Early the next day, before dawn, around seven o'clock in the morning, the mercenaries began to wake up one after another, packing their things and preparing to set off.
Laine was already up. Leaning on his warhammer, he stood at the entrance of Teresa's tent, watching the mercenaries pack their things, shaking his head secretly: the mercenaries suffered too much in yesterday's battle, and everyone was injured. In this situation, Laine had no way to force them to march, as their bodies wouldn't hold up.
But he couldn't abandon this group of mercenaries to pursue Belte on his own.
Teresa's situation was dire. The female sorcerer was only holding on with difficulty. Everyone knew her vulnerability now. If the sorcerer's magical power diminished, the mercenaries would inevitably be emboldened. In such a situation, if someone in the mercenary corps harbored ill intentions, Teresa might indeed be taken advantage of by a little mercenary as they wished. Laine felt that these mercenaries were not entirely trustworthy, at least not the Blood Axe Mercenary Corps.
The same saying goes, as long as there's enough profit, a mercenary can sell anything.
So, should he ditch the mercenary corps and take Teresa to catch up first?
No, that wouldn't work. Belte, the cunning Demon Hunter, would certainly seize such an opportunity to double back and confront him directly. In that case, the weakened female sorcerer would become a burden. Laine would have to fight and protect her simultaneously, and he wasn't confident he'd be able to defeat Belte. Belte had been famous for over a decade, having exterminated countless demons and was awarded the title of Demon Hunting Master by the Demon Hunter Association. Before his fall into chaos, Laine might not have been sure of prevailing over him, and who knows how much stronger he's become after embracing chaos?
In the end, it boiled down to Teresa's lack of combat experience. The female sorcerer had not allocated her magic power appropriately, nor considered the loyalty of the hired mercenary corps. Perhaps, in her view, these mercenaries were akin to servants, naturally expected to bow to the might of magic. But Laine didn't see it that way; the fate of witches betrayed by their guards, meeting tragic ends, or even being sold into slavery was not uncommon.
Marinburg is indeed the largest "talent market" on the continent.
This was also why Lady Aurora entrusted Teresa to his protection. The female sorcerer, inexperienced in battle, desperately needed a strong and seasoned close-combat protector, and Laine was an excellent choice.
Wasn't she learning quickly? Casters, by nature, were full of wisdom. They might make mistakes out of unfamiliarity, but not out of foolishness.
Today's weather no longer brought snow; instead, it was overcast. The clouds in the sky were not thick, and one could faintly see the gray sky through the layers. The bitter cold wind blew continuously past Laine's ear, making the knight's cloak sway behind him. His height of 1.85 meters, combined with his heroic figure and handsome face, made him resemble a seasoned battlefield veteran guarding a pass, ever ready to face incoming enemies.
But actually, I'm just keeping watch for a woman... Hearing the sounds of changing clothes inside the tent, Laine thought to himself.
It feels quite lame.
Laine could understand why so many Legendary powerhouses were reluctant to travel with the female spellcasters of the Jialan Council. This wasn't companionship; it was outright nannying!
The little mercenary had already packed his things and was sneaking around nearby; Laine knew what he was up to. The little mercenary wanted to find a chance to talk to the Goddess.
A slender hand clad in a white lace glove pulled aside the door curtain: "Good morning, Laine."
Teresa's beautiful face emerged in the cold wind, her icy skin and jade-like bones, with a pair of enchanting silver eyes that seemed to speak. She was still wearing the same sea-blue mink coat from last night, only the pearl necklace on her chest was replaced with a slender sapphire gold chain. The triangular gold earrings engraved with magic runes hung on either side, and Laine could feel the magical aura emanating from these adornments.
Truly wealthy, Laine had heard time and again about the wealth and temperamental nature of these Jialan Council members. It was said that a lord from the Nord Kingdom, overwhelmed by Beastman invasions in his territory, personally sought out Teresa's mother, Aurora, for help.
The lord, long indulged in wine and women and lacking strength and reputation, approached Aurora during an important experiment. As a result, the poor lord hadn't even had time to speak before the enraged Great Wizard of Jialan teleported him to the big lake near the Celestial Vault Castle, nearly drowning him and almost costing him his life.
So, you see, strength is the most important asset for anyone.
"Ready to depart, feeling any better... now?" Laine noticed Teresa looked much more spirited and was about to ask when he noticed that the long legs under the female sorcerer's mink coat still trembled a bit. Realizing she hadn't actually recovered and was just trying not to show it, he said, "I'll go fetch the horses, please wait here for a moment."
The female sorcerer's lips curled; this man knew how to save face for her, unlike the boorish fools who only knew how to fight. His mother's choice to pick him as her companion had been a wise one.
Female spellcasters were generally well-read and knowledgeable, which made them have high standards. It wasn't until this morning that Teresa truly understood and accepted Laine as her companion.
The group finished packing and hit the road again. Laine wasn't interested in the mercenaries' typical discussions about drinking, eating, and women, so he proactively struck up a conversation with Oliver from the Empire: "Mr. Oliver, your outfit... Hmm? It's quite fashionable, is this the latest trend over in the Empire?"