Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 507 - 506: Rebecca’s Hunt

This is a dark era, the once splendid light of civilization scattered on the ground, the iron-like theocracy and monarchy binding the land and people like chains, with the chaotic wave in the wasteland afar and wild beasts in the wilderness near, surviving requires great courage and effort.

But this is also a ”pure” era—the iron-like aristocratic order upholds the iron-like ”aristocratic spirit,” the rule makers indulging in their own ”glory” and ”orthodoxy,” stubbornly enforcing the dogmatic morals and rules. The existence of the Transcendent establishes the rule that ”strength exceeds wisdom”—everyone is accustomed to measuring prowess in direct battles, thus cunning plans beyond that become superficial and stagnant for centuries.

Therefore, the people of this era are destined to lose beyond the battlefield to an old schemer hanging in the sky for millions of years.

Of course, Gawain personally feels that each of his plans is quite upright...

Aunt Heidi has been learning from Gawain for two years, but still often fails to keep up with the ancestor’s thoughts. For a moment she is puzzled: ”Are you... planning to do business simultaneously with the Eastern Legion and the Anzu Kingdom’s military?”

”They have Gold Coins and resources, and we have industrial products, it’s a very profitable business.” Gawain stated naturally.

Aunt Heidi is a bit hesitant: ”But the Eastern Legion might have already secretly colluded with evil cult followers... if we sell potions to them, wouldn’t it be aiding those Oblivion Association believers...”

Gawain looked at Aunt Heidi: ”First, don’t forget that even before the civil war started, part of the Cecil Chamber of Commerce’s retailers had already touched base with the East, small-scale potion business had been ongoing, just not expanded, and second... do you think by selling potions to the East, they really gain benefits?”

Aunt Heidi pondered briefly, and in her mind appeared the vanished faces of the ”friendly trade partners” who vanished after Cecil’s dumping of industrial products...

Ah, the grass on Viscount Carol’s grave should already be a foot tall, right? Earl Hosman’s corpse seems still incomplete...

”Broaden your horizon, expand your thinking,” Gawain said slowly—not knowing whether it was because he was called ancestor all day, he lately really started enjoying educating people, ”Don’t be confined by immediate interests, there’s much to learn between gain and loss.”

”Got it,” Aunt Heidi nodded earnestly, ”I will contact Patrick.”

”Let Patrick gather a batch of smart but relatively discreet merchants to handle this, we want to do business with everyone, but some business cannot be done too ostentatiously,” Gawain nodded, ”Also, send someone to the weapons design office to study how to make ’export-type weapons’...”

...

While Gawain and Aunt Heidi were discussing plans for Cecil Principality’s ”foreign trade,” deep in the forest west of Cecil Castle, a special team was swiftly and cautiously traversing through vines and thickets.

In various stories, the ancient forests formed over centuries always harbor dangers, and the deeper you go, the more so—within areas untouched by human civilization hide countless terrifying tales used by parents to scare their children—bloodthirsty wolf beasts, bizarre wizards, mobile ancient trees, and cruel witches; it seems everything that can terrify ordinary people resides in the heart of the forest, ready to devour everyone venturing inside.

The real depths of the forest certainly wouldn’t be as bizarre as stories describe, but indeed there are many danger factors. In the vast shadows beneath towering ancient trees, beasts and poisonous insects are the main inhabitants, while in more special areas—like near the magic focal point—even magic monsters and spiritual body creations lie in wait, intimidating even well-trained soldiers and Knights.

So acting cautiously here is essential.

Warriors dressed in black light armor stepped on thick fallen leaves and branches to reach their observation position, pressing a hand on the side of his fully enclosed helmet, adjusting the Tactical Scope mode. Moments later, this warrior signaled: ”Safe.”

One black-armored warrior after another emerged from behind the thickets, followed by Soldrin, also in light armor but without a helmet, and behind Soldrin emerged Rebecca, wearing a short Mage robe conducive to movement, holding a steel Magic Wand.

”Ha—” Rebecca stood on a protruding rock, observing distant situations and taking a breath, ”I’ve never been this deep...”

Soldrin glanced at the young viscountess but didn’t remind her to be cautious—earlier when entering the forest, he reminded once about the weak physical constitution of Mages suggesting not to stray from warrior protection, but upon seeing this girl clobbering a forest wolf during a surprise attack with a single stick, he realized—the women of Cecil Clan are still as strong as seven hundred years ago.

This girl, possibly a Mage, might chop everyone except him on site if she dons Magic Armor...

”Stay alert, switch observation hand—shield hand remain vigilant.” Soldrin instructed the nearby subordinates, then glanced at the talisman in his hand—a magical object from hometown now shimmering slightly, indicating proximity to the forest’s magic focal point, increasing the frequency of magic monster visitations.

Next, he looked at Rebecca—the team’s actions today were initiated by this young viscountess, thus naturally listening to her objectives.

”We’re not far from the magic focal point, right?” Rebecca jumped off the rock beside Soldrin, ”Wow—your pendant is glowing!”

”Strictly speaking, we’re already in the magic focal point’s influence area,” Soldrin nodded, ”The magic monsters you seek should be near here.”

”Yes, I also heard it’s around here...” Rebecca nodded, then sighed, ”It’s nice to be grown-up... my father and aunt never let me venture deep into the forest when I was a child...”

”Deep forest is dangerous, not a place for children,” Soldrin stated seriously, ”Even we silver elves don’t allow children to freely wander the forest’s depths.”

Rebecca pursed her lips, keeping forward: ”Anyway, my aunt made up countless stories to scare me, saying the forest hides all kinds of things... witches, male witches, ghosts, fallen elves and Mages, and trees that run and jump, bears larger than houses...”

While ordering the team to continue forward, Soldrin glanced with a slight smile at Rebecca walking alongside—a friend’s descendant although with quirky ideas, still grew up listening to ghost stories, as a senior friend to Gawain, he couldn’t help but show care when seeing Rebecca, now saying: ”Were you scared after hearing those stories?”

”Ah?” Rebecca was momentarily stunned, then shook head, ”No—after hearing I went and played in the forest.”

Soldrin stumbled immediately—almost thrown off by this young silver elf’s revelation raised in the forest: ”Why?”

Rebecca replied matter-of-factly, ”Think about it, with all those strange people and animals there, the forest must be bustling— and I love lively environments.”

Soldrin this time walked steadily, while a Steel Dragoon Warrior beside stumbled...

Soldrin glanced at the team member who nearly tripped over a dead branch, and then looked at Rebecca in surprise—he found that he couldn’t quite pinpoint any flaw in her logic: ”You... alright, so what did you do after playing in the forest?”

”I didn’t run too far before I found a few wolves, got into a fight and lost—then the knights from the castle found me and took me back,” Rebecca said, taking a sharp breath, ”I really got beaten up badly that time... Later, I realized that Aunt Heidi told me those stories not to say the forest was lively, but to warn me that it’s dangerous.”

Soldrin: ”...”

No one knows if she was beaten badly by the wolves or by the elders after returning to the castle, but based on rumors... it’s probably the latter.

A moment later, the team reached deeper into the woods, and the chit-chat between Rebecca and Soldrin gradually ceased.

The air was saturated with a damp musky scent, mixed with the earthy smell, as the Steel Cavalry Scouts cautiously made a gesture at the front, and the whole team quietly halted by a lifeless giantwood.

Rebecca and Soldrin carefully moved forward a little and poked their heads out from behind the shrubbery to observe the situation ahead.

In the depths of the forest, under the massive tree canopies in perpetual darkness, large muddy puddles and ground covered with dead branches and leaves formed a hidden kingdom of non-human monsters. Several large, lion-tiger-like black Wild Beasts were resting in the clearing. Occasionally, they would lift their eyelids and glance around, their eyes as large as bronze bells filled with the glow of arcane magic.

No ordinary beast dared approach this place occupied by monsters. In the vast forest clearing, besides the dangerous magical Wild Beasts, the only living creatures were a few patches of Gray-Brown Slime Monsters slowly wriggling through the mud and decaying leaves—this weak, harmless magical creature was devouring the mud and leaves, and was so low-grade it wasn’t worth the effort for the Wild Beasts to bother exterminating them.

Soldrin counted the number of Wild Beasts and sighed in relief: this magic focal point formed recently, the gathered monsters weren’t very troublesome.

The Steel Cavalry Scouts quietly raised their weapons—high-power heat-ray guns, Arcane Missile Launchers, and small personal Howitzers. These deadly weapons were aimed at the distant monsters, while the slow-to-sense Wild Beasts remained completely oblivious.

”Be careful, only kill the Wild Beasts, don’t let it affect the surroundings,” Rebecca said in a hushed tone, ”don’t use the Howitzer.”

The warrior using the Howitzer regretfully put away his weapon and swapped for a regular heat-ray gun, while Soldrin somewhat understood Rebecca’s meaning: Avoid using overly powerful weapons to prevent damaging this natural magic focal point. Even though Rebecca is only adept at casting fireballs, she somewhat remains a Mage and has a need for a magic focal point.

Apparently, the young viscountess’s target today besides those Wild Beasts should also include this magic focal point—what has she been researching recently?

Soldrin decided to inquire about it after the mission was over, but for now... the priority was dealing with the Wild Beasts.

After a brief whispered command to open fire, the Steel Cavalry Scouts launched their attack.

The sound of heat-rays and arcane bullets piercing the air abruptly shattered the tranquility of the dense forest, followed by the furious roars and ensuing dying screams of the magically altered Wild Beasts.

The battle lasted only a brief minute—perhaps not even that.

Wild Beasts are indeed dangerous monsters—but that is against ordinary old soldiers and unprepared novice knights. For the fully armed Steel Cavalry Scouts using magic weapons and sneak attack tactics, these powerful but slow monsters only required a couple of rounds of focused fire.

The intense yet uneventful battle ended; the sound of gunfire gradually subsided, the last dying Wild Beast struggled and fell to the ground, an enchanted feathered arrow swiftly punctured its skull, ending all the slaughter. Soldrin, holding a short bow (he was still accustomed to using this weapon that had accompanied him for years), led the warriors out of the natural cover, walking towards the forest clearing, Rebecca followed closely behind.

A rustling sound surrounded them, Soldrin looked towards the direction of the sound—the frightened Slime Monsters were struggling to escape, but judging by their slow wriggling, it would probably take a while before they left the warriors’ sight.

”Wow—you guys are impressive,” Rebecca remarked approvingly at the result of the fight, ”all done!”

”My warriors are well-trained,” Soldrin smiled modestly, ”Is it time to collect samples?”

”Ah yes,” Rebecca nodded, and immediately the surrounding warriors approached the Wild Beasts to follow instructions and peel off samples, but then Rebecca waved her hand, ”Go capture those Slime Monsters.”

”Go capture...” Soldrin repeated a word in confusion, ”Huh?”

”Catch the Slime Monsters!” Rebecca blinked, ”What are you waiting for?”

Soldrin was baffled, but nonetheless ordered the equally perplexed Steel Cavalry scouts to quickly carry out the command—to capture those low-grade monsters still slowly wriggling towards the distance—and then stared perplexed at Rebecca after giving the orders: ”You brought us here... just to catch those Slime Monsters?”

Rebecca nodded enthusiastically: ”Yes.”

For the first time, Soldrin felt his mind was a bit overwhelmed: ”What’s the use of catching those?”

”If properly utilized, even a Slime Monster has its own value,” Rebecca said mysteriously, her gaze lingering on the Steel Cavalry scout warriors in the distance—they effortlessly captured the low-grade monsters crawling in the mud, but ended up quite messy from the mud, ”In your eyes, Slime Monsters are just moving sludge, but in my view... they could potentially be industrial raw materials.”

”Industrial raw materials...” Soldrin found it hard to link the seemingly useless Slime Monsters with the amazing magical industry, but seeing Rebecca’s sparkling eyes, he inexplicably felt a kind of determination, and chose not to voice any doubts, ”Alright, I look forward to your results. But the Slime Monsters are caught... what about these Wild Beasts?”

Rebecca glanced around at the fallen ferocious beast (though super ferocious, but died very unjustly), thought for a second: ”Can we eat them?”

”...I haven’t eaten them myself, but I’ve heard Wild Beast ribs taste good, and bone broth is quite nutritious.”

”Then cut some portions to take back,” Rebecca clapped her hands, ”I’ll make soup for the ancestor!”