The Amber Sword

Chapter 147 – Warm words of hope (9)

The night sky of Senia’s village was quiet and peaceful. Bright stars filled the cloudless sky like paint on an empty canvas with an aurora highlighting it. The forest was quiet enough for one to appreciate the majestic painting.

The village had once again went back to its peaceful self after the quarrels in the Longhouse ended. But at the darker corners of the courtyard which was lit up by the campfire, a small shadow quietly slipped into a warehouse located at the village’s edge.

Sifrid was quietly taking in breaths as she looked carefully to her left and right. Her green eyes were dyed with anxiety as she slowly pushed against the building’s door with her tiny hands. She successfully infiltrated the building and closed it gently from the inside.

The interior was pitch-black, save for the sky-window located at the top which cast a tiny beam of moonlight onto the ground.

However, the buried bloodlines of the Lycanthropes within the Senia’s citizens would awaken in the dark. Her pupils expanded and captured every detail in the dark.

Sifrid took a moment before she found what she came for. She moved towards a vase which contained water and stood on her tiptoes to fill her waterbag. Once she was done she stashed it away and surveyed her surroundings again.

In the end there was no resolution to the quarrels earlier, but Sifrid had made up her mind and decided to travel alone to the Baron.

“Probably?” Graudin’s eyes narrowed.

“I apologize, my lord, our men are unable to leave the city because of the mercenaries’ blockade. We are unable to receive any news for now……”

“Mercenaries, mercenaries, and still these fucking mercenaries, can’t any of you think of a solution?” He threw a fork at his right hand’s face, causing it to bleed slightly, as he roared: “Why can’t you kill all of them?”

“This…..”

[There are ten large squadrons of mercenaries outside the city, and that’s not counting the adventurers yet. Mother Marsha is already looking out for us because they haven’t launched an attack. We simply don’t have the forces to kill everyone. I even fucking told you not to kill so many of them during the day. It was good enough to teach them a lesson, but you refused to listen and relied on the fact that you have Madara’s army. You stupid arrogant piece of shit. Because of your inability to think of the consequences the situation has gotten out control!]

Graudin’s right hand insulted his lord in his mind, but he did not show any of his discontent on his face, and merely lowered his head as he waited for Graudin to change his mind.

The latter was silent for a while as he realized what the problem was, but he was not too worried.

“Where are the Madara undead?”

“Are you calling them?” His right hand’s head immediately raised up.

“Of course. This problem is partly because of them. Go to them and tell them the truth about our situation. I only want one result; I don’t want to see any of these filthy mercenaries in my lands by tomorrow’s dawn.” Graudin waved his hand to dismiss them.

[You’re really killing them all?]

The expressions of Graudin’s men changed. This was not a small matter to gloss over.

======== Mercenaries’ POV ==========

The mercenaries were indeed gathered outside the city, but not all of them were interested in getting justice from a Feudal Baron.

The bonfire burned with a fiery rage, causing everyone’s faces to be visible near it.

Alistair looked at everyone of them coldly. The people in front of him were mixed with the mercenaries’ leaders and adventurers’ representatives. Some were sellswords who did not belong to any faction. While their faces held angry looks at the same time, the majority of them were hiding their thoughts on what they could gain from this.

The young Acolyte sighed and knew that it was impossible to seek revenge today. But the rage in him continued to burn because so many of his comrades died. He clenched his teeth as he questioned the crowd with full of disdain:

“Do you truly not want to fight Baron Graudin? So many lives have been taken away today and yet you choose to be cowards and stay silent. Has anyone thought about how much they look down on us? Are our lives really worthless and to be wantonly trampled upon?”

Everyone glanced at each other but no one responded.

“Your comrades, friends and companions, their bodies are still crucified in public display; have you resigned yourself to watch them rot?” He tried again.

“Do we just let the baron’s transgression against us go on?” Someone in the crowd whispered.

“What else can we do? That fucking Graudin is directly under the king, A Feudal Baron.”

“And that gives him the right to kill us?” Alistair retorted in fury when he heard the whispers: “I don’t see any laws that allow him to do so!”