Chapter 283: Act 63 Ecco

“I found out that these adventurers arrived here a week ago. No, to be precise, they should be called mercenaries,” Antitina replied unhurriedly.

Brand looked at her in surprise.

The young girl found a trace of satisfaction in his surprise. “Sir Knight, are you surprised that a noble daughter who never leaves the house also has the ability to handle these matters?” she asked, turning back.

“I’m just curious about where you learned your negotiation skills. You know, this is exactly why Highland Knights go out to experience the world. Indeed, a lady who never steps outside yet can speak so eloquently in front of others is impressive.” Brand patted Little Roman’s shoulder to prevent this merchant lady from being too absorbed in the scenery and wandering off too far.

Unexpectedly, Roman turned around and comforted him instead. She said, “Brand, don’t worry. I won’t get lost.” For a moment, Brand was speechless.

He could only stare at Roman with an embarrassed expression, wondering what kind of structure her little brain had that made her thinking so different from that of ordinary people.

Fortunately, Antitina came to his rescue in time. “Social skills are inherently the instincts of us noble daughters, Sir Knight.” She spoke modestly, but there was an underlying joy in her words.

Brand was taken aback and then chuckled silently. “Not every noble daughter can lower herself to deal with the country people.” He was not wrong. In Erune, mountain people were regarded as rustic bumpkins in the eyes of some self-proclaimed nobles—even those lords from the mountains rarely found themselves in agreement with the great lords of the North of the Empire.

For example, during the time of Ansen XI, the two important ministers, Duke Hernans and Duke Long Blade, constantly mocked each other in the court, causing Emperor Ansen a great deal of headache.

“Because I am different from them. I am just a poor lady, my lord.”

Brand laughed and shook his head.

“These mercenaries coming to Chablis at this time of year are probably here because of the bandits in the forest. It’s common for different parts of Erune to raise funds to hire mercenaries to eliminate the bandits who disrupt daily life near villages and towns. This has become a tradition.” He walked along the stone-paved streets of Chablis, steering the conversation back on topic: “In densely populated areas, it’s usually the local Security Team or Militia that pays for these mercenaries. In remote areas, however, an entire village will pool their money to cover the cost.”

Antitina was taken aback; she had almost never read about such descriptions in books. “Is that really true?”

“Buqi used to be the same, you know. Roman also contributed money.” Roman answered enthusiastically, sticking her head out from the narrow roadside and staring at the crisscrossing streets below without turning back.

“Only where there is a Guard Team will they handle the local bandits themselves. That is why the Royal Family has high hopes for their ‘new army’. Indeed, the Guard Teams represent a new kind of strength in Erune. It’s just uncertain if this strength will have a chance to grow and develop.”

“Moreover, even if it does grow, only one generation will be adequately able to use it.” Brand looked up and said deeply.

Antitina lowered her head and began to rethink some things.

And it was at this moment that the three of them heard a loud shout from behind, “Stop right there!” Startled, they turned around, only to find that the shout was not directed at them. They first saw a young man hurriedly push through the crowd and run past them, but before he could get far, he was stopped by two men dressed as mercenaries ahead.

The two mercenaries drew their swords and blocked the young man’s path, shouting loudly: “Ecco, where do you think you’re going? You bastard, have you forgotten the rules of our Mercenary Group?”

The young man was stunned for a moment and couldn’t help but glance around in panic, only to find mercenaries in leather armor drawing shiny longswords surrounding him on all sides. In fact, at that moment, Brand was right on the edge of this encirclement, but no one noticed him, and he was happy to keep it that way. He pulled Roman back a step, avoiding getting involved in the inexplicable conflict.

“Kapo, what do you want?” The young man named Ecco, realizing that all escape routes were blocked, stopped to catch his breath. He immediately drew a short sword from its scabbard with one hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the other, asking nervously.