Day 29 of the Fourth Month, Year 1016 - evening

Liath City, Grizzle Province

When Dev and his company arrived in the City of Liath, the City’s Major General welcomed him. The Great General had sent word ahead about them.

Dev smiled politely, as was the Major General, but he could see that he was unhappy that a small Major was sent to him to help. “You are younger than I expected,” the Major General said.

Dev kept the polite smile on his face. “Yes, I heard that a lot.”

The Major General of Liath, General Talon, wasn’t really a big-name. Dev never intentionally followed gossips, but the barracks was really like a gathering of old ladies. There were always pieces of gossips here and there. Rumor had it that General Talon only held his position because his family was the overlord of Liath. He barely followed any training and just held a position because, well, nepotism. Now Dev wasn’t sure about the last part, but if it was true, then Liath was truly in a worrying position.

But Dev didn’t show any contempt on his face. “Then can General bring me around the city?” He wanted to see which part of the walls that he could improve. Since he arrived here, he intended to do a good job.

Dev observed the whole city and felt like the defense and organization was pretty good. Which surprised him. Did he misjudge the General, or was there something else?

After he was welcomed to dinner in the barracks, he understood. There was a few Colonels on the side of the General, and he recognized one of them.

His blood chilled immediately when he met that person’s gaze.

“And this is one of my best subordinates, Colonel Walsh,” General Talon introduced.

Dev was only frozen for a second before giving a proper salute. “Sir.”

Walsh stared at him before nodding. The temperament was really cold, but no one was fazed. After all, it was indeed a fact that experts usually had their own tempers.

The dinner went peacefully. Afterwards, Dev and his soldiers were given a place to rest in Liath’s barracks. Dev left his men there and went out with his direct subordinate, Captain Sawyer. “Where are we going, Major?” he asked.

Dev didn’t reply as he walked around the city. The night was young. Many youths came out to play, and the city’s atmosphere was rather cheerful. Being in the middle of mountain ranges, with rough terrain and difficult land, the people of Liath made their living by the passing merchants and tourists. This was why it was so lively even at night, and it could compare with even the Capital. Dev felt a bit of a headache when he thought about the possibility of an army attacking them all and destroying the city.

In fact, he knew it was unrealistic that a small company could defend against an elite army, but aside from the Crimson Corps, there weren’t many soldiers left. He didn’t saw the last battle himself—since he was imprisoned, then had to escort Her Highness—but he knew and had studied that the frontline was bloody red. The only reason his company still existed now was because most of them were new recruits and they were poisoned by the aggressivity drug before.

“Major?”

Dev looked back at the older man for a second, and somehow looked past him. “You go around, check the walls to the south. Report to me if there is anything weird.”

Sawyer replied readily, “yes!”

As he saw him leaving, Dev turned around and walked the opposite direction. The street was full of people, especially because they were near the red district area. He stopped walking for a second and sidestepped into a quiet alley.

“You done following me?” Dev called out.

A small, derisive laugh sounded. “I didn’t expect you had become a major now, Andre.”

Dev looked at the other person who came out of the shadows. “Neither I you, Walsh.”

Walking out of the shadows was the Colonel Walsh who was in the dinner earlier. “You have quite a good fortune, being able to leave so easily.”

Dev smiled. “Yes, no thanks to you.”

Walsh’s face contorted in anger. “You caused me a big disaster.”

“But you started it yourself. Isn’t it right that you have to solve it?” He asked lightly.

Walsh snorted. “I’d bring you to them if it was the last thing I do.”

Dev laughed at his arrogance. “Ah, but that was the thing, isn’t it? You can’t anymore. They don’t trust you now.”

Walsh looked like he was about to stab a knife into him.

Dev sighed. “What do you want, Walsh?”

Walsh’s lips twitched—half in disgust, half in fear, he noticed. “Don’t you want to destroy them?” He asked, as if tempting. If his colleagues see, they would be surprised that the cold Walsh actually spoke with such contempt.

Dev raised an eyebrow. “Do you think me as a stupid moron like back then? You just spoke you are about to bring me to them. If I’m not wrong, you are also here to spy for them.”

Walsh snorted, again. “Things changed.”

He stared at him for a second before laughing and walked past him. “No.”

The now-colonel clearly didn’t expect such cold answer. “What? Why?”

Dev waved his hand without looking back. “Not interested in revenge anymore,” he said. “I’m going to live my life responsibly—in leisure.”

Leaving Walsh dazed to ponder his words, Dev walked away. He decided to do what he told Sawyer he would do as he walked along the northern walls of the city.

Dev saw that the soldiers were rather slacking off. They were put in proper positions, sure, and from afar they were organized neatly. But some of them were drunk, some of them were gambling…

He frowned deeply. Sure, it was the northern walls, and they probably thought they weren’t very important because they wouldn’t be attacked by the enemy. But the thing was it wasn’t the enemy that was the problem. The traitor was the problem.

He made a note to talk about it with General Talon.

After he went back, he met with the General and wasn’t very welcomed when he talked about it. “I have to tell you this, young man. This place is under my command.”

Dev bowed his head down. “Of course, sir.”

Talon sneered. “So, you have no right to command me to do anything.”

Dev tried to persuade him a few more times, but he refused. Inwardly, Dev felt a bit miffed. He couldn’t talk about the traitor, and his excuses were flimsy at best. It was no wonder Talon took offense to his words.

But he couldn’t say it since it was General Adefine’s firm command—not to cause panic—so he could only swallow his defeat and left.

When he went out of the office, though, Walsh was standing there. His usual cold countenance was nowhere to be found—instead, he looked anxious. “I need to talk to you.”

Dev looked at him curiously. “I already I said, I just want to live leisurely,” he replied.

“It’s not about that!” Walsh gritted his teeth. “Let’s talk.”

His curiosity poked at him, and that was why he followed Walsh. “What is it?” He asked once they were in a secluded place.

Walsh looked at him. “They know you’re here.”

Dev raised an eyebrow. “Did you tell them?”

Walsh snorted. “They wouldn’t believe me even if I told them!” He gritted his teeth. “You have to help me. You simply must.”

Dev felt a bit amused. “You could be lying right now, to make me help you. You know, Walsh, I haven’t even counted things on you that much. You’re still alive right now.”

Walsh crumbled. “Do you know how hard it is for me to keep my life back then?” he clenched his fist. “I deserve it, I admit. I realize I was wrong. They sent me to this place as the lowest lackey, then destroyed my life.”

“You just realized that because your life is ruined,” Dev snorted. “If not, you will just stay there to count money.”

“I admit it is true.” His fist was still clenched when he said that. “But this time it’s different. They saw you in the Capital. They knew you ruined the high-leveled mission.”

Dev’s face changed.

“And I found out about the Kingdom’s traitor.” His voice trembled. “I just want to stay and count money, Andre, you know that. I don’t want anything to do with this traitorous business.”

Dev looked at him, knowing it was true. Walsh was a cowardly man. He was capable enough, slick enough, but he ran at the face of real danger. Being convicted as a traitor to the throne? Yeah, it probably was not his ideal life.

“Is Arachnids crumbling down?” Dev frowned. That would explain how flimsy their guards back in the Capital.

“In Forewood, yes,” Walsh replied. “The leader tried to extend his influence too far, too fast. Goldburg Province was filled with another group when we entered, and when that group found out about us, they retaliated.”

Blades? Dev had a suspicion. He remembered Victoria said they originated from Goldburg. “So now you want to jump off that ship fast.”

“I found out they were working with Lirsk and I didn’t want anything to do with them anymore,” Walsh said, his eyes ablaze. “I won’t.”

Walsh had a particular hatred for Lirsk, stemmed from his murdered parents. “Now you want me to help you escape them? You know how risky it was for me back then.”

“You have the backing of royalty now, don’t you?”

Truly, he shouldn’t have thought he could hide anything. Walsh was the information dealer, the biggest one in the Capital back then. Even Dev had reported to him. “So, they had known it was me who broke into their place?” Dev asked.

Walsh shook his head. “Just me. I had my suspicion. They don’t know you’re still alive.”

Dev stared down at him, contemplating. “Then you lied?”

“Because I need you to help me!” He gritted his teeth. Walsh seemed afraid that he would refuse. “I will tell you something. I know who is the traitor provide for that army.”

Dev raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

“The Duke of Savire.”

Dev flinched. He knew how big of an influence Savire held and what an elite his army was. Sure, it couldn’t compare to the Crimson Corps, but it came at a close second. That was when he realized something. “Do you know where they are right now?” Dev asked hurriedly.

Walsh looked at him.

Dev’s lips twitched. “I’ll help you,” he said. “Now tell me.”

Walsh nodded, finally looking relieved. “They just went past Firnir Town this evening.”

Dev’s eyes widened. “What?” Firnir was the town that he and the Princess stayed at when she was kidnapped from Dustor. It was a couple of towns away from the Capital. The Duke of Savire’s army might not be confident enough to take the Capital just with their number, so…

“What?” Walsh asked.

Dev looked at him. “Are you stupid?” he said. “They are heading here. They are going to attack Liath!”

Walsh seemed stunned.

Dev waved his hand. Truly, Walsh was a good information broker and had a good memory, but he really wasn’t that good in connecting the dots together. Well, at least he was good enough to manage the Liath army properly. “If they attack us from both sides…”

Walsh widened his eyes. “Oh.”

“‘Oh’ is right.” Dev sighed. “I have to go. I will need your help convincing Talon.” There is confirmation, now, and although Walsh was sometimes unreliable, his information would be absolutely correct.

“Then what about me?”

This self-absorbing man… Dev gritted his teeth. “You can use the chaos of the attack to sneak off, can’t you? I’ll cover the shadow of your track.”

Walsh nodded. “Fine, fine. I’ll talk to the General.”

The Colonel did talk to the General—but it was useless, because Talon was stubborn as mule. Even after Walsh finally said that there were sightings of traitor army in the north, he refused to believe, saying drunkenly, “Our kingdom is so peaceful. And our city is strong enough to withstand the attack!”

It made Dev gritted his teeth, and decided to take matter into his own hands.

“You must have the control of the information brokers within this city,” Dev said to Walsh.

The man looked at him. “What do you want me to do?”

“Ask them to spread the news that Liath will fall.” It didn’t matter anymore. Panic might actually help them.

Walsh widened his eyes. “You don’t believe we will hold?”

Dev snorted. “Two hundred soldiers of an elite army, against my eighty and your untrained hundred? No, we won’t hold.” Dev was simply being honest. Crimson Corps’ scout couldn’t escape in such a short while—this was an army that couldn’t be underestimated. They didn’t have enough soldiers, and there wouldn’t be enough time to call for Dustor’s aide. Even if there was, Dev suspected Dustor was under its own attack and the Corps’ soldiers there were needed to fend against Lirsk. “I am going to evacuate the city.”

Without Talon’s knowing, Dev had already work around him and took over the northern gate. He started to let the people leave to nearby towns, telling them to avoid the towns on Savire’s path. Walsh did things appropriately, at least, and many people was informed that Liath was going to be attacked. They believed things wasn’t going well, so the people were scared… and to Dev’s relief, they left the city in panic.