Vines erupted from the ground.
They did not constrict violently as they had against the Sea-Melded. Instead, they wound slowly and gently around the waists of the six youths.
The dark green barbs on the surface of the vines retracted completely, leaving the vines smooth and soft. They wrapped once around each of the six youths' waists, gently securing them in place.
Colin looked down at the vine around his waist, then looked up at Ethan.
His mouth opened slightly, as if he wanted to ask something, but he swallowed his words before they could leave his lips.
The other five shrieked simultaneously the moment the vines wrapped around them.
However, they quickly quieted down when they realized the vines were not tightening.
The vines merely held them gently, wrapping around them like external armor. Then, the vines began to move, carrying the six of them behind Ethan.
Only after taking a few steps did the six realize that these vines had no intention of harming them.
Supported by the vines, Colin was carried at the very front of the group. He stared at Ethan's back, his lips trembling slightly as he asked, “Um... who are you, if I may ask?”
Ethan did not look back.
“Ethan Leo.”
Colin's expression froze.
He stared at that silhouette, the gears in his mind spinning frantically.
He had heard this name before.
His father had mentioned it.
His mother had mentioned it.
That was his eldest brother.
The eldest brother who had left the Thorn Empire ten years ago to study in a far-off land.
His mouth opened and closed, then opened again.
“Big Brother?”
“Yes.”
Colin fell silent.
The other five were utterly dumbfounded.
Ethan glanced back at the eight figures wrapped into cocoons by the vines.
He could have run much faster, but Colin and the other youths were ordinary humans; their bodies could not withstand the wind pressure of high-speed movement.
While the vines could carry them, air resistance would not simply disappear.
If he increased his speed any further, the rushing wind would likely rupture their lungs.
So, he suppressed his speed, keeping it right at the limit of what ordinary humans could endure.
Even so, the six youths behind him were still thoroughly disoriented by the jarring ride.
Two of them had already thrown up twice, their vomit splattering through the gaps in the vines and leaving an intermittent trail behind them.
Colin, however, was resilient. He gritted his teeth and did not make a single sound.
The fake Colin and the Sea-Melded were dragged at the very back, their limbs tightly bound by the vines as if they were dead dogs. The Sea-Melded's octopus tentacles were scraped raw against the gravelly ground, several of its suction cups bursting and leaving a long, dark purple streak of blood in their wake.
The creature had wailed a couple of times along the way, but Ethan ignored him, and eventually, the wails stopped.
Five hours later, the silhouette of the Imperial City appeared on the horizon.
As Ethan emerged from the mountain forests, the sun was rising high, casting a golden light across the vast wilderness.
The outer walls of the Imperial City cast long shadows in the morning light.
A gate guard yawned, rubbing his eyes as he glanced outside the city.
He saw the eight cocoon-like shapes wrapped in vines.
His yawn caught halfway, his mouth hanging open.
He reached out to poke his colleague next to him, tapping the man's shoulder guard once, twice, three times.
Irritated by the poking, the colleague was about to curse, but as he followed the guard's gaze, his own mouth fell open as well.
Eight vine cocoons moved in a single file from the direction of the mountains toward the city gate.
A young man walked at the very front, his pace neither fast nor slow, while the eight vine cocoons floated behind him, hovering about half a foot off the ground.
The gate guards took a step back in unison.
The oldest among them reacted the fastest. He quickly grabbed the hand of a younger guard who was reaching for his sword, muttered a quiet curse, and slapped the boy's hand away from the hilt.
The older guard then stood straight, hands pressed flat against his sides, staring straight ahead as if he were being inspected.
The other guards followed his lead, lining up in two rows on either side of the gate.
Ethan walked straight through the center of the gate, and the eight vine cocoons floated past one after another behind him.
The vines rustled softly as they brushed against the gate frame. One of the fake Colin's legs dangled out from a gap in the vines, dragging slightly against the stone floor before being pulled back in.
Only after the train of vine cocoons had receded into the distance did the guards dare to move.
The young guard swallowed hard, a soft gulp escaping his throat.
The older guard slapped him on the back of his head, making him stumble forward.
“Keep your mouth shut.”
Ethan walked along the main street of the Imperial City.
Several bakery apprentices were carrying baking sheets to the storefronts, the rich aroma of toasted bread drifting halfway down the street.
A worker carrying a sack of flour saw the train of vine cocoons; the sack slipped from his shoulder and landed right on his foot, but he didn't even register the pain.
The woman holding her child by the roadside was still there.
Ethan did not slow down as he passed her, and the eight vine cocoons floated by in front of her one by one.
The child poked its head out from the mother's embrace, pointing at the vine cocoons and giggling.
The woman quickly covered the child's mouth and buried her face against the back of the child's head.
As the silhouette of the ducal estate appeared at the end of his vision, Ethan quickened his pace.
Before long, Ethan arrived in front of the ducal estate.
The butler, Ford, stood at the bottom of the stone steps before the entrance, his hands folded in front of him.
His back was perfectly straight, his butler's uniform ironed without a single crease, and his graying hair remained completely still in the morning breeze.
Yet, his finely wrinkled eyes betrayed him. His eyes were slightly bloodshot as his gaze drifted past Ethan, landing first on the string of human cocoons wrapped in vines behind him, and then on Colin's face. His lips trembled slightly.
Ford took a step forward. “Young Master, you have returned.”
Ethan stopped before the stone steps.
The vines behind him unraveled, and the six youths dropped back to the ground from their half-foot elevation, their feet planting firmly onto the stone pavers.
Colin stumbled slightly before finding his footing. Of the other five youths, two collapsed immediately onto the ground, their legs too weak to support them, and were only kept from completely sprawling out by their companions grabbing their arms.
Ford's gaze lingered on Colin's face for a couple of seconds.
The sight of that bruised and battered face, along with the left eye swollen shut to a mere slit, made his Adam's apple bob. He did not ask a single question.
“Ford, do you recognize these young men?”
Ford stepped forward, scanning the faces of the six youths one by one. He nodded, then turned to Ethan. “Yes, Young Master, I recognize them all. Aside from Master Colin, these gentlemen are the youngest son of Duke Windsor, the eldest son of Duke Natt, the second son of Duke Mindrow, as well as the Seventh Prince, Sutton, and the Thirteenth Prince, Modo.”
Ethan looked at Ford. “Father must have left instructions?”
“The master's handwritten letters have already been prepared. They are right here in my coat.”
Ethan nodded. “Good. On your way, notify Gal that I wish to see him. Blake.”
Blake took a step forward, his plate armor boots clanging heavily against the stone. “Young Master.”
“Take all the Knights and Great Knights of the household. Ensure Ford's safety.”
“Do not worry, Young Master.”
“Ford, go.”
Ford bowed deeply and turned to leave.
Blake followed closely behind him.
The clatter of horses' hooves soon echoed, starting close and gradually fading into the distance before disappearing at the end of the street.
“Take the six of them to wash up, and then get them some food.”
“Yes, Young Master,” a maid nearby quickly replied, stepping forward to help Colin and the other five unfortunate youths away.
Colin took a couple of steps supported by the maid, then glanced back once more at Ethan's retreating figure. His lips parted as if to ask something, but the maid gently guided his arm, leading him away.
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