Chapter One: Riding Towards the Dawn (Pt.20)

※ ※ ※

So the meeting ended. Deacon Hamel decided to do whatever we can to raise the 100,000 Purcell, also we have to report this to the King. The village head said he'd create a fund-raising campaign on the villagers, Deacon Hamel was very touched, but was basically just moved by their hearts.

Surprisingly, Tyburn actually gave away an incredible gem. I heard this thing is worth 5,000 Purcell, deacon Hamel's face just looked like he had to kneel down and kiss Tyburn's feet. Tyburn is actually completely unrelated to our village, and has nothing to do with this incident. But he was actually willing to be responsible for maintaining public safety, even is pleased to donate such a large amount of money. When the meeting was over, I ran to ask Tyburn why's that.

"Tyburn, did you oath to help the unfortunate people? "

"What? Isn't that the oath of knights?"

Then Karl interjected.

"That is also the oath of priests."

"Right. But anyway, it's not for a wizard at all."

"But why do you always do these kind of high-sounding things?"

Tyburn wanted to knock my head, but how would I get hit by a blind's fist?

"You fool really don't know how to talk. Why would I need this gem? My eyes are blind, I can neither be a master, nor open an institution. And these things also don't match my personality. Even if I want to do some magic research, I not only can't read, but also can't write. So I don't want to build a tower, also don't want to dig a hole. As long as I keep some money for drinks, get a place to sleep, it's enough. I keep the other property, is to give them away when I meet someone in need.

If his eyes can see, he will definitely find other excuses to explain.

Karl made a respectable expression, unfortunately Tyburn couldn't see that. He touched my head, and then pulled my head next to his head.

"It's almost winter. Does your father know survival skills in the wild?

"... If he knew then it's so much better."

"Does he know finding a way?"

"Probably similar to most people."

"Then we'll wait and see. Snow desperately ran back for his life, so he arrived much earlier than the others. The other remnants should gradually arrive. You come with me to dispel the traps outside . If the soldiers came back got into the traps, it would be lousy. "

"Did we set traps on the road?"

"They might want to cut corners and ran over the mountains."

"Alright."

"If I tell you not to worry, will you find it very ridiculous, Huchi?"

"Even if I am worried I can't change the reality... But my heart won't feel ridiculous."

"I really appreciate this boy."

Luckily Tyburn can't see the tears in my eyes. Dad walks very slowly, so surely he will wait until I get anxious and all my organs are burning, then he will appear hobbledly. It must be so.

In fact, not only organs, as long as you come back, even if my whole body feels burned, it doesn't matter. If you come back, every morning I will serve you washing, I will sing for you at night, the candles will be unconditionally made by me, Dad, you can lie on the bed and take a nap. Dad, if you don't come back, I definitely won't forgive you, if Dad doesn't come back, I will be dragged by Jamini, become a husband desperately serving her, and so for the rest of my life!

Even made a joke, I don't feel a bit better.

Because of my depressive mood, so disarming the traps became a very heavy job. But Tyburn is very old, so he won't be so easy to be affected by the atmosphere. A 17-year-old boy in front of an old man, how much can it affect his mood? Tyburn didn't even try to make the atmosphere better, he knew it was futile, and he didn't get depressed like me. His actions are just as usual, so I am affected. Because this is also my original personality.

But deep in my heart it feels like a stone is rolling, really hard to bear. The stone is like a snowball, becomes bigger and bigger. This stone is called "Trepidation". Because of my damn imagination, my mind constantly emerges father being chewed by Amurtaat in half, or crushed by Amurtaat those vivid pictures. I kept sweating cold sweat and standing there blankly. Tyburn probably heard the sound of my breathing was unusual, so he called my name, cheered me up.

"Huchi!"

The sun went down, the plain is dyed with a dark red.

"Tyburn, I'll buy you a drink."

"Let's go."

 ※

A lot of people came to Sinderella's Song, they are discussing Snow. Once Tyburn and I entered the tavern, they wanted to get close to us. Tyburn didn't answer them much, only said something that people already knew. In fact, that meeting didn't tell us much, right? Surprisingly, a few people heard the words spoken by Tyburn, immediately said that Earl Huritchell's strategy sucked.

I am just drinking beer. Auntie Hanna didn't talk to me much, just kept filling the cup. I also didn't say much, just kept drinking. I feel really weird. Sitting in the dark tavern! I don't know why, it's just like inside a dragon's stove (I don't know whether there's such a thing on the world, but that's how to describe it in language). I managed to recall that the commonly used word is 'Wizard's Stove'. But I can say whatever I am happy to.

"Taste it slowly. The gurgle sound of your throat is loud enough to make the ceiling almost falling down."

"Please leave me alone, okay?"

"Then I'll turn you into a frog and throw you into the wine cup, so you can have a good taste."

"Fine!"

At the moment, someone opened the door and shouted:

"Hey! Some other soldiers arrived!"

I instantly kicked away the chair, stepped on the table, drilled out from the window. Rolled three times on the ground outside the tavern, and then started running to the castle. No, it should be said, wanted to start running to the castle.

"Huchi! You lad!"

What, I don't have time! Ah no, if someone is injured, then we need Tyburn. I again drilled from the window, rolled three times, then stood up very nimbly, and looked the situation around. Auntie Hanna said with a confused expression:

"Tyburn has already gone out from the door."

"Ah, really a strange old man."

After I finished the gibberish, I walked towards the door. Tyburn is already there waiting for me, I routinely put him on my back, and then began to run.

"Hey, Hey! Can you run straightly?"

"At least it won't be crook like a pine, don't worry!

Of course, I am really running straightly forward. Tyburn started shouting:

"Hey, you drunken kid! Run straight!"

I really think that I am running straight, so I feel so wronged. If you want scold someone, please look at these winding roads first!

※ ※

Once the gate appeared in front of me, I found myself panting breathlessly. The alcohol is swiftly rushing up and impacting my palate, my legs are numb, don't seem to be my own legs. Don't know if I lost my feeling because of drunk, my legs are injured everywhere, even bleeding. This's because the roads were bending strangely, I had no choice but to ran in and out of the bushes or ditches.

The guards are already holding torches in front of the castle and waiting for us. Once they saw us, they immediately took us to the hall in the castle. Now the castle is shaking very strangely. Is it an earthquake?

Anyway, we finally entered the hall, and saw some beds which were probably hastily prepared. The clean floor of the hall is covered with straw, straw covered with sheets on them are full of wounded soldiers lying, there are about twenty people. It should be for curing them, so we just temporarily make the hall a injuries shelters. The scene of everyone groaning because of their wounds looks very terrible. All the maids in the castle came to look after them, and deacon Hamel is also busy running around. Karl was also taking care of a wounded, once he saw us, he said:


"Tyburn, you arrived?"

"What's the situation?"

"In fact, you don't have to worry. Since they could come back here, it means their injuries can't be too serious."

I absently listened to both of them, then immediately ran into each room, started verifying the appearance of the soldiers one by one. But no matter how I searched, dad is not there. I almost went to the other end, then I saw a huge body sitting on a bed.

"Sanson!"

Sanson lifted his head buried in his knees. He saw my face, and began to smile. Looking at my costume, he then shook his head again.

"What happened, Huchi? Wearing hard leather, even wearing a bastard sword, what happened? Gosh, the gloves looks very good too! It doesn't look like normal dress iin the town. What actually happened to you?"


I am so sad that I got almost speechless, but Sanson kept saying that how good my luck is.

"My father, do you know how is my father now?"

"I'm sorry, Your father and I belonged to different units. We were on the cliff above the Endless Valley. Eh, so we were following the operational plan of Earl Huritchell..."

"I'm fully aware of that stupid ass operational plan! People came back before had mentioned."

"Is it? Then you should also know, I was very far away from your dad."

"So? You didn't see him?"

"Ah. I'm sorry."

"...I'm sorry, I shouldn't yell at you. Sanson, how are you?"


"I'm fine, just get very tired after running back here, but it seems you has been drinking recently. Gosh, covered by the smell of alcohol. May I ask you one thing, Can you give me some of your wine?"

I laughed. You want me to go back to the village and come back now? I stood up, asked the location of the kitchen from a busy maid, finally managed to find the kitchen. In order to refresh myself, I drank some cold water, and then found a bottle on the table. There's no one in the kitchen, so it's a very simple thing. I took the bottle.

The hall is same as before, people are coming and going in the panic atmosphere. And Sanson is also same as before, buried his head in his knees.

"Sanson? Here is the wine."

Sason raised his head, wildly smiled as if a thank you, and then took the bottle into his mouth. Looking closely, Sanson is a bit trembling. I could even hear the sound of the bottle hitting teeth. Sanson didn't drink much, and put down the bottle.

"I was very thirsty, now it feels a lot better."


"Sanson, you really didn't get hurt at all?"

"....My heart got hurt. Too horrible. Haley and Jarron are dead. I can't believe that I'm still alive."

I shut my mouth. Sanson made a hollow smile.

"Although we had long been psychologically prepared... When companions got sprayed by the acid breath of Amurtaat, and died in corrosion, the scenario is still very vivid."

"Sanson..."

Sanson is like talking to himself, went on:

"The way back was too painful. I think I've been driven crazy by the moans of injured partners. Not to mention there was no opportunity to receive treatment, we were even starving. And the wounded men are the best targets of monsters. The attacks came one after another were like a nightmare.... I personally finished several people's lives. "

Although I am a little drunk, I can still feel the horror and got goose bumps.


"There was no alternative... If you want to save the others, you have to leave those people behind. And they could only painfully wait to die, or get killed by the monsters behind us. They will understand. They believe ending their lives like that would be less painful. But I've never imagined about chopping the head of a partner off with my own hands."

"Sanson..."

"I don't know whether I should survive like this? But I can't feel that I've done anything wrong. Just my heart hurts."


Sanson again picked up the bottle and drank fiercely. Half of the wine flown outside his mouth. After a while, he spoke again:

"I didn't manage to rescue the thane His Honor. Being a security guard of our thane His Honer, this is really shameful. To Insure my own life, I desperately all the way fled to the town."

Sanson widened his eyes and stared at me.

"Amurtaat said she wants ransom. So thane His Honor should be safe. "

"Really? How you know..."

"Didn't I say someone come back before you? That person told us all."

The frowning brow of Sanson finally slightly relaxed.

"That would be great! But.... The amount of ransom should be very high, right?"

"Do you have an idea about this figure? 100,000 Purcell."

For Sanson's head, it won't have any realistic feeling about the amount. In fact, I myself is also not clear how big this astronomical figure is. He opened his mouth, sighed. 

"God!"

Tiring night.

I'm drunk, and I ran all the way from the village to the castle. My body is now heavy like a flooded cotton. I sat against the wall in a corner of the hall.


Looking around, all are wounded, or poeple taking care of the casualties. But I am neither a wounded, nor a person taking care of the others. I am unlike Karl who read a lot of books, is very familiar with medicine. And Tyburn has amazing magic power to perform treatment, they are simply heaven and earth compared to me. And I am also unlike deacon Hamel this kind of skillful men, although he's not very proficient in the variety of areas, he still know a little on each area, which can give some help.

I'm just a 17-year-old boy, who lost his father, sitting in a corner of the dark castle hall , chewing his teeth, and drunk.

I curled up my legs, hugged with my arms, buried my head into the knees.

Phew.... Phew....

This is the sound of breathing. This is the sound of my breath. I'm still alive. Dad is dead.

No! Damn, who! Who says my father is dead!


Heavy sound of pulse. I'm still alive. And....

I remembered Karl's words about pulse. Karl said, there are no blood vessels on humans' eardrum, otherwise people will all be deaf because of the sound of their own heartbeat. So there are no blood vessels on our eardrum. After listening this don't you get surprised?

Dad...

What flower does dad like? If I'm lucky, I might be able to make a grave for my father. Then what flower should I bring to him?

Forget about it! Damn, don't think! Are these confirmed? Is Dad's death confirmed? After it's confirmed, then think. By that time I will be roaring like a madman, or crying and rolling on the ground, or even imitating a puppy , that won't matter. However, isn't that not confirmed yet!

Voices. The voices of the people are getting closer.

"Who is that? What is he doing there?"

※ ※ ※

"That's Huchi. I heard that he carried the wizard over. So he looks so tired. "

"What? No matter how tired, he can't be like this. There are so many injured people in front of his eyes, he's actually nesting there doing nothing? Really naive."

"Leave him alone. His father also participated in the crusade."

"Huh?"

"He must be very sad. Already knowing that we lost, and his dad hasn't came back. No matter how tall he is, after all he's just a 17-year-old kid."

"Hum."

Voices. The voices of people are going away. What did they just say? I don't need to know. It's useless. I only want to hear one sentence. All other words are unnecessary. So, do I need to talk?

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Water flows, Birds fly

Men plow, Women weave

Soldiers look ahead, Wizards look above

Accept birth, Expect death

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

I'm humming the song, gradually falling asleep.

※ 

"Dad!" 

Bang!

※

I can't really remember, but according to a witness, I suddenly stood up in the dream, then ran crazily, and finally bumped into a wall with my head, and then fainted. I took a look in the morning, and there's really a trace on the wall in a corner of the hall. Of course, there is a trace on my head too.

Chapter One: Riding Towards the Dawn (Pt.19)

"Unfortunately, you're correct."

"Then, then how about the other soldiers? Only this soldier came back, then where are the other soldiers?"

Tyburn is still staring at me with his non-functional eyes, and then casually said:

"That is unable to find out now, Huchi. Earl Huritchell and the thane should be safe.I guess it would send the soldier back, is likely to ask for ransom. If Amurtaat's purpose is ransom, then she might also capture all soldiers as captives. Because if she has more captives, she can request more money. "

"Is, is that so? Really?"

At this time the soldier spoke.

"He is correct."

I don't know what to do, suddenly shouted:

"That stupid dragon!"

That white body, love eating mint stupid dragon in the end still lost to Amurtaat. Garbage! That dragon only knows raising its head arrogantly, only knows eating the food offered by the others! Amurtaat hunts its own food by itself. However, that thing only knows how to eat what humans feed it. Now I think of the White Dragon Cathselprime, get even more angry than thinking of Amurtaat.

Deacons Hamel held a meeting. Because our thane is not here, so deacon Hamel became the deputy of  the thane, Tyburn who is responsible for public safety is also attending. Karl also attended. I desperately begged Tyburn, so I am able to attend with the title of his assistant. The Guard Captain Sanson is not here, so Turner is also participating. And there are also several adjuvant officials, the village head, and a few elders. This can't be said a decent conference, so it feels very tragic.

The purpose of the meeting is to listen to the statements of Snow Malhand. The injured heavy infantry is called Snow Malhand. Although he feels very uncomfortable, he still sat down on a chair. No matter how strong his self-control is, he is able to participate in the meeting one hour after the surgery, that's simply unbelievable. He also turned down the blanket, just sat there quietly and explained the situation.

As far as the crusade arrived the Gray Mountains, there were not anything unusual. Although got attacked by some monsters, those were nothing powerful. They finally reached the deepest part of the Gray Mountains, made their formation and began the war in the entrance of the Endless Valley. According to the words of the survivors of previous crusades, as well as other intelligence, Amuraat's lair is in the deepest part of the valley. The valley is not a good place to arrange army, nonetheless the army honestly couldn't do much, but it seems that Earl Huritchell still wanted to plan a best strategy to make full use of those soldiers.

He set the strategy, Cathselprime would trigger the battle, the army then should support on both sides of the valley and from the back. The light infantry form by the guards of our town covered the archery on the cliffs of both sides . The heavy infantry from the capital with the pikes together stayed in the bottom of the valley to wait for attacking Amurtaat. Of course, this plan is entirely presumed that Cathselprime is defeated. That is, if Cathselprime defeated Amurtaat, there would be no further action to take. In case it failed, then Amurtaat would probably also be seriously wounded, so the troops wouldn't let it go, shooting arrows from both sides to prevent it from flying away, and then the heavy infantry and pikes could approach to attack. Hearing this part, Tyburn frowned.

"What a silly plan..."

Snow heard that, his entire face was taut a bit, but immediately relaxed. Tyburn couldn't see the face, but he still started explaining his words.

"He actually divded the weak enough troops into three parts. Concentrating all forces is a better idea. And this plan is completely based on, Amurtaat would appear in the valley, isn't it?"

Snow made a surprised expression, and then continued.

In the morning of the battle, Cathselprime in the valley started roaring in order to get Amurtaat out. Soldiers above and in the valley held their breath to watch the scene. However, what Cathselprime attracted was not Amurtaat, but the army of trolls and goblins on the cliffs.

The small enough army and also got divided into three teams, in addition they were separated on the top and bottom of the valley, so they couldn't quickly assemble, and each team must fight the goblins alone. The heavy infantry and pikes in the bottom of the valley was doing fine. However, the light infantry and archery above got pushed by the goblins, while behind them were cliffs. Goblins and trolls enthusiastically charged, the weakly armored light infantry got pushed back gradually. Especially the archery team, In the friend or foe mixed situation, they couldn't use any power at all. Eventually the troops on the cliffs were either slayed by the goblin's falchions, or fell off the cliff to the bottom of the valley.

In the tangled fight, there was no room for Cathselprime. It could only flew behind the goblins spitting deadly breath, that couldn't help at all. Cathselprime also tried to roar and cast Dragon Fear, but the goblins and trolls had already been stuck in the Dragon Fear of Amurtaat, so they didn't react at all to Cathselprime's roaring.

Finally the troops on the cliffs almost annihilated, the rest of the people managed to flee to the bottom of the valley, that's when Cathselprime could really spit breath above the valley, and repulsed the goblins and trolls. During the period, the heavy infantry and pikes also almost eliminated the enemies under the valley. The heavy infantry melee attack is very strong, and the pikes could hold their fauchards fight the goblins in a distance.

But at this moment, a huge shadow shrouded the valley. Black Dragon Amurtaat appeared. Amurtaat didn't even fly down, only spitting breaths downward. Cathselprime was in the valley, it was unable to spread its wings in all a sudden, so it got some major wounds. Then Amurtaat stroke downward, biting the neck of Cathselprime. But Cathselprime also resisted, bit Amurtaat's leg. Because of the battle of the two dragons , even the cliffs next to them almost got destroyed. Every time when their wings hit the rock, or the dragons rolled the ground, there were huge noises like thundering. The stones were splashed everywhere, the trees were uprooted, and many large rocks rolled down. The dragon's blood squirted like a rain-storm. When Amurtaat's acidic breath encountered the cliffs, acrid smoke began to emerge, but the dissolved got frozon immediately after Cathselprime spitting freezing breath. That instant the valley was pretty much like the inferno.

Then Earl Huritchell issued the evacuation order. The soldiers started escaping on their own. All around the valley are all forest terrain, so it's better to run after spreading out. Snow also began to flee. But after he ran for a while, he heard the sound of flapping wings behind him, also felt a strong wind hitting. He was very scared, at the moment he turned back, Amurtaat's paw hit him straight away.

After this hit, his stomach was cracked. Snow couldn't even the scream, could only lie there waiting to die quietly. But then suddenly a huge sound of vibration was tearing his eardrum. Snow's stomach was wounded, yet he still had to cover his ears. After a while, the vibration slowly calmed down, became a voice that's understandable.

"Human, your wound will not deteriorate in a week. "

Snow widened his eyes and looked upward. Although Amurtaat was hurted due to the battle with Cathselprime, its body was bleeding everywhere,  looked upward in a lying posture, the height of the dragon still almost made Snow fainted. Don't know what magic the dragon cast, his abdomen wound started flashing a weak light.

"Within a week, you will not bleed, the wound will maintain its original state. But after this period, the wounds will begin to deteriorate and rot."

Snow was terrified and trembling looked at Amurtaat. Amurtaat seemed tired, straightened its shoulder up, and then continued to speak. But it's mouth was closed.

"I did so, so your two fragile legs could maximize their speed. Go to deliver a message for me. If you still want the lifes of your commander and stupid thane back, give me 100,000 Purcell gems. The sooner the better. If you procrastinate, they will not be also the see next year's New Year. "

Amurtaat slowly began flapping its wings. The wild wind with dust were spraying on Snow's face, so he covered up his face. Amurtaat's voice converted to strange sound tearing his eardrum again.

"The deadline is one week. Your life depends on how fast you are. Go now!"

Snow finally put his hands down after quite a while. He saw Amurtaat had already flown up the sky . He immediately stood up, kept running back for four days and nights without a single rest.

"Ah.... So the wound after that long, could still maintain and you are so soon to be able to participate in the meeting."

Tyburn nodded. Snow smiled slightly.

"Yes. It was very terrifying. Helding my stomach while I was running, in order not to let my organs fall out from the wound. It is really a very horrible experience I realized that neither bloodshed, nor feeling the pain, as if the wound is others', that kind of wound is the most terrible. "

Every faces in the meeting turned pale. I can no longer wait, so I interrupted.

"Then what about the other soldiers?"

Snow looked at me and shook his head.

"I have heard that. Your father joined the battle, right? But I'm sorry, I didn't see any other soldiers."

I lowered my head, Karl patted my shoulder.

"It doesn't matter, Nedval. You didn't really see your father dead, and didn't he just say, the pike team fought until the last minute, and almost didn't suffer from any damage?"

I lifted my head and cheerfully said:

"Yes. My father promised me that he will definitely be back. Ah, maybe he is now hiding at home, preparing to stun me when I go back."

I tried to talk happily, but seeing the reaction of the people around, I know my face must be very bad. I again lowered my head. Deacon Hamel gently shook his head, said:

"Anyway, first of all, we need to liaison with the King His Majesty."

Tyburn seems to disgree and said:

"Although that sounds reasonable... This war is looked after by the King?"

"No. His Majesty is only responsible for supporting. The responsibility of the success or failure of war is on our thane. And our thane authorized Earl Huritchell to be the combat commander."

"Then all responsibilities are on Heltant Fief. No matter it's the responsibility of getting both of them back, or the responsibility of raising the money. The King should be angry enough because of the White Dragon he sent to support got killed, will he help on the ransom?"

Deacon Hamel shook his head again.

"Even if we sell all the possessions of the thane, it might not be even close to within 100,000 Purcell... Plus these possessions are mostly land, not a random person can buy... Probably even the neighboring thane wouldn't want to buy it ...... "

At this time Snow struggled to say:

"If we contact the Huritchell Family, they should be able to give us some support. And we can often see some similar examples of this situation, if we request His Majesty, he would give the Heltant Fief a long-term interest-free loan. If you are going to sell these lands, not necessarily sell them to the thane nearby. In the capital there should also be some nobles who have the ability to buy it."

"We have to do some calculations. Today is?"

Turner said: "25th September."

"The Dragon said not allowing them to see the New Year. Then we should have around six months, right?"

Hearing deacon Hamel's question, Tyburn made a disagreed expression.

"Sounds right, our country listens to the edict of King Rhuterino, the New Year is on 2nd April. But do dragons use our calender? That's is an uncertainty. If you want an insurance, then you better treat the end of December as the deadline."

"That's... That's only three months left?"

Deacon Hamel's turned his expression into despaired. Hamel is not any famous deacon, just a little deacon under our poor thane. Asking him to raise one hundred thousands Purcell, it's simply impossible.

Damn!

※ ※ ※

Chapter One: Riding Towards the Dawn (Pt.18)

"Oh! Noble Lady Jamini's Admirer, Knight Huchi!"

"Ughhhhhhhhhhhh!"

I actually charged into those kids in the village, even I feel myself very outrageous. The problem is my mouth. Why did I shout that name? Probably within three months, I would be called the Noble Lady Jamini's Admirer Knight Huchi.

I saw Karl walked out from the bookstore. He raised his hand and said to me: "Hey, Knight Huchi!"

...It might be for my entire life.

"Karl! Don't say that!"

"Well, are you denying the truth you shouted in your last minutes?"

"At that minute I was crazy! My brain was burned out! No, you know, people with such a stupid mind like me, sometimes would say something inexplicable."

Do I have to belittle myself like this? Karl smiled slightly, and said to Tyburn behind me:

"How are you, Tyburn. Today you are going to continue that kind of training? Then I would also like to watch."

"Come if you want to watch. Don't you see the large group of people behind us?"

That is true. A large crowd of villagers is behind us.

The fall harvest was over, so the people in the village don't have much to do, hence my training process becomes their great time killer. So every morning, once Tyburn and I left Sinderella's Song, we would surely hear someone yelling "Oh! Noble Lady Jamini's Admirer, Knight Huchi", then the residents would gradually gather and follow us. Well that's fine, but someone even carried a picnic basket and came, what the heck is that? Karl seems to come to the village to look for some books, then he heard the news. He is very pleased to join our team. Once he joined, old Métis from the brewery asked:

"Hey, Karl? Which side will you bet on?"

"Bet what?"

"Bet whose name Huchi will shout today. Because Jamini is now dominating the vote, so if you bet on other people, the potential winnings is very high. Don't you know? Recently, many little girls came to seduce Huchi, also begged him to shout their names. "

Karl turned to an ironic expression, and I was staring at Métis, can't wait to bite him. But Métis looks like he doesn't care at all. Another man next to him said:

"Oi,  Métis, Huchi should be dead today, right?"

"Should be. Tyburn said he is going to summon Chimera."

I would probably go mad, jump around and then prematurely die because of a heart attack. Tyburn isn't even helping me to learn how to adjust my strength. In fact, we can see a lot of monsters in our village every day, but everytime he could summon something we have never seen, extremely tough to fight phantoms of monsters. Because those are just illusions, although it is not really deadly, but the fightings are very vivid, which makes me very nervous.

"Why don't you summon something like Kobold?"

"Aren't you wearing OPG? At least have to find something well-matched with you."

"Do you mean Chimera is well-matched with me?"

"You won't die anyway, what are you complaining about?"

"But the feeling of getting killed is very bad!"

Tyburn is just giggling. The moment of death feels really bad. No matter it's got hit the paws of a Gargoyle, rolling on the ground and watching the Gargoyle flying up, or caught by tail of a Lamia, hearing the sound of my broken ribs, feeling the breath blowing from the Lamia to my face, the kind of frightening and nasty feeling really can't be described in words. Ah, here I want to defend for myself. I actually chopped off the head of the Gargoyle finally, and the naked body of the Mermaid... It's a bit embarrassing, so I ran to its back, pulled off its wings. They are just illusions, is there anything to fear? My wounds are also illusions, I won't actually get any real injury.

However, today Tyburn is going to call out the illusion of Chimera . God. Just kill me directly. I wanted to beg him to at least let me die with a bit dignity! But the villagers simply disregarded my feelings, came to watch like going to picnic, so I feel even more miserable.

"Don't be so sad. You have now improved so much."

Jamini gently patted my shoulder. Well I now rarely carelessly turn my body because of my strength. To some extent you can say that I can already manipulate my power. But I'm just a candle maker! Not a formally trained soldier. Even I am wearing OPG, there is no way for me to defeat a Chimera.

"Huh? What's that sound?"

Tyburn suddenly said the strange words. I looked at Tyburn.

"Hustle footsteps, should be soldiers. What happened?"

After a while, I actually saw many soldiers running to us. His ear is really good! The soldiers saw the villagers and Tyburn stood in front of them, they ran more hastily and cried out:

"Mr. Tyburn! Urgent, there is a critical patient!"

What? Critical patient?

"Tyburn, I carry you!"

Apart from anything else, I put Tyburn on my back immediately. For the weight of Tyburn, I don't feel heavy at all, I started running and shouted:

"What critical patient could be inside the castle? "

The villagers were also shocked, hurriedly began to run. The soldiers ran to me, talked to Tyburn who's on my back:

"This morning a soldier from the crusade came back, but he is seriously injured. Deacon Hamel told us to hurry up and get Mr. Tyburn there..."

What? Crusade? Is that the Amurtaat crusade? Not just injured, but only one soldier. The other people, including the commander didn't come back, but only a soldier came back? Tyburn behind me said gloomily:

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Once we arrived the castle, we found that Deacon Hamel were already waiting for us impatiently at the mansion's entrance. Deacon Hamel saw me carrying Tyburn, immediately opened the entrance door, took us into the hall. And he didn't allow other poeple in.

"Patients need to a quiet place, you surely must want to know what happened immediately. But please bear with me first."

"Wait a minute! Mr deacon. You said only one person came back? What happened?"

"Please calm down. I will explain later!"

"Hey! Then who came back? You should tell us this first?"

Hamel silently shook his head, looks like he only wants to let Tyburn in. Deacon Hamel saw me carrying Tyburn, made an unhappy expression, but I am now not just Tyburn's eyes, but also his legs. So finally Hamel let me in. Then Hamel looked at Karl.

"Karl, you may come in too."

Karl nodded his head, and went inside. After the three of us entered, Deacon Hamel "bang" and shut the door, and then we didn't have time to listen to the noises made by those residents outside, the soldiers brought us upstairs.

I can't control my tension. Could he be dad? He must have to be dad! Though he's seriously injured, but still better than never coming back. But when I went in, who lying on the bed in the second floor bedroom is a young soldier. He is even an unknown heavy infantry from the capital.

He looks nothing like a dying man. Although I don't know how should a dying man look like, his face has nothing unusual, he not just didn't sweat, but also didn't moan. However, when the maid removed the sheet,  moan came from my mouth.

"Why are you yelling?"

I can't answer Tyburn's question. The soldier's face is pale, but he is still with a calm expression. However, there is a very serious wound starting from his chest to his abdomen. It's not several wounds, but only one wound, now we can even see his ribs. I put down Tyburn, my head is dizzy.

Karl seized Tyburn's hand, and brought him to the soldier, although I am dizzy, I followed them. Tyburn touched the wound with his fingertips. The soldier wrinkled his brows, but didn't reveal any expression of pain. Instead, he asked Tyburn first:

"You are the wizard deacon mentioned?"

"Yes. How did you actually become like this? No, now it's not the time to speak. Huchi!"

"Yes, I'm here!"

"The hot water should be ready?"

"There it is."

I wet the towel, wanted to hand it to Tyburn, but I soon decided to wipe the wound of the soldier by myself. While I am wiping the wound, Tyburn began to cast. In the few days with Tyburn, I found that when he's casting a simple spell, he doesn't use the power of the tattoos on his body, it seems he doesn't even need to recite the spell. But when he's using a complex magic, for example, calling Balrog or a series of spells, his tattoos would glow.

Now Tyburn's tattoo are emitting a very strong light. So, if his body is glowing to this point, he should also need to recite a long spell. His tattoos continued to glow, he put his hands into the wound of the soldier, the soldier is just blankly watching Tyburn plucking his wound. Tyburn couldn't see, but Karl and I are almost fainted because of the endurance of the soldier.

"Really amazing. A worthy soldier of Earl Huritchell."

Karl is praising the soldiers that when someone is repairing his internal organs, the soldier didn't even make a single cry. Surprisingly, the soldier actually made a wry smile. Is this really a human? I looked at his broken organs getting pushed back by the hands of Tyburn, I am simply almost scared to death. I retreated with a sallow complexion. Tyburn continued his work at hand, and asked Karl:

"Although the artery is not injured, the problem is muscles. Karl, do you want to prepare a bit?"

Karl nodded, immediately remembered that he needs say "Yes", then began asking needle and thread from the maids, also mentioned the names of several herbs, asked them to bring those over quickly. As far as I know, Karl read many medical books, but the several herbs he assigned, are common things that even I know. Although the wound is terribly large, in fact it's very simple, so the herbs needed are simple too.

The maids hurriedly ran away, Karl immediately took a bowl and cooked it in the boiling water.  The maids brought back a lot of herbs, Karl wanted crumble them by himself, but he changed his mind and said:

"Knight Huchi can you help? Please help me to make these into powder. Wash your hands first."

I washed my hands, then knead those things into powder. My gloves are stained with herb powder, but does it matter? After I made them into powder, Karl immediately mixed them up, put them all into the water and cook. So even the proportion of the prescription is very simple. Karl said to Tyburn:

"It's ready."

"Good. Cook the needle and thread a bit."

Karl already put the needle and the line into the boiling water. The flashing light on Tyburn's body suddenly disappeared, he pulled his hands out from the wound. I glanced the soldier's face, he was admiringly looking at Tyburn's clever hands which played in his wound, seems to feel very interesting. God... Then Tyburn stick his tongue helplessly.

"This wound is really strange. Anyway, my eyes can't see, there is no way to sew it. Karl?"

Karl went to the front and began to sew the wound. The maids next to him are turning to blue faces, I think my face is probably not much better. The flash reflecting by the needle going through flesh made us almost fainted. But Karl is just quietly stitching, the soldier watching the needle going through his own flesh, is like looking at a seamstress sew his clothes. Karl looked at the soldier and said:

"You're really amazing."

"I'm flattered."

After Karl finished, Tyburn instructed the maids to wrap the wound with a bandage, then moved to the back. I shifted a chair, let him sit down.

"This wound is really strange."

"This soldier should have been dead. Look at the wound, looks like it's been there for three or four days, he may never live up till now. Shouldn't we feel marvelous at human's potential?"

Tyburn shook his head like he couldn't understand. The soldier heard these words and smiled, but he was drinking the drug tuned by Karl, so he didn't answer. I brought a bowl and went to Tyburn, Tyburn washed his hands and said:

"Because I've treated it, so he wouldn't die. But his visceral injuries are heavy, it's not possible to reinstate as before. He won't be able to eat and digest properly. Muscles will have problems too. Looking forward to once again taking a sword to battle? That could be unreasonable... Because of this injury, it would be difficult for him to do even daily things. Might just as we often see, he'd become a beggar in the name of  'A brave wounded warrior' ?"

Then Karl spoke.

"Fortunately things will not be that bad. Tyburn you can't see, but this man has an identity. He is wearing a ring with a family emblem on it."

The soldier shook his head, wanted to say something, but Tyburn spoke faster:

"Is he? Then he would become a cumbersome aristocratic home patient."

The soldier made a wry smile. Tyburn continued to say outspokenly:

"I probably can guess the situation."

I swallowed.

"This wound is not caused by weapons. Certainly it's Amurtaat wanted him to bring some messages, so she made this soldier half dead half alive, and then sent him back."

Clatter! I dropped the bowl to the ground. Tyburn stared at me with his non-functional eyes.

"That... That means, we lost?"

Chapter One: Riding Towards the Dawn (Pt.17)

※ ※ ※ ※

The next day, I went to Sinderella's Song with the uneasy feeling.

Tyburn clearly said he'd help me, that probably means teaching me. Become a wizard's disciple... Sounds awesome. Although he is blind, and he is a sorcerer, he actually is able to arbitrarily dictate Balrog, he might also be versed in some kind of blind swordsmanship. I don't know whether there is blind swordsmanship such a thing on the world, but it seems often appears in stories, doesn't it? So I fully armed and went into Sinderella's Song.

On the main road in the village, finding that people fled quickly and quietly once they saw me, I sighed. Hum, anyway, when I entered Sinderella's Song, I found that Tyburn is just as usual, drinking milk.

"Tyburn! Let's go."

"Okay. Really, why are you so excited today?"

Then it's the same routine like everyday, we went to the castle first. I am with a excited look, nonetheless Tyburn is yawning, walking slowly. When we arrived the castle, the guards were as usual, finished breakfast, leaving the castle. Tyburn said:

"I said I'd help you right? Oi, Turner, is Turner here?"

Turner ran over. Tyburn heard his footsteps, said before he began:

"I have one thing to request you! Can you sort out the training ground?"

"Huh? What do you want..."

Tyburn whispered some words with Turner, Turner showed a surprised expression.

"Huh? How could..."

"Because this guy's brain, we have to do it. Yesterday you should have heard of what this guy stirred up?"

"Really. You are really eccentric. I understand."

Tyburn then crossed his arms, and began to wait. I looked at Turner blankly, and Turner looked at me with his eyes saying sorry, then said:

"No choice. Listen! All guards on the training ground, form four rows, sit down at the left side in the training ground."

"Why?"

"Mr. wizard said he is going to show you a great show."

The soldiers moved to the back with expectant faces, after the whole team sat down. Turner said:

"We're ready."

"Are you? Huchi, you go to stand in the middle of the training ground."

Although I don't know the reason, I obediently went over where he said. Wow! Really lonely. Standing in this position, every movement will draw all the attention of the people around. Tyburn nodded to this embarrassing face that he couldn't see, then he put his hands together, began to cast. What does he want to do?

"Wow, look at that!"

The soldiers are all showing amazed expression. Once Tyburn started reciting the spell, something drilled past immediately underground in front of me. The dirt bounced and popped up, small stones are splashing everywhere. I was shocked, so I stepped back. A graphic began to emerge on the ground. The graphic is a great circle, there are also other complex patterns and text inside it.

Once the graph was completed, black smoke started quacking, there is the smell of sulfur. Ah? Isn't it a show? Is he going to call Balrog again? I am staring at the graph, my eyes are almost protruding. Then the pattern started glowing, glowing in all directions like a circle, after a while, the light disappeared completely, I found a thing standing there.

That's Sanson! No, no, Ogre!

The frighteningly wide shoulder, thin waist, thighs as thick as my waist. Looks like the whole body is filled with the word "destruction". Strong physique, even if estimates carefully, it has six cubits height, the shoulder has three cubits wide. The ugly head is scarily big, but compared with the shoulder, the head looks a bit small. The weapon in its hand, can't tell it's a sword or an ax, looks like a Khopesh. A normal sword has its blade and shank separated, but a Khopesh has its body and handle made out of the same piece of iron. The destructive power of such weapons is not on their blades, but on their weight. Seems to be suitable for an ogre?

I did really think so many things in a glance. Tyburn asked Turner:

"Seems it has came out, hasn't it"

"Yes, yes, yes, you really want to summon this thing?"

"Yes. Huchi? Go."

He, he, he said what? What did that mean? Told me to go to fight a ogre?

"Ah, forgot to tell you one thing, that glove is OPG."

"OPG?"

"Ogre Power Gauntlet."

"Huh!"

God! Why didn't I think of it? I now remember one thing Karl told me:

"Nedval, monsters are different from human even on their own subjectivity. Mankind, take you as an example: Imagine one day when you go on a road, found a man with exactly the same appearance as you are, the tone of his speech is also the same. He saw you then he would be startled, and asks you who you are, then what would you feel? You might go mad. But human's mind is flexible, so after the surprise disappeared, you would probably start thinking about how this could happen. For example, you might think that you have a twin brother never met before. But monster's mind is not flexible like human. When their own subjectivity got threatened, they will blindly want to kill each other. So if you get items with monster ability it could be good thing, but at the same time it is also a dangerous thing. People with the "Heart of Salamander", they don't have worry even got spit by flame of a Red Dragon, but if they get into  Salamanders, it may be dangerous. While people with " Ogre Power Gauntlet" can compete with Golems, but once they met Ogres, they will have to fight until one side is dead."

Fighting to the death? God! That ogre is shocked, looked around, and then it started staring at me in front of it. In that moment, the ogre's temple started to wiggle.

"Gal lah lah lah... That glove!"

I will give it back to you, I am so sorry, I originally didn't know that this is OPG, which was given by that blind wizard to me. You look at that wizard, doesn't he look treacherous? Compared with him how do I look, you've probably never seen such an extremely innocent face right?

Why it doesn't say anything? The ogre seems like it has no comment, and raised its Khopesh, began roaring.

"Gung ah ah ahhhhhhhh!"

"Ty - Burn -! I -Must - Slaughter - You!"

The ogre saw me wearing OPG, didn't even ask why, started waving its Khopesh to me. This time my crotch  didn't get wet, but I pulled out my bastard sword, Actually I feel a little proud. Because the Khopesh is moving very slowly, so I could barely see it and to geared it down. Bang! Is it the sound of sword collided with sword? I feel as if all my joints are scattered.

Don't know what Tyburn is happy about, he giggled, then went into the building. What surprised me was, Turner actually just sighed a bit, and then went to sit in front of the soldiers.

"All of you just quietly stay here and watch. Pass these words to the next person."

Turner finished, and then said something to the leftmost soldier, and then they passed it accordingly. All the soldiers turned to a surprised expression, started discussing.

"Although the wizard's temperament is very weird, this is too..."

"Ah, so it means, if Huchi dies then he can't help, if Huchi survives, then he can start making guidance, right?"

"He said if Huchi is dying, then we help?"

"Yes, Huchi, in order to make us a little easier, even if you are going to die, please bring it some injuries before you die."

I am going nuts, the truly most poisonous curse emerge from my mouth:

"All of you, at the wedding night, will be - Im - Po - Tence! "

The soldiers began laughing. Damn it! The soldiers would help when I am dying? Isn't it now? The ogre is not lenient for a second, as if it's anxious to see my body divided into paragraphs, charging straight over, I hastily waved my arm to block it. From a dispassionate observer, it would be a nice show. Unfortunately, I am not a dispassionate observer, but the victim involved. Plus I still don't know how to adjust my strength, so once I fully waved my arm to the right, even my whole body would begin to turn right. Because I took these strange actions, so the ogre's Khopesh either hit an unexpected place, or blocked my sword in an unexpected place. But speaking of the feeling of the weapons colliding... If it's not OPG, my arms would have long been cut off, but now my strength is same as the ogre's.

Huh? Oh right. Our strengths are the same, aren't they?

"You piece of crap! I am as strong as you! So... Go to hell!"

"Quack!"

Wow, I am shocked. Because I saw what I've done. I am too surprised, so my whole body tensed up. I drew a beautiful wound on the ogre's waist. The ogre began spurting, it hesitated, and began to recede. If I was a little experienced soldier, I wouldn't miss this moment, but would rush to finish it, but I just lost my soul and wildly standing there.

"Huchi! Come on! Charge now!"

Because of the soldiers' cry, I suddenly returned to sanity. But the ogre has also set its posture, pointed its sword at me. Aw, what a shame! I have no choice, only can act like it, pointed my sword at it, and entered a state of confrontation. We casually waved our weapons for a while, then the battle entered the second stage. The ogre and I are very carefully moving our steps, began to walk around a circle. Certainly the ogre is more careful, I am just with a crying face, moving in the opposite direction of the ogre. But if we take away my face, this is still a very exciting scenes. Soldiers said admiringly:

"Nice! This footwork is pretty good huh?"

"Your feet should stick more closely to the ground, walk like sliding!"

I chest almost exploded with anger.

"Don't just sit there and move your mouths, come and help me, you are all murder accomplices!"

"Hey, did a dog bark? Or chicken?"

"Because of Tyburn's request, we can't help you. When you are going to die, we will go to help."

"Hey, we should decide, if Huchi unfortunately died here, who is going to notice Jamini? Why don't we ballot?"

"Ah! No. I am always the worst luck in ballots!"

Are these guys human? I swear to Helkanes, if I don't die, I will definitely not let these soldiers away! No, should I do it now?

"Hey, Ogre my friend. I have to go to deal with those soldiers first, I'll come back and play with you, okay?"

The ogre's answer to my proposal, is raised its Khopesh aloft and chopped down heavily. Ha! I'm well prepared for this! I mean, I have determined to make use of the fact that "As long as my arm waved, my body would turn". So I swang my sword upward from the bottom, bounced off the sword of the ogre, followed the momentum to do a backflip, again strike upward from the bottom. The ogre was afraid of it's chin getting cut by my sword, quickly stepped back. Why is my sword so short!

"Wow!! Awesome, Huchi!"

I gasped and moved back. In fact, even I've already done it, I'm still very doubtful about the move. Did I really do it? But the evidence immediately emerged. My lower back is pain like it's broken.

"Woo... This is really not kidding."

Once waist is paralyzed, the whole body can't move. But ogre's chin almost got cut off, so though it's very angry, it doesn't dare to rush in. It seems to find that if its slow sword can't strike me in one hit, it will be in danger. The ogre started to measure the distance. Ah! This is bad, its arms are much longer than mine! If it's given a proper distance, it will even be more unfavorable to me. If this's the case, then I will take the initiative to grab the distance suits me!

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

I'm charging straight forward. If I can get over its sword, that's within the length of the ogre's arm, it won't be able to do anything to me. Didn't Sanson do this when he was fighting the trolls? I am readily waving my sword, rushing forward.

But that guy is much more experienced than me. Woo, shit, its foot suddenly kicked me. My stomach was kicked by a leg thick like a column of the castle, so I flew back. Rolling on the floor, in my eyes, emerged the backlit shadow of the ogre jumping up to sky. Looks like it wants to slash down with the momentum. But at this moment.

"Go to hell!"

No matter how strong it is,  it's difficult to move the body in the air. So I straightened my back, stabbed my sword straight upward.

"Goo Woo!"

Before the Khopesh split my head, I utilized its falling force to pierce its abdomen. The ogre's mouth began to bleed. I did it!

But even the ogre has been stabbed, it still raised its sword. Ah!

"My sword is stuck in its stomach. What are you still doing there? Save me now! Ah, no time!" 

The ogre made a strange cry, slammed the Khopesh down.

"Jamini - !"

Goodbye, those, compared to close, I rather say foes-like, friends. Goodbye, my, compared to beloved I rather say appalling, 17 years of life. Goodbye, my candle pot. Now, who else would get you polished shiny? A candle maker should live like a candle maker, why ran to be a disciple of  a wizard... I am now experienced with death, I can tell you, the so-called death is... Huh? Jeering by soldiers, sitting on the ground blankly?

I still maintain the posture of stabbing my sword to the sky, sitting in the central of the training ground confusedly. The soldiers began rolling on the floor and laughing. Turner laughed and said:

"Oh, oh, boy. That's fake."

So-called fake means that's not real, if it is not real, then it is fake...

"Illusion!"

Plop, I threw myself on the ground. Tyburn! Tyburn! This damn old man, actually tricked me! Ah, I feel so unfair! It's dead unfair! The soldiers started to make real fun of me.

"You heard that? 'Jamini -!' That's so cool."

"Sure. Aw, really envy. Whose name should I shout when I'm going to die? Mom?"

"Oi, Huchi. You shouldn't shout like that at the time. In fact you should learn the knights who say:" The noble lady who owns the key of my soul, Jamini!"

I blinked, and stood up. The soldiers' laughter gradually stopped. After a while, these soldiers looked at me with uncomfortable eyes.

"Huchi?"

I made the most scary face I could make.

"Now you are going to try, whose name you will shout when you're going to die!"

Charge! The soldiers started running in the training ground, and I am chasing them grimly. But the soldiers are still at ease while escaping, keep making fun of me.

"Jamini! Your knight is coming to kill us. Help!"

"Wahhhhh! I will never let you escape! "

Why doesn't OPG accelerate the speed of a person running? In that morning I finally realized, to catch up a soldier who practice running everyday, is not a easy task!

Chapter One: Riding Towards the Dawn (Pt.16)

We went to the tragedy scene caused by Balrog, collected the taurens corpses to incineration, and packed up their weapons. The taurens' poleaxes for human are a bit too huge, so we'll probably only keep a few as trophies, and put the rest to the furnace to melt and reuse. The tauren bodies are very large, so they burnt for a while, until almost every villagers visited, the fire was finally completely extinguished.

By the way there is one good thing: I became a hero in the eyes of the youths in the village. I don't know how the news spread out, anyway, I have became a warrior who risked his life to protect Tyburn, when he was casting a spell and totally vulnerable. Never mind, this is not wrong. But even if the sun rose from the west, it's impossible for me to block ten poleaxes flying like raining, isn't it a matter of course? (Do I have ten arms?) However, people listened believe these words.

Jamini suddenly entered a state of emergency. The girls want to get close to me all day, so Jamini always put on a distressed face, kept following me. In fact, I don't have any spare time to spend on those girls around.

"What should I ask from Tyburn? Tell him to make a candle making magic machine?"

"Huchi... that sucks, right?"

Jamini's right. Ah, this really is a problem. Although Tyburn promised to achieve one of my wishes, what wish should I tell him? Jamini presented her views.

"Don't think too much. What about money?"

"Money? No. That sounds not handsome enough. How can there be a warrior rescued princess asks for money?"

"That's just stories."

"Not good. Anything else? Ask him to turn my sword into a magic sword?"

"That's just stories too. Why would you need a magic sword?"

"Huh? Is that so?"

I thought about it, even if I had a magic sword, looks like I would have nothing in particular to do with it. I am only a future candle maker of Heltant fief, will probably take over father's seat, and continue to pay candles to the thane and his descendants. If bad luck, I might get married with Jamini, and will later teach my children to make candles, and spend the rest of my life like that. In any case, there is no room for a magic sword.

"Ahhh! Don't know, just tell him to make my strength stronger!"

Jamini looked at me with a puzzled expression. I shrugged and said:

"If with big strength, isn't that very convenient? No matter moving things or delivering candles will be easy, there should be no harm at all right? Even if that's not the case, I just feel that doing push-ups is too annoying."

"But... This seems too animal."

"Really? So? Aren't you an animal?"

"What do you mean?"

I find it very annoying to keep thinking, so now I've came up with a pretty good idea, I began to feel very happy. Then I ran to Sinderilla's Song with Jamini, to find Tyburn sitting there. Tyburn heard my wish, first he laughed for a while.

"What's the reason?"

"Good for moving things, good for work too."

Tyburn heard my reasons, laughed for another while again. What's so funny? Tyburn laughed so hard that his tears almost flown out,  then called me to bring his bag over. I gave him the bag, he opened it and began rummaging inside. Tyburn was just relying on his fingertip tactile, easily found the thing he was looking for.

"Take it."

While he was speaking, he put a pair of strange shaped gloves on the table. What is this? I thought he would give me some magic drugs, how would he give me gloves? The gloves are made of black leather, and the upper part of the back of the hand is linked with the palm part with silver metal rings, they wrapped the surface without any gap. Besides the back and palm linked by the metal rings, the other parts allow free activities. Looks like it's unlike Knight's iron gloves which is very inconvenient for activities. Everyone around are watching curiously, I put the gloves on.

I don't feel any difference. I tried to clench my fists and then relaxed, but besides the feeling of wearing gloves, there was nothing special. I asked Tyburn:

"What is this? Looks like nothing is different after wearing it?"

Tyburn laughed, asked Jamini to bring a firewood from the heap in the tavern corner. Jamini handed a firewood to Tyburn, Tyburn immediately gave it to me, said:

"You try to pull it from both sides."

What does this mean? Not asking me to hack, but to pull. I am confused, then took the firewood, pulled from both sides. The firewood was actually immediately broken into two parts.

"Eeee?"

Auntie Hanna said admiringly. I can't believe what I've just done, so I am looking at the two firewood pieces on my hands.

"This, this, how is this possible?"

"Hehe, try to clench you fists now."

Tyburn said. I blankly spent some power on my hands. Snapp! The firewood was instantly broken into pieces like toothpicks. I crushed the wood into these toothpicks.

"Huh?"

Jamini said admiringly. Everyone around with an incredible expression came to see those small firewood sticks. One of a drinker with a puzzled expression, gave me his bronze cup.

"Huchi, this, try to pull it from both sides."

"No!"

Auntie Hanna wanted to stop me, but it was too late. I've already pulled the cup into two halves. To tear this bronze cup, is just as easy as cuting apples. The drinkers who saw this instantly turned to a surprised expression, began to forcibly pull their cups. No way, wine cup is not a piece of cloth, it's absolutely impossible to split it into two halves. It might be possible to drop or use a hammer to knock, to make it deflated, but it is absolutely impossible to correctly divide it into half.

But I did it!

"How is this... This is monster skin like gloves..."

"You have to remember, this can only increase your physical strength. It has nothing to do with health or energy. So even if you are wearing it, there is no way to please all those girls."

I made a face of disappointment, immediately got pinched by Jamini. Jamini immediately desperately shouted:

'Tyburn!"

"Okay okay I know. Anyway, this is like what Huchi you said, it's good for moving things. From now on, your arm strength is strong enough to pull out the heart of a live bear, so be careful. Don't be stupid enough to grasp bread  into powder, and leave yourself starved. Remember to take them off when you eat. "

"Ah, yes... But this is a very precious thing, isn't it?"

"No matter how precious is it, can it be compared to my life? Don't feel any burden, just take it."

"You tell me to take it? You won't take it back right? In the name of Upinel..."

"And Helkanes, I swear. Okay? Ah, really, although I promised a lot of people to achieve their wishes, someone telling me such a ridiculously pure wish, this is really the first time."

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

"Let me help!"

"Then thank you!"

"Do you need some help?"

"Here! This is it!"

I started running around in the village, helping others with my great strength. From moving trees to installing pillars in construction site , as well as drawing water from wells, I helped on everything.

But I haven't learned how to control my strength. When I wanted to pick up a wood, the wood was grapped into pieces. They called me to insert the pillars into the ground, I plugged, the whole pillar was buried under the ground, we couldn't even see it anymore. I wanted to draw water, once I pulled the rope, the bucket was like jumping up, flew up too high, and the water was splashed on the people all around.

"Huchi! I beg you, can you please stop wearing that pair of gloves?"

This request is too harsh for me. Actually telling me to stop doing such a fun thing. But one time, I wanted to coax a crying baby, I just gently lifted him into the sky, he flew to heaven like a hundred cubits high, and I finally managed to catch the baby, the result was almost got murdered by his mother. After this incident, I had to take off the gloves unwillingly.

"Poof Ha ha ha!"

On that night, Tyburn laughed loudly inside Sinderilla's Song. Because I sadly reported to him what happened on that day. The drunkards beside are also laughing.

"Gosh, this joke is killing me. Hee hee hee hee hee!"

Tyburn looks even want to roll on the floor. I said angrily:

"Can't this stuff adjust its strength?"

"Dude. Adjusting strength has to be experienced by yourself. If someone increase his strength through training, he will learn how to adjust his strength during the training. But you got such a great strength without any effort, so it would be tough for a while."

Hmm. That sounds reasonable. I nodded.

"I can understand. But the problem is, If I want to experience how to adjust my strength, then I should continue using my strength, but every time I use it, something will always go wrong."

"You lad, because you're brain-dead, so you kept doing those things which would go wrong. Really can't take you. If this goes on, the whole village will be destroyed by you, I'll start helping you from tomorrow."

Chapter One: Riding Towards the Dawn (Pt.15)

I fell and sat down on the ground, looked at the surrounded by dark smoke with the smell of sulfur around,  ten cubits tall humanoid monster. Its head has an even Minotaur has to call it big brother, about one cubit long bighorn. Looking closely, that is actually a horn on its helmet. Its whole body is protected by a black armor. Because it is too black, I can't tell clearly its figure, I can't even distinguish whether it's its skin or the armor. This Balrog guy is holding a double-edged machete with its left hand,  a huge bullwhip with its right hand him. This whip is "Cat o' nine tails" , coupled with sharp metal nails everywhere. In case of being hit by it, you must be busted wide open.

When I was rejoicing that Balrog was with its back to me, it turned its head over. God! It has no face! Under the helmet, all I can see is darkness. The infinite darkness I occasionally saw in a dream.

"The enemy is?"

Balrog seems to be asking Tyburn, but where is its voice coming from actually? I heard the voice coming from the air, so I got panic. Tyburn shouted loudly:

"Ah, stupid! Who else is here besides those taurens?"

"In which way?"

"Extinct!"

Balrog turned back, and slowly began to fly... Huh? Flying? Yes it is flying right. It suddenly opened its dark wings on its back, flew up. I guess its wings is at least twelve cubits long. It gracefully flew up about four cubits, then started rushing toward the taurens. When it is across the air, it issues a rustling sound.

"Roar!"

The taurens are roaring, while waving their poleaxe. But Balrog landed on the ground with a light action, immediately swang its whip, coiled the arm with poleaxe of a tauren. It then pulled strongly.

Squeak! Squeak!

The tauren's arm are pulled down abruptly. It again waved its whip on its right hand, the left hand is however waving in the opposite direction. The machete on its left hand split the tauren into two halves, the whip on its right hand coiled the neck of another tauren again. Balrog started swinging the entangled tauren.

"Cluck!"

Balrog didn't make any cry. It's like a naughty kid playing with a frog, kept flinging the tauren hanged on its whip, the taurens around jumped away. Balrog began to move on. It made the tauren on its whip a meteor hammer and kept swinging, once it brought down a tauren, it would stamp it by feet, and then blunt on its body by the machete. Use 'spectacular' to describe this scene, is a bit too horrible. But the battle is really enjoyable...

"What is that?"

That's not my voice. Don't know when, the guards arrived behind us. The guards saw this strange scene, they are also hesitating. So I quickly explained to them.

"That black guy is summoned by Tyburn! It's our ally!"

Turner in the guards looked confused and said:

"Is it? Really is our ally? I don't want be an ally with it. Isn't that Balrog?"

"Huh? Turner, you know this thing?"

The other guards are also looking at Turner. Turner gazed at Tyburn and said:

"Mr. wizard, I think that's Balrog? Look at the whip, right?"

"Correct."

"Then why would the Demon of the Abyss Maze help us?"

"Didn't Huchi say, I summoned it!"

Turner opened his mouth. The rest of the guards and I are making a crazily curious expression, but Turner is like ignoring us, continued with Tyburn:

"But you are not summoning fairy, it's demon!"

"Hoho, you're not bad. Know the Fairy Summoning of elves."

"This is just common sense... but how can you call it? It's not something you can summon right? Isn't it an existence like every human?"

"You are right. I am just temporarily moving it from the Abyss Maze to here. This is not summoning, just a teleportation."

"Then why would it fight for you?"

"Because we have a deal."

"What.. What deal?"

"Very simple. It agreed with me, to help me destroy the people I want to destory. In another perspective,  I provide him fresh blood. It should now be drawing the blood!"

Unwittingly, Balrog completely eliminated all the taurens. Although there were a few wanted to escape, it listened to Tyburn, made them 'extinct'. Tauren which even dozens of people might not defeat, got got rid of easily.

The last tauren completely burst screams and blood, then Balrog turned over. Looks like it doesn't care what itself just did. It cracklingly opened its wings, flying to here. Seems even the sky became dark.

The soldiers made some cries and retreated, all pulled out their swords. I want to escape too, but my legs are losing control. Balrog landed in front of Tyburn, and then turned it's head toward the soldiers in the back. Its voice came again from the air.

"What about this men?"

I understand the meaning, so I screamed immediately, but the soldiers are tilting their heads. Tyburn said hastily:

"What? You fool. No!"

"Then send me back."

"Why? Got anything to do?"

"Some adventurers entered my maze, I was about to destroy them, then you called me."

"Oh? Ah that... I suddenly can't remember Teleport Wrap."

Balrog instantly raised his tauren-blood-stained whip, I shouted almost like choking. Balrog is although standing like it's going to kill Tyburn, Tyburn who can't see is still giggling.

Balrog is standing there with its raised arm, the soldiers seem to be ready to die, preparing to charge to it. But after a while, Balrog put the whip down.

"Recall it now!"

"Listening to your voice, you are probably going to break those adventurers into pieces once you get back, right?"

Balrog looked down at Tyburn silently for a short while, and then said darkly:

"Listen. Tyburn. You are no longer that Tyburn you used to be. A wizard loses his eyes, is no different from losing his life. I am actually shocked that you are still alive."

Balrog voice seems to hold some substances grazing skin, making me and the soldiers pain. But Tyburn is still answering as usual:

"So?"

"I had to agree with you, because there was no alternative. Blood for violence, this contract is also not bad. But for the present you, I only need one finger, I can eliminate you easily. "

"So what?"

"Send me back now. I am still complying with your agreement, so you also have to treat me in a honorary way."

Tyburn smiled, began to recite the spell, shook his arm, said:

"Go down, unlucky demon. Those adventurers have probably all ran away."

The Balrog disappeared in the dark smoke like how it appeared. There is again an acrid smell of sulfur.

After Balrog disappeared completely, the plain where we are only seems to restore to normal again, there is now the feeling of sun-drenched. When Balrog was here, although the sun was still shining, there was just a kind of feeling of night. Anyway, until it disappeared, I felt safe. I wanted to lay on the floor, but Tyburn immediately called me.

"Come on, my assistant. We have to tidy up the bodies of the taurens. The places they went through, we have to casts the magic traps again."

"Tyburn, my legs can't move now."

"Look, I actually have such a dishonest assistant. Should I replace you?"

"What are you talking about? In the end because of who so that you are still alive?"

"Ah? What does this mean?"

"Just when you were casting, a tauren threw the ax over! If it wan't me blocked it, you probably have been thrown into the ditch!"

Tyburn instantly showed a surprised expression. He asked the soldiers:

"You take a look. Any poleaxe around?"

"There is one."

Turner finished, and ran to pick up the poleaxe I blocked. His face became very confused.

"Very, very heavy huh?"

Tyburn giggled, and then said:

"So, Huchi is actually my savior? Alright! Tell me a wish, I will help you to achieve."

"Really?"

"But you might probably give some absurd wishes, so think about it thoroughly. Get the urgent things done first. What the corpses can attract, are not only flies."