NOVPUBChapter 176: Ch 176: Fooled once more- Part 1
The merchants of Venuce moved swiftly.
With Kyle Armstrong’s departure fresh in their minds and vengeance burning in their chests, they pooled their resources to arrange rapid transportation toward the first valley junction.
It was the perfect ambush site—narrow, winding, and easy to manipulate into a death trap.
They hired specialized services to get there ahead of Kyle’s caravan, and once they arrived, they began setting up their elaborate scheme.
Some of them directed workers to carefully loosen boulders along the cliffs, ready to trigger a rockslide at a moment’s notice.
Others spread word to mercenaries and bandits who operated in the nearby hills, offering hefty pay for one simple task: ensure that Young Master Armstrong did not leave that valley alive.
With a growing sense of satisfaction, the merchants took up hidden positions at various points across the terrain, confident in their strategy.
But then, they waited.
And waited.
By midday, the sun hung high overhead, but the road remained empty. No travelers. No scouts. No caravan.
The older merchants exchanged nervous glances. “He should have been here by now,” one of them muttered.
A younger, more impatient merchant finally stood and sent out scouts to investigate. Hours later, the messengers returned with troubling news.
“Kyle Armstrong never came this way. He’s not even heading toward the valley.”
One scout reported.
“What? Are you certain?”
One of the men barked, rising to his feet.
The scout nodded, bowing.
“Positive. His caravan has taken a different route. It appears he’s avoiding the valley entirely.”
The realization hit them all at once. They had been outmaneuvered.
Their carefully laid trap had failed before it had even been sprung. All the money, the manpower, and the planning had come to nothing.
It was a public humiliation—and it only deepened their hatred for the young noble who had made them look like fools twice in a row.
Meanwhile, Kyle Armstrong moved steadily along the outer edge of the valley, leading his people through the dense forest trail instead.
The terrain was rough and dark, but to Kyle, it was far preferable to walking into an obvious ambush.
He had seen too many attempts like this in his lifetime—he wasn’t about to let complacency destroy everything he had built.
The forest was quiet, too quiet.
The underbrush barely stirred except for the occasional crack of a branch or the rustle of leaves in the wind.
The craftsmen huddled together like frightened livestock, their voices hushed and their steps cautious.
Some of them jumped at shadows, their fear of the unknown outweighing the exhaustion from their long march.
“Keep calm. Don’t stray from the group, don’t make unnecessary noise, and remember—our young master is with us. No monster would dare approach.”
Bruce announced loudly as he rode along the rear.
The craftsmen exchanged nervous glances but tried to hold on to those words.
They had seen what Kyle was capable of in the city square. If there was anyone who could protect them, it was him.
As night began to fall, they made camp in a small clearing tucked between towering trees.
Tents were set up in tight clusters, and guards posted in regular intervals.
The craftsmen, still unnerved by the unfamiliar surroundings, retired early. Soon enough, soft snores and quiet murmurs drifted from their tents as they finally surrendered to sleep.
Kyle, however, remained awake.
He walked toward the main carriage where Queen was curled protectively around the dragon egg.
It had been carefully nestled in a pile of enchanted silk and hay, the interior kept warm by Queen’s steady body heat.
As he approached, Queen lifted its head and let out a low hum of acknowledgement before shifting slightly to let him closer.
Kyle knelt by the egg and placed his hand upon it, allowing a stream of his mana to flow gently into the shell.
The warmth from the egg pulsed faintly in return, a sign that the creature inside was steadily developing.
He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the resonance.
The mana signature was becoming distinct—no longer just a dormant spark but the early tremors of something powerful, something alive.
The dragon’s own mana was awakening, slowly but surely syncing with Kyle’s own energy.
“It won’t be long now. You’ll hatch soon. And when you do… we’ll have much to do together.”
Kyle murmured, not to Queen, but to the egg.
Queen gave another hum, soft and almost content.
______
Once Kyle finished checking on the egg and Queen, he stepped out of the carriage into the cool night air.
The forest around them was quiet, save for the gentle crackle of fires and the murmurs of tired craftsmen settling in for the night.
The clearing they had chosen for camp was tight but defensible, surrounded by dense trees and high undergrowth.
Kyle’s sharp eyes swept over the camp as people began rolling out bedrolls, setting up makeshift tents, and preparing for sleep with weary bodies and uncertain minds.
Bruce approached him with a questioning look.
“Young master, should I arrange the watch schedule for the night?”
Kyle shook his head.
“No need. I’ll take the first watch. Let the others rest. They’ll need the strength for tomorrow.”
Bruce studied him for a moment but then nodded without protest.
“Understood. I’ll see that everyone gets some rest.”
With that, he turned and moved among the craftsmen, calming their nerves and giving them the reassurance they needed to sleep in an unknown place.
Kyle sat down beside the nearest fire, its warm light flickering across his calm expression.
The forest was quiet now, too quiet for comfort, but he remained vigilant.
Even if no bandits came, beasts could still prowl these woods—and Kyle had no intention of letting anything slip past him.
Not long after, he sensed someone approaching.
He didn’t need to look to know who it was, but he turned his head slightly anyway when the person sat beside him.
Melissa.
She didn’t speak at first.
She just sat in silence, staring into the fire with a thoughtful, unreadable look on her face. Kyle let the silence hang for a while, but eventually, he turned to her and asked softly.
“Why aren’t you asleep?”
Melissa didn’t look at him. Her eyes stayed on the fire, but her voice was firm.
“Because I am your sword, my lord. And a sword does not sleep when its master stands guard.”
Kyle studied her for a moment, noting the quiet determination in her voice.
There was no hesitation in her words, only loyalty—stubborn, quiet, and absolute.
He let out a faint breath, half a sigh, half a chuckle.
“You don’t need to keep saying things like that, Melissa. I told you before—you don’t need to prove anything.”
It was Kyle’s way of telling her that she was fine just as she was.
But Melissa clearly had different standards compared to him.
“I’m not trying to prove anything. I just want to be here. Even if all I can do is sit beside you.”
She replied, finally turning to look at him.
Kyle didn’t respond immediately. But after a moment, he gave a small nod.
“Then sit with me. Just… don’t fall asleep.”
A small smile tugged at Melissa’s lips.
“I won’t.”
