The days of spring were short, and the sun would only stay in the sky for less than nine hours each day.
And now, the sun had half sunk below the horizon, its afterglow spreading over the land and painting everything in an orange-red hue.
After winter ended, the snow that blanketed the trade routes had finally melted, and the once deserted roads appeared a little busier.
Of course, it was only 'slightly'. After all, in this era where traveling was not considered safe, apart from traveling merchants and some people who had to leave the city, most of the residents would stay in their hometown from the beginning to the end, and nothing would change for their entire lives.
And now, a group of people were hurrying along the trade routes, intending to find a place to rest before the sun completely set.
There weren't many of them, only about twenty or thirty of them. Although almost all of them had strong camel beasts and chocobos, there were still three bulky carriages behind them, so they weren't moving very quickly.
Anyone who knew the trade would be able to guess that they were an envoy sent by the Valla royal family, since the insignia of the royal family hung on the outside of the carriages.
Not only that, but the people riding the camel beasts and chocobos outside weren't your usual coachmen either. They were all wearing well-crafted royal armor, and it wasn't the standard armor of light cavalry, but the captain's armor that was lighter and more durable, with better defensive capabilities.
Aside from being bodyguards for the envoy, the fully-armored knights were probably trying to show off their might to the envoy.
The wooden window on the left of the carriage in the middle was opened from the inside, revealing an aged, weather-beaten face.
"Where are we now, Knight Monan?" The white-bearded old man asked quietly.
"Sir Basil, we've just entered the North, a little south of the Seira Marshes." One of the chocobo knights who was guarding the carriage approached the carriage and answered respectfully.
"The Seira Marshes …"
The old man had a thoughtful look on his face, probably recalling the details of the map, and only frowned after a long while. "Can we reach Lancaster by today?"
"It should be possible if we travel through the night …" The chocobo knight hesitated for a moment before warning quietly. "But I wouldn't recommend it."
"Oh? Why? "
The old man asked, raising a brow.
"The snow hasn't melted for long, and the road conditions aren't good. We might run into accidents if we travel in the dark. For example, if the car got stuck in the mud, it might take more time. Our mounts also need rest. " The Chocobo Rider Monan answered honestly. "Also, the people from the village who had been resupplying said that there have been strange monsters appearing around the Seira Marshes recently … Even though there have been fewer of them in the past two days, we still have to be careful."
"According to what you've said, shouldn't we leave the Seira Marsh as soon as possible?" The old man asked with interest.
"If we're attacked at night, the damage will be much higher than during the day. In comparison, as long as we can find a suitable place to set up camp, even if we are attacked by ordinary monsters, it won't be a problem. "Monan puffed out his chest proudly.
After all, to be chosen as a guard for the emissary group, his strength must have been recognized by the upper echelons of the Imperial Capital. He indeed had the right to be arrogant.
"I see …"
It was obvious that the old man wasn't the stubborn type, and after some consideration, he nodded and agreed to the chocobo knight's suggestion.
With the old man's approval, it wasn't just the chocobo knight Monan, even the other guards around them looked relieved. Unlike the old man hiding in the carriage, they were all exposed to the wind outside. Even though the winter was over and the weather was getting warmer, the wind at night was still bone-chilling, and staying up all night on their mounts was no laughing matter.
Even though the Seira Marsh itself was a forest, there were still flat areas on the outskirts of the forest, and the caravan quickly found a relatively flat area to set up camp.
Not long after the tents were set up, the sky turned completely dark. Two moons, one red and one silver, hung high in the sky, but they didn't bring much light to the land.
It was fortunate that the bonfire at the center of the camp had been lit, dispelling the darkness and cold of the night for the emissaries.
Sitting beside the bonfire, the old man stretched his stiff body that had been curled up in the carriage all day. Even as he warmed himself by the fire, he instructed Monan, the chocobo knight, who was cooking soup. "All of you should get some rest after arranging for the night watch. Dress your armor and whatnot if you can — we're reaching Lancaster tomorrow, and as representatives of the Imperial Capital, your performance represents the Imperial Capital."
"No problem. We definitely won't let the Northern barbarians look down on us."
Monan said confidently, fiddling with the wild vegetables in his soup. "I've been to Lancaster with General Mirolan before, and their city watch is rotten to the core — they're not even as strong as the Imperial Capital's trained soldiers."
"Is that so?" The old man was a little doubtful.
"You'd better believe me, Lord Basil." Monan ignored the rudeness of his tone at the old man's reaction and said seriously, "Lancaster might be a borderland, but it's actually at the center of the North and there aren't any barbarian bandits to be wary of, and the city watch there are all spineless cowards who haven't seen blood before! On the other hand, the Imperial Capital would often be dragged out to exterminate bandits even if he's just training soldiers, and they're far superior to the Lancaster city watch in both combat experience and skill. "
"And how do you compare them to you?" The old man asked, unsure if he was fanning the flames or simply making a casual remark.
"To put it bluntly, they don't deserve to be compared to us Imperial Knights." Monan sneered, patting his chest and telling the old man, "I'm not bragging, but I could take on ten of the other city watch in Lancaster, save for that Jarrold guard of the McCobley family who's worth looking at!"
It wasn't just Monan — the other escorting knights who heard their conversation all showed expressions of agreement.
The old man nodded noncommittally in response.
That way, the knights who had been holding back their anger would put up a good show when they arrived at Lancaster tomorrow.
When the time comes, he just had to watch from the sidelines. If it was really as the knights said, that Lancaster was a bunch of trash and they could cause a scene, the new emperor would definitely have something to say after this diplomatic mission.
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Chapter 278:
The Envoy
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