An extremely rare and precious opportunity

"My king, Count Ardan, the captain of the Saber-toothed Tigers, and his men have arrived."

On hearing this news, the king smiled, while Count Ardan showed no expression.

"Send in the captain, alone."

"Understood."

Behind the door, Maxime and his men naturally heard these words.

"Do what you want and enjoy this day as a day of rest. We will be on the road again tomorrow," Maxime ordered, although inwardly he could not help showing a trace of anxiety at the idea of meeting the king.

The mercenaries all obeyed Maxime's order, most of them slightly disappointed at not being able to see the king.

Laura gave him a little wink, as if to wish him good luck.

Maxime gave her a little wave, as if to say that everything was fine.

But the guards at the door alone made him feel a certain pressure.

These guards were, after all, part of the Kingdom's elite of knights, and could not be measured by common sense.