Assassin’s Chronicle - Chapter 121

Just as Anfey had estimated, this was undoubtedly a slaughter. The Great Flame Sword in Anfey’s hand had created a flaming swirl in the battlefield. Where the flaming swirl moved to, people close to it were killed. Suzanna was more like a harvesting machine, passing through people horizontally and vertically. Where her sword passed, there had been a smog of blood appearing in the air.

Sante, Zubin and others were still releasing their magic. Although mages and swordsmen were on the same level, the ways they fought were quite different. If mages got the chance to fly in the air, swordsmen would be at a disadvantage and could only passively defend themselves without any chance to fight back. This was because the swordsmen could only fight back with sword radiance. Once the mages were in the sky, the swordsmen would have no chance to release their sword radiance. And vice-versa, mages’ shields and defensive magic arrays were quite weak. If they were attacked by bad-intentioned swordsmen at a short distance, the result would be disastrous.

The battle between swordsmen and mages on this level was not so fun to watch. The key to the victory lay on which party was the offensive one. However, the fatalities were far more than in the battles at the senior level. Senior-level fighters usually could decide the winner and survivor quickly. If Zubin, Sante and others were suddenly attacked by a group of swordsmen, their fatality would be no better than the swordsmen who were losing right now.

Wind Blade could be countered by combat power. Big fire balls were a challenge though. When the heat waves swiped through people, they would not necessarily die, but definitely be burnt to some degree. If Christian and Riska joined the legion, or if a meteor appeared in the sky, they would die without even any chance to counter it. The powers could be quite different even when the same magic was released by mages and magisters.

A mercenary ran towards Anfey like a crazy monster. Few wind blades were slayed on him, but all were countered by his combat power. The last slay of the wind blade got him and cut deep into his skin. The wind blade turned into moving elements and disappeared in the air. The reason that mercenary was hit by a wind blade at the end because it was released by Christian.

The bloody battle was quickly approaching the end. There weren’t many people in a merchant caravan and a small-sized mercenary group. More than half their number had been fatally injured. Christian and others had stopped to watch how Anfey and Suzanna did on the battlefield.

Everyone felt Suzanna’s sword skills had gotten a little better than before, and her attitude changed a little as well. Once she was in a state of fighting, she became cold and treated people’s lives like bugs. Seeing people dying one after another in front of her, she neither slowed down nor showed any sympathy on her face. She had +undetectable calmness in her.

Anfey’s sword skills made watchers feel they were enjoying a show.

If looking at their faces, Suzanna was undoubtedly more beautiful and enjoyable than Anfey. Girly-looking Suzanna looked adorable. Anfey was not a bad-looking guy, but he was not comparable with Suzanna in terms of looks. If looking at their sword skills, Suzanna was skilled with a strong killer vibe, while Anfey had dance-like moves to it. After watching the two of them on the battlefield, everyone felt they had illusion that Anfey did not kill those mercenaries and bodyguards; instead, they were rushing to Anfey’s sword one after another one.

The reason for that illusion was Anfey’s foot movement. Regular swordsmen’s forward, diagonal and side moves were only to help them speed up their offensive attacking or to dodge the opponent’s attacks. Anfey’s foot movements were systematic on their own. To Anfey, every foot move was an attack itself. Even if he held a sword in his hand still at an angle, with the foot movements, he still could kill his opponent one after another. Anfey’s sophisticated sword skills added more effects to his performance. It was more than just a simple calculation of one plus one equals two.

It was unknown when the Shansa Empire’s princess had come out of the wagon. She hid in a far corner with a person in her arms. She focused on the battlefield from a distance. Isis did not have that numb face anymore, instead, she had a smile on her face under the moonlight.

When the gang only had just over twenty people left, they could not take the terrifying feeling anymore and started to run away in all directions.

Christian slowly landed in front of Anfey and gave him a questioning look. Anfey nodded at him and then Christian waved. Riska and his fellows chased after those people in the gang.

Great Flame sword and Flame shield turned into elements and disappeared. Anfey walked over ten steps to the side. He smiled, “Bro, get up, I know you are not hurt.”

No one answered. There were dead bodies everywhere whose blood had gathered and merged into streams.

Anfey kicked on the waist of a dead body. That dead body sprang up like he was just hit by lightning. “Master Anfey, don’t kill me. Don’t kill me.” Looking at the chubby body, who else could he be? He was Ahab, with blood on his face and body. Anfey knew he was not hurt at all and had been lying on the floor for quite a while. He suffered while people stepping over him without making any sound. His will power was plausible.

“I will decide whether to kill you,” Anfey said, smiling.

“Master Anfey, it was not my fault.” Ahab knelt on the ground. “It was that guy. He made me do it. Master Anfey, please forgive me. I can give you all I have.”

“Why did I hear you said “fight” before?” Anfey obviously was playing with him.

“That guy had a knife to my back. I had to give that order.” Ahad had already had regretful tears in his eyes. “Master Anfey, we are friends. Can you forgive me this time?”

“Is this how you treat your friends? Did you say the guy who had a knife to your back was a commander of a mercenary group? So, after he laid down among the dead bodies, you laid down as well. You are of the same batch. Tell me what happened.”

“You mother f*^ker.” A guy yelled in anger. The guy with thick sideburns sat up in the blood. Of course, he was not cursing at Anfey. He was cursing at Ahab. “Ahab, you mother fucker. My people all died because of you. You are still lying. I…” The big guy suddenly stood up and threw himself at Ahab.

Ahab was just a muggle, so he fell on the floor before he could make any defensive moves. That big guy was smart. He knew Anfey had not killed both of them because they still had value to him. He punched Ahab hard, but did not mean to kill him. Even though Ahab had not died from the punch, his head swollen like a pig head in a blink of eyes.

“Enough. Tell me whose idea it was?” Anfey asked calmly.

“It’s his, master,” the big guy with thick sideburns yelled.

“It’s him.” Ahab’s yell sounded a lot weaker. It sounded as if he was dying.

“It does not matter whose idea it was. I do not care.” Anfey pointed with his finger. “Did you see over there? I will have them decide whether you will live or die. If they do not want to kill you, I will let you go.”

The big guy lifted his head and looked into the distance. His bloody face twitched. He recognized those two people. He knew what he had done to them. He cut off Isis’s tendon. He was also the first guy who raped her. How could that woman forgive him? If he had know what his situation would be like, he would have treated Isis like she was his family. Unfortunately, there were not so many “if”s in the world. There was no point to think of ifs.

If the princess of Shansa Empire did not flee, if Isis did not run away with the princess, all of these events would not have happened. That big guy had no position to think about ifs.

The big guy with sideburns suddenly jumped up and ran towards Christian. He did not dare to fight with Suzanna and Anfey. Compared with Suzanna and Anfey, Christian looked easy to pick a fight with.

Suzanna quickly put her hand on the sword shaft, and then she relaxed because she saw Anfey stepping forward and kicking that guy with his left leg super fast like a tornado swept through.

That big buy with sideburns got hit on his face while his body continued to move forward by momentum. His legs swung in the air and he fell on his back hard. His face was bloody, but this time it was quite different than when he was faking it before among the dead bodies.

Magic world had its own systematic sword skills, but there was no martial art skills that focused on legs. Anfey’s kick was fast and brilliant. Suzanna’s eyes brightened up and then she looked down to think about something.

“Hui Wei”, Anfey called.

“Coming.” Hui Wei ran over from a distance.

“Take them to those two girls. Do what they say. If those two girls do not know what to do with them, give them a hand.” Anfey pointed in the direction of the princess with his chin.

“Women tend to more sympathetic.” Hui Wei curled his lips. “If those two girls wanted them to leave, should we really let them go?” Hui Wei had just officially joined the legion, but he already had thought for the legion. Letting these two guys go would bring trouble for the legion. It would not only bring revenge to the legion, but also cause troubles in the courts. If he could make a decision, Ahab and the big guy were already dead.

“If those girls let them go, wouldn’t you know what to do?” Anfey smiled.

“Master Anfey, please forgive me,” Ahab said. The big guy had already passed out, but Ahab was still sober. Ahab screamed when he heard what the conversation between Anfey and Hui Wei. “I will give you all those female slaves. Please forgive me.”

“Shut up!” Hui Wei stepped forward and gave him a kick. “Those female slaves would be ours anyway according to the rules. How dare you say you are giving us the female slaves? You are such an idiot.”

“Anfey, those female slaves…” Christian asked.

“Take a few people with you and control those mercenaries. You do not have to do anything to those female slaves.”

“I got it.” Christian nodded.

The aftermath of the battle was all taken care of. However, since many people were unable to sleep because of the excitement of the battle, they were all gathered in small groups chatting. Because of ingrained stereotypes, a lot of people did not consider killing orcs to be a form of murder. For most in the legion, this battle had been their first time killing humans and was very memorable.

Suzanna and Anfey were strolling around. They kept a healthy distance between them. Not far enough to seem like they were newly acquainted with each other, but not close enough to appear intimate, either. There was no love blooming between the two. Suzanna enjoyed talking with Anfey. If she had to share her secret with someone, it would be him. This was because Anfey was mature, witty, and careful. Whenever she heard his voice or saw his face, she would feel calm.

“Anfey, you should begin practicing intermediate magic,” Suzanna said. “Paladins do not post a real threat to the best and the most powerful, but for a normal mage they are very hard to deal with. Imagine, a paladin with magic would be very terrifying to mages.”

“I know. I need a good foundation before continuing on.”

“Judging from your surges today, you are completely capable of practicing intermediate magic,” Suzanna said. “We should congratulate you. You are a mage now. Your growth is incredible.”

“It’s not a surprise. Anyone would grow as fast as I if they had drunk unicorn blood.”

“You drank the blood? Feller gave it to you, didn’t he? Christian will be hearing about this.”

“You wouldn’t!” Anfey said, realizing his mistake.

“You’re the one that betrayed our trust! I didn’t get any benefits from this. It’s your fault for trying to drink the blood without telling us.”

“Betraying?” Anfey asked, shaking his head. “If I let you in on this, aren’t we then friends with benefits?” He suddenly remembered another meaning to the phrase “friends with benefits.” He coughed to hide the awkwardness.

Suzanna wasn’t as sensitive as Anfey. She smiled and said, “Actually, I think Christian already knew.”

“Really?” Anfey asked, surprised. He thought drinking the unicorn blood wasn’t a big deal. If he wasn’t there to help them, this team would have never made it this far. However, if people found out, it could damage the unity.

“Christian treated the blood like it was his child,” Suzanna said, “and he had to measure it everyday. I usually went and helped them. Whenever he wanted to go over the inventory, Feller got nervous and tried to find an excuse to keep Christian away. Feller is a good person, and wouldn’t try to take what isn’t his. The story explains itself.”

“So I’m not a good person?” Anfey asked, smiling. “It seems like you already knew before hearing about this from me.”

“I took an educated guess. Christian must have figured it out as well. After a while, he stopped trying to measure the unicorn blood. I figured that made Feller sleep better at night.”

Anfey sighed and shook his head. “It’s not that big of a deal. Everyone knew that without you, they wouldn’t still be alive today.”

“Alright,” Anfey said, feeling awkward. “Let’s forget about this matter.”

Anfey’s eyes fell on a nearby wooden post, where the bodies of Ahab and the bearded mercenary were hung. The bodies were mangled, and both clearly had been in great pain before they died. This was done under the order of the princess and Isis, and Hui Wei was the executioner. Women were much more terrifying than men when they wanted revenge. The two women were still unsatisfied, but Hui Wei could not carry on, and ended the men’s lives and their suffering.

Looking at the bodies, Anfey suddenly remembered something. He turned to Suzanna and said, “Suzanna, there’s nothing wrong with your combat power, is there?”

“No, why?”

“I thought it felt strange when you were fighting. You felt murderous. That’s not a good thing.”

Suzanna hesitated, then said softly, “My combat power isn’t like normal combat powers. It’s difficult to explain. You wouldn’t understand.”

“How do you know? You didn’t tell me anything about it.”

Suzanna shook her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted someone. She turned to take a good look and called out, “Anfey, look. What is she doing?”

Anfey turned and found a shadow crouching next to a tent.

Isis held a dagger between her wrists and was kneeling on the ground. She tried to stab herself in the neck with the dagger. It was difficult, and she missed two times, but she continued stubbornly. Under the moonlight, it was easy to see the blood dripping down from her neck. She gasped in pain, but continued on with her movements. She was very determined.

Suzanna was going to run over to stop her, but she was stopped by Anfey, who shook his head slowly. Suzanna stood there, and tears began streaming out of her eyes. Just then, Isis’s cries of pain alerted those who were still awake. Christian and Blavi were among those who ran out of their tents to check on the situation. The dagger between Isis’s wrists flashed a cold, silvery light. She fell forward stiffly, and fell onto the dagger. Her body tensed, then slowly relaxed.

Everyone knew what had happened to Isis, but watching her killing herself was too much for them to handle. Someone cried out in shock, some covered their mouths with their hands. All eyes were focused on Isis.

“Why didn’t you try to help her?” Niya asked angrily.

“You can save her today, but tomorrow? Do you think you could save her every time?” Anfey asked coldly.

“Niya, don’t blame him,” Suzanna said, wiping her tears away. “You don’t know what she had been through. It would be hard for anyone to continue on living after that.”

“If she wanted to live, she could use time to ease the pain of what had happened to her. No one would purposely try to remind her of her past. Even if she did not want to stay with us, she could find a place where no one knew her and her past and live there. If she had lost all will to live, why force her to continue on with us?” Niya turned her head away. Even though she hadn’t known Isis for long, she knew Isis had gone through hell. Her untimely and unfortunate end had touched everyone present.

Making a decision like this had a lot to do with Anfey’s personality. If Isis had wanted to live, he wouldn’t treat her any differently. If Isis had wanted to die, he wouldn’t try to stop her, either. If there was someone who had grown up without any darkness or hardship present, they might try to talk to Isis and stop her from killing herself. However, Anfey could not. He was under a lot of stress, and he did not have the time or the energy to deal with someone he barely knew. He could only watch and let Isis make her own choice.

Anfey walked over slowly. Isis was still breathing softly. He could tell from her eyes that she had conflicting emotions. However, he knew there was no hesitance or regret.

Anfey peeked into the tent. The princess was still asleep. She had spent days in a cage, and that night she had witnessed a battle. In the end, she had punished the prisoners to avenge herself and her friend. She must be physically and mentally exhausted. She didn’t know her friend had already ended her life. For her, it may be a good thing. Witnessing something like that would break her.

“Christian, bury her,” Anfey ordered.

“Poor woman,” Christian said, shaking his head and sighing.

“Poor?” Anfey asked. “Remember the girls in Lagan City?”

“Yes.”

“Remember. This is a world of survival of the fittest. Don’t show your weakness, or else one day this may be your end.”

Everyone was quiet, trying to understand Anfey’s words. After everything that had happened, everyone had their own understanding of power and survival. This tragedy was additional proof that they must remain powerful.

They had remained alive up until that point because of Anfey and Suzanna. What if they found themselves alone one day? With the woman still lying on the ground, dying, everyone felt an acute desire for power.

“What happened in Lagan City?” Suzanna asked.

“Let Niya tell you.”

“You are free now.” The words he said before did not matter, the last sentence was the most important. It needed to be said by Anfey.

The female slaves stood shocked for a second before they cheered. Some of them cried out of happiness, some hugged and jumped up and down. The youngest girls did not understand what “freedom” meant, but seeing their sisters and aunties so happy made them happy as well.

Anfey jumped off the wagon and walked to the four elves. Those elves looked excited. They looked at Anfey.

“Christian, take the antimagic bracelets off them,” Anfey said calmly.

From Anfey’s point of view, elves were proud and stubborn. They were not easy to get along with. However, they were better than most human beings. There were many people who did bad things to the people who used to offer them help, but very few elves did those terrible things. Taking a deeper look into it, maybe this was the reason the culture of elves was getting weaker. They were too pure for this magic world, while the world was too much for them.

Elves either had to adapt to this world or be destroyed, which was a difficult choice the world had given them. Unluckily, elves had proudly chosen the latter rather than being influenced in a bad way by the world. Their decision could not simply be judged by right or wrong.

“Thank you.” The elves bowed to Anfey.

“You are welcome.” Anfey simply waved. He turned around and walked away.

Those elves stood still, shocked. Most human beings were interested in the world of elves or elves themselves. Anfey could have taken the opportunity to talk to them. Anfey walked away, which made the elves wonder. Anfey’s idea about the elves was simple. These elves who ended up as slaves probably had unimportant roles in the world of elves. In other words, their power levels were average at most. Anfey was not interested in knowing them. After they reached White Mountain City, he would send these elves to Tiger of Tawau mercenary group in the name of Alibaba mercenary group. By doing so, Anfey could gain the friendship of both Hotchbini and the elves. Besides helping Anfey winning over friendship, they were not useful.

Anfey had been dealing with many chores the whole day. Ahab’s merchant caravan was just a low-level one, but there were all kinds of items in it. It already took a day to write down everything in the inventory. Anfey decided to camp where they were and take a day’s break.

When everybody was busy doing things, Anfey held little Shally’s hand secretively and walked with her out of the station. They submerged themselves in the grass and disappeared. Suzanna saw them from a distance. She just smiled, shaking her head. She did not think it was a big deal. If it had happened in modern times, seeing so much news about perverts, she would surely have followed them. Anfey’s furtive moves were suspicious, but Suzanna did not worry about it at all.

Anfey looked around and listened to their surroundings to see if anyone was around them before asking Shally in low voice, “Shally, would you listen to me?”

“Yes.” Shally nodded seriously. “My sister told me to listen to you.”

“Would you listen to anything I tell you?” Anfey asked.

Shally thought about it and nodded, “Yes.” Shally was even purer than any elf. She did not have any idea that Anfey could do anything bad to her. Anfey’s furtive look did not make him look like a good person.

“Good.” Anfey smiled. He looked up and listened to the surroundings again. He thought for a while and finally made a decision. “Shally, are you ready?”

“Ready for what?” Shally asked in surprise.

Anfey whispered to Shally to her ear.

“Huh? I don’t want to do it,” Shally said.

“Yes, you will do it,” Anfey said.

“No, Anfey,” Shally said.

“You will do it. Are you listening to me?” What Anfey said was a typical conversation between a predator and victim. No one could imagine this kind of conversation could happen here.

“I am afraid…” Shally said.

“What are you afraid of? Just try it, just once,” Anfey said.

Luckily, Suzanna did not follow them. If she had heard the conversation, she probably would not have been able to keep from jumping out to ask Anfey what he was doing to Shally.

“Anfey,” Shally pouted.

“Did you just say you would listen to me and do anything I ask you to do?” Anfey asked.

“But,” Shally said.

“Why are you talking so much? Just listen to me.” Anfey was upset.

“If I hurt you, my sister would blame me,” Shally said.

“Are you kidding me? Do you really think you can hurt me?” Anfey had to dare Shally.

Little kids were easy to comfort. Shally frowned and looked like a little soldier. “Ok. If I hurt you, you are not allowed to tell on me to my sister.”

“Of course, I would not tell on you. I, Anfey, am not that kind of person,” Anfey said.

“You promise?” Shally was still not so sure about it.

“Come one, come on, hurry up.” Anfey felt helpless. If he had not wanted be a joke for others, he would not have found Shally to do it with him. This little girl talked too much.

“Are you ready? I am firing now,” Shally said seriously.

“Yes, yes,” Anfey said.

“My greatest Fire God…” Little Shally started to chant with sincerity.

Anfey secretly wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. It was just a little fire ball. She did not have to ask for Fire God, did she? Luckily, he knew, if others saw Shally looking so sincere, they probably would think she was releasing magic.

After she finished her chanting, a little fire ball appeared in Shally’s hand. She shot at Anfey.

Anfey focused and tried to communicate with the fire elements that he could sense. This was a new idea he had yesterday. If the fire elements he called out would not hurt him, then maybe he could try to communicate with others’ fire elements. Of course, he was not so sure it would work. Otherwise he would not have asked Shally to shoot the fire ball.

As Anfey felt he was communicating with the fire elements with his telephathy, the little fire ball hit Anfey’s face. With a puffing sound, the little fire ball turned into countless sparks and disappeared. Anfey felt warm on his face without any burning pain. He had done it. Immediately, Anfey realized a serious problem. This little girl aimed at his face. What would happen if he had not made it?

“You; Shally.” Anfey could only heave a long sigh. He could not do anything to little Shally.

Shally was startled for a while before she ran to Anfey. She tugged on his shirt to asked Anfey to lower himself. She touched his face with her little cold hands. “Anfey, your face got a thick layer of skin.” It was Anfey’s turn to feel shocked. From Shally’s point of view, without a magic shield and combat power, the only way Anfey could counter the fire ball was because he got thicker skin even than magic armor.

Anfey was speechless about the way Shally thought. Shally’s comments did not sound so nice.

“Anfey, can we play again?” Shally screamed in excitement.

“We should go back now. Maybe we can play next time.” Anfey was just trying to test whether his idea would work. He had completed the task, so he wanted to go back and give it a little bit more thought.

“I want to play again.” Shally twisted her body to whine to Anfey.

“Next time,” Anfey said.

“I want to play again,” Shally whined a second time.

Their conversation right then, as before, could easily make people think something else was going on. However, Anfey and Shally did not feel there was anything wrong with their conversation. Shally had no idea, and the other did not realize.

“Ok, Ok.” Anfey nodded. He showed a serious face and said, “Not on the face, ok?”

“Yes, I know,” Shally said.

“Ok, shoot.” Anfey started to focus with his telephathy. It would be good for Anfey to test his new idea a couple of times more. He tried to control the fire balls Shally fired at him as quickly as possible. If he could get control of the fire balls at the moment Shally shot them out, then he could easily beat any mages at the same level when his magic skills reached a certain level.

“Great Fire God.” Shally looked even more sincere. She wished she could improve the power of her little fire balls with more sincere chanting.

One, two, three…Anfey continued to have few feelings. They did not leave the forest for a long time. When they walked to the station, Shally was so exhausted that she could not even walk. Her magic ability was low to begin with, and she had been trying hard to hit Anfey. She not only emptied her magic, but also physically exhausted herself.

Anfey walked into the station with Shally in his arms. Shally had sweat all over her face. Her face was a little pale, with her eyes half closed. If any dark person saw this scene, Anfey would have a hard time explaining what happened between Anfey and Shally.

Suzanna and Vonmerge were talking when Anfey walked in. They hurried over. “Anfey, where did you go?”

“What happened to Shally? Anfey, what did you do?” Vonmerge asked in surprise.

“I did not do anything. We were practicing magic,” Anfey answered calmly. Anfey had not done anything wrong, so he was not afraid of being questioned.

“But…” Vonmerge looked at Shally in surprise and thought to himself, “Look at poor Shally. How could Anfey say they did not do anything?”

“Sis, it was fun.” Shally opened her eyes and barely had strength to smile.

“What did you play?” Suzanna asked in curiosity.

Anfey suddenly coughed. He did not want anyone to know his combat power.

Shally realized as well. “This is a secret between me and Anfey. I am not telling anyone,” Shally answered proudly. She was proud to be able to share a secret with Anfey.

Two days later, Anfey and the group arrived at White Mountain City. Geographically, White Mountain City was as important as Blackwater City. However, the latter was much older, and much larger. Both cities, however, had tattered city walls. It seemed like none of the mercenary groups cared much about fixing the walls.

In order to get a better view of the city, Anfey decided to ride on a horse instead of staying inside the carriage.

The atmosphere around the city was tense. There were around thirty officers inspecting passing carriages and people. Tiger of Tawau mercenary group ruled Blackwater City, and that was where the group’s base was located. It was easy for them to control Blackwater City, but White Mountain City was another matter. Anfey knew that the inspectors would be a great advantage to whoever controlled them. He observed them carefully, trying to find something useful.

A black carriage came out of the gate. Suddenly Anfey felt someone’s gaze on him. He was very sensitive to people gazing at him. Even if someone was observing him in secret, he could still tell. Anfey looked around to find the source, but then the pressure suddenly disappeared, and he could only see the slight swaying of a carriage’s curtains. Anfey narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze towards the front. When the carriage was a few feet away from him, his horse suddenly whined loudly and dashed towards the carriage.

The driver reacted quickly. He called out loudly and pulled on his horses. Anfey’s horse ran into the carriage’s horses, causing a commotion among them. When his horse fell to the ground, he was already standing on the road, unharmed.

It took the driver a while to calm his horses down. He turned and yelled, “Do you even know how to ride? Did you want to die?”

“Do you know how to drive? Do you want to kill me?” Anfey called back. He took a step forward and grabbed the carriage driver’s shirt. It seemed like he was ready for a fight.

A blood vessel was pulsing violent on the driver’s neck. He had never met anyone as unreasonable as the man in front of him. If it wasn’t for Anfey’s horse, none of this would have happened. The driver raised his whip and was going to strike him.

The inspectors glanced their way but did not intervene. They were mercenaries, and conflicts like that were nothing new to them. They all had tempers. If they tried to resolve every conflict, there would be no time for anything else. As long as no one was hurt, they wouldn’t do anything about it.

“I apologize,” a soft voice said. A pale, plump hand pulled the curtains open. A young woman in her mid-twenties stepped out of the carriage. “Sir, it is our fault.”

The driver’s hand fell to his side. He stared at the woman in shock. It seemed like he could not understand why his master was apologizing.

Anfey snorted and pushed the driver. The driver was staring, and almost fell over the other side of the carriage. He stared at Anfey angrily and was about to lunge at him.

The woman coughed softly.

The driver’s body froze, and he sat back into his seat. He was still staring at Anfey, enraged.

“Are you hurt?” the woman asked softly.

“No, but I am spooked!” Anfey said. “Didn’t you see? I almost fell into the horses!”

“That is not the way a gentleman talks to a lady, sir.”

Anfey hesitated. The woman was dressed lavishly. Her face was covered with makeup, but her eyes and lips were not made up. Her black dress showed half of her chest and a slight cleavage. Dresses like this left things to the imagination. If she showed more skin, she could be called immoral, and if she covered up more skin she could be called a prude.

Anfey’s eyes landed on her chest and darted away. “So-sorry,” he said, blushing. “I was too loud.”

“It is alright,” the woman said. She fished out two silver coins and handed them to him. “Sir, why don’t you take this money and go buy a drink or two?”

“No, no,” he said, “that’s won’t be necessary.”

“Do please take it,” the woman said. She took his hand and placed the coins on his palm. Her fingers purposely brushed against his palm.

Anfey blushed and took the coins.

Vonmerge was worried that something was wrong and ran over, calling Anfey’s name. The horse hobbled after Vonmerge.

“Sorry for the distraction, ma’am,” Anfey said.

“Don’t worry about it,” the woman said. “I hope we meet again.”

“Of course, of course,” Anfey nodded.

Anfey smiled as he watched the carriage drive away. He walked to the carriage in which Black Eleven was riding. “What happened?” Black Eleven asked.

“Did you see that carriage?”

“Yes.”

“You should have people in White Mountain City. Look for that carriage’s owner.”

“Alright,” Black Eleven said, nodding. “What happened?”

“Someone was watching me,” Anfey said. “For people here, I am just a normal stranger. Plus, I’m not as handsome as Christian. There was no reason for anyone to be staring.”

“Just that?” Black Eleven asked. “Are you a little too sensitive? You may not be as handsome as Christian, but you aren’t bad looking, either.”

“I didn’t know you know how to make a joke,” Anfey said softly. “I caused a commotion on purpose just then. I was hoping whoever was in the carriage would come out and see what had happened.”

“Didn’t you?”

“No. There was someone else in there,” Anfey said. “Don’t you think it’s weird? I caused everything on purpose, but they were trying to resolve the matter without a huge conflict. She gave me two silver coins. If someone provoked me like that, I would beat them up for sure. I have nothing to hide. I am not afraid of anyone.”

“When you put it like that, it does seems weird,” Black Eleven admitted.

“There’s a saying where I come from: When you treat someone nicely when you don’t have to, you must have something you want. When you’re trying to stay low when you should not, you have a reason to do so,” Anfey shrugged and told Black Eleven. “Your men had nothing better to do anyway. If it was because I was too suspicious, so be it. Better safe than sorry, eh?”

“I’m afraid even the lord general isn’t as paranoid as you,” Black Eleven said, shaking his head.

In the carriage driving the other way, another conversation was taking place.

“Eddie, you’re so careful lately. Did a village boy like that scare you?”

“Village boy?” the blond youth said coldly. “If you had forgotten, that was Anfey.”

“So?”

“Don’t forget. He was the one who killed Black Ghost. Don’t underestimate him,” Eddie said, frowning. “I think we might have made a mistake.”

“What is it?” the woman asked.

Eddie frowned and thought about the encounter. “Our attitude,” Eddie said, sighing. “A long time ago, I met him once. At Tumen Commercial Union. He was with Saul and Ernest then. There was no way he would have recognized me. I should have confronted him.”

“You told me to keep him away.”

“I know. It was my fault. I never thought he would be in White Mountain City. I subconsciously wanted to avoid conflict with him and raise alarms. I’ve made a mistake.” Eddie shook his head and smiled bitterly.

“You’re saying he was provoking us?” The woman asked, smiling. “Eddie, you’re thinking too much. He’s not an easily embarrassed boy.”

“You’re thinking too little,” Eddie said. “Don’t forget, he had Niya with him, and Niya was famous for her beauty.”

“Eddie, what are you trying to say?” The smile on the woman’s face disappeared. She looked at Eddie coldly. Eddie’s words were too blunt. Niya was famously beautiful, meaning that if Anfey were interested in women, he would choose Niya and not the woman.

“Sorry, sorry,” Eddie said. He smiled bitterly. “I’m disturbed. If my words offend you, I apologize.”

“Eddie, even if my lord had ordered me to work with you, you have to remember your place.” The apology clearly did not satisfy the woman. Women hate being compared to other women, and Eddie’s words clearly injured the woman’s pride. She stared at Eddie coldly.

“Excuse me, who are you looking for?” A few mercenaries dressed as swordsmen stopped Anfey. Two mages nervously stared at Anfey behind the mercenaries. The air seemed tensed.

“I am here for Hotchbini. Could you let her know I am here?” Anfey asked, smiling.

“I am sorry. Ms. Hotchbini, is not in White Mountain City right now. Can you come by some other time?” a swordsman answered politely.

“Sorry.” Anfey hesitated for a second. “Can you take a message for me? I am the commander of Alibaba mercenary group. Something happened on my way to White Mountain City, and I saved a group of female slaves. I personally have so much sympathy towards them. I hope I can find them a safe place.”

Those swordsmen looked at each other and felt Anfey was ridiculous. If this had happened in previous times, they would immediately have accepted this group of female slaves and sold them for money after Anfey left. They would make a profit by doing so. However, this was not a good time, since Glory mercenary group had suffered a big loss. Anthony still had not shown up. After receiving the order to withdraw, Tiger of Tawau mercenaries had been worried all day long. They did not dare to sleep, not to mention accepting female slaves.

“I am sorry. We cannot help you,” a swordsman said slowly.

“I have found a place for the female slaves. Only there are a few elves, and I do not know where I can send them to. I heard Ms. Hotchbini had saved a lot of elves. I am bringing them here in hopes that Ms. Hotchbini could take care of them.” Anfey waved.

Christian lifted up the wagon curtain, and a few elves ducked out of the wagon. Looking at the sign for Tiger of Tawau mercenary group, they looked excited. Ms. Hotchbini had claimed that Tiger of Tawau mercenary group would be a home for homeless elves. Once elves stepped through the gate of the Tiger of Tawau mercenary group, they would receive the protection of Tiger of Tawau. Anyone hurting elves would be seen as picking a fight with Tiger of Tawau mercenary group.

The swordsmen were shocked for a second, bowed to Anfey, and said, “Thank you so much.”

“You are welcome. It’s our honor.” Without knowing when it had happened, Anfey had become a hero. He even talked like a hero.

“Please take this.” A intermediate swordsman passed something to Anfey. “No matter when you need help, you can take it to Tiger of Tawau mercenary group. We would never turn you down after this.”

“This is…” Anfey took that item. It was a small badge. It was green in the front with a flying elf with wings open. In the back it was white silver with the name of Tiger of Tawau mercenary group.

“Sir, right now is not a good time, so we are not going to invite you to come in, in case anything happens to you,” the intermediate swordsman said, smiling. “It is our honor to have you visit us at this sensitive time. You know, we have not had guests for a while.”

“I am from Blackwater City. I know what has happened,” Anfey said. “I am just sending these poor elves home. I think Master Anthony would not blame me for sending just a few elves home.”

The intermediate swordsman saw Anfey was neither arrogant nor too humble about himself. He was sentimental. He smiled and said, “Is your mercenary group called Alibaba mercenary group? Under your leadership, I believe you will make a good name for the Alibaba mercenary group in the not-too-distant future.”

“Thank you for your compliments. I am not going to forget you. Goodbye.” Anfey smiled.

“Bye.” The intermediate swordsman gave Anfey a long look before he waved at the mercenaries to close the gate.

Before Anfey got back to his own wagon, the door of Tiger of Tawau of mercenary group had already closed. Compared with other places, White Mountain City looked like a ghost town. The stores on the streets were closed. There were no pedestrians on the street either. Obviously, they were afraid they would get dragged into bad situations.

“No wonder you are a student of Master Saul. You have money. If it were me, I would sell those elves.” Black Eleven gave a fake smile.

“They would not sell for much.” Anfey looked at the little badge in his hand with a smile. “We broke the ice in the relationship with Tiger of Tawau mercenary group. If anything happens later, we can look to them for help.”

Black Eleven was so speechless that he could only heave a sigh. Glory and Tiger of Tawau mercenary groups had become enemies, with Anfey planning everything behind the scenes. Now he tried to get connected with Tiger of Tawau mercenary group. It just felt weird. Black Eleven’s memory was not bad. He still remembered that Anfey had planned to use the secret of Yolanthe’s fake death to get connected with Anthony after the war started and the secrets about the war had lost their value. He was setting them up one moment and wanting to be friends with them the next. Black Eleven saw the grey shadow on Anfey. They were so much alike.

“Do you have any safe places?” Anfey asked with a smile.

“Yes, we can go to my hotel,” Black Eleven said.

“A hotel again? Can we find somewhere else?” Anfey asked.

“Is there any other place would not send out an alarm when a group of people came in? The hotel is the only safe place. It fits your identity the best,” Black Eleven said.

“Don’t tell me all of your hotels are the same,” Anfey said.

“They are similar. Not only are my hotels all similar, all the mid-level hotels in Blackwater City and White Mountain City are all similar,” Black Eleven said.

“Boring.” Anfey shook his head. Anfey had been nervous since he had stirred things up in Blackwater City. After being so stressed, he needed to relax a little bit. Alternating his status of being stressed and relaxed was a way to keep him going.

“It is a boring world anyway. If you are a travelling poet looking for inspiration, I could find you a nice place, but you are just a mercenary,” Black Eleven said.

“Never mind, never mind. I can stay anywhere,” Anfey said bitterly.

Maybe Black Eleven was against Anfey on purpose, because the Tuna Hotel they stayed in was even smaller than the one in Blackwater City. Tuna Hotel was a two-story building. Anfey and his mercenary group took the whole upper floor, while seven or eight female slaves stayed in one room downstairs. The female slaves did not complain about their room being too small. They were happy enough, since they were no longer treated as sex slaves. In addition, Anfey had promised them they could go back to their hometowns. They had no position to complain. The hotel was small but those women were happy to clean up their room. They not only cleaned the first floor, but did an even better job cleaning the upper floor. The outside of the hotel still looked like before, but inside was super tidy and clean.

Anfey had asked Christian to take the captives to report to the mercenary union about being attacked. Christian also needed to handle some paperwork. Anfey just spread himself on the bed, enjoying his free time. Two girls kneeled on the floor to clean it. They looked up to peek at Anfey once in awhile and then looked down with a shy smile. They would not understand Anfey with the knowledge they had. They only knew Anfey saved them and killed all the bad guys in justice. Anfey had been very nice to them for the past few days. He never asked them to do anything. They did cleaning on their own.

In their view, Anfey was a hero. He possessed the qualities of humility, honesty, sympathy, bravery, justice, honor and many other positive traits. Anfey never used his authority to order them to do anything. It showed he was humble. Anfey did not bully them or sell them for money. He gave them freedom. It was honesty and sympathy. They heard that Anfey was a paladin. When his legion was attacked by the gang, he was on the frontier. It was heroic and self-sacrificing. Anfey was not greedy about elves’ beauty and sent them back to Tiger of Tawau mercenary group. They could prove Anfey was a man with many good qualities with the many helpful and courageous things Anfey did. In general, those girls thought Anfey was a perfect guy. More important, he was still single.

It was fortunate those female slaves did not connect with Suzanna and Niya well, otherwise Niya and Suzanna would faint if they told Suzanna and Niya what they thought about Anfey.

This nice atmosphere in Anfey’s room was ruined the moment Black Eleven stepped in. He called out, “Anfey.”

Anfey spang up from the bed. Seeing Black Eleven’s serious face, Anfey realized something had happened. He stood up and walked out of his room. When he passed the two girls on the way, Anfey said in low voice, “Everyone must be tired after walking the whole day. You girls can go to rest. You can continue your cleaning tomorrow.”

“Yes, master.” The two girls answer quietly, but they scrubbed the floor even harder. They looked like they were in competition to see who could make the floor cleaner. They felt happy inside after they heard what Anfey said to them.

This Tuna Hotel had a large backyard. Through the backyard was an access to a blacksmith shop. The blacksmiths were engaged in their work. No one even looked up to notice Anfey and Black Eleven. When they walked out of the store, there was a street and a fabric store on the other side of the street. Black Eleven walked in front of Anfey into the fabric store.

“Are they all your people?” Anfey asked in surprise.

“Yes, doing things like this would make it so much easier,” Black Eleven said.

The clothes shop had a moderately-sized backyard. After they crossed through the door, Black Eleven stopped and turned to the stable to the right. A burly man was already waiting there. Three horses were in the stable. under the railing was a black hole.

“Sir, you’re here.” Two men in black were already standing in the basement.

“Is it inside?” Black Eleven asked.

“Yes, sir.”

Anfey walked over, and the two men bowed in unison. “My lord,” they said.

“When did I become your lord?” Anfey asked, amused.

“Anfey, now is not the time for jokes,” Black Eleven said. He walked into the basement. It was a poorly furnished room with only a bed and a table. Two candles were on the table, lighting the room dimly. There was a man on the bed. He was breathing heavily.

Black Eleven lifted the cover sheet. The wound was not dressed, and his body was covered with blood. Some blood was dry and crusted, some was fresh. The worst wound was on his abdomen. His stomach was slashed through, and through the wound his organs were visible.

Anfey frowned. Injuries like this may be treatable in a modern hospital, but in a place like this, the man was as good as dead.

“Is the news accurate?” Black Eleven asked softly.

“Yes, sir.”

“Did you report to the lord general?”

“Yes.”

Black Eleven sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. Anfey stood there quietly, lost for words. In a situation like this, he should ask what had happened, and have Black Eleven recount the event for him. Then he needed to emphasize how urgent the situation was and how they needed more men. Then he would volunteer to sacrifice himself for the empire. The actual events may differ, but the bulk of the story would remain the same.

The problem was Anfey was not stupid, nor was he someone who treated Maho Empire as his home. He wanted to assassinate the princess because he wanted to remind his companions that they could help their nation without returning home.

In this strange world, Anfey placed his own safety above all else. He didn’t mind taking risks, but he needed a good reason to do so. He had caused the chaos in Blackwater City, and it seemed like he was working for Maho Empire. However, he had his own ideas and plans. Of course, he was going to fight for Maho Empire anyways. He couldn’t risk angering Saul.

When he first met Saul, he was only a normal kid to Saul. The care and friendship Saul offered him was unconditional. He could forsake benefits offered to him by the empire, but he could not forget the kindness Saul offered him.

Anfey made a clear standard for himself. He would work for Maho Empire, but would do nothing that could potentially endanger himself. Black Eleven must have a reason for bringing him here. He would help, but he couldn’t let himself agree to anything too dangerous.

“I didn’t realize how much Shansa Empire had put into this war,” Black Eleven said.

Anfey stood there calmly, staring.

“Yes, sir. Blackania City is under siege.”

“What should we do? Watch Blackania fall?” Black Eleven asked, shaking his head.

“We must do something, sir!” one of the men said.

Anfey wanted to sigh, but doing so would put himself in an awkward situation. He remained quiet and stood there without moving a finger.

“Anfey, I am in a very difficult situation right now. Do you have any ideas?” Seeing that he was completely silent, Black Eleven wanted Anfey’s input on the matter.

“Yes, Blackania City is very dangerous right now,” Anfey said, nodding. In fact, he didn’t know where Blackania was. He was merely repeating what he had just heard.

“You know?”

“You just told me,” Anfey admitted.

Blackania City was one of the ten great cities of the world, and one of the most important cities for Maho Empire. Shansa did not try to attack the city with its armies this time. Instead, they made an alliance with Tiger of Tawau mercenary group. The mercenaries crossed the Transverse Mountains and entered the empire from where the defense was the weakest. They were able cut off Blackania City from the rest of the empire.

Even though Shansa Empire seemed to have the advantage right now, as long as Blackania City held out against the siege, they could not advance further into the empire. This was a long siege, and the army needed supplies. The mercenary group’s support could not deliver supplies for a prolonged period of time, and Shansa Empire would not allow something like that to happen. They could ally themselves with mercenaries, and so could Maho Empire. If someone cut off the supply line for the Tiger of Tawau mercenaries, and Blackania City could hold against the siege, Shansa Empire would not win the war.

Whether they wanted to advance further or hold on to their current interests, Shansa Empire would need to focus all of its military power on Blackania City. It was their only option.

Black Eleven shook his head. “Shansa Empire sent out their Griffin Aerial Unit.”

“Griffin?” Anfey asked. By asking a question, he switched his role with Black Eleven.

“Yes,” Black Eleven said.

“What should we do then?”

“We…” Black Eleven stopped mid-sentence and sighed.

Anfey sighed with him. He had no idea what griffins were, and was surprised. He only sighed because he had to play along with Black Eleven.

“Let’s talk about it more when we get back,” Black Eleven said slowly. He had watched the events in Blackwater City unfold, and was impressed by how carefully and quickly Anfey had worked. After learning what had happened, Anfey was the first person he wanted to consult. However, Anfey’s attitude made him anxious. He wanted to change the target and have someone else pressure Anfey. Convincing Niya was much easier than convincing Anfey, but would achieve the same goal. If Niya decided to do something, Anfey would not stand by without intervening.

After a few minutes, Anfey appeared in Tuna Hotel. There was a lot of activity in the hotel lobby. It was still early, and there were a lot of women and girls gathered there, chatting. Some were smiling, some were laughing, some were even singing. When Anfey walked into the hotel, the women fell silent and all bowed to Anfey.

Anfey smiled and nodded. He walked upstairs to his room and was shocked by what he saw. The two girls that had been cleaning it were already finished. They were sitting on his bed with their skirts lifted up, showing their pale legs. They were touching each other’s legs and mumbling something.

When they saw him, the girls blushed and jumped off of his bed. “You’re back, my lord,” they said timidly.

“The floor is very clean, I am impressed,” Anfey said.

“Thank you,” the girls said. Their faces were even redder now.

“I’m a bit tired now. You should rest as well,” Anfey told them and yawned.

The girls seemed disappointed, then began walking out slowly.

“Oh, by the way. See if Christian is back yet. And tell Suzanna to come here.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re looking for me?” Suzanna was passing by and heard Anfey. She walked into the room and said, “I’ve been looking for you as well.”

“Ah, Suzanna. You get more beautiful every time I see you,” Anfey said, holding up his arms. He placed an emphasis on the word beautiful.

Suzanna frowned, but she didn’t say anything to contradict him, and let him hug her. She saw the two cleaning girls and lifted a brow. She turned and rolled her eyes at Anfey.

Seeing that the two girls had closed the door behind them, Anfey released Suzanna and coughed, “What is it?”

“The girl you saved. There’s something wrong with her.”

“Something wrong?”

“Something wrong with her head,” Suzanna sighed and shook her head. “She wouldn’t talk or answer any questions. She wouldn’t tell us where she was from either. I’ve never heard her talk. She just sits there and stares at the wall. She won’t eat anything. I’m afraid she’ll starve to death.”

“Did she have any other strange behaviors?”

“Strange behaviors? Like what?”

“Is she observing her surroundings? Like she was going to escape?”

“You’re afraid that she’ll run?” Suzanna asked, smiling. “I thought you were a good man after you let all the slaves go. Didn’t know you were just saving the best.”

“Nonsense,” Anfey said, smiling.

“I’m not kidding, though. Feller told me he saw the girl putting her clothes on while getting out of your carriage the day of the battle. Tell me, what did you do?”

“We did not do anything.” Anfey shook his head and gave Suzanna a weird look. “You seem to really care about what we did.”

“Don’t change the subject. Did you really do nothing?” Suzanna could not look into Anfey’s eyes, but she still could keep a serious tone.

“At that time, Ahab’s people were ready to attack us. I did not have time to think about anything else. You know what, even if I had done something with her, I would not have to deny it.” Anfey gave her a spicy smile. “Why are you in interested in me and her? Suzanna, are you…? Hahaha.”

“You wish.” Suzanna rolled her eyes at Anfey. “It was not just me. Everyone is interested in you and her. We have talked about it behind your back many times.” Suzanna seemed to answer with a sense of justice, but for some reason, she suddenly felt relaxed.

“Don’t you guys have anything better to do?” Anfey felt helpless, since he thought he really had done nothing inappropriate with the girls. Back in his world, he had sex with women, but never had any serious relationships. In this magic world, he never had sex with any woman. He thought to himself, “How could people gossip about me when I am already so strict with myself? Is it because gold will shine no matter where it is.”

Suzanna suddenly had a smile on her face. “Oh, right, what are you looking for me for?”

“What do you know about griffins?” Anfey asked.

“Griffins? Why are you suddenly asking about griffins?” Suzanna asked.

“Black Eleven will ask me a difficult question soon. I have to get more information about what kind of magic beasts the griffins are, so I can decide whether I can help him,” Anfey answered.

Suzanna thought for a while and said, “Griffins are vicious intermediate magic beasts. They live in groups. They can fly freely in the sky for a long time. They rarely fight among their own species. The male griffins are very protective of female griffins, and not just if they are a couple. Strong loyalty and pride have made griffins better companions than war horses and other flying mounts. Griffins are born for battle. They are very brave.”

“Flying a long time in the sky? I think I know what kind of army it is.” Anfey nodded. “Continue.”

“Compared with war horses, griffins are not easily startled by wild rabbits, birds and shadows. They would not hunt rabbit, wild deer or other horses when they are hungry. They would not eat their riders out of anger, even when their riders beat them. Griffins are brave but vicious. They are loyal but stubborn.” Suzanna slowly said, “You can ignore a griffin, but the fighting ability of a group of griffins is tremendous. Even a senior magic beast would have to flee in front of a group of griffins.”

“Do you know about the Griffin Aerial Unit in Shansa Empire? How is their fighting ability?” Anfey asked.

“You do not even know about Griffin Aerial Unit?” Suzanna looked at Anfey in surprise. “It was a well-known military on Pan Continent. The comprehensive fighting power of Griffin Aerial Unit was just below the Dark Moon Magic Legion in Ellisen Empire. However, they have incomparable advantages over Dark Moon Magic Legion. They are very flexible. Griffin Aerial Unit was composed of about a thousand griffins and four hundred Silver Knights. It would only take a day for them to show up and attack their opponents in surprise from a thousand miles away. Even if the powerful Dark Moon Legion were attacked in surprise by Griffin Aerial Unit, they could end up with many casualties.”

“What do you think if we attack Griffin Aerial Unit?” Anfey asked.

“Are you crazy? We would be so dead,” Suzanna yelled. “Do you know how people describe Griffin Aerial Unit? A never-annihilated military. They could escape dangerous areas at any time. Even top powerful people do not want to have conflicts with Griffin Aerial Unit. Five griffin riders with the cooperation of griffins could easily kill us.”

Anfey was frustrated. He thought Black Eleven was ridiculous to ask him to fight with Griffin Aerial Unit. Suzanna usually did not make comments or judgement. Her comments on any matter were usually fair. If Anfey and Suzanna together would be no match for five griffin riders, there was no way Anfey’s legion could fight the whole unit. They would be asking to be killed.

“Anfey, don’t gamble everyone’s life on it,” Suzanna said seriously.

“I know,” Anfey nodded.

After Suzanna left, Anfey sat on the bed and thought for a quite while. He got up from the bed and walked out of the room to the hallway. Blavi was on watch. Anfey called him over and asked him a few questions. After talking to Blavi, Anfey walked to a room. He hesitated for a while before he pushed the door open and walked in.

The princess of Shansa Empire was sitting on the bed with her feet against the bed footboard. Her knees were bent and her arms crossed and tucked under her legs. She put her upper body against her thighs. She rested her head on her knees while her eyes were fixed on the ceiling. It seemed as if there was something interesting on the ceiling. She looked somber sometimes and confused other times.

She had not cried after learning that Isis had committed suicide. She became unusually quiet. No matter whether they were in transit or in the station, or even after they arrived at White Mountain City, her facial expression was dull and rarely changed.

Anfey coughed quietly and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He smiled and said, “I still do not know your name. Can you tell me your name?”

The princess of Shansa Empire slowed turned her head to Anfey. She glanced at Anfey and then looked up at the ceiling again. It gave Anfey an illusion that he was far less interesting than that light red ceiling.

“Where are you from? Where do you want to go? If you want to leave, I can send my people to take you home.” Anfey sounded very gentle. “What happened was history. Don’t worry about it. No one can hurt you anymore.”

Anfey waited for a while but still did not get any response from the princess. Anfey frowned. “No matter what is bothering you, you need to eat regularly. You have to learn to take care of yourself.”

There was still no response. Anfey smiled as he shook his head. He stood up. He could not spend too much time on this princess. He rather needed to go back to his own room to meditate. A somber and healthy princess would be helpful for his plan, but this was all he could do.

Anfey turned around and walked out. As his hand touched the doorknob, the princess said slowly, “If I say I am a princess, do you believe me?”

“Of course, why not?” Anfey smiled. He calmly turned around and stared at the princess.

The princess was shocked for a second and returned Anfey’s smile. “I’ve been thinking for the past few days.”

“If you want to, you can tell me what you’ve been thinking about. Don’t worry. I will keep your secrets.” Anfey slowly walked back.

“When I was little, I knew I wanted to help my father and my country.” There was a smile on the princess’s face, but coldness showed in her eyes. “I did help. One year, plague broke out in the eastern part of my country. It spread super fast. Many people died and many fled away from their hometowns. The later ones brought the plague to other places. To control it, my father ordered the epidemic area to be cordoned off, but the people inside the epidemic area did not want to stay in that hell. They organized to try to break through the cordon. After a few big confrontations, many soldiers were infected as well. My father coldly ordered first to have them quarantined, and later even sent those infected soldiers into the epidemic area that had been cordoned off.

Things were getting worse and worse, since the soldiers organized those rebels, which posed a tremendous threat to the country. My father found out those rebels were planning something big. He needed someone to totally represent him in the cordon-off epidemic area to comfort those rebels. None of my siblings wanted to go, and many officials went on “sick” leave. Finally, I took that challenge. That year, I lost my best friend. She was also Isis’s sister.”

Anfey could not help giving a closer look at the princess. He knew what the plague meant at that time. A girl who dared to enter the cordoned-off epidemic area deserved others’ respect. Anfey knew he would not have wanted to go into the cordoned-off epidemic area himself. “There was another time that the western part of my country had a gang. Maybe it was because the chief and mayor were too vicious and greedy and people lost faith in them. The gang expanded very fast as a result. A few chiefs united to try to convince the gang to dissolve and work for them. When the leader of the gang, named Ahmed, went to negotiate with them, the chiefs attacked Ahmed in surprise. They not only wanted to get rid off the threat posed by the gang, but also wanted to earn their meritorious military service, with the head of Ahmed chopped off. They failed and Ahmed escaped.

After their dirty tricks became known by people, more people felt bad for Ahmed. Ahmed got stronger and stronger. My father was worried that sending troops to suppress him would be very costly. He sent officials to convince Ahmed to work for him, but Ahmed did not trust any government people. He asked to directly speak with the people from the royal family.

My siblings pushed me out again. In fact, Ahmed already had become ambitious by then. He only wanted to have the conversation to buy himself time. I became the lamb jumping into his trap. Do you know I almost got raped by him. Other leaders in the gang did not like Ahmed’s tyranny. They never wanted to be the enemy of the empire. The reason they joined the gang was because that was the only way to survive. With the help of other leaders, I killed Ahmed and successfully convinced the gang to work for my father.

Oh, right. I forget to tell you what happened to those leaders. After they became government officials in the empire, my father sentenced them to death with all kinds of accusations.”

“It seems like you have been through a lot,” Anfey said. “So I’m curious. How did you end up with the likes of Ahab?”

“I thought they were a normal merchant’s caravan,” the princess said, sighing.

“In deserted places like that, a normal caravan can easily turn into bandits, as long as there is a good enough motive.”

“I know now.”

“How did you end up in the Country of Mercenaries?” Anfey asked, switching the topic.

“I thought I would at least deserve a satisfying marriage, after everything I’ve done.” A smile bloomed on the princess’s face, but her eyes were cold. “I objected, but it was to no avail. So there I was.”

“After you were captured by Ahab?”

“I couldn’t tell them who I was. Isis was afraid they would hurt me, so she told them who I was. Thank god Ahab wasn’t there, or else he would have either killed me or sent me to the Tiger of Tawau mercenaries.”

Anfey nodded. He knew how these things go. If Ahab had truly believed she was a princess, he would have given her to the Tiger of Tawau mercenaries as a gift. After Ahab had tortured and humiliated her companions, he might have killed her to avoid her rage. Then he would have covered up what he did, and the missing princess would remain a mystery forever.

“Why did you believe me?” The princess asked, staring at Anfey.

“You didn’t have a reason to lie, did you?” Anfey asked. Of course, he couldn’t tell her the real reason.

“You’re a strange one.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Normal people would react to what I just told you. They would be angry at the merchants, or pity me and Isis. You, though, you’re calm. You don’t look like a young man.”

“Maybe it’s because I can understand you,” Anfey said quietly.

“You know my secret now. What are you going to do? Can you tell me?”

“If I take you to the Tiger of Tawau mercenary group, I would make some good friends with powerful people,” Anfey said.

“Of course. No wonder you can understand. You’re like my father. You value your interests more than anything else.” The princess smiled, but the light in her eyes dimmed.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re beautiful when you curse?” Anfey said, unmoved by her words.

“The princess of Shansa Empire, trying to escape a marriage. A princess turned into a slave. It would be a great scandal once it gets out. Have you thought about the fact that you may not make any friends?”

“Really?” Anfey asked, lifting a brow.

“If my father was in charge, he would kill you, all of you. And you have to realize my father alone would dictate to the mercenaries.”

Anfey looked at the princess, and the smile fell from his face. He was concerned for this very reason, and wasn’t planning on giving the princess to the mercenaries. It wasn’t a surprise that he had realized this, but the princess did too. She had already impressed him.

“The first time I saw you, you were so calm. It is very hard to remain calm in a situation like that. I just thought you were good at enduring that kind of thing. I did not know you were this brilliant. Why didn’t you try to escape? Ahab was about as smart as rock compared to you.”

“For a defenseless woman, a woman who was treated like a toy and not a person, what would you have wanted me to do? Beg? Cry? Struggle? Curse? Submit?” The princess looked at Anfey, shaking her head. “Do you think any of those would work?”

“Makes sense. But sometimes violence is the only answer.”

“You just said I was brilliant?” The princess’s eyes suddenly lit up. “You aren’t sending me to the mercenaries? Because you know it’s likely they wouldn’t treat you well.”

“Where do you want to go?” Anfey asked. He shifted the topic, and did not confirm or deny her words.

“I want to stay here.”

“Here?”

“With your mercenary group.”

“I don’t understand. If you choose to go to the Tiger of Tawau mercenary group, at least you can enjoy a life of luxury. You don’t have to worry about your next meal or your health. What’s the point of staying with us? I’m going to be honest with you. My mercenary group is brand new. There are less than twenty people in it.”

“I’ve always lived for other people. From now on I want to live for myself. I decided that when I ran away.”

“You think you can get what you want with us?”

“I can try. You saved me. I trust you.”

“Adventurous,” Anfey said as he stood up. “It doesn’t matter what you want to do. You have to eat. Destroying your own body does nothing.”

“Can’t you answer me now?” the princess asked calmly. Anfey’s tactic of shifting the topic did not work.

“I need time to think about it,” Anfey said. “Go eat and rest.”

“Alright,” the princess replied quietly.

“By the way, I do not know your name,” Anfey turned around and said.

“Don’t worry about the old one. Give me a new name.”

“Let me think about that as well.”

“You need time to think about a name?” the princess asked and she smiled.

“Of course,” Anfey said. He stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind him. Blavi was standing at the end of the hall, grinning at him. Anfey glared at him, and Blavi reassumed his post.

Anfey sighed. He had taken quite some time speaking with the princess. Who knew what kind of rumors would circulate in the group tomorrow?

As usual, the magical surges from Anfey’s room could be felt throughout the hotel. What surprised those who felt them was that they were no longer just fire elements. There were surges for every element. Plus, an apprentice’s surges would not be this strong. Anfey’s magic had grown, but it was still somewhere between an apprentice and a junior mage. This was impossible. However, no one wanted to ask him, so everyone decided to just observe in secret.

Anfey woke up at dawn. The two girls who were already waiting outside and observing him through the crack pushed open the door and walked inside. They were commoners and did not have money or power. They weren’t beautiful either, which made them self-conscious. This was the only way they could repay his kindness.

Anfey hesitated but did not turn them away. He finished dressing and cleaning himself with their help. Christian and Suzanna walked into the room together.

“Christian, just on time. Tell me about yesterday.”

“It’s done. Our group was lauded by the Mercenaries Union.”

“Good.”

Christian nodded. He turned to the two girls and said, “Pardon me, can you leave us for a moment? We have some important things to discuss.”

“Yes, Lord Christian,” the girls said. They bowed and left the room.

“What happened?”

“Anfey, we have to crack down on our policies,” Christian said. “You know. We’re all young, and sometimes young people are hard to control. The girls were grateful that we saved them, then…”

“They hooked up?” Anfey asked. “Something like that is hard to control. As long as the girls are willing, I mean.”

“It is hard. We need the leader to set an example for everyone else,” Suzanna said quietly.

“Set an example? Suzanna, you’re acting strange. If you like me and don’t want to see me do things like that, you can just tell me. You don’t need to say something like that.” Anfey looked at Suzanna, amused.

“Shut up,” Suzanna said, blushing. “What were you doing last night?”

“You said the woman wasn’t speaking or eating, so I went and talked to her,” Anfey said, feeling as if he was telling his wife about his day in detail.

“Our leader is so charming that she has returned to normal. Congrats, Anfey, you don’t have to worry anymore.”

“Keep an eye on her, though,” Anfey reminded them.

“Why?”

“She really is the Shansa princess.”

Christian and Suzanna widened their eyes. One of them knew about the plan, and the other was actively involved in it. They both knew the details. Learning that the target was among them came as a huge surprise.

“Anfey, what are we going to do? Kill her?”

“No, there’s no need for that,” Anfey said slowly. “We can wait until after the wedding to reveal her and cause a scandal. But it seems like she wants to forget about her past. She may not cooperate.”

“When have you ever thought about other people’s feelings when you decide to do something?” Suzanna asked. “I don’t think this would be an exception.”

“Give me some time and let me think about it,” Anfey said and smiled bitterly.

“This is a patrol.” Black Eleven pointed at the highly-guarded yard. “White Mountain City has over seven hundred patrolmen in six teams. They take turns to patrol. They are not that great, but usually people do not want to cause trouble with them because they might end up on the wanted list of the mercenary union.”

“Do Band of Brother and Storm mercenary groups have any connection with the patrol?” Anfey asked casually.

“I am not sure. We have run business here for decades, but still have no access to their top secrets.” Black Eleven smiled. “Let’s hurry up. Staying here too long would look suspicious.”

A middle-aged man rushed into the patrol station, crying and screaming. A few patrolmen at the door stopped him and violently threw him back out on the street.

“God…” the man screamed at the top of his lungs, sitting on the street. “Why can’t anyone carry out justice for me? Why? Bastards, you are all bastards.”

“What happened?” Anfey asked.

“A dispute. Are you interested in it?” Black Eleven asked.

“We have nothing to do right now anyway.” Anfey shrugged.

“Anfey, if you do not have anything to do right now, why don’t you…” Black Eleven suggested.

“I do not want to repeat it again.” Anfey’s expression hardened. “Suzanna told me that both of us would not be a match for even five griffin riders. I don’t want to die for nothing.”

“Anfey, maybe we can use some tactics. With your intelligence…” Black Eleven said.

“When we have a huge difference in abilities, tactics would only make it look ridiculous. No matter how smart the chicken is, it could not kill a manticore. I think you understand it as well,” Anfey said.

Black Eleven was quiet for a while and heaved a sigh. He lifted the curtain and said something to the wagon driver. The wagon driver stopped the wagon and ran into the crowd, which was watching the guy screaming on the street.

After a while, the wagon driver came back. What happened to that guy was not complicated. His son was with a merchant caravan on the way back to the White Mountain City. He went to pee in the wild. Suddenly, a startled three-eyed magic cow ran towards him. To dodge the three-eyed magic cow, he rolled away. He accidentally rolled into a 7-foot deep crack, where he found a black box made of Magic Concealing Crystals. There were five top magic crystals in the black box.

He was super lucky to find that black box. With his salary, even if he had worked over five hundred years without paying for food and shelter, he would not be able to afford those five top magic crystals. One day, he was drunk and told people the secret about the black box.

Since then his luck had turned into misfortune. A rather popular guy in the Cloud Chamber of Commerce overheard him tell about his secrets and reported back to Arlanga, the chairman of the Cloud Chamber of Commerce. The next morning, the son of that man was taken away by the people from Cloud Chamber of Commerce. They also searched for the black box and took it as well.

That man came to the patrol station several times to appeal, but Arlanga had already come to report that he had lost five top magic crystals in a black box made of Magic Concealing Crystals. The key was that Arlanga could name all the design details about the black box, even some flaws in it, while the man and his son were not so sure about the design details, sometimes even describing them incorrectly when the patrol asked them questions about the black box. In the end, the patrol decided that the magic crystals and black box belonged to Arlanga and sent the man and his son to the jail.

After hearing this, Black Eleven sneered, “Arlanga is setting people up again.”

“Why are you saying that? Maybe that guy just pulled it off,” Anfey said.

“You do not know about Arlanga. If that man and his son had not been pushed to the corner, regular people might dare to have any dispute with Arlanga,” Black Eleven said.

“What about him?” Anfey asked.

“Arlanga has two good daughters. They each married an important person in Storm mercenary group. It’s said that Cloud Chamber of Commerce received a lot of support from Strom mercenary group.” Black Eleven showed disdain on his face. “If this had happened in a peaceful time, the patrol might take some time to look into it, but it is such a sensitive time now. The rules in the Country of Mercenaries had been changed by Mourtta. No one knows which direction things will go, but they know it is never smart to cause trouble for powerful Storm mercenary group. Therefore, the patrol made a judgement without looking into it,” Black Eleven answered.

“I feel you are a little cynical. Being cynical will not do you any good,” Anfey said casually.

Black Elven smiled bitterly. “You have no idea what he has done. I own five hotels, two fabric stores, two blacksmith shops, and some other businesses. I have been blackmailed by him several times. I really do not like him. In fact, Cloud Chamber of Commerce are doing great, plus Storm mercenary group referred a few capable people to them to take care of their management. Arlanga did not have to do much to make a decent amount of money. He could just sit at home, counting how much money he makes everyday, but he rather set others up for little things. It was hard to understand what he was thinking.”

“Money would not bite your hands no matter how much you make.” Anfey lifted up the curtain and glanced at the crying man. “Let’s change the topic. It has nothing to do with you and me.”

“What should we talk about? How about Honna?” Black Eleven took a deep breath. He did notice himself being a little overexcited about it, but it was not all his fault. He hated Arlanga so much that he would have used all his resources to take revenge on him. However, he did not want to cause any unnecessary trouble because he had so much responsibility on his shoulders.

“Honna?” Anfey asked.

“The woman you asked me to investigate.” Black Eleven smiled. “She is a social butterfly in White Mountain City, and also a bright flower in bed. Many people have been in her bed, and she also has slept in many others’ beds.”

“Have you been to bed with her?” Anfey asked.

“No.” Black Eleven could not help staring at Anfey. “What are you thinking about?”

“You sounded like you know her well. I thought maybe you have been her temporary husband,” Anfey said.

“I am not interested in her.” Black Eleven’s mouth twitched. “How about you?”

“What about me?” Anfey asked.

“You asked me to conduct a secret investigation on her. It seems that you are interested in her,” Black Eleven said.

“What if I am interested in her? Are you jealous of me?” Anfey asked.

“How did I get to know someone like you?” Black Eleven had nothing more to comment on with Anfey.

“Let’s keep walking and see how long the people behind us will follow us,” Anfey said slowly.

Black Eleven tapped lightly on the wagon as the wagon rocked a little bit. He hesitated a bit before he whispered to Anfey, “Anfey, we need have a heart-to-heart talk.”

“Go ahead. I am listening.” Anfey nodded.

“Do you still remember Black Ghost? Did you kill him?” Black Eleven asked.

Anfey was startled for a second, smiled and said, “Yes, why are you suddenly asking me about it?”

“Thank you for your honesty.” Black Eleven heaved a sigh of relief. “In fact, the king has suspected it was you for a long time.”

“Oh?” Anfey said.

“It was pretty simple in fact. Saul and Ernest did not kill him. We have sent out secret agents to investigate everyone in the Rose Home Hotel that day, including the owner and staff. None of them could pose any threat to Black Ghost. After giving it a lot of thought, we noticed we had missed one person in the hotel. It was you,” Black Eleven said.

Anfey did not respond. He just quietly listened to Black Eleven.

“Evil Mist was investigating you as we did the investigation on you. I do not know why they are so interested in you,” Black Eleven said.

“Evil Mist?” Anfey frowned.

“Evil Mist is a very mysterious and powerful organization. Black Ghost was their assassin,” Black Eleven said.

“Did the king ask you to tell me this?” Anfey asked.

“Yes, the king asked you to be careful of Evil Mist,” Black Eleven said, nodding. “The king said he would keep your secrets and would not let anyone know. However, you cannot keep doing this. The king hoped you could communicate with Master Saul to avoid any misunderstanding later on.”

“I know.” Anfey smiled. He knew what he had done in Blackwater City had gained the trust of Yolanthe, and that was why the king sent Black Eleven to tell Anfey these things.

First of all, Yolanthe had hinted to Anfey that he was not a king that Anfey should fool around with. Yolanthe had suspected him before Anfey noticed it. Second, he warned Anfey to be careful of Evil Mist because he received some information that Anfey would potentially have a confrontation at the Evil Mist station in White Mountain City. He warned Anfey to show his concern for Anfey.

Anfey had not run away on his own when things happened. Instead, he brought Saul’s family along. Yolanthe may not know everything that had happened on the way, but he must know everything that happened in Blackwater City. Anfey and Suzanna had taken on all the dangerous missions and kept everyone else in safe places. Smart people could understand Anfey’s concerns and his bonds with Saul and everyone in his legion.

Anfey knew the relationship with Saul had not been long, but they had definitely connected. When Yolanthe talked about the issues with Saul, Anfey could analyze what he said in two ways. One was that Yolanthe hoped to continue to have a good relationship with Saul and avoid any possible misunderstanding. The other one was that Yolanthe was trying to control Anfey with this invisible bond with Saul. This bond was a way to have both parties build their trust. Actually it was a way for Anfey to gain Yolanthe’s trust, since there was a huge difference in their positions. Yolanthe could decide Anfey’s fate with the blink of an eye.

“The people behind us are still following us. Where are we heading to?” Black Eleven suddenly asked.

“Is there any joyhouse?” Anfey smiled. He did not look stressed and nervous at all.

“There are many hookers. But what is a joyhouse? A place with hookers?” Black Eleven asked a weird question.

“Yes, don’t you have joyhouses?” Anfey asked.

“It is interesting where you are from. Let’s go to a bar. No, let’s go to a hotel. Most of the waitresses are hookers there.”

Shinon raised the bottle to his lips with shaking hands and took a swig of the ale. He began walking into the room. Inside, a grey rope hung limply from the ceiling like a dying snake. This was the end Shinon chose for himself.

There was nothing worse than a heart yearning for death. For someone suicidal, nothing in the world could hold them back. Ale was something bland and amusing, but Shinon had to drink. He did not have the courage to face death.

The bottle fell to the ground. Shinon did not care to pick it up. He stumbled forward towards the rope. He climbed onto the table and tied a loop. He placed the loop around his neck, and kicked the table. His body began swinging in the air. The rope was pulled taut, the beam began creaking.

Something flashed through the air and cut through the rope. Shinon fell to the ground with a dull thud. The lack of air did not last long, and Shinon was still conscious. His hands searched the ground and found the ale bottle. He drained the bottle and tossed it against the wall. It shattered like a flower.

The moon peeked out from behind the grey clouds and lit the room. Shinon saw the broken rope next to the fallen table and sighed, cursing the gods. Couldn’t they just let him die? When he saw where the rope broke and its smooth surface, he realized that the rope did not break on its own. Someone had cut him down.

“Do you have money?” a hoarse voice asked.

Shinon jumped. He turned around and his eyes grew wide, staring at the man who had suddenly appeared behind him. The moon was bright, and from his angle the moonlight was all blocked out by the shadow. All he could see was darkness.

“Do you have money?” the person asked again.

Shinon smiled. He was about to die, and did not have a care in the world. Whatever the person wanted, he would give. Even if the person wanted to kill him, he would accept it gladly.

“Money?” Shinon repeated as he searched his pockets. He found a half empty wallet.

Law suits required money. He was already poor, and he had already sold everything he could. The wallet was everything he had.

“Here, have it.” Shinon tossed the wallet at the figure, then pointed at the room. “It’s all yours.”

The figure opened the wallet, and found three copper coins inside. The figure’s hand glowed, and picked up one of the coins. Then he threw the wallet and the two remaining coins onto the ground. “Deal,” he said.

“Deal?” Shinon looked at the figure, confused. This person clearly wasn’t a robber or a murderer. He was an idiot. Who would want to make a deal with someone like him?

“Don’t die so soon. Wait a few days. You’ll get a good news.” The figure turned and walked outside.

“Wait!” Shinon called. “Who are you?”

“You could say I am a judge,” the person said. Then he began to levitate and disappeared.

Shinon dashed outside and glanced around, but he was already alone. Could it be the Bringer of Justice? Shinon’s hands flew up to his mouth. He had a feeling. It had something to do with the injustice he had suffered.

Anfey pushed open door and walked into the room. He stopped in his tracks in shock. The girls responsible for cleaning his room weren’t there. Instead, it was the princess of Shansa that was sitting on his bed, staring at the candle.

“What are you doing here? Where are the girls?”

“I sent them away,” the princess said. She stood up and walked over. “I just wanted to know my name.”

Anfey thought about it for a moment then said, “When I was younger, I once heard a song from a minstrel. It was called Für Alice. It was a beautiful and happy song, and I still remember it to this day. I want to give you that name. Do you like it?”

“It’s beautiful,” the princess said. “Do you want me to be happy?”

Anfey did not reply. Agreeing could lead her on, disagreeing would be inappropriate.

“Did something happen?” the princess asked.

“No, why did you ask?”

“You seemed more approachable when you left, now you feel strange,” the princess said. She looked at him. “You seem…austere.”

“You’re sensitive to changes,” Anfey said, smiling. “We ran into a bit of a trouble. Someone was following us.”

“Who?”

“We’ll find out tomorrow.” Anfey looked at the princess. “Alice, I can call you this, right?”

“I like this name.”

“Do you know anything about the Griffins Aerial Unit?”

Alice blinked in shock, her expression unreadable. After a few moments she said quietly, “What do you want to know? I’ll tell you everything.”

“I heard that Shansa Empire had sent out the Griffins Aerial Unit. I have a mission and my employer wants to know about them. If you know, you would save us a trip to the Transverse Mountains.”

“They must be working for Maho Empire! Anfey, don’t work for them!” Alice said hurriedly.

“Alice, I must take the group’s reputation into consideration,” Anfey said slowly. “I know you’re Shansa Empire’s princess, but you need to know that everyone here, except for Suzanna and Shally, are people of Maho Empire. This is the reason I took the job. If you want to forget about your past, you need to leave it behind completely. Or else I cannot trust you.”

“Anfey, you are putting me in a very difficult situation,” Alice said. There were tears in her eyes.

“You can tell us, or you cannot tell us. This choice lies in your hands,” Anfey said calmly. “Also, I believe you’re not a woman who likes tears. You should have a better way of convincing me.”

However, his words did not wipe away her tears. Alice lowered her gaze and tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Anfey sighed. He looked at Alice coldly, then walked over and sat down on his bed. He wanted to changed his original plan, but he had a condition, and that was he needed to trust Alice. Alice said she wanted to forget her past, but it seemed like some things were too hard to ignore. He could tell that Alice did not want to do anything that might harm Shansa Empire. He could understand her sentiments, but he could not accept it. If she could not change, he must go through with his original plan.

Alice walked over carefully. She lifted her skirt and sat down next to Anfey. Her hand caressed Anfey’s arm and his chest. Her breathing was short and nervous. Her gentle scent and timid teases were more than enough to arouse any normal men.

Anfey, however, was as relaxed as ice. He lay there quietly, as if Alice did not exist.

“If you really need to know, I’ll tell you,” Alice said with a sigh. “My father…Shansa Empire would not send out the entire unit. It’s too much of a gamble, its consequences too much to handle. Edward VIII may seem ambitious by expanding his army, but in fact he is a very cowardly men. His dream was to hand off the empire to his successor, not leaving a name for himself. Even if the chances are good, he will not risk everything.”

“That’s it?”

“Maho Empire’s most powerful legion, the Roaring Dead Legion, is on the eastern front. Its leader, Baery, is famous for his hunger for battle. He had long been a thorn in his enemies’ side. In order to protect his army from major loss, Edward VIII would surely make a more conservative move, hoping Maho Empire would pit all of its might against Ellisen Empire. Then Shansa Empire could fight what was left of Maho’s army.”

“Do you know anything more specific?” Anfey asked. He memorized everything Alice told him in order to tell Black Eleven about it. News like this would make the higher-ups very happy.

“I know Edward VIII would send a squadron of Griffin Aerial Unit. The plan was already made before I left the imperial city. I don’t know if they made any changes to it,” Alice said softly. “The squadron has two missions. One is to find chances to kill any powerful man and woman in the service of Maho Empire. The other is to find the exact location of the Roaring Dead Legion in order to prevent it from ambushing Shansa’s army. Baery is very skilled at ambushes and battles. Plus, he is a very powerful man himself. He is the kind of men you need to look out for during a war.”

“How many people are in a squadron?”

“Fifty Griffin Knights.”

“What are griffins’ weaknesses? Fire? Cold? Lightening?”

“Griffins are practically immune to magic. The only kind of magic that can harm them is high level magic. The worst thing that can happen is that they do not have enough food supplies. In a past war, the supply line was disrupted, and the riders lost control of the griffins. The griffins ate all the horses in the cavalry unit and caused major commotion. Since then, the army has been very careful to make sure the griffins are fed properly.”