adorned in garments of the finest fabrics, with curly red locks cascading to his shoulders, and sharp golden eyes shining with arrogance, reclined on a lavish chair.
The chair itself, crafted from red pine and embellished with cascading golden trimmings, added to his regal air.
Despite his youth, his demeanor exuded pride and authority, surrounded by an aura of tyranny and cruelty.
Paying no mind to their presence, he casually indulged in grapes while his fingers adorned with gleaming jewelry.
In a calm voice, as he bowed towards the prince, the strange man said:
-"Your Highness, Estella's mercenaries have come to meet you, would you please take a look at them?"
The prince expressed his displeasure by looking sideways at the strangers, without moving his head even slightly, while the strange man whispered nearby To Edgar:
-"You better introduce yourselves and bow down."
Hesitantly, Edgar leaned down while Hornor's eyes watched the situation with concern. He was not satisfied with the sides, but Edgar advanced, and he said:
-"Honored to meet Your Highness, we are Estella's mercenaries. My name is Edgar, the leader of the mercenaries, and this is my helper, Horner we..."
-"Why did it take you so long to arrive ? You've wasted a lot of my time."
interrupted the prince in a dry, arrogant voice.
Edgar was not surprised, but rather he expected this behavior.
He was silent for a moment, and it was clear to those who knew him that he was very annoyed by the prince's Actions.
He smiled slightly and then said:
-"Your Highness, In a kingdom where the king is seen as an enemy, it's hard for us from another kingdom to move around easily. But we're doing our best to help you.."
Those words carried with them the last meaning, "You are the one asking for help to escape, there is no need for acting arrogantly."
Horner smiled as he bent down and glanced at Edgar, and said to himself:
-"This is my leader."
The prince's eyebrows furrowed. He did not like what he heard at that moment. He quickly looked at the strange man, then was silent for a moment before He said out loud, waving his arm:
-"Advisor, get out and take these mercenaries and explain to them the purpose of their arrival"
-"As you say, Your Highness."
The strange man said as he bowed, then pointed his hand towards the door, indicating for them to exit.
The prince looked at them, his eyebrows low and furrowed, his eyes empty as he watched them leave the room and he muttered inaudible words.
The two of them trailed behind the advisor cautiously, their eyes fixed on him with suspicion.
Edgar scrutinized his every move, especially after Horner's cryptic remarks earlier. Questions swirled in Edgar's mind, pondering
-"Why Horner hadn't sensed the prince's royal aura and who this mysterious figure was, capable of concealing his presence entirely."
Suddenly, the advisor halted in his tracks, placing a hand over his chest with a smile:
-"I have not properly introduced myself. I am the prince's advisor, Maximon. From this moment forth, you will deal directly with me. I shall guide you to your lodgings and where to store your equipment If you have any questions, please feel free to ask."
.....
As we sat waiting, tension thick in the air, Ethan's nervous energy was palpable.
-" Why were they so late, could something have happened to them?".
His incessant worrying grated on my nerves. Despite his intelligence, he was prone to anxiety, still haunted by the events of that fateful day.
I couldn't tolerate his constant fretting any longer. I approached him, delivering a firm pat on the back.
-"Quiet down and observe your surroundings..."
I scolded, frustration evident in my voice.
-"...Everyone remains composed despite the delay. Pull yourself together."
Ethan cast a careful glance around, acknowledging the calm demeanor of our companions. He sheepishly admitted :
-"you are right i should calm down"
-"Despite that, they are taking quite some time..."
I concurred .
-"...the sun is about to set"
......
After the tour, the advisor noticed Edgar and Horner lingering, hesitant despite his efforts to earn their trust.
-"There's no need for all this caution,"
he reassured them,
-"we simply want the royal family to endure, and you'll be instrumental in saving us. I hope for your cooperation."
Extending his hand in an attempt to ease the tension, Edgar met the advisor's gaze, sensing sincerity in his words.
With no room for retreat at this stage, Edgar accepted the handshake, affirming,
-"We'll do our best."
-"Great,"
The advisor nodded,
-"I'll leave you to make your arrangements and relax for the night."
With a bright smile, he departed, leaving Edgar and Horner to gather the remaining members..
.....
-"The prince was rude and arrogant even in this miserable situation he was living in,"
Horner grumbled, his brow furrowed and his expression grim as he recounted the encounter.
We were holed up in a shabby room, surrounded by spiderwebs, fully aware of the dire circumstances we faced.
Yet, Horner's description painted a different picture entirely.
-"Even in his final moments, that arrogant man lounged back, indulging in grapes and jewels as if to flaunt his opulence,"
he continued, frustration evident in his tone.
-"I don't understand how he hasn't been apprehended yet,"
I interjected, bewildered by the Prince's negligence.
-"He must have someone protecting him and managing his affairs,"
Alvis chimed in with a quick explanation, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Suddenly, Edgar entered, diligently completing his tasks to avoid any errors. Taking a seat, he offered a reassuring smile and dismissed the prince's behavior as mere arrogance.
-"Don't let the prince's demeanor bother you. Arrogance is in his blood, but we'll deal with the advisor,"
he said confidently.
Donelle chuckled sarcastically, crossing her arms.
-"Don't act like it didn't bother you. Horner spilled the beans about what you said to the prince."
Edgar cleared his throat awkwardly.
-"I should have been more clear with him. Otherwise, he'll make our mission harder."
-"I get why you said it, but what bothers me is how he didn't even respond to you. He just handed your matter over to the advisor,"
Alvis pointed out, raising a valid concern.
-"If he's as arrogant as he seems, why wouldn't he at least engage in a heated exchange? Ashir royalty are known for their sharp tongues,"
I pondered aloud.
-"Maybe he decided to let the advisor handle it to avoid confrontation."
Donelle said.
-"That arrogant child probably doesn't understand the situation. He's relying on the advisor for instructions,"
Horner remarked with disdain.
Edgar joined the conversation, shedding light on the prince's reaction.
-"After I spoke, the prince grew visibly angry. He glanced at his advisor, and that's when he handed over our affairs to him."
Alvis let out a thoughtful hum before speaking, his tone serious.
-"The advisor's appearance is suspicious. What did he look like, and what about his personality?"
Edgar hesitated slightly before describing the advisor.
-"He was of average height, in his early twenties, with long gray hair and sharp black eyes. He seemed thin, wore glasses and gloves, and was precise in his actions and explanations. But there was something off... He held the prince in high regard."
Horner's expression darkened as Edgar spoke, his brows furrowing in annoyance. When Elvis directed the conversation toward him, Horner's gaze sharpened with deep concentration.
-"It was strange, like he was hiding something, i didn't feel ...".
Horner paused for a moment, his gaze shifting towards me before continuing hesitantly,
-"I... didn't even feel comfortable around him."
What? Why did he hesitate when looking at me? I suspected they knew something they didn't want me to hear.
Before I could question further, Donelle intervened, rising abruptly.
-"come on boy it time for you to sleep".
-"What? But Donelle...."
I protested weakly, but she firmly gripped my arm, pulling me away.
-"I said it's time to sleep,"
she asserted, her tone unwavering,
-"You need it to grow, it was a request from Dara."
Despite her small frame, her grip was surprisingly strong, rendering my protests futile.
-"Are you kidding me? I'm 14 years old, and I've outgrown Elvis,"
I exclaimed.
-"Hey, what do you mean ,you're taller than me?"
Elvis blurted out in surprise.
-"Shush without talking and now get out,"
Donelle ordered, closing the door in my face.
Oh, how cruel. If Dara were here, I would listen to what they were saying. Anger surged within me. They wanted to discuss an important matter without me, but in their dreams, I had my own ways
Just as the door closed, Donelle popped her head out to deliver one final message.
-"By the way, there's no need to eavesdrop. I used Dara's magic tools. Good night."
With that, she shut the door firmly, leaving me to ponder the mysteries of the evening. Perhaps I would find out more in due time, but for now, I should get some sleep.
As mercenaries, we're no strangers to receiving numerous requests, each one more demanding than the last.
Over time, the missions become increasingly significant, and naturally, their complexity and difficulty rise, along with their value.
The primary reason we accepted this seemingly impossible mission was the promise of a generous reward. It wasn't just about gold or money; it was mana stones, which enticed us to make this bold decision. While it might seem exaggerated or unreasonable, the reality is far more complex and challenging.
These stones are found in a prohibited mine north of the capital, a place so dangerous and difficult to prospect that no one dares to approach it.
So, armed with the latest heavy equipment, we began preparing to excavate the mine.
We split into two teams: one led by Marcus, heading to the mine, accompanied by Ethan as his senior assistant, with Sam handling the heavy equipment transport , including myself and other to deal with exploration and defense, while Edgar and the rest would initiate the prince's smuggling once we confirmed our arrival at the mine.
To activate the gate connecting the castle to the mine, Sam had to visit the mine first. It was a crucial condition for activating the magic gates. While we waited, we gathered the equipment in one place to facilitate transportation later.
-"Hey Raiden, stop and go get Ethan,"
Marcus instructed, his tone demanding attention.
Marcus was like a nightmare to me, constantly plotting against me.
His childish behavior bothered me greatly. Despite this, I decided to remain calm and do the opposite of what he expected.
-"Okay, Mr. Marcus, I'll go get him right now,"
I replied with a bright smile, hiding my irritation.
With Marcus in a state of astonishment and annoyance, I quickly left to find Ethan, determined not to let Marcus get under my skin so easily.
Finding Ethan wasn't too difficult; he was standing with Tayron, engaged in a heated argument.
-"Tayron, I didn't mean anything by what I said. All I wanted was for you to be careful..."
Ethan pleaded.
-"Ethan, please stop..."
Tyrone's words trailed off as soon as he caught sight of me.
(Why is everyone doing that to me!?)
He still harbored animosity towards me, his eyes revealing his disdain as the light faded from them upon meeting my gaze.
Ethan caught onto his change in demeanor and turned to me in surprise.
-"Oh, Raiden,"
he exclaimed, recognizing that Tyrone only reserved such looks for me.
-"Marcus is looking for you. Come right after you finish talking."
I informed him.
-"I will come after a mo..."
Ethan attempted to respond, but Tayron cut him off.
-"No need, the conversation is over,"
he said firmly, wanting to avoid any further confrontation with Ethan.
He left, leaving behind a disillusioned Ethan, burdened by the weight of trying to mend something broken between them.
-"Let's go, Ethan,"
I said, trying to uplift his spirits.
-"I'm coming,"
He replied, his voice tinged with sadness as he watched Tayron walk away.
As we returned to Marcus, we both acted as if nothing had transpired. I resumed organizing the equipment, feeling a change in the mana around us I remarked.
-"Oh, Sam must be here now,"
Suddenly, the gate began to open in the air, and then I heard a low voice whispering in my ear,
-"Hmm, how did you know that, young mercenary?"
-"What the...!?"
I exclaimed, startled by the unexpected voice.