Circumstances of a Fallen Lord

Chapter 85

 Ruger found his closest companion; that man called himself the ninth worshiper.

 The ninth worshiper was in Mittil. When Ruger asked why the man, who was supposed to be stationed in a village near Confosse, went to the aforementioned city, the worshiper said that he was chasing a pilgrim who had ruined his carefully crafted ritual. Perhaps that pilgrim was the protagonist in the rumors that had Confosse in a huge stir. Feeling that the two were strangely intertwined, Ruger had traveled all the way to Mittil.

 The ninth admirer was just about to cross the river when Ruger arrived. He stated that the pilgrim he was chasing had escaped by boat just last night.

 Ruger coaxed that man and asked him to find Luisen using the hair that the attendant had gathered. He had even brought the sacrificial materials the man had demanded: a young, weak, and desperate living person.

 Though, by now, that person would have served his purpose and was no longer a living sacrifice.

    Leaving in the middle of a rite? How arrogant.

The ninth worshiper and the eleventh worshiper followed him. The eleventh worshiper was a man that ran with Direwolves and exterminated the village of refugees hiding in the forest. That man moved according to his devotional duties rather than being led by his own interests.

Blood and dirt were splattered all over the two mens robes and bodies.  What they had done was clear. Their faces were filled with joy, and their hands trembled with excitement.

The way you guys go about it is disgustingyou should at least make it pleasant if you want others to watch, Ruger said sarcastically.

 Youre the one who brought the sacrifice and asked for our help. Why act all noble now? Did you, of all people, dream of becoming a knight?

 The worshipers were sarcastic right back as if they had heard something incredibly ridiculous. Rugers expression immediately distorted. It was truehe had once aspired to become a knight. That dream was an indelible wound; the attendant would not suffer anyone poking that scar. If it werent for my father, I wouldnt be rubbing shoulders with you people.

 You dont even have a father. Your mother didnt have a husband, after all. Or, was it something like thisa virgin had a baby so she was pregnant with the devils child? Then, I suppose were the ones that have to take care of and rear you! The worshipers giggled at Ruger.

 Ruger clenched his fists. He would strangle them if he could, but that wasnt possible.

After a good laugh, the two patted Ruger on the shoulder, Were just joking. Of course we know who your father is. Hes our only patron after all. Thats why were helping you.

Now, Ill tell you where the duke is headed. The ninth worshipers eyes turned red. The blood on his body quickly transformed into black smoke, climbed up his body, and wrapped around his arms. The wisps turned into a finger pointed towards the river before stretching away into the distance. So hes on that river. It just so happens that hes on the same boat with the pilgrim that Ive been looking for.

Ruger recalled his map; Luisens movements were quickly drawn with his minds eye. Ill catch up with you in no time.

Though the distance between them was wide, the attendant thought he could catch up quickly with the worshipers power. No, rather, Ill go ahead a little.

Carlton wasnt a pushover; he wasnt an easy target to pursue or to defeat. Rather, it would be better to set a trap in Luisen and Carltons path, separate the two, then devour them both all at once. Taking advantage of a beneficial position and a surprise attack would allow the attendant to perfectly capture the young lord.

Lets go together. I think the pilgrim I was searching for is in that direction as well. I must take revenge for the deaths of my carefully reared children, the ninth worshiper said.

His children were the pair of giant centipedes that turned Confosse upside down. Actually, Ruger was the one who rescued the baby centipedes and gave them to him. At that time, those centipedes were definitely ordinary; the attendant couldnt figure out how the worshiper raised them into such huge monsters.

Ruger was working with them, but he only really followed orders. He didnt really know everything about their cause and methodstaming and creating monsters all that. He only knew that they used strange powers.

The night worshiper chanted a spell and out popped a monster he had prepared in advance. The monstera giant eelmeandered through the water before coming back with a small boat in its mouth.

Did he personally make this one too? Ruger quietly observed the eel.

"

"

Shall I make you one too? the eleventh worshiper said. The worshippers giggled once more when the attendant ignored them. You have a gift.

Ruger ignored those words and returned to the ritual site. Bloodstains remained intact on the ground, but the bones had somehow disappeared. He tamped down his disgust as he picked up the golden locks of Luisens hair, which had been placed underneath the goat bust.

 Strands of hair drenched with the blood of an innocent victim.

It had served its purpose, but the attendant didnt want to leave it like this. Ruger diligently wiped away the blood with a handkerchief.

I took so much care to grow this out.

Ruger remembered how, one morning, his ward rolled around hungover in his pajamas. He oiled the young lords hair and brushed it carefully. Those were happier times.

 What would have happened if he werent a spy? Perhaps he might still be touching Luisens hair. At the very least, he wouldnt be forcing his young lord to cut his hair to sell it for travel expenses. Carlton, that bastard, was too incompetent.

If it were me, I would never have let that happen. He was confident he could protect Luisenkeep the young lord safebetter than anyone else. However, these were all futile fantasies. Ruger was a spy from the very beginning; his real master was someone else.

It was only at the command of his real owner that he became Luisens servant. Somehow, he had gotten attached, so the attendant often imagined what it would have been like to be the young dukes knight. But, in the end, it was all meaningless.

No matter how his heart may be swayed towards Luisen, he had to obey his masters orders. Like a knight loyally serving his lord. Although he did not officially become certified as a knight, the knightly teachings and code were always within Rugers mind.

As he was commanded, he would take the Duke of Anies.

 He only followed Luisen based on his commandsnothing more, nothing less.

Despite repeating those vows, Ruger still cherished that blood-soaked hair contained in his pocket. Looking back, the attendant saw the two worshipers giggling back at him.

***

The Anies duchy at a similar time:

Despite the lords unprecedented disappearance, the people at the duchy werent frustrated nor desperate. They had prepared for the winter in advance and had been working through the backlog of work to solidify the duchy.

 There was a shortage of manpower and capital, but no one complained. During the past months crisis, Luisen held out for the duchy, so the denizens garnered strength as they recalled the young lords strong visage.

At the heart of this endeavor was the general. At times like this, he maintained his role as a steady anchor without wavering; he believed he could only help Luisen by returning the duchy to its former strength. However, todays news was a little too much for him.

 The general pressed hard at his two eyes. In his hand was a reply to a letter he sent to the king.

A considerable number of personnel had been relocated from the duchy to support the second prince; those men were still unable to return after they had been taken prisoner. As a result, even though Luisen had disappeared, he couldnt properly arrange a search party. So, the duchy informed the king of Luisens disappearance and requested for the return of some of those prisoners.

He received a rejection. To summarize the kings responsethe letter was nearly two pages longreturning the prisoners was impossible unless Luisen himself pledges and proves his loyalty to the king and requests their return. In other words, the king was dissuading the duchy from even searching for the young duke.

How could this be?! Does his Highness mean to say that he cares not what happens to the Duke now?!

Despite the fact that Luisen sided with the second prince, he was still one of the few Great Lords. If he wasnt planning on abandoning the South, the king couldnt treat Luisen like this. The general pressed down on his throbbing eyes when someone else came into his office. Judging by the rough and heavy footsteps, it must be one of Carltons subordinates and not one of the duchys vassals.

Because the general didnt believe Rugers words from the beginning, when he caught Carltons men, he treated them politely and asked them for further details.

 After meeting the first princes messenger, Carlton went ahead to pick up Luisen; the mercenarys men followed. They had informed him of the monsters attack, the ensuing fierce battle, and that they had found traces of someone trying to purposefully drag Luisen away.

 The general learned that Carlton was travelling with Luisenboth people were safe and on the way to the capital. The men had even told him that Ruger had lied.

As soon as the general heard everything, he released Carltons men and tried to capture Ruger. Though they had failed to capture the attendant, the men remained in the dukes castle and lent the people their strength. Because Carlton was with Luisen, the duchys retainers and the men were naturally in the same boat.

The duchy even helped to bring together Carltons scattered soldiers; the men were filling in for the duchys scarcity. Now, there was nothing more pleasant than their visit.

We have news from the royal city.

The generals eyes opened wide at those words. The first thing that he did with the duchys power was to contact an informant that Carlton had planted within the royal castle. It seems that their efforts produced results faster than expected.

 What did they say? What are the capitals nobles reactions to the Dukes disappearance?

Its nothing very good. Apparently, theres this rumor going around.

What is it?

That the Southern Great Lord will be replaced.

What?! the general roared. Honestlythe Duke of Anies is still alive and well. What are these ridiculous rumors circulating in the capital? What about his Highness? Is he really letting such an insolent rumor stand?

Thats Its very rare for the King to hold back his thoughts. It seems the first prince is taking care of all the state affairsand is sitting on the sidelines on the matter of the rumor But, its clear that he thinks negatively of the Duke of Anies.

 That cant be. The general stumbled to his knees. No way Had the first prince staged the kidnapping

I dont believe so. He wouldnt have told our captain to escort the Duke if that were the case. Carltons men actively denied that train of thought, but inwardly they were similarly anxious. Strange happenings were occurring. If the first prince was really behind Luisens disappearance, what will happen to Carlton? And what about themselves?

In trying to deny the first princes involvement, they continued to comfort the general. At the very least, the Duke should be safe. Our captain is with him. Theyll make it to the capital safely.

Thats right. Of course. The Duke is so ignorant of worldly matters; Im just glad Sir Carlton is with him.

 At the very least, the young lord wouldnt be murdered by thieves or starve to death.

 The fact that the mercenary was with the young lord brought him relief. The general smiled bitterly as he recalled how he had tried his hardest to separate the two.

 That wasnt all. Carltons men were of great help to the understaffed duchy. How ironic that the enemy that oppressed themthat which they considered the most dangerouswas now their most reliable ally.

 The general rubbed his face clean with his hands and steeled his heart. Though he ached as he thought of Luisen, his charge, suffering from far awaybut the general must get a hold of himself. Now, more than anytime else.

Im not sure what the prince is thinking, but I cant just wash my hands of this crisis and surrender. I must make provisions.

 If the first prince was truly behind this, then Luisen wouldnt be able to relax even after he entered the capital. Carlton wouldnt be of much help there either. But that didnt mean there was no solution. The general was worried but worked laboriously.

 There would be people who would protest if the prince tried to change the Southern Great Lord willfully. To be exact, the other three Great Lords. It was difficult to say that they had good relations with Luisen or the duchy in general, but they wouldnt want to lose their own authority if the prince set a precedent by transferring a Great Lords power to another family. The enemy of an enemy is ones friend.

The general hastily penned a letter to the other great lords. He deliberately provoked them by distorting the storythat the royal family was violating their authority. The letters could be delivered quickly with the help of Carltons men.

After finishing his business, the general looked out the window at the blue sky. He remembered a young Luisen who had often caught colds in the chilly air. That same Luisen who hed embraced after he came tearfully up to the general with a runny nose would now have grown up to adventure all by himself under that same sky.

The general prayed earnestly that this young man whom he had raisedthe young man who was now beginning to soar despite the hardships facing himwould not be crushed.

TL: Honestly, the general makes my heart wobble. Such a dad!!!!