Today the merchant's attire is quite strange. This Imperial Merchant wears a helmet, a white fox fur coat, but then has a chest armor over the fox fur coat. Thick trousers and riding boots wouldn't be particularly unusual, but he's wearing shin guards (which are leg armor) over the riding boots, which makes the whole getup look rather mismatched and quite funny.
"Uh~ Mr. Laine, you need to understand that after going through something like that, adding a bit more protection always makes me feel better at ease." Oliver looked a bit embarrassed, but the merchant's natural thick skin allowed him to regain quickly: "Life is more precious than anything, and if I were to die, my wife might actually be quite happy. She could remarry with a large sum of money."
"But your lover would be very sad, and your son would be bullied by his stepfather, right? They're the vines clinging to your tree, and if you fall, everything would be over." Laine commented wryly.
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" All the mercenaries and merchant's guards burst into laughter, even Boris, who couldn't move easily due to his injuries, laughed until it hurt.
Only Teresa, riding her horse, gave a "humph" sound, thinking how this person seems very familiar with these matters. Considering deeply, she couldn't help but smile, and her mature, radiant charm made Banda beside her stare dumbstruck.
The female spellcasters had less experience in adventure and combat compared to those knights who were always fighting, but when it came to the matters of court and high society, they surpassed them by a hundredfold. It's indeed surprising that young Laine, who has not yet married nor has maids or lovers, understands these high society things so well.
"Speaking of which, Mr. Oliver, you come from the Empire side, can you tell me what business are you doing in Nord?" Laine gently stroked his horse, which he had named Pinecone.
"Ah, this, it's not really a secret. On this trip to Nord, I'm doing bulk trade. We set out from Marinburg, loaded with armor and food, then sold them off when we arrived in Nord, after which we acquired a large batch of gold and silver ore and animal pelts, hmm, also magic crystal ore. I originally wanted to get some volatile oil, but couldn't.
"How much profit can you make from this trip?" Laine continued to ask.
"I estimate the profit is five to six hundred gold dinars, but considering the recent situation, it might be a little more, like during the recent war, I made quite a bit."
"Hmm~ I heard that Brittania recently had a war with the Empire? In the end, the Empire won, and the two sides signed a new alliance?" The group walked along the muddy road, lucky that now in the deep winter, the temperature is low, making the road frozen hard, allowing smooth travel. Who knows how muddy and difficult these roads will be after the thawing of snow in early May next year.
"Indeed... but it's not like what you might think. The parties in this war were not the Empire and Brittania." Oliver coughed and began to talk about a war two months ago, which erupted between the Imperials and Brittania.
The Empire is the largest and most powerful human nation in this world. About eighteen hundred years ago during the Great Calamity, a tribal leader named Charlemagne rose quickly and eventually founded the Empire, crowned as the only Emperor under the witness of the deities. He spent roughly two hundred years conquering the entire world. At that time, the Empire was vast, ruling territories including the entire continent, so powerful that all races knelt at its feet, being the master of the world.
The current Empire is only a part of what it was back then.
The Empire resisted foreign enemies for nearly a thousand years until several hundred years ago, when constant civil wars and threat of foreign enemies surrounded it. The Empire finally decided, by Emperor and Senate vote, to abandon most of its territories except the core lands, including Brittania Province. When this territory was abruptly announced to be abandoned by the Empire, all the nobles and commoners fell into despair. Back then, Brittania faced plunder by the Undying Race, Barbarians, and other forsaken human factions while also standing against the east Chaos Beastman Army and the south Green-skinned Army, which aimed not only to plunder but also destroy everything in sight.
Arthur, a young baron, led his knights fighting alone, struggling against foreign threats, but it was in vain. Seeing the Brittania people facing annihilation, Arthur fought several battles in succession and then became separated from his army, severely wounded. In desperation, he went to the legendary Fairy Lake, where it's said deities reside, knelt before the lake, tearfully pleading, willing to sacrifice anything, hoping only to save the people here, save this land abandoned by the Empire.
The plea initially received no response, plunging Arthur into utter despair, yet the young lord did not give up. He gritted his teeth and decided he would fight to the death in tomorrow's battle.
In the morning, a beam of white light shot out from Fairy Lake across the sky, and a deity named Lake Fairy answered his call. The Lake Fairy used the Holy Water from the Holy Grail to heal him and bestowed upon him steadfast belief and eternal blessing. With the help of Lake Fairy, Arthur regrouped his forces, raised the battle flag blessed by the Lake Fairy, and in an engagement where the odds were one to thirty, Arthur led his blessed knight army in fierce battle and achieved a great victory.