My Demons

Chapter 50

His name was Albi.

He didnt even understand why he was bestowed with such an endearing name. He lacked any knowledge of his parents or siblings who could have given him an explanation.

The earliest recollection from his life was that of pilfering food and enduring a brutal thrashing from an enraged merchant. that point forward, he sustained himself through begging and pickpocketing, gradually evolving into an integral part of a gang of thieves.

What transformed Albis existence was an encounter with a wounded, itinerant knight.

His band of thieves couldnt resist the allure of the injured knights armor and weaponry, beseeching for mercy. Impulsive thieves, blinded by their avarice, lunged at the knight.

Remarkably, they were all annihilated by the knight, who was on the brink of death.

Observing this, Albi sat beneath an oak tree, seeking refuge from the scorching sun.

As the insults and shouts gradually subsided, he approached the fallen knight and inflicted a fatal stab to the knights neck. From that day onward, Albi assumed the role of a wandering knight himself.

Even afterward, Albi continued to partake in thievery.

The distinction lay in the fact that he no longer needed to be subservient.

To convincingly enact the persona of a wandering knight, Albi acquired expertise in horseback riding and martial arts. As his gang expanded, his impersonation as a knight became increasingly convincing.

With Albis advancing skills came growing notoriety, and the size of his gang continued to swell.

When his band of thieves exceeded a thousand members, Albi realized that the title of wandering knight no longer suited him.

Thus, he declared himself a noble and knighted his subordinates.

Hence, Baron Albanne and his gang of robbers were born.

Amidst the low-lying reed fields, numerous horses had established a camp.

In the heart of the encampment, a wide, flat rock served as a perch for a heavily-armed man.

At first glance, shrouded in black plate armor, he bore the visage of a knight.

The heavily-armed man, self-styled as Baron Albanne, sat with arms crossed and a furrowed brow.

The prince himself?

Yes, my Lord. Ten cavalry units have been lurking along the riverbank since dusk, poised to cross at any moment.

Hmm, is that so?

As Baron Albanne stroked his chin in contemplation, the surrounding bandit leaders voiced their concerns.

We absolutely must prevent them from breaking our encirclement.

Some may be rushing from South Harbor to reinforce them, my Lord.

Even if its just twenty of them, why not lure them into the forest and eliminate them?

Though he maintained the facade of a knight and thus employed moderately polite language, the Baron couldnt help but scoff at his subordinates suggestions.

Heh, youre all quite foolish, arent you? If they intended to cross the river, they wouldnt delay; they would seize the opportunity.

So, whats their plan, then?

Its clearly a ruse. They aim to divert attention towards the prince while breaking through elsewhere.

Baron Albanne clicked his tongue in disapproval, casting a critical eye upon his perplexed subordinates.

What a collection of ignoramuses I have under my command. I must swiftly establish a domain and replace them all.

Aldo! Relay a message to the pirates. They may be targeting the coast.

Yes, my Lord.

Pageno! Patrol the tunnels. They may attempt to divert attention to the east and slip through the tunnels. Pageno, upon receiving the order, raised a question.

Havent we stationed men near the tunnels already? I dont believe I need to go there, my Lord.

In response, Barons face contorted in anger.

You are to pursue and apprehend anyone wandering near those tunnels, you imbecile. Cease your chatter and depart before I gouge your eyes out!

Grimacing at the Barons outburst, Pageno hurriedly moved.

During their strategizing, a messenger approached the Baron.

What is it now?

If Plan A fails, regardless of the outcome on our end, the prince intends to execute Plan A-2 surely he wont actually do it? That would be insane.

As we reached the shore, and the water rose to our knees, I looked around and gestured.

Everyone, hurry and board! Ill push.

While observing the soldiers and comrades boarding the boat, I suddenly glanced back.

Phoenix, help me.

What are you doing?

Hurry. My shoe is wet.

Ellen, who was standing on the beach, said this and extended both hands to me.

I was surprised by her confident demeanor, but I didnt want to waste time, so I quickly helped her onto the boat.

Alright, lets go.

Riding the tide, the turbulent waves crashed around us, but I stood firm on the sandy bottom and gained speed.

Eventually, as the water level rose to our necks, I grasped Arnals hand and lifted her onto the boat.

I wrung out the leather clothing beneath my armor and asked the young man, or rather, the boy in front of me,

Are these waves too strong? Is this okay?

Well, it seems well have to go further than planned, sigh.

The young oarsman, rowing vigorously, went by the name of Ivo, a youthful deckhand.

He was a slender, tall fellow, his face dotted with acne, appearing to be around Ellens age, maybe a year or two older.

If we get caught by pirates, its going to be trouble. Wouldnt it be better to follow the beach?

Well, that

Ivo hesitated briefly, cast a glance at the other deckhands, and shrugged his shoulders.

Actually, Im not sure. Lomet probably has a plan.

Hmm, does he?

It didnt appear that way.

The seasoned deckhand Lomet sat at the bow, gazing out at the sea. His scowling expression, while he scratched his salt-tinged hair, indicated that even with over 20 years of experience, he didnt have any particular solutions.

In the end, the boat moved diagonally, riding the waves and heading south.

Grania and three soldiers were rowing diligently, but due to the rough waves, we could hardly pick up speed.

Watching that uneasy scene reminded me of the dappled horse I had left at the garrison.

Riding a horse along the beach would have been genuinely exhilarating.

According to the stable hands, with proper training, the dappled horse could become a decent war horse. While not as formidable as a cavalry charging horse, it was quite well-built.

Suddenly, I found myself worrying, recalling the arrow that had struck the dappled horses hindquarters. The stable hands would take good care of it, right? Even a mediocre war horse costs at least fifty gold coins

Ah, its not about the money. Its only natural to be concerned about a comrade with whom Ive faced death, even if briefly, isnt it?

Of course, if someone were to offer me a pile of gold coins, I might consider parting with that comrade, but

Splash!

Agh!

Ellens sudden scream interrupted my thoughts.

A large wave had crashed against the bow, completely soaking her. Unable to find a target for her anger, she simmered in frustration.

She shot a glance in my direction, exuding an aura that said, Say one word, and Ill give you a piece of my mind.

Naturally, I wasnt going to remain silent just because of that atmosphere.

You should have anticipated this when you complained about getting your feet wet. You brought it upon yourself.

You, you rascal

Muttering, Ellen glared fiercely at Arnal, who was suppressing a chuckle.

Arnal, who had been leaning against the railing, promptly clamped her mouth shut and pretended not to notice. Ellen grumbled for a moment and then turned her head away.