Kael pushed the heavy oak doors open, the hinges groaning in protest. The warmth of the hall rushed against him, carrying the smell of fresh bread.
At the long table near the hearth sat two men.
Rhys, the guard captain, looked as though he had slept in his armor. His dark hair was tied back in a rough knot, a stubble shadowing his jaw. His eyes had dark circles under them.
Beside him sat the majordomo, Eldric, dressed in a plain dark robe. His quill and ledger rested at his elbow, a half-filled goblet of watered wine beside it. The same dark circles were present under everyone's eyes.
He sat at the table, and a servant moved quickly to set a wooden plate before him. Kael gave a quiet nod of thanks before lifting his eyes to the men across from him.
"Where is Sir Lucas?" he asked.
The servant who had brought the food bowed his head slightly. "He will be here shortly, milord."
Kael just nodded and started eating the food in front of him. It was fresh bread and some kind of meat stew. A far cry from the meals he'd grown used to at the Count's mansion, but not unpleasant. He spooned a mouthful, the warmth settling in his chest as the silence stretched across the table.
Rhys and Eldric's eyes lingered on the faint pattern that protruded just above Kael's collar, though neither said a word. If they noticed, they gave no sign of understanding. More likely, they didn't know what it meant.
Rhys drummed his fingers lightly on the rim of his cup, the sound dull against the wood. Eldric sat with his hands folded neatly, his expression unreadable as always. Neither spoke, waiting for Kael to finish eating.
A few minutes later, the door opened and Sir Lucas stepped inside. His armor was polished but bore the faint scratches of the recent battle, a bandage wrapped tightly around his shoulder where the plates didn't quite cover. When he reached the table, he gave Kael a slight bow before taking his seat. Without a word, he drew the bowl of stew toward him and began to eat.
It was a strange habit, one he hadn't planned. The first time he had breakfast in the hall, exhaustion had overtaken him, and he'd eaten first before saying a word. Since then, it had become a small rule everyone followed without thinking. Even now, he savored the simple rhythm. First food, then talk.
When he finished eating, Lucas was still at his stew, methodical and unhurried. Kael waited patiently, eyes flicking around the hall. Finally, Lucas pushed the empty bowl aside and looked up, his gaze falling on the faint cyan pattern just visible beneath Kael's coat. A small, knowing smile touched his lips.
"Congratulations, Lord," he said quietly.
"Thanks," Kael said, his fingers brushing the mark beneath his coat as he spoke. "How is your shoulder?"
As he asked, he felt the mark, responding to his intent.
Lucas gave a small, tired smile, wincing slightly as he shifted. "It's better," he replied. "It'll be good in no time."
He didn't feel anything, which meant Lucas wasn't lying. He wanted to test it out, to see how the mark would react when someone was lying. But Lucas didn't.
Kael just nodded, then asked, "So, what's the report on the damages and injuries?"
Lucas winced, clearly unsure, and looked toward Rhys. Rhys cleared his throat before he spoke, "The damage is significant. In some sections, the palisade is completely ruined, and we'll need to replace it." He paused, letting the weight of the statement settle.
Kael tapped his fingers on the table, counting the options in his head before speaking. "So… we'll need to organize another expedition into the forest to harvest wood."
Rhys just nodded. Lucas and Eldric exchanged thoughtful glances before also nodding. Lucas then added, "We need to do it soon, before the next attack."
He wasn't too disturbed by that. He was far more powerful now, or at least he could use more spells. The next harvest wouldn't be as difficult as the first. They could even stay close to the villagers, because he was confident he could protect them if anything unexpected happened. Splitting up wouldn't be necessary.
Probably, he thought.
"How much wood do we need?" Kael asked in thought.
This time, it was Eldric who answered, "I talked with the carpenter, it would take about 30 to 50 trees to replace the damaged sections. So we would need at least 30 trees that are about 4 meters tall."
"So, how much time would we need to harvest it?" Lucas asked.
"With the injured guards and exhausted villagers, we'll need more than a day," Eldric said.
Kael nodded, "Organize the men, we can spend a few hours today."
"Yes, my Lord," Eldric replied.
Kael glanced at Rhys.
He nodded and continued, "Two more of the guards died in the night." He paused, and no one spoke for a few moments.
Then continued, "We are also running low on arrows, the fletcher is making more, but he would need time to refill our supplies. The ladder for the watchtower should be completed today. We are still checking the traps and resetting the ones that were used.
Kael kept nodding, still feeling like he wasn't even qualified to run a shop, let alone a village. Yet he was trying his best, sorting through every piece of information they gave him.
He could make far more traps now, and he intended to. That was the least he could do. For the other matters they raised, he wasn't sure what he could even contribute. He had no real experience. So he listened carefully, weighing their advice, and approved whichever decisions seemed the most reasonable.
More topics were brought up: the corpses of the shadowfangs, the funerals, and the state of the village's morale. Since shadowfangs were edible, they decided to smoke the meat and harvest the pelts for when a trader visited the village. The funerals would be held the following day, with the majordomo overseeing the preparations. As for the villagers' morale, they agreed to hold a small feast featuring the shadowfangs' meat.
To celebrate their "victory," though it hardly felt like one, they needed to boost morale. Times were hard, but they hoped to get through them soon.
"The scouts reported that we should expect the next attack in two to three days. They also spotted the shadowfang leading them. The next attack will be worse than the first."
The hall fell silent for a moment after Rhys finished speaking. The weight of the news pressed down on them, heavy and unspoken.
Lucas let out a low whistle, shifting slightly in his seat. He rubbed at the bandaged shoulder with one hand, eyes narrowing as if calculating how much danger they might face. "Fuck," he muttered, almost to himself.
Eldric straightened in his chair, adjusting the sleeve of his robe. His gaze flicked to the ledger and back to Kael, worry furrowing his brow. "We'll need to prepare… everything," he said quietly, almost like a prayer.
Kael leaned back, tapping a finger against the wood of the table. Great. More chaos. Just what I needed, he thought, a trace of dry humor in the heaviness. Outwardly, he kept his expression calm, forcing his mind to sift through every possible option, every precaution, every contingency.
But he came up with nothing; he was too green for this. This time, he could do more than he did the last time. He had the power to change the fight, but he was still a mortal. After using his mana, he would still be useless. He didn't know how to lead them in the chaos. But at least he could prevent some deaths.
"So, do we have a better plan than last time?" he asked.
There was silence for a few seconds before Lucas spoke.
Lucas shifted slightly, running a hand over his bandaged shoulder, but his voice was steady. "We can add spikes inside the walls, right next to them. When they try to get over… they'll fall onto the spikes."
He let the idea hang in the air for a moment, eyes flicking to Kael as if searching for approval. "It should slow them down and give us a window to strike back. But… we need to make sure they're positioned correctly, or it won't work."
Kael noticed the tension in his shoulders and the faint shadow of doubt in his gaze. He was still the same competent knight, but recent losses had tempered his confidence.
Kael glanced at Rhys, then Rhys spoke up, "That... would work," he said. "Yes, that will work," he then added, as if making up his mind.
"Perfect," Kael commented, "Try to get more ideas about the defences, and run it through me or Rhys," he added.
He knew Lucas was competent, but he was doubting himself, so he left the defences of the village in the hands of Captain Rhys. He knew the man was competent.
He wanted to test out his mark, but failed spectacularly. No one tried lying to him. At least that was something.