Chapter 112 - Volume 2
Chapter 56 – The invitation from the Unifying Guild
The battle was over before it had started—
Brendel ordered the Lopes Mercenaries to bring the two soldiers who were knocked unconscious to the room’s corner.
[That swordsman is probably going to reach here soon. The difference him and my stats is nearly twenty times, and he’s even worse than Ebdon or the Crusader Executioner. Even the slightest mistake in fighting him is fatal.]
Brendel held his left shoulder where the sword struck him. It was burning and the pain came in pulses. If Tirste came with full strength at him, it was literally impossible for him to even see his movements. Brendel wiped away the perspiration on his forehead and rubbed his forehead.
[We just met for the first time and the reaction he did was to attack me. The only organization that I offended was the Unifying Guild, so is he one of the assassins for them? But it doesn’t really fit their actions. Their typical actions are subtle and intentionally so. Even if they want to take revenge, they wouldn’t pick this place as a venue. Collaboration with Madara? That’s even more ridiculous. The Unifying Guild believes in Chaos and follows the Twilight Dragon, how can they work together with Madara believes in the Laws of Darkness?]
He shook his held to clear his messy thoughts. He pointed at different directions and instructed: “The six of you, move separately.”
The most important thing right now was to save his own life.
Tirste seemed to have seen through Brendel’s actions, but he did not act upon it. However, this behavior actually made Brendel feel like he was facing a great enemy, and as a veteran warrior, Brendel was trying to find every possibility where Tirste was going to attack, and a bead of cold perspiration streaked past his forehead.
[This damned Tirste… Even though he looks like he doesn’t care, but he’s watching me closely.]
“Let’s be straightforward. What is your relationship to Leto?”
Brendel’s face color nearly turned when he heard Tirste’s question, but the qualities that he had gotten so far from his experience were not false. Within an instant, he had calmed down and answered coolly: “What Leto.”
Brendel looked like he did not know anything, but his mind was crashing around like a ship at the mercy of a thunderstorm.
[From what position is Tirste asking me from? Regional noble? White-mane army? Unifying Guild? Shit, it feels like all these possibilities are possible, but there’s no hard evidence. But the most important thing is how much they know.]
Brendel stared at Tirste’s eyes as it was his forte, and he had tricked many top players from Madara, but appeared like it was ineffective here.
Tirste did not find any mistakes from Brendel, but that was precisely why he became suspicious. He smiled: “Your answer doesn’t mean anything, and killing you is the simplest solution to me. But your performance has me appreciate your talents. I don’t really care what you say, because there’s no meaning— Brendel, right? I only want to ask you this, are you willing to join us?”
Brendel really wanted to act ignorant and say ‘Us?’, but when he saw the hand on the sword wearing a black ring with the shape of a snake biting its tail, he gulped down his answer. He knew that Tirste was giving him a final warning, either join him or report to Mother Marsha.
But joining the Unifying Guild was a torture to Brendel. They were just second to Madara as his greatest enemy. That was not the only thing, because joining the infamous Unifying Guild meant that he had to accept their branding for his whole life. This was not a road that he was willing to walk, unless there was no road left.
Brendel stopped fiddling with his Windows Stats.
He had to choose between Tirste’s sword or the Unifying Guild.
The room was full of dead silence.