“Uweeegh”

“Alright, let it out. Let it all out.”

“UWEEEEGHHH!”

Coming home had to be slightly delayed because of the children feeling sick from flying. 

They had to make a quick stop in a town that sat just past the mountain pass.

It’s aptly named [Cloud Hill Town] named after the hill in the center of Town where its founder spent the afternoon watching the passing clouds. 

The town was relatively big as it connects to major locations. It was a must stop for the actual cities and landmarks as it proved to have an assortment of supplies that helps in a long journey. 

Of course such a thing did not matter to Ashten and his group. 

With the flying carriage, they can just use it to get past the usual pitfalls of a long journey. That came to a stop when the children started to feel sick from their travels.

“I’m sorry, I’m wasting your time, misters.” One of the sick children apologized with a despondent look. 

Urice, the mustachio musclebound coachman under Ashten’s employ, was caring for the children as best he could. He’s a grandfather. Even if he was somewhat of a bad father, he’s quite a good grandfather. 

“It’s fine, come on now, here, drink some water.” 

Ashten was also helping.

“...” 

By keeping his mouth shut. 

“Breathe my soldiers. Take it easy and do not strain yourself.  Bring water here!”

His newly acquired daughter, Areya, was doing better than him. 

“Here, drink this.”

“Thanks, leader.”

‘Despite her ego, she is quite the good leader who cares for her little soldiers…though she was resolved to leave them to me earlier.’ thought Ashten who was watching everything from the side. 

“Tch!”

Someone in the line waiting to enter the Town clicked their tongue.

Having needed to make an emergency landing, they were forced on one corner of the road. The resting horses had no blazing manes so it only looked like a bunch of dirty children clogging the pathway. 

Even though they weren’t anywhere close to the main road and were not causing a congestion, Knight Escorts and Nobles reacted with distaste at the sight of the dirty children. 

Not because they were pitying or worrying over their safety. No, that actually makes them decent people. No, these people did not harbor such pure thoughts. They hated the children’s presence. 

Nobles, Knight Escorts, some upstart merchants, a group of young scholars who could not hide their contempt.

Whether they were aristocrats or not, as long as they evaluated themselves more highly than their worth, they did not like the presence of retching children for the sole reason of them being an inconvenience to their presence. 

“Tch.”

‘From how it sounds, it came from the same person.’ thought Ashten.

It was small. Barely noticeable outside of some well-trained individual and those with heightened senses.

Ashten decided not to do anything.

But shortly after, a malicious energy was shot towards the children. 

The little girl’s sharp instincts told her something was wrong and turned sharply to the direction of the road and found Ashten already standing in front of a Knight Escort. 

Ashten blocked the malicious intent of the Knight and found its source. 

Ashten stood by the roadside and found a group on the lane of the aristocrats. 

It was a group of three people. A Knight and two squires trailing closely behind.

“Halt! You are not allowed to approach Knight Errant Eron with hostility under your breath unless you want to be charged with showing disrespect to the Knight of the Kingdom recognized by three Noble Houses!”

The squire holding the Knight’s banner with three households’ insignia stitched on it tried to halt his steps but Ashten did not spare him attention. 

He walked forward unfettered until he was five steps away from the Knight.

The Knight’s brows furrowed as Ashten remained calm. The Knight was the one with the weapon. He had the high ground and could easily strike down Ashten who was scrawny compared to the battle-hardened Knight. 

“Did you not hear what my Squire has said? Are your ears rotten?” The Knight raised his voice in annoyance. Questioning the state of his ears as to why he would still approach after hearing the crimes he would be committing for doing so.  

“As I am in a good mood, I will let that childish taunting slide.” Ashten opened with a cold arrogance before getting to his point, “I will give you one chance to apologize for trying to mess with the children under my protection by sending malicious intent in their direction.”

Audible gasps came from the commoners in line to enter the town and the Nobles who earshot away. 

“Did a Knight actually do such a thing?” 

They whispered and judged. A noble peeking from a carriage window called over her escort to confirm. 

“I sensed something, the amount was inconsequential and would have done no actual harm. But the children would have felt uncomfortable. The gentleman dissipated it before it could reach the children.” the Escort Knight answered truthfully, succinctly, and clearly. 

The Knight Escort was loud enough for others to hear. 

The Knight Errant’s face contorted in anger. He wanted to make an argument. Rebuke the words thrown at him and scream to clear his name. But he could not go against a Knight Escort. 

He was a Knight Errant, a wanderer with no true master. The three households stitched on his banner were glorified advertisements without any true employment. 

So, he directed his anger towards Ashten, the man with no mark of nobility in his person or carriage.

“HOW DARE Y—”

But his rage could not last longer than two seconds. 

His words stopped halfway through as his body experienced a massive shift. His tongue stiffened as if an imp invaded his mouth to hold it still. 

He started sweating profusely like his pores opened to push out sweat. 

His heartbeat wildly like he had been made to fight in a war.

Lastly, he started to lose control of his bladder as his eyes met Ashten’s for the second time.

Death looked him in the eyes, and the Knight Errant frothed at the mouth, falling from his horse.

“Sir Knight!” His two squires ran to his help. 

“You basta—um, no, I…I’m sorry.”

One of the squires experienced some of the horrors of the Knight Errant. He froze and apologized. 

He walked over to the Knight Errant with a disinterested face, commenting, “I gave you the chance, you failed to take it.”

The remaining sane and able bodied squire felt fear gnawing at his heart. He wanted to do something but the voices in his head were screaming and confusing him. 

“Take him to the gates. He will receive help there.” The Escort Knight who spoke loudly before had approached them and gave instruction. 

After the Escort Knight lifted the Knight Errant and placed him on the back of his horse with one hand, the still sane squire hurriedly followed the instructions he was given. 

Was it loyalty to his responsibility as a squire that carried him off so quickly or fear that he would end up the same as the other two.

Ashten let him go as he did not really seek to cause harm to those who did nothing to him.

Seeing them reach the gates, Ashten looked over at the Escort Knight and noted the insignia in his chest plate. 

Putting his hand to his chest, he did not lower his head and only lightly acknowledged his presence, “I appreciate your assistance, Knight of the Ulises Family.”

Ashten’s attitude pricked the Knight’s pride. But, unlike the Knight Errant he did not react erratically.

“Your reputation precedes you, President Vermillion.” 

“Vermillion?”

“Oh! That’s where I recognize the red hair!”

“It’s the president of the Vermillion Merchants!”

“Is he travelling incognito with that bannerless carriage? Wait, those children! IS HE TRAFFICKING THEM?!” commented another seeing eight unconscious people tied on a rope on the back of the carriage.

“It is possible. He is an evil man afte—eeeek!”

Ashten scanned the faces of the people around him and they immediately kept their mouths shut.

From gasps to conspiracies. The moment Ashten’s identity was revealed, they started talking to themselves. Murmuring about what they have heard about him in the past.

Ashten couldn't care less.

“Did you have to mention my name? Now they are buzzing around.”

His words caused complaints to erupt but it did not last long. Another scan of the crowd and they cowered back like dogs with their tails between their legs.

This caused the Escort Knight to laugh to himself.

“You are truly fearless. Not even the prospect of an angry mob is enough to rattle you.”

“Their anger does not affect me or my life. If there is nothing else, I will see you later.” without any desire to continue the conversation, Ashten prompted to end it,  “Send my regards to your master who decided to intervene. I will send a gift to your household at a later date. If you have any request, write a letter.”

“I see, you are a busy man, after all. But, can you please humor me, President Vermillion? I wish to squash this curiosity of mine.”

“Speak already.”

The Knight’s brows twitched but pushed his displeasure down. 

“What brings the President all the way here? Can we expect another business venture?”

Without even turning back or slowing his steps, Asten readily and unhesitatingly answered.

“I picked up my daughter.”

“I see then—Daughter!?!!!” 

“DAUGHTER!?”

It was not just the Escort King but everyone present who was flabbergasted. Ashten did not care about being discreet and spoke as he normally would 

‘They’ll know eventually anyway. What use is there to keep quiet?’

“Yeah, I just picked her up.” he motioned to the group of children behind him and yelled, “Daughter.”

“I’m busy!” answered a red haired little girl. Her voice was as sweet sounding as it was annoyed, “Stop calling for me!” 

Her blatant disrespect however caused the others to fear for the little girls’ sake.

The Escort Knight was worried about how Ashten would react. 

This was no overreaction, after all this was the man named Ashten.

But when he looked over at Ashten’s expression, the Escort Knight’s eyes widened seeing the smile peeking from the lips of the known Tyrant.

Caring not for the Knight’s shock or the others for that matter, Ashten said his final remarks. 

“You heard her. She’s busy, but you get the idea. If there’s nothing more, I need to check on the children.”

“Uh, yeah.”

Still in shock, the Escort Knight just watched him walk away and approach the little girl with wild red hair who he called his daughter.

“Good job taking care of your people.” Ashten complimented.

“Of course, they are my responsibility, but why didn’t you kick the annoying guy?” complained the little girl with the red hair. 

“You only strike them when you are given enough reason to.”

“Reason? Can’t I just smack them if I don’t like them? If I keep smacking them, they will be ”

“Well, society is a little different. There are rules and you need to—” Ashten paused and slowly, he turned to the Escort Knight, his eyes now a little different from the one he showed previously as he opened his mouth to say, “I am imparting to her family secret teachings. Stop eavesdropping on this sweet father-daughter moment.”

“Y,yes, I apologize. I didn’t mean to—”

Ashten’s unmoving self did not further his threats but his silence was enough to scare the Escort Knight.

Retreating back to his post, the Escort Knight reported to his lord.

The carriage didn't quite hear them talking so the one inside was fairly surprised.

“Lawrence, what do you think?” 

It was a woman’s voice. 

“Do you think he is telling the truth? Do you believe that one is truly his daughter?”

Lawrence, the Escort Knight, looked over Ashten’s direction. He observed the little girl and Ashten as he formed a wry smile.

“I cannot say much, however…from how the little girl acted, the color of her eyes, hair and even to her demeanor…I think they are related by blood.” 

The woman inside the carriage did not answer. Only the sound of pen writing on paper echoed.

Lawrence remained outside. 

He was quiet as he contemplated his answer a couple of times only to arrive at a single one each time. 

‘Who would have thought that Ashten Vermillion would be hiding a child.’

But then, he looked at their group and took note of the children. 

The thought of adoption surfaced. 

But he was just as quick to throw the thought away as it was so quick to appear. It was a useless idea.

‘No, it’s impossible, they look too much alike. How they talk is even similar. If there is such a coincidence then… there’s a chance I may have the King’s bloodline in me, hahaha.’

Lawrence laughed at the thought. 

It was ludicrous. Why will a man like Ashten adopt when he can have a woman of his choice?