It's snowing again. The cold wind outside the window hit the glass, waking up the people who were sleeping in a warm sleep. The most unfortunate thing is that this person is myself. "Get up, don't sleep!" cried the priest, "get up!"
The Gaia Church in Yotsuba City generously provides accommodation services for passers-by. The number of places is limited, and the same person can only come once a week. Four priests, led by a cleric, checked to see if anyone wanted to take advantage of the loophole. It is impossible for ordinary mortals to stay for free for several days in a row, but mysterious creatures usually do not fall into such a situation, so divine magic is enough to identify them.
Bonin considered becoming an exception. They are just country priests in a country church, plus a group of clergy with low abilities. It is easier to fool them than adventurers. He originally thought that the reputation of the Knox Mercenary Group came from the leader Calder Lehler and Sita York Shain. It was not until they actually met that he discovered that the dwarf adventurer turned out to be Gao Huan—— Even Buress rarely has such a level of mystic. And in a small, remote cold country, in a mercenary group with no background, such people can be found everywhere. No wonder the order did not attack the traitors when it liquidated them.
But this greatly disrupted his plan. Brenan Ning had to take extra risks by heading to the mercenary camp rashly. However, judging from the bartender's situation alone, he should be grateful for their adoption and must follow him to settle down... The trouble he brings will make ordinary small groups shrink back, but the Knox Mercenary Group obviously doesn't care. Now it's better, I can be considered as trapped in a cocoon.
He wasn't the only one spending the night. It seemed like a breakthrough, but Brenanin couldn't seize it. Since he and Xin separated at the station, he has been unable to observe the other party's whereabouts. In Iron Claw City, he had used the last "worm eye" potion on Duke Tiwen. This decisiveness made him aware of the news in advance, and he escaped from the palace in great danger, traveling all the way to the Four-leaf Territory.
Unexpectedly, that was the beginning of misfortune. The further south you go, the harder the materials become. Bonin is quite confident in his skills. However, this refers to alchemy, not the art of creating things out of thin air. It's a hellish place with freezing weather. It's a hell for alchemists and forest races. Without the potion, he was like a mortal without his fire. Who would have thought my potion would be depleted so quickly?
By now, he has already felt that this journey is very difficult. From Iron Claw City to Eagle City, and then to the ruins of Motog White Gorge City, the tributaries of the Golden Bird River finally brought him to the Four-Leaf Territory. Brenanin had a hard time liking it here, and never imagined the life of an adventurer. He had always known what these people looked like, but he didn't want to join them. To be honest, traveling with mercenaries made him feel like he was on the same level as them. No. He never thought about joining the mercenaries. My real purpose is another group of people, noble, heroic, and powerful people, who are completely different from the hyenas wandering around for rewards.
When the priest rudely slammed the door, Brenanin shouldered his luggage and considered whether to spend the night at church or simply head out of town and leave Eastman. There are no traces of indulgences or mysterious merchants here. My efforts have been in vain.
He met Xin in front of a hotel. Perhaps this was one of the mercenary strongholds. The dwarf is not here. Brenanin breathed a sigh of relief, although this most likely meant that he would have to submit to an adventurer and become the lowest level rookie in the mercenary group. But compared to Gao Huan, this group of mercenaries is easier to deal with.
"How's your luck?" the other party asked, "Have you found a place to stay?"
"Of course." Brenanin lied, "It's not a trouble. I just want more privacy and security. I'm a pharmacist and I'm used to this environment."
"It's very difficult to be in a hurry." Xin thought thoughtfully, "but the environment is indeed crucial. There once was a famous alchemist in Yotsuba City, and his requirements for a residence were the same as those of a swallow." He gestured. "A bird chasing the bright moon! As soon as the weather gets cold, it won't be able to stay any longer."
"Is it that Master Chester?" Brenanin said, "I was fortunate enough to learn 'Tea Butter Refining', a patented technique he developed during his time in the Tower."
"There are also rumors about Bliss? It turns out that this master has such a status."
This person is a mysterious creature born in a high tower, and his knowledge and skills are naturally beyond the imagination of Eastman people. No matter what, Croy, the Tower of the Firmament, is one of the seven pivots and was once the cornerstone of the mysterious realm. Eastman was just a bargaining chip given to the Tower during the Fulcrum War, and had nothing to do with the astrologers. "The alchemist should always teach himself
The big guys in the domain know better. ” he said humbly.
"You have an extraordinary career, Bonin." Xin admired.
"Now I am an adventurer. Pharmacist is my mysterious profession, not a livelihood."
"Why not continue working on the potion?"
For someone who had only met him three times, this was a slightly offensive question, but because of Sheen’s attitude, Brenanin didn’t mind giving his prepared reasons: “I didn’t abandon my craft. When I came to Eastman Kingdom, I initially just wanted to take my skills to the next level.”
"Brestatik is the most powerful empire in Binyaio, whether it is mysterious, cultural, or inheritance... How can Eastman compare with her?"
"Oh, it's a personal reason." He shrugged, "I'm from Bures, sharing the market with the nobles in Fangpai City, earning the salary that the law allows me to get. I brought them countless wealth, brought them The entertainment and sensory enjoyment of local people has also given Fangpai City a lot of reputation in the field of sweet wine and beer... But when I want to develop a real magic potion - not a condiment - these short-sighted people But it started to thwart my ideals."
"The Oath Keepers Alliance is also an optional destination." Xin reminded, "It's better than Eastman. There's still a war in the south, and the Alliance is safer."
"Having said that, the Oath Keepers Alliance is a collection of many mysterious races. I might not be able to adapt to it. Besides, the Four-leaf Territory is not southern enough. The real war is in the Ice Territory."
"That was last year," Xin told him.
Brenanin thought further. Not just last year? Since the Frost Moon two years ago, the fifteen-year peace in the Ice Territory has ended. The coalition forces of Order crossed the entire territory of Eastman, first in the Hot Earth Hills, and then in the west, Iron Claw City, stopping for a short half-day in front of the Golden Bird River. This distance was called the "Wall of Night" in the ancient times. Continuing south, people indeed came to the realm of night.
After the Four-leaf Territory, there is the final destination of the seven-point alliance—the Ice Territory.
Ordinary people will not know the secret. Brenanin thought. The battlefield of the coalition forces should have been the Veil Mountains, Bures, or Faf Tanner. However, mortals are ignorant, and mysterious creatures are guided by astrologers. Their goal is the city of demons.
Byrne. They called her Byrne, the City of Reflections. I didn't even know her name at the time. The secret society "Starless Night" established her in the shadow of Winnie Watts. Seventeen years ago, the Holy Knights massacred here and burned countless innocent souls, but they did not discover the secrets in the shadow at all.
An unfortunate land will only breed tragedy. Brenanin had never set foot in the Ice Territory, and such an ominous place would evoke his memories and shake his mind. The gods have cursed us with emotions and intelligence so that even when we live in the present, we will always remember the past.
"They had a fight in the Ice Territory." Brenanin said, "The coalition disintegrated and was no longer an alliance." No one knew why. Byrne and victory were clearly in front of them.
"The impending victory always goes to your head."
Of course, this is also the view of most people. Facing the unsuspecting Byrne, the seven pivots will turn against each other for their own interests. It is indeed a foreseeable future. Even if they don't want to, how dare they trust others to stick to the bottom line?
This was all the leader's fault, Brenanin thought wryly. If I were the marshal of the coalition forces, I would make preparations in advance and suppress the conflict until victory. "Then their leader is so stupid," he commented. There must be a reason why the coalition forces split on the eve of victory. After all, the Saint is not a fool.
Xin looked at him suspiciously and didn't respond.
Maybe he didn't understand it at all. Brenanin and the mud-legged mercenaries of the remote kingdom had different perspectives, and when they looked at the same thing, they came to very different conclusions. The alchemist suddenly lost interest in talking to the mercenary, even though he actually came for this. Forget it, how do adventurers understand the war between the Fulcrum of Order and the Secret Society?
"Let them fight anyway, it won't bother us." Xin quickly led him past the station last night and continued south. "The latest war took place in a foreign country, the country of quicksand, Sodria. It was probably a certain fulcrum.
Subject to the country. "
"The Holy Council of Radiance," Brenanin told the mercenary. "After the Allied Forces World War I, Eastman protested to the suzerain, fearing that the two sides would start a war within the country. The royal party brought up the agreement made by the Seven Pillars for the last demon-hunting campaign, claiming that Winnie Watts was the victim. Because of Croita's reputation, the coalition forces bypassed the Four-leaf Territory and approached the Ice Territory from the west."
"That place is dark, cold, and very evil. I think the coalition soldiers are freezing."
"The environment of the Ice Territory is inherently dangerous, and it is also the Frost Moon. Ordinary soldiers can't even see the road clearly. There are also gaps and traps scattered among the snowfields and glaciers." It is said that Whinivales is a site left by the ancestors, composed of ancient Built by moon elves to worship their gods. Even Faf Tanner, one of the Seven Fulcrums, sent envoys to investigate, which greatly increased the truth in the rumors. "The secret society set up ambushes in the ice fields to delay the coalition forces, teaching them to endure the bitter cold and endless darkness, and eventually became suspicious of each other and fell apart. Some say it was the enemy's ambush that paved the way for their defeat."
"The coalition forces failed to reach Winawase?" Xin asked curiously.
"They didn't go that way in the first place." Brenanin pointed out. "The real target was a mysterious place with only an approximate location. The coalition forces were in no hurry to rush to the city, and the commander sent out scouts to search for demons nearby. Traces. The first time it was Winiworth, and the second time it was the entire Ice Territory. 'We were right! The priest of the Glorious Council insisted, 'Winiworth is near the base of the Demon Society. Now it seems that this statement That’s quite right.”
Everyone knows what happened next. A civil war broke out in the Alliance of Order, and the Seven Fulcrums suspended their cooperation, casting suspicion on their recent allies. Without the guidance of the Sky Tower, the specific location of the secret society "Starless Night" has become a mystery. People returned disappointed, leaving only a small number of garrison troops to continue searching on the ice sheet. Their efforts were in vain.
After the demon hunting was over, the Nameless Ones were indeed relieved, but the Ice Leader didn't think so. The war attracted many speculators. Explorers intended to find clues to the secret society in exchange for wealth, and bandits allocated their manpower to rob them. Even among the soldiers of the Seven Pivots, some could not bear the cold, darkness, fighting with each other, and endless exploration missions, and finally escaped from the large army to chase the light and fire needed for life. Brenanin didn't know if they had found it, but on the way, they disturbed the surrounding cities, which was visible to people.
However, looking at the matter, Brenanin feels that these people are not the main reason for the unrest in the Ice Territory. Although the outcome of the demon hunting war has not yet been decided, it has given hope to the unknown. Countless outsiders poured into the ice field, trying to get past the seven pillars of defense in order to reach their own country.
The little earl of Venevoise was helpless. In fact, after the Demon Hunting War, the Seven Fulcrums no longer cared about the whereabouts of demons. The Misty Star Society, due to its head-on confrontation with the Fulcrum of Order, vaguely became a mysterious organization of the same level, which made the Ice Territory's attitude towards the Nameless Ones become ambiguous.
"The coalition forces almost touched the threshold of the secret society, but fell short." Xin sighed softly.
"Anyway, the damage to the Ice Territory is not serious. What a blessing! Its lord was still a little girl back then and didn't understand anything. Some people say that she fled back to her parents' home on the eve of the arrival of the coalition forces. Demons and ambush It has nothing to do with her."
"She is indeed lucky."
Damn lucky man. Brennan thought sourly. How come I never have that kind of luck? Everyone thought that the Ice Realm would no longer exist, and that Veniworth would be bloodbathed again. However, it survived with difficulty and became the background on the edge of war. He couldn't figure out why the gods destroyed Washmouth but left this city of ice, snow and night at the end of the world. He would feel much better if he could find his target in the ruins.
Immediately, Brenanin remembered that he was playing a down-and-out potion alchemist. He quickly closed his mouth and swallowed his complaints.
"The Ice Territory is not a good place, so we mainly deal with business in Four Leaf City." Xin took him to a magnificent hall.
This is a place dedicated to providing business communication space for guests, and the doors and windows are guarded by guards. Brenanin noticed that there was a bank opposite, which had just opened and was already full of people. There are not many nobles in Yotsuye City.
There are many rich people. I bet a lot of people here got rich off the war. Brenanin suspected that the Knox Mercenaries were one of them.
"Please take a seat." The room is comfortable but simple in style. A round table was placed between two high-backed chairs, and it was also covered with a layer of purple satin. Sheen invited Brenanin to sit facing the door. "Well, now we can have a frank chat, Bonin."
Brenanin frowned. "I thought we made it clear."
"It's not the same thing. I understand why you came here, but what we want to talk about now is the purpose. What do you want?"
"York's token..."
"... Giving you the opportunity to join us does not represent a specific position. Knox is a mercenary group, not a noble family. We do not have the term 'collaborator' or 'client'. Adventurers accept employment and complete tasks, that's all. "
Brenanin bit his lip. "I thought I would get help."
"You're late," Xin pointed out. "Captain Calder has already arranged for someone else to fill the originally vacant position. Well, it's not someone else, it's me. But we still remember York's letter, and your token is still valid. . After discussion with the team leaders, the team leader agreed to add you to my team. In addition, in the team, only you and I know what I believe, so you don’t have to worry about others being too talkative."
"Are you here to inform me of the results?"
"No. It's just their unilateral decision. It ultimately depends on your wishes, Bonin. If you don't want to accept it, we will treat you as a friend of York, entertain you, and provide you with appropriate help."
Brenanin blinked. "What if I want to join you, but I don't agree with the arrangement...?"
These words seemed to contain provocation, a test of the mercenaries in front of him. If it were the other people he met yesterday, Jet, Lotta or Painter, they might have aroused the adventurer's competitive spirit, but Xin was unmoved by this. "I have no right to make a decision on this matter, I am just conveying it on my behalf. And to be honest? The leader asked me to take care of a group of newcomers - you are one of them, and you are far from the most difficult one. If someone really wants to take care of you** *This job is what I want."
What you want? He finally realized that there was a slight error in his judgment. "What did York do originally?"
"Lead the new mercenaries." Xin Yi shrugged, "The Knox mercenary group needs to absorb fresh blood to strengthen itself. Most adventurers have experience. After joining the mercenary group, they can devote themselves to the employer after a little adaptation. During the mission, a few young people... have ideals and are full of energy. All their knowledge of adventurers' lives comes from someone's biography or hearsay. They lack awareness of their own abilities and go out to explore as soon as their brains get hot. These people are the real ones. Newcomers need guidance from experienced hands. I play exactly this role. Otherwise, these brats don’t even know which end of the sword to hold!”
It's quite reasonable, but it's not what you expected. Brenanin couldn't answer for a moment.
"Anyway, I've made it clear. Which method do you want to choose? Join us, or go it alone?"
Brenanin had a plan, but he didn't respond directly. "Any suggestions?"
"I am acting on behalf of..."
"No. There is no need to disturb the leader and the others. Xin, I want to ask for your advice. Are you a local?"
"That's right. Even if you are not a local, after being a captain for a few years, you will be familiar with every corner of the city. I take the children for a stroll every day, and occasionally I can catch two thieves and repair a few windows. This is That's all. You want advice?" Xin paused for a moment, "First of all, I don't understand you, and secondly, even if I do, I can't help."
"Well, you know alchemists, at least one...I mean..."
"You can also find someone," Xin said. "If you don't have a place to live, I also know a few properties for sale, but we are more inclined to accept tasks outside the city, such as gathering and hunting, expeditions, etc. The properties are rented. Other agencies are in charge. I can take you to them."
"This is not my main concern." The other person's tone was so calm, completely unaware of his situation, and Brenanin finally couldn't bear it. "I...I have some troubles, very urgent."
"What's the trouble?" Xin asked.
You must understand. Brenanin thought to himself. Since there are high-level adventurers in Knox, they must be local snakes in the Four-Leaf Territory. The story of "King of Bubbles" Brenanin came from the north, and you must be well aware of it.
"Westerners." He lowered his voice and made a gesture of fear. "I have offended a certain noble."
"Which one is it?"
Brenanin originally prepared the whole story, but to his surprise, the other party actually cared more about the enemy. He had no choice but to answer first: "Dalion of the Tugon family, this man claims to be a relative of the Duke and wants me to do business with him."
"What did he do?"
This mercenary is very good at talking. Brenanin felt relieved that he had asked cautiously, even if what followed was just a lie. "He thinks I'm a stupid gringo and wants to unite with the city's chamber of commerce to steal my formula." A reasonable reason. He has always been satisfied with his talents. "I didn't refuse at first, I just made some reasonable requests." The request was for them to fund the research and development of new potions. This was Brenanin's motivation for leaving his homeland.
Needless to say the results. "Dallion said that unless the potion I developed was used to flavor wine or create a new type of wine, it would be a waste of money. This is an insult to me." The last sentence is not a lie. Brenanin was indeed angry about this and put Dallion's hair into the "Bug Eyes" potion. At night, he applied the paste under his eyebrows, and his vision reached the Duke's mansion from the other side of the city, and he caught a glimpse of Darion's secret.
"After you escaped, he ordered you to be hunted down?" Xin continued to ask.
"That's it. I have to stay away from Eagle City and every duke's castle, and go further south. You know, I...have York's token in my hand."
Xin nodded and gave advice: "It's very simple. If you agree to serve another duke, your trouble will be solved."
"Tracy Wiggins? She restricted the use of electricity in Cloverland." Brenanin didn't like this woman. "There will be a ban on alcohol soon. I originally planned to try my luck at her daughter's territory, but that There’s a war going on again.”
The Ice Territory is cold all year round, and spirits and bonfires are necessities for people to survive. As an alchemist and master mixologist, Brenanin would be revered in Whinneys.
"If you want to go to Winnie Watts, we can also contact the Earl of Lancaster for you." Xin told him.
The Knox Mercenary Group is the largest adventurer group in the South, and this may be true. This is a behemoth that has taken root in the South, and has gathered a large number of mystics. Brenanin believes that they have channels for many big figures, their influence is intricate, and they are by no means as simple as being hired to act in the industry.
"No." He refused. Of course I can't agree at this time. Why would an alchemist go to the Ice Land? It will only increase suspicion. "I don't go to places that cold. The war affects my business. I'm a law-abiding citizen."
"It's okay to stay in Four Leaf City, but the Duke has been away recently, so you have to wait for her to come back. Then someone will help you introduce her." Xin said calmly. He seemed to have seen Brenanin's plan. The Knox mercenary group was not his target, but a springboard to get close to the upper class. Naturally, the only person a skilled alchemist wanted to serve was Tracey Wei, Duke of Southland. Kings. He doesn't want to be an adventurer.
Brenanin hesitated: "I need to think about it."
The mercenary agreed, "Then give me an answer before tomorrow. Please remember the time this time, Bonin."
