BXBX NOVEL Chapter 118: The Red Tent
Chapter 118: The Red Tent
ocean.
After lowering the gangplank, the crew started to depart from the ship with their packed bags on their backs some didn\'t take anything with them except their stuff on the inventory. There was a crowd gathered near the ship-a small crowd-barely fifteen men and women. They were here to see the new S-ranker, as they had heard news of him coming to the Gathering.
However, as more and more people departed the crimson-sailed ship, they looked confused and puzzled, as they didn\'t see anyone that fit the description of the S-ranker.
There were wild rumors about Adam\'s appearance-like he was a giant of nearly three meters, had the rugged appearance of a merciless warrior, and had eyes as cold as ice-but they were obviously aware of the truth.
There was a sketch of his real appearance-a young man of the early twenties, a pale face with gentle features, navy eyes, and black hair that had desperate need of a cut.
None of the people that left the ship fit those descriptions.
Perhaps he didn\'t come after all. A thought shared by most of the crowdfolk.
Digby, ignoring the crowd\'s curious gazes, led his guild down the planked path towards the small hill that went up all the way down to the town of Kuroshima\'s doorsteps.
That walk came to a sudden stop as there was a person sitting on the planked road. His hands clutched a wooden cane that was spiraling. The elderly man\'s head was bowed, and his body seemed too weak to carry him any further.
"Mister, do you need help?" Lucette hunched in front of him with a gentle smile on her face.
"A-ah..." Kory tried to speak, but his voice was barely a whisper.
Lucette wondered who he was and why someone would take an elderly man such as himself to this dangerous island. It looked like he was at death\'s door.
"Lucette," Digby touched her shoulder and looked at Kory. "I am sorry, sir, but we have some urgent things to attend to."
"B-but," Lucette whimpered. "Can we leave him in such a state?"
"Whoever brought him here will take care of him." Digby said, heading past the old man, and others slowly followed after him.
Lucette bowed her head to the old man, apologized to him with a low-toned voice, and then hurried to catch up with Digby.
"You lost your S-ranker, did you not?"
Digby\'s feet came to a stop. He turned around. The old man had turned his head around as well, staring at them with piercing eyes that seemed to see right through them.
"Who are you?" Digby asked.
There was something wrong with the old man. Digby couldn\'t put his finger on it. It had something to do with his eyes, the fake acting, and the aura.
The aura made it feel like the old man should be dead. That\'s why Digby thought he was dying and came to the Gathering as his final wish.
However, now he wasn\'t so sure about it anymore.
"Aish, my name\'s Kory." The old man pushed himself up with the cane and walked to them slowly, the cane tapping on the planked road.
"You were acting?" Lucette asked with furrowed brows.
"I was just resting." Kory said with a chuckle. "My bones are like jelly when I don\'t get enough rest. I was standing there, waiting for you guys, for a couple of hours. I strained my old body, y\'see."
"Why were you waiting for us?" Digby asked.
"I am here on behalf of His Highness." Kory said with a chuckle. "I was told to get you to the Red Tent."
"Is the King waiting for us there?"
"No." Kory shook his head. "Others are, though. So, follow me."
With that, he walked past the confused members of the Crimson Hounds and slowly made his way up the hill.
The cane tapped against the planked road, but then they entered the dirt road, and his cane no longer made a sound.
"An incident happened?" Digby said. "The King would probably like to hear it."
"He already knows." Kory said. "Little Adam died, didn\'t he?"
"How...?" Digby\'s brows furrowed.
"The King knows a lot of things." Kory said with a smile. "That\'s why he has already gathered the council on the Red Tent. They\'d like to know about the incident."
They made their way through the newly-resurrected town that had been abandoned for a whole year since the last Gathering. The weed had grown, but it was already being cut and cleared away by the servants.
The dust and cobwebs had covered the windows and doors, making it difficult to see inside. That was also currently being taken care of by the servants.
A new life was beginning to take shape within the old walls of the town.
After a short while, led by the old man, they arrived at the red tent in the center of the town square. The old man opened the flap, revealing a beautifully decorated interior.
"Digby, please enter." Kory said, opening the flap wide enough. "Others, wait outside."
Digby stepped into the red tent, his sheathed sword clinking against his side. Kory followed right behind and closed the flap behind him.
The red tent was warm, sealed off from the cool, windy air outside.
Seven figures were gathered around a stone table that had engravings of the map of the island. They were all sitting on their hard rock thrones. The fur-covered throne at the head of the table was empty.
"Who is this?" Ambrose asked, and his voice was rough, almost like he was having a sore
throat.
"Digby, guild master of the Crimson Hounds." Kory introduced him and then circled around
the table until he arrived by the fur throne.
He sat down on it, resting his exhausted legs.
"That\'s the King\'s seat." Aria said with a raised eyebrow. "Why are you sitting on it?"
"I am his majesty\'s spokesperson for this." Kory said with a chuckle. "Also, I am exhausted. Give this old man some rest, will you?"
"Hmph." Aria scoffed and turned to Digby. "We asked to meet with the new S-ranker. What
do you want?"
Inwardly, she was trembling in excitement. She wasn\'t a fool. There was clear sadness in
Digby\'s emotions. It could only mean one thing.
\'My foolish daughter succeeded, after all!\'
"There was an incident, sir\'s." Digby said with his head slightly bowed. "We were attacked in Pirate Graveyard, and unfortunately, Adam perished in the process."
Silence.
It was pretty surprising news. It wasn\'t everyday that S-rankers would die. They were often quite protected because of their immense potential.
That\'s why this was quite an anomaly.
A few of the council members smirked without any remorse. They thought it was funny and
also made fun of Digby.
S-ranker was clearly the most valuable member of the Crimson Hounds. Way more valuable than any Archwarrior that was filling the ranks of his core.
Yet, they couldn\'t protect him.
"Who did that?" Zephyr asked. He wasn\'t laughing or smiling.
"A Royal Princess that goes by the name Amella." Digby said. "She was there to speak to Adam at first. However, while I didn\'t know what they were talking about, I suppose the talk didn\'t end on nice terms, and she killed him."
"Amella..." Orion tapped his finger on the table. "Any description?"
"A pink-skinned, purple hair with a few pink threads, a decently beautiful woman, a slightly below average height, and a slender build."
"That does remind me of someone..." Orion said and threw a sidelong gaze in Aria\'s direction.
He wasn\'t the only one. Everyone threw some kind of gaze in Aria\'s direction. The description was a nearly perfect match for Aria-while she couldn\'t possibly have been the one to do that, perhaps someone close to her could have.
"Don\'t you have a daughter named Amella, Aria?" Alistair asked calmly and formally. "A guild master of Shattered Shields, if I recall correctly."