Chapter 34: Road To Helheim [ 2 ]

The steady rhythm of the carriage wheels and Grimhorn hooves filled the silence while the landscape passed beyond the windows.

Ottilie eventually moved one of her remaining pieces, withdrawing it from Sigurd’s attack while simultaneously threatening the opposite side of the board.

Sigurd’s eyes moved across the pieces.

Ottilie noticed his expression and immediately sighed. "Young Master, I don’t like that look. Every time you become this quiet, I’ve usually made a mistake."

Sigurd’s mouth curved slightly ashis fingers settled around one piece. "You made the mistake four moves ago. You just didn’t know it yet."

Ottilie’s eyes narrowed as she leaned forward.

Sigurd moved.

Her expression changed.

The maid looked from the piece he had moved to her king, then toward the escape square she had apparently been preserving.

Sigurd had already blocked it.

She examined another possibility, discovered the same problem, and finally leaned back against her seat with a defeated sigh.

"Checkmate."

Ottilie stared at the board for several more seconds before shaking her head. "Again. I was convinced I finally had you when you gaveup that piece earlier."

Sigurd began collecting the pieces while a satisfied smile remained on his face. "That’s why I gave it to you."

Ottilie placed one hand against her chest as though personally wounded by the revelation. "And here I thought the Tenth Young Master had finally made a mistake. You deliberately gave an innocent woman false hope."

Sigurd gave her an unimpressed look. "You’ve been trying to trap my king for the last hour. I don’t think innocence applies anymore."

The maid laughed softly and helped return the pieces to their proper places.

With the game finished, Sigurd leaned backbefore turning toward the window. He released the latch and pushed it open, allowing cool afternoon air to flow into the carriage. The smell of grass and distant rain replaced some of the enclosed warmth inside.

His ash-white hair shifted in the wind as he rested one arm against the window frame and looked toward the mountains stretching across the horizon.

Five days.

They had been traveling for five days already.

The vast central territories associated with the Grandel seat were behind them now, and the convoy had entered the long routes leading toward the region where Helheim had been established.

Even with Demonic Beast mounts capable of maintaining speeds and endurance ordinary horses could never match, distance remained distance. According to the route explained by the guard captain, another ten to fifteen days of travel remained depending on weather, road conditions, and how frequently they stopped.

Sigurd watched the mountains for another minute before closing the window.

He sighed.

Training for hours was easier than sitting for hours.

His gaze wandered across the carriage until it settled on Ottilie, who had begun arranging the chess pieces for another game. Boredom eventually defeated his reluctance to make pointless conversation.

"Ottilie," Sigurd called, causing the maid to look up immediately. He rested his head against the cushioned seat before asking, "what do you actually know about Helheim?"

Ottilie paused with a knight between her fingers.

Her brows drew together as she considered the question before she carefully placed the piece onto the board. "Not nearly as much as you probably do, Young Master. Everyone knows what Helheim is, of course. Children beneath the Grandel banner who awaken andreach the required level can be sent there once they reach the proper age. Main Family, Branch Houses, Vassals, military households and the rest. Beyond that, most of what I’ve heard is probably gossip from people who never attended themselves."

Sigurd nodded without disappointment. That was roughly what he expected. He already possessed more information about Helheim than Ottilie was likely to know, especially after years of education and the material Sylvia had prepared for him.

He hadn’t asked because he expected some hidden revelation. He was simply bored enough that hearing another human voice sounded preferable to staring through the window for another hour.

Ottilie apparently realized that as well.

A knowing smile appeared on the maid’s face before she continued arranging the board. "Although I suppose I’ll know considerably more soon. My nephew is entering Helheimthis year too."

That caught Sigurd’s attention.

He straightened slightly. "Your nephew?"

Ottilie nodded, and the gentle smile on her face changed into unmistakable pride. "My older brother’s son. He turned ten several months ago. His Martial Soul awakened successfully, and he managed to enter the Awakened Rank in time for this year’s admission. My brother has barely stopped talking about it since the acceptance was confirmed."

Sigurd raised an eyebrow.

He had known Ottilie came from a family that had served beneath Grandel for generations, but he had never paid much attention to the details of her relatives.

Helheim’s admission structure meant her nephew could very well enter alongside descendants carrying considerably greater status.Sigurd opened his mouth to ask another question.

Three firm knocks struck the exterior window.

A man’s voice followed from outside. "Tenth Young Master."

Sigurd turned toward the sound, reached across, and opened the side window. Riding beside the carriage was the captain commanding his escort, Captain Hartwin Archlight Von Grandel, a broad-shouldered man in dark armor whose posture remained straight despite spending most of the day mounted.

His cloak shifted behind him in the evening wind as his Grimhorn Warsteed maintained pace beside the carriage.

Sigurd leaned slightly toward the window and asked, "What is it, Captain Hartwin?"

Hartwin glanced toward the western horizon, where the sun had already begun descendingbehind the distant mountains, before returning his attention to Sigurd. "The sun will be down soon, Tenth Young Master. There is suitable ground ahead beside the river, and the scouts have already checked the surrounding area. I recommend making camp there and continuing at first light." ℴ

Sigurd followed the captain’s gaze. After spending most of the day inside the carriage, the idea of stopping sounded extremely appealing.

He nodded and told him, "Do it. We’ll make camp for the night and continue tomorrow morning."

Captain Hartwin bowed his head from the saddle before pulling slightly ahead of the carriage.

His voice immediately changed from respectful conversation to the sharp authority of command as he shouted for the convoy to prepare to halt at the designated campsite.

Orders traveled backward through the formation, guards acknowledged them, and the leading riders began directing the Grimhorn Warsteeds toward a broad clearing visible near the river.Sigurd closed the window and turned toward Ottilie.

The maid had already begun securing the chessboard and pieces before the carriage stopped completely. He smiled as he pushed himself from the cushioned seat and stretched his arms above his head, feeling several joints complain after hours of sitting in one position.

Whatever waited at Helheim was still another ten to fifteen days away.

For now, Sigurd simply wanted to get out of the carriage and move his legs.