CHAPTER 149: CHAPTER 149: JUSTICE_1

As night fell, only a few scattered people were on the streets; among them, a man and his dog stood out.

Another day had passed. William suddenly stopped, overwhelmed by an indescribable mix of emotions.

Exhausted, confused, having achieved nothing...

During this time, he and Gefis had traversed nearly all of Ovando City. They had covered the wealthy districts, the common areas, the port’s commercial zone, and even the squalid docks where fishermen and porters lived—they had explored every accessible place.

But still, he had not detected the scent of the red candle given to him by the Lord.

He was reminded of the sheriff ordering him to do pointless tasks, and a sense of distrust crept in once more.

The shock of discovering back then, upon opening the door, that even the sheriff was a member of an evil cult—that memory remained vivid even now.

Whenever he thought back, it was always the sheriff’s badge and that ghastly grin.

"WHINE." As if sensing his master’s confusion, Fergus whimpered softly and licked the back of his hand.

Gefis’s concern brought him back to his senses. Seeing the dog’s soulful, intelligent eyes, he couldn’t help but smile wryly before squatting down to pet him.

Dogs are different from people; if you treat a dog well, he truly reciprocates. William’s touch energized Gefis, who licked even more enthusiastically, his small tail wagging as if he would never tire.

"HAHAHA! Okay, okay." William chuckled, hugging his dog. The accumulated pressure in his heart seemed to dissipate. Compared to the indifferent world, only his dog could bring him solace.

Calm and reason returned to his mind. He knew he had become too anxious, too eager to achieve something before the Lord to prove his own abilities.

Days of fruitless searching had put significant pressure on him. At that moment, he began to doubt his abilities and My Lord’s instructions, inadvertently drawing parallels to the sheriff.

Yet, he himself had seen such special candles at the sacrifice site that day. Since My Lord said so, there must be a reason.

Soon, William regained his spirit. He stroked his dog’s head and looked ahead with determination. "We will never stop, never compromise."

As reason returned, he immediately realized he had hit a dead end. Why had he abandoned the clues he previously found and wasted time on this?

The red candle was to be used at the ritual site. Without knowing the specific time and location, finding it would be incredibly difficult.

But he could start with the more widely used Mesmerizing Fragrance and let those Heretics lead him to the ritual site.

Realizing this, William took out a vial of Mesmerizing Fragrance and held it in front of Fergus.

"Sniff carefully. We’ll track down our target!"

Gefis, who had been squatting, suddenly reacted. He turned his head and bolted, William quickly following, leash in hand.

With Fergus’s ability, William quickly pinpointed the target and began tailing it. However, this time he faced a challenge: the target was inside a building that was brightly lit even at night.

Guards were visible at the entrance, and from within came the melodious voices and laughter of women.

A brothel. A very common establishment, yet one he had never entered. He knew he couldn’t possibly investigate it alone.

His only option now was to report back to My Lord and ask him to rescue the person.

Just then, a luxurious carriage with elaborate decorations drove by.

He hadn’t paid it much mind at first, but Fergus suddenly became alert, his ears pricking up as he grew restless.

The dog’s reaction was a clear sign—the target was in the carriage!

He knew exactly what kind of target the Mesmerizing Fragrance was used for in such situations. This meant there was undoubtedly a sacrificial victim in the carriage, and it was heading towards the very place he had been searching for—the ritual site.

Should he let the carriage proceed and lead him to the ritual site... or should he save the person?

According to the Lord, finding and destroying the ritual site would save more victims, and he would also prove his own abilities.

But could he really stand by and watch someone walk to their death?

Could that truly be called justice?

The inner struggle nearly drove him mad. But the rumbling wheels wouldn’t halt for his dilemma, carrying the carriage further and further away.

Gefis sensed the target moving away. Usually, upon spotting a target, he would charge. Why were there no orders this time?

He grew restless, pacing back and forth, frequently turning his head to look at his master, his gaze shifting between the carriage and William.

Watching the dog, William made his decision at that moment.

My conscience is clear! I fight for justice!

Seeing the carriage already pulling away, he broke into a run, only making his move when they reached a deserted area.

"Take them down, girl!"

The moment Fergus was unleashed, he shot forward. His powerful, agile sprint was like a cheetah’s as he instantly locked onto his prey, leaping at the coachman and biting down.

"UGH! Where did this mad man come from?!"

The coachman, caught completely off guard, panicked. He yanked the reins to halt the carriage, trying to fend off the attacking ’mad man’.

While Fergus grappled with the coachman, William rushed over. He charged out from the shadows and struck a heavy blow.

William hadn’t intended to kill, so he aimed the blow at the coachman’s back, not his head. But, to his surprise, the coachman didn’t fall. Instead, he drew a short sword from his belt and yelled defiantly, "Damn robber! You have no idea who you’ve messed with!"

But he had forgotten he wasn’t facing just one attacker. Fergus seized the opportunity, biting down hard on the man’s sword-wielding wrist.

At the same time, William, worried about attracting attention, struck the coachman squarely on the head.

The coachman felt as if his mind went blank. Dizziness overwhelmed him, and he swayed before collapsing to the ground.

William immediately opened the carriage door. Inside, just as he’d suspected, was a girl of about thirteen or fourteen, dressed in the simple clothes of a commoner’s child.

Thank goodness, she’s still alive. Once he confirmed the child was unharmed, his racing heart finally calmed. A simple, pure smile spread across his face as he vigorously ruffled his dog’s head.

"Justice doesn’t necessarily require sacrifice!"

But what about the aftermath?

William looked at the coachman on the ground.

He wasn’t a sheriff anymore, and this man wasn’t just a common bandit.

He knew he’d caused trouble, but he didn’t panic. Instead, he quickly scanned the surroundings to ensure there were no witnesses. Then, he hurriedly lifted the unconscious coachman into the carriage, took the reins, and disappeared into the darkness via an alternate route.

「...」

After arranging things at the camp, Lance sought out Tiffany.

"Are the preparations complete?"

"The goods are loaded on the ship, and the one hundred and fifty slaves have been delivered. Those traitors and their families have also been mixed with the slaves and sent off."

"Notify everyone: we depart at five tomorrow morning. You will accompany me to Totnes. Your mother and brother will go with the caravan to Hamlet. The Ovando City Merchant Guild’s activities are to be minimized. Focus on acquiring grain, not selling it. Our main trade goods will shift to salt, salted fish, cloth, and wool..."