Chapter 432: Old Friends
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"What are you thinking about?" Anfey asked, stroking Suzanna’s hair.
"Nothing," Suzanna said, leaning closer to him. "Just a bit tired."
"I’m sorry," Anfey said with a sigh. "You really shouldn’t have been a swordsman."
"What do you mean?" Suzanna asked, confused.
"You’re a strong woman, Suzanna, but a lot of that strength isn’t yours, isn’t it? It’s forced into you. All you want is a peaceful and quiet life," Anfey said with a sigh. "I cannot fathom how rigorous your training must have been."
Suzanna pursed her lips, then asked, "What about you? What would you do if you had a choice?"
"Me?" Anfey said, smiling. "I like being lazy. I think I would be content being a minor noble, doing nothing but hunting and staring at my maids."
Suzanna grinned. She pinched Anfey’s arms lightly and asked, "Do you miss those maids? I’m sure Christian can get them to come over. I won’t mind." She trusted Anfey enough to know that nothing would happen, so she wasn’t worried.
"That reminds me," Anfey said. "I want to get Urter over here to help Alice. He’s a better choice for a chief of staff than Hui Wei. But…"
"You really care about that city, don’t you?"
"Of course," Anfey said. "That is to be our future home, after all." Country of Mercenaries was important, but so was Violet City and the mysterious labyrinth under it. He couldn’t afford to move Urter at that moment.
"Anfey, shouldn’t I…" Suzanna whispered, but her voice trailed off as if she was too embarrassed to finish.
"What is it?" Anfey asked, confused.
"I…"
"Huh?"
"I… You know!"
"I really don’t!"
Suzanna stamped her foot and said, "About… about a child…"
"Oh!" Anfey said. "Oh." Suzanna turned her face away and nodded slightly. Anfey smiled. Of course, they were in a war and it was the worst time to have a child. If Suzanna became pregnant, she couldn’t fight the way she had been fighting. He knew that Suzanna wanted to start a family, but that would have to wait until after everything was over.
"Sir, Lady Suzanna," Ye said, knocking on the carriage. "There’s a caravan approaching with a lot of guards. They’re flying the flag of Cloud Chamber of Commerce."
"Cloud Chamber of Commerce?" Anfey frowned. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had heard it. "Let’s move out of the way for now."
Ye slowed the carriage and drove it onto a nearby meadow. He jumped off the carriage, grabbed a waterskin of wine and took a sip, watching the caravan of Cloud Chamber of Commerce approach.
As the caravan approached, Ye saw that the guards all looked very thin, with sallow skin and hollow cheeks. The guards glanced at Ye and the carriage but did not stop or pay him any attention.
Ye grabbed the waterskin again and took another sip of the wine inside. It was cold and he needed the alcohol to keep him warm. However, the waterskin and the scent of wine drew the attention of the guards in front. Before he could put the waterskin away, half a dozen guards turned to him with hungry eyes. These guards were mercenaries from White Mountain City. Because of the zombies, they hadn’t had a good meal in weeks.
"Do you have more wine?" one of the mercenaries called out.
Ye glanced at the mercenaries but did not say anything. He was a quiet person and did not like the mercenary’s attitude.
Ye’s attitude angered the mercenaries, who glanced at each other and suddenly drew their weapons. It was not uncommon for mercenaries to kill each other for food at White Mountain City during the most difficult times. These mercenaries did not mind killing for a sip of wine.
Ye frowned. He was not afraid of the mercenaries, and mercenaries frequently fought over valuable things like magic crystals, but he only had some wine, and this was a caravan, not robbers.
"What is it?" someone in the caravan asked. "Why are we stopping?"
"Someone was threatening us, my lord," one of the mercenaries replied loudly while the rest crept towards Ye with their swords.
Anfey sighed. He glanced at Suzanna and stepped out of the carriage.
"Sir," Ye said when he saw Anfey, and backed up. He did not want any conflict with the mercenaries.
Anfey nodded at Ye and walked towards the carriages of the caravan. He didn’t look at the mercenaries. Suzanna followed him and did not look at the mercenaries either. The mercenaries watched Suzanna with wide eyes. One of them smirked and took a few steps towards Suzanna, but another mercenary grabbed him and shook his head.
"Did my ears betray me?" Anfey asked, stopping in front of one of the carriages. "Lord Arlanga?"
An old man poked his head out of the carriage and looked at Anfey. The old man frowned, trying to recall where he had met Anfey. The mercenaries, seeing that Anfey knew their master, backed away quietly.
"Lord Arlanga was my teacher," Anfey said to Suzanna.
"Really?" Suzanna asked, surprised. She had no memory of this old man.
"Of course," Anfey said with a grin. Arlanga’s eyes suddenly widened as he remembered Anfey.
"You!" the old man exclaimed, wide-eyed.
"Hey, friend…" one of the guards hurried over. Suzanna grabbed the man’s arm and tightened her grip, breaking the guard’s arm. The guard screamed in pain and stumbled back.
Seeing Suzanna attack one of their own, the mercenaries grew angry. They all drew their weapons and surround the two.
"Wait! Wait!" Arlanga said, waving his arms at the mercenaries. He turned to Anfey and Suzanna and said, "This way, sir, my lady."
Arlanga had become the founder of Cloud Chamber of Commerce because he was a smart man with a vision. He knew what Anfey and Suzanna were capable of, and he did not need to anger them.
"I need to talk with you, Lord Arlanga," Anfey said.
"Of course," Arlanga said, nodding. "Please, this way." As long as Anfey needed to talk to him, Arlanga could be sure that he had no intention of harming him.
Arlanga led Anfey and Suzanna to another carriage and knocked on its wall. Anfey’s eyes widened when he saw who he sitting in the carriage. He knew the woman. She was a well-known socialite in White Mountain City called Honna. He did not know the name of the man, but he looked very familiar.
"Lady Honna," Anfey said with a smile. "It has been a while."
"Lord Anfey," Honna said with a sweet smile. "What are the chances that we meet here."
Anfey glanced at the young man, who smiled and said, "Greetings, Lord Anfey. I’m Edy."
"Edy? Have we met somewhere?" Anfey asked.
"I do not recall," Edy said slowly. "I’m sure I wouldn’t forget meeting you, my lord."
"Really?" Anfey asked. He had caught a glimmer of recognition and surprise in Edy’s eyes. He was sure that Edy knew him, but he could not remember where he had met Edy before.