Chapter 148: Arrival at Slane Theocracy

Stepping out of the teleportation hub into Berdystch, a southern city of the Slane Theocracy, felt like leaving a freakshow museum and landing back in human territory. The streets weren't too wide or too narrow, and not a single weird-looking demi-human was in sight.

In the Slane Theocracy, anything non-human got either kicked out or "wiped clean." Even packs of magical beasts were rare as hell around here.

The Last Defender of the Way adventuring crew snagged three red dwarf horses, a map, some food rations, and a few big jugs of magic-distilled water nearby. After a quick breather, they headed out of Berdystch toward the city's edge.

After chatting up some locals and checking the map, the three adventurers set off through a sparsely populated stretch of hills, inching closer to the Eight Greed Kings' desert and Elf Country.

Barrett took a peek at the wanted posters and bounty boards—no sign of EeDechi's name. The townsfolk hadn't heard of anyone being hunted by the Sorcerer Kingdom either.

Looked like the Sorcerer Kingdom's spy network was still stuck in Re-Estize. EeDechi let out a sigh of relief, finally able to ditch the constant disguises.

Their new red dwarf horses had broad hooves, dark brown hides, and blazing red manes that flew like fiery banners when they galloped.

Red dwarf horses were a Slane Theocracy specialty—slow as molasses but tough as nails, with low-maintenance diets perfect for long hauls.

Rumor had it the red dwarf horses were bred by elven druids, but the Slane Theocracy steamrolled their city-state and claimed everything the elves owned as their own.

The Slane Theocracy laughed off the idea, insisting the red dwarf horses were a gift from the Six Great Gods to humanity.

Everyone thought they had the better story, but the sad truth was, the winners always got to call the shots.

…

After trekking for what felt like forever, the three adventurers reached the middle of nowhere. Staring out, all they could see were low, rolling hills stretching in every direction. Without a compass, any traveler would've been lost ages ago.

The sun dipped behind the mountains, the sunset fading from the sky. Night rolled in, blanketing the wilderness in endless, lonely darkness.

Riding at night was a bad call, so Barrett hopped off his horse and scouted a spot sheltered from the wind to set up camp. The night breeze was sharp and cold—not enough to make you sick, but it'd sure as hell keep a tired body from sleeping soundly.

He piled up stones and dirt to make a small ring, gathered dry grass and twigs, and sparked a campfire. Over the dancing flames, Barrett set up a blackened iron pot. Dried beef, pan-fried fish chunks, quail eggs, sliced potatoes, and tender turnips all simmered together.

Some of the food wouldn't last long, so they had to eat it before it rotted away in the spatial ring. Next to the fire, red sausages roasted to a golden, mouthwatering crisp.

Red sausages were a specialty of the Slane Theocracy's south. They mashed up rabbit, pork, and goose meat, mixed it with finely ground rosemary, tossed in sesame oil, and stuffed it all into wild boar intestines.

EeDechi, Barrett, and Franco chowed down, polishing off the meal in no time. The soup pot was scraped clean. The wooden skewers from the red sausages got tossed into the campfire to keep it roaring. Franco tapped his wand, and the pots, pans, and bowls sparkled like new—no one had to bicker over dish duty.

The campfire flickered, its warm glow lighting up the area. Cheeko the cat curled into a fluffy ball by the fire. Barrett scratched its head while EeDechi teased its tail. Stars twinkled in the deep blue sky, a cool night breeze brushing against their faces, washing away their exhaustion like smoke in the wind…

…

"If only there was a hot chick here," Franco said, sprawled on the ground, one hand reaching toward the stars like he could grab them. He muttered to himself:

"Picture this—a gorgeous girl lying next to me. I'd point out the constellations, our faces close, whispering sweet nothings that'd make a statue blush, tugging at her heartstrings.

"Once the captain and Barrett are out cold, right by their sleeping bags, me and this girl make love in secret under the starry sky. The gorgeous girl's lips are parted, hair all messed up, eyes dreamy.

"I'd be going at her hard, and she'd be lost in the heat of it, wanting to moan her head off but covering her mouth, stifling her gasps so she doesn't wake the captain…"

EeDechi flicked a pebble at Franco's head and snapped, "SHUT IT!"

"Let him ramble," Barrett said with a grin. "Spinning yarns is half the fun of camping."

A chaotic clatter of hooves broke through the night, like a cavalry charging in the dark. They'd spotted the campfire, and the hoofbeats were closing in fast on the three adventurers.

"Gotta be Slane Theocracy folks," Barrett said, hand resting on the sword at his hip. "Only their elite cavalry ride nightmare warhorses that can gallop through the dark."

The jumbled hoofbeats got louder. The three adventurers stood, eyeing the direction of the noise warily. Just beyond the fading glow of the campfire, a dozen massive horses burst into the light's reach.

Swords and armor gleamed, all decked out in matching black-green gear, the Slane Theocracy's emblem painted on their breastplates. Definitely their cavalry—probably racing somewhere under the stars and eyeing this wind-sheltered spot for a night's rest.

On one side, you had free-spirited, battle-hungry adventurers. On the other, the iron fist of a nation's royalty. Neither side liked the look of the other, and they silently agreed to keep their distance, like oil and water.

The Slane Theocracy soldiers settled their horses, stripped off their armor, and chugged from their waterskins. A clear, pleasant female voice rang out among the cavalry, directing them to set up camp with crisp efficiency. Surprisingly, the officer in charge was a woman.

A chilly gust swept through, and the female commander in the dark griped, "Damn, it's freezing." Her voice was soft and warm, a stark contrast to the cold, killing vibe of her troops, making you almost feel sorry for her.

"Bet she's a tall, gorgeous officer," Franco said, lost in his daydreams. He grinned at EeDechi and Barrett. "Someone's gonna have a warm bed tonight."

Franco straightened his collar, flicked his golden bangs, and twirled his wand between his fingers. He called out to the cavalry, "Hey, beautiful officer lady, we've got room by the fire. Come join us!"

"Sure thing," the female commander replied from the darkness, her voice brimming with barely hidden glee.

A heavy, rugged iron boot stepped into the campfire's glow. Then the officer's massive figure broke through the shadows, striding toward Franco.

Franco's face dropped instantly.