Essenbach preferred expanding its influence in Strasbourg over skirmishing. But Baschurten, which borders Feuzen, could have picked fights and yet never did. Why was that?
They seemed resolved to fight Euz, but the one most rattled was the ambushers' representative himself. His mindset read as flustered. For Öderlen to resist alone, without Baschurten's support, was madness.
"The corpses scattered across the field look like Basel army soldiers. What happened here?"
"Mercenaries from the routed Basel army raided Öderlen, but we drove them off."
"Hm. Fortunately, it seems you heeded the advice to be wary of mercenaries."
At that, the representative stared at me with wide, startled eyes.
"Could you be the knight who warned Iris to watch out for mercenaries..."
"There was a girl I caught gathering herbs."
As it happened, this ambush leader was that girl's older brother.
Caught in a tangle of emotions, he couldn't figure out how to treat me.
