Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Inquiry After Battle

The heavy rain in the mountain area continued. Without their leader, the black-clothed cavalry lost their momentum. The remaining cavalry turned their horses around, preparing for another charge, but the opportunity was fleeting.

With several squad leaders shouting loudly in the rain, the reorganized guards tightened their formation once more. Spears with a chilling gleam were held behind shields, forming a solid iron wall that steadily contracted inward.

Without any room to maneuver, the black-clothed cavalry could no longer accelerate. Most were knocked off their horses by the spears, while a few rolled down the hillside, falling into the deep ravine. The battle thus gradually neared its end, and the sounds of combat slowly faded.

—

Inside the large tent in the camp, the wood and oil in the fire pit burned together, emitting a pungent smell of tar. Loran Hill sat in the center, with a dozen well-guarded swordsmen standing on either side.

She had changed into a loose white dress, and her arm was wrapped in bandages. Her hair, still slightly damp after drying, hung over her chest. She stared at the black-clothed cavalryman who had been bound and brought before her.

Two strong guards held him down on the ground. His black-and-red mask had been torn off, revealing his blue eyes and dark hair.

“Is he still not talking?” Loran Hill’s clear voice came from her seat.

“Yes, Miss. We’ve searched them thoroughly, but found no other identifying marks,” replied one of the guards respectfully.

During the intense and perilous cavalry charge earlier, Loran Hill’s bravery and decisiveness had left the guards in awe. Before this, they had seen her only as a kind and gentle young lady, perhaps also the most beautiful.

But now, she was not just their object of loyalty; she was a brave commander they would follow with their lives. This respect and admiration arose from the depths of their hearts, something they had never imagined before.

If not for seeing it with their own eyes, who would have believed that the seemingly delicate and beautiful young lady of the trading company would possess such courage and resolve, beheading the enemy leader in a particularly dangerous lance charge?

“Is that so?” Loran Hill paused, then said,

“Lift his head.”

A guard grabbed the black-clothed cavalryman’s hair, forcing him to face the young lady with his deep blue eyes.

This cavalryman looked at the beautiful young lady before him, his eyes filled with disbelief. The distinctive golden hair and the bandage on his arm clearly indicated that it was she who had beheaded their leader.

He had thought their target was a weak little bird, but instead, it was a fierce divine-winged bird. The shock and disbelief were evident on his face.

Loran Hill stopped questioning the black-clothed cavalryman and began to analyze.

“You’re not just assassins, but rather professional soldiers. This isn’t something ordinary forces or organizations can cultivate.”

“Our Calites Trading Company travels between West Wind and Vergha. Our enemies and rivals can only come from these two places.”

“The lesser nobility families of West Wind can barely afford you, and the major noble families’ private armies don’t resemble yours,” Loran Hill paused briefly.

“So, the remaining possibility is likely a commercial family from Vergha.”

“The Vergha Commercial Alliance is managed by industry unions, and its council consists of 26 high-ranking senators, each representing a major trading company in Vergha.”

“Besides our Calites Trading Company, out of the six trading companies related to maritime, river, and water operations, only six remain.”

“After excluding the two companies we’ve never interacted with, the rest are…”

Loran Hill gazed into the cavalryman’s eyes and began to recite names:

“Argatilin”

“Gigior”

“Dayas”

“Tisiphone”

When she mentioned Tisiphone, the cavalryman’s pupils finally showed some change.

It’s Tisiphone? Loran Hill guessed, and decided not to pursue it further. She ordered the man to be taken away and isolated. She then brought up several other cavalrymen, repeating the process with different wording and order. After several attempts, she confirmed that this group of black-clothed cavalrymen came from the Tisiphone family.

The Tisiphone family mainly deals in weaponry sales, whale oil, bow materials, dyes, and has its own fleet. It is rumored that they once served as pirates and took on assassination contracts. They are considered a radical faction among major trading companies.

After dismissing the other guards, Loran Hill returned to her tent. Rubbing her tense face, she lay on the bedroll, rolling around with a pillow.

She was exhausted. Not only did she need to maintain a stern image to boost everyone’s confidence, but she also had to think hard about where the enemy came from and what their intentions were. All she wanted now was a good sleep, to forget everything.

Sitting up on the soft bedroll, Loran Hill opened a small cabinet beside her and took out a bottle of cold fruit yogurt, sipped a little, and then fell asleep. Due to constant vigilance, she hadn’t rested properly before.

Outside the tent, the rain gradually stopped, and faint white light appeared on the horizon, marking the start of a new day.

When Loran Hill woke up again, it was already noon. The clouds in the sky had dispersed, and the scorching sun illuminated the earth, creating intense white light.

Stepping out of the tent shaded from the sun, the young lady shielded her eyes from the glaring sunlight. The camp was now tidy, the battlefield cleaned up, and weapons, corpses, and damaged goods scattered during the rain were properly dealt with.

Thanks to the extraordinary potions prepared in advance by Loran Hill, most of the trading company guards survived. Broken bones were immobilized with wooden boards, and wounds were bandaged. The rest would recover gradually.

Seres, the butler, approached Loran Hill to inquire about her injuries. He had been busy handling post-battle matters and had just caught sight of this resolute young lady.

“I’m fine. How are the others? Have their wounds been properly cleaned? Otherwise, they might get infected.”

Loran Hill stated that she was fine, though her wounds had long healed. Removing the bandages revealed no trace of injury on her fair skin. However, such rapid healing was too remarkable, so she kept the bandages to avoid drawing attention.

“Miss Lacy, everyone else is taken care of. You can rest assured, Miss. They are seasoned veterans who know how to handle various situations. There won’t be any major issues. Even the captives were treated as you instructed.”

“Mm, good. These captives will be useful in the future.”

The young lady nodded in satisfaction. The butterfly hairpin on her golden hair reflected beautiful light under the sun, and she returned to her usual gentle and adorable appearance.

(End of Chapter 49)