The City lord had seven legitimate children, Jack was the eldest at 39 years old! and Alice was the youngest at 19 Years old! And lastly, a kid he had with one of the maids, His name was Leon,! It seemed that his late wife, Alice's mother had a hand in getting him with the maid, The reason remained a secret between them!
All of his children have either married or got their domains, some even became merchants and started traveling except those three!
Jack stayed as he is the eldest son who will inherit his father, This was the tradition! He was a tall man with decent muscles on his build, a well-defined jaw decorated with slight traces of a beard as he usually lazes on shaving it! His hair was coal-black as his father's, two brown eyes gleaming in his face.
Dual-wielding two short swords, he always kept them on his waist! He looked more like an adventurer than a noble!
Alice didn't get married as she was sick, and even if she was healthy, her overprotective father will make it hard for her to marry!
She usually covers her whole body with bandages and has a set routine, sadly her body didn't allow her to enjoy a normal life! She was always accompanied by two maids except for the time when she sleeps, for as much as she shows mental strength and fortitude fighting her condition, from time to time she has emotional breakdowns, usually at night! She didn't want anyone to see her crying so she dismiss the maids at night!
As hard as her life was, Sofia had two emotional support! Her overprotective father who once said he will execute anyone who calls his daughter ugly, and Leon who tried it! Almost executing a guard who said, "Holy hell, why does she look like that?" as they were on a trip around the forest. Alice was the one who stopped him from doing it!
Lastly Leon, The overprotective brother! Unlike Jack who didn't seem to care much about Alice, Leon always stood by her side!
He was just three years older than her, tall with a lean build and a sweet voice that made him quite popular. He had inherited his mother's red hair and his father's brown eyes!
Leon was an academic who kept by his father's side, learning how to govern and run a business. All whilst taking care of his mother, who was still working there as a maid, albeit being the lord's second wife. You will always find her standing at his head!
Alice's father and everyone in the mansion saw Leon as a more suitable hire than Jack! They just gave different vibes, like oil and water.
Now, that old horse face as Cain like to call him, he was standing at the guild door with two guards at his side!
As soon as Cain saw him, the first thing he did was tell Selena to not kill him! He knew very well that Jack is bound to set her off, without warning, she might end up killing him!
"Why? Do you know him-nya?" She asked, reasonably concerned as Cain was making a forced smile.
"The party who took down the Crimson Cobra! Come out!" Jack shouted and no one dared to reply, everyone seemed to smell the trouble.
Jack looked around as if scanning it with his sharp eyes.
"Ah! Found the white hair guy, the catgirl as well! One is missing?" He seemed to recognize Cain and Selena as they both had unique appearances.
"Doesn't matter, I have amazing news for you!" Jack opened his arms wide as if about to announce something.
"I have chosen you three to be my guards, be grateful!" The wide smile on his face resembled that of a horse, the reason why Cain call him horse face!
Cain, it might come to this if they stood out too much, especially since he had lost his entire bandit gang, Jack in now recruiting!
It was then that one of the guards accompanying Jack noticed something. Dragon Fang is a famous party, all of its members are well known as the strongest in the guild.
'Where did he go?' The guard questioned himself, Daraku who he saw earlier is nowhere to be seen! Cold sweat started dripping on his back.
He looked at the other members. In the back, Yamauba is already gripping her staff like she always does, Miko had drawn her charm. In the front, Takeshi seemed to be relaxing as he kept one of his hands on his neck, no close to his Nodashi.
'They are already In-formation!! Daraku has already gone into hiding, waiting for us to make a move!' The guard shouted internally, why is dragon fang getting ready to fight?
"You head with the guards to the barracks for training, the girls will return with me to the office!" Jack declared, pointing at Cain then looking at Selena.
"Huh?" Without a nya! In utter disgust, her face twisted.
"No, thank you!" Cain replied without respect, he don't have any for that horse face.
"Shut up twig, That was an order! restrain and drag him to the barracks!" Jack shouted, "The two girls are coming with me now as well!"
"Young master, I think we should stop..." One of the guards said, refusing to move. He could feel it in his bones, the moment he grabs his sword, Daraku will attack!
'Is a fight unavoidable? How do I get him to retreat?' Cain was thinking of a way to solve this peacefully, It was bad legally to start a fight the Jack.
"You dare disobey me? Very well, I will drag them on my own!" Jack drew one of his swords signally that he intend to use force.
At the same moment, the guards who were with him started shaking, they felt cold knives at their throats. "This isn't the first time I'm about to send a guard to the grave! Don't test my patience!" Daraku was holding them at a knife-edge, one wrong move and they are dead.
...
'He drew his sword! No, it won't be like the last time!' Sofia thought, remembering the last time Cain got attacked and Selena protected him.
I gotta move, help him! It only took her a split second to make her decision.
He is far away, how do I reach him? The answer came to her naturally, remembering how burning hands propelled her backward!
In the next second, as Takeshi was drawing his Nodashi to strike Jack, Yamauba felt a sharp rise in Mana by her side.
[Burning hand] releasing the spell from her right foot, as all her nails were a catalyst. Sofia propelled herself toward Jack in the blink of an eye!
VAWOOSH! Takeshi only saw a red flash as Sofia passed by his shoulder. She was aiming to kick Jack in the face but lost control and ended up slamming her knee on his face!
"What?" Takeshi gasped, Cain and Selena start to act immediately!
Even Sofia herself couldn't see how she moved, the first moment she was on the ground and the second her knee has already connected with Jack's face.
Taking the opportunity, she grabbed his head and unleashed another one [Burning hands] from her foot! VAWOOSH! She flew with him toward the wall at incredible speed.
Jack wasn't about to take it quietly, grabbing Sofia from her hair and throwing her back away from him.
"You BIIIIIIITCH!" she growled with his bleeding nose, turning around with a round kick, aiming for her guts.
Thud! ROOOOAR! With a single lunge, Selena was between Jack and Sofia. Roaring at the top of her lungs, almost shaking the whole guild, she intercepted his kick with a straight punch!
CRACK! Jack could hear his bones crack from the impact, what was that girl made off? his body was sent backward due to Selena's overwhelming strength.
Using his other leg, Jack flipped, regaining his balance if just for a split second. What he saw was Cain swinging his sword down.
"Tch!" Jack used one of his short swords to block Cain's attack while preparing to swing with the other.
"You're mine!" He screamed.
Cain kept his calm face as if all of this was a part of his plan and then. VROOOM! Cain's sword rumbled as he sliced right through Jack's blade.
It was a swift movement, Cain instantly combo it with a slash directed at Jack directly.
'He gotta die here!'