"However, according to the previous agreement, you can't leave for the time being, Barrett of Nord, a powerful adventurer. Baron Coles said with some seriousness, "I told you that there may be more than one manticore around here. ”

Barry nodded, this is indeed what was said before, but ......

"But there is only one manticore in the cave, and I've killed it. He pointed to the corpse of the monster underground, "And the traces inside and outside the cave prove it—this cave has no kind of its kind, only itself." ”

Large beasts like manticores, even if they could fly, would inevitably leave many marks near their nests, and Barrett believed there was no reason to ignore them.

"Truth be told, most of us have only seen this one before. Beneath the strangely shaped barrel helmet, the baron's serious expression was a little apprehensive, but it was slightly comical, "But Cryford had told me he had seen two of these monsters. By the way, Creford was the one-eyed guy, and the dead manticore was the first to be discovered. ”

The baron beckoned behind him, "Come here, Crayford, you stupid fellow. Your one-eyed will one day be blind because you see too many things you shouldn't see. He said meaningfully.

The one-eyed militiaman obeyed the order and walked over, "If there is a day, it will be fate, my lord, for fate likes to play tricks on gifted people like me. ”

Barrett spotted the militiaman, named 'Crayford,' looking at him with his last remaining right eye, and said to him in a very vicissitudes of tone, "Listen to my mother, when she was pregnant with me, our family was still living in a small seaside town in the south of the kingdom. There was a bumper harvest of mackerel that year, a real bumper harvest, and there were so many of them! The cheap ones were like turnips. ”

Why are you talking to me about this?

"At that time, my mother ate too much mackerel, grilled, fried, fried, stewed, in all its forms. By the way, there are apricots and tomatoes, which she never leaves. So after I was born, although I was a deformed child, I only had one eye that could be used, but I could see more clearly and farther than ordinary people. This is a sign that my life is destined to be ordinary!" The militia kept an eye on Barrett.

When he found that the barbarian adventurer did not understand the meaning of his words, but looked at him with an idiotic look, he had to explain further, "Don't you see that this is gifted and destined to be extraordinary?

I don't see that, unless you have something strange on you, or maybe you can kill the Manticore on your own. Barrett looked at the man expressionlessly, not saying a word.

"You're already extraordinary right now, Crayford. The baron interrupted the chatter of the one-eyed militia. "As long as you can take care of your only remaining eye, or your foul mouth, or your stupid, stupid brain. ”

"I could be more useful, my lord. The one-eyed militiaman smiled flatteringly at the baron, "I'm not fit to be an adventurer, but I was born to be a tax collector, and believe me, no tax evader can escape my eyes." ”

The baron patted the one-eyed militiaman's head, "Alright, don't talk nonsense, tell our 'manticore' about what you saw before." ”

'Manticore', it's a so-so nickname, but at least it's better than 'feeder'. Maybe I should kill more of these monsters to live up to the nickname, Barrett thought.

"I was going to Bancro that day to urge him to pay the taxes he owed last year. Bancro usually grazes sheep on the other side of the cow mountain, and he never touches him when he goes out early and returns late. No, no, no, I'm a good militiaman with humility, integrity, and bravery, so I wouldn't do such a nasty thing as knocking on doors at night to collect taxes. The one-eyed militiaman explained with an eyebrow raised.

Then Barrett saw that the baron's face suddenly became a little unpleasant, as if these humble, upright, and brave good men under his command did not satisfy him too much.

"When I climbed over the 'Cow Hill', I immediately saw Bancro and his flock. Fifty or sixty sheep were grazing leisurely on the meadows on the other side of the mountain, while Bancro slept in the shade of an oak tree. As I walked towards him, out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly noticed two black dots flying from the north side of the sky. That's right, Yu Guang, that's the angle. He gestured to the corner of his eye, "I didn't care at first, I thought it was some kind of falcon or big." I'll tell you......"

The One-Eyed Militia took a step towards Barrett, as if trying to get closer and get approval, "The big in here are fierce and cruel, they are bigger than owls, and they eat all kinds of birds smaller than them. Yes, the big in this area will also peck open the brains of small birds with their hard beaks and eat their brains. This bird also eats bats, and in winter it enters the cave where bats hibernate, and catches bats to eat, which is very fierce!"

"Say monsters!" the baron tapped militiaman Cryford's head again, "I see your brain has been eaten too!"

"Yes, monsters. "As the black dot got closer, I realized that it wasn't a falcon, let alone a big, but some kind of monster much bigger than a large bird. ”

He swallowed, "I'm a little thirsty, how nice it would be to have a glass of rye wine at this time, let's find a tavern and talk slowly." Then he continued, under the baron's angry gaze, "The two monsters went straight at Bancro and his flock, and I shouted to wake Bancro and tell him to run quickly, but the shepherd did not listen to me, but lay down in the grass. The sheep scattered and fled, but the monster still easily pounced on them. Each monster had a sheep in its claws, and they flew back into the air. The larger one flew towards our town, while the smaller one flew east. ”

It's enough for you to say the last sentence directly, Barrett looked at the gushing one-eyed militia in front of him, do you think that your role is too small and you are forcibly adding drama?

"The manticore flying east hasn't been to town?" he asked the baron.

"It's true that it hasn't been here before, but we can't guarantee that it won't come later. "We don't know why these two monsters are separated, or if the monster will go mad or rejoice at the death of its kind?" ”

"But you should know that I can't stay in the town all the time. Barrett mused, "How long do you need me to stay?" ”

"Three days, no, five days. The baron looked at the barbarian adventurer's face.

"Three days. Barrett insisted, "I will spend the next few days patrolling the entire area around your town, and teach your humble, upright, and brave knights and militiamen how to fight the manticore." ”

"Deal!" the baron nodded happily, "Give me a hard lesson about these 'brave' guys!"

......

Three days later, Barrett rode his young pony and continued his never-ending adventure.

The town of Ganzros did not attract a second manticore, and Barrett left the town after arriving on the appointed number of days, amid the reluctant gazes of the baron and the townspeople, and the relieved expressions of the chief knights and militiamen.

This ordinary quest allowed Barrett to earn a total of 350 gold (100 gold in quest rewards, 200 gold in difficulty additions, and 50 gold in three days of garrison and training), which can be called a real profit.

The lord of the town, Baron Coles, was quite generous, Barrett was a little angry at first because of the baron's concealment when he issued the mission, and blurted out that he wanted to add 200 gold coins to the additional reward, originally he thought that the baron would deny or bargain, but he didn't expect the baron to agree without thinking about it. And three days later, Baron Coles gave Barrett an extra 50 gold coins, which made the original grievances and complaints in the hearts of our barbarian adventurers disappear.

Since the family became a nobleman, dozens of generations have lived in fear, and there have been no children (mainly because no other nobleman will take them to play), but the Coles family has saved a lot of money.

Originally, Barrett also wanted to show his generosity, and wanted to give the head and wings of the manticore to the baron.

If you make a specimen of these parts from the manticore and hang them on the fireplace, it is actually a good decoration, and it can also show off the majesty of the owner's house.

But this "brave" baron, who was about the same as his subordinates, did not dare to ask for it. The baron politely rejected Barrett's offer, and vaguely stated that he would have nightmares at night if there was such a vicious thing hanging in his house.

A nightmare? But it's just a dream.

......