Chapter 69 Masked Warriors

​ "Mother-in-law, you never cease to amaze me with your magic." Roxth said, sheathing his sword. "I'm glad you're on our side."

Orixia chuckled. "I'm happy to be of service. But don't forget, Roxth, your sword can be just as deadly as my magic. It's all about knowing when to use which."

Erin nodded in agreement, adjusting her quiver of arrows on her back. "That's right. We make a great team, each with our own strengths and abilities."

Roxth smiled at his sister. "Speaking of which, have you been practicing your archery? We might need it later."

'Why did she have to come with us?'

Erin grinned. "Of course I have. I'll show you my skills later."

'Hehe, Serlia's not here. This is my chance to make my brother see me as a woman.' she thought to herself with a mischievous smile.

Roxth noticed that Orixia seemed lost in thought, and he turned to her with a curious expression. "Say, mother-in-law, I've been meaning to ask you. Where did you two get the money to purchase these weapons?"

Orixia hesitated for a moment, not wanting to reveal the truth about her modeling job with Erwin. "Oh, it was just some money serlia, and I had saved up over the years." She said with a shrug.

Roxth raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Saved up? That must have been a lot of savings. You didn't happen to come across some treasure, did you?"

Erin chimed in, "Yeah, like from one of your adventures in the past?"

Orixia smiled, trying to divert the conversation. "No, no treasure. Just some investments over the years."

Roxth still seemed unconvinced, but decided not to push the matter. "Well, it doesn't matter where the money came from, as long as we have the weapons to protect ourselves."

Erin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we'll need them if we run into any more trouble."

Orixia's mind was consumed with guilt and worry. She knew she should tell Roxth the truth about where they got the money for their weapons, but the thought of her daughter's breasts milk made her uneasy.

'I should have told him the truth.' she thought to herself.

Orixia couldn't help but feel a sense of shame about her lusting over her own daughter and sleep with her husband to get him away from her.

She looked over at Roxth, who was walking a few paces ahead, and felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She knew she had to tell her about them eventually, but she couldn't bring herself to do it just yet.

'I'll tell her when the time is right. Prince said he is going to help me do that.' she thought, trying to reassure herself. 'For now, I just have to focus on keeping my family safe.'

Orixia couldn't shake the feeling that her secret would eventually come to light. She could only hope that when it did, Serlia would understand and accept her for who she was.

As they walked deeper into the jungle, Roxth's keen eyes caught sight of a group of figures in black cloaks up ahead. He instinctively drew his sword and signaled to Orixia and Erin to be ready for a potential threat.

"Stay alert, there's a group of cloaked figures up ahead," Roxth whispered, his voice tense.

Orixia's grip on her staff tightened, and she felt the energy of her magic surge within her. Erin notched an arrow to her bow, her eyes scanning the group of strangers.

From a distance, they could see that they were all dressed in black cloaks that draped over their bodies, making them appear almost invisible amidst the shadows of the jungle.

As he looked closer, he could see that the figures were wearing terrifying-looking masks that concealed everything except their eyes. The masks seemed to be made of some kind of dark metal and were adorned with sharp, jagged edges and spikes, giving them a menacing appearance.

Roxth could also see that the cloaked figures were heavily armored, with breastplates, pauldrons, gauntlets, and greaves that covered their bodies. The armor looked ancient, but it was clear that it had been meticulously maintained and reinforced, perhaps with some form of magic.

The cloaked figures were also armed with dangerous weapons, including longswords, axes, and spears. Each weapon was ornately decorated with runes and symbols that seemed to glow with a faint, ominous light.

Peering through the foliage, Roxth watched as the cloaked figures moved about, their movements purposeful and coordinated. He couldn't tell what their intentions were, but their presence made him uneasy.

"We should keep our distance from them," Roxth whispered, his voice barely audible. "They could be dangerous."

Orixia and Erin nodded in agreement, and the group quietly changed course, moving away from the cloaked figures and deeper into the jungle.

As they walked, Orixia couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The presence of the cloaked figures made her wonder what other dangers lay ahead on their journey. She silently decided to stay vigilant and use her magic to protect her family at all costs.

'We need to be careful.' she thought to herself. 'We don't know what kind of enemies we may face on this journey, and I must be prepared to defend my family.'

Roxth glanced back at the cloaked figures, now just specks in the distance. "Do you have any idea who those people might be, Orixia?"

"I'm not sure, Roxth," Orixia replied, her brow furrowed in thought. "But I have a feeling they might be from the Sartan Duchy. Their armor and weapons resemble those of the Sartan soldiers I've seen before."

Erin's eyes widened at the mention of the Sartan Duchy. "The Sartans? I've heard stories about them. They're said to be ruthless and merciless in battle."

Roxth nodded gravely. "Yes, the Sartans are known for their military might and their conquests. If those were indeed Sartan soldiers, then we must be even more cautious on our journey." and he continued with confusion. "But why are they this far away from their territory?"

Orixia nodded in agreement with Roxth's confusion. "It's possible that Duke Sartan is planning a rebellion," she said, her voice low. "There have been rumors of unrest in the Sartan Duchy for months now. If the rebellion does happen, we must leave the kingdom immediately. The Sartans will not hesitate to take any outsiders as prisoners or hostages."

Roxth's expression darkened at the thought of being caught up in a rebellion. "We need to be careful," he said, his voice firm. "And we need to find a way to protect ourselves."

Orixia agreed with a nod. "If the rebellion does occur, we'll have to flee this kingdom and find refugee in another kingdom."

*********

The silver masked warriors ran swiftly through the jungle, their cloaks billowing behind them as they sprinted at inhumanly fast speeds. Their weapons gleamed in the dappled sunlight as they held them tightly in their hands, ready for battle.

The group was a blur of motion and sound, their breathing heavy as they weaved through the dense foliage. But amidst the flurry of activity, one figure stood out from the rest. The golden masked warrior led the charge, their movements fluid and effortless.

"Captain, our assassins have infiltrated the duke's party," said the sliver masked figure in a hushed tone.

The golden masked person looked up, surprised. "Are you certain?" asked in a skeptical and effete voice.

"Positive," replied the sliver masked figure confidently. "Our team has been monitoring their movements for weeks. They're ready to strike at your command."

The golden masked person nodded, a hint of excitement in their voice. "Excellent work. We've been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. We'll strike when the moment is right."