Chapter 46: Caravan
Lord Todd nodded, signaling his understanding. The truth was, the Red Dragon before him wasn’t even worth deceiving.
As the thirteenth son of his family—disregarded and scorned—exiled from Northwind Keep after meddling in power struggles and angering his father, he’d been sent to the remote, forgotten Sg Town. It wasn’t a true appointment. It was exile.
This isolated village, nestled beside Storm Ridge, was a death sentence if ever invaded. Without sufficient military strength, any threat—be it a giant or a True Dragon—would crush him utterly.
So, better to seek out a powerful outsider nearby, use them to bolster his own influence, grow his strength, and one day break free from his father’s shadow, competing with his brothers for recognition.
With a servile smile, Todd said:
"Thank you for your honesty, Flyflame Lord. I’m honored to be working with you—the great Red Dragon."
Kai Xiusu gave a slight nod.
"Lord Baron, remember this clearly: acknowledge Ashen Hollow’s sovereignty over Storm Ridge, and compensate for your reckless actions. That is the foundation of our alliance."
"I will not forget," Todd replied.
Kai Xiusu’s tone darkened with playful mockery.
"Then return to Baron’s Manor with your loyal followers. I expect to see what I want by tomorrow."
"Yes, Flyflame Lord."
Lord Todd’s gaze flicked toward Hart—hatred burning in his eyes, so deep it nearly boiled over. But he dared not act. Not with the Red Dragon standing there. He forced a thin, unnatural smile across his pale face.
Hart felt the cold sweat bead on his forehead. Yet, he quickly reminded himself—he now had the Red Dragon’s protection. His life was safe. More than that, he’d become a secret agent for Ashen Hollow, a tool to keep the Baron in check. So he returned the look with a sharp, mocking grin.
"Let’s go, Lord Baron."
The last four words were gritted through clenched teeth.
Kai Xiusu watched the two men—mutually despising, each plotting against the other—walk away side by side. A strange, wicked satisfaction stirred within him.
The terms he’d laid out seemed fair. But they were anything but. Todd had seen through it, of course. Yet he had no choice.
Stationing troops. Controlling trade.
Once military and economic power were fully in Kai Xiusu’s hands, Lord Todd would be nothing more than a puppet. And in his grand design, once the players arrived, even the Baron would become obsolete—easily replaced.
The Red Dragon watched the Baron’s thin back recede into the distance.
That man had not become his Follower after signing the Pact.
Because he was a Vampire Offspring—a creature born of bloodlust, driven by an insatiable hunger for vampire blood, yet still enslaved by his creator.
When a vampire undergoes the Evil Ascension Rite, becoming a Sun-Resistant Ascension Vampire, their offspring are sacrificed—drained dry, turned to blood.
But if the vampire permits his offspring to drink from his own blood, they too may become true vampires, free from the master’s control. Few would ever do such a thing.
In Kai Xiusu’s past life, Duke Brad had attempted the Ascension Rite—only to be stopped by the player. Hundreds had stormed the castle’s underbelly, tearing through with explosives, ending the threat.
"Ts-ts."
"A vampire offspring craving his master’s approval."
"How pathetic."
Kai Xiusu’s pupils flickered faintly in the darkness—then vanished.
---
The next morning.
A large caravan, laden with goods, departed Sg Town.
The townsfolk were used to such sights. But this one was different.
The guards wore heavy armor, faceless and cloaked in black, their silhouettes unnaturally tall. Yet the leader—Hart—was unmistakable.
A man long absent.
Since Hart was leading, it had to be the Baron’s command.
And to target the “Bloody Baron’s” treasure? That would be suicide.
So the villagers quickly hushed their curious children, turning their eyes away, praying not to be caught and turned into Blood Slaves.
Hart rode at the center of the column.
Flanking him, towering guards marched in silence, their breaths heavy and ragged. Though Hart couldn’t see their faces, he guessed they were either Great Goblins or Bear Goliaths—monsters that served Ashen Hollow.
He wasn’t terrified. Not anymore. These creatures were his lifeline.
After returning to Baron’s Manor the night before, Lord Todd had unleashed a torrent of threats, even cursing him with vile magic. But he never touched him.
Hart had seen through the bluff.
The Baron dared not anger the Red Dragon.
That was the conclusion he’d reached.
The cargo this caravan carried—armor, weapons, and a staggering twenty priceless Magic Scrolls—was more than enough to prove Lord Todd’s submission.
This wasn’t trade.
It was tribute.
"Phew."
Anzeta’s winter was merciless. Hart exhaled a thick plume of white vapor, pulling his thick fur coat tighter around him.
Snow fell steadily. The wagons carved deep tracks into the endless white, and the entire caravan became a single line of black dots fading into the storm.
"Aooowww—"
A strange, mournful cry echoed from the snow-covered slopes. Long, piercing, like a lament from beyond the grave.
The guards dismissed it as wind.
But Hart—experienced, battle-hardened—froze. After a moment of listening, he barked:
"Stay alert! That’s not the wind!"
On the distant ridge, figures emerged from the blinding white—pale-furred, ghostlike, moving with unnatural speed toward the caravan. Their howls echoed like the cries of the damned.
"Snowmen!" Hart recognized them instantly.
Massive, towering beasts that roamed the high peaks, hunting through the storm, drawn by scent even in blizzards.
Hart’s stomach dropped.
To meet Snowmen in a snowstorm? The worst possible fate. One misstep, and the entire caravan would be torn apart.
He instinctively turned to shout for retreat—
But then, the “guards” began tearing off their black cloaks.
Tall, over two meters, their bodies broad and powerful. Fangs jutted from their jaws. Yellow, bloodshot eyes burned with bloodlust and battle frenzy. Crimson skin stood out starkly against the snow, rough with sparse scales.
—Great Goblins.
The elite force under Dolo’s command.
Hart’s face went slack.
"Almost forgot… we’re monsters too," he muttered, stunned.
(End of Chapter)
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