Chapter 41: Fifth Episode: Chapter 5 (2/2)
16th June, the narcissus knights bid farewell to the soldiers of the fifth district that escorted them. At noon that day, after they had their meal, they inspected the equipment and supplies of the two carriages, twice. In the afternoon, the procession passed through Bissell Canyon. They had entered the southern mountainous area with a spectacular view.
It had been several days and the leader of the narcissus knights, Colonel Kamille Rayen had yet to leave his post. Since receiving word that there was someone who meant harm to the prince, this paladin had reorganized the entire rank; the scouts were increased by one fold, the search and investigation unit too, the strength of the guards for each carriage were also doubled, in particular, the young lady and Madame's carriage, all were replaced by knights of a higher order.
As for those carefree guards who were sightseeing throughout the journey, frankly, the colonel did not know what to do with them. However, he still requested his deputy to do his best to try and get them to form a loose formation that could still advance and defend.
However, all that the Colonel did could not be put to use when they ventured into the mountainous area. Although the mountain paths were quite even, the narrow roads prevented the cavalry from spreading out, and the scouts were greatly restricted. It was impossible for them to cross the mountain range on either side of the road.
Confronted with the pitch-black, massive mountain all around him, Kamille Rayen suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness. Despite the narcissus knights never fearing any foes before, but being in the steep terrain, just a single landslide and the whole army would be buried.
His Royal Highness prince's mount was a purebred stallion from the Tyler grasslands. This was apparently the first time this two-year-old little fellow entered a mountainous area. It appeared a little skittish and was extremely frightened by the occasional cries of ferocious beasts sounding through the mountain forest.
Oscar could steer the horse effortlessly, but he could not perform high-level maneuvers on horseback like the narcissus knights. In addition to that, when he urged his horse to sprint, he would exercise extreme caution to avoid anything dangerous from befalling himself.
It was already the second afternoon when the procession got out from the valley. The paladin organized the soldiers to set up camp on high ground facing away from the wind, for they required rest. The scouts came across a few hunting families and they received some dreadful news from these local folk, who were extremely familiar with the lay of the land.
”This is my leader. Could you please repeat what you have just said to me to this man?” The leader of the tiny scout squad had brought one of the hunters into the camp. He felt that this matter was better left to be decided by his leader.
”Sir!” The hunter placed his trilby on his chest and gave a deep bow to Colonel Kamille Rayen. ”Sir, heavy rain is about to come and it may even be a rainstorm. The various signs are indicating that it will not be long before the change in weather.”
Kamille Rayen's heart silently screamed of rotten luck. This was indeed terrible news.
”Sir, I guarantee you with my life. I've been living here half a lifetime, please, believe me.” The hunter once again clarified. He sincerely hoped that these knights from Narcissus could avoid unnecessary inconveniences.
”Then can you tell me, how long will the heavy rain last?” This was the matter that Kamille was most concerned about.
”This I cannot be certain. As you know, the rainy season has just begun. A day, a night, even a week, all these are possible.”
Kamille tossed him a Ti coin and waved his hand at his team leader. After the team leader paid his respects, he took the extremely grateful hunter and left.
”What's the matter?” Oscar urged his wine-red stallion and came over. His mount and the paladin's stallion were of the same origins. The pair of wine-red stallions bumped into each other and nuzzled each other around their necks.
”Ah... Your Royal Highness, bad news, it seems that we will have to stay here for a while. The hunter just now said that there would be a rainstorm in the mountains. Although we can still march in the rain, it would be easy for our carriages to encounter dangers on the mountain trail.”
Oscar tilted his head to the side and contemplated. Actually, he did not have any good suggestions himself.
”Ola! Then it can only be like this! Strengthen the camp, let us rest and reorganize here for a while!”
”As you wish, Your Royal Highness!”
Kamille rode his horse and ran off. He had to instruct his knights before the arrival of the huge storm that they not only had to set the camp up to be watertight but also had to set up traps all around the camp. In short, there was still quite a lot that needed to be done!
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17 June, in the wee hours of the morning, the heavy rain arrived on schedule. Mist shrouded the mountains as far as the eye could see, preventing people from making out anything. The dark foreboding skies hung right above the camp and it was as if the narcissus knights could touch its boundaries with just a leap.
A bold magpie flew into the camp. It shook off the droplets of water on its body onto a tent. The resounding howls from lonesome wild beasts came from the mountain forests, but the cavalry's warhorses were already used to them. They were gathered in a corner of the camp, with their innocent eyes gleaming. Although the knights had already draped a rain tarp over them, but the icy cold mountain rain still made these loyal and brave warriors huddle close to each other for warmth.
The majestic heavy rain would cause pain once it pounded onto a person. The knights who were in charge of keeping watch were scattered around several observation posts. These observation posts, which were constructed from branches and rattan, could not achieve the purpose of shielding them from the wind and rain. The knights on watch inside, not only had to open their eyes wide in caution, but also had to exercise their arms and legs from time to time. The mountain forest was strange; once it lost the light of the Sun, even if it were during summer in June, it could still cause one to develop the feeling of being frozen solid.
The knights that were not on duty were in their respective tents and occasionally, their roars of laughter could be heard from outside. His Royal Highness Prince's servants and maids remained in the large caravan. The knights made slight alterations to the caravan, allowing people to be able to rest inside.
The maids in the huge box wagon who had nothing to do, started singing folk songs. The soft singing unexpectedly traveled far in the curtain of rain. However, the singing stopped abruptly and the echoes of the girls' laughter were heard.
Oscar smiled and lowered the curtains of his tent. He had been listening to the girls' singing since just now. He knew that the sudden commotion was because a young lady named Bora, sang the wrong lyrics.
”The days of freedom are the best!” Oscar sighed. He took up the teapot that was warmed on the stove and filled the cups of his companions in the tent with the fragrant white liquor.
”Oh! Thank you, Your Royal Highness, let me help myself. Filling a teapot with white liquor, it's lucky that you thought about it!” The poison doctor took the teapot. ”Haha, what you have just said is indeed true, thinking about Damorga, and then looking at our current state, us, the girls who are serving you, I must admit, we are indeed very lucky to be able to be of your acquaintance.”
”Parker! You finally said something that makes sense!” The King of Assassins snatched away the teapot. He breathed in the fragrance for a while and then took a huge swig from the spout of the teapot.
”Little Oscar, at that time you were only this big. Ha! And you are now the prince! Hehe, what you said was right, all the robbing and other affairs are things that should indeed no longer be done. Did you know? I am already 51 years old. Before my thing down there stops functioning, I want to find a beautiful, busty, Monrovian lady and have her give birth to an army of little Doramys!”
”Hahahahaha! Percy! Percy!” The drunken Ricky leaned against him. He seemed to also have a part in getting them drunk. ”I say, Percy! Quickly take a look at Doramy! His thing down there has not seen the light of day for many years. You're a doctor, you should carefully have a look at it. What if on his wedding day he suddenly realizes that his thing can no longer be of use, then what will become of him?”
”Hahahahaha...” With the most monstrous sounds, those in the tent laughed heartily.
Snowstorm's single laugh made the wound on his lips tear open. His current state was extremely pitiful. His whole left cheek was purple all over, while his right eye was a little swollen. The King of Assassins no longer had any reputation; his appearance was as if he was the owner of a slaughterhouse who had just been taught a ruthless lesson by his wife.
”Haha... I...I am almost out of breath!” Paul had one hand over his mouth, another clutching his stomach.
”Yes! Yes! Doramy!” The holy Hedgehog, Sarlat Drosha had a thick bandage around his head, it seems that he also had received no mercy from the King of Assassins. ”Dear Doramy! If you really marry a beautiful and busty Monrovian lady, both Ricky and I will visit you at your house every day! When the times comes... when the time comes... wait for your group of children to grow up! Hahaha... You... You will ask your wife in doubt.” Sarlat imitated the King of Assassin's tone.
”Hey! My dear! What's going on? Why do our boys look like the Hedgehog, while the girls look like Ricky?”
”Hahahahahahaha...” Even Wozakad Mohamed who had difficulties understanding was also caught up in the moment. The brothers of Damorga were once again having the time of their lives. Doramy actually wanted to punch another hole into the Holy Hedgehog's head, but the end, he could no longer hold it and collapsed onto the ground laughing.
”Foosh... ” The curtains of the tent were suddenly pulled open. The wind and rain fought to enter the space full of the wine's aroma.
”Oh good heavens! Even the air in this tent is heavy with wine!” Kamille Eaten, who had just entered the tent, staggered after having his nose assailed by the stench of overwhelming wine.
”What happened?” Oscar motioned to the paladin to have a seat.
”Nothing.” Kamille accepted a glass of wine from Godot. He indeed needed this now to warm his body. ”I was just curious, the laughter of you gentlemen traveled quite far. I just came to see what happened.
The hedgehog, smiling, was just about to explain, but the sound of two whistles, one long and another short that came from outside the tent, caught his attention. ”Heehee! Kamille! You've really come at a bad time, if I didn't remember wrongly, that whistle means the emergency response squad should be mobilized immediately!”
”Yes! Damn it!” The young paladin abandoned the wine glass that had just reached his lips.
”Hold on Kamille, I will come with you.” The prince stood up. ”Godot, Wozakad, come as well. Snowstorm and Sarlat, go to my mother. Ricky, take care of things at the princess' side.”
Once everyone heard the prince's instructions, they promptly sprang into action. They did not seem as if they were drunk on wine at all. In the blink of an eye, among those who had originally gathered in the huge tent, only the poison doctor and the King of Sins were left.
Doramy stood by the door of the tent. Once he was sure that everyone had already gone far away, he undid his pants.
”I say, Percy! I am a little worried about what Ricky said! You better examine me a while!”
The poison doctor abruptly spurted out the white liquor he had just drunk, that was still in his mouth.
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The knights of the emergency response squad were already dispatched. However, the narcissus knights that were in the tent also did not rest. As soon as they heard the sound of the whistle, they took into their hands, bow and arrow, swords and spears. Each tent had a knight beside the entrance, peering outwards. It was believed that if there was even a stir, they would take the appropriate measures without delay.
Around the camp, the knights had dug out a trench of about one meter deep and now this trench had become the knights' bunker.
The emergency response squad was made up of sixteen knights. Before enemy invasion was certain, all trouble in the cam was to be handled by them.
The sixteen fully armed knights leaped into the trench one after another. Each of them took up their bows and arrows with their arrows trained towards the suspecting mountain forest.
”Andrew Haila!”
”Andrew Haila!”
The members of the emergency response squad withdrew the arrows pointing towards Kamille. Although there was no need for them to do this, but to the people who failed to reply with the code word that they used to verify enemies and allies, then those arrows would be released from their strings without the slightest hesitation.
His Royal Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette was the first to leap into the trench. Even though he had only come out for a while, but the heavy rain had already drenched his whole body.
The mud that was in the trench covered up to their knees. When the knights of the emergency response team saw the little prince, they were bewildered. They did not expect that His Royal Highness Prince would brave the heavy rain and hurry here.
”Your Royal Highness, please forgive my boldness, but the current situation is unclear and you should not personally endanger yourself.”
”What is your name?” Oscar asked the narcissus knight who spoke.
”Your Royal Highness, I am the commander of the emergency response squad, Captain Machiavelli Brauchitsch.”
”That's enough, Machiavelli. Tell me, what is the situation?” Colonel Kamille Rayen wiped his pale, rain-washed face.
”Yes, boss! Just a moment ago, the sentinels on duty noticed that one of the surrounding traps has caught its prize. Look, it's right over there!”
Kamille's eyes followed the direction in which the captain's finger was pointing at. The big mountain forest, under the curtain of rain, produced all kinds of weird sounds. Although the wind and rain caused the trees to sway incessantly, but the colonel was certain that for the moment, there was nothing strange in the direction of the traps.
”Where are the sentinels?” The colonel inquired.
”Dole!” Captain Machiavelli shouted for his squad member behind him.
”Reporting, commander!”
”Dole, what is going on over there? During the time of the incident, did you honestly see correctly?” The colonel questioned the soldier who had walked over to stand before him.
”Colonel, I dare assure you that that part of the mountain forest had no signs of movement before the incident. The trap was just suddenly triggered.”
Oscar joined the crowd; standing in the rain had made him a little impatient. ”Why aren't we going there to have a look? Wouldn't that allow us to reach a conclusion?”
”No, Your Royal Highness, we will fall for their deception that way. Those who have a mind to approach the camp will use wild animals as an experiment. If we were to run over and investigate now, the spies who are hiding in the shadows will find out which locations do not have traps. So I feel it is best for us to just wait here, wait until visibility becomes clear, then only go and investigate.”
Oscar shrugged his shoulders. ”I do not have any objections. I am an outsider and naturally I will listen to you all.”
The knights peered into the distant mountain forest. The colonel readjusted their position and now, the distance between each knight was about a horse's length away. The arrows were locked onto their bows; the swords and spears were held tightly in their hands. The narcissus knights at the front lines focused their gaze ahead despite the icy wind and cold rain relentlessly battering against their bodies.
The gloomy dark clouds still poured rainwater over the earth. Upon the edge of a tall cliff were knights standing silently, draped in rain cloaks. Their gaze fell upon the high ground in the opposite valley. At that very moment, a camp there stood tall with the army banner of Narcissus and the imperial household's totem hanging above it.