Chapter 81: Parting Ways

At the old woman’s call, a group of people marched into the mansion. Upon entering, another world unfolded before their eyes—a vast courtyard lay ahead, with a large lake on one side, surrounded by willow trees. Though bare in the harsh winter, they still presented a unique scenery. The stone-paved paths added an air of elegance and sophistication. A cool breeze blew, creating ripples on the lake’s surface, adding to its beauty. Led by the old woman, the group slowly walked along the stone paths. After about a hundred meters, they arrived at the mansion’s main hall. Observing everything around, Rod finally understood what it meant to be in a grand mansion—so large that one couldn’t even see the edges. While marveling at the wealth and opulence, he searched everywhere for Landy and the others.

“Grandpa, Father!” Lucia’s cheerful voice came from behind him. Soon, she rushed toward the two men in the hall like a gust of wind. Upon closer inspection, there were two men in the hall: one around forty, with a robust build and a serious expression that revealed a fierce demeanor; the other had silver hair but a rosy complexion, making it hard to determine his age. Standing beside them was an officer in black armor. Upon closer look, it was Lawrence! He was here too. Seeing this, Rod quickly scanned the surroundings, hoping to spot Landy, but sadly, they found no trace of him or the others.

Seeing Lucia and the others, they couldn’t help but smile and stand up. “Marshal, General!” Parich hurriedly bowed respectfully upon seeing them. “Greetings, Duke and Count!” At the same time, Nils and Evan also quickly bowed in greeting. Rod and the others, being sensible, quickly bowed as well, though they were secretly surprised. Marshals and generals? There seemed to be only three marshals in the empire, all of whom had achieved great military feats and were among the most powerful figures. Anyone whom Parich, the deputy commander of the Snow Wind Legion, addressed as a general must be equally remarkable. It seemed Lucia’s background was even more impressive than he had imagined.

“Hehe, you’re the members of the Swift Wind Mercenary Squad who saved the little girl?” The old man nodded slightly, patted Lucia’s head, and after smiling, walked up to the group. Looking at Rod and the others, he asked calmly, “We are members of the Swift Wind Mercenary Squad. I’m Rod, and these are…” He stepped forward quickly to introduce himself while observing the old man. “Hmm, not bad. Thank you very much for what you did this time. Well, enough talk. Let’s eat first. Everyone’s happy that the little girl is back. Hehe, wife, go get those two bottles of fine wine from the cellar so we can enjoy them. One thing first—no one leaves today until they’re drunk!” In high spirits, the old man turned to the old woman beside him and spoke.

……

In the dining hall next to the hall, around a large round table, about a dozen people sat together. In addition to the earlier group, there were three more—one man and two women. One pair was clearly a married couple; from their tone, they seemed to be Lucia’s uncles, and they appeared to be powerful figures as well. The other woman, in her late twenties, was Lucia’s aunt.

Military people are straightforward and simple—eating large amounts of meat and drinking heartily. The meal was quite enjoyable, and it was hard to imagine having the chance to drink so freely with figures as legendary as those from the empire. This made Bit and the others extremely excited.

After the meal, no serious discussions took place. Under the influence of the good food and wine, they drank so much that they ended up drunk on the table.

In their daze, they felt someone helping them back to their rooms. Once lying in bed, they fell into sweet dreams. Having not had such a comfortable sleep in days, they couldn’t help but moan in pleasure.

The next day, they were awakened by the harsh sunlight. Looking outside and at each other, they exchanged bitter smiles—how could they have gotten drunk in such a situation?

After getting ready, they discussed what to do and headed toward the hall. However, not long after leaving, they encountered the most annoying person—Nils.

“Hmph, mercenaries are just mercenaries. Getting drunk in front of Marshal Okaz? No sense of discipline at all!” Seeing Rod and the others, Nils sneered disdainfully.

“Nils… Hehe, you’ve gotten up? Looking for the marshal? He’s in the study; just go down this path. Hehe, we have things to attend to and need to leave first. You can come to see me if you have time. My house isn’t far from here. Just mention my name, and I’m sure someone will show you the way. Hehe, hope to see you again!” Evan said politely, pulling on Nils beside him.

“Let’s hope so. Hmph, but it wouldn’t be good if there were some flies buzzing around. Hehe, I’ll come find you alone when I have time! We’ll go see the marshal first!” Nilsrod said indifferently, nodding and glancing at Nils with disdain.

With Nils’s pale and resentful expression, the group walked away, heading in the direction Evan had indicated.

“It’s Marshal Okaz! Good heavens, the top of the empire’s three marshals—Marshal Okaz, an empire hero! I never expected it to be him. We’re so lucky!” After they left, Bit and the others started shouting excitedly. The earlier unpleasant scene had long been forgotten.

There were countless legends about Marshal Okaz. It could even be said that he had saved the entire empire alone, so he was an absolutely revered figure in the empire. Even a scoundrel like Rod knew quite a bit about him, showing just how famous he was. Within the empire, whenever this name was mentioned, everyone would give a thumbs up in praise.

With excited hearts, the group quickly arrived at a simple room. If they weren’t mistaken, this must be the study.

“You’ve come? Come in!” Just as they were hesitating about how to knock, Okaz’s voice came from inside.

After exchanging a wry smile, the group slowly pushed open the door. The room had simple furnishings: a huge bookshelf, a plain desk, a few simple chairs, and an old painting that was slightly yellowed. Marshal Okaz was sitting in the largest chair in the middle, covered with a white tiger skin. General Lawrence stood beside him.

“Salute, Marshal!” Realizing who he was, the group became more reserved.

“Don’t be formal with me. What brings you here? I still haven’t thanked you for what you did this time. How about you spend a few days enjoying yourself in the capital? Let me show you around as your host. Hmm, if I’m not mistaken, you’re here to ask about your comrades, right?” Okaz asked softly, smiling before frowning slightly as he looked at them.

Nodding, he turned his gaze to Lawrence, knowing he could give him the best answer.

“Your captain and comrades were seriously injured that day while covering your retreat and helping the lady escape. In the end, they stayed behind to cover my escape from that battlefield!” Sensing the looks from Rod and the others, Lawrence sighed and spoke in a low voice, with a hint of guilt.
Silence. Though they knew this might be the outcome, their hearts still felt extremely heavy—after all, the hope they had just had was shattered, and no one could feel comfortable about that.
“Lawrence said you guys are quite good—young and talented. Hehe, especially you! Knight Rod, right? Impressive. You’ve only been in the martial arts for less than a year and are already at the peak of a Bronze Warrior level? Great. If you’re willing, you can stay and serve the empire. I believe that’s how you can truly show your worth!”
After a pause, Okaz took a breath and nodded in approval as he looked at everyone. His eyes showed a hint of surprise when he spoke of Rod—reaching the peak of a Bronze Warrior in less than a year? A genius. He had indeed discovered a genius; perhaps no one other than a genius could achieve such results.
His words also caused surprise on Lawrence’s face. Even Bit and the others turned to look at Rod in astonishment—reaching the peak of a Bronze Warrior in just a year? He had only become a Bronze Warrior a few days ago and was already at the peak? That was outrageous.
“As for the losses suffered by your mercenary group, Lawrence said appropriate compensation will be given. Though money can’t buy lives, I hope you can understand. At least this will help the families of those who lost their lives live better. Do you have any plans of your own?” After a pause and a deep look at Rod, Okaz continued.
With that, silence fell once again. None of them spoke, heads bowed, pondering Okaz’s words.
“The Swift Wind Mercenary Group is finished. Hehe… I didn’t expect this… I won’t stay. I have to go back. The mercenary group is ruined and needs to be rebuilt—our captain’s efforts can’t be wasted!” Bit said in a low voice, with a bitter smile and a hint of desolation.
“I’ll go back too,” Cheri said softly, agreeing with Bit’s decision.

“Bit, you go back first. I plan to travel around for a while to hone my skills. When we return, we’ll make the Swift Wind Mercenaries famous once again in the mercenary world!” Under everyone’s gaze, Rod expressed his thoughts. He wasn’t good at forming mercenary teams, and his skills were insufficient, so he needed to improve. Traveling alone and striving on his own might be more beneficial for him. Touching the box and the Golden Eagle symbol in his arms, he realized he still had many things to do, all of which required time.
“I’ll stay with Rod. You go back and get things ready. We’ll be back soon!” Unexpectedly, Aida chose to stay by Rod’s side—a result perhaps no one could have predicted.