Listening to the mercenaries in the river, and looking at Eric’s mocking smile, the female bandit was so angry that tears almost fell.
“A bunch of vulgar scoundrels, utterly ill-mannered! I’m telling you, I’m not done with you today!”
She glared at Eric with seething resentment, adjusted her top, and pointed her sword at him.
“Again! I must return today’s humiliation to you!”
Vulgar scoundrels?
Ill-mannered?
You, a bandit, are scolding people now?
“Tsk.”
Eric licked his front teeth.
I see you have a death wish.
Without another word, he slowly raised the short sword in his hand and beckoned her forward.
The female bandit charged again.
As she charged, she also plunged her sword into the ground.
This technique was somewhat similar to a draw slash.
The sword tip inserted into the ground, using the resistance of the ground against the sword to accumulate kinetic energy for the blade, releasing it all when approaching the enemy.
It was powerful and fast, but extremely damaging to the sword.
She quickly rushed in front of Eric, her long sword also slashing out of the ground, and indeed, as Eric had thought, this Chop was truly fast enough.
But no matter how fast, it was still a long sword.
And what Eric held was a short sword.
This time, Eric did not choose the playful dog-teasing style of fighting from before.
He condensed magic power onto the sword and directly unleashed a Chop.
“Chop.”
“Earth Splitter.”
“Clang—”
The sound of swords colliding was crisp, yet carried a certain roar.
The female bandit looked at Eric in shock; her Earth Splitter had been parried by Eric on the spot.
But this was not over yet.
The female bandit’s long sword was vibrating rapidly due to the previous collision.
Eric’s short sword, however, was perfectly steady.
There was still residual magic power condensed on the short sword, and Eric directly transformed the magic power into Wind Element.
“Second stage, Gale Slash.”
The short sword, empowered by Wind Element, violently struck back again, heavily chopping down on the vibrating blade of the long sword.
“Clang—”
The long sword snapped in response.
“Hiss, hiss, hiss.” The onlookers all gasped.
The mercenaries were collectively stunned.
The female bandit fell to the ground, staring blankly at the broken sword in her hand.
Eric walked over to the female bandit with his sword.
He placed the sword against her neck.
“Do you have any last words?”
Those mercenaries feared authority and dared not act.
Eric didn’t care about any of that.
Although he didn’t feel it was necessary to kill her, perhaps a little education would suffice.
But Eric didn’t like educating people.
Nor did he want to blather on.
He preferred to act.
“Last words? To fall into your scoundrel hands, I guess I’m just unlucky.”
The female bandit looked at Eric with a humiliated expression, as if Eric had done something to her.
Eric also laughed.
You, a bandit who strips people’s pants, actually feel wronged now.
Eric raised his short sword.
The female bandit was quite stubborn, raising her neck and waiting for Eric to Chop.
The mercenaries beside them were collectively dumbfounded.
No, are you really going to kill her?!
What do we do if this situation gets out of control?
They couldn’t afford to offend noble ladies, nor did they dare to advise Eric. The mercenaries, apart from standing blankly in the water, no one dared to utter a sound.
The mercenary group leader slapped himself twice.
It’s over now. If a noble dies, everyone who saw it today should prepare to flee for their lives.
The merchant boss was recovering the robbed goods nearby.
He felt that the rest of his life would be spent in escape.
Judy came from the Swamp and didn’t think much of killing someone.
But just as Eric was about to swing his short sword, a large hand suddenly grabbed Eric’s wrist.
“She didn’t hurt anyone, did she?”
Atai’er shook his hand, and Eric’s short sword dropped to the ground.
Just as Eric was about to say something more, he saw Atai’er take off his hood, revealing a handsome face full of gravitas.
He glanced at the female bandit and said:
“Margaret, long time no see.”
The female bandit looked up, shocked, at Atai’er, asking incredulously:
“Atai’er… Sir.”
Atai’er nodded and said:
“Let’s go. Tell me what happened.”
Eric: “…”
The mercenaries nearby all breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the noble lady was not dead.
The mercenary group leader pulled up his pants and, soaking wet, hurried forward.
“Miss Margaret, please forgive us for any offense just now. Please forgive us.”
Under Atai’er’s gaze, the female bandit also became polite.
Margaret straightened her clothes and nodded.
“It’s fine.”
The merchant boss, very perceptive, came over to offer a clean set of clothes, fawningly saying:
“Miss Margaret, I’ll clear out a carriage for you. You must be tired from the journey.”
Margaret took the clothes and said:
“No need to trouble yourself. I’ll just stay with Sir Atai’er.”
Judy buried her head like an ostrich.
How quickly this world changed! Previously, a bandit whom everyone reviled was now a honored guest.
Instead, Eric was left ignored.
He pointed to himself.
“Then what was I just now?”
A cuckold?
A clown?
I finally got to show off once, and you guys made me lose so completely.
Damn it!
—
In the carriage, Margaret recounted her experience.
She had originally intended to join the army at the border, but as soon as she left the capital, she was tricked out of all her armor and items by a group of Halflings who repaired armor.
She needed a large sum of money to buy new equipment.
She didn’t dare to tell her family, and in her desperation, she resorted to banditry.
After listening, Eric turned to look at Judy.
One lost armor, the other lost a staff.
Moreover, it was dwarves who dealt in armor, not Halflings.
They were all extraordinary people.
“What do you plan to do now?” Atai’er asked.
Margaret lowered her head and said:
“I… I don’t know.”
Atai’er looked at Eric again.
Eric closed his eyes and leaned back directly.
It’s not my business, don’t come looking for me.
Seeing that his disciple was not interested, Atai’er did not insist.
He turned back to Margaret and said:
“Since that’s the case, you can follow us for now. Accumulating little by little might not be a bad thing for you.”
“Yes.”
Margaret seemed to respect Atai’er greatly, listening to his every word.
Eric took a sip of milk, quietly watching his teacher.
I’ll just quietly watch you show off, and I’ll never interrupt you.
With such a good disciple, you should be secretly happy.
In the evening, the mercenary group leader and the merchant boss brought Margaret a fine iron long sword forged by dwarves.
After delivering the long sword, the mercenary group leader winked at Eric and beckoned him to come out.
Eric followed him.
Walking to a large tree, the mercenary group leader scratched his head and said:
“Little brother, don’t blame us for being snobbish. We mercenaries risk our lives, and we can’t afford to offend the powerful.”
Eric curled his lip.
“What does that have to do with me?”
I should just be a clown, right?
The leader gave an awkward laugh, and a mercenary stepped forward, handing over a cloak, and said:
“Little brother, please don’t despise this. This is the best merchandise the caravan has, consider it a small token of our appreciation.”
Eric sneered, reaching for the cloak.
Bribing me?
Do you really think I, Eric, am…
【Moon Elf Cloak of Concealment (Rare)】
“Hahaha, leader, you’re too kind. Am I, Eric, such a petty person? Such a small matter, let bygones be bygones.”
Eric snatched the cloak, a million expletives running through his mind.
Not only was it a good item, but it was even related to the Moon Elf, truly a heaven-sent opportunity like pie falling from the sky.
“May I ask, where did this come from?”
“Found it in the ancient Stone Giant Ruins on the Aidaer border.”
“Thank you, leader, you’re a truly good person.”
“Not at all, not at all, as long as little brother finds it useful.”
After some pleasantries, the leader happily left.
Watching the leader’s retreating figure, Eric felt a pang of melancholy.
The leader was actually quite difficult.
How much could one earn as a guard?
A dwarven fine iron long sword was probably about 20 gold coins, but this cloak was worth at least a thousand gold coins.
One gold coin was enough for a family of three to live for a year.
A thousand gold coins would probably empty out all their savings.
Nobles could not be offended.
Rangers who dared to kill nobles, appearing and disappearing without a trace, were even more unoffendable.
This was the rule of this world.
Above money was power, and above power was strength.
Eric sighed.
When he turned around, a figure was standing not far away.
“Heard everything?”
“Mm.”
“Are you happy now, Miss?”
Eric sarcastically remarked to Margaret, then turned and walked towards the tent Judy had set up.