The two Velox pawed at each other impatiently. Edulis's cart had left the grasslands and entered the Casbah Desert, the largest desert on the continent. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAGJjEvQlUJ0
89Please respect copyright.PENANAyakscYudVq
The sands of the Casbah are beautiful. White as a snowflake, soft as silk, it sparkles like quartz in the sunlight. But that sparkle poses a great threat to the Erabu who cross it. It can blind them.89Please respect copyright.PENANAuXob1ZBOFm
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He should have pulled his hood over his eyes, but right now Kishi couldn't afford to. A silver-haired boy was leaning his elbow on his shoulder. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA8Y6mEAVaSd
89Please respect copyright.PENANA4Uh2u6G9n4
Kishi turned his head slightly to check the boy's hands. He wasn't holding a sword, so what was this cold on the nape of his neck? 89Please respect copyright.PENANAAUZHyf3IaS
89Please respect copyright.PENANAxcK8mgAckT
He'd been an erabu for over a decade, but he'd never seen anything like this. Most of the Ygraine clan are depressed and lethargic. It's only natural. It's hard to be cheerful when you're trapped in a place like Kaldura and oppressed by the state.89Please respect copyright.PENANA7jOaRLZHse
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But this boy, Edulis, is more than energetic, he is radiating. Kishi's Erabu senses were warning him. This bastard has killed a man or two before.89Please respect copyright.PENANAGHUHEipm1q
89Please respect copyright.PENANAZiDs3yj8hm
"No. It can't be.” 89Please respect copyright.PENANAhNE5gEs5WF
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The other guy was twelve years old. He's never been outside of Kaldura, except to visit the Temple Memorial. Kishi ignored the alarm bells ringing in his senses and tried to sound nonchalant. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAqyjEAsemn4
89Please respect copyright.PENANA1SrJbxZA0Z
"Ha! This is ridiculous. You want me to hand over the Velox? Why would I take such a bet?"89Please respect copyright.PENANAD3M8DXm61i
"Hey, mister. Weren't you confident? Is Erabus Kishi a man who can't even stand by his words?"89Please respect copyright.PENANAsRHpF25nZw
89Please respect copyright.PENANAA3I41u093o
That face. The smirking tone. Even if he belonged to the Igraine faction, he was, by name, a member of the Fei family. Where did he learn such insolence?89Please respect copyright.PENANAoYlfaMkCNg
89Please respect copyright.PENANATkUXzLwF6k
"There's no point in making a bet with someone who's going to die anyway!"89Please respect copyright.PENANAVMzg4LThqP
89Please respect copyright.PENANA3reevc5Iuh
"You're not making a bet because you're going to die, or are you admitting there's a chance you're wrong?"89Please respect copyright.PENANA7Yujo0RqTi
89Please respect copyright.PENANA89m4D1bazI
"There's no chance of that!"89Please respect copyright.PENANAbQwgkUYJQV
89Please respect copyright.PENANAAL2122NNVL
"Then what, are you intimidated by me, mister, are you a coward who's being pecked by a twelve-year-old, haha!"
Edulis turned his head toward the lifeless relative sitting next to him and said in a sarcastic tone.89Please respect copyright.PENANAK3lMmpK86L
89Please respect copyright.PENANA8Fi3u2vt9I
"Hey, go back and spread the word. That Erabu Kishi is an asshole who doesn't have the balls to bet with a twelve-year-old."89Please respect copyright.PENANATqK1RTdE1I
"What, what did you say?"89Please respect copyright.PENANAOpvviBAxTM
89Please respect copyright.PENANAKaOpX0sxzL
"How are you doing so far? Aren't you scared to cross the Casbah Desert? Oh... I thought I smelled something fishy, but it must have been Kishi's piss on the saddle. Hey, buddy, spread the word. Kissy's wagon smells like Kishi's pee!"89Please respect copyright.PENANANxhugi0G8V
89Please respect copyright.PENANAM2kSn7EiDI
Kishi's face turned red. Fueled by rising anger, veins popped on his neck. He couldn't articulate his words properly due to excessive excitement. Edulis had touched upon Kishi's pride. In Erabus society, courage was the most valued virtue. Once marked as a coward, it was challenging to find opportunities.89Please respect copyright.PENANAiOcNOPhiFU
89Please respect copyright.PENANAxX6tiKszin
If word of what Edulis said was to spread among the Erabu, other Erabu would immediately come forward to take Kishi's job. They'd say things like89Please respect copyright.PENANAQR0v37ZYy1
89Please respect copyright.PENANANSj2gbg3Hc
"Hey, I don't think a guy who's intimidated by a 12-year-old can get to and from Kaldura, so I'm taking it now.89Please respect copyright.PENANAHl3r9XJheG
89Please respect copyright.PENANAF8LuStZ9iZ
After that, it doesn't matter what excuses Kishi makes. It is the opinion of most Erabu that a coward's words are not worth listening to.89Please respect copyright.PENANAbbkBXmmvUC
89Please respect copyright.PENANA1riEmBtDTL
Edulis was well aware of this. As far as he was concerned, Erabu was easy to manipulate. All he had to do was scratch their egos and they would bend to his will.89Please respect copyright.PENANAVpXsxbZKsV
89Please respect copyright.PENANAwZ705lA648
"You... you bastard!"89Please respect copyright.PENANAaMTWyuTAP4
89Please respect copyright.PENANAy8Eqaw5UiI
Blood rose to Kishi's eyes. "You've never set foot outside of Kaldura, you've never seen how brave Lord Bosha's descendants are, and you've never heard of the fear of a dragon!"89Please respect copyright.PENANAmax8AgDwPj
"Indeed. I'd like to see that." Edulis said with a smirk. That stirred Kishi's anger even more. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAiLNSgHkDOE
89Please respect copyright.PENANASEXVz9QfJC
"When Mr. Lagarde swings his sword, the ground within ten paces around him is set ablaze! When Mr. Yug smashes his hammer, a giant pit appears in the ground as if a star had fallen! When Lord Kurjina raises his staff, spears of lightning fly, and if you stand in front of them, you will die a terrible death!"89Please respect copyright.PENANAxlaXXVUuHJ
"No, sir."89Please respect copyright.PENANAUlwFvfoTkH
89Please respect copyright.PENANAAd0AURTpQR
Edulis scratched the back of his head and threw up his hands in boredom. 89Please respect copyright.PENANATqitbPLz9b
89Please respect copyright.PENANAqgj9eCSQgp
"What’s with all this chit-chat? So, are you going to take the bet or not?"89Please respect copyright.PENANA08eN3qBX0u
"...Fine. When you die, I will kick your tombstone and piss on your ashes!"89Please respect copyright.PENANAnBe0vpo1RD
"Whatever. Then, swear to Assyria."89Please respect copyright.PENANAI1PVZm2Hip
89Please respect copyright.PENANAzPRvSDriuq
An oath to Assyria. It is the most effective means of guaranteeing the fulfillment of a contract. Assyria is the goddess of truth, and if you fail to honor an oath made in her name, your head will fall off at that moment. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAty8z6ar5JY
89Please respect copyright.PENANAq1RFT3wToQ
"You... how do you know about the oath to Assyria?"89Please respect copyright.PENANAs274AXPqU4
"It's none of your business, go ahead."89Please respect copyright.PENANABRQb6DhQZ5
Kishi is quiet. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAB80TysTKDK
89Please respect copyright.PENANAtlyRREgCis
The Oath to Assyria is common knowledge on the continent, but the problem is that it's also magic. Ygraine Clan does not have a spellbook. How is it that a child of Ygraine Clane, who has no access to magic until he joins the Festival of Saints, already knows this oath?89Please respect copyright.PENANAeeJnO2dxWh
Kishi questioned, but his pride wouldn't allow him to come this far and say otherwise. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAP1l1Nd7gF2
89Please respect copyright.PENANASTbjkHZb8v
He put his right hand to his chest and said Assyria's name. Blood flowed from his pinky finger, drawing a red band across it. It was a sign that Assyria would watch over the fulfillment of this oath. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA90J979EW9y
89Please respect copyright.PENANAtOEmJ3lCJJ
"Justice will prevail. As Bosha defeated Ygraine, so will those who carry the blood of heroes slaughter the offspring of the insolent witch. Your soul shall not rest in peace in death!" 89Please respect copyright.PENANAtj1QhapFYu
89Please respect copyright.PENANAPvvpkYeLAW
"Ah, well. You talk too much. You're usually called a loudmouth, aren't you?"
Kishi snorted as loud as Velox's prancing. He wanted to snap at Edulis, but he couldn't think of the right words, so he just glared at his face.89Please respect copyright.PENANAKE39PPCv9w
89Please respect copyright.PENANAVKDgLi38nc
"Hey, mister, can you drive properly? The Velox on the right is looking elsewhere. If you're not focused, he might too."89Please respect copyright.PENANAWt3SDsiobe
89Please respect copyright.PENANAHqK8zVE6Jm
Edulis said as he patted Kishi on the shoulder. Kishi's face was so red he thought it might explode, but what could he do? It was part of his contract with the Fae family to arrive in Vaidor on time. Kishi grimaced and tugged on Velox's reins. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAG8CU81ziTq
89Please respect copyright.PENANAZVWvby1auG
Afterward, Edulis lay down on the wagon with his hood over his head. He lay cross-legged, seemingly at peace with the world. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA0GhuGKuZJQ
Then, the boy who had been sitting there as if dead spoke to him. His voice was as small as a mosquito's.89Please respect copyright.PENANAwzx2UTQDMB
89Please respect copyright.PENANAGnK7xIWjtu
"What are you going to do?"
"Oh, you can talk?"
"You’ll survive if you bang your head...Do you know what that means? You’re going to beat all six of them."
"Yeah, I'm thinking about it."89Please respect copyright.PENANAwtZux0kwaW
89Please respect copyright.PENANAQOpxksIsWV
"That's... we can't......."89Please respect copyright.PENANAW8wDBtLSgW
89Please respect copyright.PENANAto6jUiCfgM
At the boy's words, Edulis chuckled.89Please respect copyright.PENANA4By8dhAZCO
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"There's something we need to do in St. Trisis."89Please respect copyright.PENANAvF0TKsFlt0
89Please respect copyright.PENANARLUFML3515
The boy looked at Edulis with pity in his eyes. He seemed to think he was a little off his game. Regardless, Edulis shifted his position, trying to find a comfortable one.89Please respect copyright.PENANAg2D5sUfD8N
89Please respect copyright.PENANACu7oz2jNMz
"Ahhh... this head part is uncomfortable. By the way, what's your name?"89Please respect copyright.PENANASHkghnbeL4
"...Enri."89Please respect copyright.PENANALha4AouCZn
“I see. Enri, please wake me up when we arrive."89Please respect copyright.PENANA0u4wj1wBqW
89Please respect copyright.PENANAV4Tzizf636
Saying that, Edulis fell asleep on top of the rattling cart.89Please respect copyright.PENANAqBNTX5MOni
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"Walk in from here. I'm not obligated to give you a ride inside."89Please respect copyright.PENANABMOH2krTgF
89Please respect copyright.PENANAjLcD61YnKQ
Vaidor, the main gate of the Fey family. Kishi halted Velox and urged Edulis and Enri to follow; it seemed a long way from the gate to their destination.89Please respect copyright.PENANAoNCphKl2lG
89Please respect copyright.PENANAf1jKdxx44x
Edulis stood at the gate and scanned the grounds of the Fey manor, which looked much different than it had when Bosha was alive. The grounds alone were ten times the size. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAWFHdPEcg9c
There were dozens of marble mansions. Violet lavender and colorful roses adorned the gardens. The gardens were meticulously tended and the branches were neatly trimmed. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAeXRbNzZSoh
89Please respect copyright.PENANAcGQr5WWfVg
Edulis didn't like the sight. When Bosha was alive, the Fey family had a reputation for frugality. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAtJw8w0WwNg
While other nobles built mansions and planted gardens, the Fey found, fed, and clothed the hungry. When there was a good harvest and tax revenues were surplus, they held festivals to laugh and enjoy with the people. They were not the kind of people who would decorate their homes for personal pleasure.89Please respect copyright.PENANAqM8j7GDHfx
89Please respect copyright.PENANAiLD347y3Zd
He remembered himself as Bosha saying "Are you the duke? You're dukes, aren't you, Our house seems better than this.?89Please respect copyright.PENANAl86x46LLLw
89Please respect copyright.PENANAIgJ5n9lj19
Ygraine smiled and replied, "Yes. I'm glad to hear that. It would be a shame for a Fey to live in a house that was better than the people.89Please respect copyright.PENANANT0SgJO412
- The noblemen I know have gardens, and they're beautiful. Why don't you plant a palm tree?89Please respect copyright.PENANAMoJLlOKu1U
- If I had the money, I'd add more stones to our foundation.89Please respect copyright.PENANAEMj7EJhMI4
89Please respect copyright.PENANApq0ZYCiehw
That's Ygraine. That's the Fey family. But what is this place now? Dragging irrigation from the farms to water the gardens would surely lead to a shortage of agricultural water during the planting season.89Please respect copyright.PENANATImNuoADmp
An insult. An insult to the Fey family and Ygraine! Against the will of the goddess Lutea!89Please respect copyright.PENANAmG9vpuA8yv
89Please respect copyright.PENANAtMo6hrmRBN
"There's the main family’s wagon passing by. Children of the witch, bow your heads more deeply in contrition."89Please respect copyright.PENANAzO0QXnlYjM
89Please respect copyright.PENANARhpHjaY0aJ
With that, Kishi bowed toward the cart. An elegant and rather luxurious cart was approaching in the distance. Enri did as he was told and bowed deeply. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAcgSBipCWOW
89Please respect copyright.PENANATX7TEjirwW
But Edulis did not follow suit. He was staring at something that caught his eye.89Please respect copyright.PENANACRDFbnM4QF
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"Rude bastard, come on, pay your respects to the descendants of heroes!"89Please respect copyright.PENANA9TMC3k9AWV
89Please respect copyright.PENANAoqQx9UAxS4
Kishi shouted, but Edulis didn't bow. He held his head high and looked up at the door. The crest of House Fey was emblazoned on the top of the door. A crest as large as a shield worn by a Kingdom infantryman.89Please respect copyright.PENANACb4ZvgP1Yd
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"Haha."89Please respect copyright.PENANAxpWua69RgS
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Edulis laughed. His anger was beyond the top, and it made him laugh. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAFDKuBcp15u
89Please respect copyright.PENANAi8ArcHXaW3
The crest had a picture on it. A picture of Bosha defeating Ygrain. It depicted Ygraine as a monster with scattered hair and long fangs. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAi4nYYVhmYi
Ygraine sprawled miserably on the ground, and Bosha stomped on her head, then pointed his straightened sword at her throat. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA6X01kgYPNv
89Please respect copyright.PENANAL8EDPfN9OZ
"This thing is here too?"
"Hey, come on, look up...."89Please respect copyright.PENANAtMqmX5rXqa
89Please respect copyright.PENANAz7mtpWiweD
Kishi was speechless. Because he saw Edulis' eyes. Those eyes. Eyes that burned as if they held all the anger in the world. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAH29YOKkryh
They were the eyes of the Kaldura Red Fox. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA4KB6z0AuQA
89Please respect copyright.PENANA5MUcAEYSiP
A memory flashed through Edulis's mind. It was Bosha who had wrestled Ygraine to the ground. 89Please respect copyright.PENANADqHVk7Fqft
No, he’s ashamed to call it a fight. Ygraine had merely played with Bosha for a while. Ygrainne's sword was like falling petals, like willow leaves on water, like a lullaby to a child.89Please respect copyright.PENANAjDnx8HTZvQ
When Ygrainne swung her sword, it was as futile as if he had cut through a flowing river, and Bosha's magick, which was like iron, scattered like sand. 89Please respect copyright.PENANABzXMmsIeX6
89Please respect copyright.PENANAbMp6l3DoQA
Then, on the ground, Bosha looked up at Ygrain and said, "For a mercenary, defeat is death. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAcEEYTWVJVo
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- If you don't kill me now, one day I will.89Please respect copyright.PENANAsTwlt7Ry9f
89Please respect copyright.PENANAbOdvjTgawd
Ygraine never pointed her sword at Bosha. Not once, not ever. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAiTciwDWDaX
Ygraine merely parried a lunging Bosha attack. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA7Qq0DgR3M9
89Please respect copyright.PENANArwbuVHPNha
- I don't want you to follow me in victory or defeat. I want you to be driven by faith and love. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAi6v81moLRt
- Do you not know who I am? Do you think the Fox of Kaldura would listen to that, you hypocrite? After all, you raised your sword to persuade me, didn't you?89Please respect copyright.PENANAGZq9IDRlNo
89Please respect copyright.PENANAbxdapHvwl6
Then Ygraine nodded. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA9jQfkBuNxA
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- Very well.89Please respect copyright.PENANAiwrDHTjrWc
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Then he threw the sword to the ground and kicked it away. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAu28kjuIiXL
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- What is he doing? 89Please respect copyright.PENANAXvquGmbJTH
89Please respect copyright.PENANAkkqPEpVljQ
Ygraine slowly approached Bosha. His chest and stomach were exposed, defenseless.89Please respect copyright.PENANAN2h8Te7YI8
Bosha raised his sword and pointed it at Ygraine. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAbto6GLsCa6
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- Ha! Are you going to walk up to me and cut me with your sword? 89Please respect copyright.PENANAxw8hRrVdxx
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Even after saying that, Ygraine didn't stop walking. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAYSHuYBj6fo
89Please respect copyright.PENANADMH7rLbXA8
- Be it so. But I believe in the light that wanders in the depths of your heart.89Please respect copyright.PENANArcarJ1SwC2
- Bullshit!89Please respect copyright.PENANA1SVKum1fPK
89Please respect copyright.PENANACcz3aYdAIS
Bosha threatened Ygraine with several swipes of his sword in the air, but Ygrainne didn't stop. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA70fMRePbsN
89Please respect copyright.PENANAwl4iEePwXZ
- Crazy woman! Don't you dare die for nothing!89Please respect copyright.PENANAGI4rNhX76a
89Please respect copyright.PENANAQhQ6dNOHZG
Bosha shouted, but it was like a cat bluffing with its fur standing up. The same Bosha who had no qualms about holding a spear or knife to his throat or being surrounded by demons in the Varus Swamp was scaring the crap out of Ygraine.89Please respect copyright.PENANAavdB4xFCw2
No one knew what he was afraid of. Not even himself.89Please respect copyright.PENANAdxaLJN7Hxi
89Please respect copyright.PENANAgowkCFDypH
The distance between Ygraine and Bosha narrowed to three paces. Then two. Then one step.89Please respect copyright.PENANAlLyqXpU8Db
89Please respect copyright.PENANAgcpAbpJWRk
But in the end, Bosha couldn't swing his sword. Why he couldn't swing his sword, Bosha didn't understand himself, and his body stiffened. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAMdg5fIfTbP
Ygraine approached and gently cradled his head in his hands. Igrainne didn't give him any pressure, but he couldn't move. 89Please respect copyright.PENANAfTa2aZcEjB
89Please respect copyright.PENANAlMdKEqEKYl
28 years of his life. Only once has he admitted defeat. That defeat was very special to him. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA9R2UnHiiz9
89Please respect copyright.PENANAEz08GZTPvY
"Well, these guys ruined everything.”89Please respect copyright.PENANAZrVzi3cq1Y
89Please respect copyright.PENANAaHlKyYP7Gq
"What... what are you doing?"89Please respect copyright.PENANAKb049B3tzb
Kishi shouted in horror. The Fey family's main carriage had approached, its front clearly visible. 89Please respect copyright.PENANArKburehhTh
Edulis put his hand on the handle of his sword. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA3MOt3PbFHr
89Please respect copyright.PENANAw6tQhInpKH
"No!"89Please respect copyright.PENANAYIvirAE0ee
89Please respect copyright.PENANA2oVFOvyyqG
Enri shouted at the top of his lungs. Edulis ignored him and chuckled. Then he spoke in a low voice. 89Please respect copyright.PENANA5FBRGbyJah
89Please respect copyright.PENANArA4UomT6Ba
"Do not insult Ygraine."89Please respect copyright.PENANAQveejoOSo5
89Please respect copyright.PENANAzy4CQmmyCx
And with that, Edulis's sword sliced through the air. With it, the Fey family crest shattered into pieces and crumbled to the ground.
Author’s note:
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