volume 2 - Chapter 76 (2/2)

Amandina’s sharp senses had noticed Brendel’s hesitation. She was surprised that a decision would have been easily made as he had constantly presented himself as an unwavering n.o.ble who had never needed to even question himself to make ruthless choices.

These were certainly the rules of the n.o.bles’ game—

Brendel looked back at Amandina with a look that was full of self-mockery, yet he was relaxed with a tinge of regret. She was surprised to the point where lost her words. Had she ever seen an expression like this amongst the cold-blooded n.o.bles in Aouine?

[Is he faking it? But there’s no reason to do so…?]

Brendel raised his hand to gather the attention of the mercenaries. His mind was still somewhat conflicted when he did so, but when he lowered it, there was nothing but relief in him.

“Prepare to act. If it is possible, knocking them out will do. I do not wish to have a war with Makarov.”

Brendel’s voice was a nearly a whisper. He did not know whether his actions would cause him to look foolish to others, but if he did not give this order, then he would certainly look foolish to his own self.

The Mercenaries of Lopes nodded at the same time. The Nightsong Tiger felt a slight pity at Brendel’s answer. The situation should be handle once and for all without any hesitations.

Amandina’s reaction was different. She looked at Brendel with new eyes as she discovered there was something in him that she did not know at all. She could not tell if this unique quality of his was good or bad, but there was something about him that did not fit in this world. Yet she did not find that it was unnatural, and it conversly made her feel at peace after a very long time in the n.o.bles’ circle.

The two people were seventy feet away.

“Brendel.” Romaine suddenly called out with a little anxiety in his voice.

He puzzledly looked at her but still whispered: “Now is not the time.”

She thought for a while and nodded. The mercenaries scattered and fell into position to await the two people to approach closer. Once they were within reach, they would move together. They outnumbered the two people and their experience vastly exceeded them, so they were confident they could subdue them with ease.

Brendel felt restless. There was most likely a strong enemy, or enemies that sent his card to the graveyard, and he could not afford to waste time here.

The two people were about to made their way out of the foilage, but they slowly stopped before they exited it.

“Did they discover something?”

Brendel’s eyelids flinched, and almost commanded the mercenaries to suppress them immediately, only to forcefully stop himself. The distance for the mercenaries to attack was still too far away. It was more likely to alert them than to catch them unaware. He slowly steadied his nerves as he was certain that they had not discovered anything.

He looked around to observe the mercenaries, and they were still as composed as before. Romaine gazed the area curiously, while Amandina’s face grew paler as time pa.s.sed by.

Redi had stopped completely and he faced his companion to speak with him. Despite nearly a hundred feet away, Brendel still managed to catch a few words with his high perception.

Redi did not speak loudly, but looked at Brendel’s camp from time to time, as if he had noticed something.

The conversation between soon became heated, and even ended up as a quarrel. Even though everyone with the exception of Brendel could not hear what they were talking about, they understood that neither of them managed to convince each other. Brendel felt a little annoyed and even wondered if they simply came here to quarrel.

Their voices were raised even higher, and Brendel managed to catch a few key words, ‘Eke……’, ‘Chablis……’, ‘Necklace……’.

Brendel raised his eyebrow.

[It sems like Redi knows that Eke is still in Chablis, and if he knows, then Makarov should also know that fact. This mercenary group seems to have a number of troubles. But I still don’t understand why this discussion has anything to do with the ‘events’ that are to follow.]

He looked up at the sky to find the Blood Star. The moment when the Blood Star appeared was the moment when it was nearly midnight.

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