Chapter 67: Crossing Paths.

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Crossing Paths.

Chapter 67: Crossing Paths.

"Just keep moving. I’ll know it once we’re close," Osborne said.

Clawdeth’s brows furrowed for a moment at his vague answer, but she said nothing.

After running for a while, she suddenly came to a stop on a tree branch.

"Why’d you stop?"

"I’m afraid there’s someone here, my lord." She said, before letting Osborne down.

’Someone’s here? Is it the golden eyes?’ He wondered. ’No, that can’t be, since my heart isn’t reacting like last time,’ he contemplated.

"Whoever it is, they might have some valuable intel. See if you can capture them alive."

"And what if I can’t?"

"Then return to me. No need to alert them by killing just yet." He said.

Clawdeth was silent for a moment before nodding. "Understood, my lord. Please wait here until I return." She said before leaping down below, vanishing into the night.

---

Osborne waited on the tree branch. In no time at all, Clawdeth returned with someone.

His mouth was bound by cloth. Judging from his damaged attire, it seemed she had ripped it from him.

She used one hand to hold both his hands behind his back, forcing him on his knees in front of Osborne.

’You’re kidding...’ Osborne massaged the bridge in between his eyes the moment he saw the person she’d caught.

"What are you doing here?" He asked Vlaric. He didn’t sound happy to see him.

"Mfhghhhhh~!" Vlaric, seemingly frightened, tried talking but only muffled sounds were heard due to the gag.

"Could you." Osborne gestured towards his mouth.

Clawdeth nodded before tugging down his gag.

Vlaric gasped for air, his mouth free once more. "The hell is wrong with you people? What are you doing here anyway? I thought you said you weren’t behind the kidnappings." He stared intensely at Osborne.

"I should be asking you the same thing," Osborne said.

"You know this man, my lord?" Clawdeth asked.

"Something like that." Osborne waved his hand dismissively.

"Now talk. What exactly are you doing here? Do you have any idea how dangerous what you’re doing is?" He said.

"You think I don’t know that?" Vlaric said. "I can’t just keep wallowing about back there doing nothing."

"So I decided to go look for them myself." He said, his gaze firm.

"I take it you’re not working with them, since you saved my back there."

"Saved who?" Osborne gave him a look. "I only did that so they wouldn’t suspect me. Don’t twist your words."

"Whatever you say." Vlaric said. His head turned around to look at Clawdeth with a hint of worry. "Can you tell your bodyguard here to please let me go?"

Osborne looked at Clawdeth, who nodded, releasing him.

Vlaric let out a satisfied breath, stretching and turning his aching joints.

"You’re lucky you ran into me first. I understand that you want to find your friends, but right now you need to head back home. You’ll only be putting your life at risk," Osborne said.

"Which home? In case you forgot, those darn bastards took everything from me."

"I don’t have anything left. Besides, I’d rather die trying to fix this than continue to waste my life away."

"You don’t get it, do you? There’s nothing you can do on your own."

"Then I’ll just have to join your little team."

"And why would I bring along dead weight?" Osborne rolled his eyes.

"Because I figured you guys definitely don’t know what exactly you’re doing, since you came all the way here. You’re heading in the wrong direction."

"And what makes you say that?" Osborne furrowed his brows a bit.

"This." Vlaric reached into his pocket before taking something out.

It looked like a ball made from fur.

"....? And this is?"

"How am I supposed to know? All I know is that I kept finding them each time my stuff went missing, even when my home was burned to ashes."

"This is all I’ve gathered up to this point. It’s impossible to see them at night, but during the day, I did find a few strands leading to this forest. My guess is that it must have something to do with what’s going on in the town. Maybe the Baron’s training wild animals to capture the townsfolk?"

"You didn’t tell me this before..." Osborne frowned. To think he left out such vital information.

"How was I supposed to? I didn’t know whether you were working with them back then."

"How was I supposed to trust you?" Vlaric said.

"And you do now?" Osborne raised a brow. "Why?"

"One reason: you didn’t kill me back there in the woods. If you were working with them, you would’ve used this opportunity to get rid of a thorn like me. Or at least led me around in circles."

Osborne turned silent, as if contemplating to himself.

"You said these strands of fur might lead us to the problem, but how exactly do we find them right now?" It was night. Spotting such things no doubt seemed impossible.

"But they’re—" Vlaric tried speaking up.

"Just because you found some leading you in one direction doesn’t mean it’s a straight line. For all we know, we could get lost."

"Perhaps I can be of service, my lord," Clawdeth said.

"May I?" She gestured for Vlaric to give her the ball of fur he’d collected so far.

Vlaric did as asked.

"I might not be as good as Natalie, but I should be able to find a trail once I grasp the scent..." Clawdeth said.

She didn’t like coming out here and spending her night like this, but she knew that if she didn’t help, her stubborn lord wouldn’t let the matter go, meaning he’d continue to call for her without end.

’I forgot beastmen have senses far greater than humans.’

’But will she be able to do it though?’ Osborne looked at her cat ears and tail. He thought to himself that perhaps a dog was more suited for this.

While canine beastmen had a superb sense of smell, it didn’t mean feline beastmen were unable to possess such.

"Found it." Clawdeth raised her head after grasping a faint scent in the wind.

"It’s not strong, so we’ll have to move quickly, my lord."