"Don’t worry, if there’s any discovery, I will surely inform everyone. By the way, you’re busy through the night and must be thirsty, here are some sour berry wines from the Grand Duchy of Arian, take it to quench your thirst... It’s no problem, it’s not expensive, and hardly any guests order it without the taste of alcohol... Take care."
Old Porter remained standing outside the tavern, smiling as he watched the patrol guards walk into the distance. It wasn’t until their figures disappeared that Old Porter’s smile gradually faded.
"Sigh..."
As soon as Old Porter put away his expression, he heard a sigh from beside him. Turning back, he saw the owner of the perfume shop next door also come out of his store, looking at the street lit up like daytime and sighed, "This night is really lively."
The owner of the perfume shop was also a Third Level apprentice and had been neighbors with Old Porter for five or six years. They had a harmonious relationship and occasionally exchanged sympathetic words, like now:
"Old Porter, only you would bow and scrape to those princes’ watchdogs. I really don’t understand what you’re thinking. From my point of view, there’s no need to deal with them at all."
"To me, they are all guests. Building a good relationship can bring more people to spend money here. Plus, sour berry wine isn’t worth much," Old Porter said with a smile.
"Not worth much, so you just give it away? If it were me, I’d rather pour it out than give it to these people. Do you think they’d really dare to fight you? They’re just a bunch of weak chickens."
The perfume shop owner’s words actually echoed the sentiments of most of the shop owners in the neighborhood, but Old Porter did not respond to his neighbor’s complaint.
The patrol guards indeed weren’t very strong. The highest ranked among them just now was only at the Second Level apprentice level. However, they had numbers on their side.
How was Lady Melo and her group captured? Sure, the Talented One was a disadvantage, but another main reason was the sheer number of patrol guards at Princess Castle.
Enough ants can bite an elephant to death, and that’s how Lady Melo was overpowered.
As for why there were so many low to mid-level apprentice guards, Old Porter, who had been an undercover agent in the Gumman Kingdom for so many years, had looked into it. The trail always led back to King Gumman, and he couldn’t investigate further. He once reported this, but the upper echelons of the Barbarian Cave didn’t seem interested, nor did most of the witcher organizations. It was clear from this tacit understanding that they already had the answer in their hearts.
"It’s late, no one will probably come to buy perfume from your shop tonight, why don’t I get you a bottle of wine to drink and then rest," Old Porter suggested, looking at his longtime neighbor.
"No one will buy perfume? Then you’re wrong. The patrol guards who came to my shop earlier said that Modia might requisition finished products and materials later, probably a big order."
Old Porter: "Requisition perfume? Modia has come up with new tricks to torment people?"
The perfume shop owner snorted through his nose, "Who knows, that little monster can do anything. But anyway, it’s got nothing to do with me, I just need to earn Magic Crystals."
"It’s just a requisition now, aren’t you afraid they won’t pay afterwards?"
"Would they dare?! This time, many shops have been mentioned for requisition, if they dare to renege on this large-scale requisition, do they really think King Gumman can shelter them at this frontier..."
The perfume shop owner was about to angrily shout a few words, but his rant was interrupted halfway by a loud boom from afar.
Old Porter and the perfume shop owner exchanged glances, both took out their flying devices, and flew into the air.
Looking down from above, they saw the source of the loud noise was the center of Princess Town, where Modia’s castle was located!
Along with the boom, there was also a dazzling bright light!
The light shone wildly over the land, turning the night into day.
Old Porter looked at the Princess Town below, which was now completely awakened, and murmured softly, "You were right earlier, this night... is even more lively than expected."
...
Not long after the loud noise, more patrol guards were dispatched from the castle; some went to requisition potions and materials, while others patrolled and searched between shops under the pretense of catching fugitives.
While Old Porter’s tavern also occasionally had guards come by, they merely chatted with Old Porter and left, far more lenient than other stores.
Obviously, the relationships Old Porter had been cultivating played a crucial role here.
This was good news for Old Porter. After the boom, he had feared he would have to deal with the guards non-stop, but now that few people came by, he finally had time to go meet Lord Pat.
However, before meeting Lord Pat, he still had to deal with the person suddenly blocking his way.
"Red Sword" Dox.
"Lord Red Sword, what can I do for you?" Old Porter asked respectfully.
"You’re... going to see the Transcendental Wizard, right? I’ll join you. I also have something to ask him." Dox frowned, his mind in contemplation.
Old Porter hesitated, intending to lie, as his business was about the Wilderness of Dreams, something he definitely couldn’t let Dox know.
But looking at Dox’s slightly glowing, direct gaze, Old Porter knew lying was probably futile.
"Maybe I should notify the lord first?"
"No need to trouble, let’s go together." Dox said, signaling Old Porter to lead the way.
Old Porter sighed inwardly. Although reluctant, he dared not refuse Dox and began leading the way.
Throughout the journey, Dox remained silent, only speaking upon reaching the secret chamber, "Is he inside?"
Old Porter nodded and prepared to knock on the door.
But before he could move, the door was opened from the inside.
Once the door opened, Angel could be seen on a sofa inside, looking towards the door.
Angel first glanced at Old Porter, then turned his gaze to the person beside him, "Dox, what? You still don’t want to give up and want to ask about the secrets of Barbarian Cave?"
Angel stood up, inviting them in, "Why not just join the Barbarian Cave instead."
Dox looked intently at Angel and finally said, "It seems something happened again at Princess Castle earlier, do you know about it?"
Angel: "I heard. Why, do you suspect I did it?"
Dox: "You previously invited me to the castle for a show."
Angel nodded, "Yes, you can still see a good show now. After all, the big gift I left there was very much welcomed by the princess."
"You invited me to the show, just for that big gift?"