Chapter 320 (Patreon)

When are we going to stop?

Suri had already asked herself that question so many times that the rattling of the wagon wheels had begun answering for her.

Not yet.

Not yet.

Not yet.

The convoy had been moving for almost an entire day without pause. The capital was long gone behind them, swallowed by distance and darkness alike. Outside, the world had become an endless stretch of road lit only by moonlight and the occasional lantern hanging from the wagons.

Inside the middle carriage, the atmosphere felt cramped from too many people pretending they were comfortable.

The wagon rocked constantly over uneven ground, every bump threatening to throw someone sideways. Armor clinked softly with the motion while the lantern above them swayed back and forth, washing the interior in shifting gold light.

And through all of it, those monstrous lizard beasts just kept moving.

Pace that almost rival horses yet tireless. As if the road itself meant nothing to them.

Suri finally sighed dramatically and straightened from her seat. “Uhm…” she began, forcing what she believed was a charming smile, “don’t you think those giant lizards deserve a little break?”

Nobody answered immediately.

Suri squinted her eyes suspiciously.

Then she pointed toward Boris. More specifically, toward the creature resting comfortably atop his head.

Thorne had somehow curled herself into a perfect sleeping position despite the constant shaking of the wagon. Her tiny chest rose and fell peacefully while her tail flicked every now and then.

“Our little lizard over there,” Suri declared, “has been resting since the beginning of its existence.”

One of Thorne’s eyes slowly opened.

The tiny reptile stared at Suri for a long moment. Then, with visible disrespect, turned her head the other way.

Suri gasped.

“And it has an attitude too,” she added.

Boris snorted into his hand.

Thorne’s tail flicked again as if she had just won an argument.

Rose Light, meanwhile, remained completely motionless across from them. Her eyes were closed once more, posture straight despite the violent rocking of the wagon. Kana still couldn’t tell whether the commander was resting, meditating, or simply listening to everything around them at all times. Or was she sleeping the whole time?

One of the knights seated beside Rose finally chuckled softly.

“Young miss,” he said, “those giant lizards can travel for over three consecutive days without stopping.”

Suri blinked twice.

“Three days?”

The knight nodded proudly.

“They’re common in the empire. Especially across the drylands.” He leaned slightly against the wagon wall as it rattled again beneath them. “Strong backs, thick hides, incredible endurance. The empire gifted them to our king and used it to attend their festival.”

Suri slowly formed an impressed O with her mouth. Then she looked again toward the dark shapes outside pulling the wagons through the night.

“That is very different from our tiny freeloading reptile.”

Thorne immediately lifted her head.

She glared at Suri with what felt like genuine offense before turning away dramatically for the second time.

Suri clicked her tongue. “But our little lizard is very talented at being annoying.”

This time Chelle couldn’t stop herself from laughing softly.

Even a few knights nearby chuckled under their breath. The heavy atmosphere inside the wagon eased slightly, just enough for everyone to breathe a little easier.

Then Rose Light opened her eyes. The laughter vanished almost instantly. One knight straightened so fast his shoulder hit the wagon wall. Another suddenly became deeply interested in adjusting the straps on his armor.

Rose’s gaze moved calmly across the carriage before settling briefly on Suri.

“You seem energetic,” she observed.

Suri immediately sat straighter. “I’m suffering internally,” she replied with complete seriousness.

For a moment, silence filled the wagon again.

Then Kana noticed it, probably thanks to her [Night Awareness]. She even doubted she would notice it if it happened during the day. The faintest movement near Rose Light’s mouth. Not quite a smile. But close enough to feel more terrifying than her usual expressionless face.

…

Ryle Greece was growing frustrated.

Two days.

Two entire days since they had left the capital, and the convoy barely stopped long enough for anyone to breathe properly. The breaks were short, calculated, and efficient. Just enough time to water the beasts, check the wheels, and force food into their stomachs before moving again.

Commander Rose Light ran the journey like a military campaign.

Which, Ryle supposed, it probably was.

Still, his patience had finally been rewarded.

Near midday, the convoy stopped beside a thick forest where a strong river cut through the land like a silver blade. Massive trees stretched high overhead, their leaves whispering softly beneath the afternoon wind. The sound of rushing water filled the air while knights moved quickly around the temporary camp preparing a proper meal.

Freshly cooked food. Not dried meat. Not stale bread.

Finally, actual food.

Ryle nearly sighed in relief at the smell alone.

The atmosphere relaxed slightly as the knights gathered near the fire. Even Rose allowed herself to sit while eating, though somehow she still looked like she was interrogating the air around her.

Kana sat beside Chelle and Suri devouring food with alarming speed while complaining between bites about the lack of proper seasoning. Boris occasionally tossed pieces of roasted meat toward Thorne, who caught them midair with terrifying precision before returning to her usual proud expression.

Ryle had finished his initial observation.

Numbers. Positions. Weapons. Behavior.

He already memorized most of it and it was already listed down.

Fifty knights. Two royal knights. Three wagons.

Commander Rose Light wielded a longsword. Knowing the commander's name was probably the most important piece of information so the empire could prepare whatever they were planning to do.

All the information was already prepared. He only needed the opportunity to pass it along.

And now, finally, he had one.

Ryle stood up casually after swallowing the last bite of food. “Gotta pee,” he announced.

Nobody paid much attention. Well, he did need to relieve himself anyway. Better to mix truth with lies whenever possible.

Ryle walked away from the temporary camp and deeper into the forest, moving naturally while listening carefully to everything around him. Dry leaves crunched softly beneath his boots while the sound of the river slowly faded behind him.

Once he was far enough, his expression changed completely.

Calm and focused as he relieved himself first then he went deeper. As a trained spy, Ryle trusted his senses more than most people trusted their eyes. Years of specialized training had sharpened his instincts and senses to dangerous levels.

So when a strange breeze faintly moved behind him…

When a faint step disturbed the leaves several meters away…

Ryle noticed immediately. His body stiffened. Someone was following him.

At first, he considered the possibility of a beast or small animals.

But no.

The footsteps were too controlled and delicate. This was a trained tracker. Ryle calmly adjusted his breathing and continued walking for several more seconds before suddenly stopping and turning around.

His heartbeat nearly exploded from his chest.

Commander Rose Light stood directly behind him.

Silent. Motionless. Close enough that he had no idea when she had arrived there.

“What are you doing here?!” Ryle blurted out, his voice rising embarrassingly high.

Rose looked entirely calm.

“I was worried,” she replied. “Your urination time exceeded the average duration. At least for most men.”

Ryle stared at her in disbelief.

“There’s an average duration for peeing?”

“Yes. I always measure everything.”

The answer came so naturally that Ryle almost questioned reality itself. For one horrifying second, he genuinely couldn’t tell if she was joking.

Rose tilted her head slightly. “You should already be finished,” she said. “Why are you continuing deeper into the forest?”

Ryle’s mind raced instantly.

One wrong answer and he might have looked very suspicious. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and forced out a laugh. “I thought I saw a rare beast nearby, so I got curious.”

Rose’s eyes drifted deeper into the forest.

The silence stretched painfully long.

Then she finally said,“There are no rare beasts in this area. But there’s a few small animals.”

Ryle swallowed hard,“It must’ve been my imagination.”

Rose looked at him for another long moment.

The forest suddenly felt too quiet.

Even the wind seemed to hesitate around her. Then finally, Rose nodded once.

“Yes,” she said calmly. “It must have been.”

Ryle forced himself to smile back. Meanwhile, cold sweat slowly slid down his spine beneath his cloak.

….

With barely any proper rest between stops, the convoy reached the southern town in less than four days.

Even the knights looked slightly worn down by the pace.

The giant reptilian beasts pulling the wagons, however, appeared deeply offended by the concept of exhaustion. They continued stomping forward with the same monstrous steadiness they’d shown since leaving the capital.

The town itself sat quietly near the southern outskirts of the kingdom, surrounded by thick grasslands and uneven hills. Small wooden houses lined the dirt roads while smoke drifted lazily upward from chimneys beneath the afternoon sky.

And the moment the convoy arrived, the entire town noticed.

People slowly gathered near the entrance roads and gates, staring openly at the procession.

Which was fair, honestly.

Three massive military wagons.

Over fifty cloaked men.

And gigantic lizard beasts large enough to eat a horse.

Even with the dark cloaks hiding most of their appearances, the convoy still looked intimidating enough to invade a country. Children peeked carefully from behind fences while older townsfolk whispered among themselves. Several merchants quickly pulled their carts aside to clear the road.

Kana noticed the growing attention immediately and muttered beneath her breath,

“So much for hiding our presence."

She glanced sideways toward Rose, “I told you we could’ve traveled by ourselves. Now everyone’s staring.”

Rose walked beside them calmly, her cloak swaying slightly with each step.

“Thanks to someone,” she replied.

Kana frowned. Rose turned her head slightly toward her.

“Did Artin explain why these precautions were necessary?”

Kana shook her head. Beside her, Suri did the same. For the first time since the journey began, Rose actually sighed.

Not irritated. Just tired. Which somehow felt stranger.

“I’ll explain later,” she said quietly. “Finish your business first.”

Kana nodded.

The group quickly headed deeper into town while several knights remained behind to secure the wagons and beasts. Despite the stares following them everywhere, Kana ignored the attention and moved straight toward the familiar shop near the corner of the market district.

The wooden sign above the entrance still hung crooked exactly as before.

Somehow, seeing that oddly comforted her.

Inside, the old woman looked exactly the same too. She sat behind the counter with her head resting lazily against folded arms, appearing so bored that she looked moments away from falling asleep.

No customers occupied the small shop this time. Only dusty shelves, scattered trinkets, and the faint scent of dried herbs filled the room.

The old woman lifted her head. Her tired eyes landed on the group.

Then immediately brightened.

She quickly fixed the white bandana wrapped around her head before grinning so widely it almost looked dangerous.

“Finally!” she declared loudly. “Rich customers! It’s been a while!”

Suri blinked. “She recognized us immediately?”

“Of course she did,” Kana muttered.

The old woman pointed directly at Kana.

Kana awkwardly scratched her cheek. Rose quietly observed the interaction from behind them while the old woman leaned farther over the counter, eyes sparkling greedily.

“So,” Grandma asked eagerly, rubbing her hands together, “what kind of item do you want to be appraised this time?”

Post note:

Spy problems.Fourth chap of the week!

Hope you enjoy the chap! 🙂

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