Chapter 93: Enemy Attack! Heavy Crossbows!

Withered, yellow water plants covered the forest’s edge. The stream bent at this spot, its U-shaped channel twisting to form a small lake. The midday sun made the water surface shimmer. Occasionally, waterbirds would glide over the lake. Their sharp beaks would dip into the water and snatch a plump, scaly fish. Then the birds would fly to tall trees by the lakeside, dissecting their breakfast on a muddy patch or a branch. If one listened carefully, the gulping sounds of the birds swallowing their tasty meals could be heard.

Two campfires were lit by the lake. Several figures dressed as servants busily walked around. They selected the choicest parts from the morning’s catch. Disemboweled game was hung on roasting racks. Amid the flames and smoke, the scent of roasting meat drifted all around, filling the air with an autumn-specific atmosphere.

However, the servants weren’t lost in this mood. Their gazes kept drifting towards the other campfire, their occasional whispers full of surprise.

To be precise, this surprise was directed at Constantine, who was skillfully turning a simple wooden spit. In their impression, whether Mages or Nobles, they should be people who understood nothing but enjoyment. But that young man clearly completely defied this perception of theirs… flipping over a few stones, casually propping up some gathered dry branches, soon, the young man used a small trick to light a campfire on the other side that was no worse than their handiwork.

Then, that noble young man deftly rotated the roasting rack made from whittled branches. He brushed an amber-colored, semi-solid substance onto the roasting meat. Large drops of fat fell into the blazing fire below, causing flames to flare up. Blue smoke wrapped around waves of mouth-watering fragrance that drifted into the air. This temptation was clearly far more attractive than the meat roasted with spices brought by those Attendants.

Nobles rarely refused the temptation of good food. In fact, knowledge of fine cuisine was part of a noble’s taste. But that didn’t mean they would cook these things themselves… toiling amidst stuffy stove fires and choking smoke with bloody ingredients was not something befitting a noble status. Though noblewomen often took pride in baking some afternoon tea pastries, they would absolutely never touch those greasy pots and pans.

But this wasn’t Constantine’s stance… he had always been interested in cooking; it was an art highly regarded in his homeland! Of course, he had no interest in gutting, plucking feathers, removing mud, or peeling skin, nor was he willing to scrub pots and wash dishes. But unlike the common perception of this era, he didn’t look down on the chef profession at all. In fact, the chefs in the Duke’s Mansion were the most astonished by the young master’s occasional bursts of whimsical ideas about dishes.

Building a fire, constructing a simple roasting rack – experience from attending a wilderness survival summer camp in his previous life came in handy. These skills, though a bit rusty, fortunately hadn’t been completely forgotten. And perhaps Constantine’s luck was truly good today; on a tree he passed earlier, there was uncommonly a huge wasp nest hanging. Those buzzing little insects would normally be impossible to deal with without special equipment. But in this magical world, their stings weren’t much of a threat. Constantine uttered a low incantation. A large mass of water vapor condensed in the air, keeping the bees fully occupied. With the addition of a Mage Hand spell, the lower half of that enormous nest, along with a large amount of sweet honey, landed in his hands.

This roasting method was one of the ancestral techniques Constantine remembered stealing from a friend. When the thin layer of honey brushed on the outside of the meat roasted to a just-crisp state, the fat was also perfectly rendered. Taking a bite, the sweetness of the honey was followed by the distinctive aroma of the meat. The two flavors combined, the refreshing sweetness tempering the greasiness, mixed with the charcoal aroma of the barbecue. It was truly a delicacy that made one’s mouth water – though it lacked a marinating step.

“Lord Constantine, I must say, you are really easily surprising…” Chewing on a fragrant, succulent piece of venison, the Crown Prince of Phoenix spoke up, not caring if this action somewhat violated noble etiquette.

But actually, his behavior was still considered alright. The Princess beside him, though her movements were refined, was eating at a speed at least three times faster than his…

“Just some little techniques, merely proof of my not focusing on my proper duties. Not worthy of your excessive attention…” the young man replied lightly. He casually pulled out a golden dagger and cut the roasted deer leg into small, cube-shaped pieces of meat.

This action immediately drew some odd looks. The shimmering carvings and inlaid tiny gemstones on that dagger made it look like a true work of art. And as the blade sliced down, even the hard bone was cut through as if it were tofu, clearly not as simple as an ordinary weapon… The onlookers didn’t know that the ignorant young man was wasting his own spoils of war. But undoubtedly, in the eyes of observant people, the young man’s seemingly unintentional action was enough for them to speculate.

“Saying this might be a bit wrong… but probably, it’s precisely your ‘not focusing on proper duties’ that I envy…” Crown Prince Geraldine watched the young man’s actions and suddenly said something that seemed unbefitting his noble status.

“Everyone has times when they feel weary of their own life, but that should just be a state of mind… it will pass quickly… As long as you appropriately change your mood, you’ll feel much better.”

Constantine forked a piece of roasted meat and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling in response. However, this action also had an element of putting on a show for the people around. Over a dozen heavily armed Knights were standing stiffly around them, occasionally casting distrustful glances at the roasted meat in the young man’s hands, as if he were an assassin trying to poison the Prince… If it weren’t for the fact that their eyes held a fierce, watchful intensity even towards their own fellow soldiers on guard duty, the young man might have thought of some way to properly deal with these guys.

However, the young man also noticed something quite interesting. The Shields in the hands of these Knights were broad with curved surfaces. The black material was neither metal nor iron. The faint, oily green glow representing the Grease Spell made Constantine’s mouth curve into a slight smile.

“State of mind? Change of mood?” Shaking his head with partial understanding of these fresh terms, the Prince’s gaze swept over the twelve heavily armed Royal Knights around them, who seemed ready at any moment to suddenly rise and tear apart anyone daring to approach or spy on the camp area.

Then, his smile took on a somewhat bitter flavor. “You know, sometimes, I truly wish to be a Mercenary wandering the four seas, able to experience all sorts of adventures, having good and bad companions… all kinds of enemies, friends, encountering various strange magical beasts… Instead of like now, only occasionally hunting prey released long ago in the outskirts, with countless people mobilized to surround me… Sometimes, I really wish I lived in an ordinary family. That way, perhaps I could be more carefree.”

“Typical petty bourgeois thinking…” Constantine inwardly snorted, lowering his head slightly to hide the trace of disdain in his eyes. This Prince, whom he had known for less than two Hourglass Hours, truly deserved this “not focusing on proper duties” evaluation. For over an Hourglass Hour since they met, what he displayed most was disgust towards court life and envy for the experiences of the few people around him who had been Mercenaries. His fanciful, wishful-thinking performance made him seem not like a twenty-year-old youth, but a twelve-year-old brat!

Or perhaps this was why, as the Crown Prince, his support rate among the tradition-respecting Nobles of Phoenix was lower than his younger brother’s. But thinking about it, his mother-in-law had once done a similar running-away incident, and that fiancée Princess had also encountered danger in the bustling market… perhaps the royal bloodline of Phoenix truly contained too many romantic factors?

Lost in thought for a moment, half of the freshly roasted meat in his hand was suddenly snatched away. Constantine looked up and saw Princess Reya’s provocative smile. This girl seemed to plan to use food to make up for the hidden disadvantage she suffered earlier. But this childlike action’s only effect was to make Constantine somewhat amused.

“Prince, people always yearn for new environments. But when change finally occurs, those who find themselves unable to adapt and then miss the past often make up the majority… Because they often can only observe things one-sidedly, subconsciously exaggerating the aspects they consider beautiful, while ignoring the ugly and unfavorable parts.” Placing another piece of meat on the roasting rack, the young man poked the campfire. The dry branches crackled crisply. “Take you, for example, Prince. Of course, I can understand the attraction the strange and grand natural environments, mysterious labyrinths, or all kinds of adventures hold for you. But have you ever thought about… not even mentioning the danger of injury… have you ever tried the feeling of not being able to bathe for a month? And that, after heavy exercise every day, sweating profusely?”

“To speak somewhat disrespectfully, with your current physical condition, at most you could only be a farmer, and perhaps not even a competent one…” Watching the Prince, who clearly shuddered, Constantine added with a smile.

However, he soon regretted his words… When this Prince looked at him again, the gaze in those slender eyes was clearly somewhat off. “Lord Constantine, you truly are, as His Majesty says, a very… interesting person. I find you practically possess the worldliness of my… no, should say, my elders’ age.”

Obviously, this Prince was very interested in him… which undoubtedly made the young man’s heart somewhat knotted. After over a dozen years in this Plane, he had finally reached an age where he could be interested in girls. But not a single girl was interested in him. Instead, men came one after another… and all were big shots like Princes.

“Hmph.” Enhanced hearing allowed the young man to notice some discordant notes. Someone seemed to strongly disapprove of the Prince’s attitude towards him.

The sound came from the crowd behind the other party. It was a somewhat familiar young face with sharp features, though his gloomy, calm brows and eyes made him seem a bit older than his actual age. Constantine touched his nose. He noticed the other’s green Robe of Magic embroidered with Runes, and the half of a Staff revealed from the long, flowing sleeves. A trace of bitterness inevitably crept into his smile. An old saying goes that truly fated enemies will constantly meet each other anytime, anywhere. It seemed there was some truth to it.

Mages, without exception, were people with huge expenses. The higher-level spells were, the more expensive their casting materials. And some spell research required funds beyond measure. Therefore, some Mages of not-so-high level could only obtain necessary funds through other means, like exploration or crafting Magic Items. Of course, the easiest method was to simply find a wealthy patron, exchanging service for payment… Though, mindful of face, most Mages wouldn’t do this.

It seemed this Mage named Purness was this Noble’s advisor. And from his position, he seemed quite trusted.

To this provocation, Constantine indifferently responded with a contemptuous smile. This was not a Mage Tower. Even if he were a genuine Mage, wanting to cause trouble for him, the Duke’s legitimate son, here in front of the Prince, required considering the consequences.

Obviously, the Crown Prince’s complaints were not without reason. This was just an ordinary hunting trip, and moreover, in a Royal relative’s Prince’s territory. But this time, the Crown Prince’s protection detail was still considered sizable: besides over a dozen Royal Knights, there was that Mage’s guard.

However, at this moment, most of the young man’s attention was drawn to a person behind her. It was a thin young man who had just ridden up on horseback…

Of course, ‘young’ didn’t mean he was Constantine’s age. This person riding a black horse looked only about twenty-five or twenty-six. The hunting attire he wore, though of proper style, seemed somewhat old. The black overcoat he wore over it even made him look a bit shabby.

But in Constantine’s view, this person was dangerous – at least ten times more dangerous than the mixed-blood hellhound beside her that was emitting submissive whimpers… For some reason, such an intuition suddenly rose in the young man’s heart.

Perhaps it was because most of the other’s knife-sharp cheekbone was hidden within the hood of his cloak. Even with the young man’s Darkness-piercing eyes, he could only see flickering light within. The sharp, cold glint flashing in those eyes was very familiar to the young man. His father, the Empire’s Western Frontier Governor, had a similar quality in his gaze. Perhaps the only difference was that, compared to the General, the light in these eyes wasn’t the kind of openly aggressive sharpness, but more restrained and gentle. But whether it was an illusion or not, the young man seemed to feel that if the owner of these eyes went mad, anything could happen.

This person clearly possessed considerable authority. After handing an order to the outer soldiers, he smoothly entered the crowd and walked towards the Prince’s direction.

A light breeze blew. The forest rustled softly. Constantine slightly furrowed his brows, feeling inexplicably tense. It seemed at this moment, the surrounding air began to be filled with a slightly sweet smell. Though not pungent, it was oddly abnormal.

Concentrating his attention, the attentive young man scanned the surroundings: the coming and going servants, the burning campfires, the dozen or so lower-ranking Nobles eating at the periphery… Everyone was behaving properly. Everything seemed completely normal.

But Constantine gradually grew tense because the Lich also spoke in his mind simultaneously: “The surrounding space seems off. Pay attention and feel it.” As if some coarse substance was mixed in the wind, causing slight itching and stinging when passing over the skin… The young man narrowed his eyes slightly. This feeling was familiar – it seemed like… the Magic in the air being manipulated?

The young man’s gaze finally fixed on a clump of trees. His pupils slightly contracted, causing the space there to distort in his vision, then shatter like glass, revealing over a dozen figures that weren’t originally there. They seemed to be behind those trees, or perhaps hidden within them by some strange spell. The young man instantly noticed their equipment was completely different from noble hunting attire; it looked more like…

An invisibility barrier? Mercenaries? The young man’s alertness suddenly turned into shock! Because at this moment, his hearing had already caught some strange clicking sounds… It sounded like the light tapping of castanets, yet also like the rolling of ratchet wheels…

In his memory, this sound absolutely represented danger. Walter had once given a special lesson on this. This sound was exactly the click when the safety mechanism of a Heavy Crossbow was released. And hearing that series of small, connected sounds, Constantine deduced there were at least twenty or thirty such deadly weapons opposite!

“Enemy attack! Heavy Crossbows!” he shouted.

All this sounds troublesome to explain, but actually, Constantine’s reaction was exceptionally swift… When that hair-raising sound just began, he immediately cast noble decorum to the winds. His feet left the stirrups, and he rolled into a hiding spot behind the roots of a large tree! Manners were ten thousand times less precious than life. As for the Prince, etc… In fact, for Constantine, shouting once to alert those around was already a very decent act in his opinion…