Damn it, damn it! What the hell is this Prince? Just some wretched soul dumped in the middle of nowhere! Curtis thought, but seeing the two bodyguards gripping their swords and trailing behind him, he had to swallow his anger for now.
The baron breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the guard turn and leave after leaving the castle.
He pulled out his damp handkerchief and wiped his forehead, spitting hard as he imagined the saliva splashing onto Prince's face. Still unsatisfied, he stomped his feet on the spit twice before feeling a bit better.
What good is blocking the evil beast? Do you really think you can hold your ground in the Western Frontier? Keep your smug attitude, but how long can you keep it up? Kauris mused. He hadn't rushed to Border Town unless he had reliable intelligence. Nobles usually returned to the town later than commoners, as mining and hunting—those grueling tasks—were never their job. They only needed to visit the mines periodically to oversee production and wait for ore deliveries. In their spare time, they could also check the Hunter's house for high-quality furs worth buying.
But this year, the situation changed. From Lord Ferrino, the Chief Financial Officer, Coris learned that Duke Lain intended to expel the Fourth Prince from the Western Border—not out of betrayal to the Kingdom of Graycastle, but in accordance with the new king Tefiko Wimbledon's decree: "Roland Wimbledon is no longer the Lord of the Border Town. The new territories require his reappointment after he returns to the capital to report." Lord Ferrino, a man of great influence in the Duke's court, had risen from municipal official to Chief Financial Officer in just five years. Without the annual gifts of two fine furs from distant relatives, how could he possibly know the Western Border's ruler's true intentions?
The phrase 'return to the capital to report duties and then re-annex territories' was just a euphemism. Even Coris knew the Great Prince had been sent to the guillotine without a second thought. Once the Fourth Prince returned, wouldn't he be at the new king's mercy?
There was no doubt that the western frontier belonged to the Duke. If it were merely a unilateral decree from His Majesty Tifeco, that would be debatable. But when the Duke was about to intervene personally, Roland Wimbledon was no better than a stray dog.
This was the reason why Kauris had rushed to Border Town—first to stock up on fur as soon as possible, and second to sell the house. His calculations were sharp: in previous years, locals would flee to the Long Song Fortress for shelter, leaving no surplus. But this year, they had stayed put, so they could surely gather a decent haul. Not only would it bring a small profit, but it would also be a tribute to Lord Fereno.
The second point was that Lord Fereno had arranged a seat for him in the town hall. Though it was a nominal position, it was better than this damned impoverished place. The house was no longer needed, so it was best to sell it as soon as possible. Who knew when the Duke might act? If these lowly people resisted and accidentally burned down his house, he'd be in for a serious loss.
Yet he never imagined the house wasn't burned down by the untouchables, but instead demolished by the Fourth Prince. The baron's jaw clenched in fury at this thought—what a fine estate! Though 150 gold dragons might seem excessive, 30 were more than worth it.
To get the money sooner, I kept dropping out—twenty coins barely made it, yet Your Highness treated me like this! Not a single coin was given, and you even threatened me with treason. Does he not know that every year during the Evil Demon Month, all Nobles withdraw from this place?
Wait... Kauris slowed his pace, sensing something amiss. Though he'd long heard of the Fourth Prince's notorious temper and reckless ways—how he'd even taunted Baron Simon's wife in Border Town, becoming a laughingstock—today's encounter felt utterly different. The Prince wasn't fuming or acting like a spoiled brat; his divine demeanor bore no resemblance to that mischievous, headless figure. Why had he been so terrified to surrender the house's ownership? Had he truly claimed it as his own? Could Your Royal Highness really kill him?
Oh right... Kauris couldn't help shuddering, the sweat on his forehead retreating. Looking back now, he realized he'd actually felt like he was talking to the Duke when facing Prince.
The baron shook his head vigorously, brushing off the unpleasant memory. The Fourth Prince wouldn't last long anyway. When Lord Laine reclaimed Border Town and escorted Roland Wimbledon to the capital, he'd surely mock him mercilessly. Who knows—those twenty golden dragons might even help him get justice from the Duke.
The thought lifted his spirits. With the fur trade yielding decent profits and the house no longer needing to be sold, he decided to head straight back to the fortress. His plan to 'warn those nobles who might cause the same misunderstanding' sounded far too pretentious. Once he returned to the Castle of Long Song, he would stage a show for everyone to see what it meant to be a show-off.
Leaving the castle district, they descended the long slope, where Coris passed a woman wearing a hood.
This was nothing unusual. Among the townspeople who came and went, women always dressed like this. To see a beautiful young lady or noblewoman, one had to go to the capital. But when a gust of wind lifted the corner of the woman's hood, Kauris felt his heart leap, as if the air around him had frozen.
Oh my God, what a woman she is—possessing a rare emerald-green hair that reveals her face in mere moments, her beauty so stunning it would outshine even the so-called princesses and socialites in the royal capital of Graycastle. How could such a person possibly exist in Border Town?
He turned around, intending to catch up and see what was happening, but found the other party already heading toward the castle area.
Is this Your Royal Highness's woman? The baron hesitated for a moment before finally giving up. He had no desire to deal with the Fourth Prince anymore. Such a villain should be left to the Duke's disposal. It would be wiser for him to return to the fortress promptly.
From the wharf, the boatman boarded his single-masted speedboat, hoisted the sails, and the boat swiftly sailed away toward the Changge Fortress.
On the return journey, while sitting at the bow of the boat basking in the sun, Kouris witnessed a remarkable sight.
About five li from Border Town, a large group of people appeared in the snow—clad in identical dark brown leather armor, carrying long wooden spears on their backs, marching in a long line and moving slowly through the snow. Though the trees obscured the entire formation, there were at least a hundred of them.
Is this...the Fourth Prince's farmer who fights evil beasts?
In the early days of the month when the snow hadn't melted, the land was nearly deserted. The hardships of trekking through the snow were something even Kauris could imagine without attempting it. The group moved forward with their heads bowed, as if the nearly three-foot-deep snow beneath their feet meant nothing...
He tried to crack a joke but couldn't find the words. A question crept into his mind: Could Knight, Lord Laine's subordinate, actually pull that off?