Spring planting season arrives, and as Henwell rides along the official road, he watches the busy figures working in the distant fields, feeling the gentle breeze that drives away the last chill of winter. Everything feels so peaceful.
By now, the group has been traveling for nearly two months, and assassination attempts along the way are increasing. Henwell seems unfazed, but Orak looks worn out. His knights are exhausted from constantly dealing with the ever-evolving threats.
These past two days have been unusually quiet.
Today, their destination is a town called Griffith, where they plan to rest for two days. Beyond this point, there won’t be any large towns to stop and recuperate at least seven days.
Henwell’s strong presence in Namwon City has made local nobles along the route wary, avoiding any contact with them. No noble is willing to engage or host them.
The upside is fewer complications; the downside is they can’t use many facilities reserved for nobles.
They’ve now entered the Western Regions of the Ika Kingdom, where nobles are fierce warriors—far tougher than those in other areas. But they usually keep to their own circles, only responding when the kingdom calls them to arms. Otherwise, they live quietly behind closed doors.
Trying to make use of these hot-tempered nobles is clearly no easy task.
Several tis, to avoid trouble from Henwell’s group, these Western Region nobles have basically forced them out, watching and chasing them off their lands.
This leaves Henwell’s group little ti to rest properly.
The knights can still push on, but their wagons and horses are near breaking point.
Griffith is one of the few kingdom-administered towns along the official road in this area, so they must rest here for at least two days.
This is their chance to give the horses enough rest and carry out major repairs on the wagons.
At this point, everyone increasingly appreciates Henwell’s decision to bring wagons along. Though it seems like the wagons slow them down, it’s thanks to the supplies and materials carried on these wagons that they’ve managed to survive this stretch.
The further northwest they go, the fewer towns lie along the road.
Given the nobles’ attitudes here, securing safe supplies will be a serious challenge.
So the wagons can’t be left behind. Even though they carry over a million gold coins and take up most of the load, these specially reinforced wagons have a carrying capacity close to two tons.
Gold coins are heavy but don’t take up much space. The empty areas on the wagons can be filled with supplies. Counting water, food, tents, and other essentials, the six wagons can carry an extra three to four tons of provisions—enough to sustain their group of over fifty people for quite a while.
Their biggest water consumption now isn’t their own drinking water, it’s the horses’ water.
Each horse needs about thirty liters of water daily. With over a hundred horses, that adds up to three or four tons of water every day.
Henwell’s group must find clean water sources daily, which Henwell personally tests. They boil the water, let it cool, and then store it in tanks. Most of this water goes toward caring for the horses.
So, before reaching Griffith, they plan to buy so wagons specifically for carrying water. These wagons don’t need to be high quality—just sturdy enough to make it to the next town that sells wagons.
A wagon costs only a few gold coins. For Henwell, these wagons are disposable supplies.
Around noon, Henwell’s group arrives at Griffith, a town with nearly ten thousand residents.
The town covers a decent area and hosts a kingdom garrison of over four hundred soldiers. Additionally, there are more than two hundred local militia patrolling the town, making its defenses quite solid.
Outside the town, ten arrow towers stand guard, clearly set up to fend off bandits.
In the Western Regions of the Ika Kingdom, the people are tougher and less strict about weapons control. It’s common to see people carrying swords and knives in town, so people are outsiders, others locals.
Choosing to rest here ans the town’s comrce must be thriving, as rchant caravans regularly stop by.
From Orak’s perspective, the town’s economy seems strong. Otherwise, the militia wouldn’t be equipped with longswords, and many even wear leather armor.
Residents appear well-off, with a full range of shops and services. Aside from lacking city walls, Griffith is basically a small city in all but na.
Although many rchant caravans pass through the town, often guarded by n in leather armor, a group like Henwell’s still surprises the locals.
Even though the horses aren’t armored and the knights don’t carry long weapons while off duty, a fully armored unit clad in tal plate, wearing cloaks and carrying banners, is extrely rare.
The well-inford townsfolk imdiately recognize the fine craftsmanship of the knights’ armor. Especially Henwell’s nineteen knights, who are practically ard to the teeth.
Their gear matches the battle setup of the Lord Iron Guards: a primary longsword at the waist, two cavalry sabers fixed on each side of the saddle, a tal-covered round shield hanging on the horse’s left side, and a heavy cavalry crossbow on the right. Behind the horse sits a quiver of long arrows and a large bow.
This level of heavily ard cavalry is sothing the townspeople have never seen before.
Judging by the knights’ exquisite equipnt, their magnificent warhorses, and the platinum cross star on their cloaks—an emblem representing so unknown noble family—it’s clear this is no ordinary noble’s group.
Soon, the town’s sheriff, the administrator, and the commander of the garrison arrive at the main street to stop Henwell’s party.
The sheriff wears a sowhat flattering smile and asks, “Honored sirs, may I ask which family you belong to? Do you have a travel permit?”
Even noble lords aren’t allowed to bring such a large ard force outside their own lands without special permission. Nor can they enter kingdom-controlled towns freely. Usually, a permit is required.
Orak produces an ornate tal cylinder, loosens it, and tosses it to the sheriff.
Inside is a finely crafted leather docunt bearing two prominent seals: a golden fist symbolizing the King of Ika, and a platinum cross representing the Holy Spirit Church.
There are also nurous other emblems: the crest of Duke Kolen, guardian of the South Regions; the insignia of the Southeastern Marshal; and even marks identifying a noble lord speaker and a royal court inspector.
After exchanging glances, the three town officials don’t dare to ask Henwell’s group where they’re headed.
They promptly return the permit to Orak with respect and assure them they will arrange suitable accommodations for the group.
User Comments
0 comments from readers