Chapter 45    TL: Okay, so there has been a regular donator for full TAS sponsored chapters (going on for months now). I was sort of, well because I’m busy with school, I didn’t really focus much on getting donations but he requested me to put one button up.

So, I found a pretty interesting “Buy me a coffee” button, and you all should know that I really love coffee… Tip me once a month or anything for $2, should be reasonable right? In regards to extra sponsored chapters rate, it should come about 2 days/1 extra chapter. I’ll try to work on it during travel time on my laptop to squeeze it in.

Thanks for your support, everyone.

Chapter 45 – Night scenery

Brendel and his squire jumped down from his gargoyle, and they saw Romaine and Freya with a pale face in the alley. The latter was glaring at him with a hateful gaze. Brendel found it a little funny that the Goddess of War was afraid of height, and discovered that she resembled the girls in his party in the past due to her frightened expressions in the air.

“Alright, I’m going to talk a little about our current situation.” Brendel was afraid that Freya would seek revenge on him and rushed to speak first.

Freya lightly scoffed when she saw through his trick. She turned her head away and could not be bothered to argue with him.

“We have already delivered the news, it is up to the nobles to take action or not; the next thing we must do is to find Romaine’s aunt and escape from Fortress Riedon, but it will not be easy to do so.” Brendel gestured upwards to instruct the gargoyle to go up to the rooftop and survey the surroundings. He had tried every night to test out the keywords to activate the gargoyle and he finally discovered one that was of use.

However, he still lacked an attack command.

“Freya and Romaine are registered militia, so your relatives at Fortress Riedon will seek to record your names. If we go directly to Romaine’s distant relative, we might be discovered right there, especially when we don’t know if he could be trusted.”

“Isn’t aunt Jennie going to be in grave danger?” Freya asked.

Brendel glanced at Romaine. She did not say anything and was lowering her head to play with the corners of her sleeves.

“Overall the opposition will also have a reaction time, but if we are going to do these things one at a time together, our chances to fail will be significantly higher. In order to save time, we need to move separately, and each of us need to confirm what our own roles.”

He took a deep breath. He had taken on the role of a leader just like in the game once again. But now that the fate of other people was in his hands, he felt a scintilla of tenseness.

His gaze overlooked the three faces, then pointed:

“Freya will go and contact Romaine’s relative.”

“Me?” Freya pointed at herself puzzledly.

“Yes.”

“But I only know he is staying in Ponoa’s market. I don’t even which street it is, in fact I don’t even know where the market is…?” She said with a troubled expression.

“You can ask around for the directions. Ponoa’s market is nearby, just walk out of this alley and you will see a pub called ‘The Red Bronze Dragon’s story bar’, and you can seek news in there.” Brendel suddenly smiled: “But you need to be careful, the mecenaries’ hands in the bar might not be very proper, don’t get taken advantage of.”

Freya’s face went into a flaming red, and she glared angrily at him: “Sh-shameless….. lout!”

Ciel was giggling in one corner. He thought his lord was quite interesting. Nobles hardly went to such a low-class area like a pub, but it seemed that Brendel understood the kingdom from the top to the bottom. Wizards liked to be with intelligent people, especially with people who were knowledgeable in many things.

“When you find the merchant called Hood, don’t reveal your identity and give him a little time. Invite him to the pub and let us meet him there. Take note of his reactions, and you would know if he is reliable. If you discover the presence of the army, there’s no need to worry. They won’t move until they are clear of our relationship, since they want to bring us all down at the same time.”

Freya thought about it for a while, as if to check whether she was able to do all these, then finally nodded.

“Then what about me, Brendel?” Romaine blinked and asked.

“You will help us get a horse carriage and wait for us at the north gate. There are only two hostels in Fortress Riedon, so it is very possible these areas are being watched. If you discover any problems with any one of them, then you can just go ahead to the north gate alone. No matter what happens, we will leave the city in the morning. If we are lucky, we can escape before the order is given to lock the city gates.”

The merchant girl nodded readily.

Brendel then took out some money from the noble’s relic from The Forbidden Garden, and split it into half and passed to them: “The things that you are about to do might require some money. Here is thirty silver coins, each person with half of it should be more than enough. And if it is possible, purchase some food as well, Romaine.”

The merchant girl nodded earnestly.

“Then what about you, Brendel?” Freya asked.

“Your independent actions might be too difficult as the White-Mane army might be able to spot the two of you anytime. Ciel and I will visit a few ‘Old Friends’, and draw the attention of the Fortress guards.” Brendel said unhurriedly.

Only the Gods know how much determination Brendel had when he spoke. He was used to danger, just like leading the girls and himself out of Zevail’s pathway, but he had never thought himself as a hero or a messiah.

‘A detailed plan might fail, not to mention a desperate one.’ This was his guild leader’s advice to Brendel in the game, and became his proud motto.

This time, even he did not know how much risk was involved. But he had promised Romaine in his old home, and there times that he had to keep his promise as a man. He felt that his desire to fulfill his promise calmed him down. He would definitely succeed.

“Are you crazy, Brendel!” Freya understood there was something wrong in his words, and her eyes went wide with shock: “Y-you’re going be sentenced to death by hanging, what are we going to do?”

She suddenly realized her words were a little ambiguous and she blushed, trying to explain: “I mean, I don’t want to be like you and become a bandit……”

Brendel felt the tsundere girl was a little cute: “Don’t worry, I’ll invite you to join me when there’s a chance.”

There was definitely a chance, but he did not know how much of a chance he had to persuade the future Goddess of War to join him.

“None at all,” Freya said with spite: “You should stay with Romaine, I’m worried for her.”

“There’s no need to, I trust little Romaine.”

The merchant girl’s eyebrows went up, and she was secretly delighted.

Freya was grinding her teeth with anger. She knew that this bastard knew that she was worried about him, but he wanted to force her to say it out loud. And the more infuriating thing was, he might not listen to her even when she said it.

“Fine. I can’t be bothered.” She lowered her head and flung her ponytail backwards with her hand: “B-be careful.” (TL: Classic tsundere never dies!)

The merchant girl gave him a small gesture of ‘Everything’s okay’, and this was learned from Brendel two days ago: “I’ll wait for you at the north gate, Brendel! The future great merchant’s horse carriage will move only when Brendel’s in it~”

Brendel felt his heart skip a beat, and he smiled at her.

……………………………………………………………………………….

In the White-Mane army’s camp after ten minutes of the breakout—

“You said you did not hear anything at all?”

Luc Beson picked up a broken piece of wood and pointed at a section and asked: “From the damage, this looks like it’s at a Rank 1 strength. A blacksteel swordsman broke down our prison’s door, and you are telling me that none of you heard it?”

The ‘Tiger’ Luc Beson was 45 years old, with dusky skin and a prominent forehead that looked like it was sliced with a knife. His high cheekbones came from his half highland bloodline. His face was slightly flattened, thin, and his deep gaze held a hint of wildness. Luc Beson had been the captain of the 104th White-mane swordsman army for ten years. If he was to advance he would have to rely on his reputation in his army and his successes.

But he was politically inclined to the Evertons, which was also the restoration faction, and it was the truth that the White-Mane army already became Earl Pola’s personal army. His position in the army was not welcomed, but this did not hinder him from displaying his prestige to his subordinates, and he was not the whelps that came from some noble backdoor.

The general’s words immediately made the lower ranked officers look at each other. Especially the wardens who were in charge of the security tonight, who went red. There were the White-Mane’s infantry, wearing a blue army uniform, with a pointed helm who walked in and out of the room. The greatest difference they had from the guards was the sigil on their shoulder; a white patch of wolf fur.

This unique decoration was awarded to this army who participated in the ‘Hastings war’ where they did not retreat from it. It was also where the army got their fame from.

“If he is a highland knight, then his squire might be able to do something like that.” Someone said.

“In the White-Mane’s army, it is not important what your opponents did, it is what you did. A response time of ten minutes, are you the militia?”

Luc Beson’s rebuke immediately silenced everyone.

At this moment, an army officer brought his attendent and announced himself. He pushed the door open and brought with him a stack of goatskin papers: “Captain, we checked the Bucce’s militia. There is indeed a Romaine and Freya recorded in it, but the youth called Brendel does not seem to be a Bucce’s local.”

Luc Beson confirmed his thoughts, and he tapped the table with his fingers: “And?”

The attendent walked near him and said something to his ears, and Luc Beson nodded. He asked again: “What is the answer of his majesty’s secret missionary?”

“The earl did not say, but he hinted that we should execute him.” The officer answered.

Luc Beson was slightly surprised. A kingdom’s missionary would take offense over a commoner? He rubbed his chin, trying to read the meaning behind everything, but before that the entire room was buzzing with debate.

“Really, but why would that old bastard be angry over that commoner?”

“I think he might be interested in the two women, that perverted bastard.”

“A useless jester, I saw him admiring that Elven sword.”

“A bumpkin who had never seen the world.” Someone laughed with derison.

Luc Beson immediately smacked the table, and the officers stopped talking. He wanted to censure them again, but someone else pushed the door open, a soldier from the outside.

“Captain, the local parliament is on fire.”

“A damned diversion,” Luc Beson cursed inwardly and stood up to issue his orders: “I’m giving you ten minutes. The second and third squadrons are to gather with the fastest speed!”

The officers stood up.

He pointed at one side: “The two of you, monitor the areas of interest. McLemore, your mission is the hostels, all of you should know what to do, do not alarm them.”

The three of them who were appointed lowered their heads and answered. They did not dare to waste any more time and immediately left the room.

“Captain, how about lord Esebar?”

“There’s no need to remind him or the others, that bunch of bastards must have ran to their missionary and bootlick him. They must rely on one side, right.”

The captain’s words made the room echo with a riot of laughter.