Chapter 9: False Alarm [1]

The entire day passed in stillness. The grains of time trickled like raindrops. It gently flowed away from the hands of the villagers. Alas! The villagers’ first action-packed day had reached its end. The villagers’ soulless gazes flaunted how descent the esquire’s torture-like drills were.

Hey, they even experience a once-in-a-lifetime event as a bonus. A rare visit from a chubby deviltusk boar in the middle of their training. The event left the poor villagers scarred, drained, and weary.

The esquire even hung the burly remains of the dead beast for public display. The esquire dangled the thing upside down on a nearby tree. It had completed its duty as a pleasant reminder for the villagers. The sight indeed made them work harder in fear.

The unrelenting glare of the fiery sun made the villagers sweat. All villagers stood in line and stared at the esquire.

“Men! You may now go home!” The esquire grinned at the villagers. “Oh, don’t forget to come back again the day after tomorrow.”

Sobs and relief echoed in the eastern outskirts upon the announcement of the esquire. The esquire dismissed the village sloths with a few instructions in tow.

The pitiable country dwellers could finally go home in one piece. Without further ado, the villagers dragged their bodies away from the esquire. Each one scrambling as if they were running away from a ghost. All feared that Davin would change his mind.

The stumbling villagers felt the piercing gaze of the esquire on their backs. It made them sprint faster, and no muscle ache could slow them down.

The esquire marched towards the forest for a short patrol. He also left a few monster traps along the way, as a precaution for monster attacks. He ventured a little deeper into the forest of wilderness to scout, seeking for beast tracks.

The esquire discerned that a level three beast was something to be wary of. Davin remembered the unfortunate villages that had encountered monsters. Those villages all had a bloody ending. He had to gather more information to make a report. These cases were usually a life and death matter. After all, a rank three Deviltusk boar is usually a horde leader of its kind.

Rampaging deviltusk boars had a lot of hands regarding monster stampedes according to Eudorian records. The nations considered these monster stampedes to be a continental disaster. It could prompt all kingdoms and nations in all parts of the Eudorian continent to come to aid.

The nations were wary of deviltusk boar hordes, since it could wreak havoc both on the economy and stability of nations. Halting all trades of goods and spreading famines over the outrun nation.

“Hm, the fat thing doesn’t seem to belong to a horde.” The esquire frowned a little, wrinkles appearing on his forehead. “Anyway, this is bad news. I better report this to the Lord.”

The esquire continued to search for monster tracks. He took his time to assure that nothing would escape his grasp. Though, it was not the first time he was doing this job. The confusing interlinking trees made his search a lot harder. The dirt-covered leaves in the mushy ground adding to his troubles.

…

Orange tinted veils plowed the entire sky. The hues cloaked the esquire’s shadow at his arrival in the village. It took him quite a lot of time digging for monster traces but only end up with few random scats.

Davin wrapped the random droppings in different thick leaves and tied them with vines. He then put it on a small dirty coin sack so that he could show it to the monster experts in the knight’s contingent.

Davin carried the carcass in his back, thinking that its meat would be a delightful gift to the Knight’s family. The heavy load behind Davin’s back attracted the attention of the curious villagers. The villagers didn’t dare to pry, fearing for punishment if they stalled the esquire.

They were happy with just watching the esquire as he dashed towards the old manor with the big hunt.

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Despite carrying such a weighty monster, Davin ran as if he was a feather blown by the wind aspects. The esquire determined to seek a bit of acknowledgment from the Lord and the Madam. Thinking that perhaps with this gift the two would go easy on him during the mock battles.

Taking a glimpse at the big blob of meat, the villagers flocked around the manor of the knight. It was such a rare sight in this village. The news about the beast and the esquire waltzed throughout the gossipy village. It invited a not-so-small crowd along the way.

Such random events were hot stuff in the village. It was a sizzling side-dish for the villagers’ dinner gossips. It was a tale that they’d never let go of.

Davin strode to the only manor of the village, expecting to see the Knight’s shadow around its four corners. He laid down the dead beast on the nearby lawn. He then gently knocked on the wooden door of the knight’s newly renovated manor.

Three gentle knocks resounded on the old manor door.

Suddenly, a mellow yet elegant voice echoed from inside the door. “Come in.”

The faint voice coming from inside froze the esquire’s feet on the spot. A bit of panic wiggled on his aged face as cold sweat fell between his brows. He wished to turn back, yet could not.

“Not coming in? The madam said. “Or… you want me to drag you in?”

Davin even almost swallowed his tongue. He never thought that it would only be the madam instead of the knight. Yet, he could not back down now. He forced himself to answer. “Yes, Madam!”

He walked inside the room, his steps silent.

“Oh, please close the door… Davin.”

The esquire then entered the room. Beads of sweat forming on his palms. His boots producing a squeaky sound as he entered the room. The manor lord’s room had the odd scent of books and documents.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

At the center of the room, a rhythmic tune flowed and echoed in the esquire’s ears. The taps came from a beautiful lady, her silver hair shimmering as the rays of the heavens fell on her.

The Madam donned a striking blue-colored satin dress. She looked like a blooming bluebird flower. It was a rare sight, a contrast to the usual mercenary-styled clothes she loved to wear. She sat on an old-mahogany desk while stacks of parchments littered the desk.

A faint frown drew her brows.

The middle-aged-looking esquire bowed with one of his knees on the ground and his right hand on his chest. Davin hid his face by lowering his head deeper onto the floor. There was no other noise in the room aside from the sounds of echoing taps and rustling papers.

“Oh, where have you been, Davin?” Madam Anise said. She wasn’t the patient type of person. The attendants, maids, soldiers, and inner circle of the Knight’s house knew that fact.

The Madam tasked Davin to bring the sloths to the farm fields after gathering them. Yet, she didn’t see any shadows of the villagers around the tilled lands after she went off for an inspection.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The Madam’s taps continued as she waited for the esquire’s answer. Its rhythm changed from slow to fast, then from fast to slow. The taps threw its listeners into confusion.

Yet, in the ears of the esquire, the soft taps were like roars of monsters resounding throughout his brain. It sounded like the clarion calls of the grim reaper, sending shivers to his spine. The changing tempo even made Davin feel nauseous. The beats affecting his psyche and guts, making him want to puke out his last meal.

Gulp.

“M-Madam, I-I-I can explain!” The esquire wiped his sweat. He had forgotten to send a simple report to Madam about what occurred on the eastern outskirts. The appearance of the deviltusk boar had taken both his thoughts and time. It’s a no-brainer that these dangerous events should be reported to the Madam and the Knight as soon as possible.

The Madam raised her head to look at the esquire before putting her attention back on the documents. She then stopped tapping. She took the glass of tea nearby. She took a sip and returned it to the edge of the table. She then silently continued flipping through the batches of papers on her hands. “Hmn, explain what?”

“W-why I could not send the villagers to the till the fields, Madam.” The esquire said while gritting his teeth.

“Oh, I see. Then tell me why?” A sliver of frown slithered its way on the Madam’s beautiful face, her voice turning chilly. The remaining tea in the cup froze, the temperature in the room falling a few notches.

“I believed I clearly told you my orders this morning.”

The esquire’s eyes turned blank after seeing clear windows turning foggy because of the cold. Jogging his mind for his best way out, Davin thought of the appearance of the deviltusk boar. That’d be the best excuse he could give to the Madam. The only valid one.

Thus, Davin explained the attack that occurred on the eastern outskirts of the village.

The stuttering explanation of the Davin calmed the temper of Madam a little. The frozen water and the foggy room returned to what they looked like in the beginning. A serious glint flashed in the eyes of the madam. Her hands moved and pulled the ink and pen, writing something along the way.

“Hmn…” The madam frowned for a moment. “Go to our home where the Knight is, report it to him fast. Tell him that there would be an assembly tonight.”

“Yes, Madam!” The esquire saluted before scuttling to the door as fast as he could. He feared the madam would make him stay longer.

“Wait!”

The esquire’s feet froze before it reached the doorsteps. His heart skipping a bit.

“Please bring the fat thing to our lawn. Let the chefs handle it.”

The rustling of papers continued to drift in the air. She raised her head for a moment, pinching her nose. “Also, send that smelly poop to that kid Auburn.”