Chapter 299: Chapter 226: The Person Controlled by Revenge_1
Lance laid the matter out so directly on the table that Grendel was somewhat taken aback, but she slowly shook her head.
"No~"
"All right, what do you plan to do then? Where will you go next?" Lance looked unfazed and did not press further; instead, he proactively shifted the emphasis of the conversation.
This sudden change caught Grendel off guard. Had he given up just like that after the posture he had taken earlier?
However, after hearing his subsequent words, she couldn’t help but fall silent.
Right... where can I go?
"If you don’t have a specific destination, what do you want to do?" Lance asked again, understanding her situation from her demeanor.
Lance originally knew only that the Deerhead Tribe had been attacked; the extent to which the tribe was devastated was still unclear to him.
Whether she came to seek the Witch’s help as reinforcements for her tribe, or had nowhere else to go and was seeking Sanctuary, he wasn’t sure.
Now, Grendel’s reaction confirmed his suspicion: the Deerhead Tribe must have become history, or she wouldn’t have hesitated for so long.
From Boudica, Lance knew the philosophy of the Barbarian Tribes—they held their tribe in high esteem because only by gathering together as a collective could they survive in the harsh conditions of the Mountains.
Therefore, under normal circumstances, barbarians would not leave their tribe to wander alone. Even if they joined a Mercenary Corps to earn money, they still had roots and remained part of a collective.
Only those like Boudica, who had been expelled from their tribe, would wander outside. There was also another reason: if a tribe was gone, there was naturally nowhere to return, leaving them with no place to go.
This was why Lance dared to say those things; it was a strategic retreat to probe her options.
And now, without mentioning the specifics of the battle, she had inadvertently revealed her hand with a single sentence.
Having ascertained her options, Lance’s attitude became even more casual.
"If you have nowhere to go, then stay here. Hamlet welcomes you."
"No, I cannot stay..." Grendel slowly raised her head to look at Lance, her teeth clenched as she said solemnly, "I want to take revenge on the Fang Wolf Tribe!"
The sole reason she was still alive was vengeance, and she was willing to pay any price for it.
"With what will you seek revenge?"
Lance frowned slightly. He now understood why she had come to find the Witch: she wanted to leverage the Witch’s power for revenge.
But, clearly, her abilities were not suited for combat, and the fact that the Fang Wolf Tribe could slaughter hers demonstrated the disparity in strength.
Unless... she intended to become the next Witch...
"We have no connection, and you need not concern yourself with the rest. As payment for your eradication of the White Wolf’s Claws, I will cure your plague for free."
As Lance was contemplating, Grendel suddenly interjected, seemingly having achieved her goal and intending to end the conversation.
But in an instant, Lance’s attitude turned assertive.
"No! I must be involved in this matter."
Someone with her exceptional skills was not like a warrior one could find just anywhere. If she were to choose that path, he would lose such a talent and gain an enemy—and there would be no one to cure his poison next time.
Absolutely not!
"I don’t need others to question my actions."
Lance’s domineering tone kindled Grendel’s dissatisfaction, and a trace of anger appeared on her gentle countenance.
She wasn’t a little girl to be easily manipulated.
Seeing her reaction, Lance realized he had been too harsh. However, understanding her motive made things simpler, and he immediately threw out a strange proposition.
"What if I said I would help you take revenge on the Fang Wolf Tribe?"
Grendel was somewhat speechless when she heard this. She didn’t believe what this man was saying, but her intense desire for revenge compelled her to ask.
"How do you plan to help me?"
"I will deploy troops to help you flatten the Fang Wolf Tribe."
That casually spoken sentence only deepened her distrust of Lance. Compared to dealing with this peculiar Lord, she was more inclined to quickly heal the sick and leave this strange place.
"I’ve seen your soldiers; they don’t even have the capability to enter the Mountains."
"Hmph! Those soldiers followed me to exterminate bandits and eliminate pirates, and they protected Hamlet from the beast tide driven by the Witch. You should not doubt my power, nor should you doubt my soldiers."
Lance’s gentle attitude vanished, his tone becoming serious.
Grendel then realized. Right—this man wasn’t just any Lord; otherwise, he couldn’t have wiped out the White Wolf’s Claws or killed the Witch.
Grendel had witnessed Lance’s power; perhaps he truly could help her achieve her revenge.
"What’s the price, then?"
"You." Lance met her eyes. "I help you with your revenge, and in return, you stay and help me."
Hearing this, Grendel frowned in contemplation. In the end, he still wanted her to stay. She had always sensed Lance’s strong desire for her...
"When will you deploy your troops?"
"Once I stabilize Hamlet."
Upon hearing this, the faint glimmer of hope in Grendel’s heart was extinguished. She knew some of the situation here from the Witch. She understood that, no matter what, he could never contend with the evil cult, let alone that entity which even the Witch despaired of and dared not speak of its existence.
"You don’t believe me?"
Her disappointed expression was apparent even to a fool, yet Lance remained calm in the face of her skepticism.