The next morning, Jaymer awoke to find that Irine was not in her spot. A freshly stoked fire blazed, and the blanket Irine used was draped over him.
Jaymer sat for a moment in a daze. A pleasant fragrance emanated from her blanket. Occasionally, he noticed she’d wash her face and apply something to her neck or face, probably the source of the scent. Suddenly, he became self-conscious of his own stench.
He prepared some soup over the fire and set aside some bread.
By the time the food cooled a bit, Irine returned. With damp hair and drying it with a towel, she sat next to Jaymer.
“Something’s not right.”
Tearing half a piece of the dry bread, Irine commented.
“Did those men from yesterday come back?”
“Do you really think that’s what happened?”
Jaymer shook his head slightly. “No, I just don’t know what you mean by ‘not good’. Did you find some kind of trace or clue?”
“No.”
While chewing her bread, she took a comb from her bag and began brushing her hair.
‘Why is she combing her hair? It’ll just get tangled again in the wind,’ Jaymer wondered, but instinctively felt it might be a bad question to ask. So he changed the subject.
“How do you know something’s wrong?”
“It’s a feeling.”
She murmured with bread in her mouth.
“I don’t really trust feelings.”
Jaymer countered. Surprisingly, Irine agreed.
“Me neither. That’s why I need to check. We should take a longer route.”
“Yes, Master.”
Jaymer replied reflexively.
Today, Irine walked twice as fast as she did yesterday. It was a pace that would require an average person to jog. Thankfully, Jaymer prided himself on his walking prowess and never suggested getting horses. He realized she was searching for something as they went.
“If you tell me what you’re looking for, maybe I can help?”
From the top of a high hill where Irine finally stopped, Jaymer asked, looking down at the plains painted in the hues of a crimson sunset.
“I found it.”
“What?”
“Something happened here.”
They were overlooking a vast meadow intersected by a small stream. Jaymer examined the area for a while but couldn’t figure out what she was referring to.
Irine whispered, almost inaudibly, “The shadow of a malevolent past has risen.”
Jaymer tilted his head in confusion. With a sweeping gesture, Irine encompassed everything from the setting sun to the vast plains below.
“This place witnessed the final battle of the continental conquest war nine years ago. The battle at Brookdam Valley, fought between the Irophis royal knights and Lontamon’s 20,000 soldiers, was overshadowed by the Dragon Hunting battle of the Excelon Knights and the Gold Gate battle in Aranthia. Thus, the Nenadros Plain Battle here is not well-known. Yet, it was more intense and tragic than anywhere else. Whenever I come here, it feels like a piece of my heart is being torn out.”
“Did someone you loved die here?”
Jaymer asked a bit insensitively. Irine chuckled softly.
“No, my love hasn’t died yet. However, this place marks the death of the most legendary knight in history. Every time I’m here, I feel the scent of the blood from that day.”
Jaymer refrained from asking who that knight was, focusing only on the task at hand.
“Master, what do you mean by the shadow of a malevolent past? Specifically?”
“I don’t know.”
“You said you found it, though?”
“Just feel it for yourself. I can’t really explain.”
“I’m not great at explaining things either. But feeling something out of nothing isn’t my strong suit.”
Jaymer stated. Irine let out a seemingly relieved chuckle.
“It seems the unease I’ve felt about returning to Aranthia for the past month is connected to this. And I think meeting you before coming to Aranthia was quite fateful.”
“Wasn’t it a joke?”
“There have been only two people who made me want to joke in over ten years of traveling.”
Irine offered a cryptic smile, but Jaymer just furrowed his brows. As expected, she provided no further explanation.
“I don’t want to linger here. Let’s go.”
Irine decisively turned away.
☆ ☆ ☆
The next day, as noon approached, a few droplets of rain began to fall. By the afternoon, a torrential downpour had begun. Even for those accustomed to travel, moving through such a downpour proved challenging. Unfortunately, due to Irine’s detour in search of something, there were no nearby villages.
“It’s been a while since I encountered rain this heavy out in the open. I can barely see ahead. What should we do?”
Irine seemed to find the situation amusing. The rain was so heavy that, despite being just a few steps apart, they had to shout to communicate.
“I might not be familiar with the geography here, but can I lead the way now, Master?”
“To where?”
“To a place we can take shelter. I noticed a spot earlier.”
“Go back? Wouldn’t it be better to wait for the rain to stop?”
“I think it won’t let up until the evening.”
“How can you tell?”
“Just experience.”
“Alright, lead the way.”
Jay began to retrace their steps. The pouring rain felt like it was slapping his face. Their feet got stuck in the mud, and the headwinds made it difficult to move forward. Despite her mention of experience, she had never encountered such a heavy rainfall before.
In places where the ground was weak, it had been eroded by the rain, cutting off their path. Jay probed the ground to find solid footing and jumped with wide strides. Whenever he looked back, Irine was right behind him. Even as they crossed puddles that reached up to their thighs, Irine kept pace effortlessly. Jay had expected to assist her as they navigated, but she needed no help.
Jay began to climb a rocky hill. The path became more treacherous. The challenging path eventually led them to a cliff. From behind him, Irine shouted.
“Are you sure you know the way?”
“Just trust me.”
Jay yelled back in response.
After climbing a rock wall of about two meters, Jay reached out a hand. Irine grabbed it and effortlessly pulled herself up. There was a large cave in the rock.
“You said you’ve never been to Aranthia before. How did you know about this?”
“I noticed the weather was off this morning and remembered this spot just in case.”
Jay entered the cave first, checked that it was safe, and signaled for Irine to follow. The cave was spacious enough for both of them, and its entrance sloped slightly downward, ensuring the rain wouldn’t come in.
Jay unpacked their belongings. Even in the dim light, he organized everything with precision and began to remove his wet clothes.
“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m taking them off so I don’t catch a cold.”
“This lady doesn’t misunderstand things like that, kid.”
Irine also took off her wet clothes, placing them on the rocks. There was no hope the clothes would dry even if the rain stopped. They wrung out their wet cloaks and wrapped them around themselves. The darkness made it difficult to see, and the temperature had dropped significantly. Without dry firewood, they couldn’t start a fire.
In the darkness, Irine asked, “How long have you been a hunter?”
“Since I was sixteen.”
“Your parents?”
“They’re both dead. I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Alright, I won’t ask further. Have you ever been defeated?”
“Never.”
“Quite impressive.”
“In this line of work, defeat means death. Every living hunter has never been defeated. It’s not that remarkable.”
Jay responded without hesitation.
“That’s an interesting perspective. Have you ever feared anyone?”
Jay immediately thought of his father but shook his head. “No.”
“How many people have you killed?”
“I don’t know. Never counted.”
“Do you remember their faces?”
“Not at all.”
“I guess you won’t pass the third test then. Why not quit now?”
Jay held back the urge to ask why. The response would probably be, ‘You’ll know once the test is over.’
“I won’t give up.”
Jay responded, a touch of anger in his voice.
“Alright, alright. That determination is important too.”
In the darkness, Jay heard rustling from Irine.
‘Is she uncomfortable?’
Contrary to Jay’s expectations, even long after the sun had set, the rain showed no signs of stopping. He shivered and spoke.
“We might have to spend the night here, Master.”
“Can’t we light a fire? It’s quite cold.”
Irine shivered as she asked, “Everything I have is wet.”
“That’s why human warmth is the best in situations like this.”
Irine reached out in the darkness, trying to locate Jay with her hands. She then covered Jay with her cloak and sat in front of him, leaning her back against his chest. Naturally, Jay ended up embracing Irine from behind. Even if it was a mature woman, holding a bare woman made Jay’s heart race uncontrollably.
“Is holding a woman like me that enjoyable?” Irine teased after sensing his heartbeat.
Unable to deny, Jay replied with a hint of embarrassment, “I can’t help it. I mean… uh, just don’t worry. I won’t do anything.”
“I’m not worried.”
Irine nestled her head against Jay’s neck. “Just relax. What’s good is good, and what’s warm is warm.”
To keep Irine warm, Jay had to hug her closer, enveloping her within the cloak. Holding his careful hand, she whispered, “See? It’s not that bad.”
For a while, they sat together, feeling each other’s heartbeats and warmth. It felt even warmer and sleepier than lying by the campfire the previous night.
Jay unexpectedly asked, “Master, you’ve never been married?”
“I almost did.”
“What kind of man was he?”
“Why are you curious?”
“I was wondering what kind of man someone like you, Master, would like and who would like you in return.”
“Every woman likes a man for the same reasons. A man who looks impressive to her, someone who she thinks will treat her well. Did you have a woman you liked?”
“I did.”
“Why did she say she liked you?”
“She never said I looked impressive.”
“She probably thought you were. You’re quite a catch in my eyes too.”
Jay blushed, grateful for the darkness. “Where is your man now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did he run away?”
Jay asked without much thought, and Irine burst into laughter.
“Yes, he ran away. I’ve been searching for where he might have gone.”
There were many questions he wanted to ask, but the mood wasn’t right. Irine adjusted her position, rubbing her head against Jay’s neck. He was overtaken by an urge to caress her hair, reminded of a distant memory where he used to stroke Ewini’s hair as she slept.
“Where’s your woman now?”
Irine asked, as if peering into his heart.
“Back home.”
“When will you return?”
He had decided the answer to that when he left home.
“I’m not going back.”
Whether he didn’t want to or felt he didn’t deserve to, even he wasn’t sure. He tried to explain, “She married another man anyway, and I’m destined to wander forever… besides, I’ve already forgotten her.”
“You’re lying. How can you answer like that to my question earlier if you’ve truly forgotten her?”
Jay bit his lip slightly. “Don’t tease me, Master.”
“I’m not teasing. I’m just envious.”
Irine’s voice wavered.
“At least you know where she is.”
They remained silent for a while before Irine fell asleep.
‘She really slept. What if I had bad intentions?’
With that thought, Jay too fell asleep.
At dawn, as Irine shifted away from him, Jay woke up. She draped her cloak over her shoulders and stepped out of the cave. He could see her silhouette, illuminated by the faintly brightening outside light.
Jay, crossing his arms, thought she looked breathtaking. He had held her all night, but the urge to hold her again was overwhelming. Slowly approaching her, he said, “Master.”
“Hmm?”
Without turning to face him, she responded. Jay hesitated for a few moments, while Irine waited, watching the dawn’s red hue sweep across the plains.
“May I hug you?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
He asked, startled.
“Because now there are different feelings involved.”
“But I don’t have any ill intentions…”
“Stay here while I get dressed. The rain has stopped, so we should get going.”
Irine went inside first, leaving Jay to wait outside motionlessly.
‘Could I have gone in if I had said something cooler?’
Jay couldn’t explain that he had no ill intentions, he simply wanted to feel her warmth again.
After changing, Irine came out and signaled to him.
Following her cue, Jay changed his clothes inside and came out. As soon as he emerged, he said,
“I’ll say it again, I had no ill intentions.”
He wanted to say more, but words eluded him. Irine looked at him, seeming to ask what he meant, before saying,
“Huh? Oh, that.”
Irine crossed her arms and looked down at the landscape beneath the rocky mountain, continuing,
“It meant I had other feelings.”
“What?”
“Why are you surprised? If I’m with a fit guy like you all night, you think I wouldn’t develop feelings? It’s only natural.”
Jay could only open and close his mouth in astonishment. However, Irine, with a blank expression, pointed east.
“I smell blood again. Something must have happened overnight.”
She said in a hurried tone,
“We should move quickly. It’s a two-day journey from here to Gray Gate, but we need to get there in one. Can you keep up?”
“If that’s the case, I’ll lead. As long as the Master can follow.”
Feeling constantly teased, Jay spoke defiantly.
☆ ☆ ☆
To prove his point, Jay walked briskly, almost jogging, on the ruined and arduous path. Except for pointing out dangerous spots to Irine, who followed him, he kept his focus forward.
Occasionally, he offered his hand to assist Irine, but she urged him to continue without acknowledging his gesture. Although it was her first time on the muddy path, and the journey was physically draining, she kept pace surprisingly well.
By the time they reached Gray Gate, the sun had long set. The gray walls, which would have looked fairly pleasant in daylight, now exuded an ominous aura in the darkness. The massive iron gate was firmly shut.
“Hey! Over here!”
Irine shouted, trying to get someone’s attention. Only one torch was lit, hanging about 15 feet up the wall. Without it, it would’ve been hard to even distinguish the gate. The night was unusually dark.
A small door atop the main gate opened, and a guard peeked out, speaking in a stern voice,
“An hour after sunset, the gates close. Unless it’s urgent, rest in a nearby village and return at dawn.”
“It is urgent. I’d rather not, but if possible, I would like to reveal my identity and use the authority granted to me to pass through this gate.”
The guard hesitated before asking with a tremble in his voice,
“May I know your name?”
“Irine.”
“That’s a new name to me. I’m not aware of any authority granted to you.”
Irine, with a puzzled expression, inquired,
“How many years have you been guarding this gate?”
The guard hesitated briefly.
“Two years. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t mean to upset you. Please find someone who has been at Gray Gate for over five years and mention my name to them.”
Irine tried to sound as polite as possible. After a short pause, the guard returned with an older guard.
“Irine, are you the same Irine Wolf?”
“I gave up the Wolf surname a long time ago.”
“If you wouldn’t mind, please come closer to the torch.”
Irine obeyed, and upon recognizing her, the older guard greeted her warmly.
“Truly, it is Irine. Don’t you recognize me?”
“Murphy!”
Irine greeted him happily.
“Why are you here? Weren’t you the gatekeeper of the Red Gate? Were you demoted?”
“I’m old now, after all. Just give me a moment.”
Soon the gates opened, and a few guards came out to greet Irine. Jay, who had thought the gate was the only structure in the vicinity, was surprised to discover a spacious area behind it.
Irine quietly explained the surroundings to Jay.
“Most of the gates in Aranthia are built this way. The Blue Gate was a bit on the smaller side. The tallest and largest is the Gold Gate, but the structure is the same. The guards here live on-site all year round, so it has all the facilities they need. They’d even install a tavern if allowed, don’t you think?”
In a low-ceilinged room on the second floor, a guard with a black mustache greeted her. They embraced lightly with a smile.
“Due to the rain yesterday, the weather’s quite chilly for summer. I should brew some warm tea. Wait a moment.”
Murphy gestured for her to sit and offered a chair to Jay as well. Once Murphy took his seat, he began speaking.
“It’s been years, hasn’t it, Irine?”
“You’ve aged quite a bit, Murphy.”
“But I’m still fit for this job. No one at this gate can beat me in arm wrestling!”
Murphy was a man in his 40s with thinning hair. His cheerful smile was contagious.
“It seems something bad has occurred. Anything unusual happen near the Gray Gate recently?”
Irine inquired directly.
Murphy responded with surprise, “How did you know something happened?”
“Tell me what it is.”
“A particularly vile criminal seems to have passed through the Gray Gate. We typically allow all travelers to pass, so even if we recognized him, we would have let him through.”
“Wouldn’t you have stopped him if there was a wanted list?”
“That very list… it arrived two days after he passed through. We recalled him once we saw it, but it was too late to act.”
Jay interjected, “Is this wanted man perhaps known as the ‘Hell’s Sword’? Named ‘Tego’ or something similar?”
“That’s him.”
Murphy turned his gaze to Irine, “Who’s this guy?”
“A former hunter.”
Irine emphasized the word ‘former.’
Murphy continued, “A few days ago, we received a report that a man was causing a commotion in a tavern in Walled Village. We think that was Tego’s doing.”
“Did you catch him?”
Irine asked on Jay’s behalf.
“He fled before we arrived. We still haven’t found him. Thankfully, two ‘skilled’ knights stepped in and drove him out.”
“Who were they? Have you met them?”
“I did. They were a bit arrogant, but they helped us out, so we let them go.”
“Why did you let them go? From a glance, those two seemed suspicious.”
“I thought so too. How could just two of them chase away such a crowd? Maybe they were part of the same gang? There were witnesses who thought the same.”
“But?”
“The store owner vouched for them so we had to let them go. We trust the store owner. Anyway, with the number of henchmen that Hell’s Sword has, he’ll likely cause more problems. Our guards are on high alert.”
Murphy shrugged, concluding, “If that’s the bad thing, then that’s the bad thing.”
Irine shook her head vigorously, “You fool, I’m not talking about that practical stuff. Anything more… weird? Mysterious? Supernatural?”
Murphy seemed slightly offended, “Are you hoping something did?”
As Murphy vented his frustration at a subordinate soldier pouring tea for Irine and Jay, he asked, “Hey, was there any strange, mysterious, and inexplicable event?”
The soldier replied without much thought, “There was. A strange incident.”
Irine exclaimed in surprise, “There was?”
Murphy echoed, “There was?”
The soldier shrugged, “Why, you know about that.”
“That what?”
“That thing.”
“That? Oh, that!”
As Murphy nodded, Irine leaned in closer, “What is ‘that’?”
“Yeah, there was… a peculiar incident.”
Murphy hesitated, and Irine pressed, “It sounds like what I’m looking for. Tell me quickly.”
“About ten days ago, was it? A black knight passed through here. Just as the gates were about to close in the evening, in the darkness before the torches were lit. Thinking about it now, wasn’t the timing perfect? If you think about it, it was even darker than midnight. The torches weren’t lit, and the sun had set…”
“Enough about that. A black knight appeared, and then?”
Irine’s gaze changed.
“That’s your concern? The darkness was crucial to the atmosphere at the time. It seemed to grow even darker when he appeared, right?”
Murphy sought confirmation from his subordinate soldier.
“Yes, it did. It became dark and gloomy, and, well, it was quite scary.”
The soldier whispered, and Murphy, playing along with the mood, lowered his voice too.
“What’s strange is that he was wearing the armor of the Excelon Knights. We were quite startled then, but we couldn’t really drive him away as it wasn’t against the rules. Besides, we’re not currently in a hostile relationship with Lontamon, and he didn’t attack us…”
Jay, who had been listening indifferently, now paid full attention.
“I was scared but gathered some courage to ask, ‘What business do you have passing through here?’ He responded, ‘I’m going to the Gold Gate.’ Isn’t that strange? He didn’t say he was going to Nadium, or the White Gate, or any village, but the Gold Gate! I asked him why he was heading there next. He asked if he had to explain. It wasn’t a confrontational tone. He seemed more taken aback by my question. I felt almost sorry for asking. So, I told him he didn’t need to answer if he didn’t want to. He then said he couldn’t remember why he was going there.”
Murphy’s tone sounded as if he was recounting a dream.
“As I said, it was so dark around that I couldn’t see the face of the knight with the helmet on. But we had no good reason to detain him further, so we let him pass. Later, we contacted the guards at the Red Gate just in case, but there was no news of such a person passing there. Then the troubles with the Hell’s Sword gang kept us occupied. Oh, right!”
Murphy smacked his fist into his palm.
“The tavern owner, who mentioned the Hell’s Sword incident, also spoke of seeing the black knight.”
“Did the black knight do something?”
“No, just that it was a bit strange, like my experience. Just some uneventful sighting. Not even worth gossiping about.”
Murphy licked his lips and asked again.
“Is this the story you wanted?”
Irine, arms crossed, thought deeply. Jay just watched the two, gauging their reactions. A lantern on the wall flickered anxiously. Taking a sip of her tea, Irine asked,
“Anything else?”
“Oh! I forgot the order of events since you suddenly asked. What I wanted to mention was something else.”
Murphy said with a somewhat accusatory tone, prepping for another lengthy tale.
“Honestly, a more recent event was stranger. Do you know why I was so shocked to find you under the city gates? It’s not just because you returned after who knows how many years. It’s because I met several astounding figures one after another.”
“As surprising as me?”
Irine tried to lighten the heavy mood with a joking tone.
“It’s hard to compare. Just three days ago, as many as six White Wolves passed by.”
Murphy said, delivering it like a punchline. However, Irine remained unfazed.
“I already heard that from the Blue Gate guards. About five days ago, right? They were on their way back from a mission in Camort. Hmm, so we were trailing them by two days.”
Murphy let out a somewhat sinister chuckle.
“The Blue Gate guards only told you that? Those fellows must lack both wit and observation then.”
“Why so?”
“I told you just now. Six, I said, six. Why should that be surprising here? When the White Wolves left for Camort, they were clearly five in number. But upon their return, there were six. Isn’t that interesting?”
Irine seemed slightly amused only then.
“Well, isn’t it possible? The sixth could just be a companion.”
“That’s the point. The five White Wolves addressed a young man we’ve never seen before as ‘captain’, didn’t they?”
Murphy laughed heartily as he spoke.
“He did seem a bit young. But can someone suddenly be added as a captain?”
“The White Wolves can choose their own captain if they wish. It’s not impossible. But it’s certainly surprising. That means they chose someone who’s not from the Wolf Knights as their captain…”
“That wasn’t all. The person who passed through this gate at the same time was none other than the Highlord of Blue Gate, Talrund. He passes by once a year, but coincidentally, he appeared at the same time as the White Wolves. Having such big names in this narrow place, I felt I could barely breathe.”
“Talrund? To see the Queen?”
“Well, as always, he was carrying a mountain of gifts. Oh right, there was a downpour yesterday; I hope he’s alright. An elderly person needs to be careful of catching a cold.”
Murphy murmured.
Seeing Jay silently seated, Irine briefly explained.
“A Highlord is like a lord overseeing each gate. It’s a unique aristocratic system not found in other countries. In Aranthia, there are only Highlords and Lords.”
“Isn’t that a rather grandiose title for someone just overseeing a gate?”
Jay responded indifferently.
Irine laughed as if she couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“Indeed, Jaymer. That’s quite a statement. If you told that to Talrund, he’d foam at the mouth and faint.”
Murphy, taken aback, waved his hands.
“It doesn’t sound like a joke when you say it. Please don’t.”
“Alright, alright. Any other surprising visitors?”
“Yes.”
“Another?”
“I told you, with your appearance, how many people have passed through in just a few days? Well, I’ve met Master Quain countless times when he was a captain, so seeing a new captain now isn’t all that surprising. Seeing Lord Talrund yearly isn’t either. But two days ago, I met someone I thought I’d never see again in my life!”
He heightened the suspense before continuing.
“A wizard from the Lutia of the Sky Mountains passed through here.”
“A wizard from Lutia? What’s a wizard doing at the gate?”
Even Irine was startled and asked.
Jay, who had been listening with mild interest, casually joined in.
“Are there really such people as wizards?”
“Of course there are.”
Jay knew of criminals claiming to be wizards; he had hunted them down. Magic? Such things were scams. Even if someone could produce flames from their hands or make it rain from the sky, what did it matter? A stab from behind would end it all.
While Jay found wizards intriguing, he wasn’t afraid of them. In this world, the most fearsome weapon wasn’t magic but a bow.
“Oh, even if I work here for another 50 years, I don’t think I’ll ever see these three figures passing through the gate within a day’s gap. My heart is still racing. A wizard from Lutia!”
Murphy excitedly clenched his fist as he spoke.
“I always thought wizards had long white beards and wore pointy hats, but he looked relatively young. Well, still much older than me, I suppose… Apart from a necklace with a fist-sized gem, he wore rather ordinary clothes. But being around him, you felt compelled to bow. Anyway, as soon as he arrived, he asked me if the White Wolves had passed through.”
“The wizard from Lutia was looking for the White Wolves?”
Noticing something unusual, Irine’s eyes narrowed.
“He told me he was very sorry to have missed them by just a day, and then asked which way they had gone. I told him they had taken the direct route towards the Red Gate. When I asked, ‘If you were coming from Nadium, wouldn’t you have met on the road?’ he replied, ‘I didn’t take the road.’ Ha! If he didn’t take the road, I wonder how he got here.”
He chuckled repeatedly as he spoke.
“It’s because he travels differently from ordinary people, probably because he’s a wizard.”
Irine rinsed her mouth with cold tea, muttering to herself.
“Could the ominous aura this dawn be because of that wizard?”
“Why would Lutia’s wizard be ominous?”
Murphy inquired.
“My mistake. There’s a saying in Lutia: wizards don’t move when something bad has happened, they move when they feel something bad is about to happen…”
Irine responded. Murphy just tilted his head, puzzled by her seemingly cryptic words.
“Thanks for informing me about all this.”
Irine cut off the conversation without elaborating further. Murphy, suppressing his curiosity, simply nodded.
“Where will you stay tonight? It takes about two more hours to reach the Walled Village. How about staying here?”
Murphy asked with a hopeful tone. However, Irine politely declined.
“Can you get us two horses instead?”
“Of course! But I wouldn’t recommend traveling at night. The dirt road to Red Gate might be a mess due to yesterday’s rain. It’s dangerous if a horse trips in the dark. Why not rest tonight and head out early tomorrow?”
Jay agreed with Murphy’s suggestion.
“I think that might be a good idea, Master.”
After pondering for a moment, Irine shook her head.
“No. It’s hard to explain, but I feel we need to get there a day sooner. If the sun rises tomorrow with a blood-red hue, I’d deeply regret not leaving now.”
Murphy didn’t press her further. He reluctantly led them to the exit and provided them with two fine, fur-coated horses.
“These are the fastest horses the guards have. They’re strong and fearless, perfect for traveling at night. But please, don’t push them too hard. If they slip in the muddy paths and injure themselves, I’d regret not stopping you tonight.”
Climbing onto a horse, Irine expressed her gratitude.
“By the way, when did you last communicate with Red Gate?”
“Two days ago.”
“Considering the time it takes for a message to get here, there’s a minimum of three days of no news. Thank you. We’ll see you soon.”
Even before Jay could mount his horse, Irine spurred hers into a gallop. Murphy just stared after her, fretting over her disregard for his advice. Once Jay was atop his steed, he turned to Murphy.
“May I ask? What does Irine do?”
“You’ve been accompanying her without knowing?”
Murphy eyed him suspiciously, and Jay just shrugged.
“I met her unexpectedly and am in the midst of some tests.”
“Tests?”
“I passed the first and am currently undergoing the second. Don’t really know what they are.”
Murphy smirked, seemingly amused.
“If I’m thinking right, you’re undergoing the initiation test for the Wolf Knights.”
“I’ve heard something similar. Does Master have the authority for such tests?”
“Certainly! I guess you haven’t heard the name Irine. Of course, outsiders wouldn’t. Even current Wolf members rarely know retired ones. Only those who directly participated in the war with Lontamon ten years ago, like me, know the true face of White Wolf, Irine.”
“White Wolf?”
“She’s retired now, of course.”
Jay nodded nonchalantly.
“Is that a big deal?”
“Do you want an explanation of how significant that is?”
“No need. Just seeing her now, it’s clear she’s extraordinary.”
Turning his horse around, Jay followed Irine.
He knew well how remarkable she was. What bothered him was the mention of six other White Wolves from a few days ago. He didn’t want to think there were six others as exceptional as Irine.
–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/jB26ePk9