"boring."
With a spear and shield in hand, Francis stood at the door of the lord's mansion. He looked at the deserted street in front of him and couldn't help but sigh: "There is obviously no one, but you still want me to guard the door... Hiss - it's so cold today!"
Ice formed on the eaves, frost grew on the white ground, and the winter morning wind was damp and biting, making him tremble slightly. The armor made of steel could not keep him warm at all, and the leather armor was penetrated by the cold like paper, but even so, Francis did not lower his guard. , but carefully observed the movement around him back and forth.
He kept complaining, but as a mercenary for more than ten years, he also knew that he should do things when he was paid. It was indeed uncomfortable to watch the door, but it was better than fighting with others.
Francis knew about the attack that had just occurred near the city gate. He heard the news not long after he got up. It is said that the messenger said that the raiders were very powerful and one person defeated fifty heavily armored spearmen. Nowadays, people are still lurking in the city and are missing. No wonder his employer is so careful.
Not fifty farmers, these are fifty soldiers! Defeating it with one person's strength is really unbelievable. Even the leader of their mercenary group may not be able to do it.
Although Francis does not think that the raider will choose to attack now when everyone is most alert, he will still do everything he can with due diligence. As long as he gets the money, he will never fish in troubled waters. It is his code and persistence.
As for the guy who was supposed to be guarding the door with him, but claimed that the weather was too cold and that he had gone back to get clothes but he hadn't come back yet... After all, people are different, and he didn't want to be like that.
Over forty years old, Francis has still not broken through to the high level of Silver. As a human, this means that it is unlikely that he will advance to the Golden Glory. However, even if there is no possibility of progress in the future, he at least has rich combat experience. Mercenary He can continue to eat this food for seven or eight years, and it will not be until he is in his fifties and his physical strength fails that he will consider finding a place to buy a piece of land and live peacefully for the rest of his life.
But will mercenaries have the rest of their lives? What a good bad joke.
After laughing at his own thoughts, Francis suddenly heard a sound other than the wind.
Ta, tap, tap.
There were footsteps on the corner of the street.
It was inaudible at first, but as it got closer, the sound became louder and louder, until Francis turned his head in confusion and looked at the corner where the footsteps came from.
Normally, no one would pay attention to the sound of footsteps, but since the martial law began, few people in this city have come out to walk on the streets. Coupled with the commotion and severe cold in the morning, no one came out today. This kind of Under such circumstances, there was suddenly such a clear sound of footsteps, and it was no wonder that Francis was confused.
After a while, a tall black-haired man appeared in his field of vision. This man was followed by a girl with silver hair and green eyes. Judging from their height, they seemed a bit like a father and daughter—well, they should be brother and sister, right? But in this case, the hair color is wrong.
No, no, no, no matter what the relationship is, the most surprising thing is why these two people came out at this time, right? It was obviously so cold and there had been an attack before.
His mind was confused for a moment, but Francis came back to his senses immediately. Looking at the two people getting closer and closer, he didn't have time to care about whether they were weird or not, so he immediately walked forward, frowned and said loudly: "Please, you two." Stop, there is a restricted area ahead, please go around!"
"...very dedicated."
After a few seconds of silence, the black-haired man nodded. He didn't seem to care about Francis' serious expression or the weapon in his hand. He commented to himself: "With so many people, you are the only one who has the spirit of a warrior."
"What... why are there so many people?"
After thinking about this sentence for a moment, Francis suddenly smelled a faint smell of blood in the wind, and a chill suddenly rushed down his spine.
(Yes, there are obviously many people patrolling nearby. Logically speaking, it is impossible for these two people to reach the door of the Lord's Mansion, right?!)
He opened his eyes wide, looked at the man and woman in front of him, and opened his mouth silently.
"Those people are all dead."
Seeing Francis's expression, the man's voice did not waver at all, and he replied extremely calmly: "The same will happen to you later."
He is the guy who raided the city gate!
This is just a guess, and it seems that the guess is not wrong. Although he has not taken action yet, Francis just looked at the man and felt as if he had been hit by a fear spell. His feet could not help but tremble, and his whole body was shaking. trembling.
In front of me, there was a terrifying monster that wiped out seventeen heavy-armed spearmen with one sword and killed several patrolling soldiers silently. Judging from the aura, it did not reach the golden state, but it was certainly enough to easily deal with him. It doesn’t exist on a horizontal line!
"...please leave!"
Trembling, he controlled the spear with his hands that barely suppressed the trembling. Francis pointed the tip of the spear at the man in front of him. Although there was still fear in his eyes, he did not take a step back. Instead, he loudly said: "Repeat, this is a restricted area. If you go any further, I will attack!"
The black-haired man in front of him was wearing a simple leather coat and riding clothes. He didn't have anything that could be called a weapon. There was a small stain on his trouser leg that seemed to be blood. It seemed that he killed the patrolling mercenaries without even having weapons. It’s not even used, it’s really powerful beyond imagination.
Precisely because he understood the strength of the other party, when Francis said these words, he felt that his heart was grasped by a hand, and the hold was getting tighter and tighter, and the blood all over his body was out of control - but he still He didn't put down his weapon, and even though his hands lost strength due to fear, he didn't take a step back.
When you receive money, you have to do things. When you get a commission, you have to perform your duties. Guarding the gate is his duty. This is his responsibility. Although there are people among mercenaries who have no lower limit for money and abandon their mission at will, but he, Francis No, even if his strength is not strong, his will will not shrink.
Fighting is not terrible. Fighting to death is the most basic consciousness for the people of the Empire. The tenacity of the people of the North is far beyond that of other people of the Empire. As a mercenary of the North, Francis has his own pride! Even if there is no chance of winning, he will still fight!
"Not bad willpower."
The black-haired man looked at the spear pointed directly at his throat in Francis's hand without any emotion. He just said something that could be regarded as a compliment: "It's a pity."
And then... there was no more.
The black-haired man in front of him suddenly disappeared, and a gust of wind blew by. Francis felt a tightness in his chest. The spear in his hand was broken into two halves by the sudden force. His body seemed to become much lighter, and he flew towards high places, slowly. The ground fell…
His will sank into darkness, and before falling into the deepest coma, the mercenary vaguely heard the loud sound of the closed door being blasted open by a punch.