After nearly two weeks on the run, they finally encountered a familiar face.
Under normal circumstances, such a reunion would be a cause for celebration. However, Ren and Licia were on high alert. Stumbling upon Viscount Given’s knights this far out, especially given everything that had happened, felt far too calculated to be a mere coincidence.
Ren braced himself, ready to draw his sword and protect Licia at a moment’s notice.
"We were asked by Baron Clausel to assist in the search for you both," one of the knights called out.
"Searching for us?" Ren asked warily.
"Indeed. Now, we must leave this area at once. We’ll escort you to a safe location."
The claim was flimsy at best. Yet, they were completely surrounded. Though the woods seemed quiet, Ren couldn’t rule out the possibility that more knights were lurking in the shadows of the trees. It was clear these men had no intention of letting them pass quietly.
Ren weighed his options. Should they fight, or simply make a break for it?
The latter was the logical choice, but he hesitated. He wanted concrete evidence that Viscount Given had ordered the attack on his village, and he didn't want to let this opportunity slip away.
"Ren," Licia whispered, her voice meant only for him.
He looked at her and saw her gauging his expression. He realized then that she was thinking the same thing.
"Now that we’ve come this far, shall we see this through to the end?" he asked softly.
"Are you sure? You’ll be putting yourself in danger again, Ren."
"It’s a bit late to worry about that. I’m prepared for whatever comes next. Besides, I doubt they’ll let us go without a fight anyway."
Licia offered him a small, confident smile. Her voice turned sharp and dignified as she spoke. "Will you leave this to me?"
"Of course, Licia-sama. As you wish," Ren replied with equal composure.
The surrounding knights began to scowl, growing restless as the two children whispered amongst themselves.
"You there," Licia said, addressing one of the men.
"Me?" the knight replied. He was the same man who had served as Given’s messenger before.
"Yes. Whether or not we go with you depends entirely on your answer."
Licia reached into the packs slung across their horse's flank and pulled out the magic tool necklace. She held it out, letting it catch the light for the knights to see.
"Take a look. You recognize this, don't you?"
"I do not," the knight answered firmly.
"Oh? Your eyebrows twitched just now."
"As I said, I know nothing of it. What is that supposed to be?"
He was playing dumb, but Licia didn't back down. She was fishing for information, one step at a time.
"This is a magic tool I took from the bandits who abducted us."
"Is that so?"
"You don't seem particularly interested."
"On the contrary," the knight said, his tone shifting. "It is a vital piece of evidence. We should take custody of it immediately."
"I think not. I intend to have the Merchant Guild investigate this later."
The knights went stiff. Even Ren, standing behind her, was caught off guard by the claim, though he remained silent and listened.
"I became acquainted with the Guild Master during my last visit to the Imperial Capital. I'm sure they can help," she continued.
"And what exactly do you expect them to do?"
"To trace it, of course. To find the merchant who sold it, or perhaps the previous owner. I'll get the information one way or another."
"That's impossible," the knight scoffed. "Do you have any idea how many magic tools circulate within the Leomel Empire?"
"Perhaps. But this is clearly an expensive, high-quality item. It isn't a common piece of junk. It wouldn't be strange at all for someone to remember its history."
It was a total bluff, but Licia spoke with such conviction that the knights began to waver. Their unease was palpable.
"Once we have that information," Licia added, "we’ll know if the bandits bought it themselves or if someone gave it to them. If it’s the latter, the donor will have to explain themselves in a Court of Judgment, regardless of their status."
The knight gasped.
"After all, giving such a tool to bandits is as good as an attempt on our lives. Don’t you agree?"
Tension hung heavy in the air. Ren and Licia maintained their facade of calm, while the knights looked at one another, their confidence crumbling.
"Can she actually verify that?" one whispered.
"It's impossible," Licia whispered back to Ren, barely moving her lips. "Given isn't an idiot; he would have covered his tracks. Unless a high-ranking Great Noble stepped in to help us, it would never work."
"I figured as much."
"But watch. If I can plant even a seed of doubt..."
The lead knight spoke up, his voice forceful. "If the item is that important, then there is all the more reason to hand it over to us!"
"How foolish. I am under no obligation to give you anything. We are within my family's territory, and what happened at Ren’s village falls under our jurisdiction."
"But—!"
"Enough," Licia sighed. "I have no desire to be 'protected' by knights who lack basic reason. Ren, let’s go."
Following her lead, Ren pulled the reins. The knights panicked.
"You require an escort!"
"We don't. The town is close, and I don't trust anyone to guard me except for him."
"Guh... damn it..."
The knights hesitated for a moment longer before reaching a desperate conclusion.
"Forgive us, but you two are coming with us whether you like it or not!"
The knights spurred their horses forward to intercept them.
"Ren! I’ll take full responsibility. Ride! If they try to stop us, use your sword!"
"Understood!"
Ren kicked the horse's flanks, charging forward. As he tried to swerve past the knight in front of them, the man drew his sword and swung it in a wide arc. Ren intercepted the blow with his Iron Magic Sword. The knight’s blade chipped and gouged against the superior weapon, and in the follow-through, Ren’s blade caught the man across the back of his hand.
"You brat!"
As the knight reached out with his other hand, Licia extended her own. A brilliant flash of light erupted from her palm, searing the knight’s skin. He pulled back, a white burn marking his hand.
"Thank you, Sir Knight," Licia said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "How very foolish of you."
As their horses galloped past, she offered him a lovely, cold smile.
"Because you laid a hand on me, I now have the pretext I need to drag Viscount Given into court for a separate crime entirely."
"Damn you! After them! Don't let them get away!" the knight roared.
The outburst was as good as a confession. The moment they had entertained the possibility that her bluff was true, they had lost. They were so terrified of Given’s potential downfall that they had abandoned all reason, and Licia had exploited that fear perfectly.
"Don't kill them! But capture them at any cost!"
The pursuers were desperate now. They feared their master's wrath and the ruin that would follow his failure. Sweat poured down their faces as they pushed their mounts to the limit. However, Ren's Wooden Magic Sword created obstacles in their path, preventing them from closing the distance.
"Guh... the rest of you keep up the pursuit! I’m heading back to Clausel to report to the Viscount!"
The knight who knew Ren veered off the path. He, too, was acting out of pure desperation.
"Was this your plan all along, Licia-sama?" Ren asked, breathless.
"Now we've confirmed the link between Given and the Beastmaster. And since they attacked me, I have all the leverage I need to put the Viscount on the defensive."
"What if we hadn't run into them?"
"I knew we would. The Beastmaster failed to keep us contained; Given would have had everyone out searching for us. It was a calculated risk."
The distance between them and their pursuers continued to grow. The angry shouts faded into the distance, but neither of them could afford to relax.
The hours that followed were a blur of constant motion. They dodged patrols and avoided fresh groups of knights lying in wait along the main roads. Ren looked up at the sky.
"It's night already," he muttered.
His hands felt heavy on the reins, and a deep, bone-weary lethargy settled over him. They had been running for hours, and the strain was beginning to take its toll on both mind and body. Even their horse was slowing down, its breathing labored. They had only made it this far because of the brief snatches of rest they had managed to take.
"Just a little further," Ren whispered, stroking the horse's mane. "Keep going with us, just a little longer."
The horse let out a short, tired whinny. It had once belonged to the Beastmaster, but it seemed a bond had formed between them during their long flight.
"Ren... if it comes down to it, you should leave me behind."
"Don't be stupid."
"S-Stupid? How dare you!"
"It’s a stupid suggestion. Instead of talking nonsense, help me figure out the best path forward."
Despite his polite honorifics, Ren’s voice was firm and desperate. The sheer weight of his resolve silenced Licia’s protests.
"Straight ahead! Don't stop!" she commanded.
"Right! There's no turning back now!"
They pushed the horse harder. Though the animal had been exhausted for some time, it somehow found a reserve of strength, its gallop remaining remarkably steady.
"This horse is incredible!" Ren shouted.
"It probably has monster blood in its lineage!"
"That explains it!"
They rode on for another two hours, the terrain slowly changing as they left the dense forest behind. Finally, Ren saw something on the horizon.
"Licia-sama! Are those the hills?"
They broke through the tree line, and a wide expanse of rolling hills stretched out before them. Under the cloudless, star-lit sky, the visibility was far better than it had been in the woods.
"Yes! Once we cross those hills, we’ll be back in civilized territory!"
For the first time in days, her voice held a note of genuine hope. Ren felt the tension in his chest loosen slightly. They were making excellent time. Thanks to the horse’s incredible stamina, they had reached the forest's edge nearly half a day ahead of schedule. At this rate, they might actually make it.
But then, Ren’s eyes narrowed. He saw a figure waiting for them.
"You've got to be kidding me..."
Standing atop a large rock further up the slope was a man, sitting with his cheek resting in his hand, watching their approach.
Tension spiked through them both. There was no avoiding this. They had to fight.
"I knew you would eventually pass through here," the Beastmaster said, his voice cutting through the rustle of the wind-swept grass.
He stood up, spreading his arms wide like wings. As the hem of his robe caught the wind, Ren saw the intricate, complex patterns engraved into the skin of the man's arms.
Ren’s brow furrowed. The final confrontation had begun.