Only then did everyone stop their various discussions.
About ten minutes later.
Laine brought a woman into the carriage where the female sorcerer was: "Teresa? The whole crew has only this woman, so let her take care of you!"
A woman with a slender figure and beautiful blonde hair walked in sowhat shyly. She wore very simple rcenary attire, brown leather armor, and a yellow linen shirt. To the female sorcerer's slight relief, the female rcenary was relatively clean.
However, when she lifted her head, Teresa felt a twinge of disappointnt. Her face was covered with freckles, her small eyes and high nose bridge made her features look a bit out of proportion, her looks could only be considered average.
"Who is she?" Teresa asked casually.
"She's a rcenary from the Blood Axe rcenary Corps, nad Alia. She's also the only woman in our caravan, so she'll be taking care of you for the ti being." Laine nodded, about to step out of the carriage.
"Wait!" Teresa called out to him: "Why do I feel like I've never seen her before? Is she really from the Blood Axe rcenary Corps?"
"She is. She usually handles cooking and laundry, and is quite good at dical care. Also, she can wield a rapier quite skillfully. According to Viert, she's fairly competent. Anyway, you should change your clothes first, and we can discuss any issues later." Laine added.
Even with repeated assurances, Teresa continued to look at the female rcenary with distrust and scrutiny. Her gaze swept over the female rcenary as if it were tangible, especially when it passed over her face. Teresa's silver pupils glimred with arcane light. Under her gaze, Alia, the female rcenary, was very tense, even showing signs of pushing back, wanting to retreat.
"Alright, she can stay."
Laine left the carriage and rode his horse to Viert's side: "Mr. Viert, that female rcenary, Alia? I don't think I've seen her before either?"
"Alia? Yes, she's indeed sowhat... not very noticeable. Do you know how she joined our rcenary Corps?" Viert said.
"I'm all ears."
"She joined our rcenary Corps around two years ago. At that ti, she was picking wild vegetables in the wilderness, looking quite lonely. Then a few bandits noticed her. Our rcenary Corps happened to pass by, and Boris saved her. We didn't plan on taking her in because her swordsmanship was rather weak, and... the rcenary Corps doesn't really need such won. I think Mr. Laine knows what I an." Viert gestured.
"Then why did you let her join?" Laine folded his arms, intrigued.
"Because she's literate and knowledgeable. She easily found the loopholes in the contracts we signed with local rchants, and helped us negotiate with them. Plus, she can cook, knows a lot about dical and bandaging techniques, and can make so simple herbs. So, after she displayed these talents, despite her poor swordsmanship, we had no objections to keeping her in the rcenary Corps." Viert shared the story behind the female rcenary with Laine, and then added, "Thinking back, it's funny. I was the one who strongly opposed her joining the rcenary Corps back then, but now even I have to admit she's beco an indispensable part of our Blood Axe rcenary Corps."
"Interesting. But didn't you ever wonder about her background? Why would a literate woman who'd learned to read be picking wild vegetables in the wilderness?" Laine asked curiously.
He wasn't worried about Teresa's safety. The female sorcerer's powerful magic wasn't sothing to be trifled with. She had nurous ways to protect herself, and Laine had confird that the female rcenary was only of ordinary tier strength.
"Alia says she's the daughter of a bankrupt rchant. Such people aren't rare, nothing strange about it, right?" Viert raised his right hand, palm up. "War always brings disaster. Even without the threat of those damned barbarians and monsters, frequent skirmishes between bandits, robbers, even lords can easily bankrupt rchants. The daughters of these bankrupt rchants are often sold as maids, and capable ones like Alia manage to escape. Nothing surprising about it."
"True." Laine nodded, there wasn't really anything surprising about it.
The phrase 'The vassal of my vassal is not my vassal' entirely applies to the feudal system of nobility in the Pri Material World. Although the empire's laws dictate that disputes between lords should be resolved through legal and diplomatic ans, private strife is still prevalent. Not to ntion the frequent appearances of various bandits, robbers, and demons. It's important to note that this world is not a technologically advanced Earth. Even in the wealthiest territories, at least fifty percent of the area is uninhabited forests, plains, or mountainous and swampy regions. If a lord's army isn't efficient, farrs would be on edge when going out to till the land, because who knows if sothing might suddenly erge from the roadside forests, streams, or even the ground to take their lives.
Likewise, any trade route carries risks. It's just a matter of whether one encounters petty goblins, ordinary bandits, or terrifying Beastman Warbands or even the Green-skinned Army.
In the afternoon, the caravan moved on. It was just after the onset of winter, the roads had frozen solid, and the caravan made rapid progress. According to Oliver, co the following April or May, as the snow began to lt, the pathways in Nord would beco extrely muddy. It would be difficult for even people to traverse, let alone carriages. Then, nurous hibernating animals would co out to forage in their hunger, making the trade routes even more dangerous.
"So, in April and May, no rchant would choose to do business in Nord." Oliver concluded.
"No wonder the prices of grain skyrocket every April and May. I always thought it was because of issues with seeds and food stock after winter." Laine quipped.
"It's the sa, the flavor of human at is most delicious in April and May, and the price is the highest too." Oliver laughed. "Rising grain prices affect us humans, but aren't they the sa for the Beastman and the Green Skins?"
"Hahahahahahahahaha! Indeed." Laine laughed heartily.
"So, Mr. Laine, do you think you should check on Lady Trovik? She seems to be in a bad mood, I'm worried…" Oliver suggested seeing that Laine was in a good mood.
"Alright, alright, I'll go check on her."
He had been hearing Teresa's impatient voice all along.
"Oh! Stop it, what are you wiping?" "Wait! Be careful, this is silk, do you know how expensive it is?" "Oh my God! You fool, you can't even wear pants?" "Don't use such dirty water! Get
clean water! Clean!!!"
The sorceress's roar was sothing he pretended not to hear. After all, won are prone to losing their temper during their ti of the month. Moreover, Teresa was raised and born in the Jialan Council, independent and powerful; it would be abnormal if she didn't have so temper. He didn't want to stir trouble for himself.
Everyone else kept their distance, only the carriage driver bravely continued on.
Inside the carriage, Teresa, looking pale, was painfully putting on her tight pants. But after a short while, she gave up. This black tight-fitting pant didn't feel so tight before, but now, just pulling it up a bit made her body pang with piercing pain.
The female rcenary was clumsy, especially when she had tried to use fetched water to help her clean. Doesn't she know it's easy to get an infection like that? It's essential to use snow boiled to remove impurities!
Additionally, the female rcenary's attitude also irked her, very, very much so. Teresa, of course, knew she wasn't at ho. There was no way this female rcenary could be overly respectful, but basic courtesy and respect were expected. Yet, this Alia kept her head down all the ti, her eyes never eting Teresa's, and responded only with simple "Yes, I'm sorry, okay."
This made her very uncomfortable, both physically and ntally.
"Alright, alright, from now on, just do as I say, okay?"
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