Firstborn: Return of the heir

“Sir, it’s already time. Please, do not make things hard on me… It’s nothing personal, I’m just following orders…”

Forced back to the living with those words spoken in a hesitant, scared tone, Saulus had no choice but to pry his eyes open. A single glance towards the window confirmed that the sun had yet to grace the world with its warm rays. Turning his head to the only source of light within the room, Saulus nodded at the petrified servant.

“It’s okay. I asked to be awakened at this hour. There is nothing for you to fear.”

For some strange reason, outside of the capital city of the new state, Saulus never had any trouble sleeping properly. Maybe it was the relaxation caused by his journey, maybe it was nothing more than the feeling of urgency he experienced whenever he cast his eyes upon the face of his childhood friend. Whatever the reason behind his sleepless nights at the capital was, his nights outside the city were far more pleasant.

And yet, he had no choice but to ignore such a great opportunity to finally have some proper rest. The entire ruse Saulus was a part of, forced its rules upon his life. That’s why, instead of leaving with all the honors and comforts due his rank, Saulus was forced to escape from the frontlines like a cornered rat. After all, this was the only way in which he could help the local garrison uphold the propaganda claiming that he was right there, at the front lines!

Dressing in just a few moments, Saulus quickly followed after the soldier. Ten minutes later, they reached a simple shack, like many around the military camp. If not for the presence of a dozen horses, one would never be able to tell that there was anything special about this place.

“Is everyone ready?”

Without even seeing anyone, Saulus risked being taken for an idiot when he asked the empty surroundings of the building. But instead of keeping his image as a madman, his men who were preparing for the departure within said shack quickly responded.

“Sir, yes, sir!”

Pouring out of the building in the wobbly light of the torches, Vesser led the way for the team of Saulus’ personal bodyguards. Wearing nothing but simple, light armor, they looked starkly different from how they presented themselves on the battlefield just a day ago. With their distinctive, black sets of armors safely hidden within their bags, it would be hard to guess that this particular group of horsemen guarded the most important military figure in the entire rebellious state!

“Then let’s not dawdle here and let’s go.”

Approaching the nearest horse, Saulus placed his shoe in the stirrup before jumping on top of the horse’s back. With his bodyguards following his example, he was finally free to return to the north. Even though he was already late by a day, there was still one more place that he wanted to visit.

“Venna will kill me… Well, I will have to deal with it once I return, I guess…”

Fighting with his own thoughts as the small group finally set off, Saulus couldn’t help but squirm in his saddle a bit. The commander of the entire rebelling state, chief general of two legions and mastermind behind the plot which uprooted the power of the formerly warmongering Retesia household. Also, a man shivering at the thought of displeasing his childhood friend and queen.

These kinds of dark thoughts accompanied Saulus all the way to the first and only pit-stop on his journey back to the north. Even with the great hunt being organized as he jumped down from the horse, Saulus still decided to pay this legendary ancient noble a visit.

Initially, he was someone that just appeared out of nowhere during a conversation that Saulus had with his retainers. He only started paying attention to him once he realized how popular he was in the military camp that he set up!

Even though there was no direct contact between a small village that Saulus just entered with his men and the entire military camp, all the legionaries would talk about during their free time would be the appearance of this legendary figure.

Jumping down from his horse, Saulus looked around the village. As expected, the appearance of an armed group like his scared most of the locals off, making them enclose themselves in their seemingly sturdy, wooden huts.

So stupid… As if hiding away would do them any good if we actually came here to rob and kill them…Shaking his head, Saulus recalled a single sentence that one of the ancient scholars had used to describe the household system that reigned supreme across the entire continent.

“You are pretty arrogant for someone with such a flammable house…”

Muttering those words to himself with a slight smirk on his face, Saulus suddenly looked to the side. Contrary to what the rest of the villagers had already shown to him with their behavior, one man didn’t bother to hide. Rather, he was actually approaching the group with a confidence that only someone who was perfectly aware of his own importance could have.

“Great Sage Markus, seventeen year of the peacock, third year of his service at Liveratus court. Am I right?”

Leaning his head to the side, this sturdy looking, middle-aged man openly smiled at Saulus while locking his arms against his chest.

“Right? Hearing such a detailed description kinda scares me off.”

Shrugging in response to the middle-aged man’s vocal nudge, Saulus could feel that there was something deeper happening. For some reason, in the presence of this man, he felt as if he was back in the cadet’s camp, where some old loser without any hobbies decided to turn the lives of the cadets into a nightmare. For the first time in ages, he felt as if the person before him was far more than capable of taking him on in an intellectual field.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. Even though it’s our first time meeting, I have heard a lot about you.”

Putting his strange feelings aside, Saulus regained his composure and smiled at the man.

“Oh, it’s not the first time we are meeting, though? But it cannot be helped, you were just a young cadet when I first saw you. And yes, the pleasure is mine.”

Uttering something that Saulus wasn’t sure whether to take as a joke or some foreboding message, the middle-aged man reached forth with his hand. His face still filled with that kind and serious smile was somehow the only thing so far that had managed to get Saulus to feel tense.