It wasn't until she confirmed that she had stepped into the territory of the Duchy of Sunburn City that a smile appeared on Adele's face.

"We escaped," she said, "and they couldn't have chased them here." ”

"We can't take it lightly," Burns cautioned, "and we're still in the wilderness." ”

On an autumn morning, the sun is warm and warm. The breeze blows, blowing the yellowish leaves on the treetops, and the crisp birdsong can be heard in the distance.

"Shall we go to Yangyan City now?" Adele asked.

"No," Burns shook his head, "based on the information I bought from the Hand of the Sea of Clouds, your brother's teacher, Master Aiken, followed the Duke out of Sunflame City last month. Even if we go to Sunflame City, we may not be able to meet your brother and Master Aiken. ”

"Where did they go? When will you be back? ”

"I don't know, there's no mention of it in the intelligence of the 'Hand of the Sea of Clouds'," Burns laughed to himself, "Maybe it's because the price paid isn't enough." ”

As one of the most mysterious organizations in the continent, the "Hand of the Sea of Clouds" is terrifying in its ability to gather intelligence. Even a battle-hardened mercenary like Burns can only reach the outermost part of the "Hand of the Sea of Clouds".

"Then let's go to Anseltown." Adele continued. There was eagerness in her voice. The younger brother mentioned in the letter that Master Aiken had given them his idle property in the town of Ansel. It was a small two-story building with a large and chic. The only fly in the ointment is that the town of Ansel is in the middle of nowhere, but the whole family is already content.

As long as you get there, you can see your siblings who have been separated for a long time...... As soon as she thought of this, Adele couldn't hold back the turbulent emotions.

"Don't worry, let's reconfirm the map first." Burns, however, remained calm and took out the map and compass.

"Even if we are on the road by night, we will not be able to reach Anseltown until noon tomorrow," Burns quickly judged, "and we have a lumberyard directly south, and we will go there for a little rest before we go along the road to Ansel." ”

"Hmm." Despite her eagerness, Adele did not refute the old mercenary's opinion. She was indeed tired.

In the wilderness of her homeland, Adele will always keep her nerves on the lookout for ferocious beasts and bandits who stop her. However, the Duchy of Yangyan City is obviously much safer. The two quickly arrived at the lumberyard without encountering any danger on the way. Burns put on his cloak and hid his waist knife.

"Mason Lumberyard," Adele looked at the street sign near the entrance, "the map says Ansel's Lumberyard." ”

"Maybe sometime the name was changed," Burns disagreed, "there's a tavern there." ”

The two of them walked towards the tavern. A couple of lumberjacks chatting at the tavern door glanced at them, ignoring the two "ordinary" travelers.

"I heard that Yangyan City is the most prosperous city in the north of the empire," Adele sighed, sitting in the corner seat, "but this tavern is not much different from the one in her hometown. ”

"Sunflame City is still a few days away," Burns smirked, "don't think about it. Not only the tables, chairs, and barrels are in this tavern, but even the wine bottles and glasses are made of wood, which is a bit unusual. ”

Adele nodded: "It's not bad to be able to live in this kind of place." ”

Burns looked at her expectant expression, but sighed secretly in his heart. Only when it comes to her siblings does Adele resemble an eighteen-year-old girl. Usually, she's just an illegal mercenary tired of the battlefield.

I don't know how she will get along with her innocent siblings in the future, Burns thought sadly. Maybe the younger siblings sincerely hope that their sister will come back, but the sister is no longer the sister they knew.

"Speaking of which, Adele," Burns asked, "what are you going to do in the future?" ”

"Me?" Adele was a little surprised, on the way to escape, Old Man Burns had never talked to her about this topic, "I haven't thought about it yet." If Master Aiken doesn't dislike it, I can make him a servant. But I still want to stay in Ansel and take care of my younger siblings. Asim had to stay in Sunflame City, unable to be with the others. What about you, old man? ”

"All I can do in my life is martial arts, but I'm too old to move," Burns shook his head, "I might find a noble family and teach children martial arts." Half a year ago, I heard from a traveler that the castle in the eastern part of the Duchy of Yangyan City, which had been abandoned for many years, was being renovated, and it should be near the town of Ansel. Perhaps, there will be nobles from Yangyan City settled there. If you become his court mage, don't forget to introduce him to the old man. In his heart, Burns still hopes that Adele can return to the path of a mage.

"My homework has been wasted for years." Adele said.

"You became a full-fledged mage at the age of fifteen," Burns advised, "and you have great potential that should not be wasted." ”

"I've had enough. I'm just a guard, and I don't want to ...... anymore," Adele shook her head.

Many ordinary people raved about her talent, but Adele understood...... Among the mages, his talent is barely in the middle and upper. It is rumored that the eldest lady of the Douglas family has stepped into the blue sky level at the age of fifteen! And himself, not to mention the blue sky level, can't even reach the intermediate level of the sea of clouds, and he is three big levels behind others. I heard that there are more geniuses in Elrios, the country of mages, and there are also geniuses comparable to Miss Douglas. Compared to them, they are really nothing.

Burns knew Adele wasn't listening to him. He opened his mouth, about to speak—

"Someone's coming." His pupils shrank suddenly. It was not strange that the tavern had drinkers, but the sophisticated Burns could tell by the sound of his footsteps that it was no ordinary lumberjack. Adele read something strange from Burns' expression, and she lowered her head, burying her face in the shadows, her eyes staring at the door alertly.

But the two of them were taken aback.

Those were two beautiful maidens. One of them had long blond hair, was dressed in a red warrior costume with a long sword at his waist, and looked about the same age as Adele; There is also a short dark blonde haired, dressed in a white dress, holding a parasol, who looks a few years younger than Adele.

Didn't come to us. Adele was a little relieved. It seems to be a runaway lady and her personal guard.

"Adele." Adele suddenly came to Burns and called out to herself. His right hand seemed to be casually placed on the table, but his index finger kept moving on the table, as if writing something.

"Detect...... Magical ......"

Reading the words that Burns had secretly "written" with his fingers on the table, Adele couldn't help but be surprised. "Detection Magic" is a simple and practical small spell that can be cast without the need to recite a spell with Adele's current abilities. But is it worth it to cast a spell for a runaway lady?

Although Adele had doubts in her heart, she still carried out Old Man Burns's orders. She trusted Burns' judgment, and his sophisticated experience had repeatedly saved mercenary groups from danger.

Then, she felt the shock.

The petal-shaped hair ornament of the girl in white, as well as the ring on her finger that resembled white jade, all shone with a bright magical aura. But what really shocked Adele was the golden parasol in the hands of the girl in white and the long sword at the waist of the girl in red. She had used "detection magic" to test enchanted weapons several times, but none of them came close to them.

Normal enchanted weapons, either enchanted at the blade or enchanted on the handle, will not be enchanted in one place. But this is not the case with parasols and swords. Their magical aura, though dim, was extremely even, and every inch of aura was exactly equal in intensity, as if it were not a weapon, but a work of art condensed by an archmage with arcane energy. Adele could even faintly feel the flow of elemental power above.

"Adele?" Adele's expression told Burns the result of his magic detection.

But Adele didn't dare to speak. She was afraid that the mysterious two would hear her voice. It wasn't until she was sure the two were focused on paying the bill that she whispered her findings to Burns.

"Adele," Burns had another idea, "I'll find a reason later to invite those two girls over for a drink with us." ”

"......"

"It's a great opportunity to get to know them!" Burns whispered, "They can carry powerful magical items at a young age, and they must be from extraordinary backgrounds...... If you want to get to know them, you have to take advantage of them now. ”

"Haha...... The wine of these two distinguished guests was invited by us. Seeing the two in trouble, Burns made a noise.

--------------------------------

In the storage room of the tavern.

The lumberjacks had turned it into a makeshift cell, and the interrogator was a girl. The girl insisted on one-on-one interrogation, and the tavern owner was still a little uncomfortable about letting the girl and the two "criminals" be alone, until Lin Na and the others returned, so that Lin Na "protected" the girl, and let the old and the young accept the questioning of the two respectively.

"You know what happened next." Burns said in a low voice.

"How does it feel?" The girl turned to Linna.

"I regret it a little," Lin Na scratched her head in annoyance, but what she said made Burns suspicious, "I shouldn't have hidden my strength just now." It is to defeat them completely. ”

There were only ten soldiers stationed in the lumberyard, and there were no spellcasters, and the illegal mercenaries had the upper hand in terms of quality and quantity. Thankfully, they were only trying to escape, and the Imperial soldiers didn't chase too far.

"They must have reinforcements," said the girl calmly, "and it is right not to startle the snake." To fight ...... It has to be served in one pot. ”

"That's right," Lin Na agreed, how long has it been since the Duchy of Yangyan City had such a vicious illegal mercenary group? It must be punished severely," then, what about these two deserters? What are you going to do about it? ”

"They......" the girl pondered.