Chapter 8 Restlessness

The clouds on the horizon were tinged fiery red by the setting sun, casting a warm glow over the spring evening. A lavishly decorated carriage, crafted from the finest materials, glided slowly along a road in the southern province of Cote in the empire. The exquisite four-wheeled carriage exuded an air of nobility, with its solemn and elegant black body adorned with intricate carvings. But what truly stood out was the family crest emblazoned on the carriage.

A circle of golden light intertwined around the crossed blades of two swords, with a crown atop them, all engulfed in blazing flames...

Such a crest would only be truly appreciated by a noble well-versed in heraldry. Among all the families in the empire, those who could carve two crossed swords on their crest were few. These swords represented at least one marshal-level figure in the family's history. And the crown above them symbolized the familial ties to the royal family.

Before and behind the carriage, there were ten knights clad in light armor, riding steeds and bearing longswords. Despite their polished armor and gleaming weapons, each knight bore a despondent expression, starkly contrasting with their splendid attire.

Beside the coachman sat Marde, absentmindedly chewing on a blade of grass. He glanced at the darkening sky and sighed deeply before leaning over to tap on the carriage window.

"Master Duwei, should we find a place to rest? It's getting dark," he suggested.

In the carriage, Duwei, interrupted from his reading, raised his head and opened the window to peer at the setting sun.

"Very well," he replied.

Immediately, a horse galloped up from the front, its rider, a member of the family's guard clad in light armor, slightly out of breath, announced loudly, "Master Steward, there's a small town ahead. It seems to be the only place we can rest for the night."

Once a stable boy, Marde still couldn't quite get used to being addressed as "Master Steward." Nonetheless, this honest man removed his hat and nodded to the young knight riding before him.

"The master has spoken. We shall rest ahead today," he said.

Observing the loyal and resolute expression on the young knight's face, Marde couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Such a naive young man."

Accompanying Master Duwei back to the ancestral home of the Rolin family this time, there were only about twenty family guards.

As the second-ranking figure in the command department, the eldest son of Count Raymond, this journey home with such a meager entourage seemed rather austere.

Indeed, compared to the grand households in Yanjing, those noble families would even bring batches of servants and guards for a simple outing in the countryside.

And as for these twenty family guards, they were all "carefully selected."

Everyone knew that Master Duwei had fallen out of favor within the family. The future of the family rested on his younger brother. Though it wasn't openly stated, everyone understood that Master Duwei had been stripped of his status as the family heir.

Undoubtedly, following a master who had been exiled back to his hometown to watch over the family's estate meant a bleak future. Everyone had their own motives, hoping to remain in bustling Yanjing. No one would willingly accompany a worthless master back to the backwaters to spend the rest of their lives in obscurity.

Especially the knights. Who wouldn't want to stay in Yanjing, by the Count's side, perhaps gaining favor with their martial skills and rising to success in the future? Therefore, when it came to arranging those who would accompany Master Duwei back home, everyone tried to avoid the task. Not a single knight would willingly waste their prime years accompanying a feeble master back to the countryside to oversee the lives of farmers.

As a result, the twenty knights ultimately selected were undoubtedly a group of unlucky souls. They were either of low martial skill, unsuitable for important tasks, or they were solitary by nature, disliked or ostracized by their peers. Or perhaps, they were young and naive, easily deceived.

Watching the young knight who had returned from scouting, Marde had already formed an opinion of this lad: he was probably one of those young, naive, and simple-minded fellows. He hadn't yet realized that they were all exiles.

Since leaving Yanjing, everyone's spirits had been low. The only one who remained serene and composed was Master Duwei.

Despite being exiled, there was never a complaint from him, not even a single word. Every day, he sat in the carriage, reading books brought from home, rarely speaking, and maintaining a gentle demeanor towards others.

Pushing aside these thoughts, Marde shouted loudly, signaling everyone to pick up the pace. The former stable boy turned steward had a decent mentality. At least he was good at consoling himself: regardless of exile or whatever it may be, he used to be nothing more than a lowly stable boy. Being where he was today was already thanks to Master Duwei. Though only an "exiled steward," at least he earned a few extra gold coins in his monthly salary, and that was a fact!

Feeling the weight of the coin purse in his pocket, Marde, the steward, couldn't help but smile.

Well, they say the southern girls in the Cote province have delicate skin and petite figures. Perhaps old Marde could find himself a wife here.

The town of Jumu was the only town within a radius of about a hundred miles. In this town, which housed several hundred households, there was only one small tavern, its name as simple as its existence: Jumu Tavern.

Being the only tavern in town meant business was never too bad. Cheap alcoholic drinks, cheap grilled meat, cheap entertainment... Even those living at the bottom of society needed some pleasure in life, didn't they?

When Duwei's caravan arrived at the tavern, Duwei looked up and closed the book in his hand. Then he extinguished the lantern inside the carriage.

As they stepped out of the carriage, Duwei looked up at the rusty iron sign swinging back and forth in the wind above the tavern's entrance. Inside, the noise from the patrons spilled out, and the windows were lit with lively lights.

As Duwei and his entourage entered the tavern, they immediately attracted the attention of everyone inside. After all, the sudden influx of knights in lightweight armor into this small tavern was quite conspicuous.

Duwei was the last to enter, and by the time he did, the knights had already done their job well: clearing out a space, setting up a clean table, and forming a protective circle around Duwei.

The people in the tavern eyed Duwei, sizing up this young man who appeared quite youthful.

Duwei was of tall stature, coming from the prestigious martial family, the Rolin family. However, his physique was somewhat slender, and despite the fine attire adorned with lace at the collar and cuffs, showcasing his noble status, apart from his striking red hair typical of the Rolin lineage, he gave off more of an impression of fragility.

With a pale complexion, slender figure, fair complexion, and silence, he still clutched a book in his hand.

The other knights had already begun to move their luggage. Ma De tossed out a few coins, and the tavern owner promptly cleared out a few clean rooms and arranged for someone to feed the horses, among other tasks.

Meanwhile, Duwei endured the various curious glances coming his way.

"Oh! Look! It's a noble lord."

"Ah, how could a nobleman end up in our neck of the woods?"

"Boss, I think you should keep the chair this fellow sat on as a souvenir. You might fetch a good price for it!"

After a brief moment of quiet, the tavern resumed its clamor, with everyone discussing Duwei and his entourage. Clearly, the sudden appearance of a nobleman dressed in fine clothes in such a small, cheap tavern was quite unusual.

A few heavily made-up women tried to approach Duwei for a chat, but Ma De skillfully drove them away.

Amidst the commotion, two of the women, pushed aside, couldn't help but hurl a few insults at Ma De. Ignoring the rural insults, Ma De was unfazed. However, a drunkard nearby immediately rushed over, embraced one of the women, and said, "Ah ha, what's so great about that kid? Let this uncle take care of you." With that, the woman, with a coquettish smile, promptly sat on the drunkard's lap.

Duwei remained calm, taking a quiet sip of his drink. Even when people around him pointed and whispered, he only furrowed his brow slightly.

The nearby knights also began to feel a bit downcast. In this place reeking of cheap alcohol and makeup, they couldn't help but lament their future prospects.

Ah, how nice it would be to stay in Yanjing, that glamorous world!

Just then, with a bang, the door of the tavern was pushed open, and a group of four people walked in. From their dusty appearance and obvious lack of local attire, it was clear that they, like Duwei's group, were outsiders.

Instantly, the tavern fell silent, and almost every man's gaze in the place focused on the young woman among them.

She was about nineteen years old, with long brown hair and a captivating face. Clearly, her appearance held a certain charm for the opposite sex. She wore a form-fitting leather armor, obviously of high quality, its deep blue color exuding an aura of mystery. Strange patterns were carved into it. But what drew even more attention was her lower half. She wore shorts, baring her snow-white, shapely thighs. Strapped to her thigh was a belt with a dagger, and she carried a curved sword at her waist, while a delicate bow hung on her back, with a quiver of silver arrows.

The gleaming silver of those arrows immediately caught Duwei's eye—he recognized them as pure silver! Using such pure silver to craft arrows was a luxurious act indeed!

The voluptuous thighs of the girl immediately became the focal point of the many men in the tavern. And when she casually bent over, the neckline of her unique leather armor revealed a tantalizing cleavage, causing two drunken men nearby to drop their glasses in amazement.

Beside the girl were several male companions. One was a burly man, covered in heavy armor and carrying a thick shield on his back. From the fierce aura emanating from him, as well as the impressive muscles and scars on his exposed arms, it was clear he was a warrior focused on strength. Another was a tall, thin man, looking sharp and carrying a longbow on his shoulder. From the black bowstring, slender yet powerful fingers, and the black iron ring on his finger, it was evident he played the role of an archer.

And the last person, the one Duwei was most interested in! 

He was a man wearing a gray robe, with an ordinary appearance, except for the cold, stern light that always flickered in his eyes. His attire was extremely simple, so much so that people around seemed to overlook him.

However, Duwei was most interested in this man! It was because his entire body was enveloped in the robe, except for a silver leaf-shaped badge on his chest!

The people in this small town didn't recognize this badge, but Duwei did! And so did some of the more knowledgeable guards of the Luo Lin family by his side.

This last man in the gray robe was actually a mage! Though he was just a low-level mage wearing a silver leaf badge, signifying the lowest rank of a mage...

But that silver leaf badge on his chest was undoubtedly the authentic mark of a certified mage!

After staring at that badge for a while, a thought immediately formed in Duwei's mind...