Loyalty

"Father, Mother, Warrior, Smith, Maiden, Crone, Stranger."

"I am yours."

"You are mine."

"From this day until death."

On the beach by the Summer Sea, Gavin and Una stood facing each other, making their solemn vows.

Samwell held a crystal high, letting refracted rainbow light shine upon the newlyweds' faces as he declared:

"Before the Seven and all people, I solemnly declare Gavin and Una husband and wife. From this day forth, they are one body, one heart, one soul, forevermore. Any who interfere with their marriage shall suffer a merciless curse!"

A happy blush spread across Una's face. She gently rose onto her toes, closing the distance between them as she recited the vows she had only just memorized:

"With this kiss, I give you my love. May you be my husband and my support."

"With this kiss, I give you my love. May you be my wife and my bonded partner."

Gavin's body trembled slightly, but he still leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

Applause and cheers immediately erupted, startling a flock of seagulls resting on the sea into flight and making the festive mood even more vibrant.

With the ceremony over, it was time for the feast.

Since the castle had not yet been completed, it was held outdoors. Supplies were limited, so the food was not much different from their usual meals, except that everyone received an extra small cup of wine.

The wine was so strong that it made quite a few people cough without stopping.

But even more people's eyes lit up after drinking it, and they repeatedly asked where it had come from.

When they learned that the wine had actually been brewed by the lord himself, they all looked astonished.

Chiman hurriedly finished the food before him, drained his wine in one gulp, then fell into deep thought as he watched Samwell.

A short while later, when he saw Samwell heading toward the lord's hut, he rose and followed.

"Stop!"

Outside the hut, Chiman looked at his nephew Katu, who stood in his way, and gave an inscrutable smile.

"Boy, I want to see Lord Caesar. Why are you stopping me?"

Katu kept a straight face, his tone stiff. "You still can't just go in. You have to be announced!"

"You really are a qualified attendant," Chiman remarked. "Then please announce me."

"Wait here." Katu coldly tossed out the words before turning and entering the hut.

Before long, he came back out and said:

"Lord Caesar will see you."

Chiman smiled faintly and walked toward the lord's hut, but as he passed Katu, he suddenly stopped.

"What?" Katu tensed at once. Though the man before him was his own uncle, he always felt that his gaze was like that of a venomous snake, making his hair stand on end.

"Are you afraid of me?" Chiman stared into his nephew's eyes.

"I'm not afraid of you!"

Chiman grinned and lowered his voice.

"What did Saru tell you?"

Katu's pupils contracted slightly, and he instinctively avoided Chiman's gaze.

But in the next instant, as if realizing his own weakness, he forced himself to raise his head and meet Chiman's eyes. Gritting his teeth, he said:

"He told me that you killed Grandfather!"

The moment he said it, Katu regretted it. He felt he had been too rash and should not have revealed this secret.

But unwilling to show weakness before Chiman, the young Wildling tried hard to straighten his back.

Yet Chiman showed neither panic nor anger, as though he had merely heard his nephew say something like, "The weather is nice."

That reaction both surprised Katu and made him even angrier.

After a long while, Chiman finally said softly:

"That's right. I killed Grandfather."

Before Katu could denounce his uncle's shamelessness, Chiman continued:

"And not just him. I also killed your father, Chika, and your second uncle, Chimu."

Katu froze. The next second, blood surged to his head, nearly making him lose his mind.

Clang!

Katu drew his sword, but stopped halfway.

His entire body trembled, and he bit his lips until they bled, as though desperately restraining his impulse.

Chiman silently watched his nephew, then suddenly smiled.

"Why did you stop? Don't dare kill me?"

"I'm not that stupid!" Katu said, enunciating every word. "I can't beat you yet. If I draw my sword and attack you, you'll have a legitimate excuse to kill me!"

"Not bad. It seems you're not stupid after all." Chiman looked at his nephew, who was only half his height. "But you're still not smart enough."

As he spoke, he stepped forward and calmly straightened Katu's clothes for him.

Anyone seeing them from afar might have thought it was a touching scene between uncle and nephew.

"Do you know why I said you're still not smart enough?"

Katu had calmed down by then. He sheathed his sword, pressed his lips tightly together, and glared fiercely at his uncle without any intention of answering.

Chiman did not mind. After finishing with his nephew's clothes, he went on speaking to himself.

"Because truly smart people hide their hatred. Especially when they lack the strength."

With that, Chiman ignored his nephew and headed for the lord's hut.

"Lord Caesar."

"What do you want to see me for?"

"My lord, I have important intelligence to report!"

"Speak."

"Liniya, chief of the Blue-Skin Tribe, has joined forces with the leaders of thirteen nearby tribes. They plan to launch a surprise attack on the territory after you leave Eagle's Beak!"

"Oh?" Samwell sat up straighter. "How did you learn this?"

"Because Liniya is my uncle. This time, he secretly sent someone to contact me as well. He wanted me to serve as their inside man and incite the Tiger Tooth Tribe to rise up against you."

Samwell studied the young Wildling before him with a scrutinizing gaze, then suddenly asked:

"Why didn't you help your uncle? Why come to inform on him instead?"

Without hesitation, Chiman said, "Because I will be forever loyal to you!"

Samwell stroked his chin and carefully examined the young Wildling before him.

To be honest, he had deliberately spread the news that he was about to leave mainly to lure Chiman into revealing himself, so he could take the chance to eliminate this hidden danger.

Who would have thought that this man's response would be so far beyond his expectations?

Of course, Samwell would never believe that Chiman was truly loyal to him.

Not betraying someone did not mean loyalty. It only meant that the price was not high enough, or the timing was wrong.

Still, now that Chiman had voluntarily informed on them, it would not be so easy for Samwell to make a move against him.

He did not know whether Chiman had truly seen through his deliberate bait, whether he thought the time was not right and did not dare to rebel, or whether he was trying to earn his trust this way. But regardless, Samwell decided to give him another chance and see what this Wildling, who cared for neither kin nor blood, truly intended to do.

Since he had set his sights on the Iron Throne, Samwell understood that he could not afford moral scruples.

He needed knights who regarded honor as their lives, but he also needed to learn how to control mad dogs like Chiman.

And sometimes, mad dogs were more useful than knights.

Of course, Samwell also knew that mad dogs could bite their masters, so he had to keep a firm grip on the chain around their necks at all times.

Only then would they tear at others rather than at him.

With that thought, Samwell smiled again and said:

"Very good, Chiman. I appreciate your loyalty. Then you will eliminate these conspirators for me."

Chiman thumped a fist against his chest and shouted:

"At your service!"