Chapter 16 Miss Bachelor

The day after entering the woodland, the sky began to rain, and then it gradually became bigger. They put on their weeds, wrapped oilcloths for food and clothes, and struggled on the forest path. The horse's hoof stepped into the rotten mud and squeezed out the wild weeds and shrubs in the middle.

Li Ou sat on the swaying horse and looked forward. The rain hit the canopy and splashed away, so the forest was like being shrouded in a layer of gray fog, and everything was chaotic and unknown. He bent down to avoid a branch that swept at him and looked back. Luo Xi swayed on the horse as if she were weak, but her eyes had regained. It's just that the rain is worrying.

"Don't worry." She sensed Leo's worries, barely squeezed out a smile, and said weakly, "I'm not that delicate."

That said, she has a high fever and can't stand the cold. He tried to urge the horse, but the road was the biggest obstacle. His heart was so irritable that he opened his right hand and wanted to reach the hilt of the sword at his waist. It's better not to mess with me again. Looking at the silent mage behind him, he thought gloomily.

Since then, the team has been more silent. The gray-black rafters wrapped them, dragging a long team with heads down, depressed and unfighting spirit. They urged the horses to shuttle through the woods and rotate in the mud. The sky couldn't help crying, and they were like a funeral procession.

Fortunately, this journey is shorter than they thought. They walked out of the depressing woods before the heavy rain stopped. It seems that there is also something wrong with the map. Leo looked at the map in the captain's hand and thought. The desert is wider and the woods are smaller.

"Go this way." Lamar has determined the direction.

The trees gradually became sparse, while grassland and crops gradually appeared. In the distant rain curtain, cooking smoke floated into the sky to guide their direction. They mewd along the low hill, and the destination of the trip was close in front of them.

This is a small village with an eight-foot-high wooden fence at the foot of a hill, and several wooden arrow towers stand around it to guard against beasts and bandits. The two archers sat boredly in front of the watchtower fiddling with chess pieces. When they noticed Leo's heavily armed escort, they were so scared that they threw down the pieces in their hands and grabbed the bow and arrow.

"We are from Ainblo." The captain of the guard shouted loudly.

"Wait." An archer said tremblingly. Another archer ran down the arrow tower to report.

"Why can't we go in directly?" Li Ou didn't understand and asked, "This is still under the jurisdiction of Ainblo."

"That's true." The captain of the guard nodded. He looked at the interior of the city wall in the falling rain, but he could see nothing but the heads of the people who stumbled around. But here is the edge of Aiyinblo, and at the other end of the hill and grassland is another country. That's the Republic of Xiufaraz, a democratically elected country. Moreover, bandits are rampant on the grassland, and Aiyinblo has not stationed troops here.

This is the difference between a city-state and a country. Li Ou thought that the country pays attention to the territory, while the city-state only cares about the gains and losses of a city.

At this time, the crumbling gate of the village opened, and a middle-aged militiaman in a jute shirt came towards them and took the certificate in Lamar's hand, while others waited behind him for his response. He is probably one of the few people who can read in the village. Leo guessed.

"That's right, it's the aristocratic guard from Aiingblo." He finally confirmed.

The only militiaman wearing broken fur armor said on the arrow tower at this time, " Get out of the way and let them in."

The militiamen gave way to both sides with spears and bronze swords so that their teams could pass through the narrow low wooden gates. Unexpectedly, the road behind the door was more muddy than the forest, and the horses couldn't help slipping. They had to turn over and get off the horses and walk in the mud with their reins. On both sides of the road are wooden houses, which are only two floors high. They stand crookedly in the mud and seem to collapse at any time. They walked around and finally found the only hotel behind a row of bungalows.

"Follow him and take the horse to the shack to take good care of it." The captain of the guard looked at the dilapidated and dark hotel and couldn't relax. He ordered his men to follow the groom, "The horse materials here are not much and not good enough. We can take them with us."

They stamped off the mud under the eaves, and then stepped on the creaking floor and walked in. The roof of the hotel is low and the windows are narrow, so I have to light candles during the day. However, only one candle in the whole hotel burned in the pottery plate, making the hall dark. The old woman who lay beside the candlelight and took a nap heard the sound and raised her head quickly. For a moment, her eyes were full of the luster of gold coins, revealing her big yellow teeth, and her hands kept rubbing on the dirty apron.

"Dear gentlemen." She ran out of the bar and bowed to them. What do you need?"

"Clean room with hot water." Li Ou said that he looked around. There were cobwebs in the corner of the room, and the wooden piles were full of moths. He said hopelessly, "I hope you still have hot fresh food here."

"Dear master." She smiled exaggeratedly, with a strong smell of garlic and onions in her mouth. Few people ask about it here, and there will be no one to clean the room and make a fire to make rice. That's true. The caravans usually travel through the ocean. Only wind and waves and pirates on the sea are frightening, but the sea is vast, but it is full of deserts, jungles and grasslands, and bandits are rampant. But it's not that there is nothing, is it? Leo regretted that if they had known that this place was so simple, they should have stayed in the militia camp. The old woman saw that Li Ou's face was unhappy and immediately smiled dryly, "But I can immediately light a bonfire and kill chickens and sheep..."

This is the only way. It's raining heavily outside, and Rosie can't help bumping again and again. The room can be cleaned tomorrow, and now there is hot water. Li Ou frowned and interrupted her. We are going to stay here for a while.

"That's good. I will treat you well." The old woman rubbed her hands hard, and her face was full of joy. Lippled, lame!" She shouted as if it were a person's name, "Go and make a fire and cook for the noble men!"

They went up to the second floor and found that the second floor was more dilapidated, dusty and moldy than the first floor. Li Ou kicked open the tattered door panel and immediately dropped a pool of dust. Lu Yuewu pulled down the hay laid on ** and helped Rosie lie on the hard bed. That's all they can do tonight." What about those mages?" Lu Yuewu suddenly asked, "Don't care about them?"

"Never mind." Leo said impatiently, "I'm not their mother. They can't die."

Soon the hot water was ready, and the old woman directed a lame girl to move the barrel and inject hot water into it. Is it her who is lame? Li Ou couldn't help looking at the old woman calling her name again. Then he couldn't help but feel pity. The girl not only has a disability in her left leg, but also has a terrible burnt scar on her left cheek covered by long drooping hair. He took the heavy bucket from the girl's hand and poured hot water into the bathtub. She thanked softly and left crookedly at the urging of the old woman. The room soon filled with steam, so Lu Yuewu urged him to leave and go somewhere else to pass the time.

He slowly stepped downstairs and saw Lamar drinking in the hall with his men. They dug open the cold fire pit and found firewood to light the fire. The hall became warm and bright, and the annoying rain outside seemed to have turned into a rhythmic beating music, applauding them.

Li Ou joined them and sat down opposite the captain of the guard, who immediately filled him with a glass of spirits. After a sip, it seemed to burst into flames from the throat to the stomach, and the wet cold feeling all over the body was removed.

Around the fire, a guard hummed a minor tune. Although he was not as gentle as a prostitute, he also had vicissitudes and ty. They beat and whistled for him. After drinking a glass of wine, the game on the branches emits a seductive fragrance. The fat was roasted so that oil droplets oozed and fell into the fire and crackled. The golden skin is shiny.

"Would you like some?" Lamar cut a large piece of meat with a knife and put it into Leo's plate.

"What about those mages?" Li Ou asked softly with wine and meat, "Did they run away, or did the rain drown?"

"None." The captain of the guard looked calm and could not see anything strange. They will not condescend to stay here. Most of them went to the villagers' homes.

Other people's homes? Just right. Li Ou put down his knife and fork, "If anyone makes trouble in the village, buckle it first. Remember to gag their mouths with a dirty cloth and wrap their fingers with a string.

"To prevent them from casting spells?"

"In case they cast spells. We have to be responsible for the personal safety of the villagers, don't we?" Leo smiled.

The captain of the guard nodded, "I will tell you to do as you say."

Unfortunately, until the third day, the mages did not do anything out of the ordinary, and everything seemed to be calm. But Li Ou vaguely felt that a secret association was forming among those mages, and it was obvious what they were going to do. However, Leo did not regret taking rude actions against them. He even felt that it was too light to cut off only one finger.

"That woman will arrive today?" Rosie sat on **, stretching lazily. Her body has recovered, and her magic is flowing and unimpeded. Leo looked at her shining eyes. At this time, he had no doubt that she alone could burn the whole village. She'd better not be late.

At this moment, the rain is beginning to stop, and the sun is still struggling after the dark clouds. The road outside the hotel is full of large and small water depressions, and several children are playing the game of jumping into the mud pond, splashing mud.

"It is said that she is a bachelor." Li Ou smiled scornfully, "Young female bachelor."

"Return from the desperate castle?" Rosie looked surprised.

It is located in the ice and snow in the north of the mainland. It is bitter and cold, but it is an academic paradise. Who knows?" Li Ou shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe, maybe not. Money may be more useful and uncertain than we think.

Lu Yuewu only glanced at him, and he immediately raised his hand and surrendered. Well, it's just a joke." He said with a wry smile, "I should not underestimate others, especially those who are likely to be our enemies."

The oriental girl was unmoved. I have met a bachelor." She spoke slowly, "They also exist in the East. They are famous for their strategy and usually serve as the right-hand man of princes and generals.

"They know astronomy and geography, and so can I."

"You can still predict." Li Ou couldn't help laughing.

Lu Yuewu did not interrupt their tone for their bickering. She continued, "The bachelor is good at making a decision. They will only be like fish in water.

Like a fish in water? I'm afraid the shark is trapped in the shallows.

Leo once asked Joe Hugh why he chose to let him go with him. I'm like a light in the dark, enough to attract moths. He said. However, Joshle asked him, "The lights are enough to burn the moth to death. What are you worried about?" Do you know that once they are burned, the lamp oil and wick will be replaced and become brand-new?

So that's what he meant. Leo knew the order of the castle: those who kill ten black mornings can be awarded the title of nobles. With so many guards as companions, it is easy to kill the black dawn. Joshua threw an olive branch at him, and he couldn't refuse. This is a win-win exchange, Li Ou thought, he trained the team, and I got the status. But in any case, I still have principles.

However, he can't talk about these two girls in front of him. He put aside these flashing thoughts and smiled and took on the previous topic, "I just don't know what this female bachelor's association thinks of his bloody kingdom?" He is looking forward to it.

At noon, an old horse-drawn shabby carriage drove into the entrance of the village.

The driver was an ordinary horse driver. He drove the horse to stop in front of the hotel, then jumped out of the car and opened the door. A woman in a traveler's cloak held a book in her hand, pulled up the hem of the cloak and jumped off the carriage. Her long golden hair rose high with her movements, like light silk wool rising against the wind.

"Is it her?" Rosie asked.

"If it weren't for her, who else would there be?" According to Joe Hugh - the only woman in the Black Thorn family - his sister is a few years younger than Leo. The woman downstairs is a flowery age and has the iconic blonde hair of the black thorn family. Let's go, let's go down. Anyway, you have to welcome the wanderer who came back from afar.

They went downstairs and found that the guards had protected her and were responsible for vigilance in their respective positions. The mages they had not seen for a few days also gathered in the hotel lobby to flatter their young ladies. It is not difficult for Li Ou to guess that there are also words mixed with deliberate slander.

"Selastin Leo?" Her eyes are very beautiful, with blue pupils like a lake, as if she can speak. I'm Evira. My brother mentioned you in the letter.

"Hello, Miss." Leo raised her hand and touched her fingers gently. I'm Celasteen Leo. You can call me Leo directly.

"Mr. Li Ou." She nodded gently and looked around, "Where are my brothers? None of them came?"

"They are busy."

"It's best not to come." She whispered. If Li Ou hadn't been very close to her, I'm afraid he wouldn't have heard her muttering. When will we leave to return to Ainblo? Li Ou looked into her eyes, and there was no flaw in her eyes. It seemed that she didn't want to pretend.

"I'll leave tomorrow. The heavy rain stopped at the beginning, and the road was difficult to walk. Li Ou explained, "What's more, it's getting late at this time."

Miss Bachelor nodded gently.

However, the mage jumped out and chop. Miss, how can you live here?" The mage with his finger cut off grabbed the long staff, and the fiery red garnet at the top made Leo want to borrow flowers to offer Buddha. He hurriedly flatted, "You'd better come with us. We will persuade the village head to give up his big house for you to live in. It's better than crawling here full of cobwebs.

"Don't bother others, I can live here." She flatly refused and stepped on the crumbling stairs.

Li Ou asked Lu Yuewu to find a lame girl and asked her to help tidy up a free room. The dust flew with the dance of the feather duster, and the air was full of the smell of mice and bat shit.

"The hotel here only has such conditions, and you can only be wronged for one night." Leo said.

"I have lived in a much worse place than this, so I can shelter from the wind and rain, and I am satisfied with the access to hot water. You don't have to worry about it." Miss Bachelor said, "Yes, Mr. Li Ou, you can call me Evira directly. You don't need to call me Miss. I'm not a young lady. You can ignore my last name. I'm just an ordinary bachelor." She stressed.

"Surname is an invisible force." Leo said. He has asked the girls to go back to rest, and he has come to deal with the bachelor who returned from his studies at a young age. He wants to see how wise she is. But now he can only see the calmness like Lu Yuewu in her eyes. You can't deny it and give it up.

Hearing what he said, Miss Bachelor put down the book in her hand. She stared at Li Ou for a long time, and then slowly said, "You don't like our family." She said affirmatively. No one likes the words black thorns. Of course, he can't say that. So he responded silently and listened to what she said. After a while, she opened her mouth again. This time she lowered her eyelids and said, "So do I."

This is true or false, and Li Ou can't tell. If it is true, the reason should be the same as his; if it is false, it is too false. Why?" He asked.

She smiled and stopped talking about it. She bluntly pulled the topic away, "All the way, people are saying a dangerous word." She returned from a study trip, but caught up with such a world, and the black morning was staring at her. So I didn't seem to come back at the right time."

"I can only say that I'm not so lucky." Leo said, "Their target is not you."

"Who would know?" Miss Bachelor picked up the book again, "Before danger comes, people always find various reasons to comfort themselves, think that misfortune will not happen to them, and gloate the tragic suffering of others. I completely forget that I am also on the verge of death and will be pulled into the whirlpool at any time.

"Then I have to be glad that I am also in it. Don't worry?"

She shrugged her shoulders and shook a few wisps of hair. A brave man who faces difficulties is more admirable than a coward who is afraid. She looked at Leo, "Now we should plan ahead. Don't forget that Ainblo also has a name.

Alchemy Capital. This doesn't need her reminder. Although Leo denied it, he knew clearly that if the black dawn was full of fanfare, no one could stay out of the matter and escape smoothly.