Chapter Fifty-Five: The Promise

  "Boss, bring out the good stuff!" Ed said as he walked into a restaurant, followed closely by Francis and his group. After escorting the merchant caravan to this town yesterday, their mission was considered complete. So at Elsa's suggestion, everyone came to the restaurant to have a big meal.

  "Ah, please wait! Just a moment! Several people upstairs, please!" The boss hastily greeted as soon as he saw so many people coming in. Business was good at the store and the first floor was already full.

  Ade led the way, with Francis and his party following him up to the second floor, where they found a large table by the window and sat down around it.

  "I never thought we'd actually be related!" Ed exclaimed, looking at Francis getting along famously with his sister.

  "Alright, bro! You've already said it all the way here! Isn't it great to have such a relative? And Aisha really likes Francis, such a handsome brother! Hehehe... Aisha has been fond of staying with Francis ever since she found out they're related by blood."

  Francis smiled and shook his head, "It's not that exaggerated, our bloodlines have been separated for countless generations, it's already very diluted." When the two families were married, the Aethers family was still prosperous at that time, now they are declining to such an extent, don't know how many years have passed.

  "Whatever you say, doesn't your surname also have a 'Du' in it? By the way, Francis, do you want to enter the Du family?" Ed asked suddenly, his expression very serious, not as if he was joking.

  "Huh? Why are you suddenly asking me this?" Francis was taken aback by the sudden question.

  "You're also a member of the family who's been lost outside, isn't it great to come back to the family again!" Ed had his words all prepared, and it seemed like he was really going to pull Francis into the Du family.

  "That's right! If Francis joined the family, he would definitely be liked by Grandpa!" Aisha said leisurely as she poured a cup of water.

  "Haha! Thanks for your kind intentions! Honestly, I've never thought of living on with the surname Du!" Francis closed his eyes, touched his chest, and felt the strong beating of his heart. He owed someone a life, after all, and had promised to help him revive his family - how could he live on with a different surname?

  "Hmm? Francis, you'd better think carefully!" Ed furrowed his brow. A baron, no matter how high his innate talent, without the nurturing of a family and external help, would ultimately be unable to become a strong person. This was also why the strong people on the continent were all from noble families, while commoners remained commoners, and strong people were just an unattainable dream for them. Although Ed hadn't spent much time with Francis, in his heart, he had already acknowledged Francis, and didn't want to see his friend's excellent talent go to waste.

  "Yes, Francis big brother isn't considering it? Everyone is originally one family!" Aisha hastily advised.

  "Think carefully! Such opportunities are rare, the Du family is a renowned golden family on the mainland, entering this family can make you half less effort for your whole life." Lante said indifferently on the side, that's how he showed his concern.

  "Hmm! I also think Francis, your consideration is a bit too hasty! Think carefully, from here to the Imperial City there's still plenty of time!" Linda nodded in agreement with Aisha, joining the ranks of those persuading Francis.

  The three beside Dais didn't say a word, Francis decided how things would go and they just followed suit; it wasn't their place to intervene in such matters.

  Handing a cup of water to Delores, Francis stroked her head and said softly: "Hehe! I understand what you mean, no more than with the help of the Du family, my future path will be smooth sailing."

  "If you understand, why don't you answer me!" Ed's eyebrows were furrowed in a frown; he hadn't expected Francis to be so stubborn.

  "How can I put this... Ah, yes! I once made a promise to a guy and he's already paid me the reward in advance! How could I possibly betray him after receiving the reward? As a man... What you say is what you do, that's my number one rule for being human!!!" Francis narrowed his eyes as he gazed at Ed and the others, his tone was gentle but everyone could still feel his determination.

  The four of them suddenly felt that Francis' words were irresistible as they looked at the smiling Francis.

  "That's too much! What he just said sounds like an excuse!" Ed took a sip of water, feeling suddenly oppressed for some reason. Lante buried his head in his arms and lay on the table "Whatever, it has nothing to do with me anyway!"

  "Here comes the food!" A young servant shouted, and several people followed behind him with dishes.

  "Oh! Dinner's ready! Mommy, I want that one, and that one, and that one!" Dorothea dropped the cup she was holding and sat down in Francis' lap, asking him to feed her.

  "Come sit in your sister's lap!" Eliza said to Dolly, whom both she and Linda adored.

  "Not on your life!" Delores said with her mouth full, ignoring everyone but Francis and Saber.

  "Oh! Sister is so heartbroken!" Aisha pretended to be distressed.

  "Haha!" Francis patted his daughter's head "She likes blonde girls better! Just like Leah!"

  "Really?" Aisha looked at Saber, who had golden hair tied up, and although she was elegant while eating, her speed couldn't help but be a bit too fast.

  After dinner, Francis and his party were going to stroll around the town before continuing on their journey. Now that Ed's group had completed their task, they still had plenty of time.

  "Slow down a bit!" The boss rubbed the gold coins in his hand and said enthusiastically, such generous customers are not often seen, although they did eat quite a lot.

  "Boss! Bring on the good food!" A few mercenary-looking men walked in from outside, all dressed in red and carrying large swords behind them. Coincidentally, Francis' group was walking out the door and bumped into them head-on. When they saw the women in Francis' group, the mercenaries suddenly froze in place, especially Francis, who had several guys staring at him with their mouths watering until he walked out the door before they came back to their senses.

  "Don't go, stop!" Several people ran out to block Francis and his group's path, staring at them with red eyes. "Little girl, why are you leaving so quickly? Come and have a few more drinks with us! Haha..."

  Francis frowned, this kind of person was really annoying, a few mercenaries with only 4 or 5 levels of strength dared to be so arrogant.

  "Master, let me handle this! These men will only dirty your hands." Aiolos stepped forward, coldly staring at the several mercenaries in front of him. These mercenaries were truly courting death.

  "Hahaha! What? You still want to resist, do you know who we are? I'll scare you to death if I say it out loud? Little girl, obediently follow big brother, or else?" A mercenary shouted and threatened Francis' group. The people on the side of the road didn't stop watching, but instead accelerated their pace to leave this place quickly.

  "Aiolos, go easy on him, don't kill him!" Francis said coldly. Ed and Lant immediately focused their attention on Aiolos, the true strength of Francis's guards, which they had always been curious about, and now was a good opportunity to take a peek.

  "Haha! What are you talking about? A joke?! This joke isn't bad!" A mercenary drew his great sword and pointed it at Eryndor Thorne. "Kid, get out of the way, grandpa's sword doesn't have eyes."

  "Got it!" Eryndor nodded politely at Francis and threw a punch at the several mercenaries. The mercenaries hadn't even reacted yet, but they only heard a series of slapping sounds on their bodies, and then they fell to the ground softly without any movement. A glint flashed in Ed's and Lant's eyes, how many punches did that sound make? So fast!

  "Hurry up and go! What a nuisance!" Francis put on the hood of his long robe, looking like this was still a fairly large mercenary group.

  "Francis, looks like he's after you! Tsk tsk, quite the charm, huh!" Linda's tone was slightly sarcastic, leaving Francis speechless. Women were indeed strange, even when it came to flirting, they had to compare notes.

  "Hmm! Let's leave first!" Ed looked around at the crowd of onlookers "There are probably still their accomplices here, it seems that this mercenary group has some strength in this local area, so it's better to leave this town early."

  Everyone nodded and returned to the inn to pack up and prepare to leave.

  "Master! Are they just a few mercenaries? Do we have to be so flustered?" Dis looked at Francis, who was packing his luggage. These people were letting them escape, and he had two Golden Saints with him.

  "Haha! Don't you think this is interesting? I, the young master, can now pretend to be a pig and eat a tiger too! Haha......"

  "Mother, are we going to have a pig?" asked Dolores.

  "Does the young master like eating tiger?" Geli.

  "Geez!... I'm just a metaphor, just a metaphor." Francis rubbed his temples, these two guys were sometimes really clueless with the knowledge they inherited from their ancestors.

  Less than an hour later, several people left the town gate and headed towards the imperial capital.

  "How's that? Anyone following?" Ed asked Francis as he rode his horse, while Aisha and Linda both ducked inside the carriage.

  "No! How strange. Logically speaking, someone should have come to look for us by now, shouldn't they?" Francis smiled as he gazed ahead at the road, and indeed, there was already someone waiting up ahead.

  "Haha! You want someone to come looking for trouble that badly?" Ed shook his head, he wasn't sure of Francis' strength, and directly pegged him as the inexperienced type. "Your guard's strength is high, but..." Ed looked at the road ahead, his intuition telling him there was an ambush.