"I have to admit that you have exceeded my expectations. In the alley three blocks outside the tavern, Hill said excitedly. Although the white smoke obscured most of the humans' vision, the Dementors could not miss the moment, and she saw from another perspective how Roland could completely defeat the invincible mercenary with a single blow. This is not what a magician should be, or even most warriors can't do it with such precision, especially when his body is not in its prime.

Roland raised an eyebrow as he placed the hapless tavernkeeper against the wall, "There is no other advantage to being old, but there is enough time to slowly practice those things that you knew little about when you were younger. I've been practicing that trick for three years, but it's still not as good as the guy who taught it to me, and that guy can knock dragons out with his bare hands. The magician's face had a smile that only a memory would show, but he soon returned to the reality in front of him.

"We hurt him. The old man, who was no longer old, said, looking at Pippo lying on the ground, and there was some guilt in his tone, "We have drawn him into a battle that is not our own. ”

Hill had a different opinion on this, she crouched down, rolled up the eyelids of the man lying on the ground, and checked his condition, "If it weren't for us, he would have died last night." I dare say those mercenaries won't let this hapless man survive the night. And even today, when he picks up the gold coin you gave him, he should take his own destiny upon himself. The doctor said, taking the gold from the boss's jacket pocket and handing it to Roland.

"I've given it to him. The magician frowned, not wanting to take the coin. He felt that by involving the innocent man in the incident, he should at least be compensated.

Reluctant, Roland shrugged his shoulders and put the gold in her purse, intending to return it to the latter at a later date, "We made it to him, and he proved that he was not capable of accepting it. Besides, his life is worth a gold coin, right?"

The magician didn't say anything more, and his worries now were far more serious than how to compensate the tavernkeeper. Roland's gaze looked at the entrance to the alley, hoping to detect the enemy before it approached. Hill finished checking as well, and she stood up and said in a complaining tone, "We shouldn't have turned back." Even if you have to save this guy, we've done this now, and we should continue north. ”

"Don't be so anxious, have you heard of the name Poison Blade before? I mean, it sounds pretty popular. The magician instinctively tried to pull out his pipe while thinking, but remembered that this was not the time to smoke, so he slumped his hand out of his jacket pocket.

Hill thought for a moment, then shook her head, she hadn't heard the name in the Greylion. Moreover, the mercenary profession is not as common as in other countries in kingdoms that have always respected chivalry. "Maybe we should ask Wang Du's friends, she should know where these guys come from. ”

Roland knew that the doctor was referring to the one-eyed, and indeed, as the ruler of the entire kingdom's underworld, the one-eyed would know more about the mercenaries. But now there is no time to inform the king to wait for a reply, and no one can say what is going on in the north, and perhaps a day later, everything will be over. Thinking of this, the magician began to really think seriously about what was currently happening in Passerbytown, and some clues collided in his mind, hinting at the connection behind them.

"Aristocrats. The magician said suddenly, attracting the attention of the female doctor, "Most of the employers of these mercenaries are nobles. ”

"How do you conclude that?" asked Ciel, puzzled, not understanding how Roland had come to this conclusion.

"The clues are their cargo. Think about it, my lady, who would be interested in the corpses of the nezumi at this point in time, scholars or wizards? It is possible, but they will not intervene in this matter at this point in time, and the mercenaries will definitely take advantage of the instability of the times to drive up the price, they will not do it. So, who wouldn't mind the price, and the need for a lot of nezumi corpses at this juncture? They need to use this as a way to show force and stabilize people's hearts. Roland stroked his beard and said that he was confident in his reasoning.

"Makes sense. But what nobleman would be stupid enough to show off his strength with the spoils of war, I mean, mercenaries have always been lascivious, and if the news of the purchase of nezumi corpses spreads, it will only make the lord the laughing stock of the whole country. The Dementor nodded, agreeing with Roland, but sensing the problem.

"Therefore, this mercenary group must be from outside the kingdom, and they are ruthless and decisive. The magician remembered what the mercenary leader had said earlier, and if he hadn't arrived in time, Pippo who was now lying in the corner would have lost a hand or more limbs.

"You convince me that this is the case. The female doctor was quite convinced of her companion's answer, and she also preferred to send the Poison Blade mercenary group from outside the blue lion, otherwise there was no reason why she had not heard of a mercenary group capable of hunting nezumi, albeit an old and weak nezumi. What's more, their regimental commander still has such a clear mark.

"But that's not all. Roland tapped the wall lightly with his short stick instead of concentrating on the cigarette, "There are many ways to reassure the people. Fake loot is the weakest of them all, and even if those crook nobles buy more corpses, the nezumi in their territory will not be reduced by this. What's more, the mouths of foreign mercenaries are not necessarily much stricter than those of their own countries. So, there are other purposes for this. ”

"Who knows, maybe those guys just want to decorate the hall with them, you know, like they'll hang their hunting game on the wall. Hill's nose was wrinkled and she was able to make facial movements, which showed how unhappy she was with this pompous way of showing off.

The female doctor's words were unintentional, but it pierced Roland's thoughts like a needle, and pinned something floating in mid-air to the ground. "Yes, that's right! That's it, that's it. Roland's eyes widened, and he kept repeating, his excitement overflowing, and at the end, he even grabbed Hill's shoulder, eager to share the inspiration he had received with his companions.

"The corpses of the rat-men, and the leather, they're the ones that hang on the walls. Because those things, those trophies, can show how skilled its owner is in hunting. It's a symbol of force that will be awe-inspiring. The lords need them, and the more the better, because something is happening in this kingdom that makes them value their personal prestige among their lords more than before. The death of the king, yes, the death of the king, he does not have a clear heir, and the nobility of a kingdom has some royal blood, my dear doctor, do you know what that means?"

The Dementor thought for a moment, her already pale face turned even paler, and she took a deep breath before speaking in a slightly trembling voice about the incident Roland had pointed out, "You mean, the battle for the throne?"

"Not necessarily, but it's pretty close. The country is on the verge of civil war and division, and the cliff is at the foot, or rather, half a foot has already stepped out of the cliff. ”