"I can't wait to try out our new stuff!" Sakura cries as she runs circles around Josh, who's now lugging both sets of their equipment. Marshall was kind enough to give us some canvas bags to carry all our stuff.
"I know! Imagine how much easier it'll be to dungeon crawl; we might even be able to clear it!"
I smile as the girls' excited conversation permeates the air. Unfortunately, our voices gain the attention of some unfamiliar faces.
"What're you kids doing?" One of the Duke's patrols stops to interrogate us. The small group of six men seems to be led by the person talking. He's about a head taller than his subordinates and wears a long beard on his face. His uniform is in poor condition, but it's clear he tries to keep it clean based on the lack of wrinkles or stains. He seems like the type of person that takes their job way too seriously.
"We're walking home." I take the lead and give a vague response.
"What are you carrying?"
"Stuff."
"What kind of stuff?"
"The kind that fits in these bags."
"I'm going to need to check them," he says as he approaches. Without any court system, there are no consequences for him confiscating our equipment if he so chooses. One hundred thousand Denarii's worth of weapons and armor may be too tempting of a target. I quickly move to block him.
"We're adventurers."
"I don't care who you are; show me what's inside." He pushes me to the side and opens the canvas bag filled with armor. My monster armor may not look like much, but it's clearly worth some money.
"Where did you get this?"
"I bought it." The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. A sense of impending peril looms over me. My mind races as I look for an out.
"Bullshit, you think I'm gonna believe some kids could afford all this." The conversation is progressing towards an unavoidable conflict. With few options left, I reach for the spear on my back.
"Hold it right there!" Shinobu leaps forward with one hand held out in front of her. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she practiced this pose for just such an occasion. "I'm Shinobu Richter, and I'm the daughter of the Count."
The six men all turn to face the little girl impeding them. They look a bit confused until one man in the back speaks up.
"Oh, so you must be the Count's little whore that we've heard so much about." A predatory grin rises on both sides of his face. The rest of the patrol recognizes her and quickly joins in.
"If you're tired of hanging out with these kids, you can always spend some time with me." Sneers one man.
"You're feisty, aren't ya?" Says another. The piercing anxiety I felt earlier recedes and is replaced by a tsunami of rage. An indomitable hate fills my limbs as my grip tightens around the shaft of my spear. My eyes sink into my skull, and I take a step forward.
[Their armor is cheap and doesn't fully cover their abdomens. I'll aim for the gut and stab upwards to penetrate the chest cavity. Once their lungs collapse, they'll be left completely harmless while they bleed out or suffocate. I should also aim for the pelvis as there's no way to tourniquet a wound in that area. Any substantial cut in that area will be fatal.]
All the anecdotes my brother told me about how to kill people come rushing to the forefront of my mind. I glance at the tip of my new spear to estimate the potential damage I can cause with a single thrust.
[I need to make sure to twist my spear as I pull it out from their bodies; if I make an opening large enough, they could pass out from the drop in blood pressure alone.]
Shinobu is holding her ground valiantly against the hecklers, but her knees are beginning to buckle. It's hard to imagine what she must be feeling right now. A layer of sorrow and regret falls over the emotions broiling inside me. The storming emotions in my stomach erupt into an unstoppable tempest. One of the patrolmen spots my approach and turns to face me.
"Oh, you want to fight, kid?"
"I've been needing a punching bag; it's so boring around here." My eyes are wide open; time stands still as the adrenaline pumps through my veins. I frantically scan their equipment and posture for weaknesses. By the time I'm within striking range, it feels like my heart's about to beat through my chest.
[The first attack needs to be fatal. I have to take down as many as possible before they realize what's happening. Flash Step!]
"Hey!" A tremendous voice booms through the air. A man in full plate armor rides up on a horse. Based on how expensive his equipment is, he looks to be a high-ranking noble. Directly behind him are a squad of heavily equipped knights, each riding a horse of their own. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
The man snaps at the patrolmen like he's chastising his dogs for chewing on the furniture.
"We were just searching these people for contraband." The lead patrolman says indignantly.
"You were searching for your fucking graves is what you were searching for. Did you even notice him activate Flash Step?!" While the Cavalryman is yelling at the patrolmen, I shuffle over to Shinobu; she's shaking like a leaf. I grab her hand and pull her back to our gear, where Josh and Sakura are standing. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get that skill?"
The patrolmen's faces grow pale as they look at me. The hurricane swirling around inside me has tempered due to the unexpected guests. It seems I'm not the only one getting worked up; Josh is glaring at the people behind me, and Sakura's eyes are shining like rubies. With their help, my battle with the patrolmen would have been a bloody massacre. I take a deep breath and try to calm down; I'm still livid, but at least I'm thinking straight.
"You there, boy!" The man on the horse shouts at me. I look at him but otherwise remain motionless. My grip tightens around the blond girl's hand. He trots over and looks down on me from atop his mount. "I haven't had someone ignore me like that in almost ten years."
"…"
"I know you think you're tough, but you wouldn't last more than a minute in the ring with me. I'd love to skin you alive in front of all your little friends, but I don't have the time. Try not to die in the next couple of months; I want to kill you myself once we tame the forest." He smiles, showing his disgusting teeth and trots away.
The group of men round a corner and disappear, leaving us alone in the middle of the street.
"Let's get home." I pick up the bag I dropped and make my way to our house.
"Um… Nick?" Shinobu asks timidly. I turn and see her bright red face looking at the ground. "Can you let go of my hand so I can grab my bag?"
I look down and see my hand still locked around hers. I was so lost in thought that I didn't even realize I was holding anything.
"Oh, sorry." I let go, and Shinobu scampers off to get her canvas bag full of gear. We arrive at our house shortly thereafter. It's in better condition than when we first bought it. The giant hole in the roof has been repaired, and most of the rotting wood has been removed. There's no furniture, but at least it feels like a home if only a shitty one. We make our way downstairs. The room is now filled with furniture, including four beds. Sakura tried to convince Josh to share a bed with her, but he refused. It would seem he's not completely under her control yet. I drop the bag of armor and lie down on my bed. The adrenaline has worn off, and sleep threatens to overtake me.
"It's your turn to stay the night," Sakura reminds me.
"Mmhm," I mumble, barely keeping my eyes open. The anesthetic of an exhausting day tugs at my consciousness. The world fades away.