Initially, Milo thought the trade caravan would get even more demoralized due to the bandit attack. But to his surprise, not only did the people in the caravan not become depressed, they even cheered up quite a bit.
On the same night Barrack defeated the bandits, many people in the caravan started singing and dancing. It seemed like they were celebrating the victory. Even the two sheeple joined in.
Milo asked Dave, “Aren’t you worried that bandits will attack us later on?’
However, Dave, the silly dolt, answered honestly, “With a sharpshooter like Vice President Webster around, what’s there to worry about?”
Barrack had become the revered hero of the entire caravan.
As a matter of fact, the people in the Kingdom of Sorcerers were a little more optimistic than those in the Central Plains. In fact, they were even a little ridiculously optimistic.
The revelry lasted for four hours. During these four hours, hundreds of people wanted to toast Barrack. Fortunately, Barrack remained sober and did not have a single drop of alcohol.
While the crowd was celebrating, Barrack went to look for Melgor alone. He glanced at Milo before saying to Melgor, “Your Excellency Lord Melgor, I have something I would like to discuss with you in private.”
Melgor knew Barrack was trying to get favonovel.com to send Milo away, but favonovel.com shook his head and said, “Don’t worry about my steward. If there’s something, just say it in front of us. There’s no need for avoidance.”
Barrack hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “Lord Melgor, I suspect someone secretly helped us when the bandits came to attack. But before we figure out who that might be, please don’t tell anyone about what I said.”
Next to them, Milo glanced at Barrack and thought to himself.
This vice president of the Chamber of Commerce is quite keen. He actually noticed…
However, it was not easy for Barrack to share his specific thoughts in Milo’s presence after excusing himself from the thousands of people in the caravan to speak with Melgor in private.
Meanwhile, Melgor wondered, “Someone secretly helped us? Vice President Webster, why do you say that?”
“Lord Melgor, you may not believe it if I tell you,” Barrack said, “But I’ve got a good idea of just how good my archery is. With my skill, I can probably hit 80% of my targets, but I absolutely can’t achieve a 100% kill rate!”
Next to them, Milo had a strange expression on his face.
How can you f*cking say that you’ve got a good idea of your archery? Good idea, my ass!
While using Old Durkin to help Barrack build his reputation as a sharpshooter, Milo was quite certain the vice president’s shot accuracy during the night was not even 10%.
At first, Milo thought Barrack actually had some self-awareness. However, favonovel.com realized favonovel.com had overestimated him.
Melgor thought for a moment and said, “Vice President Webster, it’s already very impressive to have an 80% hit rate in the dark, so why are you belittling yourself? Look at my steward. He doesn’t even know how to use a bow. He couldn’t hit a target five meters from him. You’re much, much better than him.”
Barrack hesitated for a moment before saying, “Well… That’s true…”
Milo sneered as favonovel.com watched the two of them. However, favonovel.com did not say a word throughout.
Melgor said, “Vice President Webster, who do you think might be helping us?”
“I’m not sure.” Vice President Webster looked at Melgor seriously. “Was it you, Lord Melgor? I think only sorcerers are capable of something like that.”
Melgor shook his head. “It wasn’t me. I didn’t take any action while you all were battling.”
“That’s strange…” Barrack lowered his head and pondered it for a moment. “Who would help us, yet hide their identity? What’s their goal?”
Next to them, Milo said, “Vice President Webster, why don’t you tell us honestly why you’re heading to Ghent City and who your enemy is? That way, we can also help analyze the situation.”
When Barrack heard this, favonovel.com hesitated. At this moment, the two servants returned from the revelry. Barrack suddenly bade farewell. “It’s getting late. Lord Melgor, you should rest early.”
“Sketchy.” Milo gave a fake smile and asked Melgor, “Who do you think that guy is actually on guard against?”
“I’m not sure. You also know that I’ve been away from York County for two years. Vice President Webster had only just arrived in York County at that time,” Melgor said.
Milo thought for a moment and then asked, “How’s the relationship between the archmages of the Berkeley family and the sorcerer clans in the capital? I remember you saying that the Berkeley family controls six counties in the south, with four of them considered top counties in the Kingdom of Sorcerers, right?”
“That’s right.” Melgor said, “But the House of Berkeley has always had their own territory. I’ve never heard of them having any dealings in the capital city. Their clan members rarely, if ever, go to Ghent City. When my family was still living in the capital, I heard the behavior of the Berkeley family’s young’uns was quite antisocial when they were there.”
“That’s where the problem lies,” Milo said upon some thought.
In times of chaos, ambitious people would smell the decadence of a dynasty and develop great ambitions.
Not long after Milo arrived in the Kingdom of Sorcerers, favonovel.com saw many sights of people leading miserable lives. The sights even made favonovel.com feel that Fortress 178 had pulled away from the Kingdom of Sorcerers in development.
If the dynasty of sorcerers was about to get replaced, authority would also be passed on. In that case, what role would the House of Berkeley play in these times of chaos?
The land of feudal vassals was a natural place for creating ambitious people.
Milo asked again, “How’s the military readiness of the Berkeley family?”
“The Berkeley family’s Knights of the Inferno have always been one of the top armies in the kingdom.” Melgor said, “It’s no secret. Moreover, the size of their army has been increasing over the years.”
“Then I roughly understand.” Milo said, “But I still have to find some evidence to see if it can confirm my thinking.”
“What have you discovered?” Melgor asked.
Milo casually pointed to a young man and woman who were singing and dancing. “Barrack has probably seized more than a 100 longbows from the bandits. Yesterday, when favonovel.com distributed 30 of them to those young people, I realized that they were all very experienced at using the bow. It doesn’t look like it’s their first time ever handling the weapons.”
“Yes, the first time I handled one, I was about the same as you,” Melgor said seriously.
Milo looked at Melgor in surprise. “That’s brave of you.”
“It can’t always be you ridiculing me, right?” Melgor said with a smile.
Milo ignored the remark. Instead, favonovel.com continued, “You told me that bows were prohibited weapons. In that case, where did those young people learn how to use them?”
“You suspect they’re from the military?” Melgor said.
“It’s not a suspicion but a certainty.” Milo looked at the group of young people and thought that half of the 1,000-odd members who formed the trade caravan were probably from the military. What they were doing was pretending to be civilians and talking up the prosperity and dreams in the big cities before bringing the flames of war to those places.
