Chapter 419 The "Nun" who fled
It was dawn, ten hours later.
At eight o'clock in the morning, the glimmer of morning light appeared on the edge of the horizon, and then the sound of people and the aroma of baking bread woke up the sleeping camp.
Luo Yan and Sara took Tafu to have a simple breakfast on the first floor of the hotel.
Perhaps because the continuous "serenade" in the hotel last night was too disturbing, Sarah's expressionless face had a rare hint of unnoticeable tiredness.
She was the only one who didn't sleep well.
"Sarah, you look very tired," Luo Yan put down the barley tea in his hand and said gently, "If you need it, we can rest here for one more day."
Hearing that she would stay here for one more day, Sarah panicked and quickly straightened her sagging waist and back.
, "What are the arrangements for today?"
Seeing her insistence, Luo Yan stopped talking and just said with a smile: "Our Voyager is on strike. I have to send a letter to Mr. Alberto and ask him to recover the wreckage. In addition, we have to find ourselves a new means of transportation to go south."
"Great!" Taff yawned and chirped in dragon language, "I don't want to sit on that thing anymore! I'd rather go slower!"
However——
No one cares about the pet's opinion.
Luo Yan smiled faintly.
"There will be a chance to do it, sooner or later I have to let you learn to fly."
He has become an adventurer and a mentor, and has not yet become a dragon knight. Sooner or later he will have to experience it.
He made up his mind to discuss with Professor Edonia when he returned to hell this time to see if he could increase the "dose" of the drug and continue to encourage the growth.
Taph gritted her teeth and whispered.
"Are you a devil? Why don't you wait until I'm fifty before you let me work!?"
"Don't even think about it, I'll wait for you for at most three years."
"%￥#@!"
I really want to freeze the time at this warm moment.
She does not have any lofty pursuits, nor is she as dreamy or ambitious as the other demon generals of Lord Demon King.
She just wants a home.
…
The group went back upstairs to pack their luggage, then went downstairs to check out, and blended in with the noisy crowds at the camp market.
This camp has been busy since early morning. The shouts of vendors can be heard in the crowded streets, and the fragrance of stew and baking bread is filled with it.
Of course not all the people who come here are for "confession", there are also some people who come here to mine.
The legendary "Miss Linna" made her first pot of gold through the nuns, and soon set her sights on the mountains in the eastern part of Eagle Rock Territory.
There are rich minerals and forestry resources there, but the local lords have neither the people nor the money, let alone the ability to develop them. Once developed, they do not have enough transportation capacity to sell them elsewhere.
Now the distinguished Sir Richter no longer has to worry about this issue.
The people of Eagle Rock Territory have both people and money, and they have attracted enough merchants to help them solve sales.
It won't be long before those normally useless natural resources will be exchanged for gold coins of the Austro Empire by more capable people.
Compared with the gray income that cannot be taxed, this money is a visible income, and a large part of it will go into the lord's treasury, and in the process, feed the lord and everyone around him.
In a sense, this is also a kind of bribery.
And it is much smarter than giving money directly.
The next time Sir Richter wants to go crazy and lead his troops into the traveler camp, everyone from the servants to the steward to the captain of the guard will have enough motivation to jump out and persuade him.
If they really can't be persuaded, they can also consider teaming up and replacing a young child or a widow as the lord...
Through the noisy market, Luo Yan found the goal of his trip on the edge of the camp.
It was a caravan that was getting ready to go, and it seemed to be quite large.
Dozens of heavy four-wheeled carriages were piled with goods tightly wrapped in oilcloth. Judging from the vague outline, most of them were furs and ores that were special products in the north.
The owner of the caravan is a fat, middle-aged businessman with a loud voice. He is akimbo and loudly instructing the guys to load the goods.
“Mr. Thomas, where do you put this cargo box covered with oilcloth?”
“On the carriage! Do you still want me to teach you this?!”
Luo Yan observed the side for a moment, confirmed the identity of the person in charge here, and walked up with a smile.
"Mr. Thomas, for the excuse of interrupting me, can I take up a moment of your time?"
Thomas, who was very busy, turned his head and looked up and down at the young man in front of him with his shrewd eyes.
He didn't want to talk to him at first, but he saw that although the young man's clothes were simple but well-made, he subconsciously restrained his rudeness in his words and spoke cautiously and politely.
"Yes, yes...what can I do for you?"
“My name is Colin. I am an ordinary traveler. My companion and I are preparing to go to the south.” Luo Yan introduced himself with a smile. “I saw that your caravan seemed to be going the same way, so I came over to take a look... Is it convenient for us to chat?”
"Ah, Mr. Colin, nice to meet you! My name is Thomas... Although you may already know it, it's nice to meet you anyway!" Thomas nodded cheerfully, took Colin's extended hand and shook it, but he didn't realize that the name was related to the prince.
I think that his caravan did not go as far as the Principality of Campbell, and it was most likely that it was the first time to leave the north and go to the south.
In the subsequent greetings, Luo Yan also confirmed this from his words.
This Mr. Thomas used to be in the fur business and mainly traveled to various baronies in the north. It was only recently that he sensed business opportunities and decided to switch to the clothing trade.
Even this was his first business trip south.
"To tell you the truth, sir," Thomas pointed in the direction of the camp. His smile contained the philistine of a businessman, but also the unique generosity of the Rhodes people. "It used to be very cold here, and the girls were only wrapped in rough sheepskin coats. Thanks to Sir Richter, now the girls need more beautiful ones. "We are planning to go to the south to buy a batch of goods. I heard that the textile industry there is booming recently... But we can't go there with nothing, so we are going to bring some of the special animal skins and ores here. It is not a problem to make a 60-70% profit from this trip."
He lowered his voice and winked.
"How is it? Are you interested?"
He is not afraid that his business will be imitated by others. Only shopkeepers who guard one-third of an acre of land will keep their business secrets tightly.
· Thomas looked at this guy with thin skin and tender flesh, and it seemed that he was not a person who could endure hardships. He definitely couldn’t stand the fatigue of the journey, let alone a traveler.
This kind of person is most likely to come out to "make a living" with his father's money.
Instead of benefiting others, it is better to benefit yourself. At least you really have a caravan, and you just plan to go to the south.
However, to Thomas's expectation, as soon as he thought this, the young man in front of him showed a gentle smile.
"What a coincidence, we happen to be going to the south. I wonder if we can go with your caravan?"
"Together, going together?" Thomas was stunned, and subconsciously asked, "You...really want to go to the south?"
Luo Yan nodded with a smile.
"Am I kidding?"
The smile on Thomas's face faded a bit, and his shrewd eyes began to look at the master and servant in front of him calmly again.
The leader, "Mr. Colin", is elegant in conversation, dignified in appearance, and handsome in appearance. He does not look like an ordinary person.
The female guard named Sarah next to him, although she has been silent, has a tall and straight posture, sharp eyes, and even more amazing strength.
Of course, the most eye-catching thing is the... uh, pet held in the arms of the female guard?
In short, he has traveled all over the country and north for more than ten years, but he has never seen such a noble "breed".
This master and his servant brought a strange pet. They looked like noble children who had slipped out of some big city.
Although he is willing to make friends, his many years of business experience tell him that getting too close to such people is easy to get into trouble, and refusing is even more likely to get into trouble.
How is this done?
Thomas couldn't help but show a trace of hesitation on his face.
Seeing that hesitant face, Luo Yan probably guessed what he was thinking, so he smiled.
Without saying another word, he raised his hand slightly and raised his index finger at the dozens of heavy cargo boxes piled up not far away.
I saw those cargo boxes that required two or three strong men to lift, floating silently into the air like feathers that had lost their weight.
As if commanded by an invisible architect, they all flew to the unfilled carriage like birds returning to their nests, and were stacked exactly and silently.
The whole process only takes a few breaths.
The caravan camp instantly fell into a dead silence. Everyone stared at the young man in front of Thomas with their eyes filled with awe and shock.
It’s not because of his miraculous magic——
But they didn’t expect that the respected mage would actually use his noble magic to realize the wishes of mortals? !
"Saint Sisi is above..."
Thomas was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped to the ground.
Looking at the hidden "Mr. Colin" in front of him, he finally realized that he had almost turned away a walking god!
Magician!
This gentleman turned out to be a distinguished magician!
And looking at this effortless posture, its strength is absolutely unfathomable!
Thomas's face was filled with a warm smile, and the previous hesitation was wiped away.
"Look at my eyes... I am too stupid to see that you are a distinguished magician! Please forgive my arrogance and rudeness. It is a great honor for me to be able to walk with such a distinguished magician as you!"
Don’t blame him for this.
After all, with such a strong man walking with us, let alone a robber, I am afraid that even the legendary dragon will have to take a detour!
Luo Yan smiled gently.
"No need to be polite, Mr. Thomas, we can just get along as usual. By the way, I need a carriage, the one I had before broke down... Of course, we will pay for it."
"Pay?! Mr., talking about money is too foreign!"
∣ Thomas's face was filled with enthusiasm and joy that could not be hidden, and he rubbed his hands with a smile on his face.
"Don't worry, leave the carriage to me! Including the food and wine during the journey, I will prepare it for you! I only have a small request..."
After showing enough attentiveness, Thomas made a flattering noise and continued to speak in a low voice.
"Although we have hired guards, there is still no guarantee that we will not encounter desperate desperadoes. What I mean is...if we encounter a blind guy, I hope you can help."
Hearing this, Sarah's brows frowned slightly. She felt a little dissatisfied that a mere human dared to treat the noble Demon King as a caravan guard.
Noticing Sarah's mood, Luo Yan motioned her to calm down with his eyes, then looked at Thomas and agreed with a smile.
"No problem, it's just a piece of cake."
He has not experienced the life of a caravan guard, but this is an interesting experience for him. Moreover, caravans often hire experienced guides to lead the way, which can save a lot of time on long detours.
Seeing that the Demon King agreed, Sarah instantly had no objection, just like when the Demon King decided to experience the feeling of being an adventurer.
Thomas breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and put on a relieved smile on his face.
"Happy cooperation!"
This young man is easy to get along with, but the guard next to him is really scary.
Especially the pupils that were different from ordinary people, reminded him of a hybrid demon.
Although the Holy See has stated that those demons are also humans, they still have demon blood in their veins, so they are not as popular with humans as the orcs with more obvious beast characteristics.
· Thomas doesn’t know why the mage hired a marginalized ethnic group who has been excluded from mainstream society, but the bad taste of the mage is not something he, a mortal, can say...
· The deal is concluded.
Most of the people in the caravan were happy for this, but there were also a few cargo-carrying guys who were grumbling together gloomily.
The people passing by asked more questions out of curiosity.
"It's not good that someone else has finished the work for you, why aren't you happy yet."
The guys glared at him angrily.
"Why are you happy? We charge per piece!"
"That gentleman waved his hand, and we made several silver coins less!"
"That's right! Can't these mages just stay in the mage tower!"
..."
In the carriage.
Tafu looked at Luo Yan with schadenfreude, and burst into laughter again, as if she was laughing at herself for doing good things but not getting a good evaluation.
Poor guy.
To this day, the kid still doesn’t realize that the sound he makes is the same as a pig snoring.
However, Luo Yan didn't care, let alone reminded her. He just smiled lightly, then closed his eyes and entered meditation.
During this period, he has been consciously strengthening his control over magic power and exploring the mystery of the "Butterfly of All Things" in the sea of consciousness.
He believed that the gift left to him by the curator must not only be for the convenience of his travels, but that there must be other secrets hidden in it.
For example——
Ether.
If he can understand the existence of ether and utilize it, his mastery of extraordinary power will undoubtedly rise to a new level.
That is an existence closer to the essence of the universe than "source force".
After all, in terms of research in the spiritual field, the Solipsi people who inherited from the "Os people" have advanced fifty centuries on their own timeline.
If you want to defeat Nowell, you must understand the difference.
While Luo Yan was meditating quietly, Sarah silently guarded him, and used the arranged tea set to make him a cup of tea sprinkled with Quiet Snow Buds.
The tea fragrance of Jingjing Snow Bud is helpful for meditation and condensing the spirit in the sea of consciousness. This is what Lord Demon King once told her.
Although the adults may have forgotten it...
Time passed quietly, and the caravan finally set off.
During this period, Thomas came near the carriage once to ask for instructions, but after learning that the mage was meditating, he respectfully withdrew.
Dozens of carriages formed a circle, forming a temporary barrier. Within the "barrier", several bonfires were burning brightly, dispelling the surrounding darkness.
The mercenaries hired by the caravan sat in a circle around the fire, drinking ale and sharing the hares stolen from the lord's woods. At the same time, they boasted about their "heroic" deeds in fighting snow wolves in the northern snowfields. The atmosphere was so lively!
Luo Yan did not disturb their "elegance", but leaned leisurely beside his comfortable carriage, reading quietly by the light of the campfire, as if there was an invisible barrier between him and the rough atmosphere.
The atmosphere in the camp was like a roaring fire.
Just as Taph was coveting the roasted hare on the campfire, there was a sudden commotion outside the camp.
Everyone subconsciously grabbed the weapons at hand, only to see a young girl in a black robe staggering out of the darkness outside the camp.
She was disheveled, her hair was messy, and her face was full of tears and fear, like a rabbit that had been chased by hounds all night.
"Saint Sith, above," a young mercenary swallowed and muttered excitedly, his eyes ready to move.
It’s not that he wanted to do something evil, but on the contrary, he had been depressed all winter and saw an opportunity to “hero save the beauty”.
The girl obviously needed help, and he just had the strength.
"What the hell..." An older mercenary was not as optimistic as he was, and a trace of solemnity gradually appeared in his cloudy pupils.
This guy might have escaped from Miss Linna's hands...
As if to confirm his suspicion, the girl staggered over and cast an almost pleading look at the group of people.
Even if she knew it, the guys in front of her might not be good people.
"Please...please...for the sake of Saint Sith, take me out of here!"
"We have to help this poor man." The young mercenary boy looked at his companions around him and said in a low voice.
The older mercenary ignored him and walked towards the caravan boss who was walking this way.
"There is a situation."
"I know," Thomas cast an inquiring gaze on him and continued, "What I want to ask is what happened?"
The older mercenary glanced at the woman on the edge of the camp and said in a lowered voice.
"Don't ask, she's from Lina, you know what I mean... This woman is a trouble, and our trouble is that Lord Cabin's cavalry must be waiting in front now."
He didn't finish what he said, but Thomas heard it clearly, and a trace of sadness appeared on his face filled with vicissitudes of life.
Kabin is the captain of Sir Richter's guard. He will never allow a "nun" to escape to the territory next door. Not only because of the bad influence, but more importantly because it would be a bad start and not conducive to his majesty on this land.
As expected, this woman is now either a wanted criminal or a "fugitive" from the lord's land. The soldiers waiting in front will definitely stop them. Even if no one is found here, they will definitely use this as an excuse to search for a sum of money.
If they don't want to pay, they have to turn around and go to a nearby outpost for questioning. If such a large caravan is delayed on the road for a few days, the loss will exceed the money spent on travel expenses.
The mercenary was hinting to him that the best way was to capture the "prisoner" for Lord Cabin. In addition, it is not a good idea to pretend not to see it or to deliberately help her escape from here.
But seeing the poor guy, Thomas couldn't help but feel cruel.
He is a devout Christian.
He could turn a blind eye to the "chaos" in the traveler camp, but it was difficult for him to let a poor person fall into hell.
"Could we just be overthinking it?" He couldn't bear to say, "If she is really the girl who escaped from Lina, could she escape here?"
The mercenary sighed.
"Sir, I am telling you this for the sake of remuneration. I want to deliver this batch of goods quickly and get the remaining balance more than you do... So, regardless of how she escaped here, can we not cause trouble for ourselves?"
Thomas was silent for a while and thought of a compromise plan.
"We can take the person with us first, and then hand her over if we encounter a soldier."
The mercenary shrugged his shoulders.
"This is a good choice... but if you don't want her to be alert and run away, thus causing more trouble, I suggest you not to let her see your plan."
Although he recommends tying the person up directly, and wait until it is confirmed that everything is okay, then release him or make other plans.
Thomas nodded, walked around him, walked to the girl with a sad face, watched her clear her throat, and asked knowingly.
"Girl, who are you, what is your name, where are you from, and why are you crying...so sad?"
"I, my name is Karen..."
The girl's shoulders shook, her lips were slightly white, and her eyes were evasive as she recounted her tragic experience.
According to her statement, there was a serious famine in her hometown, and she was forced to flee her hometown because she could not survive.
This is a common reason, or excuse.
Some refugees who cannot prove their status as free citizens will say that they have encountered famine, and this is the only reason given by Saint Sith to leave their lord.
Either they have to prove that they are free citizens, or adventurers registered in a union or mercenaries with an employment contract, or they have to carry a letter of introduction from a lord.
Sometimes these things don’t work well. After all, even the lands directly under the empire’s jurisdiction are not as civilized as the Holy City.
"As long as...just give me a bite to eat! I can help you wash clothes, cook, and do any chores. I don't want money!"
Thomas looked at her in silence, feeling secretly sorry in his heart.
To be honest, her acting skills were not very good. Even if he wanted to turn a blind eye and raise the muzzle of the flintlock gun even an inch, it would be a bit reluctant.
The cotton robe she was reluctant to take off had already betrayed her identity. I am afraid that the only words in her mouth that were true were "I was hungry for three days and three nights."
Leave everything to Saint Sith to decide...
If the soldiers are waiting in front, he can only hand her over. If not, it means that her escape was God's will.
Just...
Will the respected Lord Saint Sith forgive these blasphemous guys?
Thomas sighed, hesitated, and finally took out a piece of dry bread from his arms, broke it in half, and handed half a piece to her.
Eat first.
He looked at the girl devouring the food and said in a vague and gentle tone, "We will be responsible for our own food. Just... help us wash our clothes, if we need it."
"Thank you, sir! You are such a good person!" The girl named Kallen burst into tears of gratitude and wished she could kowtow to him on the ground.
Thomas could not afford such a generous gift, so he quickly advised her to stop and sit in the caravan to take shelter from the wind.
After settling this "uninvited guest", he happened to pass by Mr. Colin's carriage. After hesitating for a moment, he walked towards the magician who was reading a book.
"Sir, there was an accident in the camp just now. You must have seen it, but I still have to tell you... But don't worry, we will handle it and won't embarrass you."
Out of respect for his "partner", he told Colin everything that happened, including the origin of the girl and his decision.
Of course, he also concealed some things, such as the plan he and his mercenaries had made, and that he actually saw that the girl was lying.
No sound in the camp could escape Sarah's ears, but her indifferent face seemed not to care about the joys and sorrows of human beings.
On the other hand, Saint Sith's former ally "Dragon God" showed sympathy on his face.
Famine...
It is so cruel.
She could not imagine what famine was like, but she knew that it felt uncomfortable to be hungry. Occasionally, the devil would bring food back late on purpose, and she could only wait hungry until dark.
Luo Yan also knew what happened.
But he didn't say anything, he just closed the book in his hand and looked at the shrewd businessman with interest.
"You knew she was a trouble, why did you take it?"
He remembered that during the day, this man was quite hesitant about him. If he hadn't shown his hand, I'm afraid that tactful rejection would have been spoken out.
You shouldn't look like you are more troublesome than a "nun", right?
Thomas smiled sheepishly, his shrewd eyes a little dodgeful, and he looked at the bonfire next to him and muttered something.
"Sir, the human heart is made of flesh. I can't just watch her escape from hell and fall into hell again... The lords don't care about the life and death of their subjects, even for the sake of face, it would be enough for her to die ten thousand times."
A hint of surprise flashed in Luo Yan's eyes.
"I didn't expect you to have such a noble moral character."
"Morality... can't be mentioned."
Thomas scratched his cheek with his index finger, looking a little embarrassed, and said vaguely, "Sir, even though I am a businessman, I also grew up reading the epics of heroes."
Leaving these words behind, Thomas left in a hurry.
Sarah stared at his back, with a mocking smile on her lips, and then turned her gaze to the Demon King beside her.
The Demon King didn't say anything. He just opened the unfinished book and continued to read the heroic epic that was almost to the end.
Soon they will arrive at the Kingdom of Lane.
Before entering the Kingdom of Rhodes, the first thing he did was to understand the history of the Kingdom of Rhodes. And now, he's doing the same thing.
"It seems that there are good people in the land abandoned by the Holy Light," Taph sincerely praised, and said in a shocking tone, "I thought those guys who were in love with the Holy Light would eat her!"
All she could think about was white arms and... Bah, curiosity!
Although he has left the traveler camp for dozens of miles, it is obvious that the soul of this repressed Dragon God has not yet come out of there.
Glancing at the impure but pure dragon face, Luo Yan smiled meaningfully and turned the page.
"That's not good to say."