CHAPTER 226: A PAINED KNIGHT

"One of the knights under the baron works for me, and he gave me the information that the two sons have left and are on their way to the capital.

That’s the best time for you to attack, and make sure you kill them both," Count Mike said.

"Yeah yeah, I understand you. Though you are a very despicable man, Count, wanting the lives of kids," Andrew said and then got on his feet. He pressed the cigar against the table and looked the count right in the eye.

"Remember, as you ask me to kill, someone will ask me to kill you one day, and it is a fact. And when that day comes, I’ll take the gold and plunge it into your heart." Andrew’s voice was cold and detached, it sent shivers down the spine of the count.

"I’m not that easy to kill, Andrew, I can assure you that," the baron said. Andrew smiled, he took his dagger and then spoke again, "Tick tock, your time is slowly running out, Mike. Your sins will catch up, and I’ll be death," Andrew said and walked out. He shut the door and pulled out a piece of paper, and on it was the picture of Count Mike and a mission to kill him.

"Not yet, maybe after this mission," he muttered and put the image back into his pockets and walked away.

[...]

Back in the carriage, Riven, Sophie, and Noel had been traveling for a full day and now the sun had set.

They made camp, and Sophie started cooking something for them. Noel had been responsible for all the food they would need, so he packed enough.

The guard stood a small distance away, watching, vigilant. Riven decided to walk up to him.

"Cold night, huh?" Riven spoke.

"Young master, what are you doing out here? You should be back there having dinner," the knight said.

"I should be, but I’m not. I’d rather be here for a bit, allow the cool breeze to touch my face and stare into the night," Riven said.

"Uhm, okay, young master," he replied.

"So, what do you specialize in?" Riven asked.

"Uhm, I’m simply a knight, and a first circle battle mage. Most knights stop there. Our spirit zone is a quasi one. Unlike you, young master, that have that academy to be able to grow, we are forced to make do with some very weak techniques," the knight spoke, his voice carrying resentment. Though it was light, Riven sensed it.

He looked at the knight, "That’s life, not everyone is born equal," Riven said. He spoke not just because it was something he wanted to say, but because he had noticed the resentment, so he wanted to know how deep it ran.

"Tsk," the guard clicked his tongue but said nothing. Only then did he realize that he had slipped up right in front of the young master, so he immediately spoke to change the topic.

"Will you ever fight as a knight, young master?"

Riven noticed the change. He could decide not to push it now, but instead, he decided to push it further and see the genuine reaction.

"No, I will not. I’d rather have a life of luxuries and peace as a noble," Riven said, and that statement pissed the knight off. He turned to look at Riven with rage in his eyes.

Riven simply ignored him and walked away. The guard gripped his sword tight and ground his teeth.

"If the count won’t send someone quick to kill the kid, I’ll do it tonight," he muttered. This knight hated all nobles, their privileged life, pompous attitude, and using of commoners like they were nothing but tools.

He hated the count that he worked for in secret, and he hated Riven and his family as well. He wanted all of them dead, and tonight, he would start with Riven.

Time passed quickly and everyone went to sleep in sleeping bags around the campfire. Now they had better carriages that could accommodate them sleeping inside, but it was bigger and hence slower, so they didn’t take those.

The night breeze fought against the water of the campfire, and as the flames danced, they cast light on a figure that moved slowly, its shadow twisting and turning.

It was the knight, and in his hands was his sword. He walked toward Riven’s sleeping bag and held the sword over, ready to stab.

"You nobles, privileged pieces of shit, you don’t know what it takes to be a commoner like us, you don’t understand the pain and you never will.

Mocking us, looking down on us, I’ll make you pay for that, you good-for-nothing," the knight said as he stabbed down. But before the sword could reach Riven, a hand grabbed him. He turned around and saw that it was Noel.

He was stunned, but there was no choice at this point, it was kill or be killed. So he swung, blade going for the neck, but Noel dodged it, grabbed the hand, and twisted it hard, forcing the blade to drop.

"Arghhhhh!" he cried in pain, but Noel punched his throat and forced him to shut up as he struggled for breath.

"Don’t be too loud, Sophie is asleep, and I really don’t want to wake her up," Riven said as he walked from behind.

The face of the knight finally shifted into horror when he realized that both of them had been awake and had been waiting for him.

"Ho...how?" he managed to ask.

"Simple, I sensed the resentment in your voice when we spoke, and I pushed you to show it even more, and that’s when I knew that you were against us.

It was simple, really simple. Sadly, I find it pathetic," Riven said, a look of pity on his face.

The knight saw the look of pity, and it flipped a switch in his mind. "Fuck you, fuck the both of you, none of you understand what it takes to be someone like me, privileged cunts!" he yelled.