Chapter 44: Sige Town

At night, the snow almost stopped, with only scattered snowflakes falling, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of snow.

The town was dark and silent. People closed their doors and windows and called their children back home. Only the Baron's castle was brightly lit.

There is a name engraved on the stone tablet at the intersection: Sige Town.

This is a small town located in the border area of ​​the Rackman family. The land nearby is open and fertile, making it a good farming area. A hundred years ago, an ancestor of the Rackman family led his men to open up the land and established the town of Sige.

It was also a prosperous town with thousands of people living there, providing a steady supply of food to the surrounding areas.

However, due to its remote geographical location, it has been visited by brutal monsters such as frost giants, snowmen, and even white dragons, causing this place to undergo several renovations and reconstructions, and there are only more than 400 residents left.

Most of them were serfs who could not leave, and the rest were small vendors, millers, grooms, and servants serving the nobles.

The Rackman family would only send unappreciated members of the family here to provide food for North Wind Castle.

Soon after Baron Todd was sent there, rumors of a "night devil" appeared in the town of Sger. Many young women mysteriously disappeared at night, causing panic in the town again, and the residents lived in fear all day long.

Inside the Baron's Palace.

Baron Todd Rackman supported his chin with both hands and sat in front of an ornate wooden table with a serious expression. The silver cup on the table was filled with a red viscous liquid.

"The Hateful Embers Nest"

When the name was mentioned, a layer of gloom seemed to cover his face.

Last time, all his men who were sent to the mines were annihilated, and his former butler Hart was also said to have been captured, with only a few insignificant serfs escaping.
He originally thought that the intelligence was lies fabricated by those despicable slaves, but just a few days later, the most elite Eagle Guards of the Rackman family also suffered heavy losses in the place called "The Burning Embers' Nest".

He then had to confirm the authenticity of the information.

The monster's lair that even the North Wind Eagle Guards couldn't capture was rumored to be the place where the red dragon called "Flying Flame" resided. How could he possibly attack it with the few guards he had?

There is no gold.

There is no army either.

There were only lowly and weak serfs and guards sent by the family.

Although he is not the eldest son of the family, he is also a genuine heir to the duke.

Is it really that he can only stay in this remote place for the rest of his life, providing food for his family, and never be able to get close to the center of power?
"I will return to Northwind Keep."

"Father will recognize me eventually."

Thinking of this, the baron's thin face became even gloomier, and a hint of hunger appeared deep in his pupils.

It seemed that he needed some fresh food to calm down tonight.

"Baron, there is someone outside."

The guard hurriedly pushed open the door and came in, apparently with something important to report.

But when he realized that he had disturbed the baron's thoughts and the other party's hungry and unfriendly look, he immediately closed his mouth nervously.

Seeing that it was the guards coming, Todd suppressed the blood-thirsty urge deep in his heart, stared at the guards, and said slowly:

"What's so urgent?"

"Is it so urgent that you need to disturb my rest?"

The guard's scalp turned red under Todd's gaze.

Although this baron has not been here for long, he is secretly called the "Bloody Baron" by everyone.

Previously, a maid had stained his dress while packing, and since then the maid had mysteriously disappeared and had never appeared in the town of Sage again.

Thinking of this, he replied tremblingly:

"Sir, yes, it's Hart."

"There's a man outside who calls himself Hart. He wants to see you."

Hearing this familiar name, Todd slammed the table and stood up suddenly, asking sternly:
"How can it be!"

"Wasn't he arrested?"

The guard shook his head in panic and quickly replied, "Sir, I don't know either." Todd said coldly, "Bring him in."

The guard hesitated and said:
"He said... he would like you to go out and meet him. He has something important to offer."

The guards' voices were filled with tears.

Todd thought of the gold and troops he had lost, and the rumor that Hart had been captured. He was immediately furious and laughed:
"Good, good, good!"

"Where is he? I'll go and see for myself."

"See how this deserter who came to me, my dear subordinate, is doing."

Baron Todd's tone was somewhat gnashing of teeth.

"Yes, my lord."

The guard was terrified, but he obeyed the order and led the baron out of the palace.

The Baron's mansion was newly built not long ago and did not cover a large area. After passing through the hall and walking through a narrow passage several dozen meters long, the two arrived at the door.

The man outside was in tattered clothes and had unkempt hair. If you didn't look closely, you might think he was an orc. There was no trace of him in the image of the former high-spirited butler.

But when Todd smelled the familiar scent of blood on him, he confirmed in an instant that this was Hart.

The baron spoke first, his words full of sarcasm:

"Hart, long time no see."

"Isn't this the subordinate I once trusted the most? The one who promised to bring me gold."

"Why did you disappear for so long and come back here again?"

Hart looked nervous: "My Lord Baron, I have important information to report to you."

"Oh? What's going on?"

Todd looked at him with a half-smile, his eyes filled with hatred and hunger, and his sanity was disappearing.

It just so happened that he hadn't eaten blood for a long time, and Hart, who was of no value after reporting the intelligence, would become his next meal.

"Please ask your subordinates to step aside."

Hart's voice was trembling.

"it is good."

"You all stand down."

The baron agreed to this request, dismissed the surrounding guards, and accompanied Hart to a secluded and deserted place in the back garden of the baron's mansion, which was exactly in line with his own idea.

In his opinion, Hart was courting death.

Baron Todd's pupils had turned scarlet. He sneered, "Go ahead, Hart. I'm curious about how you'll defend yourself."

Hart's voice trembled even more violently, and the forced smile on his face looked uglier than crying.

He said word by word:

"The giant dragon has arrived."

Baron Todd was still not able to react and said in surprise:

"what?"

However, the next moment, he found that a huge shadow instantly enveloped him, and its wings covered most of the night sky in front of him and blocked the pouring moonlight.

The red dragon looked down at the baron condescendingly, its ferocious head smiling, its golden vertical pupils glowing faintly in the darkness.

"Do I need to repeat it again for you, my Lord Baron, whom I have never met?"

"The dragon has arrived."

(End of this chapter)