THE CONFLICT WITHIN

Chapter 4

Carl and his troops rode tirelessly for hours, inspecting their designated area. Along their journey, they passed through two more villages. By the time evening approached, the sun was beginning to set.

“Let’s take a break here and eat. We’ll cover the rest of the map afterward,” Carl announced. They halted by the roadside under the shade of a large tree. The soldiers sighed in relief, visibly exhausted, and eagerly dismounted their horses. Carl had forgotten that his men couldn’t endure pressure as he did.

“Why didn’t you remind me to take a break?” Carl asked Dion as he walked toward the tree.

“It’s not our place to complain, Sir,” Dion replied.

“If I hadn’t remembered the food those girls gave me earlier, we might have kept moving until we reached the end of the map,” Carl explained.

“I’m sure most of us would have collapsed by then,” one of the soldiers remarked, prompting laughter from the group.

“If any of you are tired, don’t hesitate to tell me,” Carl announced.

“Yes, Sir,” they all responded in unison. Carl sat on a rock under the tree and asked the soldier carrying the food to bring it to him.

The soldier handed over the basket, and Carl opened the container. The aroma of chicken curry sauce with steamed rice made his mouth water.

“Wow! This smells amazing,” Carl exclaimed. He eagerly took a spoon from the basket and tasted the food.

“This is absolutely delicious. It’s one of the best meals I’ve ever had,” Carl declared excitedly.

“Oh, please, Sir. How could food from a small, unknown village taste that good to you? I’m sure you’ve had better meals at home,” Dion replied skeptically.

“Here, give it a try,” Carl offered.

“Am I really allowed to do that?” Dion asked hesitantly.

“Why not?”

“It’s just surprising that a man of your stature wouldn’t mind a commoner like me eating from his plate. If I weren’t in the army, I wouldn’t dream of seeing someone like you,” Dion explained.

“My family status means nothing to me. I see all of you here as my colleagues and elders,” Carl smiled.

“In all my years of service, I’ve never met anyone like you.”

“Oh, please, I have nothing to be arrogant about. I’m one of the weakest Gonts in the kingdom.”

“But you’re still far better than us.”

“Enough talk. Just take a bite and tell me what you think,” Carl insisted.

“Wow! This is incredible!” Dion exclaimed.

“Yes, I know.”

“It’s hard to believe that someone in an unknown village could make something like this.”

“Exactly,” Carl agreed.

“Then why are they in a village like that? They could make a lot of money if they opened a fancy restaurant in a big city,” Dion suggested.

“Yeah, but I think there’s a reason they chose to stay in the village.”

Their conversation was interrupted when one of the soldiers spotted three people approaching on horseback. From their appearance, the soldiers concluded they were bandits. They wore long hoodies and masks that revealed only their eyes. The youngest, a mere teenager with long gray hair, carried an unconscious child on his shoulder.