A heavy silence descended upon the plaza. Every eye was wide with disbelief. The scene that had unfolded before them was beyond anything they had expected—a mere verbal dispute ending in cold-blooded slaughter.
Soon, the silence broke into a tidal wave of whispers and murmurs. "Who told them to break the laws of the Kingdom?" someone muttered, justification wrestling with fear.
Many gazes fell upon Maimun. It wasn't just those in the center of the plaza; even from the distance, people were chattering in hushed, incomprehensible tones, punctuated by forced, nervous laughter.
Watching from another corner of the plaza were Raven and his followers. Jack turned to Raven, his eyes fixed on the Knight. "He looks incredibly strong. Why don't we recruit him?"
Briley scoffed in response. "I doubt he'd be interested. He's one of the Royal Knights; why would he join us?"
Jack gestured toward Maimun while looking at Raven. "The Captain might be able to convince him. It's a waste for a talent like his to be buried in this tiny kingdom. Besides, he would be a massive asset to our cause."
"Are you judging his worth based on the killing of two weaklings?" Briley asked.
"No, it's not just that," Jack replied. "The Soul Reaper... haven't you heard of him? His name has been echoing across the lands for the past two years."
Raven remained silent, the words of his subordinates ringing in his ears. His eyes stayed locked on Maimun from afar. Finally, a small smile tugged at his lips. "Perhaps I will invite him. It isn't a bad idea."
---
"Maimun, you idiot!"
Nearby, Yousafer and Yuray watched as Ramber began to scold Maimun.
Yousafer leaned toward Yuray and whispered, "Let's go find a place to stay. The sun is setting fast."
In a nearby house, two men stood behind the curtains of a window overlooking the plaza.
"So, that is the person we came for," one of them remarked.
"Yes. Recruiting him would be a great pillar for your future ambitions. Paying with a piece of land is a small price for someone so young with limitless potential."
"I believe you're right. A decisive man with ice in his veins—that is exactly what I need. We must take good care of him, refine him. But first, we must convince the King. I doubt we are the only ones here for him, and the King won't give him up easily. But everyone has their price, and I have my ways."
The man beside him chuckled. "I knew you only came here for him. The festival is just a pretext. He looks so young," the man added.
"That's what we want. But we must raise this fledgling carefully."
---
The crowds dispersed as Maimun and Ramber headed back to their headquarters, locked in an argument.
"You shouldn't have killed them, you fool," Ramber groaned.
"If we didn't," Maimun replied calmly, "there would only be more brawls in the streets."
"You bastard! If we killed everyone who caused a problem, then why do prisons even exist?"
In truth, Maimun hadn't planned on killing them. It was their refusal to leave, their arrogance, and their defiance that triggered his cold blade. He had acted without a shred of concern for the consequences.
"I don't care," Maimun said. "I do things my way. The moment they broke the law, they deserved to be struck down. No one is above the law."
A look of regret washed over Ramber's face. "Don't drag me into today's incident. Face the consequences yourself; you're the one who killed them."
Maimun smirked. "What a cowardly bastard you are, Ramber."
As they walked through a narrow, somewhat dark alleyway, a voice suddenly echoed:
"The Soul Reaper... you truly live up to the name."
The words hit their ears, but they couldn't tell where they came from. They spun around and saw a man sitting in front of a house. He had long grey hair, wore purple clothing, and a headband featuring a yellow flag with a wolf at its center.
It was Lillar, the man they had seen earlier in the restaurant. He was still drinking from his jug as if it were bottomless, the scent of fine liquor filling the air.
Both Knights were stunned. They had just walked past that very door and hadn't sensed a single soul until he spoke.
After a moment of silence, Ramber asked, "Who are you?"
Lillar ignored Ramber, his eyes fixed solely on Maimun. "You seem quite strong for your age. Interesting. This old man traveled a long distance just for you."
Maimun didn't answer, merely staring back with a cold gaze.
"Who do you think you are, old man? What do you want?" Ramber demanded.
Lillar looked annoyed, pointing a finger at Maimun while addressing Ramber. "Why are you talking while I'm talking to him?"
"What was that, you old drunkard with the jug?"
Lillar ignored him again and turned back to Maimun. "How about joining my League?"
"A League?" Ramber questioned.
"I'm not interested," Maimun answered instantly.
Lillar was taken aback by the speed of the rejection. It reminded him of the white-haired youth's reaction in the restaurant. "Why are the youth of today so hasty? You didn't even let me finish."
"There's no need. Nothing you say will change my mind," Maimun countered.
Ramber looked at Lillar with a mocking grin, while a wide smile played on Maimun's lips.
Lillar stared at the scythe on Maimun's back. He stood up slowly. "Why don't you join this 'weakling'? Our League is full of weaklings; your light would shine bright among us."
Maimun replied sarcastically, "I'll have to disappoint you, old man. My path was already drawn and determined since the day I was born. It cannot be changed. I shall live on this path, and I shall die on it."
Ramber's expression shifted slightly as he looked at Maimun.
Lillar smiled. "You little brats are quite rude, calling me 'old man.' Can't you see I'm still in my youth?"
"Old man," Ramber retorted, "you're older than my grandfather. How can you be in your youth?"
Lillar grunted, taking a long swig from his jug.
"We would get along well if you joined us; your nature is much like mine," Lillar said, glancing at the scythe. "Think it over. I'll give you until the end of the festival. I can see that your path doesn't lie within this tiny kingdom."
Lillar walked a few steps, then turned back one last time. "Be careful. There are people who came to this festival specifically for you."
Silence reclaimed the alley. Ramber finally broke it. "That old man seemed quite arrogant. What do you make of him?"
Maimun, who had been quiet, replied, "I don't know. But he is clearly no ordinary man."
"And what about what he said? About people being here for you? Should we tell the Captain?"
"Don't worry about it," Maimun said. "No one can change the path I've chosen."
"I heard you say your path was determined since birth... does that mean you never actually lost your memory?" Ramber asked, confused.
Maimun raised an eyebrow. "Every person in this world has their path determined while they are still in their mother's womb. When they are born, they simply walk it, don't they?"
"So... you'll be staying with us in the Kingdom in the future, right?"
Maimun smiled but gave no answer, quickening his pace.
"Hey! Hey! Where are you going so fast?" Ramber shouted, his eyes narrowing. "Do you have a date or something?"
---
Meanwhile, Yousafer and Yuray entered an inn to rent a room for several days, as the festival was still a while off.
A stout, bald man approached them, half of his belly visible beneath his ill-fitting clothes. "Welcome, my young friends! How can I help you?"
"We want a room for a week," Yousafer said.
The man paused, eyeing their clothes and the banner pinned to their chests. That banner... they look like rebels. Should I overcharge them? No, no... rebels are dangerous. I don't want any trouble.
"I have three rooms," he said, gesturing. "One on the first floor right there. Two more on the second floor. The first-floor room is five Solar coins a day. The ones upstairs are seven. It's a fair price for a location this good, including breakfast and dinner."
Yousafer heard a ruckus coming from the room next to the first-floor one. "We'll take the second floor."
"Excellent choice, young man! For a week, that will be... let me see..." He thought for a moment. "Forty-nine Solar coins."
"Fine, no problem," Yousafer said. They had plenty of money from the factory and the sale of the horses and saddles.
They climbed the wooden stairs, the scent of old wood filling the air. It wasn't too bad. They chose one of the rooms, which featured a balcony overlooking a bakery. The scent of fresh bread wafted in, erasing the smell of the old wood. The room had two tidy beds, a dining table, shelves for luggage, and an oil lamp.
Yousafer kicked off his black boots and stretched out on his bed, picking up a book from his bag. Yuray sat on his bed, removing his silver-patterned cloak to reveal his white vest. "This city is noisy," Yuray noted. "Where do we start searching tomorrow?"
Yousafer tucked the book under his white pillow. He pulled out a sunflower and stared at it. "First, we need to map out this city and every corner of it. This is our first day; we know nothing. But if what we're looking for exists, it must be in the Palace."
Yuray whispered, "Entering the Palace will be impossible. We aren't even sure if it's there. How would we even stage a break-in?"
Yousafer's mouth quirked into a half-smile. "Exactly. But that only makes it more exciting."
"After we leave this Kingdom, we'll be wanted men. Did you see the sunflowers hanging everywhere?" Yuray asked calmly.
"Yes. From the massive gates to the city streets. Every move is being watched."
"No matter. We'll be wanted eventually anyway. It doesn't matter when the hunt begins. We must steal anything related to the War Remnants."
"War Remnants? Do you really think something like that is here?" Yuray asked.
"The Kingdom is under the Army's thumb. They must have something," Yousafer replied. "But first..."
He stared at the sunflower in his hand. Yuray smiled. "Are you going to call him?"
"Yes." Yousafer pressed several leaves, then the center. The flower began to chirp. Ring... Ring... Ring...
After a few moments, the line opened.
** Click.**
A cunning expression and a wide grin spread across Yousafer's face. "Hello, you bastard. It's been a while."
End of Chapter