Brand finished speaking, then leisurely looked at the group.

The forest fell silent for a moment—

"Mr. Brand, are you alright?" But in the end, the experienced old fox Macaro smiled slightly, calming his inner surprise before asking, "After we got separated following the ambush, I didn't expect to meet you here."

Brand thought, you old bastard, still trying to pin all the blame on Conrad's side at a time like this. Do you take me for a fool? Yet, he did not show his rage on his face, merely smiled and patted the lifeless head of the Earth Envoy beside him, answering, "Naturally, such trivial matters aren't enough to trouble me. Unfortunately, you escaped too quickly that night, making it impossible for me to fulfill my obligation to aid an ally. It's truly regretful."

Both sides ground their teeth. It seemed neither was inferior when it came to speaking lies with their eyes wide open. However, Brand's behavior still made Macaro wary; he was uncertain if Brand genuinely knew the whole truth or if he was merely upset over their initial deceit. But for someone this young to possess such depth was rare, making Macaro feel somewhat troubled.

To the extent that he even overlooked the sting in Brand's words.

Besides, he wasn't here to bicker with this young man. Macaro furrowed his brow and looked at the forest behind Brand, hesitating for a moment before asking, "Mr. Brand, have you seen anyone else pass through here?"

"Do you mean a young man?" Brand secretly smiled.

"Precisely."

When Macaro spoke, Brand noticed the people behind him becoming noticeably anxious.

"If I'm not mistaken, that would be Mr. Aiko, wouldn't it?" Brand asked.

Macaro, Bujia, and the old man between them all changed their expressions instantly, "Have you seen him?" Macaro stepped forward and blurted out, but then realized he might have overreacted, coughing slightly before stepping back. He glanced at the two people beside him; Bujia kept one hand constantly on the sword hilt, maintaining a somber vigilance. The old man, on the other hand, looked thoughtfully in Brand's direction.

But he quickly realized Brand might already suspect something. Yet, he believed Brand could not possibly know their identities, considering they hadn't even revealed the truth to others within the Gray Wolf Mercenary Group or to Mr. Aiko.

"Have you seen him, Mr. Brand?" Macaro coughed and asked again, "Mr. Aiko is a descendant of an important friend of mine. I promised to take good care of him, but accidentally got separated."

Brand smiled slightly, not just Mr. Aiko, but the entire Gray Wolf Mercenary Group got separated too, didn't they? Yet, the old fox didn't seem as worried. But Brand didn't point this out, instead countered, "Old friend? Is that how Deceitful Fox Macaro or Baron Rosh had been referring to Duke Lune? The Duke wouldn't agree—"

As soon as he spoke, the sound of clashing swords resonated. Brand lifted his head, leisurely watching the row of attendants behind Macaro draw their swords.

"Young man, who exactly are you?" Macaro's expression changed, and he sternly asked. He immediately thought Brand might be aligned with the opposing faction, but seeing the Earth Envoy lying in a pool of blood— it didn't seem likely. Could there be a third party involved? The cunning fox hesitated, although it wasn't impossible, who else would be interested in this struggle? He couldn't help but wonder if it was a foreign power, Madara or Kruz?

Brand naturally didn't know all the thoughts rushing through Macaro's mind in an instant, but he didn't intend to answer. He was waiting for someone to speak, the old man standing between Macaro and Bujia. Given the elder's position, it clearly indicated his status. But who was this old man suddenly appearing? Duke Lune? No, he wouldn't mistake a big shot like Duke Lune. Even if it was a disguise, it didn't seem right. In Vaun, disguise was a skill players could learn, but any skill would leave traces. As an experienced player, Brand wouldn't miss such details.

Sure enough, after a moment, the old man finally looked back at him. But his first question left everyone stunned.

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