The man stepped forward and gave a seemingly respectful bow, but his gaze swept over Maggie from head to toe, as if he were lost in thought.
At the same time, Maggie was also sizing him up, a warning glint in her eyes.
The air fell eerily still for a moment, a tense atmosphere hanging between the mercenary group and Maggie, sparks seemingly flying as they locked eyes.
Maggie met his gaze without flinching. He was testing her, calculating, trying to determine if she was weak or easy to talk to.
If she shows even the slightest sign of backing down, things will not end well tonight.
Everyone here is shrewd, especially the mercenaries who live on the edge. A village of dwarf slaves is not cheap, and it's not easy to get them to give up their slaves.
Time ticked by, and finally the man gave in first, revealing a slightly apologetic expression and speaking in a gentle tone.
"Forgive my rudeness, but I was unaware that Her Highness was here."
As the man spoke, he gave the assassin scout a look, and the man immediately understood and returned to the hidden group. Clearly, he was the mercenary leader and had most likely seen Maggie in person at Zefunaia's house, which explained his reaction.
If Maggie holds him accountable, even if the mercenary group achieves its goal today, this scout will be branded as the one who assassinated the saintess and will definitely not survive.
The man's attitude meant that things were negotiable, but he wanted to protect the assassin.
"What are you trying to do? Entering the village without warning and attacking as soon as you see a person, even a mercenary group shouldn't do such a thing, right?"
Maggie's eyes flashed with coldness, and her tone carried a sacred authority that made it impossible for anyone to refuse to answer her question.
Most kingdoms on the continent of Coral acknowledge the existence of mercenary groups, and many of these groups are registered and officially recognized organizations.
They are not as powerful as the major forces, but rather a team composed of like-minded partners.
The magic association on the mainland issues several commissions every month, specifically for mercenary groups, who can receive payment from their employers for completing them.
Therefore, in theory, mercenary groups cannot engage in petty theft or violate regulations, otherwise they risk being shut down.
However, this is only the official version of events. In reality, many mercenary groups appear to be legitimate forces, but they also do some shady things behind the scenes.
For example, the Silver Wolf Mercenary Group in front of us belongs to the Duke's Mansion.
On the surface, they seemed to have endless glory, but in reality, they were the main force in hunting and killing slaves, including even humans.
Maggie was able to recognize them thanks to the insignia they wore. In the comics, they were the most loyal hyenas of the Zefneria family, who were always burning, killing, and looting, but because they were backed by the Duke, no one would take their crimes seriously even if someone reported them.
The fact that they wear mercenary insignia while doing dirty deeds shows how fearless they are.
The man waved his hand, his tone becoming relaxed, as if the previous exchange of glances had never happened.
"Haha, Your Highness, you misunderstand. My brother was just being overly cautious, worried that there might be demons ahead, which is why he acted rashly. I apologize on his behalf."
The man's code name was Silver Wolf. The smile he gave Maggie at that moment was as cunning as a wolf's, with a glint of light flashing in his triangular eyes from time to time, making people feel physically uncomfortable.
"Really? Why do you seem so aggressive and hostile?"
Maggie snorted coldly, her gaze sweeping over his teammates behind him, her probing undisguised.
The raised neck seemed to be a reminder to the silver wolf, 'My status is vastly different from yours. You'd better give me a reasonable explanation, or you will not be able to withstand the wrath of the nobles.'
Of course, this was even more effective when Silver Wolf learned that she was the youngest daughter of the master's family.
"It's just that there are too many monsters in the forest lately, so we're just passing through the village."
Silver Wolf was not intimidated by Maggie's attitude. After all, he was a man who had lived to be thirty or forty years old, and his shrewdness was beyond that of ordinary people.
Moreover, the fact that he managed to become the leader of a top mercenary group shows he's no pushover.
They haven't really started the massacre yet, so there's still room for maneuver. But if the assassins or scouts from earlier had killed even one person in the village, things would have become much more difficult.
So while his current explanation is far-fetched, it can be considered barely plausible.
Maggie's expression softened, and she seemed to believe what they said, but her attitude remained as noble and arrogant as ever, with an aura that made people dare not disrespect or offend her.
"In that case, how long do you intend to stay here?"
She raised an eyebrow, took a step forward with a slightly questioning tone, and her manner was clearly one of dismissal.
If Silver Wolf wasn't an idiot, he would have realized that she didn't intend to pursue the matter. The little brother who attacked her wouldn't be taken away by the temple's judgment, but only if they left immediately.
"Now."
Silver Wolf left the scene without hesitation, leading his men away. Watching their departing figures, Maggie's heart, which had been racing, finally calmed down.
No one knew that beneath Maggie's loose sleeves, her clenched fists and palms were soaked with sweat.
In fact, if they had taken forceful action and had only hunted down dwarves instead of attacking people from the temple, they would have ended up like they were in the elven village last time, and they would have had no chance of protecting the dwarven village intact.
Casualties are inevitable, and it will also leave a bad impression on the temple's higher-ups.
Fortunately, she used herself as a bargaining chip, which led them to choose to retreat.
However, there was an element of gambling involved. The biggest reason why Silver Wolf gave up attacking the village was probably that assassin.
Silver Wolf and he had a very good relationship; Silver Wolf was the kind of person who would never give up on someone.
"It's resolved, come out now."
Maggie collected her thoughts and spoke calmly to the blood hunters protecting the perimeter, her expression as composed as if she hadn't just been assassinated.
Twenty-odd Blood Hunters emerged from the darkness, some of whom were humans and others of other races. Jasper also slowly stepped out from the side and bowed deeply to Maggie.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Everyone witnessed Maggie's dangerous act, and their admiration for her was as boundless as the Yellow River.
He was just helping out, yet he was willing to risk his life.
The assassin was so fast that it would have been difficult for the Blood Hunters present to save him, given their strength. Fortunately, the assassin stopped at the crucial moment.
"No need, it's just something I promised."
Maggie shook her head, not seeking credit, but her chosen plan was somewhat radical and looked a little frightening.
As fellow assassins, Perkin would most likely be able to stop the guy from before. Even if he made a mistake, Maggie would have other backup plans, so it wouldn't be worth risking her life.
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