Hills filled a landscape. Weeds mildly rustled in the wind. White clouds caressed the soft embrace of the sky. From the distance, a light neighing could have been heard. With slow steady trots were two horses each drawing a carriage behind them. A man with a Cowboy hat, Petro, yawned, stroked a horse and pulled the reins. He shouted back, "Let's take a break." while he took out a water-bag.

Libertas held his hand against the sun, as he stepped out of the carriage. It was nine days after his Tribulation. His expression was numb as if his face was under the effect of a narcotic. The raised hand dripped blood on his nose, his breathing was erratic and a piercing feeling spread from his belly to his heart. It was like lightning had hit him. Someone patted his back, he turned around. Behind him stood an Orc over 2 metres high, his belly round.

"Aren't you well?"

Libertas stood there frozen, blankly staring at the Orc towering over him. Slowly, a drop of blood after another seeped out of its skin. Mysteriously, the blood formed fine lines dividing the whole Orc into five parts: the head, the loin, the belly, the ham. The fine lines were like sharp knives, cutting the Orc into pieces. The head rolled to his feet, smiling, "Was I delicious, you Hypocrite?"

Libertas tried to step back but tripped. His head pained, however, it was the last he cared about now. He glanced around, the Orc vanished instead in its place was the Swordsman. He jumped from the carriage and extended his hand to Libertas. There was a fading glow in his eyes.

"Be more careful. Do you need to rest? You look pale!"

"No need. Everything is going well. I am just a bit tired."

After grabbing the hand, Libertas pulled himself up. His face remained numb. Without a care, he walked away from the carriage. He breathed deep in, then he slowly let the air out from his mouth. After a while, the pulse calmed down. The teacher walked beside him, gazing together at the idyllic landscape.

"What do you see?"

Libertas looked bewildered and annoyed at the Teacher. He swiftly turned around before he gave a reply, "What should I see?"

From the direction of the carriage came Igor ran. He stopped in front of Libertas and spoke, "Your Highness, It is time to leave."

His Highness nodded, "Let us depart."

As Libertas walked to the carriage, the teacher stopped Igor in his track. Regardless if Libertas saw the scene, now he wouldn't care. He was mentally just too exhausted, as long as there was no fight, it was alright.

13 Days after Libertas Tribulation, it was night. Libertas sat in his carriage, focusing on his Imaginary World. The brightness which was too bright and caused darkness wasn't there any longer. Replacing it was a red veil covering a fuzzy form. In the air was a sweet metallic smell.

Back in reality, stood Petro behind Libertas in the carriage. His right hand held a knife, raised and pointed at Libertas. With his cold hate-filled eyes, he gazed to the outside as the knife slowly lowered.

"Won't you come out? Or do you want him dead?"

The swordsman walked in, "It doesn't seem like you want to kill him."

"Oh, why did you say that?"

Petro pressed the knife against Libertas neck, a streak of blood seeped out. Libertas frowned and opened his eyes. He raised his hand to feel his neck, just feel the cold metal of a knife. He gulped, then he lowered his hand again, slowly.

"Oh, you are Awake. C'mon tell me, how do you want to die?"

Judging from the voice, the murder-to-be was Petro. Libertas voice shook, "Wha… what d… do you want? Do… don't you fear… my father?"

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"You don' need to fear him. He won't kill you."

"If you won't kill me, wo… won't you please… remove that kni… knife from my neck?"

"Haha, how cute!"

Petro laughed out but removed the knife. Though in the next second, he chopped with his hand at Libertas. Libertas fell, but he wasn't knocked out. Pero has miscalculated his force, although even then Libertas was barely hanging on his consciousness.

"Now that the pesky obstruction is finally disposed of, let the real talk begin!"

"Why did you lure me here?"

"Weren't you pretty secretive, showing him… hmm... Stuff?"

"What do you mean. I am just teaching him a bit about butchering."

Petro smiled, "Depraved Butchering."

The swordsman tensed, he pulled his sword out, "How did you know?"

"How was it, as you butchered your Father?"

"Shut up!"

In the Swordsman red glowing eyes, thin red lines seeped out of Petro's skin. With each little movement of Petro, the red lines readjusted themselves. The feeling of extreme solemnity and hunger resurfaced, and the swordsman swept his sword.

"Hey, hey, stop it. I just wanna speak with ya!"

Petro ducked the sword. He once again tried to communicate, but just met a dead-end. All he saw, was a boot targeting his face. With a sigh, he jumped back while he caught and pulled the leg. Seeing the swordsman losing his balance, Petro raised the leg further before he rushed in with the other hand holding a knife.

The knife was placed beside the swordsman's neck, Petro whispered into his ears, "Now, did you calm down."

"Your Highness, what happened?"

Igor jumped into the carriage, the others followed. He squinted his eyes and drew his sword. The others too were prepared for combat, however, they didn't hold a sword, but other types of weaponry.

Igor repeated his words, but this time with a more serious voice which demanded authority, and less of worry and panic, "What happened?"

"Don't you know, this and that happened."

Annoyed, Igor tried to ask his question once more, but the Tanker charged at Petro with his shield facing the front. An Arrow whizzed by, which forced the Tanker to use the shield to slap the arrow away. The Swordsman was used as a shield and he couldn't simply let his companion die. Though the charge slowed down due to a short loss of Balance, the Tanker successful rammed the swordsman from the grasp of Petro.

"Congratulation, you saved a precious companion!"

"…"

"But do you know who exactly you all saved too?"

The Tanker breathed out and prepared himself for another bout, "… What do you want?"

Petro ignored him and weaved his story further, "You all saved the Son of the notorious Depraved Butcher, who had inherited the Law of his father 'Depraved Butchering'. Once again, congratulation!"

The Archer eyes glowed azure, emitting a soothing calmness, "Don't you only want to sow discord among us?"

"You said that, but why do you need your Law to calm yourselves?"

"…"

"Haha, a bunch of hypocrite like that kid! Come stand up, I know that you are awake!"

Libertas stood up, rubbed his neck and patted his clothes, "What now?"

Libertas retreated behind Igor, as Petro spoke to him, "I don't know why that King wants you dead, but I won't kill you. Though killing you will be satisfying, this would please this shitty King. I did observe you for days, so let me tell you one thing. You won't survive in your marquessate! You Father want you dead, now that you lost your use! Throw as soon as possible your identity away."

Igor relaxed his stance a bit but remained prepared for any sudden changes. He chuckled, "Wasn't it three?"

"Oh, seems like that, ahaha. Now let's get going."

Petro jumped out of the carriage before he hit his head and turned around, "Ah, almost forgot. Boy, in case you don't want to listen, you will find a map in one of my bags. Bye-bye!"

Petro waved his hand and walked into the darkness. But shortly after, he descended from the sky in front of the carriage while cursing, "Fuck, and I thought I were finally free from this shithole. If I find this prince… Kekeke."

After Petro laughed diabolically, he starred at the dumbfounded gazed, "Well, shit! Pretty awkward now… Yeah, I will accompany you all for a while longer."

The Archer pointed his bow with an arrow at Petro, "Well, then solve the problem you just now formed."

Petro hopped in the carriage again, and gazed down at the sitting Swordsman, "Shall I explain, or do you want?"

The swordsman resigned with a sigh, "I will, but you first need to tell us about your origin. You aren't someone from Pyros."

Petro pointed at Libertas, "Yeah, I ain't. I am something like a spy who was tasked to see into his root. As such, I manipulated the King, created some Illusions here and there and infiltrated the palace. It was all boring kinds of stuff, not worth mentioning. Now, it is your turn. Tell us about your Past with Depraved Butcher! Tell us about things you have hidden from your companions! Tell us why you harmed His Highness?"

The Swordsman glanced at around, his gaze lingered a while longer at his companions and Libertas face. Libertas showed confusion, whereas the Archer showed his support, but the Tanker expressed his doubt. He sighed, closed his eyes and reminisced of his past. After that, he took a deep breath and opened his mouth.