Henderson said it was Bryson who was supposed to greet them, but in reality, it was just a few villagers confining Bryson.
He was taken by Ard Farrs, without even being allowed to change his clothes, forcibly brought to the hut at the village entrance used for keeping watch against robbers, sitting with its doors wide open.
Passersby could see the uneasy Brother Bryson through the door, and see the road at the entrance with stormy clouds yet deserted.
Every ti this happened, soone would inquire, and after so whispering, so appeared hesitant, so suspicious, and many more fearful and angry.
The news of the Mason District's revolt and the martial law order quickly spread throughout the estate.
Panic, doubt, anger, alarm... countless emotions hovered over the estate, mixing with the purple rain clouds, spreading darkness gradually over the entire sky.
Until evening, when smoke rose from the chimneys, connecting to the bottom of the dark clouds, people's emotions beca like shattered clouds, and rain fell from the gaps in the cloud masses, along with lightning streaks.
The rain illuminated by lightning twisted like silver between the heavens and earth, as if Anton Wan, the Thunder God from ancient Norn mythology, was whipping the straw rooftops into frantic shaking.
Inside the hut at the village entrance, an Ard Farr who was also a carpenter struggled to install wooden window boards on the hut.
He turned and looked at Bryson huddling by the brazier and the three to five villagers persistent in disbelief that Ansel would summon an army.
"Don't wait, Brother Bryson." The carpenter Ard Farr laughed sardonically, "Your 'Saint Cultivator' won't co back, you're different from him, you're one of us, both countryn.
Knight Adrian has prepared ginger tea and a warm towel for you at the main house, just let us know anyti and we'll take you there."
Bryson tightened his clothes: "No need."
"Brother Bryson, we are old friends, my son even delivered you a calendar when he learned to write." The carpenter genuinely stoked the brazier, sincerely saying, "The storm is getting worse, if this continues, even this hut might be blown over.
That Brother Ansel obviously received news, using dicine retrieval as a pretext to call for help, which monk would care about the lowly bloodline of a mountain family's ugly daughter, stop fooling yourself, let's go."
"No need."
The mont he said "No need," Bryson felt so regret, initially thinking "Alright then," but, for so reason, it turned into another phrase when he spoke.
In the storm, Bryson could no longer hear the spinning sounds from households; perhaps covered by the rain or maybe they'd never be heard again.
What a pity.
Staring at the dark red brazier, he didn't even know why he was persisting.
Initially, Bryson rather disliked Ansel; did he have to flaunt that superficial conscience?
However, he didn't know when Ansel beca Bryson's support; even though he was the elder, he had to rely on Ansel for everything.
Could it be he got so used to relying that he learned to flaunt that superficial conscience too? He should have agreed in hindsight.
"Brother Bryson." The carpenter's ears twitched, pointing outside at the rumbling noise, saying, "Do you hear that sound? That's sowhere in the mountain, mudslides or flash floods erupting.
That Brother Ansel probably won't co back. Perhaps you should join for so ginger tea at the Knight's House."
Bryson wrapped in a blanket, swaying back and forth, mumbling sothing while the carpenter didn't hear clearly, so he asked again, "What did you say? Would you like to co with us?"
"No need." Screaming "Alright then" in his mind, Bryson still stared at the brazier, repeating, "I said, no need!"
"Tch." The carpenter scoffed, turning to lead the rest of the disappointed villagers out of the hut.
Watching their figures in the rain and hearing the hut's wooden fra creaking, Bryson smiled bitterly; indeed, a bad habit learned.
With remaining hope, he stood again at the doorfra, instantly drenched by rain, yet still peering into the storm.
Wait...
Bryson blinked, what did he see?
Amid the apocalyptic storm, beneath the vision-concealing black fog, a shadowy figure actually wiggled continuously.
"Ansel, Ansel!" Bryson almost scread, frantically pointing at the person slowly advancing in a raincoat, "It's Ansel, look, Ansel's back!"
Everyone originally departed from the village's hut hurried back, even the sneering carpenter was the sa.
They stood in the rain, stunned, staring at the person swaying back and forth in the turbulent downpour, yet still firmly moving forward.
Brother Bryson didn't know why, but suddenly his throat was choked up, and he couldn't utter a single word, as two streams of warmth flowed from his eyes.
Brother Ansel's donkey had already been blown away by the wind. He was covered in mud from head to toe, completely drenched by the rain, even losing one of his shoes, with several splinters stuck in his feet.
In the rainy night, there was only Ansel alone, no trace of any army.
Bryson didn't even bother with his hood, and rushed forward with large strides to support the staggering Ansel: "Why did you co back at such a ti?"
"What else can I do? I always have to co back, cough cough." Ansel was choked by the rainwater and coughed.
Supporting Ansel, Bryson walked towards the cottage at the village entrance where a fire was burning: "Don't you know what happened in the Mason District?"
"I know, knights from seven or eight surrounding areas including so Counts sent letters, demanding a response from the Monastic Leader of Mason District." Ansel staggered through the slippery mud, "The Bishop of Madlan already dismissed the Monastic Leader and took over here; I've reported the situation."
"Then why did you co back?" Due to supporting Ansel, Bryson was also soaked by the rain as he struggled to speak, "Even Knight Adrian jointly announced a lockdown."
"This is my district, where else would I go? Besides, I have important matters." Thinking of this, Ansel, who had been muddled, suddenly lifted his head and pointed towards the village, "First, go to Lalor's House."
"Go to Lalor's House? You should rest."
"Go to Lalor's House first, I'll save so ti, not even one second to wait."
Bryson had no choice but to support Ansel and head towards Lalor's House.
This ti, the villagers and Ard Farrs no longer hindered Bryson's actions, they didn't speak, simply surrounding Ansel and Bryson like stars around the moon.
When Lalor opened the door, he almost couldn't recognize the person who looked like they've been rolled in mud.
Only after using the light inside the house to barely see his face, Lalor exclaid in shock: "Brother Ansel, why have you turned like this, you... now looking like this..."
Before Lalor could stamr his way through, Ansel pulled out a cloth bundle from his bosom, a clean cloth bundle.
Ansel carefully placed the cloth bundle on the table and opened it, revealing three small porcelain bottles sealed with corks.
Unlike the gri on Ansel, these small porcelain bottles were clean and carried a trace of Ansel's body warmth.
Sitting heavily on the floor of Lalor's House, Ansel finally caught his breath: "Allicin, I used the distiller at the church, give it to your daughter, one bottle a day, her illness will improve."
"You... I..." Lalor looked at the porcelain bottle in his hand, montarily at a loss for words.
Ansel couldn't help but curse: "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and feed her!"
He stared dazedly at Ansel for several monts, but didn't cry. Instead, he closed his mouth and bowed deeply to Ansel before turning to pour the golden liquid into his daughter's mouth.
It's worth noting, perhaps the diseases of this world haven't been tortured by all kinds of ssy antibiotics.
Even a relatively moderate effect, not as potent as penicillin, allicin's effect was surprisingly potent, especially against stomach bacteria.
With just less than half a bottle consud, in less than a minute, the waxy yellow on Lalor's daughter's face began to fade away, and her breathing steadied.
Until the little girl's complexion gradually turned rosy, Ansel finally exhaled and stood up.
But just as he stood, his legs weakened, almost falling to the ground.
His journey involved rushing relentlessly to the church to collect garlic and start distilling, writing a report and impeachnt docunt, carrying allicin back through storm and flood, almost without resting.
Fortunately, Bryson caught him in ti, preventing Ansel from falling.
Greeted Lalor briefly, Ansel left, supported by Bryson, towards the door.
But sohow, the courtyard was filled with people standing in a circle, even including Old Laver and two Ard Farrs from next door.
Ansel initially wanted to ask what they were looking at, but he was too exhausted, only opening his mouth intermittently: "The Village Monastery declared lockdown, wool deliveries may be delayed this month, everyone please be patient, I will try to adjust."
After saying this, he had no more strength, only being supported by Bryson as they walked towards the village church.
The villagers ford layers inside and out despite the heavy rain, yet they didn't disperse, just continuously watching Ansel's departing figure.
Perhaps it was an illusion, but although the raindrops hurt as they hit their faces, the storm seed to quiet down, even the cross on the village church in the rainy night appeared to reflect the moonlight from the clouds.
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