Just as the mute ranger Kleios sinks into despair, a window on the second floor of the building across the street swings open.

  Then he hears a voice that has haunted him like a nightmare all this time.

  “Hey! It’s te at night. Can you let people sleep? Still not done fighting at this hour?”

  Henwell pushes open the window, leans on the sill, and shouts down at the crowd below.

  The mercenaries look utterly confused.

  After a moment, their leader snaps back coldly, “Don’t want to live anymore? Then go sleep quietly! If you still find it noisy, cut off your ears, then you won’t hear a thing. Also, your breath stinks. Maybe I should pull out your tongue!”

  Henwell tilts his head, eyeing the man below, and points to himself. “Are you talking to me? Pnning to cut off my ears and pull out my tongue?”

  “What? Are you deaf now?!”

  Before the mercenary leader finishes, he’s shocked to see the mute ranger Kleios kneel on one knee, long sword touching the ground, giving a solemn salute.

  Then the mercenary leader realizes that salute isn’t for him, it’s for Henwell up in the window.

  His heart skips a beat as he senses things might be worse than he thought.

  Henwell’s status could be higher than he imagined.

  After all, the mute ranger is quite formidable, rumored to be a Battle Knight.

  If not for his severe injuries, the mercenary leader probably wouldn’t st a few moves against him.

  Anyone receiving such a respectful salute from the mute ranger clearly isn’t someone ordinary.

  Still, the mercenary leader forces himself to stay calm.

  “Sir, do you intend to intervene? Do you know who issued this bounty? It’s from Viscount Daryl of the Duchy and the Torch Guild of the Trade Alliance! This man harmed the Viscount’s second son and must pay the price. Our actions have the Duchy’s legal approval. Anyone interfering will be treated as an accomplice.”

  Henwell leans against the window. “Oh? So if I intervene, you’ll kill me?”

  The mercenary leader bows slightly. “Sir, I apologize for my earlier rudeness, but this man is a criminal of the Duchy. Please don’t put us in a difficult position, you clearly are a person of nobility and don’t need to take such risks. We’re hunting a murderer, and swords have no eyes. It wouldn’t be good if you were hurt.”

  Henwell sneers. “Heh… why beat around the bush? You’re probably thinking that even if you kill me, you can pin the bme on this mute guy. The vilin is fierce, struggling desperately, injures innocent bystanders nearby, and one of them ends up dead. So you fight valiantly to kill the vilin and avenge the innocent! Sounds pretty reasonable, doesn’t it?”

  He then looks at the stunned mercenary leader. “Don’t be so surprised! You want to know how I know what you’re thinking? Because I do the same thing all the time! But I have to criticize you mercenaries, you’re terrible at your job and ck any insight. When it comes to scheming, you’re even worse. If you’ve survived this long, you should really thank the Duchy’s generous environment.”

  Henwell turns away from the mercenary leader, whose face has gone pale, and his gaze shifts past the crowd to Kleios.

  “Hey, mute! These mercenaries are really in my way. Can you help me get rid of them?”

  Kleios freezes for a moment, then a fierce will to survive lights up his eyes.

  He knows this might be his chance to live.

  But he knows the man upstairs well. If he’s asked to wipe out these mercenaries, he has to do it. Otherwise, he won’t earn his protection.

  With that thought, Kleios slowly rises, gripping his longsword tightly.

  Under the horrified stares of the mercenaries, Kleios charges forward with his bde raised.

  More than ten minutes ter, a light rain begins to fall.

  Bloodied, Kleios colpses to the ground, the rain washing his blood into a spreading red halo around him.

  Around him lie the bodies of mercenaries, scattered in every direction.

  Exhausted from completing the task, Kleios still forces himself to crawl toward the inn.

  The few meters stretch painfully as Kleios crawls for two full minutes before finally reaching the threshold.

  He doesn’t dare pause, not even for a second.

  Even moving a few centimeters, he grits his teeth and pushes on.

  He knows he’s running on empty, one wrong breath, and he might never wake up again.

  Just as Kleios drags himself onto the threshold, groups of people rush in from both ends of the street.

  Those with sharp eyes spot Kleios in front of the inn, illuminated by the faint light at the doorway.

  They immediately shout out, “The target’s right there!”

  Both sides hear the call and break into a mad sprint toward the inn.

  Using his st ounce of strength, Kleios crawls over the threshold and rolls inside.

  Listening to the approaching shouts and battle cries, Kleios braces himself for the final judgment of fate.

  Suddenly, a cold gleam fshes down, a lone longsword thrust firmly into the inn’s doorway.

  The crowd halts abruptly, curious eyes turning upward to the second floor where Henwell stands.

  Henwell points down and decres, “This man’s life is under my protection! Anyone who crosses this sword dies! And it’s not just you who’ll die, your masters behind you will pay for your recklessness and provocation!”

  He adds solemnly, “Let me make this clear. I am a Padin of the Holy Spirit Church, responsible for patrolling the continent.”

  Seeing no reaction below, Henwell inwardly scoffs. The reputation of the Holy Spirit Church only holds weight in certain circles!

  He sighs and continues, “Maybe I should use another title. I’m Henwell! Henwell Rudolph Phoenix! Blood Hill Knight Lord of the Vorry Kingdom and ruler of Peace Haven!”

  Looking down at the stunned crowd standing in the rain, Henwell feels his own name carries more weight.

  But then irritation fres.

  He notices suspicious looks aimed his way.

  Henwell scowls, “Get lost! Who else dares to impersonate me? Don’t disturb my rest. It’s only because I’m getting married this year that I’m holding back. Otherwise, your provocation alone would give me reason to carve a piece out of the Lumir Duchy!”

  At that moment, a squad of armored knights charges up from nearby.

  Their leader shouts at the crowd, “Move along, now!”

  Then he bows slightly to Henwell. “We apologize for any offense, sir. We will accompany you on your way.”

  These knights are the elite of Lumir Duchy—the Holy Lake Knights Order!

  Henwell, always a troublemaker, naturally draws serious attention once discovered crossing into Lumir.

  After Henwell left Kriye City, word spread quickly.

  Count Lierul immediately alerted the nearest Holy Lake Knights, who have been in pursuit ever since.