Chapter 10 of 10

Chapter 10

16 min read4,000 words

In the warmth of the water, Melin closed his eyes slightly, but he wasn't trying to sleep; he was quietly sensing the changes in his body.

"Strength has increased a bit, and my body feels a little lighter, but my limbs are somewhat sore, as if I had just done intense exercise. Is this the effect of those strange postures?"

Melin gently clenched his fists, the veins on his hands protruding. He could feel that his strength had increased, though not significantly. Despite being drenched in sweat, as if he had just undergone intense exercise, Melin was very clear that he had merely maintained the peculiar postures depicted on the relief.

Overall, the postures on the relief seemed to be guiding Melin's body in a positive direction. Although he didn't know the origin of the relief, given its miraculous effects, Melin had no reason not to continue practicing.

Melin soaked in the bathtub for a while, washing away the sweat and odor, then got up, dressed, and looked at the relief on the writing desk. He pondered for a moment and gently touched the patterns on the relief.

Melin had already memorized the postures on the relief, so the relief was temporarily of no use. He hid it under the bed, opened the door, and went downstairs.

At the dining table downstairs, Mei Xue was propping her chin with her left hand and idly doodling on the table with her right hand. The butler stood beside her. When he saw Melin come down, he bowed slightly and said respectfully, "Young Master Melin, dinner is ready."

"Sorry to keep you all waiting."

Melin was in a good mood, so he had a good appetite. He cut a piece of roasted lamb leg and drank a glass of milk, quickly dispelling the chill from his body. He felt warm and comfortable all over.

Melin slightly lifted the edge of his fluffy coat, leaned his head back on the chair, and squinted his eyes, clearly seeing the snowflakes, like goose feathers, drifting in the air outside the door.

"It's so cold outside. I wonder how Father is doing?"

Mei Xue had also finished eating. Looking at the snow outside, she said with a worried expression.

Old Wilson usually took three to five days to collect taxes in the territory. Calculating the time, Old Wilson should be returning soon.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Suddenly, there was a series of urgent knocks on the closed door. Melin and Mei Xue both looked towards the door. Who could be coming to the castle so late at night?

The butler hurriedly opened the door, and a gust of cold wind immediately rushed into the house. In the icy, bone-chilling wind, Melin's face changed slightly. He could smell a strong scent of blood in the wind.

"Commander Pula? What happened to you?"

The butler exclaimed in surprise. The person standing outside was the commander of the guards who served Old Wilson.

Hearing the butler's exclamation, Melin immediately recalled some memories of Pula. Pula commanded all the knights in the castle and the territory. Apart from Old Wilson, he had the most power, being Old Wilson's right-hand man. Even Melin had to call Pula "Uncle."

"Uncle Pula, why are you back? Has Father returned early?"

Mei Xue also stood up quickly, asking excitedly.

Pula had gone with Old Wilson to collect taxes in the territory. Now that Pula had returned, Old Wilson should have returned as well.

However, Pula shook his head slightly and said in a low voice, "The Baron has not returned yet."

Everyone's hearts sank. Could something have happened to Old Wilson?

"It's cold outside. Come in and talk."

The butler quickly let Pula into the hall, turned around, and closed the door tightly. The room immediately became much warmer without the cold wind.

Melin then saw Pula clearly. Pula was a towering figure, broad-shouldered and muscular, wearing a silver-white light armor. His chestnut short hair was disheveled, covered with white snowflakes.

However, Pula's white armor was now stained with dark red blood, and his large sword had several notches, clearly indicating he had just been in a fierce battle.

"Uncle Pula, what happened? Where is Father?"

Pula grinned and said, "Hehe, the Baron is fine. We just encountered a small group of bandits on the way to the territory. The Baron led us to repel them. The Baron is worried that if the bandits return, they might pose a threat to the territory, so he sent me back to mobilize a hundred heavy knights from the castle!"

Melin's heart relaxed slightly. Encountering bandits was no small matter, but Old Wilson had returned from the battlefield and was well-accustomed to combat. He had more ways to deal with bandits.

Moreover, Old Wilson had already trained a group of heavy knights, totaling 150, which was the most powerful force in Wilson Castle.

"Uncle Pula, the city is still very peaceful, and the castle doesn't need so many heavy knights for protection. You might as well mobilize all 150 heavy knights to ensure that Father and the territory are safe."

Pula hesitated for a moment but finally nodded and said, "Alright, as Young Master Melin suggests, I will mobilize all 150 heavy knights. Young Master can rest assured. Those bandits are nothing. When I was under the Baron, I cut off countless heads of Eastern heretics. What are a few bandits compared to that?"

Pula laughed loudly, sounding very confident. He was a soldier who had followed Old Wilson through the brutal war against the Eastern heretics. After Old Wilson was granted a title by the kingdom, he brought Pula back with him.

Compared to Old Wilson, Pula was a standard soldier—aggressive, loyal, and decisive, but also cruel, bloody, and bloodthirsty. Many servants in the castle were afraid of Commander Pula.

"Uncle Pula, you haven't eaten yet, have you? It's so cold outside, and you must be very tired. There's half a roasted lamb left here. Eat some quickly."

Pula didn't refuse. He had run through the snow for a day and a night and was indeed very hungry. He grabbed the roasted lamb from the table and started eating. However, Pula didn't linger for long. He quickly mobilized 150 heavy knights from the castle and then rushed out.

Watching the 150 heavy knights leave the castle, Melin's frown didn't ease. He looked up at the butler and asked, "Blackwater City has always been safe. Why have bandits suddenly appeared recently? And from the look of Uncle Pula, this group of bandits doesn't seem weak. Otherwise, Father wouldn't have sent Uncle Pula back to mobilize the heavy knights."

The butler looked at Melin, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Blackwater City was indeed safe before, but recently, for some unknown reason, a group of fierce bandits has appeared. They have attacked several small towns outside Blackwater City. The city guard's knight squad has been dispatched several times, but they haven't found the bandits. However, Young Master, the Baron has 150 heavy knights, plus the knights in the territory. Dealing with a small group of bandits shouldn't be a problem."

Melin nodded lightly. With Old Wilson around, the territory shouldn't have any major issues.

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