In an instant, the transformation in the landscape that had changed caught Rensley Maelrosen off guard. Blinking his eyes, Rensley cautiously surveyed his surroundings and took a deep breath before carefully moving his feet.
“Once again, it seems to be a forest…,” Rensley muttered to himself, examining the area with caution. Fortunately, it seemed that Rensley had not strayed far from the edge of the forest, as he could soon discover an entrance not too far away.
Indeed, as expected near the border, when he looked at the map to find his way, a small village with inns, taverns, and restaurants came into view. Entering the village, Rensley swallowed a dry gulp at the entrance. His heart pounded, and he needed to calm his excitement first.
Although it had been several months since he arrived in Aldrant, he had not explored areas outside the Roudken Castle. While Duke Gezell had mentioned that Rensley was free to take vacations, it was only the king’s idea. Internally, he was a fake duchess and externally, a novice knight, leaving him with little chance to neglect his duties and travel around carefreely.
Eventually, he would have to explore only the villages near the border and then leave Aldrant. Still, the prospect of venturing into areas outside the capital excited him.
Perhaps due to just coming out of the warm Wolf’s Forest, the cold that he had somewhat gotten used to suddenly felt biting. Rensley securely fastened his outerwear and adjusted his hat. Wrapping his scarf up to his nose, he slowly walked into the village.
“Welcome, guest. We have a warm room available.”
“Are you looking for a good place? Our house is the most affordable, and we also provide meals.”
“Did you arrive today? We can arrange a search party for tomorrow morning.”
Entering the village, Rensley was inwardly surprised and clenched his teeth. Whether it was because of the border or not, there were more people bustling in the village than he had anticipated. Innkeepers eagerly approached the newcomer, offering their hospitality.
It wasn’t as grand as the festivities in Celestine, but still, it was not like the usual. When the weather was nice and the sea was beautiful, Cornia attracted many travelers. Festivals meant foreigners spending money desperately to find good accommodations.
Thinking he could find a place to stay in the evening without much delay, Rensley first looked for a restaurant. Unlike in the Wolf’s Forest, where he didn’t feel hungry even with just fruit, returning to the human world magically rekindled his appetite.
“Welcome.”
The inside of the restaurant was quite lively. Rensley quickly took a seat at the only vacant table. Having already glanced at the menu attached next to the sign, he ordered without hesitation as soon as he sat down.
“Beef and potato stew with bread, and a glass of red wine, please.”
“Just wait a moment.”
Rensley briefly looked around at the other tables while waiting. The smells, colors, and tastes were evident. The menu was also displayed on the wall. Were there any dishes not mentioned outside? Rensley casually glanced in that direction.
However, Rensley’s gaze was fixed not on the menu but on the wall next to it, a wall unrelated to the food.
“Did he rise from the ground, or did he soar to the sky?”
“Is it reasonable that no one found him even after rushing in so much? It seems like he’s stuck at the bottom of the river, unable to float up…”
“Because it’s winter, they couldn’t go into the water, so they used scrying magic to search the riverbed. They even managed to retrieve several old corpses, but the one they were looking for wasn’t there.”
Voices from others in the room discussing the matter began to be audible. Rensley, still holding his scarf’s end that he was about to pull down, froze like a statue, listening intently. Despite the dark lighting, his purple eyes shook nervously. Almost everyone in the restaurant, regardless of their party, seemed to be talking about the same topic.
Under the dim lights, violet irises trembled like fragile beads about to break. Several wanted posters, seemingly related to Rensley, next to the restaurant menu. On those posters, Rensley Maelrosen was unmistakably featured…
[Rensley Maelrosen.
Blond hair, purple eyes, height approximately 5’10”~11”, hailing from Cornia Celestine.]
From a distance, the printed text in large, bold letters contained Rensley’s personal information and an eye-catching bounty amount that could make anyone’s jaw drop. The content, with small and spaced-out text, included details of peculiarities that were challenging to read, and the length of the information was quite substantial.
“The stew and wine are ready.”
In front of Rensley, who was frozen pale with eyebrows barely moving, a steaming stew with rising steam, freshly baked bread from the oven, and a hearty wine were placed in sequence.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Unlike the summer vegetable-filled stew in Cornia, this stew was rich with the aroma of potatoes and root vegetables. Normally, Rensley would have already pulled down his scarf, taken a bite, and then spoken to the waiter who brought the food with a smile. However, at this moment, he couldn’t even lift his face to eat.
“It seems like he was quite favored, but attempting treason… It’s crazy.”
“I heard it’s not treason. They are keeping the charges secret for the royal family’s dignity, but apparently, he was frequently meeting the Duchess secretly. During the peak of the rebellion, when they put men and women together, it doesn’t settle down, you know? Because of the betrayal of his trusted subordinates and his wife, the Duke of Aldrant flip out.”
“Rensley Maelrosen, if caught, one could live a carefree life. You could enjoy a life not inferior to nobles…” The conversation continued, gradually fading from Rensley’s hearing, and his consciousness blurred involuntarily.
“Ah…”
Dizziness rushed in, and he lowered his face. As he rested his elbow on the table and leaned, the table wobbled slightly. The prophecy, which had seemed extravagant and distant, vividly revived, and he tapped his head.
“Even if there are days when you think it would be better to die, why should you turn back?”
The white wolf’s words foresaw this situation…
Rensley bit his lips. Why did the first impression of Duke Gezell, who was much angrier than expected, suddenly come to mind? The eyes that glinted like gold, the voice that growled low like a furious beast. He hadn’t seen that appearance since the first day and had completely forgotten about it.
Duke Gezell was much angrier than expected. Forget about forgetting the escaped Rensley; he had put a hefty bounty on him and was actively searching. If they were to meet again, this time Rensley might not be able to escape the death penalty.
‘No. He said, ‘I think it’s better to die.’ So, something more dreadful than the death penalty might be waiting. Perhaps a torture so gruesome that I’d rather have my throat cut…’
‘It’s unbelievable. Was it such a big incident that I left the castle? Comparable to a rebellion?’
Rensley shook his head several times. When the shock and fear, which had barely subsided, settled, a sense of crisis pervaded his entire body.
“If caught, I will die.”
Everyone in this place was aiming for Rensley. The most urgent thing was to safely escape this restaurant before revealing his identity.
“I don’t know anymore. Even with all the continent’s bounty hunters rushing in, if he hasn’t appeared for over two weeks, then it’s impossible to find him! Rensley Maelrosen has become fish food.”
“So, are you going back?”
“I’ll stay until tomorrow and then look for him slowly. Enough time has passed for him to escape from Aldrant if he’s alive. Although the bounty is tempting, acting recklessly like this…”
“Still, there’s no news from anywhere else. Those who ran to Cornia also have no news.”
‘What’s this nonsense?’
Rensley doubted his ears. Did they just say ‘over two weeks’? Even if the night and day were different between the forest and the outside world, the time Rensley spent in the Wolf’s Forest was roughly one night. Did I sleep for several days at a stretch? Something was seriously wrong.
“Guest, are you not feeling well?”
Above Rensley, who only lowered his head with the food bowl in front of him, a friendly voice filled with concern could be heard. The voice full of worry belonged to the girl who brought the food.
“Oh my, look at that sweat. The inside of the shop is warm, so why don’t you take this off a bit…”
Her hand pulled down Rensley’s scarf. Startled, he unintentionally looked up at her, and her eyes, too, widened as she faced Rensley.
“…Rensley Maelrosen?”
Although the girl’s voice wasn’t particularly loud, it was enough to stimulate the hearing of everyone gathered for one purpose.
As if a cold shower had been poured into the bustling shop, silence gradually covered the area, and during the time when sharp gazes were directed at him like arrows, Rensley deeply understood the phrase ‘extreme fear.’ Even during the nights tied to a tree in a thunderstorm in the garden, it hadn’t felt this terrifying.
However, the quiet standoff in the restaurant, where a riot seemed imminent, did not easily break, and in the meantime, Rensley was able to regain some composure. A state of confrontation where no one moved easily, everyone wary of each other. In a narrow hunting ground with only one prey, there were too many hunters. In the tense silence, Rensley quietly took a deep breath and quickly surveyed the people in the shop. The restaurant was full with not a single empty seat, and even with a cursory glance, there were at least twenty people. It seemed like a situation where a small spark could lead to a big fight.
‘Can I get out of here without any trouble?’
While Rensley was nervously surveying his surroundings, a short, fake cough sound came right next to him. It was the middle-aged man who had been complaining about leaving this place tomorrow.
Putting down the beer mug he was holding, he took out a wanted poster from his pocket. While the silence still lingered, he alternated his gaze between Rensley and the poster and asked politely.
“Is it really you, Mr. Rensley Maelrosen?”
“…Do you believe me if I say it’s not?”
“Uh… no.”
“Don’t ask questions when you already have an answer in mind. Wouldn’t my answering feel empty?”
“You have a personality rather than looks.”
“I don’t have a hobby of picking fights but understand. I’ve come across new experiences where there used to be none.”
As he finished speaking, Rensley flicked the guard with the dagger he had at his waist. The silver blade, freed from its scabbard, revealed a crescent shape in an instant.
As Rensley rose and leaned against the wall, everyone in the restaurant, as if waiting, stood up. The small restaurant, filled with people holding weapons, became increasingly tense, as if it might catch fire at any moment. Rensley also frowned and spat out a word.
“I won’t be caught easily, so you’d better be prepared, everyone.”
The cooks and waitstaff hurriedly retreated to the kitchen. Even in the midst of a life-threatening situation, the stew plate, not once touched by his tongue, appeared in Rensley’s sight, claiming its vitality with a gurgling sound. Rensley’s eyebrows sagged.
‘My stew.’
“Wait, wait, wait!”
The man who first spoke to Rensley raised his voice again. He put down the beer mug he was holding and took out a wanted poster from his pocket. While the silence still held, he shook the wanted poster.
“Everyone, calm down! The rumors are rampant, but nothing has been proven to be true! Whether Mr. Rensley Maelrosen was caught plotting treason, clashed with the Duke, poisoned the Duke to make him sick, switched the Duke’s family crest with a fake one and escaped, or spread rumors that the Duke is impotent, no rumors have been proven to be true!”
‘…The rumor that the Duke is impotent has now become a continental scale? Moreover, did it originate from me?’ Rensley’s eyes trembled at the charges the man brought up last. However, without paying attention to Rensley’s confusion, the speech continued.
“Whatever the truth of the Aldrant royal family may be, this wanted notice is strictly speaking a missing person’s notice! Chasing criminals is something we’ve been doing, and it seems like everyone is fundamentally confused. It’s not an arrest of a criminal, but more like finding a missing person! Our mission is to safely bring this handsome lad to the Duke’s castle without touching a hair on him.”
“So, what are you trying to say?”
Seemingly tired of the lengthy introduction, another customer expressed dissatisfaction.
“One, two, three… About twenty people, right? With this bounty, even if we split it among twenty, it’s a better amount than any individual reward. How about it? Instead of bickering among ourselves and trying to catch one guy, let’s divide it amicably. It’s safer for all us and this guy. If it gets noisy, people outside might notice and rush in.”
It was a fresh proposal, and a calm murmur filled the inside of the shop. Reflecting on the situation, Rensley was the only one in contemplation. Perhaps a brawl would be better; the situation was deteriorating to the worst. Although he might escape or win in a one-on-one fight against the crowd, he found it hard to be confident in facing bounty hunters who had agreed to work together.
‘No, don’t be too tense. Greedy humans chasing after bounties wouldn’t make such a rational choice, right?’
Please, let it be a brawl! Rensley prayed fervently, gripping his dagger tightly.
“It makes sense. It’s a good idea…”
However, the situation betrayed Rensley’s prayers and proceeded peacefully.
“Even before speaking properly, this guy pulls out a sword. If we try to subdue him and accidentally injure him, we might not only lose the bounty but also face responsibility. Right?”
“Let’s move quietly. There are people outside aiming for him as well. Hey, Mr. Maelrosen. We’ll take you without harming you, so it’s better not to resist. In the end, it might not be a bad result for you. Innkeeper! Flip the sign, we’re closing. We’ll compensate you well too.”
“Oh, yes, yes!”
The cook, who had been observing the situation from the kitchen, rushed out. Watching his back as he attempted to close the door, Rensley, with a determined expression, firmly sealed his lips.
Fixing the grip on his sword, he sprinted forward in an instant. Although they were numerically superior and somewhat relaxed after reaching an agreement, the bounty hunters were surprised by Rensley’s sudden actions.
“What is he doing?!”
“Capture him!”
Rensley excelled in swordsmanship and equestrian skills. However, his most confident skill was his agility. He had never lost in foot races, and despite Ivet occasionally mocking him as monkey-like for his ability to climb high trees or walls, he took pride in his physical prowess.
This time, Rensley’s speed surpassed everyone else. The bounty hunters rushed to him, but Rensley had already dashed out of the restaurant before the door could be locked. Rensley threw off his scarf and shouted loudly.
“I am Rensley Maelrosen!”
The movements of people outside who were casually strolling came to a halt. The sparkling blonde hair was evident even under the hazy sunlight. With each step of the running youth, attention was concentrated.
Burly bounty hunters broke through the restaurant door as if it were made of paper, and Rensley, who had left them behind, shouted again.
“Rensley Maelrosen is here! I am! Rensley Maelrosen!”
“Capture him! Get that guy!”
People who had been bewildered by the sudden turn of events gradually regained their senses and began to chase after Rensley. Meanwhile, Rensley, who had already leaped onto the wall of a house, then onto the roof, moved from building to building. The bounty hunters, persistent, continued to pursue Rensley as he climbed higher.
“Use a bow!”
“No, if we make a mistake and hit him, it’s not just the bounty we’ll lose!”
A bowman preparing to shoot was restrained by a swordsman running alongside. As Rensley looked back while fleeing, this time a magician was aiming a wand, chanting a spell.
Although he didn’t know what kind of magic it was, the humiliating memory of being hit by a paralyzing spell by Duke Gezell flashed before Rensley’s eyes. Physical attacks could be avoided, but he didn’t know how to dodge magic.
“I can’t let the others catch him!”
“Ah!”
While a magician was chanting a spell, another bounty hunter attacked the magician with a hammer. Seizing the time bought by him, Rensley swiftly moved his feet, leaping away.
Hiding behind the chimney on the roof, Rensley peered down and saw the chaotic scene unfolding exactly as he had anticipated. Bounty hunters were tearing into each other in a massive mess, all for the sake of claiming the lone prey. Rensley nodded his head solemnly.
‘This is how it should be.’
Humans were inherently foolish creatures who couldn’t resist their immediate desires, losing something even greater in the process, weren’t they? Rensley muttered to himself in self-contempt, then quickly ran along the rooftops.
Regardless, now that the chaos had erupted, rumors of Rensley Maelrosen’s appearance would surely spread thickly. Since continuously running away had its limits, he needed to find a place to hide his body securely.
Beside great misfortune, there was usually small fortune hidden. It was too early to despair. As Rensley lowered his body while moving along the roofs of the village, he noticed a wagon about to depart from the village.
A wooden wagon piled high with well-dried straw, and the modest, sturdy-faced driver seemed unrelated to aggressive words like bounty hunters.
“Good.”
Just before the driver could utter a word, Rensley leaped down onto the wagon. The soft straw, piled to the brim in the cargo area, rustled but absorbed Rensley’s weight without any noticeable impact. Rensley buried himself completely within the straw.
After escaping for his life, a deep sigh of relief escaped him, and he found himself reflecting on his fate. There seemed to be no day to avoid this damn wagon situation.
It is good at least duke can know he is alive..
Thank you!
It will be funny if the wagon is going to the castle 😅
True😂
ur welcomeee~<333
Every new episode of this novel is like a gift. It is well written and the detailed description makes the story alive. Thank you 😊
Hahahaha it’s seems he’ll never be able to avoid that wagon situation! 😂