Chapter 7: 7: Encounter (IV)

The inn's plain wooden ceiling and minimal wall decors reminded Horus of the Silver Canary Cafe. Being the owner of the two establishments are the same, it wouldn't be too much of an unexpected sight. It looked modest, and he couldn't ignore the fact that he liked it.

They stepped inside the lobby of the inn. There were a few people inside, and based on their outlandish outfits, most of them must be travelers crossing the Durkton-Flint border who happened to rest in the inn.

"Sir Basil and the children are upstairs."

Vincent spoke, waving in hands forward to a figure of a woman coming close. All eyes turned in the same direction to the charismatic lady strutting toward them.

"Ah, this is Lady Milda, the only and only owner of the Silver Canary Enterprise."

"It's a pleasure to meet the young lord of Durkton, Lord Horus."

With a face full of powder, a woman in her thirties was wearing a slim red dress that suited her petite body, curtly bowed towards Horus, unbothered by his shabby, dirtied attire. It fits her black hair in a flawless high bun without loose strands.

<Lady Milda Laprechoin>

She was the noble daughter from the fallen household of Laprechoin Barony. In the book, she was a remarkable, talented merchant. She initially formed her roots as a businesswoman in the Franz City, owning various small commercial outlets using the title of Silver Canary.

Three years from now, she will establish the Silver Canary Merchant Guild that will dominate the trading industry in the Golian Kingdom without backing from any noble families. Her exceptional skills as a merchant are something that one shouldn't ignore. But of course, Horus knew one secret about her future success.

'Prophecy.'

It's a hidden ability allegedly passed on generations in the Laprechoin bloodline. People had thought it was just a legend since the recent generations of Laprechoin heirs don't possess such skill. However, Milda secretly awakened the mythical skill.

'I can't believe such a woman is bowing curtly to me.'

Around these times, she would be starting her connections. Horus figured that she might have foreseen his arrival using her skill. In the novel, she was neither a curtsy nor a courteous woman, especially to nobles; in fact, she resented them. The book further described her as a prideful, affluent, and ambitious merchant who flipped the merchant scene in the kingdom.

"Welcome to my humble inn, young lord. Please enjoy your stay."

With a confident tone and bright, welcoming expression, she spoke. Almost dazed by the sudden appearance, Horus started to reply, mimicking the same charismatic style the lady had given him.

"It's my pleasure to meet the still young lady of the Laprechoin."

Horus kneeled, took her hand, and gave her a hand kiss. In turn, she relished a delighted smile on the sunglassed guy in front of her.

"The Laprechoin is just an ashen name now, Lord Horus."

"But the beauty in the bloodline remained."

'This boy...'

Despite the light, lively atmosphere she gives off, Milda was internally baffled.

The Laprechoins are known for their beauty, etiquette, and fashion sense. Before the Laprechoins had fallen, they often got chosen to host noble gatherings and auctions in Flint County because of their light and accommodating demeanor.

'As expected... my sixth sense is correct.'

"Hoho, please, Lord Horus. I never thought Count Durkton's son was such a nice young youth."

She giggled. Her hand hid her lips.

"It is just to show such respect to a fine lady like yourself, Lady Milda."

"Hoho, all the pleasure is mine, young lord. Please enjoy your stay."

Dale and Vincent stood frozen, looking at each other as they observed the conversing two.

'Is he the young master that I know?'

'Lady Milda is unmarried, gorgeous, and all, but does the young master know that the lady is thirty-two now?'

Unaware of the loud thoughts of the two, Horus and Lady Milda continued their chattering as they strolled upstairs.

"The last door in this hallway is the best room in this inn. I hope it suits your taste, young lord. Let me know if you need anything else."

"I will certainly do, Lady Milda."

The room provided to him wasn't much than his room in the Durkton Estate, but he was satisfied with the consistent internal decor of the inn.

After taking a warm bath, he dressed in one of the new attires Vincent handed him, making him wonder if Vincent could make a good butler. He then headed downstairs to one of the private dining rooms that Vincent exclusively arranged for them. 

Horus had already ordered Dale to contact the Count that he would be staying in the inn and will be back tomorrow at noon. Of course, he knew he had to let the Count, his father, know his whereabouts.

"Young master"

"Mister Horus"*

As he entered, Vincent welcomed him as the young wolf children and Basil were already at the table. Their plate had a raw steak on them, and there was one plate with the cooked steak at the end of the long table. Horus sat on that seat.

The nine wolf children, including Basil, dressed more decent now, wearing a brown coat with a hood that hid their canine ears.

Without words or a bib on his neck, Horus started digging into his plate when his eyes met the meal for him. Basil and the wolf children gaped at him blankly.

"What?"*

Horus uttered in the wolf language while chewing. They all looked away in all different directions at the same time.

"Eat. Aren't you hungry? I'm hungry."*

Horus hadn't eaten anything yet today besides breakfast. It was a long hefty day.

As they all turned toward their food, Horus noticed they were struggling to hold the cutlery. Some of them are clumsily stabbing and poking the raw meat.

"Eat it with your hands. You guys washed your hands?"*

"We did."*

Basil quickly replied then Ota followed.

"Sir Vincent told us to wash first."*

They all started to grab the meat in all different ways and took a wide bite of it. The sight dazed Horus, but he knew they all ate that way.

Vincent, who was now behind Horus, started to whisper.

"Don't worry, young master. I taught them basic hand hygiene."

Vincent then walked behind one of the wolf children and steered the kid's hand, guiding the kid to use the knife and fork.

At that moment, Horus turned to Basil, who was beside him but was not eating, head lowered. Basil shuddered as he met Horus' crimson eyes.

"S-sir I-"

"Ah."

He recalled that Basil was half-paralyzed. The still-chewing Horus took his knife and fork and sliced his raw steak into small pieces.

"I c-can do it-"*

He then shoved a piece of it into Basil's mouth with the fork, ignoring what he was about to say.

"Chew it well."*

They all finished their meals with a satisfied look on their face. The wolf children were muttering together as Vincent led them outside the dining room to upstairs. Behind them, Horus and Basil followed.

"Come with me."

Horus whispered to Basil, who was following behind him. Upstairs, Horus was about to grab the doorknob of his room, but he sighed as he heard murmurs coming beyond it.

As he opened the door, he frowned as two figures appeared in his sight: Greze and Axel, sitting on the couches in front of the bed.

"Ah, young master, welcome back."

Greze remarked, looking like a mess as Axel. They don't seem to be injured, but they seem to have been run over by a truck. Their face and attire are full of scratches, dust, and dirt.

"Report what happened."

Horus sat on the edge of the bed, arms crossed. He motioned Basil to sit somewhere as the two started to talk. Greze spoke first.

"As you had predicted, young master, there was a Wolf Den in the north. But when I got there, the wolf elders were all already paralyzed."

'As expected.'

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"They were all already chained, some tied up with ropes. When I stepped in, I met the leader of the hunters. His name is Oberon, a five-grade lightning mage."

Greze paused for a moment, sighing as he turned to Basil. He was wondering if the wolf in the room could understand his mutterings.

"I fought the mage, but I was careful to avoid getting the elders caught in the fight. I landed several hits on the mage, but the mage started shooting an all-around attack. That's when this brat stepped in."

At that moment, Axel interrupted.

"I blocked the attack, and the elders were all safe."

"Thank heavens..."*

Horus glanced at the source of that mumble, Basil, as he motioned Greze to continue.

"But the attack of the mage started a forest fire. I was about to head to the village to get help, but there was a lady who helped us."

'A lady?'

"She's a fine water mage. I think she's at least a three-grade mage."

"Ahem."

Axel awkwardly coughed as Greze continued to report.

"Also, the mage seemed to be knowledgeable about medicine too. Right now, the mage is treating the elder wolves in the den."

"Haha... Ha."

Horus forced a laugh that sounded more like a sigh, making Axel and Greze stiffen momentarily. He was baffled. That lady mage, he knew who she might be. No, he was sure who she might be.

<Elyana 'Effelia' De Evron>

She's a herbalist and sorceress that appeared at the end of volume one and became the main character in the next volume.

"Y-you knew her?"

Axel asked stutteringly. All of them locked at Horus, waiting for a reply.

"Who knows."

He coldly responded as he sighed once more. They all looked at him with puzzled expressions. 

'Ha... I thought it was already a leap of faith to Basil on my way to meet Axel, but Effelia?'

He doesn't want to encounter more of the main characters, but he is not sure anymore. Based on the current plot, the time now indicates the end of the first volume.

<When a massive forest fire came to the Enn Village, a young sorceress arrived to put out the immense blaze. The lady mage named herself just 'Effelia' and promised to help the people recover from the incident.>

'The book didn't mention the cause of the forest fire.'

Horus could now put the puzzle pieces together. Effelia must be the one who rescued Basil from the hunters. Basil has no memories of who saved him from the incident in the novel, but Horus' guts make him think that things happened that way. 

"Well, good work."

Horus remarked. As silence filled the room, he remembered something important that he should mention first.

"Ah, about the Vitality Essense."

Axel's expression turned grim at that moment. Horus, arms-crossed sitting with tired eyes without sunglasses, continued to speak.

"It is in someone's possession right now. Though, that someone doesn't know who what it is or what is its use." 

<Vitality Essense, a white, ethereal gem made by a concentrated pure aura of a mythical flying horse, a pegasus - a symbol of vitality.>

The book didn't elaborate on the consumable item in great detail. It only indicated that when a pegasus' life perishes, it is bound to leave a white, concentrated essence brimming with vitality. Of course, Horus is aware of the essence's full capabilities for Axel.

"There's a recently discovered tomb in the South Glimp Forest."

"You mean, by the Gilshire Academy?"

Horus nods to Axel's question as he continues.

"Professor Byron has it. It's in his alchemy lab on the western tower of the academy."

"W-what?"

Axel jolted as he stood. He knew a pegasus was a rare, once-in-a-lifetime creature that lived in the cold, temperate zones. But there's a pegasus tomb in the South Glimp Forest? It did not make sense to him.

"Well, I don't know either. But one thing is certain: that old man of a professor is pretty greedy. You have to give him something for him to hand it to you."

"But-"

Without leaving him a space to speak, Horus stubbornly continued without much of an expression.

"Ah, Sir Axel. Let me clarify things first. I only promised to tell you its whereabouts and how you will get it."

Axel's baffled expression suddenly changed at that moment; his grim expression turned into a smirk. Greze sighed at that sight, brushing his cyan hair. 

"Hahaha!"

Axel gave himself a face palm as he laughed. It didn't sound like a laugh by sarcasm or force, but it made Horus think if he was insane or what.

'I still don't forgive him for throwing my money, but he's smart enough to understand our deal in the first place. Plus, I don't want to deal with that old man.'

"I appreciate your help, young master Horus. I'm afraid it is the time for me to leave."

Horus motioned to Axel's unlikely way of parting with a frown on his face.

"Yeah, take care."

The door creaked as he exited. Greze also stood and walked by the window with a stiff shoulder. He is by the window as he speaks.

"I thought he was your friend, young master."

"He is not. Where are you heading, by the way?"

Horus asked, laying his body on the bed. Greze sighed once more as he lifted the opening of the window.

"Going back to the estate. Gotta contact the Count."

'He will certainly meet Merida.' 

Without waiting for a response, Greze mumbled as he hopped off the window.

"Well, have a good night, young master."

Horus noticed when he woke up that Basil slept on the edge of his bed, curling perhaps because of cold. Good thing the bed was big - enough to fit three people side by side. He wondered at first why Basil was still here, but he remembered he fell asleep last night as Greze left. He was tired, after all. 

As Horus stood up, he flipped the blanket around him to the sleeping young man, yawning, then took a bath. The bath wasn't too lavish as his experience in the Durkton Estate, but it did the job get him clean for the day.

After finishing breakfast in the same private dining room, Horus stood in front of the wolf children and Basil sitting around the long table. He plans on making Vincent bring them to their den in the forest before heading back to Durkton Estate.

'Don't worry. Your home should be safe now. My father is making plans on making hunting illegal from now on.'*

Those words made some of the wolf children smile in relief and some quiet, but they didn't have a choice but to accept it. Human society still doesn't regard them as beings under the same sun, but they learned today that there are still humans who treat them as one. 

On the carriage where the same coachman waited with Dale mounted his half-armored horse, Horus hopped on with a short parting word on the wolf children and Basil standing outside the inn.

"Farewell and grow well."*

All of them except the wolves had no idea what those words meant, but one thing for sure is that it made the wolves speechless, and some smiled with hope visible on their miniature faces.

He assured himself not to meddle with the Wolf Tribe or their issues from now. He was confident since Effelia and Axel were with them.

'I should now focus on preparing for the academy.'

He needed to study double time. He can't just go back to the academy without a bullet on his gun. Just thinking that he also had to deal with the students that Horus had bullied made him cringe in his seat and sigh deeply.

'What a mess.'

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