Southwest of Stonebuch City, near the Old Wharf, the city was first founded and has lost its former prosperity. Not wide or narrow, barely enough to drive into a carriage on both sides of the stone road, the thick and sturdy stone houses are slightly dilapidated, but still intact, in addition to the mottled moss, the tenacious green plants growing between the cracks in the walls bloom small white or purple flowers, but also reveal a rare quiet.

Most of the residents who lived here were old residents who had lived in Stonebuch for generations, with no illustrious status or wealth, but who were still able to get by, many of whom ran small businesses in the city, and some of whom lived purely on the savings of their ancestors—for example, old Joey, who was staggering through the alleys of Grey Robe with a few sausages and a few bottles of wine and a drunken smile on his face when the sun was just rising.

Old Joey, the only son of the tailor Dillian family, ran away from home as a young man for many years, and did not know what to do, until he was almost forty years old and came home empty-handed, and never did any serious work again. The family business was no longer taken care of after the death of his parents, and Joey did not seem to have any interest in marrying a wife and having children, and the only thing he loved was wine. But he has a kind temper, even when he is drunk, he still smiles, never argues with people, although he doesn't have any particularly close friends, and his popularity is not bad.

But if something needs help, no one will go to Old Joy - after all, what can a lone drunkard hope for?

The atmosphere in Riston Butch City has been a little strange these days, and even there are a few unfamiliar faces near Grey Robe Alley. Standing there lazily and idlely, his vigilant gaze did not spare anyone who came and went.

However, even they didn't take old Joey seriously. He only glanced at it lightly and ignored it.

Joey pushed open the unlocked wooden door of his chain and shook it inside.

There were no candles in the room, and the windows that had not been opened for years were covered with dust and cobwebs, and the light was as dim as night. The slightly chubby, balding old man slowly kicked the chair next to the door, intentionally or unintentionally causing it to get stuck behind the exposed door, and shuffled towards the wooden staircase that led to the second floor.

The door to the bedroom on the second floor was similarly open, and a pair of vigilant green eyes flashed through it like a cat's eye. Old Joey didn't seem to see anything. casually pushed open the door, raised the sausage in his hand, and smiled at the three people stuffed in the small room: "Buluo's sausage." ”

Rosa smiled gratefully at him, "I'm sorry...... Sorry to bother you. ”

Old Joy grinned, "I should thank you for remembering to give me trouble." ”

Sethyana stood silently in the corner. Looking at this old man with cloudy eyes, a red nose, and a hunched waist. At Borena's suggestion, Lange and Rosa decided to go their separate ways. Lange and the little ones fled through the Red Willow River to a safer place. The three of them ventured back to the city.

Rosa almost did not hesitate to choose to hide here for the time being, but the drunkard in front of her was not trustworthy no matter how she looked at it.

If he asked, Rosa would have told him why, but he was silent, reminding himself to be more careful.

Cowered in a daze, Borena looked relieved - or maybe he just didn't have the energy to worry about that much right now.

"There's not much movement in the temple. Joey uncorked a bottle of wine, gulped down half of it, and said nonchalantly, "Our Majesty the King put up such a big battle yesterday. I spent the whole day, but I didn't go to pray at all. I heard that it was because his dear queen had suddenly returned from the north. No one is blocking the road today, but everyone who enters the temple is being watched. In the absence of Master Sean Fletcher, the priests and paladins in the temple were all shrunk as rats, as if it was normal for more than half of the people to go to pray - but it is hard to say whether they were shrunk inside and doing nothing. ”

Rosa looked at Borena, who scratched his beard. He believed that Lowell would not break his promise, but the temple probably had some difficulties...... He should be patient and wait, and it would be better to think of other ideas.

"And," Joey licked the wine from his beard, "I heard that a paladin left the temple yesterday and hasn't returned yet." ”

Borena was stunned.

He exchanged an uneasy look with Rosa and involuntarily asked, "Are you sure?"

At the time of the breakup, Rowell looked quite confident that he would be able to leave safely...... Isn't there going to be another accident?

"All I can tell you is what I can see and hear. Joey pointed to his eyes, "At least that's not reliable, huh...... Who knows. ”

He nodded at Rosa, and staggered downstairs again, and in a moment the dim light came through with the aroma of barbecued sausages.

No one in the room moved, and uneasiness flowed in silence, and it was a long time before Borena spoke with a glimmer of hope: "I think Lowell can sneak back quietly?"

Rosa hesitated.

"Perhaps. "But Joey's messages are often much more reliable than they seem." ”

“...... Who the hell is he?" Borena finally couldn't help asking, "a smuggler like your father...... Or pirates?"

"It's much better than that. Rosa smiled bitterly, "I wonder if you've heard of the Adventurer's Guild in the North?"

“...... I've heard of it. Borena frowned suspiciously, "But wasn't that guild gone decades ago?"

The adventurers gathered in the taverns at the mouth of the Kuz River occasionally spoke of the guild that had become a legend, some with nostalgia, some with contempt—where were the superfluous managers needed for absolute freedom that adventurers were pursuing?

"That's right, it was disbanded before I was born. And decades before it was disbanded, it was no longer the respected and powerful guild it was when it was founded...... It's more like a place for mercenaries to find work, and it's not good work yet. Rosa sighed with some emotion, "Joey is its last president...... It was also the one who finally decided to make it history, because it was clearly hopelessly degenerated. ”

She looked left and right, and the surprised look on Borena and the elf's faces seemed to make her amused.

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" she said, "I probably wouldn't have believed it if Norway hadn't told me that." Not many people know about this...... Disbanding it was probably a big blow to Joey, who I knew when he was the old drunkard who no one would take him seriously - but Norway said he could be trusted, and I believed Norvi...... The Adventurer's Guild has been around for hundreds of years, and some things have survived even after they have been disbanded. At least Joey is still well-informed, though I don't know where he got it. ”

"Where else can I fight?" said the old man who had climbed the stairs step by step outside the door, "old fellows like me." ”

Sesyana blinked in surprise—they spoke quietly, and Joey's ears were much more sensitive than they seem.

Old Joey, who had half a sausage in his mouth, pushed the door in again, holding a plate of still sizzling sausages in his hand.

"Little Rosa," he sighed, "you didn't talk so much before. ”

Rosa's face flushed slightly: "I'm sorry...... I think I've had enough of 'secrets' these days. Trust me, they won't give away your secrets...... And we may need more help from you. ”

It was hard to believe that Borena stared at the old man, who was not good-looking, with his mouth and head - and the top of his bare head, who was a head shorter than Lange, but about the same width, and obviously not muscular, and who was obviously not muscular.

"Excuse me...... Do you know Alan Kavo?" his tone unconsciously deferred.

He can't wait here forever...... If the temple was being watched too closely, perhaps he could get a message to Ed in another way.

"Ah, Alan. Joey nodded, "I wanted him to join the guild to help me, but he didn't do it...... He's a smart guy, though he didn't have a lot of luck later...... If you want me to send him a message, it's not impossible, but it will take a few days. ”

With a simple question, he immediately guessed his purpose, and told him clearly whether it was feasible or not—and there was more respect in Borena's eyes.

“...... In any case, it's always a way. Rosa began, "Then I'm sorry for you...... If Langezang's wine is not taken away, it will be all yours. ”

Joey laughed, "Lange's kind of wine that gets drunk after half a glass is not very suitable for me. ”

He handed the plate to Rosa: "I can't shake it out again, at least until the afternoon......"

He stopped suddenly.

When Borena noticed the strange fluctuation in the air, Sesyana's twin swords were already unsheathed, Rosa jumped nimbly into the corner and drew her long sword, and Joey stepped back to the door, his face full of horror.

Only Borena stood still, motionless—no matter what was coming, he had no intention of running away.

But suddenly in the middle of the room were two strange men, dressed in simple chain mail, one with a sharp sword in his hand, the other holding a mace that was not long or short, in a defensive posture back to back, looking even more nervous than them.

For a moment, everyone didn't move, they looked at each other in amazement, as if they had all been turned into statues.

The elf's body moved slightly, but he didn't strike immediately—he didn't feel the hostility.

“...... Where's Lowell Turner?" After a moment, the middle-aged man with the mace looked back at Joey standing by the door and asked with a gloomy face.

(To be continued......)