Chapter 26: The Hunt [2]

With their pleas for a quick rest approved, the villagers, especially the younger ones, immediately pulled out their cloaks and blankets. Each of them trying to find a place to sleep in the middle of the meadows. They camped around the carriages, finding warmth and comfort in groups.

Soon enough, snores echoed around the carriages.

Septharion also recalled the horseman patrolling for a short briefing, leaving only a few to guard them. Though some alert villagers found things fishy, they dared not ask a question. They were afraid to offend the one assigned by the Knight to lead them. A few smart ones sensed something and kept watch, letting the kids and the elderly to get a brief rest while they guard.

The horsemen gathered and soon arrived. Septharion sitting on a rock as he warmed himself before a bonfire, he was making a warm milk drink as he hummed some tune. It was something he brought from the village.

After seeing the horsemen arriving, he waved at them with a big smile. “How are you Benny, Shar, Cal, Rav, Caslan…”

Sepharion recited all the names of each soldier with him. There were seventy soldiers under him as assigned by the Madam. His smile showing how happy he was.

Meanwhile, the soldiers bowed their heads after hearing their names called. They avoided the jovial eyes, eluding his friendly gaze.

Each soldier remembered their own nefarious first encounter with this man and couldn’t help but tremble. It was a life-changing event. A memory they wished to forget. At the end of the roll call, the soldiers saluted with their eyes on the grass ground.

“Sir!”

Septharion only nodded to them as if he saw nothing weird.

“It’s okay, take a sit.”

He took out many mugs made of wood, filling them with warm milk. He stood up and gave each of the stiff soldiers a mug. The aroma swam around the bonfire, making the soldiers thirsty. Upon reaching the last soldier, he first looked at him and smiled.

“Caslan, how’s your lady.”

“Perfect, Great. She’s fine Sir!”

“No, no. I mean the other one.”

…

Suddenly, the soldier called Caslan fell to his knees. His back was drenched in a cold sweat, his face getting whiter with each second. His face was speaking ‘you knew’!?

“S-sir, don’t tell my wife! S-she’s going to make me a eunuch!”

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“Shh. Oh, oh. Not the second one. The third one.”

“…”

Caslan froze on the spot and couldn’t help but gulp. With his expressions slowly twisting, he looked at the buffed white-haired old man.

Septharion smiled at him like an angel.

“She’s fi-fine sir. No, they’re all fine sir.”

“You better return to the original one. Think about your only child, your daughter.”

Septharion tapped the soldier’s shoulder, laughing. The tapped sounded like bangs, making the soldier spit some blood.

He then made a forced smile. “Yes…”

“That’s good. That’s good. Haha.”

The faces of the soldiers around turned weird. Some almost dug a pit to hide, fearing that they would be next.

“Ahem, Ahem. Men, I need your help tonight.” He touched his beard as if he was thinking something. “You see, I saw a lot of naughty man-child complaining today.”

The soldiers stood straight and saluted. May it be fire or brimstone they would follow! Even Caslan stood up ramrod, his eyes firmer than before. His deepest secret was standing on the line this time. No, his life was.

“Say your word! We are on your hands, Sir!”

Seeing this, Septharion chugged his milk and clapped his hands. He raised his cup at them with a big grin.

“Haha, that’s why I loved you guys so much!”

Septharion gathered the soldiers, telling them his plans. Some soldiers grimaced after hearing the plot. Despite that, the soldiers still nodded with vigor, acting like excited chickens.

***

The half-hour had passed, the time for the brief rest had ended. The old villagers tried to wake up the sleeping villagers. Some woke up, but many slept like wooden logs, especially the youth and ladies.

Some even shouted in anger, cursing when someone tried to shake them awake. Swinging their first with their eyes half-closed; treating those who would try to wake them up as a mortal enemy. If their shouts could kill, they would kill a lot of old folks.

Soon enough, the horsemen came. They took up all the children, the old ones, and all those who were awake to the front of the group. The soldiers told the awake villagers that they were going to move first. The sleeping ones would soon follow.

After evacuating the awake villagers, a soldier came. He murmured for a moment and a blue light dyed the wheels of the carriages. It made the carriage move with no sounds. He then talked to the carriage drivers to move out.

In the midst, they never thought that a blue-eyed boy had woken up. He slipped down into the carriage and hid behind a huge rock. A mischievous smile swam across his c face.

One by one, the soldiers moved the carriages, leaving only the sloths. No sounds were heard aside from the snores. As for the sloths, they plunged deeper and deeper into their dreams.

***

The green grass swayed left and right, dancing under the tempo of the wind. The trees and rocks sat still, watching the leaves rustle like an audience.

Slowly, the rustling stopped. The buzzing of insects and frogs echoed nothing but silence. The only thing echoing in the forest was the steps of the group of dark-furred beasts. Their bloody red eyes looked at the foods that were moving away.

The lord wolf commanded them to kill and leave no prey behind intact. Even so, the death wolves never thought their food would be so guarded. The death wolves simply took a rest and waited. One key to becoming a successful wolf was patience.

The pack watched the movement of the caravan. The thick bushes and trees served as their concealment. They hid and inspected in turns as the night turned deeper.

Soon, their patience bore fruit. At last, they found a great opportunity. It seemed like the sentinels shielding their food had lowered their guard. They left a lot of meat lying behind.

The growls in their stomach turned louder. Their tongue wagged, spreading corrosive saliva everywhere. The death wolves lowered their head, hiding in the brush. In silence, they hunt. Their dark fur hid their movements in the night.

Step by step, they drew closer to the food. With their backs lowered, they minimized the sounds of their steps.

Soon enough, a bloodthirsty death wolf sprinted before the pack, howling in delight as the pangs of hunger consumed its mind.

It was time for a free soft human meat.