Chương 23: Chapter 22: Revelation (4)
Massaging his temples, Noah felt the grogginess gradually abate as his focus returned to register the chaos in front of him.
"Noah! We leave!" Leah sprang up to Noah's bedside, jumping onto the bed and anxiously pulling on his arm. "Noah no sell self!"
"What?" Noah murmured before John followed Leah up from the side, guarding against Raelyn.
"Brother, you don't have to sacrifice yourself for us." John implored, gripping tighter onto the table ornament in his hands. "T-This was my fault. We wouldn't be here if I had listened to you…"
Right then.
Noah could understand where his siblings were coming from, especially Leah. Both her brothers had been bedridden one after the other. John first, then Noah after he excused himself to visit a latrine in a noble's house.
Young as John and Leah were, there were certain things about slum life that were impossible to shield them from. Women who did favors for profit, alcoholics who abuse their family and children, and horror stories of nobles taking advantage of paupers.
This one fell cleanly into that category.
Considering that Noah had been healthy when John and Leah last saw him, his current status severely rattled them.
Raelyn however was different.
Noah looked at Raelyn for an explanation, and the cowed girl fidgeted as she put away her spear.
"You were bedridden for three days." She mumbled. "I-I wanted to visit and check up on you, but they wouldn't let me."
"Spy! Spy!" Leah accused, jumping out of the bed and keeping her guard up.
John followed suit when Raelyn looked like she was getting mad.
"I told you I came because I was worried, not because the Duchess asked me to." Raelyn insisted.
Why would Sophia Everbright ask a child to-
Noah stared at John and Leah in growing trepidation as he realized what they had likely done.
"Y-You both kicked out the Duchess of Everbright from the room?" He asked stiffly.
"Yeah!" Leah nodded proudly, arms crossing as she sneered at the memory.
"Leave it to us brother, those greedy nobles won't get close." John and Leah were of one mind on the matter. "Even if that girl and her maid offered food and sweets."
Or at least John thought so.
An impeccable crack appeared on Leah's façade as she unconsciously licked her lips.
"Leah liked the cookie." She murmured.
"Leah, stand firm!" John chastised, embarrassed.
"Y-Yes!" Leah screamed, startled. "Leah firm!"
Noah pursed his lips as the children squabbled with words.
There was much to think about, but what Noah wanted an answer for now was what happened with Duke Everbright.
Based on the outcome, it would help him come to a decision about what to do with the visions he'd seen.
Of the people present in the room, only Raelyn could provide Noah with an answer he needed.
"And the Duke?" Noah asked, shifting his position on the bed to better face Raelyn.
"'Terminal stages of Blight have receded, but it persists.'" Raelyn repeated the words she'd heard from Sophia. "The Duchess implores further treatment to fully cure the Duke, and asked me as a favour to inform you t-"
"See! See!" John suddenly exclaimed with justification.
Raelyn's eyes widened.
"Spy! Spy!" Leah continued yelling while climbing over John and pointing down at Raelyn from John's shoulders.
"I-I no I, he asked!" Raelyn hurriedly tried to recover, but there was no relenting. "I didn't bring it up!"
"Hmph, you've shown your true colors." John huffed.
"Spy! Spy!" Leah hid behind John.
Noah fell into thought.
/-/
An elite group of Seventh and Sixth Tier Knights from Aletera's capital trudged forward on their way to the border city of Amaranth. Flying the winged banners of the Royal Family, they represented a contingency of Aletera's finest Knights largely under the First Prince.
However, the true power lay in the First Tier Knight trusted by the King to oversee the operation to secure Duke Everbright before the Duke succumbed to Blight. Marked by a distinct red mantle and golden commander breastplate, the middle aged man struck a sharp image with a trimmed beard, pencil mustache, and wild brown hair.
His name was Juda Horthall, a member of the King's guard.
Juda was dispatched as he grew up in the same generation as Duke Everbright and the Newmoon Family's crazy woman.
"Keep pace," Juda ordered while narrowing his eyes.
The road to Amaranth wasn't without its peril. As a border city, denizens of the Black Fog would occasionally wander into the premises and traces lingered.
The Blighted were covered in dark fog as if they naturally produced it. On death, the fog remains until a Wizard or Knight could arrive to disperse it.
Killing Blighted entities was a common method of the fog's encroachment which was why non mana users were banned from killing any Blighted lest they uselessly spread the black fog. This was especially the case with stronger Blighted that harbored a greater deal of fog within them.
Best case scenario was to capture the Blighted and imprison them, preventing the fog from reclaiming them in death.
The unit made quick progress, avoiding notice by traveling on worn roads.
The men were lax, having spent too long in relative peace in the capital.
Although the danger was significantly reduced on the road from the inner capital, Juda wasn't one to take risks.
Call it intuition, but there was something off about the Black Fog he could see over the horizon. It writhed and loomed over Aletera as usual, but it remained in place. Centuries had passed since the fog had ceased its encroachment, and no one had any clue about when it would resume.
The best they could do now was try to stay united and survive.
Amaranth's walls soon appeared within the distance, and with it came an unlikely encounter with the ruling Lady of Amaranth herself.
Sophia Everbright came alone to greet them.
Juda raised an arm, signaling for the Knights to be at ease as he stood forward as the group's representative.
"It's been a while, hasn't it, Sophia Newmoon?" Juda chuckled, keeping his sword sheathed. "Or should I call you Duchess Everbright now?"
"You are not taking him." Sophia cut straight to the point and skipped the pleasantries.
Juda's expression crumpled, wanting to take the slow approach, but he should have remembered that Sophia would never play to standard practice. He realized that this wasn't going to be as simple a conversation as he'd hoped.
"I have orders from the Royal Family. You know it must be done." Juda grunted.
"It's not happening." Sophia said without batting an eye.
"Are those vultures still eyeing your estate?" Juda gave an offer. "Let's compromise. Give us the Duke, and I'll personally stay and guard Everbright until the matter tides over. It's the least I can do for a friend."
Sophia shook her head. The fact she came on her own to meet the group in advance spoke of the level of her determination.
"I will not repeat myself, Juda. It's not happening."
A vein popped over Juda's temple. He knew now that he couldn't avoid a fight if he tried to take the Duke.
"Try to see reason! The Royal Family has given enough leeway, and time is running out." Juda grimaced. "Would you rather remember the Duke as the man he was, or the horror he will become?"
"Neither." Sophia answered.
"You're being stubborn Sophia." Juda placed a hand over his sword.
Sophia had made a mistake. It would be far easier to subdue Sophia now on her own, then it would be to apprehend her with the Knights of Everbright at her back.
Far from alarmed however, Sophia made no motion to grab her own sword.
"No Juda," she said, staring directly into Juda's eyes. "…I've found a cure."
Juda's expression hardened.
Rather than believe, it was more likely that Sophia was clutching at straws to delay the matter.
"One more week." Sophia urged with such emotion that Juda was taken aback. "You're welcome to stay in our estate and see for yourself if my words are lies."
Juda hesitated, but it was the light that had returned to Sophia's eyes that managed to convince him.
One week.
"I'll hold you to that."
Juda ordered the Knights to enter Amaranth and head to Everbright.
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