The morning dew bathed the grass, the sun dazzled atop the trees, and the little sparrows perched on the branches trembled in gleeful chirps.
It was such a beautiful scene, amicable and tranquil. Unfortunately, that was not really the case. The scene may be beautiful if one only look at that certain scene, but it would turn hundred and eighty once someone looked around carefully.
The overall surrounding was not beautiful at all. It was just, when morning comes, all the monsters retreated. So such peace was only because of it, and no one knows when it would last.
Tranquility? Well, everyone hopes it would never end.
Right when the crack of dawn arrives, all the monsters hurried away as if they were going to be late for something. These monsters didn't run away because they were afraid of the sun, nor be burned by it, the Mercenaries were confident with these conjectures because they fought with those resilient monsters for the first straight three days and nights.
The sun does not really bother them.
In this battle, the monsters' retreats and attacks were unpredictable as always, but at least before, they knew if when they will retreat because these monsters were giving signal to one another, making strange noises before disappearing consecutively.
However, this dawn, something very odd happened.
All the monsters stops fighting, and those in the middle of hacking their opponents with only few strikes to completely claim their lives, stopped midway then scurried away. In a blink of an eye, all the monsters, whichever race they belong to, disappears simultaneously.
At that very moment, the Mercenaries, even Rusty and Vrylle, were all dumbfounded. It just happens that Rusty came back to his senses first, dragged Vrylle away to escape their human enemies, then hide for a moment while also taking some rest.
Rusty have to retreat at that very moment, too. Simply because the timing wasn't right for them to sneak toward the Transfer Point, even if it's only few meters away from where they were, considering that there were still quite a number of Mercenaries they have to face just to reach the place.
The disadvantage weighs more.
Those Mercenaries might be exhausted, very tired because of endless fighting with only few minutes of rest, but Rusty knew that as someone with that line of work, the more exhausted the body was, the more keen their senses would be.
That was why, back then, he chooses to retreat and also to recuperate his and Her Ladyship's tattered and also very exhausted bodies.
They were no match with those people, considering that there's only two of them. The enemies' number alone was a threat. He couldn't recklessly gamble.
As for the Mercenaries, they have long forgotten about the people they have abducted, the reason why they were in this situation. Their only focus was to survive. If they survive, then that was when they mind those people.
The prolonged battle was more than enough for these Mercenaries to congest nothing more with their thoughts.
In almost a week of battling with the monsters, these men barely have rest, let alone sleep. What's fortunate for them was that they were used to it. It was their profession, after all. What was different this time was that they didn't know if what other kind of monster would pop out, when will they attack again, their prowess, and most importantly, their seemingly never-ending number.
When will these monster stop coming.
The Dungeon Break this time was the worst these group of Mercenaries had ever faced. They all feel like the monsters were endless, and they will only stop 'spawning' if all of them are dead. As time passed, it's not just the 'spawned' monsters were stronger than the last, some also have intelligence. Using their monster brain for tactics and combat styles.
The Mercenaries have a bad premonition that these monsters were evolving while or after fighting them. Such a thing, could they attribute it to the skill called Memory Transfer? Is that also means that there's really such a Mage amongst these monsters with such skill?
If there really is, it was alarming.
It's not just the Mercenaries who have this terrible thought, Rusty, who was now dragging two Mercenaries toward the cave where he and Her Ladyship was resting for a moment, one is a combat-type and the other is a Mage, also had this thought in mind.
Two out of ten monsters he fought with knew how to speak human language, even just a little, while four out of ten were able to cheaply imitate his combat style.
It was concerning because those monsters were supposed to be low to middle-level ones, only driving by instincts. They were not the high nor superior-level monsters that have intelligence comparable to human's.
"Ugh... You, how are you still alive?"
Just as Rusty finally reached the cave and went inside, he rudely tossed the two Mercenaries onto the ground. He looked at them as if saying 'The same goes for you. Why are you not dead yet?'.
That condescending look stabbed at the combat-type Mercenary's sore spot. He lay like a dead person on the ground and did not move, eyes closing while asking himself the same question.
Right. How was he still alive? How come even though he courted death in this past few days, he was still alive? He was clearly battered, black and blue. But that was all to it. He didn't sustain any serious injuries that could threaten his life. And even when he was about a few inches away from the monsters' ominous blades, there this always someone who saved him just in time. Either they both survived, or the said person sacrificed himself for him.
It was frustrating.
"Looks like you don't have any will to live. I can help you leave this world if you want. Free of charge."
The cold and mocking tone of the Knight stabbed yet again to the combat-type Mercenary's sore spot. But he remained silent, only lifted his right arm and uses it to cover his eyes with a weak and surrendered smile.
"Stop mocking Mr. Valdez! Someone like you who didn't know what's he'd been through don't have any right to-"
"...It's okay, Mr. Alex. After all, that Knight was right."
"Mr. Valdez... no, you..."
The Knight, Rusty, just look at the two Mercenaries as if they were no important, like a dispensable ware that once their uses were exhausted, and they could no longer be needed, it was no trouble to dispose of them. That look in his eyes stirred irritation to Alex. A look as if they were not humans.
Alex was about to launch at the arrogant Knight when he abruptly stops after hearing footsteps coming out from the deepest part of the cave. He vigilantly closes his distance to the still dejected Valdez as he waits to see if who was with this Knight. Not long after, he was dumbfounded to see who it was...
It was a kid. A little girl, no less.
'Why's a kid here? Wait! Don't tell me-'
Alex intently watch the little girl walk steadily towards them despite her dirty, tattered looks, screaming just how she spent her every moment these past few days.
Valdez, who was acting dead just a moment ago, for some reason, was now also looking intently to her as he pulls himself to sit, but eyes never leaving the little girl.
"Rusty, what took you so long? I thought something bad happen to you. It worries me."
"Please forgive this Knight, My Lady. I didn't mean to worry you. It just took me some time to look for essentials."
Rusty stresses the word 'essentials' as he looked over to the two Mercenaries on the ground. His words alone was clearly telling the two people that he really didn't see them as human beings.
Such rude remarks made Alex's teeth itch to bite him to death. He really dislikes condescending people like that Knight. If it's like any normal day, he wouldn't mind giving that arrogant Knight a lesson or two.
Unfortunately, reality tells him that the situation isn't normal at all.
Alex has no choice but to swallow all his irritation toward the Knight with gritted teeth and clenching fists. However, Valdez, on the other hand, doesn't mind the word Rusty chooses to described them. After all, he was partly correct.
As a Mercenary, he really is like an essential. So instead of fuming to the Knight's intentional provocation, Valdez just sat in place while looking at the little girl.
Maybe perceiving that someone was looking at her so intently, the little girl looked toward the source and politely smile as she looks at him, as if giving a greeting, before looking back to her Knight.
"Rusty, that was rude. You shouldn't refer a human like that."
Rusty remain silent and just look at the two Mercenaries with obvious contempt in his eyes out of Her Ladyship's notice.
He knew she was right. But what could he do? These people, after all, deserves his contempt. Even though what they were doing was because of someone else's order, as a commissioner they were, wasn't it normal that they shared the blame?
They took the mission and proceeded to their plan, you see.
Her Ladyship was still a child. How could these people stomach to murder, worse torture, such a youngling who doesn't know and seen the world yet? Let alone Her Ladyship was innocent. She does not deserve what she was going through by now.
Rusty was distress for Vrylle, while he was upset towards the Mercenaries. Excusing himself for a bit, he walks toward the two and lazily tosses each one a scroll, which Valdez and Alex subconsciously catch.
"Sign it."
Came a peremptory request, or was it really as simple as a request? Of course, Alex immediately disagree with it.
The tone Rusty uses was that of a superior, full of authoritative, brusque demand. From just the tone itself, one could clearly hear that there is no way in hell they could state something to secure their own safety. What was written within the scroll obviously one-sided which they benefited nothing.
"...Heh. Bastard."
As expected, after unrolling and reading the contents of the scroll, which unsurprisingly written and prepared not long ago, Alex couldn't help but sneer and curse the Knight. What says within was for them to fully cooperate with Rusty and Vrylle until they left the Hunting Ground.
Additionally, he, Alex, as a quasi-Healer, must prioritize the safety, and also the healing, of none other than the little girl.
But what was more incredulous was, that bastard of a Knight stresses within the clause that if 'Her Ladyship' dies while the contract was still valid, the contracted must follow suit and die along with her! The only exception is that if 'Her Ladyship' breaks the contract first and spare them.
Not just arrogant, but also very malicious! He must be cursed!
"Hey. Language. Don't forget that your life was in my hand."
Alex gritted his teeth so strongly that he feels like he might break some of his teeth sooner when he hears the Knight's voice with a self-righteous undertone. His hands that still holding the Contract Scroll were trembling from anger, while he was breathing heavily.
Eyes starting to turn red from suppressed indignation, Alex was about to roar and had a mind to spit on that Knight's face when he heard Valdez's voice, his expression unsightly.
"Here. I signed it using my blood."
"...Mr. Valdez!"
He couldn't believe that Valdez signed that unfair contact just like that. Is he that eager to die? But he wasn't! He's unwilling! That was why he was still alive up until now! He is fighting to keep living, not to die!
"Mr. Alex, it's just kill or be killed, to die or to survive. If you don't want to sign, don't force yourself."
The poor Mage was nearing his end of the stick. He inwardly cursed Valdez for his cowardice and selfishness, and again curses the Knight even more badly. Forcibly calming himself down, because he knew he wouldn't gain anything if he let his impulses leads him, Alex looked towards 'Her Ladyship' and just silently observing her reaction.
Vrylle, who was also silently observing from the side, walks toward the Mage who looks like he was going crazy soon. With a faint smile on her blood-splattered, yet still cute and dolly face, once she's only few meters away from him, she scoots down, stretches her right hand where she wore her spatial ring right above the Mage's lap, and with just a second, potions of different kinds piled up on his lap.
"There. Compensation."
Alex was surprised. With widened eyes, he subconsciously supported the few potions that were about to roll out of his lap, securing them within his circled arms like precious babies. Because of the sudden movements, the scroll wrinkled in his hand. He was about to apologize when he saw it, but manages to stop and stared at the little girl in front of him.
She still has that faint smile.
The thing that surprises Alex, in congruent, surprises Rusty and Valdez, too.
Rusty didn't stop Vrylle to approach the Mage because be believed in himself that whatever that Mage trying to do once Her Ladyship nears him, he surely can suppress him.
How about Valdez, he just silently watches the little girl approached the soon-to-explode Alex because he believed in his colleague's morals.
Despite the oddity of the little girl being safe and sound all these time of chaotic and dangerous situation, the fact that she's just a little girl wouldn't change. What's more, Alex has a little sister too, which coincidentally around the little girl's age.
More importantly, Valdez believes that the little girl was capable of defending and taking care of herself.
Her presence at this very moment was an obvious evidence. Also, those blood, bruises, and varying injuries she sustained throughout the battle she bravely fought.
Rusty and Valdez must have different reasoning in mind when they watched the little girl approached Alex, but what unfolds to them afterward caught them off guard. And now the caused of their astonishment was the same, reaction and even the words inside their heads.
'Medium grade potions!'
The small mountain of medium grade potions in different variety were now piling onto Alex's lap. Most shockingly, those medium grades were mostly Stamina, Health, and Mana Replenishing potions, suitable for Mages.
"Such an expensive compensation. Isn't it wonderful, Mr. Alex?" Valdez couldn't help but tease the overwhelmed Mage.
Truth be told, medium grade potions are very expensive, especially for Mercenaries like them who barely have any budget to afford it, and each potion was more expensive than the other.
Like, if medium grade Stamina Replenishing was expensive already, don't be surprised to know that Health Replenishing was a bit expensive than the latter. And if one thought it just that, then the Mana Replenishing was two times expensive that both combined.
Considering that fact, Valdez understands what Alex feels at the moment. As a Mage, those potions were what he needed the most.
Rusty, on the other hand, now understands where Her Ladyship placed all the shop owners' items and products personally picked. He saw those owners' picked this and that before entering the private room where Her Ladyship enters while he and Merida weren't allowed to come along. But whenever she left, shop after shop, there wasn't even a single item with her. Now he knew.
Her Ladyship owned an item, a Spatial Dimension. It must be His Grace nor the Young Master's present.
While Rusty is busy entering another height of admiration to the Duke and the Young Master, the words Alex spoke make him abruptly snapped out of his trance, the corner of his lips twitched. He's now looking at the Mage like a complete joke. Though he was the kind of joke that is expensive.
"I'll sign the contract, then!"