Yeats did not respond to Volcarlo's concern, and she never turned her head. Just as Volcaro thought that the conversation was about to end, Yeats suddenly added: "The young man who followed Barandoque, whose name is Wren, is one of the remnants of the Knights of the Falcon. ”

"I know." Volcalo said disapprehantly.

"You know?" There was a hint of surprise in Yeats's voice.

"Just look at the style of that armor, the last generation of Falcon Knights' standard armor, the protective performance has long been unable to keep up with the times, not to mention that if it is damaged into that appearance, mercenaries will not wear it. Did he think that no one would recognize him if he removed the coat of arms on his chest? But since the defenders didn't make any moves when they entered the city, presumably the Duke had acquiesced in this person's activities in the north, right? ”

"For now, yes. In the meantime, Lord Duke wants you to keep your distance from the new Lord of Livingston, Baranduke. As a scholar at the Royal Academy, it's okay for you to express your gratitude to the savior of Boynbru, but as Duke Ryan's head blacksmith, your kindness to an upstart will always be misinterpreted by those who have a heart. ”

"I see." Volcalo shook his head, "It's boring. The food that Baranducto bought for me, I will find someone else, and will not deliver it to Poynbru in the name of any Ryan. ”

The Finbrae Plains are just over forty miles from Ryan and have been the domain of the Evanles family for generations. Across the Finbrai Plain is the Ranfall Peninsula, a land that extends into the inland sea and is the commercial and agricultural center of Livingston, and its unique geographical location that is not easily affected by cold snaps has created the only fertile land in the north. There is the eternal warmth of Swan Lake, the unfrozen plain suitable for crop growth, and a large grassland suitable for animal husbandry. The most often compared to the Settlement Peninsula is the plain of knowledge in the southern part of Pande, where the richest city on the continent, Issos, is located, and there is no shortage of bards who rely on it to sell their literary talents.

As soon as we entered the Finbrai plain, the wind was no longer bitter, and the horses' hooves waded through a vast expanse of moist greenery, in which the white of the snow was sparse and crystalline. And the ploughing oxen have already begun to work on the rare and precious ice-freezing, and the villagers hold the plows, indifferent to the two riders who pass by. Soon Esher had seen the towering, precipitous dark walls of Fort Finbre like a black tombstone standing in the field, and the road ahead had branched off as expected, one straight toward the horizon leading to Raven City, and the other looming in the long grass, zigzag towards the black tombstone.

At the intersection stood a horseman, tall and strong, with a pure coat, apparently a war horse of good blood; The knight on horseback was a little rickety, and his body under armor seemed to be unable to bear the load of metal. The man and the horse stood in the middle of the intersection, calmly watching the two galloping horses, without showing the slightest intention of avoiding them. Esher and Wren had already lifted the reins, intending to bypass the unknown knight, but the solid gray-haired horse under the opponent's crotch raised its head and let out a majestic neigh—it roared like a thunderbolt in its mouth! Esher and Wren immediately found that the reins could no longer restrain their mounts, and in the face of the haughty warhorse, they all showed varying degrees of restraint, and they were unwilling to come any further. Esher and Wren glanced at each other and tacitly grasped the weapon in their hands, but before they could make any further moves, the rider had already taken off his helmet and identified himself - it was Viscount Ivanles. He patted the horse's head slightly, and the latter snorted, and Esher and Wren's mounts returned to normal, though they still looked stiff as they approached—if they were in a similar mood. Wren's grip on the sword let go, although he didn't know why Viscount Ivanles was able to know his whereabouts and wait at the intersection in advance, but it was not a bad thing, and he also knew the name of the warhorse: the "Chilling Wind" that galloped the North, a wild and spiritual steed, raised by Viscount Ivanles himself, and had an astonishing lifespan, only inferior to his own master in service, but still the fastest horse in the North. Wren's mentor, Sir Leodrey, was always envious of the mention.

"I've seen the Earl." Wren saluted on horseback.

"Yes Viscount, I won't correct it a second time." The old man said, "Your service in the Barandoke ranks has been temporarily suspended due to an accident, and you should return to Fort Finbre to report and await further instructions." ”

"Yes, sir." Wren replied loudly, and rode away.

Eshua sent Wren away, lightly clamped the horse's belly, and went on around Viscount Ivanles, but the old man stopped him:

"Esher Balanduk, you're coming later than I expected. But it's bounty season, and it's understandable that you're delaying your journey. I hope your gains are worth the time you have paid for this, and although there is still room for the time limit given by His Majesty, it is better not to squander it at will, for no monarch will appreciate a courtier with a loose attitude, let alone a newcomer. ”

Eshu turned: "How do you know I'll pass by Fort Finbre at this time?" ”

"Naturally, I have my sources of information."

Essho was silent for a moment. "You're waiting for me, not Wren?"

"Is there any difference?" The old man smiled, "Please come with Commodore Barandoc to Finnbrebre Castle, I have arranged for the cook to prepare lunch." ”

"I was about to-" Edward tried to excuse himself, but was interrupted by Viscount Ivanles, "I know, I'm going to Raven City." But just having lunch together won't delay you much, and you can continue to set off in the afternoon, as long as you don't fight with the mercenaries on the Shoraku Peninsula, it's more than enough to get to Raven City. I'm no longer your employer, but as a brigadier, you owe at least one of the viscounts the respect you deserve. The habits of the mercenaries in the past need to be changed. You can take some etiquette classes at the Royal Academy. ”

Essho nodded silently, in the strict hierarchy among the nobles, Eshy, who was not even a baron, was the bottom of the bottom. Viscount Ivanles was not inviting him, but giving orders strongly, and the old man's attitude was very clear that he would not tolerate refusal, let alone tolerate refusal.

Lunch in Fenbreburg was unexpectedly simple, the main dish was coarse rye bread with a dark brown skin, but the chef carefully sifted away the sand from the flour and served with the thick green pea soup in a crockpot, and the only meat was salmon and smoked pork bacon that could be found everywhere in the river. However, Eshy's taste is not picky, on the contrary, the fish with the right heat is very suitable for him. Despite the fact that they were all ingredients on the peasant's table, the level of cooking still maintained the high standards of the aristocracy, except for the use of spices, which was almost stingy. The two of them didn't say a word while eating, just quickly dealt with the food in front of them. Eshua was the first to finish eating, and Viscount Ivanles was not much slower than him, but he delayed the old man by wiping the soup on his plate with the last piece of bread. And when the maid removed the dishes and never returned, Esher knew it was time to get down to business.

A black cross slid down the long table in front of him, "Swear an oath, Lord, or shall I call you, Your Excellency the Son of Prophecy?" ”