The Kingmaker System-Chapter 72 - 71. A Fiery Priest (1)

The dry wind and the dust made me wonder if we were still in Winter season as the carriage moved further and further to the west away from the Northern Territory. It had been almost a month since we left Frosthail behind.

Jumping the Gate was a piece of cake since I had wings, I just had to carry Lyall with me. His reaction was pretty funny when he was flying so high up the humongous walls. His eyes were so wide and the way he looked down at the landscape that was way below us was almost like a kid.

He had no idea that I had wings, I didn’t show him but he was impressed.

I had been sleeping for a while but the sudden jerks and lurches of the dirt path irked me. The other four people who were the fellow travelers started shouting and panicking making me groan. The carriage lurched to a halt and I groaned a little as I cracked open a single eye to look at Lyall.

"What’s wrong?" I grumbled.

"A little hitch, please go back to sleep, Master. I’ll resolve it." Lyall spoke.

I closed my eyes again and relaxed inhaling the scent of dogs and blood. It was the same as how it had been for days, Lyall had been taking care of these little hurdles on his own throughout the way. And everytime he did so, he shocked the people anew, just like the ones in this carriage which we changed around three days ago. freēnovelkiss.com

"Wha-What is he doing?"

"Oi, come back!"

"You can’t defeat all of them alone-"

"I’ll go along."

The people around me started shouting while I waited hearing the sound of the blade tearing through the thick wet sack-like thing and the howls and yelps before there was silence except for the whooshing wind.

"Ho-How is that..."

"He... What is he?"

The people gasped and after a few seconds, I felt the seat beside me being taken.

"Please keep moving." Lyall spoke up.

"Ah... Yes."

The carriage was a normal public use horse-driven carriage and the reason why we took this carriage was because we couldn’t teleport such a long distance with the teleportation device that I had.

Silas was still in process of making a teleportation device that could cut the travel of months into minutes. Till then, we would have to travel at least seventy percent of the distance before we could use the teleportation device. And the reason why I couldn’t use wings was because I couldn’t carry two people for long distance.

Besides, this dry wind was starting to make me dehydrated, I was a person who coordinated with ice and water elements so, this dry environment was an irritating factor.

The dusk settled quite late in the dry land at the outskirts of the Mordino kingdom. We still hadn’t crossed the border but this place was known as the final stretch of land before we entered the kingdom. This land which was nothing but a dry wasteland that was being swallowed up by the desert.

Mordino kingdom was known for its warm temperatures and exotic culture. Mordino had enjoyed peace for several centuries after the war between the three human kingdoms had ended. However, there were the clouds of civil war threatening over this peaceful land and the reason was the present King.

The greedy piece of work who was running amok for every little crime that the people commited, but aside from being so cruel, he was a sly person who also knew how to make things go his way.

And the most important thing about him was that he was said to be a crazy mage as well.

So, apart from being in a powerful position and with a shitty attitude, he was also strong on his own.

Finally after the whole day’s travel the carriage stopped at an inn when the dusk settled in.

Lyall booked a room for me and himself and we rested for the night after dinner. The fellow travelers were still shocked after witnessing Lyall’s bravery.

I could feel their curious gazes on me as well. I wasn’t caring much because I had changed my appearance from Ocean’s. I had the same body as Ocean’s but I had changed my hair color from blue to black and eyes from blue to red.

"Um... Are you two from Sestia?" I turned my head and looked at the man who was travelling with his son. He was a merchant from Sestia aging in mid-fifties.

His brown hair was starting to go grey with age but his green eyes were still carrying the intelligence that he had gathered through his experience and travel.

"Not really," I lied.

"Ah, apologies. Would it be all right if I say with you?" He asked.

"Sure, go ahead." I gestured at the empty seat in front of me and he sat down placing a bottle of wine on the table.

"Would you like some drink? This is the best wine that I have." He offered.

"I don’t drink."

"Is that so? Then, if you don’t mind, I’ll pour myself some."

I gestured for him to go ahead and he poured himself the wine and downed the first glass in a go.

"Are you merchant or..." His eyes drifted to Lyall’s sword as his cheeks slowly started turning red.

"Perhaps mercenaries?"

"I’m a traveller, name’s Ace D’Arc and this guy is my attendant Zoro." I pointed my thumb at Lyall lying easily.

"Ah, is that so?" The merchant smiled and poured himself another drink.

"My name is Everett Blackwood, I’m the leader of Blackwood merchant guild."

I recognised that name, this was the guy who basically went back and forth between kingdoms importing spices and the other goods from Mordino and exporting timber, salt and other goods.

I didn’t expect such a person to be met like this.

"Are you traveling to Mordino for sightseeing?" He asked.

"Yes," I lied and he nodded pouring another glass down his throat.

"I’ve heard of your guild. It’s quite famous and stands first amongst the other guilds, isn’t that right?" I spoke and he smiled downing another glass.

"I’m delighted to hear that it took me and my father a long time to reach to this point. We kept traveling far and wide gathering information and the best resources and selling it in distant lands before we managed to lay a proper foundation."

"I can understand, it really takes a lot of time and effort for anything to reach at the level where it could be said to be the best."

"I concur!" He drawled loudly with a grin.

Everett’s cheeks were flushed and his eyes had gone all red by now as he seemed like he was drunk.

"Besides, where have you been traveling from?" He asked.

"Wherever the road took us from." I answered and he laughed boisterously.

"He’s drunk." Lyall commented.

"Quite a life you’ve got there, Mr D’Arc. Must be nice to keep traveling the world without a care in the world."

"It is."

If only you knew...

"How I wish I were like you!" He spoke as he slumped over the table making me smile.

"Father?!" I heard a voice and saw his son quickly rushing over to him.

The boy seemed like he was in his late teens or early teens with his boyish age still making his cheeks look round.

"I apologise in stead of my father,"

The boy said as he tried to pull his father’s shoulders.

"It’s fine, he must be exhausted by the traveling and with no one new to talk to."

"Let go, Phillip. I’m having a nice talk with this gentleman here." Everett pushed his son away.

"Father, stop it already!"

"You, stop it!" Everett snapped at his son.

"Now, now, Mr Blackwood. Your son is only worried about you, we can talk tomorrow on our way. There’s still two more days before we reach at our destination." I said with a smile.

"Right, right..." Everett finally agreed to go with his son.

"Thank you." Phillip thanked me again before he hauled his father towards the stairs.

"I wonder if he gets drunk like this every time he meets up with a stranger." I mumbled.

"It’s dangerous for a person of his standing."

I rose from my seat as well and went up to my room before retiring for the night.

The next day we hit the road again, Everett sat beside me and went on and on about his travels while I listened quietly. His stories seemed amusing and somehow I also noticed how he was eager to share his stories to anyone who would offer their ear. For now, it was me.

"So, how long have you been traveling?" He asked.

"About three months."

"And before that?"

"I was at my father’s place,"

"What does your father do?"

"He’s a nobleman, since he’s preparing my brother for his position so, I took my opportunity to hit the road and do what I want."

"Do you like traveling?"

"You see... I’ve been a sickly child since the beginning so, I was mostly indoors for almost all my life and now that I have recovered I decided to set out and experience the phases of this world."

It was almost evening till we reached near an establishment which wasn’t an inn as I had expected and the carriage stopped there.

"Eh, why are we stopping here?" Everett asked the carriage driver.

"That priest had been waving at me,"

The carriage driver pointed ahead and I peeked out.

"What’s wrong, Father?" Everett asked.

"It will be better if you don’t go ahead from this point." The priest who stood over six foot said while placing his hands on his hips.

He had sharp gray eyes and red hair tousled over his head hanging over his forehead and skin that seemed like it was made of chocolate. He was dressed in a white cassock making him seem like a priest if only speaking by his attire.

Well, that was my first meeting with the guy who was capable of becoming a good friend and an ally of mine.