The two Velox pawed at each other impatiently. Edulis's cart had left the grasslands and entered the Casbah Desert, the largest desert on the continent. 99Please respect copyright.PENANALV8Jh7tOJ1
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The sands of the Casbah are beautiful. White as a snowflake, soft as silk, it sparkles like quartz in the sunlight. But that sparkle poses a great threat to the Erabu who cross it. It can blind them.99Please respect copyright.PENANAp5nzvrwwPP
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He should have pulled his hood over his eyes, but right now Kishi couldn't afford to. A silver-haired boy was leaning his elbow on his shoulder. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAfH8LTsp7hh
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Kishi turned his head slightly to check the boy's hands. He wasn't holding a sword, so what was this cold on the nape of his neck? 99Please respect copyright.PENANA5gU5N5Dosr
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He'd been an erabu for over a decade, but he'd never seen anything like this. Most of the Ygraine clan are depressed and lethargic. It's only natural. It's hard to be cheerful when you're trapped in a place like Kaldura and oppressed by the state.99Please respect copyright.PENANACjiQnT8W6q
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But this boy, Edulis, is more than energetic, he is radiating. Kishi's Erabu senses were warning him. This bastard has killed a man or two before.99Please respect copyright.PENANALcc3iBPhUy
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"No. It can't be.” 99Please respect copyright.PENANA3j0m2pUJ71
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The other guy was twelve years old. He's never been outside of Kaldura, except to visit the Temple Memorial. Kishi ignored the alarm bells ringing in his senses and tried to sound nonchalant. 99Please respect copyright.PENANATj87GYi0Tj
99Please respect copyright.PENANA0o7vtIB6za
"Ha! This is ridiculous. You want me to hand over the Velox? Why would I take such a bet?"99Please respect copyright.PENANADgXC4GZUBP
"Hey, mister. Weren't you confident? Is Erabus Kishi a man who can't even stand by his words?"99Please respect copyright.PENANAYyTXjJsOiY
99Please respect copyright.PENANAfKA5QMG6js
That face. The smirking tone. Even if he belonged to the Igraine faction, he was, by name, a member of the Fei family. Where did he learn such insolence?99Please respect copyright.PENANATyK3ytx8z9
99Please respect copyright.PENANAfOPY74HsfH
"There's no point in making a bet with someone who's going to die anyway!"99Please respect copyright.PENANAld70JOP9S6
99Please respect copyright.PENANA6kC15p2t3R
"You're not making a bet because you're going to die, or are you admitting there's a chance you're wrong?"99Please respect copyright.PENANAvhWMKAfL56
99Please respect copyright.PENANArEHYfqRNvk
"There's no chance of that!"99Please respect copyright.PENANA9sYsk0zlba
99Please respect copyright.PENANAcOt3B4xpPJ
"Then what, are you intimidated by me, mister, are you a coward who's being pecked by a twelve-year-old, haha!"
Edulis turned his head toward the lifeless relative sitting next to him and said in a sarcastic tone.99Please respect copyright.PENANACVuaHlqOt1
99Please respect copyright.PENANAZjn0qkpzPN
"Hey, go back and spread the word. That Erabu Kishi is an asshole who doesn't have the balls to bet with a twelve-year-old."99Please respect copyright.PENANAS8F0FWZEND
"What, what did you say?"99Please respect copyright.PENANABNqJZCVS48
99Please respect copyright.PENANAVJoJCMlYUu
"How are you doing so far? Aren't you scared to cross the Casbah Desert? Oh... I thought I smelled something fishy, but it must have been Kishi's piss on the saddle. Hey, buddy, spread the word. Kissy's wagon smells like Kishi's pee!"99Please respect copyright.PENANAzGsPTkKFXD
99Please respect copyright.PENANAYZOHlFl2VO
Kishi's face turned red. Fueled by rising anger, veins popped on his neck. He couldn't articulate his words properly due to excessive excitement. Edulis had touched upon Kishi's pride. In Erabus society, courage was the most valued virtue. Once marked as a coward, it was challenging to find opportunities.99Please respect copyright.PENANAsjK48bnP3L
99Please respect copyright.PENANAoMCB5WaxzI
If word of what Edulis said was to spread among the Erabu, other Erabu would immediately come forward to take Kishi's job. They'd say things like99Please respect copyright.PENANA0oPe5zsjk6
99Please respect copyright.PENANAwt4737FKfD
"Hey, I don't think a guy who's intimidated by a 12-year-old can get to and from Kaldura, so I'm taking it now.99Please respect copyright.PENANAH1A6PHBcWG
99Please respect copyright.PENANAOURkbg2Ax2
After that, it doesn't matter what excuses Kishi makes. It is the opinion of most Erabu that a coward's words are not worth listening to.99Please respect copyright.PENANAO87Cez5Qhd
99Please respect copyright.PENANAET0M38zQ1V
Edulis was well aware of this. As far as he was concerned, Erabu was easy to manipulate. All he had to do was scratch their egos and they would bend to his will.99Please respect copyright.PENANAQKsapFVMm8
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"You... you bastard!"99Please respect copyright.PENANAYzGOn7hdwE
99Please respect copyright.PENANAsmBKEk4a47
Blood rose to Kishi's eyes. "You've never set foot outside of Kaldura, you've never seen how brave Lord Bosha's descendants are, and you've never heard of the fear of a dragon!"99Please respect copyright.PENANAS7SFUPcAgR
"Indeed. I'd like to see that." Edulis said with a smirk. That stirred Kishi's anger even more. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAxDP5b27yEL
99Please respect copyright.PENANAfHpeN5gsPW
"When Mr. Lagarde swings his sword, the ground within ten paces around him is set ablaze! When Mr. Yug smashes his hammer, a giant pit appears in the ground as if a star had fallen! When Lord Kurjina raises his staff, spears of lightning fly, and if you stand in front of them, you will die a terrible death!"99Please respect copyright.PENANAHzJ6XLTnOa
"No, sir."99Please respect copyright.PENANA1eoq1DfjWe
99Please respect copyright.PENANAwo0ZaJ1FHo
Edulis scratched the back of his head and threw up his hands in boredom. 99Please respect copyright.PENANALfHptCr6Zi
99Please respect copyright.PENANAWApvT070Ic
"What’s with all this chit-chat? So, are you going to take the bet or not?"99Please respect copyright.PENANAcKuq1BBQyO
"...Fine. When you die, I will kick your tombstone and piss on your ashes!"99Please respect copyright.PENANA2Jp1y5jdnN
"Whatever. Then, swear to Assyria."99Please respect copyright.PENANAR1zva2B4Fi
99Please respect copyright.PENANADMNLsfbD7U
An oath to Assyria. It is the most effective means of guaranteeing the fulfillment of a contract. Assyria is the goddess of truth, and if you fail to honor an oath made in her name, your head will fall off at that moment. 99Please respect copyright.PENANASwTlz9eV9J
99Please respect copyright.PENANAfYuG1zZ3A3
"You... how do you know about the oath to Assyria?"99Please respect copyright.PENANAKkK3z8KX18
"It's none of your business, go ahead."99Please respect copyright.PENANAUsEZ7pOn03
Kishi is quiet. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAreCUzpP5Yh
99Please respect copyright.PENANAOnhVeNgybt
The Oath to Assyria is common knowledge on the continent, but the problem is that it's also magic. Ygraine Clan does not have a spellbook. How is it that a child of Ygraine Clane, who has no access to magic until he joins the Festival of Saints, already knows this oath?99Please respect copyright.PENANAuXQPX6eZKH
Kishi questioned, but his pride wouldn't allow him to come this far and say otherwise. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAuuSON0GAAq
99Please respect copyright.PENANAB3hyQhIxk5
He put his right hand to his chest and said Assyria's name. Blood flowed from his pinky finger, drawing a red band across it. It was a sign that Assyria would watch over the fulfillment of this oath. 99Please respect copyright.PENANA0vsAGYIkBc
99Please respect copyright.PENANA6vqj4zp0QY
"Justice will prevail. As Bosha defeated Ygraine, so will those who carry the blood of heroes slaughter the offspring of the insolent witch. Your soul shall not rest in peace in death!" 99Please respect copyright.PENANADppxsi3kDu
99Please respect copyright.PENANAASmxDyuYvd
"Ah, well. You talk too much. You're usually called a loudmouth, aren't you?"
Kishi snorted as loud as Velox's prancing. He wanted to snap at Edulis, but he couldn't think of the right words, so he just glared at his face.99Please respect copyright.PENANA9WhOYWJyJd
99Please respect copyright.PENANAHG9bbX8J3M
"Hey, mister, can you drive properly? The Velox on the right is looking elsewhere. If you're not focused, he might too."99Please respect copyright.PENANACvrjeJUENn
99Please respect copyright.PENANAvHyYiv566c
Edulis said as he patted Kishi on the shoulder. Kishi's face was so red he thought it might explode, but what could he do? It was part of his contract with the Fae family to arrive in Vaidor on time. Kishi grimaced and tugged on Velox's reins. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAD4x9jzdl0Q
99Please respect copyright.PENANA0gFZ1BBKSE
Afterward, Edulis lay down on the wagon with his hood over his head. He lay cross-legged, seemingly at peace with the world. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAkc5Cxdr53A
Then, the boy who had been sitting there as if dead spoke to him. His voice was as small as a mosquito's.99Please respect copyright.PENANAQtNnc2CbcT
99Please respect copyright.PENANA8tIoTuraRT
"What are you going to do?"
"Oh, you can talk?"
"You’ll survive if you bang your head...Do you know what that means? You’re going to beat all six of them."
"Yeah, I'm thinking about it."99Please respect copyright.PENANALOX4iwqaS8
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"That's... we can't......."99Please respect copyright.PENANAZIsKpVnpwX
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At the boy's words, Edulis chuckled.99Please respect copyright.PENANAf9jphPirpW
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"There's something we need to do in St. Trisis."99Please respect copyright.PENANAXOhP3t0mzS
99Please respect copyright.PENANAHru631V1EC
The boy looked at Edulis with pity in his eyes. He seemed to think he was a little off his game. Regardless, Edulis shifted his position, trying to find a comfortable one.99Please respect copyright.PENANAFlmGHZcys6
99Please respect copyright.PENANA7GHkKGrgpm
"Ahhh... this head part is uncomfortable. By the way, what's your name?"99Please respect copyright.PENANA4HRqRSjJB3
"...Enri."99Please respect copyright.PENANAOjZueRpFm9
“I see. Enri, please wake me up when we arrive."99Please respect copyright.PENANAiAwdNKforP
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Saying that, Edulis fell asleep on top of the rattling cart.99Please respect copyright.PENANA0ds5hFa7oo
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"Walk in from here. I'm not obligated to give you a ride inside."99Please respect copyright.PENANAIavenKkhnX
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Vaidor, the main gate of the Fey family. Kishi halted Velox and urged Edulis and Enri to follow; it seemed a long way from the gate to their destination.99Please respect copyright.PENANALguGml4ArW
99Please respect copyright.PENANAPcduZIQcgO
Edulis stood at the gate and scanned the grounds of the Fey manor, which looked much different than it had when Bosha was alive. The grounds alone were ten times the size. 99Please respect copyright.PENANA1agLWSvGnL
There were dozens of marble mansions. Violet lavender and colorful roses adorned the gardens. The gardens were meticulously tended and the branches were neatly trimmed. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAKJKgfPuT4h
99Please respect copyright.PENANAmyC8XtGe1y
Edulis didn't like the sight. When Bosha was alive, the Fey family had a reputation for frugality. 99Please respect copyright.PENANA20SRSPm1Dp
While other nobles built mansions and planted gardens, the Fey found, fed, and clothed the hungry. When there was a good harvest and tax revenues were surplus, they held festivals to laugh and enjoy with the people. They were not the kind of people who would decorate their homes for personal pleasure.99Please respect copyright.PENANARbOV95C2Pb
99Please respect copyright.PENANAqf3N6h3Weg
He remembered himself as Bosha saying "Are you the duke? You're dukes, aren't you, Our house seems better than this.?99Please respect copyright.PENANAjgIncCZCsp
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Ygraine smiled and replied, "Yes. I'm glad to hear that. It would be a shame for a Fey to live in a house that was better than the people.99Please respect copyright.PENANAWNxUWxxXEf
- The noblemen I know have gardens, and they're beautiful. Why don't you plant a palm tree?99Please respect copyright.PENANAoRdR6nqtRq
- If I had the money, I'd add more stones to our foundation.99Please respect copyright.PENANAWJrovl0vdB
99Please respect copyright.PENANALraDxug87S
That's Ygraine. That's the Fey family. But what is this place now? Dragging irrigation from the farms to water the gardens would surely lead to a shortage of agricultural water during the planting season.99Please respect copyright.PENANAQtCy62jdvc
An insult. An insult to the Fey family and Ygraine! Against the will of the goddess Lutea!99Please respect copyright.PENANAqGBtAw1Iv2
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"There's the main family’s wagon passing by. Children of the witch, bow your heads more deeply in contrition."99Please respect copyright.PENANAw9HJKVlCfW
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With that, Kishi bowed toward the cart. An elegant and rather luxurious cart was approaching in the distance. Enri did as he was told and bowed deeply. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAmxWj8i4aZb
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But Edulis did not follow suit. He was staring at something that caught his eye.99Please respect copyright.PENANA61KWmP5KNR
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"Rude bastard, come on, pay your respects to the descendants of heroes!"99Please respect copyright.PENANASnQ1RRjcQk
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Kishi shouted, but Edulis didn't bow. He held his head high and looked up at the door. The crest of House Fey was emblazoned on the top of the door. A crest as large as a shield worn by a Kingdom infantryman.99Please respect copyright.PENANATje8gyTSvi
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"Haha."99Please respect copyright.PENANANr5shRxQXk
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Edulis laughed. His anger was beyond the top, and it made him laugh. 99Please respect copyright.PENANA7vCSOXdEtR
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The crest had a picture on it. A picture of Bosha defeating Ygrain. It depicted Ygraine as a monster with scattered hair and long fangs. 99Please respect copyright.PENANA1GGdl2wtKP
Ygraine sprawled miserably on the ground, and Bosha stomped on her head, then pointed his straightened sword at her throat. 99Please respect copyright.PENANA7CPt6FzWeu
99Please respect copyright.PENANAAyauz7r0jN
"This thing is here too?"
"Hey, come on, look up...."99Please respect copyright.PENANAR3Mge1RjAB
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Kishi was speechless. Because he saw Edulis' eyes. Those eyes. Eyes that burned as if they held all the anger in the world. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAS8DKFRoaGC
They were the eyes of the Kaldura Red Fox. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAl3tIPjvm9X
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A memory flashed through Edulis's mind. It was Bosha who had wrestled Ygraine to the ground. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0fOP8d7gr
No, he’s ashamed to call it a fight. Ygraine had merely played with Bosha for a while. Ygrainne's sword was like falling petals, like willow leaves on water, like a lullaby to a child.99Please respect copyright.PENANAkb0sJKJbUJ
When Ygrainne swung her sword, it was as futile as if he had cut through a flowing river, and Bosha's magick, which was like iron, scattered like sand. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAIp0o91rqvG
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Then, on the ground, Bosha looked up at Ygrain and said, "For a mercenary, defeat is death. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAOXp7N9F3Q4
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- If you don't kill me now, one day I will.99Please respect copyright.PENANAieZDHBQuCq
99Please respect copyright.PENANAGYA4QDd4PV
Ygraine never pointed her sword at Bosha. Not once, not ever. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAX3X5KRayyZ
Ygraine merely parried a lunging Bosha attack. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAPcgHom1clz
99Please respect copyright.PENANAOytD0yAsuK
- I don't want you to follow me in victory or defeat. I want you to be driven by faith and love. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAR4LXacetG3
- Do you not know who I am? Do you think the Fox of Kaldura would listen to that, you hypocrite? After all, you raised your sword to persuade me, didn't you?99Please respect copyright.PENANAXn1gWXvUKZ
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Then Ygraine nodded. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAnfob80wPoR
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- Very well.99Please respect copyright.PENANAPT5Qf2oOY3
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Then he threw the sword to the ground and kicked it away. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAZdkj4vTSoG
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- What is he doing? 99Please respect copyright.PENANApHrdnDQ97V
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Ygraine slowly approached Bosha. His chest and stomach were exposed, defenseless.99Please respect copyright.PENANATFi0OfUwUk
Bosha raised his sword and pointed it at Ygraine. 99Please respect copyright.PENANATt3Lr73EOx
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- Ha! Are you going to walk up to me and cut me with your sword? 99Please respect copyright.PENANAE3pxFY3dOT
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Even after saying that, Ygraine didn't stop walking. 99Please respect copyright.PENANA8X4aoUM9lI
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- Be it so. But I believe in the light that wanders in the depths of your heart.99Please respect copyright.PENANA0vR6cSolaJ
- Bullshit!99Please respect copyright.PENANAubE5MtNLp6
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Bosha threatened Ygraine with several swipes of his sword in the air, but Ygrainne didn't stop. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAjv76uzXpU3
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- Crazy woman! Don't you dare die for nothing!99Please respect copyright.PENANACHIugNcfRZ
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Bosha shouted, but it was like a cat bluffing with its fur standing up. The same Bosha who had no qualms about holding a spear or knife to his throat or being surrounded by demons in the Varus Swamp was scaring the crap out of Ygraine.99Please respect copyright.PENANATmT0oEMyze
No one knew what he was afraid of. Not even himself.99Please respect copyright.PENANApP1XWuuAEA
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The distance between Ygraine and Bosha narrowed to three paces. Then two. Then one step.99Please respect copyright.PENANAutnkDGggKp
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But in the end, Bosha couldn't swing his sword. Why he couldn't swing his sword, Bosha didn't understand himself, and his body stiffened. 99Please respect copyright.PENANArvGKZZgFcz
Ygraine approached and gently cradled his head in his hands. Igrainne didn't give him any pressure, but he couldn't move. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAqdmG2G3ms9
99Please respect copyright.PENANA9JuVv9qVGe
28 years of his life. Only once has he admitted defeat. That defeat was very special to him. 99Please respect copyright.PENANASUMZEA49KZ
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"Well, these guys ruined everything.”99Please respect copyright.PENANA8Q20UzH822
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"What... what are you doing?"99Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3H8w0KWO8
Kishi shouted in horror. The Fey family's main carriage had approached, its front clearly visible. 99Please respect copyright.PENANAPbrAD3JiXT
Edulis put his hand on the handle of his sword. 99Please respect copyright.PENANA43lYFtdvKK
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"No!"99Please respect copyright.PENANA0OgIdemBuP
99Please respect copyright.PENANATpsyqJ4NvM
Enri shouted at the top of his lungs. Edulis ignored him and chuckled. Then he spoke in a low voice. 99Please respect copyright.PENANA38MJl8Rt6L
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"Do not insult Ygraine."99Please respect copyright.PENANAOgCZvlXvLK
99Please respect copyright.PENANA3boQw4AOMk
And with that, Edulis's sword sliced through the air. With it, the Fey family crest shattered into pieces and crumbled to the ground.
Author’s note:
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