After we had made the deal, Asfi and I stepped off the School District and made our way back toward Orario, already deciding to begin the repairs from tomorrow.
The salty breeze from the lake lingered faintly on my clothes as we approached the city, the towering walls of Orario coming into view just as the sun dipped low, painting everything in shades of orange and gold.
"…We'll be busy," I muttered.
Asfi nodded as she walked beside me, her pace steady as always. "You say that as if you weren't the one who agreed to it so quickly."
I let out a small sigh. "Yeah, yeah… still doesn't change the fact that we just signed ourselves up for a mountain of work. But hey, at least we will get paid a lot." Asfi let out a smile at that but said nothing.
The familiar sight of the city gate greeted us, massive, sturdy, and as imposing as ever. The guards stationed at the entrance straightened slightly when they noticed us.
"Welcome back," one of them said.
I gave a small wave. "Yeah. Try not to miss us too much."
A faint chuckle escaped him as we passed through the gate, the sound of armored boots shifting against stone mixing with the distant hum of the city beyond.
As we entered the city, we could hear the voices overlapping, merchants calling out their wares, and the scent of food drifted through the air warm, familiar, and oddly comforting after the clean, almost sterile environment of the School District.
We continued walking deeper into the city as the last light of the sun disappeared behind the walls, both of us already thinking about the work that awaited us tomorrow.
Asfi halted in one of the intersections, "Then I will leave first, I have some work to do."
I nodded, "Ok, then see you later."
"Um, see you tomorrow." Said Asfi as she left.
Now left alone, I wondered what I should do.
Should I just go home? I am kinda sleepy after using my brain so much with that Q&A session.
I thought of remembering the students from the School District swarming both Asfi and me with so many questions, one after another.
While I liked their enthusiasm, it was still exhausting as hell.
"Maybe I should get some snacks?" I decided, my stomach quietly agreeing with the idea. The moment the thought crossed my mind, I turned toward the row of food stalls lining the street. Evening was always the busiest time, and today was no exception.
Warm light spilled from magic lamps hanging above the stalls, their light flickering gently in the cooling air. The smell hit me almost immediately—grilled meat, sweet pastries, something fried and definitely unhealthy.
…Perfect.
"Fresh skewers! Hot and juicy!"
"Sweet honey buns! Just out of the oven!"
The voices overlapped, each vendor trying to outdo the other. I rubbed the back of my neck, scanning the stalls.
"…This is going to be harder than I thought."
There were too many options. For a brief moment, I just stood there, watching the crowd move around me—adventurers returning from the Dungeon, merchants counting their coins, children tugging at their parents' sleeves.
"…Alright, let's go with—"
I stopped mid-step.
"…Oi."
A voice cut through the noise—not loud, but sharp enough to stand out.
"…Say that again."
The casual warmth of the street shifted, just slightly. I frowned, my gaze drifting toward the source of the voice.
Up ahead, a small crowd had started to gather near one of the wider intersections.
"...I said, I don't know what you are talking about."
Another voice answered this one, more familiar than the previous one. The air felt tense over there. I exhaled slowly.
"…Of course, something has to happen the moment I try to relax."
Shaking my head, I started walking toward the commotion. Whatever it was, it didn't sound like it was going to end quietly. The crowd had already thickened around it—the kind of tight, uneasy cluster that formed whenever people wanted to watch something dangerous without being part of it. When a few of them recognized me, they stepped aside without a word, opening a narrow path through the press of bodies.
And there it was. A prum with blonde hair stood at the center of the circle, his long spear resting lazily across his shoulders like he hadn't a care in the world. Facing him were the four Gulliver Brothers, weapons already in hand—never a good sign with those four.
I sighed.
This shit again. …What did he do this time?
I had a pretty good idea, honestly. Finn had a particular talent for getting himself in trouble with these four. Still, I couldn't just turn around. Shakti would hear about it within minutes, and then I'd be the one getting a lecture I didn't deserve.
So, intervention it was.
"Alright, alright." I clapped my hands together, loud enough to cut through the tension. Both sides looked at me. "What did Finn do this time?"
The Gulliver Brothers frowned—all four of them, in the exact same way, at the exact same moment. It was impressive, in a deeply unsettling sense.
"This doesn't concern you."
"Stay out of it."
"We have business with this prum."
"And we won't be saying it twice."
Then, together— "Leave. Now."
"Believe me," I said, my shoulders shagging, "I genuinely wish I could." The words barely left my mouth before another voice cut through from the edge of the circle—cool, unhurried, the kind of tone that expected to be listened to.
"Oh? Is the Loki Familia declaring war on us?"
I turned.
A lean male elf stepped forward from the gathered crowd, his blonde hair catching the glow of the nearby magic lamps. Even standing still, there was something deliberately sharp about him—the kind of person who chose each word the way someone else might choose a blade.
Hedin.
Beside him, a dark-skinned elf tugged anxiously at his sleeve, voice dropping low. "B-But Hedin… nothing like that is happening. And didn't we come here to take them away…?"
That would be Hogni. I hadn't seen either of them in a while, but some people you don't forget—usually because they make forgetting difficult.
"Silence, fool," Hedin replied without looking at him. His gaze had already settled on me, steady and measuring. "We were discussing the matter of testing this barbarian. And now—" a faint tilt of his head, "—who exactly is this, standing so close to her royal highness?"
Hogni opened his mouth again. "U-Um… there are so many people watching, maybe we shouldn't—"
Hedin's glare stopped him cold.
I let a beat of silence pass.
"…You know I can hear everything you're saying, right?" I said. "Does Goddess Freya know about it?"
Hedin scoffed, "Lady Freya didn't need to concern herself with these small matters."
Has the time come, huh?
Since I started dating Riveria, most of the elves had remained silent, or at least hadn't come at my throat at every chance they could get. Mainly because Riveria had made her displeasure known among the Loki familia elves if someone tried something funny, and another reason was that I was strong.
But with Hedin and Hogini, things were different; they were both new Level-6 adventurers and didn't listen to anyone, except Freya, but I guess when it comes to the Royal High Elves, even they can rebel.
"So…What do you want from me?" I asked.
"That we will decide after we have tested your worth. Hogini, get to it, you fool!" At Hedin's command, Hogini shrank uncomfortably but started casting a chant. While thunder started matrilized around Hedin.
Damm! They are serious.
"Finn, sorry, but you are on your own."
Finn nodded, as he too readied himself for battle. "Don't worry, I will take care of things here and help you out after."
His confidence seems to have enraged the Gulliver Brothers as they roared in unison.
""""You will die!""""
And so the battle started.