The caravan trundled along the narrow road, jostling and bumping. Nidhogg rode Torrent at a leisurely pace, following at the head of the procession.
Everything that had just happened seemed like a nightmare. Everyone was drenched in cold sweat.
"What a terrifying monster!"
The caravan master, a somewhat stout man, constantly wiped sweat from his brow with a handkerchief as he spoke to Nidhogg, his tone fawning and admiring.
"At first, he looked like an ordinary fat man. Who would have thought he'd eat people and turn into such a monster? Thank goodness you were here to kill him. Otherwise, our caravan would have suffered heavy losses."
"Alas, seeing such a fearsome monster has changed many of my old beliefs. Maybe there really are fantastical creatures in this world—dragons, goblins, and the like..."
"Ah, by the way, if you don't mind, please accept this as a token of my gratitude."
The caravan master produced a prepared pouch of heavy coins, held it with both hands, and offered it to Nidhogg.
"Sure." Nidhogg wasn't one to stand on ceremony. He took the pouch and tossed it into the pack Torrent carried. It would cover his daily expenses.
The caravan master couldn't help but smile when he saw Nidhogg accept the money. He wiped his forehead again with his handkerchief, hesitated for a moment, but still asked:
"I have a request, if you don't mind. Would you consider becoming our hired guard? Our caravan has been plagued by all sorts of thieves and bandits. And now we've encountered that inhuman monster..."
"Don't worry. If you're willing to come, I'll certainly pay enough. You can name your price, and I'll do my best to meet it."
Nidhogg waved his hand and declined. "Sorry, I can't go with you. I've already told you my destination."
The caravan master couldn't hide his disappointment. "Why must you go to Gaol Castle? No one who lives there is good. A brave and fearless man like you surely wouldn't join them."
His eyes widened as a thought struck him. He said, astonished:
"You want to destroy that band of thieves? Impossible, impossible. The lord sent an entire knightly order, and they were wiped out. And you're just one man..."
As the caravan master said this, he remembered how Nidhogg had single-handedly cut down the monster that had seemed so overwhelmingly powerful. He trailed off, lost for words.
Maybe he really could do it alone?
Nidhogg didn't feel the need to explain further.
He saw the tall city walls ahead and the noisy crowd at the city gates. He asked, "Boss, that's your destination, right?"
"Yes, yes." The caravan master glanced at him and nodded.
"According to our agreement, I'll travel the same road as you." Nidhogg said. "Now's the time to help me with directions to Gaol Castle."
The caravan master wiped his forehead with his handkerchief again.
Truth be told, he didn't want his savior to go off and die alone. But he couldn't persuade Nidhogg, so he had to resign himself to pointing out the exact location of Gaol Castle.
Just then, he happened to see a group of cavalry emerging from the city gates, escorting a carriage with an iron cage covered in black cloth.
He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
The caravan master came here on business regularly. He knew what was in that iron cage. He said to Nidhogg:
"What a coincidence. See that, knight? They're heading to Gaol Castle."
Nidhogg followed the caravan master's gesture and looked toward the city gates, also fixing his gaze on the knights and the escorted carriage.
"The lord and his knights are no match for the Gaol Castle thieves." The caravan master explained. "So, in exchange for peace, the lord regularly sends a group of women and children."
Nidhogg understood. He asked, "Does the Kingdom of Midland's army not concern itself with such things?"
"Generally, they don't interfere this far from the royal capital." The caravan master replied cautiously. "Besides, there are many such bandit gangs throughout Midland. The lords handle them themselves."
"Understood." Nidhogg said nothing more. "Then let's part ways here. You go into the city. I'll follow the knights to Gaol Castle."
"Please be careful."
"I will."
Nidhogg squeezed Torrent's flanks, and the spirit steed pulled away from the caravan, leisurely following the knights.
The knights escorted the carriage and iron cage, gradually moving away from the city, into the forest, and into the mountains.
Nidhogg deliberately kept his distance, ensuring he wasn't spotted.
Tracking was a skill he had honed as captain of the scout unit in the Hawk Company.
After an unknown amount of time, the knights and the iron carriage reached the top of a desolate mountain. In the distance, they could see a towering three-story castle perched on the edge of a cliff.
That was undoubtedly Gaol Castle.
There wasn't much cover around. Nidhogg was too conspicuous on Torrent, so he recalled the spirit steed into the Spirit Calling Bell and continued on foot.
He hid behind a large boulder at a closer distance, observing secretly.
At the end of this road was a cliff. On the opposite side of the cliff stood Gaol Castle. A drawbridge connecting the cliff to the castle slowly lowered.
The knights dared not approach any closer. They stopped before the cliff, their faces extremely nervous.
Soon, a group of bandits emerged and crossed the drawbridge, surrounding the knights and the iron cage.
The knights didn't dare make the slightest move, afraid of accidentally angering the bandits and causing trouble.
The bandit leader exchanged a few words with the knight commander, then walked over to the iron cage, lifted the black cloth covering it, and indeed saw a group of panicked women and children inside.
The bandit laughed, looking quite satisfied.
Nidhogg was a little curious: if he ran out now and tried to save these women and children, which side would these knights help?
Satisfied that the "goods" were correct, the bandits directly ordered the knights to clear out. Then they took the iron carriage and escorted it across the drawbridge into Gaol Castle.
The knights, humiliated, hastily descended the mountain, not daring to linger any longer.
Nidhogg waited until the knights had gone, then whistled, summoned Torrent, mounted, and charged forward.
The drawbridge rattled. It was already retracting.
Nidhogg patted Torrent's head and said, "Good brother, it's all up to you now."
The horse whinnied. Torrent leaped at the cliff edge, bounded into the air, scrambled with all four legs, climbed to a higher point in two jumps, and landed right in front of the retracting drawbridge!
Nidhogg's heart was in his throat. They had nearly missed it.
FWOOSH—!
In an instant, Nidhogg and Torrent slid down the sloping drawbridge and reached the city gate.
At the same time, many of the bandits noticed the commotion on the drawbridge.
The iron carriage they were escorting was still at the city gate. As they turned their heads one after another, they saw a man and a horse dropping from the sky!
THUD—!
Torrent landed perfectly, his horns swaying, his spirit magnificent.
Nidhogg gripped his Lordsworn's Greatsword, his eyes blazing with killing intent!