Sparse raindrops hit the narrow streets of Fort Kolog. Castle Kolog, which is under the jurisdiction of the Third Border Guard Corps of the Kansa Province of the Bavarian Empire, is close to the border river with the Saqqara Empire and is also an auxiliary mainland channel into Bavaria.
At the pass of the Val Empire, a border defense brigade of 5,000 people and an elite knight squad of 200 troops are stationed all year round. Relying on friendly relations with neighboring countries, commerce can be considered developed, and it is also the largest residential distribution center nearby. Nearly
With 80,000 residents, it is quite large for a border city.
"Shh, shh, shh...", a 14.5-year-old boy with flaxen hair, slightly dark skin, light blue eyes, and a strong and thin body rushed in from the city gate like a gust of wind, blasting through the streets.
The poultry rushed into a small blacksmith shop next to the street.
Starting from his waist, some black water stains fell from time to time, and a lot of mud solidified into pieces and stuck to his body. His sleeves and half of his trousers had been torn in tatters, and through the
You can still see a lot of bruises and claw marks on his body despite the layer of mud. It looks like he has just rolled around in the mud for a day and been severely stepped on by a mountain beast.
But this embarrassed young man seemed to have no idea what he looked like now. While rushing into the store door like a whirlwind, he shouted loudly to himself: "A knight directly under the Imperial Capital, the Imperial Capital
A direct knight! Barr, a direct knight of the Imperial Capital!"
"Shh!" A young man with a body as strong as a wall quickly put a freshly beaten, red horseshoe in his hand to the bucket on the side, walked up quickly, and said in a low voice: "Link, Big Daddy"
I asked you to play these 500 horseshoes with me, but you didn’t come back all night..."
Only then did he clearly see Link's embarrassment, he couldn't help but trembled, and shouted: "Oh my god, why have you become like this? Did you go to Mrs. Kovar's place to steal local fruits again? You are finished. This
No matter how much I try to cover it up for you, I can't hide it from Big Daddy. You're done. Uh, why do you seem to be hurt? This is..."
He picked up Link's arm, which still had a few claw marks, and looked at it carefully.
However, Link didn't seem to hear the young man's complaints clearly at all. His big light blue eyes showed an extremely excited look, and he shouted to himself: "Baal, I saw the direct knights of the empire. The Silver Moon Regiment's
Knights. Their armor is so beautiful and shines like the moon in the sky. They are so majestic. Those horses are twice as tall as the horses of our Border Guard Knights here."
"And the swords in their hands, tsk tsk, all of them are so big." Link gestured, and then he felt Baal's hands picking at his body, as if he was afraid that he was missing some parts.
Impatiently, he slapped it away with his hand and shouted: "What are you doing? I was just caught by a flaming beast. It's nothing serious."
"Fire beast?" Two middle-aged men walked out of the blacksmith shop holding a pile of knight swords and knight helmets. When they heard Link's words, they both frowned, looked at each other, and walked up.
One of the middle-aged men who looked similar to Barr looked at Link's appearance, but his eyes lit up, and he shouted: "Ha, you kid, why did you become like a little clay monkey? Is it you again?"
I went to Mrs. Kovar’s place to steal some local fruit and eat it.”
This was Baal's father, Star, who was also one of the partners who opened this blacksmith shop with Link's father. He was joking and never treated the two young men as harshly as Link's father, so Lin
Ke was not afraid of him at all. When he heard that he had the same guess as Barr, he couldn't help but frowned and said: "Little dad, when I was six years old, I went to Mrs. Koval to steal some local fruits. You and Barr
Why do you like to mention that thing every time? Now I want to be a knight, why would I do such sneaky things? I want to become a knight, a knight of the imperial capital, a glorious knight, oh yeah!"
Another middle-aged man put several knight swords on the ground, turned his head at this moment, and coughed lightly.
Barr and Link, who were arguing together, immediately fell silent, bowed and nodded politely to the middle-aged man, and called out: "Big Daddy!"
This middle-aged man has a face that is vaguely the same as Link's, but he has experienced more than twenty years of vicissitudes of life. He is Link's father, Bawel, and the real owner of this blacksmith shop.
Link's and Barr's families have been living together since they were young, so at first they called each other's daddy, and they called each other's daddy, and it wasn't until later that they separated and called Link's father Big Daddy.
Calling Barr's father Little Dad, as for whether other people would find such a name weird, they couldn't care less, and they wouldn't care at all. Anyway, in the eyes of the two young people, the two people in front of them were the same.
As dear as his own father.
The difference is that the little dad is just like a big kid, he likes to do things a lot, and he treats the two kids happily. Link and Barr are never afraid of him, while the big daddy is quite strict, although he also loves the two kids very much.
But it always gives people the impression of being strict and serious in doing things. Link's funny temperament was probably brought out by his little dad, and Baal's style of doing things is very similar to his big daddy Bawel, oh, oh,
What a complicated family.
Bavel frowned and said to Link: "You haven't stayed in the shop these past few nights. Where have you gone?"
After years of working as a blacksmith, Bawell's body was also muscular, and he wore a half-worn robe, just like the most ordinary blacksmith, but Link always felt that there was always something about his big daddy.
A very different feeling from others, a feeling that he couldn't describe.
It seems a bit like...it seems a bit like the noble and elegant flavor seen in the knights of the Silver Moon Knights today.
Well, it seems that I have a good pedigree to be a knight.
Link thought a little smugly. He looked up at Big Daddy's face and stuck out his tongue: "I'm going to the Foggy Night Forest."
"Foggy Night Forest?" Starr dug out a bottle of wine from somewhere, took a sip, stepped forward to examine Link's wounds, and exclaimed in surprise: "Ah, it's really the scar left by the flaming beast.
, I said boy, what kind of place is the Foggy Night Forest? Can you enter that place casually? Do you know how many monsters there are? You can still come back from encountering the flaming beast. You are really lucky. Uh, are you injured?
Where is it? Let me see if there are any missing fingers or something."
Link ignored Skaar's nonsense and explained to his Big Daddy: "I went there to hunt the flaming beast."
At this time, even Star, who had been shouting, became quiet, and the three people's eyes were all focused on Link.
With Link's always cheerful and out-of-the-box temperament, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed when the three people looked at him. He paused before continuing: "A mercenary group came to the city a few days ago. Who can lead them?"
Go to the foggy night forest and help them capture the flaming beast, and they will pay you a hundred silver coins, a hundred silver coins!"
He raised his head, his eyes sparkling with gold.
"So you went?" Starr snorted helplessly: "When did you, a kid, become so desperate for money rather than life? Is the flaming beast so easy to hunt? That is a leveled monster, better than you.
It’s still fine.”
"Yes, yes," Barr said next to him: "I remember Big Daddy said that the flaming beast is a fourth-level monster, and it can't even defeat the captain of the knights in our castle."
"Is it so powerful?" Link looked at Starr suspiciously: "But little daddy, when you took me to the foggy night forest to catch the flaming beast for barbecue, didn't you mean that it was just a big rat that could only shoot fireballs?
, it’s just that the meat tastes delicious, and it’s especially delicious when grilled and paired with wine.”
"Cough, cough", Starr choked on the wine poured down his throat, and looked at the eyes of Bavel and Baal looking at him with some embarrassment: "Kid, you really believe what you say, haha, it's really...
"
Bavel turned his eyes away from Star and asked Link: "So you really went?"
"Of course", Link raised his head and held his chest high: "I led them to find the Fire Beast, and pointed out to them the location of the mire. I told the mercenaries that as long as they lure the Fire Beast into the mire, it would be done. Then
I took the silver coins they gave me and prepared to leave..."
"Link, have you really earned a hundred silver coins?" Barr couldn't help shouting and looked at Link in disbelief.
One hundred silver coins! That is the income that the entire blacksmith shop can earn in three or four months, no, it is almost half a year. Barr is so old, he has never seen a hundred silver coins shoved in front of his eyes.
Woolen cloth.
"Let him finish speaking first!" Bavel stopped Barr's question, turned his gaze back to Link and said, "Then what?"
Looking at Link's current appearance, he knew that things would not end so easily.
This kid is so courageous that he is numb.
Fortunately, I'm back now. What if I was really injured?
Baweier thought a little helplessly.
Link shrugged helplessly: "It turns out that they have already lured the flaming beast into the quagmire. I thought it was almost done, but it turned out that there was a little girl in the mercenary team who cast another magic spell.
The ground was frozen into ice, and he said he wanted to freeze the flaming beast, but the result..."
"It turns out that her magic level is too low. Not only can't she freeze the flaming beast, but she freezes the quagmire, allowing the flaming beast to crawl out, right?" Starr started to get excited again: "Oh my God, the magic now
Are all the instructors idiots? How come they are all taught like this?"
"But, you kid," he said with a straight face, glaring at Link: "You have already led them to find the flaming beast, and you have also received the commission. In other words, your mission has been completed, how can you still pay for it?"
Why don't you run away quickly? Are you still there watching the fun? You really saved your life by not being eaten by the flaming beast."
"How can that work?!" Link shouted: "I am not a mercenary, I am Link who wants to become the greatest knight. It is my duty to protect every citizen of the empire. It is possible for citizens of the empire to
How could I walk away alone when being attacked by a flaming beast?"
He looked at Starr and said with a smile: "Okay, little dad, I have long seen that the mercenary captain looked simple-minded, so the night before taking them to find the flaming beast, I pressed
Little daddy, I used the trap skills you taught me to create several traps."
"Mechanism?!" Bavel's eyes turned from Link to the brother standing aside, with a speechless expression on his face: "Second brother, you..."
Starr touched his nose with some embarrassment, turned his head, pretended to pick up a knight's sword on the ground, shook his head and sighed: "Oh, Barr, this sword hurts a bit too much, I have to burn the stove."
Make the fire inside a little louder, add some good steel, and we'll give it another good beating."
Link thought of what happened today, but he couldn't help but get excited. He didn't notice Bavel's strange expression at all, and said to him: "Yes, yes, last time my little dad took me to catch the flaming beast in the forest."
At that time, he explained to me the principles of several machine traps. This time I followed his example last time and really ate the flaming beast to death. If the little girl hadn't been frightened by the flaming beast, she would have
I didn’t know how to hide, so I was caught by the flaming beast when I ran over to pull her, otherwise how could I end up like this!"
He lowered his head, as if he had just realized that he was covered in mud, and wrinkled his nose, but when he raised his head, he became happy again, and smiled evilly: "But fortunately this time
It’s not in vain, big daddy, little daddy, Barr, what do you think this is?”
He took out a bag from his arms and threw it on the table next to him with a thud, so heavy that the table trembled.
"Wow!" Barr ran over, opened the bag, and was blinded by the flashing silver light: "Silver coins, really silver coins, so many silver coins!"
He raised his head, looked at Link, and smiled sincerely: "Great, Link, you can sign up to be a knight apprentice this time. There is enough to pay for the tuition here."
"Tch", Link ignored his big daddy's frown when he heard the words "Knight's Apprentice", with a look of disdain on his face: "You are so happy for only a hundred silver coins? Baal is so happy?
, look, what is this?”
He carefully took out another small bag from his arms. Barr quickly leaned his big head over and glanced at the opening of the bag that Link had carefully opened. He suddenly raised his head and pointed at the small bag: "This is
...Gold coins?! Oh my god, I actually saw gold coins?! Link actually has gold coins in his hand?!"
Link took out a golden gold coin from it, put it in Barr's big hand, and shouted: "Yes, it's a gold coin. The mercenary group said that I completed their mission this time and saved their lives."
, so he not only gave me a hundred silver coins, but also gave me an additional nine gold coins. Barr, we sent it. Not only can I sign up for the knight apprenticeship this time, but I can even earn enough for the registration fee for the school you always wanted to go to.
Barr, you can go to school right away to meet Miss Tamir, whom you have been thinking about."
A smile just broke out on Baal's big, honest face. He looked up at Bavel and Skar standing aside, and then lowered his eyes.
He returned the gold coin to Link's hand and shook his head: "I won't go to school anymore. The store is short of manpower. I want to help Big Daddy and Little Daddy with their work."
"That's right." Star, who had just calmed down, saw Bavel's eyebrows raised slightly, as if he was about to get angry. He quickly walked over and slapped Link lightly on the head: "Imperial Capital
The knights are as old as we are. You don't want to run around in the mountains all day long. You should also learn from Baal and practice a craft well so that you can support yourself in the future." "I don't want that."
Link glanced at his father, lowered his head, and said a little aggrievedly: "Last time, the eldest father himself said that as long as I can earn enough tuition with my own hands, he will let me sign up as a knight's apprentice. No.
Don't worry about me anymore, Big Daddy always means what he says."
Bavel originally frowned and was about to speak, but now he just let out a long sigh and said in a deep voice to Link: "Go to the backyard to take a bath and change clothes first. I see you look like a clay figure now, but you don't look like a knight."
"Yeah", Link suddenly jumped up, took the bag of silver coins into his arms, and handed the bag of gold coins into Bavel's hand: "In addition to the tuition for Baal, there are still eight gold coins left here.
Big daddy and little daddy, when Barr and I leave, there are few people in the store, so you can take less work. Use these gold coins to supplement your life first, so that little daddy won't blame us for leaving and leaving him with no money to buy wine.
Drink, I originally thought I would have to work for a while to earn enough, but I didn’t expect someone to bring money to my door this time, hehe.”
He didn't wait for Bavel to speak, turned around and pushed Baal: "Go! Go! Let's take a shower together!"
The two of them pushed each other and ran towards the backyard. Link shouted excitedly as he ran: "I will take the shining knight sword and charge on the battlefield. 'For the glory of the empire', the knights of the imperial capital
The war cry is so majestic."
Bawell and Starr watched the two half-year-old children disappear into the backyard. They looked at each other, but neither of them spoke. For a while, the blacksmith shop fell silent, with only the light and darkness.
The fire reflected the faces of the two people.
After a while, Starr stretched out his hand, took the gold coin from Bavel's hand, weighed it in his hand, and exclaimed: "Tsk, tsk, nine gold coins plus one hundred silver coins, at least it is part of their mission."
Most of the reward is paid, but this mercenary group is quite conscientious."
Bavel looked at Starr, his eyes gradually becoming stern: "Give me a reason!"
"There is no reason." Starr sniffed and threw the money bag in his hand back to Bawell: "You should have predicted this when you promised Link that you would allow him to sign up as a knight's apprentice after he earned enough registration fees.
It’s impossible for him to earn this amount of money in such a short period of time.”
He took out the flask and took a big sip, his face showing the original half confused and half mocking look: "Ingenious tactics, the courage to keep your promise, and the consciousness to protect the weak, if you must
If there is a reason, maybe I see the shadow of a young man in Link!"
Bavel stood silently for a while, then suddenly bent down, picked up a knight's sword from the ground, turned around, pulled up the bellows, put it on the fire and burned it slowly, and after a while it started to simmer with a roar.
Said: "Didn't we already agree that we won't do it again..."
"I didn't teach him the mechanics," Starr shrugged, "I never taught him those principles. I only used them once, and he remembered them."
"However," Starr smiled and made a face at Baweier's back: "Don't you think two blacksmiths in this blacksmith shop are too many? Young people should have their own world!"
"Humph", Bavel did not look back: "Do you think that after paying the registration fee, you will definitely be able to become a knight apprentice? So what if you become a knight apprentice? In the current knight team, do you still think there are people
Can you grow into a real knight? Star, don’t forget that we..."
"That's right." Starr's face showed a rare serious look: "The current knight team is no longer what it used to be. They have betrayed the glory of the knights. They have become trash who can only show off their appearance, but don't you think
Because of this, do they need a hope that can lead them back to the glory of the knights?"
He stood quietly for a while, watching Bavel's eyes gradually filled with many unknown emotions, and sighed softly: "You obviously know that Link and Bawel are different, Link
Just like you thirty years ago, who could stop Pavel thirty years ago from doing something? I'm afraid even Pavel himself can't do it, right?"
"Well, why do you realize that I am so convoluted?" He took out the wine bottle and took another sip: "It seems that I drank too much today. I'm going to rest first. I'll leave those pieces of armor to you!"
"Gold coins, you've made a fortune, you can pay for your drinks for a long time." Starr muttered, slowly moving to the back room, his steps staggering a little, as if he really had drunk too much.
"Dang" Baweier didn't look back at all, he just raised his sledgehammer and hit the red-hot knight's sword hard, causing sparks to shoot out.
The fire in the stove reflected his face, flickering on and off.