Chapter 175: Gravenhart

Chapter 175: 175: Gravenhart

Cedric heard Lucard’s words and looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"Do not be so sure," Cedric said.

Lucard looked at him. "About what?"

"About the old man being stopped by this forest." Cedric held Puff tightly under his coat while his eyes moved between the dark trees. "Yes, there are stronger beasts deeper inside. Yes, even a Sixth Circle mage can die if he goes too deep. But that does not mean the old man is weak enough to be swallowed by the first monster that smells him."

Elowen leaned against a tree, breathing hard. Her injured shoulder had started aching again after the run, and her face was pale under the shadows of the Deep Maw Forest. "You know him?"

Cedric gave a short laugh without any joy. "Everyone with enough sense knows him."

Lucard said, "I do not."

Cedric stared at him. "You truly do not know?"

"No."

For a moment, Cedric looked even more certain that Lucard was not a normal noble. A normal noble would know the name of a man like that. A commoner might not, but a commoner would not fight a Fourth Circle mage, steal Deepwell water, and speak to death as if it were a servant waiting outside the door.

Cedric lowered his voice. "His name is Alan Gravenhart."

Elowen’s eyes widened. "Gravenhart?"

Cedric nodded. "Duke House Gravenhart. One of the ten duke families of Valoria. Their bloodline is strong in earth magic. They build fortresses, shape mountain roads, control mines, and raise stone walls that can stop armies. Alan is one of their senior elders."

Lucard’s eyes remained calm. "Sixth Circle?"

"Peak Sixth Circle," Cedric said. "Not a fresh one. Not a weak one. He has been standing at that gate for years. If he gets enough pure Deepwell water, he may step into the Seventh Circle."

Elowen looked back toward the forest edge with fear. "That is why the spring mattered so much to him."

"Yes," Cedric said. "For everyone else, the water was a treasure. For him, it may be a door. We did not steal a bottle of expensive water. We stole a possible breakthrough from a peak Sixth Circle elder."

Lucard looked at the vial in his hand.

The clear water inside shone faintly even inside the dark forest. It was quiet, cold, and pure. Not enough to make Lucard bow. Enough to make a peak Sixth Circle elder chase thieves into a place where death waited in the trees.

Lucard closed his fingers around the vial. "Then we must make sure he does not get it."

Cedric stared at him.

Then he laughed once again, this time in disbelief. "You say that very easily."

"It is true."

"It is also dangerous." Cedric stepped closer, his voice becoming sharper. "Alan Gravenhart is not only strong. He is cunning. Very cunning. In the capital, some people call him one of the top three old foxes in the kingdom. Even princes speak carefully around him. He has outlived rivals, killed enemies without dirtying his own sleeves, and made younger nobles destroy themselves while thinking they were winning. If he wants us, he will not simply run after us like a stupid beast."

Lucard looked toward the forest edge.

The trees behind them were quiet now, but too quiet. Alan had not rushed in blindly. That confirmed Cedric’s words. A proud fool would have charged after them. A careful old monster would wait, measure the forest, and choose the safest killing path.

Cedric continued, "We need a plan. If we just run, he will catch us. If we hide, he will find us. If we fight directly, we die by his hands. Maybe not instantly, because you are strange and I am not useless, but we still die."

Elowen’s face became even paler. "Then what can we do?"

Lucard looked deeper into the forest.

The mist between the trees moved strangely. Some parts drifted with wind. Some parts moved against it. Huge roots crossed the ground like sleeping snakes. Far away, something heavy broke a tree branch. Another sound answered it, low and deep.

The Deep Maw Forest had many dangers.

That meant it also had many tools.

Lucard said, "I have a plan."

Cedric narrowed his eyes. "I already dislike it."

"You have not heard it."

"That has never stopped a plan from being bad."

Lucard pointed deeper into the trees. "You carry her and run."

Elowen immediately looked up. "Carry me?"

Cedric also looked offended. "Why am I carrying her?"

"Because you need both feet and one arm to run. Your rabbit is small. She is injured and slower. If she runs alone, Alan catches us sooner."

Elowen’s face flushed with anger and embarrassment. "I can run."

"Not fast enough."

Cedric looked at her shoulder, then at Lucard. "And you?"

Lucard’s eyes moved toward the heavy shadow shifting between distant trees. "I will attack a beast."

Cedric became still. "Of course you will."

"I will draw its attention."

"To yourself?"

"At first."

Cedric’s face tightened as he understood. "Then you will lead it toward Alan."

"Yes."

Elowen whispered, "You want to make the old man fight a deep forest beast."

"I want to make several things happen at the same time," Lucard said. "Alan cannot ignore us because we have the water. He cannot ignore a powerful beast because it can wound him. If he fights it, we gain time. If he avoids it, I guide it again."

Cedric rubbed his forehead. "That is insane."

"It is simple."

"It is simple in the way jumping into fire is simple."

"Fire can be useful."

"You would say that."

Lucard looked at him. "Can you carry her?"

Cedric sighed. "Yes. I can strengthen my legs with crystal step for short bursts. But if I carry her too long, it will leave a clear mana trail."

"Then do not carry her too long. Run until you find broken stone. Move over stone, not mud. Hide your mana when you can. I will catch up."