As that name fell, the surrounding air seemed to freeze for a fraction of a second.
The NPCs present unanimously drew in a cold breath, and this synchronized intake of air even gave Otto the illusion that global climate change was about to warm up by a few degrees because of it.
The blonde youth before them simply had an off-the-charts aura!
Those wind-swept golden locks, those noble, profound emerald eyes, paired with that calm smile… Although this group of locals racked their brains and couldn’t figure out which distinguished family Apocalypse belonged to, the name alone exuded the expensive vibe of the sacred ancient Rome!
Which family’s young master had run out to travel in disguise and uphold justice?
Looking at the dumbfounded, shocked expressions of the dozen or so NPCs before him, Otto remained calm on the surface, but inwardly couldn’t help crazily giving himself a thumbs-up: ‘My acting skills are simply too superb!
In my past life, not going to the Beijing Film Academy or Central Academy of Drama was truly a massive loss for the entertainment industry!’
“Cough, this place is not suitable for a long stay,” Otto broke the silence at the opportune moment, speaking in a tone that was unquestionable yet gentle.
“Let’s continue walking first.
Whatever we have to say, we can chat on the way.”
“Right, right, right!
Righteous man… No, Lord Otto is right!” That fat merchant snapped out of his daze, hurriedly nodding like pounding garlic, and incidentally introduced himself, saying his name was Philin and he was a merchant dealing in furs and grain.
Under Philin’s enthusiastic invitation, Otto unceremoniously boarded the reasonably spacious long carriage.
Sitting on cushions paved with rough animal skins, Otto couldn’t help muttering inwardly: ‘Come to think of it, during King Arthur’s era, which is equivalent to the 5th and 6th centuries AD, are there actually such systematic merchant caravans?’
But on second thought, this world already had King Arthur, so what was so strange about having a few well-equipped merchant caravans?
Just as Otto was pondering to himself, a scene outside the carriage window almost made him vomit his dinner from the night before.
The two guards did not get into the carriage immediately, but instead skillfully walked over to the corpses of the ten eliminated barbarians.
At first, Otto thought the classic medieval RPG segment of ‘looting corpses’ was about to be staged, but it turned out he only guessed half of it right.
The two guards did indeed scavenge the rusty iron swords and tattered daggers from the opponents first, but immediately afterward, they raised the longswords in their hands and brought them down mercilessly right at the necks of those corpses!
Splitch—
That dull sound of sharp blades cutting through flesh and bone, accompanied by the gushing red and white matter, appeared incomparably fierce and raw in this real world without censors.
Where had Otto ever seen such a bloody R18G scene?
His stomach churned violently on the spot, and suppressing the impulse to vomit, he quickly averted his head, his brows tightly knitted together.
Although he had also killed a few barbarians, how could those scenes compare to this level of shock?
This scene fell into the eyes of the nearby fat merchant Philin, but was over-interpreted into a completely different meaning.
Philin simply assumed that a great aristocrat like Otto felt puzzled and disdainful toward such bloody spoils of war, so he leaned over and explained:
“Lord Otto, I know that someone of noble birth like you certainly disdains taking the heads of these Saxon barbarians to claim a bounty, but you may not know this.
Lords everywhere are currently offering bounties on these bandits.
As long as these heads are brought to the local magistrate, a single one can be exchanged for a full 200 pennies!
This is quite a substantial income, so I hope you can understand the guards’ vulgarity.”
Listening to Philin’s fearful and reverent explanation, Otto inwardly shed a single drop of cold sweat.
Was this the additional halo brought by looks and temperament?
Other people’s brain-expanding delusions were just way too fast.
They had already automatically fantasized that he couldn’t bear to look straight at it because of his ‘noble birth and viewing money as dirt’, whereas in reality, he was simply a civilized modern person who would get nauseous seeing decapitations!
However, since the other party had set up the stairs so high, Otto naturally had to smoothly step down.
Forcefully suppressing the discomfort in his stomach, he managed to squeeze out an elegant yet poised bitter smile:
“There’s no need to show me so much respect, Mr.
Philin.”
Otto deliberately let his voice carry a bit of the sorrow and desolation of someone who had been through the vicissitudes of life, slightly raising his head at a forty-five-degree angle to gaze at the carriage roof:
“I am not any great aristocrat… The Apocalypse family is merely a fallen surname forgotten by history.
Right now, I am just a wandering commoner.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Philin hurriedly shook his head like a rattle-drum.
What a joke!
In all his years of traveling far and wide, Philin had seen all kinds of lords, knights, and wealthy merchants, but he had never seen anyone with more temperament than the blonde youth before him!
Look at this fair, delicate skin without even a single callus!
Look at these neat, white, perfect teeth without a trace of bad breath or cavities!
(In the Middle Ages, having a good set of teeth was practically a miracle.) Look again at this purple coat trimmed with gold, the cut, and the fabric!
If you are a commoner, then what are we?
Rats in the gutter?!
This lord was definitely a big figure with a story!
Perhaps he was even the illegitimate child of some grand duke who ran out to experience the hardships of the common folk!
A person like this would surely accomplish earth-shattering great achievements in the future!
“No, no, no, Mr.
Otto, you are being too modest!” Philin patted his chest with a resolute expression.
“Regardless of whether you are currently an aristocrat, you are the hero who saved our entire merchant caravan!
You deserve the highest standard of treatment!”
Looking at Philin, who was eloquent and had a shrewd gleam flashing in his eyes, Otto could only sigh inwardly: ‘Caravan leaders who can do business in the remote wilderness these days really don’t have ordinary brains.’
Since Philin had put it to this extent, if he were to decline further, it would be overacting and not giving the other party face.
Thus, Otto smiled and nodded, gladly accepting this’special treatment’.
Before long, the two guards also threw those few rusty looted iron swords into the cargo compartment of the carriage, while the decapitated heads were tightly wrapped in several layers of coarse cloth bags and hung outside the carriage.
Seeing that the guards had finished their work, Philin immediately put on a boss’s airs and waved at them:
“You two have worked hard.
First take these… uh, heads, and go rest in that cargo carriage behind!
When we reach the town ahead and exchange them for the bounty, I, Philin, will definitely not treat you unfairly and will give you a few extra shares!”
Hearing that there was money to be earned, the two guards immediately beamed with joy, bowed to Otto and Philin, and ran off to rest in the back.
Having dismissed the idlers, Philin turned around and called over a companion NPC, instructing him to fetch a few apples of the finest quality.
Watching Philin’s smooth-as-flowing-water operation, Otto silently gave this merchant a high score in his heart.
Such methods of reading expressions and winning people over would truly be a waste of talent not to be used in Game of Thrones.
Soon, the NPC respectfully brought over two bright red apples on a tray.
Looking at the unwashed apples that even had some speckles of unknown dirt or grime on the surface, Otto calmly placed them on the wooden table to the side and did not eat them.
After all, randomly eating unwashed fruit in the Middle Ages would most likely result in repeatedly struggling in the abyss of diarrhea.
Otto first cleared his throat and got straight to the point:
“Mr.
Philin, to tell you the truth, my trip out traveling this time is mainly to search for someone.
You travel far and wide and are well-informed, so I want to ask you—do you know where King Arthur is right now?”
Hearing this question, Philin was visibly stunned for a moment.
Then this shrewd merchant immediately reacted, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes as he began to over-think inwardly: ‘Understood!
This fallen young aristocrat wants to go pledge allegiance to King Arthur, render meritorious service, and restore the family glory!’
“So Mr.
Philin wants to go follow the great His Majesty the King!” Philin wore a look of sudden realization, then respectfully replied, “You really asked the right person!
According to the news chanted by bards I heard a few days ago, My King should currently be leading the Knights of the Round Table to quell the rebellion around Wales!”
Wales?
Hearing this place name, Otto quickly pulled up a geographical map of Britain in his mind.
Wales was in the west.
Although it was a distance away from London, it could still be considered a relatively clear coordinate.
Thus, Otto casually asked his second crucial question:
“Then where exactly are we currently located in Britain?”
Philin looked at Otto, a trace of bewilderment flashing in his eyes.
How could this young master, who looked so knowledgeable, not even know where he was?
Could he be lost?
But he still answered honestly:
“Replying to my lord, we are currently on the plains of Cornwall County.
The destination the caravan will head to next is Cornwall’s most famous stronghold—Tintagel Castle.”
“…”
As soon as these words were said, Otto only felt his vision darken, and almost spat a mouthful of old blood onto Philin’s fat face.
Cornwall County?!
Are you fucking kidding me?!
As a modern person with some understanding of history and legend, Otto knew very well what Cornwall was—this was the extreme southwest corner of the entire Britain island!
It could be said to be the edge of the edge of the map!
Although Tintagel Castle was famously known in legend as King Arthur’s birthplace (where King Uther changed his appearance to sleep with someone else’s wife), the straight-line distance between this place and Wales was separated in the middle by the vast sea (the Bristol Channel) and countless mountain roads!
In this pure Middle Ages with no high-speed rail, no airplanes, and not even a decent asphalt road!
Walking from Cornwall to Wales?!
System, fuck your stars!
Otto inwardly made a frantic sarcastic mental remark.
By the time they reached Wales, King Arthur would probably have already finished quelling the rebellion and gone elsewhere.
How was this quest supposed to be done?
Looking at Otto’s instantly stiffening expression, Philin carefully swallowed a mouthful of saliva:
“Mr.
Otto… You, are you alright?”
Otto took a deep breath, forcefully piecing back together his nearly shattering aura, and smiled through gritted teeth:
“It’s nothing.
I just suddenly feel that sometimes, fate’s arrangements really are… full of surprises.”