Hitori walked through a long, narrow corridor inside Riverhold’s military garrison.
The walls were covered with enormous military tapestries, ancient crests, and ornamental armor displayed on dark wooden stands.
The sound of his footsteps echoed through the stone hallway while small flames danced in the torches mounted on the walls.
Even so…
His mind was elsewhere.
Hitori: “Damn it…”
The image of that girl smiling while he flew straight into the fountain simply wouldn’t leave his head.
That irritating smile.
That mocking expression.
The more he remembered…
The more he wanted to see her again.
Hitori: “If I find that girl again, I’ll…”
Distractedly turning around one of the corners—
THUD!
The two bodies collided violently.
Hitori: “OW…!”
???: “Ugh…!”
They both fell to the ground almost at the same time.
Hitori held his head in annoyance while the other person complained from the other side.
Hitori: “Watch where you’re go—”
Then he froze.
The girl in front of him froze as well.
Their eyes widened simultaneously.
And they spoke at the same time.
Hitori / ???: “You?!”
Silence filled the corridor for several seconds.
Hitori immediately narrowed his eyes.
Hitori: “I knew it…”
Hitori: “You’re the girl who threw me into that fountain!”
The girl raised an eyebrow as if offended.
???: “‘Threw’?”
She crossed her arms and gave him a sarcastic smile.
???: “You were in my way.”
???: “I just used you to jump.”
???: “It’s not my fault you fell like a rotten fruit.”
???: “Ha… ha… ha…”
She burst out laughing as she remembered the scene.
Hitori’s irritation instantly rose.
Hitori: “Why you—”
???: “Miss! Are you alright?!”
An older voice appeared right behind her.
A tall man with partially gray hair, fair skin, and green eyes quickly appeared in the corridor.
He wore impeccable butler clothes, carried a sword at his waist, and conducted himself calmly with flawless etiquette.
???: “Leave me alone, Herny.”
She looked at him disapprovingly.
???: “A brat like him isn’t going to hurt me.”
Her tone was full of superiority.
Hitori immediately replied.
Hitori: “You don’t look much older than me either, you brat.”
Now he could observe her better.
She really looked to be around the same age as him.
Tan skin.
Amber-green eyes.
Dark green hair partially tied with golden ornaments, forming long twin tails.
She wore an extremely flashy green dress full of frills and luxurious details, completely out of place in the military environment of the garrison.
She clearly came from a wealthy background.
Rich.
???: “Watch your mouth, you—”
Herny: “Miss.”
Herny: “Mind your manners.”
???: “Aaargh…”
Herny extended a hand to help her up.
But in the next instant—
WHOOSH!
She spun around and stood up on her own with incredible agility.
Hitori was left speechless as her dress revealed delicate yet strong legs.
Hitori: “What the…?”
The girl immediately noticed his reaction.
???: “What?”
???: “Never seen someone elegant before, worm?”
Hitori pointed at her angrily.
Hitori: “For a spoiled rich girl, you’ve got quite a filthy mouth.”
Her expression changed instantly.
???: “What did you call me?”
Hitori flashed a provocative smile.
Hitori: “Spoi…”
Hitori: “Led…”
Hitori: “Brat.”
The girl lunged at him furiously.
???: “YOU—”
But Herny gently grabbed the back of her dress before she could reach Hitori.
Herny: “Miss.”
Herny: “We must go.”
Herny: “We’ve already wasted too much time because of today’s incident.”
Hitori immediately narrowed his eyes.
Incident.
The word used by the butler instantly connected everything in his mind.
The guards running.
The girl fleeing.
The commotion in the plaza.
Hitori: “So it was true…”
Hitori: “You were running from those guards, weren’t you?”
The girl’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
???: “What are you talking about, worm?”
Herny immediately stepped in.
Herny: “Please, sir.”
Herny: “Do not talk about that here.”
Hitori: “Huh?”
At that moment, several people began gathering in the corridor, drawn by the argument.
More voices.
More footsteps.
More curious onlookers.
Then—
Yashina: “What’s all that noise?”
Kamero let out a deep sigh.
Kamero: “Considering who we left alone…”
Kamero / Yashina: “It can only be Hitori.”
The two rushed upstairs toward the commotion.
Meanwhile, the girl kept trying to break free.
???: “Let me go, Herny!”
???: “I’m going to punch that idiot in the face!”
Hitori immediately pointed at her.
Hitori: “I’m the one who has unfinished business with you!”
Hitori: “You threw me into that fountain!”
Herny gave a slight bow.
Herny: “On behalf of my lady, I apologize for what happened.”
Hitori blinked several times.
Hitori: “Lady…?”
Herny nodded elegantly.
Herny: “Yes. She is—”
Yashina: “HITORI!”
The two arrived in the corridor.
Kamero immediately noticed the nearby guards and the girl’s luxurious clothes.
His expression turned serious.
Kamero: “What’s going on here?”
Kamero: “What’s going on here?”
Hitori quickly raised his hands. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Hitori: “I didn’t do anything this time!”
The girl crossed her arms.
???: “Wonderful.”
???: “More fools have arrived.”
Yashina narrowed her eyes.
Yashina: “Who are you?”
Hitori immediately answered.
Hitori: “She’s the girl from the fountain.”
Yashina blinked in surprise.
Yashina: “She looks very different without the cloak…”
Hitori pointed at her.
Hitori: “But I’ll never forget that cynical smile.”
Kamero let out a tired sigh.
Kamero: “I think it’d be best to discuss this somewhere else.”
Herny nodded.
Herny: “I completely agree.”
The girl turned away irritably.
???: “I have nothing more to say.”
Hitori immediately shot back.
Hitori: “What do you mean you don’t?!”
Hitori: “Where’s my apology?!”
She gave him a mocking smile.
???: “No time, brother.”
Yashina crossed her arms.
Yashina: “The royal guards were after you earlier.”
Herny’s expression changed slightly.
Then he spoke calmly.
Herny: “Everything has already been resolved.”
Herny: “Miss, let’s go.”
???: “Alright.”
She began walking away down the corridor.
Hitori tried to follow her.
Hitori: “Hey! I’m not done yet!”
Kamero immediately grabbed his shoulder.
Kamero: “Calm down, Hitori.”
Before turning the corner, the girl looked back.
Then she stuck her tongue out at him.
Hitori: “WHY YOU—”
Kamero tightened his grip.
Kamero: “Easy there, my dear fellow.”
Yashina watched the direction in which the girl disappeared.
Yashina: “That girl is really strange…”
After the commotion, the group headed to the garrison cafeteria.
The place was crowded.
Soldiers talked loudly.
Adventurers drank.
And waiters crossed the hall carrying enormous dishes.
Aysa arrived shortly afterward and sat with them.
Aysa: “So that girl really is the same one from the fountain?”
Hitori answered immediately.
Hitori: “That’s her.”
Kamero rested his face on his hand.
Kamero: “I’m still impressed that you recognized someone covered by a cloak.”
Hitori pointed at his head.
Hitori: “That sarcastic smile is burned into my soul.”
Yashina quietly observed Hitori.
Something about him had seemed strange ever since the corridor.
Quieter.
More distracted.
Kamero then commented.
Kamero: “But I must admit…”
Kamero: “That whole thing with the guards made me curious.”
Aysa tilted her head.
Aysa: “I wonder what she did.”
Hitori crossed his arms.
Hitori: “Whatever it was…”
Hitori: “She looks like trouble.”
The conversation continued as they finished eating.
But Hitori became more and more distracted.
Thinking about that girl.
The way she smiled.
The incredible agility she had shown.
The way Herny treated her.
There was something strange about her.
Very strange.
Yashina immediately noticed.
Yashina: “Hitori?”
He blinked a few times.
Hitori: “Huh?”
Yashina: “Are you okay?”
Hitori quickly looked away.
Hitori: “Yeah.”
Yashina narrowed her eyes.
Clearly not believing him.
But before she could press further—
Kamero lightly tapped the table.
Kamero: “It’s decided.”
Kamero: “Let’s head to the Guild Center.”
A short while later, they arrived at the small section responsible for missions inside the garrison.
Compared to the rest of the building, the place seemed much simpler.
Even so, adventurers constantly came and went.
Behind the main counter stood a woman with her hair tied in a ponytail, wearing the official garrison uniform.
???: “Good afternoon.”
???: “My name is Lisa.”
???: “I’m in charge of the guild section.”
Kamero stepped forward.
Kamero: “Pleasure to meet you.”
Kamero: “I’m Kamero.”
Kamero: “And this is Guild EXO.”
Everyone gave a small nod.
Lisa then pulled up a transparent interface similar to a magical tablet.
Lisa: “Guild EXO…”
Lisa: “Rank C.”
Lisa: “I see.”
Several screens appeared before them, displaying the available missions.
Hunting.
Protection.
Escort.
Capture.
Kamero crossed his arms.
Kamero: “Let’s take our time and analyze them.”
They sat down nearby and began evaluating the options.
Hitori stared at the screens without any enthusiasm.
Hitori: “This is such a pain…”
Kamero replied without even looking at him.
Kamero: “If you actually helped, we’d finish sooner.”
Hitori: “Yeah, yeah…”
Yashina pointed at one of the missions.
Yashina: “How about this one?”
Aysa read it aloud.
Aysa: “‘Capture cargo thieves at District 3 Harbor.'”
Kamero nodded.
Kamero: “Low risk.”
Aysa immediately smiled.
Her eyes practically sparkled.
Yashina then turned to Hitori.
Yashina: “What do you think?”
Hitori took a few seconds to answer.
Hitori: “Sounds good…”
Yashina immediately frowned.
Yashina: “What’s wrong with you?” she asked loudly.
Yashina: “You’ve been acting strange since earlier.”
Aysa slowly turned her head.
Aysa: “Uh-oh…”
Kamero remained silent.
Hitori blinked in confusion.
Hitori: “Relax…”
Hitori: “Why are you yelling like that?”
He couldn’t understand why she was talking to him like that.
Yashina looked away irritably.
Yashina: “Aargh…”
She clenched her right fist.
Yashina: “Forget it.”
She shrugged.
Then she stood up and went straight to Lisa to register the mission.
Hitori watched, completely lost.
Hitori: “I’m completely lost right now…”
He looked at Kamero and Aysa.
Aysa merely sighed.
Aysa: “Being dense must be something you’re born with.”
She shook her head in disagreement.
Several hours later…
Night fell over Riverhold’s harbor district.
Shadows covered the enormous docked ships while the sound of the waters of the Lovrelis River echoed through the silent port.
Guild EXO hid near the warehouses, waiting for the thieves to appear.
The atmosphere between Hitori and Yashina remained strange.
She had been quiet ever since the garrison.
Kamero decided to break the silence.
Kamero: “Well…”
Kamero: “I suppose we should’ve settled this earlier, but…”
Kamero: “What’s the plan?”
Yashina answered immediately.
Yashina: “The plan is simple.”
She raised her hand.
Yashina: “We’ll beat up the thieves.”
Yashina: “And hand them over to the garrison.”
Kamero: “…Very well, then.”
Aysa looked at Kamero.
Kamero simply spread his arms as if saying, I have no idea.
Then—
Yashina narrowed her eyes.
Yashina: “There.”
About ten figures silently emerged from between the ships.
Armed men.
Hooded.
Moving quickly toward a merchant vessel.
???: “This is the one.”
???: “Open it already!”
Yashina immediately charged forward.
Yashina: “Surrender!”
The thieves were startled.
???: “What?!”
???: “Someone’s coming!”
Yashina extended her arm.
Several blasts of light exploded toward the criminals.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The first thieves immediately fell, screaming in pain.
???: “You bitch!”
???: “Get her!”
The rest drew their weapons and charged.
But Yashina completely dominated the battle.
Her movements were swift.
Precise.
Elegant.
She defeated one after another almost by herself.
Kamero watched silently.
Aysa did as well.
Meanwhile—
Hitori simply blinked.
Hitori: “What’s gotten into her…?”
The thieves quickly realized that she wasn’t an ordinary adventurer.
So they began casting magic simultaneously.
But—
SHIIIING!
A luminous barrier appeared in front of Yashina, blocking everything.
Yashina: “Is that all?”
???: “Get her!”
The man who seemed to be leading the thieves smiled strangely.
Then—
CLACK.
A grenade fell to the ground.
Kamero’s eyes widened.
Kamero: “Oh no—”
BOOOOOOSH!
A huge cloud of black smoke completely covered the harbor.
Aysa: “Move!”
Hitori: “YASHINA!”
Inside the smoke, Yashina immediately went on the defensive.
Her vision was completely impaired.
Then—
Something grabbed her foot.
Yashina: “What?!”
She tried to fire a spell at it.
But before she could—
A presence appeared behind her.
A hand violently grabbed her shoulder.
CRACK.
An unbearable pain shot through her body.
Yashina: “AAAAAH!”
Her arm practically lost all strength.
She fell to her knees, feeling as though her shoulder was about to be torn off.
???: “Got you…”
The thief raised his weapon.
But at that moment—
A shadow violently cut through the smoke.
CRAAAASH!
The man was sent flying before he could finish his attack.
Yashina’s eyes widened.
???: “Run!”
Yashina: “Huh…?”
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
A powerful gust of wind exploded, dispersing part of the smoke.
And finally…
She was able to see who was standing before her.