Home of the Brave

Dai Yang was driving a carriage and Xia Luwei was riding a gray horse. When the two were walking on the road, two completely different eyes were drawn.

When they saw Dai Yang, the townspeople almost nodded and smiled at him. It was obvious that this black-haired young man had an excellent popularity in the town. But when they saw Xia Luwei in a knight costume, many people showed vigilance and disgust on the spot. The gaze didn't seem to be welcoming the heroic knights who were preparing to liberate them from the tyranny of the dragon, but more like the invaders who came to destroy their peaceful lives.

Fortunately, Xia Luwei was walking with Dai Yang. The existence of the black-haired youth somewhat buffered the villagers' malice. At most, the villagers just looked at it with disgust and left indifferently.

"Ah, please don't care. Everyone is not aimed at you personally, but the people in this town really don't have much affection for the soldiers of the kingdom."

As if noticing Xia Luwei's lost expression, Dai Yang explained with a wry smile.

"I don't like it?" Xia Luwei couldn't help casting a suspicious look when she heard him say this.

"excuse me, can you tell me the reason?"

"Uh, this..." After hesitating for a while, the black-haired youth said in an unpleasant voice.

"Miss Knight should know? The Silver Emperor Frost and Snow descended on the Frost Mountains thirty years ago. Since then, the Gulambel Kingdom has sent troops several times to defeat the dragon, but they have all been defeated. Then, Lanlos Town Then he broke away from Gulambel's control and returned to the rule of Emperor Frost and Snow."

"Yeah, I know."

Xia Luwei nodded. What Dai Yang said is recorded in any military textbook of the Gulambel Kingdom. Because the first war took place in October at that time, it was recorded as the "October War" in the history books. The Kingdom Army seemed to regard this defeat to the dragon as a great shame. Almost every general has vowed to defeat the dragon, but it has never succeeded so far.

"Although I haven't seen it with my own eyes, I heard from the older generations in the town that the army defeated by the dragon at that time had done a lot of excessive things to this town."

"...Excessive thing?" Xia Luwei's voice was a little surprised.

"That is to say, things like burning, killing and looting. I heard that the Kingdom Army looted all valuable things in the town at that time, and even set fire to the townspeople’s houses..."

"This...impossible!" Xia Luwei interrupted him, her voice raised several degrees unconsciously. "The Kingdom Army... the duty of the knight is to protect the people! How could such a thing be done?"

Xia Luwei glared at the black-haired young man angrily, as if he had to take these words back. Dai Yang didn't refute Xia Luwei's claim, but he didn't look away, just staring at her with a calm expression. Instead, Xia Luwei slowly calmed down.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I just don't believe... the knight who was supposed to protect the people would do this kind of thing."

"I understand your mood." The black-haired youth responded in a gentle voice. "It's just that for them, the residents of Lanlos Town are no longer the objects of protection, right?"

"what?"

Xia Luowei's eyes widened, her face full of incredible. Urged by her gaze, Dai Yang scratched his head and continued the topic.

"That’s what I think—At that time, the Kingdom Army was defeated by Emperor Frost and Snow, and as a result, it could only admit its rule over Lanlos Town. Now that Lanlos Town has been put under the rule of Emperor Frost and Snow, it will no longer be ruled. It is the territory of the Gulambel Kingdom, and the residents of Lanlos Town have naturally become the leaders of the hostile forces. Looting and destroying the towns under the rule of Frost Snow Silver Emperor can make up for the losses of the defeat on the one hand, and attack the enemy on the other. Fang’s supply is a strategically inevitable choice... As far as the result is concerned, Lanlos Town has become a victim of this choice."

"But! This kind of thing... this kind of thing..."

Xia Luwei wanted to argue that "this kind of thing is impossible", but her throat seemed to be blocked and she couldn't speak. There are no flaws in Dai Yang's analysis, and the attitude of the townspeople along the way explains the problem more than anything else. As a result, Xia Luwei could only froze right away, and had to accept the fact that she was regarded as an aggressor by the object she had originally hoped to be liberated.

"Well, please don't care, after all, this matter is not Miss Knight's fault."

Dai Yang could only comfort her in this way, then looked up at the front and ended the unpleasant topic.

"Ah, here we are. The hotel is right in front, Miss Cavalier, where you can have a good rest."

※※※

The hotel Dai Yang was referring to was a two-story wooden building. It seems that after quite a few years, the appearance of the hotel gives a feeling of vicissitudes of life.

When the horse was tied to the wooden stake, Xia Luwei's gaze drifted over the sign in front of the hotel and saw the name of the store with "Liu Ke Yu" written on it. On the contrary, this kind of ancient name has a wonderful freshness, which makes Xia Luwei feel cordial.

"Let's go in."

Dai Yang came over to greet her to go in. He is carrying a large bag on his back, and what he wants to show is the merchandise ordered by the hotel.

Pushing open the door of the hotel, a slightly dim space suddenly came into view. Xia Luwei blinked, and it took a while to adjust to the change in light.

In towns where business travel is not frequent, inns and taverns are often built together, and the hotel in front of them seems to double as a tavern. There are several round tables in the lobby on the first floor. Several townspeople are sitting around one of the round tables, discussing something while drinking. The boss was standing behind the bar opposite the door, wiping the bronze wine glass in his hand leisurely, and then he noticed the movement at the door and raised his head to show a professional smile.

"Welcome... Ah, it's Dai Yang."

Recognizing the black-haired young man at the door, the professional smile on the boss's face was replaced with an affectionate look like greeting an old friend.

"Have you come back? It seems that it went smoothly this time. I guess you won't be able to deliver the things until tomorrow."

"It was originally planned like this, but by the way, if I want to send a guest over, I will come to you first."

Dai Yang pointed to Xia Luwei and explained, then walked straight over and put his pockets on the bar.

"The twenty dozen candles you want are in there. Would you like to light them?"

"No, thanks for your hard work." The boss gave a gentle smile and shook his head. "However, Tanya and the others went back to the forest a few days ago. I am short of manpower here. If you are willing to help me carry these in, how about I offer you a drink?"

"Then I want Seymour."

"Okay, deal."

Dai Yang grinned and stretched out his hand and beat each other with the boss, and then went in with his pockets. Xia Luwei hesitated where she was, and then walked towards the bar.

As she approached, she also looked at the tavernkeeper, and found that the other party turned out to be a middle-aged man with a gentleman's temperament. His hair is gray and white, his age seems to be a generation older than Dai Yang, a moustache is neatly cut, and his clothes are meticulous from the neckline to the sleeves, with a smile full of mature charm. If you change the occasion, you should be able to. Become the object of invitations by the ladies in the upper class ball.

"What can I do for you? Beautiful Miss Knight."

After Xia Luwei approached, the boss asked politely.

As the Countess of Xia Luwei, ordering a glass of famous wine like Seymour at this time is undoubtedly the best way to set off her style. However, thinking of the fact that there were only one hundred and sixty lien left in the wallet, Xia Luwei couldn't help but avoid the boss's ardent eyes. She lowered her head, demanding hesitantly.

"Well, please give me a glass of...cold water."

"Cold...Excuse me, is it cold water?"

The boss blinked in surprise, and Xia Luwei felt hot on her cheeks like fire. She lowered her head, almost tempted to escape from the tavern.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

"Guests should have arrived here after a long journey? It is of course more important to quench your thirst than tasting wine. Please wait a moment, I will prepare something to quench your thirst."

These thoughtful words made Xia Luwei grateful, she raised her head, and the boss happened to put a glass of cold water on the bar in front of her. I don't know if it was an illusion. When Xia Luwei picked up the large wooden cup, she smelled honey inside. She tried to take a sip, and the feeling in her mouth was indeed sweet.

"Excuse me, this is..." Xia Luwei asked tremblingly.

"This is the cold water provided by the shop'free'. Please taste it slowly."

The boss said so with a friendly smile, and then approached her and asked softly.

"By the way, Miss Cavalier, you and my friend came in together. I wonder what your relationship is?"

"Huh? What's the relationship?" The boss' eyes seemed to be expecting something, Xia Luwei couldn't help being confused and answered honestly.

"Well, I met him on the way to Lanlos Town. Ask him for directions, and then he kindly took me here."

"…that's all?"

"Yes, that's it."

After Xia Luwei nodded to confirm, the boss showed a very disappointed expression, shook his head and stood up straight again.

"It's rude. I don't know why Miss Cavaliers came to this town? You are a guest brought by Dai Yang, so if there is a place I can help, please feel welcome."

Seeing the boss's enthusiasm, Xia Luwei couldn't help thinking of the question that she had forgotten for some reason before. She hesitated for a while, and then said it.

"There is something I want to ask. Actually, on the way to Lanlos Town, I encountered a very strange thing..."