By Zephyria =======
“I’m telling you again, you really have to be careful in front of Uncle. One wrong move and things could get dangerous again.”
Wolf paused. Red Eagle whispered into Wolf’s ear.
“He said he’s staying here for a month. I peeked into the food crates while they were out of the room, and even at a glance, there wasn’t enough for four people to survive. You were excluded from the start.”
“…It seems the harsh trials of the past have transformed the Prince into a cold strategist. Why were you rooting through the food?”
“I don’t know… Intuition? The look on Uncle’s face while he glared at you in your sleep was just too unsettling. Once I saw the food reserves, it all made sense.”
Red Eagle was more agile than he appeared. It was only natural, considering he had grown up in the Levenon court as both a son-in-law and a hostage since infancy.
After organizing his thoughts, Wolf spoke.
“But Prince, why do we have to stay here for a whole month?”
“Uncle didn’t tell me that much. I’m curious too.”
“Fine. Prince, from now on, we have to move as one. They say different people see the same thing differently. Let’s keep a close eye on Uncle and Silver and share any information we find.”
Wolf emptied the tray and stood up.
The first thing to check in a disaster situation: the terrain.
“There’s a spring in the cave, right? Let’s go that way.”
* * *
“Huh! W-what on earth…!”
The moment he stepped into the cave, Wolf’s jaw dropped. This was nothing like the illustrations in a fairy tale book!
“Prince, this looks like a palace ballroom! No, it’s even more lavish!”
“Right? The ceiling materials of the Levenon palace ballroom are made of this ore. It’s called ‘Ar,’ and it only glows in the dark. I heard it’s so common in Stohl that it’s treated like gravel.”
“Wow, that’s a shame. I was expecting bats hanging everywhere.”
Firewood was piled up like mountains in the cave as well. Aside from the lackluster meals, the shelter’s facilities were comparable to a palace. At this point, Black Weasel seemed like an art gallery displaying only old shoes. The image of him drinking heavily and acting like a drunkard was sloppy. Yet, the cave facilities were meticulous. What was this contradiction?
No… don’t get distracted.
There must be a reason underlying Black Weasel’s contradictory behavior. Information that only he—and perhaps Silver—knew.
We need to find out that information too.
Regardless, the towering piles of firewood left him speechless. There was no way Black Weasel had done the grueling work of chopping wood. He must have dumped it all on Silver, the slave. After all, he was the kind of guy who wouldn’t even pull out a blanket for himself.
Only then did Wolf feel the stark reality of Silver’s status. When he saw Silver chatting with Black Weasel in the Stohl language or drinking together, he had somehow thought they were on equal terms, but it had been a complete misconception.
Unlike Atania, Stohl was famous for treating slaves harshly. Imagining Silver struggling to chop wood while Black Weasel lounged around with his head on a pillow made Wolf’s heart ache. Poor Silver!
While a wave of pity washed over him, a random thought occurred. What if I help Silver escape?
That’s it! I can take Silver to Atania and we can open a bakery together.
He tucked this thought away in a corner of his mind. For now, the priority was the survival of Red Eagle and himself.
Wolf whispered into Red Eagle’s ear.
“Prince. Is there a Levenon embassy in Stohl?”
Red Eagle’s shoulders flinched, and he nodded immediately. He seemed to have caught on to Wolf’s intentions.
Atania had failed to form a unified empire for over two thousand years. There were about thirty small kingdoms, and over seventy if you included city-states. Every country had embassies from various nations. It was common knowledge that an embassy was the first place a politician sought when seeking asylum abroad.
Red Eagle spoke in a barely audible voice.
“The Levenon embassy is in the capital of Stohl. Though I don’t know if Mother will abide by international law.”
Under international law, embassies are inviolable territories. Wolf shook his head.
“Maybe if it were someone from the Stohl royal family, but it would be hard for a tribal chief to storm into another country’s embassy. The problem is how to shake off Uncle.”
Stay here for a month, then find an opportunity to escape after heading outside. Request protection for Red Eagle at the Levenon embassy. That was the extent of Wolf’s plan. It was the only strategy he could squeeze out of the current situation, but the probability of success was despairingly low. To turn this bleak crisis in a slightly more favorable direction…
Silver is the key.
Wolf and Red Eagle didn’t know the geography of Stohl and had no money. They desperately needed someone’s help. Only by bringing Silver on board could they avoid Black Weasel’s pursuit. To a contract killer, a competent assistant is like their own limbs. Without Silver, it would be as if Black Weasel lost a leg.
“Wolf, you were thinking the same thing as me, weren’t you?”
Red Eagle poked Wolf in the side and mouthed the word ‘Silver.’ Wolf nodded vigorously.
“Prince, I think we’re in sync. Hmm… for a while, we should induce Uncle to let his guard down. He already sees us as fools, but we need to make him underestimate us even more.”
“I’ll play the coward. I’m plenty scared anyway. What about you?”
“I’ll think a bit more about my role. By the way…”
Wolf stopped walking and listened. The cave was silent.
“Didn’t those two say they were practicing sword fighting? Since this is a cave, even a slight raise in voice should echo loudly…”
“They probably went to the hot spring.”
“Hot spring?”
When Wolf asked, Red Eagle pointed deeper into the cave.
“There’s a fairly large stream further in. I was cleaning fish there with Silver, and I kept feeling warm steam blowing from somewhere. What else would emit steam in a place like this besides a hot spring? They probably went to wash up after finishing their practice.”
“Ah…”
Wolf searched through the
This is the chance!
“Prince, let’s go to the hot spring. Right now!”
“Why there?”
“What do you mean why? We have to bathe with them. You must come along, Prince.”
“Even me?”
Red Eagle looked startled.
“Listen, Wolf. I’ve always bathed alone. Even if I had the help of attendants…”
“Ah, you grew up in a palace so you don’t know. Prince, men’s guard drops when they’re soaking in a tub or playing around naked in a river. There’s a saying that you get close faster when you strip down.”
At those words, Red Eagle’s expression changed.
“…I understand. What should I do?”
“You just need to sit across from Uncle and observe his expression carefully. Now, let’s go.”
Wolf pushed Red Eagle’s back. Following the warm breeze, they indeed found a hot spring. It was spacious enough to easily fit ten people. Beyond the hazy steam, the back of Silver appeared, sitting on a rock with a towel wrapped around his waist.
Across from him, Black Weasel was immersed up to his chest, with both arms resting on the rock. His forearms and shoulders were covered in grotesque tattoos, bumpy to a disgusting degree. If God had carved human features into a rock, scribbled all over it, and then breathed life into it, would it look like that? Looking at him now, he had a much softer impression when he was wearing the wolf skin.
“How did you find this place?”
Black Weasel scanned Wolf and Red Eagle. Silver also glanced back.
Wolf’s gaze unconsciously swept over Silver. A face with wet hair pushed back to reveal the forehead. Smooth, white skin like freshly kneaded flour dough. A slender body entwined with lean muscles. An arm resting carelessly on a thigh. A chest that looked as if a single drop of wine syrup had fallen onto a snow-white cookie. Geometric tattoos stretching from the flank to the waist like constellations. Wolf’s heart hammered.
What, did I just scan every inch of Silver’s body? This is just like…
Just like…
That’s not the problem! My junk!
Wolf quickly calmed himself internally. Unlike the eyes that had suspiciously scanned Silver, his lower half was modestly looking straight down. A man’s truth lies in his lower half. Wolf relieved himself of the doubt and bowed his head.
“We were exploring the cave and followed the warm breeze. This place is really great! If it’s okay, could we join you…?”
“I don’t mind, but the Prince should wash up quickly and come in. See over there?”
Black Weasel gestured with his chin. Next to the hot spring were several wooden buckets, a pile of towels, and even soap. Wolf was moved by the sight of civilization’s conveniences after so long.
“Then Prince, I shall attend to you.”
16 – Hell Execution Order