Their gazes exchanged a gleam of silent understanding.
The mission, filled with glory for so, had just taken on a darker dinsion for those who knew how to observe beyond the obvious.
While the party was in full swing, the laughter and singing of the villagers filled the square, creating a warm atmosphere that contrasted with the two n's anxiety.
A few children approached them laughing, their little hands outstretched towards Maxi and Rodrigo, asking for a dance.
Rodrigo, reluctant at first, finally gave in to the children's pleas with a smile, while Maxi stood by and watched them dance awkwardly together.
This soon began to drift into Rodrigo having fun making the children fly.
With his large size and powerful physique, he had no trouble carrying several children at once.
Returning to Terry and Piedro's side, the beer contest was in full swing.
A stocky villager nad Garen, a red-cheeked forr soldier with eyes shining with amusent, raised his tankard with a provocative smile in Terry's direction.
"Well, rcenary? Still up and about? You look like you're having trouble keeping up!"
Terry burst out laughing, but his voice trailed a little, and his gaze was already getting a little fuzzy.
"Peuh! What do you take for, Garen? You can drink barrels and still walk straight afterwards! Right, Piedro?"
Piedro, whose eyelids seed to be fighting gravity, nodded vigorously in support, but his hand was visibly betraying him.
He trembled as he lifted his tankard, which made many of the villagers laugh.
"Exactly! No...no villager...can bend...can bend rcenaries of our caliber!"
His drunken, hesitant voice provoked another round of laughter from the villagers.
Although they were beginning to feel equally hot-headed, none seed intimidated; they knew that ti was on their side.
Piedro and Terry, however, impressed them.
Between them, they were competing against a dozen people.
A young woman nad Lira raised her glass with a glint of mischief in her eyes.
"It's all very well to brag, but it looks like you're starting to lose color, especially Terry!"
Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire
"Pfft, it's not who's fading, it's just the firelight that's... that's... uh... making everything blurry..."
The villagers burst out laughing as Terry struggled to keep his balance on his stool. Piedro, for his part, clutched at Terry's shoulder, his head beginning to spin dangerously.
"Terry, I think I have an idea. Why don't we take a break, just to... recalculate, you know?"
"Recalculate what?"
Piedro whispered softly in Terry's ear.
"I've got a plan...let's pretend we're going to take a leak...but actually we're going to do what I call...tactical puking!"
Terry opened his eyes wide in surprise.
Then he shook his head and looked at Piedro as if he were staring at an idiot.
"There's a flaw in your plan there, do you really think we can walk right now?"
At the sa mont, and seeing the situation, Garen stood up and brandished his tankard to launch the final blow.
"Well, my friends, I think we can declare victory for the villagers! Those rcenaries certainly don't have any legs left to stand on!"
The villagers exulted, clapping their hands and laughing out loud.
Piedro, in a final burst of pride, tried to stand up, but missed and collapsed in the straw nearby.
Seeing his college in this state, Terry admitted defeat.
"Okay, okay... you win. But training will be rescheduled for another day."
Lira, still mischievous, ca dangerously close to Terry's face.
"That's a pity, I really wanted to train tonight.
Terry beca suddenly shy; he'd never had any experience with won until now.
He tried to look at Lira's face, but every ti he tried to concentrate, his vision was blurred, and the darkness of the night wasn't making things any easier.
Then suddenly a sweet sensation landed on his lips.
Startled, Terry lost his balance and fell backwards into the hay with Lira.
All the villagers began to whistle and shout with enthusiasm as the two began to kiss languorously despite the situation.
Laura and Jas arrived just then, surprised by what was happening.
Jas, raising an eyebrow, lightly tapped Laura's shoulder to get her attention, an amused smile on his lips.
"Well, little Terry's going to be big Terry tonight."
Laura shook her head with a laugh, one hand on her hip.
"Maybe I should have brought the buckets of water earlier to calm things down... but at least they've integrated well with the villagers."
Jas began to laugh rrily.
"That's not integration anymore, that's fusion."
"On the other hand, believe , if you had spilled a bucket of water on them, whether you were the chief's wife or not, all the rcenaries would have cursed you to your death."
"Sex is sacred."
Jas was extrely convinced by what he was saying, which exasperated Laura and so she huffed slightly.
"All the sa."
Seeing Laura and Jas arrive, a few enthusiastic villagers raised their tankards in the direction of the rcenaries.
Garen was excited when he saw them.
"Hey, here co so rcenaries! If you've got any energy left, why don't you show us so techniques?"
"Huh? Why should we have to do that!" replied Laura with slight annoyance.
"Your colleagues promised us!"
Laura and Jas looked at Piedro slumped in straw and obviously sleeping, then at Terry imrsed in so of the world's greatest happiness.
Then they both looked at each other and laughed.
"Okok, we're going to teach you a few little techniques."
Laura took a more serious tone, although the smile in her eyes betrayed her amusent.
"First let's start with a warm-up... and maybe the losers of this beer contest can show us what they can do once they wake up."
Piedro, still sprawled in the hay, raised a hand weakly, mumbling in a pasty voice.
"I'm coming...wait for ...just a mont..."
The villagers laughed harder, but several of them gathered around, forming a circle around Laura and Jas with curious faces ready to learn more.
Laura assud a steady posture, observing the villagers benevolently.
"Self-defense isn't just about strength, but speed and reflexes."
"Who's up for starting?"
A young man, still a little tipsy but full of determination, stood up awkwardly and stepped forward.
"! I want to be able to defend my family!"
Laura nodded and approached him.
"Perfect. Start by showing how you'd throw a punch."
The young man assud a slightly hesitant posture and threw a clumsy punch forward, almost tripping.
Laura held back a smile, then patiently adjusted his posture, showing him how to balance his weight on his feet and where to position his arms to stay steady.
"There you go. Keep your elbows close to your body, and try to pivot with your body to give strength. If you're off balance, you'll be an easy target, and you won't last against an experienced enemy."
Gradually, other villagers joined in the impromptu training, encouraged by Jas, who showed the stronger ones how to keep a low guard and make quick dodges.
The atmosphere remained upbeat, while laughter could be heard in the distance.
A camaraderie had begun to form between the villagers and the rcenaries.
A few hours passed, and the calm of the night gradually descended on the village as the campfires were extinguished one by one.
The next morning, while the village was still asleep, Maxi gathered his n in the dawning light, his features serious.
He explained the situation, making no secret of his doubts or the urgency of the situation. Each rcenary listened in silence, aware of the more complex mission ahead.
Andrew stepped forward, breaking the silence with a firm voice.
"Who cares, let's just get to the places where we can help, and if it's too dangerous we can always run."
Ernest intervened as well.
"Hothead is right, this situation is even advantageous for us because previously the nobles' military forces were sufficient."
"Who are you calling hothead Ernest?" intervened Andrew with a sullen face.
Ernest, however, ignored him completely.
"But now they tend to get overwheld."
Maxi ignored the brief confrontation and nodded.
He stared at them all, his gaze imbued with unshakeable resolution.
"We leave for Lapi tomorrow.
However, a question nagged at the back of Maxi's mind.
Reviews
All reviews (0)