88: Chapter 88 The Path to Death!

After another few days had passed, Byron finally arrived at the city that White had spoken of.

Looking at the tall city walls built of blue bricks before him, as well as the towering spires faintly visible over the walls, he listened to the conversations around him and learned the name of this city.

Savien.

It was a very unremarkable name, but precisely because of this name, Byron felt somewhat overjoyed.

Because although the city's name was ordinary, it was one of the twenty-six capital cities of the Kingdom of Cold Ash.

In other words, Byron had now confirmed his current location: he was in the north-central part of the kingdom.

Comparing this to the map in his mind and looking at the location of the academy, Byron shuddered. Fortunately, he hadn't followed his mentor's advice to head directly north.

While it wouldn't have been completely counterproductive, it would have been close.

If he had wanted to reach the academy, he would have had to travel twice the distance.

There was no need to think twice about it; he probably wouldn't have reached the academy by this time next year.

"Clop, clop, clop—!!!"

"Move! Get out of my way, all of you!!!"

Just as Byron was deep in thought, a burst of horse hooves and shouting suddenly came from behind him.

As these sounds rang out, Byron, who was mixed in with the crowd entering the city, had no intention of playing the hero.

He immediately retreated to the side with the flow of people and looked up.

The main road leading into the city, which had originally been packed with people, now became empty. The sides of the road, paved with blue flagstones, were crowded with people of various statuses, and in front of them stood armored soldiers on horseback.

"I wonder which noble lord is returning to Savien from their territory this time."

"This is quite a spectacle. They must be at least a baron, or perhaps even a viscount!"

"I really don't know if I can ever become a noble myself, so that my children won't have to deal with those poor people every day like I do..."

"..."

Standing in the crowd, Byron listened to the discussions around him, his expression unchanged, as if he had truly become one of them.

At this moment, he only hoped that the damn noble would hurry up and finish. He just wanted to enter the city, find a place to stay, take a good bath, and rest for a while.

Sleeping in the open for the past few days had exhausted him.

Just as Byron's mind was wandering, the discussions of the crowd suddenly ceased. Everyone knelt on the ground, leaving only Byron standing there, looking exceptionally conspicuous.

Byron glanced at the kneeling crowd, then at the soldiers who had noticed him, and pondered for a moment.

He abandoned the idea of using sorcery to hide himself and remained standing, motionless.

After all, who knew what was hidden inside this city? Exposing himself right away would be too eye-catching and also too impolite.

In that case, it was better to just keep standing.

As for kneeling on the ground like everyone else?

Byron hadn't even considered that option.

For no other reason than that even when meeting Official Wizards or even the vice-dean at the academy, the most he would do was be respectful; he never knelt.

If word got out that he had knelt to a Mortal noble now, he might as well be dead!

"Viscount, I think we must follow Earl Evan's suggestion and restrict these filthy people from entering the great Savien."

"Otherwise, Savien will be overrun by these people sooner or later, and that would be truly terrible."

Just then, a luxurious carriage slowly entered Byron's line of sight.

Inside the carriage, an effeminate-looking man leaning in the arms of a fat man saw the crowd kneeling on both sides of the road through the window and spoke with an expression of disgust.

He even feigned an action, raising his hand to gently fan the air near his nose, as if he were truly being assailed by some foul stench.

But the next moment, he suddenly noticed Byron standing in the crowd.

There was no helping it; everyone else was kneeling, and only Byron remained standing. It was too conspicuous.

Looking at his appearance—dusty from travel, yet unable to conceal his outstanding demeanor—the man subconsciously tensed up, his hand gripping his round fan so tightly that the veins bulged.

He didn't speak, but subconsciously looked up.

At this moment, the fat man holding the effeminate man seemed not to have heard the effeminate man's words; he was just staring straight at Byron.

Seeing this, a look of jealousy and malice surfaced in the effeminate man's eyes, and he gritted his teeth, making a clacking sound.

As the fat man's male concubine, he was certainly no stranger to that look.

"Master—"

Feeling the effeminate man wriggling and acting coquettishly in his arms, the fat man withdrew his gaze and hurriedly comforted him.

"Alright, alright, alright, fine. I'll stop looking, okay? You're throwing a tantrum over a passerby, and even wanting me to go find the Earl—that's just asking to be scolded."

As he spoke, the fat man reached out to caress the effeminate man's face. The effeminate man looked like he was enjoying it, even actively leaning his face into the touch.

The fat man was very satisfied with the effeminate man's reaction, and the smile on his face and the affection in his eyes deepened.

Seeing that the time was right, the effeminate man spoke up, revealing his true goal.

"Master, we don't have to go find the Earl, but I have one request. Can you promise me?"

The fat man clearly knew the effeminate man very well; before the latter could state his request, he smiled and said:

"If we add this one, the quota for this month will be reached. After this, you won't be able to do this again."

Upon hearing this, the effeminate man hesitated slightly, but after seeing Byron's face again, his expression became resolute once more.

"Master, I've decided. I want him!!!"

"Alright, alright, alright. Master promises you."

After saying this, the fat man shouted outwards: "Guards, go and tie up that lowly commoner and bring him to my mansion."

As he said this, a look of greed flashed in his eyes, and he unconsciously licked his lips.

Such a good thing shouldn't be wasted; he would have to have a good taste of it before sending it over.

The pedestrians kneeling by the side of the road remained indifferent to the scene inside the carriage.

It seemed they saw this often and had long since become desensitized, their faces full of apathy.

Following the fat man's order, a squad of about a dozen armored guards who were escorting the carriage immediately broke off, riding their steeds with a clatter as they headed toward where Byron was.

These soldiers didn't treat the people kneeling on the ground as human beings; they rode their horses directly into the crowd.

For a time, cries of pain and wailing rose one after another.

But even so, not a single person present dared to stand up, let alone resist.

As for Byron, his face was now devoid of any expression, and his gaze toward the pair of men in the carriage was ice-cold.

Disgusting, it was truly disgusting!

Damn it! When had he ever suffered such grievances?!

He couldn't take it anymore! These people had already chosen the path to death!!!