Chapter 29: The Mysterious Lady [1]

Septharion’s heart hammered from within, almost escaping from his chest. His face darkened as soon as he the Death wolves. His eyes turned bloodshot as he pressed his horse with a whip just to get a little more speed.

Met with a craggy road that would slow his steed down, he wasted no time and jumped from his horse. Putting his strength on his legs, he rushed towards the little boy. His eyes narrowed as he saw a Death wolf lunging towards the little lad. He roared at the top of his lungs and a blue aura engulfed his entire body. It caught the attention of the wolves, but only for only a few seconds.

Seeing Klive about to be torn apart by the Death wolves, Septharion immediately threw his sword. The steel shrieked and struck the nearest wolf. The wolf flew like a sandbag and ended up pinned on a tree a hundred meters away.

Yet, that was not enough. The next wolf sprang with its wide jaws open.

Fury erupted on Septharion’s eyes and blood dripped on his lips. He was too careless. He had failed the Knight and the Madam. Once again. He had failed his lord.

Septharion was once a retainer from one of the most powerful Duke in the Kingdom of Rutherford. In one of the Knight Levo’s adventures, he accidentally saved the said Duke. The noble that Septharion served. At that time, the Duke was running from pursuit. Bleeding from an arrow, the Duke met the knight and the madam. The couple protected the Duke from the continuous assassination throughout that night.

As the Duke’s chief knight, it was something that Septharion blamed himself for. He wasn’t able to save his master. The assassination was something he wasn’t able to foresee and control. After the mishap, Septharion resigned from his post because of guilt.

However, the duke had another plan. He pushed Septharion to follow and serve the knight to redeem himself. Among all their retainers, Septharion stood tall. He was among the most skilled men of the Knight.

“Once again.” Septharion closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. He was too far and too late.

Septharion’s regrets thoughts flowed like a continuous waterfall. Unimpeded, it flowed. He blinked and a deep-seated pain burst out of his heart. Just like that time, he was again helpless. Worst. Useless.

‘I shouldn’t have played with the villagers.’ Remorse flashed on his pupils as he watched the rest of the wolves leap with their jaws wide open, ready to tear the little boy apart. He could only pray to the goddesses and the esprites.

Yet, in the midst of a life and death, a faint smile slipped out of the little boy’s lips. There was not even a trace of anxiety in his bright eyes. His mouth opened as if he was calling someone.

Suddenly, a flash of bright light exploded forth from where Klive sat. Septharion felt like he had set his eyes on a miniature sun; blasting away the darkness of the clouded skies. He couldn’t help but rub his widened eyes.

The next thing was even more unbelievable. It was like a strange dream. The lunging death wolves froze midair as if time had stopped for them. The mysterious book in the little lad’s hand floated and a white-haired lady slowly waltzed out of the book. Her long hair cascaded and fluttered along with the blowing wind.

The lady gazed at him with brows furrowed. Her sharp and mocking gaze stripped Septharion of his pride. It was nothing but scorn. She suddenly released a suffocating white flame, cutting Septharion’s breath along with it.

The lady didn’t hide the mockery in her eyes. The contempt was exclusive for him. His face flushed, and shame rose from his heart. In a blink of an eye, the old lady’s fist burst in white flame. The dress of the lady flapped with the wind, sending sparks of white butterflies.

A massive white fist appeared midair and smashed the frozen wolves on the ground. A scorching wind burst forth. The clothes of the little boy flapped in the wind.

Before the Death wolves could even reach the ground, they died. The white flame torched the Death wolves turned into ashes. The only thing that remained was a tiny flickering white flame.

The lady raised her fist against Septharion as if she was warning him. She then let out a cold ‘hmnp’. In a flutter of an eye, the lady slowly disappeared, turning into white lights. The motes of light floated in the air, dancing like fireflies in the night, skittering around the mysterious book.

The pages in the odd wooden book flipped and danced midair before closing on their own. It then returned to Klive’s embrace.

Septharion immediately ran to Klive, picking him up in his arms. He raised him from his seat, moving the boy up and down. He checked for any wounds or scratches, but he found none. He gave the little lad the look, but the lad acted as if nothing happened at all.

Nevertheless, Septharion couldn’t help but take a deep breath and sigh in relief. That was a close call. He had to thank the aspects, goddesses, and that lady for saving Klive.

He couldn’t help but turn curious. He wanted to ask the little lad, but after seeing the kid’s heavy eyelids, he postponed the rest. “Kliv-.”

Before he could even say anything, the little lad slid sideways and fell asleep.

Though Liszt saw everything that happened, it still looked too absurd for him. His mouth was agape, still hanging wide open. Still, he had nothing but thanks for that mysterious lady.

He looked at Klive with relief and the book with curiosity. Remembering how his little brother dared to read a book in front of the Death wolves, he couldn’t help but shake his head.

Liszt was furious but couldn’t even express it. Like Septharion, he saw the old lady manifesting from a flash of light. She came out of... the book. And in a flash, she was gone.

“U-Uncle Sept?” Liszt asked.

The bulky old man scratched his cheek and nodded. He pointed his fingers at the white burning flame on the grass.

“We saw the same thing.”

“Was that you, Uncle Sept? Was that your grandma?”

Septharion grimaced. Unfortunately, at his age, he got no more grandma.

‘Hell no, boy. I don’t do magic, and I am a pure silver knight! I can at most smash boulders and play with the brats’ mind.’ Septharion squeezed out a tired smile and kept everything in his mind. ‘Aside from that, my grandma died long ago. She’s caring and gentle. She wasn’t so fierce like that old lady.’

Septharion dared not to claim anything and daren’t try to reply. He feared that the old lady would appear again and punch him next if he uttered nonsense. He remembered those fearsome eyes looking at him as if he was dead meat.

The steel armor of Septharion shook as he glimpsed the mysterious book. In curiosity, the old bulky man tried to pick the odd book. But when he tried, the veins in his arms wiggled and his face turned crimson. He felt like he was lifting a thousand pounds dreg. The strength of a silver knight who could slay a hundred-man army was puny before the book.

Septharion remembered that scoff of the old lady. An awry smile showed on his face. He stopped lifting it and pointed at the stubborn book. He gazed at Liszt. “The old lady came from that book.”

Liszt gave Septharion a watchful and nodded. Liszt stooped down from his horse. He snooped down and picked up the wooden book. Patting the dust away, he opened the book once again.

Just like before, there were no words. Only blank pages.

Liszt lifted the book to his chest, checking for any changes or weird cravings.

Liszt’s eyebrows furrowed and waved the book at Septharion’s face. “Weightless. Want to try?”

Septharion’s face twitched and almost stumble on his feet. His old muscles were worthless as compared to the boy’s arm? That scary lady knew how to hold a grudge.

“No, so please bring that book. I’ll carry Klive back to the caravan.”

Not accepting a no. He immediately took Klive, mounted his horse, and scuttled away towards the caravan. Anyway, he still needed to deal with the little sloths.

Liszt could only look at the old man’s back with a sour face. He did not even give him a chance to reply. He looked at the old soldier’s back and felt a bit worried. This night was nothing but bizarre. The Death wolves. The mysterious lady… and Klive.

He pulled the reins of his horse and galloped to the caravan. He followed behind.