The Kingdom of Nords was only warm for three months a year. The rest of the time, it seemed to be shrouded in snow and cold. The winter here was so cold that the God of Dawn could bring morning light here but could not bring warmth. The believers of the Goddess of Agriculture always tried to find ways to plant cold-resistant crops such as wheat, barley, rape and so on on the fertile but cold land all year round. The annual crop of agriculture barely provided the country with the rations needed.
At night, Ulan Town, which was located in the northern part of the Nords Territory, was quiet. It was another winter season, and the sky was filled with heavy snowflakes, landing on the roofs of the houses. Even the roads were covered in a thick layer of snow. The air in the town was silent, and the chimneys of the houses emitted thick black smoke. The stars in the sky gave the ground a faint starlight, but the snow covered everything.
In this season, the sun set early. After dark, it would be safer to return to the town, but it would be more dangerous to return to the town later. There were all kinds of things in the wilderness after sunset. Bandits, Orcs, Northern Barbarians, and even terrifying Green Dwarfs and Specters would appear occasionally. The residents of the town wouldn't choose to go out at this time. Only the doors of their houses and the warmth of their fireplaces could give them a sense of security.
In a world wrapped in silver, except for the occasional patrolling guards, the town was dark, like a ghost town. The cold winter wind constantly whistled, and snowflakes fluttered in the sky. In this coldest season of the year, the town's residents could only hide in their own homes, hoping that spring would come as soon as possible.
A black leather boot stepped on the steps of the town gate, making squeaking sounds. A man in black leather attire appeared. He wore a leather triangular hat that was pulled low, and there was snow on the hat. The man was tall and mighty, and he carried a single-handed Longsword with gold and silver patterns on his back. He also held a golden warhammer in his hand. The handle of the warhammer was half the length of a man, and at the bottom of the handle was a spiral spike that shimmered with cold light.
This man was handsome and always had a smile on his face. He looked like a priest, but from the fluff around his mouth, this man was no more than twenty-five years old. And from the blood on his chainmail and the fierce look in his eyes, it was clear that this man was definitely not a priest.
The man looked around and saw that there was no one on the road. There were no footprints on the snow on the muddy road. He sighed slightly. Seeing that there were sentries standing guard at the city gate, he walked up and asked in a casual tone, "Excuse me, have you seen a pale-faced man wearing a tall round hat, a cloak, outdated trousers and black leather boots in the past two days?"
The guard didn't want to answer, but the man gently brushed away the cloak in front of his chest, revealing a silver badge with a white wolf's head.
"I'm sorry! Sorry for my lack of manners! Sir Knight! " When the guard saw the badge, he subconsciously straightened his body and saluted the man. "Three days ago, there was indeed such a man who came! He claimed to be Mr. Boothe, a friend of the Lord, so we let him in. He left early yesterday morning and headed towards the southwest! "
"Mr. Boothe? Hehe, let me think, the situation three days ago must have been like this. A strange traveler riding a horse entered the city … "Who knew that the man sneered. He gestured with his hand under the guard's uneasy gaze." So our loyal guard went up to ask, but this traveler took out a few silver coins and gave them to our loyal guard, indicating that he couldn't reveal his identity. The loyal guard felt the traveler's sincerity, no, it was Mr. Boothe's sincerity, and then let him in, right? "
In the cold weather, the guard's forehead immediately broke out in cold sweat. The sweat quickly froze, and he said in a low voice, "Sir Knight, sir Knight, please forgive us, please forgive us for being obsessed for a moment. I must have been possessed by an evil god at that time! I'm willing to hand over the money to you, please forgive our sins! "
The man seemed to be very dissatisfied. He snorted and exhaled a white mist from his mouth. The man waved his hand. "Forget it, let me in!"
"Yes, yes! Thank you very much! " The guard was relieved and quickly opened the gate. The wooden gate slowly opened with the movement of a simple wooden mechanism. The man led the horse into the city, leaving the guard with a lingering fear.
It was six o 'clock in the evening, the time when the people in the city should be moving around. However, the weather in Nord was so bad that the sun had already set at three o' clock. So, he could only walk alone in the streets, thinking about what happened along the way.
"The soldiers' pay can ensure that they have enough food and clothing, but it can't guarantee that they can live a luxurious life. In the face of something that is dispensable and does not violate military orders, accepting bribes is understandable. Mr. Boothe is really smart. After being a demon hunter for so many years, he has a clear understanding of human nature. Just a few silver coins allowed him to avoid a lot of trouble along the way. But, this makes it difficult for me." The man looked up at the bright moon in the sky and whispered, "He went to the southwest. Is Mr. Boothe planning to go to the port?"
"In any case, it's better to stay for now. The night in the wilderness is too dangerous." The man thought for a moment and decided to stay for the night.
He would stay for a day or two and then meet up with the woman from the Garland Council.
The Kingdom of Nords was a desolate and remote place. But no matter how small a town was, as long as there was a human settlement, there would be an inn. The man quickly found an inn. It was a two-story building. From the outside, it looked like there were about ten rooms.
Walking along the muddy road covered with snow, the inn was still open to all the townsfolk as usual.
Passing through the sturdy wooden door of the hotel, the interior of the hotel was like a party scene. Wooden tables and chairs were arranged chaotically, and people were chatting and drinking barley wine. The owner and his wife were constantly bringing out all kinds of food and ale from the bar. The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, and a thick broth was simmering in the oven. The steam from the broth was constantly wafting through the interior of the hotel.
The cold weather outside was a stark contrast to the hot weather inside. The windows of the inn were also covered with a thick layer of fog. It was as if the inside and outside of the inn were two different worlds. At the center of the campfire, there were two drunk fellows hugging each other as they danced to the Nord folk dance to the joyous singing of bards. There was also a merchant from the Empire who was awkwardly being led to dance by a burly man. His strange movements made everyone present burst into laughter.
"Madam Freya! Another cup of barley wine! " A burly man with two tufts of beard yelled at the Lady Boss. He fiercely slammed the wooden wine cup on the bar counter. The inside of the cup was already completely empty. Other than some foam, there was nothing left.
"Beautiful! When you call my name, you have to call it beautiful! You still want barley wine? Let's settle the bill first. You've already drunk four cups of barley wine, so you have to pay me twenty coppers! " The fat owner's wife put her hands on her hips and smacked the burly man's head with a spoon. The burly man hurriedly reached into his pocket and took out thirty coppers. "These are all for you, beautiful Madam Freya. Hurry up and bring the wine!"
"Okay!" The owner's wife waved her fat hand, and the coppers instantly disappeared into her pocket. After receiving the money, the owner beamed with joy and hurriedly ordered her subordinates to bring out more barrels of wine. The owner of the inn placed a plate of roasted lamb in front of the soldier sitting at the bar. "Sir! Here's your roasted meat, please enjoy! "
"Okay." The soldier took the roasted meat and ordered a cup of wine. He didn't look young anymore, and there were many wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He buried his head in the delicious roasted meat.
On the other side of the field, there was a bard in fancy purple clothes, a red bonnet, and a lyre hanging on his shoulder. He was adjusting the strings of his lyre and was ready to start his performance.
"Mr. Bard! What kind of story are you going to tell us today? "a drinker shouted.
"Yeah, we won't pay if it's not exciting!" Everyone cheered.
"Hoho!" Everyone in the inn was cheering. The bard helplessly adjusted his clothes and began to play his lyre slowly. "Then, I'll tell everyone an ancient story today, a magnificent epic from a hundred and fifty years ago!"
"More than a thousand years ago, the land was still peaceful. People lived and worked in peace. Although the barbarians in the north and Middle-earth occasionally fought each other, trade and peace were still the main theme. The countries in the south used to be the largest and best port and free trade city. The dwarves living in the ridge of the eastern world used their excellent equipment and handicrafts to trade with the human empire. Dwarven fortresses stood in the wasteland in the south, witnessing the golden age of the dwarves … Well, the dwarves … At that time, the forest wasn't as dangerous as it is now. At that time … "
"But about a thousand years ago, everything changed."
"The world was changed."
The inn gradually became quiet. Only the crackling of the charcoal in the fireplace could be heard. The drinkers sat down one after another. It was common sense on the continent that a bard should keep quiet during a performance. However, the merchant from the Empire didn't seem to care, but he still listened quietly.
The Bard began to slowly play a melodious tune. The tune was sad, but full of hope. "Let me tell you something.
"Nearly a thousand years ago
"In the north of the Empire, darkness fell
"The evil gods were fierce, chaos was rampant, it was like purgatory on earth
"The Totem God fell, the Beast God was annihilated
"Civilization was no match for barbarism, wisdom retreated
"Peace was gone, weapons were raging
"In the south of the Empire, the Green Skin rose
"Gruumsh's head turned into an ornament for Uzhag
"The thousand-year-old fortress of the dwarves could not stop the spreading plague
"The statue of the former king was toppled, and the treasures in the ancient tomb became a surprise for the invaders
"Fortunately
"The alliance was formed again when the country was destroyed
"The Long Beard Guards and the Lion Knights moved forward hand in hand
"However, this victory was not worth celebrating
"The Empire lost its emperor
The brothers were locked in an endless quarrel.
"In the dark corners, the undead rose from their graves
"The evil orcs corrupted the continent
"The world fell, everything was in danger
"One hundred and fifty years ago, a two-tailed comet streaked across the sky, and a hero finally arrived
"That was Ludwig the Savior
"The demon prince was beheaded, and the evil shaman was killed
"No matter how powerful the son of chaos was, he was just a pile of meat in front of him
"In the Fahsha Plains, the righteous formed an invincible alliance
"The ancient dragon roared
"Angels soared in the sky
"The elves' staffs and longbows shone
"The dwarves formed the strongest iron wall
"There were even demons from the molten earth
"Influenced by the savior, they fought for justice and fought against chaos
"All belongs to Ludwig
"Dozens of purified demon princes and god's chosen were hung on the walls of the Empire
Manifesting his unparalleled glory, his glorious achievements, and his magnificent achievements
"Shouts of victory resounded throughout the world
"The people elected him as the new emperor of the Empire
"All belongs to Ludwig
"Chaos returned home
"Peace returned to the land
"The people lived and worked in peace
"The praise of the gods sounded again
"All belongs to Ludwig"
"The bards sang the moving epic, but no one noticed that a new guest had arrived at the door of the hotel.
"Until a wind chime sounded, attracting the attention of everyone in the hotel. The man stood at the door, and after listening to the magnificent epic, he opened the door. The story of Ludwig the Savior was a story that everyone on the continent was familiar with. This great country nobleman, who later became the emperor of the new Empire, used his powerful strength, domineering methods, and outstanding political wisdom to reunite the destroyed old Empire, and finally defeated the army of chaos. The new Empire was rebuilt from the ruins of the old Empire, and Ludwig was the founding emperor of the new Empire.
"Is there any room left?" Under everyone's gaze, the man spoke. Sure enough, as many people had expected, his voice sounded very young.
"Are you an outsider?"
"There are no more rooms, outsider. We are about to close, please go back."
"Close! Close!"
The drinkers shouted half-jokingly. The town was not very welcoming of outsiders, and the man in front of them was not a familiar face, so the drinkers were a little xenophobic.
"All of you … shut up! It's not easy to have a guest in this weather! You idiots always stop me from doing business! " The lady boss's angry roar interrupted the drinkers, and then her round face immediately showed a smile. "Yes, we have a lot of empty rooms here. Are you alone?"
"Yes, I am alone. Help me prepare dinner by the way!" The young man went up to put down his things, and then came down and sat at the bar. He ordered rye bread, boiled fava beans, barley wine, and a large roast lamb chop, which also cost 20 copper coins.
"Tell us a new story, Mr. Minstrel."
"What kind of story would you like to hear?" The bards also smiled and said, "How about I tell you the story of the founding Knight King of Brittany?"
"We've heard of that too!" The drinkers expressed that they had heard of that too.
"Tell us about the war between the green skin and the dwarves?"
"That's not interesting!"
The drinkers and the bards began to discuss loudly. Some wanted to listen to war epics, some wanted to listen to love stories, and even some wanted to listen to the stories of gods. There were all kinds of requests, and the bards were a little embarrassed.
"How about this? Let's ask the bards to tell us a new story. The legendary story of the young hero of the Kingdom of Nords, 'Sledgehammer' Laing. What do you think?"
"Good, good, good! That's good! "
"Let's listen to this!"
The man just lowered his head and ate. He also spent some money to get the lady boss to get a piece of butter to spread on the bread. After dinner, he said goodbye and returned to his room.
He had booked the best room in the hotel. In the hotel, the worst accommodation was of course the large room, which was filled with simple linen and thatched beds. The better single rooms were for two people or single people, and they also only had a simple bed and a bucket of water in the corner. The bucket of water was not for drinking, but for convenience.
The room he stayed in had a soft bed, a table, a chair, and even a special compartment for washing up. There was a small window in the room. After returning to the room, Laing gently pushed the window open and looked at the heavy snow outside. "I wonder how long this snow will last …"
At this time, the bracelet on the man's wrist suddenly flashed with a soft white light. He was not surprised at all. He pressed the gem on the bracelet with his hand, and a dignified voice sounded from it.
"Laing, have you found traces of Berthe?"
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