The cloak shook slightly, and Alexander's hand instantly grasped the handle of the musket under the cloak.

"Hey, I suggest we all be careful," the man took a step back and spread his hands to Alexander, "Please believe that I have no ill will towards you." ”

As the man spoke, Alexander looked at him carefully, and then he noticed that the man's leg seemed to have something wrong as well, and when he stepped back, his shoulder, which was already tilted to one side, would shake more violently with the movement of his right leg, which made him try his best to move to the other side in order to maintain his balance, which looked very difficult.

But despite his disability, the man was quite handsome, with fair skin and slightly pale eyes, and a beard that was clearly well-groomed and oiled in the light, which made him look very energetic, and he was now looking at Alexander with a positive smile.

"Who are you?" Alexander did not let his guard down because of the man's disability, and when he heard the man expose his thoughts, he had already looked around the room, but there was no sign of anyone but the two of them.

"I think you must have misunderstood," the man didn't rush to report the news, but looked at Alexander with a strange look, his eyes revealed a little surprise, as if he guessed Alexander's mind but still felt surprised, "You should already know that I didn't make a ...... to Sophia"

Alexander pulled his musket from his cloak, and the undisguised anger in his eyes spoke of an even more terrible anger in his heart: "Shut up, you are not allowed to call her name." ”

"Are you crazy?" The man looked at the pressure in amazement, if he was still a little relaxed and teasing just now, but now he was really surprised, "You treat a friend who helped you take care of a woman like this?" You know, this is simply ungrateful, and even a pagan would not be more despicable than to do. ”

"Then I'll let you know what could be more despicable than this."

"Click~"

As the springs moved, Alexander turned his gun on the man.

"I'm not going to let you be Sophia's nightmare."

"Wait! Wait a minute! The man shouted, and he stretched out his hands in front of him, "I didn't do anything to that girl, don't you even know this?" ”

"Haven't done anything?" Alexander couldn't help but ask, of course the things he hoped to guess were not true, even though he knew that this man was trying to stop him from shooting.

"Of course you know, as long as you're not stupid, how can you not know this," the man's originally relaxed face was a little embarrassed at this time, which was completely different from what he had imagined before, especially when he saw Alexander take out his musket, he was indeed frightened.

However, then there was a strange look on his face, and he seemed a little helpless because he didn't know how to say it, and then he stared at Alexander as if he had suddenly realized.

"I beg your pardon, if I'm not mistaken, you shouldn't have ...... with that girl yet," he said, holding out his right hand and shaking his finger, "I think you understand what I'm saying, but I didn't expect it, but can't you tell she's still a virgin?" ”

"Huh?" Alexander knew his mouth must be open, for he saw the obvious mocking smile on the other man's face.

"God, what do you think I did to that girl?" The man tilted his shoulders and moved, perhaps feeling a little tired, and simply sat down, "Well, if you don't believe me, I can let Olgara in and tell you, you know, until you walk in the door, I thought you were going to kill me." ”

The man looked at Alexander's musket with interest, and the look in his eyes was similar to that of Elliot in Taranto.

Alexander was in a dilemma at this moment.

He knew that he should not hesitate to shoot, and if this person was not killed, he should stab him again, and then stab himself with the second short knife that had been prepared long ago, taking advantage of the fact that the people outside had not yet come in, as he had planned!

But now, he hesitated.

He wanted to know what Sophia had been through, no matter how unbearable it was, that he had to know how to erase the wounds in her heart, how to get her out of that nightmare, even if it hurt him after knowing it.

But he couldn't ask Sophia, he couldn't even come here quietly to ask Lady Olgala, for he was afraid that Sophia would find out and touch her heart.

So when the man offered to see him, he decided to come and see the man.

Now an opportunity to know those past is in front of you, but if you let Olgala in, it means that the chance to kill this person will also be gone.

"Don't you want to know what she went through?" The man had completely calmed down by this time, and he slowly picked up a beautifully decorated gourd-like thing from the table, put the long suction spout in his mouth and sucked it, so that the "gourd" let out a low grunt, "Or are you afraid to know something?" ”

Alexander stared at the man's face, and he admitted that the man was indeed very good at grasping people's hearts, although this was not what he was worried about.

"Let the lady in," Alexander sat down as well, placing his musket lightly on the table in front of him, and covering it with his cloak, "if you don't want to take any chances, don't move around." ”

"Don't worry, I cherish life very much," the man smiled slightly, and then elegantly picked up the glass and took a sip of wine, "Actually, I'm going to have a good drink with you, but that's okay, as long as we wait for our misunderstanding to be cleared up, we can have a good drink." With that, he gestured to Alexander, "So ......."

Alexander nodded slightly, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched the man twist and pull a drawstring in an inconspicuous place.

"You know I'm going to have to be careful," the man seemed to sense the change in Alexander's expression, "after all, not all of the guests here are well-intentioned. ”

With that, he smiled strangely at Alexander.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Alexander's eyes glanced quickly to the door, and saw Lady Olgara, who had entered alone, and his body shifted to the side, but his hand remained on the musket under the cloak.

"Madame, I have asked you to come because I have something to ask you," the man gestured in Alexander's direction, "and I think it would be better for this lord to ask." ”

Alexander frowned secretly, although the topic was somewhat embarrassing, but he had to know.

"Sophia, what was she like when she came here?" Alexander asked in a low voice.

Lady Olgala looked at Alexander and then at the man with some strange looks, and after the man nodded slightly, she pondered and said: "Very stubborn, speaking of which I have never seen such a stubborn girl, I don't think she can do what we do, please forgive my lord, I don't mean she is a mute, on the contrary, she is very beautiful, if you want, maybe it will not take a few years to become a beauty that fascinates men, but ......"

"I'm asking, how is she feeling, and her body," Alexander interrupted the young woman impatiently, although he did not despise this woman, but instinctively resented her when she associated Sophia with her business, "Has she been hurt, or has she been violated?" ”

When this question finally came out, Alexander's gaze quickly swept over the man's face, and he vowed not to hesitate to shoot the man at the slightest hint or strangeness in his expression.

"You're saying she's not being man, right?" Lady Olgara's face suddenly showed the same look as the man had done before, and she even glanced between Alexander's legs when she asked this: "Sir, have you not yet discovered that she is a virgin, you must know that I already knew when she came on the first day." At this point, Lady Oljara suddenly asked in an interested tone, "So what have you two been doing these days?" It won't be to sing nursery rhymes to her at night to lull her to sleep. ”

Alexander knew he was blushing, or rather a little annoyed.

Especially when he heard the uncontrollable cough of the man next to him, he thought that maybe it would be a good shot at this woman.

"Olgara, it looks like you have to leave," the man next to him who had spoken in time to prevent an accident from happening waved his hand with a smile, and when there were only two people in the room, his smiling expression gradually disappeared, "Lord Gombray, I think Madame's words are enough to clear up the misunderstanding between us, and I must admit that I admire you very much for your courageous act of protecting the honor of your lover."

Alexander nodded wordlessly, and he slowly put away his musket while carefully surveying the man sitting across from him.

It must be admitted that, despite the seemingly unexpected beginnings, this man was calm throughout, and even in the face of his musket, he was able to maintain his dignity without panicking.

This is a calm and timing-ready person, and it is better not to become an enemy with such a person. The thought crossed Alexander's mind.

"Then allow me to introduce myself, I'm Hubert van Groningen,"

The man struggled to stand up, but when he stood firm, both his expression and his whole body seemed to change slightly, his shoulders were still a little uneven and his legs were slightly unsteady, but he tried to stand up straight, and when his name was spoken, his voice was firm and powerful.

At this moment, Alexander had the illusion that all those disabilities on his body were missing in an instant.

The person standing in front of him is healthy, powerful, and full of strength.

Then, he was attracted by the man's surname.

Alexander vaguely remembered the name Groningen, but it was supposed to be a place name, and it was the name of a very old castle.

It's a bit difficult to remember when the castle was built, but Alexander knows he's not mistaken, and he knows that the castle later became the name of a province in the Northern Lowlands.

And that region, after it became a country, got a very famous name, the Netherlands.

It's just that today's Netherlands is a scattered sand, not to mention becoming a country, and even the alliance between several different provinces is loose and loose.

But Groningen is different.

Groningen was an important member of the Hanseatic League.

If there is one powerful enemy in this era that can confront the whole of Europe, it is undoubtedly the Ottoman Empire, which is watching the continent of Europa!

And if there is an adversary that can confront each other with the Mediterranean-centric business blocs, then the Hanseatic League, which is dominated by the northern Germanic peoples and centered on the coastal cities of the North Sea, must be this role.

If the Mediterranean was the hub of the distant trade routes between East and West, the North where the Hanseatic League was located was the pinnacle of this road that had created countless fortunes and dreams.

So now looking at a man surnamed Groningen standing in front of him, Alexander, in addition to his surprise, felt that in addition to the peculiar smell of hookah, he seemed to smell something that could be called a conspiracy.

It wasn't that Alexander liked to be cranky, for he knew very well that if there was another group of merchants who hated all Italian merchants, it would be those of the Hanseatic League.

At least as far as the New World was fully understood, the merchants of the Hanseatic League were mortal enemies in the eyes of Italian merchants.

It is unlikely that such a person suddenly appeared in Naples, and it seems that he still has a complicated relationship with a woman like Orgara, and Alexander does not doubt it.

"I guess I'd better explain the things that must be confusing to you," the man who called himself Groningen smiled slightly, "Actually, we have been dealing with each other for a long time, and I don't think you know that the boat you took when you left Sicily belonged to me. ”

Alexander couldn't help but look surprised, he really didn't expect such a thing, but then he frowned: "So you are responsible for the rebellion of those sailors at that time?" ”

"I hate to admit it, but that's my responsibility," Groningen didn't seem to want to quibble about it, "and I was on board at the time, and the rebellion cost me a lot of money, and it was a little late when we found out what the sailors were doing." I know what you're worried about, but I assure you that their rebellion was put down in no time. ”

"But it's too late," Alexander's eyes flashed with anger, he couldn't forget the helplessness he felt when he looked at the distant shadow of the ship when he was pulled up from the water by Ulliu, and he couldn't forget the heart-rending pain at the thought of Sophia still on the ship. ”

"They are punished as they deserve," Groningen said nonchalantly, "believe me, your girl has not been harmed in any way, although I must admit that I thought about using her to do something for me after I rescued her." ”

Alexander's eyebrows jumped, and he instantly understood what this man was implying to him.

A gypsy girl with a proud figure and a beautiful appearance, although she is mute, is enough to be a tool to encircle some powerful people.

His eyes narrowed slightly, the man's honesty did not make him feel any good, and Alexander's hand clenched the handle of the gun again at the thought of the terrible situation she would face if he had not met Sophia.

"I can see that you have done another murderous attempt," Grogenin shrugged, "Don't be such a friend, you must know that I am a merchant, and for me both goods and people have their own prices, and I saved the girl, so I should want her to repay me, but I am still glad that you found her, and the result is really perfect, and it must be that God is also merciful to you." ”

Alexander listened silently to Grogenin's words, and then suddenly he said, "Now tell me what you want." ”

Grogenen looked at Alexander earnestly with a meaningful gaze, lowered his voice slightly, and said, "My friend, I know that you have paid a sum of money for the queen. I can only say that I admire your actions, but you probably don't know how much I invested in her husband. ”

Alexander's eyes moved, he knew that when he got to the point, this person couldn't just explain to himself the so-called good deeds he had done to save Sophia.

As he said, he was a businessman.

"I'm not very demanding, I just want to be your friend," Groganin said with a smile, "because I believe we have the same goal." ”