Chapter 126: On the Move
When I woke up in the morning, the sky outside was still dark as a black cat.
Outside the tent, there were flashes of firelight flitting from the west to the east, mixed with indistinct shouts. I couldn’t quite make out what they were shouting, still half-asleep as I pulled off the blanket, rubbed my eyes, and sat up, yawning like a bear stirred from hibernation. When I looked up, I saw the ever-alert Sword Demon Miss already perched cross-legged at the entrance of the tent, sword in arms. Upon hearing me rustling about, she glanced back at me.
“What’s going on…?”
Ugh… so sleepy…
It’s a bit chaotic outside…
Is something happening?
But with Sword Demon Miss looking as steady as a mountain, I figured it couldn’t be anything too serious.
I glanced at the vague darkness outside, unsure of the time. My sleepiness had me reluctant to leave my warm cocoon, but with all the racket, further slumber was no longer an option. Sitting there, I stared into space while Sword Demon commented, “I’m not sure, but it seems like something’s up… they’re calling people to get up.”
“When did you… yawn~ wake up…” I mumbled through another yawn.
“About half an hour ago, that guy Taku came by, called us once, and told us to pack up quickly.”
“…Huh?”
How come I didn’t know this…
Was I sleeping that deeply?
“Hey! Little girls—”
Just then, a rough male voice boomed from outside: “Are you ready yet? We’re leaving—”
…It’s Handsome Uncle Taku.
“I haven’t eaten breakfast yet!”
Without thinking, I shouted back, shaking my head and dragging my heavy eyelids as I struggled to get out of the blanket, grabbing the clothes piled beside me and hurriedly putting them on.
I had no idea what their rush was, but if we took too long, we’d miss breakfast…
“Anna, pack the supplies.”
Putting on the linen pants, slipping into the thick fur cloak the soldiers had given me last night, pulling up the hood, and fastening the mask to my face, I instructed Sword Demon, while I heard Taku shout again: “No time! Just grab something to eat on the way!”
So, no breakfast this morning…
“I’ve got to go gather everyone! Get out quick, or you’ll fall behind! I’m waiting to pack up the tents!”
“Alright, alright, we get it—”
Once the man’s footsteps faded, we swiftly organized our things—though we didn’t have much. That big bag of coins I had already tucked away with the Dragon in Dragon Country, leaving us with only a small bundle of rations and some simple supplies, all of which we handed over to Sword Demon.
As I pushed aside the tent flap and stepped outside, the eastern sky was just starting to hint at dawn. Not far away, soldiers in bright red armor assembled beneath the watchtower, shouting in unison with a thunderous roar that was quite the spectacle, like a pre-battle rally.
What’s going on…?
This left me puzzled.
The assembled troops quickly headed down the mountain path, leaving about ten people behind to return to the camp. Among them was Uncle Taku, who was already busy dismantling the remaining tents, loading up crates that held food or who-knows-what onto the carts. Even the dozen or so Horned Horses were being ushered away. It looked like the whole army was about to pull out.
“Come on, your friend… what’s its name again?”
Handsome Uncle Taku called us over to the now-empty stable. That dirty guy with the forgettable name was busy hauling the last few bales of hay onto the cart, while Taku brought our Horned Horse forward. It looked much perkier now, trotting over and nuzzling my hand with its snout.
“Oh right, Rect. We’re taking your beloved Rect away; you two will join the support team. It’ll be safer that way. We’ll figure out the next steps once we reach the town.”
I gently patted the sharp horn on the Horned Horse’s head and exchanged a glance with Sword Demon.
“Shouldn’t we… go on our own?”
I instinctively asked, but I hadn’t truly made up my mind. Doubt crept in, and then I noticed Taku chuckling at my words.
“Go on your own? You two little girls… Even surviving the journey from Silgaya here is a miracle, thanks to the blessings of the Deity. If you head any further, that land becomes a battlefield. Do you even know what a battlefield means?”
“I know…”
“You know nothing! You naive little girls… Just listen. Stick with us for now; at least you won’t run out of food and supplies. Besides, staying alive is the most important thing.”
“And don’t expect to ride it just yet!”
As the scruffy ‘stable boy’ walked by with the last bale of hay, he couldn’t help but chime in: “You’re still too weak to carry anyone! You’ll need to feed it medicine again around noon, see how it feels then… In times of war, a Horned Horse is more precious than a wife! You girls are so careless…”
“Let’s go.”
Taku chuckled and slapped my shoulder: “Once Ral has loaded up, stay close to him; he’s good at taking care of Rect. Don’t let his dirty appearance fool you; he’s much more sensitive than us rough old men.”
“Taku, stop being such a roundabout j*rk!”
“I’m complimenting you!”
After teasing the scruffy guy, Handsome Uncle smiled at us and waved his hand as he turned to catch up with the rest of the Erin Castle Army. He didn’t explain why we suddenly had to leave, probably thinking it wasn’t necessary to tell us. I quickly ran after him to ask, “What’s going on? I heard you all discussing the morning shifts last night.”
“Hey, why are you asking so much? It’s not your business.”
“I’m curious, just tell me…”
I blinked, tilted my head, and put on my best puppy-dog eyes.
“…Well, I’m not really sure either…”
Handsome Uncle Taku scratched his face, looking sheepishly good-natured: “We just received orders in the early morning to abandon this outpost and return to Baihao City for further instructions. I think… there’s some new operational plans coming from higher-ups or perhaps some progress in talks with the church… In short, we head down the mountain first and see how it goes; someone must be waiting to pick us up…”
As he spoke, sensing he had shared too much, his expression turned serious as he feigned impatience: “You don’t need to know the details; it’s not related to you. Just curb your curiosity; asking too much won’t do you any good. Just follow quietly.”
“Oh…”
I nodded, watching his back as he marched away.
Soon, the scruffy guy finished loading the cart and, urging the beast, called for us to catch up. We began our descent down the slope towards the previously blocked-off path, finding the spiked barricade still in place. But only a few soldiers remained, maybe five or six, guarding about thirty logistic personnel who seemed to be waiting, standing by several carts. Once Ral arrived, they were ready to set off.
“d*mn it, Ral, did you give birth to a baby Horned Horse in the stable or what? How come you’re only showing up now? Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for you…?”
As the cargo cart pulled in, a familiar figure from the scruffy guy’s past came over to grumble at him. Ral shot back a few angry words and kicked him away. After everything settled, the logistics team began their march along the mountain road towards Baihao City.
I still had my doubts…
With Sword Demon Miss holding onto the Horned Horse, I silently trailed along at the back, ignoring the occasional curious glances thrown our way. I lowered my head, contemplating whether to stick with the group or sneak away and go solo when the timing was right…
The drawbacks of following the group were painfully obvious; they were slow, and it looked like it would take at least a day or two to reach Baihao City territory… yet it was so much easier. Traveling with the Erin Castle’s supply team would certainly reduce the chances of being stopped for questioning, making it a lot simpler to blend into the city. Plus, I’d probably hear any news regarding my father almost immediately.
But if we broke off and went solo, leaving the Horned Horse behind would mean we could move faster, but it’d be like stepping into a black hole; we wouldn’t know what was going on. Charging into the city blindly… Forget finding someone; even nabbing a place to sleep would be a hassle. I really didn’t want to sleep in the wilderness.
What a dilemma…
Fine, let’s just grab something to eat first.
