The three of them walked along a clear dirt path through the plain forest. The trees weren't dense, but tall enough to cast long shadows across the ground.
Their thin branches swayed lightly in the breeze, letting sunlight flicker between the leaves like slow, lazy waves. Birds perched overhead, chirping without rhythm, and the air smelled faintly of moss and dry bark.
A rabbit hopped across the path.
It stopped, sniffed the air, and then immediately bolted when a pebble shot past like shrapnel.
That rock had come from Riot, who continued grumbling non-stop while kicking every unlucky object in his way.
"Can't believe I've gone through all that just to earn a single penny… from that demonic bastard disguised as a noble…"
He jabbed a finger toward Elena."ALSO! Do I REALLY have to bring only ONE weapon?! Elena! I NEED that pistol that shoots the capturing net so I can trap that devil for emergencies!"
"Now now, that's not how you speak to your elder brother, Riot." Elena shook her head gently.
Her tone carried the firm patience of an older relative correcting a troublesome child, or just more like the disappointed aunt.
Riot threw both arms upward. "If SO, then WHY is he the one deciding what weapon I bring?! Seriously—A KATANA?! I'm a knight! Not a damn samurai!"
In facts...
The katana on his back made the situation even worse.
He had tied it across his shoulders the way knights usually carry broadswords. The weapon stuck out at an angle that looked unsafe, uncomfortable, and absolutely wrong. He had placed it there simply because he had no idea where a katana was actually supposed to go.
Resembled someone trying to cosplay without instructions.
Elena sighed and shook her head again. "Y'master said you're more suited for it." she replied calmly.
Riot let out a disbelieving groan but not one of doubt. only disbelief born from the reality that logic had abandoned his life into nonsense entirely.
"More suited…? HOW?! I've trained with spears, swords, shields—NOT curved blades you swing like a painter having a breakdown!"
"I can't believe this, It make no sense…" Riot continue his grumble loudly that birds flew off nearby branches.
As he ranted, Elena quietly thought to herself. 'Actually, I was confused too when he picked it for Riot… but when I read his lips… he wasn't lying.'
As an assassin, she could read lips with pinpoints accuracy. Truth or lies, she could catch the subtle movements of the mouth and breath that revealed a person's intent.
And Saruto had been painfully, unimpressively honest.
She sighed mentally. 'Was Y'master always like this…?'
Riot continued to grumble. The forest, merciful or unwilling, offered no comment.
After a few more minutes.
He finally wound down after his outburst, shoulders dropping as he let out a long, exhausted sigh.
"Luckily for me… I'd die anyway if I went back. I haven't informed the Captain I was leaving after being absent for so long."
He dragged out the last words like they physically hurt him.
"Which, to be exact," Riot added with extra volume, "WOULDN'T have happened if he didn't blackmail me."
"Oh~ You mean Miss'Leona?" Elena replied lightly, brushing a speck of dust off her skirt.
"Makes sense. She's usually short-tempered."
Riot's eye twitched, before he could correct her, she added.
"Meaning… you're scared of getting beat up by your lovely intimidating girlfriend~" her tone immediately sliding back into that usual teasing, playful melody.
Riot exploded, cheeks turning faintly pink.
"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND! And I'm not scared! I'm… I'm just coming along so I won't be a dead man!"
Elena smiled. "Mhm~"
"Sure you aren't scared, big knight~?"
She leaned forward slightly invading his personal space, hands behind her back, giving him a grin so wide and pleasantly sweet, it could make a tiger nervous.
Riot immediately felt uneasy. "H-Hey, cut that out. Don't smile like that."
"A-Anyway!" he said loudly, desperate to steer the conversation away before it killed him emotionally.
He pointed ahead. "Why's he carrying the whole stuff on his back?"
Saruto was a short distance in front of them, struggling under the weight of it, back bent slightly under a large bag that looked big enough to smuggle a full-grown boar. His legs shook slightly. His arms were locked rigid. Sweat trickled down his neck, but still continue walking steadily.
Riot continued, baffled, uncertain of what to say. "Isn't it usually supposed to be me suffering? I'm just saying this suggestively, but… how come, didn't you store it in your shadow pocket?"
Elena placed a hand on her cheek, humming softly. "Well~ Y'master said something about needing it to train his physical body."
Riot stared at Saruto.
Trembling from fatigue, was focusing so intensely on walking straight that he didn't even hear the conversation.
He just kept muttering under his breath,
"Fifty… more… steps… Huff…"
A squirrel in a nearby tree paused to watch him pass. It tilted its head, concerned.
Even the squirrel's expression screamed; buddy, put the bag down and rest.
One hour of nonstop walking, no breaks.
Not even a complaint.
"…Hard to believe it," Riot muttered, "…until I see it with my own eyes."
Riot exhaled in genuine disbelief.
"…Is that really the same guy who spends money like he's allergic to saving?"
Elena nodded once. "It is."
Riot asked steadily, "Hmm... Lastly, late question, but…"
"WHERE ARE WE GOING?!"
Elena kept her light smile. "Wherever Y'master goes, his little maid follows~"
Still no real answer.
Then she added, almost casually, "You might need a rock for self-defense~ if you're so unwilling to use that weapon~"
"Huh?" Riot blinked.
Before he could press her for more info, bushes on both sides of the path shook.
Five bandits stepped out with the sort of confidence that came from thinking the world owed them free belongings. Some held sticks, some held chipped knives, and a few simply held bad attitudes.
One bandit smirked. "Look at that. Heavy bag. Tired guy. Easy target."
Another pointed at Saruto. "He's sweating like he just lost a fight running uphill."
A third raised his chin. "Just hand over the bag. We're trying to be polite today."
Riot exhaled loudly. "Oh great. Let me guess. I'm doing the work again."
Saruto finally spoke through uneven breaths. "No need… Let me handle it."
Riot stared at him. "What?? You're joking, right? You've never trained a day in your life. And you think you can fight all these moving sandbags?"
The insult landed instantly.
But instead of anger, the bandits froze in visible heartbreak.
One slowly lifted his hand like he wanted to defend his dignity. "H-Hey, we're not—"
Their leader gently put a hand on his shoulder. "No, no. He doesn't mean it personally." Then he paused.
"…It might even be a compliment. Like, we're not so weak that he compared us to dirt or worms."
The other bandits nodded, some unsure, some relieved.
"Yeah… yeah, that sounds right."
"I mean… sandbags are sturdy. Training tools. That's not so bad."
Riot squinted at them. "Why are you taking that as a compliment?"
Saruto didn't react. He just lowered the oversized bag to the ground with a dull thud.
Riot dragged his hand upward, and facepalm himself. "Aghh..."
Crossing his arms and kept quiet so he could watch the disaster unfold properly, or maybe enjoy someone else suffering for a change.
Elena stood beside him with the posture of someone attending a peaceful picnic, not an damsel in distress ambush. Hands folded, calm expression, no concern at all. She didn't even glance at the bandits.
She simply waited and observed curiously, although getting rid of them in exactly 5-second isn't really a challenge to her.
The bandits rearranged themselves awkwardly, unsure whether to threaten or reassure.
Their leader cleared his throat. "Alright… look. We're still robbing you. Compliment or not, we have a reputation to maintain."
Another bandit raised his hand. "Can we, uh… maybe not hit the guy who complimented us?"
"Shut up, we still need to be scary." the leader whispered, trying to get everyone back on track.
Saruto rolled his shoulders once. He took a steady breath.
The long silence that followed wasn't threatening. It was awkward and cringy as hell.
Riot leaned toward Elena, he commented. "If he gets knocked out in one hit, I'm not carrying him."
Flawlessly zero fate in the protagonist.
"If you're not interested, I'll mention the renovation incident to M'lord." Elena didn't look away from the bandits.
Riot jerked back in disbelief. "C'mon!! Not you too?!" He shouted in frustration, annoyed that even the maid resorted to blackmail.
Saruto stepped forward.
The bandits tensed.
And then everything finally began.
*
To be continued...
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