A cold wind swept through another night. On the outskirts of the forest, two foot soldiers conducted their patrol, passing the time with idle chatter.
"Tch... what do you think is going on out there? First that massive commotion, and then Commander Harold heading out in person..."
"Who knows? The higher-ups have no intention of telling us anything. They just told us to stay alert for potential raids... probably just a precaution against some unforeseen accident." One soldier, clad in standard light armor, shrugged as he spoke to his companion.
"I bet it's because of our status. I'd wager those Carian soldiers know exactly what's happening..."
"Alright, that's none of our business. Even if we knew, what would it change? We just need to do our duty. Instead of worrying about that, you should be wondering if our pay will increase."
"True enough... it should, shouldn't it? Our workload has increased quite a bit. It wouldn't make sense if they didn't add a little extra..."
Suddenly, the whistle of something slicing through the air reached their ears. They realized something was wrong instantly, but before they could shout a warning to their nearby squadmates, they felt a sharp pain at the base of their necks. Their vision went black, and they collapsed forward.
The figure responsible for the deed stepped out from the shadows: Krith, clad in a black robe.
Krith glanced at the two soldiers on the ground before making his way toward the town walls. He had to pick up the pace; it would be troublesome if these two were discovered.
According to Richter's intel, this was the weakest point in the current defensive rotation. Combined with the shift-change schedule Richter had provided, they could slip inside safely as long as they timed it perfectly.
Two other Blood Warriors emerged slowly from the darkness. They picked up the discarded torches and, disguised as the two sentries, continued the patrol into the surrounding forest.
After a brief wait, the shift change finally occurred. Krith and his team seized the moment, vaulting over the walls and infiltrating the town.
"What are the Sovereign's next orders?" a Blood Warrior whispered, leaning toward Krith.
"We regroup with Cole and the others first. Then, we'll use the back entrance Richter told us about to launch a frontal assault on the Toriland manor. Once inside, we immediately gather the Accursed Blood to form a Blood Pool."
"A frontal assault? But shouldn't we be focused on assassinating the Lord?" The warrior blinked in confusion.
Krith shook his head. "From the very beginning, the Sovereign's goal was never the assassination of the local Lord. He wants to disrupt the order within the territory to draw the Carian forces away from the outer camps. The Sovereign's true target... is that Magic Well!"
"Still no word from Richter?"
Camo knit his brows as he questioned Harp, the temporary butler he had recently appointed.
"No, sir. There has been no message from Lord Richter, and the sentries haven't spotted anyone resembling him..." Harp replied, lowering his head deeply.
Hearing this, the anxiety in Camo's heart pooled even deeper. In his mind, there should have been some news by now regardless of the outcome. While Remoke's mage tower wasn't exactly close, it shouldn't take this long for a report. The fact that the signal flare he gave Richter hadn't been fired suggested that something had likely happened to him.
"That damn Remoke! If that bastard hadn't forbidden me from stationing a messenger there, we wouldn't have all this trouble!"
In a foul mood, Camo slammed his teacup down and cursed. The "messenger" he referred to was a specially bred horned owl. These owls, through careful cultivation and diet, had begun to show signs of spiritual power—specifically, the growth of vestigial horns. Their intelligence was remarkably high, making them excellent tools for communication.
However, Remoke claimed he didn't trust such creatures and harbored a peculiar hatred for birds, banning any winged creature from approaching his tower. This was the sole reason Camo couldn't use a messenger to communicate with him and was forced to send Richter out.
It now seemed Richter had met with an accident—likely one so sudden he hadn't even had the chance to fire a flare. Camo's mood soured further at the thought; Richter was an old retainer who had been with him for a long time. The man understood his habits and thoughts perfectly, often resolving issues without Camo even needing to intervene. That kind of loyalty was the hardest thing to find.
Losing him meant having to train a replacement from scratch—a prospect that promised to be a headache in terms of both time and resources.
Suddenly, while Camo was still stewing over his butler, a massive boom echoed from the lower levels of the mansion, startling him.
"What was that?!"
Bang!
The door was thrown open. A Carian warrior, clad in the standard barded armor typical of a knight, rushed in.
"Lord Camo, we are under attack! Come with me immediately; I will escort you to the high mage tower!"
Camo quickly regained his composure and looked at the man. It was Sigino, the captain of the Toriland family's personal guard.
"Sigino, what's the situation out there?" Camo asked, grabbing his staff as he hurried to the captain's side.
Harp tried to follow, but Sigino blocked him with a stern arm. "The area we are going to is not for your ears or eyes. Stay here."
"But I—"
"Hmm?"
Faced with Sigino's chilling gaze, Harp swallowed hard and retreated several steps.
Only then did Sigino withdraw his gaze and lead Camo toward the hidden mage tower within the Toriland estate, explaining the situation as they moved. Camo didn't give Harp a second thought; as a temporary butler, the man didn't yet have his trust. He was merely a placeholder for Richter, and sooner or later, he would be replaced anyway.
"The attackers below belong to the Blood Faction that has been stirring up trouble in the Lake District. They appear intent on sacrificing you to their Blood God."
"Dammit, those heretical cultists!" Camo cursed.
"I have already sent word to Commander Harold for reinforcements. I believe help will arrive shortly. Until then, please remain inside the mage tower and do not come out."
Camo nodded frantically and hurried toward the tower.
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