Fern went back to his room, which was pretty much the best room he had ever stayed in, and Lucius seemed to have a good image of him, though perhaps only borrowing Barrede's light. There was already wood burning in the fireplace before he entered, making it feel like the mercenary had just stepped into the room and was in another world. Durham isn't a northern city, but the unusual weather makes the nights even colder.

The mercenary sat down at his desk, on which was filled with letter paper and ink pens, and Fern suddenly felt the urge to write a letter to Ness, but stopped after writing a greeting, not knowing what to write. It's useless, what can Niss do if she sees it? Besides, she will definitely be intercepted by those archmages. Frustrated, Fern leaned back in his chair and crumpled the letter into the paper basket.

At this time, there was a knock on the door, and the person outside the door only knocked three times, and then waited quietly.

"Please come in. Fern didn't bother to ask who it was, the demon wouldn't knock on the door and come in again.

To Fern's surprise as the person who came in, it was Rachel. "Oh, may I ask Her Highness the Princess?" Fern quickly stood up and saluted.

Rachel looked at the mercenary flatly, her tone stiff and cold. "Don't get me wrong, I just wanted you to do me a favor, I heard you're going to Ogden next?"

"Yes. Fern was also unaccustomed to Rachel's cold attitude, so it would be nice to have a few words less.

The princess took out a letter sealed in wax from the inside pocket of her coat and placed it in the farthest corner of her desk from Fern. "If you happen to be passing through Grand Rapids, can you please give this letter to Ethan, Prince of Ogden?"

Fern looked at the envelope on the table suspiciously, the amount of wax used was very large, and it was obvious that Rachel was worried that the mercenary would open it without permission. "But isn't Dayton strained with Ogden......?

"Say yes or no, I just need one answer, you don't have to worry too much about the rest. Rachel interrupted the mercenary, in a very rude tone.

If it weren't for Rachel's sake, Fern would have kicked her out long ago, he glanced at the envelope again, and suddenly felt that Rachel wasn't exactly like himself now?"I'll help you pass it on to him, if I have the chance, but I'm not doing it for you because you're the princess of Dayton, I'm just doing it for a girl who is desperate for love." Fern picked up the letter, stuffed it into the inner pocket of his coat, and patted his hand on the outside of his shirt.

Rachel's eyes were filled with gratitude the moment Fern said this, but the princess only bowed her knees slightly in thanks, and then turned and walked towards the door. As soon as they reached the door, another girl rushed in, and the two screamed and collided.

"You're here, Rachel, who pretended to look down on Fern in the room, and now you're running over to him. "It's Olivina here, and the girl looks at her sister angrily.

"I just have something to ask him, don't talk nonsense. Rachel gave an embarrassed look at Fern as the mercenary stood at the table watching them. "I'm going back to my room, and you'd better not delay too long, the queen mother will find out. ”

"I won't listen to you!" Olivina walked around Rachel and into the room. "Fern, I'm sorry, Queen Mother she just saw the pain of the girl who was with Barred when she was younger, so there was some prejudice against him and you. ”

"I can understand that she did the right thing. Fern shrugged. "You'd better listen to your sister and go back to your room now, it's not too early. ”

"I don't want it!" the girl's reaction surprised the mercenary, she and Rachel were two completely different types. "I don't care what they say, I only trust my own judgment, I'm going to go with you, to Artuna!"

Fern almost collapsed in his chair in fright, and the mercenary propped himself up on his desk. "Don't be kidding, your father and mother will kill me. ”

"They won't, as long as I'm here, they can't do anything to you, Fern, take me away, I'm going to follow you. Olivina looked at Fern innocently with wide, pale blue eyes.

"You have no idea what danger I will face next, I don't even know if I will end this journey alive, and you will only make Barred and I worse in your mother's mind. Fern was annoyed by Olivia's nonsense, and his voice rang out.

"You have a point, so I'm afraid my queen won't allow you to step into Durham again. Olivina frowned, thinking.

Fern wiped the sweat from her forehead unconsciously, and she finally thought about it.

Olivina pursed her lips and looked at the mercenary. "And when will you be back, back to Durham?"

"I don't know, like I said, I don't know if I'll come back alive. Fern wanted to say that he would not come to Durham again even if he lived, but in order to get Her Royal Highness back to his room as soon as possible, he had to try not to say anything that would cause more conversation.

"Fern, there is one thing you must understand, I will be an adult next year, although there have been many princes and nobles who have come to ask my father for marriage, but I have refused, I have no interest in those people at all, but when I become an adult next year, I will no longer have a reasonable reason to refuse, do you understand?" Olivina spoke in a way that did not look like a girl who was still underage.

"I understand, okay, you can go back quickly. A cold sweat broke out on Fern's head, these were the words of a girl who was not yet sixteen.

"Do you really understand? Then you swear to me now that I'm leaving. Olivina looked at the mercenary expectantly.

"Swear, swear, swear, why swear?" Fern was almost broken by the little girl, and asked three questions in a row.

"Swear you'll be back in Durham next year before I'm an adult, right now, quick!" Olivia's aggressive appearance made Fern feel both amused and helpless, and he didn't know how to deal with it.

There was a cough outside the door, and Olivia's eyes widened. "Remember, Fern, next spring, be sure to come, I'll be waiting for you. With that, the girl ran out the door, barely stopping except for a pause at the door.

Fern guessed who was standing outside the door, and the mercenary exhaled, ready for the rest of the conversation.

Queen Leopold slowly walked in and closed the door behind her. "I want to thank you for not giving Olivina any promises. ”

"I knew what I should and shouldn't promise. Fern gave the queen a brief salute and continued to stand aside.

"I should tell you why I don't want you to be with any of my daughters. The queen sat down in a chair on the side of her desk, and motioned for the mercenaries to sit down as well. "When I was younger, I was very similar to Olivia, and Lucius was so heroic at that time, I had already made up my mind that I would be with him for the rest of my life. At that time, Barred was the same, they were close friends, practicing swords together, punishing evil and helping good together. Until one day, they suddenly disappeared, and without revealing a word to me, they disappeared out of thin air. ”

"Gone?" Fern looked at the queen in bewilderment.

"Yes, it's like vanishing from Wallis, of course it's not just the two of them who have disappeared, but also their other companions, Adeline, Elonhan, Byron, Vorel, Haysh, Ilsutia, they've all disappeared, and I've tried to find any of them, but no one knows where they are. The queen shook her head, apparently bewildered by the experience. "I've been waiting like this for two years, you see, Fern, it was the best two years of a woman, and I don't know how I managed to stay up and how I turned down the endless stream of suitors, just to wait for that fool. ”

Fern glanced at the queen secretly, even at her current age, Queen Leopold's appearance was still moving, let alone when she was young, the mercenary hurriedly lowered his head and repented of his thoughts just now.

The queen did not notice this, and continued, "Just when I was about to take it anymore, they all came back suddenly, and just as when they disappeared, a group of people appeared out of thin air, the difference is that some of the people who had been together were separated, and the people who were just ordinary friends became lovers, and Barred was the one who separated. When I asked what was going on, each of them was tight-lipped and wouldn't say anything about it. Even now, Lucius can listen to me for everything, but this is the only thing that he would rather die than say half a word."

"I can understand how you feel. Fern understands the complexity of the story. "So you don't want the princesses to go through the same pain as you do. ”

"Yes, who knows when you'll disappear again, and if you do, you'll lose your beloved woman like Bared, and I can't imagine Rachel or Olivina caught between you, overwhelmed. The queen sighed, worried for her daughter.

"You can rest assured, Your Highness, I am only a mercenary, I know who I am. Fern said lightly, without a hint of emotion.

"Thanks, Fern, I know it's not fair to you. The queen got up, went to the door, opened it, and turned back before stepping out of the door. "I can understand how Olivina feels about you, the same way I did to Lucius, but we are a little different, Lucius was the only heir to Dayton then, and you were just a mercenary. I beg your pardon, Fern, I don't mean to look down on mercenaries, but please understand that I can't accept that my daughter, the princess of Dayton, is marrying a mercenary, which is why I chose Lucius over Barred, and now it seems that I am still glad for my decision at that time, look at Bared, you can understand my concerns. ”

"I understand, Your Highness, you don't have to worry too much, I don't think I will set foot in Durham again. Fern lowered his head and closed his eyes.

The sound of the queen's footsteps faded away, and Fern locked the door and lay down on the bed. I'm just a mercenary, I shouldn't forget, even though I have a sword in the stone, I'm still just a mercenary.