Chapter 56: What Do You Feel?
The brisk gusts of the chilly winter wind caressed the mounds of serene white snow, creating a delicate, sparkling veil that danced around the sleek, black horses galloping ominously through the wide and desolate snowfield.
Tillian brought his horse to a halt and signaled for the remainder of the survey team to do the same. It was time for a brief respite before they resumed their daily patrol.
Dismounting from his huge black stallion, he unfurled a thin leather bag, and withdrew a metal bottle filled with warm water, downing half of it in one gulp. The Duke’s aide observed the act with a shake of his head and uttered with a resounding sigh,
"You are too bold, drinking from a bottle magically altered by that eccentric magus. I’d sooner face a giant beast than let him lay hands on my own food."
Tillian could not help but chuckle at the comment.
"For a warrior of your talent, strength, and especially your age, you’re excessively particular about this. Ahspid’s magic merely aids in keeping our food and drinks warm when we are out in the cold. It’s far superior to risking broken teeth when biting a frozen lump that was once a slice of bread."
Despite the reassurance, Sir Stanis clung steadfastly to his convictions.
"Who can say what else he conjures when casting those spells? I’ve always maintained that the worst foe is one who fights with bare hands and emerges victorious. I’m not afraid of a man wielding a sword against me, but this... It’s just not normal."
"You’ve spent your entire life living in a world teeming with mages and alchemists, and yet you still struggle to accept their existence. It’s your perception of things that I find abnormal, Sir Stanis."
The knight sank his teeth into a frozen piece of chicken extracted from his own brown leather bag, his brows furrowing in contemplation.
"I wouldn’t mind this if we were all equal in our abilities. But they are attempting to manipulate the natural course of life. Some even seek to defy death itself! How can you not feel uneasy around such individuals?"