《Demon Sword》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡®Jan, you must never hold a blade.¡¯ S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Uh, what about a spear or a bow?¡¯ ¡®None of them! It¡¯s a metaphor. What I mean is that you should never fight.¡¯ Jan remembered the warning his father had always told him. While he was chopping firewood with an axe, he glanced towards the noisy castle walls. A guest of the Lord was visiting today, so it was busier than usual. ¡°Hey, Jan!¡± The Lord¡¯s butler waved at Jan. Jan tapped his shoulder with his axe as he looked at the Butler. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished chopping the firewood yet. If you have something to do, go tell Doniel to do it. I saw him slacking in the stables.¡± Jan was a servant of the Lord, meaning the butler was essentially his direct superior. ¡°No, no. That¡¯s not it.¡± The butler panted, as if he had sprinted all the way here. After catching his breath, he continued to talk. ¡°We need a sparring opponent for the young master. You¡¯re quick on your toes. Go exchange a couple strikes with him.¡± ¡°Are we using wooden swords?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re real blades.¡± ¡°What? No! Of course not. I can¡¯t! He¡¯s a master of the blade. I¡¯ll die for sure.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t actually slash you for real. Come on, Jan. Have I ever begged for you to do something like this before? This is imperative. An important guest has come to observe the Young Master¡¯s bladework. ¡°Even then¡­ Urgh.¡± Jan scratched the back of his head. It was hard to refuse when a man as old as the butler was begging so hard. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ll give it a go.¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much!¡± ¡°You owe me one, old man.¡± Jan followed the butler to the Castle Yard in the Interior Castle. It was bustling with activity today. There were some faces he had never seen before. They must¡¯ve been the important guest the butler mentioned. ¡°You just need to dodge and block a couple of times. You understand? This is essentially just a demonstration.¡± The butler handed Jan the blade. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Got it¡± Jan gripped the handle of the blade. It was the first time he had ever held a proper sword, but the handle felt perfectly comfortable in his grasp. As he stepped forward, the crowd split to let him through. At the center of the training yard, the son of the Lord was waiting. He was yawning as Jan walked up to him. The young master¡¯s face scrunched up as he saw Jan. ¡°Jan? Isn¡¯t there anyone else who actually knows how to fight?¡± ¡°It is what it is.¡± ¡°I need to demonstrate my ability, so don¡¯t lose so fast. At least try to make it seem like you¡¯re fighting. If your inability messes me up, I¡¯ll beat the shit out of you later. You got it?¡± ¡°Urgh, I¡¯ll try.¡± Jan awkwardly brought his blade up and assumed a stance. ¡°HYAAAAH!¡± The son of the lord shouted loudly as he rushed towards Jan. He raised his blade high, ready to strike Jan¡¯s head. ¡®He told me to act like I knew how to fight, so¡­.¡¯ Jan swung his sword loosely. The arc of the blade drew a crescent moon in the air. A fine red line formed at the tip of the young master¡¯s neck. Plop. The head of the young master fell to the ground. ¡°Huh?¡± Jan cocked his head as he looked at the blood on his blade. ¡­¡­The Young Master was dead. The decapitated head rolled and came to a rest besides Jan¡¯s toes. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Jan was on his knees, tied up. His face was so battered and puffy that it was hard to recognize his features. ¡®I fucked up.¡¯ Jan muttered to himself as he lowered his head. Jan happened to kill the lord¡¯s son. He tried his best to swing a sword, and it landed squarely on the son of the lord¡¯s throat. At the head of the table sat the lord and his guests. The lord was a middle-aged man with a plump figure. The guest, on the other hand, was a well-built, middle-aged man with an aura that reeked of a battlefield. With a bit of exaggeration, his face might have had more scars than wrinkles. ¡°My son is dead.¡± The lord spoke up. He was speaking to the guest. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have another son?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point! That lowly wretch killed my firstborn son!¡± ¡°I believe that son of yours was planning to kill a servant in front of me to show off his skills. If he ever became the lord, he would¡¯ve run your family into the ground. It¡¯s good that he died now.¡± ¡°How could you say that!¡± The lord was fuming, but his guest chuckled softly. ¡°Let¡¯s be honest, your second son seems to be a much brighter lad. I think he¡¯d make a good lord.¡± As the guest said this, the lord stroked his chin and pondered. Jan, who had been listening, nodded and spoke up. ¡°The little master is definitely smarter than his brother. Definitely the better fit for a lord.¡± ¡°W¡­hat?¡± Hearing Jan¡¯s words, the lord jumped to his feet and rushed over to Jan. Blam! The lord kicked Jan in the jaw and began stomping on his head. Numerous curses and words of profanity were shouted down at Jan¡¯s head. ¡®Oh, fuck. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡¯ Jan surveyed the scene with shaky eyes. He could see the shocked faces. That wasn¡¯t good. He¡¯d often been told he wasn¡¯t good at reading the room. His body was starting to go numb now, from all the beatings. He only felt dull thuds reverberating through his body. Jan curled up and groaned. ¡°You fuck, fucking bastard, you bastard, you lowly, ungrateful, wretch!¡± The lord was still fuming as he returned to his seat. The guest stood up and squatted down in front of Jan. ¡°Hey, is he alive?¡± ¡°As you can see, he¡¯s still breathing.¡± Jan pursed his lips in a gurgle of blood. The guest continued to ask questions. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m Jan.¡± ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know you very well, you seem like a great man. You have a charming face, too.¡± It was an attempt at flattery to survive. Jan moved his torn lips desperately. ¡°Ha ha, I¡¯ve never heard that from any woman, much less a man. My name is Vermain.¡± ¡°You have a handsome name too.¡± Vermain patted Jan¡¯s blood-soaked hair and stood up. He looked at the lord. ¡°I¡¯ll take him,¡± he said, ¡°and if I take him, he¡¯s as good as dead anyway; It¡¯s a matter of him dying here or later.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You seem to have forgotten¡­. I have the authority to conscript criminals into the army.¡± The lord bit his lower lip, but soon relaxed his shoulders. ¡°When you put it that way, I guess it¡¯s alright.¡± Jan had been trying to make out the conversation, even with his ringing ears. ¡®I¡¯m alive. I¡¯ll live.¡¯ His lips grinned, despite the pain. Jan barely managed to lift himself up and kneeled. ¡°t-thank you. Handsome sir.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, don¡¯t say that. I don¡¯t want to get too attached.¡± Vermain laughed and released Jan¡¯s bindings. ¡°In any case, you¡¯ve saved my life. I¡¯ll follow you wherever you go.¡± ¡°That makes things easier. We¡¯re going west.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯ve heard the land is fertile there, perfect for farming.¡± Jan clenched his fists, imagining his new future. ¡°No, further west than that.¡± ¡°You mean the frontier? You know, my specialty is actually chopping timber.¡± ¡°Hmmm, just a little further west than that, do you know what I¡¯m talking about?¡± Jan¡¯s laughter stopped. A trickle of what he couldn¡¯t tell was blood or sweat rolled down his chin and onto the floor. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± ¡°You just got drafted¡­. Hmmmm, no, not that, you enlisted voluntarily. Welcome to the Eighth Legion.¡± The Eighth Legion is in charge of defending the far west of the Empire. Their main enemy are the demonic beasts. The Emperor named them the Guardian Legion, but they are more commonly known as the Scapegoat Legion. Their battle cry is ¡°Breakfast in hell, dinner in heaven. Jan left the land where he was born. He followed Vermain westward. Jan had no other choice. If he didn¡¯t enlist, he would have died on the spot. ¡°This is an ointment for your wounds. Apply it daily until the swelling goes down.¡± Vermain tossed the ointment contained in a flat iron container. ¡°T-thank you, sir.¡± Jan applied the ointment to the swollen wounds. It was a light blue ointment that soaked into the skin as soon as it was applied. The pain subsided considerably. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s working wonders, I feel almost healed already.¡± As they walked, Vermain asked Jan a series of questions. Jan tried to count his age, folding his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m probably around sixteen or seventeen this year. I don¡¯t usually count.¡± ¡°What about your parents?¡± ¡°My father left home when I was a child, and my mother died of a disease. My lord took me in as a poor orphan, which, now that I think about it, means I repaid a favor with a sin.¡± Jan scratched his wounded cheek out of habit and winced in pain. ¡°After working as a servant for so many years, you¡¯ve probably finished repaying the favor.¡± ¡°¡­By the way, you seem to be of nobility, so why aren¡¯t you riding a horse?¡± ¡°Why would a grown man borrow the legs of an animal when he has his own trusty legs?¡± Jan¡¯s eyes widened. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what it meant, but it touched his heart. ¡®That¡¯s so cool¡­¡¯ Feeling Jan¡¯s gaze on him, Vermain brushed back his hair, which was white at the tips. His exposed jawline was heavy and sharp. It was the face of a mature man soon to step into an old age. Jan and Vermain turned onto the mountain road. The could almost feel the dampness of the fallen leaves rising from the ground to the tips of their noses. *Shuffle Jan stared at the swaying branches and bushes. He sensed the presence of other people. ¡°S-sir! Bandits!¡± Jan shouted. Vermain nodded nonchalantly. ¡°I see, have never seen a bandit before?¡± ¡°What business does a country bumpkin like me have seeing a bandit? Oh dear!¡± The bandits appeared. There were four of them. They held crude weapons and stared intimidatingly at Jan and Vermeer. ¡°Give us everything you have, and we¡¯ll spare your lives!¡± Vermain took a step back and pushed Jan¡¯s back. ¡°I want you to fight them, Jan.¡± ¡°What, me?!¡± Vermain threw his sword at Jan. Jan caught it by the hilt. He stood and stared at Vermain in disbelief, ignoring the bandit momentarily. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten old,¡± Vermain said, ¡°and the slightest movement makes my joints ache, so I¡¯m counting on you. If you lose, we¡¯re both as good as dead.¡± ¡°What?! Shit, shit!¡± Jan fumbled with the blade awkwardly, and the bandits snickered. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hey, you really want to do this? I told you we¡¯d let you live if you just handed over your stuff. You really want to end your life quickly, don¡¯t you. We¡¯ll give you one last chance, put down your weapon and get down on the ground.¡± Jan jerked his head back to look at Vermain. Vermain stood with his arms folded. ¡°Sir, I think they have a good point, let¡¯s just surrender.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, don¡¯t say such weak words. Come on, bandits, we¡¯re ready for a fight to the death!¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Vermain seemed to be in no mood to surrender. The bandits were also done waiting. The bandit in the lead raised his axe and charged at Jan. ¡®Fuck it. I¡¯d be dead anyways!¡¯ Jan squeezed his eyes shut then reopened them. He swung his sword at the approaching bandit. The blade flashed and sliced through the bandit¡¯s shoulder. The bandit¡¯s arm fell limply to the ground, like it was a prop. Jan was surprised, and so was the bandit. SLASH! Blood poured out of the cut. The bandit clutched at the wound and began rolling on the ground. ¡°Aah! My arm! Fuck! Aah! Aah! Aah! Aah! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! You motherfucker!¡± Jan glanced at his sword, then at Vermain. Vermain was grinning. ¡°Sir, what kind of legendary sword is this? It cuts through bone like butter.¡± ¡°It is a good sword, but focus on the fight. It¡¯s dangerous to look away while fighting.¡± The remaining bandits surrounded Jan and attacked him all at once. Jan dropped to the ground and flailed about, not knowing what to do. He managed to dodge the spears and clubs, and even as he rolled on the ground, he swung his sword and slashed at the bandits¡¯ legs. ¡°Ack, you rat!¡± The bandits cursed as they grabbed at their tattered ankles. Jan took advantage of their hesitation. ¡®Thrust!¡¯ Jan grabbed the sword with both hands and thrust it afar. The blade pierced a bandit¡¯s throat and exited on the other side. ¡°Hi-yah!¡± Jan pushed the bandit¡¯s torso with his foot and pulled the sword out. The blood-stained blade was glowing eerily. ¡°O-our comrade¡­ you, you bastard!!¡± The enraged bandit shouted and extended his spear. Jan tilted his head and swung his sword, dodging the spear at the same time. Both of the bandit¡¯s hands were sliced off. Three of the four were down in an instant. The lone bandit looked at his fallen comrades and turned away. He began sprinting for his life. ¡°Ah, He¡¯s running.¡± Jan wiped the blood from his face and stared at the bandit¡¯s back. Psk! An arrow suddenly flew from Jan¡¯s side and struck the bandit in the back. The bandit fell forward, twitching and scratching at the ground. ¡°Jan, make sure you finish things.¡± Vermain said, holding the crossbow. It was a small crossbow that could be wielded with one hand. He sheathed it and pulled out a dagger. Vermain approached the still breathing bandits and finished them off one by one. ¡°P-please¡­ Have Mer-¡­¡± There was no mercy in Vermain¡¯s actions. Four bodies soon laid on the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know why they¡¯d do things like bandits when they¡¯re even weaker than me.¡± Jan scowled and dragged the bodies of the bandits into a pile. Side by side, they looked like brothers. Feeling a bit sorry for them, Jan moved their arms to make them hold each other¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you lot are going, heaven or hell, but I hope they all get along there¡­¡± Jan clasped his hands together and wished them the best. Vermain walked over and patted Jan on the shoulder. ¡°You fought well, lad. You seem to have talent.¡± Jan shook his head desperately. He had heard the rumors that being dragged to the Far Western Front as a soldier was a death sentence. ¡°What? Sir, you can praise me all you want, but I know myself that I¡¯m just a worthless servant. You¡¯re taking me along just to use for labor right? Not as a soldier.¡± Vermain put a hand on Jan¡¯s shoulder and chuckled. ¡°We need more people like you in the Eighth Legion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident in everything but combat.¡± It had been about a fortnight since Jan had left his hometown. As he journeyed, he began to see more and more travelers. More people on the road meant they were approaching a city. ¡°Sir, I think we¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Jan said, carrying his bag of luggage. Vermain brushed his hair back as the wind blew along the plains. He kept his eyes closed until the wind died down, then nodded. Jan waited for Vermain to finish styling himself, then walked after him. ¡®The ointment sir gave me works wonders.¡¯ Jan rubbed his face. The swelling on his face had gone down, leaving only a faint scar. ¡°I¡¯ll have to buy a longsword for you when we enter the city.¡± Vermain said, scratching his short beard. Jan narrowed his eyes and waved his hands. ¡°You mean a sword for fighting? Oh, never mind me. What would I do with such an expensive weapon? It¡¯s like killing a mouse with a cleaver.¡± ¡°No, no, no, you should carry a sword for self-defense, so people don¡¯t look down on you. Think of it as a gift. From me.¡± The word ¡°gift¡± struck Jan emotionally. He felt tears forming in his eyes. ¡°Sir¡­ You are a good man. I will gladly accept your gift. It¡¯d be rude of me to refuse.¡± Jan and Vermain arrived in the city before nightfall. Armed guards stood at the gates. The line grew short, and soon it was Jan and Vermain¡¯s turn. The guard yawned and began speaking. ¡°We¡¯ll be checking you two.¡± Without another word, Vermain pulled out a silver emblem. The guard¡¯s eyes widened, and he gestured urgently to summon his superior. ¡®Sir is a noble, no wonder they are surprised.¡¯ Jan grinned. He didn¡¯t know exactly what Vermain¡¯s status was, but he was certain he was a high ranked nobleman. It wasn¡¯t long before a chubby man rushed towards them, introducing himself as the captain of the guard. Vermain made his request. ¡°I wish to see the lord of the city.¡± ¡°Could you wait a moment at the guardhouse?¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t wish to interrupt your work, so take your time.¡± Vermain¡¯s tone was calm, even dignified. The captain of the guard prepared some chairs inside the guardhouse so that Jan and Vermain could rest. ¡°Sir, what business do you have with the lord of the city? Are you acquainted with him?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve crossed paths a few times before. We¡¯re quite close, Count Lant and I. He¡¯s a good man. He¡¯s also famous for being handsome, but there have been ominous rumors about him for several years now.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ominous rumors?¡± ¡°They say he doesn¡¯t age. In fact, they say his wrinkles are fading.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just taking good care of his skin? They say snail oil is so great for the skin. I once ran around all night because my master¡¯s wife made me catch snails for oil.¡± ¡°That would make me feel better. I really do hope Count Lant isn¡¯t using magic.¡± ¡°M-magic?¡± Jan said with fear. The word ominous to hear. ¡°In any case, if Count Lant is a mage, he must be punished.¡± ¡°B-but sir, isn¡¯t this Count Lant¡¯s city? If Count Lant is indeed a wizard, wouldn¡¯t we be the ones to be punished?¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry too much. Even if Count Lant is indeed a mage, he wouldn¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a noble sir, so obviously, but what about me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Hmm, I hadn¡¯t thought of that.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± Before Jan could argue more, the door to the guardhouse opened. The captain of the guard bowed his head slightly to Vermain. ¡°My lord summons you.¡± Vermain stood up. Jan fidgeted, biting his lower lip. Jan and Vermain followed the captain of the guard through the city¡¯s boulevards. The streets were crowded but the crowds recognized the captain and moved out of the way. ¡°I want to go to the weapons shop or the blacksmith before we greet the lord.¡± Vermain said. Jan recalled Vermain¡¯s offer of a sword. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s a good shop nearby. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re looking for, but I¡¯m sure they have something that¡¯d fit your needs.¡± The captain of the guard turned onto a more busy street. The streets were bustling with businesses. A first timer would have gotten lost, but Jan and Vermain were able to find the weapon shop thanks to the captain. There was a sigh with crossed swords and a shield. ¡°This is it. I¡¯ll be waiting for you, so please take your time.¡± The captain of the guard said, standing in front of the armory. Vermain nodded and led Jan into the shop. Creak. It smelled of metal and oil. Armor and weapons hung neatly on the walls. ¡°Come on in!¡± The shopkeeper, who was cleaning the counter, rushed toward Vermain. ¡°I want to see your swords. Oh, and get me some oil to clean the weapon too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re in the right place. I¡¯ve just purchased a number of fine swords yesterday, fresh from the forge.¡± The shopkeeper pointed to the wall. Swords of varying lengths and widths hung on the wall in a row. ¡°Jan, do you see any of these that you like?¡± Vermain gestured to Jan as he carefully examined the blades. Jan smiled awkwardly. ¡°Just the cheapest one will do. I¡¯m going to wear it as a decoration anyway, so the quality doesn¡¯t matter to me. But if you insist on me picking one¡­¡± Jan glanced around and picked up the shittiest looking sword. The blade had a wavy patterned surface that made it look like a defective product. At first glance, it even looked rusty. ¡°Haha, you sounded timid, but a bold choice! Alright, I¡¯ll buy you this. Shopkeeper, please tell me how much.¡± Vermain laughed heartily. Jan looked back and forth between Vermain and the shopkeeper, realizing something was wrong. ¡®Is this not the cheapest sword?¡¯ The owner¡¯s face was lit up. He was almost jumping with joy, and offered to give them the oil for free. Tssss. Vermain opened his money pouch and gold coins rained down on the table. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sir, sir! I don¡¯t¡­ Sir, I didn¡¯t, I, I!¡± Jan¡¯s legs trembled as he watched the money being exchanged. Vermain put his finger to his lips and grinned. ¡°I let you choose the sword. And you chose it yourself. A man must honor his word.¡± Vermain paid the large sum without batting an eye. The shopkeeper smiled and explained the sword. ¡°The sword you have chosen is a masterpiece, called a cold steel sword.¡± ¡°Not a rusty, cheap sword?¡± ¡°A nice joke. Where in the world can you find such nicely patterned rust? It can only be forged from the precious cold steel that only comes from snowy mountains up north.¡± Jan listened to the explanation, eyes widening. His hands and feet were shaking. Disregarding Jan¡¯s reaction, Vermain slipped the sword into Jan¡¯s belt. The pressure was too much for Jan to bear, and a droplet of cold sweat trickled down his chin. ¡°The sword fits you well.¡± ¡°I-I will do anything you ask, sir! I¡¯ll do anything you order, even if you tell me to bring back the stars in the sky!¡± The words came out of his mouth unbidden. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to go that far¡­¡­ Anyway, let¡¯s get out of here, the captain is waiting for us.¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Jan and Vermain entered the lord¡¯s parlor. A thin, middle-aged man stood up and greeted Vermain. ¡°Vermain, long time no see!¡± ¡°How have you been, Count Lant?¡± ¡°I am well, thanks to you.¡± The greetings were as cordial as those of old friends. They took turns talking, as if they both were eager to tell each other stories. ¡®He really is good looking¡¯ Jan studied Count Lant¡¯s face. He looked about the same age as Vermain. Count Lant¡¯s clear eyes had a refreshing aura to them. He was more sculpted than the statues in the room. ¡°You still look great.¡± ¡°Hah, I¡¯m old now. My daughter tells me I smell old now too. Speaking of which, who is that young fellow?¡± Count Lant asked, looking at Jan. ¡°He¡¯s a lad who will be joining my army. I¡¯m using him as my squire for now.¡± ¡°I see. It is thanks to heroes like you, that we are able to sleep in peace! Anyway, I won¡¯t take up your time. Freshen up, I¡¯ll prepare you two baths and a meal.¡± Count Lant gestured to his servants. The servants approached and took Vermain and Jan¡¯s luggage. ¡°Jan, how old do you think Count Lant looks?¡± ¡°He looks about your age.¡± ¡°Count Lant is almost two decades older than me. His eldest son is about my age. He¡¯s my fathers age.¡± ¡°Ma, Magi¡­..¡± Vermain clamped his hand over Jan¡¯s mouth and whispered. ¡°I need you to do something for me. I want you to do some discreet investigation into the Count.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Jan¡¯s eyes burned with a sense of mission. ¡®But what¡¯s a this-creet investigation?¡¯ Jan was stunned by the hospitality he was receiving. The servants were scooping up hot water to keep the bath from getting too cold, and the dinner was a feast, as if all the food in the world had been gathered on that table. Clean, well fed and lying down on a comfortable bed, Jan had nothing to envy in the world. ¡®Oh, I forgot to ask what a this-creet investigation is.¡¯ Jan thought about Count Lant. Then he closed his eyes. When he awoke, it was already morning. It was refreshing to wake up on a nice bed. Jan felt like all the fatigue from his journey had been washed away. He hadn¡¯t felt this well in a long time. ¡®I don¡¯t know what a this-creet investigation is, but I assume I should go looking for something?¡¯ Jan ate the meal the servants had brought him and put on his coat. He didn¡¯t forget his belt and sword. Clang. Jan felt the heavy weight on his waist. ¡®So, this is my sword¡­¡­¡¯ Jan unsheathed his blade a little. With a clear ring, the wavy pattern of the blade was revealed. ¡®What would a lowly servant like me do with such a fine sword? His heart was heavy from pressure thanks to the overwhelming gift. Jan went to Vermain¡¯s room, but no one was there. He asked a passing servant, who told him that Vermain was having a meeting with the Count. ¡°Hmm.¡± Jan wandered around the castle. Nobody stopped him. As he walked through the castle, he ended up in the backyard. He saw a servant chopping firewood. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s doing it wrong.¡± Jan muttered to himself as he watched the chopping. The servant was a boy, younger than Jan. He looked like he had just begun to work. Jan watched the servant from afar, with a sense of connection. Thump! The boy swung off-center and fell. The firewood he¡¯d cut was also uneven. Not only would it be hard to finish it in time, but it would surely land the boy in trouble despite his effort. It was hard to stand still and watch. ¡°Hey, you want me to give you some tips?¡± Jan walked up behind the boy. The boy looked up, startled, and surveyed Jan¡¯s attire. Jan was dressed in neat clothes, and with his sword, he looked quite nice. ¡°A-are you, a knight?¡± ¡°Knight?¡± ¡°Are you not? I thought you were a knight.¡± Jan¡¯s lips twitched upwards. His nostrils flared as he tried to hold in his grin. ¡°Hmmm, heh, not a knight, maybe I¡¯ll be one later, heh. Just call me Jan. But yeah, you¡¯ll hurt your back chopping firewood like that.¡± Jan snatched the boy¡¯s axe from his hand. The boy watched in bewilderment. Jan twirled the axe around in one hand and then brought it down. Crack! Jan chopped the firewood like butter with one hand. It was a display that would impress anyone. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too hard. If you concentrate, you can see the line where it¡¯ll split. If the blade enters the wrong way, the firewood won¡¯t cut evenly even if you split it. So you need to relax your grip a little and let it happen naturally.¡± Jan swung the axe slowly this time, but the firewood still split smoothly and broke perfectly straight from side to side. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing. By the way, by the lines, do you mean the grain of the wood?¡± ¡°Well, something like that. Try it.¡± Jan helped the boy chop firewood. The boy¡¯s sloppy form was looking much better. Standing behind him, Jan crossed his arms and nodded in approval. ¡°Ah!¡± Jan suddenly realized what he should be doing. ¡®This is not the time to be doing this¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Sir ordered me to investigate.¡¯ He¡¯d gotten caught up in teaching the boy. Jan took a swig of water from a wooden bucket, catching his breath. As he looked around, a girl caught his eye. She was dressed nicely, so she wasn¡¯t a servant. ¡®She¡¯s coming this way.¡¯ The girl was walking straight toward the backyard. ¡°Ah, she¡¯s the youngest lady.¡± The servant recognized her. The only one who could be called that must be one of Count Lant¡¯s daughters. ¡®Count Lant¡¯s daughter.¡¯ Up close, Jan could see the similarities. Moreover, she was also a great beauty, like her father. ¡®She¡¯s so beautiful. I¡¯ve never seen anyone so beautiful in my life. Jan couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Avert your gaze!¡± Shouted the bodyguard behind her. Jan was so swept away by the girl¡¯s appearance that he didn¡¯t even realize she had a bodyguard. ¡°No worries. This is the squire of Vermain.¡± The girl raised her hand to stop her bodyguard. ¡°Ah, um, uh, I¡¯m uh, Jan.¡± The girl smiled as Jan introduced himself. She tugged at the hem of her skirt and bowed slightly. ¡°I¡¯m Clovelle, of Lant.¡± There was elegance in all her words and gestures. Her voice was relaxing, and her movements were as smooth as a dance. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching since earlier. I can¡¯t help but smile. You seem to be a very kind man, looking at how you treat your servants. You know they say that a person who is kind to his subordinates is a true man of character.¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m, uh, yeah a nice guy, I guess, but, no, um¡­ heh, you¡¯re giving me too much credit.¡± Jan almost mumbled. Clovelle smiled faintly at Jan¡¯s awkwardness. ¡°If you have a moment to spare, would you keep me company?¡± ¡°I have all the time to spare.¡± Jan said, ignoring the bodyguard¡¯s icy stare. Clovelle invited Jan to the castle¡¯s gardens. The gardens were lavish and well maintained. Beautiful flowers bloomed, each giving off a different scent. They sat down at a table in the center of the garden. The bodyguard stood outside the garden and did not interrupt their interaction. ¡®So this is the life of nobles.¡¯ Jan looked around awkwardly. He wasn¡¯t used to being in this position. ¡°I was born late, and my father loves me too much, so I grew up a little spoiled. If I come across a little rude, I don¡¯t mean it, so please excuse me.¡± Clovelle stuck her tongue out slightly. Jan¡¯s heart was pounding so hard he couldn¡¯t think straight. ¡®I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a person this cute in the world¡­¡­¡¯ She was like an angel from heaven. lt felt calming just to hear her voice. ¡°¡­¡­Now I want to hear your story, too.¡± Clovelle leaned forward towards Jan. A pleasant scent drifted towards Jan as well. ¡°M-my story, you mean? It¡¯s nothing particularly interesting, I just, uh, happened to follow Vermain.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to hear it, though. I¡¯m interested in you, Jan.¡± Jan¡¯s pupils widened. Clovelle¡¯s last words echoed in his head. ¡®I¡¯m interested in you.¡¯ Jan blushed and he wasn¡¯t sure what to do with his lips. He went through the story of his meeting with Vermain. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t think that someone who¡¯d studied the sword since he was a child would die so easily. The moment I thought, ¡®Ah, I¡¯m really fucked up-!¡¯¡± Jan paused and watched Clovelle¡¯s reaction. Clovelle gulped and clasped her hands together, waiting for the climax to Jan¡¯s story. ¡®How can a person be so cute? It¡¯s unbelievable, really.¡¯ When Jan didn¡¯t answer right away, Clovelle opened her mouth to make her guess. ¡°Vermain must have saved your life.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, he¡¯s my hero.¡± It was the first time Jan had ever talked to a girl around his age. The conversation flowed so smoothly. ¡°¡­So what brought you and Vermain here?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± Jan opened his mouth to speak but shut it again. ¡®If Count Lant is a mage, he needs to be punished.¡¯ Vermain¡¯s words echoed in his mind. It probably wasn¡¯t a good thing for Count Lant¡¯s daughter to hear. ¡°Hm?¡± Clovelle tilted her head, waiting for Jan to speak. Jan stammered, not knowing what to say. ¡°Oh, I, uh, well¡­¡­¡­¡­ I¡¯m doing a this-creet investigation.¡± ¡°Aha, so you¡¯re doing a discreet investigation.¡± Clovelle clapped her hands and grinned. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an important job. Vermain has given me his complete trust for it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Ha-heh.¡± Jan felt a soft vibe. He felt like he could be bolder. It seemed he wasn¡¯t the only one who felt that way. ¡°Hey, Jan.¡± Clovelle leaned her face close. Her breath ran down Jan¡¯s nose. ¡°Ah, miss?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the mood for a kiss, how about you, Jan?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Jan didn¡¯t finish his sentence. The soft lips touched his. It was as if their lips had melt and become one. The tip of her tongue flicked against his lips. Unconsciously, Jan opened his mouth slightly, letting her tongue in. The saliva on her tongue was sweet as honey. Jan barely suppressed the instinct to curl his arms around Clovelle¡¯s waist. ¡°Haah.¡± Clovelle pulled back, releasing her lips. A strand of saliva glistened in the light. Jan stared up towards her, unable to speak. ¡®I, I would do anything for this woman.¡¯ Jan clenched his trembling fingers. ¡°Jan, kill Vermain for me.¡± Clovelle wiped her damp lips with the back of her hand. She smiled slyly, and waited for Jan¡¯s response. ¡°What? I can¡¯t do that. That¡¯s a scary joke.¡± Clovelle stared at Jan, speechless. A crease appeared for a moment on her brow, then disappeared. It was a mere moment. ¡°I¡¯m joking, of course.¡± Clovelle smiled and tilted her head to the side. ¡°B-but that kiss just now¡­ You do mean¡­ That means¡­ I know I¡¯m not too much right now, but I promise I¡¯ll grow to be worthy of a lady!¡± ¡°Ah, okay. I¡¯m looking forward to it, Jan.¡± Clovelle stood up. ¡°Clovelle! I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, too, right?¡± Jan exclaimed excitedly. Clovelle stood still facing away. After some time, she smiled and looked back at Jan. ¡°Tomorrow? I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡± Jan¡¯s eyes widened as he clenched his teeth. He could barely hold back the urge to squeal with delight. ¡°Tonight, I become a real man.¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 As the sun set, Vermain summoned Jan to his room. Jan was grinning the whole conversation. ¡°Some good news?¡± ¡°No, nothing, nothing at all. Heh, heh.¡± Jan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he answered. ¡°Well, anyways¡­ I¡¯ve concluded Count Lant to likely not be a mage. Our business here is done.¡± ¡°Wait, we¡¯re leaving already?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be polite to overstay their hospitality.¡± ¡°Umm, but¡­¡­.¡± Jan seemed to hesitate. Vermain stared at Jan. ¡°Do you need to use the bathroom or something? If you want to say something, spit it out.¡± ¡°Well, you seem, I¡¯m in a sticky situation.¡± ¡°A sticky situation?¡± ¡°I think Count Lant¡¯s youngest daughter has a crush on me. What if she comes after me? She might run away from home to follow her love.¡± ¡°The youngest daughter¡­. You¡¯re saying miss Clovelle has a crush on you?¡± Vermain narrowed his eyes as he stroked his chin. ¡°Yep. I¡¯m not sure what to do. I never imagined girls would love me so much.¡± ¡°Hmm, I had thought highly of you, but not in the regards to attracting women. An unexpected turn of events.¡± Jan rubbed his nose, smiling awkwardly. ¡°Sir, do you think I perhaps have some talent for this type of stuff?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think so, but¡­ A woman¡¯s heart is unpredictable.¡± Jan looked out the window. It was dark out. He remembered how Clovelle had said she wanted to meet at night. ¡°I¡¯m going to return to my room, sir. Have a good night.¡± Vermain nodded, and as Jan was about to leave, he said, ¡°Jan, sleep with your sword under your pillow.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A sword is like a lover. Always keep it by your side.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Jan went back to his room. It wasn¡¯t too dark, thanks to the moonlight. ¡®But where did she mean we should meet? My room or hers?¡¯ Jan sat on his bed and thought a little more. Clovelle had said she would meet him at night, but she hadn¡¯t given him any specifics. ¡°S-she did mean that, right?¡± He brought a finger to his lips. The sensations were fresh in his mind. He never knew such soft things existed in the world. Jan didn¡¯t lie down, but just stared blankly out the window towards the moon. He kept his ears perked up for any sounds outside, in case Clovelle came. Jan rocked from side to side. The bedpost swayed and creaked. ¡®Should I go to her? What if she gets the wrong idea?¡¯ His mind raced. Jan¡¯s continued to stand up and down indecisively. ¡°A man can¡¯t be so scared when a lady has called him.¡± Jan firmly stood up. If Clovelle wasn¡¯t coming, he would go find her. Unless Count Lant was actually a mage, Jan¡¯s days here were numbered. Creak. Jan opened the door cautiously and peered into the dark hallway. He was about to step out through the door when he stopped to focus on a sound. The silence of the night made even the smallest sounds echo loudly. Tap, Tap, Tap. Footsteps Jan could barely make out if he concentrated. Jan stared into the darkness of the hallway. In the moonlight that shone through the windows, Clovelle was walking towards him. Wearing only a thin coat, her steps were cautious. Thump, thump, thump, Jan clutched his hand to his chest, as he was trying to grasp the pounding of his heart. Even now, He wanted to run towards her and grasp her. ¡°Shhh, we¡¯ll get in trouble if we get caught.¡± Clovelle smiled mischievously as she lifted her finger to her mouth, strolling into Jan¡¯s room. Her steps were light as those of a fae. ¡°I was going to go looking if you didn¡¯t come.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous thing to do.¡± ¡°Is what you¡¯re doing now not dangerous?¡± ¡°I guess it is. We¡¯re playing with fire. But are you going to leave your guest standing like this?¡± It was the first time Jan was alone with a girl in a room. Jan¡¯s eyes trembled, unable to stay in one place. He pulled back a chair for her to sit in. ¡°Please, sit here.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather sit somewhere¡­softer.¡± ¡°Somewhere softer¡­? Ah.¡± Jan stared at the bed. Clovelle walked past him and sat down on the bed. Tap, tap. Clovel patted the bedsheets, inviting him to join her. Jan was leaking cold sweat while frozen in place. His collar was already soaked. ¡®There¡¯s a girl, a girl¡­ that¡¯s as pretty an angel beckoning me to the bed.¡¯ It almost felt unreal. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream, right?¡± ¡°Do I look like something out of a dream to you?¡± ¡°That¡¯d be a stroke of luck, because you¡¯re more beautiful than any woman I¡¯ve could ever imagine.¡± Clovelle put her hand to her mouth and laughed. Jan smiled back, awkwardly. ¡®This is a good mood, right?¡¯ Jan sat down, with a bit of distance between them. Clovelle tilted her head as she gazed at Jan. Her hair flowed down gently. ¡°Why sit so far away?¡± ¡°Oh, I-I, uh¡­¡± ¡°Do you want me to come closer? Or do you want to come to me?¡± ¡°Right this instant.¡± Jan scooched his hips to get closer to Clovelle. ¡®She smells good.¡¯ It was the smell of fuzzy skin. Jan took a deep breath. If he let his guard down, it felt like he¡¯d lose all reason instantly. ¡°C-can¡¯t you keep a little distance? I feel like I-I could become an animal, at this rate.¡± ¡°All men are animals, and I love to tame beasts.¡± Clovelle placed her hand on top of Jan¡¯s. Their fingers seemed to brush together at first, then laced. ¡°You are a curious man, Jan.¡± ¡°What do you mean, curious?¡± ¡°And I think it¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re such an idiot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot¡­¡­ Ow!¡± Jan looked at his hand, blood drawn. He had been pricked by something. ¡°It¡¯s a poison that could kill a stallion, Jan.¡± Clovelle flicked her ringed finger. Beneath the ring was a tiny needle. The tip of the needle was glistening with a colorless poison. ¡°Uh, why, ugh? uh, ah?¡± Jan scrambled to his feet and staggered. He could bring himself up from his knees. His whole body felt paralyzed but also like it was on fire. His breathing became ragged, and soon it became hard to breathe at all. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you until you die. Sigh, if my magic had worked, it wouldn¡¯t have come to this. A pity. When you die, you can brag in the afterlife that you were kissed by the woman to be known as the pearl of the empire.¡± Clovelle smirked down at Jan. Jan squirmed and scratched on the floor. The blood vessels on his neck protruded outwards. ¡°You¡¯re lasting longer than I expected. Nice to see someone so healthy.¡± Clovelle¡¯s smile hadn¡¯t changed from earlier in the day, but it felt cold. ¡®It hurts, it hurts like hell. It hurts so bad, I think I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ Jan felt his fever rise. He couldn¡¯t breathe. And yet, his vision was spinning and he wanted to puke. ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve ever been this sick. No, I guess it¡¯s the second time.¡¯ Jan had been this sick just before his mother died. Tears welled up in Jan¡¯s eyes as he thought of his mother. ¡°Jan? Are you crying? Does it hurt that much?¡± Jan wriggled as if in a seizure. Clovelle¡¯s smile slowly turned into a frown. Jan wasn¡¯t dying, despite time passing. ¡°You¡¯re so clingy. Why won¡¯t you die? Just give up. What¡¯s the point of living your ugly, miserable life?¡± More time passed, but Jan did not die. Clovelle, grown impatient, stabbed him again and again with the ring¡¯s needle. ¡°Die! Just! Die! Why won¡¯t you die, you ugly thing?¡± Jan¡¯s body shuddered every prick. The pricks swelled purple. But Jan wasn¡¯t dying. It wasn¡¯t ineffective, but the poison was unable to take his life. Panicked, Clovelle looked around the room and grabbed Jan¡¯s sword from the bedside. Shrrrng. The cold steel blade faintly glowed. Clovelle stumbled under the weight. Barely balancing herself, she raised the sword high. ¡°Iya! Just die!¡± Clovelle tried to strike Jan¡¯s head. Klang! It was a clumsy attack. The blade struck the ground instead, cutting off a bit of Jan¡¯s hair. ¡°Why is this thing so heavy? Ah, fuck.¡± Clovelle lifted the sword as best as she could, heaving her shoulders. She brought the tip of the blade to Jan¡¯s chest, attempting to stab him in the heart. Jan, who she¡¯d thought was immobile, reached out. Grasp! Jan yanked Clovelle by her ankle, making her lose her balance and dropping the sword. ¡°H-how?¡± Jan threw up a mixture of puke and blood. Everything was felt chaotic, but he still was holding onto Clovell¡¯s ankle. ¡®That made me feel a bit better.¡¯ He was not yet strong enough to stand up. Only a little of his arm strength had returned. Jan pulled Clovelle and climbed atop of her. ¡°The fever of love¡­¡­ ugh, urgh.¡± Jan muttered as he puked up blood. Vomit and blood pooled between Clovelle¡¯s cleavage. Fear crept across Clovelle¡¯s face. Her usual smile faltered. ¡°J-Jan?¡± ¡°¡­is over.¡± Jan clenched his fist and slammed it into Clovelle¡¯s face. Crunch! Clovelle¡¯s dainty nose broke. Clovelle groaned as her tried to cover her face. Jan jerked her arm moved her arm away and smashed her face once more. ¡°A witch deserves a crooked nose.¡± Clovelle¡¯s broken front teeth were lodged in Jan¡¯s fist. Her already broken nose twisted further out of place. The pearl of the empire, shattered. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Clovelle¡¯s bodyguard drew his sword. He can see his reflection in the blade. ¡®I would do anything for Lady Clovelle.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure when it had happened. He had forgotten the loyalty to his real master, and swore his body and soul to the girl. Clovelle¡¯s request had been echoing in his ears since earlier. ¡®Kill Vermain for me.¡¯ Her request felt like chains shackling his body. ¡®Vermain.¡¯ The bodyguard knew of Vermain, and his reputation. Fear welled up inside him, enough to make him hesitate despite the spell carved into his soul. He walked down the hall, fingers trembling, his breathing ragged from the simple act of moving. Lady Clovelle¡¯s request must be ignored. He needed to report to his lord first. He knew what he needed to do logically. Reason recognized how strange the situation was. But for some reason, his thoughts scattered, unable to question further. ¡®Kill Vermain for me.¡¯ Only Clovelle¡¯s soft lips came to mind, breaking his line of thought every time he wanted to think deeper. The bodyguard stopped reasoning and headed to Vermain¡¯s room. The hallway was quiet. Shadows were made by the moonlight. It was a bright night, so the servants had not put up many candles. ¡°Hoo¡­.¡± By now, Vermain should have fallen asleep. He¡¯d be tired after a busy day with Count Lant. ¡°For Lady Clovelle¡­¡± The bodyguard raised his sword in front of the door. Using the tip of his toe, he pushed it open. His eyes widened. The first thing he saw through the ajar doorway was the unwavering glare of a middle-aged man. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting.¡± Vermain swung his sword through the crack in the door. It was barely a finger¡¯s width, but the blade slipped through perfectly. Shrk. It made a clean sound. A clean strike. The bodyguard¡¯s hand and sword fell to the floor. Pssk. Only after the hand hit the floor did the blood begin to flow. The cut was so clean the pain took some time to set in. Kling. The tip of Vermain¡¯s blade touched the guard¡¯s throat. The guard groaned quietly and stared at Vermain. ¡®I¡¯ll die if I resist.¡¯ Even without Vermain threatening him, the bodyguard choked back a scream on his own. Slowly, he followed Vermain into the room. ¡°You won¡¯t die.¡± Vermain tied the bodyguard¡¯s wrist with a piece of torn curtain to stop the bleeding. ¡®Kill Vermain for me.¡¯ Clovelle¡¯s request echoed in the bodyguard¡¯s mind. ¡®I lack the ability to kill Vermain.¡¯ The disparity in skill had been made evident in the exchange at the door. He could not even sense the blade passing through his wrist. By the time he felt the burning sensation, the situation was already over. It was impossible. With that realization, the bodyguard¡¯s mind seemed to clear a little. ¡°You¡¯re docile, so the charm must not have been very strong. Miss Clovelle, was the mage as I suspected.¡± Vermain said as he checked the bodyguard¡¯s condition. He checked the eyes, especially the eyelids, flipping them back and forth. The seal of charming was visible in the whites. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of harming Lady Clovelle.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not thinking straight right now. You don¡¯t even understand what you¡¯re saying. Miss Clovelle has cast a spell on you.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get so fiesty. You ¡®re making me want to kill you.¡± Vermain tapped the tip of his sword across the bodyguard¡¯s cheek, then swung. Shink. The bodyguard felt his left cheek burn. Vermain had already sheathed the blade. thud. The bodyguard¡¯s left ear fell to the ground, a moment later. The bodyguard grimaced, covering the wound with his remaining hand. ¡°Ugh, urk.¡± ¡°You came to kill me. Yet I spared your life. Try not to get on my nerves.¡± The bodyguard was silent as he stared into the ground. There was no flaw to Vermain¡¯s words. He should be grateful to be alive. As he listened to Vermain¡¯s words, his logic began to awake from it¡¯s slumber. The searing pain brought him to his senses whenever his consciousness began to slip away. ¡®Why am I¡­ listening to Lady Clovelle¡¯s orders? The man I swore allegiance to is Count Lant¡­ ¡® Loose ends began to entangle. He had a splitting headache. The escort gagged, short of breath. ¡°The spell is breaking. Keep doubting.¡± Vermain stood at the window. ¡°I¡­¡± The bodyguard¡¯s lips quivered. He could not tell when it had started. His loyalty had been directed towards Clovelle for a very long time now. He felt like biting off his tongue to kill himself in shame. ¡°Well, It¡¯s a hell of a midnight party outside.¡± Vermain looked out the window. Male servants were trickling into the courtyard, armed with torches, axes, and machetes. Their movements seemed unnatural, likely from being charmed. Creak. Vermain opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Before closing it again, he warned the bodyguard, ¡°I warn you, if you wish to live, don¡¯t leave this room till the sun is up.¡± The bodyguard nodded and watched as the door closed. ¡°Hehe, take that! ugh, Blarrrgh!¡± Jan finished revulsing the last of his vomit over Clovelle¡¯s body. She could only groan, crushed under him. ¡®You revolting wretch!¡¯ Clovelle watched the slimy excrement pouring down onto her chest. The stench pierced her nostrils making her want to throw up herself. ¡°ugh, blerrrgh!¡± Unable to hold it in, Clovelle turned her head to the side and vomited as well. Broken chips of teeth washed out of her mouth as she did so. ¡°Huff, Huff. Now you pay for trampling my love.¡± Catching his breath, Jan tried to stand up, but the poison still lingered, making him stumble back down. Meanwhile, Clovelle raised her knee and slammed it into Jan¡¯s groin. ¡°Argh!¡± Jan gasped and rolled on his sides. Clovelle barely escaped Jan¡¯s grasp. She ran straight to the windowsill and whistled. ¡°You, you¡¯re doomed! My servants will be here soon!¡± As she spoke, Clovelle stared at her reflection in the glass. It was a hideous sight. Her nose was completely twisted, and her teeth were filled with gaps. Her puffy, swollen face was filled with tears and wounds. ¡°Ah, ah, w- what is this, my, my face¡­¡± Clovelle glared viciously at Jan. Jan averted her gaze, feeling a little guilty. ¡°You tried to kill me first!¡± ¡°How could you do this to a woman¡¯s face? A-are you crazy? My beauty is a national treasure! I-I¡¯m the pearl of the empire!¡± ¡°So why did you do something that warrants a beating? Fuck!¡± ¡°Die! Die!¡± Clovelle threw everything she could reach in the room. Jan was still unable to stand, let alone walk. He could barely crawl around using his arms. KLANG! A candlestick smashed into Jan¡¯s head. Jan staggered and tried to protect his head. ¡°You fucking bitch!¡± ¡°What the fuck are you going to do, huh? You crip!¡± Jan clenched his jaw and braced himself with both arms. He pushed himself forward across the floor, advancing toward Clovelle. ¡°I¡¯m a fucking animal, I¡¯ll tear you apart!¡± Jan bit down on Clovelle¡¯s ankle. She screamed in agony, flailing her legs. She tried to get Jan off by striking his head, but Jan¡¯s jaws held on tight like a dog. ¡°Y-you crazy bastard! EEK! You¡¯ll tear my flesh! Aghh!!¡± Clovelle heard the sound of flesh being torn. ¡°Ptew!¡± Jan spat Clovelle¡¯s flesh onto the floor. Clovelle¡¯s ankle had a bite taken out of it, dripping with blood. Limp, Limp. Clovelle ran away with her limping legs. Climbing up onto the windowsill, she trembled with fear. Jan, thrusting himself forward with only his arms, was like a demon from her nightmares. ¡®H-he¡¯s going to bite again.¡¯ Clovelle looked down. If she fell from this height, she would be guaranteed to break a bone. But Jan was scarier than that. ¡°Kwaaaaaah!¡± Jan screeched and came running at her with both arms, barking like a mad dog as he foamed blood from his mouth. ¡°Ah, ah!¡± Clovelle realized she had fallen out of the window. On landing, her fragile ankle completely snapped. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, bitch!¡± Frenzied, Jan climbed his way up the windowsill, and looked down at Clovelle. Jan¡¯s legs were still limp. He could feel the sensation returning in his toes, but he wasn¡¯t ready to walk yet. Slam! The door flew open before Jan could jump. Vermain rushed in and grabbed hold of Jan. ¡°Jan!¡± Jan snapped back to reality when he saw Vermain¡¯s face. ¡°S-sir!¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The mage was Miss Clovelle.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right, she tried to kill me! Thank goodness you came. If you hadn¡¯t stopped me, I might¡¯ve jumped after her. Phew, thank god you stopped me.¡± Jan leaned against the windowsill and stared down into the courtyard. A dozen servants had gathered around Clovelle and were hoisting her onto a stretcher. ¡°Jan, what are you talking about? Stop you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I was going to tell you to bring your lover with you. You¡¯ve got a new sword, it¡¯s time to cut down some men.¡± Vermain picked up the cold steel sword from the floor. Jan caught it, then shook his head. ¡°Sir, I can¡¯t even use my legs right now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so weak. You swing a sword with the arm, not the legs.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°The Cold Steel Sword is an exquisite beauty. Any man should be willing to break their legs to sleep with her.¡± Before Jan could think of a retort, Vermain pushed him out the window. ¡°Aaah, aaah!¡± Jan crashed, still clutching his sword. His back was throbbing from the impact, but nothing had broken. ¡°A-ah, how are you guys doing?¡± He opened his eyes to the servants glaring at him. A peculiar pink outlined the rims of their pupils. ¡°Kill him, kill that sick, crippled bastard right now!¡± Clovelle, on the stretcher, flailed desperately pointing towards Jan. Srrrnk. Jan drew the sword in his arms. The blade made a sound so clean even the dazed servants flinched. A blade, with a pattern so beautiful it looked like it was flowing, was revealed. Swish! Jan swung the sword, still lying down on the ground. Thud Thud! The nearby servants¡¯ feet were sliced off, bringing them down to the ground. They grimaced and threw their weapons at Jan. Klang! Jan swung his sword back and forth, parrying the projectiles. Meanwhile, the servants with their legs still intact surrounded him. ¡®This¡­ might not be doable.¡¯ Jan pinched his thigh. He still didn¡¯t feel anything. At that moment, Vermain, who was still by the window, leaped down like a bird and landed behind the servants. The servants turned to face the figure behind them. Vermain straightened out his disheveled clothes. Jan was delighted. ¡°Sir, I knew you would come to help! I¡¯m sure we could do it together.¡± ¡°Yes, thinking about it, it did seem a little unfair. Things are a bit against you right now.¡± Vermeer rushed through the servants, swinging his sword. A bloody line appeared on their ankles, and their feet were chopped off. Those lucky enough to not lose their feet were still mangled so that they couldn¡¯t walk. ¡°Kak! Agh!¡± ¡°Urk!¡± All the servants gathered in the courtyard dropped to the ground. They crawled on their knees, gripping the ground with their arms. Vermain took his place behind Jan, sheathing his sword. ¡°Jan, I¡¯ve prepared a fair fight for you.¡± ¡°¡­Extremely fair, sir.¡± For the first time, Jan was tempted to stab Vermain. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 The night of bloodshed was over. Dawn had come. ¡°Clovelle of Lant, in the name of the Empire, you are under arrest for unauthorized use of magic. In addition, you are stripped of all rights in the name of the Holy Church and¡­¡± Vermain recited as he tied up Clovelle. Around him laid servants, each with at least a limb missing. The stench of death hung in the air. Half of them were dead, the rest crippled for life. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! Everything was fine until you two came!¡± Clovelle cried out, coughing up blood. Her disfigured face was purple and swollen. ¡°Miss Clovelle, a fa?ade of peace is temporary. Why did you lay your hands on magic? With your beauty, you could easily have men do your bidding regardless.¡± Vermain pulled the rope tighter. A shiver ran down Clovelle¡¯s back as she groaned. ¡°Humans, grow old. Skin wrinkles. A woman loved by all will inevitably end up a pitied old crone. I wanted to be an eternal pearl¡­ ¡± Clovelle muttered. Vermain snorted and yanked at Clovelle¡¯s hair. ¡°You attempted to find love and youth through magic? How foolish. Is that why Count Lant doesn¡¯t age either? You tested your magic on your own father?¡± ¡°What? I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Clovelle snapped her head back and glared at Vermain. Before she could say anything more, soldiers swarmed into the courtyard. It was the city guard. The captain and two dozen soldiers froze in their tracks as they peered inside, trying to make sense of the situation. ¡°What the hell¡­?!¡± The captain of the guard¡¯s eyes widened and he drew his sword. Vermain held up his empty hands to emphasize that he wasn¡¯t attempting to fight. ¡°Captain, call for the bishop. There¡¯s a witch here.¡± Vermain seemed to be accustomed to these situations. Soon the city¡¯s bishop, the captain, and Count Lant were gathered together. The Count of Lant was furious at first, but sunk into a sullen silence after hearing Vermain¡¯s explanation. The bishop ordered his soldiers to take Clovelle away. The captain of the guard tended to the wounded and began cleaning up the mess. When Vermain had finished sorting out the situation, he woke Jan, who was sleeping against a pile of firewood. Jan shook his head groggily and looked up at Vermain. ¡°Jan, are you feeling better?¡± ¡°I can move now. And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks to you.¡± ¡°I really thought I was going to die last night. Thank goodness the servants didn¡¯t know how to fight. I¡¯d be dead for sure if they had even two decent fighters.¡± ¡°Hah, you fought well, and I¡¯m sure your sword had a nice serving of blood. But oil it well, as blood dulls the blade.¡± Vermain helped Jan to his feet. Jan¡¯s legs still tingled, and he stumbled after a few steps. ¡°Sir, I apologize. I still can¡¯t seem to quite move my legs. I¡¯ll crawl after you instead.¡± ¡°Hey, do you really think I¡¯d be so cold? Here. Get on.¡± Vermain squatted down and turned his back to Jan. Jan hesitated, but soon got on Vermain¡¯s back. He carried Jan back to his quarters. While Jan tended to his wounds, the case of witch Clovelle proceeded. The bishop, who had taken her into custody, was questioning her to determine her guilt. Servants and bodyguards who had been freed from their charm testified against her. Some servants who had been crippled by Jan and Vermain spoke up. They accused Vermain of unnecessary violence, but shut their mouths when Vermain brought up his immunity. ¡°Will Clovelle die?¡± ¡°She will keep her head because of her background, but she will have to spend the rest of her life in a convent.¡± Vermain and Jan left the Lord¡¯s manor and spent three more days at the inn. No matter how justified they were, it was hard for the relationship with the count to not sour. Recovered, Jan relaxed, occasionally oiling his sword in the inn¡¯s backyard. The sword really was a masterpiece. The blade hadn¡¯t dulled despite cutting down so many people. ¡°You saved my life,¡± said Jan, ¡°A flimsy sword would¡¯ve snapped back then.¡± Jan said, staring at the wavy blade. Having been through a life and death situation, he had become quite attached. ¡®No wonder sir told me to treat it like a lover.¡¯ Jan sheathed the oiled sword. The after-effects of the poison were gone, and he felt light as a feather. ¡®According to sir, my body had resistance to the poison because I¡¯ve been exposed to it before¡­¡­¡¯ It was a dreadful poison. Just thinking about it sent a chill down Jan¡¯s spine. ¡°No need to stress over painful memories.¡± Jan shook his head and stood up. Just as he was about to enter the rear entrance of the inn, someone came into the backyard. ¡®A cloak?¡¯ It was a man with his hood pushed down to hide his identity. ¡°You¡¯re Vermain¡¯s squire.¡± The voice was familiar. ¡°Count Lant?¡± The hooded man was Count Lant. Jan couldn¡¯t see his face, but it was clear from his voice and mannerisms. ¡°I have no business with you, so fetch Vermain.¡± Jan hesitated, then entered the inn. In their room, Vermain was reading a book. ¡°Sir, Count Lant is here. Do you think he might hurt you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not that kind of man.¡± Vermain closed his book and stood up. He and Jan went out into the backyard. Count Lant pulled back his hood and faced Vermain. Vermain and Jan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®He still looked incredibly young for his age.¡¯ Even with Clovelle¡¯s spell broken, Count Lant still looked like he was Vermain¡¯s age. ¡°I was foolish not to recognize my daughter straying.¡± ¡°¡­ Not every child grows like their parents wish.¡± ¡°But you approached me with hidden intentions. I cannot forget this incident. You will never again be a guest in my home.¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to being resented. I also originally thought you were the mage. I¡¯d never imagined it to be Clovelle.¡± Count Lant raised his eyebrows. ¡°How could you think of me to be a mage? You know my piety better than anyone!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s because you look the way you do at your age. Who would guess you¡¯re my father¡¯s age from looking at you, Count?¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s because you look particularly old for your age, and I just look a little young. How could you suspect me for such a nonsensical reason?!¡± ¡°You speak harshly, Count. I don¡¯t look that old, I just happen to have a lot of scars on my face. Isn¡¯t that right, Jan?¡± The back-and-forth escalated. Jan covered his mouth and tried not to smirk. Vermain rarely scowled. The bickering Count Lant and Vermain soon grew tired, and began laughing. They sat down on the first floor of the inn and began drinking. ¡°So what¡¯s the secret to looking so young?¡± A drunken Vermain asked, and Count Lant pointed to his moist skin and laughed. ¡°Snail oil, of course.¡± Rain poured down on Jan and Vermain as they walked. The two sheltered from the rain under a tree. ¡°Jan, how many snails do you need to catch to get enough oil?¡± Vermain said, staring at the snails crawling on the blades of grass. ¡°I¡¯m not sure sir, but wouldn¡¯t we need at least a bucketful? Sir, are you still bothered by what the count said?¡± ¡°Nuh-uh, a real man wouldn¡¯t mind looking young or old, would he?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s still better to be handsome than ugly, and better to look young than old.¡± ¡°¡­You aren¡¯t particularly that handsome either.¡± ¡°What? Why are you bringing up my¡­¡± ¡°Just shut up.¡± Vermain crossed his arms and stared at the sky. Jan shut up too. The awkward silence was drowned out by the rain. The rain was falling in torrents. It showed no sign of letting up. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re going to have to walk in the rain, sir.¡± Jan rummaged through his pack and pulled out an oiled coat. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The cold rain aches my bones, but¡­¡­.¡± Vermain had no choice but to wrap himself in his coat. They couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°Sir! there¡¯s a carriage coming our way!¡± Jan pointed down the path they had been walking. A procession of carriages could be seen through the rain. The carriages gradually drew closer. ¡®This is a large group. Are they migrants?¡¯ There were five carriages, and more than ten people followed on horseback. Jan stepped out onto the road and waved. The carriages gradually slowed down. The coachman looked at Jan in annoyance. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Could you take us to the nearest checkpoint? We will compensate you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no room for more people. Move aside.¡± ¡°Oh, come on, look at the rain. We¡¯re fine riding with the cargo, just offer us some shelter from the rain.¡± Jan stubbornly clung on. With him in the way, the coachman couldn¡¯t leave. ¡°You!¡± The coachman raised his whip. He was about to trample over Jan if he needed to. ¡°My sir is an old man, and he¡¯ll collapse in weather like this. If there¡¯s no room, I¡¯ll run behind you, so please just offer my sir¡­¡± ¡°What? Run? You¡¯re speaking nonsense! What you¡¯re doing is helping neither of us!¡± The coachman waved behind him. The bodyguards on horseback crept forward. Shrrk. The window of the luxurious carriage opened. A noble young man with an arrogant look stuck his head out. ¡°Your loyalty has touched my heart! Servant, what is thy name?¡± ¡°My name is Jan.¡± ¡°Oho, Jan, bring thy master here. I see that you are a good servant, and your master must be a gentleman.¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 The nobleman¡¯s permission had been granted. Jan quickly ran to Vermain sitting at the base of the tree. ¡°Sir, they¡¯re giving us a ride!¡± Vermain pulled down the hood on his cloak and walked to the carriage, walking dignified even in the rain. The noble opened the door and waited for him. Vermeil pulled down his hood and stepped inside. ¡°I am grateful for your kindness.¡± ¡°People of the empire should help each other, should they not? Have your servant come in as well.¡± Vermain gestured to Jan. Jan stepped into the carriage out of the rain. ¡®It¡¯s spacious.¡¯ The carriage was as clean and nice as its ornate exterior, making Jan almost sorry to set his soaked foot inside. ¡°My name is Vermain. I gave up my last name long ago when I joined the army.¡± Vermain always refused to say his family of origin, but no one ever doubted that he was a nobleman. Such class and elegance were not something that could develop overnight. ¡°Ah, a soldier! I should¡¯ve known by the scars. I am Norma Weiss.¡± ¡°Weiss, the Tycoon¡­¡± Murmured Vermain as he stared at Norma S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Weiss the Tycoon. That was what people called the head of the Weiss family. The Weisses had gained their fame through trade. ¡°That is how the public refers to my father, indeed.¡± Vermain and Norma continued to talk while they sat facing each other. Norma offered to take Vermeer and Jan to the checkpoint. ¡°Are you the second eldest son, Sir Norma?¡± ¡°I am the third. All I own are five carriages¡¯ worth of wealth and twelve men.¡± Even the richest of nobles lacked much to offer their third son. Wealth and property are weaker the more they are divided. This is especially true for a family like the Weiss family that lacked a fief. The Weiss family¡¯s story of success was well known across the Empire. ¡®A fallen noble family who lost their fief long ago¡­ but the current head of the family revived their wealth through business.¡¯ Vermain looked out of the carriage. The rain was still pouring. If it weren¡¯t for the well-paved road, the wheels would¡¯ve been stuck in the mud. ¡°My father is called a Tycoon because he rose up from empty hands. I¡¯m lucky compared to him. I plan to establish my own estate on the frontier.¡± Norma¡¯s ambition was clear. Beyond the Western Checkpoint lies the frontier. The vast forests are all unclaimed land, and the emperor has decreed those who develop it shall have ownership. Even commoners could have their own land if they tried hard enough. ¡°A young noble arriving on the frontier in pursuit of success has two outcomes: They either gain it all, or¡­¡­.¡± ¡°-Lose it all. I¡¯m well aware. I¡¯ve heard plenty of advice from my father already.¡± Norma was arrogant. He observed Vermain¡¯s demeanor. He could extrapolate Vermain¡¯s life story, just by talking to him. ¡®Probably born the third or fourth son of a decent family¡­ Lacking talent, he probably served as an officer. A failure who grew old without any success. At an age when he should have a family, all he has is one lowly servant? Pathetic.¡¯ Norma curled the corners of his mouth. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you realize, Vermain, us nobles have the blood of rulers running through their veins. It is better to die early than to never experience the life of a ruler, wouldn¡¯t you agree? A lowly life belongs to a lowly blood, don¡¯t you agree, Jan?¡± Norma looked at Jan as he spoke. Jan scratched his head and laughed. ¡°Well, lowly commoners like me are content as long as we have food to eat, and a place to escape the morning dew.¡± ¡°If all commoners shared your mindset, the world would be at peace. What a fine servant you have, Vermain.¡± Vermain burrowed deeper into the backrest and crossed his legs. He bared his teeth and smiled. ¡°A fine servant indeed! But don¡¯t be fooled by that lad¡¯s dim-witted grin, Norma. He may look dull, but he¡¯s a fearsome creature indeed. He is a murderer who decapitated his lord¡¯s son in cold blood.¡± Norma¡¯s face grew stiff as he stared at Jan. Jan averted his gaze in embarrassment. ¡°Sir, you shouldn¡¯t phrase it like that¡­ It was an accident.¡± Jan did not deny the crime. Norma glanced back and forth between Vermain and Jan, alarmed. ¡°You jest. How could a noble murderer roam the Empire so freely?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, believe it or not.¡± A cold sweat broke out on Norma¡¯s face. ¡°If that¡¯s true, I can¡¯t let it slide. As soon as we reach the checkpoint, I must call the garrison and arrest Jan.¡± Jan looked puzzled. ¡°Eh? What?¡± ¡°I judged you wrong! If you have murdered a noble, you must pay for¡­!¡± Vermin stretched his hand between Jan and Norma. ¡°Norma, a man¡¯s word must be heard to the end. Instead of execution, Jan will serve in the Eighth Legion.¡± ¡°The Eight Legion!¡± Norma¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®So Vermain was not from the Fourth Legion.¡¯ The Fourth Legion is responsible for policing the Western Checkpoint and the frontier. But the actual defense of the westmost front is the jurisdiction of the Eighth Legion. Despite being separate, the Fourth Legion effectively supported the Eight Legion. This allowed the Eighth Legion to concentrate its efforts solely on defending the front. ¡®If Vermain served in the Eighth Legion, I guess he¡¯s not to be looked down upon.¡¯ Norma recovered from his surprise. ¡°Hmm, hmpf. You should have said so sooner, I misunderstood. But why do you travel unescorted with such a dangerous man?¡± ¡°Only the incompetent fear their subordinates.¡± Vermain said quietly. Norma stared out the window, trying to hide his discomfort. The rain had stopped amidst the conversation. The coachman shouted that he could see the gateway to the checkpoint. ¡°It has been a pleasure talking to you, Vermain.¡± Norma smiled out of courtesy. Vermain returned the thanks. With Norma¡¯s help, they had made it through the rain in comfort. Soon the carriage stopped in front of the gate. Beyond the checkpoint, the long flowing river served as the boundary between the Empire and the frontier. Soldiers at the gate were checking people¡¯s documents. Some held out their emblems, while others pulled out paper passes. Norma and his men took out their passes. A scribe came over, and checked their documents for forgery, and nodded to the captain of the garrison. ¡°Norma Weiss and 12 others have been identified¡­ But there are two more.¡± ¡°Ah, these people are not with us, please identify them separately.¡± Norma said as he opened the carriage door. The garrison captain looked inside the carriage and his eyes widened. ¡°Eh, General Vermain? How was your trip to the capital?¡± Vermain raised his hand slightly to acknowledge the greeting. Across from him, Norma¡¯s expression stiffened. A sudden chill ran down her spine. ¡°Ge¡­neral¡­? Any legion had a commander, and generals under him. To be called a general means to be one of the most powerful people in the legion. ¡®Why is a general traveling alone without any escorts?!¡¯ Norma wanted to scream. He feared to have gotten on Vermain¡¯s bad side. ¡°Norma, I¡¯ve had a comfortable journey, thanks to you.¡± ¡°Oh, n-no, please, it was an honor, G-general.¡± Vermain patted Norma on the shoulder and stepped out of the carriage. Jan followed suit. ¡°Captain, see to the convenience of this man. Help him settle too and warn him where bandits appear. He¡¯s the type to get himself killed.¡± ¡°Understood, sir.¡± Norma watched Vermain disappear through the ranks of the soldiers. Vermain and Jan borrowed a room at the gate to stay the night. The captain and his soldiers gladly gave up their rooms, as if they were honored. Crack crack. Jan laid his clothes out to dry by the fireplace. He¡¯d heard the soldiers refer to Vermeil as General earlier. ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t a general a very high rank in the army?¡± ¡°Enough to flaunt a little.¡± Jan didn¡¯t know how high a general was ranked, but he rubbed his palms together and continued to praise Vermain. ¡°I knew you were an amazing man, sir.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re quite something as well. ¡± ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re too kind, sir.¡± Jan was swinging his legs, sitting on the ledge of the stone walls. He¡¯d spent a fortnight doing nothing at the checkpoint. For someone who¡¯d worked his whole life, it was too boring. He wanted help, but there was no work Jan could do at the checkpoint. What¡¯s more, Vermain was so busy with the officers of the garrison that Jan rarely saw him these days. When he¡¯d try to listen in, they used words so hard Jan could barely understand what they were saying. ¡°I guess sir¡¯s busy. Ah, it¡¯s a bit boring.¡± Jan looked down from the walls. The gateway was bustling with people trying to get to the frontier. It was the same scene every day. Clack, Clack. Someone was walking up the steps to the wall. ¡®A long-haired man?¡¯ At first, Jan thought it was a man. They had a build as large as any soldier. They were wearing pants, not a skirt, and had a sword at their waist. It was clearly a man¡¯s outfit. ¡®¡­But it¡¯s a woman.¡¯ Up close, her gender was clear: her hair, tied back, was tousled, and she had curves in her muscled body. ¡°Are you Jan?¡± The woman came up the stairs and walked straight to Jan. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°The general has entrusted you with me. Follow me.¡± ¡°Sir has?¡± Jan jumped to his feet. The woman surveyed him. ¡°My name is Camilla.¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you. I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°No need for introductions. Get your stuff together. We¡¯re leaving right away.¡± ¡°What? Leaving? Then can I just say goodbye to¡­¡± ¡°The General is too busy to be taking farewells from the likes of you. You and I are leaving first. As for questions-¡­¡± Jan raised his hand, interrupting her. ¡°Oh, I have a question, it¡¯s almost lunch, can we eat first?¡± Camilla scowled and kicked Jan in the ass. ¡°I was going to say there will be no questions. Get ready now, you idiot! Your feet are still visible, are you walking? Run! Hustle up!¡± Camilla shouted. Jan ran to his room, with a soured expression. ¡®Why¡¯d she need to kick me? She only seemed to be a few years older than me at most.¡¯ As Jan entered his room, Vermain was sitting inside having just returned from a meeting. ¡°Sir! This strange woman is ordering me to follow her, saying it¡¯s your orders¡­¡± ¡°Is she well-built?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, do you know her?¡± ¡°Camilla is one of my men. She happened to be nearby, so I told her to take care of you. I have business in the Fourth Legion, so my return to the front will be delayed. I didn¡¯t want to have you lying around. I¡¯m awaiting your progress.¡± ¡°I-it is enough for me, sir, to stand by your side.¡± Vermain laughed out loud and shook his head. ¡°I appreciate the kind words. But I need you to follow Camilla.¡± Jan could not refuse. Only a small groan escaped his lips. ¡°Well, if you insist, I suppose I have no choice.¡± Jan hefted his pack. He strode briskly down to the gate. Camilla was waiting for him, leaning against the wall. ¡°You¡¯re late, Jan.¡± ¡°I was late because I was saying farewell to sir, Camilla.¡± ¡°¡­Why are you calling my name as if you¡¯re friendly?¡± ¡°Well, would you prefer Mrs? Miss? Ma¡¯am?¡± Camilla scowled, then sighed. ¡°Just call me Camilla.¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Jan followed Camilla away from the checkpoint. It had been a long time since he¡¯d been separated from Vermain. The trip that he¡¯d begun with some excitement turned out to be quite disappointing. There was nothing to make his heart race, even though he was alone with a woman. ¡®Well, Camilla isn¡¯t too pretty, I guess. If Clovelle is a flower, she¡¯s more like a¡­ sturdy weed.¡¯ Her cheeks were freckled. If you looked closely, you¡¯d see that she had quite the large chest and hips, but her other muscles were equally large, so her curves weren¡¯t very pronounced. Camilla herself didn¡¯t seem the type to fuss over her looks. Throughout the trip, Camila rarely talked with Jan, only saying what she needed to. As the sun set, Camilla stopped, and pointed to a suitable spot. Accustomed to Camilla¡¯s instructions, Jan gathered firewood and started a fire. Crackle Crackle. Camilla was heating some grain biscuits on a branch. The biscuits, mixed with honey, began to smell sweeter as they cooked. ¡°Jan, what¡¯s your talent?¡± Camilla asked, taking a bite of the golden brown biscuit. Her incisors shone sharply through her lips. ¡°I can do all kinds of odd jobs, but I¡¯m best at chopping wood.¡± Jan said confidently. Camilla twitched her lips. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked, cut the crap.¡± ¡°What?¡± Camilla snorted, swallowing her biscuit. ¡°Well, fine, hiding your talents is a good survival tactic. You¡¯re more sneaky than I thought.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not really hiding anything.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see how long you keep up that act.¡± Camilla, who had finished her meal first, closed her eyes. Jan kept staring at her, wanting to say something. ¡°Hey, can I ask you something?¡± Camilla flicked open one eye. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Is it true that there are demonic beasts in the west?¡± ¡°Why do you think the Eighth Legion exists? They¡¯re stationed to protect the people from the demonic beasts. You¡¯ll be sick of them once you get to the front.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just a worker, so I probably won¡¯t fight any of them.¡± Jan waved his hands. Camilla threw more wood into the fire. ¡°Are you going to keep mocking me? What¡¯s that sword on your waist for, then?¡± ¡°I only held a sword for the first time recently. Sir just bought this for me so I wouldn¡¯t look like a chump.¡± Camilla narrowed her eyes. Her lashes descended, hiding half her pupils. ¡°If what you say is true, then the general has come back with garbage.¡± ¡°Hey, I know I¡¯m no big shot, but garbage is too far. Why would you call a person garbage like that?¡± Grumbling, Jan turned away, zipping up his coat. Camilla stared at his back, then soon closed her eyes. The frontier is a land of opportunity. But like light and shadow, opportunity always comes with risk. People had a tendency to forget that. ¡®Surely I¡¯ll be fine.¡¯ What¡¯s the use of regretting once things happen? Just like these settlers who were being chased. ¡°I-it¡¯s a demonic beast!¡± The men threw down their axes and sprinted away. Ferocious cries zoomed past their ears like arrows. The frontier is brimming with danger. Plenty of criminals lurked around, enough for the frontier to be called the lawless zone. But the greatest threat of all were the demonic beasts. Originally, the frontier was a forest infested with demonic beasts. When the Emperor issued the decree to expand into the frontier, the Imperial Army pushed back the beasts and expanded into the frontier. The demonic beasts were as pushed far west as the eye could see, but they were not all gone. Some dug their lairs and bided their time, while others broke through the far western front and entered into the frontier. ¡°R-run¡­!¡± The lumberjack ran. He heard his companions scream¡¯s of despair behind him, but he lacked the courage to look behind him. ¡®Panther demonic beasts.¡¯ From his first glimpse, it was likely a panther demonic beast. Demonic beasts share the forms of normal animals, but have enough differences to be distinguishable, even from a distance. Demonic beasts oozed a dark aura. The stronger they are, the more mutated and twisted they are to the point of being unidentifiable with a normal animal. Soon, the woodcutter was the only one left running. ¡°Hah, ha, ha.¡± He was losing his breath. ¡®I¡¯m confident in running. But¡­¡± A human can never match up to an animal. He was merely faster than the other settlers. A normal animal would be content once it had meat to fill its belly. But the demonic beasts are different. They are highly intelligent monsters. They do not stop, until every human is dead. The sound of bushes rustling and branches breaking drew close. Grrrrrrr. The growling of the demonic beast was close. The lumberjack could feel the rancid breath running down his neck. ¡®A-am I going to die?¡¯ It was hard to believe. It felt unreal, even though the beast¡¯s claws were about to split his skull apart. The forest was coming to an end. Could there be an army outside? Maybe an army might coincidentally be nearby, and kill the beast? Hoping for a miracle, the lumberjack left the forest. On the road, two people were traveling on foot. Just two people. There was no army. There were no miracles. ¡°H-help¡­¡± Still, the lumberjack called out. Was it foolishness, or wisdom that makes humans cling onto hope until the end? The two people on the road stared at the fleeing lumberjack. They also saw the demonic beast chasing him. The panther demon beast was clawing its way through the tangled vines. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa! Is that a demonic beast? Wow, I¡¯ve never seen one of those before!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see tons, so don¡¯t get so excited.¡± ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t we save him? Oh, come to think of it, shouldn¡¯t we be running too?¡± Jan scrambled about. Camilla, who was standing next to him, grabbed the hilt of her sword. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re scheming, or just an idiot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important right now. Ah, it¡¯s coming towards us!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re an idiot, you¡¯re absurdly stupid. And if you¡¯re actually smart, you must be scheming a devious plot.¡± Camilla walked forward. She looked at the lumberjack drawing close. The demonic beast was poised, ready to pounce. ¡°You¡¯re in luck, civilian. Be grateful you met a miracle.¡± Camilla chanted. She drew her sword. Swoosh. Camilla spun and swung her blade. It sliced smoothly through the beast¡¯s paw. It was a steady slice, like cutting through water, undisturbed despite cutting through muscle and bone. ¡°Kyaaaaaaargh!¡± The beast screeched as it lost its front paw. It opened its jaws to swallow Camilla¡¯s head. Pssk! Camilla stabbed upward, bracing the hilt. The sword pierced the beast¡¯s chin and exited through its forehead. Pssst! Blue blood gushed out of the beast¡¯s orifices. Soon, the beast¡¯s eyes closed, and lost its balance. ¡®¡­Amazing.¡¯ Jan couldn¡¯t look away. Camilla¡¯s swordsmanship was like a dance. Her movements were large, and the tip of her blade made large arcs. ¡°T-thank you. Thank you so much.¡± The lumberjack wiped his tears, grabbing Camilla¡¯s leg. ¡°Go to the nearest encampment and tell them that a demonic beast has appeared. The Fourth Legion will send a search party.¡± Camilla comforted the man and helped him to his feet. The lumberjack bowed his head and expressed his gratitude repeatedly. After sending him on his way, Camilla gestured to Jan. ¡°Take a good look, Jan. The General has entrusted you with me, so I should teach you the basics. This is a demonic beast, the primary enemy of the Eighth Legion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more terrifying up close.¡± ¡°This one actually doesn¡¯t have too many mutations, but its front paws can still crush you through your armor. You don¡¯t block against demonic beasts, you evade them. Even with a shield, you¡¯ll easily break your arm.¡± Camilla explained. ¡°¡­So just dodge their attacks and hit mine?¡± ¡°Simply put, yes.¡± Camilla stared out into the forest where the man had come running from. Several people must have died, judging by tattered remains on the beast¡¯s fangs and claws. She muttered a prayer for the dead. Jan and Camilla continued to walk along the road until they reached a settlement, a small village of about thirty families. A soldier stood watch atop the crude wooden fence. ¡°Ms. Camilla?¡± The young soldier recognized her and opened the door. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Well, everything¡¯s fine here. Are you on your way back? Who¡¯s the fellow with you?¡± The young man looked at Jan. Before Jan could introduce himself, Camilla beat him to it. ¡°This is a new recruit. You don¡¯t need to know his name because he won¡¯t live much longer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a scary joke, Camilla. I intend to live until I can¡¯t shit on my own. I¡¯m Jan.¡± The young man smiled and returned Jan¡¯s greeting. Camilla and the young man exchanged a few more conversations. ¡°I saw a demonic beast to the south on my way here. You guys should take care.¡± ¡°Oh, that must be the group of new settlers. We warned them, but we had a feeling they¡¯d push too far.¡± The young man said it like it was no big deal. In fact, it was a common occurrence on the frontier. ¡°I¡¯ll stay the night. Let the others know.¡± ¡°We¡¯d welcome you anytime, Ms. Camilla.¡± Camila entered a house as if it were her own home. It was a warehouse for the village¡¯s public things. Farming tools like plows and looms for clothes took up most of the space. ¡°Just lie down anywhere.¡± Camilla leaned back against the wall. Soon, villagers gathered outside, eager to greet Camilla. Even the village chief stopped by ¡°They really seem to like you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve helped them out with demonic beasts before.¡± In the evening, a girl brought a bowl of oat porridge. Jan looked at the oat porridge and complained. ¡°Ew, oats. Isn¡¯t that for livestock?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t complain about your food. What, are you, a noble?¡± ¡°Well, I served under one, so I wasn¡¯t eating things like oats. Man, now that I think about it, I guess my old master really did treat his servants well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too bad though. Maybe because I¡¯m hungry.¡± Jan grumbled but his spoon was moving. ¡°Jan, when you¡¯re done eating, come on outside.¡± Camilla finished her meal first and went out back. Jan gulped down the rest of his porridge and stood up. Camilla¡¯s cold demeanor made him a little uneasy. ¡®Fuck. Is she going to beat me up for complaining about food?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the first time. When he had first started working as a servant, he had complained there wasn¡¯t a lot of meat in the stew. That night, he was beaten up by the servants older than him. ¡®Am I retarded? Why do I keep making the same mistakes?¡¯ Jan sulked out to the back of the warehouse, preparing for a beating. He spotted Camilla warming up. ¡®She¡¯s definitely going to beat me up.¡¯ Jan was used to beatings. It happened often when he was a servant. ¡°Draw your sword, Jan.¡± Jan¡¯s face turned blue with fear. Camilla was going to use swords, not fists. ¡°C-Camilla. No need to kill me over complaining about my f-food.¡± ¡°Jan, what the fuck are you talking about?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to punish me?¡± ¡°No, Jan. I just want to test your skills.¡± Camilla lifted a hand to her forehead. The last few days with Jan had given her constant headaches. ¡°Ah, sorry. I had the wrong idea. But you¡¯re going to be disappointed. I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Jan drew his sword first. The wavy pattern shone in the light. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Camilla recognized the cold steel sword. It was a treasure any swordsman would want to own. ¡°You claim to be clueless, but your sword is awfully expensive.¡± ¡°Sir bought it for me. When I have a son, I intend to pass it down to him.¡± ¡°I doubt you¡¯ll stay alive till then.¡± Camilla drew her sword and twirled it around. Her finesse shone. She was handling the sword as if it was her own limb. Jan, on the other hand, was standing awkwardly, trying to keep his blade still. ¡®Does he really not know how to fight? Did the general really bring back someone so useless?¡¯ She could never tell with the general. Camilla narrowed her eyes and took a step forward. Jan, horrified, took two steps back. ¡®He really won¡¯t live long. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t get attached.¡¯ Camilla eyed the distance, and swung her sword. It was at a distance where her blade would just barely miss Jan. ¡°Aaahhh!¡± Jan stumbled backwards, startled by the blade that wouldn¡¯t have reached. Disappointed, Camilla waited for him to recover, glaring with disdain. ¡°You¡¯re a mess.¡± ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know how to fight.¡± ¡°Try attacking me this time. It¡¯s okay for you to go all out, so fight like you intend to kill.¡± Jan¡¯s eyes squeezed his eyes shut, and reopened them. He gritted his teeth. Frankly, he was a little annoyed. ¡®Camilla and everyone else¡­ just keep telling me to fight.¡¯ He hated fighting, even disregarding his fathers words. He¡¯d only swung his sword because he had to. Srrnng. The sword cried in Jan¡¯s grip. Jan steadied his breathing and took a step. As his foot moved, his arm moved in unison. The flow of movement ended with the sword. Swish! Camilla jerked her body back and stared at Jan. Her pupils were shaking. ¡®How is he fast?¡¯ It was hard to believe such a fast strike had come from such a sloppy stance. More importantly, it was aimed exactly at her throat. ¡®Jan would¡¯ve killed me if I didn¡¯t dodge.¡¯ A chill ran down her spine. She felt her pores open, and her hair stood up. Camilla faintly grinned. There wasn¡¯t any time to spare. Jan came running, flailing his sword however he could. ¡°Hiyaaaaaah!¡± Camilla couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Jan¡¯s movements looked like those of a child, but she felt as if she was facing a master of the blade. Fast and precise. Regardless of the process, that was the result. ¡®He wasn¡¯t lying when he said he hadn¡¯t fought much.¡¯ She could also see why Vermain had brought Jan with him. Jan¡¯s attacks became faster and faster. Camilla soon had no time to waste on thinking. Flick. Jan stepped forward and swung using the spin of his body. It was a heavy blow that utilized his full weight. Camilla decided it wasn¡¯t possible to dodge. She raised her sword to block Jan¡¯s attack. It felt like her sword would break. Crack! Camilla¡¯s foot came off the ground. She¡¯d blocked, but the force had physically detached her from the ground. It was a devastating attack. Crunkle! Camilla fell to the side, giving up on blocking. She quickly stood up and raised her hands high. In her right hand was a sword with a broken blade. The strike was enough to break her sword, even though she¡¯d redirected most of the impact. With a weapon broken, the duel was over. ¡°Stop! My sword is broken.¡± As if Camilla¡¯s shout hadn¡¯t reached his ears, Jan¡¯s eyes seemed to glow. He continued to charge, as if mesmerized by something. Camilla sensed something was wrong. Jan¡¯s sword wasn¡¯t stopping. ¡®Fuck.¡¯ Camilla quickly let her hair loose. Before the hair tie could hit the ground, it happened. Fwooosh! Camilla¡¯s hair stretched outwards as if it was alive. It extended and snatched Jan¡¯s arms, binding them together. It was so tight that Jan couldn¡¯t move a muscle. ¡°I told you to give it your all¡­ But were you actually trying to kill me?¡± Jan snapped out of his trance. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m the type that goes all the way once they get going. uh, b-but, uh, your hair stretched! W-what is this? Ahhh!¡± ¡°Shut up, it¡¯s no big deal.¡± Camilla shook her head. Her elongated hair returned to its original length. She pulled another hair tie from her pocket and tied her hair back. ¡°M-magic? Camilla, are you a mage?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°But magic is¡­ demonic power. You¡¯ll end up in hell.¡± ¡°You just need to repent before you die. You¡¯ll get used to it in the Eighth Legion. Anyways, you¡¯re quite good with a sword.¡± Jan blushed and fidgeted with his neck. It was the first time he¡¯d ever been complimented by Camilla. ¡°W-well, I¡¯m lucky to have a good sword. I¡¯m sorry I broke yours. Are you thirsty? I¡¯ll get you some water right away!¡± Camilla glanced at Jan¡¯s back as he ran off. ¡°I hate to admit it, but¡­¡± He was a clumsy fool. But he had amazing talent. She expected dozens to have lost their lives to Jan, fooled by his clumsiness. ¡®Jan has a peculiar talent for combat. ¡® ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Camilla squinted her eyes and pointed to the fortress in the distance. ¡°This is the headquarters, and also the rearmost fortress of the Eighth Legion.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard of this place before, Orphiel.¡± Today, Orphiel has two meanings. One purely refers to the fortress, while the other refers to the city that formed around it. The residential area and commercial districts outside the fortress were bustling. It was hard to believe it was such a remote city. ¡°There are four forts on the Far Western Front. When things were better, there used to be seven.¡± ¡°Why are there only four now?¡± ¡°The front was drawn back, and we lost the forts with it.¡± There was also a lot of farmland around Orphiel. Jan and Camilla approached Orphiel through a path between wheat fields. Jan and Camilla reached the busy street surrounding the fortress. It was bustling with the sound of merchants. abruptly, Camilla stopped walking and looked back at Jan. ¡°Jan, there are some brothels this way. You know what a brothel is, right? It¡¯s a place where you fuck.¡± Camila made a circle with her left hand, and dipped her right index finger in and out. ¡°I-I know that. You don¡¯t need to tell me that.¡± ¡°Well, that makes things easier. Go into that alleyway where men are exiting looking satisfied.¡¯ ¡°D-don¡¯t decide that for me! I haven¡¯t said I¡¯m doing it¡­¡­ yet.¡± Jan said, his face completely red. ¡°People die on the front. You seem to be optimistic, but death isn¡¯t picky. Even if you survive, you won¡¯t get a chance to have sex for a while. I¡¯ll pay. Consider it your enlistment present.¡± Camilla reached into her coin sack. Jan almost nodded, before he shook his head. ¡°B-but shouldn¡¯t you do this kind of thing with people you love?¡± ¡°I expected so, but are you a virgin?¡± Jan nodded, embarrassed. Camilla thought for a moment, then continued. ¡°¡­Think carefully, Jan. Don¡¯t make a choice you¡¯ll regret.¡± Camilla crossed her arms and waited for Jan to decide. She didn¡¯t rush him, as she normally would. Jan¡¯s eyes fluttered. His typically squishy brain seemed to harden. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ He wanted to have sex. In his mind, he was accepting Camilla¡¯s coin sack and running into the alley. But when he closed his eyes, the image of a woman dressed in flimsy clothes came to his mind. ¡®Mom.¡¯ An unpleasant memory flashed through his mind. One day, his father disappeared. Jan¡¯s mother never told him why he left. Maybe he died, or maybe he just ran away. There¡¯s no way to know now. Sometime after that, Men began to exit Jan¡¯s house, buckling their pants. Jan waited patiently in the yard for his mother to finish her work. Sometimes, the men who came often would toss Jan a snack, like an apple. Jan would always split it and share it with his mother. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy, Jan.¡¯ Jan could almost still hear his mother¡¯s voice. Jan opened his eyes. He could see Camilla, and the people walking about. ¡°I¡¯m going to survive, and meet a nice girl.¡± Jan said, lifting his head. Camilla made a vague expression that could have been either a sneer or a smile, then tucked the money back into her pocket. Jan and Camilla walked through the busy street and reached the entrance to the fortress. The guards at the gate recognized Camilla and immediately lowered their spears to open the way. The fortress was filled with well-built men. Some were wearing armor. All of them gave off the air of soldiers and warriors. Jan felt an occasional fierce glance towards them. Jan felt a little intimidated, so he walked behind Camilla as if he was hiding. Camilla led the way through the complex passages of the fortress. They emerged into a vast training yard. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people over there.¡± Jan pointed to the training fields. Dozens of men were huddled there. They were talking loudly, and officers were standing nearby, scribbling away. ¡°Good timing. They¡¯re enlisted men, like you. Wait here while I go talk to them.¡± Camilla approached the group of officers. She began talking with them, and pointed her finger at Jan. When she finished, she returned to Jan. ¡°Jan, go up to them. I wish you luck.¡± ¡°What? Alone?¡± ¡°You think I¡¯d enlist with you?¡± ¡°I-I thought I was supposed to be a servant for sir?¡± ¡°If you want to serve the general directly, you¡¯ve got to be worthy. The biggest guy over there is Instructor Musgal.¡± ¡°Ah, well, but¡­ on my own¡­¡± Jan fidgeted uneasily. Camilla sighed and gripped ahold of Jan¡¯s cheeks. ¡°You have talent. You just need to keep your head on straight.¡± ¡°What talent do you think I have¡­?¡± ¡°Combat.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s swordsmanship or fist fighting, you have talent.¡± ¡°I mean, thank you for the compliment, but¡­¡± Jan scratched his head. Camilla pushed past him and walked off. Jan started to follow, but she shook her head and pointed to the drill instructor. Jan stumbled helplessly to where the soldiers were. ¡®Crawl up from the bottom, Jan.¡¯ Standing at the entrance to the training field, Camilla watched Jan join the other enlistees. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Instructor Musgal was a large man. He was so intimidating, even to the men with rougher backgrounds. His face was so scary that it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he had killed several men just by looking at them. ¡°Welcome to the Eighth Legion. Scumbags.¡± Musgal said to the cadets standing in the field. One of the men booed from among the cadets. ¡°Scumbags? The fuck do you think you are? You¡¯re messing with me, Gela¡¯s¡­¡± Musgal wasted no time pushing his way through the cadets. He grabbed the man by his collar and threw him backwards. The man flew like a plane and slammed into the wall. Crack! Musgal didn¡¯t stop with a warning; he punched the man in the face again and again with his fists. Blam, Blam, Blam! The man¡¯s face caved in and his eyeballs popped out of their eye sockets like a frog. He didn¡¯t even get a chance to beg for his life. Everyone else realized he had died when his flailing limbs stopped moving. ¡®A man just died.¡¯ The cadets were shocked. Some of the weak hearted even began to puke. A man beaten to death by bare hands wasn¡¯t a common sight, even for them. ¡°If you have any complaint, say it now. I¡¯ll send you straight to God. Actually, I guess you scumbags would be going to hell.¡± Musgal said, wiping the blood from his fists on his pants. He¡¯d killed a man just for talking back. It was cruel, and unnecessary. But it was effective. ¡®This is what I need to do to get the likes of them to listen.¡¯ Musgal looked at the faces of the cadets one by one. There were about forty in this crop. Some averted their gazes in fear, others met his gaze with anger. There were also a few he couldn¡¯t tell what they were thinking. ¡°I don¡¯t know what why you fuckers ended up here. But I do know none of you are righteous people. Murderers, swindlers, robbers¡­ that sort of scum. Be thankful that you¡¯ve been given a second chance, and not end up a bloodstain on the guillotine. Pray to God, and kneel to the East, where the emperor resides.¡± The Eighth Legion was notorious. The majority of its soldiers are criminals or those who have nowhere else to go. ¡°I am Musgal, chief instructor. I guarantee you, in four days you¡¯ll be wishing you were rather out in the battlefields.¡± Musgal was overwhelming the cadets. Even the most ruthless criminals were on their toes, watching every part of Musgal¡¯s actions. ¡°Hand over all your belongings. If you¡¯re still alive at the end of the training, it will be returned.¡± Musgal gestured, and the other instructors handed out the bags to the cadets one by one. The cadets hesitated before, before quickly submitting their belongings after hearing Musgal shout. ¡®But this is a gift from sir.¡¯ Jan hesitated, then slipped the sword into the bag. When the bag had started to fill up, Musgal spoke up again. ¡°I said, EVERYTHING. Your clothes! Even your underwear!¡± ¡°Do we need to be Nake-¡­ Urk!¡± Musgal¡¯s boot was driven into the chest of the soldier who spoke up. The cadets stripped off their clothes without further question. ¡°You can answer with Yes, or No. Do not question my words. Think of me as your father. No son questions his father¡¯s word. You will be reborn under my training. From scum to livestock of some use.¡± The naked cadets stood there, embarrassed. Musgal walked among them, shoving them around. He sometimes grabbed them by their chins and kicked them in the shins. ¡°For the next four weeks, your lives are mine. If I¡¯m having a bad day, I might beat one of you to death for no reason. But I will not be held responsible. Pray, that no woman rejects me for the next month.¡± Someone chuckled at Musgal¡¯s joke. Musgal¡¯s eyes flickered to the origin. ¡®Oh, I fucked up.¡¯ Jan was the one who laughed. He tried to cover his mouth, but Musgal was already walking furiously toward him. ¡°Do you think my words were funny?¡± ¡°I admired how witty you are, Sir!¡± Jan responded at the top of his lungs. Musgal scowled even further. ¡°Witty? Did you think I was joking? Do I look like the kind of person who would joke with you?¡± There was no escape. Jan rolled his eyes around, desperately squeezing out words. ¡°I thought it was a joke, because there¡¯s no way a handsome man like you could be dumped by a woman, Sir!¡± The cadets gritted their teeth, trying their best not to laugh. But the other officers next to them burst out laughing. ¡°Ha, what a guy.¡± ¡°Pfft, pfft, handsome? To Musgal?¡± ¡°Real crazy, that one.¡± It was hard to call Musgal a handsome face, even being generous; if you dressed him up in a fur coat, he almost looked closer to a bear. His chunky face looked like it was riddled with rocks. Jan seized the opportunity to continue talking. ¡°If I were a woman, I¡¯d forgive you even if you cheated on me.¡± ¡°You, you..!¡± Musgal raised his hand to strike, then lowered it. The atmosphere had already broken when the other officers had cracked up. ¡®Phew, that was a close one.¡¯ Jan patted his chest and glanced at Musgal, returning back to the front. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll begin the nude run of initiation. We¡¯ll run along the outskirts of Orphiel.¡± Musgal began to jog. The cadets hesitated, then hurried after him at the urging of the other officers. Cadets lagging behind were whipped. ¡°One, two, three, four! Your voice is too small! Are your voices as small as your dicks?!¡± ¡°No sir! One, two, three!¡± Around forty cadets ran after Musgal. The soldiers in the fort laughed as they watched the naked cadets. The run didn¡¯t end in the fortress; they roamed naked through the residential area and bustling streets. As they entered the brothels, the women laughed and waved, used to seeing the sight. Some of the cadets tried to cover their privates, but their instructors¡¯ whips quickly struck their hands. The embarrassment was fleeting. Later, there was no time for shame. The run showed no sign of finishing. They could barely breathe. Throats tasting like blood, and legs trembling. But they couldn¡¯t rest. Crack! The officer slapped the cadet¡¯s thighs with his whip like a jockey as he passed by. ¡°Get up!¡± ¡°Do you want to die?¡± ¡°You lot are on death row anyway! Are you tired? Do you want to go back? If you want to get tired, just say the word. I¡¯ve been so busy with demonic beasts I miss slicing off a person¡¯s head!¡± The instructors whipped on the cadets who were falling behind. ¡®Fucking hell.¡¯ Jan felt like he was dying of exhaustion. He¡¯d never run for this long before. When he began to lag behind, Musgal immediately ran towards him. ¡°You got off earlier, scumbag. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Jan.¡± ¡°What, scum? I can¡¯t hear you with your tiny voice.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s Jan, sir!¡± ¡°Alright, Jan, I¡¯ll remember your name. And remember me. I¡¯ll always be watching you.¡± With that, Musgal ran back to the front of the pack. He was quite fast, despite his size. ¡°Haah, haah.¡± Fortunately, there were many cadets in worse shape than Jan. Jan didn¡¯t get whipped up. ¡®This isn¡¯t what I was expecting.¡¯ Jan looked up at the sky. Tears were about to fall. He began missing his hometown. ¡®I want to see Mr. Vermain, too. There must be some misunderstanding, if I can just meet him¡­¡­¡¯ Despite the vomiting and falling, no cadet gave up on running. They had no other choice. After five years of service in the Eighth Legion, they could be pardoned. It was ridiculously short, considering some of the crimes they had committed. But few survive even five years. Musgal, running at the front of the pack, stopped. The cadets fell to the ground, thinking it was over. The sound of gasping filled the air. ¡°Now that you¡¯re all warmed up, let¡¯s go to the training center.¡± Musgal said, and pointed to a mountaintop not far from Orphiel. The cadets looked up at him, faces in despair. Musgal looked at their expressions and chuckled. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re running.¡± Musgal began to run again, and the officers raised their whips. The cadets left a trail of vomit in their wake. The Eighth Legion¡¯s Training Center three was on top of a mountain. After completing the hike, the trainees collapsed in the run-down building. They were too exhausted to move an inch. ¡°This is crazy, they¡¯re treating us like animals! They killed a man for talking back!¡± ¡°So? What, you want to desert? If you do, do it alone, don¡¯t drag us into it.¡± ¡°Shut up, both of you. Hearing you two bicker is making my tired head ring.¡± ¡°You shut the fuck up, before I kill you.¡± ¡°Ha, fuck. You¡­¡± As soon as the instructors disappeared, the cadets began to argue. Not a sentence was spoken without profanity. ¡°I said, shut up.¡± The blond young man stood up, together with the man he¡¯d argued, struggling to their feet. ¡°You¡¯re a pretty fucking twink, asshole. Why don¡¯t you be my bitch, I¡¯ll let you off.¡± ¡°Hah, twink? You wanna die?¡± The blonde laughed, cracking his neck, and stepped in front of the man. The man didn¡¯t back down either. The two men stood close enough to breathe. They could exchange blows at any moment. ¡°Mmmf!¡± The blonde leaned up and planted his lips on the other man. The rest of the cadets turned to look in shock. But instead of their tongues mingling, there was a horrifying sound. Grrrrk! The man struggled and pushed the blonde man away. The blond man struggled, but was soon pushed back. Their mouths were bloody. The crowd soon realized whose blood it was. ¡°Ptew.¡± The blonde spat out a piece of flesh onto the floor. It was the man¡¯s tongue. The man was moaning, clutching his mouth. ¡°Finally, some peace and quiet.¡± The blonde kicked the man, and wiped the corner of his mouth. The cadets were speechless. Silence ensued. The man who was now missing his tongue crawled out of the building, coughing up blood, went to the instructors. The instructor inspected the man, frowning. A doctor soon arrived and took the man away. Once inside the building, the instructor walked over to the blonde man, and pinned him against the wall by his neck. ¡°Listen up, you little shits,¡± he said, ¡°The only ones allowed to beat you a lot, are us. If the rest of you just watch this shit happening, one more time, every single person in here will die. You are all in the same boat from now on.¡± The instructor released his grip and dragged the blonde man outside. The cadets could hear a ruthless beating ensuing outside. Soon afterward, the blond man crawled his way back in. He couldn¡¯t even make it back to his spot. People stared at him, hesitating. Jan jumped down from the bed and helped the blonde to his feet. ¡°What are you guys waiting for? He¡¯s injured. Didn¡¯t you hear what the instructor said earlier? We¡¯re in one boat.¡± Jan pulled the blonde up to his bed. The blond chuckled, and looked up at Jan. ¡°You¡¯re an interesting guy. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Jan.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Laviris. Just call me Lav.¡± Laviris laid down on the wooden bed, a mangled mess. He examined his limbs. They were bruised, but intact. ¡°They really know how to beat people the right way.¡± ¡°That was a little too far earlier. Biting off the other guy¡¯s tongue. It looked painful.¡± ¡°I just nipped the tip. The bitch overreacted.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before the injured man returned to the building after receiving medical care. He glared at Laviris, before returning to his spot. The eventful day was coming to an end. Before nightfall, the instructors dirty uniforms into the center of the building. The cadets scrambled to pick up the clothes, still wary of each other. Darkness descended on the training center. The hungry cadets could smell food wafting from the instructors¡¯ quarters in the distance. Only the instructors were eating. The cadets were tired, but their hunger kept them awake. Jan curled up, holding his stomach. He¡¯d love to have even oat porridge right now. ¡®I want to go home.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t the only one thinking that. So did all the cadets. But there was no place for them to return. ¡°Mommy.¡± Someone said, Some people started sobbing. Jan didn¡¯t cry. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 The cadets¡¯ breakfast was gruel. The instructors threw all sorts of things into the cauldron and let it boil, including their leftovers. ¡°Pigs eat better than this.¡± The cadets grumbled, but they filled their bowls to the brim. Everyone was busy checking which scraps they got. Jan stirred the bowl with his spoon. He stared at the meat resting atop his spoon and grinned. ¡°It¡¯s my lucky day. Pork.¡± Jan rolled the meat around in his mouth as if it would melt, and swallowed. Mealtime didn¡¯t last very long. Some cadets hadn¡¯t even touched their bowl yet, waiting for the gruel to cool, but five instructors slowly stood up and raised their clubs. ¡°How long are you going to sit and eat, you pigs?¡± The instructors rushed between the cadets, kicking bowls out of their hands and swinging clubs. ¡°What the fuck?!¡± ¡°You motherfuckers!¡± The cadets cursed as they scarfed down whatever they could. Some of the cadets even ate while being beaten. ¡°Fuck! I can¡¯t live like this¡­¡­!¡± Blam! The cadet who tried to stand up was pummeled to the ground with a stick. ¡°On the count of five! One!¡± Musgal began counting down, and the cadets ran to training fields. It was quite cold in the morning wind, as it had been carved into the mountain. The cadets could feel their noses leaking. ¡°Come on, Jan, let¡¯s go, we¡¯re going to get beat up again.¡± Laviris tapped Jan on the shoulder. Jan ate what scraps he could, then got up. The instructors beat laviris and Jan¡¯s backs with sticks for being so slow. ¡°You bastards, are you full after all that food? A wise man once said, ¡°Better to be a hungry man than a full pig. A day or two of starvation won¡¯t kill you. Yet seeing you squeal, I can see you are pigs!¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Musgal slapped his palm with his club. ¡°Now, to start, we¡¯re going to ¡­. run.¡± The cadets¡¯ faces contorted in horror. They were already exhausted from yesterday¡¯s run. Musgal and his instructors began to run down the mountain. ¡°They¡¯re going to kill us. This isn¡¯t training, this is execution.¡± The cadets ran after them on shaky legs. They felt like they were going to die, but their legs were still able to move. The mountain paths were well-traveled, but it was still no easy feat. The cadets who had forced down their breakfast, were busy throwing up as they ran. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Jan suddenly looked behind him. He had already passed most of the cadets and was running at the front of the pack. Until yesterday, Jan had been in the middle of the pack. It wasn¡¯t that he was running faster, it was that everyone else hadn¡¯t recovered from the other day. ¡°You must recover pretty fast. I guess you have your resilience to boast?¡± Musgal ran towards Jan. ¡°A good night¡¯s sleep solves most pain, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Boasting about your youth will bite you in the back later.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t bragging though¡­¡± Jan scratched his head. It looked like he¡¯d earned Musgal¡¯s ire again. The hike ended with a run back up the entire mountain. Jan had finished early, so he had more time to rest than the others. ¡°Hah, hah, hah.¡± Jan laid down on the top of the mountain and watched the trainees climb up. Laviris arrived a little later than Jan. Laviris seemed to be able to run decently despite his beating the other day. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Jan asked Laviris. Laviris caught his breath before answering. ¡°I¡¯ve trained regularly, so I¡¯m fine. Never thought my old master would become of use.¡± ¡°Master?¡± ¡°I used to be a se. She made me exercise often, because she liked her men fit.¡± Jan started to ask more, but stopped himself. Laviris¡¯s body was quite muscular, despite his delicate face. The grueling training continued, morning and night. The drills were so intense that they left little room for thought. Pushed to their limits, the trainees swore and cursed. Their hunger kept them up at night. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as it seemed.¡± laviris said to Jan as they lay in bed. ¡°Not too bad? I think I¡¯m going to die.¡± Jan grumbled, and Laviris laughed. ¡°You¡¯re holding up well, too. The officers are clever; they¡¯re pushing us to our limits. No one died except that guy on the first day. That was probably to intimate us, considering most of us wouldn¡¯t have listened otherwise. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± Jan scratched at his bug-bitten leg. ¡°The Eighth Legion is always short on hands. I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t want to take unnecessary losses in training.¡± Laviris¡¯s words made perfect sense. Jan nodded vigorously. ¡°¡­You¡¯re really smart.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the only conclusion if you think about it.¡± Jan and Laviris yawned and closed their eyes. The cadets thought they had blinked, but it was already morning when they opened their eyes again They could hear the footsteps of their instructors running up the stairs. The cadets¡¯ hearts pounded in unison. ¡°Wake up, you lazy pigs! Livestock being dragged to the slaughterhouse would be faster than you lot!¡± Musgal shouted as he entered the building. The cadets that failed their shake themselves out of slumber in time were beaten with their instructors¡¯ clubs. ¡°Man, Fuck!¡± Pain began again immediately after waking. The torturous physical training was repeated day after day. The only relief was that on Saturdays they had a day off. The instructors took turns going down to Fort Orphiel. On Saturdays, the instructors didn¡¯t beat up the cadets, or stop them from having some freedom. The cadets heated water and washed themselves thoroughly. ¡°Aaaaah, I finally feel alive.¡± Jan let out a moan as he poured the warm water over his body, the filthy water pooling at his feet. He could feel his fatigue being washed away with the grime. ¡°This is bliss.¡± Jan wandered around naked until he was dry. The cadets had seen enough of each other anyway. In fact, they¡¯d even begun to bond over the rigors of training. But it wasn¡¯t without conflict. Many of them had bad personalities, so conflict was common. When the instructor wasn¡¯t around, arguments often broke out. ¡°Jan, follow me.¡± Laviris gestured to Jan. Jan gathered his clothes and followed laviris to the back of the building. laviris rummaged through the bushes and held up a basket. ¡°Berries.¡± The basket held a handful of red berries. Jan¡¯s mouth was already watering. ¡°I picked them when I could.¡± ¡°Can I eat them? You picked them.¡± Jan hesitated, still drooling. ¡°You helped me out. Eat it. Just don¡¯t tell the others.¡± Jan hesitated, then popped the berry into his mouth. The berries were surprisingly flavorful against his parched tongue. A subtle hint of sweetness rose through the tartness. ¡°This is amazing. I could eat nothing but these for the rest of my life.¡± The juice seemed to seep into his body. When he came to his senses, the basket was empty. Jan¡¯s lips were glistening with juice. ¡°I¡¯ll pick some more next time.¡± Laviris shrugged, feeling satisfied at seeing Jan eat so happily. Jan wiped the corner of his mouth and checked to make sure no one was around. He spoke to Laviris in a low, whispery voice. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone else¡­ I actually have connections with someone high up in the Eighth Legion. I may be stuck here now, but soon sir will come to get me. If I can, I¡¯ll get you out too.¡± ¡°Hah, yeah, I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± Laviris laughed off Jan¡¯s comment. ¡®Jan¡¯s a nice guy¡­ but he¡¯s not the brightest. He must be confused about something.¡¯ Laviris stood up and brushed off his pants. He pointed toward the stream. ¡°Jan, go to the stream and wash your mouth. The juice around your lips will give it away. I¡¯ll go first.¡± ¡°Uh, huh? Okay, I¡¯ll go wash up.¡± Laviris walked away. Jan stared at his back and laughed. ¡°Lav¡¯s a good guy.¡± Jan was in a good mood. The tartness of the berries still lingered in his mouth, reminding him of Laviris¡¯s kindness Laviris rounded the corner of the building and stopped. He began taking steps backwards, as if he¡¯d seen someone. ¡°Huh?¡± Jan¡¯s eyes widened as he was about to walk to the stream. Standing before Lav was the man missing his tongue. A blade glinted in the man¡¯s grip. Jan¡¯s pupils widened like a hawk¡¯s. It seemed to be a broken part of a weapon. Wherever it came from, it would be enough to kill. ¡®Laviris is in danger.¡¯ The man had a grudge against Laviris. His eyes burned with sickly hatred. Pssk! The man swung the broken blade. Laviris barely raised his hand and grabbed the man¡¯s wrist. The man shoved Laviris¡¯s hand away and rammed into him. Laviris lost his balance and stumbled. The blade was coming down at Laviris¡¯s neck. ¡°Lav!¡± Jan pushed forcefully against the ground as he sprinted.It was about twenty steps away, but Jan arrived in three strides. BLAM! Jan and the man collided. They tangled and rolled onto the ground. Jan observed the man with squinted eyes. ¡°Kaak! Who¡­ the fuck¡­!¡± The man rolled over and looked at Jan¡¯s face. He stared into Jan¡¯s eyes in disbelief. Crack! Jan grabbed the man¡¯s arm and kicked him in the stomach. The man dropped the blade. Jan snatched the blade before it hit the ground. His grip was cool. The blade was sharp. An arc was drawn, passing through the man¡¯s throat. A red line formed, then droplets of blood soon began to gather. PSSSST! Blood squirted out. The man screeched, foaming blood and clutching at his half-split throat. Blood gushed from the gash in his neck. The man staggered in pain and collapsed. Blood continued to flow out. ¡°Ah, he¡¯s dead.¡± Jan scratched his head, staring at the bloodied blade. He regretted it a little, but it was inevitable. ¡°You saved my life.¡± Laviris grabbed Jan¡¯s arm and pulled him to his feet. Jan steadied his legs. ¡°I¡¯ll have to tell the instructor, won¡¯t I?¡± Jan sighed and looked down at the body. ¡°We should. It¡¯ll only lead to more misunderstandings.¡± ¡°If Musgal doesn¡¯t already hate me, He really will now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll testify for you.¡± Jan and Laviris walked toward the instructors¡¯ quarters. The other cadets were shocked to see them. Jan, covered in blood, was an unsettling sight. ¡°Jan, you ended up in the Eight Legion for murder, right?¡± Laviris asked, before entering the instructor¡¯s quarters. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°You seem to be used to it.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m used to it¡­ oh, maybe I am.¡± Jan laughed awkwardly, remembering what had happened since he left his hometown. He recollected the people who had lost their heads to him. But he couldn¡¯t remember their faces. Creak. Jan pushed open the door to the instructor¡¯s quarters. Musgal was inside. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Musgal stood up, irritated. He was a head taller than Jan. Just standing in front of him was intimidating enough to Jan. ¡°Well¡­.¡± When Jan hesitated, Musgal scowled. ¡°If you have something to say, spit it out!¡± ¡°I killed someone!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why you¡¯re in the Eighth Legion, you dolt. What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°No, I mean like, just now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Musgal asked, surprised. The other instructor jumped up from his seat. Laviris cleared his throat and stepped between Jan and Musgal. ¡°Let me explain, sir.¡± Laviris explained what had just happened. He defended Jan, while making himself sound as neutral as possible. Musgal nodded, as he stroked his chin. He listened carefully to Laviris¡¯s words. ¡°Well, I guess it was inevitable. But we can¡¯t just let you off. Both of you are starving for two days.¡± ¡°Two days?¡± Jan questioned. ¡°You just made it three.¡± Laviris covered Jan¡¯s mouth before he could say anything else ¡°Thank you for your understanding, sir.¡± ¡°Yeah, now get out.¡±