Chapter 14: Malnuplate, Swindle, Excape{Edited}

*Stump-stump-stump*

"Can't this blasted horse pick up the pace?!" grumbled Leo, his irritation palpable with each word uttered.

[HOW CAN YOU BE SO HEARTLESS?! YOU'RE RIDING THAT HORSE TO THE GRAVE!] scolded Mel, her voice laced with concern.

"Don't paint me as the villain here; we've barely been on the road for a few days," Leo retorted, dismissing Mel's worry with a casual wave of his hand.

[A FEW DAYS?! YOU CALL A WEEK A 'FEW DAYS'?! AND YOU HAVEN'T EVEN FED THE POOR THING!]" Mel's distress echoed through the forest.

"What? Must I?" Leo asked, feigning innocence with a smirk dancing on his lips.

[MUST YOU?! MUST YOU FEED A FLIPPING HORSE?! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO YOURSELF?!]

"Enough with the shouting, Mel. You know I can't afford to halt. Those soldiers are probably hot on my trail by now," Leo explained, his tone tinged with urgency.

[Well, you've brought this upon yourself. Why did you goad that lad into robbing the treasury?] Mel inquired, her reproach evident.

"He was too easy to manipulate, so, why not?" Leo chuckled darkly, his demeanor veering unsettlingly close to villainy.

[Oh, spare me! You might sound so much like a villain, but you should be a hero!] Mel exclaimed, exasperated.

"Pfft! Hero? Please! I couldn't care less about saving the world, Let my memories take a hike for while, can't kill myself for something I have no idea about," Leo laughed, a hint of bitterness underlying his mirth.

Yesterday's sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the bustling market square in hues of orange and amber.

Laughter and the clinking of coins filled the air, a stark contrast to the cold dread chilling Leo's bones.

He slipped away from the jubilant crowd, ring bulding of coins, and a nasty grin on his face as he searched for an unfortunat horse to purchase.

Rio, the innocent pawn in his elaborate scheme, lay imprisoned, facing the Duke's wrath.

Leo, the architect of chaos, had vanished like a phantom, leaving behind only Rio's tear-stained note and the echo of whispered accusations.

Little did Leo realize, as he casually bantered about dodging fate's grip and slipping through the cracks of destiny, his words echoed through realms unseen, stirring the ire of powers far beyond mortal comprehension.

Unbeknownst to him, he had unwittingly annoyed an entity who held sway over this very realm.

As Leo continued on his journey, oblivious to the brewing storm of consequence that loomed over him, he was about to learn that there are forces in the cosmos that brook no defiance, and consequences that reach far beyond the scope of mortal imagination.

[I've been meaning to ask,] the system interjected.

"What now?" Leo interrupted, his impatience evident.

[Why did you leave that Anna girl behind?]

"Well, I'd love to take her along, but I couldn't," Leo explained.

[And why is that?]

"Because I'm a wanted man! If she came with me, she'd be branded as a criminal too. Besides, the odds of both of us escaping unscathed are slim. But don't fret though, I left her a note disclosing my whereabouts and some money," Leo reassured, a grin playing on his lips.

[So, that parchment you were scribbling on was a note for her?]

"Exactly."

[Then why didn't you just say so when I inquired earlier?]

"Cause you don't have to know my every move," Leo retorted, amusement twinkling in his eyes.

"Move it, you lumbering beast!" Leo shouted, delivering a sharp smack to the horse's hindquarters, repeating his assault violently.

[Can you not do that!] the system quipped back.

"Shhh! Now move you damn horse move!"

…..

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Leo ventured into the undergrowth to relieve himself.

He had been holding it in for a while now, but now he couldn't hold it in any longer.

However, the horse, sensing an opportunity for freedom, bolted for fear of it's life.

…

Panic surged through Leo as he frantically searched for his ride.

"What in world? Where's my mount?!" Leo bellowed, struggling with his trousers.

The realization crashed over him like a tidal wave.

The horse he had relied upon had fled, leaving him stranded and utterly devastated.

His plans of reaching the capital within the week, to attend the esteemed academy of the empire, Rodeq, for its entrance examination, were now in ruins.

He was desperate given the circumstances.

If he didn't get there on time, he would have to wait till next year for another entrance examination.

His mana core was still functional now, which was his only ticket to the academy, if he had to wait a year more, his defective mana core might actually give up on him.

Initially, he had contemplated abandoning the horse by the roadside and acquiring another if the need arose.

At least by then, he would already be close- if not already in human settlement.

But alas, the horse escaped before he could even get close to his destination. And this had shattered his hopes and dreams.

[Heh, who knew that horse had brains?] the system chuckled.

"Shut it," Leo snapped, his anger simmering beneath the surface.

[Don't be sour. That horse just spared you. Continue at that pace, and you'd be done for.]

"Done for? Who might I be encountering now?" Leo asked, his gaze piercing the darkness of the forest.

[UNAUTHORIZED]

"Fantastic, another obstacle to deal with," Leo muttered, casting a wary glance around.

"Looks like I've landed myself in a heap of trouble," he sighed, tentatively taking a step forward into the unknown.