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nFor Howard, another advantage of Tarl City was its distance from the empire’s power center, offering a degree of separation from the intricate political machinations he sought to avoid. .

nIn Tarl City, the influence of the empire was weak, with even the Empire Knights Order lacking a garrison there.

nThis meant Howard could disregard the empire’s prohibition on recruiting private soldiers, fulfilling Kellman’s last wish and keeping his own promise to rebuild the Frostwolf Mercenaries.

nDespite some risks, it was worth a try.

nWith the empire’s limited military presence in the area, Chris’s strength alone could give Howard confidence.

nThe journey to Tarl City required three days of travel, with the group taking less-traveled paths and setting out at night.

nTraveling in the dark terrified the hired civilians, especially after encountering their first Night Demon, leaving some in a state of panic.

nIt wasn’t until Chris effortlessly killed a Night Demon with her bare hands that they felt reassured, realizing they had a formidable warrior among them.

nOne burly man in the group looked suspiciously at the five heavily-laden carts.

nThe slow pace indicated the cargo’s weight, sparking his curiosity about its contents.

nHe wondered if it could be metal goods since Chris had previously mentioned they were transporting food, which wouldn’t account for such weight.

nHowever, he didn’t dare harbor any ill intentions, considering the generous payment promised for safely reaching Tarl City – a gold coin each, an amount he might not earn even after a year of hard work.

nUpon daybreak, Howard allowed a brief rest.

nThe ample food supply for the caravan boosted everyone’s spirits, with some even declaring their willingness to serve Howard indefinitely.

nThese individuals were not particularly strong, and Howard didn’t show much interest.

nHowever, Chris suggested that they could be useful for logistical support in the future.

nHoward expressed his desire to observe these people for a while to ascertain their reliability before making any decisions.

nSurprisingly, Chris suggested they could test their loyalty by deliberately letting them discover the treasure in the convoy.

nBoth Howard and Tina were taken aback by this suggestion, not expecting the seemingly straightforward Chris to come up with such a cunning plan.

nThis method would indeed filter out the trustworthy individuals, but they wondered how many would remain in the end.

nIt was possible that not a single person would withstand the temptation of the treasure.

nAfter all, even mercenaries could go mad over such wealth, let alone these common folks.

nTempting human nature could be risky.

nNevertheless, Howard was intrigued and decided to give it a try upon reaching Tarl City.

nHe chose to wait until then because he still needed these people for the journey.

nAfter a short rest, the caravan set off again.

nThe thirty-person group easily attracted attention, and they encountered bandits soon after leaving Holy Light City.

nHowever, all attackers were defeated by Chris.

nThe journey was smooth until the early hours of the second day.

nDuring a rest, they were discovered by a mercenary band of about two to three hundred members.

nTina, upon seeing them, expressed surprise to Howard, “They are the Black Hawk Mercenaries?”

n“Black Hawk Mercenaries? The same ones from Kaedwyn’s time?”

nHoward looked at the approaching group as if he had seen a ghost.

nHis mind raced, trying to piece together what was happening.

nThe Black Hawk Mercenaries had long since become mere bandits and raiders, with their remnants supposedly near Holy Light City.

nWhy were they here, so far from their usual territory?

nSeeing Howard’s confusion, a young man stepped out from the ranks of the Black Hawk Mercenaries.

nHe glanced at Howard’s caravan and eventually fixed his gaze on Howard, his lips curling into an enigmatic smile.

n“So you’re Howard?” he asked.

n“And you are?” Howard replied, maintaining composure despite the anxiety evident among his convoy at the sight of the hundreds of fully-armed mercenaries.

n“I am Phileste,” the man announced.

n“Phileste!” Howard’s pupils constricted in realization.

nHe understood he had been deceived.

nHe had been too careless.

nIf Phileste was indeed in cahoots with a powerful figure in Holy Light City, as Howard had previously suspected, then their every move in the city must have been under surveillance.

nFrom the moment they left the city, Howard had been a target.

nIn reality, if Phileste could kill Kellman, he certainly had the capability to kill Howard as well.

nYet he hadn’t, and Howard pondered his motives.

nIt must be for Kaedwyn’s treasure!

nTo obtain the wealth Howard held from Kaedwyn, brute force wouldn’t suffice, so he had employed this stratagem, forcing Howard to relocate, and then ambushing them when they were most vulnerable.

nThis way, Phileste could secure Kaedwyn’s legacy while eliminating Howard to solidify his control over the troops.

nHoward couldn’t help but inwardly admire such a cunning plan.

n“Now, Howard, hand over the goods, and I can grant you a swift death,” Phileste said, revealing his deep scheming nature, having thoroughly investigated Howard.

nHoward even suspected that during his time in the city, he had been constantly watched by Phileste’s spies.

nChris whispered to Howard, “There’s no chance of winning this fight. Maybe we should…”

nHer words trailed off, but Howard understood her meaning.

nCompared to their lives, the treasures were less significant.

nHowever, Howard had his plans.

nA confident smile played on Howard’s lips, assuring Chris and Tina that he was not unprepared for this confrontation.

nTina, recalling their past experiences and Howard’s usual cautiousness, wondered why he had taken such a risky step this time.

nCould it be that the ambush by the Black Hawk Mercenaries was part of his expectation?

nBut another question loomed – even if Howard had anticipated this situation, how would he respond?

nGiven the current strength of their convoy, apart from Chris, the rest hardly possessed any combat ability and would not risk their lives for Howard.

nIn a fight, they would likely surrender immediately.

nSuch strength was no match for Phileste.

nBreaking the tension, Howard called out to the trembling crowd behind the convoy, “Come out, Kariov!”

nPhileste’s expression tightened.

nAt the mention of the name Kariov, he and his Black Hawk Mercenaries flinched.

nAfter ascending to power, Phileste had disdained the life of a bandit and reestablished the Black Hawk Mercenaries, preparing for grander exploits.

nBut now, hearing the name ‘Kariov’, they regretted their actions.

nCould it really be that Kariov? The very same Kariov they knew?

nThe atmosphere became thick with suspense and uncertainty.

n“Kariov… could it really be him?” Tina exclaimed in surprise.

nChris, too, was lost in thought, aware of every move Howard made.

nWhen had he made contact with Kariov?

nMoreover, hadn’t Kariov left Holy Light City three days ago?

nHow could he possibly be in Howard’s convoy now?

n“Kariov, the mightiest warrior of the empire,” Phileste said, his expression extremely serious.

nGiven Howard’s cunning and the financial resources at his disposal, hiring the avaricious Kariov wasn’t impossible.

nCould it be that Kariov’s sudden departure from Holy Light City three days ago was because of Howard?

nCold sweat broke out on Phileste’s forehead.

nThe physique of the figure emerging from the convoy…

nit did resemble Kariov.

nHe immediately ordered a retreat, “Withdraw, quickly!”

nKariov was rumored to be a powerful warrior capable of taking on a thousand enemies single-handedly.

nPhileste knew he stood no chance against such strength.

nThough he was reluctant, he realized he had lost this battle and could not turn the tide.

nHe had not anticipated Howard being so well-prepared.

nAs the Black Hawk Mercenaries retreated, everyone looked at Howard with a mix of surprise and admiration, especially Tina and Chris.

nHoward had anticipated everything.

nWhat they didn’t know was that while Howard had indeed foreseen this scenario, he hadn’t actually hired the real Kariov.

nThe figure in the convoy was an imposter, someone Howard had found in the slums.

nAfter being fed a hearty meal, the man had become wholeheartedly devoted to Howard, agreeing to stay hidden in the convoy and to impersonate Kariov, the formidable warrior, when needed.

nThis strategy was incredibly risky, and Howard had resorted to it out of sheer necessity.

nFortunately, Phileste’s suspicious nature played right into his hands.

nIt was a classic case of being too clever by half.

nHad Phileste been less cautious, Howard’s chances of survival would have been slim.

nOriginally, Howard did indeed intend to hire Kariov for the escort.

nHe had heard that Kariov was the empire’s mightiest warrior, with combat skills equivalent to a thousand imperial knights, and known for his avarice.

nAs long as the price was right, Kariov was known to take on almost any job.

nDespite his greed, Kariov was known for keeping his promises and never failing a mission he accepted.

nWith the wealth at Howard’s disposal, hiring him would have been entirely feasible.

nUnfortunately, by the time Howard went to seek him out, Kariov had already left the city, and they missed each other by a narrow margin.

nVisit .

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