CHAPTER 178: KNOCKOFF INVISIBILITY CLOAK

Chapter 178: Knockoff Invisibility Cloak

Beyond the Wall, True North

POV of Domeric Bolton

"The total tally of the dead is about 4200 from the Free Folk army and 600 from our side, of which only 30 from our personal army died," Walton said an hour after the battle, once the tally was done.

Domeric surveyed the battlefield littered with corpses. The people from the Allied armies were busy looting the bodies. True, the Free Folk didn’t have much, but for those who didn’t gain regular pay like people in his army, every little bit counted.

"Tell Ygritte, Raksa, or any other female in my army to stay in their tents for now." He said as he heard loud cheers coming from the direction of the main tent where the party was taking place.

"A man’s blood is high after a battle. I don’t want to see any of the conceited heirs pawing at Ygritte due to drunken foolishness. I would hate to cut off their hands after we came along so well till now." He added.

"Yes, my lord," Walton replied.

"Also, tell half of the army to remain in their posts, ready for any surprise attacks at night. I sincerely doubt that the Wildling army would do something foolish after such a mighty defeat, but you can always expect an ignorant person to act foolishly." He ordered, "Tell the other half of the army to start collecting the bolts, arrows, and the bodies of the dead in two great piles. One of the Free Folk and one of our allies. I want those piles ready to burn by midnight."

"It’ll be done, my lord," Walton said with a bow, turned his horse around, and left to give orders to the Bolton men.

He looked at the main tent where all the young men were celebrating their victory over the Free Folk.

It was their first battle ever. Not only that, but they also won a great victory. They deserved their little celebration. He just hoped that this victory wouldn’t get to their heads.

He then used eye enhancement magic to look at the forest in the distance, where Weeper and his people were currently camped.

He did not like what he was about to do next. Many people might die of cold and hunger if he went ahead with this plan, but he hardened his heart.

These were the same people who had declined his offer to bend the knee all those years ago. Some had even tried to fool him, thinking that they would start raiding his lands once he took them to the south.

He showed them kindness. He gave them a chance for a better future, and they spat on it.

Domeric might have believed in second chances in some situations, but Weeper and his men had squandered that chance by attacking them.

And he wasn’t foolish like Dumbledore enough to believe in third, fourth, and subsequent chances under the name of ’second chances’.

After all, kindness without boundaries only creates a fertile environment for evil to thrive.

Dumbledore’s obsession with atonement and second chances, coupled with his no-kill policy, led to the deaths of many on the Good Side during the first war with Voldemort.

This included Domeric’s... Harry’s parents.

Due to Dumbledore’s policies, many captured Death Eaters were repeatedly released, only to rejoin the war. After all, what did they have to fear? At most, they would be released again after being captured.

On the other hand, the Good Side continued to lose men, and even more so at the hands of those they had previously captured and sent to Azkaban.

After Domeric came to this world, he was able to see many things more clearly.

Dumbledore had become consumed with self-blame for what had happened to his sister in the past, and so, to gain some peace of mind, he had imposed a policy of atonement and second chances on everyone.

He believed that if everyone deserved atonement and a second chance, then Dumbledore himself deserved one, right?

That’s why the old goat had allowed crazed terrorists to kill people left and right. He had become someone who defended the rights of Death Eaters, like Snape, to atonement while abandoning those he called his comrades to die.

Well... Domeric had no intention of following in Dumbledore’s footsteps.

Atonement and second chances were a luxury available to those who deserved them, who repented for their actions, and were willing to do whatever it took to atone.

Domeric would not be a moronic pardoner like Dumbledore, nor would he be a cold-blooded, murderous psychopath like Voldemort.

The foundation of justice and fairness lies in ensuring that everyone receives what they deserve.

For a worker who worked to earn a living, it was fair to receive what they deserved: a fair wage.

For someone who disregarded social rules and killed others, it was fair to pay for what they took with their life. Otherwise, it would be unfair to the innocent dead.

Of course, if murderers regretted their actions and wished to atone, all they had to do was bring back the people they killed. Then Domeric could show kindness to a murderer.

Otherwise, everyone must face the consequences of their actions.

As for Weeper and his men, they made their bed; now they must lie on it.

He waited until it was night. Then he took something out from his bottomless pouch and covered himself with a white camouflage cloth, which was filled with runes that compelled any viewer not to notice its presence.

It was admittedly a poor substitute for an Invisibility Cloak, but he will have to make do with it.

Then he took out his hoverboard, stepped on it, and left the mountain without anyone knowing any better.

Normally, he could blend in with his Disillusionment Charm like a chameleon. Still, this charm didn’t provide complete invisibility, and moving quickly would break the charm or increase the risk of detection.

Furthermore, while the Disillusionment Charm provided semi-invisibility, it didn’t provide any concealment against sound or scent.

That’s why Domeric created these knockoff invisibility cloaks. The cloaks’ purpose wasn’t to provide invisibility, but rather to make his presence undetected by all living beings. This allowed not only his appearance but also his scent and sound to be ignored by other beings, including normal animals and warg animals.

Another advantage was that he could use them on other people and items if he wished.

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Next Chapters’ Name:

Ch.179: Weeper - I

Ch.180: Weeper - II