novelraw Chapter 349: Scent of Despair
Chapter 349: Scent of Despair
"Trot, trot, trot!"
"Woah!"
It approximately took three days to travel from Mya to the Snow Fox-kin tribe. The Snow Fox-kin had come over in a massive hurry initially because of the plague within their clan. Now, this return trip not only required them to bring back medicine but also to face the pursuit of the Turan Family behind them. Hence, their group's travel speed quickened by quite a few margins. They even sought out several demi-human tribes to swap horses midway. Only then did they arrive at the Snow Fox-kin tribe's encampment in the late afternoon of the third day.
Snow Fox-kin were similar to Sheep-kin; they both lived in places quite close to the Sema Mountains. Fisher, sitting in the carriage, watched powerlessly as the already towering, continuous mountain range expanded little by little in his eyes, until it ultimately set off the entire caravan as extraordinarily insignificant. Valentiina and the others had come to this vicinity before, exploring the underground palace left behind by the Cangniao-zhong ancestors, but this was Fisher's first time witnessing this massive natural chasm with his own eyes.
In actuality, the name "Sema" was given by humans, meaning "Troll," because many people encountered creatures that might be Giant Troll-kin in this forbidden zone of life. However, back when humans had yet to rise to power and Phoenixes and the Six Tribes ruled the Northern Border, its true name was "Sayenius," meaning "Tree Shade." One could easily imagine the true origin of its naming.
"Everyone, we are arriving at the tribe's encampment shortly. Although it's somewhat selfish to say this right now, I still implore everyone not to let the flames of war spread to our tribe... Our entire clan has only just suffered the attack of the curse; we cannot endure any further danger. Following this direction towards the northwest leads to the place to scale the mountain. I will prepare food and supplies for the few of you climbing the snowy mountain. As for everyone heading to other tribes to seek refuge, I will also dispatch carriages..."
Right as Fisher was leaning against the window sill sizing up the massive snowy mountain before him, the carriage slowly came to a halt. Clan Chief Dar also lifted the carriage curtain. His brown fox face bore a look of hesitating to speak. Even if it was out of consideration for his tribe, he couldn't possibly bring Fisher and the others back to the tribe; doing so would bring a world-ending catastrophe to the Snow Fox-kin isolated from the world.
"Not at all, we are already endlessly grateful that Clan Chief Dar could escort us here. Let us walk the remaining path ourselves... Everyone, let's proceed according to what we planned earlier. Filis, Fisher, and I will go up the mountain. Heidelin, you are responsible for looking after the two of them. This is the entrance to the Sema Mountains; let's part ways here for the time being..."
Filis yawningly leaped down from the carriage first. Sizing up their surroundings, she asked the Snow Fox-kin beside her,
"Umm, little fox, do you have any weapons? Lend me one. Mine got ruined... Wait, what is this, a toothpick or a little stick?"Filis looked at the roughly one-meter-long short spear and the tiny, short dagger handed over by the Snow Fox-kin, rendered speechless for a moment. She sighed, nevertheless stowing one dagger into her embrace while concurrently offering a word of thanks. Then she turned around to wait for Valentiina to alight.
Meanwhile, Balzac nodded and said to Valentiina,
"Boss, you have memorized the route, right? There seem to be quite a few temporary camps left behind by previous climbers on the mountain, and I've also marked their approximate locations. If supplies run short, you can go check them out there... Then, take care."
"Take care, Boss."
Valentiina looked at Balzac and Sertil and nodded. It was only at the end that her gaze landed upon the maid lady sitting beside her. She unclasped her lips and hesitated for a moment, ultimately deciding to speak anyway.
"Heidelin..."
"My Lady, I... I am very sorry. I am powerless to do anything about so many things, which is why..."
"Heidelin, you've already done well enough. You were once the person my mother trusted most, and I feel the same. We have relied on your care during the previous times. For the rest of your life, go and do the things you want to do. You don't need to feel sad. I am willing and content if we fail, and if we succeed, we will eventually meet again one day."
The more Heidelin listened, the redder the rims of her eyes became, and the more sour her nose felt. Unrestrained, she wrapped her arms around Valentiina sitting in the wheelchair, sobbing,
"My Lady, take care. I will miss you..."
"Mm, absolutely."
Valentiina reached out and patted the back of Heidelin's head. It took quite a while before Heidelin finally wiped away the teardrops on her face, turned her head around, and said to Fisher through her sobs,
"Wheelchairs cannot be used on the snowy mountain, so we'll just leave the wheelchair here and let Filis carry the Young Lady... Fisher, I leave the Young Lady in your care from now on. You must absolutely take good care of her."
The more she spoke, the sourer her nose felt. The urge to cry, which she had so arduously stemmed a moment ago, burst forth anew uncontrollably, making it somewhat unbearable even for Eimhart to watch directly. Fisher didn't say anything else either; he just patted Heidelin's shoulder, then walked towards Valentiina.
"Leave the rest to me. Regardless of success or failure, I will be together with her."
Watching Fisher walk towards her step by step, Valentiina's face flushed slightly as she gently reached out her hands towards Fisher. And Fisher, allowing her to wrap her arms around his neckline, placed his hands beneath her buttocks and behind her back, effortlessly lifting her up from the wheelchair.
That feeling of weightlessness made Valentiina subconsciously lean a bit closer to Fisher. Consequently, she suddenly discovered his body temperature was quite high, making lying in his embrace rather comfortable. Thus, she hesitated for a second and stealthily buried her head against his chest. Her fragrance-laced breaths struck Fisher's chest, instantly making him feel quite feverish. It took a good effort for him to finally exhale a breath of hot air.
Seeing this situation, Valentiina thought it was because she was too heavy. Buried within Fisher's embrace, she somewhat embarrassedly lifted her head slightly, looking at Fisher with a pitiful expression.
"A-Am I too heavy, or..."
Fisher merely glanced down once at the petite young girl presently hugging her entirely into his embrace and didn't dare look again, deeply afraid that a momentary lapse in attention would trigger a starved state. Expressionlessly averting his gaze, he spoke,
"Mm, a little."
Upon hearing this, Valentiina puffed up her cheeks. Her pink fists continuously thumped against Fisher's chest, as if she were giving him a massage. The force behind the action wasn't heavy, yet Fisher's breathing grew increasingly heavier. And Eimhart, bearing dead-fish eyes upon his shoulder, took one glance at Valentiina in his embrace before immediately calling out,
"My ass you're heavy. This guy is as strong as an ox. He wouldn't even feel tired lifting a train, let alone your tiny build... I actually think that if you keep thumping him, he's going to explode. Stop moving, got it? Otherwise, if something heavy happens later, don't say the Great Book Viscount didn't warn you."
"..."
Even if Valentiina was a blank slate, she knew exactly what Eimhart was talking about just now. Her face instantly became flush red. Raising her head to see Fisher's appearance of avoiding her gaze, she didn't dare thump him again, but merely stayed obediently motionless in his embrace.
However, despite appearing thus on the surface, Valentiina felt her heart pounding very fast inside, even accompanied by a slight sense of secret joy. Before, she had always felt Fisher was merely joking when he warned her to be careful of danger. After all, she was just a disabled person; surely she wouldn't hold any attraction for a normal gentleman like him?
Now, when Valentiina was truly certain that Fisher would feel... that kind of desire because of her, though she felt shy and flustered, the lingering fondness blossoming for him was something that couldn't be concealed no matter what.
However, that sweet, feverish feeling stemming from Fisher's gaze didn't last long, because the moment Fisher alighted the carriage, he handed Valentiina over to Filis. He himself hoisted the supplies they needed to use up the mountain, preparing to begin scaling the Sema Mountains.
"Goodbye, Boss!"
"Farewell, Lady Valentiina. Rest assured, I will properly entrust the rest of your companions to the care of other tribes."
Sitting in the carriage, Clan Chief Dar called out a greeting to the trio of Fisher. Following this, under the watching eyes of Fisher’s group, they gradually drifted further and further away until they became completely invisible.
And Fisher also truly took a deep breath. From the moment he left the Snow Fox-kin and set foot upon scaling the Sema Mountains, the challenges he faced would also arrive in quick succession. He tilted his head back, giving the ice- and snow-covered mountain path before him a glance, before turning around and uttering to Filis, who was carrying Valentiina on her back,
"Then let us set off as well. Once we enter deeper into the Sema Mountains, we won't need to worry about the Turan Family. Treacherous as the terrain lies over there, the multitude of people and heavy baggage will render it unbearable for them. This particular initial path navigating the outskirts of the Sema Mountains is genuinely what we need to fret about; stay spirited."
In front, pulling two huge bags of supplies was like pulling two bags of air to Fisher, whose pace was swift. And the Filis behind him also nodded. Yet before setting off, she still stole a glimpse at the Valentiina slung on her back, who kept staring at the back of the Fisher ahead. Subsequently laughing in mockery, she remarked,
"Boss, perhaps you should let Fisher carry you instead. Seeing the way you do, I can discern you wish to latch yourself firmly onto him."
Valentiina’s face heated up; casting a reproachful look to avoid Filis's scrutiny, she answered in a small voice,
"No need. Let's just hurry up and depart."
"Understood, heading out right away."
"Whoah! We've arrived!"
After practically sprinting for several hours, Clan Chief Dar's group that left Sema Mountains finally arrived at the tribe their successive generations survived in. Snow Fox-kin harbored an inclination towards constructing buildings out of rocks; with their miniature figures, one may find it hard to envision them bearing those immense rocks over, yet the reality remains thus—the Snow Fox-kin were an immensely industrious and cooperative race. Embracing the precepts of the Moon Princess, they flourished via teamwork while contemning deception, resulting in high levels of work efficiency.
Though they inhabited locations unfrequented by people, customarily approaching this vicinity awarded one with the sounds of Snow Fox-kin at work or gossiping. At present however, everything here fell dead silent, seemingly exceedingly desolate.
Leaning on the windowsill, Balzac gaped at the dead silent Snow Fox-kin tribe with some lament, murmuring under his breath,
"Is this the Death-Rot Plague? So quiet... Has everyone fallen ill?"
Whereas the Clan Chief Dar beside him knitted his brows tight. Casting a glance at the quiet tribe outside, his countenance abruptly changed, alerting Juna and Heidelin trailing behind him.
"Something is amiss. I established a quarantine zone prior to my departure. Regardless of how critical the epidemic became, there shouldn't have been zero sentries standing guard; yet presently not a single Snow Fox-kin guards the spot. Someone else has arrived..."
"Whoah!"
The instant Clan Chief Dar concluded his statement, the entire carriage abruptly jolted via heavy braking. Everyone within was violently propelled forward by momentum. It was only after sliding across the surface of the snow for a considerably long stretch did the carriage screech to a grating stop.
Disregarding the groans of several passengers within the carriage, Clan Chief Dar exited before maintaining his grounding, only to observe countless heavily armored Snowflake Knights occupying the dead silent grounds of the Snow Fox-kin tribe. Out in front of the coterie of Snowflake Knights stood a middle-aged individual donning the raiments of the Turan Family. A few blond Naris personnel trailed behind that middle-aged individual, examining the carriage standing before them.
"It has been a long time, Clan Chief Dar. The Turan family expresses its sincerest felicitations towards you... Might I inquire, does our Young Lady Valentiina Turan reside inside the carriage in the moment?"
Clan Chief Dar parted his parted his lips. Rooted onto the spot, speech momentarily evaded his senses for a prolonged duration. He could merely gawk emptily at the uninhabited structures situated behind the coterie of Snowflake Knights. That middle-aged individual in the Turan Family’s raiments expelled an impatient sigh, subsequent to which his finger twitched somewhat, prompting the coterie of heavily armored Knights behind him to directly stride towards the carriage's location.
The cacophonous clamor emanating from armors crashing to the ground resuscitated Clan Chief Dar with an instant jolt. Huddling together with several miniature Snow Fox-kin behind him, he eagerly pronounced,
"Lady Valentiina is not aboard our carriage. She—"
"Thump!"
Disregarding Clan Chief Dar’s unfinished sentence, the coterie of Knights acted seemingly oblivious to mortal parlance as they circumvented him and proceeded toward the carriage. Utilizing brute force, they yanked the wooden carriage apart, exposing several members within.
As that middle-aged man watched the several individuals hauled out by the knights, his brows furrowed slightly upon seeing Heidelin.
"Heidelin... Heh, you traitor to the family, you bastard who betrayed the Clan Chief's trust."
His finger twitched slightly, and the knight beside her abruptly delivered a resounding slap to Heidelin's face. That slap directly knocked Heidelin down onto the ground. Spluttering out a few coughs whilst sprawling prone onto the snow, she found herself incapable of rising no matter what she tried. She merely cursed under her breath,
"Cadley... you damn well deserve to die..."
Cadley Turan—a retainer bestowed with the surname by the Turan Family, acting in the capacity of general manager of the Turan Family, tasked with overseeing the internal affairs of the Turan Family. Heidelin was precisely the orphan he hauled back from outside the fortress to cultivate and instruct.
Their party's traveling speed across the route thus far had been considerably rapid, ultimately losing the Turan Family members inside Mya for certain. However, they were no match for those who could report back to the family and fetch significantly higher quantities of Snowflake Knights. The Snowflake Knights could rapidly mobilize across long distances; they comprehended Valentiina’s departure via a Snow Fox-kin carriage, subsequently arriving natively at the den of the Snow Fox-kin tribe to effortlessly await their arrival.
Upon hearing Heidelin's voice, Cadley simply braced his finger to tremor anew to command the Snowflake Knight to continue battering Heidelin. Conversely, the Naris individual leading the brigade behind him abruptly commenced speaking.
"Mister Cadley, at present is not the hour for administering justice upon a traitor of your noble family. Uncovering the whereabouts of your Young Lady remains the crux of paramount urgency, does it not?"
Cadley's finger paused imperceptibly for a mere second. Issuing backward a glance towards that blond, blue-eyed Naris individual standing behind him, he maintained silence for a fleeting second preceding a nod of affirmation.
In an instant, Heidelin discerned the handful of Naris individuals positioned behind Cadley corresponding exactly with the Naris special agents she brushed past while alongside Valentiina who sought retrieval of Fisher. One party desired Fisher, whilst the other coveted Valentiina; plainly birds of a feather flocking together. Their ensuing cooperative endeavor held absolutely no elements of surprise.
What Heidelin didn't know, however, was that Cadley—the one tasked with chasing down Valentiina—harbored significant guardedness regarding these Naris individuals. If not for the latter asserting proficiency in dealing with the male mercenary Valentiina employed, Fisher Benavides, they wouldn't have established cooperative ties in the first place... Not for any particular rationale besides these individuals truly feeling excessively sinister; Cadley felt everything formulating inside his mind became inherently understood by them.
He unequivocally refrained from apprising them with the objective governing his search for Valentiina; however, this blond male named "Corleone" unfailingly nailed a roughly eighty-to-ninety percent accuracy rate in assumptions, allowing himself to be perfectly maneuvered right into the palm of their hands.
Lacking the knowledge affirming "Elizabeth" acting as the remote cheat system supporting Corleone, Cadley maintained vigilant circumspectness directed against them intrinsically from within his heart. A brief waver of his finger summoned several Snowflake Knights to unceremoniously hoist that miniature Clan Chief Dar alongside his presence.
"Clan Chief Dar, contemplate attentively: the Turan Family and the Snow Fox-kin arguably adhere to 'well water does not interfere with river water', correct? Moreover, seeing how your noble tribe suffered from an infestation of Death-Rot Plague to such agonizing severities, upon arriving we honestly also exhibited tremendous astonishment. No wonder you would coalesce with us... Ah, hasn't the scenario manifested via extracting the Anti-Rot Agent and delivering it back?"
Cadley aimed a gaze behind Clan Chief Dar's back. A single Snowflake Knight cradling a bound bundle of Anti-Rot Agents and extraction-magic designs engraved by Fisher retraced steps back to their vicinity.
Issuing an arbitrary sideways glance over towards Cadley spanning directly prior to him, Clan Chief Dar merely inhaled a suffocating, scarlet aura enveloping him overhead. The aroma inundated his senses, causing his eyes to forcefully shut as he uttered merely,
"...Upon reaching Mya, Lady Valentiina severed ties with us. They merely entrusted these few individuals afflicted by injury under our care. Both she alongside that Lion-kin followed suit departing concurrently with that Naris individual."
Issuing a heavy sigh, Cadley verbalized,
"I have comprehended assertions characterizing Snow Fox-kin harboring capacities towards discerning auras correlated to distinct trains of thought of other individuals, conferring capabilities to adjudicate deception, consequently manifesting prestigious historic fame as justices. That being the reality, what necessitate you concocting flagrant falsehoods hoping to deceive me? Furnishing Clan Chief with the frank truth—you instituted a quarantine zone situated along the back of the tribe to prohibit dissemination of the Death-Rot Plague, didn't you? It evokes enormous lament. Just now upon infiltrating the premise actively hunting down the coordinates hosting the Young Lady, we partook in confrontations stemming from your resistance..."
Slight tremors flickered amidst Clan Chief Dar's eyelids. Shocked unequivocally with unbelievable astonishment, he forcibly pried them open. The scarlet aura encompassing Cadley prior to him thickened notably.
"Don't appraise me with such a look, Clan Chief Dar. I have previously affirmed, the Turan Family alongside the Snow Fox-kin historically adhere eternally to 'well water does not interfere with river water'; subsequently how possibly would I inflict violence inflicting terminal harm onto those clansmen of yours... Inducing necessity dictated by operational procedures rendered me helplessly compromised; thus I opted to shepherd all your clansmen universally toward the quarantine zone. Disposing of the situation in such a manner wasn't exceedingly untoward, was it? Ah right, escort everyone spanning beyond Clan Chief Dar across towards there as well..."
"You!"
Abruptly struck with pupils contracting, the hauled-up Clan Chief Dar, hoisted by the Snowflake Knights, bared his fangs and brandished his claws violently in an attempt to launch a direct assault against Cadley’s facial features. Nevertheless, retreating softly by a sole step prior to the execution of the impending strike yielded the effective evasion of his hopelessly futile assault.
"Father!"
"Clan Chief!"
Cadley locked elements of language whilst hugging his arms, merely viewing Snowflake Knights hoist up the leftover portion encompassing several Snow Fox-kin trotting in direction bounding toward the quarantine zone trailing back along the rear perimeter of the village. Beholding Juna being aggressively hauled away struck Clan Chief Dar with insurmountable panic. Boundless conflict warred inherently within his core at present. Nevertheless, perceiving Juna advancing steadily out of visual tracking radius fundamentally eroded any resistance held beneath it. Descending his head low, he finally roared vociferously,
"They... A meager several hours formerly, they alighted their carriages scaling the southeastern base abutting the Sema Mountains. Relinquish restraints afflicting my clansmen alongside my daughter; I have completely apprized you."
A brief twitch flickered across Cadley’s fingers upon auditory reception of such information. Numerous Snowflake Knights partaking in hauling Snow Fox-kin to disparate zones brought their procession to an abrupt standstill upon identical positioning. Whereupon, Corleone situated directly to his rear assumed linguistic command.
"Fisher's navigational velocity spans incredibly short timeframes. Factoring his guidance accompanied by Lady Valentiina, exiting the outer sectors encompassing the Sema Mountains while cascading further deep inside becomes exceptionally immediate. The geographic disposition of terrain present inside remains exceptionally challenging, inherently neutralizing effective tracking methodologies. Enhancing our traversal speeds remains inherently obligatory."
Following a second of hesitation, Cadley acknowledged in agreement, proceeding to administer commands towards several armed contingents of the Turan Family positioned trailing beyond the Snowflake Knights.
"I shall organize the mobilization encompassing Snowflake Knights engaging upon an aerial trajectory geared to execute interception against the Young Lady. Tarry along this sector enforcing strict surveillance addressing this demographic clustering over here, with specialized vigilance addressing the traitorous element represented by Heidelin. Pending my native return I solemnly swear to expose her towards thoroughly comprehending the resultant ramifications ensuing from treacherous betrayal inflicted towards the family."
"Understood!"
To the rear, several fully armed contingents associated with the Turan Family offered nods affirming acknowledgment. Upon thorough visual assessment, their quantity arguably matched several dozens strong. Concurrently, the cornerstone enforcing operational interception aiming toward capturing Valentiina didn't equate to their physical allocation; as an alternative, several dozens comprising Snowflake Knights drafted comprehensively out of the family's deployment force constituted it.
"Mr... Mr. Cadley... In view of your presently acquiring comprehensive geographic coordinates outlining Lady Valentiina's navigational progression, kindly afford me permission prioritizing administering the administration corresponding to Anti-Rot Agents for intake servicing my clansmen. The quantitative subset afflicted with terminal pathology spanning them runs significantly voluminous; failing instantaneous administration of therapeutic interventions..."
Targeting the stooped-down, beseeching stature epitomized by Clan Chief Dar presented prior to him, Cadley responded subsequently adopting an expression radiating broad smiles.
"Look here, I inadvertently neglected such a dynamic altogether. Under the pretense defining you aiding our operational endeavors equating to mutual friendships established conjointly between us, swiftly snatch the operational Anti-Rot Agents and apply them remedially!"
A guilt-ridden expression enveloped Clan Chief Dar's vision as he directed a glance scanning backwards upon Heidelin sprawling along the snowy plain rigorously gripping the freezing frost permeating the ground, identically incorporating the currently constrained Balzac alongside Sertil. Following this, turning his cranium subsequently targeted approaching Snowflake Knights retaining the Anti-Rot Agents... Paradoxically, during the subsequent second manifesting directly prior to occurrence, CADLEY executed a virtually imperceptible wiggling motion radiating through his finger. Propelled by brutal exertion, that Snowflake Knight's arm forcefully violently compressed the aggregated bundle of Anti-Rot Agents executing total structural implosion rendering comprehensive systemic explosive detonation.
Those bottled-up Anti-Rot Agents explosively shattered in front of Clan Chief Dar. The volatile scattering medicinal liquid splattered heavily towards the terrain formatting the ground. A scarce fraction manifested localized precipitation upon Clan Chief Dar's facial features manifesting comprehensive mental paralysis maintaining his initial anchoring spot. Sluggishly caressing the furry down padding his cranium, the scent of the medicine incessantly permeated through the point of his nose... Immediately proceeding this, wisps of completely ebony-black foundational scent manifested volatile burst discharging off himself identically matched by several clansmen occupying his rearside...
"No... No... The medicine..."
Donning a rather "recalcitrant apologetic" disposition, Cadley drifted toward Clan Chief Dar's immediate flanking vicinity, stating somewhat pitiably,
"Oh dear, my sincerest and deepest apologies regarding this. The Snowflake Knights function analogously equivalent corresponding to the household's premium, top-tier luxury merchandise arrays. I conversely remain substantially unaccustomed deploying extensive familiarity managing their mechanical functions; consequently engendering instant destruction... Ultimately however, disregarding this won't invite further trouble. Subsequentially moving forward I solemnly promise undertaking native travel to Mya targeting personal fiscal extraction procuring extensive surplus reservoirs comprising Anti-Rot Agents executing return journeys formulating comprehensive remedial atonements... I assertively meant post-successful conclusion orchestrating the Young Lady’s definitive return journey... Your estimation evaluating this proposition?"
Dumbfoundedly gazing, Clan Chief Dar spectated several Snowflake Knights actively hoisting Cadley accompanied sequentially by numerous Naris individuals. Proceedingly erupting externally protruding out encompassing the confines inherent inside their armored casings deployed a synchronized sequence consisting of jet thrust mechanisms sparkling brilliantly resplendent Cardinal translucent blue radiances.
"No... NO!!! You cannot exit... there exists NO temporal span leftover corresponding towards my clansmen!!!"
"Maintain strict optical surveillance governing over them. We depart momentarily ensuing immediate return execution."
"Affirmative, Manager Cadley."
In the face of the aged Snow Fox-kin Clan Chief madly dashing towards him, Cadley carelessly ordered the Turan Family armed personnel remaining in place behind him. Not even requiring anyone else to act, the next moment, the massive impact erupting from beneath the Snowflake Knight instantly blasted Clan Chief Dar flying away.
A dozen or so Snowflake Knights carrying Cadley and several Naris people quickly took to the air, heading straight in the direction of the Sema Mountains' outskirts. Meanwhile, the other Turan Family members left behind in the tribe slowly walked toward the prostrate Heidelin and Dar on the snowveld...
Throughout the entire Snow Fox-kin tribe, the black scent that represented "despair" continuously spread.
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(End of this chapter)