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Chapter 19: Opposers
With Breyson returning with the food and medicine found to a rendezvous point in Beldor Forest, where the veteran known to Brandon, or rather the current Buchi Guard Unit leader, Marden, awaited, the return of the young members of the entire Third Squad caused a stir in the valley.
Markumi, Ekko, Ethan, Bessa, little Phineas, and the Neiberto brothers, all were the eldest children of their respective families in the village. Their loved ones initially believed they had perished in the battle that night, bracing themselves to face that harsh reality. However, to their immense relief, all of them returned unharmed.
The fleeing crowd erupted with excitement, although not all of them were residents of Buchi. Some may have come from Green Village or Weyburn, but the fervent atmosphere affected everyone. After all, this was the first good news they had received in two days.
A good sign could portend smooth days ahead, especially with the food and medicine that came with it. The starving and freezing people could finally have a warm meal, and the injured could receive treatment. This sparked a sense of hope within the crowd, to the extent that even the afternoon's hardships and the tragic circumstances were momentarily forgotten by some.
People always yearned for a better life, even if it was only slightly better than the present; they would still feel content. Some said humans were greedy, and indeed they were, but they were also easily satisfied.
Marden ordered a campfire to be lit. This veteran of the November War was brave and stubborn by nature, and he would never yield to Madara's mere skeletal army. He didn't care if Kabirus and Roscoe found them; as he put it, they could bring it on, because the people of Eruin were not cowards.
With so many untrained people moving together, it was naturally impossible to conceal their movements; therefore, they might as well be open about it.
On the other hand, Freya, who had suddenly found herself bereft of loved ones, was unexpectedly hailed as a hero. Initially, Brandon worried she might be overwhelmed by emotions, but soon he realized it was an unnecessary concern.
"Freya, thank you!"
"Freya, don't be sad. You still have us. Everyone in the village will support you. You're a strong girl, and everyone knows it!"
"Freya, are you hurt? Let Aunt Akasha take a look. How could you be so careless?" A plump middle-aged woman pushed through the crowd. Although she had the rough manners and loud voice typical of rural folk, concern was evident on her face.
She brushed aside Freya's bangs and wiped her cheek, stepping back to examine the girl carefully.
"Aunt Akasha, I'm fine now."
"Really? Don't keep anything to yourself."
"Really, thank you everyone." Freya looked at everyone gathered around her, a mist inadvertently clouding her vision. These people hadn't been doing well these past couple of days; each one of them was filled with fear, their eyes bloodshot. Yet, right now, here, they exhibited the most sincere bond of kinship.
Brandon watched from a distance, feeling a strange warmth in his heart.
The warm fire, the connections between people, the smell of food in the air, it seemed to dispel the darkness and cold of the mountains. Even if it was only a fleeting moment, it was impossible not to be moved: What a remarkable sight.
Relationships between people should be this simple.
Brandon leaned against the rugged white rocks, gazing up at the stars in the sky: one by one, eternal, like diamonds sprinkled on a deep purple curtain.
"Why don't you go over there?" He saw Roma sitting higher up, her hands clutching a bag on her lap, her round-toed shoes swinging back and forth in the air.
"They don't like me."
"Why?"
"Both Aunt and I are strange in their eyes, and what ordinary girl would want to be a merchant? So it's normal not to be liked."
So you know it too. Brandon thought to himself, but then he suddenly realized he didn't have much of an impression of Roma's aunt. She was always out and about, here today, gone tomorrow, occasionally coming back with some odd trinkets that Roma liked.
Perhaps it was precisely because of her independent upbringing that she had developed such a unique personality.
"Can you tell me about your parents? You've never mentioned anything about them to me."
"I've never met them. My aunt has been with me since I can remember. She always says, 'Little Roma, you must repay Auntie well when you grow up.'" Roma giggled, her eyes shining in the moonlight.
Brandon was momentarily dazed, taking in her words.
"So, is that why you want to be a merchant?"
"Yeah."
"It's a strange idea."
"Well—"
The two chatted for a while longer before Brandon saw Freya walking towards them. In front of everyone, the girl appeared simple, unassuming, and approachable. But once she reverted to her identity as the chief of the Buchi Third Militia Squad, there was a subtle sense of responsibility akin to that of a future Valkyrie emanating from her.
She promised to take Brandon to meet Chief Marden of the Buchi Guard Unit, although she didn't know what he wanted. But like Ethan, she had a blind trust in him, believing that as long as it was him, there must be a way out of this predicament.
Freya didn't want to rely on him; she was simply curious.
Now that Brandon had coincidentally joined forces with Buchi's Guard Unit and these refugees, and he understood what Chief Marden would face next, it was naturally necessary for him to do something at this historical juncture.
Indeed, Brandon's first thought was to save himself, but one couldn’t live alone in this world. If he left behind those people, how would he face Roma, Markumi, little Phineas, and Freya?
Moreover, the tears of the helpless Valkyrie earlier had deeply touched him. Life was too short for numerous worries, especially as he now lived a second life; his sole aim was to live without regrets.
Realizing this, Brandon felt the road ahead open up before him.
Roma naturally stayed by his side. The three of them crossed the valley, passing through scattered campfires and crowds, finally finding the old man by the campfire at the end of the stream. Coincidentally or as expected, Breyson was there too. But Brandon didn't care about him; instead, his gaze fell on the veteran of the November War.
Marden. According to the game's time, Brandon suddenly remembered that it had been almost thirty years (8:1 time ratio) since he had last seen this old man.
In the game, Marden's later years were extremely difficult, but he still died peacefully in his sleep. His only fortune was not witnessing Eruin's downfall firsthand, and he also garnered the favor of many players. This NPC had high prestige among players—because he taught multiple skills such as Stealth, Reconnaissance, and Swordsmanship, and most importantly, he also taught the first advanced skill for warriors: Courageous Roar.
The old man appeared much as Brandon remembered him, perhaps even less weathered, though his expression showed even greater determination. Having spent some time with this old soldier, Brandon knew his temperament well. He understood him to be an extremely resolute and fearless military man, with a fiery personality. Thus, any attempt at subtlety would be futile with him; being direct about his intentions might even earn some goodwill.
However, despite this, Brandon felt a bit uneasy when opening his mouth. Who knew if the personalities of NPCs in this world matched those in the game? Although he thought they should be the same, who knew it might be different.
After listening to Brandon's explanation, Marden's eyebrows indeed twitched. As expected, the first to voice opposition was the young vice-chief of the Guard Unit, Breyson.
"So, you're suggesting we'll fail. And what's your reason?"
Brandon's gaze remained on Marden as he heard the old man speak: "Young man, you want to join us in serving the kingdom, I appreciate that. But you don't seem too hopeful about the battles ahead. I'd like to hear why."
Brandon remained calm; his biggest concern was that this fiery-tempered old man wouldn't give him a chance to speak. As someone familiar with historical developments, he was confident he could persuade others once given the opportunity: "Actually, I have just one question. Do you know how many Madara undead army units are blocking your path ahead?"
The young members of the Guard Unit remained silent.
Marden also stayed quiet, but Breyson, who caught his glance, replied: "From the afternoon's battle, it seems like the same undead army initially engaged us. Later, another joined in. I observed some of their banners, so there should be at least two distinct command bases. Unfortunately, we don't know the specifics of Madara's formation."
Brandon glanced at him in surprise, not expecting him to actually disclose some useful information. Unlike Brandon, who relied on his past experiences, Breyson managed to deduce these conclusions with just some observations amidst the chaotic battlefield, which was quite impressive.
However, this didn't make Brandon regard him highly because, unfortunately, Brandon happened to be much more knowledgeable.
"You're not familiar with Madara, so it's not surprising you've drawn incorrect conclusions," he explained confidently. "That is a kingdom that has never truly been unified. Around the era of runes and swords, a group of exiled dark wizards went there and became the initial lords of that region. For quite some time, that place was a haven for bandits and undead drifters..."
"Why are you saying all this?" Breyson interrupted.
"Let him speak, Breyson, don't be impatient."
"Hmph."
Brandon smiled faintly, knowing he had caught Marden's attention. As expected of a veteran, no matter how bad-tempered, they could always grasp some key information keenly.
"However, it's also an extremely aggressive kingdom. The lords living in darkness constantly war among themselves and also raid in any direction—north, south, or anywhere else. Eruin, Cruze, Osor, and even the Barlin area have all suffered greatly because of them."
"Years of war have allowed those dark lords to amass battle-hardened troops. Though their organization is chaotic, their combat prowess cannot be ignored. So, when you see two different numbered units, their sizes could vary greatly."
"So, could you describe some details of the battles you've encountered? Perhaps I can provide some informational assistance."
"Brandon!" Breyson finally couldn't hold back and stood up, angrily accusing, "You're lying. How could you possibly know about Madara? From what I know, you were just a—"
He intended to say more but was sternly silenced by Brandon's glare. Breyson was taken aback; he couldn’t believe that just a single glare from Brandon could actually render him speechless.
The former Brandon wasn't so assertive; he was just a talented kid after all.
"Listen, Breyson, I'm not here to argue with you," Brandon replied slowly, emphasizing each word, "I don't expect you to understand the gravity of the situation, but I just want you to know that you need to take responsibility for your actions!"
Breyson fell silent for a moment before erupting in anger.
"Tell him what we encountered, Breyson," Marden intervened, his brows deeply furrowed.
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