Arthur's skin crawled as a chill shot up his spine. Marquis Bennet was only a few feet away and well within Foster's line of sight, yet he appeared unable to see him.

"Y-you... can see me?" Marquis Bennet stammered as myriad emotions leaked through his expressions.

Arthur nodded as numerous questions filled his mind. He shot Kyren a glance, intending for him to take over so that Arthur could listen in.

"Hey you, Bonnet or whatever. Can you see me?" Kyren asked as he floated nearer.

Marquis Bennet's eyes darted to him in response, stumbling back in shock. "Y-you're floating? H-how are you floating?"

"Of course I can float. I'm a ghost, and you are too, by the looks of it." Kyren casually pointed to Arthur over his shoulder. "The kid's the only one who can see us, though."

Marquis Bennet's expression sank. "But, I don't... remember dying."

"I died in my sleep, so I didn't realize I was dead until I walked through my bedroom door the next morning." Kyren laughed before his head perked up. "Wait, weren't you supposed to be chasing the Bernish and Agelian trash who retreated?"

Marquis Bennet searched his thoughts. "The last thing I remember was leaving my territory in Ollerin to participate in the Bernish war... Are we in Bern now?"

Arthur tilted his head as Foster curiously awaited a response. "Young master?"

"It's nothing. I was just talking to myself." Arthur finally replied.

Kyren's eyebrow rose. "You mean to tell me ya don't remember the last few weeks?"

"Weeks?" Marquis Bennet asked back.

"Yeah, weeks." Kyren repeated. "We entered Bern about a week ago now. I don't know where your territory is, but unless it was in the army's marching path, ya must've spent some time traveling Ollerin to meet up with us."

"It's strange..." Kyren added after not receiving a response. "I didn't lose any memories when I died. At least, I don't think I did. I don't suppose you remember how ya got done in, do ya?"

Marquis Bennet shook his head. "The last thing I remember is going to sleep in my tent at the edge of my territory. When I woke up, I was in an empty field. I heard voices in the distance, so I walked toward it and wound up here, but... No one could see or hear me no matter how loudly I shouted."

As the implications of the marquis' death rattled about within Arthur's mind, he scanned the returning soldiers. He wasn't sure if he was in danger. The report from the imperial forces within Rothwel claimed that the Bernish-Agelian force was without a ninth circle mage. If that remained true, killing the marquis was no small feat.

"I found it!" A soot-covered soldier shouted from within the ash.

Arthur spotted him quickly and shouted out orders. "Help him carry the chests! Bring them here!"

As Kyren comforted the marquis, four massive chests were placed before Arthur. He jumped from Aithon's back as each chest was opened. There were no gemstones or jewelry within. Only cold, hard Bernish coin, and each chest was filled to the brim.

Arthur grabbed ten gold coins and tossed them to the soldier who had discovered the chests as was promised.

"Arianna." Arthur called out to his new slave. "I expect some answers about this later."

"As you say, master." Arianna humbly replied.

Arthur wasn't the type to look a gift horse in the mouth, but there was simply too much wealth lying about within this camp. It didn't make sense for two smaller kingdoms to allocate so much money for a force of twenty thousand. Something else had to be going on, or else Arthur's concept of money was fundamentally misguided.

Arthur pointed to the soldier who had received the ten gold coins. "Go notify Baron—"

"—What's this, nephew? Stealing the enemy's war chest while the men were out fighting, are we?" Garren Perick accusingly asked as he returned with his men.

Arthur turned to face him and innocently smiled. "Uncle! I'm glad you've returned safely!"

Garren scoffed. "You didn't answer my question."

"Because it's a silly question to ask. Why would I steal the war chests out in the open like this? My men just found them, and as you arrived, I was in the middle of sending one to notify Baron Iken." Arthur turned back to the soldier he had spoken to prior. "Go notify Baron Iken that we've found the war chests."

Arthur turned to face Garren once again. "There. See?"

Garren ignored him yet made no attempt to leave. Instead, he jumped off his tuft and spoke with some of his soldiers nearby until Baron Iken arrived.

"Well done, lord Arthur!" Baron Iken cheered.

"Why are you congratulating him?" Garren asked. "If I hadn't arrived when I did, the little thief would have run off with it."

Baron Iken's face stiffened. "What are you saying, lord Garren?"

Arthur rolled his eyes, having reached his wit's end in dealing with his uncle's childlike fixation on him. His patience had a limit, and he could endure no more. With the arrival of Garren and Baron Iken, a crowd had formed surrounding the four war chests, which Arthur found suitable for his needs.

He scanned the crowd for the soldier he had sent to inform the baron. "You." Arthur pointed the soldier out once he spotted him. "Please recollect what I was ordering you to do when my uncle arrived."

The soldier stepped forward as Baron Iken turned to face him. "Lord Arthur ordered me to notify you of the discovery, but lord Garren arrived before he could finish speaking."

Arthur cut in before anyone else could speak. "Uncle, I have endured your ill will since the day we met. Never once have I been anything but courteous to you, and yet you're so blinded by your disdain for me that you label your own nephew a thief before all the brave Ollerinian men standing here.

Tell me, what exactly have I done to offend you so? Have I insulted you? Have I wounded you in some way? Or is tormenting a powerless child all that you amount to as a man?"

The crowd of soldiers went silent, and only the cheers of returning soldiers in the distance could be heard.

Garren's face flushed red with rage. "Y-you dare?! I ch—"

"—You what?" Arthur mocked flamboyantly. "Mind your words, uncle. Are you thinking of challenging me to a duel? A thirteen-year-old boy—your nephew—who only began cultivating a few months prior? What a sight that'd be! What a noble and honorable spirit one must possess to strike at someone who cannot possibly strike back! A true man amongst men!"

A few snickers broke out from within the crowd causing Garren's complexion to redden a shade further.

"Who dares laugh?!?" Garren roared as his eyes darted around the crowd. "Show yourselves, you cowards!"

"Uncle, you must learn to calm yourself. First, you nearly challenge a child to a duel, and now you shout at the brave men of Ollerin merely for clearing their throats after a hard-fought battle! Where shall your sword—"

"—That's enough!" Baron Iken commanded, putting an end to the snickering soldiers. "Lord Garren, take your leave and mind your words in the future."

Garren clenched his jaw and glared at Arthur before climbing up his mount and riding away.

"Lord Arthur, you had every right to be angered by such an accusation, but your words go too far." Baron Iken admonished him.

Arthur's face distorted. "Should I say nothing while my good name is sullied? I could've remained quiet and stowed away the war chests with none being the wiser. Instead, I share my bounty with our brave men, yet I am labeled a thief? Is there such injustice in the world?"

"The rest of you disperse and return to your duties!" Baron Iken yelled before guiding Arthur away to talk more privately.

"You questioned his manhood and embarrassed him in front of the men. That's no small slight. I know you're young, but I fear your relationship is irreconcilable now." Baron Iken said with a heavy heart once they were out of earshot from any soldiers.

"Our soured relationship is due to his efforts, not mine." Arthur rubbed his eyes, feeling annoyed. "Forget it. Let's move on to more important matters. I'm certain my father explained my situation to you before we left Revan. I am in great need of funds and intend to claim one of the war chests as my plunder. Do you disagree?"

Baron Iken hesitated to speak. "That... Is no small amount of wealth, lord Arthur. You've already ensured lord Garren would be against it, and the other commanding lords would be hard-pressed to agree regardless of my opinion."

"If I chose to say nothing when I found the chests, there would be nothing for the commanding lords to bicker about. Besides, last I checked, I was the sole commander of the northeastern lord's army, no?"

"Do you intend to bear the responsibility of commanding?" Baron Iken replied carefully.

Arthur's eyebrows scrunched together at the unexpected question. "Are you implying that it's up to me whether or not I lead the army?"

Baron Iken nodded. "The army marches in your name regardless of your will. Nevertheless, Marquis Revan ordered me to relinquish command to you should you show the intention to truly lead it."

"What?" Arthur was stunned for a moment before he dismissively waved his hand. "I have no intention to lead the army. However, I do intend to take my fair share for discovering the enemy's base along with their wealth."

Baron Iken glanced back to the four chests before signing. "Compromise and allow me to take inventory first. If one chest has more than the others and you take it, the commanding lords will raise a fuss. Once I take inventory, I'll return a quarter of the Bernish money to you."

Arthur considered the proposal for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I've already seen their contents and grasped their estimated value, so I expect I won't be surprised when the time comes."

After Baron Iken left, Arthur stood firmly in place and gently slapped his cheeks to fight back against the fatigue building up within him. He glanced toward the war chests, seeing his new noblewoman slave and a couple of ghosts chatting not far away.

"Ain't no rest for the wicked..." Arthur mumbled, walking back over to deal with his new companions.

 

 

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