364 Returning to Ourals
As the time was flying by, Cain asked Zaleria to hurry a bit even if it was at the cost of their discomfort. He has this feeling that they might be late just as with the Fenrirs. This feeling came when Cain saw a bunch of injured travelers march away from the capital direction.
Being real, they were most likely injured by monsters. But that just made Cain anxious as being late to a big problem in the capital would lead to a disaster.
“Even if there was a problem, the capital’s guild has a lot of S-rank adventures as well the royal knights. They should be fine.” Mary said as she tried her best to approach Cain without falling, luckily she was doing a good job balancing herself.
“Even with that they can’t stop a motivated dragon, neither could Kayden, neither father, or I,” Cain told her with a straight face, he needed to consider that people here aren’t used to the harsh world.
“You say that but the kingdom has stood for over five centuries, they could handle most of the problems that you could find on this continent,” Mary argued against him, humans were weak but they weren’t incompetent. Cain knew she was partly right, humans are the ones who drove the devils back to hell in the ancient war with Absolut Zero’s help.
“You’re right, but dragons live up to ten thousand years. Five centuries are five years to them.”
Mary just smiled, “Then let’s hurry.”
“Zaleria how fast Cain you go?” Cain asked.
“Not much more than now, but I can move at night as well,” Zaleria replied.
“Won’t that be hard on you?” Sofia yelled so they can hear her..
“I can sleep mid-flight and be able to react to attacks in about a second or two. Or I can only fall half asleep so I won’t lose any reaction time.”
Just like Frigate birds, dragons can sleep while flying long distances. It was just another part that made running from a dragon impossible, it will chase you day and night.
“Then please do, we will anchor ourselves on your back to sleep,” Cain replied. Zaleria had a lot of scales they could tie their camping equipment to.
They prepared everything, Zaleria wasn’t that much fond of Cain nailing the tents to her back scales but the holes are too small to be seen.
…On the first night…
As everyone was sleeping, Sofia’s body was slowly rolling toward the exit of the tent. Zaleria seems to be flying on an angle while asleep.
At the moment her body was about to fall off, a hand grabbed her. It was none other than Mary. Using all of her strength to drag her back in, Sofia wasn’t waking up which frustrated Mary.
“How deep is your sleep?” she whispered.
The next day Cain asked Zaleria to stop at night as he had to return to Ourals for Marina, his wives took priority over the kingdom. “Don’t worry I will keep them safe.”
When the night came, Cain prepared both the tower and the magnificent mansion before opening the portal to Ourals.
“Take care,” Sofia said with a smile.
Alice approached Cain and whispered in his ears “Be gentle with her, remember that she has almost no stamina.”
“I know,” Cain replied as he walked through the portal directly into Marina’s room.
As he looked around, she wasn’t there. When Cain walked outside the room, a maid was rushing across. “Hey you, have you seen Marina?”
The maid immediately stopped and turned to see the insolent who called the lady by her name. She froze in place as she saw he was in fact, Cain.
Bowing down deeply, “The lady is at the front gate dealing with some ruffians, a group of bandits that showed up out of nowhere has attacked the city.” The maid replied.
Cain rushed toward the window, looked toward the gate, and immediately teleported there.
…
The soldiers were winning since they were defending the city walls. The bandits had almost no chance against the fortified structure but this battle might take the whole night.
“Commander, I have to head back soon. Just keep attacking them and retreating until they fall apart.” Marina told the commander as she was leaving the strategist room, she was the one directing the fight before.
“We could just open the gate and charge at them with cavalry, we might lose a man and a horse but the fight will end quickly.” The commander said. He preferred direct confrontation that Marina’s slow strategy.
“Both soldier and horses have lives. We won’t risk them for unnecessary reasons.” Marina replied.
After most Ourals reliable commanders died at the war, this hard-headed brick of a soldier was the only one capable of taking the commander role.
“You also want to clear the night, let’s just attack them immediately.” The commander didn’t know why Marina wanted to get back quickly but if that was the case, he felt responsible to end this fight and give the time she needed.
“That’s less important than lives, especially when we’re lacking soldiers.” She replied.
“Excuse me but what’s happening?” Cain appeared immediately behind Marina and the commander instantly pulled his sword.
The commander then quickly recognized Cain and sheathed his sword, not out of respect but of fear. He had no chance of winning and will just spell everyone’s doom.
Marina turned toward Cain with a pale face, she was late and he must be angry. She was planning to wait for him with the two maids dressed in her bedroom but this stupid fight was too far too long.
“Sorry, I will get back immediately…” She said, thinking he will ask her to leave such matters to the commander and take her back.
“Fill me in, what is happening?” Cain asked again. The commander immediately explained the situation to him.
“I see, want them dead or alive? Injured or unharmed?” Cain asked with a serious face.
“Alive and unharmed would be best, we will have them work as punishment,” Marina said. She avoided using the word slave as that might trigger something in Cain. Slavery was mostly frowned upon and she didn’t know Cain’s stand.
“So enslaving them? That would be useful, just give me a minute.” Cain immediately sprung to action teleporting to the top of the wall and then to the middle of the bandits.
…
“Who is that?” After a moment of silence, a bandit yelled as he saw Cain.
“SLEEEEP!” Cain pointed a finger toward him with a stupid face. The man fell asleep on the spot.
“You sleep and you sleep, you all sleeeeeeeeep!” Cain started spamming [Sleep] like there is no tomorrow.
At some point, Cain found a woman, one of the bandits about to take her business behind a tree.
The moment she saw him standing in front of her she screamed and yelled at him. “You dare look?”
“Yes, I do. So sleep!” He instantly knocked her out as well. Cain then immediately approached her and lifted her pants up covering her.
“I’m safe but most people aren’t, so let’s get you covered up,” Cain said with an exhausted face.
After making sure all the bandits were dealt with, Cain returned to Marina to inform her of the battle’s end.
“You take some soldiers and arrest them, I will take Marina to the keep.” Cain put his should around Marina and teleported back with her.
The commander saw it first hand, the white mage’s arcane power. “Come on men, we have work to do!” He yelled.
Cain and Marina appeared back in her room, all of her plans for the night were going down the drain. She knew that Cain wasn’t a normal noble and never acted as one. But from what the maids and other noble women told her, not being present in bed for her husband, and being found with another man on top of it (Even though they were discussing strategy as a lord and his soldier) usually meant a harsh beating.
“Nice job, I didn’t expect to see you at the front line,” Cain said with a smile, he was happy that his wife is capable of acting like a proper lord.
“What?” she looked at him with a puzzled face.
Before Cain could reply, they heard a knocking at the door.
“My lady, we got everything ready!” A woman’s voice said. “May we come in?” Another voice spoke but it seemed similar to the first one.