At midnight, the old woman from earlier struggled to find sleep. She made herself a cup of tea and sat by the fireplace, trying to calm her restless mind. As she sipped her tea, a loud thud echoed from outside. Alarmed, she slowly opened the door and found Ravena lying unconscious on the ground.
Her eyes widened in shock when she noticed Ravena's legs covered in blood, causing her to hesitate for a moment. "Oh—Ravena-sama!" she gasped, her voice trembling.
Quickly regaining her composure, she rushed back inside to wake her son and his wife for assistance. "Come quickly!" she urged them, her urgency unmistakable. "Ravena-sama needs our help!"
Together, they hurried outside to bring Ravena into the warmth and safety of their home.
They brought Ravena to another room in their house. The old woman and her son's wife began to analyze Ravena's condition, discovering the shocking reason for the blood on her legs.
"Oh, Ravena-sama! How could they do such a vile thing to you? Losing your purity to those evil, fake heroes!" exclaimed the old woman. They treated her as best as they could, stopping the bleeding and cutting away her blood-stained white robe, replacing it with a warm, comfortable one.
Less than ten minutes after her treatment, Ravena woke up. An unfamiliar ceiling met her eyes, making her immediately wary. The people who had treated her were startled by her sudden movement but quickly tried to calm her down.
"Ravena-sama, please calm down. It’s me, Myrna," the old woman said soothingly. As Ravena recognized her, she began to relax, though pain still coursed through her. She tried to shift in bed but winced from the agony just below her stomach. Myrna quickly moved to her side to offer support.
“Myrna, thank you,” Ravena managed to say.
“Don’t mention it, Ravena-sama. You’ve done so much for this kingdom, unlike those wicked fiends with the faces of devils,” Myrna replied gently. Then, with concern, she asked, “Ravena-sama, did you—”
“Yes,” Ravena said, her voice breaking as she fought back tears. “I lost my purity to one of them.” Her tears began to flow freely as she spoke, her pain and betrayal pouring out.
Myrna embraced Ravena in a comforting hug. Hearing the news, her son stood up with determination. “Those damn devils!” he exclaimed. “I’m going to—”
“Where do you think you’re going, son?” Myrna interrupted, her tone worried.
With a brave resolve, he replied, “I’m going to alert the people about what they’ve done to our Lady!”
Ravena, still teary-eyed, reached out to stop him. “No, you mustn’t,” she said, her voice firm despite her pain. “This is my problem, not yours.” Struggling to stand, she made her way to the window and gazed at the Valedrian Castle. “They’ll know I’m here,” she continued, her resolve hardening. “They’ll lock down the kingdom until they capture me again. I need to escape, starting now.”
"Ravena-sama, we'll help you escape," Myrna said with determination. Ravena looked back at her, touched by the gesture, and replied, "Myrna, thank you for standing by me, but this is my fight. I can't involve you, your family, or the people in this."
Eldric stepped forward, a plan forming in his mind. "Ravena-sama, I have an idea," he said with resolve. Ravena started to protest, but Eldric continued, "Please, let us help. We won't stand idly by while you're in danger."
As morning broke, the corrupted kingdom's knights enforced a lockdown throughout the entire realm in their relentless search for Ravena. The four so-called heroes, acting as guides, also joined the hunt.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The knights searched every house thoroughly, violating the privacy of the citizens without consent. In their eagerness, they even burst in on people who were bathing, forcing some to come out nude in public. Despite these intrusive searches, no sign of Ravena was found, leaving the knights frustrated and the people outraged by the disrespectful treatment.
As carriages lined up at the Eastern Gate of Valedrian, the atmosphere was tense. The usual business of transporting goods was under strict scrutiny due to the lockdown and search for Ravena. Guards thoroughly inspected each carriage, checking inside barrels, underneath the carriages, and any possible hiding spots. Despite their efforts, they couldn't find any trace of Ravena. After each inspection, the cleared carriages were allowed to continue on their way, the guards increasingly frustrated with each fruitless search.
As the guards meticulously inspected each carriage, Eldric's turn arrived. His carriage, filled with barrels and crates of various goods for the North-East kingdom of Iserith, came under scrutiny. The cargo included jewelry, meat, flour, spices, and more.
The guards methodically checked each barrel, finding nothing out of the ordinary. However, Sylas, who was present, took a particular interest in Eldric’s carriage. He noticed that Eldric had more barrels and crates than the others.
Sylas personally conducted a thorough inspection, peering into each barrel. When he reached a barrel filled with wheat flour, his gaze hardened, and he scrutinized Eldric with an intense, piercing look. Eldric felt a chill but managed to maintain his composure.
Without warning, Sylas drew his sword and drove it into the barrel of flour. The blade cut through the flour, but nothing else was revealed.
Sylas continued his inspection by tapping on the carriage floor with his sword. The distinct sound of the tapping echoed differently, indicating a possible hollow space beneath.
"Hey, you!" Sylas barked. "What's your name?"
"Eldric," came the nervous reply.
Sylas pressed further, his voice stern. "Why do you have so many barrels compared to the others? What's in them?"
Eldric's anxiety was evident. "I—I have a delivery to the Iserith Kingdom, for one of their officials."
Sylas's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Eldric, suspecting something was amiss.
Sylas sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. “Iserith, huh? That’s a kingdom worth capturing.” His smirk widened. “Is this everything valid? I doubt you have proof to back it up.”
With a steady hand, Eldric produced the delivery document and handed it over. Sylas took the paper, scanning it with feigned interest. He began reading aloud, his voice dripping with sarcasm:
“‘Restocking supplies reserves and fulfilling an urgent trade agreement’—interesting. ‘Jewelry and Spices are intended for upcoming diplomatic events’—sounds convincing. ‘Confidential and Valuable items are to be handled with the utmost care and secrecy due to their importance’—”
His gaze shifted to the barrels brimming with jewels.
“Oh, this barrel? Don’t mind if I do,” Sylas said, reaching into the barrel and plucking out a jewel.
“What are you doing!?” Eldric’s voice rose in alarm. Instantly, the knights tensed, their spears aimed menacingly at Eldric.
“Taking out a jewel, are you blind?” Sylas sneered, closing the distance between them. He leaned in, his voice a low growl. “Open your compartment.”
Eldric’s face turned ashen. “The what?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, boy. It won’t save you. Open the compartment!”
With a sinking feeling, Eldric hesitated before finally revealing the hidden compartment. Sylas’s eyes followed every nervous movement.
To Sylas’s surprise, the compartment was utterly empty. He stared at it, his smirk faltering as he realized his suspicions were unfounded.
“Clear,” Sylas said with a dismissive wave, returning the document to Eldric. “I’ll take this jewel with me. Send my regards to Iserith.”
The knights returned the barrels and crates to the carriage, their movements methodical and indifferent. Eldric watched, his frustration simmering beneath a forced calm exterior. As the last of the cargo was secured, Sylas casually slipped the jewel he'd taken earlier into his pocket, a smirk playing on his lips.
With a curt nod from the guards, Eldric climbed onto the driver's seat, gripping the reins tightly. As he drove the carriage out of the checkpoint, his heart pounded with a mix of relief and anger. The encounter with Sylas and the knights, especially the unjust seizure of the jewel, left him fuming. But he knew he had to maintain his composure for the dangerous journey ahead.