Chapter Forty-Four: The Minstrel

  Today's update is here. After selecting the courses to retake, I realized that my previous wish for two updates was just an illusion. However, with one chapter now being 4000 words, everyone should be able to read more comfortably, right?... Welcome to share your opinions on word count, and of course, also welcome to share your thoughts on the work itself.

  As Jorny pulled his great sword out of the last War Lizard, he suddenly felt a familiar sensation. He looked at Odara who was frowning and wiping her weapon with a soft cloth,

  Thinking of his calm and powerful performance just now.

  It's like being taken to level up by someone else.

  The name of the War Lizardmen was quite intimidating, but their actual strength wasn't as powerful as their name. However, the War Lizardmen tribe's hiding skills were still pretty high, and when they suddenly appeared from the dense forests on both sides and threw out a dense barrage of javelins, Odara's face turned cold enough to drip water. As a former veteran mercenary, as Joni's master and Astrire's elder, this team was actually ambushed by such low-level creatures for the second time under his leadership...

  The primitive javelins of the War Lizards did not cause too much harm to O'dara and his party, but unfortunately for them, they had enraged O'dara. They would have to pay for O'dara's own mistakes and their success.

  The entire battle was a foregone conclusion, Jony felt as if he had returned to the past, being led by a max-level senior through low-level dungeons. The only hitch was Aisutieru. Girls always have many problems, such as being afraid of lizards and being afraid of stench. One of the more unique characteristics of the lizard people is that when they are angry or uneasy, they secrete a kind of oily substance that emits a strong foul odor. When this smell, which could be used as a chemical weapon, arrived, Aisutieru vomited at the time.

  Joni felt nauseous too. Being clean was one of the few habits he brought from his past life, and back in the house, he even wanted to invent a flush toilet. But being a strong man, he only felt nauseous and didn't throw up. With Astrid's weak and powerless attack as help, Joni slaughtered five Battle Lizards.

  The scene at the time was one of flesh and blood flying everywhere, with wails filling the air, it was an intense battle. The giant twin swords paired with several months of special training allowed Johnny to cut down these small monsters as easily as cutting a melon. The last few War Turtles that tried to escape were also taken care of by Ais Wallenstein who had gradually recovered from behind.

  However, after the battle, he found that the War Frogs had left him a very disgusting gift.

  This sword also stinks...

  Odarra, who had slain nearly ten monsters, carried a soft cloth with her, but Johnny had nothing.

  Just as he was frowning, not knowing how to deal with the situation in front of him, Odara's command freed him from this predicament and he ended up elegantly lifting his hem to wipe off his weapon.

  "Johnny, gather up the spoils."

  As they headed back to Charles Town, Johnny quietly trailed behind the group. Although Astrid liked Johnny, a Johnny reeking of lizard man stench was clearly not something she could accept. This was normal; Johnny could understand that. A sweaty man might be called manly, but a man who had fallen into a dung pit...

  But he was still depressed. He thought Odara was intentionally bullying him. What's more depressing is that those stinky lizard people didn't have anything valuable on them - the javelins that couldn't pierce armor were naturally useless, and the long spears that couldn't withstand a single blow from the giant sword were also worthless. Under Odara's command, they rummaged through the lizard people's only tattered clothes, except for their smelly bodies, they had nothing.

  Audrey's last playful glance, he absolutely knew that! Johnny thought angrily.

  Back in Charleston, Johnny seemed to have an aura around him that made people avoid him, and he got a lot of second glances. Some unsavory-looking characters seemed like they wanted to come up and start something, but after muttering a few curses under their breath, none of them approached.

  After completing the quest in the Mercenary Union, they came to a clothing store under the angry gaze of the surrounding crowd and bought several cheap clothes. The three returned to the tavern, where they took a good bath in the bathroom, finally getting rid of the smell from the Dark Night Forest.

  Looking at the clothes that were still emitting a foul odor, Joanie gritted her teeth and stamped her foot - no more! Enduring the nausea, she carefully washed the expensive inlaid armor, then came to their room. Odala and Astry had been waiting there for a while.

  "Done washing?" Odara chuckled mischievously.

  Joni also disregarded the two people's identities and rolled her eyes at Oudala.

  "Haha, let's go, let's eat." Odara didn't think much of it.

  Joni nodded and walked towards Astrid. Astrid also smiled and took a step back.

  "Astrid!" Joni said, getting a bit angry, "I washed it clean! If you do that again... I won't tell you any more stories!"

  It really has some youthful feel to it.

  Astrid's eyes lit up at this, and she carefully leaned in close to Joni, her nose twitching: "Really? Do you have any other stories?"

  Joni was rendered speechless by her actions: "Yeah, you'll never finish listening in this lifetime!"

  Aodala was also somewhat curious and stopped his footsteps that were ready to go out: "You little brat can tell stories? What story?"

  As for being called "brat", Jowni is now somewhat sensitive. However, it's not worth falling out with Odala over this small matter, and besides, he can't beat him anyway. His face stiffened, just as he was about to speak, Astrid said happily: "Uncle Odala, Jowni's story is really interesting! He told me last time about a hero exploring the underground castle, and there were black elves, oh, dark elves, gray dwarves, and what's more, a big devil. It was very vivid!"

  Audrey looked puzzled when Estry said that: "Black elves? Gray dwarves? Joanie, where did you hear this story?"

  I played games until I was tired.

  "I heard it from a traveling poet who stayed at our house for a while when I was young." Johnny's face didn't turn red, nor did his heart skip a beat.

  “Minstrel?” Odara shook her head, “That minstrel is a fake, no wonder he lives with the blacksmith. I traveled in the Second Empire of Velsa for three years and never heard anything about dark elves or gray dwarves. I guess he just took advantage of the ignorance of the local children who don't know what the underground world is like, so he dared to make up such nonsense.”

  As the Odalar's "deceptive" bard, Jone looked a bit embarrassed. It turned out that this world didn't have dark elves and gray dwarves after all. That was right, Ferrin's dark elf diving into the ground had historical reasons.

  "Alright, alright, save your story for later. Your master is starving, hurry up and go eat."

  －－－－－－－－

  The tavern was not small in scale, but that was only relative. It was already lunchtime, but the tavern wasn't crowded. They found a seat near the corner, ordered some food, and the three of them continued their conversation from upstairs. Aisley pestered Johnny to tell stories, Johnny proudly threw out Chreistor's story, while Odalla continued to despise that "nonsensical" traveling bard.

  The three of them were chatting happily when a handsome young man suddenly appeared at their table.

  "Gentlemen and ladies." The man coughed, bowed his head in a noble gesture, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Eral Heinrich, you may address me as Eral. Perhaps you have heard of the great poet, the lone wanderer Eral?"

  The three Joes stared at each other in confusion - who was this kid?

  However, some social etiquette cannot be dispensed with, especially for the knights or descendants of knights or attendants of knights present.

  "Johnny Smith." "Estelle Hugue." "Odala Ludwig."

  "Are you from the Kingdom of Oserdin?" Odara asked after introducing himself, "Heinrich is a big surname in Oserdin, isn't it."

  "Oh, sir, aren't you a fellow countryman?" Elal exclaimed somewhat exaggeratedly, then very naturally pulled over a chair and sat down beside them. "Nice to meet you, I am indeed an Osaddinian."

  Old countrymen meeting, not necessarily with tears in their eyes. But it did bring them a bit closer together. Odala and his fellow countryman chatted happily, and Astrid also had a good impression of this handsome bard. Among the three, only Jony was somewhat dissatisfied. Firstly, he had always disliked people who didn't treat themselves as outsiders; secondly, he interrupted his own story; thirdly... why did this bastard keep smiling at Astrid?

  According to Ailar's description, he left home two years ago with romantic illusions and a large sum of money. After drifting for two years, he felt homesick and thought that he had "successfully made a name for himself", so he decided to return triumphantly and let the people in his hometown see his achievements.

  As they chatted happily, Ailar took out his portable harp and played a tune of his own composition for the three of them.

  "Thousands of troops and horses are not as brilliant as his one person; the forest of guns and rain of arrows are not as good as his lone charge. The enemy trembles before him, the people cheer behind him. Odin! Praise you!"

  Odara and Aethereia both appreciated the poem's reverence for the divine and its veneration of heroes. Jony, on the other hand, was thoroughly disgusted by the poet's obvious boot-licking and his apparent disdain for faith.

  But as a follower of Odin, at least in name, he didn't dare say it out loud.

  "Mr. Ailar." Astrid said with a lingering tone, "Can you tell me some stories of heroes?"

  "Of course, beautiful miss." Ailuer's mouth curved into a captivating arc. "The following story is dedicated to you, my dear miss, for your starry shining eyes, for your warm and radiant smile, for your youthful and vibrant hair, for..."

  Jony felt like hitting someone.

  "...and this story is dedicated to you, beautiful miss."

  Estelle's face turned red, like the sunset glow of dusk.

  To be honest, Joanie really wanted to kill this handsome young man in front of her, although his story was indeed quite interesting.

  The story is clearly carefully selected. The northern god of war Odin, when he was still a mortal, fell in love with a beautiful and kind-hearted woman who was also very strong. The two accompanied each other all the way, although they were separated by war for a while, but ultimately reunited.

  Later, this brave and vengeful woman sacrificed herself to cover Odin's escape from a battle that was sure to be lost and extremely perilous. Her last words to Odin were: "Go quickly, Odin, live on, always remember me, and avenge my death!"

  What a heroic demeanor, after the romantic words comes the entrustment of revenge.

  Indeed, as a man with emotions and righteousness, Odin never fell in love again until he became the God of War. At that time, all his enemies died under his revenge, none of them had a peaceful death. On this point, even after becoming the main god of Asgard, Odin did not avoid it at all. He even publicly acknowledged that this was a symbolic event for him to transform from a benevolent camp to a neutral camp.

  As for that fierce woman, Annie Neville, she was worshipped by all the Odin temples, right next to Odin, as if they had never been separated.

  A heroic female character, a love story between heroes, an example of unwavering loyalty to love... Such a story is really the killer of ignorant girls. Odala knew this story, but she listened with rapt attention. Only Johnny was somewhat absent-minded, but under Odala's gaze, he still had to pretend to be serious and listen.

  He thought fiercely, trying to kill the poet in front of him with a concentrated gaze, as if he had just listened to a sermon.

  The story of Annie and Odin was a long one. At this point, Eir had just gotten to the part where the two met and fell in love, but the sky was already growing dark. Odara calculated the time and knew that they wouldn't be able to finish the story today. So, taking advantage of the pause in the story, she called out: "Mr. Eir, we should get some rest now, we still have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow morning. Thank you for your story, may Odin bless you!"

  Astrid was in high spirits, but upon hearing that they had to leave, her expression suddenly turned gloomy as she looked at Elar. Elar gave her a comforting glance and then said to Odara: "Mr. Odara, since we are all returning to Ocedin, I wonder if it would be possible for us to travel together?"

  Are you kidding me? Jony was a bit angry, and Odara was also unhappy. The most dangerous thing in this world is the same kind, a stranger who meets on the road, and travels together? Ignoring Astryr's pleading eyes, he refused: "Let's forget it, after all, we're not very familiar." He spoke lightly, as if saying something ordinary.

  You're really straightforward! Joanie thought to herself. However, she was very satisfied with this result.

  "Is that so? Then I was too rash. Three of you, farewell." Eral didn't get angry, and after bowing one by one, he left the table.

  "Uncle Odara!" Astrid was a bit unhappy. This made Johnny also a bit unhappy.

  "Don't worry, the story he just told is well-known to all of us Osadin people. Once we get there, you can ask anyone and they'll tell you," Odara comforted her. "Now, go back to your room and get a good rest. We have to get up early tomorrow."

  It's said that the story won't be discontinued, so Aisley's expression eased a bit. However, she still felt somewhat reluctant. Jony watched from the side, feeling a lot of pressure. From Aisley's various expressions...

  Is this the legendary love rival?

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