After much contemplation, I decided to speak up. "It's alright Emeri. You can let her go."
My words made everyone freeze in place.
Emeri was baffled, so much so she looked away from the 'enemy, Rikon. But he too was bewildered, releasing almost all the pressure he put on her.
"But it was your money!" shouts Emeri.
I gave her a smile and she grew quiet. With much reluctance, she releases her grip on the Thief.
Rikon was still on edge, but seeing that his friend was no longer held down, he withdrew his foot before helping her to her feet.
The thief, Varita, scratches the back of her head, still a little flustered. "T-thank you."
Rikon frowns at his partner before shoving her head down to force a bow, correcting her. "Not thank you, give an apology!"
Varita squirms from the balance shift as she exclaims. "R-right! I'm sorry for stealing from you!"
She squeals as her head gets squeezed before Rikon corrects her words again. "Wrong! Don't say 'from you!' That's saying you'll steal from someone else instead!"
"I'm sorry for stealing! I'm sorry for stealing!"
"Squawk! Bird brain brat! Bird brain brat!"
The thief's face was a deep shade of red,
"Quiet Simad!" Varita shouts.
It took everything I had not to burst out laughing at the situation that unfolded when all the tension was lost.
Farmi is relieved the conflict between her bodyguards and the Keeper of Hunt ended on a peaceful note. Though still troubled that it happened in the first place.
"Then let's do a proper introduction. This is Varita, the other mercenary I hired by request of Rikon. And as the employer... I apologize for both of their actions!"
Her back was straight as she apologized profusely to not get on Emeri's bad side.
'Completely different from the confident personality she had when we first met.'
I continue waving it off, "Again, no worries, no one was harmed."
On the other hand, Emeri is still on alert questioning Varita's actions. "Why did you even think it was a good idea to steal in front of me in the first place? You don't seem new to stealing considering how difficult it was to get you in a proper hold."
Varita, finally allowed to stand straight, tries to laugh off her nervousness as she answers Emeri's question. "W-well, I saw the dark-haired girl as an easy target with a heavy pouch. I was so captivated by how heavy it looked, that I forgot to look out for anyone who would act as her bodyguard. Though it didn't help you were in casual clothing which made it much harder to tell who you were at a glance."
I couldn't help but feel embarrassed by her comment on me. "Well," I began. "It's hard to deny. This is my first day holding a coin pouch myself. But Emeri isn't my bodyguard, she's a friend showing me around town."
Varita was surprised, "Wait, so you're one of those rich girls that's never had to handle money before?!"
My eye twitched, "N-no, I'm someone who never left the forest I lived in, only recently coming into civilization."
"M-my mistake!" Varita says, embarrassed. "I thought you were rich, being friends with a Keeper and all! I didn't think you were actually a poor person getting special treat..." Her mouth gets shut by Rikon's hand real quick.
"I apologize for Varita's words as well as her actions! She doesn't understand easily what shouldn't be said. And for her thievery too. She's had to steal food to survive for as long as I can remember, which is considered a 'necessary skill' to survive in the Deserts of Hugo. To say her hands entering another's pocket is a habit would be an understatement. An impulse I'm trying to make her break."
'That sounds like terrible skills to have on impulse.'
Not that having my second body fight on instinct alone with whatever weapon is currently in his possession is a good impulse either. Especially when someone is swinging a metal weapon at my him at the moment.
And even less so my tendency to stare off absent-mindedly from one's perspective to focus on the other's.
I mentally shake my head to get back to this conversation, "Again, no worries. I'm Veda Deidura and it's a pleasure to meet you."
His eye twitched on hearing my name but he chose to ignore it. "A pleasure. As Ms. Satris has said, I'm Rikon and this is Varita, my sister. We are mercenaries from the Jiiruno Kingdom and as such, I hope we can get along."
'Brother and sister? Huh, I... guess they look alike(?) but it's hard to tell what's different between all of them beyond the color of their eyes and hair.'
'I can't say I've met many people with the skin tone of Jiiruno...'
Yet Verei can use their weapons well so maybe he's been there?
"Squawk! I'm Simad the lookout! The witch has me here against my will!"
"Shut up with that joke already you damn bird!" Farmi shouts, swatting at him with the riding crop.
'If there is anything I know for sure I haven't seen before it's talking birds. I can feel it in this heart which reacts every time I hear it, I've never once met such a majestic bird!'
My other's perspective snaps me out of my bird focus as I decide to end the conversation there. "A pleasure. Though I'd love to stay longer, it's getting late. I'll see you again for the moment we head out."
Turning to Emeri, I notice she's confused but I ignore it. However, Rikon's confusion brought a question. "I thought you came here to evaluate us?"
I turn back to him with a smile. "I have and I'll see you tomorrow morning."
I bowed, this probably being the closest I've come to what Serci showed me before. Turning away, I start making my way back in the direction of the northern gate with Emeri following just behind.
--------
Rikon is in a daze as he watches Veda leave alongside the Keeper of the Hunt.
He snaps out of it with Varita's response, "Seems she saw your good points!"
Rikon takes a long deep breath before sighing. "No thanks to your bad habits."
"What do you mean? If I hadn't gotten distracted by the pouch, it probably would've taken her longer to notice your charms!"
"Squawk! Said the girl getting arrested!"
"T-that's not it! I umm... I made it easy for them to see Rikon's good points! They probably would have spent hours talking with us to evaluate if we're good people or not but after seeing our comradery, she decided we're trustworthy!"
As no one was buying Varita's excuse, Farmi chose to change the topic, or else Varita won't stop making excuses. "Alright, that's enough. You went to get food for everyone so where is it, Varita?"
Varita was reminded of the reason she was sent out as she pulled the bag out from her back pocket, the contents being squished when she was slammed to the ground. Everyone was silent as all eyes switched from Varita to Farmi.
A vein pops out of of her head as the riding crop in her hand steadily raises up high. Varita begs but no one was willing to get in the way this time.
Rikon silently returns to his guard duties, still questioning in his mind why Veda stopped the Keeper from arresting Varita.
--------
After reaching a good distance away, Emeri stops me to ask, with great concern, about my decision.
"Are you sure you're alright with them? One of them attempted to steal your coin pouch and the other went violent the moment the thief was in trouble! I can't trust she won't try stealing something else and the big guy tries to back her! What if they try to take your grandmother's book?!"
I shake my head as she goes on a rant against my choice.
'She definitely didn't see what I saw from Rikon at that moment.'
"We went there to evaluate if they would be trustworthy allies, right? That one moment told me much about not just the Thief, but also about the others. Varita is impulsive but isn't malicious. If anything, she seems focused on a goal that requires money to accomplish, that being the reason for her absentmindedness on everything else."
"Meanwhile, Rikon is a kindhearted person looking after someone who brings a lot of trouble to him. You remember what he said right?"
Emeri doesn't quite understand at first. But after getting rid of the massive amounts of anger she held towards Varita for attempting to steal from me, she began to realize.
"Please overlook what Varita has done.' Despite assaulting a high-ranking officer in their own territory, he was going to accept punishment in her place?"
Emeri began to nod now that she saw what I had.
I continue. "So, even if she does grab something important to me, they are far too co-dependent for it to be a risk. She would show him and he would have it returned because he's the most righteous, despite how scary he looks. And he now has a life debt to me for at least this trip."
Emeri was lost for words. "I'll admit, I thought you wouldn't have much experience seeing through another's character having lived in the Valley for so long, but you completely turned me on my head. To the point, I'm a little scared of how conniving you can be."
She pokes me on the cheek while giving me that compliment, making me feel a little sheepish. "I... have my moments! But I'm feeling tired from all this walking. Is there anywhere we can take a minute to rest?"
I threw out my request and she nodded, bringing me to the nearby wall where I rested on a bench.
I then ask her if she could get me a drink and she agrees before heading off while I proceed to close my eyes and put all my focus on Verei's big showdown.