"These are your kids?" A nearby man asked. It was a tree, and he had been talking to it until it was interrupted.

"Huh?" A

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Okles replied:

The tree asked, "Are these children yours?"

A

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Okles saw that the branches hung heavily from the children, who were hanging from ropes at their feet, hands or necks, all writhing in pain.

Someone gently kicked him in the side. He sat up in shock, then remembered where he was. That tree is a dream.

"I woke up. I woke up. Weaver, what a dream. He was sure that this image would stay with him for half the morning.

"I'm sorry, master, but you wrote to wake you up, so I wrote," someone said. Adult. Male. Friendly. A

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Okles wanted to open his eyes, but the bright light prevented him from opening them.

"Yes. Thank you! I'm glad you can read. O gods, I could sleep one more day without noticing. He sighed. If they are still sleeping, do not wake them up. I'll have to get them some breakfast. The Staff of Arcos, it's cold! Androx said. He felt more tired than when he slept, and his body temperature didn't work.

"The sun has just risen. Running around without a shirt on such a cold night," the man said.

"Or pants," Androx replied, thinking of the suit.

"yes, maybe pants, but your skirt looks warm. What's wrong with your thighs? That's quite a lot of blood. ”

"I was bitten by something." Andex replied sourly. "Last night, on my way here."

"Hmm. You're back too late. We all slept like dead men before you slipped in. I'm glad you're so friendly. Come, let me lift you up. The man stretched out his hand and said.

"Thank you." Andlox said, trying to bring his eyes back to their senses. He took the hand and stood up. And then immediately regretted it. It's too early for this pain. Arms, legs, and back. God.

After a while, he saw it. The sun shines gracefully on the evergreens, just past the gentle hills to the east, filling the area with sunlight suspended in the dust. The man who woke him up was a soldier or guard, with a heavy club hanging from his waist and a shield on his back. However, his arms look a bit weak and not suitable for that kind of work. His pale skin and light-colored eyes suggest that he is some kind of northerner, although he appears to be civilized. The man patted him on the back and said, "Master, you seem to be shaking a little. Are you okay?"

Andax tried to put on a friendly smile and said, "I'm good enough. I slept late, but it's not easy to rest on the road. Rise and shine. ”

"So I guess these kits are yours?" No offense, master. I'm only asking this because they're Skywalkers, and you're not. The guard said, his tone that made Androus suspect that he was trying to disarm, but it gave a suspicious impression.

"of. I found it on the way here. I'm looking for their parents. Have you ever seen any thunderbolts, and do you know where to find them? Maybe a trader like you? Andlos says, try to make yourself sound less hopeful.

"No, I'm afraid not. I've not heard of it so far to the northwest, but I wonder where they came from. The guard grinned.

"Well, that's too bad, but I guess that's too easy, isn't it?" And I suspect they popped out of the rocks, so there must be more around. Anyway, they're hungry and sick, and I need to buy some food and clothes, if your owner wants to sell them. Androxes said as he stretched out his arm, hoping that the fog would dissipate from his mind somewhat. It's too early.

"We had dried lamb, hard crackers, plenty of beans and, if you're going to buy it, young and fermented wine. Salt. What do you need?"

"If you can give me something to hold something, I'd like to take it all. Now, all I need is young wine and some biscuits. There are pots, spoons, cups, bowls, etc. Do you have vinegar? Or sugar? Androx said.

The guard replied: "There is no sugar, but I have honey." As far as I know, there is no vinegar. Do you want to buy a pot, or do you want to borrow it?"

Andex paused and thought for a moment. He'd have to figure out how to take it, but he guesses it's a few days away from the next town, so he'll have to cook again. Maybe a few times, because it took more than a week to get his bags ready, and he didn't like to carry them. The thought of doing it again made him feel tired.

It's not that he has a week of free time and just sits idly. He didn't have time to catch up with Della, who ran faster than he expected. Maybe Skytha

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Will show up in the next few days, but maybe not, let him take care of the kit. Maybe the merchant wants to take them? He had to test the man's wishes.

"I think I'll buy marijuana, and if you have a pack, I can put it in." The first thing I want is a chunk of honey and a lot of new wine to dissolve it. I also need a pot to heat it up so it goes down easily. By the way, is there any robe or something that fits these gears?"

"I can make some robes, but I want to cut the fabric. Before I can do that, I need to see a coin," the man said. Underneath his bronze helmet, which didn't quite fit him, his hair was cut short and almost shaved. Most of the guards wore their hair in braids like soldiers.

"Wait a minute." Androx said. "You're not a guard, are you?" You are the owner of the company. "After a tough night, he felt a little clever that he had figured it out so quickly. It's weird, though; Merchants often took pride in hiring others to commit violence and dress up to show off their wealth.

The man grinned. "You've got me," he said. "It's a wild place, so I'm dressed like a guard. The bandits don't know who to kill. ”

"Makes sense," Andlocks said. "Then why did you break your own camp?"

The merchant chuckled softly. "I usually get up earlier than these thugs I hire. They are not as eager to act as I am. ”

"It's not fair, master." A low, deep male voice by the stove said. "Well, the thug's part is fair." Then he yawned widely.

"Don't wake up the kids!" Andlocks said angrily.

"Be quiet, Tulga," said the merchant. "He's my customer."

"Well, well, I'm as quiet as a mouse," said Turga standing. There he stood, about the same height as Anderlock, but weighed twice as much. He was a tall giant, fat and red, with dirty and red hair and beard.

"This is the first time," the merchant said with a smile. Then he turned to Androx and said, "Well, master, give me some copper coins, and I'll give you what you need." I can even quietly wake up these scoundrels and help you get things up and do you a little favor. I just need to see some copper or silver. ”

Andrew thought for a moment. Didn't the man trust him? Or does he just want to see how much money Andrx has? He said, "All I have is gold." There's a quadruple one, and I need you to tear it down. I suppose you have change, right?"

"I ...... I'm sure I do. Of course I do. Can I look at that coin?"

Maybe it's too tired, but A

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Okles couldn't help but start feeling a little wary of the businessman. Who has ever heard of a trader who is unsure about his money? But if he wanted to, he could have slit his own throat this morning, so he might not be a threat. Possible.

A

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Okles untied his wallet, took the coins out, showed them to the merchant, and put them back where they were. The man gave him a smile that seemed a little greedy, and then replied, "Well then." Give me some time and let me get things ready. He turned to leave, stopped and asked, "Hey, master, would you mind letting me see the children?" I've never seen Skytha before

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equipment. ”

Andlocks looked at the man approvingly, trying to decide if he was too wary of him and unwilling to leave the children in his care. "I think I should check to see if they're hurt, so please come and have a look," he said. The merchant nodded.

They walked towards where the little penguins were sleeping. In the haze of sleepiness, he put the children between the Tugar and the merchant, and now that both of them are up, he has plenty of room to work. A

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Okles unfastened the bottom of the cloak and unwrapped the boys. Seeing all this, he frowned; He more or less expected that their condition would be terrible, but in the early morning sun, they were really a mess. The merchant whistled softly and asked, "So, where exactly did you find them?"

They were covered in abrasions, abrasions, bruises, and a lot of dirt almost from the tips of their ears to their toes. The black one had several swollen wounds around his ankle, and they both had rashes because they had been using the dirty bag as a shirt, which had worn out their skin. The hair on their tail and head was messy and dirty, like the hair of a sick dog.

Anchors noticed bruises where they had been hugging each other for warmth at night, and a lump was starting to develop in his throat. This reminded him of his friend Acolius, who more than once held him tightly during surgery and rehabilitation. This man was closer than his own brother before he died. Androx cleared his throat, not wanting to spend too much unnecessary emotion on the kit.

Last night, the white one was just tall enough, the tips of its ears were up to Androx's chest, and the two eaglets were just as tall. Now he can look at them again, and as far as he knows, they don't seem to be stunted. This means that they are only starving for a few weeks, not years. If they recover, they will grow normally without being stunted and useless.

Weakness and hunger make the pups less responsive to the cold air of the morning. They are so scrawny that they can almost be used as mummies. The black one is really worse because the thickest part of his body is the joints, but the white one is about the same. Their faint breath seemed to shake them. Raphael's ghouls probably thought he had a snack on the way.

"I brought you the child you wanted, Della."

"Huh? The merchant asked.

"I'm talking to myself." Androxes replied and stood up. "I found them on the road, and it took about three hours to walk from there," he said, pointing. "The white one tried to stop me, and the black one hid under the bushes. They say they're lost. Then, with a somber smile, he added, "I wouldn't use the word 'lost.'"

The merchant nodded thoughtfully and said, "Your story is incredible, but I've seen too many warriors and know which ones you don't suspect." Then he patted Andrew on the back and said, "You'll get everything you need and more." I had ointment and clean rags, and some ointments. I probably have a bunch of good stuff too. Let me check it out. ”

What does the merchant mean by that? Which ones do you not suspect? Androx suspects that he should be insulted. He knew he looked a little ragged right now, but he was a member of the Legion of Honor, and a veteran.

The merchant continued his business, quietly waking up the others. There was a woman with a serious expression in the businessman's party. It's weird, but it's not unheard of. Not all women are able to take care of their children at home.

After wrapping up his gear to keep him warm, Androx watched as the merchant rummaged through his cart for supplies. It took longer than he expected, almost like he was seeing it all for the first time. Andrew frowned, becoming more and more vigilant. He found himself absent-mindedly rubbing the tip of his sword.

The woman slept on the leather armor, tidied up, and walked over to see the guests. Her torso looked skinny and erect, and it looked like she couldn't get the armor right no matter where she pulled it. Her face was narrow, and her light brown hair, like everyone else, was braided under her leather helmet. When she saw the boys, she covered her mouth with her hand and gasped.

"They look so skinny!" She muttered angrily. She walked up to Androx, looked him in the eye and said, "Are those kids yours?"

He almost replied, "No, they fell from the sky, I have never seen them before." But he didn't want to offend anyone until he got what he needed. He couldn't help but wonder how many more times he would have to answer this question. He tried to make himself sound less aggressive, and he said, "Almost." I found them and decided to bring them back to life. ”

"You have to feed them better. They're just kids," she said. Even though she kept her voice flat, Andokes could feel her frustration and stubbornness.

"I found out last night. As it turned out, it was late. Your master gives me a jug of new wine and a cup, and I'm going to feed them. Androxes said as he met her gaze. She didn't look away. He knew that maybe one in ten people would be staring at him.

"Why new wine?" She asked, never looking away.

"Anything that has been fermented kills a hungry person, so this is young wine," Andlocks said.

"Open the blanket and let me see." She commanded.

"Why? He asked angrily. He couldn't tell what was going on, but he always felt that something was wrong, and exhaustion didn't make his personality cheerful.

He had every reason to be vigilant; He didn't know if these people would rob him because their owners knew how much money he had. If they decide to kill A

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okles, take the kids to sell, no one will ask for proof of ownership, leave Skytha

d not far away. In fact, he would be lucky if he could get the equivalent of gold coins back.

The woman shrugged and said, "Whatever you want." Then go and hang the cover to dry. A

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Okles decided to keep an eye on her.

Because he had nothing to do until the merchant found the goods, Androcles began to heat the fire again. Someone picked up a small pile of rough logs with an axe resting on it. He walked a few steps away from his sleeping bag with an axe and a log and started to make a fire. He scraped a few handfuls of things as thin as a hair, and then he scraped thicker and thicker so that he could make a fire.

He almost jumped up when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and saw the woman in front of him with a serious expression, without a hint of a proud smirk. She said, "Here you go." Then hand him a spark. He didn't hear her approaching, and he didn't feel her presence in the slightest. There is no doubt that she did it on purpose, showing him her skills. It turns out that she is really dangerous, and she would love to let him know about it. He decided that he had to be polite. and cautious.

By the time the merchant finally showed up with a new pot of wine and some honey, the fire was almost ready. The merchant set up a tripod over the fire and said, "I'll bring more back." Give me a minute. He went back to his car and continued to check his cargo as if something was wrong with them. A

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Okles stirred the pan a bit to make sure the honey dissolved well and that the honey wasn't too hot before feeding the baby bees.

The woman, still standing behind him, said, "Theodoric tell me what it's like down there." Do you know what to feed those who are dying of hunger?"

"Of course it does. Learned in the army. Andlocks said. I learned a lot in the military. "Hopefully she'll sense my threat.

"There's a poem that's written," she said. "The first week is wet, the second week is meat, and then the rest is safe to eat. Or is it that the first week is wet, the second week is breaded, and then the meat is safe to eat?'"

"This is the second one. Don't eat salt and solid foods for the first week. In the second week, you also have to soften the bread. Don't give them anything hard to chew before the third week, or they will get sick. "Then he blows at the bottom of the fire to make it stronger." In the third week, you can feed them as much as you want. Fatten them right away. ”

"All of your experience won't help much if you don't start treating them better," she said.

"I found out last night. I told you. Think about it. Good night at the end. Androx said. Then he turned his head and glared at her fiercely.

After a while, she said in a softer voice, "I see. I think I'm wandering. I've never seen a beastman's outfit. Ignore me. Then she went away again, with a brisk and unhurried step.

Honey has begun to dissolve in young wines, but it is still too cold for them to drink. It's going to take a while. Androcleus's heart moved as he considered what he would do if these men tried to summon Sewell to kill him. No matter how many years he has been in the army, for one person, six is a tough battle, even if he does not have a suitable shield. He began to sneak around them, considering who he would kill first if they attacked.

The merchant returned with a bottle of ointment, an inverted bowl, and a bundle of clean square cloths. He looked into the pot, nodded, and placed his things on the ground near the kit. He turned to Androcles and said, "Tulga will come at any time and fetch you half a bucket of water from the creek." Do you want to wash with oil or water? I'm afraid I don't have a spatula. ”

A

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Okles replied, "Just water." When they get so thin, a scraper can tear them apart. ”

The merchant replied, "Wise man." I'll ask for some fabric to make the robe. Or do you prefer a tunic or a shirt with trousers?"

"What did all the boys wear in that town you went to last time?" A

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Okles asked. "I haven't been paying attention."

"We come from the east, from cherry wool. There are a lot of southerners out there who like you. Most were shirts and trousers, but some wore tunics or skirts, often with a cloak to keep out the cold. Robes are warmer, and they are good bedding when necessary, but they are cumbersome. "I don't know if you've ever tried to wrap children in robes before, master, but they've never been tied." The merchant said helpfully.

"I want a robe. Until I hide them safely, I don't expect these kits to do a lot of fidgeting and tree-climbing stuff. Master Merchant, I don't seem to hear your name. I'm Pa from Dikaia

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Son of Os. A

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okles," he said.

"I'm Theodoric of the Blue Merchant." It's a pleasure to make a deal with you, Mr. Andlox. The merchant held out his hand and said. A

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Okles shook it vigorously.

"Sounds impressive. Are you sure you don't know about Skywalkers in this area? I'm willing to pay for good news. ”

"I'm afraid not, Master Androx. It was the first time I had been so far away. I'd like to open a route to the Celsers north of here. I know they will spend a lot of money on cloth and spices," Theodoric replied.

Androxes raised an eyebrow at this. What kind of businessman would blindly enter unfamiliar territory? His friend Nikon might beg him to strike first while they let their guard down. But Nikon is dead, and although the situation is somewhat strange, the businessman seems to be decent. Maybe things will work out eventually.

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