Three days earlier, on the southeastern border of the Re-Estize Kingdom, a group of knights in Kingdom-issued armor galloped down a road. The leader, with a stern expression, short, neat hair and a well-trimmed beard, sharply defined features, and eyes that commanded respect even without anger, would undoubtedly be respectfully addressed by any influential person from the Kingdom as—"Your Excellency, Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff," even if only superficially.
"Captain! The hoof prints are clearer, we're getting close!" Gazef's adjutant, who had been riding alongside him, shouted excitedly after noticing the dry hoof prints had become somewhat moist.
They were subordinates of Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff, all seasoned veterans, fiercely loyal to Gazef and the Kingdom, upholding knightly virtues, helping the weak, and eradicating evil. They were invaluable talents to the Kingdom.
But unfortunately, these men, as precious as treasures, were forced to accept this highly suspicious mission—to eliminate Imperial soldiers who had attacked the border—due to various schemes.
"Mm, don't stop, try to catch up!" Gazef responded calmly. As the Warrior Captain and a veteran of many battles, Gazef naturally knew how to identify distance and numbers from hoof prints. Gazef could even deduce the equipment and professions of those who made them.
Therefore, Gazef was not as excited as his subordinates, because these hoof prints were clearly almost dry, a product of the day before. This meant he was at least a day behind the attackers.
At this thought, Gazef gritted his teeth. Just recently, they had passed a village that had been burned to the ground. According to the descriptions of the surviving villagers, the attackers wore armor, but based on those descriptions, Gazef concluded that their armor was not from the Empire.
The entire incident was full of mysteries, as if an invisible hand was pushing him, preparing to cast him into an abyss.
"A conspiracy..." Gazef couldn't help but click his tongue. He knew that as someone of common birth who firmly stood with the common people, he was not favored by the nobles. The King was old, having lost the drive of his youth, and even wavered on the matter of succession, causing the nation to gradually rot. The nobles were more powerful than ever, and in their internal struggles, those who suffered were people like him—powerful opponents, or innocent commoners caught in the crossfire.
Now, he and his subordinates were opponents forced to deploy with mediocre equipment, and the burned villages were the affected commoners. Gazef was unwilling to sacrifice either side, so he could only push his warhorses to their limits, hoping in his heart to catch up with the culprits sooner and prevent their next atrocity.
Following the tracks, Gazef and his party made camp as night fell. Night was not suitable for marching, and the exhausted warhorses also needed rest, otherwise, they would be unable to proceed before catching up with the culprits—this was not the prosperous interior of the Kingdom, but a borderland rife with bandits and monster nests.
"Captain, clean water." The adjutant handed Gazef an iron flask, then took large gulps himself. It was clear he was utterly exhausted today.
"Ah, thank you." Gazef nodded, his attitude very gentle. Towards his subordinates, who were also of common birth, Gazef did not put on the airs of the "Sword of the Kingdom." He also didn't want to; after all, they were brothers who shared life and death. Who would he put on airs for?
"You're too kind, Captain." The adjutant shook his head, revealing a simple, honest smile, but his eyes widened involuntarily the moment he turned his head.
"What is it?" Gazef frowned, turning to follow the adjutant's gaze, and his frown deepened.
"What is that? A star? No... too low... and that area doesn't look like clouds, is it fog?" Although the sky had darkened, Gazef's eyesight was excellent. With just a little moonlight, he could clearly see a purple light suspended high in the distance. Its appearance... an eye?
"Adjutant, bring the map." Gazef roused the adjutant, who was staring intently, and the adjutant quickly shook his head, pulling the map from his small bag.
"That direction..." Gazef kept looking down and up, "Carne Village? A frontier settlement in the King's direct domain?"
A strange feeling surged in Gazef's heart. After careful consideration, Gazef made a decision.
"Tomorrow, everyone head towards Carne Village!"
The night passed uneventfully. After discovering the purple eye suspended in the distance, Gazef made a very bold decision—he was already a day behind the attackers. If he continued to follow their tracks, he would only find one burned village after another, and they would ultimately fail to catch the attackers. In the worst case, the attackers would escape, and he and his party would be disgraced.
Those schemers must have thought the same, right? Gazef couldn't help but feel angry. To drag him down and eliminate their opponent, they didn't hesitate to sacrifice so many innocent commoners. What they awaited was his eventual return after failing the mission, to be stripped of his position as Warrior Captain of the Kingdom.
"This is... hopeless!" Gazef felt both angry and helpless at the nobles' actions. As someone who stood with the common people and was born a commoner, he was destined to have no faction support him. Even the "Golden Princess," who was most sympathetic to commoners and proposed many brilliant ideas, could not avoid being isolated. What would become of his long-held dream of doing something for the common people?
Perhaps the Kingdom had already rotted? As the Kingdom's blade, if necessary, could he personally...
No, that's wrong! This thought is too dangerous. Why would I... Gazef suddenly sat up, looking at the purple eye still suspended in the distance, lost in thought...
Did he have the ability... to change this country?