Ch. 53 The moment Patches' feet stepped back onto solid ground

The moment Patches’ feet stepped back onto solid ground, an impulse to bolt for freedom surged in his heart.

But in the end, he suppressed it.

It would be a foolish move to provoke the other party just as the situation had eased slightly.

“That…”

“Keep walking.” Mia pointed at him with the tip of her sword.

“Yes, yes.”

After walking a bit further and getting slightly away from the cliff, Mia finally let him stop.

“Stand still and don’t move.”

Under coercion, Patches did as he was told.

But even if his body complied, his mouth didn’t: “I already said it was a misunderstanding. Unfortunate misunderstandings like this happen all the time. Since it’s a misunderstanding, why don’t we let our grievances be like water under the bridge, eh?”

“In your dreams.”

“How can you be like that? You seem like a reasonable person; you know clearly this was a misunderstanding…”

Mia listened with interest to Patches’ deceptive explanations.

Of course, this so-called ‘robbery’ hadn’t actually caused any loss.

At most, it had delayed them a little.

Therefore, there was no real hatred between Mia and Patches.

And given Mia’s obsession with collecting story characters, she didn’t want to have a permanent conflict with Patches anyway.

Even so, Mia still mocked him sharply:

“I bet you’re planning to beg for mercy, pretend to be my friend, and then look for a chance to kick me in the back, aren’t you?”

“How could such a thing happen! I, Patches, am the most sincere when it comes to friends!”

Patches explained hurriedly.

As they were speaking, once Kalé and Wilden had also crossed the bridge, the lackeys following behind them couldn’t wait any longer and rushed forward.

“Boss! Big Brother Patches!”

Wilden immediately leveled his spear to block them, and the Spirit Wolves came forward to assist. The atmosphere, which had just relaxed, became tense again.

“Tell them to leave.” Mia threatened, poking her sword forward slightly.

“Huh?” Patches was dazed.

Mia replied: “Don’t try any little tricks. Put your hands up. You are now our prisoner.”

“This…”

At this moment, Patches was filled with regret. Had he known this would happen, he should have followed his heart and bolted the moment he got off the bridge.

Maybe it was still in time?

His shifty eyes darted around, and Patches noticed that the only mount Mia and her group had was that donkey.

If he ran fast enough, maybe…

‘Whoosh—’

Suddenly, a ring of fire appeared around his feet.

The heat of the flames surged toward him, and Patches shuddered because he saw Mia snap her fingers just before the ring of fire appeared.

“Quick, save Big Brother Patches!”

Two lackeys rushed forward, only to be knocked to the ground by Wilden with a couple of swings of his spear shaft.

Another person plucked up the courage to bypass Wilden, but was immediately pounced upon by the three Spirit Wolves. Lappland and Texas each bit down on one of the guy’s hands, and finally, Red walked over and lay directly on his thighs.

Leaving the poor fellow unable to move.

“It’s alright,” Mia, the culprit, smiled kindly. “Since you’re a bandit gang, you must be very familiar with the surroundings, right? I want you to lead the way for us. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.”

‘You say you won’t hurt me and I’m supposed to believe you?’

Patches roared in his heart.

If he were Mia, he would definitely pretend to soothe the person, then find a chance to kick them from behind!

Preferably by a cliff. Yes, definitely a kick right off the edge!

But even so.

Patches, who valued his life, still bowed and scraped: “I believe you, I believe you.” Then he shouted most reluctantly at his subordinates: “You guys, get out of here!”

The bandits all looked at him.

“Since Boss Patches says so… then I’m relieved!”

A Tarnished bandit holding a rusty axe shouted loudly.

“Huh?” Patches stared at him with wide eyes.

“If Boss Patches says it’s fine, then it’s definitely fine! Let’s retreat!”

“Retreat!”

“Retreat!”

The bandits on the ground quickly scrambled up.

They naturally knew they couldn’t beat Mia’s group; their previous attempt to save Patches was just for the sake of ‘brotherhood’…

Now that Patches had spoken, they vied with each other to run away.

“Wait…” Patches was also stunned.

They ran so decisively and cleanly?!

Was all that righteous indignation for their boss just an act?!

How heartbreaking!

“Pfft… hahaha!” Watching this scene, Mia couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

What kind of sitcom is this, hey!

The girl’s shoulders shook from her uncontrollable laughter.

“It seems like the kind of leader you are determines the kind of team you have.”

“Oh, haha…”

Patches forced out a smile that looked worse than crying.

Mia extinguished the flames at Patches’ feet and then handed over a bundle of rope.

“Come on, be a good boy. To prevent you from causing trouble, this is the only way.”

Patches tremblingly held out his hands.

Mia tied his hands behind his back with a tight knot.

“Are we taking him with us?”

Kalé looked at the retreating backs of the bandits in the distance and asked Mia.

“For now, let’s have him lead the way for us.”

Having tied Patches up, Mia clapped her hands.

“This kind of guy?”

Kalé stared at Patches, his eyes full of distrust.

“I’ll keep an eye on him.”

The reason Mia dared to keep Patches by her side was because of her gamer’s perspective.

Kalé certainly didn’t have that awareness, so it was only natural for him to be suspicious.

“I’m looking for a reclusive mage to learn Glintstone Magic from; she should be living in some ruins,” Mia explained to Kalé. “I think this bandit should be familiar with what buildings are around here.”

“So that’s why you’re heading south,” Kalé nodded in understanding.

I had been curious before why Mia wanted to head south.

Because if one wants to become the Elden Lord, one should head all the way north and challenge the demigods.

However, Kalé trusted Mia’s character, so as long as Mia didn’t explain it directly, Kalé never voiced his doubts about it.

“But you still have to be careful of that guy. Even if he’s tied up, no one knows what’s going on inside that slick head of his.”

“He dares?” Mia glared at Patches, whose eyes were darting around.

Even if Patches is a plot character, if he dares to do anything detrimental to Mia or those around her, he will have to pay the price.

The young girl reached out, hooked her finger, and blew a breath onto the spectral steed whistle.

The whistle sounded, and Torrent appeared by Mia’s side.

Patches’ expression changed again.

He remembered his failed attempt to escape earlier.

He had thought Mia’s group only had a donkey, but he didn’t expect them to actually have a summonable horse.

If he tried to run, he wouldn’t be able to outrun it at all.

What else could he do? Just accept his fate.

Mia mounted the horse and looked back to confirm that the small team hadn’t left anything behind during the recent encounter.

Instead, she had gained an interesting traveling companion.

“Let’s go.”

Mia flicked the reins.