The decision to split up into three groups was quickly made, and only the matter of departure remained.
Madden personally led the guard team to break out and attack Madara's Undead Army at the appointed time, while Breson took the opportunity to lead the remaining villagers of Buqi who had survived north past Dagger River Beach. Meanwhile, Brand and Little Roman crossed the Vizer Mountain Path together to deliver the news to Ridenburg.
The time was three hours later—
When the announcement of disbandment was made, most of the young guard team members silently turned away without saying much, leaving only the clinking of equipment as they walked.
The campfire crackled as it burned, and the flickering light cast chaotic shadows that swayed on the beach strewn with fallen leaves and gravel. Aside from the attack at dawn, there were many things to prepare individually, and the night was still long—the last few hours felt like an ordeal for everyone.
Frey needed to gather the other members of the third squad, while Brand had to fetch a backpack to store the remaining bottle of No.5 Holy Water. One extra bottle had already been given to Josen, reviving the young man and earning the gratitude of Buqi's villagers and his relatives—for although he mentioned it casually, Brand couldn't bring himself to watch someone die.
He felt that being part of modern society constantly affected his aversion to this war-torn world. Brand thought about it and felt at ease; it was the pursuit of beautiful things that motivated him to change the world.
He casually stuffed two days' worth of food into his backpack, mainly dried meat strips and a kind of biscuit made from flour, salt, and plant tubers with very little moisture. The production level in the world of the Amber Sword was relatively high, unlike the genuine Middle Ages where such rich supplies were unseen.
In fact, those who truly understood this world knew it was a world with a considerable level of civilization, but its development seemed to have taken a different path from Earth.
However, when he took out the long-necked bottle containing the No.5 Holy Water, our protagonist paused. He noticed a piece of hard paper stuck to the bottom of the bottle. It seemed to be attached, and he easily took it off.
It was slightly larger than a playing card, palm-length and wide, with a magic array-like pattern on the back. The front depicted an oil painting of a knight kneeling on the ground, clad in armor and holding a treasure sword high with both hands.
In the upper left corner of the card was an ancient number 'II', and in the center bottom were six yellow crystals. Brand recognized the six yellow crystals—they were called 'element attributes' in the game, and six yellow crystals meant Earth attribute 6.
But what is this?
Brand, with his extensive experience and knowledge, rarely encountered anything in the game that he didn't know, yet this item puzzled him. He thought for a moment and then recalled that he might have inadvertently brought it out from Girande's tomb, yet this provided no clue.
In the game, he could search through a vast array of random knowledge, but here Brand had only local knowledge, basic knowledge, and knowledge of military organizations. What could he search for?
Amidst the countless thoughts, he couldn't resist holding up the card and asking the Miss Merchant, who was diligently sewing the torn edge of her skirt from her bag: "Do you recognize this, Little Roman?"
"No, don't call me that!" Little Roman's small eyebrows instantly stood up. "Eh? What is this, a Tarot card?"
"I know what Tarot cards are."
"Then I don't know it either."
Brand looked at the card, about to say something. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed slightly as he saw Breson and several young members of the guard team leading their horses out of the shadows of the woodland not far away.
What are these guys up to? He suddenly recalled Madden's strange behavior during their negotiation, which aroused his suspicion. He couldn't help but pocket the card and stand up to follow them.
"Roman, wait here for me."
"Uh-huh, Brand."
Although the members of the guard team were all outstanding young individuals, with personal abilities far beyond ordinary people, their vigilance was unfortunately lacking. The group walked along, not realizing that someone was following them from a distance.
It was important to know that Brand used to be a small team player. Engaging in covert operations against large guilds often required stealth tactics. So, although he wasn't a master, he was at least experienced, making it fairly easy to deceive these young people who had little counter-tracking experience.