Chapter 12 – Serost
1264 Words
The assassins were finally subdued through the combined efforts of the guards. Seeing that the three children were unharmed, Yoshua Brave let out a quiet sigh of relief. He turned to look at the assassins who had been immobilized, but what shocked him was that they were already dead—and they had died from poisoning!
Could this world also have poison sacs hidden in the teeth? he wondered.
At that moment, Lanya walked over. When she saw the condition of the assassins, she gasped in horror.
“A Dark Curse!”
Yoshua turned to her in surprise.
“Lanya, you’re saying this is a Dark Curse? Not poison?”
Lanya nodded.
“Of course it’s a Dark Curse. My family once captured assassins before. When they were taken alive, they activated their curse and killed themselves. Oh, right—you mentioned something called poison? What is that?”
Yoshua was stunned. What? This world doesn’t have poison?
He gestured with his hands as he explained:
“Poison is made from toxic plants or minerals—things that can kill. Some poisons act slowly with long incubation periods; those are called slow-acting poisons. Some work violently and instantly, killing almost at once; those are fast-acting poisons. Assassins hollow out their molars and place a poison sac inside. If they get captured, they just bite down and crush the sac, and it kills them instantly.”
Lanya stared at him in awe.
“I didn’t know something like that could exist… It’s terrifying.”
Yoshua chuckled.
“It is terrifying. Do you know what the most powerful poison can do? It has no color, no taste—and just a tiny amount can kill tens of thousands.”
Lanya’s face instantly changed. Such a deadly poison was even harder to defend against than magic. Magic at least had signs before activation, but poison—colorless and tasteless—was impossible to guard against!
Seeing her frightened expression, Yoshua laughed softly.
“Don’t worry. I can guarantee that no one in this world possesses poison like that, not even ordinary poisons. What you’re imagining won’t happen.”
Watching her expression relax, Yoshua felt his affection for the kind-hearted girl deepen.
They buried the dead assassins, but Serina was still upset. A trusted guard had betrayed them, and she had almost been killed because of those traitors. Fortunately, loyal guards had shielded her, saving her life. And of course, the biggest credit belonged to Yoshua Brave.
She turned to look at the strange man who was currently teasing her close friend Lanya. Seeing Yoshua’s shameless grin and Lanya’s helpless expression, Serina unexpectedly felt her mood lighten. She let out a laugh. Yoshua—an incorrigible rogue, but a powerful one.
Walking up to him, Serina bowed deeply.
“Yoshua, thank you for saving my life just now. I will repay you.”
Yoshua instantly put on a mischievous expression.
“A reward? How will you repay me? Perhaps… with your hand in marriage? Heh heh…”
Both girls immediately turned bright red.
Hong suddenly appeared behind him and smacked him on the head.
“Stop being disgusting, you big wolf!”
She was becoming bolder and bolder—daring to smack Yoshua. But she knew he would never hurt her.
Yoshua bared his teeth in mock pain.
“You little brat, if you keep hitting me, I won’t be polite to you!”
His eyes shamelessly drifted toward Hong’s magnificent 34D chest. Enraged, Hong lunged at him, but Yoshua quickly ran off. His triumphant laughter echoed from afar.
Arriving at Serost
By noon the next day, they finally arrived at the imperial capital, Serost. Yoshua examined the towering city walls, comparing them to the ancient walls of China. He found these defenses even stronger—faint traces of magic arrays were visible. They could likely activate protective magic during an attack.
Beyond the gate lay a wide moat filled with deep water, where water-type magical beasts trained by beast tamers swam. The drawbridge, controlled by iron chains, could be raised at any moment. The thick planks were made from the sturdy frost cedar harvested in the Northern Ice Forest.
This was the empire’s economic, political, and cultural center. Merchant caravans came from every corner of the realm, and trade flourished. Humans made up the majority of merchants, but you could see all races here—dwarves operating weapon forges and smithies, elves selling ornaments, and beastfolk, who rarely ran shops, usually hired themselves out as mercenaries or guards.
The emperor, Groot V, was a brilliant ruler. Since taking the throne, he had worked tirelessly to strengthen the empire. After more than twenty years, the Hister Empire had become one of the wealthiest and most powerful nations, ranking among the top two in strength. He was also an enlightened ruler who imposed light taxes and had no racial discrimination; even beastfolk could find honest work here.
It was a cultural crossroads—dwarven fortress-style buildings, elven wooden architecture, and the wild, rugged style of beastfolk all had a place in the city. Groot V was widely regarded as the greatest emperor in Hister’s history, beloved by all his subjects.
After paying one silver coin each as an entrance fee, they entered the city. Yoshua rode a tall warhorse, with Big Head perched on his shoulder. The streets were bustling—shops lined both sides, travelers came and went, and voices haggling over prices filled the air. He occasionally saw heavily armed mercenaries passing by.
A squad of city guards marched past them, their disciplined formation reminding Yoshua of ancient Chinese troops and the bustling glory of Chang’an during the Tang Dynasty.
Serina invited the two girls to visit her merchant guild, but Lanya and Hong hadn’t been home in a long time and were eager to return, so they politely declined. Serina didn’t insist; instead, she turned to Yoshua with a bright smile.
“Yoshua, it’s your first time in the capital. Where are you planning to stay? Why not visit my guild?”
Yoshua tilted his head toward Lanya.
“Girl, should I go to your place, or accept Serina’s invitation?”
Lanya instantly blushed and turned away.
“W-who cares where you go…”
But her eyes couldn’t help glancing back at him.
Yoshua laughed.
“Sorry, Serina. Looks like I can’t go for now. Maybe another time.”
Serina smiled knowingly.
“I understand. I wouldn’t want someone getting jealous. Well then, I’ll leave you be. Lanya, Hong—come visit my guild when you have time. Goodbye.”
She left with her caravan.
Seeing both girls still blushing, Yoshua quickly changed the subject.
“Oh look, Caesar and those three already left. When did they slip away?”
Firehawk chuckled.
“They left right as we entered the city. But from their expressions, they don’t seem to have good intentions toward you. Those looks they gave you were fierce. Brother, you should be careful. I’m heading off too—I’ve got a mission at the mercenary guild. And you’ve got company, so I won’t tag along.”
He glanced at Lanya and silently admired Yoshua. Though Yoshua was a strange one, his ability to charm girls was terrifying. To think that someone as lovely as Lanya had already fallen for him.
Yoshua nodded.
“Alright, Firehawk. Let’s stay in touch.”
Firehawk left, leaving only Yoshua, Lanya, and Hong. Yoshua stared at Lanya with an ambiguous look. Lanya tugged Hong and hurried away. Laughing, Yoshua followed behind.
Time to meet his future father-in-law!
- Writer
