CH 58

The guards bowed deeply; before Luisen could stop them, they grabbed Zephys’ reins and pulled roughly. “Let’s go. Come quickly!”

Zephys did not budge one inch no matter how hard they pulled. The men seemed incredibly impatient; in between their struggles, they observed Luisen and Carlton out of the corners of their eyes. It seemed like they wanted to leave this place as soon as possible–like they had some ulterior motives.

“Why aren’t you moving!?” One guard poked the horse in the buttocks with the point of his spear.

Neigh–

Zephys cried. It had no choice but to falter one step forward.

Zephys was incredibly clever; it didn’t cling to Carlton for help. Perhaps it realized that would only bring the mercenary trouble. It only looked at the mercenary pitifully with its round, black eyes. That sight was more effective at tugging at the heart strings.

‘Damn it. Fuck.’ Carlton kept cursing inwardly.

For the mercenary, Zephys was a special horse. He had taken care of Zephys ever since it was a frail, sick colt; their bond was extraordinarily firm. The horse was a true companion that came along with him when he ran away from home.

Even though Zephys was his horse–even though it was being dragged along by the guards–he could do nothing. In his heart, he wanted to steal Zephys and ride him far far away. However, Carlton was accompanying someone else.

Carlton had promised to take Luisen to the capital safely. Therefore, though he was frustrated enough to vomit blood, he had to endure. Right now, he could only clench his innocent fists.

While Carlton dithered, Luisen rushed out. “Wait a minute.”

“What is it?” At Luisen’s shout, the guards turned around.

“What are you planning to do?” Carlton asked.

‘I don’t know either!’ Though the young lord managed to halt the situation for now, Luisen didn’t have a brilliant idea. Still, he hated to send Zephys away like this. If they parted now, there was no guarantee they’d meet up again!

Luisen wracked his brain for dear life. ‘Dear Saint, please share your wisdom with me.’ They say that if one prays hard, things will work out. A lightning strike of an idea struck Luisen just then. “Why are you hurrying?”

“What?”

“Sir Guard Captain. What were you planning to do while sneaking off with a criminal’s horse?”

The guards became furious at Luisen’s statement. “What do you mean sneak away? Captain can dispose of a criminal’s belongings as he pleases–that’s not sneaking away.”

“That’s what’s so strange about this business. Why would someone of the captain’s status leave his post at the gates and crawl through this secret passage to handle a criminal’s horse? If you rode that horse proudly through the gate, no one would say anything to the contrary.”

“That’s…” the guard captain mumbled. At that reaction, Luisen realized he’d hit the nail on the head. These men were scurrying about and plotting in secret before being caught red-handed by Luisen and Carlton.

“That’s guard business. It has nothing to do with Revered Pilgrim,” the guard captain calmly retorted, as if to prove that nothing unsavory was happening. However, nothing escaped Carlton’s keen senses.

“That person is incredibly anxious. He’s in a hurry; in a way, it seems like he’s pierced with fear,” the mercenary whispered so that only Luisen’s ears could hear.

Even so, the young lord wasn’t certain he could retake Zephys with this line of interrogation. However, through persuasion or intimidation, he should pull at everything that could be pulled. 1 Luisen questioned them a little harder, “The Lord in charge of this region must be incredibly concerned since Carlton’s men were captured in Confosse; does the Lord know of your ‘business?'”

“What are you trying to insinuate?”

“I’d just like to know what’s going on.”

“What will you do with that information?”

“I’ll help you.”

“Why would the Revered Pilgrim do that?”

“It’s because, as you said, I’m a pilgrim. I shine light in dark and shadowy places where our God in heaven can’t peer into nor drive away. This is the very reason why we wander the world, spreading his glory and mercy.” Luisen recalled the one-armed pilgrim as he carefully uttered every word.

Next to him, Carlton was incredibly surprised. The young lord seemed like a true pilgrim. His speech patterns and expressions, his tone and missionary sense as well, all worked together to create the sense that the young lord was absorbed in religious piety. However, his demeanor wasn’t burdensome at all; it felt like Luisen would accept anything he was told and would show mercy. The guard and captain lowered their vigilance.

“I don’t know the full details. I can only guess that if the captain of the guard, someone always praised for his good character, does something in secret…he must have desperate and justified motives.” Actually, it didn’t matter what kind of person the captain was, nor the status of his reputation. Luisen had no idea what the guard captain was like. However, he saw how the one-armed pilgrim opened stubborn mouths through moderate praises and gentle uplifting–saying ‘you’re not usually this type of person.’

“If we hadn’t met, I’d be ignorant of your situation; now that we’ve come across one another, couldn’t this meeting be arranged by His Holiness? Maybe I or the Church could be of help. Did something happen?” Luisen continued in a subdued tone. Referring to God worked wonderfully for those in predicaments. Luisen’s exploitation tactics struck true; the captain’s heart was shaken.

Even without those words, the guard captain seemed so anguished and frustrated–like he desperately wanted to confess everything in his heart to someone. Then, when Luisen hit the nail on the head, the captain thought it would be better to explain his situation rather than to plead with the young lord to pretend ignorance. “The truth is… As the revered pilgrim says, I’ve exited the castle secretly. I truly don’t intend to do anything malicious. It’s just… I wanted to go to my hometown.”

“Your hometown? At this time?”

It wouldn’t be ideal for Confosse to have its captain of the guard missing during its current crisis. Since the kidnapper’s troop was caught within Confosse, they were confined to the castle grounds. The castle’s security was as strict as it had ever been.

“About a month ago, my wife went back to my hometown to give birth–we’re from the same town, you know. But, no matter how long I’ve waited, I haven’t heard any news from my wife!”

His wife, who had promised to send word once she made it to her destination, did not contact him. At the same time, the kingdom had already experienced civil war, a duke had been kidnapped, and so on. There had been rumors of unprecedented monster attacks as well. The Guard Captain was so worried that he sent several people to check on the situation. However, none of the people he sent had returned; he was left in the dark. “I’ve been so fretful; I just could sit around. Just when I thought I had no path forward…that horse caught my eye. With that kind of warhorse, I could go there and return within a day.”

Since it was a criminal’s horse, no one would care if it disappeared for a moment. Moreover, Zephys was a strong and agile horse, so the captain thought he’d be able to travel to his hometown faster. He had his men secretly bring him the horse, and he sneaked out of the castle through that secret hole.

“Couldn’t you ask a favor from the mercenary guild?”

“When they’re being inundated with so many commissions, why would anyone take my request when it rewards no money nor glory to further their career? There’s nothing I could do. Imagine how frustrated I was for me to have come out on my own.”

“I understand.”

“My lord will punish me greatly if he finds that I’ve abandoned my post. Nor will I be able to go to my hometown. Please, have mercy on my family and me and pretend you never saw anything, revered pilgrim,” the guard captain appealed sincerely.

Luisen and Carlton exchanged brief glances.

This was it. If they did well, they may be able to obtain Zephys.

Luisen hid his excitement and patted the captain on the shoulder. “You must have suffered. How could I tell on you when you’re in this situation?”

“However, Guard Captain. Isn’t your plan too sloppy? No matter how fast you are, who wouldn’t notice when you’re away for an entire day.” While Luisen comforted the man, Carlton was critical. The captain of the guards went from heaven to hell in one short moment.

“Mmm…. He does have a point. I understand your situation, but this was an incredibly reckless plan.” Luisen pretended to agonize over the matter for a few seconds before continuing, acting as if he had just thought of a good idea. “Well then, what about this? Sir Guard Captain should hurry back to his post–didn’t you say you’ll be severely punished if you got caught sneaking away? Instead, I shall visit your hometown.”

“You?”

“Yes. Why don’t I go and make sure your wife is safe and deliver any messages you may want to send?”

“I couldn’t possibly trouble you like this…”

“It’s alright. I’m a wanderer, and the guard captain must maintain his position like a rock. It was heaven’s will that we’d meet like this. Be at ease and leave it to me.”

“Revered Pilgrim…If you could do that, I’d be so…”

In the middle of this emotional conversation, the quick-witted Carlton intervened and halted the heartfelt emotions. “I won’t be able to go, revered pilgrim. That’s outside our contract; I won’t work more than I’m paid. If you go, you’ll go alone.”

“Ah…Then I’ll make it through the forest paths alone, somehow.” Luisen pretended to be at a loss. Although the hood covered his expression, he conveyed that feeling of embarrassment with his whole body. The guard captain also became nervous because the matter which had been solved smoothly suddenly ran into difficulties.

‘No way, you’re not going to stop helping because that mercenary can’t follow you, right?’ The guard captain stared insistently at Luisen.

The young lord looked alternatingly between Carlton and the captain, giving plenty of pause and lingering gazes. Then, when it seemed like the captain would stop breathing from anxiety, Luisen spoke in a moderate tone, “…He’s not wrong. Mercenaries follow money… I could not force him to do work. However, I’m not in a situation where I can spare much gold…” Luisen looked meaningfully at Carlton while slurring the latter sentences.

“Forget money, give me that horse. I’ve been wanting one like that for a while.” Carlton pointed at Zephys.