Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Spring Pavilion was full that day.
The restaurant wasn’t very big to begin with, and it usually had some customers. The black-clad men that lady brought had taken up all the remaining seats.
Sophie, Violet, and Travis had to sit at a small table the owner had set up at the last minute, separate from the others.
The man’s voice, soft and apologetic, reached Sophie’s ear. It was warm and pleasant.
“These are my brothers-in-arms. We’ve been traveling since last night and haven’t had a bite to eat. If it troubles you, I can have them wait outside and just pass them some bread each when we’re done.”
Violet paused, surprised, but quickly shook her head. “No need for that. Please, let them stay. They can sit where they like and order what they wish.”
The man smiled kindly. “You are kind-hearted, miss. In that case, we’ll order freely, and we’ll take extra.”
“Alright… That’s fine,” Violet replied, casting a glance at the sea of black. The men were dressed in a way that suggested some sort of organization, with embroidered characters on their sleeves, though they were so wrinkled and dirty that she couldn’t make out the words.
After a moment of squinting, she thought she recognized words like “Shadow Guard” or “Lightning Guard” among the stains.
Despite their rough appearance, the men weren’t rude. After confirming they had their places, they all stood up and thanked their host for the meal.
Some had graying hair, but their tanned faces didn’t make them look all that old. There were a few, however, whose appearances were downright unsettling- strange, twisted faces that made them look like something out of a ghost story. Sophie, Violet, and Travis exchanged a glance, feeling as though they had been roped into this meal without much choice. They had hoped to converse during the meal, to learn more about the strangers’ identities and intentions. After all, there were 20 or more of them here, each one clearly skilled in martial arts. It would have been wise to inquire further, as there were risks in not knowing who they were.
Little did they know, as soon as the food was served, the group ate like a storm sweeping through the land-silent and swift. Not a single word was spoken, not even by the woman with them. It was as if they hadn’t eaten in days.
The only time anyone spoke was when one of the men in black stabbed the last piece of meat with his fork, looked at another reaching for it, and said firmly, “Mine.”
Other than that, not a single word was uttered.
There was one other instance: Travis had offered them wine, and the man had replied, “No wine while working.”
Then, without another word, he returned to his meal.
Their meal was eaten swiftly, and with remarkable precision. It seemed as though they all finished at once, setting their cutlery down in unison.
Sophie had been thinking that they must be a well-trained group, but it became clear that the speed of their meal wasn’t due to discipline-it was because the dishes had been emptied entirely. Not a scrap of meat or garnish remained the plates were truly wiped clean.
Sophie glanced at her plate. It seemed…she had barely eaten more than five bites?
The man approached them and bowed in thanks. “We are grateful for your kindness. The meal will not be forgotten. Farewell, and until we meet again.”
The group rose in unison, nodding respectfully. “Farewell.”
Sophie stood to return the gesture, but by the time she did, they had already left the restaurant.
“Wait!” Sophie called after them.
It was probably better if she hadn’t said anything. The moment she called out, they picked up their pace, walking even faster.
Travis looked at her, bewildered. “What’s the rush? Do they think we’re asking them to pay the bill?”
Violet was equally puzzled and muttered, “They must have something urgent. It’s not as if they’d need to run off over a meal, right? Besides, we already told them we’d be treating them.”
Sophie stepped out of Spring Pavilion and found the street empty. They had truly vanished quickly—so quickly, in fact, that following them would have been impossible.
But with so many of them and all of them dressed in black, it couldn’t be too hard to find out where they had gone. A quick inquiry at the inns should reveal something.
After settling the bill, they returned to Stormwatch Keep.
Upon hearing about the group of black-clad men who seemed skilled in martial arts, Dominic grew immediately wary.
Since the end of the war, trade had picked up, and travelers were more frequent. But with the influx of people, every entrance and exit to the city had to be monitored. If.
group of 20 or more had arrived, security would have been more difigent.
Yet, there had been no report about them.
Wallace sent people to check the major inns, but they found nothing.
Recalling how difficult it seemed for the group to eat, Sophie suspected they hadn’t stayed at an inn. Instead, it might be more useful to check the nearby villages, the mountain shrines, or perhaps the temples and similar places.
Wallace gave the order, and Blake was tasked with the job of investigating. He led a group to search the area.
Blake was aware that Sophie had arrived at Victory Pass. He had been there to greet the group. However, he had stayed at a distance, watching from afar without approaching. From that distance, he hadn’t been able to make out any faces, only a vague silhouette that seemed to resemble hers.
He had thought his actions unnecessary. After all, what business did he have with her? The affairs of the capital were nothing for him to involve himself with.
While the diplomatic envoy rested in Victory Pass, they spent their time discussing strategies and rehearsing their approach. Everyone understood that while this negotiation might seem easier compared to the last, it was by no means a simple task.
Lisandra had long kept this matter at the forefront of her mind and would not easily yield to any compromises.
The Sullivan family also feared that someone might infiltrate the envoy and eavesdrop on their plans. If their strategies were known, Orivenia could counter them, putting Starhaven at a disadvantage.
Thus, Wallace had ordered Blake to find out who those mysterious people were. At the same time, he had instructed Blake to scrutinize everyone around the envoy, ensuring that no one had infiltrated their ranks.
After two days of investigation, Blake had come up empty. No one had disguised themselves, and there was no sign of anyone sending messages out of Victory Pass.
The only lead Blake had was that they had once eaten at Spring Pavilion. After leaving the restaurant, a few traders had seen them, but no one could say where they had gone or where they were staying.
It was curious, indeed. How could a group of 30 people in black simply vanish?
Victory Pass had many roads, all leading in different directions. However, only one high mountain pass connected the city to the outside. Even so, trade between the two kingdoms had been established, so it was unnecessary to risk crossing the treacherous mountains. The cliffs were too dangerous-one misstep could lead to a deadly fall.
Dominic had ordered further investigation into their city records, worried that something might have been overlooked. They couldn’t simply follow the trail of 30 black-clad figures, as they could have entered in smaller groups or even dressed differently.
According to the descriptions Sophie and Violet had given, these men had terrifying features that could scare children into silence. People who looked like that were rare—if anyone had seen them, they would surely remember. But no one did.
Sophie herself was perplexed. How could 30 living people simply vanish into thin air?
Yet, there was nothing to be done. The next morning, they would be departing for Orivenia.
Since their departure was set for the early hours of the day after tomorrow, there was little time to dwell on the matter. Tonight was for gathering together, for sharinga meat and a few laughs. They would treat the whole thing like a strange dream and move on.
And honestly, it did feel like a dream. Their encounter with that couple had been so brief, so fleeting, that now, when they tried to recall them, the memories were hazy at best. The only thing that stood out vividly was the man’s toes poking out from his worn, dusty shoes.