manynovel Chapter 104 Rapid Currents
Chapter 104 Rapid Currents
Chapter 104 Rapid Currents
Coach Robert said that what follows will be very dangerous.
Kathy felt that he had always been surrounded by danger.
From the moment he was born, and from the moment he inherited the surname "Laines," his life was destined to be full of ups and downs.
But Casey also felt very lucky.
Pegasus had always protected him well, and Reggie had also taken good care of him.
But now Pegasus is dead, and Reggie is forced to let Kathy leave Whitewood City.
However, Coach Robert took the torch from them and took over the responsibility of leading Kessie forward.
Kathy wasn't very familiar with Coach Robert; she had only occasionally followed him to learn martial arts.
Robert was short, bald, and had a somewhat irritable temper, but Casey had never seen him lose his temper with anyone.
During the month or so that Casey followed him on his escape, Robert always smiled at her.
But Kathy knew that Robert was just putting on a brave face.
He tried to take Kashi to other lords on the plateau, but was either rejected or betrayed.
Only Baron Zeman of Moonstone Castle was willing to let Kathy into the city, which allowed Kathy to get two peaceful nights' sleep.
On the third day, however, Count Zeman asked Cassius and Robert to leave Moonstone Castle with a troubled expression.
Count Zeman said that his family has always been supporters of the Lines family, and the two families have intermarried many times.
He expressed his strong desire to stand with the Lines family, but said that in the current situation, it would be a very unwise choice.
Now, Goringburg no longer exists, and Whitewood City has also fallen.
If any of Reggie's sons were to kneel before the Zorc family of Grey City, Baron Gulvig would immediately behead Reggie.
He was then elected as the new lord of Bailin City.
In other words, Whitewood City can no longer be a support for Kathy.
Since the plateau has been isolated from the outside world since ancient times, if the Lines family still intends to make a comeback, they must have supporters on the plateau to respond from within.
Only the Zeman family is still on Keshi's side, but Moonstone Fortress is not impregnable, especially since the opponent is a monster that could even breach Whitewood City.
So until the opportune moment arrives, they have no choice but to force themselves to kneel and bow to those despicable people in order to preserve their strength.
If they decide to surrender to the Zorc family, then it will no longer be safe for Kathy to remain in the city.
Kathy and Robert had no choice but to resume their wanderings, but fortunately, Moonstone City gave them some gold and a small boat.
If they took the land route, they would inevitably fall into the surveillance network of the Stone Bridge Tower and the Iron Chain Fortress, and the probability of them being discovered would be very high.
Both families are staunch supporters of the Zorc family, so if the two are discovered, they should not expect to survive.
However, it is now May, and the Zhenyuan River has begun to melt, so those roads are no longer the only way to leave the plateau.
As long as they have boats, they can rush downstream down to the plateau before the enemy can react.
At this moment, Casey was sitting on the boat, while Robert was standing at the stern propelling pole opposite her.
The weather is gradually warming up, but the plateau remains cold.
A gentle breeze swept across the river, and Cathy immediately curled up involuntarily, feeling the cold.
He looked ahead, and the things in front of him were receding little by little, gradually moving away from him.
Kathy felt that this moment was a microcosm of his entire life.
He sat with his back to the bow of the boat, unable to see which way they were going.
There was always someone to row for him, so he never had to think about where to go.
Whether it's Pegasus, Reggie, or now Robert, they all want to help him ascend to the throne of the Highland Lord.
In fact, he had sat on it for several years, but he didn't find that stone chair much more comfortable.
Kathy has no interest in becoming a lord.
However, if everyone wants him to do this, then it doesn't matter if he fights for it.
Yes, Casey could feel everyone's care and love, and he was very grateful, but he was also a not-so-bright boy.
All he could do was not let them down.
Therefore, he accepted everyone's expectations and has been working hard for them ever since.
With her back to the bow of the ship, Kathy could only see the past, yet the past was always fading away and disappearing.
And this is what hurt him the most.
Everything he knew, cherished, and liked slowly disappeared one by one.
However, there were always people who took over and rowed for him.
Therefore, no matter how heartbroken he was, he had to continue sitting at the bow of the boat, facing away from the shore.
Kathy has always been confused, but now she feels a greater sense of loneliness.
Coach Robert said, "Sir, please be careful, the water ahead is very rapid."
"Yes," Casey nodded.
"Although the Zhenyuan River has started to flow, the ice floes have not completely melted," Robert said. "If we hit these, we could be thrown out at any moment, and even this small boat could be smashed. So, sir, please hold on tight to the side of the boat."
"good,"
Kathy responded again and immediately did as instructed.
"Hehehe," Robert suddenly laughed.
Cathy, puzzled by the meaning of the laughter, asked:
"Robert, what are you laughing at?"
"It's nothing, sir. I was just thinking that you are so lovable. You are always so obedient and quiet. I think every father in the world would like to have a son like you. At least that's what I think. If my son were half as well-behaved as you, I would rather live ten years less."
Hearing such praise, Cathy blushed and declined, saying:
"But I think everyone would prefer a capable son. Robert, you know, I can't even hold a wooden sword properly now."
"Oh! Your Grace, you are still young. You are only thirteen years old. When you grow up a little more, you will definitely be a master of martial arts."
Kathy shook her head: "Robert, you don't need to comfort me. I know I'm not cut out for martial arts."
"But martial arts is not the only way out. Although the highlands are martial, it is not the case everywhere. For example, the Sinclair family is royalty, but they believe that knowledge and wisdom are the most important talents a person can have."
“But I’m a child of the plateau,” Cathy said, hanging her head. “Besides, I’m not smart. I learn knowledge and history too slowly.”
“That’s still better than me, and my son is no match for you,” Robert said. “Besides, for a lord, strategy and tactics are the most important things, and I’ve heard from Earl Davis that you have an exceptional understanding of these things.”
"I can only chime in occasionally—"
"That's already quite remarkable, sir. You're only thirteen, while Earl Davis is almost sixty. There's a difference of more than forty years of experience and life experience between you, yet you've managed to keep up with him."
Kathy understood that Robert was telling the truth.
However, this is not necessarily correct.
Kathy felt that she was not strong and had no talent. She said that she had gotten to where she was today entirely because of the help of others.
If I were even slightly better, Pegasus might not have died, and Reggie might not have been captured.
Robert suddenly braced himself to the side, causing Kathy to tilt in the opposite direction.
Then he saw an ice floe bigger than the boat pass by.
Seemingly noticing the melancholy in Cathy's eyes, Robert spoke up:
"Don't worry, sir, everything will be alright."
Kathy Minn said this was unfounded comforting, but he nodded nonetheless:
"Um·-.--
"We must now leave the plateau. With the destruction of Gaolin Fortress and the fall of Bailin City, the power of Gray Domain City will expand rapidly."
"And you are his only threat, so he will definitely hunt you down with all his might. Therefore, there is no safe place in this area."
Robert analyzed,
"The Lyons family lost two precious decades, but the Zorc family, suppressed for a thousand years, seized this opportunity. Earl Davis and Lord Pegasus failed because they underestimated the growth of the Zorc family over the years. The other side has firmly grasped the lifeline of the plateau, so even if we intend to counterattack, we must start from the outside, which is why we have to leave."
Kathy thought this analysis made a lot of sense, but Wen remembered a few things Robert had said before:
"Robert, you're clearly very smart; you know how to analyze situations."
"My lord, you are unaware of this. After your grandfather, Lord Jasper, passed away, I remained in Goringburg. I was able to observe closely everything that Gullwig and Bob did, which is why I was able to analyze these things. As for Earl Becas and Earl Davis, what they could see from the outside was often just the surface, so it is normal for them to have some errors."
Kathy didn't say anything more and nodded gently.
The current became swift, but the ice on the river became increasingly dense. Robert had to use his oars to slow the boat down to prevent it from going out of control and crashing into the ice floes.
After dodging another large piece of ice, Robert suddenly shouted:
"Lord! My lord, kneel down!"
Kathy didn't understand what was happening, but without thinking much about it, he immediately lay down on the bottom of the boat.
A few seconds later, Casey heard other sounds:
"Stop! Stop the boat immediately!"
Then, the small boat slowly came to a stop.
Robert said, "Gentlemen, what's wrong?"
"Who are you?"
"A fisherman, sir, is a subject of Baron Tatner of Silver Star."
"If that's the case, what are you doing here? We're already quite far from the Silver Star Tower."
"Rivers have no owner; this is common knowledge on the plateau."
"But that statement doesn't absolve you of your suspicious behavior. Tell me, what are you planning to do?"
"Oh! Sir, you know, people on the plateau have had a terrible year. My family is completely broke, but I still have a large family to feed. The river is thawing, so I was thinking of catching some fish to fill my family's stomachs."
"Then head upstream," Baron Zorc ordered, "block the river and forbid any ships from leaving."
"Gentlemen, please have mercy. There are really no fish left upstream. Please let me catch a few, and I'll go back right away."
"Military orders cannot be disobeyed; turn back immediately."
"In that case... well—but gentlemen, this order has only just been delivered, hasn't it?"
"Huh? How did you know?"
"Because you only have five people, it's clear you were hastily sent here rather than with careful planning."
"So what if it is? Hurry up and go back."
"Of course, but gentlemen, the river is completely frozen. Could you please help me turn the boat around?"
"What do you want me to do?"
"Just hold onto my oar—"
Cathy quietly raised her head slightly and saw Robert stretch the oar forward.
Suddenly, Robert's eyes sharpened, and even Cassie could sense the murderous intent hidden within them.
Robert swung his oar and slammed it forward, and then Kathy heard a scream.
Robert then dropped the oar, drew his sword, and leaped forward to the shore.
Kathy was eager to know what had happened, but he remembered Robert's instructions.
He had to stay prone so as not to ruin Robert's plans.
Kathy could only deduce roughly what had happened from the countless sounds.
"What are you doing! You bastard born of a whore!"
"Gift!" Several sounds of swords being drawn rang out in succession.
"Clang!" This was the sharp sound of weapons clashing.
"Yeah!" Robert's deep voice came through all his strength.
Then came the repetition of these sounds, but often interspersed with a few painful screams.
If I could improve faster, Cathy thought, maybe I could be of some help at that point.
But he understood that he must not mistake expectation for reality.
After an unknown amount of time, the sounds I heard gradually became simpler and clearer.
Until, all that remained was Robert's panting.
The next moment, Robert jumped back onto the boat, causing the entire small boat to rock violently, resulting in Cathy rolling sideways on the deck.
"Sir, that's enough, sit up now."
Upon hearing this, Kathy straightened up.
He turned his head and saw several pools of blood on the shore, as well as the bodies of five soldiers.
Just as he had predicted, Robert killed everyone.
When Casey turned to Robert, he found Robert lying weakly on the boat.
Kathy asked anxiously, "Robert, are you alright?"
"He only suffered minor injuries, but—he might be lacking oxygen."
"You should rest for a bit, and breathe carefully, Robert."
"Yes, sir, but I'll have to trouble you to row from here on out."
"It's alright, leave it to me."
Kathy nodded, picked up the oar that Robert had left behind, and began to row, propelling the boat forward.
Robert said:
"We must leave immediately, sir. You heard it too: Gray City has realized we might be traveling by water and has ordered the Zhenyuan River sealed off. This is only a temporary force of five; the main force is still behind. Once they discover the bodies, they will surely pursue us along the riverbank at breakneck speed. We cannot afford to delay a moment!"
"Um,"
Cathy's little hands gripped the long pole of the oar tightly.
He needed to exert all his strength to advance the boat even a fraction of an inch.
However, Kathy was very happy, and even had a smile on her face.
"I didn't hold you back," Cathy thought happily, "and I even helped out!"
Robert began bandaging his wounds.
Although he said it was a minor injury, Cathy could tell that the wound was quite deep.
If not handled promptly or properly, it could pose a fatal risk.
After his wounds were treated, Robert lay down on the boat and fell asleep.
Kathy knew that everyone was gritting their teeth and persevering.
As their master, as the duke and lord of the plateau, he should be even stronger.
"Um!"
Cathy nodded vigorously, then rowed even harder.
Late at night, Robert finally woke up:
"Oh my goodness! How long have I been asleep? Sir, why didn't you wake me?"
Cathy was still enjoying herself: "It's okay, Robert, you can rest a little longer."
"Sir, give me the oar, it's time for you to rest," Robert said, extending his hand.
Although Cathy wanted to try a little longer, since Robert had spoken, she didn't say anything more and chose to obey.
Kathy sat down again with her back to the bow of the ship, facing backward.
The stars were bright tonight, and those red dots of light flickered in Cassie's eyes, bringing her a strong sense of sleepiness.
However, those stars were shaking so badly, and their angle was so low—"
Thinking about this, Casey suddenly realized that those might not be starlight.
He immediately whispered to Robert, "Robert, it looks like something's chasing us."
Coach Robert turned around and looked at the points of light.
He spat and cursed:
"Damn those traitors of Gray Domain City, they caught up so quickly! My lord, those are cavalrymen carrying torches!"
Kathy was a little nervous; her palms were sweating.
"They seem to be faster than us; will they catch up with us soon?"
"I see--"
Robert responded, then scratched his bald scalp vigorously a few times, as if he was thinking of a solution.
After a moment, Robert seemed to have thought of something, and he asked Casey:
"Sir, while I was asleep, did you encounter any river forks?"
Kathy shook her head. If a fork in the road appeared, she would definitely wake Robert to make the decision. "Then there's a way."
As he spoke, Robert began to row faster.
In the dim moonlight, Kathy could vaguely see that Robert seemed to have overexerted himself, his wound had reopened, and bloodstains were seeping from his clothes.
Kathy was worried about Robert, but he knew he couldn't help.
He can't heal his wounds, nor does he have enough strength to row, so there's no need for him to offer these fake, tough words of concern.
Robert also said to Casey at this time:
"My lord, please hold on tight to the ship. The journey ahead will be quite dangerous."
Upon hearing this, Kathy immediately did as instructed.
Robert continued to explain his plans:
"The Zhenyuan River has a fork at the border of the plateau. Since you haven't seen the fork, it means we haven't arrived yet. But based on the time, even if we haven't arrived, we shouldn't be far away."
Kathy nodded: "Robert, I'm sure I didn't see any forks in the river."
"Yes, sir, I have no doubts about you. And after that fork in the river, it splits into two waterways, one extending southeast..."
One river reaches its mouth on the south bank of the kingdom and flows into the sea, while another flows north, passing a lake, and into the gloomy sea.
Robert explained,
"The eastward branch follows the gentle slope of the plateau, so the water flow is relatively gentle, while the northward branch is like a waterfall cascading down from the cliffs of the plateau. Even the word 'turbulent' cannot describe the speed of the water."
Hearing this, Keshi understood Robert's plan:
"Are you planning to travel by northern waterway?"
"That's right. Heading east will inevitably lead to being caught by those horses, sir. I dare not gamble your life on the pursuers' archery skills. Heading north is equally dangerous; a slight misstep could result in the ship being destroyed and everyone perishing. Besides, there are still ice floes on the river."
Robert nodded, his voice heavy with weary panting, whether from exhaustion, lack of oxygen, or the pain of his wound reopening, it was hard to tell.
"But God may have mercy on any life, but those beasts of the Zorc family will never spare us. My lord, I'm going to take a gamble, to test the dangers of the northern route and our luck. What do you think?"
Cathy naturally wouldn't object: "Whatever you say, Robert!"
"Hehe," Robert chuckled, "There's a boat!"
Suddenly, a loud shout came from the shore. Kathy then realized that several cavalrymen had caught up to them not far away.
He could even see the faces of the cavalrymen under their half-helmets, illuminated by the torchlight.
"Stop! Stop the boat!"
Kathy heard the cavalry's order, but Robert naturally couldn't stop.
This even spurred him to wield the oars even more vigorously.
After several unsuccessful commands, Kathy saw the cavalrymen begin to draw their bows or pull out their crossbows.
"Arrow!" Casey told Robert briefly.
"Lie down, sir!"
Upon hearing this, Kathy immediately did as instructed.
Then, a hail of arrows descended.
Some shot into the water with a "plop," some plunged into the hull with a "thud," but one pierced Robert's shoulder.
"Neh~"
Robert let out a painful scream.
Kathy didn't dare ask Robert how he felt, lest she distract him.
But Robert didn't stop paddling—suddenly!
Kathy saw a smile appear on Robert's face:
"Haha, sir, we've arrived! Hold on tight!"
Kathy immediately braced herself against the bottom of the boat, and then Robert pushed the oar to the right with all his might.
The small boat nearly capsized to the left and made a sharp left turn.
The next moment, Casey felt a strong sense of weightlessness, but fortunately, he managed to hold on to the bottom of the boat and did not fly away.
But a moment later, Cathy felt herself falling suddenly and her head hit the bottom of the boat.
The fall caused Cathy's muscles to relax, but before he could react, the feeling of weightlessness returned.
This time, Casey didn't have a firm grip on anything.
He saw arrows chasing after him in the distance, but they were no match for the swift current and fell behind the small boat.
The small boat was slowly descending, while Kathy herself was flying in mid-air.
Just as he was thinking this, a large hand reached out, grabbed his collar, and pulled him back onto the ship.
It's Robert!
"Hold on tight!" Robert warned, "Sir!"
Kathy then came to her senses and clung tightly to the hull.
At that moment, he finally understood why Robert had said the waterway was dangerous.
The river plunged at a very steep angle and flowed extremely fast, making it easy to shake off the mounted pursuers.
However, if they are not careful, not only could they be thrown off the boat, but the boat could also be destroyed.
After all, this waterway is still quite treacherous!
Robert kept a close watch on navigating the boat, and Casey did the same to avoid being thrown into the river.
The sky turned white at the horizon, then darkened again.
At this point, the ship began to stabilize.
Kashi suddenly realized that he had left the plateau.
Although this stream is dangerous, it is indeed a shortcut.
In less than a day, they arrived at the foot of the plateau.
They sailed for a while longer, and then another fork in the river appeared ahead, branching off to the east and west.
Robert said, "Going east, we will reach a lake with a castle on its shore. If we want to continue sailing, we will inevitably be questioned by the patrols of that castle. The Zorc family also has some connections outside the plateau. If other nobles discover this, it may put us in a disadvantageous position."
"Then let's go west," Kathy said.
"But the waterway to the west is short, sir. After that, we'll have to travel on foot."
Kathy understood that Robert was genuinely worried about him.
So he immediately said, "It's alright, Robert, I can manage."
"Hmm—Sir, you are so sensible and strong. Alright, let's go west."
Kathy nodded, then took out some dry rations and began to eat.
He hadn't eaten for almost a whole day. The journey down from the plateau had been so dangerous that he hadn't had any time to eat.
After they finished eating, he volunteered to take over the responsibility of rowing the boat for Robert.
Robert did not refuse, which suggests he was also nearing his limit.
Kathy saw Robert first tend to his open wound and the arrow wound in his shoulder before he began to eat.
After filling his stomach, Robert asked Cathy's permission and then slept on the boat for a while.
Over the next few days, the two took turns rowing, so the journey was not delayed.
On the ninth day, the river channel began to narrow.
By evening, the river had narrowed so much that even this small boat could not pass through.
Robert said to Casey, "Sir, from now on we'll have to rely on our own two legs."
"Um,"
Without saying much, Kathy immediately followed and disembarked.
Robert said to Kathy:
"I'm sorry, sir, I have no plans for the future, nor do I know how to help you reclaim your territory and status. But I do know that the primary objective now is to lay low. The searches of you will be very strict in the coming days, and we must wait out this period."
"I understand," Casey nodded.
"I'm sorry, sir, that's all I can think of."
As he spoke, Robert bowed deeply to Keshi and straightened his head.
Kathy said, "Lift your head up, Robert. This isn't your responsibility. You've been doing a great job all along. I should be thanking you."
"My lord, you will surely become an excellent lord," Robert bowed again, "and I will be loyal to you until death."
"I will never betray your loyalty, Robert."
Kathy nodded and helped Robert up.
After Robert straightened up, he looked around and immediately said to Cathy:
"Once the enemy discovers this ship, they will surely guess that we landed here. And Zok's henchmen know that we left the plateau by water, so they won't discover this ship too late. My lord, it's too dangerous to stay in this area; we'll probably have to travel all night."
Kathy nodded in agreement and immediately followed Robert on foot.
They chose to move through the forest, minimizing the possibility of being discovered by others.
Nothing happened overnight, and the sun rose again.
At this moment, Cathy was exhausted and sleepiness had long since overwhelmed her.
But he persisted, determined not to let his own fussiness cause delays in his schedule.
"Are you tired?"
Suddenly, Kathy heard a gentle voice.
Looking up, Robert was smiling and staring at him.
Kathy shook her head.
"There's no need to push yourself, sir. Besides, I'm tired too," Robert said. "And I need to rest well so I'll have the energy to keep going."
On the go?
Where are we headed?
Bekas told him to find a library.
If Robert hadn't decided where to go, should they head to the place Pegasus mentioned?
Kathy felt it necessary to tell Robert about this, and just as he was about to speak, Robert suddenly raised his right hand and pointed forward:
"Look, sir!"
Kathy looked in the direction Kathy was pointing and saw a dilapidated house.
Robert continued, "Lady Casey, that house doesn't look like anyone lives there. Let's rest there for a while!"
Kathy nodded and followed Robert quickly away.
Upon arriving near the house, Kathy discovered it was an abandoned monastery.
Just then, he seemed to hear the sound of horses' hooves.
Robert did the same; both of them turned around at the same time and immediately saw a troop of cavalry charging toward the abandoned monastery.
"Damn it! We risked our lives coming down the raging waterway, how could they have caught up so quickly!"
"Did they also come by boat?" Casey offered her guess.
“That’s impossible,” Robert said. “The horses are inexplicable. The river is too steep for them to stand on a small boat.”
Kathy thought Robert made a good point; he himself had felt several times that he was going to fall into the water.
At this point, Robert said:
"I see!"
"Um?"
"It's Chain Fortress!"
"What happened to that city?"
"Chain Fortress couldn't transport too many troops, but a small cavalry squad was no problem. When they learned we had left the plateau by boat, they immediately informed Chain Fortress. Chain Fortress then used a device to quickly send the cavalry down the plateau and began pursuing us!"
Kathy remembered Reggie saying that it only took half a day to travel from the Iron Chain Fortress to the plateau:
"What should we do then?"
Robert immediately said, "There's no other way, let's hide first."
After saying that, Robert took Cathy's hand and walked into the monastery.
Robert glanced around and said to Casey:
"Let's hide behind the statue of God."
Kathy nodded, and the two walked quickly forward.
Just as the two were about to pass the statue, they suddenly heard a loud shout:
"Don't move!"
Turning around, the soldier had already entered the monastery and raised his crossbow, aiming at one of the two men.
Kathy recognized them immediately from the insignia on their breastplates; they were indeed the pursuers from the highlands.
Then, the remaining soldiers followed, making a total of nine.
Robert released Cathy's hand and slowly placed his hand on the hilt of the sword.
He shouted, "Release us, and I'll give you gold, guaranteeing you a life of plenty from now on."
The soldiers exchanged glances, and one of them replied:
"How much is it? Show it to me!"
Without hesitation, Robert threw the money bag forward, and gold coins rolled out of it.
Kathy knew that this was all the money they had, given to them by Baron Zeman, a full one hundred coins.
A soldier stepped forward, smiled, and pocketed the gold coins.
The next second, however, he drew his sword again.
Robert Eyebrows roared, "Bastards! You clearly took my money!"
"Ha ha," the soldier laughed a few times, "Kill you and the money is still ours, besides, this little boy is worth a thousand pieces of gold! If we hand him over, we can even get a title!"
Robert stopped talking and drew his sword.
In an instant, a crossbow bolt was fired at him.
Robert deftly dodged the attack and charged forward with his sword raised.
The soldier immediately parried, but Robert followed up with a sweeping kick, knocking the soldier down.
He then thrust his sword downwards, intending to finish off the soldier.
But another crossbow bolt came, forcing Robert to dodge, and the fallen soldier took the opportunity to react and swing his sword at Robert's lower body.
Robert was forced to jump away, and the other soldiers drew their swords and surrounded him.
But then Casey lost all interest in Robert, because four soldiers were charging toward him.
"Don't touch him, he's just a kid. If he's so capable, come find me, huh~"
Robert let out a scream, and Casey knew he had been hit.
Faced with four soldiers surrounding her, Kathy had no choice but to retreat.
Until there was nowhere left to retreat—his back touched the toes of the statue of God.
Kathy looked up at the face of the Lord.
If God truly exists, Cathy asked herself, why did He take away everything I cherish?
I have never met my mother, and I don't even know my father's name.
Belles is dead, Reggie has been captured, and now it's Robert's turn. I've even been deprived of my tears. Now I can't even shed a tear for myself. Kathy lowered her head, thinking sadly.
Just as the enemy was closing in, he suddenly heard several sharp screams.
The sound was like the squeaking of a mouse.
Then he seemed to hear the soldiers surrounding him uttering painful cries.
What happened?
Kathy looked up, and only then did he finally understand what had happened.
Several rats scurried in through the gaps in the soldiers' armor.
The soldiers threw down their weapons, trying to reach into their armor, but they couldn't.
Moments later, amidst their screams, blood gushed from the gaps in their armor.
Then, they all collapsed to the ground, unable to move.
Only then did the rats crawl out of their bodies.
The mice stood in front of Casey, looking at her.
They have eyes as black as hell, and tails like drifting, eerie smoke.
Kathy recognized them; he had been their owner.
They mistook Cassie for one of their own, and after they were transformed into demonic beasts, they kept trying to demonize Cassie as well.
They are, Little Red and Little Blue—
After exchanging a few glances with them, they suddenly turned and left through the monastery gate.
It turned out that even after Cassie left the plateau, they continued to follow her. Ignoring them, they looked towards Robert.
Robert was covered in wounds and panting heavily.
Beside him lay five corpses.
It seems that the battle on Robert's side has also ended.
By this time, all the pursuing soldiers had been killed in action.
Robert came to Cathy's side and examined her body:
"Sir, are you alright?"
Kathy shook her head.
"That's good,"
Robert sat on the ground facing the monastery entrance, seemingly at his limit.
"My lord, I apologize. I am of mediocre talent and do not know any martial arts. If Sir Pegasus were here, he would never have put you in such a dangerous situation."
Cathy shook her head: "Don't say that, Robert, you've done very well."
"You are so forgiving and so strong, so great."
"Pfft~"
Suddenly, a sword pierced Robert's heart from behind—