Saga of the Two-World Emperor
Volume 1: A Spark in the Ashes
Chapter 15 – Dust and Whispers of the Mountain
The carriage wheels ground against the rough, dirt road, their monotonous sound a tedious rhythm that marked the passage of a long, two-day journey. Adrian sat alone in the cramped passenger compartment. He paid no attention to the sight of the rolling grasslands and forests moving past the window, his focus instead entirely on an old, leather-bound text he had brought with him.
It was a tome on "Geology and the Science of Minerals" procured by Finn. It was knowledge that most in this era would deem useless, but for Aden… it was a weapon.
Opposite him was an empty seat. Garrick, the guard captain and his "warden," had chosen to sit outside with the carriage driver. It was a clear statement of distance, an expression that he was not here as a traveling companion, but as an observer.
Adrian allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.
*A wise decision… Staying in my sight at all times might cause him to inadvertently reveal information.*
The journey proceeded in silence, broken only by brief stops for simple meals and to rest the horses. During these breaks, Adrian attempted to engage Garrick in conversation, testing and probing the man.
"Have you served the Walther family for long, Sir Garrick?" Adrian asked during their first night's campfire.
Garrick, who was sharpening his sword, paused for a fraction of a second before replying in his usual flat tone, without looking up.
"Twenty-three years, Second Young Master."
"Longer than I've been alive," Adrian said with a smile. "You must have seen a great deal… especially the family's former glory."
"I have," Garrick replied curtly.
"My father was once a great knight… but now…" Adrian feigned a sigh. "I hope my brother, Demian, can restore that honor to our family name."
He deliberately mentioned Demian to gauge Garrick's reaction. The middle-aged man remained as still as a stone statue, only the hand sharpening the blade stopped for a brief moment.
*Excellent emotional control… or perhaps he no longer feels anything for this family besides his duty.* Adrian thought.
He focused his mind, subtly projecting his "Emperor's Will," a faint aura of pressure, not to intimidate, but to observe.
In that instant… Garrick's hand, which was holding the whetstone, tensed visibly. He took a deep breath and looked up, meeting Adrian's eyes for the first time. His gaze wasn't fearful, but it was filled with surprise and extreme wariness.
Adrian immediately retracted his power. He smiled weakly and let out a soft cough.
"Cough… cough… It seems the night air is too cold for me. I think I shall rest now."
He feigned a stumble as he walked back to the carriage, leaving Garrick sitting alone, wrestling with a strange sensation he had never felt in his life.
*That boy… what in the world is he?*
On the third day of their journey, the landscape began to change. The lush green fields gradually gave way to dry, reddish-brown earth. The trees grew sparse, and the air became filled with the faint smell of dust and sulfur. They were approaching the mining region.
Finally… the carriage rolled into a small town named "Rustfang."
The state of the town was even worse than Adrian had imagined. The sight of dilapidated wooden houses, roads riddled with potholes, and townspeople with lifeless faces greeted them. Everyone looked thin and wore old, tattered clothes. An atmosphere of despair hung heavy over the entire town.
The carriage stopped in front of what appeared to be the mine's office, the largest building in town, but just as rundown as the rest.
A burly man walked out to meet them. He had a thick beard and a perpetual scowl on his face. He looked at Adrian, who was stepping out of the carriage with some difficulty, with a disdainful gaze.
"I'm Borin, the foreman here," he said in a gruff voice. "Lord Cornelius sent… a boy… to solve our problems? What kind of joke is this?"
"My name is Adrian Walther," Adrian introduced himself, his voice calm and even, showing no offense at the man's insulting tone. "And this is Sir Garrick, my escort."
Borin grunted noncommittally.
"Follow me… I'll show you to our 'graveyard'."
He led them to the entrance of the "Rust Serpent Mine," which was not far. It was a large, dark cave mouth that looked as menacing as the maw of a beast. Old, rusted mine cart tracks and piles of broken tools were scattered about haphazardly.
"This is it… the mine that used to be the heart of this town," Borin said, spitting on the ground. "We used to pull high-quality iron ore from here every single day. But two years ago… the iron vein just… vanished."
"Vanished?" Adrian repeated.
"Yeah, vanished," Borin replied, exasperated. "Like it was never there. We tried digging deeper, tried digging sideways… found nothing but plain rock. It's like the mountain is cursed."
He pointed to a few miners sitting listlessly nearby.
"We have less than twenty workers left now… just digging up whatever low-quality scraps we can find to get by. It won't be long… before this town becomes a ghost town."
Adrian stood silently, taking in all the information. He stared into the dark cave mouth… then turned to look at the sun setting behind the mountains.
He showed no signs of despair or shock, as Borin and even Garrick had expected. Instead, he had an expression of calm, deep thought.
"We will begin inspecting the mine tomorrow," Adrian finally said. "But tonight… I have a request for you, Foreman Borin."
"What is it now?" Borin asked, clearly annoyed.
"I wish to speak with the oldest miner in this town. The one who has worked in this mine since it was prosperous… the one who remembers the old stories and legends of this mountain."
The unexpected request made both Borin and Garrick frown in confusion.
Instead of asking for mine blueprints or geological data… this boy wanted to listen to an old man's fairy tales?
But Adrian paid no mind to their reactions. He continued to stare at the dark mine entrance… where the strange noises from Finn's report might be heard in just a few hours.
*I already have the geological data… what I need now… is the data that isn't written in any book.*
(End of Chapter 15)