Chương 47: [BL] 46. Equipment [1]

Kroos' castle had its forge area positioned right at the very bottom. A gorge in the castle wall, like someone had removed a large brick and did not bother to put any light in; to be fair, there was no need to, since each hammer clangour sent sputtering red fire through the darkness, and the constant fire source let out angry, gleaming embers for Willow to see a variety of armours being showcased on a group of armour stands.

She naturally made her way to them, passing over men working on anvils, all of whom were too busy to notice her. Before she went deep into the forge, she glanced upward, and a few flying creatures wandered the sky, hovering above the castle, scouting. The Legionaries under Kroos' command did not try to kill them. They let them go, and soon the invasion would start.

"There you are!" Willow turned sharply toward the blazing space, where a man stood with arms so large that veins slithered across his muscles. He had a warm smile and red hair tied in a ponytail, almost the color of the sputtering fire, though with a trace of white. He offered Willow his hand.

"My name is Ragna. The one in charge of your armor."

"Ah, pleasure," Willow smiled, shaking his hand. Ragna motioned for her to follow, and she did, skipping lines of working forges. Most workers here were the golden soldiers of Kroos, but it looked like the men did most of the important jobs, such as holding the tongs for the minions to strike so the men could shape the metal without wasting energy. Leynah awaited her with an entire group of six.

Willow chewed her cheek when she saw Princess Elesis was here with a hooded man and woman in pristine cloaks that covered their hair to their toes. They looked like someone out of a cult. Leynah's group, which included Krywen, stood apart from the princess's entourage in front of tool shelves built into the castle wall. Did these tools come with Kroos' ability?

Surely the smith here wouldn't have time to put everything here, especially those draped armour stands and heavy-looking barrels filled with spears right beside the princess. Leynah saw her, and she waved. One legionary beside her straightened and fisted his breastplate. A cut on his cheek was hastily wiped. Willow could see a trace of blood down to his neck. She shot Leynah a look, and the woman shrugged. Looked like the tournament was more deadly than she thought. She needed to chew Maxim about it later.

"The bright one! The stars truly see us!" The cult woman cried out. Her body shivered. She even touched her forehead and pointed upward.

"Truly," the cult man followed.

"A blessing without disguise—""My lady," the legionary cut them off. He went on one knee and bowed his head to Willow. Just like Ragna beside her, the man, perhaps in his thirties, had light red hair and the exact same broad jawline.

"It's my honor to join your hunt party."

"Rise, no need for that," Willow said. She stepped up, offering him her hand. When he took it, his eyes widened and went glossy. [Hunt Party 8/8] [Level limit: 19] [Hunt Party 8/8] [Hunter—Level 19] [Olympya Executioner—Level 19] [Olympya Archer—Level 19] [Rider—Level 19] [Legionary—Level 16] [Frost Witch—Level 15] [Squire—Level 9] [Grimoire Wizard—Level 6]"Level sixteen. I assume you best someone who is higher level than you? What's your name?" Willow asked.

"I go by Rom, and indeed I did best some of my senior legionaries. It's a hard—""That's my boy!" Ragna barked a laugh and smacked Rom's back shoulder.

"Speaking of my boys, here is another one." The man reached toward a nervous boy beside Krywen. The noble girl panicked when the boy ripped away from their handhold. Ragna slung his arm around the boy's neck. His eyes rose to meet Willow's, and he gulped when she just stared at him. She could see the resemblance to Ragna and Rom, but this one, while possessing muscle, looked so wiry and stiff, with shoulders rather small for a blacksmith.

"This is Rudo, my other boy. We've been preparing your potential armour, my lady."

"Oh," Willow's lips curled wryly into a small smile as she put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Please, don't be nervous. I'm sure you've been treating my squire well."

"Of course, my lady," he stammered, tripping over his tongue.

"Good, good, if I hear—" Krywen let out a forced cough that drew everyone's attention and blushed when she did not think beyond it. The Princess came to her rescue by softly laying her hand upon the girl's shoulder.

"Bright One, your words carry a lot of weight," she said in a kind manner.

"Do not throw threats so easily."

"Your Highness," Willow chuckled.

"Surely you're overreacting—" Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. A point of pure gold banished everything for a brief second, blinding Willow's eyes. The forge light no longer existed. Like holding a small sun, one cultist raised a sword made of pure, gleaming radiance. Willow blinked.

"If the Bright One commands," the man cultist said, then raised his sword up high, in motion to cut down toward Rudo. The other one—the woman cultist, sliced her finger through the air, and a bow of light appeared. She drew an arrow made of gold and aimed at the poor boy. Chaos ensued almost immediately. Ragnar and Rom threw their bodies in front of Rudo; the father summoned [Veteran] chain-mail around him and hefted a shield that appeared out of thin air, locking it with Rom's.

"No!" Willow snapped. The Anatomist's shroud gathered around her neck and down her body. She opened her palm, and a scalpel made of Dark Wind materialized. Willow gripped it. It felt cold and hungry in her palm, then she pointed it right at the man.

"Drop it!" [Light Justiciar—Level 35] [Light Justiciar—Level 33] The moment the word left Willow's mouth, the light snuffed out. The darkness of the forge blanketed them again. Willow's scalpel was hard to see, if not for the small glimmer of purplish darkness it emitted. Four knees hit the floor, followed by their arms and heads. the cultist were prostrating themselves to Willow. She took a step back, letting go of her scalpel. Her back hit Leynah, who steadied her.

Beside Leynah was Elesis, giving her a judging look in the darkness. At first, Willow thought this situation was comedic, but no, these cultists were fully intent on killing the boy.

"My lady," the cultist man said, raising his head.

"No, just… stay like that."

"As you wish."

"We apologize if we have displeased you, oh bright one," the lady cultist said. In vexation, Willow snapped her head to Elesis, who met it.

"Your Highness, what are they?"

"We are—""I did not ask you," Willow cut off the woman cultist. Still retaining her gaze, the Princess smoothed out her white dress, which Willow noticed resembled the cultist's, mainly its trace of gold that slid in a line and split for leg movement just like the woman cultist's robe. Ignoring Ragnar's angry curse and his advance, which was being held by Leynah and Rom, Princess Elesis answered.

"They're the Order of the Light. A battle order of the Faith of the Light—a state religion one third of the Empire follows. The Lady's stars watch over the Empire, blessing individuals with her light and endowing the Empire with the Battle Order to help combat Rifts."

"So their situation is the same as yours?" Willow asked Leynah. The woman opened her lips and pursed them.

"No—""Blasphemy!" The woman cultist cried out.

"Shut up!" Willow ordered.

"As you wish."

"Your Highness, why is the Empire's religious order here? I thought you escaped for your elopement?"

"Because of faith, My Lady. Most soldiers in Ed's duchy are followers of the Lady of Light. The church had promised to keep this… expedition privy in exchange for them to be allowed to send five Justiciars to protect and guide everyone who wishes to be blessed by the light. I hear you already met one of them—a sister."

"Sister Elvere?" Willow raised her eyebrow. No way the kindly sister is part of the cult… She massaged her head, glanced at Rudo, who tried his darn hardest to stand straight, puffing his chest in front of Krywen, who wriggled her way to shield him. The boy's legs might as well be noodles as they shivered.

"Anyway, can you get them out of here?"

"Are you sure, my lady?" Elesis asked.

"Why wouldn't I be sure?"

"One tenet of the Faith of Light is to prepare to aid the Bright Ones when the Cycles come. For thousands of years, they have prepared every two hundred years for each Cycle, My Lady. Every Cycle, the Archmages of the capital summon the Bright Star into the Throne Room so they will be presented to the Emperor and given any class stones they desire and resources for them to grow strong, even marriage to the nobles and royal family. But the summoning is not perfect.

There ought to be more Bright Stars summoned all over the place, including dangerous areas. It's the Battle order of the Light tenet to risk journey and seek them, and offer them guidance should they be found." Hearing that still almost made her dismiss them for poor Rudo. Yet, the logical part of her remained. She sighed, eyeing both cultists.

"Stay like that," Willow said.

"What can you offer me?" The man, despite being in an awkward position, opened his palm and proudly motioned to his right, where a mannequin stood. Willow stepped toward it. An ivory, silky cloak with golden intricate trim across its edge hooded the mannequin.

The cloak wove around its neck, held together with a small golden pauldron only on the left shoulder, then billowed down like a cape, leaving most of the body in polished black leather that was secured by three cinches hidden by the cloak, with plenty of smaller cinches to hide small weapons. A cream-coloured veil decorated with gold on its side of cheek concealed the mannequin's bottom face down to… Willow reached closer, opening the scarf, and found that the veil directly connected to the black leather armor.

A brown layered vambrace was prepared right on the bottom of the mannequin stand, with leather gloves as well. [Ivory Assassin's Veil (Tier Two)] [Slot (Light Rune: 10/10)] [Kindling] [1]—Heal with white flames. [Star Fire] [4]—Shoot three stars of light The Spell explanation was etched onto a note just above the vambraces. Willow turned to them; both still had their heads kissing the floor.

"Assassin?"

"Duty of light sometimes requires certain acts, My Lady," the Woman cultist answered. She traced her finger through the silky cloth, and something was calling for her attention. The Guidance Spirit. [Ivory Assassin's Veil (Tier Two) Imbuement Option—[Hunter Tier One]] [30 Strength, 50 Dexterity, 30 Vitality, 30 Constitution, 50 Sense, 30 Arcanic] [Imbuement not possible]"Do I have to wait for Tier-two in my Hunter class?" Willow asked.

"Ah, as we suspect, my Bright Lady's Hunter class is the only one that reacts to it. Yes, my lady. You have to. But please rest assured. We have prepared enough mana crystals to proceed with the imbuement," the man cultist said with a hastened glee.

"When you reach level twenty," Elesis explained.

"You need to fly to Lord Kroos' throne room. The Imbuement will take place there."

"I will take this," Willow decided. She was about to ask if she should pay anything, but the woman went on speaking.

"You honor us. My Bright Lady, if it pleases you… While we will not touch your vile Anatomist class—" Huh, say what you psychotic—"It will be an incredible privilege if you allow us to prepare your imbuement for your Guard class as well! We, the Battle Order of Light, have plenty of Paladins—three serving under the Duke and fighting currently. If you would honor them, my lady, it will be their utmost pleasure to give their armor to you—""No!" A voice broke out, rattled and forced.

Willow turned to Rudo, who pushed his father and brother away, and with red cheeks, he met Willow's eyes. Ferocious determination made him clench his fists as he looked down on the cultists.

"Heresy… Heresy!" The man cried out.

"Be quiet," Willow ordered, and he shut his mouth with great reluctance as he glared at Rudo. She glanced at Rudo, and the boy moved into something—an armour that was draped in white cloth right beside the Princess.

"I assume you have something for me." Willow crossed her arms with a smile.

"I do, my lady. Currently, there's no Enchantress or Spellwright to make wands for you, but I'm sure those can come later. But I'm a smith, so I wanted to give you the armor my father and I had made for a noble lady before this elopement started."

"I see." Willow nodded along. The family sent Rudo an encouraging nod as well.

"Let's see if you're worthy of my squire then."