early morning

Ilketlin collar, castle bedroom.

In the north, due to the wind and snow, the windows are cramped.

The sunlight only shines through the gaps in the wooden window panels, casting a few dappled rays of light that stimulate Lance's eye nerves.

He was lying on the soft and comfortable bed, and he didn't know what he was dreaming about, and even though his eyes were closed, he could still see the eyeballs under his eyelids fluttering from time to time.

"Hmm..."

As if trying to avoid those annoying lights, he rolled over in a daze, but accidentally touched the wound on his back, and woke up with a muffled grunt.

"Huh...?" was stunned for a moment.

Lance seemed to react violently and pulled down the bell at the head of the bed.

"Ryan Town!"

He lifted the silk quilt and found that his wounds had been treated, his upper body covered in white bandages, his sword and armor set aside, and the blood stains on them had been carefully scrubbed.

"How could I be here? How could I be!" Lance hurriedly circled around the room, as if remembering something, and hurriedly opened the window to look into the distance.

The castle of Ilketring was built on the hillside, and below it was a plain, with a very open view, and from the perspective of Reims's master bedroom, the snow-white horizon could be seen in the distance, and the path of the castle intersected, and on the Kingdom Road leading to Ryan, there was only a small caravan and a few hooded and dusty travelers on the way.

Inside the castle.

On the tall walls were soldiers dutifully guarded, carrying delicate short bows and staring sharply ahead.

There was a loud slap of fighting.

Reims turned his gaze to the square below the castle.

There was a group of soldiers who were doing morning exercises, shirtless, fearless of the cold, with wooden swords in their hands, fighting in pairs.

The snow was already muddy under the trampling of the crowd, and from time to time there was the arrogant laughter of the victor and the vulgar provocation of the loser.

"Your Excellency!"

Some soldiers noticed his gaze and quickly pushed their companions around him and shouted hello to him.

"Your Excellency!"

The rest of the soldiers also reacted instantly.

Lance nodded at them, then withdrew his gaze.

Everything was peaceful, as usual, there was no sign of the barbarians of the Misty Mountains, and even the bandits who occasionally robbed caravans were gone.

"Is it all just my guess...?" a cold wind poured in, making him shiver.

The sun melted the snow, and the weather was colder than usual.

"Your Excellency?"

The voice of the maid Angel rang out.

Lance turned around and looked at the delicate little face.

"How long have I been unconscious?" he asked.

"It's been two days, my lord. Angel replied respectfully, not overstepping the line because of some kind of intimate relationship between the two, which is what she admires most about Lance.

"So, it's been five days plus the time to travel...."Lance picked up his long sword and sat on the edge of the bed: "Is there any bad news during the time I was unconscious?"

The fingertips moved slowly along the blade.

The eyes are gentle, as if stroking the delicate body of a lover.

"My lord...?" Lance's movements made Anqi's voice tense, her body trembled slightly, and she responded a little scared: "Everything is normal in the castle, but there are some bad rumors..."

"Where's the raven?" interrupted Lance.

"Maester Bruce said that there was no valuable news, and if there was, he would report back to you personally. Angel behaved a little cautiously, as if she was afraid of angering her own lord, but as an excellent maid, she had obviously made all preparations before coming: "In addition, Walter Butler has ordered the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous meal, you have been unconscious for so long, are you first...?"

Very normal reaction.

Lance nodded, his fingers abruptly halting.

Everything that has happened these days has made him suspicious of everyone, and as his personal maid, Angel is naturally no exception.

He wasn't sure about the identity of the betrayer, but there was no doubt that the man was hiding somewhere in the castle, hiding in the shadows to watch his movements.

As for the betrayer's masters, and what their goals are?

If he didn't remove the nail, Lance couldn't sleep.

"Let's go, let's go to the restaurant. He got up and put the sword back on the wooden shelf, opened the door, and asked, as if by accident, "By the way, where is my scabbard?"

Angel followed behind and replied with some uneasiness: "When your scabbard was returned, I found that the gem set on it had been secretly dug up and had been sent to the craftsman for repair..."

"Ranger, castle guards, or Angel?" Lance thought calmly in his mind, "Such a clumsy provocation is announcing his existence, who could it be...?"

He felt that the situation was becoming more and more invisible, as if there was a thick fog in front of him.

"Is it a ranger? no, that's too obvious..."

Despite being suspicious of Martin's actions of sending him back to Ilcutring instead of Lanetown, Lance chose to trust his men.

He speculated in his head.

Silent all the way, the two walked through the corridors and stairs of the castle to the restaurant.

"Go and call Martin and them. Lance commanded.

He looked at the food on the table.

Bread, cheese, and a large steak of unknown beasts were presumably prey by the Ranger squad that stayed behind at the castle to patrol the castle.

These things are already a very hearty meal for the barren north, after all, the production of grain is low, and the poor harvest every year cannot feed too many people, and there is often news that the poor are starving to death. Perhaps in the eyes of these poor people, a piece of hard black bread is enough to call it abundant.

Lance cut a piece of meat chop and ate it to his mouth, and the spices accompanied by the charred texture of the steak were just right, and he munched on it with satisfaction.

He was rich, yes, but he couldn't satisfy the most basic needs of his people.

Due to the fragile diplomatic relations between the five nations, the caravans could bring valuable spices and luxury goods from as far away as Daxia, but they never had cheap food among the goods they sold.

While these valuable things make them huge profits, they are often plundered by the barbarians of the Misty Mountains who attract them, and most of them often fall into the pockets of the lords of the north after a battle.

It's also a cycle.

If you were a merchant, you would never come to Livingston to trade, even though the country was rich in beautiful gems.

Lance thought.

"By the way," he called out to Angel, "tell the kitchen to prepare three more portions of the same food." ”

"Your Excellency?"

Angel was a little surprised, she probably guessed Lance's thoughts, and persuaded a little resignedly: "But... This affects you..."

"Go ahead. Lance interrupted.

He picked up the silver kettle at hand, poured himself a glass of wine, and drank it in a big gulp, the dark red wine slid down the corners of his lips a few drops, completely ignoring the aristocratic image he deliberately maintained on weekdays.

"Yes, sir. Seeing his resolute attitude, Angel had no choice but to turn around and leave with some helplessness.

She was keenly aware that something was not quite right in her own adult's mood, but thinking of the arrow wound on his back and the bloody armor, Angel wisely forgot all about it - these men's big things were not something that a small maid could mix.

Now the news of Lord Lance's defeat is spreading throughout the territory, after all, only two of the entire army of Rangers have returned, and others say that the town of Lane was besieged by the army of Misty Mountain, and Lord Lance left behind the people of the kingdom and his soldiers and fled back on his own...

"But it must be fake! Those talkative guys really deserve to be hanged!" thought Angel indignantly.

She walked towards the quarters inside the castle.

When Lance had finished eating a whole tender steak, Martin and another Ranger walked in, led by the castle guard.

"Your Excellency!" the two saluted respectfully.

"Sit down, Martin. Lance waved his hand and motioned for them to sit down, and although he was a little surprised to find that only two people had come, he quietly showed a kind expression, "And you, Ranger, what's your name?"

"My name is Jacob, Your Excellency. He smiled innocently, then scratched his head, looking a little shy.

Both of them sat down stiffly, their butts only next to each other.

"Your Excellency, the food you commanded. ”

Angel walked in with a dinner plate, and pushed it in front of the two of them with some dissatisfaction, making one or two bumping sounds.

"Hey, Angel?"

Lance looked at her with a 'I'm upset, but I don't say it', and the gloom in his heart was dispelled a lot - it really didn't seem to be her.

At worst, this is already an affront to the majesty of the lord, and if it were replaced by those old-fashioned guys, Angel would probably have to be reprimanded.

"Your Excellency?"

Could it be that his own behavior has made the adults dissatisfied?

Angel's heart was a little apprehensive as she cleaned up the empty plate in front of Lance and gently placed another piece of food - she was secretly blaming herself for not thinking about it, she didn't expect that her adults hadn't eaten for five days in a row, and she was probably hungry...

"Nothing?"

A helpless wry smile appeared on the corner of Lance's mouth, and as if he was amused by the two rangers swallowing saliva, he picked up his knife and fork again and divided his food into two portions, and put it on their plates and signaled, "What are you two still doing in a daze, eat quickly." ”

"Thank you, sir!"

The smell of the meat chops in front of them made the two of them unbearable for a long time, and when they heard this, they unceremoniously waved their knives and forks and gobbled them up.

The brutal movements and the complete lack of table manners made Angel, who was standing behind Lance, frown.

She pursed her lips and simply turned her head away from them, she really couldn't understand why her own adults would surrender their identities and invite these two guys, who were obviously not nobles, to eat at the same table.

"Besides, aren't you full yet...?" Anqi looked puzzled.