Stan rode slowly behind Morris, a knight who was even more demanding of himself, even after spending almost the whole day on horseback, the knight remained in an upright position, even though he was tired.

Morris became the only person he could talk to along the way, but it didn't take long for the two men to speak, and Stan followed Morris all the time. The knight was reluctant to ride to the back of the group, for Nerfi was there. The mage hadn't spoken a word since she left Canrito, and several Doyle soldiers tried to strike up a conversation with her, but she only glanced at them with disdain, and was stingy never to look at them again, let alone talk to them. So after that, Nerfi was left alone, riding alone at the back of the group, but she seemed happy with the situation.

"Stan, you should ride to Nerfi's side, you're going to be traveling together for a long time to come, and you'll need to get to know each other. Morris shook his head helplessly when he saw Stan following him.

"I have to admit that you're right, but I don't think I can get along with her. Stan nods to Morris. "No one here can get along with her. ”

"Try to get to know her and you'll find the bright spots in her. Morris pulls an apple out of his pannier and hands it to Stan. "I've been walking for so long, it's almost time to get thirsty, take this, go and talk to her, the girls can't refuse fruit. ”

Stan wanted to refuse, but Maurice was his senior, and the captain of the knight he had admired since childhood, and the knight took the apple preoccupiedly, slowing down the horse's pace.

"Don't follow back when you get to the back. Morris drops the phrase and leaves Stan behind.

The knight untied the water bladder from his horse, poured out a little water to wash the apples, and led the horse to Nerfi's left side. "Dear lady, do you need an apple to quench your thirst?"

As usual, the mage just gave a quick glance at the knight and the apple in his hand, did not answer, and looked back ahead, but Stan saw the mage's throat move slightly from swallowing.

Stan lets out a snort. "Even if you don't want to talk to me, there's no need to get along with this apple, you can see that you really want to eat it, you can just take it without thanking me. With that, the knight stretched out his right hand holding the apple to the mage.

Nerfi's expression didn't change, and he didn't even look at the knight again, just quickly reached out his left hand and took the apple from Stan's hand. Later, the mage also took out the water bladder and tried to wash the apple.

"I've washed it, so you can eat it with confidence. Stan said quickly.

But Nerfi's hand did not stop, still rinsing the apple with water, then took out a handkerchief from the inner pocket of the mage's robe, wiped the water droplets, and then slowly ate it.

Stan snorts again and looks straight ahead with a stiff face. At least I'm riding beside her now, and I don't have to follow Morris anymore, Stan comforted himself.

After that, the two never spoke again on the way to Wet Harbor, and Nerfi did not do a single superfluous action except throwing apple cores and washing his hands with clean water. A few well-wishing Doyle soldiers looked back at Stan's embarrassed appearance, and then gloated a few times.

The group continued to travel at an even pace, arriving at the wet harbor the next evening, the entire harbor barely unchanged from the last time Stan was here, still humid and muggy, as if there was only one season here.

Nerfi was clearly not used to the climate, and although she had changed into a bike-friendly crop top and woolen trousers before leaving Canrito, she was still very uncomfortable in the wet harbor, a place where she would get wet for a while. The mage had taken off his cloak, but his face was still hot and red, and sweat was oozing from his forehead. Aside from constantly wiping her forehead and face with a handkerchief, Nerfi couldn't think of anything else she could do.

The Doyle people are not used to such a hot climate, but the soldiers are not like Nerfi, they have no scruples at all, and not long after entering the wet harbor, most of the Doyle soldiers have taken off only a pair of trousers, and a few soldiers who were treated coldly by Narfi before even passed only a pair of trousers, and deliberately dismounted, dangling in front of the mage's mount.

The mage's face turned redder, and Nerfi tried to keep her demeanor, but the sweat that had dripped, and she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.

"What's wrong with our mage, I've never suffered from this, so cry louder if you want to. One of the Doyle soldiers teased Nerfi, and the rest of the soldiers laughed loudly.

Nellfi's face grew more and more ugly, and her tightly pursed lips and furrowed brow signaled that she was about to take it anymore.

"That's enough! A lady should be treated with the utmost respect, and I ask you to apologize to her in the name of the knight!" Stan's voice suddenly came and stopped the farce just in time.

Even Nerfi, who didn't squint, unconsciously turned his head to look at the knight, but immediately, he looked ahead again.

The soldiers looked at the knight with disdain, and the soldier who had just mocked the mage even stepped forward and looked at Stan defiantly.

"I say it again, you must apologize to her!" the knight drew his sword, the gray-black blade pointing upwards and holding it in his hand.

The soldiers hesitated and looked at each other, and even Morris, who was walking in the front, reined in his mount and looked back at this side. In the end, the soldier who took the lead compromised, reluctantly said sorry, and walked away with a mutter, and the rest of the soldiers dispersed.

Stan sighs helplessly, withdraws his obsidian sword, and then looks at Nerfi, who is already sweating all over his face. "It's okay, I'm so sorry, I should have stopped them sooner, I thought they would have restrained themselves. ”

Instead of looking at Stan, Nerfi picked up his soaked handkerchief and wiped his face, leading the horse slowly forward, but just as he crossed Stan's position, the knight seemed to hear a very soft thank you, so light that Stan thought he had misheard.

In the distance, Maurice smiled and nodded to Stan, and continued to walk with his men towards the inn.

Now I've completely dissociated myself from the soldiers, they must have classified me as Nerfi's gang, Stan thought helplessly. But he also knew that Nerfi didn't think of him as his side at all, so he was now alone. At the beginning of the journey, he is already isolated, and the road ahead is still long, and Stan begins to worry.