A dull longsword and a heartbroken villager

Reihart shielded himself with his arms, taking the brunt of the explosion.

The intense heat of the explosion scorched the skin on Reihart's arm, but he was otherwise unharmed.

"Tsk, the mission is a complete mess." I wonder how Bai Wei will scold me again.

Reihart shook his hand, looking miserable. In Risak, a small town near the border, there was a small tavern.

The tavern was packed with people, though on ordinary days these rugged men would probably be drinking.

However, the situation is clearly different now; the people gathered in the tavern are all listening to stories.

The storyteller was a bard who was surrounded by people.

The bard's name was Sass, and he had a pleasing head of short, brown hair.

"At that moment, the Duchess walked in wearing a bathrobe." Sass twirled his large hat.

"The Duchess said to the mercenary, 'Tonight, it's just the two of us.' Then she puffed out her chest."

“Your breasts are this big.” Sass gestured with his hand in front of his chest.

The people in the tavern aren't exactly cultured, so when describing them, it's better to be direct than to use abstract descriptions.

“Wow, it’s bigger than my wife’s!” A man slammed his hand on the table.

"Because we have money to eat well, right?" another man said thoughtfully.

"Then the mercenary swallowed hard. 'You look beautiful tonight, madam,' his eyes were fixed on the Duchess's snow-white bosom." Sass became more and more excited as he spoke.

"The Duchess lifted her bathrobe, revealing her long, slender, snow-white legs."

Every man wants to hear this dirty joke.

But suddenly the tavern door was pushed open.

Bray led Marin in.

"The Will Empire is now in its thirteenth reign, and many people are wondering how Will XIII, who has no male heirs, will choose his successor," Sass said expressionlessly.

"Sh ...

The bard would not tell dirty jokes as long as women were present.

"I really don't know what the point of all this is. You should just keep talking," a man complained, taking a sip of his drink.

“That’s a gentleman,” Sass shrugged.

"Do you want to continue listening to Imperial history or geography?" Sass asked.

However, it was clear that the people in the tavern weren't in such a good mood.

If they don't have dirty jokes to listen to, these rough guys might as well drink.

Seeing that no one was listening to the story, Sass also sat down at the counter.

"Boss, could I have a glass of fruit wine? Apple flavored."

"Of course, buddy, this one's free." The owner soon handed Sass a glass of fruit wine, along with a tip.

"Hey sassy, ​​welcome back to tell your stories again!"

“Of course, if possible,” Sass said with a smile after taking a sip of tea.

Only now did Sass have time to properly examine the two new strangers who had just entered.

Then Sass's gaze settled on Marin.

---

"Bray," Marlene called out softly.

"Hmm?" Bray looked down at Marlene.

“That person has been staring at me.” Marlene pointed directly in the direction of Sass.

"It's nothing, there's nothing wrong with a man who stares at women."

“Hmm…” Marlene wiggled her little feet and lowered her head.

"Okay, I got it." Bray's voice was full of helplessness.

Bray stood up and sat down next to Marin, blocking Marin's body from view.

Then Sass jumped up and walked over to Bray and Marlene in a few quick steps.

“Ugh…” Marlene shrank behind Bray.

I don't know when it started, but Marin seems to have become somewhat dependent on Bray.

"..." Bray stared at Sass with dead fish eyes, speechless.

Being stared at by Bray made Sass a little uncomfortable.

"Ahem, well, my name is Sass." Sass decided to introduce himself first.

"Lolicon?" Bray's opening line was a critical hit.

Bray's speech was often flat and monotone, which made people feel very dejected.

However, this tone now makes Sass sound full of pity.

"I'm not a lolicon!!!" Sass retorted.

“Oh.” Bray nodded.

Sass was stunned.

"That's it?"

"At least keep talking to me!!"

Sass took a deep breath and focused his gaze on Marlene.

"Are you... called Marlene?"

"!!!?" Bray frowned, while Marlene looked completely bewildered.

But Sass looked on with anticipation.

Sass had only asked these nonsensical questions on impulse when he saw the girl who looked a lot like his older sister.

But the answer he received left Sass unable to find peace.

"Do you know Marlene?"

"do not know."

That's true. If we knew each other, we wouldn't have reacted that way.

Bray picked up his water glass, took a sip, and looked at Sass.

"How did you know her name, sir?"

Sass looked at Marlene with a strange expression.

“Marlene is my older sister.”

"Pfft—" Bree, who was drinking water, choked hard and spat out the water.

“Marienvis,” Sass said, uttering the name.

But this only earned him Marin's bewilderment.

“Weiss?” Marlene tilted her head and asked Bray.

“That might be your surname,” Bray said, patting Marlene’s head.

"But are you sure it's the older sister and not the younger sister?" Even Bray was no longer calm.

Bray can accept any kind of scenario with the younger sister, but with the older sister…

Sass's words are truly mind-blowing.

"Yes, she looks exactly like my sister when she was little."

"And the names are the same too."

"Finally, my sister disappeared a year ago."

Sass lowered his eyelids and looked at Marlene.

"You've mistaken me for someone else." That was the only answer Bray could come up with, since Marlene herself didn't even know her own last name.

Although I still think it's too much of a coincidence, that's the only way I can think of it.

"..." Sass didn't know what to say, so he plopped down opposite Bray.

“My sister went to Clinton a year ago.”

“Our family, the Weiss family, is a family of bards…my parents, my sister, and I are all bards.”

"My sister went to Clinton a year ago to travel as a bard."

“…” Sass’s words caused Bray to fall silent.

There are too many coincidences; when pieced together, they become unbearable.

“I met Marlene in Clinton,” Bray said truthfully.

"Could you... be more specific?" Sass asked excitedly, slapping the table, but then realized his rudeness and lowered his voice.

“Okay.” Bray closed his eyes and recounted everything except what happened on the railcar.

Marin listened with a blank expression the whole time.

“…” After listening to Bray’s words, Sass remained silent for a long time.

Sass's parents had long since passed away, while the girl in front of him, who also shared the same name as Marlene, was on her way to Inlai to find her own parents.

For a moment, Sass also wondered if he was overthinking things.

How could such a young girl, even if her name is Marlene, possibly be his older sister?

“Marlene…right?” Sass’s throat was a little dry.

“Mm.” Marlene nodded.

What is your surname?

"I don't know." Marlene shook her head helplessly.

"I don't know," Sass said with a wry smile.

Marlene looked at Sass's changing expression with a puzzled expression.

“Mr. Bray, right?” Sass turned to Bray.

“Yes, Bray, Brayclas.” Bray hesitated for a moment before finally giving his name.

"Can I go to Inle with you?"

"Why?" was Bray's first question.

That's right, if a stranger suddenly wants to travel with you, they will inevitably ask this question.

This question, however, proved difficult for Sass to answer.

"I don't know." Sass scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed.

The girl in front of him was unlikely to be his sister, and it seemed that it had nothing to do with him that others were going to Inlai to find their parents.

"It's just that when I see her... I just want to do this."

"Let's do it together then."

To Sass's surprise, Bray answered readily.

"You'll have to cover the travel and food expenses," Bray said expressionlessly.

"Is this the real purpose?" Sass exclaimed in surprise.

"Is that not allowed?"

“Sure!” Sass replied immediately.

As for why Sass answered so readily?

Marin was lifted high by Bray and placed in front of Sass.