Just like that, a goblin attack ended easily, and the mercenaries happily discussed the delightful battle, while everyone carefully examined the corpses. The green skins loved shiny things, which might be worthless glass beads or stones, or possibly enticing gold coins or even gemstones.
"Ah, what a pleasant fight, no one sacrificed, and the few unlucky ones who got injured were only frostbitten. We can soon set off again, Lady Trovik." The mercenaries were delighted, and Viert found some silver coins on the goblin, an unexpected gain, and he immediately went to the female sorcerer to report the situation.
"Good... call Laine over." In Viert's imagination, Lady Trovik should not be angry even if she didn't smile. However, the deputy commander noticed the female sorcerer's face was pale and her tone unpleasant, so he retreated meekly.
This woman! Is she complaining that we didn't fight hard enough? Or does she think this battle was not intense enough? A feeling of indignation welled up within the deputy commander. He suppressed his anger and found Laine, who was enjoying the scenery.
"Ready to depart, are we?" Laine stopped his conversation with Estelle upon seeing Viert approaching: "Tell Oliver, I'll be right there."
"No, Mr. Laine, it's Lady Trovik. She wants you to go over." Viert shrugged and said.
"Oh, alright." Laine had no choice but to nod: "Looks like our chat will have to wait, Estelle."
Following Viert towards the caravan, Laine enjoyed the comforting feel of his boots on the soft, dried grass. Since he didn't participate in the previous fight, he hadn't gone out of his way to claim spoils. The Kingdom Knight stood in place, enjoying the scenery for quite some time: "Do you know what it's about?"
Viert's leather boots made sounds as they hit the ground. The deputy commander shook his head: "I don't know, Mr. Laine. I want to ask you a question."
"Go ahead."
"Are casters always this difficult to deal with?" The deputy commander smiled bitterly: "We Blood Axe always show the utmost sincerity and best attitude, and we do our very best in everything. Our Mercenary Corps has suffered nearly half losses, yet... Lady Trovik seems completely unaware."
"Perhaps because your mercenary viewpoint may not apply to casters. Our knightly rules may not be suitable either... I've been trying to find a way that both she and I can adapt to. So far, it seems to be working?" Laine shouldered his warhammer, freeing a hand to pat Viert's shoulder: "There's always a way to get along, and if not, then maybe just avoiding it altogether is a solution."
"Mr. Laine speaks quite easily. I've been stuck at Elite Middle Tier for two years now, and I'm nearing the crucial age of thirty-five. I hope I can have another breakthrough one day." Viert stopped in front of the carriage: "I'll stay here, after you."
When Laine saw Teresa among the crowd, he found the female sorcerer sitting pale-faced on a crate. Seeing him arrive, she instinctively tried to stand up, but then her brows furrowed tightly, her expression turning unpleasant: "Laine, bad news, I~"
"Are you hurt?" Laine asked curiously: "Did goblins manage to hurt you?"
"No, it's a different issue, Laine, my... suddenly came!" The female sorcerer clutched her abdomen, her voice filled with pain: "Damn it, why now?"
"What came?" Laine pondered briefly, his face changing slightly: "No way?!"
"Ugh ugh ugh!" Teresa clearly endured the pain: "Probably due to... disruptions in diet and magic power recently..."
"Let me carry you!" Laine's expression turned grim as he realized that losing her and himself, their two high-level combat assets, would worsen consequences.
This time Teresa didn't refuse. She complied as the man slipped his arms under her armpits and knees, lifted her onto the carriage, and let her lean against the wall, panting and looking very uncomfortable: "Will you sit with me for a while?"
The caravan started moving again, and Laine leaned against the opposite side of the carriage when he saw this. The man put away his usual smiling demeanor: "Does this happen often to you?"
"We Jialan... experience this frequently... Since the magic power enters our body, it can also... also alter our cycles. If not regulated, this can happen." Teresa clutched her stomach, half lying down painfully: "No worries, usually endure it for a day then it'll pass, but..."
"But?"
"But my pants are stained, and I may not be able to change them myself." The female sorcerer looked to Laine for help: "You..."
"I'd rather not; I'll find a female mercenary to help you." Laine stood up awkwardly, leaving the carriage interior as Teresa watched his back, her eyes twinkling with unknown thoughts.
Stepping out of the carriage, Laine loudly asked: "Are there any women in the caravan? Any woman will do!"
With this, the caravan was startled, and the crowd began whispering among themselves.
"I didn't expect the famous Kingdom Knight Mr. Laine to be like this, in broad daylight, intending to..."
"And planning to do it directly in the carriage..."
"Not only in the carriage but as it's moving. Could that be his preference?"
"And just any woman will do? Mr. Laine sure has a peculiar taste!"
Laine's forehead was lined with frustration as he hurriedly added: "There's a patient here who needs care."