Their gazes exchanged a gleam of silent understanding.


    The mission, filled with glory for some, had just taken on a darker dimension for those who knew how to observe beyond the obvious.


    While the party was in full swing, theughter and singing of the vigers filled the square, creating a warm atmosphere that contrasted with the two men''s anxiety.


    A few children approached themughing, their little hands outstretched towards Maxime and Rodrigo, asking for a dance.


    Rodrigo, reluctant at first, finally gave in to the children''s pleas with a smile, while Maxime stood by and watched them dance awkwardly together.


    This soon began to drift into Rodrigo having fun making the children fly.


    With hisrge size and powerful physique, he had no trouble carrying several children at once.


    Returning to Terry and Piedro''s side, the beer contest was in full swing.


    A stocky viger named Garen, a red-cheeked former soldier with eyes shining with amusement, raised his tankard with a provocative smile in Terry''s direction.


    "Well, mercenary? Still up and about? You look like you''re having trouble keeping up!"


    Terry burst outughing, but his voice trailed a little, and his gaze was already getting a little fuzzy.


    "Peuh! What do you take me for, Garen? You can drink barrels and still walk straight afterwards! Right, Piedro?"


    Piedro, whose eyelids seemed to be fighting gravity, nodded vigorously in support, but his hand was visibly betraying him.


    He trembled as he lifted his tankard, which made many of the vigersugh.


    "Exactly! No...no viger...can bend...can bend mercenaries of our caliber!"@@novelbin@@


    His drunken, hesitant voice provoked another round ofughter from the vigers.


    Although they were beginning to feel equally hot-headed, none seemed intimidated; they knew that time was on their side.


    Piedro and Terry, however, impressed them.


    Between them, they werepeting against a dozen people.


    A young woman named Lira raised her ss with a glint of mischief in her eyes.


    "It''s all very well to brag, but it looks like you''re starting to lose color, especially Terry!"


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    "Pfft, it''s not me who''s fading, it''s just the firelight that''s... that''s... uh... making everything blurry..."


    The vigers burst outughing as Terry struggled to keep his bnce on his stool. Piedro, for his part, clutched at Terry''s shoulder, his head beginning to spin dangerously.


    "Terry, I think I have an idea. Why don''t we take a break, just to... recalcte, you know?"


    "Recalcte what?"


    Piedro whispered softly in Terry''s ear.


    "I''ve got a n...let''s pretend we''re going to take a leak...but actually we''re going to do what I call...tactical puking!"


    Terry opened his eyes wide in surprise.


    Then he shook his head and looked at Piedro as if he were staring at an idiot.


    "There''s a w in your n there, do you really think we can walk right now?"


    At the same moment, and seeing the situation, Garen stood up and brandished his tankard tounch the final blow.


    "Well, my friends, I think we can dere victory for the vigers! Those mercenaries certainly don''t have any legs left to stand on!"


    The vigers exulted, pping their hands andughing out loud.


    Piedro, in a final burst of pride, tried to stand up, but missed and copsed in the straw nearby.


    Seeing his college in this state, Terry admitted defeat.


    "Okay, okay... you win. But training will be rescheduled for another day."


    Lira, still mischievous, came dangerously close to Terry''s face.


    "That''s a pity, I really wanted to train tonight.


    Terry became suddenly shy; he''d never had any experience with women until now.


    He tried to look at Lira''s face, but every time he tried to concentrate, his vision was blurred, and the darkness of the night wasn''t making things any easier.


    Then suddenly a sweet sensationnded on his lips.


    Startled, Terry lost his bnce and fell backwards into the hay with Lira.


    All the vigers began to whistle and shout with enthusiasm as the two began to kissnguorously despite the situation.


    Laura and James arrived just then, surprised by what was happening.


    James, raising an eyebrow, lightly tapped Laura''s shoulder to get her attention, an amused smile on his lips.


    "Well, little Terry''s going to be big Terry tonight."


    Laura shook her head with augh, one hand on her hip.


    "Maybe I should have brought the buckets of water earlier to calm things down... but at least they''ve integrated well with the vigers."


    James began tough merrily.


    "That''s not integration anymore, that''s fusion."


    "On the other hand, believe me, if you had spilled a bucket of water on them, whether you were the chief''s wife or not, all the mercenaries would have cursed you to your death."


    "Sex is sacred."


    James was extremely convinced by what he was saying, which exasperated Laura and so she huffed slightly.


    "All the same."


    Seeing Laura and James arrive, a few enthusiastic vigers raised their tankards in the direction of the mercenaries.


    Garen was excited when he saw them.


    "Hey, heree some mercenaries! If you''ve got any energy left, why don''t you show us some techniques?"


    "Huh? Why should we have to do that!" replied Laura with slight annoyance.


    "Your colleagues promised us!"


    Laura and James looked at Piedro slumped in straw and obviously sleeping, then at Terry immersed in some of the world''s greatest happiness.


    Then they both looked at each other andughed.


    "Okok, we''re going to teach you a few little techniques."


    Laura took a more serious tone, although the smile in her eyes betrayed her amusement.


    "First let''s start with a warm-up... and maybe the losers of this beer contest can show us what they can do once they wake up."


    Piedro, still sprawled in the hay, raised a hand weakly, mumbling in a pasty voice.


    "I''ming...wait for me...just a moment..."


    The vigersughed harder, but several of them gathered around, forming a circle around Laura and James with curious faces ready to learn more.


    Laura assumed a steady posture, observing the vigers benevolently.


    "Self-defense isn''t just about strength, but speed and reflexes."


    "Who''s up for starting?"


    A young man, still a little tipsy but full of determination, stood up awkwardly and stepped forward.


    "Me! I want to be able to defend my family!"


    Laura nodded and approached him.


    "Perfect. Start by showing me how you''d throw a punch."


    The young man assumed a slightly hesitant posture and threw a clumsy punch forward, almost tripping.


    Laura held back a smile, then patiently adjusted his posture, showing him how to bnce his weight on his feet and where to position his arms to stay steady.


    "There you go. Keep your elbows close to your body, and try to pivot with your body to give strength. If you''re off bnce, you''ll be an easy target, and you won''tst against an experienced enemy."


    Gradually, other vigers joined in the impromptu training, encouraged by James, who showed the stronger ones how to keep a low guard and make quick dodges.


    The atmosphere remained upbeat, whileughter could be heard in the distance.


    A camaraderie had begun to form between the vigers and the mercenaries.


    A few hours passed, and the calm of the night gradually descended on the vige as the campfires were extinguished one by one.


    The next morning, while the vige was still asleep, Maxime gathered his men in the dawning light, his features serious.


    He exined the situation, making no secret of his doubts or the urgency of the situation. Each mercenary listened in silence, aware of the moreplex mission ahead.


    Andrew stepped forward, breaking the silence with a firm voice.


    "Who cares, let''s just get to the ces where we can help, and if it''s too dangerous we can always run."


    Ernest intervened as well.


    "Hothead is right, this situation is even advantageous for us because previously the nobles'' military forces were sufficient."


    "Who are you calling hothead Ernest?" intervened Andrew with a sullen face.


    Ernest, however, ignored himpletely.


    "But now they tend to get overwhelmed."


    Maxime ignored the brief confrontation and nodded.


    He stared at them all, his gaze imbued with unshakeable resolution.


    "We leave for Lapi tomorrow.


    However, a question nagged at the back of Maxime''s mind.