227 Side Story Chapter Ruth’s shoulders sagged as he watched the white pigeon flap away. While Riftan felt sorry for the mage, he quickly shook off the sentiment. It was not as if he was leaving of his own free will. He immediately instructed the steward to make the required preparations, after which he informed the knights of the king’s message. They deliberated over who would accompany him to Drachium and ultimately decided on Remus Baldo and Elliot Charon. The trio would make the journey as covertly as possible. Though the reason behind the sudden summons was still a mystery, there was certainly no need to announce it to the whole kingdom by marching all the knights to the capital. The next day, Ursuline Ricaydo came to see Riftan. “If you encounter any problems, please send word immediately,” Ursuline said, his face grave. Worry was etched across the faces of all the other knights as well. “Seeing that His Majesty has called upon you at such a time,” Ursuline added in a somber voice, “it must be a matter of great importance. It might be possible that he is in need of a knight who can travel freely outside the capital, and a capable one at that.” Climbing atop his horse, Riftan tried to think of all the possible reasons the king would have to send for him so urgently. Dirty work he could not push on an ordinary knight, perhaps? Only sordid tasks such as assassination or probing the weaknesses of prominent noble houses came to mind. Swallowing his cynicism, Riftan turned his steed toward the castle gate. “I will send word when I can. I leave Anatol in your care.” “Rest assured, we will do our best.” Leaving the knights behind, Riftan set forth alongside Remus Baldo and Elliot Charon. They skirted the village, cut through a golden field, and rode into a mountain valley carpeted red with fallen leaves. Ever alert for monster attacks, Riftan began galloping through the mountain. Despite their brisk pace, the journey out of Anatol took two days thanks to five separate werewolf attacks. They traveled through the plains and rested a night at the Earl of Loverne’s estate before riding north for ten days. Several monster encounters later, they were as disheveled as vagrants by the time they reached the capital. Though clearly in no state to stand before royalty, Riftan headed straight to Drachium Castle. A sentry checked their identification at the gates. As they passed through, an attendant scurried out from the gardens. “Good sirs, you are earlier than expected.” Leaping from his horse, Riftan looked down at the attendant beneath his rain-drenched hood. The downpour had begun at dawn, and it now fell in white sheets across the thin shoulders of the castle servants. The aged attendant who had rushed out to greet them gave the groom a stern look, prompting him to take the knights’ horses. “Please, follow me,” said the attendant, turning around. “His Majesty awaits.” He led the knights to the small castle situated near the eastern hunting grounds. Riftan knitted his brows as he followed the man. It was customary to be given time to make oneself presentable before attending an audience with the king. What could possibly be this urgent? True concern began to gnaw at him. They climbed the stairs to the third floor in silence. When they reached the door at the end of the corridor, the attendant turned to face them. “Only Sir Riftan may enter. I shall show the others to another room where they may rest.” Riftan flicked his companions a glance in confirmation before stepping in. A gentle heat enveloped his face, which was still icy from the rain. Observing the room from the doorway, he spotted King Reuben reading a book by the fireplace. Riftan narrowed his eyes at the king’s relaxed demeanor. The man appeared far too carefree for someone who had sent out an urgent summons. He wore a burgundy tunic and wide satin trousers, and his golden hair curled loosely over his shoulders like a lion’s mane. King Reuben turned two more pages before raising his head. “You look like a stray dog caught in a storm, Calypse.” Dripping water onto the floor, Riftan took slow, purposeful steps up to the king. “Your Majesty, you commanded that I come at once. I rode through rain and gust in all haste.” “I am touched by your boundless loyalty,” the king replied, motioning to the seat in front of him. “Take off your robe and have a seat. Warm yourself by the fire.” Riftan peeled off his drenched cloak and hung it up to dry. As he settled into the chair, a page who had been standing against the wall like a shadow served him with wine. Riftan glanced into the goblet but did not drink it. It was palace custom not to consume anything that could mask the scent of drugs. “Your Majesty, please do not drag this on. What is the reason for your summons?” “Impatient as always, I see.” King Reuben leaned against his armrest and crinkled his eyes. He looked as though he were unsure whether to be insulted or amused. In the end, he seemed to choose the latter. With a wry smile, he waved away the page. “Very well. I dislike preambles too, so I shall be direct.” The boy lowered a tray of wine and fruit onto the table. As soon as he left the room, the king spoke. “A few months ago, the Assembly of the Seven Kingdoms was held in Osiriya. It is usually just a ceremonial gathering, but this time, a grave matter came up in discussion.” Riftan’s face grew serious as he waited for the king to continue. King Reuben took a sip of wine and said, “According to the high priests, the Demon King of the Lexos Mountains will likely awaken in the next few years.” The words did not sink in immediately. Riftan knitted his brows. A moment later, a chill ran down his spine. “Are you saying the Red Dragon will awaken soon?” “To be precise, it is already in the process of awakening,” the king corrected him flatly. He proceeded to pour himself more wine. “As you well know, the Lexos Mountains have long been the Red Dragon’s territory. That fiery lair has remained impenetrable for hundreds of years. But, ever since a few months ago, a strange phenomenon has been occurring nearby.” “A strange phenomenon?” “Monsters have been leaving the mountains to plunder human settlements. It can only mean that something has changed. There have also been reports of cracks appearing in the barrier, all signs the high priests say point to the dragon awakening.” The king’s voice grew bleak as he continued. “In a few years, Sektor will be fully awake from hibernation. We must find a solution before then.” Riftan’s expression darkened. Though he had never seen a dragon, he recalled records of their immense strength. Imagining a colossal, nearly immortal monster with almost limitless mana unleashing Dragon’s Breath on the world was enough to send shivers down his spine. “Is this the reason for your summons?” he asked after a moment’s silence. Reading the tension on Riftan’s face, the king gave a light wave of his hand. “Fret not. I did not summon you to order you into the dragon’s den. I merely need someone familiar with the southwestern region, knowledgeable about monsters, and discreet. A scout who can reconnoiter the mountains to gather information before a raid party is commissioned. No other knight in Wedon has more experience with monsters than you. And if I assigned it to the royal knights, the whole kingdom would hear about it.” The king’s expression grew somber as he stroked his bearded chin. “If word of the dragon’s awakening were to get out, we would have a mass upheaval on our hands. It must be kept under wraps until a raid party is formed. Are you willing to carry out this task with utmost discretion?” Riftan stared down at the wet carpet for a while, his face pensive. He slowly nodded. “When do you intend to carry out the raid?” “It would have to be within the next six months. In a few years, Sektor would have fully regained its mana. We must find its lair before that can happen.” The Lexos Mountains were uncharted territory. No human had ventured there for nearly two hundred years. The region was enclosed behind layers of barriers cast by the dragon, and all manner of vicious monsters dwelled within its bounds. Breaking through and dealing with those creatures alone would be difficult enough. “How many men can be put together?” Riftan asked. “Roughly forty thousand. Wedon and Dristan will likely send the most.” King Reuben rose from his seat and walked over to the window. He silently watched raindrops pelting the glass for quite some time before turning around. “We intend to have the Duke of Croyso take command of Wedon’s troops.” Riftan’s eyes widened. A laugh escaped him as he imagined the duke strutting around with his slim, jewel-encrusted sword that was more decoration than weapon. “I doubt he will be willing to take on that task.” “His influence is great, to be sure, but the duke is still a vassal of the crown. He would have to have good reason to openly defy my orders.” Swirling his goblet, the king curled his lips into a cruel smile. ... “Unfortunately for him, he will not be able to squirm out of this one. The Lexos Mountains are located near the duchy. He cannot lay claim to a land but forgo the duty to protect it. If the duke refuses, he will be disgraced before the other nobles. It would also disadvantage his territorial dispute with Dristan.” “You will force him to choose between his life and the reputation of his house?” “He will choose his life,” the king said with certainty. “You see, I know the duke well. Though he might appear to hold his family’s reputation above all else, he would never risk his own neck for it. The current climate in the duchy means he has to be wary of Dristan. I presume it is going to be tough for him to send troops to fight in the campaign as well.”