In truth, the count did not know exactly what was happening in the capital either. He had no informants planted there; he had merely picked up bits and pieces from peddlers, pilgrims, and mercenaries traveling between Shedil and Hasra.

“I could write to my son, but even at the fastest, it would take a good twenty days to get a reply. And with the gates closed, there is little chance of a message getting through.”

Even without that obstacle, the count had little desire to contact his son. If he saw the boy slinking home after learning the danger had passed, his fists might act before his head did.

Shan said he would think it over, then left the drawing room and went straight to Roden with the news.

“The capital’s been sealed off?”

“Do you think the princes did it?”

“Probably. I can’t think of any other reason.”

Sherin, too, had warned that relations between the two had grown dangerously hostile and that something might happen while so many nobles were away on the expedition. Unless the princes really had made their move, there was no other reason for the capital to be abruptly sealed off.

“Haah...”

Roden’s expression grew grave. His father, Kalion, was still in the capital. Of course, as head of the merchants’ guild, he was unlikely to come to harm, but...

“Should we head back, then? As fast as we can.”

“You only just woke up. Will you be all right? You should rest a little—”

“I told you, I’m fine.”

Roden watched Shan shrug with worried eyes, then let out a sigh.

“All right. Let’s go now. Packing won’t take long.”

True to his word, Roden finished the preparations in no time. He sold off the bulkier, less valuable spoils, accepting a modest loss to turn them into cash, and used some of the proceeds to buy provisions for the journey.

With everything ready, Shan went to tell Lug that he would be returning to the capital ahead of him.

“If you like, I can leave a few men here. Traveling back with only your squire might be difficult...”

“What? Oh, no, not at all! We’ll be fine! It’s usually just the two of us anyway!”

Lug waved his hands, insisting there was absolutely no need.

Shan did not mention the unrest in the capital. If this earnest, lanky knight learned that his liege, Prince Elvin, might be in danger, he might insist on coming along before he had fully recovered.

After speaking to Lug, Shan went to inform the count that he intended to head straight back to the capital. The old bear clicked his tongue.

“Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

“Yes. I appreciate your concern, but I need to go back.”

“If your mind is made up, I cannot stop you. Do take care. Even a hero who is all but invincible against swords and spears has no answer to treacherous poison and ambush.”

A deep shadow fell over the count’s face as he urged Shan not to let the capital’s darkness devour him. Shan suddenly wondered whether he, too, had experienced something similar in his youth.

“I’ll remember that.”

On his way out after saying his farewells, Shan realized that everyone along the road was watching him. One of the silent onlookers boldly called out.

“Thank you so much!”

“You saved our lives!”

“Shan of Green Eyes! The bane of ogres and cockatrices!”

“The Heart Ripper!”

In Shedil, Shan was already halfway to becoming a legend: a self-made explorer who had risen from an unknown Altoan boy to accomplish the extraordinary feat of hunting a cockatrice in the Demonlands. Now, to his distinction as the first Altoan knight, he had added the glorious achievement of slaying the mighty ogre that had threatened the city.

Though this was not his hometown, the people of Shedil took pride in knowing that a boy destined to become a legend had left his footprints in their city. The Altoans living here dreamed of one day becoming like him.

Beneath their admiring gazes, Shan felt something welling up deep in his chest.

* * *

After leaving Shedil, Shan’s party first headed southeast of the city. There was a small cave among the gorges there. While the mercenaries kept watch, Roden used his extraordinary strength to pull aside a boulder blocking the entrance, revealing a wooden chest inside. It held the various magical devices they had acquired while exploring the Altoan ruin.

“Everything still there?”

“Hmm... Good. No sign of anyone opening it, thankfully. Let’s load it onto a horse.”

There was no telling when they would return to Shedil, so they needed to collect it now. Once the securely locked chest was loaded onto a packhorse, Shan addressed the Altoan mercenaries.

“I have urgent business, so I’m going ahead. Follow Roden’s orders and make it back without trouble.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Understood!”

With so many valuables in their possession, it would have been safer for Shan to accompany them as their commander. If the men mutinied, Roden’s fear of blades would leave him unable even to resist before they killed him. But with the situation in the capital unknown, Shan needed to ride Arwin there as quickly as possible.

Still, Roden judged a mutiny unlikely. Shan had demonstrated overwhelming strength and standing, and had been generous to the men besides. Above all, if things truly took a turn for the worse, Roden could reveal his identity and make use of the Brotherhood members among the mercenaries.

Leaving Roden in command, Shan parted from the others and rode Arwin at a speed that felt like flying. Taking the fastest route rather than traveling from village to village meant sleeping in the open almost every night.

Fortunately, no dangerous enemies attacked him in the night. The stronger monsters in the area had joined the horde lord and been slain, while Arwin woke from her dozing to stamp the lesser ones to death on the spot.

Whenever Arwin tired from running and slowed to a leisurely walk, Shan took the lance mounted on his saddle and polished it to calm his anxiety.

“Whew...”

Heart Destroyer had been a complete wreck after driving into the ogre’s arm as it brought its fist down. Its shaft had broken into several pieces, and its blade had been crushed almost beyond recognition. Now, however, it was recovering quite well thanks to the restoration spell Princess Sherin had placed on it using the troll’s magic stone as a medium. The shaft had more or less rejoined, though the joins were still a little weak, and the blade had regained its former edge.

‘Hopefully I won’t have to use it.’

But judging by the news reaching him, he would probably have occasion to do just that. As he drew closer to the capital, the information he gathered from travelers only strengthened that conviction.

“A rebellion...”

“I don’t know the details, but I did hear the first and second princes calling each other traitors.”

The man speaking to Shan introduced himself as a refugee who had recently fled Hasra. According to him, the capital had become utterly lawless. With the guards gone, it was apparently impossible even to walk the streets carrying anything valuable.

Each story made Shan more anxious, and he needlessly pressed Arwin to hurry. As a result, on the third day of his grueling journey, he reached the middle of a plain with Hasra visible in the distance.

‘Going straight in... would be dangerous.’

He wanted to gather more information nearby first, but perhaps because of all the chaos, no one was traveling around the capital. And he was hardly comfortable stopping just anyone to question them.

As he pondered what to do, Shan noticed a group approaching him from afar and narrowed his eyes. He briefly tightened his grip on his slowly recovering lance, but the crest on the force’s banner looked familiar. After a moment’s thought, he recognized it as belonging to a knight who had fought alongside him in the expedition. If he remembered correctly, the man had distinguished himself on the right wing and bid for one of the ogre’s testicles.

“Oh, Sir Shan! I heard you’d fallen unconscious. To think you’re already back! Good to see you! But where are your squire and mercenaries? Why are you alone?”

The middle-aged knight lifted his visor and greeted Shan with a delighted expression. His armor was stained crimson with blood, as though he had been fighting until recently.

“Sir Urakel... was it? Have you been in battle?”

“I was fighting the traitor Conrad’s army until just a short while ago. If you intend to enter the capital, don’t. Hasra is in his hands now.”

The traitor Conrad. It was a remarkably blunt choice of words. It meant the two princes had abandoned even their last pretense and openly turned against one another.

“Prince Conrad has seized the capital?”

“Yes. Prince Elvin fought valiantly against the traitor, but he was recently forced onto the defensive and fled south with His Majesty the King.”

He explained that he, too, had returned to the capital unaware, only to be driven off by Conrad’s army. Now he was warning knights like Shan who were returning just as ignorant of the situation.

“Conrad is rounding up every warrior of Prince Elvin’s faction who returns from the ogre expedition and hanging them indiscriminately. I narrowly escaped the same fate myself...”

Conrad had long been notorious for his ruthless, unforgiving nature. That was why, despite being the eldest prince, he was considered unpopular enough for Elvin to rival him. Still, the middle-aged knight clicked his tongue, saying he had never imagined Conrad would act with such appalling cruelty.

“And you’re an Altoan, Sir Shan. The moment you enter, that traitor Conrad will surely find some excuse to send you straight to the gallows.”

“Do you happen to know what has become of Princess Sherin?”

“That wi—no, I don’t know about the princess. In truth, I’ve only heard about conditions inside the capital, not seen them myself. But I hadn’t expected her to be your first concern.”

Shan did not answer the look that seemed to ask whether he really was involved with Princess Sherin, as the rumors claimed. Puzzled, the knight scratched his head, then declared,

“In any case, come with me to Prince Elvin! With your martial prowess, even that devil Marquis Abel would be no match for you! I’ll make certain the prince knows what a magnificent warrior you are!”

So that seemed to be why Sir Urakel had stopped Shan and talked at such length: to recruit a knight powerful enough to have played a leading role in slaying the ogre into their faction. Perhaps the very reason he had lingered here instead of joining the prince was to intercept Shan on his return.

After a brief moment’s thought, Shan disappointed him with a shake of his head.

“Thank you for the offer, but I need to enter the capital first. I must make sure my squire’s family is safe.”

When he explained that this was why he had hurried back alone, Sir Urakel’s bearded face creased.

“It will be dangerous.”

Sir Urakel persisted in trying to persuade him to come along instead, but eventually sighed, apparently realizing that Shan would not be swayed.

“Take care. Losing a knight like you would be a loss to the kingdom.”

As Sir Urakel turned away, Shan quietly studied his force. Their wagons were loaded with supplies that plainly appeared to belong to civilians. The blood on that armor had surely come not from Conrad’s soldiers, but from robbing passing merchants.

After Sir Urakel’s men left, Shan considered how to enter the city. If he simply rode in, Conrad’s army would naturally seize him and take his head. Even if fighting Elvin had weakened Conrad, controlling Hasra meant he must command at least a dozen or more knights and hundreds of soldiers. Shan stood no chance against such a force.

That left sneaking in, which meant he could not take Arwin. The Horace warhorse’s metallic sheen alone would draw every eye. His metal armor, too, would likely hinder any attempt at stealth.

After some thought, Shan decided to leave absolutely everything behind. The sun was already setting, so he would not have to wait long for darkness. He removed his weapons and armor, stowed them in his saddlebags, and stroked Arwin as he repeated his instructions.

“Arwin, I’ll be back soon. Stay around here and rest on your own. Come find me when I call. All right?”

Abandoning an ordinary horse in the wilds of Pendia would merely provide the monsters with a tasty meal, but Arwin was fierce and powerful even among the monster-blooded warhorses of Horace. And because of their special bond, Shan trusted that she would answer him when he returned.

Arwin replied with a whinny, rubbing her metal-covered head against his chest.

“That’s right. Just wait a little.”

Reassuring her once more, Shan set off on foot toward Hasra, unburdened.

After all the unrest, every house outside the walls was tightly shuttered. Shan gazed at the city gates, firmly closed now that curfew had passed, then flexed his fingers and began climbing the wall.

Supporting his weight on tiny irregularities too small to fit even a single finger joint was a truly life-threatening stunt—for an ordinary person, at least. To Shan, a wall of this height was little more than an obstacle to cross for some after-dinner exercise.

He scaled the wall in moments, located the guards stationed along it, then closed his eyes and slipped between them. On that pitch-dark night, their eyes accustomed to torchlight, they never noticed him moving through the shadows.

Descending the wall’s stairs into the city without being spotted, Shan let out a quiet sigh at the sight of the capital. Many of the buildings were scorched, their doors smashed to pieces. Uncollected rubbish littered the ground, and barricades made from heaps of odds and ends stood here and there. All were signs that, until recently, this place had resembled a battlefield.

Taking in his surroundings, Shan moved through the streets, avoiding the passing night watchmen. His experience abducting the Brotherhood’s officers proved invaluable here.

Had he been moving for ten minutes or so? At last, when a familiar front gate came into view, Shan stopped.

‘This is...’

The Wievers mansion’s front gate was half demolished, like those of the other buildings he had passed. Around it were scorch marks and damage that looked as though it had been inflicted with clubs. Even the garden glimpsed beyond was a wreck, as if trampled by a crowd of muddy feet.

At the sight, Shan hurried inside, forgetting even the need for caution. Someone waiting in hiding just inside the gate heard him, sprang out, and swung a club.

“You filthy thieving bastards—agh!”

The man had swung as though to smash his skull, only to cry out in alarm when Shan caught the club in his bare hand. A moment later, noticing the green glow of Shan’s eyes, he hastily let go.

“Younger Master?!”

Now Shan recognized him as the Wievers household’s stablekeeper. Handing the club back, he asked,

“What on earth happened here?”

“P-please forgive me, sir.”

“It’s fine. You didn’t know it was me. Where’s Master Kalion?”

The stablekeeper’s face darkened at the question. His expression alone made it clear that something terrible had happened.

“The master is inside. Um, where is the elder young master...?”

“He’s on his way. I heard something had happened in the capital, so I came ahead.”

Seeing this, Shan murmured regretfully, he should have come back even sooner.

When he found Kalion a short while later, the man did not greet him with his usual hearty laugh. As Shan looked down at him lying pale in bed, his head wrapped in bandages, the stablekeeper muttered shamefacedly,

“Robbers broke in a little while ago and did this to him. Mr. Daset and old Gol were killed.”

Daset had been the cook, and old Gol the gardener. At the news that people he knew had lost their lives, Shan’s face hardened coldly.

“Who did it?”

“We don’t know, sir. Everything was so chaotic.”

On the third day after Shan and Roden left to hunt the ogre, Princes Conrad and Elvin had brought their armies into battle against one another, though the precise cause was unknown. After that, the capital had descended into complete anarchy. Even the guards had split into factions according to their commanders and fought among themselves, while thugs from the slums took advantage of the collapse in order to attack the wealthy districts’ mansions.

The Wievers mansion had been swept up in the chaos and reduced to this state. Many servants had died or fled, and the house’s valuables had been stolen. They had preserved even this much only because loyal servants had risked their lives to protect it. Some neighboring merchants had lost their entire families and been stripped of everything they owned.

“Ha...”

Shan felt anew why Roden had wanted to succeed as a knight. No matter how wealthy a merchant was, the slightest weakening of the state’s and the law’s protection could leave him like this. Only those who held real power could weather every storm.

Indeed, he was told that the robbers had not dared attack the nobles’ mansions. Those were defended by well-armed household troops and knights.

“Have you called a priest?”

“It’s been difficult with so many people injured, sir. I hear the prince is controlling the priests...”

Still, they had managed to arrange treatment a few times through personal connections. It was only his advanced age that was slowing his recovery. To have Kalion properly treated, they would likely have to get him out of the capital somehow and take him to a more skilled priest. How to do that would have to wait...

After a brief moment’s thought, Shan’s mind turned to Princess Sherin’s whereabouts.

“Do you know what’s happened to Princess Sherin?”

“I’m sorry, sir. We wouldn’t know about anything like that.”

The stablekeeper bowed his head apologetically.

Of course, how would a merchant’s servants hear news from inside the palace? Shan hoped she was at least alive, but for now, he could not even think of a way to contact her. Could she be staying at Count Pales’s villa?

As he considered going there, he noticed an odd movement in one corner of the garden.

‘What’s this...?’

Dozens of spiders were gathering in a dark corner of the garden. It was a bizarre sight, considering that they normally did not gather even in groups of three or four. Shan watched for a moment, wondering what was happening, then realized that the spiders were arranging themselves into letters.

“Save me, Sherin...?”