Hunter’s Blade

C19 – Military Meeting

In the dark afternoon, the sky resembled a woolen carpet, and an unknown source of smoke drifted through the air. Before Shire, a vast expanse of grayish-yellow grassland unfolded, adorned with three or four charming houses. The houses had white walls and grayish tiles, with unidentified plants creeping on the windowsills. In the enclosure, three oxen lay on the ground, their hooves curled, and their tails sweeping across the earth. The water tank beside them remained empty, untouched for quite some time.

A meandering dirt road led through these houses, and a man emerged from one of the doors. He stood on the doorstep, staring fixedly at Shire. Such behavior was considered very rude in Romon’s customs, indicating that the homeowner did not welcome visitors.

“Gray Tree Hall.” Shire shouted at the other party, “Where are you going?”

The resident, clad in a thin woven hat and robe, pointed in the direction of Gray Tree Hall but didn’t provide a verbal response.

Given the havoc caused by the devils, it was understandable that the suburban residents remained highly vigilant. Shire empathized with their caution, as devils possessed potent magic and a host of tricks. He had heard stories of devils altering their appearances or turning into smoke, rendering them virtually invulnerable. It was no exaggeration to say that caution was paramount in dealing with them.

However, considering the possibility of an Evil Demon attacking a resident, what chance would they have to survive?

Gradiu’s desire to consume the souls hidden in the houses was palpable to Shire. To avoid any danger, he hastened their pace, leaving a few houses behind. In the distance, the grass swayed, and scattered forests of varying sizes adorned the hills. Some areas boasted lush trees with grayish-yellow leaves, blanketing the hills like a cloak draped over a mountain, concealing all traces of human presence. In contrast, other spots were bare, abandoned fences dotting the countryside without any apparent destination.

After ascending this small hill, they should be able to catch sight of the coastline, Shire surmised. Having journeyed for several days, the distance between him and Gray Tree Hall was steadily shrinking. Hunter Palace, situated in the town of Gray Tree Hall, resembled a majestic temple in its former glory. Some affluent families were willing to invest in the Hunter Organization to support its cause. Yet, due to some curse or misfortune, the Hunters had been growing increasingly impoverished, a situation that had persisted for a generation… They were barely managing to sustain the Holy Church, barely clinging on to their last breath.

Shire retrieved the secret key and caressed it with his finger. The silver key felt weighty in his hand, and he recalled the imposing front door of the Holy Church. Now, only Shire held the key to unlock it. At times, he felt young and lacking in experience and maturity. Yet, there were moments of strong confidence when he believed that he could genuinely revive the Holy Church.

Before reaching Gray Tree Hall and witnessing the state of Hunter Palace, Shire remained uncertain about the course of events. It could be that he succeeded in rebuilding the Hunter Organization and restoring the former glory of the Holy Church, or it could be that his efforts fell short, leading to an unsatisfactory outcome.

Upon reaching the hillside, he noticed a relatively flat terrain covered with densely packed tents of various colors. Most of the tents were adorned with two or more colors, featuring vertical squares, creating a striking and fancy appearance. However, they all flew the flag of the Lord of Gray Tree Hall, signifying their allegiance to the same ruler.

The army of the Lord of Gray Tree Hall? Why are they here? Shire found it rather perplexing. The lord, De Alberta, was infamous for his stupidity, carelessness, selfishness, and stinginess. Even the countryside farmers knew about the foolish antics of Reney.

In memory of his late wife, Reney had hired a few craftsmen to build a statue of her in the Gray Tree Hall square. But upon the completion of the construction period, Reney became nitpicky and heavily deducted the artisans’ payment. The craftsmen were furious, and in retaliation, they tampered with the statue before leaving. Within a month, the entire statue crumbled, turning the incident into a laughing stock.

Such an inflexible and rigid lord ruled over the vast Gray Tree Hall. With a formidable army and a wealthy treasury, it made other nobles in neighboring territories tremble in fear. No one knew what Reney would do next.

The present situation remained uncertain. Shire couldn’t fathom the earl’s intentions. Counting the number of tents before him, he estimated that over a hundred elite armored soldiers might be dispatched by the lord.

The Lords of Lawman Kingdom, according to their financial capabilities, maintained a relatively well-equipped regular army. Comprising of nobles and professional soldiers, these troops wielded crucial iron weapons, with expensive equipment that required extensive training. They couldn’t be casually recruited from the ranks of farmers. On the battlefield, these soldiers served as the backbone of the entire army, influencing the outcome of wars.

Was Gray Tree Hall planning to start a war? Shire remained cautious around this temporary military camp. The last thing he wanted was to clash with these people. The Devil Hunters operated on the fringes of the law, and only an army could impose order and management on them.

Concealing a crossbow beneath his cloak and clutching a saber tightly, Shire did his best to stay low. Though the safest option was to cross the hill under the cover of night, he couldn’t afford to delay returning to Gray Tree Hall and had to take the risk.

“Don’t get spotted,” Shire reminded himself. If the soldiers spotted and interrogated him, it would surely bring endless troubles. He might not even make it to Gray Tree Hall, let alone escaping unscathed.

As Shire ascended the grassy slope, he came across a dense patch of pine trees. Unexpectedly, a sentry thrust a spear out from behind a tree, catching Shire off guard.

“Who are you? Where are you going?” The sentry boomed, his voice demanding answers. “Say it!”

The sentry bore the typical appearance of a Lawman with his red hair and dark brown eyes, sporting a matching dark beard. Half of the Lormen adults had these characteristics. He wore a gray sleeveless shirt, his upper body protected by chain armor on both arms. An iron helmet adorned his head, and he held a spear firmly in hand. Additionally, a short sword hung from his belt, fully armed for duty.

“I want to go to Gray Tree Hall.” Shire said.

“Why is your clothes bulging? What did you bring? Take it out, quickly.” The sentinel urged him with a hostile attitude.

Shire showed the knife. He glanced at the edge of the knife. The sharpness of the knife surprised him.

“Tell me your name.”

“Shire.”

“What are you doing?” Wang Yao asked.

… “Voyager.”

“‘Traveler’ doesn’t carry a weapon with him.”

“Then how do you want them to deal with bandits, wolves, and other beasts?” Shire replied in an orderly manner.

“Master Rocher’s order is to bring any suspicious people to his place.”

“Who is Master Rocher?”

“It has nothing to do with you,” said the man.

“How am I suspicious?” Shire frowned.

“From beginning to end. Follow me!” The sentry used a forceful tone to scold, “Go!” This kind of commanding rough shout had a very strong deterrent force.

“Kill him~~ kill him!” Gradiu screamed in Shire’s heart, “Kill him! You are stronger than him, kill him! Crush him! Destroy him! Those who block your path must be punished!”

Shire gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and nodded.

“I’ll go with you.”

“Come here.” The sentry led Shire towards the camp.

“You’re a coward, a weakling,” Gradiu muttered under his breath. “A true man would unsheathe his blade and cut off that insolent head, sending a clear message about the consequences of crossing you.”

“Killing someone weaker than you just to vent your anger? That’s the act of a real coward.”

“You’re patient, incredibly tolerant. Well, keep enduring the blame others heap upon you,” Gradiu sneered. “Sooner or later, they’ll ride on your back and treat you like their personal errand boy. Follow the rules, and they’ll summon you from place to place, running errands and delivering messages all day long…”

The military camp bustled with activity, the soldiers’ chatter filling the air. Shire noticed fires lit every ten steps, around which soldiers sat, taking off their helmets and gauntlets to focus on cooking dinner in pots. They engaged in lively talk, laughter, and merrymaking. Outside the camp was a temporary fence, and two teams dug a large pit for use as a toilet.

A female knight stood at the camp’s entrance, gazing up at the sky.

The appearance of the knight left a strong impression on Shire, giving him an icy feeling.

She had a pair of sharp, tri-focused eyes that seemed to be constantly scrutinizing someone. Her face was pale, almost devoid of color. Her lips were thin and sharp, and her hair was impeccably groomed. She tied her hair into a neat short ponytail, which added to her rather rigid appearance. It was clear she had high standards for her demeanor.

The knight’s equipment was far superior to that of the ordinary soldiers. She wore a linen robe with her family’s shield emblem—a lion holding a metal cross—displayed prominently. Beneath the robe, she wore a half-body iron armor, which appeared quite heavy. Her shoulder and arm armor were forged together on both sides, creating a solid and imposing look.

“We found a suspicious person,” the sentry brought Shire over, greeted the knight, and then departed.

The knight’s cold gaze landed on Shire.

“What are you doing here?” Shire asked.

“We all have confidential information that we can’t disclose, don’t we?” The knight’s tone turned cold. Her voice seemed quite deliberate, as if she had trained it that way.

What she said wasn’t entirely untrue. Shire became a little cautious around her, sensing that she possessed more experience and resources than him.

“If it’s not too much trouble, I must continue my journey. I don’t want to get caught outside the curfew city,” Shire stated.

“What’s the harm in staying here for one night? Do you have pressing matters, traveler?”

“I have a reason to return to Gray Tree Hall as soon as possible.” After his previous experience, Shire dared not reveal that he was a Devil Hunter.

“During this period of unrest, our mission is to maintain peace and stability in our territory. Forgive me for being frank, but you strike me as the kind of person who might cause trouble,” she remarked.

“Of course not.” Shire felt offended.

“Please come in. We won’t release you until we learn more about you,” the knight stated Shire’s fate briefly.

Bitterly, Shire was ushered into the military camp. The knights seemed to command a special authority. As she walked, soldiers hushed and refrained from speaking aloud, whispering only when necessary, fearing the knights’ attention.

They approached the central big tent. The tent stood on seven or eight wooden stakes, pure white in color, standing in striking contrast to the colorful others. Clearly, it was reserved only for the most significant figures in the army.

“This is where Master Rocher resides? The soldier earlier mentioned that they are the one giving orders,” Shire recollected what the soldier had shared before.

“You said exactly what you said.” She nodded.

Upon entering the tent, they discovered it was empty. The furnishings were modest, consisting of a military bed, a table, and a chair. Maps, books, and unfinished letters adorned the table.

“Then where is he now?” Shire was a little surprised.

“I, Rocher of Yin Yu Castle, extend my greetings to you,” Rocher placed her hand on her forehead and bowed to Shire. She then walked around the table and took a seat. “Please have a seat.”