Chapter 35: Departure
The morning air carried a chill. A mass of gray clouds hung low overhead, promising an unavoidable rain.
The streets were damp, with puddles from the previous night still gathered between the cracks of the paving stones.
Chenxi had arrived nearly an hour earlier than the appointed time.
He drew in a deep breath. He liked that smell in the air before the rain came.
He also liked rain.
He had liked it even before coming to this world, and now he liked it even more.
Rain could wash away the foul stench that clung to him after returning from the Dungeon.
He glanced around him. Apart from himself, no one was there.
This was the first time he had carried out a commission alone since Hongxu had joined him.
“It really does feel a little strange.”
With Hongxu around, fighting truly became much easier.
If he was alone, he had to account for everything.
He had to be careful about everything.
Still, that had been how he lived for the previous seven years, so it was not as though he hated it.
He checked the Blade of Destiny hidden inside his robe, along with the potions of various effects he had prepared.
“Hopefully I will not need any of them.”
He looked in the direction of the Lord’s Manor. There was still some time before departure, so he might as well rest a little.
Normally, at a time like this, Hongxu would definitely be chattering away, complaining about the weather or saying that she wanted to slaughter things to her heart’s content.
Now there was only the rustling sound of wind passing through dead branches.
He shook his head. No need to think about that right now. What mattered now was how to complete this mission as smoothly as possible.
Finish early. Get home early.
Time passed bit by bit, and scattered raindrops began to fall. His robe gradually became damp.
At last, from the end of the road came the sound of wheels grinding through mud and the sharp whinny of horses.
A caravan came into view.
At the front were several mercenaries riding sturdy scalehorses, mud splashed all over their leather armor, their eyes sweeping the surroundings with practiced vigilance.
Behind them followed a remarkably eye-catching carriage.
Its body was made of heavy, dark wood, its edges inlaid with worn gilt trim. Thick blue curtains were drawn tightly shut, sealing it completely from view.
The wheels let out heavy groans under the terrible road conditions.
Behind the carriage and on either side of it were more than twenty mercenaries on foot, surrounding it closely. Their equipment was uneven. Some wore cloth armor, some wore nothing more than leather jerkins, and their weapons were a chaotic assortment.
The whole group seemed rather loose and noisy. Boots slapped in the mud, mixed with rough laughter and crude banter.
Chenxi counted silently. Including those on horseback, there were a little over thirty of them.
The convoy halted at the crossroads.
The mercenary at the head of the group rode his horse several paces closer to Chenxi and reined it in.
He was a powerfully built man with a thick beard, wearing a half-suit of armor that had been kept in fairly good condition. A warm smile spread across his face, exposing a row of uneven yellow teeth.
“Hey! I never thought our Mr. Chenxi would really come!
What a delightful surprise. Now we can truly say this mission is secure!”
His voice was loud and full of false familiarity, as though they were old friends who had known each other for years.
Beneath his black robe, Chenxi’s expression did not change. The more enthusiastic a mercenary company seemed, the more careful one had to be.
“That old man Jack told me you’d taken the job, and I thought he was blowing smoke!
But it really is you!
I’m Buck, captain of the Raw Steel Mercenary Company.
With you along on the road, Miss Anastasia’s safety is practically guaranteed!
Hahaha!”
Buck’s laughter, echoing by itself in that setting, sounded more awkward than cheerful.
Chenxi lifted his eyes to look at him. His face remained expressionless, and he gave only the slightest nod.
“Captain Buck.”
He had always been indifferent to this sort of deliberate politeness.
When dealing with the kind of man who might stab you in the back at any moment, it made no difference what attitude you showed him. If he wanted to betray you, he would do it anyway.
If that was the case, then what was the point of trying to flatter him?
Chenxi’s cold response clearly displeased the mercenaries behind Buck.
A few dismissive snorts rose from the group, along with muttered grumbling in lowered voices.
“Damn, what’s with the attitude...”
“He’s just some solo adventurer...”
“Wearing a black robe and he really thinks he’s some kind of master?”
Several mercenaries stood there with folded arms, looking Chenxi up and down with open contempt and provocation in their eyes.
Chenxi could feel those stares settling on him, but he paid them no mind. His gaze passed over Buck and his noisy grin and landed directly on the quiet, luxurious carriage.
The core of his task was the client and reaching the destination safely, not dealing with these mercenaries.
As long as they did not get in his way, they could think whatever they wanted.
Buck seemed to notice his men’s displeasure as well. He shot them a glare over his shoulder, and the muttering subsided.
Inside his robe, Chenxi’s hand rested on the Blade of Destiny. If they really caused trouble... then killing them would be enough.
Chenxi started forward and walked straight toward the carriage.
The mercenaries instinctively made room for him, though they still wore sour expressions. Even so, Chenxi’s name and the rumors surrounding him clearly made them wary.
He stopped in front of the tightly shut carriage window.
“Miss Anastasia.”
Chenxi’s voice was not loud, but the person inside the carriage could still hear him.
“Good morning.”
He needed to confirm that the client was inside the carriage and to judge her condition.
That was a necessary confirmation.
A pale hand lifted the curtain from inside, opening only a narrow slit. It was just wide enough to reveal a delicate face and part of a silver-gray collar.
White hair. Crimson eyes.
It was Anastasia.
She wore the same flawless, perfectly elegant smile Chenxi had seen at the Lord’s Manor, its curve measured to perfection.
“Good morning, Mr. Chenxi.”
Her voice was just as clear and pleasant as before.
But Chenxi still found that smile, false beyond all measure, just as disgusting as ever.
Her crimson eyes swept quickly over him, utterly without ripple or emotion.
So she really is in the carriage.
Confirming that the client was present before departure was a necessary part of the process.
Otherwise, if he reached the destination only to discover the client had vanished, his reputation would be ruined.
He could not speak for the wider world, but in the dozen or so towns nearby, his name would already be known.
There was no need for unnecessary pleasantries.
“Miss Anastasia, may we depart now?”
What he was asking was whether she was prepared to set out.
“At any time.”
Anastasia maintained her smile, but the curtain had already dropped back into place.
She did not care in the slightest about the subtle tension between the mercenaries outside and Chenxi. As long as the commission was completed smoothly, that was enough for her.
“Haha! I told you the young lady was ready already!”
Captain Buck rode over at just the right moment, his booming voice as loud as ever. His hand naturally reached out, as though to clap Chenxi on the shoulder.
Chenxi shifted his shoulder slightly and avoided the hand at once, then turned away from the carriage.
He did not even bother to respond.
The smile on Buck’s face stiffened for a moment. He shut his mouth awkwardly, and a trace of irritation flashed through his eyes.
Then he turned toward his men, and his voice rose abruptly into a roar.
“What the hell are you all standing around for? Form up! Move out! We’re leaving!”
The mercenaries were thrown into a flurry of motion by the shout. They began to assemble their formation in a loose, sloppy fashion, with grumbling and curses mixed into the noise.
Out of the corner of his eye, Chenxi glanced at Buck.
Something... felt strange.
After being rebuffed once, a normal mercenary company should have kept a proper distance.
That was an unspoken rule of the trade. A new company might not know it, but there was no way Buck did not.
At Buck’s command, the caravan began to move slowly forward.
The heavy carriage wheels cut deep ruts into the mud.
The mercenaries crowded around the carriage, advancing with loud, disorderly chatter.
The rain seemed to be falling a little more densely now, striking armor and weapons in a light, crackling patter.
Chenxi followed silently behind the caravan, keeping a distance that was neither too near nor too far.
Only with enough distance could his strength be used to its fullest.
The escort mission had begun.
...
“They’ve already set out?”
“Yes, Priest. I watched them leave.”
“Excellent. Were there any changes?”
“There is one more adventurer in the group. I heard he is a very strong adventurer from the nearby area.”
“It does not matter. We can kill him as well. Our target is the youngest daughter of House Claire. The Empire has chosen to ignore the existence of our Church!
Then we shall prove our greatness through action!”
“Praise be to my Lord!”
“Praise be to my Lord!”