Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 77 White House Meeting

I walked dejectedly toward the cafeteria and ran into Bud and Münster, those two clowns. For some reason, seeing them always made me feel a little better.

Is the happiness of idiots contagious? One of the unscrupulous teammates thought to himself.

They simply sat together and chatted casually over lunch.

"You may have already heard about something: after our team returned, after hearing the captain's report, Grand Duke Belt immediately dispatched an entire transport team to receive the iron ore. Grand Duke Iltan also sent a squad of soldiers to escort it, and together with the brothers who stayed behind to guard the camp, they escorted the iron ore back this morning."

Old Bard spoke with such conviction, as if he had been there himself.

“That’s not surprising. It seems that Belt was driven crazy by the iron ore issue two months ago. The losses caused to his merchant alliances by the iron ore shortage could probably buy half of the Seven Suns Merchant Alliance.” Zhang Yuan could understand the Belt Duke’s anxious feelings.

"But where is Captain Ska? I haven't seen him at all." The rookie, who hadn't seen his captain since leaving headquarters, was a little curious.

“Ska is a very busy man. I heard that he didn’t even go back to the base that day and slept in a guest room at headquarters. He had to go out before dawn today to meet the returning team.” I don’t know where Old Bard got so much information.

The armored general crossed the pass at night, while the courtiers, wearing leaky clothes, were cold at dawn. This was just a captain, and he was already working so hard.

While inwardly sighing, Zhang Yuan said aloud, "Hey Bard, did you see all of this with your own eyes? You're so sure about it?"

Old Bard was furious when he heard this. His short stature made him jump up, but it didn't add much to his imposing presence.

"This is all firsthand information that Old Bard got his hands on. How could it be false? Don't you know how extensive my connections are?"

Before Zhang Yuan could reply, a glib and slick voice came from the side.

“Oh, Mr. Bard, who is well-informed and has many connections, why did you need to ask me about the current situation just now?”

It turns out to be Mr. Old Pervert.

Lawrence's words left Bud speechless, his face flushed and he couldn't utter a single word.

When someone's bragging gets back at the person in question, that's just unbelievable.

"Ahem!" Zhang Yuan interrupted Lawrence's teasing with a raised eyebrow, looking at the old lecher who had come to his side and asking, "Now that the iron ore has arrived, Grand Duke Belt's merchant guild and industries should have resumed operations, right?"

"Yes, according to some guards from the Seven Suns Merchant Guild, when he saw the iron ore being delivered, Belt laughed so hard that a button on his jacket popped off. He completely forgot his usual aristocratic airs."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this news, Zhang Yuan's expression became even more amused. "In this battle, our Flame Fist team traveled a long distance, attacking and capturing camps. After suffering heavy casualties, we still had to return overnight to report the good news to them."

After saying that, Zhang Yuan didn't speak again. He had shed blood and sweat, and all his hard work had been for someone else's benefit. It was impossible for him not to have any thoughts about it.

Lawrence also picked up on the implication: "I haven't heard any rumors that Grand Duke Belt is a miser. Besides, there are plenty of other business alliances and Seven Suns that need our Flame Fist's help. He has to give Flame Fist and Grand Duke Iltan an explanation."

After Lawrence left, Zhang Yuan and his two companions quickly finished the food in front of them.

It's worth mentioning that Münster, who remained silent throughout, was actually the loudest one, making a really loud smacking sound with his lips.

However, the teammates nearby were probably already used to it, and no one, including Zhang Yuan, made a fuss about it.

But someone felt something was off today. Why was the big guy smacking his lips and glancing at him every now and then? And when he looked over, the guy would quickly look down and pretend nothing was wrong.

Is this clumsy pretense just self-deception?
"Big guy, just say what you want to say, or I'm leaving." Zhang Yuan didn't bother beating around the bush with Münster and spoke directly. Münster hesitated for a long time, and although he looked like a tall and mighty man, there was a hint of embarrassment on his face when he looked up.

"Well, well, the day before yesterday on the battlefield, I, I saw her again."

Zhang Yuan immediately understood what was going on; it seemed this guy was still hung up on his Crystal Maiden.

"Then, that day I saw my witch again, could I see her one more time?"

Faced with Münster's stammering request, Zhang Yuan was also in a dilemma. It wasn't that he was reluctant to summon the Ice Maiden, but the big guy's current appearance reminded him of those otaku in his previous life who were obsessed with anime characters, knowing that the characters were not real people but still being obsessed to death.

Well, we're teammates, we'll run into each other all the time, so let's do him a favor. In the end, he couldn't help but soften his heart.

"Okay, but it's not suitable today. I'll have her come out and let you see her during our training break later."

Münster was so excited he couldn't speak, he just kept nodding.

After a short rest in the afternoon, the soldiers of Flame Fist set off from their respective garrisons and gradually gathered at the gate of the Temple of Tyr.

After a short wait, a priest dressed in a pure black robe with a bright yellow belt came out to greet them.

"Come with me, please keep quiet."

After saying this, he turned and went through the gate, but instead of entering the temple, he turned left and followed a path to the garden behind the temple.

Although it is called a garden, the numerous tombstones within it reveal the true meaning of this place.

These tombstones are scattered in a well-organized manner throughout this rather large garden, yet they do not give people a gloomy or terrifying feeling.

In the afternoon, the warm but not glaring sunlight lazily shone on the ground. The tombstones, some stone tablets and others in the shape of crosses, surrounded by withered grass, appeared serene and sacred under this radiant light.

The soldiers who came to the garden with the priest were completely different from their usual carefree and boisterous selves. They were all silent and stood in solemn rows.

The ceremony began with the arrival of the high priest of the Temple of Tyr. The fallen Flame Fist soldiers, lying on stretchers and covered with gray cloth, were carried out and placed on the ground of the cemetery between the crowd and the high priest.

Led by the chief priest and altar priests, everyone bowed their heads and began to pray silently.

"Our Father in heaven, just judge, righteous arbiter, with your great hand of equality and mercy, we pray that your eyes will look upon this place, and that you will stretch out your mighty arm..."

As he listened to the priest's prayer, Zhang Yuan's thoughts drifted away like drifting catkins, heading towards the farthest reaches of the world.

Before his eyes, the simple bandit camp seemed to reappear, his teammates shouting the name of Flame Fist and charging forward bravely;
Then appeared a mage who was later said to be named Gaisas, who unleashed terrible spells that swept away one vibrant life after another like dust.
Then appeared that warrior, that fearless fighter, Taugust Cousin, whom even his opponent couldn't help but admire.

A person lost in memories was awakened by the sound of a bell. This bell was not like the clear and melodious morning bell of the Temple of Los Santos at dawn. Instead, it was very heavy and solemn, like a hammer striking his heart.

The rest of the teammates either prayed to Tyre together with the high priest or prayed silently to their own gods.

At this moment, a figure caught Zhang Yuan's attention. Beside Duke Iltan who had arrived, besides Ska, there was an uninvited guest: Duke Belt.

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(End of this chapter)