When the first ray of morning sun pierced through the gaps in the corrugated iron and landed on Xing Chen's face, his light sleep ended.
However, Theresa had woken up even earlier than him. By the time he was dressed, she had already brought the Camel to him, handing him one of the Assassin's bayonets.
"Do you remember the task I gave you?"
"Yes, Your Highness," the Camel nodded.
"Very good. Before you depart, teach him all your combat skills."
Theresa, after all, was not a professional swordswoman and couldn't teach any real techniques. But truthfully, Xing Chen preferred her as a teacher, because the normal Sarkaz educational methods were simply too difficult for someone like him, who grew up in a peaceful and prosperous environment, to accept.
After being tormented by the Camel in various ways for a morning, Theresa took the two to the town center's tavern for lunch.
Theresa had lived for over two hundred years, but she didn't have any personal savings. All the expenses in town were currently covered by the Camel. However, he seemed quite happy to be responsible for the Demon King's daily needs.
"Bartender, a bottle of red wine, and play 'Roses for a Funeral,'" Theresa said, approaching the bar with two sudden and strange requests.
When the Gaulish music started, the diners all looked at the trio. Theresa had disguised herself well, appearing dusty and wearing a patched-up cloak, looking no different from a traveler in the wasteland. But Xing Chen still worried that someone might recognize her.
The music quickly ended. Xing Chen didn't feel hungry, and the food here didn't suit his taste, so he ate almost nothing. Theresa and the Camel, however, ate very quickly, but the expensive bottle of red wine remained untouched on the bar.
After lunch, back in the corrugated iron house, Xing Chen continued to train his swordsmanship with the Camel.
In terms of survival, the Assassin's footwork was elusive; even when standing still for Xing Chen to attack, he couldn't hit him.
In the offensive domain, his attack speed was incredibly fast and powerful, often accompanied by fierce lunges. If it weren't for Theresa's command, Xing Chen didn't know how many times he would have been startled awake that night.
When the sun set, he and Theresa returned to the house to rest, while the Camel returned to his own dwelling. After experiencing sleeping in a dream, the next day's schedule continued.
For six consecutive days, Xing Chen spent his time in combat with the Assassin. Theresa also unfailingly ordered a bottle of red wine and played the same song every noon.
Time flew by, and it was the seventh day.
"Hey, I hit you!" Xing Chen's blade passed through a gap in the Camel's guard and, anticipating his movement, struck his shoulder.
"Well done, but the force is too weak," the Camel shook his shoulder, and Xing Chen's blade was flung away.
Regardless, there was progress in skill. As for the physical disparity with Terra people, it was unclear if it could be resolved through weapon enchantment.
At noon, the trio arrived at the tavern. Unlike previous days, the patrons in the tavern were all more or less restless. Both Cattus and Sarkaz occasionally mentioned their weapons and equipment.
Additionally, a small, cloaked figure had appeared on a stool at the bar.
"Xiao Pa Cai, how have you been lately?" Theresa suddenly put her arm around the unfamiliar figure and said, "The ships on the River Valley must have all returned to port, right?"
"Your Highness..." The figure hadn't finished speaking before Theresa covered her mouth and led her out of the tavern.
By the Rose River, Theresa's secret intelligence unit, after her death, the organization fell apart. Some members chose to pledge allegiance to Theresis, while the rest went into seclusion, no longer participating in any Sarkaz-related affairs.
The members of this unit were primarily Blood Demons. As is well known, Blood Demons have an extremely high upper limit, such as the Blood Demon Grand Duke Dukare, who single-handedly slaughtered allied forces, and an extremely low lower limit, such as a certain oil-loving profiteer on Rhodes Island, or the Blood Demon in front of the trio.
"Your Highness, do you mean that you do not intend to continue your enmity with General Theresis, but are instead preparing to find a new path for the Sarkaz?"
"That's right, which is why I asked our ancestors to allow me to return to the present world. Now, tell me all the information you know."
"Yes, Your Highness." Xiao Pa Cai, receiving the command, immediately stood up from the ground and spread her cloak onto the bed.
"What is she doing?" Xing Chen looked at the empty cloak and couldn't help but ask Theresa.
"She is a Blood Demon; Blood Demons have an unusual perception of blood," Theresa whispered into Xing Chen's ear, "That cloak is actually soaked in blood."
Having finished reading the information from the blood, Xiao Pa Cai turned her head and began to report the intelligence she knew to the two.
"After you left, Your Highness, Lord Kal'tsit announced your death. After handing over your remains to Kazdel, she left the Kazdel territory. According to the last sister to complete her mission, they are attempting to integrate the remaining Babel members into a new medical organization, which should be named after that ship—Rhodes Island."
"Her Highness Aifaneer did not follow Lord Kal'tsit, but returned to the Banshee River Valley. However, my analysis suggests this is only temporary; after explaining the situation to Her Highness Lama Lien, she should join Rhodes Island."
"In the last communication, Sister Ascalon was hunting down all the Assassins who participated in the assassination. But what puzzled her was that there were also people not from the River Valley doing the same thing. From the traces of battle, it seems to be the work of the same person."
"General Theresis has largely led the Military Commission to occupy Londinium. The Lord of the Revenant, the Blood Demon Grand Duke, and the King of the Rot Eaters have agreed to provide him assistance. Additionally, the Sin Eater are also very interested in Your Highness's actions in Londinium. There is intelligence indicating that after the civil war, they transported an item to the Royal Research Institute. Due to the high level of secrecy, the sister who obtained this intelligence did not investigate further."
"You've done very well," Theresa praised.
"Your Highness, do you need me to gather the remaining sisters? They will surely rejoin your cause upon learning of your return."
"No need," Theresa took Xiao Pa Cai's arm, rolled up her sleeve, revealing a slender wrist, "Just like when I picked you up..."
"Your Highness..."
"Ahem..." Xing Chen suddenly stepped forward, interrupting the two's reminiscence. royal court Sarkaz are relatively more cultured than mixed-blood Sarkaz. He wasn't sure if it was a "name" or a code name, so he could only use Theresa's address for the unknown Blood Demon, asking, "Xiao Pa Cai, what's the situation in Kazdel now?"
"General Theresis lifted the blockade and took many mercenaries from the Scarred Market. Trade routes have largely recovered, and with the farms built under Your Highness's supervision, people shouldn't starve to death."
"Are you sure? Why do I feel like the people in the city are barely surviving?"