Chapter Ten: Ambush

“Are they them?” Two solemn men stood at a distance from the city gates, quietly observing the group of carriages and horses. One of them asked his companion in a hushed voice.
“The one in the middle… It seems this guy really is leaving Cyprus. What should we do? Follow them or go back and report to the commander first?” He glanced anxiously in the distance, unsure of what to do. He had spent two months disguised in Cyprus, his only task being to spy on that man. Yet the elusive individual hadn’t revealed any clues at all. The commander must have his reasons for making this decision. Years of experience had taught him to trust the commander’s judgment completely. But now that this man was leaving Cyprus—reportedly for the distant Caucasus, a remote and desolate land—these people seemed excited about it. This puzzled the two knights, but now wasn’t the time to ponder it.
Her robes were as white as snow, her silky hair as smooth as the depths of an unfathomable pool. Her delicate figure resembled an angel floating in the gently blowing breeze of the garden. The young knight’s eyes held a fervent, intoxicated expression as he fixed his gaze on her back.
“You’ve come?” Without turning, seemingly still lost in the beauty of the flowers in the garden, the girl kept her eyes on the blood-red roses.
“Princess, what do you command?” The young knight took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but a sense of bitterness slowly spread within him. Every time he had to do something against his conscience, she would think of him; otherwise, she wouldn’t have rushed to find him so eagerly.
“That man is leaving, heading to the Caucasus. Also, Hoffman has proposed to my father, and he has agreed.” The girl still didn’t turn around.
“Oh, that’s good news. That scourge, Komer, is gone too—he was bound to die sooner or later. Hoffman seems like a strong contender for the throne. It’s not impossible for you to marry into the royal family and become queen.” A tearing pain filled the young knight’s heart. He knew this was a normal occurrence, and he had long expected such a day. Yet hearing her speak of it so casually still made it hard for him to maintain his usual composure.

“No, it’s not that simple. I can tell that guy Komer still holds deep hatred toward me and my father. I’m going to get engaged to Hoffman within a year, and I don’t want rumors to ruin my plans. Although I’ve already warned Komer, I can no longer read him properly, and his two accomplices are also a source of trouble. I think I need a permanent solution.” Her voice remained gentle and charming, as if she were talking about something utterly ordinary.

Even though the young man considered himself a fallen knight, hearing such words spoken so casually by an angelic beauty still filled him with indescribable sadness. He had no objection to killing—after all, he had done it countless times to what he called ‘good people.’ But deep down, he didn’t want his idol to be involved in such bloody and ugly dealings. Though it was just his wishful fantasy, it seemed to him that the character he envisioned had nothing else to do but these things.

“What? Are you hesitant? Do you feel guilty toward him, or have your heart softened?” Sensing the hesitation behind her, the girl turned around lightly, her delicate face revealing a mesmerizing smile.

“Do you mean to have them eliminated? Weren’t they already gone to the Caucasus? Do I really need to go to such lengths?” The surge of enthusiasm he felt earlier subsided at her words. The young man knew he couldn’t refuse her request. Whatever it took, he would use their blood to moisten his sword.

“I have a premonition—that Komer’s change is beyond my expectations. The Caucasus might not be their final destination. I don’t know if my father has grown old and become less decisive, coming up with such a stupid and complicated plan. I think it’s better to follow my own instincts.” She gently plucked a budding rose, which slowly turned into shattered petals between her crystal-clear fingers, drifting down and falling onto the soil.

“As you wish.” His voice was somewhat hoarse and filled with emotion as he bowed slightly before drifting away.

Finally, it was time to set off. The belongings of the three of them fit perfectly in one carriage, but the goods purchased by Puber filled two large carts. All three servants were capable of taking on the temporary role of drivers, so there were no difficulties. There were no grand ceremonies or cheering crowds to see them off; aside from a butler from the grand duke’s household who briefly delivered the grand duke’s blessings, there was nothing official. Declining his family’s hypocritical farewells, Komer left the city alone and waited at the gates for Puber and Ilot to arrive. The two servants from the Anders region were very obedient and honest. Within just a few days, they had become highly competent in serving Komer and Puber. Their diligence, honesty, and strong adaptability made them one of the most popular groups of servants, sometimes even more so than those seemingly reserved elf slaves in human society.

Fran’s health had recovered remarkably well in these past few days. Humans are strange creatures—when faced with new challenges that stir their desire, everything becomes urgent, leaving Komer amazed by the astonishing potential that can arise from their will to survive. The idea of hiring another carriage was dropped. Although Fran and Baoling were originally infantry warriors, that didn’t mean they couldn’t ride horses. The group of eight set off at dawn, under the pale light of the rising sun.

In deep autumn, September, the Azure Continent showed signs of abundance, though a hint of coolness lingered beneath it. However, in the Homer region, this coolness wasn’t very noticeable, especially in the bustling Busen Plains, where it was even somewhat stifling. This area was a crucial agricultural region for both the Homer region and the entire Kingdom of Nicocia. Its fertile soil and excellent irrigation systems ensured it supplied food for the entire Homer region and several surrounding areas. Huge windmills stood side by side, under the blue sky and clear autumn air. The vast, endless plains gave one the impression that the whole world consisted of nothing but this expanse.

Perhaps due to having few opportunities to ride horses, Baoling was clearly excited about this chance. He would sometimes gallop at full speed and other times stroll at a leisurely pace, until Fran couldn’t stand it any longer and called out, at which point he calmed down slightly.

After two days of interaction, Komer, Puber, and Ilot had developed a somewhat special relationship with Fran. Although Fran always referred to Komer as his master, Komer never agreed to that title, believing that treating a rare talent like Fran as a slave would greatly limit Fran’s ability to assist him in the future—especially since he needed more capable people to help him establish a foothold in the Caucasus, rather than simple-minded slaves.

As a former deputy commander of the infantry regiments of the renowned Meilen Duchy, Fran far surpassed ordinary people in terms of martial skills, combat experience, and leadership and training abilities. Gaining his sincere loyalty would undoubtedly be a huge help to Komer, who was currently short of manpower. Though Fran had clearly expressed his willingness to serve Komer, Komer felt that Fran seemed still haunted by past events, which was not only detrimental to Fran himself but also indirectly affected Komer’s plans. He needed a loyal subordinate who was full of energy and willing to devote himself wholeheartedly to his future endeavors, not a disheartened slave who just went through the motions.

Fran certainly understood Komer’s expectations of him, but no one could heal the deep wounds in his heart in a short time. Only time could gradually mend those scars. Yet he wasn’t going to become as dispirited and inactive as Komer feared. At the very least, Komer had given him a second chance in life. It was the duty of a professional warrior to repay kindness with generosity—a principle Fran would never violate.

During the journey across the Bosen Plain, Fran had begun to grasp the situation of his nominal master. The fact that someone could be promoted to baron overnight only to be exiled to the Caucasus as a lord suggested there must be some conspiracy at play.

Throughout the journey, though Fran rarely talked about his time in the Meilen Duchy, his discussions on military matters were still highly beneficial to Komer and Ilot. Years of experience defending the borders had given Fran far greater military knowledge than Ilot. While Ilot had merely served as a knight on the Deccan Plateau, Fran had already been the deputy commander of an infantry regiment tasked with repelling orc invasions—two roles that were incomparable.