Adela asks Henwell, "Sir, aren't we heading to Harvest City? It's the largest city in the kingdom's west, and it would be easier to sell our goods there!"
Henwell chuckles, "Oh? Eager to see the bustling city, are you?"
Adela quickly replies, "No, no! It's entirely up to you, sir! I spoke out of turn!"
Henwell shakes his head, "I'm not upset with you. But our goods are ant for village and town folk. In a big city like that, while our prices are competitive, our goods aren't refined enough to sell."
For the past two weeks, the two serfs have been eating well under Henwell's care. Not only do they get enough to eat, but they also enjoy plenty of at, even if it's just Henwell's leftovers. They're more than satisfied.
Henwell occasionally teaches them swordplay and literacy, which leaves them feeling both honored and surprised. Their loyalty to Henwell visibly grows, though they remain sowhat fearful of him. They've witnessed Henwell, under the cover of night, wipe out an entire caravan—a caravan of over a hundred people—within a single night. Afterward, they helped Henwell dig graves to bury all the bodies and the caravan's goods.
At the ti, they were terrified, thinking Henwell might kill them too. To their surprise, not only did Henwell spare them, but he also taught them many things. Gradually, they realized Henwell is actually quite approachable and the kindest master they've ever known.
However, this master has a peculiar habit of killing people seemingly without reason. People who appear to have no connection to him are suddenly targeted, whether by a sudden outburst or a stealthy approach. They never quite understand why Henwell seems to have such a penchant for killing.
They also can't quite understand why Henwell avoids big cities for buying goods, preferring smaller towns instead. After all, Henwell isn't a rchant; he's a pathfinder scout. Arius and the others stay in big cities without fear of assassination because any incident in such a place would have significant political repercussions between the two nations.
If sothing were to happen in a major city, it would be a diplomatic nightmare, especially for the Kingdom of Billie, which would need to provide a convincing explanation and possibly heads of important figures to appease the duchy's dissatisfaction.
Thus, everyone tacitly agrees to respect Billie's reputation, limiting assassination attempts to village areas. Banditry is common in every country, after all. If Arius and his group were attacked outside the city, it would only highlight the duchy's inadequate protection, unable to fend off even "bandits." Compared to criticisms of Billie's poor security, the duchy would suffer a greater loss of face.
Understanding this, Henwell operates exclusively outside city limits. With the Path of Honor's extensive assassination experience and his own keen sense for danger and the supernatural, Henwell easily identifies disguised assassins. A caravan with a dozen knights is clearly suspicious.
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After all this effort, the path ahead becos smoother for Henwell. In Harvest City, Billie's welcoming party arrives. At this point, any further action would be a direct affront to the reputations of both the Vorry Duchy and the Kingdom of Billie.
Leaving behind necessary information, Henwell prepares to head to Billie's capital—Divine Revelation City—with his entourage. Days later, as he gazes upon the grand and towering city walls, he marvels at the enduring strength of this old kingdom.
Divine Revelation City is more than twice the size of the duchy's capital, Silver Peak City, and within a hundred kiloters around the capital are several other cities, so rivaling Silver Peak City's size. It truly is a flourishing feudal realm.
Henwell presents his carefully crafted identity to enter the capital. His caravan has a small house in the city, modest in size but sufficient for Henwell to settle in.
After settling in, Henwell leaves the capital alone to visit an old friend. By nightfall, he arrives in Yinxin City, a place where he once spent a significant amount of ti. His purpose here isn't to reminisce with Bloodhorn but to reconnect with the young gladiators he left behind.
Three years ago, when Henwell first ford his caravan, he strategically positioned one in Yinxin City. Using his token—a gladiator's emblem—he established contact with these young gladiators. Back then, Henwell had a contingency plan: if the Path of Honor failed and he had to turn to banditry, he would gather these young gladiators.
However, as Henwell's fortunes improved, these young gladiators thrived under his support, all reaching adulthood. Among the fifteen, two had sustained injuries that left lasting effects. Yet, with high-priced secret redies Henwell procured, their conditions improved significantly.
Perhaps due to their initial setbacks, these two gladiators began to rely more on their intellect, becoming the strategic minds of the group. They now manage all affairs and coordinate with Henwell's caravan operations.
Navigating through Yinxin City with ease, Henwell's familiarity with the streets discourages any pickpockets from making a move. Soon, he finds himself on a particular street, and the group trailing him finally decides to act. They quickly surround him, led by a scruffy man with a sneer. "Money or life!" he demands.
Henwell glances at him, unfazed. "Of course, I want money. Why would I want your life?"
The scruffy man hesitates, then lifts his tattered robe to reveal a sharp dagger. "Daring to mock ! Today, you won't keep either your money or your life!"
Just as he signals his crew to attack, several agile figures drop from the walls, swiftly knocking the robbers to the ground. Before they can utter a word of protest, cold blades are already at their throats.
The scruffy leader, now frightened, tries to muster so bravado. "We're with the Rat Gang! What do you think you're doing?"
Another figure jumps down, pulling back his hood. "Oh? Your Rat General didn't tell you this is Pi's territory? Who gave you the guts to operate here? Tell , which street's Rat General do you work for?"
Hearing this, the scruffy man is visibly shaken. Pi is a small group that has erged in recent years. Normally, such groups wouldn't stand a chance against one of Yinxin City's major powers like the Rat Gang.
However, these young folks are skilled and fierce fighters. Despite the Rat Gang's numbers, they lack high-level combatants. After these young fighters infiltrated the leaders' hos and posed a threat, the Rat Gang had no choice but to acknowledge their presence. Pi is one of the few small groups that has managed to claim an entire street in Yinxin City. Rumor has it they have a significant backer, too. With little to gain here, everyone ceded the territory to Pi.
After giving the scruffy man and his crew a sound thrashing, they are chased away. The tall young man leading the group turns to Henwell. "You’re new around here. What brings you?"
Henwell grins, "Fathead, you've gotten a lot more handso since the last ti I saw you!"
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