A Little Secret

"The blood of the wyvern that my people took in that meadow," Avarius said.

"Hey!" Magnius chuckled, he clutched the glass tube, then glared at the bar owner. "Are you trying to be funny in my face, old Occyens?"

"No, my lord," Avarius bowed. "I speak the truth."

"Explain it to me!" said Magnius, returning his attention to the puff of smoke in the sealed glass tube in his hand. "Why would the blood of a wyvern that should be the same red as a human's suddenly turn into a puff of dark blue smoke like this?"

Avarius smiled widely. After all, this was an opportunity for him to get more attention from the emperor's family. And that meant complete protection of his family, as well as everything about his bar business.

"My lord," he said, "my people have successfully created a liquid we call Holy Water."

Magnius glanced at the middle-aged man to his left. "Holy Water?"

Avarius bowed his head. "I will gladly show it to you later, my lord."

"Very well," Magnius nodded as he watched the dense smoke inside the glass tube. "I really must know this, it seems you are supported by great shamans. You know, if you really have something extraordinary, I can take you to the Central Emperor."

Avarius smiled happily. That was his goal, to make a name for himself and become more famous in the five lands.

"Thank you, my lord," he bowed again.

"And then?"

"By dripping holy water into the blood of a creature," Avarius said, "we will know what condition that creature is in, my lord."

Magnius frowned. Looks like this Occyens has been keeping a lot of secrets all this time, he thought.

That's right! Someone like Avarius must be very valuable to the emperor.

"Is that so?"

Avarius bowed his head again. "If the blood that is sprinkled with Holy Water is red or unchanged, then it means that the owner of the blood is still alive. If the blood turns into a puff of white smoke, it means that the owner of the blood has died naturally."

"Interesting!" Magnius nodded. "Very interesting!"

"But if the blood turns into a puff of black or dark blue smoke like that," Avarius pointed at the glass tube in Magnius' hand. "Then that means the owner of the blood was killed by something."

"Wow...!" Magnius grinned. "You're a genius, Avarius!" Then he burst into laughter.

The emperor's cousin didn't seem to care much about the glass tube, he simply placed it near his feet, then he turned his attention to the two servant girls attached to his right and left.

"My lord?" said the middle-aged man.

"I understand now, Avarius," Magnius said without glancing at the middle-aged man, he was more focused on fondling and groping the servant girls beside him. "I understand. People's fears that someone was trying to raise an army to rebel against the emperor's rule were not substantiated."

"True," Avarius smiled broadly. "With the evidence we have, we can conclude that the person who attacked the riders and their mounts over the past decade only killed the riders and their dragon mounts."

Magnius laughed, but not in response to Avarius's words but rather the girl in his right arm's embrace moaned with pleasure when Magnius groped her crotch.

"My lord," the girl blushed and acted like an innocent girl. "You are naughty!"

Magnius' laughter grew louder. He waved his left hand, and Avarius understood that Magnius was asking him out because he wanted to have fun with the girls.

Avarius bowed, then inclined his head to the young man with the clean face and body.

The two stepped towards the exit, as they passed the table of the six imperial soldiers, one of the soldiers threw something to Avarius.

With a beaming face, Avarius accepted the bag of money. He turned around and looked at Magnius.

"Thank you, my lord."

But Magnius didn't seem to care about the bar owner's polite gesture towards him. He continued to have fun with the girls, and even at that moment, he was sucking on one of the nipples of the girl on his left.

Avarius led the young man back out of the large, luxurious room feeling very happy.

Soon, he thought. Soon I will be a wealthy businessman.

"You are very happy, Master," said the young man.

Avarius laughed as he cradled the bag of money in his hands. "Of course, of course," he said. "And this should be celebrated!"

"I've been waiting for that, Master," the lithe young man leaned over the middle-aged man's shoulder, one hand reaching down to the master's crotch, and squeezing his shaft.

Avarius' laughter intensified. He quickly led his concubine into the main room of the neighborhood bar.

Avarius sat astride a plush sofa and the young man knelt before him completely naked, his hands deftly removing Avarius' pants.

As the young man used his mouth to give pleasure to his master, the master looked up with his eyes closed, and moaned in time with his concubine's mouth movements.

***

With sweat soaking his face and body, Vir finally arrived at the border of the Southern Country with the Southeastern Dead Country. Also, quite exhausted.

He stopped his steps, unhooked the cart rope from his shoulder, and stepped close to a low cliff.

The low cliff a few meters high was once a huge, long river. It meandered, stretching from the north to the south of the region, separating two great lands.

But now, the river had long since dried up, leaving only dirt and sand at its bottom. Several skeletons of creatures of various sizes were scattered here and there, including human skeletons.

The scenery on the other side of the dead river itself was no less depressing than the completely waterless condition of the river.

It was the Southeast Dead Country region. The scenery on the other side was in stark contrast to the scenery of the region behind Vir. As far as the eye could see, there was only drought.

Every time he observed the condition of the country, Vir growled with a sharp gaze. He knew exactly why the Southeast had become a dead country. It was all due to the cruelty and greed of the Central Empire. Just like the other three dead lands, the Northeast Land, the Northwest Land, and the Southwest Land.

And Vir came from the Northeast Land. But no one knew about this. He was always skillfully able to keep his origins a secret from others.

He grabbed the water bag from the leather at his waist and drank the water until it spilled over and soaked his chin, neck, and chest.

Vir let out a long sigh of relief, for now, he should keep all his grudges and anger against the emperor in the Central Empire.

At the very least, it would take a large war fleet to be able to destroy the Central Empire. And of course, more lives would be sacrificed.

"I still have a lot of things to do before going after that one bastard!"

He let out a deep breath, two hands on his waist, and a gaze that scanned several points in the region across the river died.