Work Prophet
Chapter 72 - 33 Parting

Chapter 72: Chapter 33 Parting

The old knight fell silent for a moment, as if pondering the girl’s words. After a while, he said, "You are right, we should leave this place overnight."

"......"

"Abandon Jordi and Trinidad, as well as all the subjects on their feuds?" Miss Rabbit’s eyes widened. "I patrol the territory to gather the people’s hearts. If I run away before the enemy even sees me, what kind of gathering of hearts is that?

Furthermore, I’d be a laughing stock of other families in the Western Territory for hundreds of years if the news got out that I fled, leaving behind my own subjects."

"Then kill all the informants before we escape," Alfred said, his expression not looking like he was joking, which frightened the Purple Bird Flower Knight into a cold sweat.

Jude couldn’t help feeling impressed. "This is exactly why I prefer to stay in the wild with Black Beauty rather than associate with humans, especially you nobles, who are too ruthless."

Fortunately, Ireya did not adopt this outrageous suggestion. She simply said to her Guardian Knight, "If my father were here, he would definitely go to the rescue of Trinidad and Carl."

"Lord Ruse is a great warrior, but you are not. I need to ensure your safety; we don’t have extra manpower for rescuing others."

"Then take me with you!" Miss Rabbit bit her teeth.

"What did you say?"

"I said, take me with you. Alfred, you are the finest knight I’ve ever seen. We’ve brought the most elite warriors of the Arias family this time, half of them cavalry in armor, with excellent weapons. We have no reason to fear those barbaric lizard people living in the swamp," Miss Rabbit continued.

The girl paused before adding, "I ask you, Alfred, if you lead the team, what are our chances against sixty lizard people?"

"A mere sixty lizard people? I am confident that I can repel them all," said the old knight. "The warriors in this guard are all carefully selected by me, almost all half-beasts with outstanding martial arts. As long as their numbers don’t exceed a hundred, we can easily win."

"Then why should we flee? We are the only ones in miles who can rescue Trinidad," Ireya said. "I know you, Alfred, don’t want me to take any risks, but my father also said that fighting is dangerous, but he would still fight because there are always things in this world worth fighting for."

"So he got killed," the old knight remarked and quickly realized the impropriety, adding, "I am not accusing Lord Ruse of being reckless."

"I know, but we need to go to the aid of Trinidad and Carl. This is an order, not a negotiation," Ireya said, her voice not loud, but firm.

Upon hearing this, the Guardian Knight did not argue further and nodded, "If you insist, I’ll go gather the men, and we can depart shortly."

Alfred did not brag; the guards he brought were all well-trained professional soldiers who quickly donned their Armor and assembled, and soon after, the group started moving.

The Purple Bird Flower Knight also joined them, bringing another ten militia with him. After about two miles, the servant Jordi had earlier sent to deliver the message returned with good news.

He had intercepted Carl and his company before they reached Trinidad’s castle, and now they were retreating.

After moving forward for less than a mile, the Purple Bird Flower Knight at the front met up with his Squire Knights, and after the two groups joined forces, the team grew significantly larger and had already outnumbered the lizard people.

Along with Trinidad and his men in the castle, Ireya now felt confident in teaching those bandits a serious lesson.

As they drew closer to the place where the beacon fires had been lit, the old knight suddenly pulled on the reins and stopped.

"What happened?"

The girl asked.

Alfred did not answer immediately but listened intently again before saying, "It’s too quiet."

"Hmm?"

"We’re very close now. If Trinidad and his men were still resisting, there should be sounds of battle," the old knight said. "But I haven’t heard any cries of fighting."

Miss Rabbit also pricked up her ears, listened carefully for a while, and realized that, indeed, there was no sound in the night air as Alfred had said.

Just as she was about to speak again, the horses in the ranks began to get restless, scraping at the ground with their hooves, swishing their tails, and snorting steam from their nostrils.

Seeing this, the old knight drew his sword. Without waiting for his command, the guards of the Arias family readied themselves for combat, poised for action.

The militia, affected by the tense atmosphere, followed suit, forming a circle and tightly gripping their weapons.

Alfred then sent out two Riders to the small hill up ahead to scout the situation.

However, no sooner had the two reached the top than they looked back as if they had seen something terrifying, turned their horses around, and raced back, all the while gesturing to others as they fled.

But soon, a feathered arrow flew out from behind them, aiming straight for one rider’s neck!

In the critical moment, the chainmail draped over him served its purpose, blocking the flight of the arrow. However, it was uncertain whether it was a problem with the quality of his armor or the terrifying force of the arrow that it pierced through the chainmail and into his neck!

The Rider’s eyes flashed with a hint of pain, then his body swayed, and he fell from the horse.

Yet his comrade was lucky enough to escape disaster, dodging the feathered arrows flying from behind. Even when occasionally hit, his chain armor blocked them, allowing him to break away safely.

"Lizard people! So many lizard people!!!" the surviving Rider shouted, his voice filled with fear.

"How many?" asked Alfred.

The Rider did not answer because he looked back and froze.

At that moment, not only he, but most people including the old knight were astonished, as they saw hordes of lizard people with crude weapons rushing down from the other side of the hill.

Just a rough estimate put their numbers at over six or seven hundred, a mass so dense it made one’s scalp tingle, and more lizard people continuously joined in.

This was not a band of thieves, but a large army!

Let alone their small group now, even if they gathered all the troops from their lands, they might not be able to match these lizard people.

Not to mention, the enemy would not give them this opportunity.

The Arias family... was done for!

At this moment, many had this ominous thought cross their minds unintentionally.

The Purple Bird Flower Knight was the first to turn around, without a word, spurred his horse into a frantic gallop, soon disappearing into the night.

With him leading, the already terrified militia immediately crumbled, dropping their weapons and fleeing in all directions, crying out in fear.

However, without horses, it would be difficult for them to outrun the lizard people, and a terrible fate of slaughter awaited them.

Alfred also paid no attention to the militiamen who scattered like headless flies, with no intention of rallying them. In fact, the old knight needed these people to help draw the attention of the opposing lizard army.

As for himself, he picked up Miss Rabbit, who was still in a daze on the ground.

She was trembling uncontrollably, unable to utter a word, paralyzed by fear.

Alfred hoisted the girl onto the horse and said to the other Cavalry nearby, "Follow me, protect Miss Ireya."

As for those without horses, the old knight could do nothing to help.

As for resistance, Alfred had not even considered it—the enemy was too numerous, more than ten times their size, and staying meant certain death.

Jude’s eyes flashed with a ruthless light as he watched Alfred and others continue to leave before him. When the last Rider passed by, Black Beauty suddenly leaped up, knocking the man off his horse, and Jude brought his axe down onto the man’s neck.

Then he calmly wiped the blood off his axe, mounted the unattended warhorse, and fled toward Teacup Castle along with Alfred and the rest.

Since everyone was busy fleeing for their lives, no one noticed this side event; even if anyone did, there was no time to administer justice.

Everyone felt an intense threat of death!

Escaping to Teacup Castle might not guarantee absolute safety, but at least the fortress, long maintained by the Arias family, could provide hope and support in such times.

With that thought, everyone began to furiously whip their steeds.

During this tumultuous time, no one noticed the dull thud that came from the bushes, except for Ireya, who was stunned into silence. She seemed to remember something she had forgotten and screamed, "Merlin! It’s Merlin! Stop, we have to help him."

But no one paid any heed to her.

Desperate, Miss Rabbit was on the verge of tears, and seeing that no one would follow her command, she steeled herself to jump off the horse. But as soon as she made the slightest move, the old knight’s arm firmly pinned her to the horse’s back.

"Don’t be stubborn. If you keep moving like this, I’ll have no choice but to knock you out, Miss Ireya," said Alfred, the old knight using a tone that brooked no argument.

Ireya struggled in vain, only to watch helplessly as a large group of screaming lizard people charged toward the bush behind her.

The girl’s heart sank suddenly.

She had never imagined that farewells in life could come so abruptly.