The Lord Of Blood Hill-Chapter 58: Where's My Little Follower?
Bloodhorn eventually agrees to Henwell's proposal, stating that he'll finalize the details after seeing Henwell fight an adult gladiator.
Flying Ant and Michelle are baffled by Henwell's decision. They could have left safely, so why take on such dangerous tasks? Henwell doesn't explain much, but on the third day of the fights, he decisively kills his opponent.
Henwell's return after six months excites many spectators, some even request Flying Ant and Michelle to join the fray. Bloodhorn approaches them, but they know they're not as strong as Henwell and can't match the seasoned gladiators.
After showcasing his worth, Bloodhorn agrees to Henwell's terms. From then on, Henwell participates in weekly fights, and over time, many forget he's just a youth. In his spare time, Henwell teaches the young gladiators and helps train the slave youths at the arena.
Now, only thirteen young gladiators remain with fighting capability, while two are incapacitated.
These two aren't disabled but suffer from irreversible internal injuries, making intense fighting impossible. They're thrown in as extras, given to Henwell. As the strongest among the young gladiators, Henwell is their representative and now their liberator. While they may not be entirely devoted to him, they certainly feel a kinship.
These young ones, apart from their peers, have no one else to rely on. Henwell's agreement with Bloodhorn is to fight for free weekly, splitting audience tips evenly. He accepts bloody wagers, but not against champion gladiators, with betting money also divided equally.
Henwell earns an average of five to six thousand gold coins a month, making him one of the most profitable fighters in the arena.
As Henwell works to pay off his debts and celebrates his thirteenth birthday, Count Obiken of the Duchy of Vorry returns to his estate after discussions with his duke brother. Upon entering his study, he encounters a familiar yet strange figure.
Kavize sits with his legs propped on the Count's desk, greeting Obiken, "Old friend, long time no see!"
Obiken frowns, "Isn't it a bit rude to sneak into my home like this?"
Kavize chuckles, "Ha... You talk about manners as if you have any! Not repaying your debts is your idea of politeness?"
Obiken pulls up a chair and sits, "What brings you here? Didn't you receive my final payment?"
Kavize replies, "I did! But I'm here about another matter. Let me remind you, where's my little follower?"
Obiken raises an eyebrow, "He was becoming a problem for Fabio. You should be aware of some things. Fabio will inherit my title, and that kid isn't suited to assist Fabio!"
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Kavize asks, "So you had him killed?"
"Of course not. I'm not that foolish or shortsighted. I arranged for someone to send him away. In the Kingdom of Billie, I can give you the address!"
"Who did you arrange to send him?" Kavize pulls a severed head from under the table and tosses it onto the desk. "This idiot, perhaps?"
Obiken frowns, "You killed my shadow guard. Are you provoking me?"
Kavize drops his smile, "Obiken, it seems you're the one provoking me. Not only did you drive away my little follower, but this fool sold him to slavers, which led to my talented follower being burned to death in a slaver's wagon."
"And you lie, saying it was all arranged?! Is this your idea of an arrangement? Time is a terrifying thing; a few decades, and you've forgotten who I truly am!"
Obiken pauses, "What are you saying? He sold the kid to slavers?"
"What else? Do you think I have time to joke around with you?"
After a moment of silence, Obiken says, "If I tell you this wasn't my doing and I was unaware, would you believe me?"
Kavize shrugs, "Believe you? Why not? As you know, according to the divine covenant, transcendent beings can't kill worldly rulers without cause."
Obiken replies calmly, "But now you have a reason, don't you?"
Kavize sighs, "We've known each other for a long time. I watched you grow up. You're one of the few interesting humans I know, and killing you would be excessive. So, to let you live and satisfy my anger, I've chosen a different form of punishment. Like killing your brother's son, the heir to the duchy!"
With that, Kavize tosses another severed head onto the floor.
Obiken springs to his feet, drawing a longsword from the wall, "How dare you!"
"He's not a ruler, just an heir. Why wouldn't I dare?"
Obiken charges, his sword shimmering with Fighting Spirit, aiming straight for Kavize's chest. Kavize makes no move to dodge, allowing the sword to pierce his body. As Obiken watches in fury, Kavize dissolves into starlight and vanishes.
Kavize's voice echoes around the room, "Hahaha... Just joking with you. Why would I kill the heir to a human duchy? Old friend, it seems you've forgotten I'm no longer in my old form! Farewell! I'm leaving the continent for a while. I hope you haven't died of old age when I return!"
After Kavize's departure, Obiken opens the package on the desk. Inside, he finds the lifeless head of his shadow guard. The other item is merely a bundle of cloth, not his nephew's head.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Obiken rushes to the royal palace to ensure his nephew is safe, instructing the palace guardians to perform a thorough check.
Despite leaving the palace, Obiken remains uneasy, aware of Kavize's formidable strength. He's never seen Kavize in his complete form, only knowing that Kavize has many avatars.
Kavize seems to have some mission, constantly searching the continent for potential humans to nurture. Obiken doesn't qualify for Kavize's attention, and now the child who did has indirectly been killed because of him.
Obiken doesn't believe that disrupting Kavize's mission will be forgiven simply because of their acquaintance.
Sure enough, three months later, the duke's heir suffers a fatal fall from a horse during an outing. By the time he's brought back to the palace, his body is cold. Investigations confirm it was an accident, with no foul play involved. Obiken keeps the matter of Kavize to himself, telling no one.
Soon after, he visits Fabio. Following his departure, Vorry's Grand Duke Amir secretly summons his former head guard, now Baron Phoenix. Shortly thereafter, a seemingly insignificant piece of news circulates among the duchy's noble circles: Baron Phoenix is set to be promoted to Viscount for his success in quelling bandits.
Meanwhile, far away in the Kingdom of Billie, Henwell prepares to bid farewell to his companions.
Chapter 58: Where's My Little Follower?
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