HEO 63

They don’t seem wary of this side. Then again, if they had ears, they must have heard Black Weasel’s nonsense.

But must it be done this way? Even the prince was in that state.

Black Weasel shuffled toward the warriors. The warriors’ aura, revealed in the moonlight, was as deadly as an axe stained with blood and flesh. The man at the very front stood out. He was the only one unarmed, holding no torch. Just an axe at his waist. Even standing still with his back to them, he radiated such an intense aura that the scars etched into his face were easy to imagine. His robe was stained with dirt and blood, the stitches burst open, but it was obvious. He was the leader.

“Warriors, might you spare a torch for a hungry family? We’ve been robbed of even our flint by bandits…”

Black Weasel babbled as he approached the warriors. Silver tensed. Idiot! Slow down!

As expected, the warriors flinched in unison, hands darting to their waists. Axes could have flown at any moment. The instant Silver reached inside his robe, the man at the front quickly raised an arm. The warriors immediately took a step back. That man was indeed the leader.

The leader placed both hands on his hips and turned slowly. Reddish-gold hair. A stiff goatee. His face, roughly the same age as Black Weasel, was covered in more scars than Silver had imagined. Unlike Black Weasel, who enjoyed popularity with the ladies, this man looked like the sort whose wife would flee without a second thought on their wedding night.

The leader scanned Black Weasel up and down. His raised eyebrows quickly dropped.

“You got robbed with that build? Is that axe at your waist just for show?”

“It is. I wear it to avoid looking weak, but bandits aren’t fooled. They didn’t take it because the blade’s dull, but if you wish, warrior, I’ll trade it for your torch.”

Black Weasel replied with feigned innocence. The leader snorted and waved his hand dismissively.

“I don’t need it. Keep it.”

“That’s a shame. Um, but won’t the next king and queen be disembarking here?”

“Why? Hmph, planning to snitch on us?”

“No! Absolutely not! I just wondered if I’d ever get another chance in my life to see the royal couple, given my lowly status.”

“Damn it, face like stone but acting like a feather. There, move out.”

The leader gave a nod. The warriors trudged on. Their torches illuminated the surroundings. Shadows stretched long and serpentine in the light. Black Weasel slipped closer to a warrior walking at the rear.

“Warriors, you’re going to raid an empty house, right? Could you take us along too…”

“We’re scouting!”

The leader at the front barked.

“You can follow us. But if you open that mouth to spout nonsense one more time, I’ll chop it off with this axe.”

Black Weasel quickly backed away while waving both hands. Only the sound of boots hitting the ground mingled with the fog in the silence. They followed the warriors at a distance of about five paces. This was safe enough to speak quietly and advantageous for fleeing if needed. Except for Red Eagle.

Silver looked at him from the corner of his eye. Red Eagle was being dragged along by Wolf, nearly out of his mind. Escaping like that was impossible. Wolf, who was protecting the prince as if he were his own child, would surely give up on escape too.

Silver counted the warriors. Twenty-one. He had twenty-seven daggers hidden in his robe. He could take them all down. If luck was on his side.

Meanwhile, they entered the village. Wherever the torchlight reached, bloodstains and mangled corpses were revealed. The warriors’ pace slowed.

“Judging by the cut surfaces, it’s not the work of beasts…”

The warriors murmured as they shone torches on the corpses.

“Animal teeth or claws couldn’t make cuts like that. There’s no sign of the bodies being torn apart either.”

“Looks like those warrior nobodies having their victory party here caused trouble, just like the rumors said. But how could a human have this kind of strength…”

“It’s not human strength. It’s the power of drugs. Drugs make you strong as a bear, right? Those bastards are probably groaning in muscle pain by now.”

He spoke lightly, but his tone was firm. Everyone looked shocked at the sight of the bodies, even the children who were usually spared, now horribly mutilated. Walking further, they came to a path leading to the open-air baths. This was where they had been torn apart all at once earlier. A little further away, an inn came into view. Dogs barked furiously at the slightly open door. Every window was completely covered in blood, making the interior impossible to see.

Suddenly, the leader stopped.

“Hey. Over there.”

The leader gestured toward the inn door. A warrior shone his torch at the doorway. Something lay tangled in the crack of the door. Round like a ball a child had discarded after play, it was the head of a warrior with his sides shaved.

A brief silence fell. The first to move was the leader. He walked toward the inn, kicked the door, and stepped inside. The warriors followed. Black Weasel and the three boys remained silent where they stood. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, Red Eagle started crying. Wolf quickly hugged Red Eagle and whispered in his ear, “It’s fine, Your Highness. I’m here.”

Inside the blood-spattered window, light flickered chaotically. The creaking of wooden floors, the thud of something falling, and curses shook the inn for a while as the cold winter wind blew in. The warriors finally emerged from the inn after a long time. Their faces were all frozen. Even the men who had been identified as prime suspects were all found dead. It was enough to make their soul leave their body.

The leader placed both hands on his hips and kicked the dirt floor. He glared at the inn for a moment, then raised one hand.

“Pairs. Find survivors. Search only while one candle burns. Assemble here.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the warriors split into pairs and scattered in different directions. The leader turned to look this way.

“Aren’t you going to raid the empty houses? You said you were hungry.”

“Well, um, I feel, like…”

Black Weasel pretended to ramble incoherently. Maybe it wasn’t an act.

The leader chuckled softly, then threw something. Black Weasel snatched it up with a pickpocket’s quickness. It was a rye bread loaf.

“I felt sorry for that whiny son of yours, so I brought it.”

Several pieces of jerky also flew over. This time, Silver snatched them up quickly. When he offered the jerky to Wolf, the latter turned his face away.

Well, chewing meat in a place like this is a talent reserved for bottom-feeders like us.

The leader whistled at the dogs. They came running, each with long tear tracks streaking their faces. As he tore off pieces of jerky for the dogs, the leader muttered to himself.

“Last night’s dream was strange…”

“When terrible things are about to happen, a nightmare comes first.”

Black Weasel offered rye bread to Red Eagle. Red Eagle clutched the hem of Wolf’s robe, and clenched his jaw. Without offering a second time, Black Weasel chewed the rye bread.

The leader stroked the dogs.

“Did you also have a nightmare last night like me?”

“I only saw a woman with big butt. I slept after smoking hallucinogenic herbs. If I’d had a nightmare, I’d have braced myself for a day of bad luck.”

“You’re a smooth talker.”

The leader slowly raised his head. A dark shadow lay beneath his eyes as he looked at Black Weasel.

“But you lot. The widower in the wolfskin and you in the black robe. You’ve cut off a lot of people’s heads.”

It was a direct and blunt, like a dagger.

Silver’s hand, tearing at the jerky, froze. Black Weasel didn’t bat an eyelash as he retorted.

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“That wolf pelt you’re wearing. Why did the bandits leave it behind? It looks perfect for wearing in the dead of winter.”

“I guess they were considerate of a widower with three kids.”

“Surprising that such warm-hearted bandits exist in Stoll. That black robe there, the hem barely flutters even in the biting wind? Hmph, you’ve got tools stuffed into the lining. Prove me wrong if I’m mistaken, lift the robe.”

“You saw correctly.”

Black Weasel retreated without hesitation.

“You have a keen eye. Why did you let us deceive you?”

“First, those two sons of yours look like genuine fools. Second, I was curious why you keep searching for the next king and queen.”