Chapter 195: Protectors of Cromwell Barony [1]

"Everything seemed alright," Nathan noted as Doombringer descended just outside the Cromwell manor. Before entering the town, he had observed outside the walls and saw that everything appeared just as he had left it.Waiting outside, in front of the manor, were the high-ranking dignitaries of the Cromwell Barony: Aina, Celine, Hans, Gordon, Elvin, and Camila. Nathan briefly studied their faces to catch any glints of worry or anxiety. However, there was nothing of the sort... their faces appeared natural, and even a smile could be spotted on their faces.

"How did it go?" Elvin, the archer, was the first person to speak up, a hopeful gleam shining in his eyes. Nathan remained silent for a while as he jumped down from Doombringer. He raised his hand, offering to assist Nyx, but the little girl lightly smacked his hand away and jumped down. Then, she courteously greeted the elders and left the scene to find her best friend, Serena.

Nyx was very intelligent. She knew the elders were about to discuss something important, and her being there would only inconvenience them.

After his granddaughter left, clearing his throat awkwardly, Nathan turned to the others and said in a serious tone, "The king has refused to assist us."

"That bastard!" Elvin's face twisted into a frown as he clenched his fist. "I foresaw this coming."

"But why? Why won't he lend a helping hand to his kingdom?" Celine inquired, her brows knitted together, confusion in her eyes.

Nathan glanced at Celine and spoke, his tone filled with disdain and irritation. "Apparently, the king is a very petty person."

He paused for a moment, recalling the conversation he had with the king. The anger was visible for all to see. Then he added in a confident voice, "However, we have nothing to fear."

"What do you mean?" Aina narrowed her eyes slightly, noting Nathan's upbeat tone.

Nathan nodded with a smile, puffing his chest out as he spoke in a proud, arrogant voice, "Yes, I asked for help from an old acquaintance of mine. Trust me, their help is several times better than what the king could've offered us. Come on, praise me."

'Huh?'

Nathan had expected the others to jump up in excitement. Maybe not... but they should have shown some level of enthusiasm.

*Whistle! Whistle.*

"Why aren't you guys excited?" Nathan couldn't help but frown.

Celine crossed her arms, giving Nathan a sharp look. "Because something else already seems to be taking care of the beast problem."

The others then proceeded to explain the recent events that transpired during his time away. Apparently, the reddish entities had been appearing more and more in and outside the town, swiftly taking care of the beasts.

Though it had only been a few days since Nathan left for the capital, the other towns and baronies had reported countless cases of beasts breaking into the walls and killing citizens, but nothing of the sort had happened in the Cromwell Barony, all because of the hidden existence helping them.

"It's truly on our side, then." All lingering doubts were 'almost' erased from Nathan's mind... yet there was still worry in his heart. If this mysterious entity was really an ally, then why were they hidden?

At that moment, he recalled that he had asked the others to investigate the beasts. "How was the investigation?" Nathan asked, his voice low and measured. Even though these mysterious existences were helping them, it was only right to know their basic appearance.

Hans stepped forward, his expression neutral. "Nothing. They show up, deal with the threats swiftly, and disappear just as fast. No one has been able to communicate with them directly. But as little Nyx and Serena reported, they're indeed reddish."

At that moment, Gordon the druid spoke. "The citizens have also noticed the red flashes as they appeared before them and dealt with any beasts that breached the wall... and they're starting to come up with wild theories."

Nathan narrowed his eyes. "Like what?" he asked. He hadn't wanted the citizens to know about the beasts' strange behavior because he didn't want them to panic and become restless. Because of this, he had earlier ordered the others not to let anyone leave the town. Due to the presence of the level 1 dimension, the town was doing pretty well. Some parts of the dimensions had been turned into farmland.

Because mana was much denser in dimensions, the plantations grew rapidly, producing food much faster and even more nutritious. And with the beasts the local Awakened hunted in the dimensions from time to time, there was really no need for the townsfolk to buy food from other towns.

"Some say they're spirits or magical constructs," Celine explained. "While others believe they are ancient guardians sent by the gods to protect the town. It's becoming a popular rumor among the citizens, and they're starting to rely on these entities more and more."

Aina furrowed her brows. "We can't rely solely on them. We need to stay prepared for any possible turn of events. Their assistance is appreciated, but we shouldn't become complacent."

Though they had confirmed that the beasts were indeed helping them, Aina was still worried. After all, help from unknown forces, especially ones that avoided contact, was not something to be easily trusted. For now, they needed to keep the beasts at bay, but they needed to be ready in case the mysterious entity had its own agenda.

Nathan sighed, rubbing his temples. His daughter-in-law was right. "Looks like we'll have to thank these strangers for now, but keep a close eye on them. Meanwhile, my contact should be arriving soon. When they do, we'll have a backup plan if things go south."

Celine's eyes softened slightly. "At least that thick bald head of yours was useful this time around..."

Nathan's expression changed. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, nothing." Celine just laughed it off. "It's just reassuring to know that we have more options."

Meanwhile, in Eves Manor...

Skully and the Ant Queen, along with the King, watched the elders debate among themselves, unaware that the ones actually helping them were none other than Nox. Sёarᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.