During the ride, Whitemane was friendly toward me.
The massive warhorse no longer shifted its gait to throw me off balance. Instead, whenever Richard pulled on the reins to slow our pace, the beast would tilt its head back slightly, nudging in search of another piece of candy.
When the road grew rough, its strides smoothed out, carrying me with a gentle rhythm.
Richard noticed the shift.
He gripped the leather reins tighter, nudging the stallion’s flanks with his spurs to reassert his authority. Whitemane let out an annoyed huff, stomping a heavy hoof in protest.
A silent contest began right there on the saddle.
Feeling the horse favor my side, Richard scowled, cleared his throat with a low rumble, and reached down to roughly pat the animal's thick neck. "Steady, boy. Mind your master."
Whitemane ignored him, flicking its white tail and angling its ears straight toward my voice.
I smirked behind the captain's armored back. Richard might have commanded an entire squad of hardened knights, but when it came to winning over his own warhorse, a pocketful of modern sweets beat military discipline every single time.
Halfway through the ride, the column halted along the roadside to take a rest.
Sir Richard dismounted, grabbed me by the back of my tunic, and tossed me roughly onto the dirt before dragging me toward a patch of dense tree shade.
Before I could shout for help, his heavy leather gauntlet clamped hard over my mouth, cutting off all air.
What is this? Revenge? Is he going to torture me out here? Panic surged through my chest as I struggled against his grip, but the man was like an iron wall.
"Keep your mouth shut if you want to keep breathing," Richard growled, leaning down so close I could smell the stale ale on his breath. "Listen to me, boy. Stop bringing ruin upon Lady Clara."
He slowly eased his hand off my mouth, though his other hand stayed rested on his sheath.
I coughed, catching my breath. "Bringing… ruin upon her? How am I the one hurting her?"
"Count Leonardo is the strongest ally Lady Clara has left in this realm," Richard said, his weathered face hard as stone. "His father rules the Electorate of Falkenmoor, and his house is bigger than you can ever imagine. You standing between them puts her survival at risk. If that is not ruining her, what is?"
The absolute lack of logic in this man's brain. I stared at him, my frustration boiling over.
"Me standing between them?" I rubbed my bruised jaw. "I was dragged into this world against my will. I almost took an arrow to the chest two days ago. Can you show some basic sense?"
"I care nothing for your excuses," he muttered stubbornly.
"And you really want to see that blue-haired peacock end up with your Lady?" I pressed. "Do you honestly believe Leonardo cares about either of you? Or does he just want her lands and her title?"
Richard's jaw tightened, but he remained silent. Seeing the hesitation in his eyes, I pushed further.
"Don’t forget how he barked at you outside that tavern this morning," I said firmly. "To him, men like you and me are just dirt under his boots. When are you going to realize that on this ride, you and I are sharing the same saddle?"
A faint blue shimmer flickered across my vision:
[Charisma increased to 8]
[Richard Affection increased to -2]
So, words can go into his ears and raise Charisma. That was a relief to know.
Richard let out a low grunt, stepped back, and removed his hand from me. "Just cease your provocations of Lord Leonardo."
"Fine," I said, brushing the dry grass and dirt off my pants.
These medieval guys had strange priorities, but Richard's warning held some truth.
Leonardo was an arrogant rival, but pushing him into an open conflict right now offered little benefit. Besides, that blue-haired fool had no idea that Clara and I had already shared a bed. Fighting him over minor insults felt beneath me.
The horn sounded, and the retinue formed up once more.
As we rode on, the landscape shifted rapidly. Solitary farms gave way to dense settlements, and stone watchtowers lined the hills at regular intervals.
The scenery grew steadily more impressive, with fortified bastions and arched bridges spanning wide rivers. We were clearly approaching the heart of the realm.
Before long, massive granite walls rose into the sky, marking the outer perimeter of the so-called Imperial Capital.
Just like before, the guards at the gate halted the rear party, barring commoners and unvetted outlanders from entry.
Leonardo pulled his warhorse around, looking down at Richard with cold disdain. "Bind this man. Tie his hands and secure him to a post outside the gatehouse."
Richard shook his head slowly. "Ropes will not hold him, my Lord."
"And why is that?" Leonardo frowned.
"The moment sleep claims him, his physical form vanishes from this realm," Richard explained. "When he reappears at dawn, the bindings will be gone."
Silence fell over the gatehouse. Leonardo, Clara, and the guards exchanged glances, unsure of how to deal with me.
Leonardo's eyes narrowed. He looked at me, then shifted his gaze toward Richard, giving a brief nod of dismissal. "In that case... handle it properly."
A bad feeling crawled up my spine. Wait...
Richard didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second. He turned on the saddle and drove a heavy, armored uppercut directly into my jaw.
The world exploded in white light. The impact lifted me off my feet and slammed me into the mud. My consciousness shattered instantly before I even hit the dirt.
[Natural Resistance increased to 12]
[Pain Tolerance increased to 16]
You bastards... I am going to make every single one of you pay for this.