Chapter 197

"You… you stay back!"

As expected, minutes later, Wood was surrounded.

Several arrows shot down from the air pinned him in place.

He knew this wasn't a miss—they were his final warning.

Only now did he realize the cavalry behind him weren't riding superior warhorses at all, but a row of first-rank demonic beasts: Flame Horses!

Was he just uneducated, or had this world gone mad?

Even border nobles were this extravagant?

In the royal capital, he'd only ever seen Flame Horses under the saddles of ducal and marquis families or royal members.

"Let me introduce myself—I'm Gervas Gale, Lord of Stormhold!"

"Sir, you ate without paying—that's banditry, and bandits hang!"

"So, you've gotten yourself into trouble. Do you know that?"

Gervas smiled warmly at Wood.

His quick reaction was no accident—he'd long ago sent a Magic Swift Hawk to surveil the town.

The moment Wood arrived, word reached him instantly.

To his luck, the fellow had skipped payment—perfect justification to keep him.

"My lord, I… I didn't refuse to pay, I just paid a little less!" Wood's scalp prickled—he knew he'd landed in deep trouble.

"Paying less still counts as refusal! Here's your last chance: make up the missing coins, and I'll let it go."

"How's that, sir? Am I not merciful?" Gervas wore an air of humility.

Wood grimaced, licking his dry lips—if he had the money, would he be in this mess?

"My lord… I… I have no money…"

"Then there's no choice! I'm merciful, but I can't let everyone eat free on my land—no matter how rich I am, I can't feed them all!" Gervas spread his hands. "Lei Meng, seize him. He did pay something, so it's not robbery—just debt."

"So, death is spared, but punishment isn't—take him away. In a couple days, sell him to a slave trader to settle the debt."

Damn! Wood mentally shouted damn!

This noble was ruthless.

No wonder they called it the border—no argument, and you're hanged or sold as a slave. No civility at all.

He'd only owed one silver coin.

"Lord Gervas, I… I'm a mage! If you provoke me, you'll regret it!" Wood finally refused to submit.

He would fight back.

But the moment he spoke, the knight ahead blazed with intense light.

Before his eyes blurred, a longsword rested against his throat.

"Bai… Bai Yin Knight? This… this damned rumor about border nobles being poor…" Wood mentally cursed the fools who spread lies about border lords a hundred times over.

Gervas stepped forward with a smile. "Sir, what did you just say? I didn't catch it. Something about magic?"

"I… Lord Gervas, I'm a mage! Please, spare me this once! I'll repay you double—no, triple!"

"Huh? M… mage? You're a mage?" Gervas stepped back in surprise, re-examining Wood.

Wood's despair instantly sparked hope—he nodded frantically. "Yes, my lord! I truly am a junior mage! Please, spare me! When I have money, I'll repay you—double, triple!"

"If you're truly a noble mage, I Gervas must show respect!" Gervas nodded, acknowledging him.

"My lord, how could a mage so noble be so destitute? How could he not afford a single silver coin?"

"I think he's a fraud—a repeat offender. Just kill him," Lei Meng growled.

Wood's fleeting hope vanished into despair. "My lord, I swear by heaven—I'm a real junior mage!"

"Mr. Wood, I'd like to believe you, but your man makes sense."

"Besides, even if you are a mage, a destitute one—could you be a kingdom-wanted criminal?" Gervas looked shrewd.

Wood nearly wept.

He truly regretted it.

To be reduced to this over a few roasted rabbits—he'd rather starve entering the Chaos Wastes.

Even chewing bark and roots would be better than this!

Not only was his pride crushed, but he faced the gallows.

In this desperate state, he had no choice but to explain why he'd fallen so low.

"Lord Gervas, if you let your men release me, I'll prove I'm a mage!"

"And I'm no fugitive. My poverty has a reason…"

Then Wood recounted why he was destitute, why he'd come to the border.

To avoid being killed as a fraud or imprisoned as a criminal, he revealed everything.

"So you fled to the border, planning to enter the Chaos Wastes, because you owed fifty thousand gold coins in usury?"

"Yes, Lord Gervas. You don't know—the interest compounds. Even if I crafted magic trinkets my whole life, I couldn't repay it."

"I'm only a junior mage. If I were a senior mage, I might clear it in two or three years."

"Ah, so Mr. Wood is also a man of hardship. My apologies—I misunderstood you!" Gervas stepped forward, removing Lei Meng's sword.

Wood's spirit eased.

The months of debt, the hardship of flight—all the bitterness surged up. His eyes reddened.

"Lord Gervas, you're a good man. I'm deeply ashamed for what I did on your land!"

"Please, spare me this once. I swear, when I have money, I'll repay you tenfold—no, a hundredfold!"

Gervas shook his head, patting Wood's shoulder. "Mr. Wood, had you told me your story sooner, I'd have fed you roasted demonic meat for free—let alone a few rabbits."

"I built my fortune from nothing. I know the struggle of starting out—I deeply sympathize with your plight."

"Come with me to the castle. I'll host you properly, and you can rest for a few days."

"Let me tell you—the Chaos Wastes are deadly! Demonic beasts roam everywhere, and goblins, kobolds—they're everywhere—and they eat humans!"

"Especially transcendent beings like knight-holders or mages—they're like meat to them, prime delicacies."

"They don't kill you right away. They slice off pieces, one by one, and eat slowly. Sometimes they feast for ten days, even half a month, and you're still alive."

"Why? Because fresh meat tastes better…"