Bonfires were visible deep in the forest, any local resident would have run away after seeing them, all the local villagers knew that a gang had found refuge in this forest, which raged on roads and highways robbing merchants who transported their goods for sale. There were motley groups sitting around the campfires, they had both light and dark elves and people all united that they were members of this gang, the ways that brought them here were different, but one thing united them they liked to accept pain and revel in the pleas of their victims, they were all dressed in simple clothes they could not afford another the clothes of many here had dirty faces, even the light elves did not have the inconvenience of finding in such a state. Moans could be heard from some tents, listening to them, those sitting by the fire laughed, someone got up and went to the tents from where these moans came.
- They say that the girl who resisted has already been broken and is ready for anything. - The man with the gray eyes spoke.
He didn't look impressive, he had an elongated face, a short nose and sunken cheeks gave him a weak appearance, but many who underestimated him had already fallen silent forever his name was Pelori and he was the right hand of the gang leader.
- Yes? And it's a pity I wanted to be the one who breaks it. - A disappointed voice was heard.
Pelori looked around and saw a broad figure, you might have thought that an orc was standing in front of him, but he knew that this was their permanent leader Roal, he had short black hair, green eyes, you could see different scars adorning his body he was a man who was not endowed with any magic in childhood when all the children boasted that they have a talent for magic he was deprived of this gift.
Roald trained trying to come up with a fighting style with which he would be indestructible and when he got older, he left the village and his parents and went to improve his swordsmanship.
After going through several wars, he decided that he had sufficiently improved his swordsmanship and he invited his comrades-in-arms to fight not for greedy rulers but for themselves and enjoy life. As former soldiers, they understood well when and where it was better to take a bite and, most importantly, how much so that the baron would not come to their souls.
- Roal, you've already broken your last pillow so that it only warms now. - Answering, Pelori laughed looking at the fire in which the pieces of wood sometimes crackled.
Roald, listening to his deputy, laughed merrily, he was right, he did not restrain the force and one of his pillows broke in her eyes, you could only see the acceptance of his fate after seeing this, he gave it to the gang members who were having fun with her now.
- Well, I don't know how you treat them so as not to break them. - Roald retorted, sitting down next to the fire, enjoying the groans from the tents and the laughter of his accomplices.
Pelori shook his head, getting up and heading to his tent in which two pillows were waiting for him, they did not bind them, allowing them to move around the camp as they wanted, for the entire existence of their gang, only a couple tried to escape but stumbled upon monsters and their lives came to an end.
- Pelori, do you think we can attack the nearest village? Roald's question came from behind him.
Pelori stopped, putting his hand to his head, trying not to say what his thoughts were when Roald suggested such actions.
- Roald, we talked about this, we are not provoking the baron, he is not looking for us, but if we attack a village on his territory, everything will be different and he will be forced to send vigilantes and magicians here. - Trying to hide his irritation in his voice, Pelori replied, turning to the leader.
The local baron was cowardly, he didn't try to find their gang in these lands, but that's because they didn't touch the locals who regularly paid tribute to him.
Merchants always went at their own risk to any lands and kingdoms, they were not citizens of this or that kingdom. The baron looked through his fingers at their pranks, as the bandits called it.
- Okay, okay, I understand you Pelori. - Raising his two big hands up, demonstrating that he was giving up, Roald said.
Sighing, hoping that it was so, he suddenly remembered one thing that bothered him.
- Roald, you didn't touch that girl we kidnapped recently, did you? Pelori asked with apprehension in his voice, turning his whole body and looking at Roald.
He saw their leader's eyes darting from side to side and he was trying to hide a smile on his face. He knew Roald well and his behavior indicated that he still could not resist.
- Roald, damn you! Do you realize that you may have deprived us of the one who gave us information about the caravans going through the tract? - Pelori said angrily, returning to him and sitting down opposite him.
In their last raid, they kidnapped the daughter of the head of the Lenho city guard, then they did not know about it yet and began to decide whose pillow she would be, and while they were deciding, she came to her senses and promised through tears that her father would tell them everything if they did not touch her. After thinking about this possibility, Pelori and Roald agreed with her proposal.
Through her runestone, they contacted her father, at first he swore that he would lead the guards into the forest to kill them, but after a while he agreed to their terms, he must inform them for six months about the caravans leaving Lenho and their directions so that it would be easier for them to hunt and after six months they let his daughter go.
- Pelori, you said it yourself, my pillow broke and I needed a new one. - Trying to make his voice sad, Roald replied.
Pelori felt like their leader did not understand what he had done, trying to calm down, he began to think about the possibility of hiding it from the head of the city guard.
- What is her condition? - Pelori asked through his teeth, he didn't care about the girl, but her father who gave information was another matter.
If earlier he was annoyed by Roald's suggestion to attack the village, now he was angry, he did not like when the leader did something without discussing it with him. Especially when it concerned the whole gang.
- She tried to stab me with a sword yesterday. - Roald replied thoughtfully.
He couldn't understand why Pelori was so angry, he just made her his pillow, unlike the others. He tried to be more courteous with her, but after yesterday he had doubts whether it was necessary to do this in relation to her if she did not appreciate it.
- Don't touch her anymore, I'm serious. - Pelori said angrily, coming up to Roald in the butt.
Roald was taller than him and stronger, but Pelori wasn't afraid, he knew that he wouldn't do anything to him as long as he was benefiting the gang.
- Okay, but I need a new pillow then. - Rual said in a sad voice agreeing.
Sighing at Roald's words, he began to hope that the leader had not badly broken the daughter of the head of the city. And as luck would have it, his rune stone began to shine in the place where the rune of the head of the city was.
- I'm listening to you, Riful. - Pelori said, trying to make his voice calm.
There was silence, Rufal didn't say anything, it was still hard for him to believe that he was helping the gang.
- A caravan is coming out in your direction now. - Rufal's voice was heard and the rune stopped glowing, meaning that the owner had stopped communicating.
Looking at Roald, who began to smile again, it could not be said that he was sad a couple of minutes ago.
- If you want a new pillow, we can go for it, it's up to you. - Said Pelori looking at the leader of the gang.
In response, Roald took the horn from his belt and blew loudly into it three times, everyone knew that this meant that the gang was going after the loot.
* * *
It's been a few days since Trey or Keirin went to do the tasks. Cassandra, along with Samantha, gave their all, Trey's request not to demonstrate his new strength was forgotten by Cassandra and many were surprised by the volume of her mana, but everyone blamed it on the fact that she never gave her all. Samantha, watching her friend, understood that Cassandra had become stronger and it happened when she performed the wedding ritual with Trey, she tried to find out from her why her friend had such an increase in strength, to which the answer followed if she wanted to find out the reason for the increase in her mana volume, she needed to perform the wedding ritual with Trey.