Chapter 7 Chapter 7
Kael spent the next morning staring at Gareth.
He was conducting an investigation. A very serious investigation.
However, the subject of that investigation was currently arguing with a sheep.
"Don't look at me like that."
The sheep blinked.
Gareth pointed accusingly.
"You know exactly what you did." The sheep continued chewing. "Those were my vegetables."
The sheep showed no remorse whatsoever.
Kael rubbed his forehead.
The bandit commander had specifically named Gareth as the target.
There had to be a reason.
Perhaps Gareth was secretly a retired noble. Perhaps he was a legendary assassin hiding from his enemies. Perhaps he had once possessed some powerful artifact.
Or perhaps……
Kael glanced at the old hunter again. Perhaps the commander had been dropped on his head as a child.
Because Gareth looked like the least important man on the continent.
The old hunter finally noticed him.
“Why are you staring at me?”
Kael immediately looked away.
“I’m not.”
“You have been staring at me for ten minutes.”
“I was thinking.”
"You weren't thinking." Gareth pointed. "You were thinking directly at my face."
Kael decided to retreat before the conversation became more embarrassing.
However, the investigation had only begun. Throughout the day he followed Gareth everywhere.
He observed where he went. Who he spoke to, what he did. The results were deeply disappointing.
At sunrise Gareth complained about the weather. At breakfast he complained about the bread. During lunch he complained about breakfast.
By afternoon he was complaining about people who complained too much.
Kael had commanded millions of soldiers across two lifetimes. Nothing had prepared him for this.
The old man wandered into the forest shortly before sunset.
Kael followed quietly, at least he tried to.
The first branch snapped under his foot. The second branch smacked him in the face. The third somehow got caught in his hair.
Five minutes later Gareth stopped walking.
“Why are you hiding behind that tree?”
Kael froze.
“I’m not.”
“I can see your foot.”
Kael slowly moved behind another tree.
Gareth pointed without turning around. “Now I can see your other foot.”
The silence that followed was painful.
Kael considered his options, there weren’t many. Finally he stepped out from behind the tree.
“You’re surprisingly observant.”
“I’ve been hunting longer than you’ve been alive.” Gareth narrowed his eyes. “Why are you following me?”
Kael thought quickly.
“I enjoy nature.”
“You hate nature.”
“I do not.”
“You spent half of yesterday complaining about bugs.”
“They started it.”
The old hunter stared at him. Kael stared back and neither looked convinced.
Word spread through Oakridge remarkably quickly.
By evening, several villagers were openly discussing the situation. Old Martha sat outside her house with a group of spectators.
"Five copper says Gareth is the strange one."
"You're wasting your money."
"Why?"
"Because Kael has been stalking him all day."
"Fair point."
A third villager shook his head.
"You're both wrong."
"How?"
"They're both weird."
The betting continued.
Kael wished it wouldn’t, the next day he escalated the investigation.
If Gareth wouldn’t reveal anything outside the house, then perhaps the answers were inside.
That afternoon the old hunter left for a hunting trip. The moment he disappeared down the road, Kael entered the house.
The building looked exactly as he remembered, with its simple furniture, worn tools, and modest surroundings revealing nothing unusual as Kael searched carefully through drawers, cabinets, and shelves, only to find absolutely nothing of interest.
Then he noticed a loose floorboard beneath Gareth’s bed.
He lifted it.
A hidden compartment appeared beneath the wood. Inside sat a small iron chest covered in dust.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
Finally, something.
The chest was very old and more importantly…..locked.
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
That was suspicious, extremely suspicious.
For the next twenty minutes, he tried everything he could think of to open the chest, but the lock stubbornly resisted force, patience, and even several increasingly personal threats, displaying a level of confidence that Kael found both impressive and deeply irritating.
Just as Kael considered finding a hammer, the front door suddenly burst open.
Gareth entered carrying two rabbits.
The old hunter stopped.
Kael stopped.
Both men stared at each other.
Then Gareth noticed the chest and the rabbits fell from his hands.
For the first time since Kael’s return to the past, genuine panic appeared on Gareth’s face.
Kael immediately noticed.
His pulse quickened.
"What's in the chest?"
"Nothing."
"You just dropped two rabbits."
“They slipped.”
“The rabbits are still tied together.”
Gareth looked down and the rabbits were indeed still tied together.
"That proves nothing."
"You're sweating."
"It's warm."
"It's autumn."
"Very warm autumn."
An awkward silence followed.
Kael slowly looked back at the chest, then at Gareth. Then back at the chest.
The old hunter suddenly looked very uncomfortable which made Kael even more interested.
“What is inside?”
“Nothing important.”
"Then open it."
"No."
"Why not?"
Gareth folded his arms.
"Because it's my chest."
"That's not a reason."
"It's the only reason you need."
The standoff lasted several minutes.
Finally Gareth sighed. The sound carried years of exhaustion.
“Fine.”
Slowly, the old hunter reached into his pocket and produced a small key.
The lock clicked and the chest opened.
Kael leaned forward.
Inside were a few old documents, several faded letters, and a small metal insignia.
The moment he saw the symbol engraved on its surface, every trace of amusement vanished from his face.
His heart skipped a beat because he recognized it immediately.
House Blackthorne.
The same symbol he had discovered among the bandits. The same family connected to Roland Blackthorne.
The same man who stood beside the Emperor during his execution.
Kael slowly lifted his eyes toward Gareth. The old hunter suddenly looked much older than before.
And Kael began to suspect that Gareth Ironwood might not be the simple village hunter he had always believed him to be.
