The Silenced Village

Even for night, the village was excessively quiet. Even the windows were all shut tight.

“Are the children all hidden?”

“Yes. But shouldn’t we just pack up and run away entirely?”

The villagers couldn’t sleep even lying down, their hearts pounding. Having lived in peace for so long, they couldn’t believe the current situation.

“Honey, they’re not just ordinary Bandits. They were all on horseback. We might all die like this.”

“Wait. I don’t think they’re Bandits.”

Despite his wife’s urging, the husband remained calm. If someone went out while everyone else was holding their breath indoors and was spotted, they might be singled out and cut down.

Judging by the Cavalry Unit’s armament and demeanor, they were far from plunder-crazed Bandits.

Most of all, their eyes glowed in the dark! He remembered the women who had been abducted from the Monastery a few days ago.

“They’re probably not after us. Let’s just lie low.”

That was the Family Head’s judgment.

Of course, there were also houses where curiosity got the better of them, and people tried to peek at the situation outside.

*Creak.*

A window slowly opened at the sound of Eugene and Homi passing by.

“Aargh!”

At that moment, screams and the clash of weapons could be heard from the Monastery.

*Thud!*

The window shut like lightning.

“Hoorah!”

“Yaaah!”

Cheers followed. It seemed Marcus’s party, having escaped the Underground Prison, had joined the Shield Bearers.

As Eugene and Homi reached the village entrance, two Militia members lay fallen.

“Both are alive. They certainly seemed like gentlemen.”

Seeing no blood on the ground, it seemed they had been knocked out with blunt weapons.

Passing even them, they stepped onto the wild, overgrown land. They had trodden this path countless times before, but today it felt especially significant. Like an entrance to a new world.

“Doesn’t the air taste different somehow?”

“?”

Homi looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“Let’s head back to the Cabin first. There are many things too precious to leave behind.”

*Nod.*

Then, hoofbeats sounded from behind them. Without a doubt, it was Marcus’s party.

They were indeed elites. As soon as they secured the women, they gathered the engaged troops and swiftly withdrew.

It seemed they had dealt a significant blow to the Priests, as there was no sign of pursuit. Only the clamor of shouts from the Monastery could be heard.

“Stop. They’re not enemies, at least for now.”

He stopped Homi, who was drawing her crossbow to be on guard. He knew from their brief encounter that they weren’t ruffians who would repay kindness with enmity.

Even if his judgment was wrong, there was no need to needlessly provoke the Cavalry Unit on the open plains.

“Sir Eugene.”

Marcus, who was at the front, greeted him.

“I couldn’t properly introduce myself earlier, given the circumstances. Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Marcus, Family Head of the Pierce Family.”

“As I said, I am Eugene Meyer.”

“…”

“…?”

Marcus stared intently at him.

“Is that all?”

“Yes, it is?”

“I thought a Knight of your renown would have many achievements or things to introduce.”

Aaron, next to Marcus, nodded as if it were obvious. It seemed he had already forgotten the grudge from being beaten and sent flying.

“Ah, that’s what it was.”

Knights were like moths drawn to the flame of honor and glory. They would always mention even the smallest thing that could adorn their name.

Among Veteran Knights, many were embarrassed by their past “dark history.” Like proudly introducing themselves by mentioning catching a few Goblins in their youth.

“I appreciate the high regard, but I’m a newcomer, only knighted a few days ago. I don’t have anything to boast about yet.”

*Tap, tap.*

Homi tapped Eugene’s hand.

*Poke.*

She poked her own nose with her index finger, making a cute pig snout. It seemed to mean, “Why aren’t you telling them you hunted the Monster Boar?”

But what could he do? There were no witnesses, and “boar slayer” wasn’t a particularly cool title.

“Knighted a few days ago? That would mean you were knighted here.”

A name immediately came to Marcus’s mind.

“Could it be Sir Godfrey’s?”

“You know my Master, I see.”

“Of course! So you are indeed his true Successor.”

Marcus and all his Subordinates looked at Eugene with even greater awe.

Before, he was an unknown Knight with monstrous strength, but now he had the added halo of being the Knight of Prophecy’s Successor.

“Ughhh.”

Behind them, a young girl appeared on horseback. More precisely, she was tied and secured with a rope to the back of the Cavalryman riding in front.

It was Maria, Marcus’s sister and the target of their rescue. She grimaced and shook her head as if suffering from a severe hangover.

“You seemed to be sleeping soundly for the first time in a while, don’t overexert yourself. We’ll take you safely.”

Even with Marcus’s worried words, Maria stubbornly opened her eyes.

“Remarkable willpower.”

“Thank you. She’s my sister, but truly a child to be proud of.”

Marcus was pleased by Eugene’s compliment. His sister, despite being a great help to the family, was underestimated even more than he was.

Eugene had been referring to her enduring the sleeping draught he gave her, but Marcus took it as praise for her insomnia and harsh captivity.

“The… things… you prepared…”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

A Subordinate led a horse by its reins and approached.

“Take… that horse.”

Maria said.

The Cavalryman respectfully offered the reins with both hands, but Eugene did not reach out.

“Why are you giving it to me?”

“As… repayment… for what I received.”

*Sway!*

Maria, having uttered a single word, dropped her head as if dozing off, then struggled to lift it again.

“Food for the Handmaidens, blood, help with the escape… this much should be given.”

*Thud.*

Maria, who had been struggling to keep her eyes open, fell asleep after those words.

“Hmm.”

Honestly, he coveted it greatly. Wasn’t a true Knight one who rode a horse?

The armor his Master left him was excellent, he had two weapons, and a capable Squire accompanied him. The last remaining, and largest, piece of the puzzle was a warhorse.

Whether one was on horseback or not changed the reactions of others in countless encounters.

From Peddlers encountered on the road, to villages where one might seek shelter for the night, to the Guards at the entrance when entering a City.

Even when selling his martial prowess for money, his value would skyrocket.

“I heard the story from Maria. How gentlemanly you treated the Handmaidens, and how you gave my weakened sister such precious care. Add to that your mercy in not killing my Subordinates, and the debt for helping us escape. Sir, you deserve that horse.”

“If you put it that way, I shall gratefully accept.”

Eugene took the reins. Declining once was enough. From what he heard, it seemed he had earned the horse, in a way.

*Snore~.*

“It’s been a long time since I heard my sister snore.”

Marcus, smiling brightly, raised his arm and ordered a retreat.

“The horse’s name is Maiteu. Then, Sir Eugene, I hope we meet again someday!”

“I am Aaron Tight. I look forward to the day I can honorably stand beside you, Sir.”

Marcus, Aaron, and the Soldiers performed a Mounted Salute, then departed.

Eugene, left behind, stroked Maiteu’s mane. It had a sturdy build, calm eyes, and its coat was glossy, indicating it was well-fed. It was a warhorse that had been properly trained and cared for.

“My Master often said that horses as good as Barsia’s warhorses are rare.”

*Snort.*

Maiteu, seemingly pleased with its new owner, snorted happily and rubbed its face against him.

Homi stood a little distance away, clasping her hands together.

“You look happier than me?”

Homi smiled shyly. She knew what a great Knight her Liege Lord would become.

It always pained her heart whenever he had to run on foot.

Her Liege Lord, mounted on a horse, looking out over the world, would be more magnificent than anyone. It was a right he deserved. For a Squire and Herbalist from a Backwater, not just an ordinary horse, but a warhorse, was far too expensive.

Today, that wish had come true.

“I’ll ask you once more, will you accompany me on my journey?”

Instead of answering, Homi respectfully knelt on one knee.

*Smooch!*

She took Eugene’s hand and pressed a deep kiss to its back.

“I look forward to our journey together.”

Her thick silver tail wagged excitedly. Homi, too, was looking forward to the journey that would one day come. Her wild nature refused to be tied down to one place.

As Eugene mounted the horse, Homi shifted positions, looking up at him from various angles. Her posture, with her hands behind her back and her upper body leaning forward, was incredibly cute.

“Come on, get on. Let’s go to the Cabin, pack our things, and leave. Things will get troublesome in many ways once dawn breaks.”

*Nod.*

Homi lightly jumped up and rode behind Eugene. She buried her face in his sturdy back and hugged his chest.

As they rode towards the Cabin together, they saw flames rising from the Monastery.

“So that’s why the Priests aren’t chasing us. There was a reason.”

It seemed Marcus’s party had set fires in various places during their escape. The Monastery was built grandly, isolated from surrounding buildings, so there was no chance of the fire spreading.

“■■■■! ■■ ■■■!”

A few Priests rushed out, shouting something, but the residents, still terrified, remained locked inside their homes.

The Priests would be having a terrible time, tending to groaning injured and fetching water to douse the flames, but it was none of their concern.

The two of them, enjoying the “campfire,” arrived at the Cabin.

* * *

Eugene and Homi quickly packed their belongings. Since they had already organized what they needed, preparations were finished in an instant.

The first was their wealth.

-Your Master, despite appearances, accumulated a lot during his Knight days. So don’t refuse…

Before leaving, Eugene had adamantly refused the money Godfrey offered him.

-Homi and I are healthy and good at hunting and gathering. There will be plenty of opportunities to earn money in the future, so please take good care of yourself, Master. You should eat well and sleep in comfort.

-Do you think a comfortable pilgrimage makes sense?

-Why not? You don’t have a Disciple to nurse you, so it’ll be a big problem if you get arthritis.

-The way you talk.

Eugene also had spoils from various quests and from defeating Bandits. Homi, too, had accumulated money through hunting and gathering.

In addition, they packed high-quality herbs that were easy to preserve long-term and good for monetization.

Travel essentials such as awakening powders, hemostatics, and insect repellents were also in Homi’s luggage.

There was also enough food for a considerable time, including rabbit, wild bird, and deer jerky, dried fruits and rations, and rock salt.

As a Squire, Homi helped Eugene don his armor and wrapped a cloak around him to ward off the cold and dew, completing their preparations.

Having finished their tasks, the two left the Cabin.

*‘This is truly goodbye now.’*

Eugene glanced alternately at the Cabin filled with memories, the Monastery still fiercely burning, and the direction where his mother’s remains lay, then mounted his horse.

“First, I think it’s best to head east.”

Kingdom’s End was located in the south of the Gord Kingdom, the nation of Warriors, and in the southwestern periphery of the entire Continent.

The west of the village was out of the question, as the dense and dangerous Marchen Forest stretched endlessly there. The Monster Boar they had faced a few days ago was also an unwelcome visitor from there.

To the south and southeast lay the Samur Desert. They would get lost and die of thirst before reaching the trade routes used by caravans.

To the north was Homi’s gathering place and a massive Mountain Range.

Going straight north would lead to Gord territory, but crossing the Mountain Range in their current state would be akin to madness.

In the end, only the east remained. Godfrey and Marcus’s party must have come and gone through there. After all, a Backwater was a Backwater precisely because it was surrounded by difficult terrain.

“Let’s go! To Boneyard City.”

Following the eastern road would lead to Boneyard, a historic Free City and a bridgehead to the Continent.

That night, the Knight and his Squire left their hometown, Kingdom’s End.

* * *

Four days had passed traveling along the road. At this pace, Boneyard would appear in three more days.

Eugene stroked Homi’s head; she kept looking back with an anxious expression.

“Don’t worry too much. The Priests won’t chase us. They’ll be exhausted from the fighting and putting out fires; why would they care about us? They’ll be trembling with rage at their unknown enemies.”

Only then did Homi relax.

Marcus’s party seemed to have left discreetly, veering off the road and sticking to the forest. Homi had smelled horse droppings in the grass, so it was certain.

“Thanks to you, this journey is going smoothly.”

Homi, walking beside the horse, smiled sweetly.

Even when standing guard at night, there was a world of difference between doing it alone and sharing the duty with two people.

“Tell me anytime you’re tired. I’ll let you ride, and I’ll walk.”

Homi shook her head.

Perhaps because of her strong beastfolk blood, she had excellent stamina. She didn’t get tired at all, even matching Eugene’s stride while he was on horseback.

Walking with her tail wagging gently felt like walking a dog.

*Thump!*

Her tail suddenly stopped. This was because people resting appeared in the distance.

All of them were armed. Though, even from a distance, their quality seemed rather poor.