93: Chapter 66 Galliard_2 93: Chapter 66 Galliard_2 Before he could finish speaking, the other party, mumbling something about “Mary~ Mary,” lunged forward with a hug.
Leon skillfully dodged the drunkard’s embrace and pushed him away.
Reluctantly, he turned and headed toward the bar.
He informed the barkeeper of what he had seen, only to have the barkeeper spread his hands.
“If it happened inside the bar, I would definitely try to stop it, but since it happened outside, I really don’t want to get involved.
Being in this business, we can’t afford to bring trouble upon ourselves,” the barkeeper said, shaking his head helplessly.
“Could you tell me where I can find the guards?” Leon asked.
“Go outside, turn right, and you might run into patrolling soldiers,” the bartender directed.
Knowing that lives were at stake, Leon didn’t delay any longer and pushed the door open to leave.
The hazy color of the moonlit night enveloped the streets, and beneath the empty shadows, only the lonely cool breeze prevailed; even Lokhak, who had been dozing off, awakened.
“Go call the guards?” Azeryan asked from beside him.
By the time the guards arrived, that poet would likely have long been chopped into bits.
“You go inform them; I’ll chase after them to see what’s happening,” Leon nodded to him.
Those thugs, carrying a full-grown man, couldn’t be moving very fast.
Splitting up, Leon followed the path the “kidnappers” had taken, with Lokhak in tow.
Turning the street corner, they soon saw those men carrying the poet into a secluded alley.
Drawing their swords, the two hastened their chase.
Yet, as they entered, they discovered that the “kidnappers” had already dumped the tied-up poet in a corner and were waiting with swords and clubs in hand, all clad in leather armor.
“I told you not to meddle in others’ business.
Have you been inspired too much by heroes in songs, or are you drunk on horse piss?” the lead thug sneered as he slapped his sword’s blade, “This is your last chance to bugger off; otherwise, we’ll dump you and this guy into the Rushina River to feed the fish.”
Leon frowned upon sizing up these unimpressive thugs.
Their stances were loose and aimless, merely some brutes no better than the village ruffians he had encountered before.
“We are knights of the Thorny Flower family from the Gray Pine Valley Domain.
Your repeated rudeness alone warrants punishment by whipping or caning; it would even be just to execute you all.”
Leon lowered his sword and warned the lead thug, “Now, I command you to explain your actions of kidnapping immediately.”
“Knights?” The lead thug raised an eyebrow, sizing up the two cloaked young men under the moonlight,
One ordinary, one tall, but both evidently still youths—he couldn’t help but scoff, “What kids playing at Ranger Knight games?”
“Ha ha~ If you’re a knight, then I’m an Earl of Bunelrots!” another thug jeered unabashedly.
Leon touched the leather pouch at his waist but decided against revealing it considering the dim night light.
Moreover, even in broad daylight, none of these illiterates would likely recognize or be able to read the Thorny Flower emblem.
Their faces were too young; perhaps covering up and negotiating would be more persuasive.
“Enough talk, boss; let’s take them down,” a restless thug urged, brandishing a metal-clad club, ready to strike.
“Leon, this…” Lokhak scratched his cheek with a puzzled expression towards his companion.
Being a soldier’s son who grew up in the barracks, he was unsure whether to strike to kill or to handle it like the fights back in Rolannar City.
“Let’s just treat it as a physical activity after drinking, try not to kill anyone.”
After all, they weren’t in Gray Pine Valley.
Leon pulled his sword back into its sheath with his left hand and held his sword ready with his right, “Let’s make it quick.”
“Alright,” Lokhak sheathed his long sword, his naive face turning into a sinister smile.
Deprived of Olivia’s daily beatings, he had been almost bursting with pent-up energy.
Seeing the two youths foolishly sheathing their blades, the previously hesitant thug leader immediately commanded his minions to aggressively surround them, “All together!
Let’s give these kids a few holes!”
Without throwing his scabbard away, Leon, holding the handle in his right and sheathing the blade with his left, took a step forward.
His hands positioned in the Half-sword Technique readied on his right side, adopting the “Half Sword Hoe Style” to face the incoming enemies.
Perhaps accustomed to the unpredictable steps when Olivia used to beat him, seeing the straight-running thugs unable to maintain their formation disappointed Leon.
He stepped forward to face the direct attack, his right foot shifting obliquely, moving his body.
The shiny arm armor emerged from under his cloak, raising the sword sheath to block the thoughtless chop while the sword’s pommel in his right hand hammered down like a mallet viciously onto the thug’s face.
Several blooded teeth flew from his mouth, and his jaw, taking a hit fiercer than any punch, instantly knocked him over, gifting him an infant’s sleep.
Then, transitioning from the initiated Half Sword Hoe Style, Leon naturally switched to a sideways stance towards the enemy in the “True Cross” style.
Following the principles of “Cat Spinning,” every joint in his body coordinated to exert force, with his right foot as the pivot, his steps spun correctly, and his left arm circled down fiercely pressing the sword sheath, knocking away the blades nearly stabbing at his side.
Directing towards the face of his attacker, the sword sheath end easily smashed the thug’s nasal bridge.