"SEIZE THIS MAN FOR HIS INSOLENCE!"
Lykos’s command resounded loud and clear, but...
"Sorry, my Lord, we can’t and we shouldn’t."
No one followed them.
"He’s our savior; I’m sure you understand that he was only joking, right?"
Instead, they smiled at him; so even laughed, making this seem like a common sight.
"You heard him, Lord~. I was only joking."
Caring not for them trying to appease Lykos, Ignotus doused this fire with all the world’s oil by patting the boy’s fluffy gray hair.
"Please don’t hurt , oh soft one."
Lykos, his ears and tail pointing up, bared his fangs and clutched Ignotus’s hand.
But before the wolf-boy could bite—
"Op, op, op, not so fast~."
Ignotus pulled back and raised his hands in surrender.
"I didn’t an anything by it, Lord Lykos; please forgive ."
Speechless, "Lord Lykos" stood stunned, not knowing what to do.
"Oh, did you not like calling you Lykos? I understand..."
His grin was too obvious.
"It’s a pretty masculine na; it doesn’t suit yo—"
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Screaming his lungs out, the wolf-boy pointed forth once more.
"ULV! KILL THIS MAN!"
Again, instead of doing what they were told, the guards laughed, finding this scene quite codic, while Ulv, their leader, quickly patted their Lord’s back, barely stopping himself from cracking a smile.
’They seem quite close as well.’
Ignotus nodded at Eris and, after a subtle warning from Ulv, apologized:
"Sorry, Lord Lykos, I only wanted to tease you a little."
Lykos looked at Ignotus for a few monts, then "humphed" his head away.
"F-Fine, I’ll be rciful."
The guards all smiled at each other and kneeled before him.
"Thank you for your rcy, my Lord."
Nodding, as if proud of himself, Lykos gestured for them to move.
"Go gather our belongings! We are to move!"
As they finally followed his commands, Ulv looked at Ignotus and pointed his chin to the distance, away from the rest of his people.
’Hm.’
Ignotus approached, finally getting what he had waited for.
"You wish to talk privately, Guard Ulv?"
Ulv nodded and asked in a low voice:
"Are you knowledgeable of how we Blessed-folk have co to be?"
Ignotus raised a brow, not expecting this conversation to take such a direction.
"Yes... Your blood cos from a being who beca a Class Three, a Blessed."
Ulv smiled, his long teeth showing.
"Indeed, we animal-folk co in all different kinds, each from a lineage of a Blessed... Once, way too long ago, we were rare, a true Blessed, but now, with our blood so diluted, we are no different than the average human."
Ignotus glanced at Lykos, who was staring at them from a distance.
"Let guess... sohow your Lord is different."
Ulv nodded a second ti.
"Correct, our Lord’s blood is purer; he is... ’soft’ because of that."
The way he said that word made Ignotus chuckle a little.
"Is that rare among your Lords? Is that why those bandits were sent after him?"
The wolf’s blue widened a little, finding this human before him too impressive.
"Correct again, Stranger. Lord Lykos’s existence threatens them."
Ignotus tilted his head.
"But isn’t he of Death? Who would dare assassinate one of this stratum’s only Great House?"
Ulv’s lips twisted.
"Who would dare?... Who else but Lord Nex’s direct family?"
Much like Ulv of earlier, Ignotus’s eyes widened.
"Are you telling that the boy’s assassination ca with his approval?"
Ulv lowered his head.
"...Unfortunately, yes. You have to keep in mind that while we call ourselves of Death, we are officially only a vassal of it. House Wolf."
And that...
"Fuck."
That changed everything, instantly making this Lykos kid useless in Ignotus’s eyes.
Sure, he could still get so coin out of him, but would that be worth it?
The risk of staying close to the boy was too high.
Yes, it wasn’t Nex himself sending the assassins, but it might as well have been.
No wonder they cut through unowned lands, staying far from the main roads.
They knew that their Lord would have bastards sent after him.
’You’ve troubled yourself for naught.’
Eris’s words were true.
He needed to leave them before he was caught up in it.
"Before you go, Sir Seeker, would you listen to ?"
Ignotus’s eyes snapped to his.
"You know of my class?"
Ulv’s smile returned.
"I can... sll how young you are. And judging by the direction you are heading towards, Saint Academy is your destination, correct? I’m sure you’ve already summarized, but it is ours as well."
Ignotus said nothing, and the guard continued:
"I’ve seen many young Runebearers do the sa as you on our journey. Though I’ve only seen their mauled and rotting bodies... you are the first to survive the many dangers that I’m sure have co to you."
Again, Ignotus said nothing, his face uncharacteristically blank.
"And that’s for good reason. You are both smart and resourceful, knowing who to use and who to abandon."
Ulv gestured at his people, at whatever they had left.
"You see correctly. We are trouble, and you’d be better off abandoning us."
Ignotus tilted his head and asked:
"But?"
Ulv chuckled, finding his belief further acknowledged.
"But I’m sure journeying with us would benefit you in other ways."
"I don’t see how that would be true, so please..."
Ignotus made a performative gesture.
"Enlighten ."
Raising his sword, Ulv took a stance.
"Sure."
Almost imdiately, Ignotus did the sa with his bare hands, a grin returning to his face.
"So you want to die then?"
Away from them, murmurs picked up as the rest of the guards tensed up.
They hadn’t joined the two yet, not wanting to escalate things.
Or rather, they were too confused about what was happening.
Felix, who was still hiding, almost tore his hair out.
"No, I want to live long and watch over our Lord."
Ignotus’s muscles tensed at Ulv’s words.
"Then why threaten ?"
Chuckling loudly, Ulv sheathed his sword.
"I wanted to be sure, and now I am."
While the rest let out a breath of relief, going back to what they were doing, with Felix finally joining them, Ignotus paused for a mont, many thoughts passing through his head until...
"Ah."
He finally realized what this wolf-man was getting at.
"You’re smarter than you look."
Ignoring Ignotus’s jab, Ulv nodded.
"Grinning even when surrounded by swords that could potentially be aid at your neck... I know your type; you’re not right in the head, chasing after what makes you most alive... death."
Relaxing his body, Ignotus shrugged.
"You got ..."
But that made him think about it for a mont.
Schizoid Personality Disorder... or so his friend, turned therapist, called it.
Why did that remain the sa even though he saw the Truth?
Wasn’t it a brain thing? So shouldn’t that have changed it?
Or was it a Soul thing? Was it not a ’thing’ at all?
Perhaps it was sothing more than that, disguised as a disorder.
He didn’t know... his "condition" had always eclipsed him.
"I have ’got you,’ so that makes think..."
Ulv looked at his Lord.
"Wouldn’t you like the danger he brings?"
Ignotus closed his eyes, his smile turning... defeated.
"Maybe, but—"
Ulv cut him off.
"There’s going to be a lot of fighting."
"Hm..."
Ignotus paused, looking lost in thought.
"That’s true."
Ulv followed up:
"Yes, it’s true."
And Ignotus confird:
"I will be fighting a lot."
As did Ulv:
"You’re exactly right."
Until finally...
"Fine, count in."
Ignotus agreed.
"Great."
"Great."
"Great."
Ulv bowed towards him and returned to his lord.
Ignotus watched him go, his smile dimming.
’Careful of that boy; he’s a sharp one.’
Eris’s warning was light.
’I will, don’t worry.’
He was interested to see if this lot would survive.
After all, bringing him along would only invite Calamity.
They didn’t know what they had just done to themselves.
’I definitely will~.’
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