Chapter 59
As Zachariah promised, our stay in Farrowgate was brief. The prince himself found me practising my summoning spell at the crack of dawn and announced our immediate departure.
The carriage had been left behind, and we mounted a new set of horses for the ride south towards Lion’s Maw. The ride took us right past the location I had fought with the ogre, and while the edges of the Verdant Divide were still visible to our west, the scenery quickly began to shift.
The dense trees gradually grew sparse and were replaced with a steep incline of rock and jagged stone. The woodland critters we would occasionally spot disappeared, and in their place were the cautiously observing birds of prey that loomed over us from their high perches.
Seeing as the others weren’t saying anything, I mentally recapped the information Marcus provided me.
As he had implied, there were no solid facts to suggest any foul play or conspiracy, but there certainly were some odd foreboding factors.
First and foremost, Marcus, as well as every knight he had communicated with regarding the matter, had been left on standby for an extended period of time. Interestingly, although they were no longer receiving any missions, they were not being permitted to return to their homes. Marcus felt this indicated that all of them would be needed to act soon.
On top of that, prior to this sudden silence from up high, the ongoing war against Soleo’s eastern neighbours suddenly came to a confusing end. Soleo was undoubtedly the victor in almost every engagement, thanks largely to King Leonidas Sol Proudmane leading the charge at every opportunity. Yet, despite their inevitable victory, they abruptly ceased all conflict and offered a truce, and then the bulk of the army was sent away from the frontlines.
I had asked if Marcus knew the locations to which most of the more important figures were moved, but even that information was being kept confidential. He only knew where his friends were stationed, but that data wasn’t enough for me to draw a conclusion.
Hopefully, whatever was going on would resolve on its own without the Empire being pulled in. But the movements suggested that Soleo either feared an attack from a different direction or planned to initiate one themselves. The pragmatic pessimist within me suspected a sudden end to the alliance between Soleo and the Black Crown Empire. However, that wouldn’t be fitting behaviour for Soleo, who valued chivalry, honour, and up-front confrontations.
they intended to attack, they would have declared their intent beforehand and likely sought a decisive battle in an open field.
“Rex!”
I looked up in slight shock to see Bridgit scowling at me. Evidently, she had been calling me for some time while I was lost in thought.
“Sorry. What did you say?”
She rolled her eyes and repeated herself slowly.
“I said. Is. The. Left. Flank. Clear?”
Was that all? We weren’t riding far enough apart for me to be the only one who could see in that direction. Still, this was technically a mission, so I at fault.
I scanned my eyes across the now mountainous terrain that boxed us in from both sides.
“Yes. We’re clear.”
Bridgit’s head immediately snapped back to the front, not deigning to give me a response. Seeing her like this, Zachariah’s request for me to get along with her was looking increasingly unlikely.
Then, as my attention was focused on her, I caught a glimpse of something on her side of the mountains. It was blood red in colour, and moved swiftly and silently from cover to cover. There was no doubt it was following us.
But something about the shape of the body sparked recognition in me, and after heightening my senses by linking to Tiara, I confirmed their identity.
“...What about your side?”
I asked without giving anything away.
“If you were listening, you would already know we’re clear on this side too.”
Bridgit gave me the side-eye, annoyance flashing across her refined features.
Nobody else had noticed our stalker, so I remained quiet on the matter.
***
Following the road from Farrowgate to Lion’s Maw was as straightforward as it came. Thanks to the impassable mountains on either side, there were no turns to get lost in, and the soldiers based in Lion’s Maw routinely cleared the road of monsters, preventing any distractions for us.
Even so, our silent follower remained unnoticed by the rest of the group. Even I lost sight of them from time to time with all the nooks and crannies that lined the walls.
“We’re here. Everybody dismount, line up, and await the guard to greet us.”
Zachariah ordered, and we did as instructed.
Lion’s Maw. Said to be totally unassailable as Soleo’s greatest defence. Legends claim the narrow pass we travelled was actually carved by the blade of the God of war, Skori, when he cleaved the mountain in twain during a battle against Nekrotica.
Within this pass, the people who would later form the kingdom of Soleo built a small community from the debris. Over the years, this community fended off attacks from Nekrotica’s followers and continued to dig in and fortify, until finally, Lion’s Maw was formed.
Regardless of the validity of the history, nobody could deny the structure’s ingenuity. At first glance, the fort itself was a part of the mountains themselves that had naturally formed. Upon closer inspection, one would see the strategically carved areas in the front wall that—even as I looked upon it—housed soldiers on ballistae, ready to rain death on invaders.
The ground itself was littered with long, spiked stones that pointed towards us, making a straightforward approach impossible. Anyone who made the mistake of attempting a cavalry charge to close in on the walls would be quickly foiled by the terrain itself.
On top of that, the sun’s rays were blocked by the tall mountains whenever it was not at its peak. Zachariah must have timed our arrival at the perfect time, knowing this fact, so we had few issues with visibility. However, sieging this place would be difficult for all but two hours of the day.
All of this was just what I could pin down looking from the outside. I was certain I would find even more defences once I passed through the mighty entrance.
The sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the pass, bouncing all around us as the heavy doors were slowly opened. A line of heavily armoured men approached us, each carrying a large tower shield and marching in perfect unison.
“My prince! We are here to escort your group into the Maw. We shall take care of your steeds, if it pleases your highness.”
The man at the front spoke with a voice like gravel, his face completely obscured behind the solid helmet.
“Thank you, Sir Grant. I shall place myself in your capable hands.”
The man—Sir Grant—gave a stiff and slight bow, likely due to the encumbering armour impeding his movement, then led us back the way he came.
I snuck another glance to locate our stalker, moving only my eyes to avoid drawing attention.
A flash of red far above us vanished just a moment after I caught sight of it. It had successfully followed us all this way, but the question remained, how was I to make contact?
Again, I stifled the thought and took in my surroundings as we entered the Lion’s Maw.
Despite being a fort, its origins were clear to see from behind the wall. A statue of a six-armed man with flowing hair and a fierce expression, a different weapon held in each hand, stood proudly in the central area. There were smaller structures, similarly carved from the same dark stone that surrounded us, but not as large or numerous as one would expect for a fort this size.
The reason for that soon became apparent. An imposing man flanked by soldiers emerged from the wall of the mountain itself. I only caught a brief look, but there seemed to be a sizable dwelling carved into the stone, likely leading underground to more facilities. The entrance was… well, thereno entrance. By the looks of it, the outer wall was thinner than it appeared to be, and either by some hidden mechanism or through a geomancer’s magic, it would open and close to allow passage. Whatever the case, the walls slammed shut immediately after the men had crossed over.
I wanted to take a look inside for myself, but the imposing man was coming right towards us. He carried an air so oppressive that it felt like there was an invisible wall stretching out from his sides to block any attempt at passing by.
“Your highness.”
The man stopped in front of Zachariah and took a knee. Even so, his head was still level with Guy and Bridgit’s, such was his size.
His faded, greying blonde hair and tanned skin that looked rough enough to serve as its own armour reminded me of someone.
“Uncle, it is good to see you again.”
Zachariah signalled for him to rise and greeted the human fortress.
“Your words are too kind. It does my heart good to see you two growing to be such fine members of the family.”
Bridgit stood proudly at his words.
“This must be the prodigious Vespertille boy.”
The large man approached Guy, who began to tremble under the pressure of those assessing eyes.
“Y-yes, sir! It is an honour to meet such an accomplished commander!”
Guy’s nose practically scraped the ground as he bowed so deeply.
“Hm…”
The man only nodded slightly before turning to me. Our eyes locked, and I felt firsthand the authoritative weight that came from his attention. Unlike Guy, however, I had grown accustomed to much worse, and I remained steady before his approach.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
He stood over me and looked down, but remained quiet. When he did finally speak, it was directed towards Zachariah.
“Why does this one cover his face? And why does he not display the proper respect towards his superior?”
Part of me wanted to respond for myself, but I chose not to rock the boat any more than my mere existence already had.
“Please forgive him, uncle. He is the one I requested personally, an Imperial and a Druid.”
The imposing man raised his head as if the words alone had staggered him.
“I see. Is covering your face a custom of your kind then?”
He addressed me directly, and with a small—but present—level of respect.
“In a way. It helps me stay in touch with the world.”
The man snorted and turned back from me.
“Very well, I will overlook his behaviour. Our guest has yet to arrive; you will all come and eat with me while we wait.”
It was not a request. The man walked away with the confidence of a man who could not be denied, knowing full well we would follow as commanded.
As we walked, I dragged my feet intentionally so that I fell in line with Guy, who still had not regained proper control over his limbs.
I whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
“Who is this man?”
He looked at me with shock, but perhaps due to his eagerness not to draw any negative attention from the man in question, he answered.
“That’s Uriel Sol Lionheart, brother of the king, and Axel’s father.”
Guy was even more cautious than I was in keeping his voice low, and he quickened his pace to get away from me right after answering the question.
I looked at Uriel’s massive frame, and Axel’s back began to overlap in my mind’s eye. This was the man who cast out his son, and who was said to be second only to the king himself. In terms of hierarchy, Zachariah and Bridgit outranked him, but judging from how they looked at him with such respect, I suspected he held more authority in practice.
***
Uriel had led us to his personal quarters, where his servants had already finished laying out our food. Even the men and women who made the table were well-built and displayed visible scars from battle.
Unfortunately, Uriel did not lead us into the hidden mountain passage that he had emerged from, and instead revealed that his chambers were contained within the northern wall itself. It was not the lavish setting one would expect from a man of his ranking, and was rather painfully minimalistic. There were more weapons lining the walls than there were decorations, not a particularly hard feat when the only non-practical items present were two small portraits.
One depicted a beautiful woman with a kind smile and a homely look, while the other showed a younger, graceful woman in opulent clothing. I would call it tacky, but she had the kind of features that could pull anything off.
Zachariah caught me staring and whispered.
“His wife and daughter. Lady Natalie passed away long ago, but it is best to avoid bringing her up.”
“I see… So, Axel has a sister?”
“Don’t bring Axel up either. But to answer your question, yes. She will be joining us as well.”
He nodded to the empty seat opposite me.
This was an interesting surprise, but I had more immediate concerns to address, something which became clear as the servants continued to lay out more and more esoteric objects before me.
I stared at Zachariah and silently looked from him, to the fifteen different pieces of cutlery before me. He returned my look with a sly smile, and turned away to chat with Guy.
…Surely I wouldn’t lose my head if I just ate with my hands, right?
“Announcing the entrance of Lady Seraphina Sol Lionheart.”
A maid, who appeared to be at odds with the rest of the staff in terms of appearance, stood by the door with a rigid back and spoke in a clear voice for all to hear.
Shortly after, the girl from the portrait entered, and the room went quiet, for good reason.
The girl from the portrait was demure, gorgeous, and refined. The very picture of a noblewoman. Her delicate bearing, coupled with the grace of her movements, gave such a strong impression of the term ‘princess’ that the actual princess sat beside her practically faded from my view.
She glided over, keeping her hands together and her back straight as her maid pulled the chair back for her.
Even the way she delicately lifted her cutlery was remarkable in its daintiness.
“Seraphina, so good to see you again, cousin.”
Zachariah stood to greet her, and only retook his seat when she acknowledged him with a slight nod and a near imperceptible smile.
Bridgit did not stand, but they did exchange a slight bow of the head, seemingly on good terms with one another.
“M-milady! It is an honour to share a table with you!”
Apparently remembering his purpose there, Guy belatedly rose and bowed with clumsy enthusiasm, avoiding eye contact and holding his breath like the nervous schoolboy he was.
“Charmed. You may be seated.”
Seraphina spoke, her voice was as carefully manufactured as her clothing and physicality, though I could not deny the serene grace behind it.
Finally, all eyes turned to me expectantly.
“Rex. A pleasure.”
I kept it short and simply nodded at her as I removed my mask and placed it on the table next to my plate.
The servants shared some sharp whispers of disapproval, but the maid and Seraphina herself appeared unbothered. Was it my face, or the fact I left something on the table? I had no idea.
“Rex? As in Rex Jaeger, I presume? I have heard of you. Would you be so kind as to join me after this meal? I would very much appreciate the opportunity to speak with a Druid.”
Honestly, that sounded terrible for a variety of reasons. The biggest and most immediate would be the oppressive glare Uriel was directing towards me, but I also just wanted to be left alone for the day; I had things to do.
How does one politely decline the daughter of the host, who also happens to be the brother of the king?
“I would be happy to answer any questions here if it pleases you.”
That sounded good, right? A subtle rejection framed as if I were doing a favour.
“It does not please me. You shall grace me with your full, undivided attention, and I shall thank you for it.”
“...Seraphina, what nonsense—”
“Father. Were you not the one who suggested I ought to be considering marriage candidates? However would I undertake such a task with such limited experience with menfolk? Worry not for my chastity, for Gina shall, as ever, remain by my side.”
The maid nodded as her name was mentioned, her expression remained composed, as if her master's words weren't entirely unreasonable.
The table went quiet once more. I looked to Zachariah for aid, but he only stared back at me with his mouth agape.
It was the most awkward meal I had ever suffered through.
***
The meal dragged on, and not just because of the atmosphere. I swear, Uriel had been doing everything in his power to dismiss us. He went from discussing every individual class for both Bridgit and Zachariah to demanding that Guy tell an amusing story and even resorting to making us listen to situation reports that contained nothing of value.
Not only that, he had arranged for all the others to have their own quarters in the hidden underground area, but insisted I remain in the room next door to him. This room consisted of a single bed with a mattress harder than the frame it sat upon, and one chair positioned by a desk. That was it.
It probably served as a storage room at some point, and I wouldn't be surprised if Uriel had ordered his people to hastily clear it out while we ate just so he could isolate me there.
On top of that, there was a soldier posted right outside at all times. It wasn’t even subtle. I had just been imprisoned in this room by the second strongest man in the kingdom. And for what? His weirdo daughter making a single bizarre comment? This took helicopter parenting to a new level.
“Lady Seraphina Sol Lionheart requests an audience, master Jaeger.”
The maid's voice was a little louder than I felt was needed, but I opened the door regardless.
“...where is she?”
I looked down both sides of the hallway, but sure enough, Seraphina was not present.
“My lady desires to accommodate master Jaeger's particular inclinations towards nature, and wishes to walk with you where the air is fresh. I shall guide you to her if it pleases you.”
I could hear the grumbling coming from behind Uriel's door after Gina finished speaking. Was this why she chose to speak so loudly, even while I stood right before her? This maid appeared to be as slippery as her master.
“Sure, lead the way, I guess.”
She bowed low and led me back outside. As I took a closer look at the maid, I noticed something that had escaped me earlier. Two long furry ears were tied together and pushed flat down the back of her head, and ran beneath her collar.
A Leporidae Therian. But it looked like she was actively trying to downplay her features, unlike Felicia, who proudly displayed them. She probably wouldn't want a stranger poking into it, so I just kept my mouth shut as we walked.
Before long, I found that otherworldly beauty waiting for me by the statue of Skori. Thankfully, she had changed out of her lavish dress and instead wore a more casual attire of suit pants and a doublet. She had tied her sandy blonde hair back into a simple ponytail, and her make-up had been removed.
Yet, even this simple look did little to hinder her allure, and all the passers-by still clearly recognised her immediately.
She appeared to be occupied in filing her nails, but she soon met my eyes and approached.
“Sir Jaeger, thank you for humouring my whim.”
She greeted me with a curtsey, and I looked down at her with all the enthusiasm of a man on death row.
“If you're looking for a practice run in courtship, Guy would have been eager to be your guinea pig.”
“What is a guinea pig?”
She tilted her head quizzically and brushed her index finger against her soft pink lips.
“They're little furry potatoes that eat their own babies and sometimes their own limbs. At least, mine did.”
This was true, though it happened back on Earth. I had forgotten guinea pigs don't exist on Arden.
“That sounds positively repulsive. Regardless, I'm afraid only you can satisfy my desires, and I am not a lady who allows herself to go unsatisfied.”
She stepped in and looked up at me with her deep blue eyes, glittering like sapphires.
I nearly lost myself in them… until I remembered who her brother was.
“Alright, cut the shit. What do you want from me?”
I folded my arms, meeting her seductive gaze with plain indifference.
A moment passed in tense silence. It lingered just long enough for a weaker-willed man to falter, but I stood firmly against her.
Finally, her carefully crafted smile broke, and I caught a glimpse of the bemused vixen who hid behind the veil.
“Brother warned me you wouldn't be an easy catch, but I thought he was just trying to push me away from his only friend.”
She stepped back, instantly returning to her previous poised self. To any onlookers, the sudden shift would have been impossible to detect.
“Forgive the charade, but I am not as free to speak as it would appear. Come, walk with me for a while so that we may discuss our future.”
She lowered her voice upon saying that last part, but she had also timed it just as a soldier was stopping to bow to her. The way his eyes widened behind his visor and he suddenly turned 180 degrees to walk towards Uriel's direction told me all I needed to know.
“...you're as dangerous as your brother.”
I shook my head and laughed. It was all I could do when faced with such a crafty woman.
And so I decided to entertain whatever fancy she wanted to engage in, and held my arm out as a gentleman would. I was just copying what I often saw on TV, but the way she wrapped her small, delicate fingers around my biceps suggested this was appropriate here as well.
Although it seemed like I was the escort trying to court the fair maiden, she was the one subtly guiding me in the right direction. Gina followed along silently from behind.
“So tell me, Sir Jaeger, how is Az faring in school? Answer truthfully, but do keep your voice down, talk of my brother is forbidden around here.”
She kept close so that our conversation would not be overheard.
“He seems to be enjoying himself. But I assume you already know this if he somehow managed to tell you about me.”
“Our exchanges are brief and scarce, I'm afraid. And is it not typical for a brother to keep their sister in the dark regarding personal matters?”
She giggled as she turned her eyes up at me knowingly.
“...it can't be that brief if he was able to tell you that much about me.”
“Oh, you misunderstand. He speaks frequently of you, but little of himself. You left quite the impression on my elder brother, it would seem. It is to such a degree that what little parchment he manages to smuggle into my hands is largely covered with the word ‘Rex’. I was so pleased when my dear cousin took my hint and brought you to me. Now I finally have the chance to see what all the fuss is about personally.”
So was the real reason I had been brought along. I couldn't help but wonder what she could have said to get Zachariah to do as she wanted, and also to make him believe it was his idea.
“Well, here I am. Can I go now?”
I dug my feet in, but she had a strange way of encouraging my feet to move according to her desire, forcing me to follow begrudgingly.
“Trust me, I'm doing this for your benefit. It would be nice to wander the forest, but I doubt my father would allow us to leave the confines of these walls. Instead, how about I show you my ?”
“Stop with the innuendos and I'll go wherever you want.”
The way this girl could simultaneously play the flirt and the refined lady was throwing me off in a way Ada and Lily never could. Seriously, where were the normal girls of this world? Roland must have hit the jackpot with Maria based on the amount of nutjobs I somehow attracted.
She snickered again and led me to the back of the stable. She detached from my arm and swiftly cast a spell that caused the mountain to open up.
This was a much smaller entrance than what I saw previously, and there was no light source inside.
“Ladies first.”
I outright refused to be the first to walk into what could easily become my eternal tomb should she choose to shut me inside.
“My, such a gentleman.”
Luckily, she did indeed lead the way. She even conjured a small flame to illuminate the narrow passageway enough for all three of us to see.
“I carved this little tunnel out myself you know? It was hard work, but with my talents, it was doable. By the way, would you like to know my measurements?”
I didn't respond, because I felt that was too obvious of a trap.
“...of course we are talking of my mana measurements, were you perhaps thinking of something else?”
“No.”
Even when I remained quiet she tried to turn it against me.
“Well, no matter. Let me show you what I called you for.”
The narrow passage opened up after a few minutes of walking. It wasn't much, but at least the three of us had a little breathing room. A hole in the ceiling also appeared, allowing a ray of sunlight to descend upon Seraphina.
She quietly pointed upwards, and I followed her directions.
“Oh? Seraphina… you have quite a bit of explaining to do.”
The sun was suddenly blocked out, but the light from Seraphina's magic allowed us to see the invader clearly.
The blood red carapace covering the slender yet sharp frame of an eight-legged arachnid entered our view and descended eagerly upon us. He had undergone a drastic change since I last saw him, but I recognised this visceranid through his soul alone.
“As do you, Vek.”
The creature clicked its mandibles together in excitement before latching onto me.
