Chapter 126: Shadows Over Oakvale
Chapter 126: Shadows Over Oakvale
Raven and his knights rode hard along the paved road, stopping only briefly along the way.
Around two in the afternoon, they reached Highgate City and rested there for an hour to water their horses and regain some strength. Afterward, they resumed their journey toward Oakvale.
Fortunately, the distance between Highgate and Oakvale was short—barely two hours of travel.
By the time the sun tilted toward the west, they finally arrived before the town walls.
The patrol guards quickly noticed the approaching cavalry.
A dozen riders moving together at speed immediately triggered alarm. The wooden gates were shut at once, and several guards rushed to the battlements. Within moments, more than a dozen policemen lined the wall, raising their rifles toward the riders below.
“Halt! State your purpose!” a middle-aged officer in a blue uniform shouted from above.
Roland nudged his horse forward. He drew a sealed parchment from his coat, raised it high, and spoke loudly enough for the guards to hear.
“Sir Thomas Holmes, Lord of Azmar and wartime operational commander of Oakvale under the Spade Council, has arrived to assist in the defense of this town. Open the gate.”
His announcement startled the patrol officers on the wall.
They had been informed that several knight houses and a baronet would soon arrive to reinforce Oakvale—but no one had mentioned a wartime commander.
Murmurs spread among the guards as they quickly compared the parchment seal with their records.
After confirming Thomas’s identity and the crests of the accompanying knights, the officer finally signaled.
The heavy wooden gate creaked open.
Raven and his men rode into the town.
Oakvale was small, enclosed by a stone wall barely five meters high. Compared to the bustling cities of the interior, the streets felt quiet. Only a few townsfolk moved about their daily business, casting curious glances at the newly arrived cavalry.
For a frontier town so close to the war zone, the calm felt almost uneasy.
As Raven rode into Oakvale, he quickly noticed something was wrong.
The townsfolk did not greet the arriving soldiers with relief. Instead, many watched from doorways and windows with guarded expressions.
Their clothes were worn, their faces thin.
Several children stared at the cavalry with hollow eyes before being quickly pulled inside by their parents.
War had not yet reached Oakvale — but its shadow clearly had.
Soon, a group of patrol guards in blue uniforms approached the cavalry. At their head was the same middle-aged man from the wall, distinguished by a thick walrus mustache and a weathered face.
“Caleb, Sub-Inspector of Oakvale, greets Sir Thomas Holmes.”
He bowed respectfully.
Raven acknowledged him with a small nod.
“Who is the lord of this town?” he asked.
Caleb looked slightly surprised by the question but answered quickly.
“Oakvale was previously under the jurisdiction of Baron Roderick. However, he and his family were killed when the Fallen Army attacked the Cleverwood City. Since then, Oakvale has had no ruling lord, Sir Thomas.”
“Then who is managing the town now?” Raven asked as Caleb began leading them toward the noble district.
“Inspector George has temporarily taken charge of the town,” Caleb replied. “He has been maintaining law and order until reinforcements arrived.”
Raven nodded thoughtfully and continued questioning him.
“Are there vacant houses for my knights? Within a day or two, forces from House Amell, House Sinclair, and Baronet Ares will also arrive.”
“Yes, Sir,” Caleb said quickly. “The Inspector anticipated their arrival. Baron Roderick’s three guest houses and his personal estate have already been prepared for the incoming forces.”
As they continued walking, Raven asked several more questions and gradually grasped the town's overall situation.
Before long, they reached Nobles’ Street.
Rows of two-story houses lined both sides of the road, with a few larger three-story residences scattered among them. At the far end stood a large mansion surrounded by a yard, a small garden, and a tall compound gate. Compared to the other buildings, it appeared far more luxurious.
Logically, the commanding officer should occupy the main estate.
But Raven had no intention of creating unnecessary friction the moment he arrived.
Instead, he pointed toward one of the guest houses along the street.
“We will stay there.”
Even the guest house was spacious—a two-story building with three empty rooms and a master bedroom on the upper floor, while the lower floor contained two bedrooms, a storage room, a kitchen, a hall, and a small yard.
As Raven dismounted, he glanced toward Caleb.
“Where is the stable for our horses?”
Caleb hesitated slightly.
“There is one within the main estate grounds, Sir Thomas,” he explained. “If that arrangement is inconvenient, we can look for another solution. However…”
He paused awkwardly before continuing.
“The Inspector has been using his personal funds to hire cooks and servants to accommodate the incoming guests.”
Raven understood the implication immediately.
“Find three stables,” Raven said calmly.
He added after a brief pause,
“Each knight's household will pay for the horse maintenance and lodging. The town will not bear the expense.”
Caleb visibly relaxed.
“Yes, Sir.”
“Also,” Raven continued, “I want to meet Inspector George.”
Then he turned to his knights.
“For now, take the horses to a nearby inn and have them cared for properly.”
Jacob stepped forward and nodded.
“Understood, My Lord.”
He gestured to the others, and the knights led the horses away toward the town’s inn.
Raven entered the guest house and freshened up.
Half an hour later, he and his knights gathered in the main hall.
“From now on, we will be staying here for quite some time,” Raven said as he walked to the sofa and sat down.
His twelve knights—including Jacob—stood before him in disciplined silence.
“First, we need to settle the accommodations. Aside from the master bedroom, there are three rooms upstairs and three on the ground floor. All of them will be used as sleeping quarters.”
He glanced at his knights as he continued.
“Fiona and Lorelei will share one room. Jacob will share a room with Roland. The rest of you will divide the remaining four rooms.”
After a brief pause, he added,
“Jacob, hire a maid for cleaning and a cook to handle the meals.”
Jacob nodded immediately.
“Yes, My Lord.”
Raven rose from his seat.
“That will be all. Freshen up and get some rest. I’ll go speak with the inspector.”
“I will accompany you, My Lord,” Jacob offered.
Raven shook his head.
“You should rest as well.”
With that, he stepped outside the house.
Caleb was still waiting by the entrance.
“Are the arrangements satisfactory, Sir Thomas?” he asked politely.
Raven nodded.
“Prepare a carriage. I want to meet the inspector immediately.”
Caleb looked slightly uneasy.
“Y-You don’t need to trouble yourself, Sir Thomas. I can inform Inspector George to visit the house once I return to the station.”
After all, even though George held a high administrative position, he was still a commoner by birth. A noble visiting the police station personally was rare, even in major cities.
Raven’s expression remained calm.
“Just do it.”
Caleb immediately ran toward the main road and hired a carriage.
Moments later, Raven stepped into the hansom cab.
“Take me to Inspector George,” Raven ordered.
Caleb climbed in beside him.
“Sir Thomas, please sit comfortably,” he said before turning to the coachman. “To the police station.”
“It’s only six in the evening,” he added. “The inspector should still be there.”
The carriage rolled through the quiet streets of Oakvale.
Within a few minutes, they arrived at the police station.
Two constables stood guard at the entrance while more than a dozen officers worked inside. Some were sorting through documents, while others spoke with townsfolk filing complaints.
When they noticed Caleb enter, several policemen saluted him before returning to their duties.
“Head Constable,” Caleb said to a man in his mid-thirties who was writing in a ledger. “Where is Inspector George?”
The man looked up.
“Oh, I thought you were still on patrol duty, Sir Caleb. If you’re looking for the inspector, he should be inside.”
He pointed toward a room at the end of the hallway.
Caleb nodded and led Raven there.
Inside the office sat a young man in his late twenties. He had blonde hair, sharp amber eyes, and fair skin. His uniform bore five silver stars along with a serpent emblem stitched on the sleeve.
The moment he saw Raven, the man stood up quickly and bowed, placing a hand over his chest.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Thomas. My apologies for not welcoming you at the entrance.”
He paused briefly.
“I hope the accommodations arranged for you were satisfactory. I should have been the one to visit you instead.”
Raven nodded faintly and sat in the chair opposite the desk.
“Sit.”
Inspector George obeyed and returned to his seat, placing both hands on the table.
“So,” he said calmly, “may I ask the reason for your sudden visit?”
Raven took out a folded document and placed it on the desk.
“This is the official order.”
Inspector George picked it up and read it carefully. His expression changed as he reached the final seal.
“This may become troublesome, Sir Thomas,” he said after a moment. “Even with this authority, Baronet Ares may not be willing to follow your orders.”
Raven already knew that.
“That is precisely why I came to meet you in person,” he replied calmly.
He leaned slightly forward.
“Although I hold the position of commander, you will act as the intermediary. My orders will be relayed through you, as if they were administrative decisions from the town authorities.”
George gave a strained smile.
“That may place me in an even more awkward position, Sir Thomas.”
Raven remained silent for a moment before continuing.
“By tomorrow evening, Baronet Ares and his knights will arrive, along with the forces from House Sinclair and House Amell.”
George nodded.
“You should allocate Baron Roderick’s main estate to Baronet Ares,” Raven continued. “If he is given the most prestigious residence from the start, he will have fewer reasons to create trouble.”
George could not help but nod again. He had been considering the same arrangement himself.
“The Sinclair and Amell households can occupy the remaining two guest houses,” Raven said. “They may complain and ask for larger accommodations, but simply tell them that it is the best the town can provide.”
“Understood,” George replied.
Raven continued,
“Next, arrange a meeting tomorrow evening. I want all senior police officers, government officials, and patrol commanders present.”
George made a quick note.
Raven paused briefly before adding,
“And if possible, prepare several books or records containing information about this town.”
George stood up, walked to a nearby shelf, and retrieved a few ledgers.
“These contain Oakvale’s history, trade records, and population information,” he said as he handed them over.
Raven accepted the books.
“That will be useful.”
With the discussion concluded, Raven rose from his seat.
“I will take my leave.”
George stood as well and bowed respectfully.
Soon after, Raven left the station, entered the carriage, and ordered the coachman to return to the noble’s street.
As the carriage moved slowly, he opened the book about Oakvale’s history and started reading.
But all of a sudden, his senses suddenly sharpened. His senses were screaming of danger, but he couldn’t find any enemy nearby.
‘Enemy?’
No, it was an eerie sensation of being watched by some predator!
Raven soon saw a strange hooded silhouette standing on the faraway town wall, staring straight back at him with violet eyes!
Though it was only a moment, Raven felt a sharp pain in his head and felt dizzy.
Then, he saw the figure turn into dark smoke before disappearing.