Asa was lying in a pile of grain and hay, listening carefully to the growl of his belly and smelling the musty smell of the grain and hay beneath him. The big men at several wine tables nearby were eating large pieces of meat and drinking wine from large glasses.
They boasted to each other about their bravery on the battlefield and in women's beds, and burst into hearty and obscene laughter. The big men had their own weapons at their feet, some with discolored blood stains on them.
There were several thinner men lying on the corn grass next to Asa, as if they were dead.
This is the mercenary tavern in Airy City. It gathers all the people in the city who have no skills and want to exchange their lives for money. They work as thugs or bodyguards for others, and some of them work as accomplices of bandits.
The smell of meat wafting over there was in great contrast with the musty smell beneath him. Asa suddenly imagined that those big men suddenly had a dispute with him, and he could get angry and beat them all to the ground, and then throw them to the ground.
All the remaining things on the table were swept away. Unfortunately, those big men were completely immersed in the small world of beer, beef and small talk, and did not pay him any attention at all.
And he wasn't really hungry enough to take the initiative to beat someone up just for a few pieces of meat. What's more, there was a big man who was so happy with his drink just now that he invited everyone in the tavern to have a drink, even though it might just be an occasional act of excitement.
, but Asa’s evil thoughts were extinguished with shame.
The money borrowed from Chris was actually enough. He still had a good horse and some adventure necessities left. Until ten days ago, when he met the hanging merchant in the wild, he still had eight silver coins and thirty
Many copper coins. The unlucky merchant met a group of big-eared monsters in the wild. The big-eared monsters did not kill him, but only robbed him of all the goods he had bought with all his savings. Asa gave him the horse and the money.
He walked to Airy City by himself.
Asa suddenly missed the time in the wild jungle. At least he didn't have to worry about food. Catching a big prey would be enough to eat for several days. And in this city where humans live together, everything has a price.
If you want it, you have to buy it with money. If you want money, you have to use labor, time, and freedom to exchange it, and you must have the skills to exchange it. Otherwise, you have to steal, cheat, and rob.
Asa found that he was not suitable to live in this environment where similar people gathered together. He did not have the customs and lifestyle that a normal person would follow. For example, he was used to being ordered to work by others, and he was used to using things that originally meant nothing to him.
Behaviors in exchange for things that are meaningful to him, such as food. He also did not ignore the rigid and domineering nature of the Order. Once he thought about the other person's feelings, he did not dare to rob him. Stealing and cheating are even more capable.
Not only does it have to be blunt, but you also have to be willing to think that you are a few levels lower than others in your heart, and you don't dare to confront others head-on, so you have to use dirty and speculative means to obtain other people's things.
But humans are social animals after all. No matter how much they like to live alone, deep down in their hearts, they still want to contact and communicate with others of their kind. Even though he was so hungry, Asa still stayed in this city where food was hard to come by.
Watching other people's daily lives and eating, and listening to the traffic on the street, the crowing of chickens and the barking of dogs, all make him feel the peace that he can never have alone in the wilderness.
He is just not used to the lifestyle given by this strange environment. He is just as uncomfortable as a native wild dog living in the environment of a domestic dog, but he likes the smell of countless similar people. He still doesn't want to go out even if he can stay in the city.
. So he came here to try his luck. Even though he had no other useful life skills, he was still capable of doing this kind of physical work. And he might even be able to get news about that damn forest here.
He has been wandering around the city for a long time, and has been inquiring about the Whispering Forest or the Unspeakable Forest. He has asked many people, but he has gained absolutely nothing, and he was almost arrested as a heretic. This Ai
It seemed that the pagans were making a lot of noise in the inner city. Soldiers were searching everywhere, and from time to time I saw people being taken away crying.
The door of the tavern was pushed open. A young man stood at the door.
Everyone in the tavern turned their attention to him. This was not a fellow traveler. This young man was wearing a knight's attire. Although it looked very old, he was still dressed neatly and neatly. He also wore a robe that was obviously just for decoration.
He wore a cloak. There was a slight childishness on his handsome face, and his hair was as neatly styled as the outfit on his body. This should be a customer. Several people next to Asa raised their heads and regained their vitality.
The young man looked nervously around the tavern, where all the people in the tavern were either fierce or disordered. He said in as smooth and high a voice as possible: "I am Knight Rodhart, and I am here to recruit a brave man to be my squire.
"
The tavern was filled with jeers and curses. The big men continued to drink and eat meat. The man next to Asa fell down lifelessly again.
The young man stood at the door and said as if reciting a manifesto: "What I ask for is firm faith, a kind heart, and infinite loyalty to the master and chivalry."
There was an even louder sound of ridicule and scolding, and someone on the grain and haystack asked: "How much does it cost per day?"
"I don't have money. What I can give to those who follow me is more valuable than money, which is a noble spirit and great honor. His name will always be engraved next to my name and will always be remembered by the bards.
"Recited." The young man continued to recite his declaration in a cadence.
Arrogant laughter erupted in the tavern. The big men stamped their feet and banged the table, as if they were hearing the rap of the most famous comedian in the continent. Even a few people on the haystacks also laughed, full of life.
Get up. A big man laughed and asked the bartender: "Where did you get such a joke teller? I gave him a reward."
The bartender smiled and shook his head. He walked over and said to the young man who was already blushing: "These are all big men who work for money. You are in the wrong place. Go to the countryside."
The young man tried his best to continue his persuasion: "I am going to the woods south of the city to perform a very dangerous but also great task. Is there any brave person who can follow me?"
A drunken man stood up, approached the young man with narrowed eyes, pointed at the young man's face and said: "This nonsense little guy is quite handsome. If he is a girl, I would still be interested in accompanying him out."
Have fun."
The young knight, who had already become a little angry, clenched his fists and glared at the big man. Although he tried to keep his voice as calm as possible, everyone could hear the trembling caused by excessive anger: "In the name of God, if this man
If you dare to insult a knight again, his blood will be used to wash away his sins."
The big man's eyes widened, and he stretched out his hand to push the young knight's chest: "What? You want to fight?"
His stomach was about to be beaten. Asa saw the young knight's shoulders sinking and knew he was going to take action.
With a muffled sound, the young knight's right fist hit the big man's abdomen hard. The big man bent back and immediately fell to his knees with his forehead on the ground. The wine and meat he had just eaten poured out of his mouth. Others at the same table as the big man
Upon seeing this, the four big men immediately picked up their weapons and rushed over.
He took a half-step forward, elbowed him in the ribs and knocked him over. Asa watched the knight's body sink and move forward, silently guessing his next move in his mind.
Facing the burly knights holding weapons, he advanced instead of retreating, heading straight for the one in front. When his opponent slashed with his sword, he turned to the left. While dodging the sword, he hit the burly man's weak ribs with his elbow.
, with a muffled sound, the big man groaned and fell to the right, just blocking the weapons of the two big men on the right. The two big men hurriedly put away their swords.
Turn around and hit the jaw with a hook. Asa predicted in his mind.
As soon as the big man on the left raised the hammer above his head, he was punched in the jaw. The sound of broken bones was clearly heard by everyone in the tavern. Asa could also tell that he had probably fallen five or six times.
tooth.
Get up and kneel into the chest of the nearest one, hold the right hand of the last one, twist it, and then chop the neck. This young knight's skills are quite good. Asa feels that his observation and mind seem to be getting clearer. He could never do this before.
The ability to clearly see other people's movements and predict their movements is probably due to the practice of meditation. Although the book was mortgaged by him, he has long memorized the meditation methods recorded on it and still practices them every day.
The knight had already twisted the arm of the last big man back, and the big man screamed in pain like a pig. The knight looked at the several big men groaning on the ground, and let go with some annoyance and anger, although he just said that he wanted to
There is blood, but it seems that I can't make the move.
He turned and walked towards the door. The big man who had just been let go picked up a sword from the ground and stabbed it at the knight's vest.
Halfway through the stabbing, one hand grasped the big man's hand from behind, squeezed it, and the sword in the big man's hand fell to the ground. Then he twisted it backwards using the same technique as the knight just now, and the big man started to scream again. But only
After shouting for a while, a blow on the back of the neck immediately silenced him.
"Are you going to the woods south of the city?" Asa asked. There is no clue anyway, and it seems that Chris also said it was in the south. Why not go and see it with this young knight and try your luck.
The knight was surprised and asked: "Will you follow me?"
Asa shook his head and said, "I'm just going to have a look with you."
The knight tried his best to persuade him: "Then are you willing to help me complete a task? If it succeeds, I will give you a reward." He has a good learning ability and knows how to talk about money, but he does not forget to mention his declaration. "
And this is also a very honorable task.”
Asa frowned and thought for a while, it seemed that it would be good to have a casual meal, so he nodded.
After walking out of the tavern, the knight mounted his horse. Asa was walking beside him, eating the beef he took from the tables of the big men. The knight was very excited about his successful recruitment and kept asking about Asa's origins.
and ambition. Asa simply answered that he was a homeless man from the royal capital.
"My friend Asa, your behavior is really unbecoming of a knight's helper. You are no different from a beggar on the street." The knight saw Asa licking the oil on his hands after finishing the beef. He probably felt that it was wrong.
It's unbecoming. I reminded him politely.
Asa wiped his hands on his body and said, "Do you have to speak in such a tone?"
The knight was stunned and said: "Knights all talk like this." But this time he used a normal tone. "Have you seen other knights?"
"I've seen it." Asa replied. His former captain Sanders when he was a mercenary and that annoying Clovis were both knights.
"Really?" The knight was surprised. "I haven't seen it yet. I just heard from stories and books that knights should be like this. Don't the knights you know look like this? Where are they from?"
"Captain of the Holy Knights." Asa replied. This answer immediately caused a huge reaction from the knight on the horse. He suddenly leaned down in front of Asa, looking at Asa with surprise and awe.
Ask: "Really? So what do they look like? How do they talk?"
Asa looked at him, worried about the angle his waist was bent at, and said, "It looks similar to you. It's just that his words are not as pretentious as yours."
"Really?" The knight straightened his back and sighed with mixed feelings, looking ahead leisurely and fascinated by that style. "Yes. It's better to speak more casually, so as to show the demeanor of a knight. Only a great hero can
True character."
As they talked all the way out of the city, Asa learned that this young knight named Rodhart was actually not a real knight. He was just a student who had just graduated from the knight school in Erathia. This was his hometown. He
His only relative was his grandfather, a local squire who longed for a knighthood. He spent all his family property to send his grandson to the knight school that was originally only accessible to nobles. He hoped that he could become a real knight. Unfortunately, he was poor and died last year.
passed away. Rodhart didn’t know the news until he graduated, and traveled all the way back to bury his grandfather.
Outside the city, Rodhart looked around and saw no one, and said to Asa: "Friend Asa, now we are going to complete this great task. Have you heard about the imperial envoy?"
Asa shook his head: "No."
The knight's face was radiant with excitement, filled with the unique passion of young people, and he said: "I heard about it from the soldiers in the city hall by chance. The imperial envoy who came to inspect the royal capital met him just outside the city yesterday.
A group of bandits. The imperial envoy was kidnapped. The bandits asked the local magistrate to pay a large price for ransom. Now there is chaos in the city hall. If we rescued the imperial envoy earlier than the army, what do you think?
How much credit? Then I can truly become a knight." He looked at Asa with shining eyes, as if he was happy for him. "You can also share this great honor."
"I hope it won't take too long." Asa yawned, full of the fatigue of the elderly.