Chapter 57: The Scent of Blood in Silverglow Town
On her left arm, the wound that had once been deep enough to expose bone was now reduced to a faint, itching trace, as if the life-and-death battle before had been nothing more than a dream. But whenever Rehanna closed her eyes, she could still see that golden-red meteor of destruction, along with the brutal scene of a Black Knight—horse and rider alike—blasted into a storm of shattered bones.
She glanced to her side. Nolan, the one who had caused it all, was now riding calmly on the same mount as a tiger-eared beastkin girl. His expression was composed, as though that one-sided slaughter had been nothing more than an ordinary outing.
Rehanna felt a flicker of surprise at the girl’s identity as a tiger beastkin. Beastfolk had a notorious reputation in the kingdom, and she couldn’t imagine how they had come to travel together.
At the rear of the group, however, the atmosphere was lively. The outgoing Little Donnie had already slung an arm around the surviving mercenaries, boasting about his experiences in Rosenberg. Meanwhile, Leus’ son, Kreil, had shed his former restraint and was getting along easily with the others.
“Damn that Demont,” Hank muttered, a cigar clenched between his teeth as smoke drifted behind him. “Nolan, what exactly were those undead? This place doesn’t even border the Shiva Empire. Aside from that cursed Demont Highland where no one dares go, how did they get in?”
“I checked the emblem on their breastplates,” Nolan replied with certainty. “Two crossed swords with a skull in the center. They belong to a warlord in the northwest of the Shiva Empire, the necromancer lord known as the ‘Pale Knight,’ Crutel. He started as nothing more than an ordinary skeleton soldier, but awakened self-awareness and climbed his way to his current position. His strength is formidable.” He pointed toward the southwest. “If I’m not mistaken, they came over from the Demont Highland. It’s a dead zone for the living, but for undead who don’t need to breathe or maintain body temperature, it’s just a more difficult road.”
Rehanna turned her head sharply, looking at him in surprise.
As the captain of a large mercenary company, she had only ever seen a handful of Shiva Empire warlord insignias in expensive intelligence scrolls. Yet Nolan could identify their origin and organization so quickly and precisely. This level of knowledge went beyond mere erudition; it felt more like an almost transcendent insight.
Just who… was he?
Hank, long accustomed to Nolan’s absurd knowledge of the undead, simply frowned and took another drag of his cigar. “Scouts?” he asked succinctly.
“No.” Nolan shook his head. “Crutel is known for his cavalry. His scouts are usually third-tier skeleton light cavalry—fast and highly mobile. But what we encountered yesterday were fifth-tier Black Knights. Heavy cavalry like them are typically used as shock troops on the main battlefield. Judging by the composition of that unit, it was more like a transport force.”
Vivi caught on and chimed in, “You mean, like the rumors say—they’re delivering troops to Archduke Demont?”
“It’s more than just rumors,” Rehanna snorted, her voice filled with disdain and disgust. “Demont has gone mad. For the past two years, he’s been squeezing his people dry, hoarding wealth to expand his military, trying to carve out independence here. It’s an open secret within the province. I just didn’t expect him to be this deranged—to actually collude with the undead empire!” She spat to the side. “Damn nobles.”
“And you’re forgetting one thing,” Nolan said quietly. “The undead never make deals with humans… unless the price offered is something even they cannot refuse.”
“My guess is that Demont has likely put most of his own people on the bargaining table.”
His words sent a chill through the air. Whether it was Hank, who despised evil, or Rehanna, who was born and raised in Demont, both fell silent.
The conjecture was horrifying, yet it was also the most logical explanation.
Only Nolan knew that this was not a guess, but a piece of history about to unfold. The appearance of Crutel’s Black Knights here had already confirmed everything.
Because of the victory at Rosenberg, the situation in the south of the kingdom had not descended into chaos as Demont had hoped. So, cornered, he had chosen to act early, before the kingdom’s internal politics could fully stabilize.
Just how great a storm the butterfly’s wings would stir, even Nolan could only speculate.
***
By evening, the group arrived at Silverglow Town.
Contrary to expectations, this small town—famed for its rich silver mines—was packed with people, yet utterly lifeless. Miners dragged their feet along the streets, their eyes dull and vacant, as if an invisible weight pressed down upon the sky itself. The air was thick with oppression.
“…Something’s wrong here.” Vivi wrinkled her nose and whispered, “There’s a faint smell of blood in the air…”
Nolan’s gaze swept past a street corner, where several well-equipped guards were roughly shoving aside a miner who had blocked their path. They were not the town’s militia, but the private soldiers of Baron Haus, lord of Coldsteel City.
“The silver mine here in Silverglow Town, along with the large iron mine in Ironridge to the west, are the two economic pillars of Coldsteel City. But from the looks of it, this place is no better than a slave yard. These poor miners have probably taken plenty of beatings.”
“Mr. Nolan seems quite familiar with our region,” Rehanna remarked, casting him another surprised glance.
“Well, it’s the largest silver-producing area in the kingdom. It’s hard not to know about it,” Nolan replied quickly, covering his tracks.
Rehanna nodded, unconvinced but not pressing further. “That’s right. Baron Haus of Coldsteel keeps extending the miners’ working hours while paying them only a meager fixed wage. But people are forced by necessity to endure it in silence. Speaking of which, the Fire Fox Mercenary Company’s base is also here.”
After escorting the merchant Maide and his caravan to the local Mining Guild office, the unexpected escort mission finally came to an end.
Maide insisted on paying Nolan a reward equal to that of the Fire Fox Mercenary Company, but Nolan politely declined.
“I hope we’ll have another opportunity to work together in the future, Sir Nolan!” Maide’s face showed clear disappointment, though he quickly replaced it with the practiced smile of a seasoned businessman.
After leaving the guild, Vivi—who had grown up in poverty—kept glancing back at the heavy money pouches Maide handed to Rehanna, muttering under her breath, “Sigh… Nolan, having a bit more operational funds wouldn’t hurt…”
“A free lunch often comes with the most expensive bill attached.” Nolan ruffled her hair, earning a fierce glare in return. “Today he buys our ‘friendship’ with money; tomorrow he uses that ‘friendship’ to bind our swords.”
Anna covered her mouth and chuckled softly. “Merchants are full of tricks. Fortunately, Mr. Nolan is no less cunning.”
Nolan rolled his eyes. “Was that a compliment or an insult?”
At that moment, Rehanna stepped forward and extended a formal invitation. “Mr. Nolan, everyone—no matter what, please allow the Fire Fox to show you our hospitality. My younger sister, Renee, would certainly like to meet you all as well.”
Nolan had intended to refuse, but seeing the fatigue written on everyone’s faces, he reconsidered. They would need rest before any attempt to take a city. After a brief pause, he nodded. “Alright.”
“Nice!” the younger members cheered immediately.
After passing through two streets, a rare trace of gentleness appeared on Rehanna’s face as she said, “In a moment, I’ll introduce you to my sister, Renee. She may be a bit frail, but she’s quite a well-known and talented elementalist around here…”
Before she could finish, one of the Fire Fox mercenaries behind her suddenly spoke, his voice dry. “Boss… something’s not right. It’s too quiet.”
Rehanna’s smile froze.
Ahead, the street corner where their base was located lay in complete silence. There was no usual noisy welcome from their companions, no ringing of the blacksmith’s hammer, not even a passerby in sight.
“Renee!” she cried out, the color draining instantly from her face. With a sharp kick to her horse, she surged forward toward that deathly silent corner.
Nolan and Hank exchanged a glance, a cold glint flashing in both their eyes.
“Move!”