NOVEL NEXT Chapter 142: Challenged
The coachman then took the Beast Cores of the Ursa, as Van realized that they were only interested in Beast Cores from Three-Horned ones!
Then, the coachman kept the cores to himself and wiped his hands on his trousers before he climbed back into his seat.
"We're losing time."
After confirming that his passengers were alright, he finally drove the carriage away from the battlefield.
It was at this time that Butler Judge finally spoke. "Someone sent these."
Van agreed.
'Three-Horned Ursa doesn't hunt in pairs. And they certainly don't ambush carriages.'
At the very least, they were known to have their own territory and stay there unless threatened. It was something that Van could easily remember from the books he read.
Furthermore, this was a busy road, and many magicians would pass through this area. It means that if there are any Three-Horned Beasts claiming this road, they would have been hunted long ago…
Lastly, the fact that they actually hunt in pairs was also very suspicious.
Cluck.. Cluck… Cluck…
As the carriage lurched forward, Julia stared at the path leading to the Mage Tower. Her earlier excitement was now replaced by unease.
"I hope this will be the last one." She muttered.
***
Thankfully, they no longer encountered any Magical Beast attacks after this.
The mountain pass gradually widened into a well-traveled road, as they soon found themselves travelling with several carriages from various noble families around the region..
The farther they went, the more crowded the path became…
Van saw the noble transports unlike the Farrel House.
These noble houses had their insignia clearly shown on their carriage… On the other hand, they were only travelling using a black carriage without any signs that they were from the Farrel House…
No, perhaps not having an emblem and being completely black was already the sign of the Farrel House…
In any case, they also noticed that aside from the noble houses, there were also merchant wagons filled with crates, and armored riders on steeds…
Julia pressed her face to the window as she couldn't help but feel excited. "There are so many people!"
Van's Ocularis Lens had, of course, scanned the procession.
[ Multiple high-tier mana signatures detected. Security protocols are active. ]
'That's useless.' Van mused.
In the meantime, Butler Judge and the Coachman were relieved after seeing the busy road.
"We're safe for now. No one would dare cause trouble here."
Yet as the words left his mouth, a sleek, silver-and-crimson carriage pulled alongside theirs, its doors was decorated with a familiar crest: a serpent coiled around three blades.
House Neville.
Julia's smile vanished after seeing this.
Van didn't need the Lens to recognize the tension that suddenly sparked between the two carriages.
Julia then looked at him and explained…
Apparently, the Nevills and the Farrells had a history of rivalries, contested territories, and a duel decades ago that had left Julia's great-uncle dead.
The Neville carriage window slid open, revealing a boy around Julia's age—he had gray hair and was grinning like a fox…
"Julia Farrell," he said. "I didn't know you were coming, but I didn't believe it. Does your grandfather know you're playing with the adults?"
Julia's fists clenched. "Shut up, Lucian."
Lucian Neville's smirk widened after hearing Julia's irritated voice... Behind him was his butler, who leaned forward, whispering something.
But Lucian waved him off as his gaze locked onto Van.
His eyes lit up as soon as he realized that Van wasn't a magician.
"Ohhh, you brought a Sword Slave!" He turned and snapped his fingers. "Tiger! Come here!"
As soon as he said this, a human came into view.
It was another teenage boy with sunken eyes and a collar identical to Van's.
His arms were crisscrossed with scars…
Without needing his Lens, Van knew that he was a trained killer.
Lucian's grin became obvious as he spoke.
"Let's have a quick match while we wait! Your slave against mine!"
"What? Why would we?" Julia frowned.
The carriages then continue into the Ashenveil Outpost. It was a bustling town built in the shadow of the Mage Tower…
At this time, servants hurried to guide guests to temporary lodgings—the auction wouldn't begin until nightfall.
But Lucian didn't wait. The moment they disembarked, he walked up to Julia while Tiger, the name of his slave, followed behind him.
"Come on, Julia Farrell. Or are you scared your slave's trash?"
Julia's face flushed. "Van's not trash!"
Butler Judge placed a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"Ignore him, my lady. We're not here for games."
Lucien scoffed. "Of course you'd say that. The Farrells always run. How about this, if you win, I'll give 20 High-Grade Mana Crystals."
He offered.
Van, on the other hand, remained still, but his Ocularis Lens had already started scanning Tiger.
[ Subject: Sword Slave ( Designation: Tiger )
Age: Approximately 15
Combat Style: Dual-wielding (daggers/shortswords) 86%
Threat Assessment: High ( muscle memory suggests assassin training )
Weakness: Left knee—old injury, slight limp under stress. ]
Van controlled his expression after seeing this.
Nonetheless, since Julia wasn't replying, Tiger spoke.
"Your slave doesn't look like much." He said, devoid of emotion.
"But I'll break him slowly if you want."
Now, Julia was angry…
"What if you win?" She asked.
"Then, I just need you to give me 20 High-Grade Mana Crystals as well. This is just for entertainment anyway." Lucian replied.
Van wryly smiled as he actually noticed Lucian's signal for Tiger to speak.
"Can you win?" Julia suddenly asked without looking at Van.
"Yes, my lady…" Van replied without hesitation.
This answer made Julia smile and nod.
She then turned to the Butler Judge. "Let them fight."
Butler Judge hesitated. "My lady, Van is only ten. His opponent is about 15—"
"I order it." She said with a firm tone.
The butler exhaled as he realized that Julia had already made a decision and wouldn't budge on it.
"Fine… However, there shouldn't be fatalities in this duel."
Lucian clapped after hearing this. He wasn't planning to kill Julia's slave anyway…
"Perfect! Let's do it!"