There were many homeless people along the roads in the southern district. Most wore patched clothing, and their eyes were filled with envy when they looked at Leo and Brad. Brand-new blue-gray military uniforms, high military boots, and warhorses standing as high as a man's shoulder. If this had been Leo two years ago, he too would have looked at his present self with envy.
Neil seemed to have realized how different Leo was now. He did not quite know what to talk about with him, so he simply answered whatever Leo asked. Before long, they reached Uncle Doug's new home. Neil tied up Leo and Brad's horses, and the three of them ducked inside.
Uncle Doug's new home was shabby and very low. Standing upright inside the wooden house was enough to touch the roof beams. The doorway was even lower, so all three of them had to bend over to squeeze through it. Half of one outer wall had already burned away and was now covered with a piece of burlap.
Leo and Brad sat on two wooden stumps. Aunt Regina Doug rubbed her hands awkwardly. She could not even produce a single clean, unbroken cup. Uncle Doug lay face down on a wooden plank, sweat running down his dark cheeks. Pain and fever had left him miserable.
Neil said sadly, "I couldn't stop Father... He ran into the burning house and dragged out some furniture and clothes he thought were valuable, but those things weren't really worth much. His back was badly burned too."
Uncle Doug said, "It's nothing. Black Harbor has been destroyed. Even if I hadn't been burned, I wouldn't have any work to do now."
Leo bent down and examined Uncle Doug's back. The burns were severe and had already begun to fester.
"Uncle Doug, have Neil go find a doctor right now. You need to be examined first."
"No need. I'll be better soon."
Leo took three silver pennies from his pocket and handed them to Neil. "Neil, go. We can't delay this. Bring back a better doctor, and don't try to save money on the medicine either. Uncle Doug's injuries don't look good."
Neil looked deeply dejected. If there were any other choice, who would want to ask someone else to lend them such a large sum of money?
Uncle Doug hurriedly said, "Leo, that's too much. I can't repay that much money. We don't even know when Black Harbor will be rebuilt..."
Leo smiled. "Uncle Doug, I'm not lending this money to you. I'm lending it to Neil and Carl. Neil is already sixteen, and Carl is fourteen. Let the two brothers repay me."
Leo turned to Neil. "Neil, can you earn enough money to pay me back?"
Neil clenched the silver pennies in his hand and said firmly, "Yes! I definitely can!"
Leo continued, "Good. We grew up as neighbors. After my father left, if your family hadn't kept helping mine, I don't even know whether I could have held on long enough to join the Unicorn Legion.
"Neil, you've always been strong-willed. Uncle Doug is already too old to keep working himself as hard as he used to. It's time for you and Carl to step forward.
"Go, Neil!"
Neil wiped away his tears and hurried out. His departure meant that Uncle Doug's burns finally had a chance of being cured.
After Neil left, Leo took a parchment scroll from inside his coat, opened it, and placed it in front of Uncle Doug. "Uncle Doug, there's something else I need your help with."
Brad leaned closer and looked at the parchment. It showed a drawing of a handcart, and he looked at Leo in confusion.
Leo continued, "Uncle Doug, this kind of handcart is a clue in one of our assignments. You've worked at the docks all these years. Can you identify this sort of handcart?"
Leo had only one lead concerning the Blackport City fire: the people and things connected to Koliver. That night, Leo had clearly noticed them pushing oil and torches around in handcarts as they set fires throughout the city.
The enemy from the West had come by sea. The spies' communications and activities could not possibly avoid the port, and Uncle Doug knew the things used around the docks extremely well.
Uncle Doug shifted his body and endured the pain as he carefully studied the parchment by the light coming through the hole in the outer wall. Leo's handwriting was ugly, but in his previous life he had spent some time learning to sketch. He could not guarantee that the drawing was perfectly identical, but he had captured the handcart's distinctive features clearly enough.
Uncle Doug said with complete certainty, "Young Leo, this handcart was made by Old Hank, a carpenter in XC District. Every carpenter has his own habitual way of working. I wouldn't mistake it. Old Hank is very skilled. I can recognize his work at a glance."
"Uncle Doug, where can I find Old Hank?"
"Old Hank is in XC District, not far from the city gate. He has his own carpenter's shop. I'll tell you where it is."
After learning Old Hank's exact location, Leo said happily, "Thank you very much! That information gives me a way to continue the investigation.
"But Uncle Doug, don't tell anyone that I came here asking about Old Hank. This matter isn't simple. There is some danger involved."
Leo and Brad said goodbye to the Doug family and left the house.
"Carl! Long time no see!"
Carl Doug suddenly turned around and saw Leo and Brad. Carl reluctantly took his hand from the horse's mane and said, "Brother Leo, I knew this was your horse! You're the only Knight our family knows!"
Leo shook his head. "Carl, I'm not a Knight. I'm not even a cavalryman. I'm an officer in an infantry battalion now."
Carl's eyes were full of longing as he said excitedly, "Brother Leo, I want to become a Knight like you too! I don't care. You're a Knight!"
Leo saw Carl studying the mace hanging from one side of his saddle. Leo had bought the weapon for himself, and it had cost him a full ten silver pennies.
It weighed ten pounds, or 4.5 kilograms, and was 1.2 meters long. Seven thick iron plates with conical points, each half an inch, or 1.2 centimeters, thick, were welded onto an iron rod. Because of the distinctive shape of those metal plates, it was also called a flanged mace.
The ten-pound mace was just right for Leo. It was a good blunt weapon and also had some ability to break through armor, enough to deal with ordinary emergencies. A leather thong was attached to the handle so it could be tied around the wrist and kept from flying out of his hand. Normally, Leo would simply tuck the mace into his belt.
Leo swung onto his horse and looked down at Carl. "Carl, I wish I were a Knight too, but unfortunately I'm not.
"There are military-merit knights and noble-appointed knights. For people like you and me, who have no noble blood, the only hope is to earn military merit and then be made a Knight.
"I hope you can awaken as a mage before you turn fifteen. That would greatly increase your chances of becoming a Knight!"
Carl watched Leo and Brad ride away, unable to calm down for a long time.
Brad let his horse trot as he asked, "Leo! What are we doing now?"
Leo said, "We're going to send someone to the gallows!"
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