Dehrim, the rain has not stopped. Clouds hung over the air, just like Jamila's own mood.

In front of him were stacks of books and papers, stacked from the table to the height of his eyebrows. There were also haphazard stacks of letters, the oldest dating back to two months ago, randomly placed without any layers, some of which had fallen to the ground.

Those who know Jamila well know that she is diligent and loves cleanliness when she is not supporting the army, and all the rooms she has handled will be as clean as if they had just been renovated. But now in the office, clutter is piled up, and the servants are nowhere to be seen, which is completely incomparable with the past.

Those who know Jamila well know that she is diligent and loves cleanliness when she is not supporting the army, and all the rooms she has handled will be as clean as if they had just been renovated. But now in the office, clutter is piled up, and the servants are gone, and it is impossible to think of the scene of the past.

All this has nothing to do with Byron.

Jamila lay on the table, not at all motivated. She thought back to the busy and fulfilling times of the past, and looked at the current office again, tears rolling in her eyes. She did her best to deal with the mercenary group after Byron went on the king's expedition, but the bad news came one after another. First, the news of Byron's disappearance came, and then many of the defeated troops sent back by the king brought the news that Fatis had been separated from them. The Peony mercenaries lost their backbone at once, and the main force also suffered heavy losses in the battle.

After many fruitless days of searching, King Haraus acquiesced in Baron Byron's death, cremated his "relics" along with the bodies of several other barons who had fallen in battle, and personally pacified the rest of his troops, "incidentally" co-opting most of the Svadian soldiers. The remaining mercenaries and Rhodok's forces returned to the south, some to find a way out of Manid and Jamila in Deherim, and some to return to Byron's fiefdom with the bad news, as well as a "rumor" that King Harauth offered to allow Alleyne to accept part of Byron's fiefdom on the condition that he swear allegiance to the king and dismiss those who followed Byron.

As soon as Byron was gone, the situation became very complicated. For Jamila, the biggest blow was the death of a friend and leader, and the serious decline in the status of the mercenary group. The Golden Hand family began to fight back, and the nobles began to fight the idea of the mercenary group's property and remaining troops. Originally, the peony mercenaries who were more beautiful than the lord's guard in Dehrim and were active in all corners of Calradia were now like a fat steak, allowing the diners to share their food.

There are fewer and fewer commissions, and business is becoming more and more difficult. Manid lost all three consecutive trades, and Byron left less and less money, but the expenses increased, and the cost of the treatment of the wounded and the pensions of the fallen mercenaries became a boulder on Jamila's head, which could not be shaken off.

She wanted to cry, but it didn't make sense. She wanted to talk, but she didn't have any friends around. She could only endure it forever, hoping for a miracle... Being strong is not her inherent quality, but she must arm herself with it at this time.

"Knock, knock."

A dull knock on the door broke her thoughts, and she stood up, but she felt a pain in her body, she had been lacking energy for the past few days, and she had little food and drink, so she really couldn't get up.

She walked slowly to the door and asked softly, "Who is it?" ”

"Jamila, it's me, Fatis."

In the next second, the door was directly pulled open, and before the person in front of the door could speak, Jamila had already thrown herself into his arms. is different from the kind of intimacy that lovers want to see, she is completely happy and excited because of the survival of her friend, and the joy that the cry in her heart can be cathartic.

"Thank Heavenly Father, that you are still alive, and you have no idea how much we miss you after Byron left us." She said excitedly.

"You must have been through a lot of things that I can't imagine, come on in and get some rest." Jamila let go of her arms, saw the scars on Fatis's arms and face, pulled him into the house, and then immediately closed the door.

"Thank Heavenly Father for keeping us all alive." After entering the door, Fatis was very excited, but his first action was still very reverently to draw a cross on his chest, expressing his gratitude and reverence to the Supreme Father.

"Yes, though Captain Byron has left us, Heaven has left us to remember his exploits, and may the gods he believes in lead him to their heaven." Jamila smiled bitterly, tears streaming down her eyes.

"No, Jamila, I'm sure your lord is still alive, and he should be somewhere in the north right now!" Hearing Jamila's words, Fatis immediately shook his head and said to her firmly, "Our lord will never die so easily!" ”

Jamila heard the words of Fatis like a thunderbolt in the sky, and her body trembled with excitement, as if her previous prayer to the gods had been fulfilled.

"Fatis, you mean Captain Byron is still alive!?"

"I didn't come back alone." Fatis sat down, ripped off his coat and tossed it aside, revealing the plate armor underneath him.

"I was separated from the rest of the army during the breakout, and I rushed into the Nord border with a troop of cavalry, and fought one of their sentinels. We took a few prisoners, and the Nords told me that a knight wearing a flower insignia had escaped their pursuit and penetrated into the Nord country, and that his horse was lightning fast, and they couldn't catch up, and I knew it was Lord Byron. I then returned to Svadia to report the matter to the king, but found that the king had ordered a cremation of Lord Byron and had sent for him to be announced. The royal knights who followed the king warned me against spreading those irresponsible "rumors" and asked me not to leave the army until the war was over. It is better for the king to be dead than alive, especially if he does not have a suitable heir. If the war hadn't continued, he would have divided the lord's fief and property long ago, and even if Lord Byron returned, there would be nothing left except a title. So I sneaked out, and someone had to protect his territory and property while the adults were away. ”

"But in case Captain Byron, I mean Baron Byron is in Nord..."

"I don't think so." Fatis addressed Jamila's concerns. "The Nords care so much about the prestige and glory that war brings them, and if they catch Lord Byron in their territory, the news will spread, especially to let the Swadians know that their lord is being tortured in the kingdom of Nord, as they have done for hundreds of years. We haven't heard anything from you, which means they haven't caught you yet. What's more, Lord Byron knows Norde, and if he is caught, he will definitely surrender, and he has always valued life as the most important. Even Nordhako wouldn't let go of such a large ransom. ”

"I trust you, Fatis, but I'm really worried that the bad news didn't reach us in time." Although she was happy, Jamila did not let the joy get carried away, she very much hoped that Byron would survive, but she was full of worry.

"You have to believe not only me, but Lord Byron. He seems to me to be God's chosen one! He seems to have the abilities and luck of the story, I have never seen such a unique mind as his, and I have seen him survive from the brink of life and death (in fact, Byron died and was pulled back by the strong heart), if there is a prophecy that someone can unify Calradia, I believe in our adults more than in those kings. He is my benefactor, the leader to whom I swear allegiance, and I will never turn my back on him! ”

Jamila was amazed by Fatis's steadfastness, and it was the first time he had seen Fatis so passionate. Fatis was not very old, but because of his past sins, he kept condemning himself, making him look a little old. But at this moment, the spirit returned to his body, his eyes were bright, and his body stood as straight as a mountain. Even Byron himself did not realize how loyal his subordinates were to him.

"Yes, I believe Captain Byron." Jamila also regained her spirits at this moment, and no longer cared about what she called Byron. "Then we must act quickly, Manid will be back tomorrow, we must go back to the south, to Pegonde, I know Ellene, he will most likely choose to be loyal to the king because of his fief and title."

"That's what I'm here for." After more than ten days of traveling, a smile finally appeared on Fatis's face.

"I need your help, you're closer to Aren, I need your help to persuade him, Jamila."

"I'm more than happy to." Jamila immediately pushed aside the clutter on the table, then took out a bottle of wine from the cabinet and poured a glass for each of them, after all, this is a day to celebrate, what a joy it is for two "dead people" to suddenly return to the world.

"To von Byron!"

They toasted together.