It was late during the night as a horse-driven carriage sped through a beaten path, surrounded by a thicket of trees on both sides. The night was chilly, spooky even as the sounds of numerous monsters buzzed around at times, occasionally loud to the extent they rattled the bones of any passer-by.
Seated within the carriage were three people. Two of them were sleeping now while the third one was awake. It was Compass Carburettor and the two servants. He looked at the sleeping faces of the two servants, smiling subtly as he gently patted their heads before shifting himself towards the front, peeking out as he exited the carriage and sat on the front, beside the driver.
The driver was a middle-aged man with a balding head. And, apparent from his white side-burns, it seemed his hair loss was entirely due to stress.
"Young man, why don't you rest within? Sitting in the cold isn't safe for a young lad like you." The driver said.
"It's fine," Compass Carburettor sighed, gazing upward as he spoke, "People like me are denizens of the night. When the shadow grows deep, so does our fangs."
"You make a good…joke there." The driver laughed awkwardly for a moment, mildly shuddering in fear as he looked at Compass Carburettor's visage from the side.
A sleek, elegant face that was capable of pulsing the hearts of even men, handsomeness at the peak of masculinity, but suffused with a semblance of grace that gave him a dignified air. With the darkness of the night painted in the background, adding onto his mysterious words, Compass Carburettor appeared…handsomely terrifying!
Gulp!
The driver could feel the sounds of his heartbeat in his ears, noticing that his hands were now slick with sweat. He also felt that as he held onto the reins, his hands were mildly trembling.
Fear!
Before he realised, fear had comfortably settled within his mind, making the place its home. But, the fear didn't cause him to rashly react. Rather, it was a sort of chillness that numbed his body and mind, causing him to fail in even making a scene.
"I was just joking, haha." Compass Carburettor laughed, patting the driver's back jovially, lightening the atmosphere, "Sorry if I scared you, haha. I just wanted to lighten the mood."
"D-Don't mind that," The driver stammered before he regained his bearing, "You got me good, haha. And to think I was advising you about the scariness of the night. You are braver than me."
"Of course, the night can never be my enemy." Compass Carburettor said, smiling as he looked at the lamp before him. It was what lighted their path forward, casting a beam onto the road before the horses.
Only a small part of its light flickered on the coach, barely highlighting their faces, casting shadows onto most of their features.
The driver felt like a boulder had been smashed onto his heart as he looked at Compass Carburettor. For some reason, he was getting the heebie-jeebies from the other party. Even though it was brushed off as a joke, the driver could feel that Compass Carburettor wasn't…lying.
"Are you having troubles with your life?" Compass Carburettor asked all of a sudden, "It is rare for someone of your age to bald so much. And, a good patch of your remaining hair has even turned white. Is there something troubling you? I may not look like it, but I'm a great consultant."
"A consultant? What's that?" The driver was confused, feeling his heart rate slow down over time as they engaged in a normal conversation.
"Well, just consider me as someone who hears the troubles of people and offers them advice to be rid of them." Compass Carburettor smiled, noticing some really large trees span past, also spotting occasional gems that glistened under the night, silently staring at them as they sped past.
"Of course, I don't do it for free. I charge a hefty sum for every consultation." Compass Carburettor lightly waved his hand, saying in a carefree tone, "But, since I am bored, I'll do it free for you."
"Thank you," The driver hesitated for quite the time before speaking after a sigh, "I'm just a lowly driver. I had worked for a decade before saving up enough money to buy a caravan. I had hoped to become a merchant and give a better life for my family."
"But," He sighed, "I didn't have a knack for it. I bought goods that didn't have much value at the destination city and also chose a time when the demand for them was the least. Once I repeated the same thrice, I no longer had enough money to be a merchant anymore and have to sell off my caravan to pay my debts."
"After that, I have been struggling to make ends meet as a driver. I have to stay away from my family during the trips, and the returns aren't even that great once I feed the horses and do maintenance work on the carriage." He sighed, "Life's tough."
"And adding onto that," He expressed his sadness, "As I was constantly away from Peckle City, my wife moved in with the lord that she worked as a maid for. She chose a life as a keep over being with me."
At this point, he began to shed tears, emitting sobbing sounds as he cursed himself, "I just wanted to give them a better life. What did I do wrong to deserve such humiliation?"
"Hmm," Compass Carburettor nodded upon hearing the sob story, seemingly in thought as he spoke, "Is that why you became a bandit?"
"What?" The driver was started to the extent he pulled on the reins, causing the carriage to come to a stop as he gazed at Compass Carburettor in horror, "Sir, what are you saying? I've never been a bandit all my life."
"Oh really?" Compass Carburettor laughed, chuckling cutely like an eight-year-old girl, "But, aren't we already at the graveyard of travellers? Your comrades are even surrounding us pretty well. I must say, you are one damn good actor."
Seeing the driver's face ashen in fear, Compass Carburettor smiled, pinching, "I told you, right? When the shadow grows deep, so does our fangs."
