Throne of Magical Arcana - Fogtown
<!– –>
Fogtown
The guards sensed a bit of creepiness when they went deep into the woods heading for Fogtown, not to mention the people in the coach. Even Lucien, a sorcerer who was used to dealing with so many kinds of creepy experiments, could easily notice the changes happening around them. The common oaks and birches were gradually replaced by dark gray cedars, and the cedars were so tall and thick that Lucien almost felt that he was now back in Melzer Black Forest.
Even though they were not far away from the town now, the guards didn’t dare to lower their alertness, especially because the trees around them were thick and tall, which were perfect for an ambush.
The roots and the knots of the big trees looked almost like ghost faces. Betty subconsciously grabbed her bow and arrow tighter, and stayed a bit closer to Lucien’s coach.
“Wilfred tree…”
Through the window of the coach, Lucien recognized this tree. In fact, nothing else was really special about it except its shape, which was often creepy. It was not named Wilfred at the very beginning, but since the famous necromancer with that name had a special affection for them and planted the trees widely in the Demiplane where his Magic Tower existed, the tree was later directly named Wilfred, after the necromancer, and turned into a symbol of viciousness.
Furthermore, it was precisely because of these dark gray trees that the town looked as if it was covered with a layer of fog, and that was how the small town gained its name.
When the coach entered the town, Lucien saw a bunch of lumbermen heading home after work. Their faces were expressionless and their eyes were dim and glazed, as if all of their passion was erased by their repeated labor day after day.
“I’d rather die if my future was like that.” Betty looked back at the lumbermen and murmured to herself in an alert way.
As soon as the coach stopped in front of the only inn of Fogtown, Wise, who had been silent for quite a while, hurriedly jumped out of the coach and started to vomit.
“Are you alright, Mr. Wise?” asked Betty concernedly, “Maybe you can walk with us tomorrow. The coach must be very bumpy.”
“I’m okay.” Wise straightened his back a bit, “Thanks for asking, Betty.”
On the other side, Joanna was helping Lena and her baby get off the coach. She turned to Lucien and said, “You look fine, Mr. Evans.” Joanna smiled, “You’re actually stronger than I thought.”
“I was trying to sleep.” Lucien was not feeling really good as well. He was trying to analyze some magic structures to distract himself.
And when Joanna went past Lucien, she said to him in a low voice sweetly, “I’m not only talking about the trip. Thank you, Mr. Evans, for forgiving Betty’s negligence.”
Lucien was quite surprised, but then he nodded, “I know Betty tried her best.”
Simon, who was standing on the other side, also came over and said to Lucien in a low voice, “We wouldn’t even be able to know that you killed Chris if Betty did not cry out.”
Lucien shrugged casually and thought that Betty would definitely learn her lesson after they fulfilled the commission.
Lena, carrying the sleeping baby, walked to Lucien and handed him a Nar, “Thank you, Mr. Evans, for sharing the coach with me.”
“You’re welcome.” Lucien took the coin.
Lena smiled, “I’ll remember your kindness, Mr. Evans. I’m leaving to visit my cousin Kaelyn now.”
“May god be with you.” Lucien was now used to the phrases used in that world.
Lena slightly bent her knees and turned around. Lucien did not see that, when she turned her back to him, her face suddenly became a bit gloomy.
The direction which Lena was heading for with the baby led to a stone bridge, and behind the bridge there was a tall and big black castle. Its cross vault, pinnacle, and its solemn architectural style instantly revealed itself as a castle built in the later period of the War of Dawn.
“That is the castle of Baron Habearo. He’s the lord of Fogtown and the other villages and towns in this area.” Simon pointed at the castle and explained to Lucien, having no idea that Lucien might know more than him about the background of the place, “He was an outstanding knight when he was young, and he was known for his heroic deeds of wiping out some notorious robbers and joining the civil war among the lords in Gusta Empire. Lots of stories narrated by bards are based on his true stories, stories of a true hero.
“Unfortunately, Baron Habearo failed to make the breakthrough to become a grand knight, and his health condition declined in his early sixties. After his son left the town to travel, Baron Habearo now rarely leaves his castle. Sometimes he invites some musicians to visit the castle since I heard that he has quite an affection for music.”
“Well, heroes also get old.” Wise released a sigh, “Except for God, nothing can last forever in this world.”
“Maybe music can last long as well,” Lucien commented. In his mind, while Betty was a bit upset with Wise’s words, Lucien was not affected by the true fact much, after all, if he could become a senior rank mage, Lucien could live way longer than common people.
“Well… does anyone else knows that Mrs. Kaelyn, Lena’s cousin, is actually the wife of Baron Habearo’s steward? Wow…” Joanna switched the topic.
In Joanna and the other adventurers’ eyes, even the steward of a baron was still someone important.
…
Entering the inn, the woman standing behind the counter looked rather cold, and her eyes were also glazed, “Please register your name and date of birth if you want to stay here for the night.”
“Mrs. Branka, what happened? We’ve stayed here before, a couple of months ago. You don’t remember us?” asked Joanna, “You don’t look good.”
The last time when Joanna and Simon were here, Betty was not present, since she hid herself and squandered her commission in Korsor.
“Roy’s dead, because of illness,” Branka murmured. “He was only ten. He was summoned by God.”
“It’s just been few months since we saw Roy last time…” Joanna lowered her head, and then explained to Lucien in a low voice, “Roy is Mrs. Branka’s youngest son.”
Wise crossed himself on the chest, “May he live an eternal life in heaven.”
After mourning the deceased boy, Joanna asked the woman carefully, “Mrs. Branka, I don’t remember being asked to register our date of birth last time we were here.”
Lucien had never heard of such a requirement in any of the countries and cities he had been to.
“This is the command of the baron. I don’t know the reason…” Branka answered slowly.
While Lucien felt that this was pretty suspicious, the adventurers and Wise did not really care. All they wanted now was to have a good rest.
“You’re only twenty-nine, Simon,” Lucien joked. “I thought you were thirty-four or thirty-five…”
Simon indeed looked elder than his age. He scratched his head and looked at Joanna, “I know… When I got married with Joanna when I was twenty, some guests thought I was her father…”
Joanna was twenty-seven, Betty sixteen, and Wise was twenty-two.
Lucien was amused. Then, following Wise, he only left his surname on the booklet, “Evans… June 26th, 798 of the Saint Calendar.” For a moment Lucien paused a bit. He was not sure if he should leave his true birthday, the one in his original world.
“Oh my…! Mr. Evans, you’re not even eighteen!” Betty was very surprised.
Both Simon and Joanna felt the same way as well.
“I’m almost there, two days to go,” Lucien answered casually.
“You’re my idol, Mr. Evans! I hope I can become as powerful as a high level knight squire like you before I turn eighteen!” Betty’s eyes were shining with excitement.
She just revealed Lucien’s strength carelessly in front of other people.
“So, you shall receive formal knight training.” Seizing the chance, Joanna educated Betty. Since their parents died, Joanna played a role both as elder sister and mom to Betty.
…
When it was dinner time, a blond lady entered the inn with two guards following behind her. She looked around, and soon noticed Lucien and other people in the not very busy lobby.
“Excuse me, may I ask if you are Mr. Evans?” She walked to Lucien and asked with a polite smile.
“Yes, I am. What can I do for you, madam?” Lucien could sort of guess who was this lady.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Evans.” The lady nodded, “I’m Lena’s cousin, Kaelyn. I’m here to thank you for taking Lena back.”
“You’re welcome, madam. It wasn’t a big deal,” Lucien answered politely, although he felt suspicious again–shouldn’t Lena be there as well? Lena’s cousin coming here on her own with her guards to thank him was sort of weird to Lucien.
Kaelyn looked at Lucien, then Betty, and then took a step closer to Wise, “Baron Habearo asked Lena about her trip, and my cousin mentioned to the lord that there was a very talented young man who could play harp very well. I think it’s you, right? Mr. Wise?”
“I’m more than flattered, madam.” Wise slightly bowed to Kaelyn.
“Baron Habearo loves music very much, thus, he wanted to invite Mr. Wise to his castle to exchange ideas regarding music. And, of course, Lord Habearo is very interested in your traveling experience as well, Mr. Evans. I wonder if you two would like to visit the castle and be Baron Habearo’s guests?”
Before Lucien said anything, Wise smiled, “Yes, for sure. Lord Habearo is my idol… He’s a hero.”
Kaelyn nodded and turned to Lucien, “What about you, sir?”
“I just worry about my guards…” Lucien pointed at his three guards.
Since it seemed the baron was more interested in Wise’s music, Lucien felt he should be fine if he decided to go, and another important reason was that he might be able to get some information from the baron about the castle named Carendia.
“They can come with you. It’s not a problem at all.” Kaelyn’s smile was polite and sweet, “The baron was an adventurer before, and he would like to listen to some amazing adventure stories from you.”
“We can go as well?” Both Betty and Joanna were very excited, and even Simon showed some emotion.
…
“Mrs. Kaelyn, will Lena be here tonight as well?” Betty asked when they were approaching the castle passing the stone bridge.
“She won’t. She needs rest,” answered Kaelyn shortly.
Betty was a bit disappointed, “I’m kind of missing Lena’s cute baby.”
Kaelyn did not respond, leading Lucien and other people into the castle after crossing the suspension bridge.
<!–
<!– ( . ), Please let us know
<!–
–>
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
