Somethings Off...

Arden sat at his table, remembering his past and gave out an enormous smile and some giggle without anyone noticing since he is alone at the room.

He stared out from the window and decided to come closer to it and watch everything he has built since he started.

Just smiled while looking at the peaceful town covered in the darkness of the night. No person wandering at the quiet street, not like the day.

But then, he saw someone came out of the local pub. A big dark coloured robe covered his body his face was covered by the hood of the robe.

He started walking suspiciously and warily look around him before making his way to a dark alley and checked his surrounding once again before going inside the dark alley.

'That is very suspicious… bah, I will look into that later' Arden gave a glance at the city once more before closing his window after realizing the wind becoming colder and stronger.

He made his way to the bedroom and saw his wife already sleep at her original position, sitting at the bed while reading books at her hands.

Arden looked at her before moving near her and lay her wife down at the bed and relocated the book to the table near the bed.

Then covering her with a blanket to make sure she won't get any illness. He didn't want his 7-month pregnant wife to have a miscarriage as it would affect the mental so badly.

He felt like an expert thinking about it. The only reason he knew about these facts is because of him reading some books in the past.

Unfortunately, he couldn't go to a library at the City of Etria because of the incident that befalls him caused by the corrupt judges and his accomplices that now still suffering at the city's dungeon.

'Well, thinking about it sucks, I will just go to sleep' he kissed Valen at the forehead and climbed to the bed from the opposite side of Valen's side.

And cover his self with what's left from the blanket he gave to his beloved wife that now could only sleep facing to the ceiling.

He just looked at her thinking how beautiful she looks and about what they passed together but fell asleep quickly from all the thoughts.

Sleeping…

He was woken up by someone touches his body at the shoulder region. He opened his eye and rise up from his bed to a sitting position and realizing it was his wife that woke him up.

They hugged each other for a second before Arden got out from the bed and prepare himself for whatever would happen today.

He would need to prepare the beers and food for today celebrations about the birth of the Commanders at his army.

While most of the noble would think it's unnecessary to do it, he thought of this to remember the day these people were born and might him in the future.

Also, for morale boost for the army that could be useful in the future. It would surely make the soldiers train harder and improved their skills better.

Though… there is a problem. No way he could carry it single-handedly, he would need some men to help him.

He set out to the training yard where the soldiers were about to start to jog. There he met 2 of the new commanders, preparing to start jogging too, it's a warm-up for every kind of soldiers.

There is a problem though, the 2 others commander were just behaving normally but Haldin, the new commander at Acropolos is just sitting at a table with all of his other friends.

Shouting at his subordinates and telling them what to do. He wanted them to do different things from others.

The team that fought against him in the test now ordered by him to collect all the leaves on the ground while he and his friends just chilling out.

Arden glanced at them before gesturing at Bryan, the commander of the Infantry and Rob, the commander of the Archers to come near him. Once they did as he told, he whispers to them.

"Hey, both of you, we would need to buy the supplies for today, ask Haldin to come with us, but don't tell me I gave the order, just use other words," Both of them look at each other.

They instantly knew what is this for, to test Haldin. His behaviour disgust Arden so much that he thought of instantly unannounced him as a commander.

But he tried not to do that. The troops may revolt if he revokes someone's rank right after they had gotten promoted just the day before.

He could do that if he had gotten proof, though. Now, he would just need to test about his behaviour, that's why he sent Bryan and Rob.

He does some exercises, waiting for them to come back to him. In the middle of it, he was stopped by Bryan's voice.

"Sir, he said "duck off" and then continue talking to his friends" Arden got up from his exercise and glanced at him before turning back to Bryan and Rob.

"Gather some men, we will go do the business our self and also bring my squire with me, meet me at the entrance of the castle, disguised in a robe," Arden left the yards.

He goes to his office where he kept his dirty robe he used to disguise his own self from the crowd. After that, he began making his way to the castle entrance and waited for them.

With the hood already on since he walked out of his office, many people avoided going near him, a group of 5 of his soldiers walked to him.

"Sir, can we help you with anything?" Arden giggled and decided to prank them to relieve some stress and disgust he got by looking at his Acropolos commander.

"Please give me some money, I haven't eaten for 2 days" he was waiting for their reaction of his fake voice and acting just to prank them.

To his surprise, they reached to their gold pocket and each of them gave him each 2 Ens, totalling to 1 Ren and they began making their way to their destination.

��All of you, stop" now with his real voice, the 5 soldiers freeze at their place once they heard his voice.

One by one of them slowly turned to face him, with a nervous expression. They were shocked to know the beggar they thought was their lord.

"What are your names?" They looked at each other before nervously answered one by one.

"Daren, Kevin, Vincent, Figo, Alex" Arden examines them carefully and raised one of his eyebrows multiple times.

"Meet me at my office later "Arden looked at the money they gave to him and returned it back to them while they stare at him with one of their eyebrows raised.

"Yes, sir" they nodded before leaving the scene still with one of their eyebrows raised.

At the distance, Arden could hear the 5 people talking to each other and discussing about what would happen to them.

His attention turned when he saw Maverick and his 2 commanders approaching him with some men following them in robes, with their face still visible despite the hood covering their head.

Arden walks towards them and stopped in front of them, look at Maverick and patted him at the head before saying.

"Good morning" the group greeted him back before leaving the castle and began making their way to the local pubs.

The group stroll past the bustling town full of people at the roads. Most of them making their way to the markets and some to other places to do their works at various parts of the towns.

At the corner of his eye, Arden saw the dark alley the suspicious-looking person went to at the night before this day.

What he is thinking at last night came flowing back to his mind as they stroll past the roads calmly.

But soon… he dropped the matter and continued on his way towards the local pubs to buy the supplies for the celebrations today.

There are 2 kinds of pubs he would need to visit to buy the supplies. All of them located far from each other at their own strategic location.

While Arden wanted to split the group into 2, Bryan and Rob advised him not to do so and said it would be better to do one at a time.

He followed their advice and did as they advised. They set their direction to one of the pubs, famous for its drink and not food.

Almost immediately getting stopped by the waitress and what it seems like guards… all kinds of guards, city guards, hired guards.

"Hey you, stop!" They instantly stopped and eyebrows were being raised.

The main reason is still unknown to them, maybe there is some problem with the city itself.

While he doesn't want to attract attention, he simply approached the guard and told them who he is and gave the guard a glance of his face.

They trembled as soon as they saw his face and let him proceed to talk to a waitress, stating that he would want to buy barrels of beers

They sat down at a table waiting for the things to be ready and one of the guards approached them nervously.

"May I know what is our lord doing here?" Arden and his group's eye widen and began yelling at the guard quietly to not call him that.

"What happened here? Why are there many guards?" Arden asked him once the situation is calmer.

"Well, there is a new gang at the town, they stole from pubs and sold a thing made out of plants, I never heard about it but I heard it made a person consuming it feel happy" Arden think about his words

And remembered something Mitsuo told when he visited Tadashima Shogunate, a thing called drugs.

Drugs made out of plants are used for medicine at Tadashima Shogunate. But some Yakuza used it to sell, and the one consumed it feel happy for a short time.

However, there are many consequences by using it. People died, their behaviour changed, disease infected the person and many kinds of things.

They talked with the guard for some time before being called by the waitress to take their order at the beer storage.

They got into the room and saw row and row of barrels, each filled with drinks. Most of them filled with beer and some filled with wines.

Arden ordered his subordinates for each person to take as many barrels as they can. Totalling in almost 30 barrels full of beer.

Arden asked the waitress how much for all the barrels they would take and the total price is 45 Aurens for all of it.

They left the pub with some of the guards following them, some of them asked if they need any help to which was declined politely.

Even Maverick bring carried one of the barrels as best as he could at that time without falling. Well, problems always followed Arden after all…