"Haha, look what we've found?" the brown-haired soldier at the front shouted triumphantly backwards.

"Three warriors, one mage, but they don't look like Ogden, it's not like Jarena said. Then a soldier with short shaved hair looked at the four trapped.

One by one, the cavalry entered the clearing, and a total of six cavalrymen stood in front of them, confident in their hounds, and not in the slightest fear that the other party would have a chance to attack them.

One of the oldest soldiers led the mount forward, and the hounds stepped back to the sides, making way for a gap. "I'm the captain of the Durham Patrol, Elders, who are you and why are you here?"

"Joke, doesn't Durham allow travelers to pass by?" Enoch yelled dissatisfied, completely unaware of his current situation.

"Warrior, I advise you to relax, these hounds will give priority to the most hostile. "I'll ask again, who are you and why you're here in Durham?"

Fern straightened up and lowered his sword in his hand. "We came from Canrito to Altuna and we came here just to pass through Durham, which should not be surprising, most people take that route. ”

Elders frowned, as if wondering if there was any flaw in the mercenary's words. "Altoona, so you're going to pass through Ogden too?"

"Yes, just like through Dayton, we promise not to cause you any trouble, we're just ordinary travelers. Fern said calmly.

Elders looked at the four of them one by one, and seemed to be struggling with something. At this moment, a soldier behind him stepped forward and whispered a few words in his ear, and the patrol leader sighed. "To make sure you are not in danger to Dayton, we must bring you back for questioning. ”

"What? hell, are you blind, where do we seem to be dangerous to Dayton?" Enoch pushed Fern away and stood in front of Elders. The hounds on either side barked, and if it weren't for the soldiers on both sides to soothe them, Enoch would have been pounced on by them.

"I have to say I'm sorry, but this is what our King's counselor, Morena, means, and she asks us to be sure to bring you back for questioning. But rest assured, if you are really ordinary travelers, we will not embarrass you. "Elders also looks embarrassed, but as a soldier, he must not disobey orders.

"Molina?, that's a familiar name. Quiai whispered to Fern, "Looks like someone from the Mage's Tower." ”

Fern let out a ** and shook his head in despair. "It looks like we still can't escape. ”

"For your safety, I need to confiscate your weapons, and we will return them as soon as you can prove your innocence. Elders turned his head and nodded to the two soldiers behind him. The two jumped off their horses and confiscated their weapons one by one, and Enoch gritted his teeth as he looked at them and reluctantly handed over their weapons. Miruria was very cooperative, but when the Dayton soldier took the dagger and the shortbow from her hand, she looked at the other man with a cold look in her eyes, which made the other man shudder.

The team returned to Durham, two cavalry in the lead, Elders and another soldier rode on both sides of Fern and the others, and the team was finally pressed by two soldiers, and the hounds seemed to be excited, running around everyone non-stop.

As soon as he walked out of the woods, the peregrine falcon reappeared, the soldier on the right raised his hand and whistled, and the large bird quickly swooped down and landed firmly on his leather gauntlet-clad arm. The soldier triumphantly touched the peregrine falcon's feathers and tilted his head sideways to look at Quiai, who was closest to him. "This beautiful mage, I haven't asked for my name, oh, by the way, I'm Kutcher. ”

Queai glanced at him, then ahead again. "If I tell you what my name is, can you let us go?"

"Of course not, beautiful lady. Kutcher was even more interested when he saw that the mage had answered him. "But I'm sure you're definitely a good mage, so you'll be fine, and of course, your friends will be fine. ”

Quiai snorted and stopped talking.

The soldier wanted to say more, but was glared at by Elders and quickly shrank back. "Watch your position, Kutcher, they don't have weapons, but they can still knock you off the horse with one punch. ”

"Yes, I'm sorry. Kutcher resignedly agreed, but kept looking at Queay out of the corner of his eye.

The mage was so uncomfortable with him that he led the arrow to the mercenary's inside. "I thought it was only the stupid men of Derluth who would do that, but I didn't think Durham was the same. ”

"Everywhere, any man will be like this, Quiai, you are really ...... Oh...... Really. Fern was momentarily speechless, annoyed that he had said too much.

"What really?" Quiai looked at the mercenary curiously, his beautiful blue-green eyes overwhelming Fern. Even after spending so much time with her, Fern still didn't dare to stare into Quiai's eyes, which seemed to have magical powers that could easily capture his soul.

Fern shifted uneasily and turned his head away. "You're charming, Quiai, and every man is going to be captivated by you. ”

The mage smiled with satisfaction. "It's good you know that, Fern, are you starting to worry that I'm going to be snatched away by another man?"

"Hell, aren't you worried about where we are now?" Fern blushed and changed the subject in a panic. "It's not too late to talk about that when we're safe. ”

Quiai straightened up with the reins. "Of course I'm worried, but not about the soldiers, I'm worried about Morena, these soldiers will only lock us up for a while at most, and then naturally let us go, but Morena...... She might inform the Mage Tower. ”

"Until then, we'll have to find a way to get out of here!" Enoch interjected excitedly as he heard the mage's speculation.

Miruria looked at her companion indifferently, and even at this time, there was no emotion in her eyes.

Durham City is huge, even larger than Deville, thanks to Dayton's trade in flowers and various agricultural products, but the situation here is not good due to the cold weather. Along the way, Fern had seen a significant number of vendor slots vacant and unrented, and far fewer pedestrians on the streets than Deville or Canrito. However, the emaciated camel is bigger than the horse, and the prosperity of Durham City has surprised the people of the two border countries.

To Fern's bewilderment, the city, which had also rarely experienced war, was now full of patrolling soldiers, and the guards at the gates were unusually strict. The mercenaries even suspected that they would not have been able to get through the guards themselves if they hadn't been brought in by Elders.

"Is there something going on here? Why is the atmosphere so unusual? Fern looked at Elders and muttered to himself.

Kutcher actually replied to him, "It seems that you really don't know that we haven't had a good relationship with Ogden lately. ”

"Kutcher, shut up!" Elders sternly reprimanded his men, and the soldier immediately shut up, and the patrol leader glanced at the mercenary warily. "His Majesty will tell you, if he thinks it is necessary. ”

Enoch said weakly, "We're in big trouble, Fern, and the king is going to interrogate us himself." ”

Fern looked at the castle getting closer and closer with a serious expression, and his mind kept flashing various ways to deal with it.

The group walked directly into the castle in the southwest corner of Durham, and the guards at the gate questioned Elders before letting them in. The castle is made of dark marble and is massive, with several minarets standing on top of the castle, each of which is hung with gilded flags with swords and shields in the middle.

"I just hope we come out in good condition. Enoch looked up at the spire high above him, his face clouded.