Chapter 6

Komoy Fort.

Bevis Elliot received a letter delivered by a knight sent by Duke Bass Riches.

The letter's meaning was clear—there were enormous profits to be made from drying seawater to produce salt.

The Cogit Sea lay within Visas territory, like a gold mine waiting to be excavated. Yet the mining rights to this gold mine were not in his hands.

Only Shazoi Desinia remained of the Desinia Family. If anything happened to him, Visas would surely be reclaimed by the king. Then it could be plotted over...

"I understand the duke's intentions. I will handle this matter for him, but making plans against another count... I would be taking quite a risk."

Bevis Elliot had an ordinary appearance, with a broad forehead and a flat nose. Though he was in the prime of his life, his hair was already thinning badly. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his face often carried the exhaustion of chronic sleeplessness.

What he was most famous for in Komoy Fort was how many mistresses he acquired each year.

The knight who had delivered the letter said, "Once the matter is done, His Grace will place Par Mountain under Komoy Fort's territory and promise Your Excellency one-tenth of the profits from salt sales."

Bevis Elliot's face lit up. "His Grace truly is generous."

After he once more assured the knight that the matter would be handled according to the duke's wishes, the knight departed Komoy Fort and returned to the royal capital to report.

The butler said from behind him, "My lord, the other party is still a count. What if..."

Bevis Elliot sneered. "He is only a six-year-old child. Even if he is lucky enough to possess a treasure, he must first have the ability to keep it."

"Old Desinia died too early. I am merely showing kindness by allowing father and son to reunite in the Creator God's embrace sooner."

The butler said, "You are right, my lord."

Bevis Elliot said, "Have a squad of knights disguise themselves as bandits and lie in wait on Par Mountain. Once it is done, I will reward them with half a chest of gold coins."

"Yes, Count."

The Desinia convoy made its leisurely return journey and finally passed through Par Mountain once more.

Beyond the mountain lay Visas.

Shazoi leaned against the carriage window, watching the scenery gradually pass outside.

Par Mountain retained the characteristics of untamed wilderness—towering, lush trees and many wild animals lived within its forests.

The southeastern side of the mountain lay between Visas and Komoy Fort. It was usually one of the places where commoners from both cities hunted and gathered firewood to make a living, as well as a hunting ground for nobles.

There was a small lake on the mountain—Par Lake.

Past Par Lake lay the northwestern side of the mountain. Few people went there. Brown bears were said to appear there frequently, and the terrain was even more complicated.

The natural asphalt deposit was buried in the northwestern valley.

Shazoi was mentally calculating the preparations required before excavating the asphalt deposit when he suddenly heard startled cries from the knights ahead. Then the moving carriage abruptly stopped and jolted violently.

If Judith had not reacted swiftly and caught him around the waist, he would have tumbled straight out through the window.

"What happened?!" Shazoi asked, one hand braced against the carriage wall.

The driver cried out in terror, "Run, Count! Bandits!"

The sun was setting, and dim yellow twilight was gradually descending.

They were now in the heart of the forest. Their way forward was blocked, and their retreat was cut off. The situation did not look good.

The "bandits" seemed to have received word in advance. Only after the convoy entered their prepared encirclement did they suddenly emerge to reap lives.

Like grim reapers walking through the dusk, they swept in amid heavy shadows at incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, they killed the knights guarding the front of the carriage, followed by the driver who had tried to flee.

Judith held Shazoi as they clumsily rolled out of the carriage.

Kelly screamed and fell to the ground, but she was fortunate enough to evade the blade slashing toward her.

The "bandits" had their heads and faces tightly wrapped in black cloth, leaving only their eyes exposed. They wore thick leather that could provide protection, and most of their weapons were swords and scimitars.

They moved without a word, yet coordinated with one another flawlessly.

They were not bandits!

At the very least, not ordinary bandits.

Protected by the knights rushing in from behind, Shazoi calmly analyzed the situation amid the moments Judith held him and dodged aside—who wanted him dead?

The "bandits" clearly outnumbered the knights in his convoy. Combined with their apparent premeditation, the convoy had been scattered from the very beginning.

After Kelly tried to avoid a sword thrust at her, lost her footing, and rolled down the slope, another sword stabbed toward Shazoi.

Judith turned while holding him, intending to shield him with her back.

Shazoi seemed able to feel the sharp, cold edge unique to iron weapons rushing toward his face. A blurred image reflected from the polished blade, while the faint scent of blood drilled directly into his nostrils...

At that critical moment.

Shazoi shoved Judith away with all his strength.

He fell to the ground, while Judith's body tilted aside and avoided the danger.

"Count!"

The "bandit's" missed strike slammed into the ground, spraying dirt everywhere. Without pausing, he mercilessly thrust at Shazoi again the next instant.

With a loud clang.

The weapon stabbing at him was blocked by a greatsword.

The reason Fernandi Edward had become captain of the knights while still so young, earning enough merit to soon be granted a title, was his unmatched bravery, martial skill, and extraordinary courage.

He could take on an entire small squad of knights alone, and his physique was stronger and more powerfully built than most people's.

The instant the "bandits" closed in, Fernandi Edward seized one of their weapons barehanded and successfully killed its owner. His unstoppable assault bought the knights and craftsmen behind him a chance to catch their breath.

Fernandi Edward saw Shazoi forcefully push Judith away and heard Judith's frightened, panicked cry.

He rushed over at once and knocked aside the longsword.

"Find somewhere safe and hide, quickly!" Fernandi Edward shouted.

Shazoi wanted to find somewhere to hide as well.

But this group of "bandits" was primarily targeting him. Someone came at him almost constantly, taking turns trying to kill him. How could he possibly have a chance to escape...

These "bandits" were determined to kill them all on Par Mountain. Blood had already dyed the ground red, night was drawing near, and the murderous chill in the air grew ever stronger.

Kelly's fate was unknown. Half the craftsmen and knights had been killed or injured, and Judith's left arm had been stabbed...

Shazoi gritted his teeth. This could not continue.

He used the faint remaining daylight to observe his surroundings...

"Fernandi Edward! Please save them!"

The childish voice seemed to tear through the night sky.

Fernandi Edward froze. Turning his head, he saw the small figure slip through a gap, narrowly avoid a scimitar, then lose his footing and roll down a steep slope...

"Count!"

The last thing Shazoi heard was Judith's hoarse cry, filled with desperate anguish.

He curled his small body tightly, protecting his head firmly with both hands. Enduring the pain of thorny grass and loose stones scraping against his skin, he tried his best to control the direction of his fall.

Shazoi had jumped down deliberately.

Most of the roads on Par Mountain were bordered by winding, steep slopes. It was already late, and the area below was shrouded in darkness. Nothing could be seen clearly.

He had jumped of his own accord because he wanted to gamble on a chance to survive.

The world before Shazoi's eyes spun without end. Just as his head grew dizzy and nauseated, his rolling speed finally began to slow.

He lay in the grass, breathing faintly. His exposed hands and feet throbbed with pain, covered in cuts from grass blades and red swelling from striking loose stones.

His right arm especially seemed to have hit something. It was slightly dislocated and could no longer be raised.

Fortunately, it was not his leg.

Shazoi tried to make light of it despite the misery. Otherwise, he would not even be able to get up now, much less escape.

After taking two deep breaths.

Shazoi pushed himself to his feet with one arm. His vision went dark for a moment, but after recovering slightly, he picked a direction and limped away.

But he was still too young.

Before long, he felt his strength gradually draining away, and his vision began to blur.

No. He could not fall.

He had to get farther away.

Shazoi repeated the words over and over in his heart, but his foot caught on something and he fell to the ground.

"...A little noble?"

Before losing consciousness, he heard a young man's astonished, doubtful voice.

Gibran Kino depended on each other with his younger brother Toby Kino, living on the poorest outskirts of Visas.

Toby was nine years younger than him.

To support the two of them and keep food on the table, Gibran Kino not only helped people verify money at the market every ten days, but sometimes also came alone to Par Mountain to set traps for small animals such as wild rabbits.

He had been unlucky since morning.

The hoe he had brought broke. The traps he had painstakingly set malfunctioned, allowing the rabbit to escape, and afterward no prey came to his traps again.

Gibran Kino was anxious. Without prey to sell, he would have no money to sustain their lives. He would have to endure several days of hunger, scrimping and saving until the market reopened.

After all, making the trip to Par Mountain was not easy.

He had temporarily entrusted Toby to Tana, the auntie next door, and entered the mountain on foot with sufficient food and water. He had already spent two days and one night in the mountains.

Tonight was his final night. He had eaten all his provisions. If he still failed to catch prey, he could only return empty-handed tomorrow.

So Gibran Kino went a little deeper into Par Mountain, but the result was still the same—nothing.

But just as he was preparing to find a safe cave or rest in a tree for the night, he unexpectedly encountered the little noble he had seen at the market.

The little child was probably only slightly older than Toby.

Yet he was now covered in wounds, lying pitifully unconscious before him.

Gibran Kino hurried over and picked up the little noble. Guessing that something bad had happened to him, he saw the round little face smeared with dirt, his eyes closed in unconsciousness.

There was no one nearby, and it was so dark that even the path down the mountain could not be seen.

Gibran Kino muttered, "...I can only return to Visas after dawn tomorrow."

He looked down at the little noble in his arms and sighed. "I hope you can hold on through tonight."

Before leaving, Gibran Kino carefully concealed the traces of the little noble's arrival.

He found a safe cave and covered its entrance with thorny grass and dry branches for concealment and camouflage.

Aside from a broken hoe, Gibran Kino had only water on him. After gently laying the little noble on the ground, he fed him a few mouthfuls of water. Thinking of the cold mountain night, he took off his thin coat and covered the small body with it.

Gibran Kino rubbed his hands together and breathed warm air into them.

He kept watch near the cave entrance, checking on the little noble's condition from time to time. In this way, he muddled through until dawn.