Chapter 3: Horus Durkton (III)

The morning sun touched his beige-colored skin as he dressed himself up. He was pleased since the breakfast the maid brought was light and warm, which reminded Clay of his grandmother's cooking.

"Young master Hok, the carriage is ready."

He had already told Gil late yesterday afternoon to prepare him a carriage in advance. He told Gil he had to buy something in Franz City, a city intersecting the region between the Flint and Durkton territories. His real motive, however, is going to Enn Village, the village where Axel's home resides.

"The knight that will guide you is also waiting outside."

Horus recalled his conversation with Gil yesterday. He was relieved when he asked Gil to tell the Count that he was going somewhere in the morning. Gil, who was handing him the pouch of his allowance, casually replied.

'The Count said he will approve it, but as long as you bring a knight with you, of course.'

"Enter."

Horus tidied up his thin-layered but elegantly weaved clothes as he spoke. Gil entered so, bowing while also handing him a small rectangular-shaped case.

Horus took it and slowly opened it. It was a pair of simple but elegant black sunglasses.

"What is this for?"

He gave Gil a puzzled expression as he suddenly remembered that Horus often wore sunglasses in the academy. He didn't know why, perhaps for fashion, so he just accepted it.

"Young master, I thought-"

"Ah..., thanks."

He interrupted the concerned butler as he casually wore it while walking past him.

"I'm off. Tell father I'll be back before daybreak."

The gates swung wide open as he stepped off the ledge where the main hall and the estate garden met.

An opulent-looking carriage with a griffin crest was waiting by the gate. A knight and a coachman were standing side by side at the entrance of the carriage.

"Young master, my name is Dale, and I was assigned to be your guardian knight for today."

The old coachman and young and tall, brown-haired knight bowed as Horus arrived at the carriage. Horus waved a hand to indicate them to unbow themselves as he helped himself to enter the carriage.

The coachman sat on the carriage's front ledge while the knight mounted on a half-armored horse behind it. The carriage started to move as Horus whipped out the map he had drawn himself last night from his pocket. It's a small, dreadfully drawn map of the western side of the Franz City.

He knew he'd need some map to sneak away to the city's north-western outskirts, the location of the Enn Village.

'It will take about 40 minutes to reach the city by carriage, plus 20 minutes to the village while walking.'

In a quiet but well-lit room in the Durkton estate with shelves on each corner, a table with cluttered papers on top stood in the middle. A man on the seat was brushing his temples, letting off a fatigued expression. It was Count Glen reading the recent reports from the north.

Gil was also there, pouring a cup of tea he brewed for the Count. The Count let his hands fall from his temples as he started to speak.

"The hunting season this year is quite early."

"It is indeed. The number of hunters also doubled this year. I already sent a letter to Count Flint to address it as you requested, my lord."

The Count sighed as he was still unsatisfied. His tiredness and worried expression were visible on his face.

"However, I still doubt if he will comply with it. Gil, send Duchess Therese the letter I prepared. It's time to face the naughty Flint."

"Yes, my lord."

As Gil was about to pick up a letter from a small drawer beside the desk, Count asked with a concerned expression.

"Ah, Gil. Has Hoky left already?"

"Yes, my lord. He just left a few minutes ago."

Count Glen slowly nodded as he took one paper and stamped it.

"I worry about him a lot these days. The little kid is looking more mature as time passes by."

"Ah..., indeed, my lord. Especially since yesterday. The young master's way of talking has been more mature..., in a way."

Gil was hesitating while speaking as the Count just laughed it off.

"Haha, yes. My Hoky is still as needy as ever, though."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, my lord. The young lord also said that he will be back before daybreak."

"Just let him be. Make sure you send Greze to tail him."

At that moment, the Count smirked despite his tired expression. Gil smiled as he slowly bowed to the Count as he exited the room.

"As you wish, my lord."

A tall, thick wall made of cobblestone met Horus' sight as he started to hear the faint, bustling noise of the Franz City.

The pathway cuts that wall into two, leaving a space that seems to be the southern entrance. Few guards wearing shabby armor with spears are standing by that space as the carriage approaches. They bowed as the carriage with the griffin crest passed through.

'It's more of a shanty town than a city.'

The southern part of Franz City is filled with old, rustic establishments as the carriage passes through the main street. Sometimes, there are certain occasions when Horus could see alleys with slums between establishments. Stands, vendors, and people with shabby clothes would inhabit the sides of the way.

As the carriage was approaching downtown, the buildings in the street were getting more decent as it seemed to him. At the end of the pathway of the carriage, a circular cobblestone fountain was visible with a cluttered crowd of people around it.

When the carriage eventually stopped, Horus hopped off while realigning his sunglasses. People sitting on the edge of the fountain and passers-by would frequently take a glimpse at the fancy carriage.

The brown-haired knight, Dale, mounted off his horse as he addressed Horus.

"Young master, could you tell me where you are off to?"

"Coffee shop. My usual spot."

Horus already planned where he would sneak. In the book, Horus often meets with his followers in that coffee shop. It was a fancy, recognized coffee shop in the northern part of the city.

"Should I guide you there, young master?"

Dale prompted as Horus nodded nonchalantly. Horus can't refuse since he needs to avoid suspicion.

"Hmm."

While strolling on a cobblestone pavement with a knight following him on his back, he realized that the northern part of the city is much more developed than the southern part. His hands were in his pockets, clutching the pouch of gold coins as he stepped.

One observation he did conclude is that the north is much smaller than the large south with the slums. Unlike the run-down establishments and shabby-looking people he saw when he was on the carriage in the south, the buildings in the area he was strolling were much more developed.

He was relatively surprised since the book didn't mention anything about it.

'Even in this world, the social divide is as worse.'

Upon reaching the street where the two-floor coffee shop stood, he took his right hand off his pocket as he flipped a gold coin to the knight behind him. Dale quickly caught it, almost losing his balance. Horus did it without looking or turning as he was walking straight.

"Meet me here at daybreak. I'll stay there for a while."

Dale stopped as he looked at the back of his aloof-looking young master with a confused expression. He turned his gaze on the coin worth a thousand colts in his hand.

There were only a few people in the coffee shop. They were either having their late breakfast as it was almost noon or enjoying a cup of coffee with a book in their hand.

The interior of the coffee shop seemed minimal but neat. There were only a few decorations and indoor plants hanging on the walls. Horus could see a board at the entrance that indicated that they serve all sorts of coffee, tea, and pastry.

'Just a typical coffee shop, I wonder.'

This coffee shop is a two-story establishment. The first and second floors of the shop are physically similar. However, there is a hidden difference in the 'baristas' appointed on each floor of this establishment. Only a few people, generally nobles, were aware of this fact.

The baristas of the first floor were your typical employee of a coffee shop working to serve and prepare what's on the shop's menu. On the other hand, the second-floor 'baristas' offer more than the former. They would also provide all sorts of information and particular services for a fee.

On the eastern side of the ground floor, a wooden staircase was there leading upstairs - and there lies the real intention of Horus choosing this shop as a place to sneak off. Without hesitation and much of an expression, he started strolling towards it.

He took slow steps and saw a wooden door at the end of the stairs. There was a sign hanging on the door which reads 'for attendants only.' Horus could easily read it, of course.

"Young master Hok!"

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As he was about to knock on the door, it opened almost instantly with a lively voice of a man coming next. It was loud enough to make Horus think of covering his ears.

The man had pale green hair, uneven dark skin, and deep brown eyes, perhaps in his mid-twenties.

"Vincent."

Vincent. He was one of Horus' followers. He was a 'barista' on the second floor of this shop.

In the original plot, Horus often used Vincent to do various jobs. Spying, poisoning, kidnapping, torture - he accepted all sorts of jobs for extra money.

Clay knew he would be here. He had no idea about Vincent's past or how they got to know each other, as the book never mentioned anything about it. It only indicated that he came from the slums and became a 'barista' with Horus' help.

In the third volume, Horus will use this Vincent to torture Axel's closest friend, Kled. In turn, Kled will die from too much blood loss from Vincent's endless lashing of a razored whip. Thinking about it made Horus, by Clay's conscience, feel both fear and anger at Vincent's bright and lively expression.

Horus looked at him indifferently as he sat on one of the seats around the circular table nearby the stairs. He leaned on the seat comfortably and adjusted his sunglasses as he started to speak.

"I have a job for you."

Vincent's eagerly closed the door as his expression quickly changed. He was now smirking, clasping his hands as if he was rejoiced to get a job for a while.

"You familiar with the Enn Village?"

Horus asked as another barista put a steaming cup of tea in front of him. The barista had a face full of scars but still gave off a calm, obedient expression.

'They look more like a mercenary than a barista.'

"Certainly. I was born from there, after all."

Gently holding the porcelain tea cup, warm steam came through Horus' nose as he took a sip. Clay, personally, is not fond of teas as he prefers coffee.

"You're from the Enn Village?"

"Yes..."

It took Vincent a moment to give that short reply. Vincent was leaning on the counter with a slightly raised eyebrow as if he was uncertain of something.

"Great. I am looking for someone to guide me there. I need to talk to someone living there."

The tap of the porcelain teacup on the small plate echoed into the room as Horus noticed Vincent started to move, picking up a small rucksack under the counter.

"Let's go, young master."

"You know we are moving right now?"

There was a short moment of silence after Horus asked. He turned to Vincent as he saw him smirking, almost sneeringly.

"There's a commotion there right now."

"A commotion?"

"Hmm..."

Vincent nodded and closed his eyes as he told him what was happening in the village.

"Hunters. The inns in the village are full of them. The hunting season is supposed to happen in winter, but this year's quite early. You're going to meet a hunter?"

'A hunter? Aren't they supposed to appear around the third volume?'

Hunters. As far as he knows, there are two types of hunters: hunters who hunt deers, bears, or wildlife as a way to live and hunters who hunt tribespeople and loot their belongings.

'There's only one clan of tribespeople living nearby the Enn Village.'

Tribespeople is humans who can transform into a beast. They typically lived isolated from civilization and had their dialect, culture, and tradition.

"No. I need to get in touch with someone."

Horus replied as he stood. Vincent started opening the other door behind the counter. It's a door with stairs below it leading to the alley at the back of the coffee shop. Horus expected that an exit like this would exist in the building.

As the two reached the ledge of the alleyway, Vincent started to lead the way as Horus followed. The alley was short, joining two streets on its ends. They were heading the west, towards the direction leading to something loud.

They reached the narrow, crowded street bustling with loud mutterings of people and galloping horses.

"I know a shortcut here! It might take thirty minutes or so to reach the village walking!"

Horus nodded and continued to trail him with caution. The street reeks of a heavy, dry odor caused by the dirt and likely by the people there. He can't hold himself back from glancing at the people on the street.

"Thirty-seven colts! Thirty-seven colts for this sword!"

"Moma, I'm hungry..."

"Ah! Some bastards swiped my fruits!"

"Ahem... Can I get this for seventeen colts?"

The noises started to fade as they got closer to the tall cobblestone wall dividing the city and Glimp Forest in the west. The two could see the eastern city entrance with only a few guards stationed.

"This entrance is the easiest way to enter or exit the city. There are only two to three guards stationed here."

Vincent whispered as he paused in a nearby wall. He took an ax from his bag and strapped a belt with a short scabbard on it around his waist.

'He's not going to resort to violence, isn't he?'

Horus was looking at him with curiosity as he was trying to figure out what is this guy planning.

"Ha... Here goes nothing."

Walking towards the guards with Horus tailing him on his back, he started to pull off a seemingly business smile. The haft of the ax was resting on his shoulder as he began to speak.

"Coming through!"

The two guards started whispering to each other. Holding their spears tightly, they look like they knew already what was about to happen.

"You..., again? I can't let you exit this time. The Count was getting fussy about hunters coming in and out this morning."

"Ah, but I have to gather some woods, friends."

The other guard started to sneer as he spoke.

"Heh. You? Woods? You're on the wanted list last week in the northern post. What did you do this time, huh? You're lucky the watchman let you off the hook easily that time."

"Ha, I was innocent that-"

As he failed to convince the standing guards, Horus placed a hand on Vincent's stiff, tensed shoulder, giving him an I've got this look. His other hand was casually flipping gold coins up and down.

The guards stared at the noble-looking guy wearing sunglasses beside Vincent. Their sour, scoffing expressions quickly transitioned to something else as the two guards started glancing at each other.

"O-of course, t-there are exceptions, right Brant?"

"Ah, o-of course, Zeke. Kekeke."

Horus, that noble-looking guy, flipped the coins in the direction where the guards were standing. They quickly took it, almost losing their balance as they did. He started walking past them with a faint, confident smirk.

"What are you waiting for?"

He turned his attention to Vincent, who was standing there frozen. Vincent quickly regained his senses as he strolled to him.

The guards were smiling wide at them. Horus threw another gold coin as it fell on the dirt floor and turned to his back, facing a dirt path leading to a forest.

"W-what is this for, s-sir?"

One of the guards, Zeke, asked Horus. He quickly replied without facing them.

"That's for bailing this guy out."

Instead, he walked away from the post, facing the Glimp Forest, with his hands in his pockets. Vincent naturally followed him with a flabbergasted expression.

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