Exhausted and excited by the day's sword practice, Fern and Stan finally felt like they were on the right track, and their previous fights with others now seemed like a mess.

As usual, the two came to the tavern to drink again, but Rod said that he had something to do, so he turned down the invitation of the two and left alone.

"I think he must have remembered the past with Adeline, and now he is sad. Stan stuffs his mouth full of beef and mutters incoherently.

Fern shrugged. "I really didn't expect these people to have so many stories, and if I had discovered Rod's secret earlier, we wouldn't have worked so hard along the way. ”

Stan sighed, "yes, now that I think about it, it's a miracle that we survived and helped Niss through the trial, we're so much worse than those first-class swordsmen." ”

"Yes, Morris must have retained his strength, and it is very likely that Elonhan did not show his true strength, but he still killed me. Fern sipped his wine thoughtfully.

Stan shuddered. "Alright, Fern, don't talk about you being killed, aren't you alive?"

Fern laughed and patted his companion on the shoulder. "What are you shivering about? Are you afraid I'm a ghost?"

The knight laughed too. "We need to take advantage of this time to improve our swordsmanship. ”

"Agreed!" the two clinked glasses again.

Ordinary days always pass quickly, the two go to the woods every day to receive Rod's guidance, and before they know it, two months have passed, winter has passed, spring has quietly arrived, but the people in Deville, in the southwest of the continent, do not feel the obvious change of seasons, on the contrary, people feel colder than the previous winter. Not only that, but in the past few decades, Deville has not been as cold as it is now, which is undoubtedly very uncomfortable for southerners who are accustomed to warm climates.

Fern and Stan didn't care about that, they were now able to play with Rhodes several times, sometimes even gaining the upper hand when Rhodes was tired, but they were still beaten by Rhodes most of the time.

"From tomorrow onwards, you can continue to practice according to what I said before, I have already taught everything I want to teach, and then it is up to you to do the rest. Rod sat down on the ground and rested for a moment.

Fern and Stan look at each other and sit down as well. "We've only been studying for two months and I think we'll have to study for at least two years to make some progress. Stan hands Rhodes the water bladder.

Rod took the water bladder and took a sip. "You two are both natural swordsmen, of course you learn faster than ordinary people, and learning swords is not as long as you think, of course, I'm just talking about learning, and practice is a lifelong thing, until you are too old to raise your weapons, you can put down the sword in your hand. ”

"But I think we're still too weak. Fern shook his head helplessly.

"So you will have to practice as long as you have the opportunity in the future, but I don't think you will have many opportunities, but I will pray for you, and there will always be a better opportunity to practice during the journey than to practice each other's swords. Rod took a sip of water and began to talk again.

"Where are we going?" asked Fern immediately.

"Oh...... I mean, you're not going to stay in Deville for the rest of your life. Sweat oozed from Rod's forehead. "Like Fern, you have to go to the Mage Tower, didn't that Miss Ness invite you, and Stan, you still have to go to Canrito, I heard that the knights there are ready to purge the town of the evil spirits, of course people say it's the evil spirits, no one knows what they are. ”

Fern grabbed Rod by the shoulder. "Rod, you know so much more than we expected, and how many secrets do you have that we don't know?"

"Come on, Fern. Rod slapped his hand away. "If you don't know anything about me, then no one in the whole of Wallis will know. ”

Fern gave him a disdainful look. "You've said that before, and now I don't like you, I've never introduced you to Stan, but you've known his name since the moment you entered the Queen's patronage, and you know that he's from Doyle, and now you even tell us you know he's going to Canrito, Rod, how many secrets do you have?"

Rod wiped the sweat from his forehead in a panic, then suddenly stood up and walked to his mount tethered to the trunk. "Let's go back, let's have a drink today, and tomorrow I'm leaving Deville, that's why I'm going to say those words to you. ”

Fern didn't ask any more, he knew what Rod didn't want to say, and even if he tied him up and tickled him, he couldn't ask half a sentence.

Rhodes left early the next morning, and Fern and Stan sent him thirty miles away from Deville, almost to the end of the Golden Avenue before he drove him back. "Remember, you are the best swordsmen, do not fear your opponents at any time, calmly respond to the battle, and use your strengths to attack the weaknesses of the opponent in order to be invincible, may the god of warriors be with you. These were the last words left by Rod, and then, like a secret hidden in his heart, he disappeared at the end of the golden road.

For the rest of the day, Fern and Stan continued to practice with each other under Rod's instructions, until ten days later, when they returned to the queen's favor after a day of practice, Voss handed a letter to the mercenary.

"It was sent by a raven, and it flew to the raven's station, and the people there sent it over, and I bet it was worth a good northern long-legged horse. Voss sighed at the raven that had delivered the letter. "As soon as I took the letter off its lap, it flew back in the direction of Cumberland. ”

Fern took a silver coin from his belt and put it in Voss's hand, then took the letter and sat down at the table in the corner, having found that he had no idea about money since he had received the thousand gold coins that Ness had given him from Deville's bank.

"Fern, look at you, you don't have to be so polite in our relationship. Still, Voss retreated to the kitchen, and as he entered the kitchen door, he wiped the silver coin on his greasy sleeve and stuffed it into the pocket of his coat.

It is said to be a letter, but it is actually just a small piece of parchment rolled up, and the raven cannot transmit ordinary letters. The mercenary unfolded the rolled parchment, and on the cover it was simply written Fern's name, in handwriting that Fern recognized, and he had seen another letter in the same handwriting, in Dagger Mountain.

"It's Quiai. Seeing Fern's frown, Stan guessed the owner of the letter.

Fern nodded, pulled the dagger from the outside of his boot, and carefully cut the sealing wax, the second layer of parchment being the text of the letter.

First of all, I have to let you know that I've been thinking about you every day and all the time since I was all this time.

I've done all the troubles I've done with the Tower, and now I'm free to go wherever I want, and I'm eager for you to pick me up at the Tower, and we'll be sure to spend an unforgettable time together.

Fern, if I could, I wish you could fly to the Mage Tower right away, though I knew it wouldn't be possible. However, please be sure to come as soon as possible, as quickly as possible, my heart has already flown to you.

Thinking of you,

Quiai

"Typical Quiai style letters. Fern rolled up the parchment again, tucked it into his belt, and looked nonchalantly ahead.

"Don't think about it, there's no doubt that Quiai is a better fit for you. Stan beckons to the maid with his hand raised. "Ness is burdened with too much fate, and it's really unfair to her. ”

Fern sighed and slipped the dagger back into the outside of his boot. "I'm going to leave tomorrow, what are your plans?"

"I'm going with you, it's been a long time since Rhodes said that Canrito's knights are going to attack the demons, it should be almost settled, here to Canrito and Chavana, you can take care of it, it's not been a smooth road lately......" Stan said halfway, and quickly shut his mouth when he saw that the maid who was coming towards them was Shalene.

Saran walks up to Stan and winks at him with a smile. "Mr. Knight is still so shy, what do you want today?"

Stan didn't dare to speak, but Fern said for him, "Old always, oh yes, two more jugs of wine today." ”

Saran nodded at the mercenary, then lowered her head to Stan's ear. "I'm still going to be working here late into the night today, and I've said it many times, but I don't mind saying it again, you can wait for me here, you see, girls don't always give you a chance. With that, she gently bites Stan's ear, laughs, and runs to the kitchen, her knee-covering gray skirt and blue bib shaking with her footsteps.

"I have to say, Stan, Shalene actually looks a bit like Lil. Fern resisted the urge to laugh.

"Are all the girls here so welcoming? In Doyle, the tavern maids don't even smile at you when they're collecting their bills. Stan's face was red, and he subconsciously touched the bitten ear.

"This is De Ville, Stan, this is South, and you seem to be particularly popular. Fern laughed anyway, but not too loudly.

"I'm never going to get used to the ...... here" Sharlene walked over with the food and drink, leaned over and placed it on the table, and stared at Stan several more times.

Fern raised an eyebrow as she waited for Salene to leave. "She's going to just knock you down on the bed, Stan, I bet you won't be able to get on your horse tomorrow if you wait for her tonight. ”

"Hell, Fern, I won't wait for her!" Stan quickly poured his wine and drank.

"Yes, yes, I know. Fern smiled helplessly, poured himself a glass, and poured it into his stomach.