Chapter 25

"Who are you! How dare you meddle in our affairs!"

Upon hearing these words, Rod did not react much, but beside him, Mais almost went weak at the knees, nearly kneeling on the ground.

How formidable and domineering was this!

Rod's exact strength was hard to describe, but at least in the eyes of the fat merchant, this young man was definitely on a different level compared to the two bullying young rascals. If he wanted to get rid of them, it would probably take just a few minutes. Although this was still within the town, killing was not an option, but with Rod's status, if he were truly angered, killing a few people would not be a big deal.

Although the laws on the Dragon Soul Continent were very strict, the social hierarchy was equally strict. If a commoner or a slave killed someone, it would certainly be a capital offense. But if it were the children of the nobility, unless they were third-rate nouveau riche or low-ranking nobles, no one would care if they killed someone.

Whether Rod was an easy-going person, Mais was not sure, because he never smiled and always had a calm and composed expression. However, his words always left people uneasy. If you thought he was joking, he might be threatening you. If you thought he was threatening you, he might be joking. Generally, a young man in his early twenties, even if he could be calm and steady, would still be relatively outgoing. But this young man was always quiet, and you could never figure out what he was thinking. In fact, even with his years of experience in reading people, Mais could not tell what this young man was thinking, but he was sure that this young man was not the type to tolerate being scolded in his face.

However, to Mais's surprise, Rod did not get angry. He just glanced at the two men and then turned to look at Mais.

"Mr. Mais, get ready, it's time to leave."

"Sure, Lord Rod, I'll prepare immediately!"

Mais was overjoyed. Although he did not see the young man brandishing a sword and slaughtering, the fact that he treated the two idiots like they were nothing made him feel incredibly satisfied. So he immediately responded loudly and waved at the carriage driver.

"Alright, get ready, we're leaving!"

"Wait."

At this moment, the young man who had not spoken before finally opened his mouth.

"We want this carriage."

"We've already paid for it, you this………"

Mais wanted to argue, but before he could finish, Rod interrupted him.

"Mr. Mais, it's getting late."

"Yes, yes, Lord Rod, I'll prepare immediately."

Rod did not want to waste time on such trivial arguments. In online games, verbal spats were endless, and even if you had no reason, you would still try to claim the upper hand. There were too many instances of spreading rumors, twisting facts, and exaggerating. If you got entangled in such trivial matters, you would waste a lot of time. Even a simple dispute over weapon distribution in a dungeon could last for an hour or two, and the only result would be getting angry and wasting time without any benefit. Rod, as the leader of the largest guild, had encountered such situations many times. If he responded to each one, he would be a fool. So he always ignored such meaningless arguments.

However, in the eyes of the three men, Rod's actions were seen as a sign of cowardice. Although they did not know the relationship between the young man and the fat merchant, seeing them eager to leave, they could not let them go. The leader of the group frowned again and then took out a bag of coins from his pocket and threw it over.

"Here are fifty gold coins, I want this carriage!"

"..."

The carriage driver looked troubled. Fifty gold coins was not a small amount. If he could get this money, he would be very wealthy. But the problem was that he had already agreed with the other party and received a deposit. The townspeople were honest and would not go back on their word. However, he was not stupid and could see that these three men were not to be trifled with. If he said something wrong, he might get beaten up...

"Hey, what are you doing! Get ready to leave."

Mais, after Rod's arrival, immediately felt relieved and tried to leave with the carriage.

Seeing this, the two guards' faces turned cold.

"Stop right there!"

As they spoke, they raised their swords and lunged at Mais.

However, they did not succeed.

"———!!"

A clear cry suddenly sounded.

With a gust of wind, a greenish-blue spirit bird spread its wings and swooped down on the two guards. The guards' faces changed as they tried to defend themselves, but the spirit bird was faster. It flapped its wings, and the strong wind knocked the two guards away.

"Elemental spirit?"

The leader of the group, seeing the spirit bird perched on Rod's shoulder, staring at the enemy, his face changed.

He had not expected to encounter such a formidable opponent.

Was he a mage?

After some thought, the man felt something was off. He had seen mages summon creatures before, and it always required incantations. But Rod, from his appearance, did not look like a mage. Moreover, he had not chanted any incantations—indeed, the man had not even seen how Rod summoned the bird.

This person might have a significant background.

Thinking this, the man began to consider retreating. He was only accompanying the young lady of his family on a spring outing in the mountains and did not want to provoke any terrifying figures. He was just a small guard captain, and protecting the young lady's safety was his top priority. If he provoked someone and the young lady got hurt, he would be dead for sure.

Thinking this, the man's serious expression softened. He waved his hand, signaling the two guards to step back.

"I apologize for the disturbance."

Approaching, the man's tone became much more respectful.

"I apologize for my subordinates' rudeness. They... are a bit too impulsive and have offended you. I hope you will not take it to heart."

"It's not a big deal."

Rod responded and then turned to signal Mais to prepare to leave with the carriage. Seeing this, the man became anxious. The young lady had secretly run away to play while her parents were away. If they could not return to the city before her parents came back, they would be furious. If the young lady was scolded, he would be blamed... He had thought this would be a simple trip to the countryside, but now this person had appeared...

Thinking this, the man stepped forward again, hardening his resolve.

"Please wait, there's something I need your help with."

"What is it?"

Seeing the man who had been so arrogant now so humble, Mais felt a great sense of satisfaction. It was indeed true that having a powerful backer made a difference. No wonder the presidents of large merchant guilds had several strong people supporting them. He instinctively wanted to insult the man a bit more, but seeing Rod's silence, he decided against it. From Rod's behavior, he knew that this gentleman did not care about such trivial matters. If he pushed it, it might only make Rod unhappy. So he did not say anything more and directly asked.

"This..."

The man glanced at the carriage, thought for a moment, and then spoke.

"Here's the thing, if you don't mind, we hope to travel with you."

Travel together?

Mais and Rod exchanged a glance.

"Yes, from your destination, it seems you are also heading to Deepstone City. We have urgent matters and need to return as soon as possible, which is why we acted impulsively and offended you. However... our matters are very urgent, so..."

This time, the man did not offer money. He had already learned the fat merchant's identity, a guild president, which was not a big deal, just a small guild, not significant to the nobility.

But this young man was different. Generally, young nobles were not very powerful, but this young man had taken down two guards with one move. These guards, while not strong, were better than average nobles. To take them down so easily and in such a strange way... who knew what his background was?

Moreover, seeing the guild president's respectful attitude towards him, the relationship was clear. He might be a member of a powerful family. It was best not to provoke such people. Fortunately, it seemed the young man did not take their earlier rudeness to heart. If he had been a petty person, the trouble would have been much bigger.

"But our carriage can only seat four people... and we have another companion."

Mais frowned. He did not want to take these people, but since Rod had not indicated anything, he could not outright refuse. Although the carriage was rented by Mais, to maintain a good relationship with Rod, he did not mind letting Rod decide. Moreover, as a merchant who believed in harmony, Mais did not want to directly refuse. They looked like nobles, and after letting out his anger, he did not want to create more trouble.

"That's not a problem, only one of us needs to ride in the carriage, the rest can ride horses."

Hearing the man's willingness, he was overjoyed. He had rented the carriage for the young lady. Without her, riding horses would have been faster.

"..."

Mais did not respond, looking to Rod for a decision.

But Rod was clearly not interested in such matters.

Taking someone along, as long as they did not cause trouble, did not bother him. So he just nodded slightly without saying much.

"Alright, in fifteen minutes at the town gate. If you don't come, it's not my problem."

Since Rod did not mind, Mais could not say much and reluctantly agreed.

"Please rest assured, we will be there."

Fifteen minutes was not long, but the first to arrive was Liss.

"Ah, Mr. Rod, Mr. Mais!"

Holding a travel bag, Liss ran over with a cheerful smile.

Liss's tone was light and cheerful. Perhaps due to her nature, even when she stood quietly, she gave off a very lively and open impression. Her way of speaking matched this impression. Rod did not dislike this girl. In fact, he understood that in a team, sometimes a person who could lighten the mood was essential. As a former leader of a player guild, Rod knew how important a harmonious team atmosphere was. Moreover, from a certain perspective, mercenaries and players did similar things: taking quests, adventuring, searching, and fighting. These required a lot of time and energy, and without a good outlet, internal issues could arise. Looking at the golden-haired girl, Rod was reminded of a female mage in his old team called "Canary." She was not only skilled but also, as her name suggested, like a canary, always chirping and telling jokes or stories about her life, making everyone laugh. During the intense period of clearing the Necropolis, the pressure was immense, and Rod would often ask her if she had any interesting stories. Just a couple of her stories would make everyone laugh, easing the pressure, and they would be ready to continue. Many teams with better levels and equipment eventually broke down due to the long and difficult process, and the fact that the game was just a game, not life, meant many did not want to suffer in it. In Rod's team, many had issues, but they did not leave the game. Instead, they logged in every day to hear the cute mage's jokes, feeling their burdens lighten. In this state, they eventually gained control of the Necropolis. Although the mage was not the strongest in the team, she was an indispensable member.

Of course, the girl in front of him, while lively, was not overly talkative. She was very considerate and not overly active, but just seeing her smile made people feel relaxed.

"I'm ready, are we leaving now?"

"We need to wait a bit longer. Someone else is joining us on the way."

"On the way?"

Liss tilted her head curiously, her golden ponytail swaying, but she did not ask more. Instead, she took out a black cloak from her pocket.

"Mr. Rod?"

"What is it?"

"Please accept this."

As she spoke, a slight blush appeared on Liss's fair face, and she lowered her head, offering the cloak.

"This is..."

Rod was taken aback by the cloak.

"Here's the thing... the wind in the mountains is strong, and it gets very cold at night. Your wound has not fully healed, and if you catch a chill... you might get sick, which would be bad for your health. So... I bought this cloak for warmth. It's made of mountain deer skin, very breathable and comfortable. Please accept it..."

Liss kept her head down, and although her expression was not visible, Rod could hear the slight tremor in her voice. He did not say much but took the cloak.

"Thank you for your kindness."

"No, it's my duty."

Liss looked up, her face brightening with relief, and her radiant smile made the fat merchant pause—having known her longer than Rod, he had never seen her smile like that. However...

The fat merchant's eyes twinkled, looking meaningfully at Liss and then at Rod.

It seems this might be a good thing?

Just as the fat merchant was about to enjoy more of the show, a sharp voice suddenly rang out.

"Who is the bastard who took my carriage!?"