When James and Faust came down to the main hall, Rosalía was already waiting for them at the foot of the stairs.
She had a couple of folded papers in her hands, and the moment she saw them, she waved for them to come over.
"Pay attention, because we don’t have much time," she said in a serious tone. "I already registered us as a party and got us our first job."
"And what kind of job is it?" James asked.
"An extermination mission," Rosalía explained. "Apparently, some minor demons have been slipping through the wall, and the local soldiers can’t handle it on their own anymore."
But the moment she finished reading the job posting, Faust’s expression hardened slightly.
"Demons..." she repeated, in a more cautious tone. "I don’t think it’s a good idea to take a job that has anything to do with that."
Rosalía let out a sigh, as if she’d already expected that reaction.
"I understand your concern, but we’re also not really in a position to be picky right now."
"Yeah... I suppose you’re right."
"Besides, look at this," Rosalía spread the document out in front of them. "The place is several days’ travel away."
A faint smile appeared on her face for the first time since she’d started talking.
"That means we can get away from the city, make a little money, and give things time to cool down."
James took a moment to think it over and, in the end, had to admit Rosalía had a point.
Looking at it calmly, they could hardly have found a job better suited to the situation.
Faust, on the other hand, still seemed to have her reservations, but ended up keeping them to herself and didn’t protest further.
"I have no problem going," James said with a shrug. "But what about your mom? If we just disappear like this, she’s going to worry."
"Don’t worry about that old witch," Rosalía replied with a carefree gesture. "I’ll send her a letter explaining a job came up that was impossible to turn down, and that we’ll be back in a few weeks."
James was about to say something else, but a voice rose above the noise of the hall and caught everyone’s attention.
"Transport headed north! The cart to Crystal Lake is about to depart! First and final call!"
Beside the guild entrance, one of the employees was ringing a small bell while repeating the announcement at the top of her lungs.
"That’s ours," Rosalía said, getting up immediately. "We’d better hurry, if we miss it, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow."
Without waiting for a reply, Rosalía turned around and began pushing through the crowd toward the exit.
James and Faust exchanged a brief glance before following her.
...
Far from the bustle of the city center, faint lamplight illuminated a small room.
In the middle of the room, a woman hung suspended by thick chains binding her wrists, descending from the ceiling.
The tips of her toes barely brushed the floor, forcing her to bear almost her entire body weight with her arms.
Her face was unrecognizable.
One eye was black and swollen, her cheek was inflamed, and a thin trail of blood trickled slowly from the corner of her lips.
She was one of the mercenaries who had gone after Faust.
"Let’s try this again," said a bald, heavyset man planted in front of her. "Where’s the merchandise?"
"I... I already told you..." she replied, her voice broken. "It was lost... all of it... because of that damn elf who led us wrong—"
The bald man’s fist sank into her stomach before she could finish the sentence.
The woman doubled over as much as the chains allowed, coughing and spitting a little blood onto the floor.
"I’m not interested in your excuses," he said, cracking his knuckles. "The only thing I want to know is where the merchandise is. Someone must have taken it, so talk and this will all be over."
"I don’t know! I swear!" she screamed between gasps, lifting her head as best she could. "By the time we got there it was already gone!"
The bald man raised his fist again, but before he could deliver another blow, the room’s door opened.
A blond-haired man walked in with a calm stride, dressed in elegant clothes and accompanied by two enormous, intimidating-looking bodyguards.
"How’s everything going in here?" the blond man asked, looking at the hanging woman with a bored expression.
"She keeps saying the same thing, boss," the bald man replied. "And honestly, I’m starting to think she’s telling the truth... She’s been repeating the exact same story for hours."
The blond man walked a few steps closer, studying the woman carefully before a smile slowly formed on his face.
"Bring her down," he ordered.
The bald man obeyed without hesitation. He loosened the chains and, instantly, the woman collapsed to her knees on the floor, unable to hold herself up.
However, the moment she regained freedom of movement, she dragged herself toward the blond man and clung to his legs with what little strength she had left.
"Thank you... sir... I swear, I would never steal from you," she stammered through tears. "I’ve always been loyal... I would never do something like that... you have to believe me—"
"I know, darling," the blond man said in a soft voice, crouching down slightly to her level. "I can tell from your face that you’re not lying."
The woman looked up at him, a flicker of hope shining through her tears.
"Re... really?"
"Yeah," he replied, stroking her head with an almost paternal gentleness. "But the problem, dear, isn’t whether you’re telling the truth or not."
The smile on his face remained unchanged.
"The real problem is that the merchandise you and your bunch of idiots lost was worth far more than all your lives combined," he continued in the same warm tone. "And someone has to answer for it."
The light in the woman’s eyes died instantly.
"No... no, please—"
"Cut her into pieces and feed her to the pigs," the blond man said, standing up and wiping his hand on a handkerchief. "Might as well get some use out of this useless woman."
"No! NO, PLEASE! I’M BEGGING YOU!"
The two guards obeyed in silence.
They grabbed her by the arms and dragged her toward the door while she struggled uselessly, screaming until her voice gave out.
"MERCY! PLEASE, I’M BEGGING YOU! I’LL DO ANYTHING! ANYTHING—!"
The door closed behind them, and the woman’s screams gradually faded down the hallway until they were completely silenced.
The blond man put the handkerchief in his pocket and then turned toward the bald man.
"That elf she mentioned..." he said thoughtfully. "What did she say her name was? Baust? Paust? Tau?"
"Faust, boss."
"Right, Faust. Whatever," he said with a careless wave of his hand. "Find her and find out what she did with the merchandise."
Having said that, he headed toward the exit, though he stopped right at the doorway.
"Ah, and if she turns out to be as pretty as they say her kind usually is, don’t rough her up too much," he added without turning around. "Bring her to me... I’m sure I’ll find some use for her."
"As you wish, boss."
The blond man finally left the room, walking with the same calm he’d arrived with.