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.9)

I am carrying a barrel loaded with fat oil, walking on a road in the forest. The weather is so good that I want to whistle. The wind is blowing, it's comfortable enough for me to forget the pain on my head caused by Sanson. But because of the fishy smell of the fat, all these are destroyed. I am walking silently.

Then Jamini suddenly came up to the road from a tree.

"Good afternoon!"

Jamini had her hands behind her back when she appeared, as if touching her hip.

"Got beaten badly, right?"

Instead of getting hit by Jamini's mother's palm, I rather get hit by an normal man's fist. But Jaimini who got tempered for 17 years looks nothing happened.

"Yes. But why are you carrying the oil barrel? Yesterday didn't you say that all works had been done?"

"Someone made an order again. The candles for the Amurtaat Crusade."

"Is it? How many need to be done?"

"I don't know. After the capital's knights and the expedition commanders set the operational plan, the consumption budget will be set. But I guess, they wouldn't need much."

"Why?"

Jamini began to walk with me.

"Only a few knights came, there won't be any special operation plans. Previously there were a lot of people, so they needed a lot of candles, but this time it's different. The war is actually the duel between Amurtaat and Cathselprime. So the knights don't need to stay up all night to discuss strategies... As the distance is about 10 days, so for a round-trip, around one hundred or so is enough."

"Ah. It should be right."

Jamini nodded her head and said.

"But the Dragon-Raja yesterday, if the battle started, he needs to ride on the dragon right?"

"Ah? Why? Certainly not."

"Huh? Doesn't he command on Cathselprime's back?

"That lad knows nothing about war. What you said is Dragoon. Those knights get permission of a dragon, so they can ride on the dragon's back. Dragon-Raja... is only an intermediary between the dragon and human. They are just a symbol , representing a contract that the dragon obeys the command of human."

I explained solemnly, but Jamini is just curling her lips.

"I don't understand what you're saying."

I frowned a bit.

"Gosh, headache. You girl! I'll say in this way. Where do you live? The forest of our thane, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"But is the keeper of the forest thane himself? The rights of cutting down trees in the forest, picking fruits, collecting mushrooms, hunting, all belong to the thane, isn't it?"

"Oh ... Yes."

"But in fact the keeper of the forest is your dad. You got it? In this forest, cutting down trees, collecting mushrooms, in fact rather than getting permission from the thane, we only need to get the permission from your dad."

Jamini nodded with a proud expression.

"Well, that's right."

"Understand? Dragon-Raja is the master of the dragon, but in fact if you have anything to please the dragon, you don't actually need to ask the Dragon-Raja. You can request to the dragon directly. Cathselprime also. As people said they want to eliminate Amurtaat, Cathselprime listened to these words, so she herself determined to fight the battle."

Jamini tilted his head to for a while. Then she seemed to came up with a strange idea, clapped her hands, said:

"In other words, if I ran to find Cathselprime and said: "Let me ride for a while", as long as she agreed, I can ride her? Don't need to be allowed by the Dragon-Raja?"

"Yes. You are right. So dragons communicate directly with human. The Dragon-Rajas don't need to do anything. But when there is no Dragon-Raja with the dragon, it won't bother to communicate with human, it can simply kill a human when it finds one."

"Like Amurtaat?"

"...Like that damn thing!"

I kicked a small rock on the ground. But after the stone hit a tree, it annoyingly bounced to my feet. This time I kicked it with all of my strength, the small stone disappeared in the woods.

"Don't be angry."

"Damn. I just don't want to hear that name!"

Jamini looked at me with sad eyes, but I turned away. After I turned, Jamini projected her sight to elsewhere also. We silently walked a few steps like this. Jamini suddenly said:

"Really want to try?"

"What?"

"Ask Cathselprime to let me ride for a while?"

My anger instantly disappeared. God, Gran Elver!

"...Cathselprime of course will let you ride."

"Really?"

"Sure. She will then carry you up into the sky, chew thoroughly and then swallow you with a 'gurgle' sound, and then pretend nothing happened and come down. Probably won't even burp a little. Like your size, probably can't fill her stomach..."

"Huchi! Why do you always say such terrible things?"

Jamini heavily stepped on my feet and then ran away. This damn girl. I am carrying a fat barrel on my back, so I can only shout at her. She is far from me, waving her fist.

Damn, damn, damn, this cute little thing!

Huh? Weird, am I nuts?

※

I began to refine candles.

First of all, put the processed animal fat into water, heat and simmer with small fire. After a while, all the oil floats to the surface of the water, then drag up the oil. This thing is hot, and the smell is very bad, so this time-consuming step is tough to do. After filtering the oil, add coagulants like wax. Then pour the mixture into the molds of wick. If the wick is made by twisted filament, the flame will be very nice. But filaments are very expensive. So we soil reed with oil and then dry it, make it as the wick. When reed wick burns up, it rings noisily, emits sparks, and the brightness is relatively low. But at least the material doesn't require money.

Then place these things into the shade to cool down, then pour them out from the mold, the candles are then complete. Although it looks simple to the extent that people would feel that boring, but you try it yourself. You will find this is actually not an easy thing.

For me, it's also not an easy task. No matter observing the degree of melting of the oil, the amount of the coagulant added,  or pouring the oil carefully so not to break the wick, everything needs a clever craft. If bad luck, broke a wick, then that whole candle material would all need to be dumped. I spent a very long period of time to learn the technique before I could properly pour the grease.

All important production steps were done by me. I am sitting in the open workshop, pouring the pot of oil, and thinking of my father.

If dad can provide for some guidance beside me it would be better, but he didn't even come to the workshop. I do not know where he got a wooden stick from, he is swinging it in the yard. He probably thought the stick was a spear, if he didn't label his name on it, I should be thankful. Look at his age, still swinging a stick sincerely there and shouting: "Ah! Oh! Ah!". Even he is my dad, I can't take this anymore.

"Dad!"

"Finished?"

"Ah, the molds are all filled."

We have a total of 40 molds. So to make one hundred, I have to do a few times. Of course, no one actually said that we need to make one hundred, but I guess the requirement will be around this number. Now I filled all the 40 candle molds, the pot is also just empty. Because all the residues in pot need to be discarded (Can't cook them for the second time), so I estimated before I cook, so the amount of materials used was just right.

My father saw it. Because I deliberately showed him.

"You will become a good husband."

"...Thank you."

I moved the candle molds to the shade, cleaned the pot, and tidied up the materials. During this period, dad was still there "Ha Ah!" "Hey yo!" "Hey Ha! "Ha Hi!" , shouting something irrelevant to practicing spear, swinging his stick.

"I feel painful to see this."

"You should be more humble,  respect me. Don't be jealous."

"Do you want me to practice with you?"

"In the end, it's Patricide. Then go get a stick!"

I went to the workshop to select a stick, while took a glance to the stick my dad's holding. Then I chose a particularly long and heavy one. Dad raised his brow.

"Ha ha ha. The saying goes, A Good Carpenter Doesn't Pick Tool."

I shrugged, put down the stick I just selected, then picked up a even bigger one.

"...You piece of..."

I raised the stick, started to spin and whir it above my head. I often see Sanson and his men play like this.

But I still added my own unique move. Sanson would hold to the spear to the height of his waist and stop eventually. And mine was accidentally let the stick flew out, then ran to pick it up hastily.

Anyway, Dad and I finally held the wooden sticks, we are standing in the yard and looking at each other. In my opinion, and my father even can't make a proper posture with the wooden stick. It's not a sword, why hold it in front of the chest? His feet is casually stationing, the station is very open. If I stab him now, he won't be able to dodge.

"Your feet should stand closer, as the shoulder width."

"You trying to trick me?"

"...This is a very pure recommendation."

Dad obediently combined his feet a little. I made my posture, and then said:

"Spear should be held like this. Do you think you are using an ax? Hands should seperate."

Dad did as I said. In the next 30 minutes, we performed a scene that I simply could not stand.

I didn't know before I am this kind of guy. Every time I stabbed with my stick, and when it nearly met dad I would draw it back. But Dad hit his son like hitting a dog, mercilessly. To dodge his moves is actually not so difficult. Speaking of the level of Dad, even if I stand still, he will stab to somewhere else. Instead, every time I wanted to dodge, I accidentally bumped into his stick.

"Well, can you still fight?"

"Do you think I can't fight anymore?"

"I think you are completely dead. Get up."

I stood up in father's arm. The sun is falling to the west. I leaned on the shoulder of dad, came to the table in front of the hut. Dad got a water bottle. Surrounded by red, not sure if it's because of this, father's face looks particularly warm.

I swallowed and said:

"Dad. You really think you can come back like this?"

"Ah, I am worried too. If the commander is surprised by my martial arts, drag me to the capital to see the King His Majesty, what should I do? I like this village more."

"......"

Dad poked my hair and smiled.

"Don't worry. Things will get better.  We have 8 more days to practice."

"You will depart 8 days later?"

"Ah. I heard this news today from the castle. Starting from tomorrow I will participate in the training in the castle."

"Only train for a week..."

"What's wrong. Anyway, the commanders don't have any expectation on us. They are going to let Cathselprime fight it all."

"If you hide behind Cathselprime, and someone shouted 'Charge!", You should immediately shout: "Uh! I am shot by an arrow", and then fall to the ground."

"So Amurtaat shoots arrow? I better hurry to report this to my commander."

"Who is the Commander?"

"Is a Knight came from the capital to protect the Dragon-Raja. He is called Huritchell. Heard that he is an Earl."

"Earl's ranking is higher than our thane!"

"Knowing that he is not sent to the frontline of Zypern battles, but is sent to this remote territory, it is clear. If this Earl is not useless, then he has no social skill."

"But the army of a Earl is just like this?"

"Are you actually pointing at Cathselprime and say 'just like this'?"

"You are correct then."

I turned my head towards the West. The sunset dyed the sky red. West is where Amurtaat is. I suddenly feel like the red sunset is like fire spitted by Amurtaat, somehow felt a trace of cold from the warm red light. I made a few chills, lying asleep on the table. Practicing with father seems too tiring.

※ ※ ※

The red flame is burning.

Burning houses, burning villages, burning world. All I can see are flames.

Mother is also burning.

Fire shoes, fire dress, fire hair. On her arm, a fire bracelet is ragingly burning.

Mom looks very serene, the whole picture looks very beautiful. The strange thing is, I think mother looks very warm. Looks like if I drop into her arms, the flame will bring me warmth.

I run to my mother.

Mom opens her arms. Come now. Come now.

Mom's arms spread out. Come on. Continue to spread. Come on. Eventually what mom spread out turns into a pair of black wings.

Above the shoulder of mom, there is an abnormal head. The skin is black and shiny, distorts and reflects the fire light around. There is a bending horn on the head, if run towards it like this, I will be pierced. The mouth of the head opened. Inside is a ridiculously large cave. Absolute. Darkness. Eternity. Infinity.

Why am I still running forward?

※ ※ ※

"Fool! Where are you going?"

Because the shout of Dad, I finally found myself running towards the fireplace. I stopped. If I am a little more forward, I am afraid that my scalp will be burnt.

"Had a dream?"

Looking closer, I was wrapped in the blanket lying on the floor of the room, and my father was sitting on the edge of the bed writing something. Dad put something he just wrote on the cabinet, came to me and touched my forehead, and then nodded. My forehead is full of sweat, I am still sitting there blankly until now. Even he turned my eyelids up, I am still sitting there. Finally my father held his fist and is going to punch me.

"Stop! Don't hit me."

"Great. Is it because you didn't eat before you slept? Speaking of people in your age, it should be uncommon for this to happen. There is bread on the table, eat it."

I stood up, but not to eat the bread. I went directly out of the hut.

"I go to enjoy the shade a bit."

"Go."

I was in the blanket, so when I suddenly ran outside, I suddenly felt deadly cold, and even my arms started to get goose bumps. But as it's after sweating, so it was extremely comfortable. Hell cares whether will catch a cold tomorrow. I went the bucket beside the workshop . But before the moment I drill my head into the bucket, I suddenly recoiled.

I can't see nothing in the bucket, only darkness. I can't even see water in it. I don't want put my head into it. I feel that if my head is drilled into it, my whole body will also be sucked in.

I bit my teeth and moved backwards, backed by the wall of the hut and sat down.

"Mammy!"

I wanted to say "Mom". But in my entire life, I've never had the opportunity to call her this, because when she was still here I was too small, I only knew saying "Mammy". I am naturally shouting according to my memory long time ago.

Poof. What is this? A sentimental tone of a kid in adolescent?

However, why are my cheeks wet?

※ ※ ※

Chapter One: Riding Towards the Dawn (Pt.5)

Because of hangover, physical fatigue and excitement, I had a nightmare.

I sat up from the floor, looking at the sun shone from the windows blankly. The dream was horrible, but because it's too horrible, I can't remember anything of it. Since I feel like something is pressuring deep inside my brain, I can't even focus my eyes, I can just sit there.

"If you're awake already, go tidy up, wash your face."

Although the words of father have been entered my ears, it took a long time before I understood the meaning of those words. Finally Dad kicked me back, when I just managed to stand up, I slipped and fell again.

"Ah, Dad. My legs are completely petrified!"

"You have the nerve to say this. Won't you get up?"

"I told you my legs are petrified?"

"Then stand up and walk, it will get better. Didn't I tell you, that your grandfather's legs started to get petrified a year before he passed away."

I am now a paraplegic patient because of the words of Dad. I muttered to get up, threw off the blanket wrapped on my body and threw it to the bed. The bed belongs to Dad, I usually sleep on the floor with the blanket.

"Why don't you make a bed for me. Sleeping on the floor makes my bones sore."

"Does it? Your grandfather had such symptoms 3 years before he passed away."

This time I am like a neuralgia patient. I have to give up and go outside.

Next to the hut my father and I live, is father's workshop. So called workshop, but we actually just extend  the roof of the hut to there, plus a few pillars. I put my head into a bucket in the workshop. Because I didn't sleep with top, so I can begin to wash my face just by immersing my head into the bucket.

"Poof!"

Once it's immersed into the cold water, probably because of the consolidated alcohol in my brain, I had a headache like getting beat up. I trampled a few steps, finally caught my balance, then I was able to wash my chest and arms. Dad looked at my appearance, with an expression of pity, kindly said to me:

"Well done, boy. Dared to drink, really cool huh. Never thought that you can still walk."

"The ordered candles, we have prepared, isn't it? So no work to do today, right?"

"Why not? You kid! Collect honeycomb today. Find grease tomorrow!"

"Huh? Still have to do that?"

"An urgent order came from the castle. That's for the Amurtaat Crusade. "

Amurtaat Crusade. It should be the ninth?

Since the White Dragon Cathselprime has already arrived from the capital, the most important part of the Ninth Amurtaat Crusade is ready. Anyway even if we gather hundreds of people to fight, we can't do anything about Amurtaat. Amurtaat is the Source of Terror of the Gray Mountains, the Root of Pain of the Central Avenue. To deal with this huge dragon, if human does reckless attacks, probably not even a bone can return home. Because if he's not burned completely, then he is swallowed completely.

Leave dragon to dragon, this is the way. So after the sincere requests of our thane with "sincerity" (according to my and Karl's speculation, apparently he sent a lot of bribery. Our thane is really poor. He doesn't have much money), finally the little Ninth Amurtaat Crusade can fight alongside with the capital Cathselprime.

I am putting the breakfast on the table in the yard:

"Dad."

"Why?"

"Can Cathselprime beat Amurtaat?"

"How would I know? I don't often see this kind of battles. But if it's you versus Jamini, I might know who will win."

"Who will?"

"Oh you want me to mention your previous records? You becaused of Jamini, broke your arm once, broke your legs twice, you even broke your bridge of nose. And caught cold after falling into a puddle, can't even remember the number of it."

Ah. When I was a child I really got pranked by Jamini badly. I can feel my old resentment towards Jamini are burning now. But Dad is not done yet:

"I am most impressed by one thing, that you showed your little brother to Jamini, she suspected that thing was fake, so she did a hard pull..."

"Dad!"

"So I had to carry my tears, went begging Jamini's father to take you as son-in-law. That bastard. Don't you think that the gender roles of you two swapped?"

By that, I became a dumb son whose virginity got stolen by a girl. If allow him to continue to talk, don't know what past will be broken with ridiculous exaggerations, so I hurriedly prepared the breakfast.

After the breakfast, Dad wiped the wine soiled in the goatee, said:

"Starting from today, you are responsible for making candles."

"Huh?"

"I would become more busy. I have talked to Mr. decaon, I mentioned the quality may drop a bit, but I insisted to let you do it. He agreed."

"Forget about the quality. What business do you have?"

"This time I will join the Amurtaat Crusade."

I am suddenly speechless. Not that I have nothing to say, but I have too much to say, don't know where to start at a moment. So later the first sentence was very ordinary.

"Dad, you don't know how to use a spear, right?"

"So I'm going to start practicing today. I also joined the training of the crusade."

"You think you can come back alive?"

"Don't worry. Jamini will take care of you. You must strive to win Jamini's love!"

Even though my father is trying to joke, but I can't calm down.

"Stop kidding. You won't be able to come back, isn't that suicide?"

"I've listened to the army strategy plan. It mentioned, hopefully the casualty would be 30%, so the probability of my death is also 30%."

After hearing the unfamiliar excuse, I am suddenly agitated.

"That's just a plan, isn't that! The armies went to fight Amurtaat before, they were 100% killed!"

"You are right. But this time Catheslprime is also going, it should be much better."

I said angrily. But father is still poised.

"Why? Honestly why? Why are you going?"

"Because speaking of who has the right to watch Amurtaat die, I am one of them."

"Do you think if you do this, Mum will be pleased?"

Father's face had a shadow passed by for the first time.

Dad picked up a bottle on the table, and filled the empty cup again. I can feel that fingers around the bottle are trembling, is it just illusion? I am breathing deeply while looking at that, Dad suddenly drank all the water in my cup, and filled it with wine.

"Yesterday when you were sleeping, you made a lot of bacchanal."

I gazed at the cup. It's like the wine presented for father's death. Dad raised his cup, he said: "Toast."

I raised my cup. I headed down, was afraid to look at father's face.

"I am not going to die. In the name of your dead mother I assure you, I will come back alive."

I looked up. Dad is smiling.

"Really?"

"With a son who always gets messed up by girls, how can I leave you..."

"I trust you."

"Then toast for my survival! "

If that's the case, no matter how much wine, I can drink it all. Father and I clinked the cups, and finished the wine.

"Dad...."

"Why?"

"You must not die."

Dad sighed deeply. I looked at father worriedly.

"I don't want to waste my live to a thing that toke my wife's live. If it is my souse son's live, I will think about it"

My eyes changed. Dad laughed, and looks like he mistook the meaning of my face.

"Let's do this. I'll replace you."

"Dumb. You don't know there is minimum age requirement for army levy? You are only 17."

Dad shut me up with a simple sentence.

"....There is no maximum age?"

"There is, but I am not over that yet. Mad?"

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