Chapter 55: The Bond Between Master and Disciple, and the Approaching Shadow
With the wagons creaking along, our convoy passed through Vaide’s southern gate.
Our destination was a small ranch about two days away by wagon.
I rode beside the driver of the lead wagon.
Seated on the driver’s bench was the innkeeper who was organizing the expedition.
“I truly can’t tell you how reassuring it is to have someone as capable as Sir Edwin guarding us.”
The innkeeper bowed his head deeply in heartfelt gratitude.
“No, I’ve only agreed to protect everyone along the way. Whether negotiations at the ranch succeed is beyond me. I’ll leave that part to all of you.”
I answered modestly while making my position clear.
My job was only to ensure everyone’s safety during the journey.
I had no intention of involving myself in negotiations or placing myself at the center of unnecessary trouble.
From the wagon behind us came Rowena’s cheerful laughter.
She had apparently become fast friends with one of the young women accompanying the caravan, chatting happily about something.
Her innocent laughter eased the tension of our departure, if only a little.
After riding for some time, the innkeeper spoke quietly.
“Still… what in the world is happening? I’ve been in business for many years, and I’ve never seen a city as large as Vaide run so desperately short of meat.”
His voice carried both confusion and barely concealed anxiety.
“I just can’t believe it’s only because Reservoir was founded…”
‘I couldn’t agree more. This reeks of trouble.’
Silently sharing his suspicion, I gazed across the vast grasslands.
The mysterious figure calling himself the Masked Swordsman…
The monopoly over the meat supply…
At the very least, it was obvious this situation was far from simple.
After seeing Ed and the others off, I began carrying out Master’s orders by gathering information throughout Vaide.
The first place to start was a tavern.
I chose one that was open during the day and ordered a mug of ale at the counter.
‘Now then… how should I bring this up?’
I observed the patrons before approaching the man who looked the friendliest—a merchant by the look of him.
“Excuse me, may I ask you something? Do you know anything about the swordsman serving as a bodyguard at the Golden Lion’s Roar Tavern?”
The man glanced at me briefly before immediately losing interest.
“The Masked Swordsman? Forget about that. Buy me a drink first, kid. Then maybe I’ll tell you what I know.”
“Hey, why would you want to know about someone that suspicious? You’re better off staying away from him.”
Voices from another table chimed in as well, somewhere between teasing and genuine warning.
No matter how I changed the subject or kept pressing, all I got were the same old rumors I’d already heard.
‘No good… I’m getting nowhere.’
Giving up on questioning people at taverns, I headed directly for the Golden Lion’s Roar Tavern.
Just like yesterday, burly guards stood outside with sharp, watchful eyes.
‘If I go inside, I might learn something…’
Just as I was about to step forward, Ed’s words echoed through my mind.
‘Until you know who they are and how strong they are, absolutely do not make a move.’
I clenched my fist tightly.
Had Master anticipated my impulsive nature when he gave that warning?
There was nothing I could do right now.
Painfully aware of my own helplessness, I swallowed my frustration and walked away.
Our journey continued without incident, entering its second day.
Endless grasslands stretched before us, broken only by the occasional gentle hill.
The scenery was monotonous, but peaceful.
During our lunch break, I climbed a nearby hill to keep watch while the others rested.
That was when I caught a faint glimmer reflecting the sunlight far off on the horizon.
‘…We’re being tailed.’
Not just one.
Several figures.
Whether mounted on horseback or not, they expertly maintained their distance while observing us.
They were far too cautious to be ordinary bandits.
There was no sign they intended to attack.
They were simply watching.
‘An organized group… Is this a coincidence, or were we being targeted from the beginning?’
Either way, it was trouble.
I decided not to mention it to the shop owners.
There was no point making them anxious.
As I came down the hill, Rowena noticed something was wrong and hurried over.
“What’s wrong, Ed?”
Meeting her worried eyes, I forced a gentle smile.
“It’s nothing. We should reach the first ranch soon. Hopefully they still have some meat left.”
“Mhm! Meat!”
She nodded happily before running back toward the wagons.
By evening, we finally arrived at our destination.
But what spread before us wasn’t a thriving ranch.
It was devastation.
The fences surrounding the property had been smashed apart.
The barn doors had been ripped from their hinges and left lying on the ground.
The smell in the air wasn’t just livestock manure.
There was also the unmistakable scent of dried blood.
“W-What… what happened here…?”
One of the shop owners climbed down from his wagon, speechless.
I immediately dismounted and began examining the area.
Fresh wagon tracks were deeply etched into the ground.
There had been several wagons.
Bloodstains were scattered here and there, clear evidence that a struggle had taken place.
‘The livestock were taken by force… But this was carried out far too efficiently. This wasn’t the work of ordinary thieves.’
As I pieced together the scene, a worn-out man emerged from what appeared to be the ranch owner’s house.
“You people… are from the shops in Vaide, aren’t you? As you can see… there’s no livestock left to sell.”
According to him, armed men had attacked a few nights earlier.
“They took every fully grown cow and pig we had. Anyone who resisted was beaten… Some of the animals were butchered on the spot… The only ones left are calves too young for meat.”
Just as he said, the mournful cries of calves searching for their parents echoed from deep inside the barn.
Seeing the heartbreaking scene, Rowena lowered her head sadly.
“That’s awful…”
Then she looked up at me, tears welling in her eyes.
“…There’s no meat.”
I gently stroked her head before making my decision.
“Innkeeper, let’s head to the next ranch immediately. Which one is closest from here?”