《The Sword's Wind and the Golden Blade Book 1》 Chapter 1 The light of the morning sun fell upon the land, its rays reflecting off every surface. The clucks of chickens accompanied the chirping of birds in a song that would wake up the sleeping town of Waterfall¡¯s End. People rose up from their slumber, gathering supplies for the day. Later the smell of food and sounds of chatter drifted through the air, reaching every corner. Only a few places were shielded from the bustling presence. Even beggars woke up, straightening their tattered clothing and dusting off their empty cups. But under the dark shadow of an eave, facing a quiet side street, one man still had his back laid against a wall of a tall building, sleeping soundly. A kick landed on his leg. ¡°Drake¡­¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Drakkel asked, his eyes still closed. Another harder kick landed on his leg and the voice of the one calling him raised in volume, ¡°Drake Fwiler!¡± ¡°Yes?!¡± He said tiredly, wiping his eyes. With a frown on his face, his eyes slowly slid open. The person who was kicking his leg before now patted his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re up! I need you to run another errand! Don¡¯t go crowding the streets like some sick fellow! A strong man needs to work!¡± Drakkel sighed as his blurry vision became more clear. He lifted his head and finally managed to take in the figure of the middle-aged lady who stared down at him. ¡°Sure Reila. What do you need this time?¡± He asked, scratching his head. He got up and stretched. His body ached and his old wounds stung. But, they always did. ¡°I need you to drop something off. It¡¯s in a further part of town. I don¡¯t have the time to go.¡± Drakkel nodded and yawned. ¡°Sure. I can do that. But, what¡¯s the payment?¡± Reila huffed. ¡°What about all the free food I''ve been giving you these past few months?¡± Drakkel''s eyes felt heavy. He tiredly replied, ¡°You say that, but weren¡¯t they leftovers? You said you were going to throw them out anyway.¡± There was an awkward pause before Reila¡¯s angry glare landed on him. Then she scoffed and turned around. ¡°Fine, if you don''t want my help anymore, just stay so¡­ Some people, so unappreciative! They don''t realize how lucky¡­¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Drakkel called. ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Reila paused and turned around. Her eyebrows were lifted and one corner of her mouth curved upward, almost forming a smirk. ¡°Where do you need it delivered?¡± Drakkel asked. Reila beamed. ¡°Hold on.¡± She quickly ran back in the direction she came from. A few minutes later, she returned from around the corner with a smaller than average donkey. The donkey''s size wasn''t the only thing unordinary about it. In fact, its look needed more than a few words to describe. It had large front teeth, an incognizant expression on its face as if it were unaware of what was going on, and uneven ears, with one tilted in an awkward position. Drakkel''s gaze returned to Reila. ¡°I need you to deliver this donkey to the butcher so I can sell its meat. I tried to sell it to three farmers already! But it always failed at its duties so they returned him and demanded a refund! Someone left it at my inn as a tip for nice service, but it''s only become an eyesore! All it does is eat and sleep. I can¡¯t afford to keep it anymore.¡± Drakkel nodded, but he was barely listening. His gaze slowly drifted back to the donkey. Large amounts of drool began to gather at the ends of its mouth and leak out like a waterfall as it stared back at him blankly. As he twisted his head slightly to get a better look at it, he could have sworn that one of the corners of its lips turned up. ¡°Did you hear me, Drake?!¡± Drakkel¡¯s head shot up, ¡°Yes. I heard you. I haven''t been to that side of the city for some time but I heard a new butcher opened up to replace the old one a few months ago. Is the process to trade in meat still the same?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Re''ila answered. ¡°And where is it located?¡± ¡°It opened up in the same place that the previous one closed down.¡± Reila seemed a bit inpatient now. Her body started to lightly swing back and forth and her arms were crossed. Due to the state of the town and the size of her inn, she had no employees. She couldn''t be away for long. ¡°Ok then. I¡¯ll deliver it right away,¡± Drakkel replied. Reila quickly handed him the reins. ¡°Good. Once the butcher''s done, remember to bring the meat back to me.¡± Drakkel took the reins from her and said with a half smile, ¡°Sure.¡± Reila prepared to leave, but something stopped her. She slightly turned her head back. ¡°By the way,¡± she said. ¡°There are rumors floating around that some Sword Fighters are in the area. They likely don¡¯t mean any harm, but if they¡¯re here, they may be after something that does, so be careful.¡± Drakkel nodded. ¡°Thanks. I will.¡± Reila gave a nod and hurried back to her inn and Drakkel began to haul the oblivious donkey he received across town. He walked the nearly desolate streets of Waterfall¡¯s End with its cracked pavement and dark atmosphere with blase, thinking about what Reila said. He didn''t mind Sword Fighters in town as long as they weren''t from a particular clan. But because of where he was, the chances of them being from that clan were extremely low. Still a little tired, he was a bit startled when someone called out, ¡°Drake! Are you busy?¡± His head snapped up as he glanced at the person who spoke. It was farmer Laoil. He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m running an errand for Reila right now. Do you need some help, Laoil?¡± ¡°I do! I¡¯m busy harvesting my new crop but my horse stables are dirty. Do you think you can muck them out after you¡¯re done?!¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Drake replied. ¡°Thanks, Drake!¡± Farmer Laoil responded. As he continued to walk, more people called to him. ¡°Drake, after you help Laoil, can you pull the weeds from my yard!¡± ¡°No problem!¡± ¡°Drake! Thanks for watching my business while I was away! I have your money here! Come collect it when you''re done!¡± ¡°I will! Thank you!¡± With his stomach growling, Drakkel decided to stop answering people''s calls, only waving at them before hurrying past. He sighed, but couldn''t help but smile afterwards. Unlike in other cities, the people of Waterfall¡¯s End had their own lives to live and had no time to stick their noses in someone else''s. Because of this, Drakkel was quite fond of them. As long as he did the jobs they gave him, they wouldn''t inquire about anything else. As he passed the halfway point between Reila¡¯s inn and the butcher house, he saw a small crowd gathered around an old man. He slowed his pace to listen as the man told tales of the Sword Fighting world. ¡°It was then, seven years ago that at 20 years old, Sword Master Drakkel Fin, the man known as the Sword''s Wind, one of the most powerful sword fighters, lost to 17 year old Rillian Adore who was rumored to be a Sword Hero! We all know the order of sword skill. The first is Sword Valiant, then Sword Hero. Above is Sword Sworn, Sword Spirit, then Sword Master. Above those are Sword Epiphany, then Sword God. It has been a long time since someone has made it above Sword Master; so long it is recorded only in the anals of history. Many began to believe it was only a false tale. However, with Sword Master Drakkel Fin''s sword prowess gathered at only the age of 17, we thought we might see the return of a legend. After all, he was the youngest person to become a sword master in history! But in the battle fought so many years ago which lasted for only ten minutes, Sword Master Drakkel Fin dashed all of our hopes and lost terribly to Rillian Adore!¡± Some in the crowd commented. ¡°Yes! I heard of it before in Prancing Hills! He went missing after the battle despite the fact that his swords clan said they would take him back. His master apparently misses him. Seven years later, they¡¯re still searching for him.¡± ¡°No! I heard that his master was ashamed of him and was looking for him only to punish him. His master is said to be the strongest Sword Fighter in the world after all and he was disgraced with such a disciple! For Drakkel Fin to gain that amount of power, but lose so badly, don''t you think demons could be at work? The reputation and influence of his clan, which was only just recovering, fell because of his loss. Now, instead of being equal to Golden Peak as the top Swords clan, they can only be known as number two to their one!¡± ¡°But who could hold a grudge for that long? 7 years? He was a prodigy within their clan and was half responsible for their rise in fame and renown! Besides, they still won''t tell anyone their intentions behind looking for him. I think what I said is correct.¡± A third person chimed in, ¡°Even if either of those were true, who would want to go back? If I were Drakkel Fin, even if you dragged me there and bowed to me three times, begging me to come back, I wouldn''t have the face.¡± The crowd nodded in agreement. Drakkel felt a headache forming. Tightening his hold on the donkey¡¯s reins, he continued to walk, but his feet moved a little faster than before. As the view of the butcher¡¯s shop began to appear in the distance, he suddenly halted. His attention was drawn to some voices drifting out from an alleyway to the side. ¡°Stop! No!¡± He heard a woman''s voice scream. ¡°She''s a feisty one.¡± A man said. Drakkel felt something was wrong. He slowly approached the source of the noises. As he walked through the dark place, sneaking closer, the voices became clearer. Another man snickered. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure she''ll fetch a good price. But, do you think we can sample the goods first?¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The man that spoke before sighed. ¡°But you went and ruined the other one last time. Then we had to sell her for cheap!¡± ¡°Fine. But maybe a kiss or something? I¡¯ll make sure not to leave any marks!¡± There was a pause before Drakkel heard, ¡°Go ahead.¡± That was the only signal he needed. Drakkel picked up a small rock from the ground and told the donkey to stay before rushing towards the source of the voices. He could have approached silently, but he purposely tried to make some noise on his way in to draw the attention of the men. It seemed to have worked as one of the men asked, ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Drakkel recognized the speaker to be the one who was going to allow the other man to dishonor the girl. As their figures came into view, he was able to see them properly. The one who spoke was a small man, but well built. He stood in a straight manner and his figure had already assumed a defensive stance. Standing the way he was, no ordinary person would be able to tell, but because Drakkel had a background in sword fighting, he knew the man had to have some sword skills. ¡°I heard some noise so I only came to take a look. Is something going on here?¡± He said innocently. He looked to the side and saw that a girl was being held tightly by the arm by a larger man. ¡°Help me! These men are trying to take me aw¡­!¡± The girl shouted before her mouth was clamped by the larger man¡¯s free hand. The smaller man looked at Drakkel carefully. The shadow of the eaves covered most of his figure, but it couldn''t hide the tattered clothing and dirty feet. A beggar like him wouldn¡¯t cause them any trouble. And even if he did, they almost had enough money to find a better place to stay. He nonchalantly waved his arm in a gesture for Drakkel to go, shifting his gaze away from him and back to the girl. ¡°Nothing is going on here. Ignore what this girl says. She owes us some money and we¡¯re just collecting our dues.¡± The girl vigorously shook her head as the larger man held her, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. Drakkel didn''t intend to leave so he stayed in his spot. ¡°What, not leaving?¡± the smaller man asked his gaze now returning to Drakkel. Drakkel, whose figure was partially covered by an eave that sheltered part of the alleyway, stepped forward into the better lighted open area where the men and girl were standing. Now seeing him in a different light, the smaller man¡¯s eyes widened while the larger man¡¯s face extended into a wide smile. Although his appearance was different from before, Drakkel could still be called a beauty. With his long black hair, smooth pale face, and striking features, even some men would find it hard to resist his appeal. The bigger man looked at the smaller man. ¡°You know what I''m thinking brother?¡± The smaller man nodded. ¡°Yes, he isn¡¯t bad either. Hand me the girl. We can take him too.¡± The bigger man hurriedly gave the girl to the smaller man who also blocked her mouth to keep her from speaking. Then he turned to face Drakkel, licking his lips. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come with us quietly?¡± He asked. ¡°We promise to be gentle with you if you do.¡± Drakkel shook his head. ¡°No thank you. You see, I''m weak and malnourished. Wherever you plan to take me, I might not survive the trip.¡± He tried to think of an excuse to avoid fighting the two men. Then what he had been told earlier came to mind. ¡°Actually, I heard that some Sword Fighters were in the area. Wouldn''t it be a better deal for you to let me and the girl go? If you do, we¡¯ll be in your debt and we can make sure that no one knows you were here.¡± The girl nodded. But Drakkel said this fully intending to seek out the Sword Fighters Reila mentioned after everything was said and done. The bigger man smiled. ¡°Do you think we would believe that? We¡¯ve been here for months and we haven''t seen a Sword Fighter come through once! If you want to come up with lies you better find more believable ones!¡± Drakkel sighed. So he really wasn''t getting out of this peacefully. ¡°Enough talk now!¡± The bigger man said. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to come quietly, then don¡¯t blame us for being forceful!¡± The bigger man dashed towards Drakkel, the sound of his heavy footsteps echoing off the walls of the empty alleyway. But his movements were predictable and slow. Drakkel easily leapt into the air and dodged the assault, landing behind the man. The man turned around and licked his lips. ¡°I will take pleasure in making you get on your knees when I defeat you!¡± He ran at Drakkel again. Drakkel dodged to the side and when the man stumbled trying to catch him, he kicked him in the back with a sword energy enhanced attack. The man completely fell over, landing on his stomach. He braced his hands on the ground, attempting to get up, but Drakkel had already made his way over, keeping him down with one foot to the back. ¡°You¡¯re such a small and frail man. Who knew you had some sword skills?¡± The smaller man said. His eyes shot to the sky, thinking for a moment, before he brought them back to Drakkel. ¡°I see. If you¡¯re all the way here without a clan, it can only be for two reasons, either you never had a clan and were taught by an independent master or you were kicked out of one. With your appearance so poor, I can only assume the latter.¡± Drakkel laughed. ¡°Don''t compare us. You and I are not the same. Besides, the current situation isn¡¯t favorable for you. I have your man and you have the girl. Instead of making useless statements here, shouldn¡¯t you focus on how to get out of this situation? If you want, we can do a trade. That girl for this man.¡± ¡°Oh! So you finally showed your true colors!¡± The smaller man looked down at his brother held under Drakkel¡¯s heel. Actually even if the man holding his brother was faking his weakness before, he wasn¡¯t threatened at all. So the man could defeat his brother? It didn''t matter. Unlike him, his brother wasn''t a sword fighter so his feat wasn''t that impressive. The man was also clearly trying to leave without fighting. Considering these factors, the man in front of him likely wasn''t that strong. He smiled. ¡°injure him or kill him if you want. But whatever you do to him, I will do to this girl.¡± Now Drakkel knew they had come to an impasse. Truthfully, with his current strength, his chances of beating most sword fighters was very low. The person in front of him was probably more than enough to be his match. If he wanted to defeat him, he would need all his focus which included getting rid of the only vulnerable person amongst them. ¡°Fine, I''ll let the man below me go first. Then you can release the girl, ok?¡± He slowly released his foot from the larger man¡¯s back and the man scurried up and clasped his arms tightly around Drakkel in return. Drakkel continued to speak to the smaller man. ¡°I¡¯ve been captured already. Why not let the girl go?¡± The smaller man laughed. ¡°You really thought we would do that? Don¡¯t you know better than to trust strangers? Now that we have you both, why don¡¯t we just sell you off instead?¡± ¡°Was lying what got you kicked out of your clan, sword outcast?¡± Drakkel shot back. The words came like a strike of lighting, silencing the entire area. The smaller man¡¯s expression slowly changed until he was wide-eyed with anger. With a grimace on his face, he gazed angrily at Drakkel. His expression was as if Drakkel had just spat on his mother¡¯s grave. But for what a sword outcast was, one couldn''t say that his reaction was surprising. A sword outcast was a person who trained under a swords clan but was kicked out usually either because their skills weren''t up to snuff or they committed some acts that went against the clan rules. Once a person was kicked out of a swords clan, it was rare for them to ever get into another again. This is not only because they had a bad record behind them, but because each sword clan utilized a different weapon. It was a well-known fact that once a person trained in one weapon style, it was almost impossible to be just as good in another. Also, like Drakkel, some of them spent much of their lives with their weapons. After learning a weapon, gaining a knack for fighting, and developing a strong sense of pride, performing normal work was difficult, even if one could get it despite their reputation. Worse still, if you went to a swords clan in a larger town, word of you becoming a sword outcast spread like wildfire. Many even had lists with the names of living sword outcasts from Swords Clans in their vicinity. It was also the case that sword outcasts bore the mark of their status somewhere on their person. They were forced to make a slash on their body with their weapon before giving it up. The man Drakkel was staring at had such a scar on his neck. With the way it looked and the location of it, it should have been the mark of the Berserk Cleaver Swords Clan that used large butcher''s knives as weapons. With the man momentarily distracted, Drakkel took out the rock he had picked up earlier and flicked it as his wrist, forcing him to let go of the girl. The man¡¯s recovery was quick and even with a hurt wrist, it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult for him to catch up with the girl who was now running away, but he ignored her, still fuming with anger. After she left he scoffed. ¡°Your looks are superior to that girl¡¯s. It¡¯s only because you have offended me that I will use my full energy to defeat you today! We¡¯re different, you say? So, you think you can look down on me? You may not have a visible scar on your body, but I''m sure we¡¯ll see it when we take off your clothes! By then, you¡¯ll have to apologize and admit you were wrong!¡± The man pulled out a wrapped item attached to his waist. Drakkel had actually noticed that the man had something attached to his waist and expected it to be a weapon. So when the man undid the wrappings, he wasn''t surprised by what lied underneath. The smell of blood drifted into the air as the man revealed a weapon which turned out to just be an ordinary butcher''s knife. The blade was old, but it had a sharp edge and a thick cut. The man stepped toward Drakkel who was still being held by the bigger man, when Drakkel kicked the bigger man in the knee, forcing him to loosen his hold and allowing him a chance to escape. Drakkel jumped out of the man¡¯s hold and propelled himself backward towards the exit of the alleyway, but the smaller man held up his hand and slashed in his direction. Sword energy rushed out of the blade like a raging tsunami, heading straight for Drakkel. So Drakkel¡¯s plans for escape were ruined and he was forced to change his trajectory to dodge the attacks, missing the exit to the alleyway and landing in a corner instead. As he caught his breath, the two men moved to block his exit. With how angry the smaller man still looked, Drakkel knew he wouldn¡¯t be leaving easily. But ordinary weapons couldn''t handle utilizing sword energy for long and would break some time after just one use. If he dragged the battle out, even if the man in front of him was at a higher level, he might have a chance of defeating him. It¡¯s just that he wasn¡¯t sure if he had the stamina for that. He taunted, ¡°What did you do to get kicked out of your clan? Hanging around the back alleys of the street like a rat, it must have been something unsavory!¡± ¡°Does a beggar like you still have the mouth to talk? Where do you get off feeling high and mighty?¡± The smaller man spat. Then his eyes suddenly widened. ¡°Wait, I see now! You must be trying to buy time! You really aren¡¯t too strong, are you?¡± Drakkel didn¡¯t flinch but the smaller man had already guessed his weakness. And the man must have known it too since he continued to talk. ¡°Come to think of it, I believe I recognize you now. A handsome face and a dirty appearance. We¡¯ve only been here for a few months but even we¡¯ve heard! You''re Drake Fwiler the beggar! The one who does nearly any task for a measly amount of pay! Living a pathetic existence!¡± ¡°With how weak and frail you are, you should really be thanking your fate for meeting us! With your looks, maybe you¡¯ll end up with some rich lord or lady! After we¡¯ve had our fun with you of course!¡± Drakkel began to see cracks in the blade the smaller man used. ¡°Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?¡± He asked. The smaller man smiled. ¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t want to talk, we can continue to get down to business! Let¡¯s see how much longer you¡¯ll last!¡± The two men dashed forward, attacking Drakkel together. Drakkel decided to focus on taking down the smaller man since he was the only one versed in swords arts. He dodged the tackle of the bigger man and kicked him in the back with his sword energy, making him barrel forward and run headfirst into a wall. Then he used this opportunity to propel himself straight to the smaller one. With his sword energy enhanced attacks, he used two fingers to mimic a sword gliding through the air to attack the smaller man. The smaller man blocked this assault and the two continued to trade blows. He dodged all the moves of the smaller man and got in a few hits. But after a while, he sensed something amiss. The man stopped dodging as if he was taking on Drakkel attacks on purpose. That''s when a foreboding feeling came over him. ¡°Now!¡± The smaller man yelled. Drakkel turned around and saw the bigger man standing a small distance behind him with his arms open. ¡°You really shouldn''t get distracted,¡± The smaller man said before aiming a fully powered sword energy attack at Drakkel. Only when Drakkel took it head on, did he realize that this man was at the middle of Sword Hero. He was unable to fully block the attack and was pushed back, right into the arms of the large man that was waiting behind him. Drakkel lamented on the fact that he no longer regularly practiced his sword skills, maybe working on them once every three months or so. In terms of his actual combat training, he trained even less. As complacent as he had been, it seemed he had gotten rusty. The smaller man smiled as the blade broke in his grip, leaving only the hilt. He threw it to the ground and walked towards Drakkel. ¡°You talk big for someone who was defeated so easily. But I wonder, you¡¯re only a sword hero but you held us both off for so long. Which clan were you kicked out of?¡± Drakkel could feel the hot breath of the larger man running down his neck as the smaller one made his way over. Despite this, he was calm. Now that the blade broke, he had an opportunity. The moment the smaller man stood in front of him, he would break out of the larger man¡¯s grip and hit the smaller man in his weak spot. But his plan was suddenly interrupted by a voice sounding from the entrance of the alleyway. ¡°Stop what you¡¯re doing.¡± Drakkel shifted his head towards the direction of the voice. Upon a glance, sweat dripped down his face and his mouth dried up faster than water in a desert. Although it wasn''t cold, he began to shiver as his heartbeat became so loud he could hear it pounding in his ears. He didn''t remember this man, but he knew his description. So he instinctively lowered his head to hide his appearance. ¡°Who says?¡± The smaller man asked, also turning his attention to the new arrival. The man who stood at the entrance to the alleyway was tall, exuding a lofty and imposing energy. He had long blonde hair like the color of golden wheat and large brown eyes which gazed at them as if they were simply ants under his feet. His eyebrows, which were sharper than a dagger, were furrowed as his mouth formed a scowl. Combined with his clearly muscular physique and intimidating aura, one wouldn¡¯t casually approach him. He carried a large item on his back. Although it was wrapped, one could tell that the weight was a heavy one and yet he effortlessly carried it. His voice carried an air of authority as he answered, ¡°I¡¯m a disciple of the Golden Peak Swords Clan. My name is Rillian Adore.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 The man with the butcher''s knife eyes widened as sweat dripped from his brow. ¡°Rillian Adore as in the Merciless Golden Blade, Rillian Adore!?¡± With his breath nearly caught in his throat, unable to say more words, his mouth started to feel dry. If this was truly Rillian Adore, forget their plan to find a better place to live, his brother and him might not even make it out alive. Rillian Adore was known to be cruel and ruthless. It was such that none dared to cross his path for fear of sustaining great injuries or losing their lives. The man at first thought that the man in front of him might have been an impersonator, due to them popping up around the Empire a while ago. But then he remembered the story behind them. One day, Rillian Adore left his clan and came back a month later. Before he left, news of Rillian Adore impersonators was common to hear, but when he came back, it was like those impersonators never existed. No one dared to say anything about them again. It was said that Rillian Adore left at that time to swiftly take care of the impersonators himself, so only those who were crazy or stupid would think to use his name after. So, if someone claimed to be him, whether it was true or not, it was better not to take any chances. The smaller man walked up to Rillian Adore, cupping his hands. ¡°Sword Master Rillian Adore, look, we put him down. See?¡± He gestured to Drakkel who was now standing in front of the larger man. Drakkel wanted to take the opportunity to run, but if Rillian Adore had not confirmed the situation yet, Drakkel would definitely be caught while trying to escape, so he decided to stand still instead, patiently waiting for a chance to leave. The smaller man continued, ¡°It was a misunderstanding, it was all a misunderstanding! We weren¡¯t doing anything bad, yet this man came and bothered us! We were just defending ourselves! Now that you¡¯re here, you can determine the truth of the matter!¡± Rillian Adore¡¯s eyes darted to Drakkel¡¯s figure and then to the figures of the other two. They were all indeed covered in wounds. But, he already knew who was the victim and who were the perpetrators because a girl from earlier had told him all about it. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you all in for questioning then,¡± he answered. The man with the butcher¡¯s knife was worried. If he was brought in, wouldn¡¯t they find out what actually happened? So, rubbing his hands together, he added, ¡°Sword Master Rillian Adore, why waste your time taking us in when you can determine it for yourself.¡± He suddenly took on an indignant expression as he said, "Truth be told, that man,¡± he gestured to Drakkel, ¡°Provoked us first while we were taking a break from our work at the butcher''s and we were just defending ourselves. Surely someone like you who is strong and magnanimous shouldn¡¯t have any trouble seeing the truth! After all, you¡¯re the one who defeated the Sword¡¯s Wind and unraveled the secret behind him! The man¡¯s words seemed to have an effect on Rillian Adore. With his muscles now appearing a bit tense yet his voice even, he asked, ¡°What secret?¡± The smaller man didn¡¯t understand his response but still carried on. ¡°You know it! Drakkel Fin used demonic magic to gain his reputation! If you hadn¡¯t defeated him, we wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Suddenly the man felt a chill go down his spine. He hadn¡¯t been looking into Rillian Adore¡¯s eyes out of respect before, but now he dared to look up and what he saw made him feel as if his soul was about to leave his body. He laughed, ¡°Actually, it was a joke, I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡± His gaze drifted all the way down as he attempted to avoid Rillian Adore¡¯s angry glare. And it was then that he noticed that the man in front of him did not carry the pass that the Golden Blade was known to carry around as an identifier. The man¡¯s friendly expression fell. He had doubted it before, but now he was certain. This man has been acting strangely since he arrived, wantonly throwing the Golden Peak Swords Clan¡¯s name around. Besides that, Rillian Adore had beaten Drakkel Fin and went into seclusion afterwards. They weren¡¯t known to be close, so why would he defend him? He even remembered that Sword Fighters didn''t often travel to the outer towns. If they did, it would usually be those from a clan that was located closer to the area. Names could be faked, but not martial ability! A wide smile spread upon his face as he pointed to Rillian Adore. ¡°Wait! You must be an impersonator! Everyone knows that the real Rillian Adore always carries his clan pass! But you don''t have one! What makes you think you can pretend to be someone you''re not?¡± ¡°Whether you believe me or not doesn¡¯t affect the fact that you¡¯ll be brought in.¡± Rillian Adore answered. ¡°Brought in?¡± He laughed. ¡°An impersonator may be able to copy looks, but not sword skills! Where will you be bringing us, Hmmm? Your bluffing trick didn¡¯t work. In fact, I take back what I said! Drakkel Fin isn¡¯t just a demonic energy user! If I want to, I¡¯ll even say that Drakkel Fin, for all his skill was only a beautiful face and nothing more! When one only trains in seduction and dabbles in demonic arts, is it surprising that they would lose to someone of a lower lev¡­!¡± ¡°Shut up¡­¡± Rillian Adore growled. With a movement so quick that one could barely see it, the wrapping from the item on his back came loose and he pulled his great sword, Sun-Tinged Rays which had a golden hilt and a glimmering meteoric iron blade out from its sheath and swung it. Out of the blade, shot a wave of sword energy with its blue glare rushing like a gale of wind. The man tried to dodge it, but the speed was too fast. It struck one of his legs, severing it from the knee down. One moment, the man was standing upright and the next he was laying on the floor with a puddle of his own blood pooling around him. When he realized what was going on, he speedily hit his acupoints to stop the bleeding. But his face had already grown pale. And it wasn¡¯t because of losing blood but because of facing the reality of what had just happened. From the energy he felt, the man in front of him was indeed a Sword Master. His identity now was undeniable. He coughed and blood spurted from his mouth. The bigger man, seeing this, quickly ran towards him. ¡°Brother!¡± He screamed. He checked over the smaller man''s wounds and hurriedly said, ¡°We have to go, brother!¡± The one with the chopped off leg nodded, his jaw tightly clenched. The bigger man picked him up and attempted to dash straight past Rillian Adore, but Rillian Adore stuck a leg out and the larger man tripped. With an angry tone, he stated, ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere! Butcher Jin Linel and assistant Locin Lu, you two are suspects in the cases of missing persons in this area. I¡¯ll be taking you in for investigation!¡± The wrapping that bound the sword before which was hanging from the tip of the hilt glowed and floated off. It increased to several times its original size and wrapped around the two men. Rillian Adore then knocked them out by hitting their acupoints. Afterwards, he turned to Drakkel who was already quietly making his way to the exit. ¡°You there! Stop!¡± Drakkel froze in place. ¡°I¡¯ll need to bring you in as well.¡± Drakkel slowly turned around. He could handle many things, but facing this man was simply not one of them. He wanted to leave, but feared that running away would only make him look guilty. So, he opted to stay. In order to not be recognized, he lowered his head further and walked back. Changing up his voice, he answered, ¡°No thank you. I¡­ get nervous around authority.¡± Rillian Adore¡¯s demeanor slightly softened. ¡°Don''t worry. I¡¯m a part of a reputable swords clan. Under my watch, no one would dare to abuse you.¡± Drakkel shook his head. Although the men deserved it, this man had just cut off someone''s leg without a second thought. Even if he said these words, what normal person would go with him after seeing that? Besides that, he had his own reasons for avoiding him. But Rillian Adore wouldn''t let it go. He continued to push, taking a step closer. ¡°Your testimony would really help us out.¡± ¡°You found me here even though it''s such a secluded place. Did that woman I help call for you? Why don''t you request her assistance instead?¡± Drakkel noted. ¡°She¡¯s long gone now, while you¡¯re still here. Even if I look now, it would be difficult to find her.¡± Rillian Adore shot back. ¡°So you would bring me in against my will instead? Is that how you righteous Swords Clans work?¡± Drakkel asked. Rillian Adore''s expression didn''t change much, but his voice did soften a bit. ¡°We only want to help. But fine. If you don¡¯t want to come with me, then answer me this: the woman said you saved her. How? Butcher Jin is a Sword Outcast. If he was serious, you shouldn¡¯t have held him back for so long.¡± Beads of sweat began to gather at Drakkel¡¯s temples as he looked for an answer. This man really didn¡¯t want to let him go. He laughed. ¡°A sword outcast? I don¡¯t know what that is. I was just running an errand and I heard some noise come from here. I went to check it out and I saw these two,¡± He gestured to the tied up unconscious figures, ¡°harassing the woman. I may be useless, but even I have a conscience. I distracted them so the woman was able to make her escape. But these two were angry. After they lost her, they targeted me. In fact, If it weren''t for you, I would have ended up a victim too!¡± Rillian Adore nodded, but he didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°So that¡¯s how it was? But, you see? You spent more time with these two than that woman. Of course your testimony would hold more weight.¡± Drakkel frowned. He expected to be let go, but the more he talked, the harder it was to leave. It was like trying to walk out of quicksand. This man was too good at talking in circles. ¡°Look, I''ve told you all that I know and I¡¯m not willing to give a testimony. You said I could leave after I answer your question. Isn¡¯t it against the rules of a Swords Clan to force an innocent back without consent?¡± One of Rillian Adore¡¯s eyebrows shot up and Drakkel realized his mistake. But now he saw a chance. Rillian Adore, who was confident and stern a moment ago now seemed slightly confused. His eyebrows drew close together and he went silent for a moment. Seeing his state, before he could get another word out, Drakkel quickly said, ¡°I need to go.¡± He attempted to walk away, but found that someone grabbed his wrist before he could exit. ¡°What you just said is not something any ordinary person knows.¡± Rillian Adore said. ¡°You¡¯ve been keeping your head lowered for so long. Are you hiding something?¡± Drakkel shook his head. ¡°Then, let me see your face,¡± Rillian Adore continued. Drakkel tried to break out of his grasp, but his hold tightened just a bit. ¡°Why should I listen to your words?¡± Drakkel asked. ¡°Will you force me to stay after promising I could go?¡± Rillian Adore shook his head. ¡°You can go. But raise your head first. I feel like we may know each other and I just want to confirm.¡± After wriggling around for a few moments, Drakkel knew he wouldn''t get out. In the end, he could only face the person he had been avoiding. Sighing, he turned his head to meet Rillian Adore''s gaze. The moment their eyes met, Rillian Adore''s widened in response. Feeling that something was wrong, Drakkel¡¯s heart began to pound in his chest. He quickly said, ¡°How could a humble beggar like me know one as esteemed as yourself?¡± Rillian Adore shook his head, a stunned expression on his face. With his eyes wide and breath nearly caught, he whispered so quietly that it could barely be heard, ¡°Drakkel¡­?¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. At that moment, Drakkel didn''t deny it. He was shocked that after all these years, someone actually recognized him. With that, a flash of doubt flitted upon Rillian Adore¡¯s face and his grip loosened ever so slightly. It wasn''t a lot, but it was just enough for Drakkel to jerk out of his grip and make his escape. An ordinary person would have been worried about Rillian Adore giving chase, but Drakkel knew that he was bound by duty. He had to take care of those criminals first. That was why he felt safe slowing his pace a bit to catch his breath as he made his way to the spot where he left the donkey However, upon reaching the place, he realized that it hadn''t stayed as he had commanded. Normally he would be worried, having to think about how to pay for the thing he lost, but now he really didn''t have the time to care. After all, Rillian Adore had now found him here so he couldn''t afford to stay. As he departed from the vicinity, he spotted a group of Golden Peak swords clan disciples briskly walking towards the alleyway. He could tell from the quickness with which their golden robes flowed through the wind and by how tightly they gripped the handles of their swords that they were in a hurry. Drakkel figured it would only be a matter of time before Rillian Adore caught him if he chose to stick around for even another minute. He headed straight for Reila''s place to gather his items. Upon reaching the front of the small, slightly run-down inn, he knocked on the door. There was no answer at first, which was customary. But he didn''t have patience for it today. He knocked harder the second time and Reila swung the door open. With her eyes maddened with rage, she yelled, ¡°Are you trying to break down my door or someth¡­?!¡± She stopped what she was saying when she saw that the one knocking was Drakkel. ¡°Drake!¡± She said. ¡°You don''t look so good. What happened to you?¡± Drakkel just noticed the exhaustion that threatened to overtake his body. He slid past Reila and walked into her inn. As small a town as Waterfall¡¯s End was, only two customers sat at the first floor where food was served. They stopped to stare at him for a moment, then continued what they were doing as if he wasn''t there. Drakkel spoke to Reila quietly, ¡°Reila, can we speak somewhere more private?¡± Reila skeptically raised an eyebrow, but after a moment of deliberation, she slowly nodded. She gestured to a door behind the lobby desk and he followed her there. Once they were inside the small room, Reila asked, ¡°What happened to you? And where''s my donkey meat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but your donkey ran away,¡± Drakkel answered. ¡°What did you do?¡± Reila questioned. ¡°No time to explain.¡± Drakkel said, glancing around. ¡°I need to go. Could I have my things?¡± Reila looked like she wanted to press him more, but seeing how serious he was acting, it seemed like she had already decided to drop the issue. She walked over to the desk in the corner and opened it. ¡°Of course. They¡¯re always where I¡¯ve left them.¡± She took out a small sack made of a coarse brown rag and handed it to him. Drakkel opened the bag, fished out a handful of copper coins and handed them to her. ¡°I know it''s not a lot. But it should at least cover half the cost of the donkey.¡± Reila counted the money, then nodded. ¡°It will have to do.¡± She looked up at him, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Drakkel didn¡¯t want to reveal much. ¡°I can''t tell you, but I don''t think I''ll see you for a while.¡± Reila¡¯s next expression surprised Drakkel. Her eyes gazed at him with concern as the corners of her lips turned down. ¡°You really have to go, huh? After two years, this is it¡­¡± She counted the copper coins again and gave him a few back. ¡°The donkey was free anyway. You can keep some of this.¡± Drakkel bowed his head. ¡°Thanks, Reila.¡± Reila nodded. ¡°Be careful out there,¡± She said, a hint of sadness in her voice. Drakkel nodded. He attached his sack to his belt and left the room, heading towards the door. However, before he was able to exit, Reila yelled, ¡°Wait!¡± She ran to the kitchen and came back with something wrapped in paper. ¡°I want to thank you for your help over the past couple of years. Although you weren''t the best worker, at least you were honest and consistent. When you made mistakes, you would even do the work for free¡­¡± She handed him the paper wrapping, ¡°Here''s one last helping of leftovers.¡± Drakkel smiled. He gratefully took the paper from her and left the Inn, making his way towards the side entrance of Waterfall''s End. He had a feeling that if he went to the main entrance, someone would be waiting for him. When Drakkel took the uneven main road, passing through the makeshift stalls and nearly broken down buildings that lined its corners, he made a detour through one of the lesser roads to get to the side entrance. Waterfall¡¯''s End was small, not inhabited by too many people and not having too much space. The town was surrounded by a barrier made of tall logs held together by twine and sharpened at the tips. There were only two ways to leave and enter and that was through the main gate and through the side gate. The main gate could be accessed by taking the main road. One would eventually reach it if they followed it because the town was formed in a circular fashion with the main road winding around and breaking off into the main entrance, several alleyways and several side roads. Drakkel had to travel through the main road to reach the side road that would get him outside the town. The side entrance was small and difficult to notice, so those who hadn''t lived in the town for long wouldn''t know of it. However, upon reaching that very place, one who shouldn''t have known about it was actually waiting there. In front of the entrance stood a man with long blonde hair tied in a ponytail, golden robes and a muscular figure who bore a greatsword on his back and with him were two other golden-robed figures who carried similar weapons. Standing near them were the two people that Drakkel had fought before. After waiting for a moment and realizing they weren''t leaving, he could only breath a heavy sigh and sneak past them, making his way to the main entrance. But of course that area wasn''t free either. Around five other golden-robed individuals waited patiently at the gate. Their countenances were vigilant as their eyes darted around. Considering these factors, he thought for a moment on whether he should take the chance to leave through the front gate or through the side gate or even try to use his sword step skill to jump the barrier. When the thought of leaving through the side gate flashed through his mind, he could only shake his head. If Rillian Adore recognized him before with his appearance different and after not seeing him for 7 years, couldn''t he recognize him again? As for using his sword step technique to traverse the barrier around the town, it would actually be too risky. Maybe in the past, he could have hopped the barrier with ease, but in his current state in which he really only practiced cultivation once every three months or so, he could only wait to be caught. Truly after thinking about it carefully, the front gate was his best chance at escape. After making his decision, Drakkel pondered on whether Rillian Adore had told his people that he was there. However, he noticed that there were no portraits in their hands and that they were carefully observing everyone who passed the gate, as if they weren''t exactly sure what they were looking for. Because of this, he figured that Rillian Adore may not have told them after all. Then he had a sudden realization. Rillian Adore had probably not told his fellow disciples about him or there would have been more fanfare. Instead, he likely told them to look out for identifying factors about the person they seek. For a few moments, he thought about what would constitute an identifying factor. His eyes widened as he remembered the white streak in his hair. It started from the root, running from the top of his head, to the bottom of his back. The rest of his appearance was common, being only a bit worse than everyone else¡¯s in the town. His skin was dirty, yet pale. He wore old clothing that had been mended many times and straw sandals roughly made by his own hands. So, it was indeed likely that they didn''t know him well. But, If his suspicions were true, how would he sneak past the disciples? As he thought about it, an idea struck. Because Rillian Adore had come to only apprehend a few low level Sword Outcasts, he was likely mostly followed by lower level Golden Peak Swords Clan members who had come out to gain experience. So, he figured that they could be tricked. He wrapped his long hair into a top bun and found a dirty hat from a nearby trash pile which stunk like dog¡¯s dung mixed with the dirty blood from a butcher. Along with it, he grabbed some mud from the ground and wiped it on his face. With his new appearance, he made his way to the main gate, his back hunched and sporting a limp. Once he got there, as expected, he was stopped by one of the disciples. Naturally, the disciples were weary. A sketchy-looking individual approached them, with an unclean appearance and an odd gait. But they were from the most famous and renowned Swords clan, they still had to show that they had discipline. The disciple at the front seemed more disciplined than the rest. His robes were straight and two golden passes hung from his belt. One pass was an ordinary gold pass while the other was inlaid with gems. Thinking about what the man that got apprehended earlier said and the fact that none of the other disciples held extra passes, Drakkel figured that the extra pass belonged to Rillian Adore. The disciple stepped forward and bravely asked, ¡°Who are you? State your business.¡± However, after finishing his sentence, his eyes widened. Yes, he was more disciplined than the rest, but even he had his limit. It wasn''t until a moment after asking, that his eyes widened and nose wrinkle as an unpleasant smell drifted into his nostrils. His hand quickly swung to his nose in disgust as he took one step back. The other disciples finally seemed to catch a whiff as well as they followed in his stead, making a similar gesture. Many waved their hands in the air as well to try to cast away the nasty scent. Masking his voice to appear more raspy, Drakkel said, ¡°Good Sir. I¡¯m *cough* very sick. I have a terrible condition, you see. I need to get medicine from a nearby town¡­ *cough* *cough*¡± The disciple, now not holding his nose, but appearing to breath through his mouth, looked upon him skeptically as he responded, ¡°We don''t plan to stop you for long. Just lift up your hat, so we can see what lies underneath.¡± Drakkel held his hat down, ¡°No, please sir! I¡¯m afraid my disease is contagious. Don''t you smell what wafts my body? If you touch me, you may catch it." The man looked at his fellow disciples questioningly. A horrified expression shadowed their faces as they all vigorously nodded their heads. appearing to fear the man that stood before them. ¡°It''s alright,¡± The disciple replied. ¡°We¡¯re part of a strong Swordsclan. A bit of sickness won¡¯t scare us away.¡± He again stepped forward and attempted to reach for Drakkel''s hat. Then, Drakkel made a swift movement. He pretended to stumble a bit and hit an acupoint on his wrist to force himself to cough up blood. The disciple who was going to check him leapt a few feet backwards to avoid getting sprayed. Immediately after, Drakkel fell to the floor, holding his chest and pretending to breathe hard. ¡°Sir¡­¡± He labored. ¡°I told you. It¡¯s a deadly disease. I don''t want you to catch it.¡± One of the disciples whined, ¡°Trin! it¡¯s not worth it! I¡¯m sure this poor sick man isn''t the one we''re looking for.¡± The man referred to as Trin nodded. After all, now that everyone was too scared to approach him, what could he really do? Besides, if the man was telling the truth and he brought him over to his swords clan, causing his sickness to spread, could he deal with the consequences? ¡°Alright,¡± he said, waving his hand in a motion for Drakkel to leave, ¡°You can go.¡± Drakkel repeatedly bowed as he went, ¡°Thank you. Thank you kind people.¡± The disciples cleared plenty of room for him to leave and he walked past them, limping slowly and unhurriedly. Once he confirmed that he was out of their eyesight, he fixed his stance and hurried away, using his sword step technique to aid his travel. When he was sure that there was no possibility of anyone following him, he switched to walking to conserve his energy. He decided to head East as South led to the border and North led to Densai Forest, a dense forest said to be filled with powerful sacred beasts. His destination was Shadowy Ridges. As he walked, he soon discovered a calm and clean lake, just off the main path. His smell was such that every time he breathed, it traveled deep into his nostrils and down his throat making him almost taste the pungent scent. Even those he came across while walking purposely avoided him once they smelled it. Getting tired of being accompanied by the nasty odor, he decided to take a short wash. He removed all of his clothes and cleaned them, moving onto his body afterwards. The lake was at a perfect height. When he stood, half his body from feet to mid abdomen was covered. When he sat, his whole body was covered. As he washed himself, he suddenly heard some voices speaking in the distance and getting closer. He looked around and found a large rock jutting out from the water. Then he rushed behind it with his clothes in his hands. ¡°Did you see it? This isn''t called Fairy Lake for no reason! There must be fairies here!¡± ¡°Good fellow, I think you should get your eyes checked. No one else is here.¡± There was a pause for a minute and then a sigh, ¡°Maybe you''re right. That''s sad. I heard that if you capture the cloak of a fairy, you can have her as a wife.¡± Someone laughed, ¡°As a traveling salesman, I¡¯m surprised you aren''t already married.¡± ¡°Don''t you see that it''s because I am one that I''m not already married? Who would tolerate someone that¡¯s never home and only bringing in just enough money to live?¡± ¡°Plenty of women I''m sure, you just haven''t found the right one.¡± There was another pause, ¡°Maybe I should broaden my horizons? The only places I travel to are Lunala Isle, Nevermore, and Shadowy Ridges.¡± ¡°...Wait, did you just say Shadowy Ridges? How are you still doing business there?¡± ¡°Actually I just started. I¡¯m heading there now for my second trip. Lots of poor folk, but the ones who pay, pay well.¡± ¡°If you want to keep your life, you should end your business there now,¡± The other man said fearfully. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You haven''t heard the stories? The town has been plagued by corruption. The place used to have reasonable laws for those wishing to make a living, but around three years ago, the Town Lord began to make some drastic changes. Among other things, No more outside sales people were permitted and merchants must go through specific channels to sell products there. The channels levy expensive taxes on the merchants and sellers, making it so that doing business there is unprofitable. You might not have noticed, because they haven''t caught you yet. They make rounds every three days to check for authorization papers. You might as well drop it now. I actually only bumped into you on my way to permanently leaving!¡± ¡°Thanks for the warning! I''ll probably just stick to selling for the other two towns then.¡± ¡°You better! Anyway, I need to go now. My daughter and wife are waiting for me!¡± ¡°No need to brag!¡± Several footsteps then disappeared into the distance. After a few minutes of silence, Drakkel ventured out from behind the rock. Seeing that no one was there, he placed his clothes on top of the rock to dry and bathed for a bit longer. While bathing, he thought about the conversation the two men had. What they said about Shadowy Ridges was concerning. While there, he would have to proceed with caution. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Drakkel took the lone dirt path surrounded by slightly arched trees, surveying the scenery along the way. The main path to most of the towns on the outskirts weren''t as busy as for the inner cities, but they at least had a few people using them. However, the main route to Shadowy Ridges was devoid of anyone. It was so quiet that only the sounds of animals rustling in the bushes and trees could be heard along with the sound of Drakkel¡¯s footsteps. As the sky turned an array of orange and purple hues and the buzzing of cicadas began to fill the air, Drakkel finally arrived at his destination.. The town was surrounded by a tall barrier made of stones and formed in a rectangular shape. Its entrance was unguarded but a sense of dread leaked through it, creating a depressing atmosphere. When Drakkel entered through the ominous front gate, he could see why. An eerie quiet enveloped the atmosphere as the occasional person walked past. The sunken eyes of those present reflected a deep misery. On the cracked stone path leading through the small town, minimal stalls were set up. The number of open businesses present in the town could even be counted on one hand. There was hardly anyone who looked comfortable enough to afford a living walking around. Instead, many sick and poor elderly and children were strewn about the streets, laying their backs under the eaves on building walls or taking shelter under abandoned stalls. Their heads were bowed in despair and their hands were cradling their bellies. When some of the kids saw him, their eyes brightened up. Those who still had the energy, rushed over, begging for food and money. However, Drakkel was poor himself. Remembering Reila''s leftovers, he took them out. He didn¡¯t want to draw attention to himself, but he also couldn¡¯t leave the kids to starve. When he unwrapped the papers, the tantalizing smell of cheese, jerky, and bread wafted out. He was originally given two loaves of bread, two blocks of cheese and a handful of jerky, but he had eaten some on the road, leaving only half of each amount. At first, he only planned to give it to a couple of the kids, knowing it wouldn¡¯t be enough. But when the rest saw this, they went crazy, finding the energy to show up and almost tearing each other apart trying to get it. However, their actions were fruitless. There were a large number of children and Drakkel could only do so much. ¡°Stop fighting!¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯ll split it so there is enough for each of you.¡± He looked down at the food sadly, carefully splitting the pieces into smaller bits. But he knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. After dividing the food, the amount left for each child only amounted to a bite. After some of the children ate their pieces and others stored them away, they looked at him expectantly. Their dirty faces gazed at him expectantly as they held their bellies. Drakkel looked down at the empty paper and then up at the kids. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°That''s all I have.¡± As he addressed the group of kids that gathered around him, he felt someone softly tug at his robe from behind. It was a young girl. She seemed to be the youngest amongst the kids, likely no older than 6 or 7. As her stomach growled, she gazed up at him with her watery round eyes. ¡°Please sir. My grandmother needs food. Please¡­¡± Drakkel saw the girl''s thin physique. Her bones showed in her collar and her figure was too small for the clothes she wore. He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But, I really don''t have any more.¡± Seeing their situation, Drakkel actually planned to buy them some more later, but he didn''t want to reveal this fact. After all, if something were to happen and he couldn¡¯t fulfill this promise, he might only give them false hope and incite hostility. One of the older kids yelled, ¡°You must have some more! Give it!¡± Many more of the kids joined him in yelling. ¡°There really is nothing left!¡± Drakkel repeated. He gently brushed off the hand of the youngest child and pushed through the crowd of children blocking his way as they dragged at his robe and shouted in his ears. As he went he was reminded of his early days of poverty when he was losing his sword skills and didn''t dare return to his Swords Clan. He sold everything of value that was on him and used the money up in a couple of months. Afterwards, there wasn''t enough to keep him fed. Eventually, he had to beg on the streets and ended up much the same as these children. But he was lucky. His sword energy kept him sustained, making it so he could survive off far less than a normal person. The same couldn¡¯t be said for these kids whose malnourished and thin frames barely supported their weight. He frowned. There were poor people in every place, but none he had ever seen were as bad as this. He had finally made up his mind. He owed it to the kids and other people of the town to try and help. After the kids stopped following him, he asked someone where the inn was located. Most people weren¡¯t receptive to him, but he eventually found someone who answered his question. He decided to stay at the only open inn left in the town which was situated near its center. The inn was in poor condition. Its foundations were worn and held together by temporary repairs. In addition to this, not many people were present. This would have made sense for a place like Waterfall''s End where the number of denizens could be easily counted, but for a place like Shadowy Ridges which was really only one step away from an inner town and a few away from an inner city, the same should not have held true. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. A place such as this actually should have had more inhabitants, but the conversation at Fairy Lake had revealed a few things. If it was true, the reasoning for the businesses being few and far between was because of the taxes that were mentioned. But, the reason for all the poor elderly on the streets still was not revealed. So, Drakkel intended to find out. He was at an inn now with a good amount of people and he was determined to find out the truth. So, he looked for opportunities to do just that. As Drakkel surveyed the place, he saw that several tables were laid around. Some people sat alone, their faces bored as they ate or drank while others sat in pairs, huddled together in deep conversation. Within the room, besides the pairs and people sitting alone, there was only one table in which three people sat; and this was most likely where the most amount of conversation would take place. The check-in desk was manned by a scrawny man whose clothes were a few sizes too large for his body. Drakkel calmly walked over to him and greeted him with a smile. ¡°Table for one, sir,¡± he said. The man looked him up and down, his mouth forming a scowl. ¡°We don''t serve your kind here! Can''t you see we don''t give handouts?! There are already too many of you!¡± Drakkel knew why the man had said so. Although he had cleaned himself, it didn''t fix the tattered clothing he wore nor the badly woven sandals on his feet. Because he understood, he was able to ignore the man¡¯s obvious disdain while maintaining his smile. ¡°I know, Sir, but I actually have some money here.¡± He shook the bag and the crisp sound of coins bumping into each other rang through the air. The man¡¯s eyes glimmered as he stared at the bag. ¡°How much for a room for three nights?¡± Drakkel asked. The man¡¯s whole demeanor towards Drakkel instantly improved as he politely said, ¡°It¡¯ll be ten copper coins for your esteemed self.¡± Drakkel''s mouth twitched. ¡°Ten copper coins? Shouldn''t it be two?¡± The man¡¯s demeanor switched back to one of disgust just as quickly. ¡°You can''t pay?¡± Drakkel shook his head. ¡°The amount is a little high¡­ How about the stables? Is there any space there?¡± The man, still scowling, crossed his arms. ¡°Two coppers a night. You can afford that, right?¡± Drakkel gratefully smiled. ¡°Yes sir. Thank you.¡± He added, ¡°Also, can I get one table served with just greens and rice?¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be four coppers,¡± the man said. Drakkel nodded. After confirming his order, he gave the man the coins and the man left the desk. As the man headed to the kitchen, he was still in a foul mood. His lips were fully turned down and there was an annoyed expression on his face as he walked. Drakkel found an empty table situated next to the table seated with three people and took a seat. As he sat, he listened to the hushed whispers of the three men that sat behind him. ¡°We can''t stay here anymore. The Town¡¯s Lord has gotten greedy.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m starting to lose more money than I''m gaining. I¡¯m thinking of going to Lunala Isle to do business instead.¡± ¡°I might do the same. The taxes are too high and no one can afford to pay them anymore. Maybe if you go to Lunala Isle, you can report it to the Swords clan there.¡± ¡°Ssssh! Are you crazy? The Thousand Petals Swords clan has minimal care for this area and the Lord himself hasn''t requested their help. Besides, they have other problems to deal with. How can we report ours without any proof?¡± ¡°True! Also, if they were going to do something, wouldn¡¯t they have done it already?¡± One of the men sighed. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Best to abandon this town and search for other places to make money¡± He paused. ¡°I just feel sorry for the people here. The lands aren''t good for farming and almost all the businesses have been taxed out .¡± ¡°Yes and people still need to be fed. You heard it too, right? The only work that has been available for the past few years if you aren''t an independent merchant is to work for the town lord. But all the young and middle aged men and women who went there haven''t come back! If anyone dares to speak of it, they are executed by the Town Lord. The men and women left the elderly to look after the children, but look what has become of them. We don''t even know where the people were taken!¡± ¡°Forget about it. It isn''t in our interest to find out. We should just work on protecting our own and get out of this dangerous place.¡± After voicing their agreement, the men began speaking about business ventures they were undertaking in other locations. By then, Drakkel had tuned them out, still ruminating on what they had said before. At the very least, his questions were answered. He now had an idea of what caused the current situation, but he still needed to know more. Still waiting on his food, he was suddenly broken out of his thoughts by the sound of the door to the inn creaking open. When he glanced over to find out who did it, a man with golden robes and a greatsword at his back came into his view, followed by a small entourage of people who were dressed similarly. Just as quickly as he looked at them, he looked away. The golden robed disciples were adorned with simple yet expensive accessories and walked in confidently, capturing the innkeepers attention. Wanting to avoid them, Drakkel shot up from his seat and hurriedly said to the innkeeper who was eyeing the people hungrily, ¡°I¡¯ll just head to my room now, innkeeper. Please bring my food over later.¡± The innkeeper nodded, only waving his hand in a gesture for Drakkel to go. He was still staring at the golden-robed sword fighters, nearly drooling at the mouth. Drakkel made a swift getaway, not wanting Rillian Adore to notice him. When no one called for him as he followed the path to the stables, a wave of relief washed over him. At the stables, he found an empty spot in the middle of the horse''s pens and laid down on a stack of hay. Since he was in a comfortable spot and had some time, he decided to check on his cultivation. When he found out his level, he wasn¡¯t surprised. He was still at the beginning of Sword Hero. He sighed and placed his hands behind his head before leaning his back onto the wall behind him. The troubles in the town were worse than he had imagined and the people were powerless to do anything about it. Although he wasn¡¯t that strong, he had to investigate it. While he was still deciding on his next day''s activities, the innkeeper rushed to the stables. He left a bowl of rice, greens, and meat in front of him. Drakkel looked at the food questioningly. ¡°I think this is the wrong meal, innkeeper.¡± He said. ¡°I only ordered the rice and greens.¡± Wiping sweat from his forehead, the innkeeper answered, ¡°I just realized that I should be kind to others if I''m able to. After all, good deeds will accumulate merits. Please sir, if you need anything else, just let me know.¡± Drakkel thought something seemed off about him, but his stomach growled and he pushed these doubts aside. He knew he would need all the strength he could get for his future undertakings, so he thanked the innkeeper and picked up the wooden utensil that was provided for him. The innkeeper bowed his head in response and immediately hurried out of the stables as if he didn''t want to stay a minute longer. Looking at him leave, Drakkel was surprised that he even bothered to walk in instead of knocking on the door and having him come out. He again wondered what caused the innkeeper''s sudden change of heart. He gazed down at the food. He was hungry but also wary. Yes, he accepted it, but it didn''t mean he wouldn''t take any precautions. Just in case something was amiss, he monitored his body for a few minutes after taking the first bite. Only after seeing that nothing was wrong, did he proceed with eating the whole thing without worry. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 The next day, Drakkel walked through the town, taking note of the location and condition of each building. After looking around and speaking to some locals, he found out a few things. Guards patrolled every street, there weren''t many businesses around, but there were several abandoned buildings in good condition, most of the inhabitants of the town were children and elderly, and the area around the Town Lord''s manor as well as the manor itself was the most well-kept part of the town. The Town Lord¡¯s greed was extremely apparent. But some things were still unclear. It was forbidden to speak about the state of the town. Considering everything, If Drakkel wanted to find out what the Town Lord was up to, he couldn''t ask him directly. Instead, it would be better to approach them as others had. The men in the inn had mentioned that the young women and men of the town were taken by the Town Lord for work. So he would go about approaching him in the same way. Drakkel went back to the inn to inform the innkeeper that he would be leaving for a while. After purchasing some loaves of bread with the remainder of his money, he distributed them to the children and elderly from the day before. Then he made his trek to the Town Lord''s Manor. The manor was large; probably triple the size of the inn Drakkel was staying at. In front of it was a door with knobs made of gold and seated in front were White marble lion statues. The manor itself was built with sturdy and expensive wood. Standing in front, Drakkel gently knocked on the door. After a few minutes it creaked open to reveal a man. The man had a short stature, but a professional composure. Drakkel smiled. ¡°I¡¯m here to see the Town Lord about the job he¡¯s offering.¡± The man looked him up and down. ¡°Your frame is thin, but...¡± His gaze shot to Drakkel''s arms, ¡°You have a bit of muscle. You should be good enough for this position. Please follow me to see the Town Lord.¡± Drakkel gratefully bowed his head and followed the man. Even on the inside, the manor was lavish. They walked past displays of expensive artifacts every few minutes. Hung on the walls were rare paintings surrounded by golden frames. Several rooms lined the long halls. Their doors were shut, but one could see no expense was spared for them. The wood on the doors were engraved with unique designs and the knobs alternated between gems and gold. After a while, Drakkel said to the man leading him, ¡°I am very grateful for this opportunity. My family is poor and I''m hoping to make a good living working for the Town Lord.¡± The man frowned as he answered in a listless tone, ¡°That¡¯s very honorable. The Town Lord is a charitable man. If he sees someone struggling, of course he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to help out.¡± Drakkel smiled and nodded. The Town Lord''s own workers knew something was wrong. Likely, they weren''t getting treated well either. After a few minutes, they arrived at a room covered with two wooden doors which were embellished with jade knobs. The giggling of young maidens drifted out with the chuckling of an older man accompanying them. Drakkel was brought to the front of the door and the man he followed, knocked on it. The man said loudly, ¡°Lord Tincaid, there is a guest here that wishes to see you.¡± The man from the other room yelled, ¡°Rou?! Didn''t I tell you not to disturb me while I''m having fun? You should have given me a heads-up so I could get ready.¡± The man named Rou¡¯s voice shook a bit, ¡°My Lord, Y...Y¡­You said that if we have another worker for the mine, that you would like me to tell you immediately and that it doesn''t matter what you are doing or where you are.¡± The Lord called Tincaid paused for a moment. ¡°The mine¡­?¡± In a quieter voice, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry ladies. The party is over for today. Please head back to your rooms.¡± Drakkel first heard the melodious tone of many soft voices answer, ¡°Yes, Lord Tincaid,¡± then the shuffling of several footsteps followed after. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. In a few moments, the door opened to reveal eighteen scantily clad maidens in robes of several vibrant colors, smelling of perfume and adorned with expensive jewelry. Their faces were covered with veils that extended down to their chests. They bowed at Ro and Lord Tincaid, before heading out. All that could be seen of them were their eyes and the intricate symbols that decorated each of their foreheads. As they passed, they each took a short glance at Drakkel. In the process, the one in front of the group, tripped on the hem of her dress and fell. For an instant, her veil shifted to the side and Drakkel caught a glimpse of a sort of flower-like symbol that laid upon her chest. Her skin was slightly distorted where the mark was made and its color was off. Unlike the forehead symbols which were drawn on with makeup, this one seemed more permanent. The group of girls waited as the girl who fell righted herself and fixed her veil. Once she was done, she quietly uttered, ¡°Excuse me,¡± before speedily making her way out of the area with the group closely following in her steps. When they were gone, Drakkel could see the room clearly. The place was a bedroom filled with beautiful paintings like the rest of the manor. A wooden bed with red and gold bedding stood opposite the doorway. A man sat atop the bed in only a red robe, staring down curiously at Drakkel and Rou. ¡°Bow to the Lord,¡± Rou said. Drakkel bowed. ¡°Lord Tincaid. It''s an honor to meet you.¡± Lord Tincaid smiled. ¡°Nice to see you as well. I hear you want to work in the mines?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Drakkel replied. ¡°Lift your head first,¡± Lord Tincaid said. Drakkel lifted his head and looked into the Lord''s eyes. After a few moments, the Lord''s gaze traveled down. ¡°A slender body and a beautiful face.¡± He said. Looking at the white streak on his head, he frowned. ¡°Though that hair could use a little work. The corners of his lips curled down further as a tsk sound escaped his lips. In a disappointed tone, he continued, ¡°It''s too bad you¡¯re not a woman.¡± Then, Lord Tincaid¡¯s eyes widened and his lips curled up into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s no problem though! I can strike you a deal. I have friends in high places that are looking for someone like you. You can make more money working for one of them than for me. You might even eventually gain a comfortable standing and be able to live in luxury.¡± Drakkel¡¯s mouth nearly curved into a scowl as he thought of what Lord Tincaid said. He shook his head, ¡°No thank you. I prefer to do honest work.¡± The Lord snorted, ¡°Honest work, he says¡­ Fine.¡± He looked at Rou. ¡°Cover his eyes and have someone take him to the location.¡± Rou nodded. Before Drakkel could leave, Lord Tincaid smirked. ¡°When you change your mind, you can find me later.¡± Rou patiently waited behind Drakkel. When Drakkel turned around and seemed ready to leave, he gestured to the door. ¡°Please, follow me,¡± he said. Once they walked out of the room and the doors closed behind them, Ro took a blindfold out from his pocket. Holding it out, he asked if he could place it on Drakkel. Remembering that he was pretending to be an unaware civilian, Drakkel purposely showed some resistance. ¡°Is there a reason I must be blindfolded?¡± Rou answered, ¡°The job we¡¯re taking you to is in a competitive field. If our competitors catch wind of where our job site is, they may try to sabotage us. I hope you understand.¡± The reason didn''t make sense, but Drakkel still nodded. ¡°Oh. I understand now. You can proceed then. He said. He leaned down a bit so that Rou could circle behind him and place the blindfold on. Once he was blindfolded, Rou called, ¡°Somebody!¡± Drakkel heard the steps of a couple of people on the ground and felt the presence of two men appear from each of his sides. ¡°Make sure this man isn''t carrying anything, then take him to the mines.¡± With the order, Drakkel felt some hands pat down his body, from his arms, to his legs, to his torso. He wasn''t worried since he had anticipated this and left all of his items in the inn before coming to the manor. Afterwards followed the clink of some chains hitting each other. As the chains were wrapped around his wrists, he felt them, slightly weighing them down. A pair of hands then grabbed onto each of his arms. ¡°The chains are a preventative measure to keep any spies from running off and informing our competitors about the job site.¡± Rou said. ¡°Please tolerate them. They are only temporary. Once you reach the job site¡­¡± He paused. ¡°They will naturally be removed.¡± The man was really terrible at lying. Actually the fact that he continued with it made Drakkel feel a bit sorry for him. What could possibly have compelled him to do so? Right after Rou¡¯s explanation, Drakkel was led somewhere. He heard the sound of a door opening and felt the wind of the outdoors blow on his face. The smell of various flowers invaded his nostrils at first. But after he was led onto a carriage and felt it move beneath his feet, the scent of the blossoming flowers faded into the distance. Soon all that accompanied him was the aroma of fallen leaves and dead branches. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 The carriage finally stopped after what felt like a few hours. It dipped a bit as someone stepped on. The person grabbed onto Drakkel''s arm and led him out of the carriage, carefully helping him down the steps and onto the ground. The area Drakkel was in was colder than the one he had left and he could feel a chilling breeze blow in from his front. Upon contact, his skin prickled and an involuntary shiver traveled through him. The person aiding him in walking, led him in the direction that the draft was coming from. Then they let go of his arm and circled behind him. When the blindfold was taken off, he found himself at the entrance to a mine. The opening was large and held up by fortified wood. When he looked to the side, he was finally able to see who it was that accompanied him. The one who was with him was an ordinary-looking man with common features. Upon meeting his gaze, the man said, ¡°The job is here. I will lead you to the manager.¡± Drakkel looked at the large entrance skeptically. ¡°But where are we and shouldn''t the chains be removed?¡± A corner of the man¡¯s lips turned down a little. ¡°All questions will be answered when you reach the mining manager. If you have any additional questions, you can ask after you talk to him.¡± The shift from walking outside to inside was like night and day. The temperature dropped a few degrees and the light of the setting sun was replaced by a stifling darkness. The path was lit only by small candlelights that shone from the cave walls through hanging lamps. As Drakkel traveled deeper and deeper in, the path began to angle downwards and the temperature grew even colder, causing him to shiver involuntarily. He found it strange as normal mines radiated heat. Normally the deeper one went, the warmer it got. However, When he spotted the small opening that led to a bright area and stepped through it, the reason for this became clear. The area he was in was tall and open. Unlike the brown rocky entrance, the rocks here shone a silver blue hue. With them exuding a chilling cold, this mine could only exist to harvest one thing. Young women and men bustled about, carrying crates and baskets full of the silvery bluish rocks. Their heads hung in despair and the area of their skin under their eyes took up blue and purple colors, making them all appear much older than their actual ages. Their clothes were shabby and torn and for many, they hung loosely on their frames as if they were made for someone several times their size. Cloaked figures stood at certain points around the mine, either ordering the men and women around or standing silently, watching their figures move through the mine. The man behind Drakkel took him to a small group of people who were overlooking the operation. Once they arrived, the man bowed. ¡°Good evening, Mine manager, The lord has a new recruit for you.¡± A tall and large man who towered over everyone, gazed down at him. After a few seconds, he smirked. ¡°Ahh! A new recruit? We haven¡¯t had one in quite a while! It¡¯s been difficult to keep up with the orders since we keep losing people. Hopefully this is a sign that the Lord will be getting us some more soon.¡± The man behind Drakkel nodded. ¡°Then I''ll be leaving him here with you.¡± The large man waved him away with a motion of his hand. Once he left, the mine manager looked at Drakkel with a hint of slight annoyance, ¡°I don''t care who you are. All I care about is whether you know the rules. They are as follows: don''t speak to higher ups unless they request you to speak, don''t look for trouble unless you want it to come find you, and I make the rules. If you don¡¯t obey me, you¡¯ll receive any punishment that I dictate.¡± The man paused to make sure Drakkel was listening. When he saw that someone was actually patiently listening to him talk, he couldn''t help but feel a little happy. Most people by now would have been distracted But he still had to show this handsome man that he couldn''t relax. He continued. ¡°Here, good looks mean nothing. Only those who work, eat. As for pay, we¡¯ll discuss it later. Understand?¡± Without saying a word, Drakkel nodded. One corner of the mine manager''s lips turned up a bit. ¡°Good, you already know how to address your higher ups.¡± The mine manager glanced at one of the three people that stood near him. ¡°Kin, take this man to Cavern C.¡± The man named Kim bowed his head to the mine manager and then gestured for Drakkel to follow him. Drakkel did as commanded, following him through the dark cold caves. Once Drakkel thought they were out of earshot of the mine manager, he moved his wrists forward ¡°Sir. It will be hard to mine here with these chains on. Could I have them removed?¡± The man shook his head. ¡°Look around you. Everyone else has them on. Besides, the chains are on you for your convenience and safety. What if someone were to harm others because they have free use of their hands?¡± Drakkel put on a fake smile. This wasn''t what Rou said. ¡°You¡¯re right sir. I¡¯m sorry, I didn''t think of that.¡± The man nodded. He probably thought Drakkel knew nothing, but naturally, he figured out the truth of the matter. The chains were there so no one could escape. They made this place seem like people were coming for a job, but they were more like servants or slaves than workers. After a few minutes, Drakkel and Kin made it to cavern C. As Drakkel looked around, he saw more cloaked figures. And the more he saw, the more something felt off. When they arrived in front of a wall which had mining tools stuffed in a cart near it, Kin said, ¡°This is Cavern C. The place we just walked from is the mining pit. Connected to is the waste dump, sleeping quarters, and a small body of water where miners wash themselves. When you¡¯re done for the day, you can follow everyone else to find out exactly where these places are. Be careful with every step you take and don¡¯t lag behind. We have people watching you at all times.¡± Drakkel gave a nod. Kin smiled, ¡°You really are obedient. That¡¯s a refreshing sight! Now, go ahead and begin. I¡¯ll return to the mining manager.¡± Drakkel went over to the cart to grab some mining tools as Kin left the scene. As he leaned down, he glanced around. Suddenly, a cloaked figure shouted, ¡°Keep your eyes on your work everyone!¡± Drakkel heeded the warning and focused on mining. But his body wasn¡¯t strong nor used to this kind of work. After a couple of hours, his hands were nearly frozen. He stopped mining to take a break, breathing into his hands to warm them. However, after a few seconds he heard the sound of something striking the air behind him. The sound was like a firecracker going off, sharp and high pitched. A man¡¯s voice shouted from behind him, ¡°Who said you could stop?¡± He turned his head towards the direction the voice was coming from and spotted a tall gray-skinned man with a black marking on his forehead covered in a black hooded cloak. His look was akin to something Drakkel hadn¡¯t seen in a long time- a demon. His body stiffened and his muscles twitched, but he had to suppress his killing intent. He meekly answered, ¡°Sorry, sir. I¡¯ll get back to work.¡± The demon shook his head. ¡°Not without a punishment you won¡¯t. How about we remind others of what happens when you take a break on the job?¡± Drakkel dusted off his hands and stood up, turning his whole body around so he was directly facing the demon. Because the demon wore a cloak similar to all the other figures, he suspected that the mine may have been full of demons. At his current level, he couldn''t defeat them all, so if the demon decided to punish him he could only endure. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Drakkel prepared for the punishment, clenching his fists and lowering his face, but it never came. Someone suddenly approached him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, holding him close as if they were good friends. The man had a handsome face with shoulder length dark brown hair and a relaxed countenance. He smiled at the demon before saying, ¡°Look sir. Sorry. My friend here is new and doesn¡¯t know the rules yet. Do you think you can overlook his mistake?¡± The demon raised an eyebrow. The man let go of Drakkel, stepped forward and forced something into the demon¡¯s free hand. The demon¡¯s hostile energy was subdued in a moment, his angry frown melting into a smile. As he eyed what was in his hands, he said, ¡°I see. Yes, no problem. I¡¯ll be nice today since he¡¯s new. Finish your break and carry on.¡± The man bowed his head and the demon walked away, returning to his post. With how happy he was, the man must have handed him some meteoric stones. Meteoric stones weren''t only used to create powerful swords, demons also fancied eating them to gain more power. Once the demon seemed far enough away, Drakkel let out a sigh and slightly bowed his head to the uninvited yet welcome guest. ¡°Thank you kind sir.¡± ¡°Sir is too formal for the likes of me.¡± The man said with a smile. ¡®You can call me Ri¡¯en.¡± Drakkel nodded. ¡°Alright Ri¡¯en. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you as well.¡± Ri¡¯en replied. ¡°You''re new here, right?¡± Drakkel nodded. ¡°I am. And I¡¯ve been looking for some guidance. Do you think you can answer some questions to help me better manage my time here?¡± ¡°I can.¡± Ri¡¯en said, putting his hand to his chin. ¡°But I don''t know how much it will help.¡± ¡°It''s fine. Anything is appreciated.¡± Drakkel answered. Ri¡¯en nodded and Drakkel continued, ¡°So, may I ask how long you¡¯ve been working here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here for three years now.¡± Ri¡¯en said. Drakkel continued, ¡°Then would you say you know a lot about this mine?¡± Ri¡¯en frowned. ¡°Quite a bit, sadly. As I said, I''ve been working here for three years. Unfortunately, most people don¡¯t survive that long. The only reason I have survived was because I learned so much about this place. Speaking of questions, Why are you asking so many?¡± Drakkel hesitated for a moment, then answered, ¡°I want to know as much as I can so I can make a living here and earn money for my family.¡± Ri¡¯en snorted. ¡°A living? Here?¡± The corners of his mouth fell as he continued, ¡°I can¡¯t blame you for thinking that. We were all told the same. But the truth is, you won''t be able to do that. In fact, you haven¡¯t signed yourself up for a job, you¡¯ve signed yourself up for slavery. We mine for meteoric stones here 12 hours a day. We get 8 hours of rest. Then the remainder of our time is reserved for bathing and eating. For each day of work, we get only one copper coin.¡± Drakkel''s eyes widened. ¡°One copper coin? But that isn¡¯t even enough to buy a loaf of bread!¡± Ri¡¯en nodded. ¡°You understand then. We¡¯ve all been tricked into working here. We left our children, parents and grandparents for the hope that we would find honest work. But by the time we realized that this wasn''t what we were promised, it was already too late to leave.¡± ¡°Have any of you tried to escape?¡± Drakkel asked Ri¡¯en looked down at the ground and kicked a stone. ¡°Some of us have. But those of us who tried were taken away, never to be seen again.¡± Drakkel frowned. The situation in this town was worse than he realized. Why hadn''t any of the Swords Clans tried to intervene? ¡°Thanks for answering my questions and thanks again for defending me, Ri¡¯en.¡± He said. ¡°It isn''t a problem. I¡¯m just looking out for newcomers.¡± Ri¡¯en answered. ¡°And remember, If you need any more help, I''m here.¡± Drakkel smiled and nodded. Ri¡¯en began to walk away, then he suddenly stopped and asked, ¡°Also, what should I call you?¡± ¡°Drake is fine,¡± Drakkel answered. ¡°Nice to meet you, Drake,¡± Ri¡¯en stated. I Hope this frozen hell doesn''t kill you too soon.¡± After saying this, he continued to walk away until he was out of Drakkel''s sight. Drakkel leaned down and began to pick at the rocks again, silently processing all that he had learned. Time passed quickly and before he knew it, it was already time to eat. After turning in what they found for the day, the miners tiredly walked to a long table with large pots that sat atop it and bowls that were dirty and chipped. As Drakkel waited in line, he further observed the state of those who stood around him. Many wore woven sandals that seemed ready to fall off. Their hands were also red and bruised from picking at stone without proper protection. Their fingerprints were colored white and red- a sign that they were touching the cold stones for too long. Drakkel counted himself lucky that he was able to circulate his sword energy though his body to keep himself warm during their breaks. He only wished the others could do the same. When he got to the front of the line, he grabbed a bowl and a spoonful of gruel was plopped into it. When looking at others, he noticed that his was half the amount. He decided not to pursue the matter since he could survive off it, but someone from behind him wouldn''t let it be. ¡°Hey! You should treat my friend more nicely! Look how frail he is! He needs more food than this!¡± Drakkel sighed. He appreciated Ri¡¯en for caring, but with him around he really couldn''t lay low! Ri''en¡¯s voice grew louder as it approached him. Then he felt the familiar touch of an arm wrapping around his shoulders. Soon, Ri¡¯en''s body appeared beside him. With his free hand he took the bowl out of Drakkel¡¯s hands and held it out. ¡°My friend is frail and weak and he''s done some work today. He should at least get as much food as everyone else. It isn''t fair.¡± Like other demons, the man had gray skin and a black marking on his forehead. He answered irritatingly, ¡°He just got here. He hasn''t worked as much as everyone else. He¡¯s lucky he even received half the amount.¡± Drakkel could feel Ri¡¯en''s body shake and when he looked to the side, he saw that his mouth was forming a scowl. He felt like a fight was about to start and knew who would be harmed by the end of it. He swiftly moved Ri¡¯en''s arm off his shoulders, grabbed the bowl from him and bowed his head to the demon distributing the food. ¡°Thank you for your consideration sir. I¡¯m grateful. Others really do need the food more than me. Also please forgive my friend for his outburst, he¡¯s cranky because he couldn''t find much meteoric stone today.¡± The man¡¯s angry countenance dropped as he gazed at Drakkel. ¡°Fine. Just make sure it doesn''t happen again.¡± Drakkel nodded. After grabbing a bowl for Ri¡¯en, he dragged him to the side. When no one was around them, he whispered, ¡°There¡¯s no need to defend me like that. I¡¯ll be fine with this amount of food.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re so thin and weak, how will you handle the work while eating such tiny portions?¡± Drakkel lied, ¡°I was born poor, so these portions are what I usually eat. Don''t worry about it anymore.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Ri¡¯en huffed. They walked over to an open part of the cave and ate their food in silence. While eating Drakkel noticed that Ri¡¯en kept glancing his way. When he finished his food, he asked, ¡°Do I have something on my face?¡± Ri¡¯en shook his head. ¡°No, I''m just wondering. You¡¯re so handsome. Why are you working here instead of somewhere else? You could probably get a better job than this.¡± Drakkel eyebrows knit together for a moment as the corners of his lips fell. He sighed. ¡°Sadly, I don''t have many skills. I would also not like to lower myself to using my face and body to gain riches. You aren''t a bad looking man yourself. Surely, you understand?¡± Ri¡¯en nodded. When they finished, he took their bowls to the water barrel. Afterwards, it was time to bathe. The men and women went in separately. To wash himself, Drakkel didn''t undress. He only washed his face and hands. Looking around, he saw that everyone else did the same. At most, they would remove their tops, but this wasn''t surprising. Like the stones in the mine and the mine itself, the water was ice cold. Not many would be able to withstand the cold temperatures if they decided to wash their whole body. With no warm place to wash themselves and inadequate food, it was no wonder it was hard to survive. Drakkel exited the washing station with a heavy heart when Ri¡¯en suddenly grabbed his wrist. ¡°I have the best sleeping spot in this place.¡± He said excitedly. ¡°Let''s go!¡± Drakkel went along as he was dragged to a small opening located to the side of the pit. In it, several people were already settling into the nooks and crannies of the large space. As Ri¡¯en and Drakkel passed, they stared at them curiously. But, having their own things to worry about, their attention didn''t hold. They averted their gazes and continued getting ready to sleep. Ri''en took Drakkel to a spot located a bit higher than the others. They had to walk up a steep and thin incline to get to it. When Drakkel reached the spot, he realized it was worth it. The ground was smooth and lacked the jagged edges of those below. Drakkel gratefully sat down and leaned his back against a wall. Ri''en sat on the ground a small distance away from him. Before laying down, he said in a low voice, ¡°What do you think? Not too bad, right?¡± Drakkel nodded. Ri¡¯en returned his gesture with a smile before patting the ground and laying down to sleep. Ri¡¯en might have been able to sleep peacefully, but Drakkel could not. He was in unfamiliar territory full of hostile individuals and so had to keep himself alert. Because of this, he decided not to sleep and instead opted to cultivate. He surged up his sword energy and rotated it around his body. A vast field of grass and flowers extended around him. He unsheathed his sword and the wind blew. He struck at the air and the grass fluttered. His sword energy encompassed everything, his life force spreading like the blooming of flowers in the early morning. Sweeping through the air, the wind touched all. It influenced the waves and carried the pollen. A soft touch combined with an unstoppable force. Flexible and quick, it chipped away at all that stood in its path. The more Drakkel extended his sword energy, the more tired he got, the aches and pains in his body becoming more severe with every swing of his sword. Then, his old injuries flared and the aching pains in his body suddenly became more sharp, forcing him out of his cultivation. With sweat dripping from his brow, he couldn¡¯t continue. This occurrence was common and happened every time he tried to progress. After catching his breath, he settled down and worked on maintaining his cultivation instead. Like when advancing in his cultivation, maintaining it kept him in a half-awake state. Although it wasn''t recommended to utilize this state to avoid sleep often as it could cause one to enter a sword energy deviation, it was still common practice to use it to keep one¡¯s guard up in an unfamiliar place. That way, if something were to happen, one wouldn''t be caught unawares. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Drakkel opened his eyes to the sound of a demon shouting from outside the sleeping quarters. ¡°Get up, now! Time to get to work!¡± He immediately got up and stretched, dusting the dirt off his pants. At the same time, Ri''en sat up and yawned. Gazing at Drakkel, he smiled. ¡°Another day, another copper.¡± Drakkel tiredly gave him a nod. They went to the pit to get some food when they spotted a new person walking into the mine. The man was well-built and muscular. Although his hair was now black, his features were still familiar. At first, Drakkel didn''t know why he recognized him. But after a minute, he remembered. He clenched his fists tightly as his forehead became dappled with sweat. As he watched the man walk, he could only hope he wouldn''t see him. But the man turned his head to the side and locked eyes with him causing his face to pale. After looking at him for a moment with an inscrutable expression, the man then moved his gaze to Ri''en. Gazing at him, his expression soured before he shifted his head back to its original position. Drakkel frowned. He just met Rillian Adore before and now he appeared in front of him again. He continued to watch and listen, hoping that Rillian Adore would be placed in a different Cavern than him. But when he heard the mine manager happily command Kin to take Rillian Adore to Cavern C, his heartbeat slightly quickened and his throat became dry. ¡°You look a little nervous, Drake. Do you know that man?¡± Ri¡¯en asked. Drakkel sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know him that well...¡± Ri¡¯en crossed his arms. ¡°You don''t seem very happy to see him though. Does he bother you? If he does, I can¡­¡± Drakkel shook his head, ¡°It''s fine. Call him an old acquaintance of mine. He won''t cause me any trouble, but his presence will trouble me.¡± Ri¡¯en raised an eyebrow, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Drakkel ignored his question and made his way to the Cavern. He heard Ri¡¯en shout from behind him, ¡°Wait for me!¡± Rillian Adore was crouched in the spot near where Drakkel worked the day before, slowly picking at the rock wall. Drakkel gathered some tools from the cart and made his way to a different spot. But as he passed Rillian Adore, he heard a whisper imbued with sword energy, ¡°Are you Ignoring me, Drake?¡± Rillian Adore purposefully put an emphasis on Drakkel''s name. The Golden Blade was known to be ruthless and intimidating, having no mercy for others. Because of this, when he uttered these words, Drakkel didn''t know if they were a warning or a threat. So he crouched next to him to hear what he had to say. Meanwhile Ri¡¯en crouched on his other side. When they both sat next to him, Rillian Adore continued in a whisper, ¡°Do you two know each other?¡± ¡°I just met Ri''en at this mine yesterday.¡± Drakkel answered. ¡°He helped me out and we¡¯ve been well-acquainted ever since.¡± Ri''en nodded. A corner of Rillian Adore¡¯s mouth dropped slightly. ¡°I see¡­ Well, I''m sure you already know the situation of these mines. So¡­ how do you plan to escape from here?¡± Ri¡¯en answered first, ¡°Actually, I¡­¡± The mine manager¡¯s loud speaking suddenly sounded through the halls. ¡°So someone caused trouble twice yesterday and even mined no stones?¡± ¡°Yes sir. He should be right over there.¡± Drakkel turned around to see a thin and pale man pointing to Ri¡¯en. Ri¡¯en stood up and calmly dusted off his pants as the mine manager, the unknown man, and two demons approached. The unknown man said, ¡°Yes, it was him. He bribed a demon guard with meteoric stones and spoke against the demon handling the food.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re the one who''s been watching me, Fenri? Ri¡¯en asked. ¡°You couldn''t keep your mouth shut and your eyes to yourself?¡± Fenri silently smiled at Ri''en as he spoke. Afterwards, he calmly answered, ¡°Ri¡¯en, if you didn''t want to be caught, you shouldn¡¯t have done anything wrong.¡± ¡°Fenri!¡± Ri¡¯en spat. You aren''t any better than all of us here! You''re a miner too! It''s only because you wag your tail at your owners that they''re willing to give you a few more treats! So your food is a little better and you get more leeway in mining, so what? You still have to share a cave with the rest of us!¡± Ri¡¯en huffed a laugh, ¡°Just sit there and watch! Once they get tired of you, they¡¯ll put you down like a dog!¡± Fenri sneered at Ri¡¯en, opening his mouth as if he was about to say something in return, when the mine manager yelled, ¡°Enough!¡± Turning his head to the demons at his side, he said coldly, ¡°Take him away.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. They moved to grab him, but he shifted his arms away. ¡°I¡¯ll walk by myself.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± The mine manager said. The group walked towards a dark corner of the cavern. When they arrived, the mine manager shouted, ¡°Twenty whips!¡± One of the demons took out a whip from under his clothes and Drakkel''s body stiffened. After a moment of silence, the first cracking of a whip could be heard and the sound of grunting followed after. Drakkel wanted to help, but he also knew it was futile. If they caught him now, Ri''en might suffer a worse punishment and he could be dragged into it as well. If that happened, his plans to help the people of Shadowy Ridges could be delayed or ruined. But, he was restless. He clenched his fists and attempted to get up, only because he couldn''t stand to sit. However, Rillian Adore grabbed his wrist, struck at an acupoint on his chest and held it there, blocking his use of sword energy as well as his movement. Drakkel didn''t appreciate the gesture, but he understood Rillian Adore''s intentions. He probably thought he was going to jump in to save Ri-en. Because he understood and couldn''t do anything about it anyway, he decided not to say anything and let him believe what he wanted. There was no need to waste energy. When the punishment was completed, the mine manager and his entourage left with Fenri. Rillian Adore released Drakkel¡¯s acupoint and let him go. Drakkel immediately headed over to Ri¡¯en whose back was covered in deep gashes and dripping with blood. He picked him up from the ground and helped him back towards their side of the cavern. ¡°We need to do something about your wounds.¡± Drakkel said. He tried to touch Ri¡¯en¡¯s back, but Ri''en clamped a hand on his wrist. ¡°Not yet.¡± He breathed. ¡°If they see you, you might suffer the same fate.¡± Ri¡¯en''s face inexplicably broke into a smile. Then he forced himself up, let go of Drakkel, and walked to a different mining spot. As Drakkel looked after him, the bleeding lash marks on his back could be seen through his tattered robes. Drakkel frowned. He had a point. In the end he decided that it would be best to discuss their matters during the night so they wouldn''t be caught. Rillian Adore seemed to understand this as well, for when he and Drakkel sat back down to mine, he didn¡¯t speak anymore. The day went by slowly, but it finally ended. After they ate their food and washed themselves, they headed to the sleeping area. As he had been doing all day, Drakkel helped Ri¡¯en walk to the place. Rillian Adore followed behind them silently, his arms crossed and his face displaying a disturbed expression. When they settled down and took their seats on the smooth stone, Ri¡¯en finally said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Drakkel wondered what he meant. ¡°For what?¡± Ri''en coughed and Drakkel decided not to pry more until they healed his wounds. ¡°How about we take care of your wounds first?¡± He glanced at Rillian Adore and said casually, ¡°Rillia¡­¡± Rillian Adore''s eyes widened. Drakkel realized he did something wrong. Rillian Adore was obviously trying to hide his identity, so saying his name would betray his intention. But besides that, he had addressed him too familiarly just now. If he was a Sword Fighter at a higher level then him, it would have been fine. But he was at best supposed to be a commoner and at worst a sword outcast at the moment. If he said his full name as he almost did, his true identity might have been discovered. He cleared his throat and bowed his head respectfully. ¡°Good Sir. Do you happen to have any medicine with you?¡± Under normal circumstances, the answer would have been obvious, but because Drakkel was checked for any items on his person before coming to the mines, he wasn''t sure. Living dangerous lives, sword clan disciples were required to have medicine on their person at all times. This medicine might include salve, plaster and, for the more well-off clans, some healing pills, the cheapest of which was the rejuvenating pills. Drakkel still remembered that during his adventures, he would save the few rejuvenating pills he was provided for civilians rather than using it himself. He didn''t need them most of the time anyway. He gazed at Rillian Adore expectantly, unsure if he would have any of the items in question. Surprisingly, Rillian Adore nodded. ¡°I have a rejuvenating pill here. Have him eat it first for any internal injuries.¡± Rillian Adore pulled a rejuvenating pill out of his robe and handed it to Drakkel. Drakkel stared at it curiously, before taking it. How did Rillian Adore still have items when he was checked for his own? As he thought about it, an image quickly flashed through his mind of two people trying to touch Rillian Adore, suddenly feeling the atmosphere tense with murderous intent as their lives flashed before their eyes. Perhaps with this realization, they decided they wouldn''t dare touch the source of their fears. Drakkel shook his head. Deciding it didn''t matter, he took the pill and fed it to Ri''en, rubbing his back as he swallowed. As Drakkel rubbed Ri¡¯en''s back, Rillian Adore quickly stated, ¡°I also have some salve and plaster here. I¡¯ll apply them on him.¡± Drakkel nodded and moved aside to let Rillian Adore sit next to Ri''en, watching them carefully. ¡°Lay on your stomach.¡± Rillian Adore commanded. Ri¡¯en obeyed, getting on the ground so his back faced upwards with his stomach down. Rillian Adore took off his top robes carefully as the blood from the wounds had already dried, sticking the clothes to Ri¡¯en¡¯s back. When Ri''en¡¯s bare upper body was exposed, two things caught Drakkel''s attention. Among the bloody gashes was a flower-like symbol that seemed burned to his skin in the middle of his upper back near his neck and below that, was a scar on his right lower back. ¡°Are you a sword outcast from the Sweeping Trees Swords clan that specializes in the bow and arrow?¡± he inquired. Ri¡¯en¡¯s eyes widened at Drakkel''s question. Then after a moment, they narrowed a bit and he calmly answered, ¡°Yes.¡± He seemed neither sad nor angry about what Drakkel asked. No one wanted to be a sword outcast, but Ri¡¯en appeared unbothered by the thought. As Rillian Adore applied the salve and plaster, Drakkel asked the second question that sat in his mind. ¡°And do you know a woman who bears the same flower symbol as yours on her chest?¡± Ri¡¯en paused for a moment, then looked at Drakkel. ¡°So you''ve seen my wife?¡± Rillian Adore''s countenance suddenly grew more relaxed. His shoulders, which were pent up and stiff before, softened with his expression. ¡°She was your wife?¡± Drakkel asked. Drakkel¡¯s eyes shifted to the side as he hesitated for a moment. Letting out a sigh, he finally asked, ¡°Then do you know¡­?¡± Ri¡¯en nodded. ¡°I know. We¡¯ve been in contact with each other all this while. The matching brands are a symbol of marriage in her home village.¡± With the salve and plaster now applied on his back, Ri¡¯en sat up. Facing Rillian Adore and Drakkel, he continued, ¡°Anyway, now that you two have figured so much out, I might as well tell you. Because you¡¯re both Sword Fighters like me, I think you can be trusted.¡± He turned to look Rillian Adore in the eye, ¡°Especially you, Rillian Adore.¡± Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¡°Hmph. So, you recognized me?¡± Rillian Adore asked. Ri¡¯en nodded, ¡°Not only did Drake here nearly call your name just now, but the tales of the Golden Blade also travel far. While I was a part of the Sweeping Trees Swords Clan, I heard much of your exploits. Long blonde hair, a muscular build, and an aura that towers like a mountain. You may have dyed your hair and tried to suppress your presence, but I still figured out it was you. Though you shouldn''t feel bad about it. In my clan, I was the best at recognizing Sword Fighters even if they were experts at hiding their skills like those from the Hidden Desires Swords clan. I wasn''t sure if only Drake and I would be able to take down the demons that guard us. But with you here, we might stand a chance.¡± ¡°So you knew I was a Sword Fighter too?¡± Drakkel asked. ¡°I wasn''t sure at first.¡± Ri¡¯en answered. ¡°Your build was fine but your aura was weak, similar to an ordinary person¡¯s. I had to test it out, so I got close to you to see if I could sense your sword energy. It was there, but barely. I couldn''t measure your proficiency and was going to ask after securing your trust.¡± Drakkel lowered his head as he thought of Ri¡¯en¡¯s odd behavior. It all made sense now. Ri''en continued, ¡°I became a sword outcast because I had met a common woman and wanted to settle down. Like many other sword clans, my clan wouldn''t allow me to marry someone who was not also a Sword Fighter, so I was cast out. It was fine for me though, because I was able to marry my love. But the small amount of jobs I could get in the inner town where my clan was didn''t pay well and no one would hire me as a guard because I was a sword outcast. I couldn''t find decent work and her salary alone couldn¡¯t support us for long, so we moved to a place that we thought would have better opportunities. When we arrived, we were happy. We both got jobs for a short while. But, after staying for a bit, the businesses and merchants began to leave left and right. We lost our jobs and soon found ourselves in a lion¡¯s den. With the high prices in the area, we quickly grew poor. Then the Town Lord said he was looking for workers and he would pay a hefty sum. It was the Town Lord, so we thought he wouldn''t lie. I was useless after all so I signed up for the work. Then, I found myself here. I waited and watched for opportunities to escape and saw too many others fail. Although my skills weren''t bad, I couldn''t take on so many demons by myself. I was beginning to lose hope when I received a letter from one of the servants. It was from my wife¡­¡± His hands trembled a bit as he continued, ¡°She told me that she infiltrated the Lord''s mansion and won some servants over to her side. I later found out that only the demons and a few of the Lord''s workers liked him. Most everyone else wished to see him gone. He robbed the town of all resources and left everyone to die for his own gain. Since then, my wife and I have been waiting for a chance to escape and report this matter to someone who can do something about it.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He paused a bit before continuing. ¡°I said sorry earlier because I made Drake worry for me and because I lied. I did it because I noticed that someone had been watching my moves recently. It wasn''t a problem before, but because I was going to ask for your help¡­¡± Drakkel finished, ¡°The man named Fenri became an issue, correct?¡± Ri¡¯en nodded. Drakkel was impressed. Ri¡¯en used the excuse of getting close to him not only to gain his trust and test him, but to draw out his enemy. No wonder the Sweeping Trees Swords clan was known as one of the three geniuses of the Sword Fighting world, along with the Hidden Desires Swords Clan and the the Enchanting Fans Swords Clan. Rillian Adore raised an eyebrow. ¡°So your wife communicates with you through the servants?¡± Ri¡¯en nodded. ¡°Which servants are on your side?¡± Drakkel inquired. ¡°Everyone but Ro and Enzo.¡± Drakkel nodded. ¡°Drake. Since you¡¯re asking all these questions, have you figured out a way to resolve this?¡± Rillian Adore asked. ¡°I believe I have.¡± Drakkel replied. Ri¡¯en and Rillian Adore looked at him curiously. ¡°How?¡± Ri¡¯en asked. Drakkel explained his thoughts to them in detail. By the end of it, Rillian Adore¡¯s eyes were drawn close together as he stared at the ground. His expression showed that he was unenthusiastic about this new development. ¡°It''s too dangerous.¡± He stated. Drakkel didn¡¯t know Rillian Adore that well and wondered where this concern came from. Then he realized that although Rillian Adore could be intimidating and ruthless, it didn¡¯t mean he couldn''t be kind as well. He wouldn¡¯t have been a respected character in the Swordfighting world if he wasn¡¯t an honorable person. ¡°Don''t worry,¡± He answered. ¡°Once I''ve come in contact with Ri''en''s wife and have gained the trust of the Town Lord, I should be able to find the evidence.¡± He turned to Ri¡¯en. ¡°Ri¡¯en. I need to know what Enzo looks like, since I¡¯ve already seen Rou. Can you also inform me how you recognize if a servant works for your wife or not?¡± Ri''en nodded and described Enzo¡¯s appearance. He also delved into Ro and Enzo''s temperaments. Rou was fearful of the Town Lord while Enzo was an opportunist who would switch master''s in the blink of an eye if he thought it was worth it. He finished by informing them of the method with which he identified whether or not a person worked for his wife. When he was done, Drakkel stated, ¡°Then we''ll begin tomorrow. Let''s get some rest.¡± Later, Ri¡¯en drifted off to sleep and Drakkel closed his eyes soon after. However, Rillian Adore stayed up. Rillian Adore suddenly said, ¡°Drake¡­Are you¡­¡± As he tried to sleep, Drakkel could still feel his gaze fixated on him. Because of this, it took him a bit until he finally drifted off. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 The next morning, Rillian Adore and Ri¡¯en went to Fenri¡¯s sleeping spot and knocked him out. Afterwards, Drakkel went to the mine manager and told him that the Town Lord made him an offer that he wanted to accept and that Fenri was feeling unwell and couldn''t mine for the day. The mine manager sent someone to check and excused Fenri when his condition was confirmed. Then, he called for another of his people to verify the second piece of information. After around four hours, Drakkel was called back from the cavern. Waiting in the pit for him was Enzo who seemed excited to be picking him up. His look was as Ri¡¯en described. He was of average height and had a weak build. Although he appeared around 40 years old, he didn''t hold the confident gait of an elder, nor the stiff demeanor of a servant. Instead he rocked his legs back and forth in a somewhat relaxed manner. When he met Drakkel¡¯s gaze, a smile spread on his face. It was as if he had seen the love of his life. Drakkel thought that if the mine manager wasn''t there, the man might even have run up and attempted to embrace him. Talking to Enzo, the mine manager asked, ¡°So this is the man you''re looking for?¡± Enzo¡¯s smile widened, ¡°He is.¡± The mine manager continued, ¡°Then go ahead and take him.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Enzo gave him a nod, then bowed his head to Drakkel. He gestured to the entrance of the cave. ¡°Right this way, Sir.¡± Drakkel nodded and Enzo made his way towards the exit with Drakkel following closely behind him. When they arrived at the carriage, Enzo offered his hand to help Drakkel up. Drakkel felt uneasy about it, but he still had to play his part. He used Enzo''s hand to lift himself onto the carriage and Enzo followed him in. During the first few minutes of the carriage ride, Enzo only gazed happily at Drakkel. Drakkel had been looking out the window trying to ignore him when he finally spoke, ¡°Congratulations on moving up, Sir.¡± He shook his head, ¡° I mean Young Lord. You might not be one yet, but with your looks and obvious intelligence, it won''t be too long.¡± Enzo leaned forward and placed a hand on top of Drakkel''s. Drakkel had to exercise every restraint not to recoil in disgust. Enzo continued, ¡°If you ever need a servant to assist in your matters, I just wanted to let you know that I''m here.¡± Drakkel forced himself to smile, but his lip still slightly twitched as he said, ¡°Thank you. I will consider it.¡± Looking pleased with himself, Enzo pulled away and returned to laying back in his seat. He stared out the window for a while before eventually going to sleep At that time, Drakkel released the breath that he had been holding in. The man¡¯s presence was stifling. He began to enter his cultivation state, thinking it would be best to be prepared to fight if necessary. He didn''t want a repeat of what happened with Jin and Locin in Waterfall''s end. Throughout the rest of the carriage ride, he held this maintenance state up. Eventually, they arrived at the Town Lord''s manor. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Enzo awoke from his slumber when the carriage stopped. He wiped his eyes and tiredly took a peek out the window. Realizing where they were, he jolted up from his seat and walked outside the carriage. When Drakkel followed him, he was greeted with an irritating sight. He had hoped it wouldn''t happen, but of course it did. The man was waiting outside the carriage, offering him a hand off it. Annoyed, but having to maintain his cover, he turned his attention to the manor while he took Enzo''s hand and walked off the carriage. As Drakkel followed Enzo to the back entrance, the fragrance of peach blossoms assailed his nostrils yet again. Now that he could see it, he had to admit that the back of the Town Lord''s manor looked captivating. Decorated with peach blossom trees, exotic flower arrangements, and jade and marble statues, it held an ethereal air. He had been blindfolded before so he didn''t get to see this sight. If it weren''t for the fact that he knew how the Town Lord was able to afford such luxuries, he might have stopped to appreciate the scene. They reached the door and Enzo knocked on it. Drakkel expected the servant on the other side to be Rou, but it was actually someone else. After Enzo introduced him, they were quickly let through. Enzo led Drakkel to a different location than before. As they stood in front of the large double-doored entrance, he said, ¡°This is our Lord''s office. He will see you here.¡± After confirming he was ready, Enzo knocked on the door and announced, ¡°Lord Tincaid, the man that you¡¯ve been waiting for has arrived.¡± A familiar voice from the other side replied, ¡°Let him in.¡± Enzo opened up the double doors and the two walked in. Behind the doors was a large room filled with bookcases. The bookcases were fitted with parchment, books, and scrolls and in each corner of the room, stood a guard. The walls of the room were made of dark wood and the floor was lined with a soft red fabric. Dark red designs were carefully embroidered into it, giving the place a simple yet satisfying feel. On a desk near the window, sat Lord Tincaid. When he saw Drakkel''s face, one corner of his lips curved upward. ¡°I knew the offer I made would be too good to refuse. It''s great that you¡¯ve returned. You have to think about your future after all!¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Drakkel bowed. ¡°Yes. After ruminating on it, the life of a mine worker is too hard on my delicate body. I would prefer to do softer work.¡± As he stated this, Drakkel''s spine prickled. Saying each word was like slowly picking a needle out from his skin. The Lord''s smile grew wider. ¡°Then we''ll have you prepared for the meeting with my associates in two weeks. Until then, you¡¯ll be staying in a room near my ladies so the guards can protect you and the servants can attend to your needs.¡± With his head slightly lowered, Drakkel nodded. He bowed to Lord Tincaid and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Lord Tincaid nodded at Enzo and Enzo gestured for Drakkel to follow him out the door. Drakkel left, but not before giving one final head bow to Lord Tincaid. The man was an evil one who took advantage of others to line his own pockets. He would make sure he answered for his crimes. As Drakkel walked with Enzo to their destination, Enzo stated, ¡°I¡¯ll have some servants clean and wash you. We will also take some of your measurements to tailor new clothes. For now, though, we will have you dress in some of the Lord''s old clothes. It''s inappropriate to continue displaying your unkempt appearance before him.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Drakkel answered respectfully. Enzo walked him towards a different wing of the manor where he was taken by some male servants. They offered to wash him, but he demanded to be left alone to wash himself. Without any of their superiors present, none of them pressed him and they left him to bathe by himself. Once he got out and put on a robe, they took his measurements. Clothes were then left for him to put on. Drakkel had thought that they wouldn¡¯t bother him again, but to his dismay, the servants even wanted to help him dress up. Of course, for that, he also refused, but the servants¡¯ insistence on helping him rubbed him the wrong way. When he thought of the poor miners and the elderly and the people on the street and compared it to the way he was being treated now, he couldn¡¯t help but be angry. He could be treated like this now because they saw him as a useful tool, but the people of Shadowy Ridges were either working to death in a mine or starving on the streets. Later on, after he was cleaned and dressed, an older-looking servant who introduced himself as Ton, came to pick him up. Ton led him to the room where he was meant to stay. This room was about one third the size of Lord Tincaid¡¯s. As Ton was about to leave after dropping Drakkel off, Drakkel said, ¡°Swaying trees hide many mysteries. Do not ignore the call of the wind, for it may save your life.¡± Ton¡¯s figure stiffened. After a moment, he turned around. ¡°I will follow the wind to heed my calling and listen for the sound of the world falling. For only then will I be prepared.¡± Drakkel lowered the volume of his voice as he continued, ¡°You work for a woman here, don''t you, Ton?¡± Ton nodded. ¡°So you have been acquainted with Ri¡¯en, I assume?¡± ¡°I have.¡± Drakkel answered. ¡°I¡¯m a Sword Fighter like Ri¡¯en. The Golden Blade and I want to bring Lord Tincaid to justice.¡± Ton¡¯s voice trembled a bit, ¡°Th¡­the Golden Blade? He¡¯s here?¡± Drakkel nodded. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Ton tilted his head down, beginning to bow deeply to Mo Qing. Mo Qing stopped him before his knees hit the ground, gently grabbing his arm. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Ton lifted his head and shook it as he stood up. ¡°There is. We¡¯ve been suffering for years under the Town Lord''s thumb. No other Sword Fighters have come to our aid. How can I not be grateful?¡± Mo Qing answered, ¡°If you need to be grateful for something, do so for yourself. You were courageous in resisting the Town Lord for so long. Soon, you all will be free.¡± Ton smiled. He wiped a tear that fell from the corner of one eye and said, ¡°Did you want to visit Lady Secily then?¡± Mo Qing nodded. Ton continud. ¡°I am the only servant allowed in this area. All other servants as well as guards are a little ways away. It¡¯s my job to contact them if there are any problems. The Town Lord only permitted me to do this because he castrated me. He said I was only an old and ugly man and that I wouldn¡¯t be needing it anyway. Since I no longer had it, it was impossible for me to dishonor any of his girls. Because of this, I can stand watch while you visit them.¡± Mo Qing felt sorry for the man. Servitude was bad enough, but forced castration? The fact that he hadn¡¯t ended his own life was something to be admired. Even a Sword Fighter wouldn''t be so brave. Ton took him across the hall to a room with fluttering curtains covering it. When they got there, Ton announced their arrival. ¡°I¡¯m here with a friend to assist you beautiful maidens with anything you may desire.¡± Mo Qing thought the way he spoke was odd. He could have announced himself in a simpler manner. Maybe though, this ¡®Lady Secily¡¯ had come up with some code words for this servant as well. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. A woman''s voice answered from the other side, ¡°You may enter.¡± Ton nodded and glanced at Mo Qing before walking in. When Mo Qing entered, he expected to be battered by the scent of strong perfumes and incense that had drifted from the ladies before. But the scents in the room were more subdued, smelling faintly of lavender and citrus. In addition, Instead of the beautiful array of colors he had witnessed earlier, every woman in the room was dressed plainly, their faces decorated in a more modest fashion than before. This time, there were no fans to cover them and Mo Qing could glean their true appearances. Even with hardly any makeup, each of the women were beautiful. They were petite, yet curvy and their facial features were unique and attractive. Mo Qing had not seen a single woman working in the mines that looked like them and now he knew why. He stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± The women were seated on a soft fur carpet and gathered around a table. The one with the flower symbol on her chest, who sat in the middle, put her hand up as a signal for Mo Qing to stop speaking. She said, ¡°Ton has been watching you from afar so I already know who you are. He has also told me that you¡¯ve come to help us. Skip the introductions and tell me now, how is my husband doing?¡± Mo Qing answered, ¡°He¡¯s fine. He and an ally of mine are currently in the mines awaiting a signal. There is something I have to do here to save them.¡± The woman raised an eyebrow and glanced at Ton. Ton nodded in response. Once her gaze returned to Mo Qing, she said, ¡°We will assist you in any way we can. All the ladies here were separated from their loved ones by the Town Lord. They were either made to stay here to guarantee the safety of their families, friends and lovers at the mines or forced to stay here surrounded by guards and with no chance of leaving.¡± The ladies around her nodded, their heads hung low. The woman named Lady Secily continued, ¡°Tell us, how will you solve our plight?¡± Mo Qing explained his idea to them. Once he finished, all of the ladies were excited. Their bodies were sitting upright and their eyes were glistening. Some whispered amongst themselves in happy, hushed tones. To quiet them, Lady Secily raised a hand. She smiled at Mo Qing. ¡°Alright, Sir Sword Fighter. We¡¯ll go along with this. When shall it begin?¡± ¡°We will execute it before Lord Tincaid''s associates arrive,¡± Mo Qing answered. ¡°His guard should be lowered during this time.¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 The Town Lord was voracious, but careful. After sending Mo Qing over, even though he usually called for the ladies everyday, he actually waited five days until calling them again, most likely making sure that they weren''t planning something. But Mo Qing gave him no reason to doubt, he behaved himself and even started to accept being washed and clothed by the male servants. So five days later when the ladies and Ton got together to help Mo Qing carry out his plan, the Town Lord didn''t suspect a thing. They meticulously applied makeup on him and covered his face in a lace veil. With makeup on, Mo Qing was actually the picture of a beautiful maiden, even surprising all the women in the room. It was only his figure being too tall, his bodily features being slightly chiseled, and a white streak being in his hair that kept him from fully embracing the look. Because of this, the tallest of the ladies chose to stay behind. Then they all decided to wear elevated shoes while having Mo Qing wear flats. Doing this helped close the gap, but Mo Qing was still a bit taller than the rest. Afterwards, they placed pads in Mo Qing¡¯s chest and dressed him in thick, not too revealing robes. Then they covered his head to conceal his white-streaked hair and had him wear a veil to hide his face. To finish up, they all wore the same to match his look. The heels were usually worn during festivals and holidays and the clothing, during the winter. But because they had no other options they could only hope that the Town Lord would be too distracted to notice all the differences. Once they were done, they marched in their usual order to the Town Lord''s bedroom. As Mo Qing walked he couldn''t help but think of the sad state of these women. During his time with them, he was told that when they served Lord Tincaid, they would usually try to get him so drunk that they could pretend to sleep with him. But, sometimes, he was just sober enough to actually complete the task with one or two of them. It was only because Lady Secily was so resourceful that they were able to have some servants help them retrieve abortifacients. Or else no one knew how many offspring the Town Lord would have had by now. Once they got to the Town Lord''s bedroom, they walked inside. As always, the guards stood a bit away so as not to eavesdrop on the Town Lord''s pleasures. The Town Lord sat patiently on his bed, awaiting their arrival in a single red robe. The moment his eyes spotted the women, they took on a lustful look. He smiled and licked his lips, ¡°Welcome ladies. You seem to be dressed rather differently today. It isn''t winter time nor a holiday, what''s wrong?¡± ¡°My Lord. We were worried you have grown tired of our usual garb, since you hadn''t called on us in a while. Because of this we thought it would be best to spice it up.¡± Lady Secily seamlessly answered. The Town Lord angrily replied, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you know to inform me before taking on such measures?! Is it that you wish to be punished?!¡± Lady Secily quickly bowed to him, ¡°Of course not, My Lord! We only wish to enhance your experience!¡± Mo Qing gathered his sword energy, ready to strike. Seeming to realize something, Lord Tincaid calmed down. ¡°Fine. Luckily for you, I received a golden egg and I''m in a good mood. Just never let this happen again.¡± Mo Qing relaxed. Lady Secily bowed. ¡°Of course, My Lord.¡± Lord Tincaid continued, ¡°Then let''s get down to business.¡± The ladies bowed and separated into lines and Mo Qing fell into step with them. One line grabbed a tray of food and the other grabbed some drinks and cups. These items sat on tables at the side of the Lord''s room. Mo Qing, who was standing at the back of the line, grabbed a cup. The women then aligned themselves on each side of the Lord. He would ask some to fill his drink while asking others to come up and serve him. Suddenly, he turned his attention to Mo Qing. He noted, ¡°You over there, you look a bit different than usual. Come closer so I can see you.¡± Mo Qing slowly walked over to the Lord, trying not to break his cover. Because his robes were long, he hoped the Lord wouldn¡¯t notice his height difference. Once he was close enough, the Lord grabbed his hands, and dragged him closer. A moment later, he recoiled. ¡°Ahh! Why are your hands so rough? Who are you?¡± Mo Qing knew this was his only chance. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The Town Lord yelled, ¡°Gua¡­!¡± But before he could finish, Mo Qing had already hit a few of his acupoints to keep him from continuing. Frozen and unable to move or speak, sweat began to cover his face and a foul odor leaked from his visage. Mo Qing took off the veil and the Town Lord''s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s time you pay for what you¡¯ve done,¡± He said. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Lady Secily coldly stated. The woman all took out some daggers from their sleeves and surrounded Mo Qing and the subdued Lord Tincaid. Mo Qing turned to face them. ¡°What are you doing? Didn''t we agree only to restrain him?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lady Secily said with a dagger in her hand. ¡°That¡¯s what you wanted. But it¡¯s easy for you to say as someone who can protect themselves.¡± She pointed at the Town Lord. ¡°This man used his power to abuse us and our loved ones. All this time, no one, not even a single Swords Clan came to our aid. If we leave him alive and allow you to take the evidence, what guarantee do we have that he won''t be running free a few weeks later?¡± Mo Qing stood straight and answered seriously, ¡°This is my guarantee.¡± He got on his knees and kowtowed deeply. He then sat up and crossed a line over his heart. Lady Secily¡¯s hand shot to her mouth, ¡°The Swordfigther¡¯s promise! Every Sword Fighter is bound by honor to follow it, lest their sword energy attack them and destroy their martial arts¡­¡± Mo Qing nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± His eyes swept over all the ladies in the room as he said, ¡°And I promise that if this man continues to roam free after I report him to a Swords Clan, I will slay him myself.¡± Lady Secily''s head dropped and tears dotted the corners of her eyes, ¡°Stop, ladies. If we kill him now, we will only be considered as bad as him. Let''s assist this Sword Fighter who has helped us get this far in seeking justice for us.¡± The women looked doubtful, but after a moment, they all agreed. They returned their knives to their places and one of them stepped forward, ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll help. But if it looks like anything is amiss, we will act on our own accord.¡± Mo Qing nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± He heard from Lady Secily that besides his bedroom, Lord Tincaid spent the most amount of his time somewhere else. He looked at the Town Lord who had tears streaming down his face and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure there''s evidence in your office. You will take me to it. While there, write a letter to the mines telling them to release the workers as well. If you don''t do what I say, I won''t be able to stop these ladies from taking out their anger on you.¡± The Town Lord vigorously nodded. Mo Qing continued, addressing the women, ¡°You all should return to your quarters. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± As they left, Mo Qing remembered something and stated, ¡°Wait.¡± The women stopped and turned around. ¡°Lady Secily, may I borrow your dagger?¡± Lady Secily pulled out her dagger and handed it to Mo Qing. Then Mo Qing carefully stored it in his sleeve. ¡°Good luck,¡± She uttered. Afterwards, she took a step back and bowed deeply to him. The rest of the women followed in her stead, bowing deeply as well. When they were done, they shuffled out of the room, acting as if nothing happened. Mo Qing picked up his veil and covered his face, subsequently undoing the acupoints keeping the Town Lord still but maintaining the ones keeping him silent. He forced him to stand and held his arm like a lady would a gentleman, but his grip was firm, preventing him from escaping, He whispered, ¡°Oh and don''t try to lie about the location of your office. Remember, I¡¯ve seen it before.¡± The two walked out of the room and the guards standing a ways away from it glanced at the Town Lord curiously. Mo Qing changed the tone of his voice, heightening his pitch by a few octaves. He said, ¡°Lord Tincaid wanted to take me to his office for a little more privacy. He would answer you himself, but I''m afraid he has had too much alcohol and laughed for too long. His throat needs time to heal. Don¡¯t worry though, I¡¯ll watch over him.¡± The two guards gazed at The Town Lord who nodded in response. Seeing this, they relaxed and bowed to him, returning to their posts afterwards. Mo Qing walked with Lord Tincaid through the long halls until they reached his office. As they entered, Mo Qing made him dismiss all the guards in the area, then he closed the office doors and began to look around. Remembering that he needed to free Li Yongzheng, Ri¡¯en and the rest of the workers at the mine, he sat Lord Tincaid down and demanded he begin writing the letter he requested while he continued to look around the area. He found many books, scrolls and papers, but none that looked like what he was searching for. He glanced over at the distressed Town Lord and walked over to him. ¡°Where are the accounts pertaining to the mines?¡± He asked. Lord Tincaid gestured to his mouth and Mo Qing undid his restraints. Knowing the man wasn¡¯t a Sword Fighter, Mo Qing quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m a Sword Master. If you try to contact your guards, well, you¡¯ll have to see between the two, if my hand is quicker than your mouth.¡± Forehead beaded with sweat, Lord Tincaid nodded and quickly walked over to one of the bookcases. He pulled a book from the shelf and the whole case slid to the side, unveiling a chamber that laid behind it. In that chamber were various papers and scrolls. As Lord Tincaid returned to his seat, Mo Qing went over and picked one up. It was titled, ¡°Meteoric Stone Mine Clients.¡± Upon reading it, he saw the names of three clans that may have been involved in this case. They were The Hidden Desires Clan, the Swordsmith villa Clan, and the High Mountain Glaive Clan. Another paper under it said, ¡°Accounts of sale for Meteoric stones.¡± He picked both of them up and stuffed them into his robes. As he was about to grab another of the documents sitting in the small room, he first heard the sound of splintered wood and paper tearing, then the terrified scream of the Town Lord. When he ran outside, he spotted a cloaked figure with a demon mask covering its face. This figure was standing across from the Lord who had fallen to the floor. Surrounding the figure was broken pieces of wood and behind it was a broken window. It stood, appearing ready to attack. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 ¡°Please!¡± Lord Tincaid yelled. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me! I won¡¯t tell! I won¡¯t!¡± The hooded figure ignored his pleas and dashed over to him. Drakkel knew he needed to stop him. After all, Lord Tincaid was still needed as a witness. He pulled out the dagger that he got from Lady Secily and intercepted the figure¡¯s attack. Since the figure held no weapon and only used its gloved hands, he thought that the dagger would slice right through. But to his surprise, it didn''t. In fact the impact felt like he was colliding against another weapon. Drakkel exchanged a few more blows with the figure before it backed away. And around that time, the dagger he received also shattered. As the pieces of the dagger fell from his hands, Drakkel observed the figure. From the way it fought, he could tell it was an experienced Sword Fighter, but because it didn¡¯t use sword energy, he couldn¡¯t ascertain what level it was at. Also because of the way it fought, its sword style wasn¡¯t something he recognized. It was fought with no weapon and used random and disordered moves. Its attacks appeared to have no particular sequence which made them difficult to predict. Suddenly, the hooded figure took out a bottle from under its cloak with a rope attached to it and lit the end of the rope up. Drakkel¡¯s eyes widened as he realized what it was. ¡°Get everyone out of here!¡± He shouted. The Town Lord nodded and called, ¡°Guards! Guards!¡± However, before the guards showed up, the hooded figure dropped the object on the floor, jumping out the window soon after. Flames immediately rushed out of the object, quickly engulfing the items around it. Drakkel pointed his palm towards the direction of the explosion and manipulated his sword energy to curve around it, suppressing the blast. Although he was able to block it, he knew he couldn¡¯t hold it off for long. Moments later, the guards arrived. As Drakkel was focused on subduing the explosion, the Town Lord shouted in a panic, ¡°Get me out of here!¡± The guards guided the Lord out, leaving Drakkel to deal with the mess alone. He wasn¡¯t sure how he would get everyone out of the mansion while also keeping the explosion at bay. However, a solution soon revealed itself. A guard came to him and said, ¡°By order of Lady Secily, everyone has left the mansion. Some other guards have already told us the situation. You should try to escape now as well.¡± Drakkel was relieved. He answered, ¡°You go first. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± As he said this, his energy was waning. His body ached and he was growing tired. He felt as if he was about to lose control of his sword energy. If he continued any longer, he would suffer a sword energy deviation and unable to maintain his control of the blast, he would most certainly die. With no other options, he sent a wave of sword energy towards the blast to delay it and swiftly left the room. Utilizing his sword step, he dashed through the manor and straight to the front entrance. But, when he thought he was about to escape, his old injuries flared and his pace slowed down to an ordinary run as the blast caught up. As the flaming hot temperature nearly seared his back, a man with long blonde hair and a giant sword slung upon his back, delayed the blast with a powerful sword energy attack, before picking him up by the arm, and helping him get out of the manor. Once they reached the outside, the manor exploded into flames. Several people gathered to watch the event. Before Drakkel had time to process what was going on, the area erupted into cheer. Only when he glanced over to see who it was did a small smile spread on his face. The people of the mines were joined by the kids and elderly on the streets, hugging each other as the mansion burned. Some of the women who were trapped with the Town Lord were joined by elderly individuals and men while some embraced only children, their heads hanging low and tears falling from their cheeks. Even amongst the miners and people from the streets, it was clear from the sad faces of some of those around, that they had lost someone important to them. The Town Lord was standing next to some guards bound by rope. When the cheering died down, everyone leered at him, some looking ready to murder him. A man from the crowd yelled, ¡°Finally, the corrupt Lord who suppressed us for years stands in front of us! We should kill him for what he¡¯s done!¡± The crowd shouted in unison, ¡°Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!¡± Drakkel shook his head. They couldn¡¯t kill him. Although it was well-deserved, If they killed him now, not only would they not find out the reason for his actions, they would not be granted any help from the Swords Clans and would probably even end up as criminals themselves. Officials were not allowed to be killed by common people without a trial. Drakkel tried to instruct them not to, but what came out was only a quiet rasp. After a moment, he suddenly felt as if something was rising in his throat. He coughed and blood spurted out, dripping down his mouth and onto his robes. ¡°Stop!¡± Rillian Adore shouted. Interrupted by an intimidating and heavy voice, the crowd instantly ceased their chanting. But the man who spoke earlier wouldn¡¯t have it. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. He yelled out, ¡°And who are you to stop us?! This man killed my son!¡± Ri¡¯en stepped out from the middle of the crowd along with Lady Secily. ¡°He¡¯s Rillian Adore! One of the ones who saved us!¡± The crowd broke out into harsh whispers. ¡°The Golden Blade? Really? Here?¡± ¡°How could this be? I thought the Golden Peak Swords Clan was not assigned to this area?¡± ¡°Why would he help us?¡± Rillian Adore, still supporting Drakkel with an arm, stated, ¡°My friend and I will bring the Town Lord with us to the Thousand Petals Swords Clan to seek justice for you all! I will also investigate the reason that this has been going on for so long! If you trust me, I¡¯ll make sure that you all are given a satisfactory answer!¡± The people in the crowd continued to speak amongst themselves. Lady Seclily joined in, ¡°If not for these two men standing before you all, our escape and the capture of the Town Lord would not have been possible! Since they extended a helping hand to us, can¡¯t we return the favor?!¡± The crowd continued to speak in hushed voices. But the sentiment seemed to improve. ¡°Well if it''s The Golden Blade¡­ Maybe we will get the justice we deserve?¡± ¡°Yes, why don¡¯t we give it a try? We have nothing more to lose.¡± Ri¡¯en and Lady Secily took their places next to Drakkel and Rillian Adore and addressed the crowd. The two bowed. ¡°We¡¯ve been working tirelessly to free all of you. We hope that you can let us settle this matter as well! We promise that we only wish good things upon all of you!¡± Some of the servants and guards standing at the corner jumped in. ¡°Yes, Lady Secily and Ri¡¯en have been helping us fight all this time!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, they¡¯ve done a lot for us!¡± Lady Secily and Ri¡¯en smiled at them. Suddenly, Drakkel remembered something. Where were Enzo and Rou? He squinted his eyes, looking towards the servants and saw a servant ready to sneak off. He patted Rillian Adore¡¯s shoulder and pointed in the direction. Rillian Adore yelled, ¡°Guards! Stop him!¡± With his command, the guards rushed to capture the servant. When Drakkel looked upon his face, he saw that it was Rou. The guards forced Rou to stand next to Lord Tincaid. As he stood there, his eyes darted all around, surveying the crowd. Finally, he looked down in defeat, not daring to speak. After a while, there were talks amongst the people of who would be their new Town Lord now that Lord Tincaid was captured. Ton stepped forward from his place in front of the servants. ¡°I think we should make Ri¡¯en and Lady Secily our new Town Lords! They¡¯ve done a lot for us, so I believe they would be best to keep until we¡¯re back up and running to our usual selves. By then, we can officially vote in a new Town Lord!¡± The crowd seemed hesitant at first, but they didn¡¯t object. It only took a few moments for them to process what was said. Ton was right after all, they had to appreciate the deeds of those who saved them. And the women Lord Tincaid kept around were a testament to all the work the two put in. Like the changing of the tides, the sentiments of the crowd slowly swayed, until sounds of agreement resounded all around. ¡°Yes, I think that would be good!¡± ¡°Lord Ri¡¯en and Lady Secily have a nice ring to it!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s just until the town is rebuilt, I don¡¯t see why not!¡± The royal court had struck a deal with the Sword Fighters. It would not interfere in any business having to do with Demons and Sword Fighters unless it involved high level court officials, members of the royal family, or the capital. The Sword Fighters were responsible for bringing criminals to justice and reporting them to the court as well as subduing demons. Sometimes, the court might ask Swords Clans to assist in catching a specific criminal, but most of the time, the Swords Clans did it passively. The Swords clans were each paid a monthly wage by the court based on how many criminals they caught and how many demons they defeated during the month. The clans also made money by completing odd jobs for individual citizens and businesses. If the Town Lord was brought to Thousand Petals Sword''s Clan and proven to be guilty, then by law, the Royal Court would allow the people to assign their own Town Lord because the one they had chosen for them was guilty of several crimes. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡± Ri¡¯en said. ¡°Now, everyone, return home! The Golden Blade had his fellow disciples brought us food to eat from the neighboring villages! They¡¯ve dropped it off to every home here. Anyone that doesn¡¯t have a home can pick it up at the inn in the middle of the town!¡± The crowd cheered and dispersed, chattering happily with each other. When they cleared, the rest of the disciples from the Golden Peak Swords¡¯ Clan could be seen standing in the distance, watching Rillian Adore. Ri¡¯en turned to the servants and guards. ¡°You all go too. I¡¯m sure you would like to catch up with your family members or get some good food and drink in your stomachs.¡± A guard standing near Lord Tincaid and holding down Rou, asked, ¡°Will you be ok if we leave them alone?¡± Rillian Adore nodded. At that, the guards and servants exited the area, leaving only Lady Secily, Lord Ri¡¯en, Drakkel and Rillian Adore with Lord Tincaid and Rou. Rillian Adore glanced down at Rou and said, ¡°You were scared of him, weren¡¯t you?¡± He used his head to gesture to Lord Tincaid. Rou nodded, pulling out a worn satchel, he said as he stared at it, ¡°The way I treated him, it was all an act. I was afraid. Afraid he would kill my daughter¡­ You see, he already killed my wife. Years ago, my wife secretly left to work for the Town Lord. I had an injury and couldn¡¯t lift heavy items anymore. There wasn¡¯t much work I could do and we were running out of money. So, she decided to go. She left behind a note so I wasn¡¯t worried at first. But too much time had passed. I wanted to investigate, but couldn¡¯t leave my daughter alone. She was only twelve at the time. So, I sent her along with a traveling merchant who I had befriended to live with my brother in Lunala Isle and came in to work for the Town Lord while searching for my wife.¡± Tears fell from his face. ¡°But when I asked around, I found out that she died. This despicable man!¡± He pointed to Lord Tincaid, ¡°Is a lecherous beast! He demanded that my wife serve him. He forced her¡­ So¡­ ¡° His voice trembled as he forced out, ¡°So¡­she killed herself.¡± He sniffled, ¡°I planned to leave and report the matter to the nearby Swords Clan, but the Town Lord''s caught wind of this. He kidnapped me and forced me to work for him. He said that if I refused, he would send some people to find my daughter¡­ He said she might look a lot like her mother and would serve as a good replacement.¡± Rillian Adore¡¯s eyebrows narrowed as he shot a rageful glare at Lord Tincaid. Lord Tincaid shrunk back in response.. ¡°I¡­ I had no other choice.¡± Rou continued. ¡°This satchel¡­¡± he held the satchel out, ¡°Was made for both of us by my wife, her mother. That''s all I have to remember her by¡­¡± Rillian Adore shook his head, ¡°I think it¡¯s time to return to your daughter, Rou.¡± He gestured for one of the faraway disciples to step closer and put out his hand. ¡°Ling,¡± He said. ¡°Bring me some coins.¡± The man named Ling handed him a bag of coins and Rillian Adore took a few out. He placed them in Rou¡¯s hand. ¡°This should cover your travel, food and lodgings. You¡¯re free to go.¡± Rou gratefully took the coins and bowed to Rillian Adore several times. ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± He cried, ¡°I don¡¯t know how I''ll ever repay this debt.¡± Rillian Adore nodded. Rou bowed one more time before leaving the area. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°Looks like you two have your hands full for the time being. When I get back to my clan, I¡¯ll ask them to support you,¡± Rillian Adore said. Ri¡¯en and Lady Secily bowed and replied. ¡°Thank you.¡± Rillian Adore continued, ¡°Actually, you two haven¡¯t had a good meal in a while either. Especially you, Ri¡¯en. Why don¡¯t you go join your citizens at the Inn?¡± Lady Secily nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Come, Ri.¡± She dragged Ri¡¯en towards the Inn. As they walked, their conversation drifted into the air. ¡°He¡¯s right. You¡¯ve grown too thin since I last saw you.¡± Ri¡¯en laughed. ¡°Even when you met me, didn''t you say I was thin? I was quite muscular though.¡± ¡°That was different!¡± Lady Secily answered indignantly. ¡°Men from my village traditionally had a larger build because of all the meat we farmed. You can''t blame me!¡± The sound of their chatter placed a smile on Drakkel''s face. But his body was too weak. He couldn¡¯t do much else. Rillian Adore said to Ling, ¡°Ling, Do you have any more rejuvenating pills?¡± Ling nodded. ¡°Yes, Senior Rillian.¡± Without any additional questions, he pulled out a bag from his belt and handed it to him Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Rillian Adore took out a pill and placed it in front of Drakkel¡¯s mouth. Drakkel stared at it for a moment in hesitation. Seeing this, Ling said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry! It will make you feel better.¡± Drakkel raised an eyebrow. Oh yes, that was right! Ling likely didn¡¯t know he was a Sword Fighter and Rillian Adore might not have explained it to him. Because he didn¡¯t want to hold up anyone anymore, Drakkel opened his mouth and Rillian Adore fed him the pill. As he chewed on it, he could feel his energy return and the pain from his injuries fade. Afterwards, Ling gave him a lingering glance. His clothes were tattered revealing his muscular chest, but he still wore makeup on his face along with womanly clothes. So, Ling was probably just curious as to his identity. However, if he was curious he didn''t voice his concerns. So a moment of silence fell between them all before Rillian Adore said, ¡°Ling, monitor the Town Lord¡¯s building to make sure the fire doesn¡¯t spread and work on quelling it. I¡¯ll take this¡­ woman back to the inn to treat her.¡± Ling tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. His thoughts were clearly voiced in his expression. But isn''t this a man? It was obvious that he was curious, but he was likely disciplined as well. Instead of asking questions, he respectfully answered, ¡°Yes, Senior Rillian.¡± He called the rest of the disciples over as Drakkel and Rillian Adore made their way to the Inn. With one muscular, handsome, and confident and the other dressed in women''s clothing complete with makeup and accessories, if anyone was watching, it probably made for an odd sight. But Drakkel didn''t care as he could hardly stay awake anymore. Although he felt better, his body still needed rest from the overexertion of his sword energy. So, as they were walking, he closed his eyes and fell into a welcoming darkness.