Chapter 30: Watching the Show

Chapter 30: Watching the Show

When the delegation’s procession passed by the gate of the Mountain Villa, Bran and Huahua sat separately on the heads of the stone statues flanking the gate, watching the excitement with great interest.

The young escort Knights in the delegation rode on beautiful steeds, carrying a hint of arrogance. However, these horses seemed somewhat more delicate compared to Northlands horses, which made Bran purse his lips and show a look of disdain.

Bran’s reaction was noticed by a young Knight, who was displeased. So, this young Knight broke away from the procession, spurred his horse forward, and raised his lance, intending to scare the child. But an eagle’s cry pierced the sky. At almost the same moment, the two White Wolves lying on the villa’s third-floor platform stood up. One threw its head back and let out a long howl, while the other leaped a few times and appeared at the gate, positioning itself in front of the statues.

Then, from inside the Mountain Villa came a chorus of horse neighs and ox bellows, as if joining the fight. Animals from the villa poured out through the gate, staring at the young Knight with their big eyes, causing him to instantly become flustered.

Leading the charge were Danny’s two tall horses, relying on their height and long legs to rush out first. Several White Wolves followed close behind. Two strong oxen used for pulling carts shoved their way to the front with their brute strength. Finally, a few half-grown ponies and goats—that Bran had kept as pets out of soft-heartedness—were blocked inside the gate, bleating their displeasure.

A shout from a middle-aged Knight rescued the young man from his awkward situation, and he obediently slipped back into the procession. The middle-aged Knight gave a slight nod in Bran’s direction before urging his horse forward. Bran vaguely remembered him; this was the leading Knight from the delegation’s last visit—Ryan. A steady and experienced Knight, he maintained his courtesy even when facing Bran, who was known as the Idiot.

The Manor’s animals did not disperse. After the tense atmosphere dissolved, these creatures spread out along both sides of the gate, standing, squatting, or lying down, joining Bran in watching the spectacle.

While Bran and his menagerie were watching the delegation, the delegation was also watching him. Those visiting the Northlands for the first time unanimously asked others around them who that impressive child sitting on the statue’s head was. So, in a short time, the entire delegation learned the name Idiot Bran.

…

As in previous years, a group of idle Nobles and Knights followed behind the delegation, joining in the fun. Most of these people were wealthy, idle, well-fed individuals with nothing better to do, largely waste-folks who found pleasure in wandering around. There were also some whose minds weren’t quite right, who, having heard of the Northlanders’ martial prowess, were unconvinced and resentful, seeking a chance to see for themselves. Mixed in the crowd were young men and women, looking around with curiosity. However, this year seemed somewhat different. There were rather many idle Nobles, and there seemed to be too many young men and women in the procession. What was going on? Bran felt puzzled.

At the very back of the procession, over a dozen Knights who seemed to intentionally keep a distance from the main group piqued Bran’s curiosity. This year might be more interesting; why had these guys come too? The most striking feature of these Knights was their mounts—not Northlands horses, but two-legged walking monsters resembling raptors. Most notable was that these Knights were rather flashy, each one gleaming, with their weapon s and armor adorned with exquisite patterns. Several fierce dragon heads were decorated with beautiful bird feathers.

Bran had long heard of these people. They were Dragon Knights whose combat prowess was no less than that of the Northlanders. Finally seeing them in the flesh, Bran really wanted to snatch a couple, cut them open, and take a close look. So, Bran subconsciously adjusted his sitting posture, slightly straightening his back. Huahua, in tune with her master’s thoughts, also adjusted her stance. Then, the White Wolf lying in front of the statue stood up. Next, the animals near the gate became restless, each striking a pose as if ready to plunder a rich household. Even a lamb weaned just a few days ago lowered its head and pawed the ground with its hoof.

The more skilled the Warrior, the more sensitive they are to malice. This group of Dragon Knights gradually approaching the Manor gate quickly sensed the source of this discomfort. What made them most uneasy was the feeling of being eagerly eyed, as if to be divided and devoured. Adult Knights naturally wouldn’t pick a fight with a child and a bunch of animals, but the World is never short of bratty kids. So, a young man and woman protected in the center of the Knights charged out, heading straight for the Manor gate.

The young man among them shouted, “What are you looking at!?”

Watching this pair of youths charging closer, Bran couldn’t help but think of a classic line: “Meat, fresh meat.” A tender-looking young man and woman. In Bran’s imagination, those whose martial power could be mentioned in the same breath as Northlanders should at least be fierce, muscle-bound brutes lacking brains. But reality gave him a loud slap in the face.

So, Bran looked this pair up and down, then turned to seriously compare them with that team of Dragon Knights, then looked back to observe them carefully again, comparing back and forth, hoping to conclude that these two weren’t their biological children. But he was disappointed.

Careful observation also allowed Bran to see the differences between these people and the Northlanders. Northlanders were tall, solid, like bedrock; Dragon Knights were upright, sharp, like lances.

Being scrutinized up and down by Bran, the two youths began to feel uncertain. They started examining each other, wondering if there was something inappropriate about their own appearance. This made their actions hesitant, and the momentum of their charge vanished completely. Thus, what was initially a fierce demonstration from one side turned into a mutual sizing-up.

They noticed the child sitting on the statue’s head was completely unlike the other Northlander children they had seen on their journey, whose skin was darkened by wind and sun, whose bodies were sturdy from martial training, who possessed the unique, dangerous wildness of Northlanders. He simply sat there, clean, simple, somewhat bookishly weak, yet he magnified the Northlanders’ casual, disdainful attitude to the extreme. This made the two youths very uncomfortable. It was the distinctive look Northlanders had when viewing the weak—forever giving the feeling of “with your puny body, I could crush you with one finger.”

This wasn’t what Bran intended to show. It was just that after being despised like this for so long, this expression had been etched into his Soul. So, unconsciously, he had begun habitually adopting this demeanor, and it was a culmination of everyone’s worst. But now he wasn’t staring blankly at his own Castle gate, nor facing his own Knights in the Castle, nor facing his own family who knew him well. So, this demeanor deeply irritated the two youths not far away, and they began to turn red in the face.

Now truly angry, they prepared to teach this annoying little kid a lesson, although in a sense, they weren’t much older themselves. But the action ended before it began. They found themselves on the verge of being surrounded. A group of animals slowly, quietly, and orderly closed in. In the time the three were sizing each other up and hesitating, this encirclement began to form. At that moment, a huge Shadow passed overhead. Looking up, they saw four massive Snow Falcons circling above, leaving them unsure of what to do.

Youth and lack of experience are always the root causes of impulsiveness and fearlessness. This holds true for animals as well. Before the encirclement was complete, that lamb weaned just a few days ago launched an attack. Bravely, single-mindedly, it squeezed between the legs of its many tall animal seniors and, under the gaze of all humans and animals, charged forward, heading straight for the two raptors.

Bran sat there and watched as that dazzlingly white lamb charged over in a clumsy, funny, cute, hopping manner. Then, upon reaching the feet of the raptors, it suddenly slowed its pace and, almost ingratiatingly, lightly butted its head against one of the big feet…

The girl on the mount cheered, preventing any potential violence. She jumped to the ground, picked up the lamb, turned, climbed back onto her mount, shouted, and dashed out of the encirclement with her companion, running away amid a stream of excited, triumphant, silvery laughter.

Bran sat there for a long moment, not coming back to his senses. Someone actually dared to steal a Northlander’s lamb!? Someone actually stole my lamb!?