Chapter 271: Chapter 270: A Master Without a Presence
He returned the hug, his arms steady around her. "How is it here?"
"There were light attacks, but nothing we couldn’t handle." She pulled back slightly, smiling faintly though her eyes still held concern. "Thank you for worrying about me... and for sending your soldiers."
"The empire is in chaos," Lumberling said, his tone firm but tired. "We’ll need every bit of strength. But for now..." He turned, motioning toward the thousand weary civilians standing behind him. "Can you take care of them?"
Liraeth straightened, her confidence returning in full. "Mm. Don’t worry, I can handle them."
"Thank you," he said quietly.
Meanwhile, not far off, the captains and vice-captains had already gathered around the sub-captains, voices rising with rough laughter and hearty greetings.
"We’re finally fighting together again," Trask said, his twin axe slung over his back.
Vakk grinned, slapping Skarn’s arm. "Feels like old times."
Rogar smirked, twirling his spear. "Except now we’ve actually got proper armor and weapons instead of scraps."
"Speak for yourself," Gorrak rumbled. "I still miss the days when I could smash skulls with bare hands."
"Of course you do," Vrak said dryly, shaking his head.
The air around them was heavy with exhaustion, but also lightened by the familiarity of reunion, the sound of warriors who had fought, bled, and survived together once more.
With the warmth of that moment lingering, Lireath raised her hand, her voice calm yet commanding. "Come. Let’s get everyone inside."
The gates opened wider, and she personally guided Lumberling and his group forward. Orders carried down the walls and streets as her soldiers moved swiftly, directing the exhausted civilians to food, water, and shelter. Lumberling’s gaze followed them for a moment, relief flickering across his face as he saw women and children finally allowed to rest without fear.
"Your people first," Lireath said softly, glancing at him. "They need rest."
He nodded. Turning to his captains. "All of you, stand down and rest. Keep a rotation on the watch, but tonight, we sleep like log."
"Yes, my Lord," the captains answered as one, though some of them still carried the restless spark of warriors who weren’t used to laying down their arms.
As Lireath led him deeper into the stronghold, they reached the steps of her manor. The building stood tall against the fading light, its stone walls marked with age but kept in careful repair. Waiting at the entrance were two figures.
An old woman with a hunched frame stood with her hands folded neatly in front of her. Beside her was a young man in his twenties with dark eyes and hair.
The moment Lumberling appeared at Lireath’s side, the young man’s expression hardened, his frown deepening at the sight of her hand lightly resting on Lumberling’s arm.
"Who are these people?" Lumberling asked.
He studied them in silence. The old woman gave nothing away. No aura, no presence, nothing. It was as though she wasn’t truly there at all, as if she were a shadow in the shape of a person. Lumberling’s instincts bristled at that, it was the first time he had encountered something, or someone so void of life’s imprint.
The young man, on the other hand, radiated power. His aura was sharp and steady, the mark of a Quasi-Knight. To reach that level in his twenties spoke of natural talent and hard training.
"Oh, them?" Lireath broke the silence casually, though her eyes shifted quickly toward Lumberling as if gauging his reaction. "They came here last week. At first, I thought they were refugees... but the young man proved himself strong enough, so I recruited them."
She leaned in closer, rising slightly on her toes so her voice reached only his ear. "That woman’s name is Agathis... she recently became my master. And she’s teaching me something like... divination."
Lumberling’s frown at her words. His eyes flicked back to the old woman, suspicion stirring in his chest. A master with no presence teaching divination?
Lireath must have seen the tension in his jaw. Her hand squeezed his arm gently, her whisper calm. "We’ll talk about it when we’re alone."
He gave the slightest nod, his expression unreadable, though his mind was already filled with questions.
The young man beside Agathis shifted when Lumberling drew closer, his jaw tightening. For a moment, he held his chin high, the posture of someone proud of his strength, yet his eyes betrayed something else, an unease that flickered when Lireath’s hand lingered on Lumberling’s arm.
His fists clenched at his sides.
Finally, he stepped forward, voice sharper than it needed to be. "Why are you holding her like that?" His tone was sharp, almost accusing. "What’s your relationship with Lireath?"
Lumberling’s lips curved into a faint, amused smile. "Oh? What’s this?" His voice carried no anger, only a quiet edge that cut sharper than any blade. "And who might you be?"
The young man puffed his chest. "I’m Kairo. Lireath is my junior, since we share the same master."
Lireath’s brows snapped together. "I don’t remember allowing you to call me directly by name, Mr. Kairo." Her words were laced with coldness.
Kairo faltered, blinking at her sharp tone, but Lumberling only chuckled under his breath, his hand brushing along Lireath’s arm. "This is getting interesting," he murmured, eyes never leaving the young man.
"Liraeth..." Kairo started again, as if testing his ground.
Her glare cut through him like steel. "Say it again," she warned, voice low but unyielding, "and I’ll throw you out of my territory myself."
The weight in her gaze made Kairo’s throat tighten.
"I... I apologize for his manners, Viscount Lireath. He’s a bit reckless, but he doesn’t mean any harm. Please forgive him," Agathis interjected smoothly, bowing slightly, though her sharp eyes studied Lumberling with quiet calculation.
Lumberling tilted his head, smirking. "It seems someone doesn’t clearly know his place... yet dares to speak so loudly."
Kairo’s face flushed. "What did you just..."
Before he could finish, the air itself grew heavy. Lumberling’s aura surged outward like a tidal wave, pressing down on both of them. Agathis stiffened, her composure cracking for the first time as she trembled slightly. Kairo dropped to one knee with a strangled gasp, his body unable to resist the crushing weight.