Chapter : 60

Yan Yunqing actually had a secret.

When he was playing "Demon King," he would occasionally dream of the world inside "Demon King" when he slept at night. It was a magical and wonderful fantasy world that a 2D game could not fully display.

Legends of magic and swords, various fantasy races communicating with him. If not for his obsession with such a marvelous world, with Yan Yunqing's three-minute attention span for games, he wouldn't have persisted in playing "Demon King" for so long, and even scoured history books for it.

Yan Yunqing had also suspected the reality of his dreams, but those dreams were not continuous.

The time and people he met in each dream were different, and in the end, he dismissed the thought.

This was also the reason why he quickly accepted that he had transmigrated into a game after he first arrived.

After the game forum appeared, Yan Yunqing once suspected the reality of this world. Perhaps this was really just a game world made of data?

But...

"Brother A-Yan! Grandpa Lawson hunted a big Lulu Pig today. Grandpa and I bought a little and I'll roast some Lulu Pig meat for you!"

Yan Yunqing showed a surprised expression: "Really?

That's great! Yuli's roasted Lulu Pig is the best!"

Yuli also broke into a brilliant smile, like a cheerful little sun.

Yan Yunqing patted Yuli's head, feeling the soft touch under his palm, and a warm feeling grew in his heart.

Whether this world was real or not didn't really make much of a difference to him, because he had already silently integrated into this world.

A sense of belonging was just that strange. When he accepted this world, the visitor from another world, he himself, would be considered a foreigner.

…

After telling Uncle Lawson about Kalenna's matter, the sloppy, one-eyed, and limping uncle finally broke down in tears, crying uncontrollably.

Six years of sleepless nights finally had an answer.

Lawson didn't know if this was the truth he wanted, and he couldn't say anything. In the end, he could only cry his heart out.

Yan Yunqing left Lawson some space to be alone.

At this time, it was better for Lawson to be alone to digest this truth that had come six years too late.

Before leaving Sunset Village, he once again went to the old village chief's house.

***

Since morning, the city had been very lively. From time to time, one could see guards in uniform passing by, patrolling the city.

Even the usual street loiterers who roamed the streets and alleys had quieted down, finding hidden places to stealthily hide for the time being.

An uninformed foreign merchant curiously asked a commoner on the street: "Is there some important festival today? The atmosphere in the city feels very different."

The commoner he asked looked at the patrolling guards and said with a smile, "Today is the birthday of our twenty-third prince of Bartovita.

The King of Barto is holding a birthday banquet for His Highness the Prince and has invited many noble lords and ladies.

Even General Sawyer, who guards Skane, has come. Isn't it different?"

The foreign merchant was amazed: "General Sawyer?

Is he the legendary genius swordsman who reached level one hundred at the age of thirty-eight?"

"Yes, yes, that's him! He's a legendary figure in our Bartovita!"

He was very proud, his face full of admiration as he spoke of Adrien Sawyer.

There was not a single person in Bartovita who did not revere this general who guarded the border. If not for the Sawyer family, if not for General Sawyer, there would not be this temporarily peaceful country today.

Thank you, General Sawyer, and praise the Goddess of Light!

Still in the inn, wondering where that magician gentleman who had already left might be, and whether he had encountered any danger, Adrien suddenly sneezed.

He rubbed his nose, a feeling of disgust inexplicably rising within him.

Strange, is someone talking about me?

"*Knock knock*—" A knock came from the entrance.

Adrien stood up, walked to the entrance, and opened the door. Anthony, already dressed in formal attire, appeared at the doorway.

The Sawyer army that Adrien had brought with him naturally couldn't enter the royal palace with him. Today, only he and his external brain, Anthony, were going to attend the banquet.

A few days ago, the King of Barto had repeatedly refused his audience.

Adrien had no way to submit his request for military funds, so he was left with only one chance today at the birthday banquet.

If he couldn't get the King of Barto to allocate this sum of military funds, the Sawyer army would really run out of food soon.

The soldiers of the Sawyer army were heroes who were not afraid of bloodshed or decapitation, vowing to defend their homeland to the death.

They could endure hardships in their living conditions, but they absolutely could not compromise on weapons and food.

If they couldn't even eat their fill and didn't have a handy weapon, what would they use to fight the demonic beasts?

The Sawyer family's ancestral treasures were all they had.

Once a batch was used up, a new one couldn't be regenerated.

Besides selling some materials dropped from fighting demonic beasts for self-sufficiency, they could only wait for appropriations from above.

And those soldiers who had died in battle... also needed sufficient pensions to supplement the families that had lost their able-bodied laborers.

Adrien pressed his temples, which were throbbing faintly.

He started to miss that gloomy-looking magician again. Being around him always made Adrien feel at ease.

Even though they had only met a few times, Adrien felt as if they had known each other for a very, very long time...

They shouldn't just be strangers.

Sigh... I wonder when Edward will reach his destination and write him a letter.

Anthony, noticing that his general was inexplicably spacing out again, standing foolishly at the open door, lost in thought: ?

He reached out and waved his hand in front of Adrien's eyes. Adrien instinctively looked up and grabbed it, his palm tightening—

"Ow, ow, ow—" Anthony exclaimed, "Let go, let go! General, I didn't mean to!"

He felt like the bones in his wrist were about to be crushed. What kind of monstrous strength did their general have? How terrifying!

Adrien came back to his senses and let go, "Sorry—you shouldn't wave your hand in front of a swordsman's eyes like that. It's too close, and can easily be seen as a provocation."

Anthony rubbed his painfully aching wrist, speechless and choked up: So it was his fault?

However, this was his superior officer. He was powerless to resist.

"Understood, General..." Anthony hung his head in dejection, mentally cursing himself for cheerfully accepting the mission before.

Even if he might be physically silenced when he got back, he had to say it out loud:

The general's deceptiveness is too great—what brave and fearless genius swordsman, what silent and aloof lofty beauty, it's all a lie!

Those new recruits who just joined the Sawyer army have all been deceived, ahhhhh—

Old General Sawyer, you are truly cunning, creating a very positive and handsome image of the general to trick more newcomers who admire the general into joining the Sawyer army, right?

Anthony felt he had discovered the truth.

He probably wasn't far from being silenced.

Anthony was as grief-stricken as if he had lost his parents.

Adrien started spacing out again.

"General, since you've already packed, we can prepare to go to the royal palace," Anthony reminded him.

Adrien was startled awake and pinched the bridge of his nose.

What was wrong with him today? He suddenly felt chills and nausea.

Could it be that he was sick? But he hadn't been sick since he advanced to level 80, had he? How strange.

"Let's go."

Adrien went downstairs. The carriage Anthony had hired was already parked outside.

It looked quite luxurious; who knows how much it cost.

When Adrien saw the carriage, he couldn't help but stop in his tracks, "How much is this carriage?"

Anthony glanced at it, "Not too expensive, three gold coins a trip."

Adrien sucked in a cold breath and couldn't help but take a step back, "How much?"

"Three... gold coins a trip?" Anthony said uncertainly.

Adrien fell silent. He walked around the carriage parked at the entrance and headed straight out.

Seeing this, Anthony quickly followed, "General! General! What are you doing? We should get in the carriage! It's very rude to be late!"

Adrien stopped abruptly. Just as Anthony was about to crash into his broad back, he turned around and grabbed Anthony.

At this moment, he still remembered to consider the Sawyer family's face, so he pulled Anthony into a corner.

Anthony had a terrified look on his face, his hands protectively crossed over his chest, and he stuttered, "G-General, although I admire you very much? But we might not be suitable?"

Adrien had question marks in his eyes: What nonsense is this person talking about?

"It's too expensive!"

"If you insist... huh?" Anthony was at a loss, "What's too expensive?"

"The carriage!" Adrien lowered his voice, "It's too expensive."

That's three gold coins! How much grain can three gold coins buy?

Three gold coins are enough for a ten-man squad to eat frugally for half a month.

Just for him to take a carriage ride to the royal palace, ten people's rations for half a month would be gone just like that?

Adrien's heart ached just thinking about it!

If the inn hadn't been arranged by the royal family this time, he would never have stayed in such an expensive inn!

Because the royal family had arranged a medium-sized room for him, Anthony had nagged him for a whole hour, saying that this was the King of Barto's way of showing them who was boss.

Adrien couldn't care less about any show of dominance. Not having to spend money was the best. If he didn't stay in the inn provided by the royal family for free, did he have to spend his own money to house these twenty-odd Sawyer soldiers in another inn?!

He had no money!

He and the Sawyer family had no money!!!

And Adrien was also very satisfied with the arrangement of the inn this time, because the person he had been dreaming of was living right across from him. This was all fate's arrangement!

"But... this carriage is already the minimum configuration for entering the royal palace."

Anthony also lowered his voice, his eyes quickly scanning the surroundings to make sure no one was eavesdropping on them, "There are specifications and restrictions for carriages entering the royal palace. If it's below that restriction, you're not allowed in!"

"Then we won't take a carriage."

Anthony was stunned, "Then, then how will we get in?"

"We can walk to the royal palace!" Adrien said decisively.

Anthony: "...Really? Are we really going to do that?"

"Of course." Adrien gave Anthony a strange look, "That's three gold coins. It's too expensive.

We didn't bring much money with us in the first place. Do you want us to be drinking the northwest wind on our way back?"

Anthony: ...No.

Anthony tried to probe for information: "Then, General, how much money did we bring out this time?"

The money for this trip was all in Adrien's hands. Anthony, this external brain, didn't even know how much money there was.

Adrien lowered his head in silence. He touched his chest and remembered the bag of coins an elder had given him before he left—all copper coins, which didn't even amount to half a gold coin when converted!

That elder had earnestly said to him, "It's fine, you guys bring more dry rations.

Make do with a few bites on the way there.

When you get to the capital, the royal family will host you. Once you get the money from the King of Barto, you can use that money to come back."

That bag of copper coins had already been mostly spent on the way here.

That elder had never even considered the possibility that they might not get the money.

In other words, if they got the money, they could go back smoothly. If they didn't get the money... hah, they'd have to beg their way back.

Could Adrien dare to say this out loud?

He was afraid that as soon as he said it, this external brain would go on strike.

To make a horse work, you at least have to feed it grass! If that doesn't work, dangling a carrot in front of a donkey would do!

Seeing that Adrien remained silent, and thinking about Old General Sawyer's usual style, Anthony gradually showed a suspicious expression, "General, tell me the truth, did you not bring any money out at all?"

"How is that possible?" Adrien subconsciously retorted, and then touched the money pouch in his pocket. It was the money pouch Yan Yunqing had paid the boy at the small tavern, "How could we have come all the way from Skane without money? Didn't I spend money on the way to let you guys stay in inns?"

Anthony: "...General, you're not being honest now, are you? Can what we stayed in on the way be called an inn?

You just found a village and had the villagers give us a few empty rooms.

There weren't even any beddings. A dozen of us squeezed together and slept on the floor!"

Adrien defended, "Weren't there still straw mats!"

Anthony: "...We brought the straw mats ourselves!!!"

Adrien fell silent.

Anthony was in despair.

Seeing the general's stingy appearance, they really didn't bring any money out this time! Even if they did, it couldn't be much, otherwise the general wouldn't be so stingy!!!

Adrien lowered his head. Adrien touched his chest again.

Anthony couldn't take it anymore: "No, General, what on earth are you touching?

With how poor we are, even our formal wear was provided by the royal family. What treasure could you possibly be hiding in your chest?"

Adrien felt guilty and averted his gaze.

Well, it wasn't exactly a treasure. Does half a bag of gold coins count?

When Edward went to pay the bill, with his sharp eyes and ears, he had naturally heard the conversation between Edward and the boy at the bar clearly. He knew there was a lot of money in that bag, and it was all left for him to drink. Could Adrien thicken his skin and continue drinking?

Of course not. So he finished all the remaining wine (because it was already on the table and couldn't be returned), then wiped his mouth and went to the boy to ask for the remaining money.

Originally, the boy wanted to pocket it all himself, but after being stared at by Adrien for three seconds, he gave in.

He could only tremble as he deducted the cost of the wine he had drunk and handed the remaining half a bag of gold coins to Adrien.

Adrien counted it. The gold coins in that money pouch were enough for his expenses for a whole year!!!

Edward is such a good person... When will Edward write him a letter? I miss him so much...

Anthony watched as the general spaced out again, and he was going crazy: "General, say something!"

Adrien: "...Anyway, we don't have that much money, so let's walk."

Anthony's eyes lost their focus, "But... if we walk in, we won't have much presence to begin with. We won't be stopped at the palace gate, will we?"

After all, who among those invited to the twenty-third prince's birthday banquet wasn't either rich or noble?

Their Sawyer family was noble, yes, but it was just an empty shell with a fine appearance.

They might even be poorer than the commoners in this capital city.

They couldn't even afford a carriage, yet they had to walk into the royal palace?

They'd lose all face. And negotiate with the King of Barto? Could they even start negotiating?

Anthony was extremely anxious. He looked at the carriage still parked at the entrance, then at Adrien, wishing that a huge fortune would fall from the sky and land on their heads, so they would have the money to take the carriage.

No—it would be even better if it was a one-time solution, enough to cover their Sawyer army's expenses for the next ten years.

Anthony prayed so.

Adrien had already taken the lead and walked out.

Seeing that Adrien had made up his mind to walk to the royal palace, Anthony could only run back quickly to tell the carriage driver that they wouldn't be renting it, and then quickly run back to Adrien's side.

Just when Anthony thought they were really going to walk through the bustling city, being watched by all the commoners as they walked into the royal palace, a voice as beautiful as the sounds of nature was heard.

"Huh, is that General Sawyer?"

Anthony looked over expectantly. A gorgeously decorated carriage had stopped not far from them at some point.

The curtain of the carriage was slightly lifted, and a little girl with bright eyes and pearly teeth poked her small head out, looking curiously at Anthony and Adrien.

Anthony was stunned for a moment, and immediately matched the little girl before him with the eleventh princess of the King of Barto.

He had already memorized the appearances of everyone in the royal family before coming along, so as not to put his general in an awkward situation.

He retreated to the side and rear of Adrien and whispered to him: "This is the Eleventh Princess, Alice.

A few years ago, she and her brother William entered Sigret Academy to study, and she is also known as a genius."

Adrien still didn't show any particular expression towards the princess. Perhaps only Edward or a pile of gold coins placed in front of him could move him slightly.

He nodded, "Your Highness the Eleventh, Ri'an."

Alice's gaze swept over them lightly. Recalling some rumors she had heard before, she had an idea of the situation.

"Has the General not been able to rent a carriage? That's true, there are indeed many visiting nobles today.

I heard that the carriage companies have made a fortune.

Many nobles who came from other places and were a step too late are worried about how to get to the royal palace today."

Anthony thought to himself: This little princess is so young, yet she speaks so pleasantly.

They clearly couldn't afford to rent a carriage, but in her mouth, it became that they were a step too late and couldn't rent one.

Alice smiled and invited, "Why don't the General and this adjutant get on our carriage first?

The carriage I rented is quite large, so it won't be crowded even if the General comes in."

Adrien looked at Alice, then at the carriage. He was very tempted, but he still refused, "No need."

Anthony was frantically poking his general in the back behind him:

Why refuse! With the Eleventh Princess taking them, they won't be stopped by the guards! And they won't have to be embarrassed all the way to the royal palace!

Adrien put his hands behind his back and grabbed Anthony's finger that was constantly poking him, turning back to glare at him.

Alice blinked and seemed to understand, "In that case, I won't disturb the General and the adjutant. Then, see you at the royal palace."

Adrien nodded, "See you at the royal palace."

The luxurious carriage swayed and started moving again.

A childish male voice could be faintly heard complaining, "Why did you invite those two? Could it be that you really..."

The voice gradually dissipated into the air as the carriage moved away.

Anthony watched the Eleventh Princess's carriage drive away, his heart weeping, "Why didn't we take the Eleventh Princess's carriage?"

Isn't their general the one who loves to take small advantages the most?

Adrien looked at Anthony as if he were looking at a fool, "To avoid suspicion."

Anthony was stunned for a moment, then quickly reacted: "You mean those rumors are true?"

Adrien didn't say anything, which was a silent admission.

Anthony smacked his lips in disbelief, "What is the King of Barto thinking? How old is the Eleventh Princess this year?

He wants to... tsk, he's really not a good person." He said the last sentence almost in a whisper, not daring to curse the King of Barto on the streets of the capital of Bartovita.

But Adrien still said to him: "Watch your words."

They still had a favor to ask of the King of Barto.

They couldn't curse him before they got the money.

Anthony obediently covered his mouth and made a shushing motion, then quietly cursed the King of Barto in his heart.

That old thing, how dare he covet their general! Although their general is a bit stingy, a bit poor, his way of thinking is a bit abnormal, and he's occasionally a bit petty, but their general—their general is powerful!

Their general is a level one hundred swordsman!

And... uh, and... hmm...

In short, how could that old thing be worthy of being the general's father-in-law for such a perfect general?

Not to mention, the one he wanted to match the general with was the twelve-year-old Eleventh Princess.

It's too outrageous!

Adrien looked thoughtfully into the crowd, his gaze sweeping over it, but he couldn't find the presence that suddenly made his heart palpitate.

He could only give up and continue walking towards the royal palace.

Yan Yunqing, who had taken in this scene, almost died laughing in the crowd.

When he noticed Adrien looking over, he quickly lowered his head, pretending to look at the vegetables at a roadside stall.

Only after Adrien and Anthony had left did he finally dare to laugh out loud.

Why is this pair so funny?

Yan Yunqing was playing the role of a carriage driver today.

He directly took on the appearance of a carriage driver, letting that carriage driver sleep soundly at home.

He even put two gold coins in the jar where the man hid his money as compensation for his absence today.

There weren't many great benefactors like him who would pay to work for others.

He never expected that the carriage driver he had replaced would be sent to drive for General Sawyer.

He was a little flustered at first, but with his confidence in his acting skills, he temporarily stood still and waited for Adrien's reaction.

Unexpectedly, Adrien was horrified when he saw the carriage and pulled Anthony into a corner to whisper.

Yan Yunqing was curious about what they were saying, so he went to eavesdrop.

Unexpectedly, these two started performing a crosstalk in the corner, which made Yan Yunqing want to laugh but dare not, his neck turning red from holding it in.

It was also thanks to Adrien leaving in a hurry that Anthony didn't even have time to notice his abnormality and chased after him.

Yan Yunqing shook his head, pushing the funny duo to the back of his mind, and drove the carriage back to the carriage company.