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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAuUqOx4SAuY
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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.109Please respect copyright.PENANA9csVIJaIjj
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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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAwFlH6vgbGU
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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? 109Please respect copyright.PENANAYr2owzeBPE
109Please respect copyright.PENANAcoQHPyWpec
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.109Please respect copyright.PENANARmp4d2bY7n
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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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAHpaMIEcoMA
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"No. It can't be.” 109Please respect copyright.PENANAyeh39qrWFF
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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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAWGu3oMD2ls
109Please respect copyright.PENANA7oBijV1IMf
"Ha! This is ridiculous. You want me to hand over the Velox? Why would I take such a bet?"109Please respect copyright.PENANAX9U2RDRcbl
"Hey, mister. Weren't you confident? Is Erabus Kishi a man who can't even stand by his words?"109Please respect copyright.PENANAKWtMblZrR6
109Please respect copyright.PENANACh2zqBlNmd
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?109Please respect copyright.PENANA4UNRfWFQDP
109Please respect copyright.PENANAcKVDxzHYk4
"There's no point in making a bet with someone who's going to die anyway!"109Please respect copyright.PENANAGaASLwQ1Hh
109Please respect copyright.PENANArbBu6JneDJ
"You're not making a bet because you're going to die, or are you admitting there's a chance you're wrong?"109Please respect copyright.PENANAexLz5aEZ17
109Please respect copyright.PENANAAuUcEBs2Cm
"There's no chance of that!"109Please respect copyright.PENANAmei4K20ijb
109Please respect copyright.PENANAcPFhKG3leg
"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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAsDvb2Jpc0M
109Please respect copyright.PENANAdkYH0AfwKH
"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."109Please respect copyright.PENANA1akocAuGzL
"What, what did you say?"109Please respect copyright.PENANAQ20jqQs7zw
109Please respect copyright.PENANA9JIbGGEmaF
"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!"109Please respect copyright.PENANAVZGifsSUk2
109Please respect copyright.PENANA4Q9ittltLH
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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAjbXq0Prqfi
109Please respect copyright.PENANAGjOYPTOIe5
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 like109Please respect copyright.PENANA7rEWFUz1Ip
109Please respect copyright.PENANA5uwKUuMCpT
"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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAzWsyg529Qn
109Please respect copyright.PENANAnNnewZofFB
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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAmUwKjvVCOZ
109Please respect copyright.PENANACIfXAIc7SK
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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAfluGa2Ctti
109Please respect copyright.PENANARJ56JjolGj
"You... you bastard!"109Please respect copyright.PENANAoTHH0O2And
109Please respect copyright.PENANAoSJywqYa6R
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!"109Please respect copyright.PENANAi2tpISqjBb
"Indeed. I'd like to see that." Edulis said with a smirk. That stirred Kishi's anger even more. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAoMBBFlYPGC
109Please respect copyright.PENANAcCE6qBqwCW
"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!"109Please respect copyright.PENANAJbdFi17gC1
"No, sir."109Please respect copyright.PENANAeDgXwg6ZhG
109Please respect copyright.PENANACKyo8YOApD
Edulis scratched the back of his head and threw up his hands in boredom. 109Please respect copyright.PENANA58Y7ZoQ5uJ
109Please respect copyright.PENANAw6T8jYvfHj
"What’s with all this chit-chat? So, are you going to take the bet or not?"109Please respect copyright.PENANADcmtV1diPq
"...Fine. When you die, I will kick your tombstone and piss on your ashes!"109Please respect copyright.PENANANWKjlXYkN0
"Whatever. Then, swear to Assyria."109Please respect copyright.PENANA3hOpCQPXr9
109Please respect copyright.PENANAC1RgyMW3gq
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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAkzyfe1X6OS
109Please respect copyright.PENANAQkdziZVlv3
"You... how do you know about the oath to Assyria?"109Please respect copyright.PENANAOwusudppAZ
"It's none of your business, go ahead."109Please respect copyright.PENANAcXOG35HMQ8
Kishi is quiet. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAdRxwrDfCCb
109Please respect copyright.PENANATjmL6kq1lN
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?109Please respect copyright.PENANA3pJ7MF9649
Kishi questioned, but his pride wouldn't allow him to come this far and say otherwise. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAAeeYvCVNbY
109Please respect copyright.PENANAeeO7owmLxm
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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANA5KiCGgGWdD
109Please respect copyright.PENANAGpjGFjk4oe
"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!" 109Please respect copyright.PENANAXQqYYtPRW4
109Please respect copyright.PENANAx1SsujhvLP
"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.109Please respect copyright.PENANA9kqIHvaCOk
109Please respect copyright.PENANArhJZI33zkl
"Hey, mister, can you drive properly? The Velox on the right is looking elsewhere. If you're not focused, he might too."109Please respect copyright.PENANArmljiyG0hp
109Please respect copyright.PENANARjjt4aT5lk
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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAloRJaaNNdd
109Please respect copyright.PENANAE8r4c0P8Bx
Afterward, Edulis lay down on the wagon with his hood over his head. He lay cross-legged, seemingly at peace with the world. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAly8U6iZpk0
Then, the boy who had been sitting there as if dead spoke to him. His voice was as small as a mosquito's.109Please respect copyright.PENANAh3N0GUzF6w
109Please respect copyright.PENANAJLg2mTOEVR
"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."109Please respect copyright.PENANATEplMvRfg4
109Please respect copyright.PENANAC1zIFux7Yq
"That's... we can't......."109Please respect copyright.PENANAxctgNi877D
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At the boy's words, Edulis chuckled.109Please respect copyright.PENANAO62eQ7dLVZ
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"There's something we need to do in St. Trisis."109Please respect copyright.PENANAjRxiKgkS8U
109Please respect copyright.PENANAmF212jJfwY
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.109Please respect copyright.PENANA9dvXqycQfB
109Please respect copyright.PENANAPJUUPMlOqa
"Ahhh... this head part is uncomfortable. By the way, what's your name?"109Please respect copyright.PENANARjXPkpSkwb
"...Enri."109Please respect copyright.PENANAmG2O7kZwuE
“I see. Enri, please wake me up when we arrive."109Please respect copyright.PENANAOS1LCRFNtl
109Please respect copyright.PENANA7guIKbblUW
Saying that, Edulis fell asleep on top of the rattling cart.109Please respect copyright.PENANARp16gqcInR
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"Walk in from here. I'm not obligated to give you a ride inside."109Please respect copyright.PENANApc0geoMg7v
109Please respect copyright.PENANAGhbQtOUOFc
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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAAb5IdIk9P8
109Please respect copyright.PENANAiZXolPz1oA
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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANA0lWlneWtvm
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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANACVNt5Z93Yb
109Please respect copyright.PENANAXQX2pj77hg
Edulis didn't like the sight. When Bosha was alive, the Fey family had a reputation for frugality. 109Please respect copyright.PENANA3ri9X38gRn
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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAiwVnOo8cMI
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He remembered himself as Bosha saying "Are you the duke? You're dukes, aren't you, Our house seems better than this.?109Please respect copyright.PENANAP8Zn4xc4Kz
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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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAQv3swn09cM
- The noblemen I know have gardens, and they're beautiful. Why don't you plant a palm tree?109Please respect copyright.PENANA1AONRLtYYc
- If I had the money, I'd add more stones to our foundation.109Please respect copyright.PENANAHGRxrQVHpD
109Please respect copyright.PENANAc8p47gKBHu
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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAyO9rbJt37E
An insult. An insult to the Fey family and Ygraine! Against the will of the goddess Lutea!109Please respect copyright.PENANAbyLVoKodqj
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"There's the main family’s wagon passing by. Children of the witch, bow your heads more deeply in contrition."109Please respect copyright.PENANAxXlVo5Bwaj
109Please respect copyright.PENANAPhDD8Xf3QI
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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAgbkjs70yOW
109Please respect copyright.PENANAVAaEOzhMzy
But Edulis did not follow suit. He was staring at something that caught his eye.109Please respect copyright.PENANAJ9FQuuoiuo
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"Rude bastard, come on, pay your respects to the descendants of heroes!"109Please respect copyright.PENANAt5lFSBG4HS
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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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAnReX4ZZF2Y
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"Haha."109Please respect copyright.PENANA2X779RUqC6
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Edulis laughed. His anger was beyond the top, and it made him laugh. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAhsFDRfB55g
109Please respect copyright.PENANAt9h0beDqHP
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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANA78Sbd1njHi
Ygraine sprawled miserably on the ground, and Bosha stomped on her head, then pointed his straightened sword at her throat. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAQ849v83vSB
109Please respect copyright.PENANAl16iApZygj
"This thing is here too?"
"Hey, come on, look up...."109Please respect copyright.PENANAU4Edsj6uqE
109Please respect copyright.PENANANsSIaDH2YT
Kishi was speechless. Because he saw Edulis' eyes. Those eyes. Eyes that burned as if they held all the anger in the world. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAZRCcd7IBCp
They were the eyes of the Kaldura Red Fox. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAZIjet1Rwvw
109Please respect copyright.PENANAkcQkfsAaYx
A memory flashed through Edulis's mind. It was Bosha who had wrestled Ygraine to the ground. 109Please respect copyright.PENANA7PngNDdP1r
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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAdmcYqvtrcW
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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANACKBruAbGVZ
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Then, on the ground, Bosha looked up at Ygrain and said, "For a mercenary, defeat is death. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAsk8xkfECHP
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- If you don't kill me now, one day I will.109Please respect copyright.PENANAyBSbgYMAa6
109Please respect copyright.PENANAEanFykGPgP
Ygraine never pointed her sword at Bosha. Not once, not ever. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAHlifj6oooK
Ygraine merely parried a lunging Bosha attack. 109Please respect copyright.PENANARrZCEXBv0U
109Please respect copyright.PENANA7jb2bktDj9
- I don't want you to follow me in victory or defeat. I want you to be driven by faith and love. 109Please respect copyright.PENANA3INEEGKE4D
- 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?109Please respect copyright.PENANAZmpLP478E6
109Please respect copyright.PENANAlAbExARLUg
Then Ygraine nodded. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAdQVFKMc25f
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- Very well.109Please respect copyright.PENANAgSGGCumAym
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Then he threw the sword to the ground and kicked it away. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAt0fHgPl4Vf
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- What is he doing? 109Please respect copyright.PENANAy5SdCUb3Cu
109Please respect copyright.PENANAMvc8QJNeZ0
Ygraine slowly approached Bosha. His chest and stomach were exposed, defenseless.109Please respect copyright.PENANAmCS42NDttr
Bosha raised his sword and pointed it at Ygraine. 109Please respect copyright.PENANA52qYqdGSX4
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- Ha! Are you going to walk up to me and cut me with your sword? 109Please respect copyright.PENANAjc0dxETRAm
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Even after saying that, Ygraine didn't stop walking. 109Please respect copyright.PENANASAwJZo9Vr2
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- Be it so. But I believe in the light that wanders in the depths of your heart.109Please respect copyright.PENANAFJAJtUwc9M
- Bullshit!109Please respect copyright.PENANAsbSNjC322W
109Please respect copyright.PENANALK75qlpJtF
Bosha threatened Ygraine with several swipes of his sword in the air, but Ygrainne didn't stop. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAX3wOX8yrxm
109Please respect copyright.PENANACFNvOiNkAN
- Crazy woman! Don't you dare die for nothing!109Please respect copyright.PENANA2RKDsXqkUv
109Please respect copyright.PENANA2YmUpG5j0j
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.109Please respect copyright.PENANAb8yLZf3miL
No one knew what he was afraid of. Not even himself.109Please respect copyright.PENANA2afBwpHvdl
109Please respect copyright.PENANA64Xs2mBowd
The distance between Ygraine and Bosha narrowed to three paces. Then two. Then one step.109Please respect copyright.PENANATAkgCUid04
109Please respect copyright.PENANAjTArVmNTQl
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. 109Please respect copyright.PENANABwozbzW5uk
Ygraine approached and gently cradled his head in his hands. Igrainne didn't give him any pressure, but he couldn't move. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAMWAxEBbkil
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28 years of his life. Only once has he admitted defeat. That defeat was very special to him. 109Please respect copyright.PENANA5tNiGSvnKN
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"Well, these guys ruined everything.”109Please respect copyright.PENANAm72sU5Z22k
109Please respect copyright.PENANAOuwviPiw7D
"What... what are you doing?"109Please respect copyright.PENANA0sqltObSdN
Kishi shouted in horror. The Fey family's main carriage had approached, its front clearly visible. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAlnoSR7q53k
Edulis put his hand on the handle of his sword. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAZf3Vg61Dvn
109Please respect copyright.PENANADyl8Ipksmq
"No!"109Please respect copyright.PENANAQTkPUELs56
109Please respect copyright.PENANAb07uh8XlLV
Enri shouted at the top of his lungs. Edulis ignored him and chuckled. Then he spoke in a low voice. 109Please respect copyright.PENANAaSH70a5ZwQ
109Please respect copyright.PENANADRzkWfIdsd
"Do not insult Ygraine."109Please respect copyright.PENANASUF4m0XWIm
109Please respect copyright.PENANAXf48K9lkW1
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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