The adventurer at the bottom is fantasizing again.

Chapter 108 Is dancing also one of your warlock talents? (4K)

"Ultimately, I'm getting old, and my body can't keep up with a young person like you."

[Human hair, male, age 50-55, calm temperament, chronically ill]

Lorraine raised an eyebrow slightly.

He remembered that the viscount was a powerful warrior and should be very strong.

Could it be a hidden ailment from when I was young?

But this was clearly not a question he could ask, so he followed the other person's lead and continued the conversation.

"And then what happened?" Lorraine asked.

"later..."

Viscount Hermann was silent for a moment, then sighed almost imperceptibly and said, "I, this reckless fool, actually survived, while that cowardly fellow died on the battlefield."

Although she had expected it, Lorraine still asked cooperatively, "He's dead? How did he die?"

Viscount Herman recounted his death in a calm tone: "During a raid on an orc camp, the scout misjudged the number of enemies. He and several other comrades volunteered to stay behind and cover our retreat."

"Feel sorry."

"He said he was a worthless life, and if he died, he died. I still have Joanna waiting at home. It's just a pity that those Nightingale ladies have lost a regular customer... Hehehe..."

'

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

Only the sound of the night breeze remained on the terrace.

After a long silence, Viscount Hermann spoke again: "Lorraine... I know what you're thinking about coming here today. You're a smart man, you can't be unaware that I want to recruit you."

What kind of thoughts...?

Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to wander around?

But is there another hidden reason behind his words?

"Your Excellency, what do you mean?" Lorraine asked in return.

"I don't need you to pledge allegiance to me, Lorraine. To be precise... I don't want someone bearing his name to kneel and pledge allegiance to anyone."

Viscount Hermann exhaled a puff of white breath.

He turned around and looked at this man who bore no resemblance to his former comrade, yet was equally willing to stand up for his fellow countrymen, and said, "That day in the sewers, one of your words really resonated with me—'Just doing a job for money...'"

"Over the years, I have seen countless people kneel before me, wanting to pledge their allegiance to me. They all use lofty righteousness to disguise their greed, their goal being nothing more than status and wealth."

"But you are different."

"It's good that you're asking for money openly and honestly."

"If you ask me... nothing is as reliable as self-interest, whether it's sacrificing one's life for loyalty or never forgetting someone."

"And you, looking so frail, dare to stand in my way... Heh, that's even better."

"So frail and delicate..." Lorraine twitched the corner of her mouth.

"So I want to hire you... Lorraine."

Viscount Hermann looked calmly into his eyes: "You have people you want to protect, but there are far too many things in my territory that need to be protected."

"From monsters that suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the city to the villages outside the city walls that were frequently attacked by bandits or other things... this land has never truly been at peace."

"Hiring me?" Lorraine asked in surprise.

"Yes, you and your team, on a mission."

Viscount Hermann nodded and continued, "I will provide you with intelligence and mission requirements. How you complete the task is up to you, and whether you accept it or not is also up to you. I won't force you, how about it?"

Non-staff member?

Lorraine pondered for a long time. If it were just him and Piper, having such a seemingly good lord who would reliably provide missions would certainly be a very good choice.

But don't forget, he's actually being employed right now, and Eileen has been paying him.

And there are additional benefits...

He hesitated for a few seconds before replying, "I need to consult my companions, Your Excellency."

"Can."

Viscount Hermann didn't expect him to agree immediately. He took out a badge engraved with three icicles from his pocket and handed it to Lorraine.

"If you've made up your mind, just tell Marcus, and he'll arrange it for you."

"Now... enjoy the banquet tonight and don't keep your lady waiting."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Lorraine accepted the badge, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Aren't you going to the banquet?"

"Joanna likes me to sleep with her, and judging by the time, it's about time."

Viscount Hermann smiled.

What kind of magic does this Joanna possess that has captivated this man so much?

Lorraine was genuinely curious.

"Then I'll take my leave," he said.

He followed the old butler all the way back to the banquet hall.

Looking around, I spotted the short guy who had moved to a different spot to eat; surprisingly, he hadn't been kicked out by the servants yet...

But where did Eileen go?

Lorin looked around in confusion, and finally found a red-haired mage in a corner who exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay.

She was sitting on a sofa, propping her head up with her hand, staring blankly at the dance floor, probably because she had been waiting for a long time and was getting bored.

Why isn't this guy back yet...?

Could it be that she didn't want to dance with me, so she took this opportunity to secretly stay outside and only came back when the banquet was almost over?

She would never have thought that way about anyone else.

If it were Lorraine... that idiot might actually do that.

That wretched guy... She gritted her teeth inwardly, deciding to punish him properly when she got back.

Should she ask him to massage her shoulders, or her legs...? Eileen couldn't help but start daydreaming.

"Beautiful lady, may I dance with you?"

Where did it come from...?

Eileen looked up impatiently and saw the face that had just existed in her imagination.

"Why are you only coming back now!"

She puffed out her cheeks, her impatience quickly turning into a reproachful expression, but she was secretly pleased, though she managed to suppress it completely.

Of course, this did not escape Lorraine's notice.

"Sorry we've been talking for a while."

He tried his best to keep a smile on his face.

Eileen gave a soft snort and reluctantly placed her hand in the outstretched palm, letting Lorraine pull her up from the sofa, but she still complained, "I thought you were planning to talk to him all night."

"How could this be..."

Lorraine led her towards the dance floor, putting his arm around her waist as they walked. He whispered in her ear, "He wants to hire us. I'll tell you the details later when we get back."

Eileen's ears were tickled by his breath, and the arm around her waist made her fantasize. She gave a soft "hmm" and then frowned.

Why does this guy always have to whisper in her ear?

Was it intentional?

She glanced at him furtively from the side.

He looked quite serious.

Humph...

The dance steps were graceful and swaying.

Having learned from her previous experience, Lorraine avoided any embarrassment and successfully completed the entire dance, even spinning her around on the last note.

But he soon realized something was wrong.

"Mr. Lorraine...is dancing also one of your sorcerer talents?"

Eileen nestled against him, lightly tapping his chest with her fingers, and looked up at him expressionlessly.

The next day, in a secluded garden at the Temple of the Lord of Dawn.

"In that case, this Viscount Herman is indeed a rare and good lord, which puts my mind at ease. I thought he had ulterior motives when I saw how eager he was to win you over, but it turns out it was because of Lorraine's name."

Anya nodded gently after listening to Lorraine's account.

Her complexion has improved a lot, and her arm is no longer in a sling, but she still needs to rest for a while before she is fully recovered.

"What do you think about the employment issue?" Lorraine asked.

No...maybe it's because my charm attribute of 15 finally had some effect, but the effect was obviously not big enough.

Because Eileen hadn't been so captivated by him that she'd forgotten what happened last night.

She was sitting next to Anya, her fingers twirling a strand of Anya's blonde hair between her fingers, seemingly lost in thought.

Ever since she discovered his dancing ability last night, this arrogant red-haired mage has been treating him with an attitude of "I'm still angry, but I'm not really angry, you just need to know that I'm angry."

"If there are suitable tasks, just do them. After all, Eileen came out to gain experience, she can't just stay in her room reading spellbooks all the time."

Anya smiled gently at Lorraine and said, "Besides, I feel more at ease with you by her side."

"7

"Who wants him by my side?"

Eileen snorted and stubbornly raised her chin.

"Cough cough..."

Lorraine coughed lightly, deciding not to go against her, and changed the subject, saying, "By the way, why haven't I seen Ryan today?"

Anya was silent for a moment, then said, "He went to deal with the weapons."

"Disposing of weapons?" Lorraine asked in confusion. "He took good care of that two-handed greatsword, didn't he? I saw before that the blade was almost like a mirror."

"Raine, he..."

Anya sighed, a rare occurrence for her. She hesitated for a moment before deciding whether to speak or not. Finally, thinking that they would find out sooner or later anyway, she said helplessly, "He thinks the greatsword is useless and wants to replace it with a tower shield."

She seemed to have finally let out a piece of her mind, and she appeared much more relaxed.

Lorraine still remembered the image of Raine carrying Anya as they charged towards the temple gates, and quickly understood the meaning behind her words.

"He... feels so guilty? It can't be... He didn't even participate in the battle in the sewers, why is he like this..."

He hesitated.

"People always think it's a blessing to be born into an aristocratic family. Indeed, for most people, a distinguished family background means wealth, respect, and power. But for Renn, at least, the Casper surname is a heavy burden he can't shake off."

Anya lowered her eyes and gazed at a neglected wax petal flower in the corner of the garden, her expression somewhat complicated.

"Our eldest brother, Derek, has been helping our father with political affairs since he was young, and everyone knows that he will inherit the title of Duke in the future."

"So after Renn grew up and showed extraordinary swordsmanship talent, his father placed another expectation on this second son."

"He hoped that Rein could become the 'Sword Bearer' of the Caspar family, upholding the family's future on a path different from his elder brother's."

At this point, Anya forced a smile, but there wasn't much joy in it. She continued, "But Rein... he's always been that quiet and reserved person since he was a child. If he had been born into a commoner's family, with his strong physique and extraordinary talent, he would still have earned the respect of others even if he wasn't good with words."

But he was the second son of Duke Oswald Kaspar, a man who couldn't even command soldiers on the parade ground; he was not entitled to inherit the surname.

"Anya..."

Eileen gently hugged her friend, rested her chin on her shoulder, and nuzzled her softly.

"It's okay."

Anya patted her, forced a smile, and said, "Father is a man who is used to using his authority to control everything. He doesn't know how to face a son who can't even look him in the eye."

Over time, he stopped forcing Ryan to attend those dreaded occasions, but he also stopped paying attention to him.

He shifted his focus to the other children, leaving Raine with only an empty training ground.

"Raine... must be feeling terrible too."

Lorraine had been listening silently until now, and finally couldn't help but speak up.

He couldn't imagine how Renn grew up in that kind of environment, no wonder he chose to wear that full plate armor all the time.

For Renn, it was probably more than just a reliable set of armor; it was a fortress he had built for himself.

Hiding behind such a fortress, one no longer needs to worry about others seeing one unable to speak.

"Yes... Although the servants dared not neglect him, no one really cared about him. Eileen and I were probably the only ones who were willing to talk to him at that time."

He would play those games that only girls wanted to play with us on the grass behind the temple, help Eileen try out her new magic tricks, and tell me, haltingly, the knightly legends he had read...

"And now, he has almost lost us twice."

Anya looked down at the emblem of the Lord of Dawn embroidered on her robe, her eyes appearing slightly red.

"That's not his fault," Lorraine said softly.

"I know."

Anya nodded gently. "Eileen knows, and even Father... perhaps he finally knows, but Rein doesn't. He's lived in self-blame and silence for too long, so long that he's gotten used to taking all the blame upon himself."

She raised her head again and looked at Eileen's tearful eyes, which were resting on her shoulder.

Anya ruffled her hair, then looked at Lorraine sitting opposite her, and finally couldn't hold back a tear: "So... he took that... the two-handed greatsword that Father forged for him when he was still proud of him..."

66

...it melted away.

None of the three spoke again.

The garden quickly quieted down, and the warmer breeze gently swayed the wax petal flower, creating a rustling sound.

Lorraine was silent for a moment, then saw Eileen look up at him, her eyes and eyebrows glancing towards the garden gate, and mouthing, "Go, you go first."

'

"...I'm going to see Viscount Hermann to finalize the employment arrangements...Excuse me."

Lorraine stood up and nodded to Anya.

"Okay... thank you for your hard work..." Anya wiped away her tears and smiled at him.

He walked through the garden archway and headed toward the side corridor leading to the temple gate, where he suddenly stopped.

Lorraine saw a tall, silent figure.

Ryan was leaning against the side porch, his head down, and was only a wall away from the garden. He probably heard everything.

He also noticed Lorraine approaching, looked up and gently shook his head at him, his eyes unusually firm despite his slightly haggard face.

>