Winter is approaching, and even at noon, Ronan can still feel the chill around him as he looks at the sun.

He was moving rapidly on his warhorse, followed by ten horsemen serving as knightly squires, guarding a carriage.

It contained some of the gold and loot from the journey.

Old Motou, who was sitting in the carriage, was holding the list, carefully calculating their value.

The outline of the Blackstone gates had already appeared in front of Ronan's eyes, and they were about to get there.

Because it was a rapid trip led by cavalry, it would have taken nearly two days to travel, and it would have arrived in less than half a day.

This is because of the drag of carrying a carriage, otherwise it could have been faster.

The road connecting the two places was smooth, which was very suitable for cavalry operations, and Ronan looked at the city in front of him, thinking that this meant that if there was a need, whether it was an attack or support, he could lead his troops to arrive as soon as possible.

After entering the city gate with his men, Ronan found a hotel to settle in.

He then sent his men to the castle of the lords and handed the letter of visit to the local lord, Viscount Pex.

Under his orders, Lao Motou took five soldiers and set off to the local chamber of commerce.

Ronan needed him to sell the goods in his hands, buy enough food, oil and salt and other daily necessities, and find out the situation of the craftsmen in the city.

With the remaining four soldiers, Ronan found a tavern in the city that was still open and walked inside.

There is not a small space in the tavern, except for the position of the bar, the remaining dozen tables are full of customers, and four or five people gather together to clink glasses and drink.

The accident was quite hilarious.

Ronan looked at these people and thought to himself, he hadn't seen a few pedestrians on the road in the city before, and occasionally a few people passing by were also in a hurry, frightened, he thought that this was the case in the city.

But when he saw the outfits of these people in the tavern, he understood.

Swords, guns, hammers, old chain mail of different styles, leather armor, etc., their owners, most of the people sitting here are mercenaries.

This is a profession that is rarely seen in Triumph City.

Unlike businessmen, the Dantuma Alliance, an organization that maintains the credibility of the industry.

There are no mercenary associations in the Empire, and these so-called mercenaries don't mind robbing their employers along with them, except for paying their officers.

Raiding caravans, invading villages, massacring civilians, armed with weapons, they just cover their faces, no different from thieves.

Without credibility, it is naturally impossible to develop.

It's just that the geographical location of Black Rock City is very special.

The high price of white fur among the nobility drove the trade demand of merchants.

In the northern provinces, the Frost Collar and the Winter Frost Collar, which can produce white fur, are all located behind Blackstone City.

The harvested pelts would be gathered here and transported by caravans to other cities.

However, it is far from the center, and it is difficult for the power of the nobles of the kingdom to interfere.

As a result, a large mercenary business arose around the city, some of whom would go north deep into the tundra, hunt animals for furs and sell them to merchants.

The powerful mercenary groups will also provide protection services for the caravans.

With no fixed territory and a high risk of death, the mercenaries were tempted to have fun in time, and the Black Death did not prevent them from gathering for a happy time to drink.

Considering that drinking alcohol is safer than drinking water these days, it is understandable.

While Ronan was looking at them, the rest of the tavern was also looking at the stranger who had broken in.

The aristocratic often dressed in a uniform that was out of step with the environment, causing repulsion and hostility in the eyes of those around him.

Ronan didn't care, though, and walked to the bar and sat down with the four of them.

"What's the point? The young master from outside. ”

Behind the bar, there is a red-haired bartender with coordinated facial features, a little freckles on her face, and the fullness of her chest attracts the attention of many people in the tavern.

"Five rye beers."

The bartender handed over four glasses, then glanced at Ronan, her gaze resting on his silk robe for a moment.

"I recommend your Red Cliff wine more, otherwise I'm afraid you'll get angry and smash my shop." She shrugged her shoulders, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

"No, it's all the same for me."

Ronan rejects her offer, he has no special fondness for alcohol.

In this era, limited by the backwardness of winemaking and storage technology, glass was not popular, the sealing was not up to standard, and it was normal for low-strength liquor in wooden barrels to deteriorate and become sour, and the nobles added some spices to drink it.

When the territory develops in the future, Ronan may try to make his own wine, but not now.

Grapes could not be grown in the territory, and as for other grains, potatoes and other grains, he did not even have enough to eat.

After taking a few sips of the bitter beer, Ronan asked her:

"I need to know some news about Black Rock City lately, interesting, strange, whatever you think is valuable, you can tell me."

He pressed a gold coin on the table with his finger.

The bartender took a look, then supported her chin with her palms, and leaned her upper body towards Ronan, the fullness of her chest even more pronounced.

"That's a lot to say, but I don't think you're interested in the little sparring between civilians and mercenaries, let me think about it."

"The youngest daughter of the Pex family tried to run away from home three days ago, and there was quite a stir. When the Blood Wolf Mercenary Regiment came back fifteen days ago, it brought a white bear with it, which was very sensational. Father Flo of the church in the city has been missing for a month now, and no one knows where he has gone. ”

"Wait, the priest is missing?"

Ronan interrupted her, "How many churches are there in Black Rock?" Who is the top person in charge of the church? ”

"There is only one church in the city, and the missing Father Flo is the administrator of the church."

"What about the rest of the church after his disappearance? Does the Pecks family care? ”

Seeing the red-haired bartender smiling at him without speaking, her head moved a little closer, and Ronan leaned back to pull away.

"I've heard this from other parts of the city, and a gold coin is already its full value."

"Tsk, what a boring man, or rather, boy?"

She glanced at Ronan's delicate cheeks, licked the corners of her mouth, and pulled her head back in disappointment.

"The priest disappeared in his favorite steam room, and it is said that he disappeared with a wandering girl there, uh, you know what that was for, right?"

"Hmm." Ronan understood the reason and disappeared with a dusty woman, and the church could only choose to keep a low profile in order to maintain its reputation.

After throwing the gold coin to her, Ronan was about to leave, and the bartender looked at his face with some reluctance, and after thinking about it, she added:

"In addition to these, only the theory of heavenly punishment that has been circulating recently is left."

"What's that?"

"What else, say that the emperor has broken the precepts, and the Black Death is a punishment from the Lord of Heaven. I remember it was all rumors from a long time ago. Recently, I don't know why, but it has become popular again in the south, and the merchants who have come are quietly talking about it. ”

Ronan stretched out his hand, and the four knight attendants, who were originally angry, noticed his gaffe and hurriedly straightened their postures after a long period of training.

"Ha, I didn't expect to be a loyal and patriotic young master."

"Thanks for the compliment." Ronan got up and led the people out of the tavern.