Chapter 78 The Enemy is in The Light, While Ism in The Dark (2/2)
”Do you want me to follow you, Mr. Rhode?”
”There's no need. You must be tired after traveling together with me for so many days. You don't have to go today.”
”....Mr. Rhode.”
This time, Lize raised her hand timidly.
”Do we need to prepare for anything?”
”We will depart in two or three days; you can just prepare for that.”
”Okay, I understand.”
When everyone was busy discussing, Anne, who sat quietly among the ladies, suddenly interrupted.
”Big sister Marlene, Big sister Lize, Anne feels that this is quite weird. Why don't you guys call leader as leader?”
”Eh?”
Both Marlene and Lize were caught off guard for a moment.
”In Anne's former mercenary group, everyone called the leader as leader. Why are both sisters calling the leader by his name?”
”This...”
Both of them displayed an awkward expression, even Old Walker who was sitting beside also felt somewhat uncomfortable and raised his pint to cover up his expression. However, Rhode helped them out from their unspeakable dilemma.
”All of them have their own reasons. Marlene is only temporarily joining our group. As for Lize, I'm sure she has her own reasoning. Moreover, I don't really mind what you call me. It isn't mandatory to call me leader, so feel free to call me anything you like.”
”So it's like that...”
Anne blinked her beautiful green eyes and took another curious glance at everyone. Then, she did not say anything else and once again focused on the food before her.
Lize, Marlene and Old Walker finally felt relieved, but they still had a hint of complexity in their eyes.
At this moment, there was a knock on the door.
Lize quickly stood up and got the door. She spoke with the people outside in a low voice for a few moments before accepting a letter. Then she returned to the table with an odd expression.
”What happened Lize? Did something happen?”
Marlene asked curiously when she saw Lize's expression. Lize passed the letter over and said, ”Mr. Rhode, it's an invitation from the Mercenary Association. Mr. President and Sereck want to see you; they hope that you can go there to solve a dispute.”
”Dispute?”
Rhode felt a little bit strange. How could there be any dispute between him and Mercenary Association?
”It's like this...”
Lize's current expression became even more strange, she looked at Marlene with worry, and then back to Rhode.
”According to the messenger, Mr. Clinton from the Country of Light approached the Mercenary Association and claimed that you had killed his subordinates. He asked us to give an explanation and compensate his loss..”
”That's simply outrageous!”
Before Lize could finish, Marlene slammed the table and stood up in anger.
”Those group of bastards... it was clearly them who had sent people to assassinate us in the forest. Hah. Now they're twisting the truth! Must we stay still and give up our lives to satisfy them?”
Then Marlene turned around and stared at Rhode with anger in her eyes.
”Mr. Rhode! Let's go to the Mercenary Association together! I want that bastard to understand that our Munn Kingdom isn't that easy to be bullied!”
”Enough. Marlene, don't get too worked up.”
Rhode was unexpectedly calm. He reached out and took the letter from Lize, carefully scrutinizing the contents. After reading, he shoved the letter into his pocket and stood up.
”Go and have a rest. I'll go to the Mercenary Association by myself. I think there must be some kind of misunderstanding.”
”Misunderstanding?!”
Marlene sneered.
”Mr. Rhode, how can it be a misunderstanding? Isn't it obvious? The people of the Country of Light have refused to let this matter go...”
”I have a different opinion about it.”
Rhode waved his hand and dismissed Marlene's complaint.
”We've never done such a thing, that's why there must be some kind of misunderstanding. Clinton accused us of doing it, but I still don't know what is he talking about.”
”...”
Everyone was speechless.
All of them stared at Rhode who was as calm as a cucumber, acting as if nothing happened.
(ED: Anne is adorable.)