Chris called Berg over "Bergy, quick, give me your sword, do it discreetly!"

Berg was confused but obliged. "Be careful my King it is still bloody, I used it to finish a few Kunalls."

"Even better! Come, let us meet our friends at the refugee camp." Said Chris with a smile.

This time the reception was incredible. People were smiling, shouting and pushing each other to stand in front. The hunters could hear cheering coming from all over. They were stunned.

"Do you hear that everyone? Our people are calling for us. Let's answer them!" Said Chris and then he raised Berg's sword high in the air, drops of blood were still dripping from it.

The crowd suddenly burst in even louder cheers! They chanted: "HERO! HERO! HERO!"

Berg finally understood his King's intention... Just as he looked at him to complain, he noticed his King's lips moving... He could hear a very soft, almost inaudible, sound coming from his mouth: 'hero, hero, hero'.

"..." and then he thought: [So shameless.]

Chris noticed Berg's expression and said: "Come on, don't be mad Bergy! I am selling a product here! It will make things easier for us later on."

Chris felt pretty good. As he got closer to Mia, the scenes reminded him of all those movies back in his world. Where the hero came back on his white steed for his princess. [Hmm... I must look pretty valiant right now!]

But as he got closer, he felt something was not quite right. He could swear the cheers were getting lower.

[Strange... And why is Mia at my eye level. She is standing while I am riding a...]

He completely forgot! He didn't dismount! They all saw him riding a donkey, no wonder the cheers were getting weird!

"Damnit Dalahan! You are ruining everything you stupid donkey!"

"Prrrt" complained Dalahan.

[Gah! To hell with it! It's too late to dismount. I'll show them how shameless I can be!] Thought Chris, but he couldn't hide the pinkish hue that appeared on his cheeks.

Chris finally reached Mia and Cat after what seemed to be an eternity of riding. Mia still appeared calm and cold, but her expression seemed more tense than usual, while Cat had a wicked smile on her face.

[It's game time.] He thought.

A pure smile suddenly appeared on his face as his said "We meet again my ladies. I trust you are uninjured?" Dalahan was so small that Chris was basically face to face with Cat and Mia.

"..."

"... ..."

"Pfffft" Even Mia couldn't hold on anymore. But she tried her best.

"It seems... pff, we need to thank... pff... to thank you for your help, as well as your m-mount for your timely arrival... L-let's go to my tent, to d-discuss this more privately." She barely managed to finish her sentence and left for her tent without saying anything.

Cat had just one thing to say "Huhu..."and followed Mia.

Chris was stuned but finally reacted.

"Damnit Bergy! Let's raze this place! I can't show my face here anymore! Even I am not shameless enough! Let's leave no witness!" said Chris, he was almost tearing up.

"My Lord let's endure a little more! I think miss Mia even opened up a bit to you!" consoled Berg.

"Really?" Chris calmed down "I guess I do look rather heroic with my sword."

"Yes, yes! Wasn't her smile pretty? Wouldn't it be great if she worked for you?" Berg chose to ignore the sword part as he felt he was cajoling a little kid.

Mia managed to calm her laughter after reaching the tent as Dalahan couldn't get inside.

This time Chris was accompanied by his three adjutants. The meeting started with some banter, Chris introduced Ferlin as he was not present in the previous meeting, he also explained in great details to Mia how he took down three Kunalls in melee and showed 'his' bloody sword as proof. "Then I did it like this 'shwaaa' and 'kwap' and they just fell down!" he mimicked and finished his demonstration by standing on one leg and taking a pose.

"Oh impressive" said Mia in a lifeless voice.

As always Berg, Titus and Ferlin were looking down at their feet. They were too embarrassed to look up.

After a while, Mia coucldn't take it anymore and coughed to signal they should start the real meeting. "Thank you Sire for your timely help. Without you, there would not be many of us left today."

Chris finally turned serious, which surprised Mia, and said "You are welcome my Lady. But I have to apologize. We knew of the Kunall patrol ahead of time but had to wait for your help request. My men were posted along that road even before your message reached us. I do want to make sure you know we would have intervened no matter what though." Chris decided to tell the truth. It was better to be honest now than after they pointed out they figured out his plan.

"The Red Hornets that was you?" Asked Mia.

"Yes, you had to be alerted before it was too late." Said Chris with a smile.

"All of this, the fake hunt, camping very close to us, the hornets to alert us, fighting off the Kunalls. It was all to recruit us, wasn't it?" She continued.

"Yes. I wish to build a new kingdom and push back the Kunall invaders." Then he looked straight at her and said:"Please join us."

"But shouldn't you learn from our mistakes? Look at us, we tried to build once again and we almost died. Even if we had time to finish our barricades, they would be nothing more than scrap wood in front of them. What can you do that we can't? Why should we risk joining up with you?" said Mia with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"You were not wrong my Lady! You only lacked two things to succeed!" He said proudly.

"Oh?" Cat and Mia were curious.

"The first is a talented group of subordinates gifted in tactics and war! The first thing my subordinates did two years ago was to organize scouts to check on the Kunall patrols." Berg, Titus and Ferlin felt warm at how proud Chris was of their achievements.

Chris voice raised in intensity: "We know where they are, how many of them there are and where they are going to patrol! That's how we knew they were coming here! And that's how we saved you! If you know all this you have nothing to fear!"

Mia was impressed: "With this info you can find secure spots and avoid the patrols."

"Exactly, but this is not enough." Said chris. "To build a city you need to settle down and the Kunalls will eventually find you. So the second thing you need..." Chris' voice turned mysterious, and he picked up a bundle Ferlin handed him. "Is this!" This was his ace in the hole!