Ch 135: The message to the Red Flag guild
"Alessia, what are you doing here alone? Oh, Emir, you were here. I didn't notice," Miria said in amazement, with amazing acting skills.
Emir: "..."
'Hey!'
I know I said all that stupid stuff about being a tree and all that, but don't get in my face and tell me that I was being ignored on purpose! I already knew that! That's why I wanted to escape reality!
It's these things that take away my desire to help people for free and without charging taxes. No matter how I look at it, I am losing money and health.
'- Although it's funny that they treat master like this, I must let them know that it was him who brought us here.'
"Don't be like that, Miria. Emir cared a lot about you, and that's why we ran all the way here."
"!!!" They were all very surprised.
They quickly backed up three steps. At the same time, they brought a hand to their mouth, hinting that they couldn't believe what they just heard. And, as a final touch, they widened their eyes and opened their mouths in shock.
Emir: "..."
'Mn, their acting skills are not only amazing, but they possess perfect timing.'
In my mind, I removed a copper coin from my inventory and tossed it on the ground to indicate that their street show was to my liking. Of course, I would never really...
Irina: "...."
Miria: "....."
Zia: "...."
'Ah... it wasn't my imagination... I did throw a coin at their feet! Will they believe me if I tell them that I did it unconsciously?'
'- I want to hit him!' All three women thought something similar.
'Um... From the way they look at me, apparently, they won't believe me. Well, at least seeing that expression on their faces as they grit their teeth is worth it. I'll remember it every time they try to annoy me.'
"Cof Cof" Alessia coughed for attention and said, "We came here thinking something weird was going on with your mission. What specifically is it about?"
Her words successfully diverted attention, and the three annoying beauties began to explain the mission.
"To deliver a message to the Red Flag guild of the Drial Cenit kingdom. The ones who are waiting for us are members of this guild. The mission also indicated that there would be experienced personnel accompanying us, but as you can see..." Irina casually glanced at the men accompanying them.
'I see. They accepted the mission, thinking it would be safe because of the number of members performing it. But by the time they realized that these members were not that experienced, it was too late to cancel the mission.'
If a mission is accepted and then canceled, then there will be a punishment. This ranges from colossal sums of money to being banned from accepting a mission again for a certain period. They couldn't afford to cancel it. They don't have that much money on their hands, as they spent it all on the preparation for the 10th floor of the Altamira labyrinth. Something they had to postpone because they were dragged into the border war.
"Changing the subject, what are you doing here, Alessia? Someone told us that you weren't caught and that you were far away from the war," Zia said worriedly.
'Hey, it wasn't 'someone', it was me! My name is Emir, just in case.'
Looking all around, Alessia walks up to Zia and whispers in her ear, "We know an unaffiliated traveler. He brought me here to visit."
Zia: "..."
'- Visiting? Since when did the war become a zone for tourism?'
Zia made a small bow as a sign of respect and then walked in our direction.
"Let's go"
Without any opposition, we all accepted Zia's words and made our way back. Originally, we thought that the leader would put us in some kind of predicament, waiting for any carelessness of ours so he could start a conflict by announcing that he had justice on his side. But despite his attitude, he let us go without any problem.
Or so the others must believe.
According to my map, there are 14 people following us. It would be fine if that was their only purpose, but from their movements, I'm sure... They come with bad intentions.
This is even more obvious when I look sideways at one of them and realize that his Status does not possess [Guild: Red Flag] like the others. They must be people hired by the same guild to do the dirty work, or they are simply carrying out a mission just like us.
I patiently waited and kept walking like the others...
Until the conditions were met.
'Activate [Agility] profile.'
At great speed, I unsheathed my sword and ran in the direction of the nearest man. This one opened his eyes wide, as if he still couldn't believe what he was seeing in front of him. Even when his intentions are obvious, I'm not so cruel as to give him a painful death. So...
I swing my sword in a horizontal line, cleanly slashing his throat.
"!!!"
Both allies and enemies were shocked at this.
"Prepare for battle! Unknown number of enemies!" shouted Irina.
"Attack, attack! They noticed us!" shouted the enemy leader.
As I head towards the next man, I look at Alessia and call her attention while, with signs, I tell her "13."
Alessia: "!!!!"
'- 13 enemies are surrounding us. I must tell the others!'
From her reaction, she already understood what she must do, so I will concentrate on my part.
Just meters away from me stands a man wearing light armor. At a glance, this one looks careless, since in his hands he carries two curved sabers.
"You don't know how many times I've seen that same look. I will thoroughly enjoy assassinating you!"
Emir: "!!!!"
'Despite murdering one of his companions in front of him. Has his attitude not changed at all? Something strange is going on here.'
Stopping in place, I use the accumulated momentum and perform a lunge with the tip of my sword, aimed at his stomach.
With great difficulty, the man dodges to the side, and only then do I understand why he is so confident... His sabers leaked a clear liquid when he moved. In other words, they are poisoned.
'Activate [Strength] profile.'
"Hahaha! I knew it! Brats like you always make the same mistakes! ... ... ... ... Huh?" he looked incredulously down at his chest.
'- He pierced my light armor... with a mere sword?'
Without wasting time, I gently withdrew my sword from his heart. And with that, the man falls to the ground, dead.