Masked Knight

Nedis frowned. "How many warriors do you want to buy? What is your purpose?"

Rody sighed and whispered, "Didn’t you notice that security is getting tighter along the way? Since we are going to the capital of the dwarf kingdom, the journey later will probably be even more difficult. We need to find a way and get an identity. Otherwise, I am afraid we may give our disguises away...Even if we are not afraid, we will not be able to change anything once we start our journey to the capital. Getting a few warriors as followers and posing as nobles will naturally be different."

Sith had already covered his wallet and refuted, "Stop dreaming! Do you think the warriors will just offer their services to anyone? They will not even bother to look at your unless you are a really influential noble. Did you see those impressive warriors on the street? All of them are wearing waistplates1. Those are the symbols of identities. Do we look like influential nobles? Do you think those warriors will come just by offering some money? Besides that, hiring warriors are not cheap! We do not have enough money now. You…Don’t think of taking advantage of me again!"

The facial muscles of the old sorcerer trembled as he finished his last sentence. Evidently, his heart ached from having to sell those precious magic gems.

Nedis smiled and softly said, "It is simple if you want to acquire an identity. This is the second largest city in the Hakone Kingdom. There are many people coming in and out. We only need to hide on one of the smaller streets and look for a noble carriage. We then knock out the people in it and then grab their clothes and the carriage."

Rody frowned. "What about the followers accompanying them? A dignified noble is unlikely to go out with just two or three people only. There will definitely be a group of people following him."

Nedis glanced at the end of the main street with a smile and said, "This is also not difficult. This is River Home. There is naturally a place that sells slaves. We can buy a few obedient slaves and dress them up as warriors. Besides that, buying slaves is cheaper than buying warriors.

The old sorcerer immediately nodded and agreed the moment he heard that it would be cheaper.

Rody was helpless and could only heed Nedis’ words.

Hence, after a lapse of more than a year, Rody became a robber again.

Just like the time he hid to rob Nicole’s carriage, Rody and his friends went to a remote road outside the city and hid at the roadside. They quietly waited for an unlucky victim.

The difference was that last time, Rody was just a small Grade 1 Swordsman. His companions were also just a disorderly mob. However, Rody was now an almost invincible warrior with strong domain powers. His companions were a master amongst the vampires and the top-ranked Master Sorcerer of the Roland Continent.

It seemed like Rody was naturally lucky at robbing. They had originally intended to wait till nightfall, but they did not even need to wait for two hours before a suitable target appeared.

The carriage gradually approached from a distance. The four dwarfs in front clearly had the expressions on their faces that said, ‘I am very arrogant’.

The carriage behind them was also very beautifully decorated. The four-wheeled carriage was made of higher quality wood and was exceptionally refined. It was as though it was a work of art instead of something used to transport people.

Regrettably, the driver’s outrageously gorgeous clothes had completely destroyed the artistic design. Even the driver’s horsewhip was made of gold. It clearly emphasized to others the message, ‘I am very wealthy’.

Warhorses were not raised in the Hakone Kingdom. Hence, the carriages here usually did not have cavalrymen as guards. However, that carriage was different. There were six white horses on both sides of the carriage and full-armored warriors sat on those horses.

To Rody, that was definitely a very suitable target to rob.

"How about this?" Rody softly asked Nedis as he watched them approach from a distance.

Nedis smiled. "They definitely look like very influential nobles...However, I am afraid that after robbing them, we will have troubles."

Rody shook his head. "Who cares? After robbing them, we can just knock them out and throw them into a mountain cave. They will not be discovered for three to five days. By then, we will already have reached the capital."

Sith shook his head. He sighed and said, "I do not think it is appropriate. Our original intention is to conceal our identities. However, if we're to rob them, we will end up attracting more trouble."

Rody coldly replied, "It is simple. Sell off another few of your magic stones and they will probably be enough to buy a luxurious carriage and also some clothes of superior quality. The remaining money will be enough to buy a few warriors."

Sith immediately shook his head as if he was a rattle drum and said, "Alright. If you insist on robbing them, then let's do it. I am already old. Might as well let you youngsters decide."

After that, Sith tightly covered his pocket with his hand. Inside his pocket were two precious magic gems that could replenish his sorcery power.

Nedis pursed her lips and smiled, "I think you have lustful thoughts. With a look, you can see that this carriage belongs to an extremely wealthy person. Maybe the person sitting inside is a princess."

Rody sighed and just stared at the people until they arrived right in front of him. He then gave a loud cough and jumped out from the roadside.

Nedis also walked out with a smile. Only Sith looked unwilling. As the dignified leader of the Sorcerer’s Association of Roland Continent, he did not expect that he would, one day, do something so preposterous.

Three people. One was a heroic youngster, one was a stunning beauty, and one was a highly respected old man. The travelers were shocked when these three people suddenly jumped into the middle of the road. However, none of them had expected them to be robbers.

One of the warriors immediately shouted loudly, "Who are you? How dare you block our way! Quickly move aside!" Although the warrior was usually arrogant, he saw that these three were no ordinary people. Hence, his tone did not have the usual arrogance.

Rody naturally could not understand a single word uttered by that warrior. Sith and Nedis understood the dwarf language but they remained silent.

After a few seconds of silence, Rody became impatient and whispered, "Say something."

"Say what?" Nedis and Sith were stunned for a moment.

The two of them had never robbed before and had less experience than Rody who had robbed once. They could not even say the simplest opening remarks of a robber, ‘This road belongs to me and a fee must be paid to cross it.’

While the three of them were stunned on the spot, the other side was not pleased. Besides that, they were quite influential. The warrior shouted, "Quickly, move aside! Do you want to die?" The warrior pulled out his sword as he finished speaking. The three other warriors, at the side, also showed their intimidating expressions.

The cavalrymen also rushed up with their horses.

Rody sighed. He no longer cared about the rules of robbing and directly attacked.

They only saw his figure flashed and he disappeared from his original spot. Before they could understand what happened, the four warriors, almost at the same time, each felt a heavy blow on their heads and they all fainted.

The cavalrymen were quite skillful. They reacted quickly and had already pulled out their swords. However, Sith had started chanting and threw a sleeping spell at them. The cavalrymen then fell off their horses.

Fortunately, Rody also needed their clothes and horses. Therefore, he had not acted ruthlessly as he was afraid that he would ruin those things.

Within a short moment, the robbery was over. Such misfortune had befallen them, but the target of the robbery still could not understand why the three well-dressed people, with extraordinary appearances, attacked them.

The driver was so afraid that he fell from the carriage. Rody casually kicked and knocked him out. He then went to pull the carriage door open.

The furnishings inside the carriage were very beautiful. There was even a small wine cabinet inside the spacious carriage. A person in a snow-white robe looked at Rody and Nedis in fear.

The person had pale white skin and a pair of slender eyes like the legendary red phoenix’s2. She had faint eyebrows and straight nose. At that moment, she could not help but bit her lip out of fear and reveal a row of white teeth. It could be regarded as ‘white teeth, red lips’. She had long, bright and black hair hanging loosely at the back of her head. Her slender white hands tightly held onto a short and narrow warrior sword. However, due to her fear, she did not dare to draw the sword.

Before Rody could speak, Nedis had sighed and smiled bitterly, "Looks like I really should change my occupation into a language expert. We had really robbed a princess. Judging from her appearance, even if she is not a princess, her identity will not be far off from one."

Rody was a little surprised. He sighed and said to Nedis, "It is unfortunate. Looks like we need to trouble you and change you into her clothes. If we were to encounter something, you will have to deal with it while Sith and I will be your followers."

Rody then stepped aside and let Nedis walk in front. Nedis took a deep breath and smiled at the person in the carriage. "Well, you do not need to be afraid. We will not kill you. We just want to borrow your carriage and clothes. Obediently take off your clothes and we will not touch you. You are lucky that we will only rob your wealth and not your chastity."

Nedis spoke in the dwarf language. The person in the carriage seemed to become even more frightened and began to tremble.

Nedis then turned back to look at Rody and whispered, "What are you still doing here? Do you want to watch the lady undress?"

Sith came to the side of the carriage and loudly said, "Hurry up. This is the main road and others may come by here soon."

Nedis smiled and replied, "Well, take off their outer clothes and let them keep their inner clothes. In the past two days, you have been exploited by Rody. I am sure that these people have quite influential identities and they probably have a lot of valuables on them. You can keep them."

The old sorcerer glared and mumbled, "I am not a greedy man. How could you compare my precious sorcery gems with money?"

Nedis ignored the words uttered by that old sorcerer. She turned around and gently smiled at the person in the carriage. "Well, put down your weapon. We will not hurt you. Besides that, your weapon will also be useless. Your guards have already been defeated. Do you think you can still resist?"

After saying that, Nedis smiled with her pursed lips and said, "You can take off your outer clothes here. I promise that nobody would peek at you..." She then pointed at Rody, who was behind her, and said, "Although this guy looks ferocious, he is not a lascivious person."

Rody stared at Nedis and said coldly, "Quickly exchange clothes with her. I am going to help Sith."

As Rody was about to leave, the person in the carriage suddenly spoke.

Although she looked very frightened and her voice seemed to tremble, she managed to calmly say, "Wait!"

What surprised both Rody and Nedis was that this person did not speak in the dwarf language.

That person looked helpless. She was still fearful in front of the surprised Rody and Nedis. However, she boldly said, "I can see from your words and actions that you are not robbers. Why did you stop me? If it is for money, I can give you much more!"

Her voice was somewhat soft and sharp, possibly from fear.

Rody was impatient and lightly replied, "We want money, clothes and the carriage. Be obedient and nothing will happen."

That person bravely maintained a calm look and wryly smiled, "I see that you are not ordinary people. If you are willing, you can be my subordinates. I can give you the best treatment! The fact that you can defeat my guards so quickly proves this point. Regardless of who sent you here, I can pay you twice…no, five times…" At that moment, she noticed that Rody and Nedis did not seem interested. She then gritted her teeth and continued, "Ten times! I can pay you ten times more!"

Rody admired that woman’s courage for being able to say those words in such a situation.

Giving each other a meaningful glance, Rody then said, "Nobody sent us. We simply want to borrow your clothes and carriage. You do not need to think of ways to bribe us."

That person finally smiled bitterly and said, "Alright, I will cooperate with you! But…if you really want my clothes, can you not let this woman be the one removing it? I want you to be the one removing it." She stretched out her finger and pointed at Rody.

When Rody and Nedis showed a surprised expression, that person smiled bitterly and explained. "This is because…I am a man."

It was really a day filled with surprises.

Translator's Notes:

1. 腰牌 yaopai, waistplate. They are like medals worn at waists to show their identity.

2. 丹凤眼 dan feng yan. Literally red phoenix eyes.