Chapter 40: The Eve of Departure
The guards at the gate barred the way for Leon and Lilia. Their eyes darted back and forth between the two.
A youth in plain traveler's clothes accompanied by a girl wrapped head-to-toe in oversized, heavy plate armor—no matter how you looked at it, the pair was suspicious.
"Identify yourselves," a guard demanded, his grip tightening on his halberd.
"I'm the Hero," Leon replied with a yawn, tossing the title out as if it were a common greeting.
The two guards stiffened instantly. The hands holding their halberds trembled. They exchanged a frantic look before snapping to attention in perfect unison, slamming the butts of their weapons against the stone.
"Please follow me, Lord Hero!" one of them barked, spinning around to lead the way. His attitude had done a complete 180-degree flip.
Lilia followed behind Leon, her gaze drifting from the guard's back to the clean cobblestone streets. She took in the aroma of fresh bread wafting from the bakeries and the sounds of children laughing as they chased each other through the alleys. Everyone here wore an expression called "life."
The citizens of Iron Fortress had once worn those same expressions.
Lilia's footsteps slowed as they passed a flower shop. A woman in an elegant, simple dress was arranging a bouquet. Her movements were gentle, and though her profile carried a trace of lingering exhaustion, her natural beauty was unmistakable.
It was Lady Lino, the former Mistress of Iron Fortress.
"Oh, a flower shop," Leon remarked, glancing sideways. "Pretty nice. You want one? Maybe if you stick it in your helmet, it'll cover up that swamp stinking up your armor."
Lilia ignored his teasing. She spoke softly, almost to herself. "Iron Fortress... it should have looked like this, too."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Leon said, reaching over to rap his knuckles against her helmet. Clang. "Save the tragic backstory for later. We need to see the local Count and handle the real business first."
Lilia fell silent and followed him into the heart of the city.
Count's Castle, The Study.
Count Barton sat behind a desk buried under mountains of paperwork. The dark circles under his eyes were so heavy they nearly reached his cheekbones. He looked up at the two people entering, his gaze lingering on Leon for a moment.
Too young.
Is this truly the 'Hope' dispatched by the Capital?
"Can you provide proof of your identity as the Hero?" Barton asked, his voice weak from fatigue.
Leon didn't say a word. He simply reached into the empty air with his right hand and made a grasping motion. There was no ripple in space, no flashy burst of light. A one-handed sword simply manifested in his grip. The blade was ancient and plain, devoid of any ornate decoration.
Barton sat bolt upright. He could feel it—the moment that sword appeared, the very air in the study solidified. An invisible pressure descended, making it difficult to draw breath.
A Holy Sword. There was no mistake.
"Happy now?" Leon asked, dismissing the sword back into the void as if it were a cheap parlor trick. "Now, can you give me a proper briefing on the situation in Iron Fortress?"
"Of course." Barton recounted the intelligence brought back by the scouts, word for word.
A Tier 4 Undead Lord.
An infinite sea of low-tier skeletons.
Leon rubbed his chin as he listened. "Just one Tier 4?" his tone was remarkably relaxed. "Sounds like a total shut-in."
"It's not a problem. We'll finish this quickly. I should be back in time for dinner."
Barton looked at Leon's nonchalant attitude, and the lecture he had prepared died in his throat. "Lord Hero... may I ask what your odds of victory are?"
"One hundred percent," Leon answered without a second thought.
Barton's heart, which had been hanging by a thread, finally settled halfway. Regardless of the young man's personality, such confidence could only stem from overwhelming power.
"Lord Hero, I have one personal favor to ask of you."
"Speak," Leon said, looking like he was all ears.
"I had a dear friend who sacrificed himself in the defense of that city. His son is named Reinhard, and he is currently here in Jade Territory. Would you... be willing to take him with you to Iron Fortress? I want him to witness the moment his home is reclaimed with his own eyes. It would mean the world to him."
"I already have one drag to look after," Leon sighed.
Barton stood up, pulled a heavy coin purse from a drawer, and pushed it toward Leon with both hands. "I beg of you." The usually dignified Lord lowered his head. "And please, do not tell Reinhard about this arrangement."
Leon's eyes fell on the purse. He reached forward. A flash of joy flickered on Barton's face.
Then Leon pushed the purse back. "In exchange, you're buying me the most expensive dinner in this city tonight."
Leon turned and headed for the door. Barton watched his back, unable to resist asking one more time: "Will you win?"
Leon opened the door, looking at Lilia who was waiting outside. Without turning back, his voice drifted into the room.
"We'll win."
In the castle's reception hall, Reinhard sat as stiff as a board. Ever since he had heard rumors of the Hero's arrival, he had been waiting here. He had to seize this chance.
Footsteps approached. Reinhard looked up to see an elderly man in a butler's uniform leading a man and a woman toward him.
It was Hal. Though Hal was no longer his butler after his father's death, the old man still insisted on helping out at his mother's flower shop every day, handling whatever chores he could. Hal gave Reinhard an encouraging smile and patted the boy's shoulder.
"Good luck, Young Master." With that, Hal bowed and withdrew.
"So, you're Reinhard?" Leon asked, sizing up the boy standing straight with a face full of nerves.
"Yes!" Reinhard nodded instantly, introducing himself at breakneck speed. "I am Reinhard! A Tier 2 Magic User! I can provide powerful long-range support! I've also practiced swordsmanship and I'm quite strong—I can carry your luggage! Please, you must let me join the subjugation!"
Lilia looked at Reinhard and saw her past self from only a few days ago. The fire burning in his eyes was identical to hers.
"A Tier 2 Mage?" Leon looked surprised at the boy, who couldn't have been older than fourteen. "At your age? Not bad."
Reinhard's heart leaped.
"However," Leon's tone shifted as he asked a completely unrelated question. "Can you cook?"
"Huh?" Reinhard blinked.
Leon pointed a thumb at Lilia. "Her cooking tastes like my grandma's two-year-old apple pie. It's lethal."
Lilia's cheeks flushed red, and she muttered a weak defense. "I just haven't done it in a while, I'm just a bit rusty..."
Reinhard had no idea what was going on, but he nodded frantically. "Yes! I can cook! Please leave it to me!"
As long as he could go to Iron Fortress, he didn't care if he was a cook or a stable hand.
"Excellent," Leon clapped his hands. "Welcome to the Hero's Party. We rest today and move out tomorrow. Now, dismissed! I'm going to tour the city and investigate the local tavern culture!"
With that, Leon strolled away on his own. Lilia's gaze softened as she looked at Reinhard. She stepped forward and said, "Don't mind him. He's just like that."
On the streets of Jade Territory, Leon walked at the front with great enthusiasm. Lilia followed, clutching the warhammer she had just retrieved from the blacksmith's maintenance. Reinhard trailed behind like a nervous sidekick.
"Seriously, can't you two 'Avengers' relax a bit? The tavern! It's a sanctuary for adventurers! A hub of intelligence! You can't just skip it!" Leon complained over his shoulder.
"I need to train," Lilia replied simply.
"I... I need to consult the archives," Reinhard added, finding an excuse.
"Boring! You're both so boring!"
As the three of them bickered, a passerby hurried past, accidentally bumping into Leon's shoulder.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Leon barked.
"Apologies, apologies," the man muttered, head down as he hurried away, quickly merging back into the crowd.
That man was Karl, one of the scouts who had escaped from Iron Fortress.
In the brief moment he brushed past Leon, a faint, imperceptible red light flickered in Karl's eyes before vanishing. He ducked into a deserted alleyway, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes.
Through the Soul Link, General Greed's voice rang directly in his mind:
[Guide the Hero and his party toward the plains. We will be waiting for them there.]
[As you command. For the Empire.]
☆☆☆
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you