"Sudor?" Saru stroked his thick beard, a figure suddenly flashing through his mind. "As in Viscount Sudor of Ice Rock City?"
"He is my father," Colin replied, keeping a straight face as he calmly acknowledged a new "father" for himself.
Ever since realizing that this leader of the Fire Fox Mercenary Company wasn't someone easy to fool, Colin understood that if he wanted to lie again, he had to be far more strategic. He couldn't rely on an unreliable old mercenary bought with twenty copper coins anymore.
Karn Sudor was a real person.
Of course, Colin didn't actually know the man—he had only come across the name in a recent letter from his sister, Caitlin, which also described Karn's current circumstances.
Colin chose to impersonate him precisely because Karn's recent misfortune made it quite reasonable for a knight to show up in a place like the Big Beard Tavern.
"I heard Ice Rock City was overrun by trolls three months ago?" Saru connected the dots with information he'd heard before.
"That's right." Colin nodded with a somber expression, letting emotions like sorrow, hatred, and anger flood his eyes. His sudden burst of acting even surprised himself.
Saru seemed convinced, letting out a sigh. "I heard your father stood his ground and perished with the city… Truly a knight worthy of respect."
"Thank you." Colin looked as if he were holding back tears, his eyes red as he asked, "Did you know my father?"
"Oh, no. I've just long admired Viscount Sudor."
Colin breathed a huge sigh of relief.
A landed viscount and a mercenary captain were from completely different worlds. If they actually knew each other, that would've meant Colin was truly out of luck.
"So, Mister Saru, may I travel with your company to Hawkfall City?"
Colin wanted to go to Hawkfall City because his sister, Caitlin Angley, was there.
In such perilous times, only a blood relative could truly be trusted.
And with his father still fighting on the front lines, Caitlin was his only viable option.
"Of course you may." Saru finally believed the identity Colin had fabricated.
In fact, he even thought he'd guessed the real reason Colin was heading to Hawkfall City: "I recall that Count Uman, lord of Hawkfall, is married to Viscount Sudor's sister. So, you're going to seek help from your uncle, aren't you?"
"Exactly."
In truth, Colin knew from his sister's letter that the real Karn Sudor had already arrived in Hawkfall and was now serving under Count Uman, discussing how to reclaim the Sudor family's lost lands.
But evidently, Saru wasn't aware of that.
Now fully convinced of Colin's false identity, Saru saw no reason to doubt it any longer.
A dispossessed and desperate knight, whose home was destroyed, turning to family for help—completely plausible.
"At eight o'clock tomorrow morning, the caravan that hired us will gather in front of the Big Beard Tavern."
"Understood. I'll be there on time."
"Haha! Well then, Sir Karn, allow me to buy you a mug of ale!"
"It would be an honor."
The next day.
The sky was overcast, and a thick, gray fog made the roads outside the city even more treacherous and dangerous.
This was precisely why Colin had insisted on joining a caravan. With just his knight-apprentice abilities, if he'd gone alone, he'd likely have been killed by bandits or wild beasts before long.
Whether it was the large group or the Fire Fox Mercenary Company's reputation, the first day passed without incident.
That night, the experienced leader Saru found a campsite nestled against a hill and not far from a water source.
Colin set up a fire, boiled some water, and soaked some hard bread before swallowing it down.
He had little sense of taste these days, so he didn't care whether the food was good or bad.
The little cat had long disappeared—presumably off hunting.
Sure enough, not long after, it returned with a mouse in its mouth.
At that moment, Colin pulled out his parchment scroll and added another line:
"Human blood can assist in advancement."
Yes, Colin had advanced—from a knight-apprentice to a first-tier knight.
This breakthrough had stalled him for three whole years.
And now, Colin strongly suspected that his sudden advancement was related to the blood he had consumed two nights ago—from the assassin who had tried to kill him.
After drinking that blood, he'd noticed a feverish warmth in his body. But given the dangerous situation at the time, he hadn't thought too much about it.
For the following two days, the fever lingered until it finally faded around noon today.
And then he realized—he had advanced.
Drinking deer blood had never caused that reaction, so Colin now suspected that human blood—specifically the blood of professionals—was the cause.
The assassin Carter had been a first-tier knight, so perhaps only the blood of such individuals could fuel his progression.
Of course, this theory still needed more testing.
"Is that Elvish?"
Colin turned around and saw a chubby middle-aged man standing behind him, peering at the scroll and speculating.
"Yes." Colin, annoyed by the man's nosiness, tucked the scroll away and replied casually.
He recognized the man—he was the caravan's owner, named Oliver.
"Didn't expect Sir Karn to be so learned, even fluent in Elvish!" Oliver flattered him and, without invitation, plopped down beside him.
"Just know a little." Colin frowned slightly—he didn't like merchants like Oliver.
To him, these types were overly pragmatic and driven purely by profit. The only reason Oliver was buttering him up now was clearly because he wanted something.
"Is that your pet?" Oliver pointed to the cat wrestling with its dead mouse, trying to make conversation.
"Yes."
"What a refined taste you have!" Oliver's smile stretched wide. "Does it have a name?"
Colin paused. He had never thought to name this "mobile blood bag." But after a moment, he improvised:
"It's called Little White."
"Little White?" Oliver glanced at the short-haired blue cat beside the fire, and his smile visibly twitched. Still, he quickly recovered: "What a lovely name!"
"Mr. Oliver," Colin smiled too, "you are truly insincere."
"Thank you for the compliment!" Oliver took no offense, his thick skin truly impressive.
They chatted idly for a while, until Oliver, having gotten more comfortable, suddenly lowered his voice:
"Sir Karn, if you're looking to reclaim the Sudor family's lands, I might be able to help you."
Colin, who had been dozing off, suddenly became alert. He turned to look at the fat merchant beside him, a half-smile on his lips:
"Do you know what you're saying?"