looking for a way out.
"I understand your concern, Mayor Bartok." Ye Wei'an pulled a scroll of parchment from his coat and snapped it open in front of Bartok.
"By order of Lord Baron Xiaxing, the Old Oak Leather Shop in Firefall Town is suspected of colluding with bandits and harming innocent civilians. I am hereby ordered to arrest the suspects at once and seize the related property!"
After reading the order, Ye Wei'an looked at Bartok. "This warrant bears the baron's personal seal. Mayor Bartok, you only need to tell me one thing: will you obey the baron's orders, or defy them?"
Bartok stared at the parchment, his heart skipping a beat.
He knew the crest on it—the three gold stars on a blue field—only too well. It was the seal of Baron Xiaxing.
He was a clever man. The moment he saw the seal, he realized this was far beyond anything he could get involved in.
"Oh, my lord, how could you say that?" Bartok immediately put on a righteous face and bent even lower. "Since this is an order from our lord, I'll naturally obey without question! If the leather shop is suspected of colluding with bandits, I wouldn't dream of getting in your way. I'll do everything I can to help you clean house!"
He straightened and waved sharply at the constables behind him. "You all heard that! Lord Ye Wei'an is acting on the lord's orders. Clear the way and help him take control of the Old Oak!"
Ye Wei'an put away the document and spoke coldly to Cain behind him:
"Break down the door."
"As you command, my lord!"
Cain immediately dismounted and led the soldiers, who had just sworn allegiance and were eager to distinguish themselves, as they smashed open the leather shop's door.
"Everyone, get down where you are! Anyone who resists will be killed!" Cain was the first to charge into the shop.
After the shop's original owner had been arrested, only the maids and hired hands Gray Crow had employed remained inside.
The poor souls had never seen so many soldiers before. Terrified, they fell to their knees and begged for mercy.
The commotion quickly drew the attention of half the street.
Merchants doing business on South Street, farmers with baskets strapped to their backs, and the thugs and layabouts who had nothing better to do all came crowding over.
People whispered among themselves, their faces full of disbelief. Gray Crow was a notorious hard case in Firefall Town. Rumor had it that his backer was an untouchable big shot. Even the constables usually gave him a wide berth, but today someone had brought soldiers to smash his door in.
"Look! They've taken down Gray Crow's den!"
"Does this mean the Summerstar Family is finally getting serious?"
"I heard that's the lord's son. Long live the lord's wisdom!"
Ye Wei'an had made a point of making a scene all along the way. He wanted the seizure of the trading company to cause as much commotion as possible and spread the news far and wide.
Entering Firefall Town meant he was back within the borders of Firefall Territory.
The more people who knew he'd returned safely, the less likely Lady Selina would be to make a move against him—assuming she'd heard the news.
And the more people who knew Gray Crow was a villain, the harder it would be for Selina to distort the truth and cover up the evidence.
Before you continue