Chapter 72: Peace Journey...

I was truly astonished. If she could see me in the darkness, she’d probably notice my blank blinking — this lady could pass for a decent TV commercial. Maybe if she wasn’t such a drunkard, her life could’ve been better.

Now she was stuck with a bunch of lowlifes who actually believed they were the shit.

Regardless of what I thought, it was just preconceived and imposed. I didn’t know this Black Snow Company, and I was certainly in their debt.

"So... Levi?"

"Oh right. That’s our boss. He’s the brain, strength, and money bag behind us. He’s the real Black Snow." She shifted slightly, the sound of fabric rustling in the dark. "Listen, the boss is very rich, comes from a literal illustrious family — that’s what they call them, right?"

"What’s his angle then?" I asked. "If he’s as rich as you say, shouldn’t he be some merchant Duke in some kingdom instead of the leader of a criminal organization... trying to help a lowlife like me escape?"

My tone came out flat. Realistic.

’Because nothing about this makes sense.’

There was silence for a bit. Then she spoke.

"Well, the boss certainly has more affinity towards the dirty side." Her voice carried something heavier now, weighted. "We all have our circumstances, you know. And sometimes they teach us to embrace even the wrong things about ourselves. Or the world."

There was a pause.

"Aren’t you in such a phase yourself right now?"

I stayed silent for a moment. Perhaps I understood what she meant. This situation had brought me face to face with the sad state of my reality — how I chose to treat this moment would most likely dictate how my future turned out.

I knew these things. But they were simply head knowledge.

The only thing I cared enough to consider right now was vengeance. My growth should be carved to satiate that hunger. I wanted to destroy the church for what they did to Lira, to the mercenary guild. And right now, I just didn’t care how many died to get to that point. How many I had to cut through. How much blood stained my hands by the end.

So I didn’t want to think about stuff like this.

’It’s uncomfortable. All of it.’

"Tch." I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat. "What about Emma? Can you tell me her state?"

"Your sister is fine. She woke up a couple of hours ago — I fed her before she slept back." The woman’s tone brightened slightly. "Right, are you hungry? For now we’ll have to make do with cheese and water until we get out of here, haha."

I stopped hearing when she said ’a couple hours ago.’

My brows knitted together.

"Wait. How long have we been here?"

"Well..." Her voice disappeared for a few moments, as if she was thinking. "Well, I think about sixteen hours? You were really out for a long time, haha!"

’Sixteen hours.’

Shock settled into my lungs, cold and sharp.

By now, everyone would’ve known.

I thought about my classmates — Elena, Derek, and the others. Those guys... the church didn’t even need to do anything, but they were ready to hate me. Now that I’d given them reasons, they would certainly hate me to the fullest. Paint me as the villain they always wanted me to be.

’Those bastards.’

It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t hurt. These were my comrades from Earth. Or at least were supposed to be. And yet here we were — people who weren’t even willing to spare me the benefit of doubt. Who’d probably already decided I was guilty before hearing my side. Before considering that maybe, just maybe, the church was full of shit.

I could already imagine the things they were saying, the scorn twisting their faces. The righteous fury in their eyes as they condemned me.

’It was a good thing I killed Kael. One less classmate to scorn me.’

I should’ve been resolved enough to kill Kai earlier. That one would’ve landed better — would’ve felt more satisfying. Either way, I was on my own now. I needed to stop thinking about them, to stop considering the fact that we were from Earth together. If I wanted to destroy the church, I should be ready to face them too. All of them. Every last self-righteous hypocrite who chose the church’s lies over the truth.

"You’re awfully silent." Her voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "And your breathing is quite sharp."

I frowned slightly, looking opposite me where her voice came from. I could see a rough outline of her shape in the darkness now — a shadow among shadows.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You can tell a person’s emotional state by the sound and rhythm of their breath." She said it matter-of-factly. "Yours is a pitiful mess. You need to sleep."

"No. I do not." My jaw tightened. "Where is Tristan? Is he the one driving the wagon?"

"Huh? No, of course not. They’re clearing our trails. Or doing something else — who knows." She sounded almost amused. "It’s pointless worrying about people like Tristy or Boss. They’re perfectly fine, I promise you."

I frowned darkly.

"I’m not worried..."

"Oh? You aren’t?" There was a smile in her voice now. "Then what may be the case? You don’t trust me?"

I lingered for a bit, considering the question.

"Not that I do... but you don’t have any reason to lie to me. Moreover, if I was in a hostage situation, I’d be tied down like a sheep."

"Why would anyone want to tie down such adorable creatures! Damn." She laughed softly. "But I understand you. It’s okay not to trust me — I don’t expect that you do. I am merely carrying out orders after all."

I raised my eyes again, trying to read her shadow.

"And what are those orders?"

Her voice came a second late this time.

"To bring you to Faeren Heights intact." Her tone became sharper, more resolved — like tempered steel. "At all cost."

I couldn’t see her face, but the way she spoke made me effortlessly picture the kind of strong look she probably had right now.

I exhaled slowly.

"Thank—"

Before I could say the ’you’, the entire wagon bumped hard and suddenly came to a halt. The jolt threw me slightly forward, and I braced against the wooden floor.

’That can’t be good.’

My nerves shot up on alert, every muscle tensing.

But instead I heard her whisper, calm and unhurried.

"Shhhuuushhh. There’s no need to be scared." Something in her tone was almost reassuring. "They’re probably just some thugs. This is a high-profile merchant group — even the church will need a warrant to go through our goods. Only tariff officials and Coastal Lords have the authority to do that without warrants, and those are hard to come by at the outskirts of Therewoods."

I wasn’t sure where Therewoods was, but it sounded like we’d left Athermere and were progressing towards Mishard Thicket as she’d said.

Surprisingly, just as the lady predicted, the wagon continued moving. We were back to galloping, the rhythm steady once more. The road this time seemed especially rough — uneven and jarring. Perhaps it was a forest path, wheels were crunching over roots and packed earth.