Chapter 93: Blessing in Disguise (6)

Whoosh!

[Skill: Sprint Lv. 4 is in use. Moving at 350% speed.]

[Remaining time: 9:14]

[Next cooldown: 44:14]

[Usable 1/3 times within 24 hours.]

I used Sprint twice to escape the cave. Once I stepped out into the open, tense and alert, only the refreshing breeze greeted me.

Whoosh!

No arrows, no swords—nothing was aimed at me. I exhaled deeply to release the tension.

No one.

Despite my heightened vigilance, there was no one outside the cave. It was early autumn. The sky was clear, and the breeze was crisp. I surveyed the area. There were no hidden enemies either. Running away had been the right choice.

Maybe I was just lucky this time.

Still, someone unknown was pursuing me. I couldn't afford to linger.

But where do I even go?

With no specific destination in mind, I pressed forward through the mountain trails.

This is the second time.

I retraced the path from the labyrinth cave to Yublam, the same route I had taken with Rubia. Back then, we had walked in the snow during winter. Yellow dirt, weeds, and scattered stones now replaced the snow-covered ground.

The branches once blanketed in snow now carried soft green leaves with hints of color brushing through. As I walked along the mountain path, memories resurfaced, painting the landscape with emotions.

Was it here?

This was the spot where Rubia had playfully thrown a snowball at me.

No! There's no such thing as a useless flower. It just needs the right touch....

Where a patch of expired red sardis once stood, delicate lavender autumn flowers swayed in the breeze. The slender stalks swayed gently in the wind, and I could almost hear Rubia's laughter through them. She had been a noisy, cheerful woman.

I clenched my wrist and rotated it once. For a fleeting moment, I considered escaping to the highlands where the trolls roamed—an isolated place with rugged terrain ideal for hiding.

However, I couldn't simply leave this path behind. The memory of how Rubia had died and been discarded haunted me. The guards had murdered Rubia. Her corpse, carelessly thrown onto a rickety cart, had nearly been defiled even in death.

In a previous life, I had stabbed one of her killers to death. In the last life, I burned the entire group alive in the spider den. Yet, it still wasn't enough. Passing through this city and its guards was unbearable. The vivid image of Rubia's discarded corpse left a permanent scar in my mind—a ruin I couldn't seem to rebuild.

Suddenly, an idea struck me.

Should I try something?

It was a fleeting impulse rather than a well-thought-out plan. I decided to do something and see what happened. I couldn't predict the outcome—whether it would have no effect or spiral out of control.

Whoosh!

I kicked off the ground, maintaining a constant pace as I sprinted. Amidst the gradually coloring leaves, the gray city walls came into view again. On either side of the road leading to the city stretched wheat fields beneath the clear sky. The fields hadn't fully turned golden yet. The upper stalks glimmered yellow, but hints of green lingered on the lower stems.

Unlike my previous visit with Rubia, guards now patrolled the wheat fields, watching farmers with wary eyes. I even spotted one on horseback making their rounds.

Are they stopping people from stealing wheat?

The Empire was preparing for war, and plundering was rampant. It wasn't hard to imagine farmers smuggling wheat or grains to survive. Things were bound to get worse.

The voice of the woman who had tricked me in the past with her fingers cut off echoed in my mind.

If there's no food, they'll end up eating each other.

[Skill: Sprint Lv. 4 has ended. Normal movement speed will resume.]

At the perfect moment, the skill ended. My pace slowed as I walked along the road, cutting through the fields.

Neigh!

Before I even approached the drawbridge, a guard on horseback called out to me.

"Stop there!"

I stopped.

"Good."

Not just him, but all the guards nearby were now watching me.

The mounted guard asked, "What brings you here?"

Everything was going according to plan. I had no intention of staying long. My only goal was to draw attention.

I firmly said, "I have an arrangement with your captain. I'm delivering something important."

Of course, there was no such arrangement, but I knew that these guards feared their captain deeply. Mentioning his name alone was enough to freeze them.

"

Uh...

"

The guards flinched. Of course, I had to add a little more flair to sell it.

Looking around, I deliberately said, "Aren't you heading to the spider den soon? This has to be delivered before then."

If history hadn't changed, the captain should be stockpiling firebombs by now. Even if these weren't his close confidants, they would at least know about the operation.

The guards' expressions wavered.

"

Uh, uhm...

"

I drove the point home. "Not interested? Fine by me. Just give me your name—I'm sure Baldy would love to know."

The mounted guard flinched. "N-no! You must be someone who knows the captain! I'll take care of it right away!"

I waved him off. "No need. I'm also in a hurry. Just make sure he gets it."

I pulled out a small gold ingot from my pocket that I had taken from the emperor's carriage. Its engraved serial number gleamed in the light.

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

I held it up to make sure the other guards and even the nearby farmers could see it too. They all stared, captivated by the radiant gold.

The mounted guard gawked, dumbfounded, before speaking again. "Is this... what you want delivered to the captain?"

I denied it. "No."

The gold was just a decoy. The real item I wanted to be delivered was something else. I had picked it up but I found it too problematic to use. I had no use for it now without Rubia or any plans to approach T&T.

"Then what is it?"

I retrieved the imperial insignia I had taken from the emperor's finger. "Tell him I delivered what I promised. And thank him for his cooperation."

The surrounding guards stared at me. That was the point. I wanted them all to hear this. I wanted everyone in this wheat field to serve as witnesses for those investigating the emperor's assassination.

"Understood!" the guard answered, still wide-eyed.

There was one last thing I needed.

"By the way, lend me a horse."

"

Uh...

well..."

"Tell Baldy about it. He'll give you a good one. Just make sure you deliver that properly."

Thwack!

I grabbed the reins with force. The mounted guard hesitated momentarily, but in terms of raw stats, I outclassed him.

Whoosh!

As easily as picking up a straw doll, I lifted the guard with one hand and set him aside. Once brute strength asserted itself, words tended to diminish.

"

Uh, uh... uh...

"

The guard tried to say something, but I brushed him off and mounted the horse. I had already used my Sprint skill twice, and now I'd secured a horse just in time.

"

Hyah!

"

[Horseriding Lv. 2 activated!]

[You can ride a horse with a natural posture.]

[Melee weapon penalties while riding are reduced by 20%.]

[Ranged weapon penalties while riding are reduced by 15%.]

I could feel the stares of the guards burning into my back as I rode off. The gold ingot and imperial insignia would surely reach that bald captain safely. Whether he remained safe afterward was an entirely separate matter. I rode away from the scene as naturally as possible.

Clatter! Clatter!

The imperial insignia was useless to me personally, but it served as an excellent diversion. Its symbolic value far surpassed mere gold or swords. The footsteps that had followed me into the labyrinth would now likely direct their attention to the captain of Yublam's guards.

Why would a captain from a minor city be in possession of the emperor's insignia? The absurdity of that question would be left to the imagination of the pursuers.

Clatter! Clatter!

I urged the stolen horse forward, galloping along the open road. The wind slipped through the gaps in my armor, cooling me. This was my first real test of the Horseriding skill.

Curious to see if I could perform an Iaijutsu technique while on horseback, I unsheathed my sword.

Swish!

I cleanly split a drifting petal caught on the blade's tip.

"Not bad."

It seemed reasonably effective. Leaving the halved petal behind, I raised my gaze to the distant horizon. A tall mountain tinged with autumn hues came into view. Although I'd managed to divert the guard captain's attention, I couldn't be certain how much time I'd gained. I had to get out of here. Far away, or perhaps deep into hiding, to continue absorbing essences and growing stronger.

The horse quickly reached the mountain's base. This was the tallest mountain in the vicinity, and I decided to climb it. Its height and depth were enough to host snow trolls. It seemed like a decent temporary refuge. Moreover, the elevation would give me a vantage point to monitor any pursuers.

Clatter! Clatter!

The mountain trail began with gentle, winding paths. It wasn't overly steep, and the ground was firm enough for the horse. The wide, well-maintained trail made for an easy ride.

However, the smooth path didn't last long.

Beyond the route connecting Yublam to Grassmere, the roads deteriorated. The trails leading toward the summit and deeper into the valleys were hardly trails at all. Dense vegetation choked the path, and the uneven ground was littered with jagged rocks. Only skilled hunters could navigate this terrain with ease. To the side, a sheer cliff dropped sharply without any safety railings.

Neigh!

In a wide clearing midway up the mountain, I gently pulled the reins to halt the horse. A small cloud of dust rose from the ground. The horse would be of no further use here. Any misstep could send it plummeting into the abyss, or worse, make it a troll's next meal. It was time to let it go.

"Thank you."

I dismounted and gave the horse a brief, sincere thanks. The horse stuck out its tongue, which had turned blue.

The bit is too tight.

Recalling the knowledge from Horseriding Lv.2, I examined the bit. The bit rests on the gums, and pulling the reins presses it hard against the nerves. This particular bit had been fastened too low, continuously pressing against the horse's tongue until it had turned swollen and blue.

Swish!

On impulse, I drew a dagger and cut the straps holding the bit in place.

Neigh!

The bit flew off to the side, and the horse immediately began moving its tongue wildly, startled by the sudden freedom. It tossed its head and twisted its body in confusion.

"

Neigh! Neigh!

"

The horse kicked into the air and bolted down the mountain trail.

"...Hmm."

I had acted impulsively, cutting the reins without a second thought. If the horse returned to Yublam's stables, it would only suffer more when the bit was reapplied. Some freedoms are violent and irresponsible.

I had no excuses. Time was fractured and endlessly repeating. I decided to live by my whims, at least for now.