Irine had changed into her night clothes and sat at the table. On the table were a bottle of wine, two glasses, meat, cheese, bread, and soup. Perhaps, it was the most luxurious menu this tavern had ever served.
Holding a glass of wine, Irine looked significantly younger and more beautiful than she had during the day. In daylight, he had thought of her as ‘a woman who looks thirty, though she might be forty’. However, now she appeared to be maybe not even twenty-five. He was itching to ask, “How old are you?” But he recalled hearing somewhere that one shouldn’t ask a lady her age and held his tongue.
‘To get the information I want from this woman, it seems I’ll have to be courteous. Annoying, but necessary.’
Jay pondered what question would be the best opener, then blurted out,
“How about it? Is the wine good enough for a long conversation?”
Irine burst into laughter.
“You shouldn’t say such things about the wine. It’s pitiable.”
“You’re the one who wanted this wine in the first place.”
“I just wanted to see some effort, that’s all. Anyway, it’s delicious. How did they find such a wine in this backwater town?”
“The innkeeper rode to the next town over. He couldn’t find one worth ten gold coins, so he bought two bottles and tried to give me back five coins.”
“Have you no sense of money?”
“I don’t know the taste of alcohol. I like beer, though.”
“You smell of tobacco.”
“I bathed, didn’t I?”
“That doesn’t matter. The smell remains.”
Jay cautiously sniffed his arm and asked,
“Should I go wash again?”
“No need. I’m used to that smell from my friends. But it’s not my favorite.”
Jay was continually overwhelmed by the captivating smile that came from her intense eyes. He had no idea how to steer the conversation, and couldn’t find words easily. Fortunately, Irine broke the ice.
“May I see your sword?”
Almost instinctively, Jay showed a reflex of refusal. But she smiled reassuringly.
“I won’t steal it, especially not that old thing.”
With a flick, Irine tossed her own sword to Jay.
“If you’re talking swords, it should at least be of this caliber.”
Jay quickly unsheathed it a bit and swallowed hard. He never coveted anything, but Irine’s sword was tempting. Sharp, sturdy, and pristine, the blade captivated him. The hilt was plain, but the blade bore engraved symbols he couldn’t read.
‘If I keep holding onto this, I might genuinely want to keep it.’
Jay returned her sword and handed over his own.
Looking at the notched blade, Irine clicked her tongue.
“How many years have you used this blade?”
“About three months?”
“It’s either the sword is a mess, or you’re reckless with it, or you’ve used it a lot. Or maybe all three?”
“All three. I’m not the type to get attached to swords.”
“That’s because you’ve never had a proper sword.”
Irine balanced the blade in her hand and ran her fingers across its edge. Ordinary people would reveal the space between them when handling a sword like this. But with Irine, that space was not perceivable. Holding a sword without showing that gap, and not having one but still showing the space, was characteristic of this woman.
Jay’s curiosity about Irine grew.
“Should we find a place to sharpen it?”
“No need. If it breaks, I’ll just buy a new one.”
Jay was not pleased with his weapon being constantly criticized and shot back. At that, she responded with a thin, motherly smile.
He reached out, “Give it back now.”
Instead of returning the sword, Irine asked, “By the way, how old are you? You look quite young.”
“Why would a hunter remember his age? I don’t know. Just give me back my sword.”
As Irine extended the hilt to return it, in an instant, that gap between them closed by a step. Jay didn’t grab the returning sword; instead, he grasped another sword on his waist.
“Don’t! This time, I’ll draw my sword too.”
Jay had warned her. But Irine didn’t step back, even by a single step. From her smiling face, an intense aura emanated, almost as if one could smell blood. She asked,
“Do you remember what I did during the day?”
“When you were eating cheese? I remember.”
“How many steps is this for you?”
“One step.”
“You really have an interesting talent.”
The knife at Jay’s waist trembled in his grip. Jay shouted,
“Stop it!”
“Is this your first time?”
Irine inquired.
“First time for what?”
“Being within ‘one step’ and not drawing your blade.”
“Yes, it is.”
“You’ll surely pass the second test with ease. But not the third. You will fail. You can’t have these fangs.”
Although he didn’t quite understand, the words ‘you can’t pass’ somehow angered him.
“Why?”
“I can tell just by looking into your eyes. You don’t value life. You don’t cherish anything. Such people know techniques, but they don’t understand the heart.”
The gap of ‘one step’ vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. Irine’s stance hadn’t changed. She still held the blade by the tip, offering the handle to Jay. Jay quickly sheathed his weapon.
Irine placed her empty glass down.
“You should leave. The wine was good, but I can’t have a long conversation with you.”
Pride wounded, Jay wanted to stand up and leave. But the word ‘fail’ kept him in place. It felt like he had been declared a loser without even a fight.
“Our conversation isn’t over,”
Jay remarked.
“Then? Speak up.”
Irine said, refilling her glass with wine.
“Well…”
Jay began with difficulty but couldn’t continue. He then asked,
“Can I organize my thoughts and tell you later?”
“When is later? I’m leaving at dawn.”
“Then, at dawn!”
“Very well.”
Jay downed the wine in his glass in one gulp and got up.
☆ ☆ ☆
Jay didn’t sleep until midnight, lost in thought.
‘I never thought I’d be so troubled conversing with a woman who blathers about etiquette.’
With fellow hunters, conversations were limited to sharing information. It was beneficial to avoid talking to clients. There was no need to converse with anyone else.
To those who wanted skill, he’d show his abilities. To those who wanted a bounty, he’d present the target’s head. Especially with women, he had no experience in conversing. He had no one to entertain, persuade, or argue with.
‘What kind of woman is she? Which knight group is she talking about?’
If it were a man, he’d have drawn his blade without hesitation. But not being able to because she was a woman? That wasn’t it either.
‘She’s not someone I can intimidate with my blade. I’d surely lose. Just as I easily disposed of my bounties, she’d easily deal with me.’
Irine’s words lingered in his mind.
‘I have nothing precious to me? So what? What does she want from me?’
Lying in bed, Jay was plagued by these thoughts until he abruptly sat up.
“Right, I’ve been asking the wrong question. I should’ve asked what I want from her.”
Jay did want something from Irine. That was the source of his complex feelings. It wasn’t just that she was a more skilled fighter or that he felt defeated by her. It was the fact that he didn’t feel bad about the loss that confused him.
“This can’t be!”
Jay exclaimed, jumping out of bed. He had been viewing Irine as a skilled fighter he could spar with within ‘one step’, but she was more than that. She was the ‘other person’ he had been searching for.
Without hesitation, Jay rushed to knock on Irine’s door.
“It’s Jay. Hey.”
After what felt like ages, a sleepy-eyed Irine appeared, yawning.
“I said I’d leave at dawn. When did I say I’d leave in the middle of the night?”
“I’ve sorted out what I wanted to say earlier!”
Jay proudly stated, hoping Irine would appreciate his efforts. However, she merely sighed.
“Have you lived your life only killing, never learning about the relationships and etiquettes between people?”
“As if! Anyway, after pondering all night, I came to a conclusion. Listen to this.â€
Irine leaned against the door with her arms crossed.
“Go on.”
“Teach me swordsmanship. That’s what I wanted.”
Irine simply stared blankly at Jay with drowsy eyes. Jay waited for a reply with eager anticipation.
“No. You failed.”
Jay felt a sinking feeling in his chest.
“What did I do wrong this time?”
“You made about thirty mistakes. Too many to even bother pointing out. But let me tell you the most important thing. You passed the first test. Seeing that you have that certain talent in taking those few steps, you’d pass however many times you’re tested. The second test is a close call.”
“You said earlier that I’d pass easily.”
“Now it seems like a close call. Honestly, I’m not sure. Maybe a fifty-fifty chance? But you’ll definitely fail the third one. If I take on someone with such a predictable outcome as my disciple, it’ll become troublesome later on.”
Growing desperate, Jay inquired, “What exactly is this third test? And the second? If you tell me, at least I can try to pass.”
“I can’t tell you. You passed the first one easily without any hints. The second one has to be passed without any hints too.”
“Is the second one also the method of the ‘certain knight order’ you mentioned?”
“Yes.”
A burning determination started to build up inside him. He’d never felt like this before. Since that winter day at the age of twelve when he began to perceive gaps and challenged something. With an intense gaze, Jay declared,
“Then let’s do this second test now. And immediately after, the third test. Even if it means risking my life, I don’t care. And if I fail even those tests, I’ll challenge you with pure swordsmanship. Even if it means dying at your hands, I won’t back down…”
Irine suddenly slapped Jay across the cheek. Stunned, he could only listen dumbly to what she was saying.
“There are two conditions. Answer ‘Yes, Master’ to whatever I say.”
“Why?”
“You want to be disqualified with just one word?”
With a cold look in her eyes, Irine continued, “What you need isn’t technique, but heart. I don’t need a disrespectful genius, no matter how rare their swordsmanship talent is. You can go elsewhere.”
Jay wondered why she insisted on this, but he complied, “Yes.”
“It should be ‘Yes, Master.'”
“Yes, Master.”
“If you follow me, limitless opportunities might come your way. But you must willingly stay under my command. Returning as a hunter is, of course, not permitted.”
Though Jay wondered about the necessity of this condition too, he simply replied because of the first condition, “Yes, Master.”
“That’s it. Can you do it?”
“It doesn’t seem too difficult.”
“Good. Then, as your Master, I give my first command. Sleep. And we’ll depart at dawn today. So pack your belongings.”
“Yes, Master.”
Jay responded and then added, “Where are we going?”
“To Nadium.”
“Where’s that?”
“It’s where the Queen of Aranthia resides.”
“Where the Wolf Knights are?”
“You know well.”
“That’s where I was trying to go.”
“From now on, it’s where ‘we’ are heading. If you’re lucky, you might undergo the second test by then. The third test will naturally follow.”
“I’ll pass whatever test they throw at me!”
“You’re confident. Anyway, sleep now.”
“Yes, Master.”
Yawning widely, she slammed the door right in front of Jay’s face.
Returning to his room with a feeling of accomplishment, Jay found it difficult to sleep. Before he knew it, dawn broke.
☆ ☆ ☆
The Blue Gate, although called the first checkpoint at the border, seemed a bit too humble. It felt too small for such a title.
Indeed, even without passing through the perhaps existent city gates, there seemed to be many ways to enter Aranthia. The walls were low, and the gates so old and worn that they couldn’t withstand an attack for even an hour. The casualness the shop owner of Blue Beer mentioned now made sense.
“Why do those men risk their lives following someone who has so much money?” Irine asked.
Jay took a moment to recall who she was referring to. “They’re after the bounty money.”
“Who did you kill?”
“Well, that’s the thing…” Jay tried his best to explain his encounter with the Hell’s Axe, but the story ended up disjointed.
“You’re really bad at telling stories,” Irine said bluntly.
“I’ve never had any trouble without that skill,” Jay replied, somewhat nervously.
“You can eat without knowing how to use a fork, but knowing how would certainly help,” Irine remarked. Jay couldn’t find a comeback.
The city gates had unique engravings, and statues of animals they hadn’t seen before stood on the walls. But they passed without much attention. The curiosity Jay felt about Aranthia when he first left Carnelock evaporated the moment he met Irine. Now, she was his sole interest.
“So, what’s this second test you mentioned, Master? Can you give a hint?”
By the time they entered the city gates, it was almost noon. The silence from dawn until now was uncomfortable, even for the typically reserved Jay.
“I told you before. The second test starts without any hints, just like the first. You only realize it was a test after it’s over. So, stop worrying and just follow. You’re even more annoying when you try to talk,” Irine said, continuing her walk without looking back. Jay followed, his face filled with discontent.
The Blue Gate was wide open. Irine mentioned there were three other Blue Gates, but Jay wasn’t particularly attentive. It didn’t matter to him.
“Greetings, travelers. Where are you headed?” A cheerful, elderly guard in a pristine uniform inquired.
“We’re heading to Nadium. It’s always so peaceful here. By any chance, do you have any letters for me?” Irine leaned back casually as she asked.
“Your name?”
“Irine.”
The older guard signaled a younger one with a gesture, and the latter slowly ascended to the second floor.
“Aranthia is always so tranquil. Even the guards at the busiest Blue Gate seem to be bored,” Irine commented with a smile.
“Having nothing to do is the best job. But, it’s not always as calm as it seems. We can’t control the wild beasts that rampage, and lately, there’s been an increase in refugees from other countries trying to settle here.”
“From Camort?”
Irine asked with a bitter smile.
“The war there might’ve ended recently, but there are many who lost their land. For them, Aranthia seems like a paradise.”
Jay examined the wall, where a shield and spear hung. They bore recent marks. The elderly guard continued speaking.
“Moreover, we have to deal with bands of bandits causing trouble. We occasionally have to fight them off. In a town called ‘Walled Village’, bandits even occupied a tavern…”
Before the elderly guard could finish, the younger guard from the second floor descended in a rush, his face flushed. He took another glance at Irine.
“The, the sender of your, your letter…”
The elder snatched the letter from the younger guard’s grasp, chiding him with a tap on the head. “What’s the fuss about, boy?”
The elder guard continued, unfazed.
“My memory isn’t what it used to be at this age. I failed to recognize someone I should’ve immediately. Ah, Master Irine. There are three letters for you. One from a year ago, sent by Master Quain, another from half a year ago by Master Meylumil, and the last one… just from three days ago. It’s left by a knight named Azwin Wolf. Ah, now I remember. She emphasized several times that it had to be delivered. That was a close call.”
“Azwin? From the Wolf Knights? I haven’t heard that name before.”
“Yes, she passed through here about five days ago with the other White Wolves. She left for the Kingdom of Camort on some important business about a month ago and has just returned.”
“What business took her there?”
“I’m just a guard from the border, how would I know? We suspect it has something to do with the end of the Camort civil war.”
The guards’ demeanor towards Irine changed. Jay thought it wasn’t just because she had identified herself.
‘She seems to have a way of making those she speaks with quite amenable. Even without the letters, these guards would have probably granted any request she made.’
Jay nodded to himself from behind.
“Do you think a few knights could end a war that’s been raging for years? It’s probably just a coincidence. May I sit and read these letters?”
When Irine asked, the guard gestured towards a chair.
“Would you like some tea?”
“No, we’ll be leaving soon. Jay?”
“I’m good. Don’t like the taste.”
Jay sat in front of Irine.
Upon reading the first letter, Irine burst into laughter. Once she finished, she tossed it on the table, and Jay sneaked a peek. The writing was bold and elegant, making it easy to read even from the side.
[Irine. It seems you’re the only one who didn’t keep our promise. If you’re reading this, just admit defeat and come back obediently. — Quain -]
The next letter didn’t make Irine laugh. Jay had a chance to read that one too.
[Look into the Black Knight. It seems the matter we thought was settled is resurfacing. — Lumil -]
The last letter took longer to read. Noticing Jay’s constant glances, Irine read it out loud.
“I stop by occasionally to check for letters. I hope to see you soon. I await you. Yours sincerely, Azwin. Doesn’t it sound like a love letter?”
A guard approached and asked, “Would you like to leave a reply? We can directly deliver to Master Quain and Azwin Wolf.”
“No, that’s fine. I’ll be heading their way anyway.”
The guard nodded understandingly.
Soon, other travelers entered through the castle gate. Instead of the older guard, a younger one greeted them.
“Where do you come from?”
“Lontamon. We’re headed to Walled Village.”
They seemed ready to show resistance if denied entry, but the guard, having no intention of stopping them, merely asked about their business in Aranthia and let them pass. This left them somewhat flustered.
Meanwhile, the older guard escorted Irine.
“Oh, Master Irine. Some time ago, the border patrol from Carnelock informed us about a wanted fugitive known as the ‘Hell’s Axe’ possibly fleeing this way. He might have already passed through or taken another gate, so be cautious. I’ve heard he’s quite dangerous.”
“Don’t worry about that. If it’s the Hell’s Axe, this young one here would’ve already taken care of him.”
Irine boasted, causing some rugged men just about to pass through the gate to stare at them in surprise.
‘Why are they staring?’
The old guard, intrigued, asked, “Really, lad? When? How?”
Jay vaguely replied, “Can’t remember. Not sure if it was Hell’s Axe or Hell’s Rabbit.”
Irine laughed, “You do have a sense of humor.”
“It wasn’t a joke.”
“It wasn’t?”
For some reason, Irine felt regretful, and Jay seemed unreasonably angry.
The old guard brushed his chest and spoke.
“Thank goodness anyway. I was worried about what we’d have to do if you came this way. Now we can remove that wanted poster. Still, if you had gotten that man, you would’ve received a hefty reward. The amount written here alone is two hundred!â€
As if he hadn’t really asked out of curiosity, the elderly guard stepped aside without waiting for a reply. The rough-looking men were still glaring at Jay. Remembering their faces, Jay followed Irine out of the city gate.
After half a day, passing through two villages, Jay realized in the evening that Irine was more reserved than he thought. Once he concluded this, he found it easier to approach her and initiate conversation.
“Now I get it. Master, you’re a knight from the Wolf Knights, right?â€
“Do you think someone affiliated with the knights would wander so much that they’d only receive a letter from a year ago now?â€
Walking and looking straight ahead, Irine responded.
“Or maybe a former knight!â€
“Let’s go with that. But were you thinking about that all day?â€
Jay, tapping the rabbit and pheasant slung over his shoulder, replied.
“I was also thinking about dinner.â€
“Oh? Not bad, you. You’ll share that with me?â€
At Irine’s sparkling eyes, Jay was taken aback.
“Would I eat alone?â€
“Judging from my first impression, you might.â€
“Did I seem that way?â€
Jay asked, surprised.
Irine playfully slapped his backside.
“Just joking. How considerate of you to worry about a master’s meal.â€
“Well, why’s it remarkable to eat with someone beside you?â€
Jay responded with a hint of frustration.
Irine asked, “You know about the trackers too?â€
“Yeah, since the Blue Gate.â€
“The guys we saw there? How many were there?â€
“Six.â€
“You have a good memory. What will you do?â€
Jay, on his guard, asked, “Is this some sort of test?â€
“Why would I test you on something like this? I just thought you’d be more familiar with dealing with this sort of thing.â€
Jay, looking at the darkening west, put down the rabbit and pheasant.
“We’ll wait here.â€
“Is that okay?â€
Irine asked.
As Jay began to prepare a campfire, he replied, “Usually. If they’ve been following for half a day, they won’t strike while we eat. They’ll wait for us to sleep. We pretend to be oblivious and eat. They can’t light a fire secretly. They can’t reveal their smoke. So, we won’t see any smoke. Naturally, they won’t have cooked food, and as night falls, they’ll be exhausted. So, they’ll be the ones exhausted, not us. Because, well, they can’t eat…â€
As Jay rambled, Irine interrupted, “When you explain things, you always seem to lose your thread at the end, don’t you?â€
“I don’t know, it just happens.â€
“Whatever, I get your point. But how are you so sure they won’t strike during dinner?â€
“They might. So we’ll be cautious. But in my experience, I’ve never been ambushed during a meal. It’s just my experience. From my… hunter days…â€
“You can stop explaining.â€
Jay silently skinned the rabbit and plucked the feathers from the bird.
Irine sat beside him, simply watching.
“I noticed when I followed you through the forest, you’re adept at this. When did you start traveling alone?â€
“Which part am I good at? Being hunted or preparing food?â€
“I was referring to the former, but let’s say both.â€
“I’ve got plenty of experience. Even if I look a lot younger.â€
Jay replied, almost as if he was picking a fight. Irine slapped the back of his head.
“Much younger, what do you mean? I’m not that old!â€
“So how old are you?â€
After asking, Jay received another slap. And by the time the rabbit was almost cooked, he realized why he had been hit.
‘Right, you shouldn’t ask a woman her age.’
☆ ☆ ☆
They had followed covertly for half a day and their ambush in the night was terribly executed. They made as much noise as possible and even whispered audibly among themselves. It was almost embarrassing to pretend to be asleep. Jaymer jumped up as he heard the sound of drawn swords.
There were six of them, as he had expected. They looked pitifully shocked upon seeing Jaymer.
Irine still feigned sleep. Perhaps she was genuinely asleep.
The largest of them charged from the shadows, slashing down with his sword. Considering his protruding belly, he was quite agile. However, judging by the standards of swordsmanship, his attack was sloppy, covering no more than five steps. Jaymer easily blocked it and punched the man in the face. Only then did he draw his own blade.
“What are you up to? Why did you follow us?”
Jaymer spoke leisurely. From experience, speaking this way usually intimidated the opponents more. They were at a loss for words.
“Speak!”
As Jaymer raised his voice, they flinched. Yet they didn’t run. Meanwhile, the man who was knocked down earlier was now holding his bleeding nose.
“What are you waiting for? Attack!”
Following the fat man’s signal, they all raised their swords again. Jaymer had no intention of settling this through dialogue.
“Sit down, Jaymer.”
Irine, whose face was lit by the dying campfire, spoke while still lying down.
“If I sit, it’s obvious they’ll attack, right? And, of course, Master is in considerable danger.”
Jaymer pointed to an enemy who was raising his blade behind Irine. The man seemed to think he’d successfully approached unnoticed and looked utterly shocked when Jaymer pointed directly at him.
“You’re breaking our agreement just one day in? What do you do when I command?”
Irine asserted.
“Yes, Master.”
Reluctantly, Jaymer sat. Irine stretched and sat up.
“They’re hardly threatening enough to be concerned about, right?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Then it’s settled. It’s not too late to kill them after hearing them out.”
Irine glanced at the man still holding his blade up behind her.
“If you’re going to stab, do it quickly. Otherwise, get out of the way.”
Flustered, he looked to his comrades for guidance. The other four were all waiting for the order from the man holding his nose. The man hesitated.
‘Didn’t they plan for the possibility that their ambush might fail?’
Hesitation leads to overthinking, and overthinking leads to loss of morale. They lowered their blades, regret evident on their faces.
“Do you really think they’ll talk if you ask? They won’t even fetch water if commanded.”
Jaymer muttered.
“You were really upset about that, weren’t you?”
“No, not really.”
“I wonder how I could make them answer my questions?”
Irine smirked at Jaymer, then turned her attention back to the men.
“Where did you come from?”
“We… we are the subordinates of Hell’s Sword.”
The chubby man said, wiping his nose.
Irine shrugged and remarked to Jaymer, “See? He’s answering.”
Jaymer just grimaced.
“Did you come to rob us?”
Irine asked again.
The fat man snarled, “We came to avenge our comrade.”
“Comrade? Avenge? What are you talking about?”
Before Irine could further express her confusion, Jaymer interjected.
“The wanted criminal. Hell’s Axe. They probably followed us after hearing that we killed him. Earlier, at the Blue Gate. They came from Lontamon… So, not me, those guys.”
The chubby one gained a bit of confidence, “That’s right. Hell’s Axe was not just the younger brother of Hell’s Blade but also a friend of mine. That’s why we’re here to avenge his death.”
“Avenge him then, go ahead. You son of a bitch! I mean, not you, but Hell’s Axe.”
Jaymer, flustered, blurted out. After a while, Irine asked the chubby man, “Are you really here to avenge your friend?”
“It’s a man’s vengeance. Women wouldn’t understand.â€
The young man had now raised his voice with confidence.
Irine looked annoyed, as if swatting away an irritating fly.
“Vengeance? Sneaking around and ambushing at night for that? I expected a more interesting story. I thought you brought a fascinating tale.â€
Irine scratched her neck, then turned to Jaymer, “Jaymer, do as you please.â€
“Yes, Master.â€
Jaymer, as if he had been waiting for the order, abruptly stood and drew his sword. The six men instantly retreated in unison.
“Egon, kill that woman first!â€
Perhaps thinking they were evenly matched, the portly man ordered the man standing behind Irine.
“Ah, yes…â€
Egon, since first confronting Irine, hadn’t moved an inch. It wasn’t like he could act on the order immediately. Irine still seemed defenseless, but between her and Egon, there seemed to be an invisible barrier.
“What are you waiting for, Egon? Didn’t you claim to have killed five before coming to me? Can’t you kill just one woman?â€
The portly man shouted. Irine gave him a thin-eyed smile. As if bewitched, the man froze.
Then Irine turned around.
“Your name was Egon, right?â€
Egon, with his sword hanging limply, neither raised nor discarded, simply nodded.
“Getting on in years, aren’t you? Have a wife?â€
Egon nodded in response.
“Yes, I do.â€
“When I ask, you reply with ‘Lady.’ Do you have a mother?â€
“…Yes, I do, Lady.â€
Egon awkwardly added the title.
“A home to go back to?â€
“Yes, Lady. Uh, why do I need to add that?â€
“Because if you don’t, my apprentice will kill you. Answer me honestly. You came to kill us for the bounty, not revenge, right?â€
“No! It’s for revenge!â€
Egon yelled.
“Jaymer, he just neglected the ‘Lady’ title, right?â€
Jaymer replied, “Yes, Master.â€
“Kill him.â€
As Irine’s words fell, Egon shouted.
“I admit it! It’s for the bounty, Lady.â€
Egon even threw away his sword and raised his hands.
The portly man shouted, “Egon, you damn fool! Can’t you keep quiet?â€
With a gesture, Irine said, “Jaymer, if he speaks again, cut him down.â€
“Yes, Master.â€
Jaymer replied immediately, clearly amused. The portly man glared at Jaymer. If he said another word, Jaymer would indeed strike. After all, they had come with the intention to kill them in their sleep. Why show mercy? Yet, astonishingly, none of them uttered a word.
“You said you came from Lontamon, so your next destination is where Hell’s Sword is, right? Where’s that?â€
Irine asked Egon again.
“It’s the Walled Village, Lady.â€
Egon faithfully replied.
“Then why did Hell’s Sword come to Aranthia?â€
As Irine asked, Egon hesitated to answer. Jaymer chimed in.
“Wouldn’t their leader know more about that?â€
The portly man looked visibly startled.
Realizing a new fact, Irine commented, “Ah, I see. But surely, the ‘leader’ wouldn’t divulge such crucial secrets. So, every time I ask, one of you gets cut. The last remaining one will surely talk, right?â€
“Who should we start with? The leader?â€
“That’s the true role of a leader, sacrificing for such risky tasks, right?â€
Irine started to rise from her seat. To Jaymer, she seemed to have no gap in her defenses. It was just her standing up. But to the thugs’ leader, it looked like a hungry tiger rising. He hurriedly replied.
“Hell’s Sword said he’s joining Hell’s Axe at the end of this month to find the Wolf Knights in Aranthia. They accept even ex-cons through testing, a good chance to clear one’s past…â€
Crossing her arms, Irine turned to Jaymer.
“Does that sound truthful to you?â€
“Comparing it to what Hell’s Axe said before he died, it seems to match.â€
“Is that so?â€
Irine scanned the plump man from the tip of his toes to the top of his head.
“Fine. He can go.”
Jay protested. “These were the ones trying to kill us! And you’re just letting them go?”
“Why spill unnecessary blood? Let him go. What’s your answer?”
Jay responded with a growling tone, “Yes, Master.”
Egon and the others, including the plump one, had already fled. Irine draped a blanket over her shoulders and added a few more logs to the campfire.
“Did you learn nothing from this?”
“Mercy?”
Jay retorted sarcastically, “Neither of us showed our skills and simply let them go. Those guys aren’t the type to measure their opponents like you do.”
“And? You want me to learn to speak calmly like Master? I can’t.”
Jay admitted candidly.
“Whatever. I’m tired of watching people die in front of me. That’s why I let them go.”
Irine yawned deeply, looking into the campfire. “So, did we just let murderers clear their past? Is this how the Wolf Knights are perceived? Hilarious.”
She murmured in a somewhat melancholy tone and then fell silent. Despite his fatigue, Jay couldn’t sleep. Watching Irine, who was sitting huddled with her chin resting on her knees wrapped in the blanket, he couldn’t bring himself to sleep before her.
“About that guy they called Hell’s Axe.”
Jay started a topic he wasn’t entirely sure about. Irine, who had been looking at the campfire, turned her gaze to him. The reflection of the fire made her eyes gleam.
“Those brothers aren’t done with me. If I hadn’t killed the one they call the Hell’s Axe, Trego would have…”
Realizing something odd in his statement, Jay corrected himself, “No, what I mean is, if I hadn’t killed Hell’s Axe… it would be Trego who would be at the Blue Beer. It would be him meeting Master, and it would be him running into those guys at the Blue Gate.”
“It would’ve been a touching reunion, wouldn’t it? Want to stop by the Walled Village?”
Irine suggested.
“Is that an order?”
“Just asking.”
After pondering for a moment, Jay asked, “Meet this Hell’s Sword guy and pick a fight for killing his brother? And then kill him?”
“That’s your choice.”
Jay shook his head. “I’m not touching a guy with no bounty. Plus, I decided to quit being a hunter.”
“It’s best to deal with what’s bothering you. If you leave things unresolved, you won’t be able to move forward.”
Irine, sounding somewhat exasperated, layed back down. Before she drifted off to sleep, Jay quickly asked, “How many more ‘Gates’ do we have to pass before reaching our destination?”
“Gray, Red, Gold, White. Four more. We have a long way to go, so always rest when you can.”
With that answer, Irine fell asleep. Jay, still worried about those men, refrained from sleeping and continued to watch Irine’s silhouette flickering in the campfire’s light. He wasn’t curious about her identity anymore. The way she was now was more than enough. A sense of fulfillment swelled within him.
‘Finally found someone to teach me.’
–TL Notes–
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