Work Prophet
Chapter 457 - 75: Hurry and Summon Prophet Merlin

Chapter 457: Chapter 75: Hurry and Summon Prophet Merlin

Ferdinand felt a gust of wind attack his chest!

He calmly took a half step back, rapidly retracting his two-handed sword to launch a Furious Strike, perfectly parrying Wild’s axe.

The long sword and the war axe clashed, emitting a crisp sound of metal clashing!

Ferdinand had used all his strength in this strike, originally hoping to break through Wild’s defense with his youthful vigor.

But unexpectedly, Lord Greymane’s arm didn’t even budge, revealing no weakness whatsoever.

Ferdinand could sense the terrifying power hidden within that not-so-tall body.

He didn’t attempt to disengage their swords because doing so might have resulted in Wild’s axe slicing directly through his chest.

Thus, Ferdinand continued with a binding move, using the sword’s hilt to block the axe head and attempted to slice at Wild’s throat.

The City Lord of the Fertile Corner grinned with a smile that didn’t match his stature and, moving with agility that belied his size, easily dodged the sword strike and circled to Ferdinand’s side.

Wild’s battle strategy was simple. His war axe had a shorter reach than Ferdinand’s sword, so closing the distance increased his chances of winning.

But Ferdinand wasn’t foolish; sensing Wild’s intentions, he immediately spun out a windmill-like attack, pushing his opponent back again.

The two exchanged blows back and forth, and within moments, dozens of moves had been exchanged with neither gaining the upper hand.

However, as time passed, Wild began to gradually gain the advantage due to his extensive combat experience.

He carefully controlled the distance between him and Ferdinand, patiently waiting for his opponent to show a lapse in defense.

Yet even after Wild closed in, Ferdinand’s face showed no sign of panic, his footwork, and sword strikes remained as orderly as ever.

Another moment passed, and suddenly Wild leaped back, voluntarily lowering his war axe and saying, "Let’s call it quits for today; let’s stop here!"

Ferdinand’s eyes flashed with confusion but he didn’t say anything, simply nodding in response to Wild’s words.

"Which family do you hail from?" Wild asked.

"Batorri."

Wild tried to recall any memories associated with this name, but after searching his mind, he found nothing. Nonetheless, that didn’t stop him from expressing his admiration for the young man before him.

"Excellent martial arts. Your swordsmanship is truly solid!"

"Your skills are also remarkable."

"Ah, it’s been years since I’ve sparred with anyone. I’ve become quite rusty, and just this short bout has left me breathless. When I was young, I was truly formidable. Once, I encountered bandits on a journey, and I slew eight of them by myself."

If this had been said before, Ireya would most likely have thought that the Family Head of the Singleton Family was boasting.

But having just witnessed that tense and thrilling battle, the Lady had begun to believe Wild’s claim of being unmatched within hundreds of miles.

Moreover, Wild had graciously offered to cover all the travel expenses, carriage fares, and food costs for the group from there to the Royal Capital.

Miss Rabbit’s opinion of him grew more favorable the more she looked at him, and she eventually agreed to his joining with pleasure.

Besides his granddaughter Donia, Wild also brought thirty guards and over a dozen servants, which made their party even more impressive.

The group left Fertile Corner, continuing eastward, but they hadn’t been outside the city long before they heard wailing and clamorous voices.

The face of the Family Head of the Singleton Family turned a bit sour because, just a quarter-hour earlier, he had been sharing his experience in managing territories with Ireya and Ferdinand.

They said he had managed the Fertile Corner very well, not only driving away the surrounding bandits with his people but also keeping the land rent low.

During festivals, he would even distribute bread and wine for free, allowing everyone to live and work in peace and contentment.

Just when everything seemed perfect, he suddenly heard someone crying so sorrowfully that it was like a slap in his face.

Lord Wild halted his horse and called over his Guard Commander, instructing, "Quickly check out why those people are crying."

Blake obeyed the order and soon returned, his expression somewhat odd.

"Did you find out why?"

"Yes, I did."

"What grievances have they suffered?"

"Well..." The Guard Commander glanced at Li Yu, looking as if he wanted to say more but hesitated.

Impatient, Lord Wild said, "Never mind, I will meet with them myself."

Without waiting for Blake to respond, the City Lord of the Fertile Corner spurred his horse forward, and the rest had no choice but to follow.

The weeping crowd that was blocking the way was large, nearly four to five hundred people of all ages, most of them residents of the Fertile Corner.

Seeing this, Lord Wild was also startled, but he didn’t call the guards; instead, he approached these people and began speaking with dignified sincerity.

"I am your Lord, the protector of this land, Lord Greymane Wild of the Singleton Family, you should have all heard of my name.

"I swear by the name of the Singleton Family that no matter who has wronged you, I will stand up for you!"

Far from calming the crowd, Lord Wild’s loud and generous declaration only made the chaos worse, as the people looked at him with eyes filled with fear and dread.

"Lord Greymane." The Guard Commander came rushing over, his face showing helplessness, "They are not here for you."

"Not here for me?" Lord Wild was perplexed. "Then who else could they turn to for help?"

"Prophet Merlin." Blake spoke softly, "My Lord, they are all cursed. They had been hiding in the city before and did not go to the farms.

"Somehow they heard that Prophet Merlin could lift the curses, so they came out from hiding and gathered outside the city, hoping Prophet Merlin could save their lives."

Upon hearing this, Lord Wild was profoundly shaken. Although he had cooperated with the Earth and Grain Church to gather all those cursed in one place, he knew very well that some must have escaped notice in the city.

But he had not expected that there would be so many.

The more the City Lord of the Fertile Corner thought about it, the angrier he became. He, the Family Head of the Singleton family, had set the example by sending his beloved granddaughter to the farm. How could these people be so defiant of the rules?

Lord Wild wanted to scold them, but he remembered that if it wasn’t for Helbert’s constant persuasion, he wouldn’t have wanted Donia to leave his side, alone, waiting to die.

Moreover, he had insisted against Church pressure that his two sons stay in the city.

Looking into the faces filled with longing, including several girls about the same age as Donia, Lord Wild felt much of his anger dissipate.

After all, no one wants to die, nor do they wish to miss seeing their loved ones for the last time.

The City Lord of the Fertile Corner suddenly felt a sense of dispiritedness and said to Blake.

"You’re right, we can’t handle this matter. Let’s go ask Prophet Merlin."