24 Inflood

Joshu came back with his first successful Recruitment at breakfast the next day.

"This is Xia." He introduced a tanned, tall, round-faced huntress.

"Hi." Xia said one word. That was all.

"She's agreed to join up." Joshu added on her behalf.

Xia bobbed her head once. That was all.

"Welcome aboard, Xia!" Mandy greeted her. "Please read the charter, and the registration form, and if everything checks out, you can sign here…"

Xia signed the form immediately. She didn't even glance at the charter or the form itself.

"Uh… okay…" Mandy cleared her throat. "Come have breakfast before you start doing any jobs."

Xia straightaway took up a bowl of oat porridge and started gobbling as if she hadn't eaten for days. Remian began to wonder if that was really the main reason why she signed on so urgently…

"Can we count on her?" he asked Joshu.

"I believe so. She doesn't speak much, but she's a serious girl." Joshu said. "I have two other hunters coming later today who aren't so serious. Now, THEM, I'd be worried about."

With a quick report, Joshu was credited with three more successful Tier 2 Exploration Missions to contact the hunters' homes. This, added to his previous missions, three successful First Invites and one successful Recruitment (so far) very quickly earned him over 11,000 points. This not only had him ranked First, Joshu was officially the first Tier 3 Adventurer in the guild.

"Congratulations!" Remian made the announcement to scattered applause. "I'm going to make you a special gift for being the first to reach Tier 3!"

"Really? You're not going to make me the leader of the Guild, are you? Because I'm really not good with that sort of thing." Joshu squinted.

"No, no, the Guild Leader is still going to be me." Remian said straight off. "But I'm going to make you a magic bow."

"You can do that?" Joshu gaped.

"I think so. If it doesn't work, I'll give you a set of Tier 2 scrolls as a prize instead." Remian offered.

Joshu's face fell. "I'm not too good with magic either. Even using scrolls is hard."

"You can sell them. The airship is due today or tomorrow." Remian pointed out.

"Right! Of course!" Joshu grinned. He might not know how to use Tier 2 scrolls, but he most certainly knew how to use money.

"Wuff." Carrie suddenly got up, ears twitching. [People are coming.]

"They're here already?" Remian turned to Joshu. "I thought you said those two hunters weren't coming until later today."

"They're not…" Joshu frowned. "They shouldn't be here until after lunch at the least."

[Many people.] Carrie added. [At least ten.]

"Ten?!" Remian leapt to his feet. "Everyone, prepare for combat!"

There was a flurry of activity. People grabbed weapons, or whatever they could find to use as weapons, including a broom, two mugs, and a stool.

But then they heard a yell, "Help! Mandy sis! Help us!"

"Amy!" Mandy dropped the stool and ran out the door at once. Remian was right behind her. Outside, they found a lot of familiar faces. "Kage! Everyone!"

Kage stumbled forward, supported by no less than five children, followed by six more. He looked hurt, and half the children were crying. Most of them weren't even as old as Mindy. The youngest one was only six or seven.

"What happened?" Mandy gasped, running forward to help Kage.

"The Cruel Rose gang." Amy cried. "They… they…"

"Shelter…" Kage suddenly turned to Remian. "Please…"

"Of course!" Remian waved them in. "Come in! Tim! We need more food! And lots of hot soup!"

"I'll help!" Mindy dashed to the kitchens. George went with her.

"I'll go keep watch." Joshu stood up.

"Everyone, sit down…" Mandy ushered them to benches.

[Here.] Carrie lay down. [Bring them over to me.]

"Over here." Remian sat down with his back to Carrie, patting the floor beside him. "Bring everyone over."

They weren't afraid of the big wolfcat. Mindy and the others had told so many stories… They huddled there while Mandy tended to Kage's wounds. Mindy brought them food while George and Tim bustled in the kitchen. Jane and Kavitha were trying to comfort them. Remian got up and waved Buff over. "Guard the door."

With a bear guarding the door, and their backs up against a gentle giant wolfcat, the children lost their fear very quickly, but the tears did not subside so easily. Vigil joined them and the wolfcat cub volunteered himself to get stroked and patted while they ate.

Mandy and the others went about soothing the children until the crying stopped and they ate or slept or talked or played with the cub in an uneasy peace. Remian, meanwhile sat with Kage.

"How bad?" That was all he asked.

"Everything." Kage answered shortly. "It's all over."

Remian hesitated. "Any other survivors?"

"Maybe."

There was a short silence.

"You're welcome to join us." Remian said then.

"And the children?" Kage asked.

"You're all welcome to join us." Remian clarified. "Especially the children."

"Really?" Mandy perked up. "I mean… that's a lot of mouths to feed. Can we really afford it…? Won't we be really, really poor if we had to feed and clothe so many children? Won't they be a huge burden to us?"

"Is that the way the Circling Ravens thought?" Remian stared. "That the children were a burden?! Mandy, I'd give every scroll I have to recruit even just one of these kids into the Guild. To have them all would be awesome!"

"Really? But won't it be too much trouble to babysit everyone? Would we even have time for anything else like that?" Mandy questioned.

Remian snorted. "Babysit? Whatever for?"

Mandy stared. "Remian, you can't just take on a dozen children and let them run around wild! You have to take responsibility for them, and their needs, and raise them up right! Otherwise, in the future…"

"What? What do you expect in the future?" Remian asked.

Mandy bit her lip. "Beggars and slaves, and more employees for Rose."

Remian shook his head. "That only happens if we kick them out."

"Then what do you expect will happen if we take them in?"

Remian thought for a moment. "Five years. In five years, the Adventurers Guild will become the most powerful force in Frontier Town, and all the gangs would be wiped out."

"Wiped out?!" Mandy stared.

"Completely. Without a trace." Remian said.

"You sound so certain…" Mandy shook her head. "But I don't see how. They're just children, and the Cruel Rose Gang won't just let them grow up in peace."

At that, Remian actually burst out laughing. "That won't even matter. The Cruel Rose Gang won't even last one year, let alone five."

Mandy stared at him, astonished. "What makes you so sure?"

"Because," Remian's smile turned cold. "I'm going to make sure they won't."

He only took two minutes to explain. There was a Plan A, and there was a Plan B…

Kage and all the children with him heard it and joined the Adventurers Guild on the spot.