《Human in a Demon's Hide》


 Prologue - A glimpse of the Past

    The only person in the entire world that I thought we could depend on, had now turned her back on us. She left our home and headed to the carriage which was waiting on her.


    I had to stop her!


    I chased after her and threw my self on her legs, groveling on the ground and started to beg,


    ¡°Please! Don¡¯t leave us! Did I do something to make you mad? If so, I''m truly soo-¡±


    Suddenly she struck me on the face with her walking cane. I fell back in pain and grabbed my face with surprise. My vision had darkened for a second and I did not know what had just struck me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me, you filth! Just seeing your face makes me want to vomit my guts out.¡±, she said in an enraged and disgusted tone.


    She started to walk again and I heard her footsteps getting further and further away from me, going towards the direction of the carriage.


    Even though my vision was blurry, I still stood up and chased after her. I rubbed my eyes and noticed that my head was bleeding.


    Even though I should have felt pain, the emotional pain of being discarded hurt far more than the pain of actually getting hit.


    I didn¡¯t recklessly try to grab her legs this time. Instead, I walked behind her and in a pleading tone asked, ¡°Mother! But what about Rose and Armin? It¡¯s fine if you hate me. But they are still too young! At least take them with you. They are only 3 years old. Please take care of them, that¡¯s all I ask!¡±


    I got on my knees and bowed my head to the ground.


    After what I said she stopped and turned around,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just slit their throats and dump them in a lake. That would take care of some of your problems, wouldn''t it? Ha!", she responded with a chuckle.


    I was dumbfounded from her response. I knew she didn¡¯t love me or even like me for that matter of fact, but she even hates her 3-year-old kids? who are completely innocent! What did they do to deserve death?If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I was really shocked by the response,


    ¡°Mom?¡±


    I looked at her in the eyes, as I sat on my knees. But her eyes were filled with anger and malevolence.


    ¡°Never, ever call me mother from now on! Never did I loved you, Rose or Armin. You kids are nothing but a disgrace and slander to my family house, thanks to your father! Blame it on his bloodline that runs a course through you and your siblings. I never once loved that commoner lowly father of yours! I was forced to marry your father because of my parents.¡±, then all of a sudden a smile appears in her face, a twisted smile, ¡°Now I am free at last!¡±


    She then reached the horse carriage and two guards opened the carriage door for her. She entered the carriage and took a seat.


    I got up and stood beside the carriage door.


    I was hoping that she would change her mind and might return to us. Although this was just my idle wish, I don¡¯t know what I should do anymore.


    Before the carriage door closed, she looked at me one last time,


    ¡°I hope that you kids also disappear and die in some ditch like your cowardly father.¡±


    The carriage drove away as I stood in the middle of the street. I still wasn¡¯t able to believe this. I still thought she would stop the carriage and return to us! I thought this was just some nightmare, and this nightmare would end any second.


    The carriage drove away and disappeared in the midst of the busy street.


    I stood and watched in the direction of the road for about 10 minutes. But it never did return. She really hated us a lot. I somehow knew it, but I didn¡¯t want to believe it, until now.


    Don''t mom''s usually treasure their children? I thought all mothers loved their child no matter what species be it. Be it dog, birds or fish, they all would risk their own lives to protect their children.


    But now my own blood-related mom discarded us like we are nothing.


    She has forsaken me, a 10-year-old boy and her 3-year-old twin child on their own, hoping they die.


    But at that time something broke inside me! Something changed in me!


    Somehow, instead of feeling fear and sadness, I was overwhelmed by the urge to live. The rage and anger swelled up inside me. The so-called mother was dead. She was no mother, she was a witch!


    She wanted us to die, but I will prove her wrong.


    I will become a person worthy that even she would have to acknowledge.


    In this cruel world where human discriminate in the basis of blood and birth. Where pride is much more important than blood ties. I don¡¯t care about such world¡­


    Such a world could go to hell for all I care.

 A Good Day starts with a Breakfast- I

    I gently opened my eyes.


    *Tring-Tring-Tring-Tring-.....*


    The alarm rang loudly beside my ears.


    I reached out to the alarm and turned it off. I was still a lot sleepy, but I still forced my left eyelids to open, just to check the time.


    It¡¯s 6 am on the dot.


    I got up from my futon and opened the windows. The morning sunlight flooded inside our room. I stretched my arms and back which had gone stiff.


    The cool breeze soothed my body whereas the sunlight warmed it. It was a very good atmosphere, and a good day to start your day. I glanced out of the window.


    I saw many other people who woke up like myself. Some basked in the sunlight as they sip their tea. Whereas some opened up the chicken coop.


    I am not actually a fan of waking early myself. I would like to laze around while laying down on a grass field while I stare at the clouds passing above.


    That¡¯s how I like to pass my time.


    But I can¡¯t do that anymore.


    Well, let me introduce myself, my names Desmond Heller.


    I and my little brother-sister struggled a lot after we were abandoned by our own, mother. Just remembering about her makes me sick! Somehow my father''s friend helped us out for a little while as I did menial chores and made some earnings. Soon he also stopped supporting us. But I had earned a bit of money by doing a lot of odd jobs. I somehow rented a little room and even enrolled my little younger siblings to a school.


    Its been seven years of struggle since we were abandoned.


    Now we had shifted to a new apartment because of my new job.


    Well, today¡¯s the day, I would join the army. A step closer to my goal in the road to make money and fame.


    I should report on time to my garrison, I can''t mess up my first day.


    After I was done with my warm up, I head to the corner of the room. There was another futon laid down.


    I grabbed the corner of the futon and pulled it up with all my strength.


    Two brats rolled down from underneath the bed sheet on to the floor.


    ¡°Upsy daisy! It¡¯s morning, wake up.¡±, I greeted both the sleepy heads.


    Out of the two, the first to wake up was the girl.


    Well let me introduce you to her, this was my little sister Rosetta. At first glance, you shall think she''s just an ordinary girl but she¡¯s not. She was more like a prodigy. Brilliant in academics and sports. She also acts very maturely for her age, acting all grown up. Even her teachers said that she was a genius that surface once in 100 years or so. I am really proud of her,If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    In the other hand, her twin-older brother as well as my younger brother, the boy who was still asleep next to her. He drooled as he scratched his crotch. He was Armin who was the polar opposite of his twin younger sister. Although he excels in sports yet academic wise he still dumb that he struggles even for a simple addition/subtraction. He was very immature and childish for his age. His teacher always nags and complains how indisciplined and boisterous, he acts in his class.


    They are almost two opposites sides of a coin.


    For being twins, the only thing they had in common was their blonde hair and natural aptitude for sports.


    Whereas, mentally they are just like day and night.


    ¡°Oi! Armin wake up!¡±, I tried to wake Armin as I shook him by the shoulder.


    But he slept like a log as he drools flow down the floor.


    I let out a sigh,


    ¡°Rose, wake Armin. I shall prepare breakfast.¡±


    I left Armin in Rose¡¯s care.


    I head to the kitchen. Well, I can¡¯t call it kitchen to be precise. Well because we live in a 1 room kitchen apartment where I have to pay the rent to live.


    So this cramped up little space was our little domain and we three rule this place. But to keep my little kingdom in my possession I need to work and pay the landlady the rent.


    It would have been great if we could have a home of our own.


    Well, let¡¯s stop this idle daydreaming and let¡¯s get back to work.


    I tossed the sandwich in the frying pan and simmered some eggs. Whereas in the other stove, I had boiled the kettle for tea.


    While I was busy preparing breakfast, Rose had placed dishes on the low table, which was the only furniture in the apartment. Well, it''s not like there was much space, to begin with. There was no need for such unnecessary expenses. Just the rent and food services are pretty hard to get by.


    Rose went to bath and I tossed Armin along with her in the bathtub. Rose even punched him twice before she gave up on waking him. Although when he started to sink in the bathtub he woke up almost immediately.


    As soon as they got out, I quickly dressed them up in their usual school uniform. Whereas Rose didn¡¯t need much help to groom herself.


    But Armin just ran to the table to eat breakfast butt naked.


    ¡°Hey, Armin! Get your butt here in this instant. Otherwise, no breakfast for you!¡±, I threatened him.


    Armin returned back to me and I dressed him up in his uniform.


    Well, Armin was childish and simple-minded. He was more like an animal than a human being. His personality was childish, immature and always thinks about food and to play. But there are some good traits as well. He was very kind-hearted. He easily trusts people and that¡¯s the reason he was often fooled easily.


    In the other hand, Rose was more mature and didn¡¯t rely on anyone¡¯s help. She didn¡¯t trust people easily. And that¡¯s why she has few friends.


    I am really worried about her, but I can''t complain myself. I also don¡¯t have any friends but I don¡¯t wanna brag about it. I guess I have never felt the need for one. The last time so-called friends were nothing but bastards that ridiculed me and tried to suck cash outta me.


    Anyway, this was all in the past, from today on I shall be joining the military.

 A Good Day starts with a Breakfast- II

    After I readied Armin, we all sat down for breakfast on the floor, which was the customary way to utilize the low table.


    Well while we were in the middle of eating, the first one to speak was Armin.


    ¡°From today onwards you¡¯ll be a soldier, right big bro?¡±, he asked with high enthusiasm.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±, I replied in short sentence and continued to eat my breakfast.


    ¡°That¡¯s so cool! I will also become a great soldier!¡±, Armin said as he pointed the fork in the air.


    That was the common hero pose, but with a fork instead of a sword.


    ¡°Now, Armin you should not talk while eating. Finish your breakfast, first.¡±


    All of sudden Rose joined in the conversation,


    ¡°Please brother! If you ever become a soldier, you will get killed on your first day.¡±, she said to Armin with a smug smile.


    She said in a cold way as she sipped her tea.


    Not again!


    I could see, where this was heading.


    After, Armin heard Rose¡¯s remarks he angrily banged his hand on the table.


    ¡°How dare you! I shall be the hero, and I will then-¡±


    *smack*


    Before he could finish I whacked Armin in the head and it was loud one at that.


    Armin held his head on the place where I hit.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    ¡°You idiot! Don¡¯t take your anger on the table. You also spilled some of your tea! Clean this mess or it could even spoil your uniform! I just have washed and ironed it last night.¡±, I firmly stated to him. I also turned to Rose, ¡°Also Rose, don¡¯t start bickering over every word that Armin spouts, didn¡¯t you say you were all grown up now!?¡±


    To that, Armin got annoyed once again,


    ¡°Hey! I should make this clear, I am grown up too! I am a minute older than Rose. I also am not stupid, you see ~¡±, he kept on rambling. But I ignored him.


    ¡°What¡¯s so good about being soldier, anyway?!¡±, Rose said with a saddened face.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    To her question, I remained silent.


    But Armin replied with his demeanor,


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know that?¡±, he said cockily, ¡°Rose if you become a soldier, you shall be able to go to battle and defeat our enemies, who are threatening the world''s peace. I shall become a soldier and cleanse the lands with such evil people and proclaim peace, once for all. I shall become a glorious hero and then-¡±


    ¡°Shut up! That¡¯s just your sense of childish justice. Do you think you would be able to do as you please, once you join the military?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Yes, why no-¡±


    ¡°Wrong! You will be nothing but the military¡¯s slave dog. The army doesn¡¯t care about peace or warding off the evil. The soldiers are mere sacrificial pawns just to appease the kingdom¡¯s hunger for expansion.¡±, Rose then looked at me, ¡°Soldier¡¯s will always be treated as military''s slave dog and in the end, they die like a dog!¡±


    I saw that Rose¡¯s eye had moistened up, she would cry any second.


    I guess Rose wasn¡¯t happy about my decision of being a soldier. She had stated her displeasure when I had announced to them about my decision on enrolling the army. However, I still went along with my decision, anyway.


    I got up from my seat and sat beside Rose. She wiped her eyes as she tried to hide her tears that were swelled up in her eyes.


    I patted her head, and stroked her head gently,


    ¡°Listen up, Rose! You don¡¯t need to worry about me, I¡¯ll be fine. The country is at peace now and it¡¯s not like I shall be sent to battlefield right away. I am just a newbie foot soldier that will be tasked to patrol around town and guard some small time merchants. It¡¯s a very simple and easy job! So no need to worry, trust me!¡±


    I tried to ease Rose¡¯s discomfort. I guess being worried was to be expected. If something were to happen to me then Rose and Armin would be all alone in this world. Rose might even able to survive, but Armin would simply perish for example coming under a horse carriage by simply crossing the road. One needs to keep an eye, on that simple buffoon of a little brother.


    Rose embraced me. It seems she was really distressed about my joining the army. I am actually happy that she was so worried about me but it also irritates that she thinks I would easily get killed. Does she doubt my skills?


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, unlike a certain idiot. I won¡¯t at least die like a certain idiotic soldier who blindly charges at the enemy~ Fufufu-¡±, I added as I glanced at Armin.


    Armin was dumbfounded and didn¡¯t understand a single word we said.


    ¡°Hey! Are you making fun of me again?!¡±, he asked.


    ¡°No, we are just stating facts.¡±, Rose replied back with a giggle.


    A smile appeared in her face.


    I laughed along with her.


    Armin was a bit annoyed,


    ¡°Hey! Big bro, you too! I hate both of you! I will show you that one day,~¡±, He once again started to spout nonsense.


    After breakfast, I dropped them in their respective school and I returned back. I quickly took a shower then left for the garrison where I was to be stationed.

 A Misfortunate Encounter- I

    I am about to reach the garrison in time, somehow. I was stopped by Armin¡¯s homeroom teacher whose huge list of complaints didn¡¯t seem to end. I shall knock some sense in Armin later, I could have been late on my first day!


    As soon as I got closer to my destination, the garrison came in sight.


    It was an enormous building in size. It was a little old but it seems the people there took proper care and maintained it pretty well.


    This was the Stathford¡¯s garrison¡¯s main branch. Its main duty was to manage law and order within the town of Stathford. The garrison building was situated in the center of the town. It had about four to five floors. It was mostly built up with woods and Rocks. It almost looked like a palace. There wasn¡¯t much of a defense for the building itself, aside from fence and a huge metal gate which was wide open.


    Stathford was a pretty decent town that was situated in the outskirts of the Capital city, Elsewing. Many travelers and merchant traveled and came to eat and rest in this town. They usually put their market inside the capital city, but they retire for the night in the inns of Stathford. The inns of the capital city were quite expensive.


    As the city of Stathford was situated inside the country so there wasn¡¯t much of threat from enemy attacks. Which, was a plus point.


    When I was about to enter the gate, two horse carriages drove and stood in front of the gate. I dodged it by hair strand and managed to avoid to be run under the horse carriage, thanks to my reflexes.


    Seriously! This was outrageous if someone other than myself would have sustained serious injuries.


    I need to give them a piece of mind! I am about to join the military police and this could be my first step to my duties.


    But as soon as I got close to the carriage, I dropped all thought of disciplining them. I noticed the carriages which happened to belong to the headquarters of the state military police.


    This wasn¡¯t surprising at all. This society was filled with trash who do not follow their own shit laws but expect others to abide by it. I knew the military soldiers were reckless and carefree but I don¡¯t want Rose or Armin to get hurt because of their recklessness. I would sure to make them pay hell.


    The carriages door opened and a bunch of young soldiers came out. They all looked around my age. I guess they were the new soldiers assigned here, same as me. Although I could tell that they came from an elite and prestigious army school.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    There were about eight people, three of them were girls and rest were boys.


    But they were pretty different than other normal soldiers. They all had kinda rich and proud vibes came outta each of them.


    It was pretty hard to get along with such people.


    Were they new soldiers assigned in Stathford garrison like me? They already wore their military uniforms and I was yet to receive one. Nevermind!


    I don¡¯t wanna stress about the indifferent treatment, anyway.


    The people around the street started chattering as they glanced at these new young soldiers. I don¡¯t know why they are getting so much attention. Were they popular?


    Soon the proud bunch went inside the garrison building. They had stirred quite a commotion. I then entered the gate but was stopped by the security guard. I showed him my appointment letter and then he let me in. I guess there was no need for that proud bunch for a security check, unlike me.


    I entered the huge doorway of the building.


    The hallway had tall ceilings and vast flooring. People around here looked quite busy. Some had military uniforms and some wore different uniforms that I wasn¡¯t aware of. There were civilians too. I approached the receptionist, who was busy talking with someone.


    The receptionist lady looked like a nerd. She had dark brown hair with a uptied ponytail. She wore a formal dress with blazer and shirt. I don¡¯t know what she wore in the other lower half as I couldn¡¯t see because of the desk table.


    She seemed to be quarreling with a man in front of me. I have no idea what they are talking about.


    Even after I waited for a couple of minutes, it doesn¡¯t seem their conversation will end anytime. So I barged in,


    ¡°Umm, Could you just help me out for a second, miss?¡±, I asked politely but with a loud tone with an aggressive approach.


    The glasses girl and the man looked at me. Both had this pissed off look as if they would both soon lash out on me any second.


    The glasses girl fixed her glasses as she looked at me,


    ¡°Sorry for the wait! But this bozo over here keeps on pestering to register his complaints, directly to head the division. Nevermind him! So how can I help you?¡±, she asked me.


    I was about to reply,


    ¡°I just..¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t ignore me, I have the authority as a public citizen of this country¡­¡±, suddenly the man in front interfered.


    The glasses girl got pretty angry and turned towards the man,


    ¡°As I said you can¡¯t do that! You need to get the appointment letter and then only I could forward your request.¡±


    This is getting nowhere!


    I pushed aside the old fart away and stood in his place.


    ¡°I am newbie soldier appointed here today. Where should I go?¡±, I placed my question.


    The old fart was angry at my actions and pouted in anger, I ignored him.


    ¡°Oh, so you are a newbie assigned soldier. You should have read the notice posted on the outside, did you not?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°Nope. Didn¡¯t see any sorta notice, on my way.¡±, I replied back.

 A Misfortunate Encounter- II

    ¡°Nope. Didn¡¯t see any sorta notice, on my way.¡±, I replied back.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange! I guess the elder maid again removed the signboard off the floor! That old hag! I had told her to restore the sign in its place, once she was done cleaning the floor.¡±, she leaned on the desk as she held her forehead. It seemed she had a pretty rough day. I would never want to be in her shoes.


    She then lifted her head,


    ¡°Oi! Jordan! Show this man to the meeting room of the new guards'' duty.¡±


    A boy short in height and scrawny looking came from behind.


    ¡°Are you talking about the meeting room where the new soldiers were just taken, a while ago?¡±, the boy asked confusingly.


    He seems a bit younger than me, around 12-13 years at most.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah! That''s the one¡±, the nerd girl replied without even looking as she was busy scribbling in the register.


    ¡°Come along!¡±, said the boy as he leads me.


    We went upstairs to the third floor. The area was pretty spacious and tidy. The upper floors were more and more empty as we go higher. It seemed that the ground floor was the only crowded place in this building.


    After we walked in the hallway for a bit, we stopped in front of a door.


    ¡°There, this is the place where the meeting is being held.¡±, the boy said, ¡°Everyone is already inside.¡±


    Everyone? Was I late? But I should have a little more time to the appointed time.


    I grabbed the door handle, hesitantly. I hope that I am not assigned with those proud bunch from before.


    I opened the door and entered the room.


    To my horror, my worst nightmare became true. There were the proud cocky young soldiers from the headquarters. I hesitated to enter for a second, but I still went inside anyway.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The meeting room was actually a lecture hall. The young boys and girls had already taken their seats. There were a lot of empty seats. The young brats didn¡¯t sit all together which tells that they didn¡¯t get along. As out of three, two girls along with a boy, who were seated separately from the rest of the bunch. They were seated in the last corner of the room, whereas the other five took the seats in the middle.


    The third girl was sitting right in between the other four boys in the middle. She had this red crimson hair and a beautiful figure. She had also unbuttoned her top two shirt buttons so she could show off her cleavage. I guess the rest of the four boys sitting beside her was attracted to her sexuality.


    She had this slut type vibes. I definitely not wanna associate with her and I should stay away from such girls. They were the harbinger of misfortunes. I don¡¯t even know why she enrolled in the military, to begin with.


    I go to the front row corner of the room away from the cocky brats and took my seat. I could hear the soldiers who started gossip. I could feel their gaze. I shall just ignore them. That''s what I thought, when-


    ¡°Hey! You there! What are you doing here?¡±, asked a feminine voice.


    I turned around just to find that the voice belonged to the slutty girl who was surrounded by the four boys. That was the last person I ever wanted to talk but it seems inevitable.


    ¡°I am a new recruit to the garrison. I was told to come here by the receptionist.¡±, I answered.


    I shall be honest and keep my answer simple and short.


    One of the boys from her group stood up,


    ¡°Oi! Oi! Oi! This isn¡¯t a meeting for lowly peasants with guard duties! Only elites soldiers are gathered here. So why don¡¯t you get your ass and move out of this room in this instant.¡±


    Said the guy with a blonde hair and pretty boy face. I guess he belonged to some rich house for sure. His appearance and attitude just proved my point.


    I wished I could step on his pretty face, for all I care! But I don¡¯t wanna pick any fights and put myself in a spotlight.


    I turned my face in front and ignored him.


    ¡°Huh? You dare to ignore me! What¡¯s your name, you insolent rookie?!¡±, said the angry pretty boy.


    I guess he just wanna impress, that slut girl by acting all bossy. I just hate such trash of person who gets off by ordering people around and ridiculing them.


    ¡°He is arrogant little twerp¡±, one of the four boys said from the slut''s group.


    ¡°Such a lowly guard is given the same treatment as us, Elites! This is just insulting to us, the Elite soldiers.¡±, another boy added.


    They just started to scream at this point. They just revolted and made commotion because I, a lowly new recruit who didn¡¯t even received a uniform yet was being seated with self-proclaimed elite soldiers.

 A Misfortunate Encounter- III

    Only the other three people apart from the slut''s group remained silent and sat quietly in the corner.


    The pretty boy started to walk towards me. I didn¡¯t turn back and maintained by demeanor. I faced the empty podium in front as I rested my back on the backrest.


    ¡°Hey! I am talking to you..¡±, he said angrily as he was about to touch my shoulder.


    The door behind me flung opened.


    Everyone turned towards the door, even I did.


    There was the errand boy standing who led me to the classroom before. He seemed exhausted and in a state of panic.


    ¡°Excuse my intrusion!¡±, he looked at me, ¡°Please follow me! This is the wrong room! I am very sorry for my blunder, I hope it was no inconvenience.¡±


    He apologized sincerely, but not to me. He apologized to the cocky soldiers in this room.


    I guess this wasn''t my meeting room after all.


    I got up from my seat to exit the room. I should be angry at the errand boy who led me to the wrong room, but I was not! I am actually grateful that I wasn¡¯t assigned as the same group as this cocky soldiers.


    When I was about to leave, the slut got up and blocked my path. She kept one her leg on the opposite seat as she continued to block my way to exit. I thought she was just shy and cute acting type of a bitch, but she was actually a delinquent type.


    I looked at her in the eye. She had this provocative smile. She played with her hair curls as she continued to block my path with one of the legs raised and placed on the desk on the opposite side.


    Does she want me to plead to move her leg? Or should I just push her away? Both the ways seemed troublesome.


    ¡°Excuse me! But I could see your panties.¡±, I said to the girl in her eye. I had my poker face on.


    She suddenly got embarrassed with a tomato red face and quickly lowered her leg without any further argument and I straightly walked towards the exit.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°You lowly, scum!¡±


    ¡°How dare you! to say such a thing to a lady!¡±


    Blah Blah Blah¡­ started to grumble and complain, the boys who were the followers of the slut.


    ¡°You pervert! Name yourself!¡±, demanded the slut.


    I continued to walk towards the door and ignored her.


    ¡°How dare you defy me! I am the eldest daughter of Vandragg noble house and my father is the lord of this region. I shall- Hey are you even listening?¡±, she nagged on as I reached the door.


    But all of a sudden, I was stopped by a tall and stiff looking old man in his 50¡¯s.


    He wore a formal black coat over a white shirt. A fedora classic hat, with oval glasses. He had pointy mustache and furrow eyebrows. He was tall and had a slender built body.


    He looked at me with quite a displeasure and didn¡¯t hide his disgust.


    He seemed the one in charge of this room. I could just tell how much a pain in the ass this guy was to be dealing with. I didn¡¯t make eye contact for a long time and went past by to exit the door, just then.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡±, he commanded.


    And I stopped.


    I didn¡¯t turn my back immediately.


    ¡°The young lady asked you a question there!¡±, said the mustache guy.


    I let out a small sigh and turned towards the slut. She sat on her desk with her legs folded, as she acted all high and mighty. Just her sight makes me wanna puke. She was pretty and beautiful with a hot bod, but it was all a waste just because of her twisted personality.


    ¡°My name is Desmond Heller. I am a new recruit to be stationed on guard duty. I hope we could get along, sorry for my behavior before. I am not used to interacting with people.¡±, I replied with an earnest answer.


    All of a sudden everyone¡¯s expression changed.


    The slut groups boys started to mumbling with themselves as they glanced at me. Even the three young soldiers who were seated in the corner seemed to talk among themselves. The slut was also shocked and disgusted as well.


    The reaction was totally not surprising at all. I was used to getting such reactions from people as soon as they hear my last name ¡®Heller¡¯.


    ¡°Are you, THE HELLER¡¯s son? The traitorous hero, Heller¡¯s son?¡±, she asked in a derogatory way.


    I respond to her question with silence.


    The silence lasted in the room for a couple of seconds.


    ¡°Excuse me! Now I shall take my leave.¡±, I turned towards the mustache guy, ¡°Sorry for barging in your meeting room. Hope, I wasn¡¯t a bother, goodbye.¡±, I said with a smile.


    ¡°Get out! Already!¡±, said the mustache bastard!


    I was being polite but he was just being an arse hole. After he learned I was, THE heller¡¯s son. He was more offended for some reason.


    I took my leave along with errand boy.


    This was pretty a shitty start for my first day.

 All Rookies Assembled- I

    We were on our way to the gathering spot which was located near the old building behind the garrison mansion.


    We had just left the main building and headed to the old one. They had a quite a big campus, but not as big as the military academy.


    I looked around the campus. There was a small park located in the center which was an idle place for a picnic spot. Although, no soul could be seen on the park grounds.


    Just when Jordan suddenly stopped and turned my way,


    "I m really sorry about that!", he said out loud,


    "If I wasn''t so careless, you wouldn''t have to deal with such disrespect by them earlier. It''s all my fault!"


    I was really surprised by such an action. I never had thought that he would apologize to me. I guess there were still some good and honest people in this world.


    "There is no need to apologize. Human beings are bound to make an error, so don''t sweat it! I don''t mind it, at all. It was partially the receptionist fault as well.", I replied back to console him, "So who were those new recruits, If I may ask?"


    When I asked that Jordan was a bit surprised.


    "You didn''t recognize them?", he asked with a surprised look.


    Are they some sorta celebrity?


    I don''t know. If I had to judge, they were nothing but pampered arrogant little brats. It looked as if they had climbed to their position because of their family''s influence. They were the type to chicken out when they were in a pinch during a battle and sacrifice other soldiers to save their own hide.


    But I could be wrong. I shouldn''t judge them merely by appearance. There could be more than meet the eyes.


    "Are they some sorta famous celebrity that I should know about?", I asked.


    "Did you not see their armband?",he replied to my question with another question.


    Armband?


    What was so special about an armband?


    I didn''t notice but they had some sorta Armband on each of their arms. Did it had some kinda deep meaning?


    "Well, I didn''t pay much attention. Is it something special?"The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Jordan got pretty enthusiastic all of a sudden. His eyes lit up with a broad smile,


    "Are you kidding me? You don''t know about the Elite Knights?", he asked me to re-affirm and I responded with silence.


    He continued,


    "I guess you must be new to the city. Let me explain-"


    He then started to explain.


    Okay, so let me sum it up for you as per Jordan''s explanation.


    Basically, the Elite Knight class was a higher hierarchy of soldiers. They were said to be the most talented soldiers who had completed their training from the national military academy. Where no ordinary person could enroll. The only students able to enroll either belonged to a rich family or were of noble birth. There were very few talented students who were admitted to the military academy through scholarship. The students who graduated received an armband.


    So earlier, those were the new recruits graduated from the National military academy. Now I see why they were being butthurt.


    Compare to them, I didn''t even go to a normal defense school. I had to work as a part-timer to keep us living by. As soon as I aged 17, I gave the military police exam and was selected. Thankfully they had physical examination where they tested the student''s aptitude for sword skills. I passed with flying colors but I had no education background from any school. Hence, I was positioned as a lowly guardsman.


    We entered the old building. There were many soldiers around, primarily consisting of lowly guardsmen and watchmen. Both of them had minor duties. Guardsmen patrolled the street, while watchmen disguised in civilian clothing as they reported the events transpiring around town to the head office.


    We passed through the hallway to the backyard. The backyard was quite spacious, with a grassy lawn. There gathered common folks like myself who were chattering among themselves.


    "This is it! Good luck.", said Jordan with a salute like a soldier, "I''ll see you around!"


    He heads back inside the old building and disappeared in the midst of the hallway.


    I joined with the others. Most of the newbies seemed to know each other. They already had created their friend circle as they talked cheerfully, laughing and grinning. Not one of them looked any special. Most of the people were fat and plump, whereas some were skinny and frail.


    Was this really the guardsmen rookies? Most of them weren''t physically fit. From the looks of it, I don''t think they would even manage to subjugate a petty pickpocketer. Nevermind! For now, I shall just wait and watch.


    I took a seat under the tree in the corner. There was no point in with associating with the noisy bunch as this.


    Just when I saw a group of three teenagers approached in my direction. I closed my eyes shut and leaned back on the tree and I pretended to nap.


    I heard their footsteps got closer and stopped next to me.


    "Hey there! You are a new recruit like us, right?", one of them asked loudly.

 All Rookies Assembled- II

    I heard their footsteps got closer and stopped next to me.


    "Hey there! You are a new recruit like us, right?", one of them asked loudly.


    Dang, it! Can''t you see a person was trying to get some rest alone?


    I opened up my eyes and looked at the person who asked me the question.


    There was this young man who leaned over and his face closer to mine. He looked the same age as me. He had a long spiky hair, with a goofy face and wore a headband on his forehead. Was it to look cool? Nevermind.


    "No, I just happened to come across this place to nap underneath the shade.", I replied.


    How big of an idiot was he? Of course, we were gathered by the military police for recruitment. What other reason would I be here for?


    "Oh, okay. I see, sorry for disturbing you!", apologized the spiky-haired kid as he backed away.


    "Please continue!"


    I guess he really was dumb.


    Just when,


    "Can''t you see! He''s joking! How big of an idiot are you, Bruno?", the girl beside him said out loud to the spiky-haired boy, whose name was Bruno.


    At least there were some people among the rookies with a bit of common sense. The girl seemed a bit older in her 20''s. She gave this mature vibes and was pretty well endowed with a quite a hot bod.


    To this Bruno,


    "Wait! You mean he was lying to me??", he looked in my direction, "How could you!! Why would you lie to me? I am disappointed in you, as a friend."


    Who the heck was this guy?


    He really had some brain issues. When did we become friends?


    I would rather adopt a stray animal than befriend this buffoon.


    I guess I had to ask them straight out.


    "What do you want from me?", I asked.


    The idiot guy was confused,


    "We don''t need anything. We just came to say hello!", he replied.


    "If you are done. Can you leave now? Thank you!", I replied back.


    To that, Bruno took a seat beside me forcefully and put his hand over my shoulder.


    "We are friends! Don''t need to be so rude! Smile."


    Seriously!


    The most difficult thing in this world to handle was a home infested with bed bugs and the next was a hyperactive, cheerful person who wanted to befriend the whole world.


    These type of person, I hate the most! They were always clingy, energetic and pushy. They don''t think twice what other person wants and force their own decisions. They always think they do the right thing. Wherever they go, they transform the atmosphere around other people to bright sunshine and rainbows. That just makes me sick.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    I wanted to punch on his goofy face and shut his trap but that would mean more trouble. I don''t want to be in a spotlight. Somehow I need to rise in ranks as soon as possible without causing any trouble.


    For now, I shall tolerate his antics.


    Just when he,


    "Wow! You have pretty good muscles! Do you work out?", he asked as he groped my arms.


    That''s the limit, I balled up my fist and punched him in the face with a smack.


    But then,


    "What!", I squealed.


    My punch was stopped before it could connect. An arm that appeared out of nowhere and grabbed my wrist. To my surprise, the one who stopped my punch was the third guy who accompanied them.


    He stared me in the eye and gave off an eerie bloodlust. He had black messy hair and wore a pair of glasses. He had a rather good physique, unlike others. He wore well-groomed clothes that were neatly ironed.


    "Back-off this instant!", he said agitatedly.


    From his moves, I could tell that he was not an ordinary rookie. What was he doing with guardsman regiment? Did he also not complete school and forced down to guardsman regiment, like me?


    "You guys are the one who approached me. You people need to back down and leave me alone.", I replied back.


    I shrugged away his grip and freed my arm.


    Bruno panicked,


    "Hey, guys don''t fight! Friends should never fight! We are comrades in arms. So let''s get along each other, shall we?"


    "Listen up! I am not anyone''s friend here and have no intention to be one. So leave me alone!", I said sternly.


    To this the boy in glasses, who managed to stop my punch suddenly became furious.


    "How could you decline my mas¡­ I mean, my friends request! You should be grateful you degenerate scum.", he lashed out loud.


    People started to stare at us. Now, this had turned into mere commotion. He was pretty defensive about Bruno. What was his relationship with him?


    "Shut up, William!", the girl shrieked and whacked over his head, "You are drawing a lot of attention!"


    She then looked at me,


    "Sorry for all the trouble. See you around."


    She dragged both, Bruno and glasses boy, back into the crowd.


    She was like their big sister. They were quite a unique bunch. I might need to keep an eye on them.


    Soon, one of the military personnel arrived and ordered to gather around.


    Everyone lined up and formed rows and columns. All of us stood in attentive posture.


    The military instructor bought a wooden box and used it as a platform to stand. He had this bushy curly mustache and side way combed hair. He glanced around the crowd with a serious look.


    The crowd became restless and the atmosphere became heavy.


    "Damn! That guy looks pretty strict.",


    "Wasn''t the guardsman a pretty easy job?"


    "He looks scary! And what''s with that mustache! It''s creepy!"


    And more random people whispered out of fear as they saw him.


    At least he looked like a guy that takes his job seriously.


    "Hello everyone! We got a lot of pretty boys, this time as well!", suddenly a feminine voice with a hoarse tone spoke out loud. To my surprise, the owner of the voice happened to belong to the same instructor as before.


    "Welcome to guardsman regiment! We are here to protect peace, spread joy and love across the town! Let''s enjoy our youth to the fullest!", he continued with a loud and feminine tone and winked at the end of the statement. He twirled his body like he was some glamorous chick.


    "So let''s all get along!", he gave a flying kiss to the crowd with a wink.


    This unsightly sight was just traumatizing. I had such high hopes but it turns out the guardsman regiment were just worthless scums of society.


    At this point, I started reconsidering whether should I become a guardsman or not.

 The Squad Allotment- I

    Suddenly the atmosphere reverted back and the crowd became noisy once again. Everyone felt relief as soon as they came to know the personality of our military instructor. Although he looked strict and manly from the outside, he actually was the complete opposite.


    His outer appearance did not match his feminine nature, whatsoever. He was the perfect example of the phrase, ''Don''t judge the book, by its cover.''


    I lined up with the rest of them. I knew guardsmen were filled with lazy buffoons but even the high-rank officers had some screw loose or two.


    The military instructor that stood on the wooden box, cleared his throat and began,


    "If I may have your attention, please!", he said out in a louder tone.


    The noisy crowd fell in silence once again. This time it was not a request, but a command.


    The instructor continued,


    "Thank you! Well, let me introduce myself. My name''s Albert Alpine and I am one of the five commanders of guardsmen regiment. The entire southern province comes under my jurisdiction."


    It''s rather hard to believe that he was one of the top-ranking commanders of the guardsmen regiment. If people such as him were handling the chains of commands, then the day isn''t long when the kingdom''s fall. I don''t give a damn, about this kingdom as long as Rose and Armin were safe.


    "I have a busy schedule ahead, so I would like to keep it short! I hope everyone has brought along their appointment letter. Check behind your letter, there should be a little symbol at the bottom right corner. Check it out, right now!", he instructed as he stroked his mustache.


    Everyone took out their appointment letter to find the symbol as instructed. I took out my letter as well from the pocket and I saw the symbol which was a crescent moon. It was a very tiny ink stamp in the corner that anyone would hardly notice.


    The crowd once again started murmur as they discussed with each other. It seemed everyone received different symbols.


    "Alright! Now I shall call out each of the symbols and those who have exact same symbols are to form a squad. You need to get acquainted with each other. Later every squad will be assigned with a senior guardsman who shall be the team captain. More details shall be given by your respective squad captain."


    So that''s how they had segregated the team beforehand. I wonder what my teammates will be like? I hope if I could work alongside them. I don''t know if I could utilize my combat skills and rise up in the ranks. I don''t have any general combat training but I trained alone in the night by myself. I don''t think there would be much of a chance to show off my skills as a guardsman.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    The instructor started to announce different symbols one by one. There were different types of symbols like the - tree, bullhead, footwear, wheel, etc


    With each symbol''s announcement, about four or five people left our line. The respective squad members gathered together where they occupied a small area of the lawn to hold a meeting between themselves.


    Soon Crescent moon was called out and I marched out of the line. I looked around to see who would be my new comrades and I was surprised.


    "Yo! What a coincidence, we all end up together! Is this a fate or what?", a certain young man approached in my direction with a goofy face and two more people followed behind him.


    "Coincidence? I don''t think so.", I replied back.


    The three of my new squadmates were none other than the three people who had approached me before the announcement. They seemed to be acquainted in real life before this gathering.


    How did we end up in the same squad?


    There could be a chance, all 3 would have known the meaning of the symbol and got to know each other before this meeting.


    But then, how come they knew that I would be in the same squad? I didn''t show my letter to anyone else. So I don''t think there approach was a mere coincidence, at all.


    They could have rigged the allotment system for all I know. At least, it was clear that they were no ordinary rookies.


    That''s for sure!


    "What are you talking about? This is just a coincidence! That''s all. Haha!", he answered with an awkward laugh.


    "Who are you, people? And what are you people doing here?", I asked.


    The glasses boy, who stopped my punch started to glare at me in an infuriating manner. Whereas, the girl beside them, let out a small sigh.


    "Eh... Huh? We are just- ordinary low borns, commoners like everyone! Just a rookie to become guardsman. Haha...ha!", the goofy boy answered as he scratched his spiky hair and laughed weirdly.


    In the first place, nobody addresses themselves as low borns. It''s a given that everyone in a guardsman rookie gathering was a commoner here, so there was no need to belittle themselves. His lies were clearly visible which just increased my suspicion fourfold.


    "Well, I hardly believe that.", I pointed my finger at the glasses guy, " To explain this, how was he able to stop my punch? His moves were not of any rookie, that I know. How did he manage to move so quickly to stop my punch? Not any ordinary guy moves like that."


    The goofy boy now was now in a state of panic,


    "Oh! That was just a coincidence as well! Haha!"


    "I don''t believe you, one bit! Are you perhaps intruders or some kinda spy? I might have to report to the officials, if so.", I threatened them.


    Well, they could be a spy from the enemy nation.


    But he still continued his farce,


    "What! We are not a spy!!! We are just¡­ just a new rookie! Believe me, it''s just-"


    "Stop it! This isn''t working guys. No pointing in hiding the truth.", the girl interrupts in between.


    Both the glasses guy and the spiky-haired boy looked at the girl.


    "But- isn''t it too soon?", asked the glasses guy.


    The girl seemed a bit angry as she narrowed her brows.


    "You guys really suck at acting! Do you think anyone would be fooled by this? You don''t even know how to blend in, I did say we were not ready for this covert mission as of yet.", she said out softly but with a serious tone


    She then looked at my direction,


    "Hello, Desmond Heller. Before we could discuss any further let''s take a seat and have a proper introduction. Is that okay?"

 The Squad Allotment- II

    She then looked at my direction,


    "Hello, Desmond Heller. Before we could discuss any further let''s take a seat and have a proper introduction. Is that okay?"


    I nodded in response.


    They did their background checks. For now, I''ll play along.


    Even if they were a nuisance, they don''t seem to be bad guys.


    We got back underneath the tree shade where we had met before and made it our meeting place. We formed a circular formation like everyone and sat down on the grassy lawn. It looked as if we were having a picnic.


    The goofy guy was the first to speak,


    "My name''s Bruno Rodriguez Marshfield, I am the fourth in line to the heir of house Marshfield."


    So he was one the heir to the Marshfield noble house which was one of the closest advisors to the King, itself. What was a noble doing in such a place? What was this mission they were talking about? Many such questions started to arose.


    Bruno than pointed towards the girl,


    "This is Thalia and this is William. They are my most trusted servants and bodyguard. They might not look like it, but they are one of the top-notch skilled veteran soldiers. I am very proud of them.", he said haughtily.


    "You are too kind, master!", replied William and Thalia in sync.


    It seemed like he was proud of his servants and even they loved their master equally. Looking at them made me feel out of the place.


    The only thing that still bugs me, why are they involving me?


    So before they could drag this on, I asked them.


    "First of all, why did you made me join this squad? What do you want from me? Why are you telling me all this? Depending on your answer, I will decide to co-operate or not."


    I don''t want to get involved in something messy. Even if they seemed like a good bunch, but their mission sounded shady. I don''t wanna risk my life for some dubious covert mission. What''s in it for me?


    William all of a sudden got furious,


    "Hey! You should be happy that the master involved you in his plan. So how dare you-"


    "William stop!", said Bruno.


    "But Master, he-"


    "It''s okay. He deserves to know what he''s getting into.", replied Bruno.


    All of a sudden, his goofy expression changed into a serious one,


    "There is this secret ominous syndicate that we are trying to track down. They are¡­"


    And soon, he started his explanation about their mission.


    There was a secret cult who was kidnapping people throughout the kingdom. They kidnapped various people randomly, commoners, priests, slaves, even some people from the noble family are stated to be missing. Many of the noble houses pleaded to look into the matter but the royal family has ignored every plea. For some reason unknown, the royal family has dismissed the existence of such an organization and they blamed kidnapping were done by some human trafficking terrorist organizations and other criminal gangs. Lately, one of Bruno''s trusted servants also had gone missing and it was the handiwork of the cult. Although the noble house of Marshfield didn''t take the kidnapping of a lowly servant seriously and ignored it. But Bruno wasn''t willing to stay quiet, so he vouched for this mission himself along with his trusted bodyguards.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    They somehow got information that some of the guardsman soldiers were associated with the cult. Now they have joined the guardsman regiment to unveil the truth and prove the existence of this shady cult organization.


    In my point of view, Bruno was a good guy but also equally stupid. Is this his way of playing the hero? I don''t get it. Why was he going out of his way to prove the existence of such a cult? Even if such a cult do exist, why was he taking such a big risk? I know he cherishes his people but to such an extent?


    "So why are they kidnapping people? Is it random or do they have something in common?", I asked.


    "We have shortlisted all the missing people and they don''t have much in common. Although the abduction started about five years from now, just a month after the mysterious blast of Vlolk city.", answered Thalia.


    If this cult were somehow related to the mysterious blast of Vlolk city than this was not some petty organization. I don''t want to get involved with them, any further.


    "Guys! You can count me out! Don''t worry, I won''t tell anyone. So leave me out of your mission." I said it clearly.


    "Well, there is a piece of information that might pique your interest!", responded Thalia.


    Now they were just baiting me, I won''t fall for their lies this time.


    "So you should have started from there. What is this info you are talking about?", I still asked curiously.


    They had done good research as they knew my name beforehand. So I don''t know what info they have, I don''t wanna risk my life for some petty ideologies like patriotism or heroism and justice. People get kidnapped so that''s their own fault for letting them get kidnapped in the first place. I won''t go around challenging every criminal organization in the name of justice.


    I just want to rise in ranks as quickly as possible. I got plans ahead for the future.


    Bruno answered this time,


    "We also got the info that the cult was responsible behind the missing of the war hero Rodrezzo during the last war.", said Bruno.


    My brain just froze. This was shocking information that was a bit hard to interpret within my brain. The War hero Rodrezzo who was once a commoner orphan who soared high on ranks and became a general among the ranks of the Rublor army. The people of Rublor looked up to him for inspiration for the citizens of Rublor. He was a remarkable fighter on the battlefield and his twin swords were unstoppable. He earned the title of War Hero and named the slaughtering scissors of Rublor. Despite his common stature, he earned quite a fame. But a lot of other heroes didn''t take this very well. Later, during one of the warring times, Rodrezzo disappeared amid a crucial battle. His sudden disappearance led to the death of many soldiers and Rublor lost an important piece of territory to the enemy. Since then he was labeled as a traitor and a coward. A huge ransom was placed on his head. He left his wife and kids behind in the nation who were later shunned by society. They later went into hiding.


    And today, after all this time he''s saying that Rodrezzo was really kidnapped? I was having a hard time believing my ears.


    "How reliable is the source?", I asked.


    "I will cut off my tongue if the source happens to be a lie. That I swear in the name of my house, Marshfield.", he replied with confidence.


    "Is there a chance my old man is still alive?", I asked once again.

 The Squad Captains Arrival- I

    It was already past noon and the sun was on top of our head and the squad meeting was over. All the squads had already left the lawn but not us.


    We were still waiting underneath the shade of the tree in this heat.


    Why do you ask?


    Well, our squad captain who was due to present by 11 o¡¯clock had yet to show up. All other squad captains arrived on time and left with their respective squads.


    We were the only squad that was still waiting in this hot weather.


    Well, I didn¡¯t mind this heat but I guess my comrades had some difficulties.


    William was furious as he nagged to himself, ¡°How dare he make my Master wait like this! This is an outright insult, I should have his head for this!¡±


    Whereas his master, Bruno who seemed a little uneasy and sweaty,


    ¡°It¡¯s alright William! He might have encountered some unforeseen problems. I am alright! This little much of heat is nothing!¡± muttered Bruno as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with the end of his shirt¡¯s sleeve.


    Perhaps, the noble guy wasn¡¯t accustomed to such hospitality. Waiting in this harsh sun might be his first-time experience.


    He said he was fine, but I had my suspicions regarding that.


    His spiky hair was now all flat and damp because of the sweat that had accumulated on his scalp.


    Whereas Thalia fanned Bruno with a book she had on hand.


    I, on the other hand, was seated under the same tree but on the opposite side. Away from the ruckus. I knew it was hot, but all their whining wasn¡¯t helping at all.


    They could just shut up and lay down on the grass like me.


    I wanted to stay further away from this boisterous crowd, but this was the only tree that had proper shade.


    ¡°It¡¯s not right, master! You must look out for your health! I don¡¯t care if we blow our cover! As long as you are safe, that¡¯s what matters to me.¡±, replied back William sternly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about our mission! We have to get at the bottom of this syndicate and rescue Raymond. For his sake, this much heat is nothing! Don¡¯t underestimate the fourth heir of Marshfield family. Don¡¯t take me for a wimp. We will rescue him, no matter what it takes!¡±, replied back, Bruno.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Master! You are too kind. We servants, are blessed to have you as our master but even so!¡± Willian took in a deep breath as his eyes sparkled with determination and spoke, ¡°I will not accept this tardiness of our squad captain on his first day. This type of behavior in our army is unforgivable. The guardsmen regiment are filled with undisciplined mongrels.¡±


    Damn my head was exploding with pain! William¡¯s whining was going on and on for about an hour and I was on my limit.


    Although I have to agree with his last statement, Guardsmen''s regiment was just a bunch of clowns.


    It was a huge shock that my father¡¯s disappearance was somehow the handiwork of this mysterious syndicate.


    I don¡¯t know if they were speaking the truth. I don¡¯t even know if the old man¡¯s still alive.


    My father was the renowned swordsman whose skills almost matched the Imperial General ranked Knights.


    He wielded two unique enchanted long swords with a long curved blade.


    No one could match him, especially in the terms of swordsmanship. He sprinted across the battlefield cutting down enemies like paper.


    It was said that no one was ever able to block his blade. Hence he was named as the Slaughter Scissor of Rublor.


    Although he achieved a lot of glory through his battle skills, many other knights loathed him. Because of his reputation and fame despite being a lowborn from an orphanage.


    ¡°Oi, someone''s approaching, I guess it''s our captain!¡±, said Thalia.


    I got up from the grass and glanced at a murky looking figure which approached in our direction. He walked all wibbly-wobbly, seemed he was pretty tired.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this? I need a thorough explanation!¡±, demanded William angrily, as he got up from the grassy lawn.


    ¡°Could you guys put a gag in his mouth? He¡¯s been barking like a dog for an hour, now.¡±, I said in an annoyed tone.


    ¡°You lowly peasant! I shall have your tongue. You bastard!...¡±, nagged back William as he tried to charge at me but was stopped by Thalia and Bruno.


    Short-tempered people are bothersome but they are fun to tease.


    ¡°Listen to your master! Put a leash on him as well.¡±, I said in a taunting manner.


    ¡°That¡¯s it! I am gonna kill you. We have no need for you, in our squad or in this world.¡±, said William angrily. Even Thalia and Bruno were getting pushed back by William as they tried to stop his charge.


    ¡°Could you please calm down! We are a team, we need to work together!¡±, said Bruno as he tried to hold down William.


    ¡°Stop this William! He¡¯s trying to provoke you and you are falling for it!¡±, said Thalia wisely as she pulled back William by his arms.


    ¡°Let me beat some manners in him!¡±, said out loud as William pointed his finger at me.


    All of sudden,


    ¡°Oh! Hello¡­. Everyone!¡±, a soft voice interrupted in between as she breathed heavily, ¡°Sorry, huh¡­ I am a ¡­ a bit late!¡±


    Before we know the person had already reached here.


    In front stood a female soldier who tried to catch her breath. It looked as if she ran a marathon as she panted heavily.

 The Squad Captains Arrival- II

    All of sudden,


    ¡°Oh! Hello¡­. Everyone!¡±, a soft voice interrupted in between as she breathed heavily, ¡°Sorry, huh¡­ I am a ¡­ a bit late!¡±


    Said the female soldier as she tried to catch her breath. It looked as if she ran a marathon as she panted heavily.


    She looked in her 30¡¯s and her uniform was soggy with sweat. Her ponytail hash-brown hair was a mess. She looked kinda average and lacked in the department of the chest area.


    She looked like a plain single woman in her 30¡¯s still in search of her true love.


    I hope she doesn¡¯t drag us down.


    ¡°A bit late? Excuse me!¡±, shrieked out William in response, ¡°You are an hour and 21 minutes late on your first meet up, with your new comrades. I demand a good reason for your tardiness!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, William!¡±, said Bruno as he grabbed Williams'' arms.


    I hope he doesn¡¯t attack our squad captain on our first day. I don¡¯t wanna get kicked out before we could even become a guardsman soldier.


    The female soldier scratched her head and replied with a smile,


    ¡°Oh, my bad! I was obstructed with a scuffle down the market. It seemed the shop vendor was tricking people and selling adulterated goods. I managed to confront him and get arrested. That¡¯s why¡­¡±


    ¡°You could have just informed the other officials! That¡¯s no reason to make your subordinates wait!¡±, ranted out William as he fixed his glasses.


    ¡°I am sorry!¡±, said the woman as she bowed apologetically.


    ¡°Be careful from next time onwards.¡±, said William after he calmed down a bit.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±, said the woman.


    Wait, isn¡¯t this the opposite?


    Now I can¡¯t tell which was the grown up here. She was a big klutzy person. This gonna be one heck of squad for sure.


    The woman than straightened her back and stood firm.


    ¡°My names Arnia Gospel and from now on I will be your squad captain. We shall work hard and maintain peace and tranquility in the town of stathford and its citizen. I am a little klutzy sometimes but you can depend on me."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    She raised her fist in the arm as soon as she was done with her introduction,


    "Let''s do our best!", she added.


    ¡°Fight on!¡±, Bruno raised his fist as well.


    I am gonna pass on this team bonding moment. Please spare me.


    She looked like a modest person, but she¡¯s pretty ditzy and also possess a sense of justice which doesn''t go hand on hand. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a subordinate of Bruno like Thalia and William.


    All of sudden, Arina seemed pretty pumped up,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have some food? It¡¯s my treat as an apology and also as a celebration for our new team.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I am starving! Let''s go!¡±, replied Bruno enthusiastically as his eyes gleamed in joy.


    Is he really the heir to the Marshfield house?


    We accepted Arina¡¯s proposal.


    She took us to the Rasberry''s pub near the town. It was a common tavern near the main road where many travelers and merchants stop by. It had decent food although, they lacked proper hygiene.


    ¡°Let¡¯s grab a seat!¡±, Arina rushed in the pub to grab a table.


    Was she some little kid? Now we got two kids in the squad, talking about the other kid. It seemed Bruno was a little hesitant to enter.


    He seemed to be staring at a pile of horse poop. It was a regular practice to park the horses outside the tavern. Where they fed the horse and let them rest.


    They also pooped out in the same place, which was normal.


    ¡°Oi, you coming or what?¡±, I asked him.


    ¡°But-but what¡¯s this thing doing outside here?¡±, Bruno asked me as he pointed at a pile of horse shit.


    He was pampered a lot by his family. How come he was to taking the covert mission?


    If he has problems with horse crap, then I think his cover as a commoner will soon blow up.


    ¡°That¡¯s for attracting customers!¡±, I said sarcastically, ¡°You guys coming or what?¡±


    Bruno¡¯s face turned pale.


    Than William jumped in,


    ¡°How dare you invite master in such filthy rathole! He could never enter such a place, let alone eating their food!¡±, he said out loud.


    All of a sudden the crowd started to stare at us.


    ¡°Whose that? What''s his problem?¡±


    ¡°Seems pessimistic rookie, whys he acting so haughty?¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong with that tavern, I wonder.¡±


    And many more such comments started to flood in the crowd.


    If this continues, people would realize they were not commoners.


    At this point, I don¡¯t even care. They could go and get themselves killed for all I care. This was a failed squad, to begin with.


    ¡°Calm down William! It¡¯s alright, I have no problem entering this tavern.¡±, said Bruno in panic.


    ¡°Zip it, William! Can¡¯t you just shut up and not go ranting for a change? You attracting attention, yet again!¡±, added Thalia in an aggressive but on low tone.


    Not this drama again, I was getting sick of this-


    *SLAM*


    All of a sudden the tavern door opened loudly, and humongous human came out and stood in front of me.


    He had a bald head and bushy beard and plumpy belly. He wore an apron which had a lot of stains and held a butchering knife in a hand. I guess he was the tavern¡¯s owner.


    ¡°You lousy pricks, how dare you insult my baby!¡±, he said angrily with a loud tone.

 The Squad Captains Arrival- III

    ¡°You lousy pricks, how dare you insult my baby!¡±, he said angrily with a loud tone.


    I stepped away from him, his scream almost tore my eardrums for a second.


    William and Thalia seem calm and composed and didn¡¯t even bat an eye. Any other person would have shat in their pants at how intimidating the tavern owner looked like.


    William fixed his glasses and had to tilt his head upwards to look the tavern owner in the eye.


    ¡°Excuse me what baby are you talking about?¡±, he asked in a composed tone.


    ¡°My baby!¡± said tavern owner as he waved his arm at the tavern, ¡°This is my baby! you are open insulting it that means you are insulting ME!¡±


    William answered in a composed tone,


    ¡°So that rat hole is your place. I see. I had already envisioned that some brute ugly man could be such tavern''s owner and it turned out to be true. I can''t do anything about your face but at least I can give you some hygiene tips for your restaurant-¡±


    But all of a sudden the bald owner swung his butcher knife with sheer force.


    William with his reflex easily dodged it, nothing less could be expected from a veteran soldier.


    The blow missed William with a hairs margin and hit the ground making a crack.


    "The heck!" shrieked out the Tavern owner.


    If a man had taken that blow head-on then he surely would have cut him in half for sure.


    Williams expression changed all of a sudden,


    ¡°Release restrains GL403,¡± he said with a cold demeanor.


    Wait for a second...


    As soon as William said those words, there was a faint glow underneath the shirt¡¯s sleeve.


    My hunch came true, after all.


    Fuck if William attacks him now then that tavern owner will surely end up dead for sure.


    He clenched his fist to attack the tavern owner.


    This all was happening in a split second.


    I looked around me and saw a dismantled horse saddle lying just one arm away. So I picked it and rushed over to the scene threw myself between them.


    By the time I got there, William had already thrown his punch and I used the horse saddle as a shield to protect the owner.


    I tried to block his punch but it was too powerful.


    A shockwave went through my body and my arms went numb. I managed to block the punch but I was sent flying before crashing in a big haystack that was just happened to be nearby.


    I was really lucky this time otherwise I would have bruised up pretty badly. I quickly got out of the haystack and the first thing I checked was my arms. My arms were still numb and but nothing serious. I was still holding on to that saddle.


    ¡°What in the hell are you doing! Why are you protecting that scumbag?¡± asked Willia


    "You jerk! Don''t go swinging around punches like that!" I shrieked back at him.


    "You are not the boss of me." replied back William.


    ¡°William! You shouldn''t be attacking civilians like that¡± said Bruno.


    ¡°But he was-¡± *thwack* William was about to complain; Thalia hit him from behind on his head.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Shut up! If you speak another word you will be the one dying.¡±


    While all the commotion was going on the bald owner who was lying on the ground started to get up on his feet as he was scratching his head in shock. I guess the moment I was sent flying that I might have crashed with the owner before falling in the haystack.


    That bastard William! He had an enchanted gauntlet in his possession.


    Well, it''s not surprising because he did say he was an ex-veteran soldier and the current bodyguard in the noble family of Marshfield.


    I glanced at the horse saddle that I still held tightly in my hands.


    ¡°That was a close call,¡± I said to myself.


    There was now a hole in the seat of the horse saddle.


    William was out of his mind. If he did had killed the tavern, we would be in a knee-deep shit of trouble. Those three would have no problem talking out of this problem being from a noble family but things would be different for me. I was trying to keep a low profile but this would have surely attracted unnecessary attention. If the word gets out that the son of the traitor hero lives in this town, it would be a big problem.


    ¡°What the heck was that!¡±, as the owner got up on his legs, all puzzled.


    Just when Captain Arina came out of the tavern and rushed to the scene. She stood in front of the owner and bowed her head.


    The owner was little perplexed,


    ¡°Who are you?!¡± he asked as he glanced at her for a second.


    She bowed her head deeply,


    ¡°I am really sorry for my juniors! Please forgive them, this one time!¡±, she pleaded.


    She looked pretty scared but still had enough courage to take a stand for us.


    The owner was startled and his face was bit flushed.


    He ogled at our captain in a very disgusting creep.


    But after the owner took a closer look at our Captain he let out a disappointed tone,


    ¡°Tch¡±, he replied arrogantly "I need a good compensation for this."


    This world was full of scums like him. I should have let William send his sorry ass back to the grave.


    While amidst the conversationThalia joins in,


    ¡°I am really sorry mister!¡±, she bowed deeply to the tavern.


    The ownerinstantlywas charmed by her, on the spur of the moment. He was ogling at Thalia''s bosom like some kid staring at a candy shop.


    That girl knows how to use her assets pretty well, she¡¯s one scary girl.


    Thaliacontinuedto play along acting all cute,


    ¡°You seem like a pretty kind and handsome guy!" she said that (like seriously?), "You¡¯ll excuse my stupid colleague''s blunder, won¡¯t you?¡±, she asked with her feminine voice as she made a really cute expression.


    Wait, was she the same girl as before?


    ¡°Oh well, it''s okay! I forgive him. You are more than welcome to my pub!" the owner tone took a sudden 360-degree turn, "Just keep that boy¡¯s mouth in check from now on. It''s also my fault for acting like so as an apology the meals are on the house! Come in!¡±, he said in a blushing manner and then he went in his tavern and welcomed us.


    I guess he was pretty flustered because of Thalia.


    ¡°Let''s get inside!¡±, Thalia frowned at William as she went inside the tavern.


    ¡°But that dirty-¡±, William was about to complain.


    ¡°We are going inside!! Let''s go.¡±evenBruno jumped in and walked inside the tavern following Thalia.


    ¡°But master! Hey, wait for me¡­¡±, eventually, William also followed and entered the tavern anyway.


    Well if it''s a free lunch, I shouldn¡¯t waste my time here! Gonna eat as many grubs to my fill.


    But before I enter, I went near the woman who was sulking on the floor.


    "Oi, you aren''t coming in?" I asked our Captain who was sulking.


    ¡°Its always the chest, isn''t it?¡±she asked me.


    I guess she was pretty shocked, by the owner''s treatment to Thalia.


    "Because of such scums, I have been single for my whole life. All of my classmates are already married and have kids and here I am still looking for a boyfriend. I am already in my 30''s and just because of small chest and I look average doesn''t mean I deserve such inferior treatment! This is blah blah..." she just started blabbering on and on.


    I just ignored her and went in.


    "Hey wait for me!... How could you all leave a maiden in distress like that" she scowled at me but eventually followed us in.


    Seriously! She''s gonna be one heck of a pain.

 Dining in the Tavern- I

    We took a table for ourselves in the corner inside the tavern. It was pretty lively, even tho it was just past noon. Loads of people travel through this part of the region 24x7. It was one of the routes that connect the capital and the best place to set up a business.


    The Tavern owner that attacked was also the head chef, which was a bit surprising. I didn¡¯t take him for a guy that had cooking skills.


    I hope he washed the knife after he attacked.


    The tavern had some female waiters as well, which was also a plus point to increase more customers.


    Even if the food would taste like shit; if you have cute female waiters to serve you, the tavern won¡¯t run out of customers. Even though this dump of tavern needs repairs and cleaning, people somehow still come to eat here.


    I don¡¯t have a problem eating here, my body¡¯s immune system has developed immensely. I used to eat from scrapes and dumpster before in the dark days. It was difficult to feed Rose and Armin as well as the school fees expense, but I somehow managed it.


    Compared to those hardships the guardsman regiment was no sweat.


    Suddenly a waitress came to our table.


    ¡°May I have your order, please!¡±, she asked in a friendly manner.


    Any other men surely would have skipped a heartbeat, but I don¡¯t want to succumb to such atrocious emotions.


    Lust is an emotion that renders human beings to lose all of the types of senses and just let them think through their animal instincts instead of the usual brain.


    ¡°I would like to order a big jug of finest brew ale and some spicy roasted peanuts!¡±, ordered our Captain Ms. Arnia and she looked at us, ¡°You guys order to your heart''s content as the owner said himself. I hope this tavern goes bankrupt and shut down for all I care-¡±


    Thalia quickly covered her mouth,


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her! You guys place your order.¡±, she wittily grasped the situation and gagged our captain.


    The captain was murmuring something angrily, but her words were concealed thanks to Thalia''s rigid grip that covered the captain¡¯s mouth.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    It looks like Captain was still annoyed over the Tavern owner.


    If we let Captain blabbering again, the owner would surely wreck, havoc and the whole tavern might go down.


    I don¡¯t want to create another commotion like before.


    Also, this was a golden opportunity to eat for free to your fill, which I don''t wanna miss.


    It seemed like William and Bruno had a hard time deciding, what to order as they glanced around the tavern.


    This place was filled with filth and dirt. It smelled of booze, food, and sweat from the traveling customers.


    I guess they were from a noble house, so they were having a hard time.


    But I don¡¯t care!


    ¡°Excuse me!¡±, I said, ¡°Roasted Onions & Cream Cod along with Simmered Cinnamon & Thyme pork, whole. Also, some cranberry wine with less concentrated alcohol if you can.¡±


    Bruno and William were taken aback.


    It seemed that I surprised them by ordering food out of the bat.


    I am a heavy eater, although I don¡¯t usually eat at such quantity. I conserve as money as I could, but at such an event, I go all out.


    To break the awkward attention that I was receiving,


    ¡°Oi! You guys gonna order something or what?¡± I asked the other three.


    Bruno thought for some time then answered,


    ¡°An orange juice!"


    The waiter had an irritable smile,


    ¡°Umm, we don¡¯t serve fruit juices.¡±


    I guess he took so long to think, just to order a juice in a bar?


    Suddenly a cockroach appeared underneath from the table and crawled on the wall upwards to the ceiling.


    Bruno just froze by seeing that.


    ¡°What is that thing doing in an eatery place?¡±, asked Bruno as he pointed at the cockroach.


    The waiter girl just glanced at the cockroach,


    ¡°Oh this!¡± suddenly there was this loud thump and squish noise, ¡°Don¡¯t mind it! So please place your order, I got more customer¡¯s waiting.¡±


    She just squashed that bug with her bare hands and just waved away to clear away the remains of the roach.


    William and Bruno both froze in utter shock. Thalia was also a bit disgusted.


    For some reason, they remained silent.


    The waiter¡¯s mood was worsening by every passing second. Her patienceseemed to berunning out.


    I guess I have to take a stance,


    ¡°Excuse me, order 3 beef sandwiches for them. That¡¯s all, thank you.¡±, I ordered their stead.


    The waiter noted down our order and left.


    William whispered in a lower tone,


    ¡°This place is utter garbage. How do you except master to consume such repugnant food?!¡±


    ¡°Aren''t you guys undercover trying to imitate being a commoner? This is what it means to be a commoner. So suck it up.¡±, I responded.


    Bruno was still in shock as he stared at the squashed remains of the cockroach on the wall.


    ¡°Oi, Thalia you are choking our captain.¡± I reminded Thalia.


    Thalia was still holding on our captain''s mouth that it seemed as if she passed out.


    ¡°Oops. My bad!¡±, apologized Thalia.

 Dining in the Tavern- II

    After a while later, our order arrived along with the booze.


    I was the only one that had ordered in bulk and managed to eat every morsel. Whereas my comrades were having second thoughts about eating the sandwich but in the end, they still ate it somehow.


    Our captain was pretty drunk and wasted as she fell asleep on her face on down on the table. She was mumbling angrily something in her sleep. Although, I can¡¯t make a sense of what she was talking about.


    Well seeing how she was passed out, this would be the perfect opportunity to discuss with Bruno and the bunch.


    ¡°William, what the heck were you thinking using your enchanted gauntlet on a civilian like that? He would have been dead if I hadn¡¯t intervened.¡± I said with a vexing tone while keeping my tone down.


    I still can¡¯t believe I somehow managed to stop the enchanted weapon attack with just a mere horse saddle. Now thinking back, I can''t imagine how crazy I was for pulling such a stunt.


    William looked at me in a confused manner,


    ¡°I did?¡±, then after a couple of seconds of thinking, ¡°Oh right, that! It¡¯s no big deal.¡± he answered nonchalantly.


    It¡¯s a big deal alright! Possessing an enchanted gear was a pretty big deal. They were very expensive and rare, hence those weapons are passed down from generation to generation. So only noble families or high-class ranking soldiers possess such things.


    But then all of a sudden, Thalia got up and started to examine me with a closer look.


    ¡°For some reason, you were able to hold off William''s attack. I am pretty impressed,¡± she said as she re-examined my physique closely.


    She was so very close that I could even feel her breathing.


    For some reason, she smelt nice, unlike the fragrance in the tavern or any other smell.


    I guess it''s because of her female pheromones which is the reason it smelt kinda pleasant. As expected of females, they are indeed mysterious and scary.


    ¡°Could you get off my face?" I responded with my poker face while I glared back at her in the eye "And that was thanks to that horse saddle, otherwise, I would be seriously injured. I am nothing special.¡±


    I did train my body pretty well myself, which was nothing to brag about.


    ¡°I see¡± she replied and then she sat back in her seat with a smile.


    It was giving me the creeps.


    Anyway, I got myself together,


    ¡°So do both of you have been equipped with enchanted gears I assume?¡± I asked.


    William replied as he fixed his glasses,


    ¡°Indeed! We are from the noble house of Marshfield who are the closest advisors to the King. We have dozens of enchanted equipment bestowed to the trustworthy guardians of the Marshfield family. This gauntlet that I used belongs is a bronze classified enchanted gear, handed down by our master(Bruno) itself. This gear would be use for my protecting my master as well as the house of Marshfield.¡± then he bowed towards Bruno as a thanking gesture.


    Bruno smiled and scratched his head,


    ¡°This is nothing! I will soon procure some silver class gears and re-equip you guys with a whole set. Just you guys wait a bit longer.¡± said Bruno as he puffed his chest in pride.


    Even having bronze gear itself was a big thing, let alone a full set of silver class.


    In this world, there are magically enchanted gears that possess great power depending on the type of gear and its class.


    They are classified as Copper, Bronze, Iron, Silver and Gold class.


    These types of gears utilize the spiritual energy in one¡¯s body and fourfold its output than normal.


    People born with the talent to practice magic was very rare and scarce. The talent to use magic was mostly hereditary and all of the magicians were ranked highly in society. The pledge their loyalty to the kingdom and they are the people who can make enchanted gears. But even after having the talent to making enchanted gears, producing iron class or above equipment was a very difficult task. The magicians who were very skilled and well versed in the art of magic along with a stroke of good luck will be one able to forge a silver ranked gears. As for the gold rank are the rarest among the class and only a handful are forged on this day.


    So not anyone can afford magically enchanted types of equipment.


    Even the lower copper class gears are a lot expensive even though most of the gears made from this class are used for household and domestic uses.


    So William had a bronze class gear which was an armor type gear and it was a hell of rare equipment.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings."Hey, William?" I asked, "Why didn''t you rename your gauntlets?"


    William had named his weapon GL403 which was the gear''s base name when it was forged.


    There was a safety mechanism in an enchanted gear. The holder of the enchanted gear has to command the equipment to use. One has to call its name out loud. The name that William used as the base name when the equipment was forged. So he should have renamed the gear to something much cooler and easy to use.


    Also one can lower the power outage from an enchanted gear. Some gears are so powerful that if a person equipped it in full power than sure put the place in danger. So you can also command how much power to use so that you could minimize the damage.


    "Nah! I am not into naming stuff. I am used to calling it by this name."


    I see. So William was a boring guy.


    ¡°Anyway, so what¡¯s our plan? Are there any leads on that syndicate you guys were-¡± before I could finish Thalia covered my mouth.


    ¡°Shhh..." she said "We will talk about it tomorrow! The last thing is that we want to blow our cover. This isn''t a good place to talk we shall discuss it later¡±


    Does she like covering everyone''s mouth or what?


    Well, she was right, it would be a bad idea to talk about that mysterious syndicate in such a public area. If the word got out to that cult that someone was looking for them. We would land in trouble and if they are alerted then it would be even harder for us to track them down.


    I shrugged her grasp,


    ¡°Alright, we shall talk about it next time then.¡±, I replied.


    ¡°So anyway, what are we going to do about her?¡±, William asked as he pointed at our squad captain.


    Our captain had passed out on the table as she slept peacefully. She finally stopped mumbling and dozed off carefreely. Her drool was flooding on the table as she reeked of booze. Pathetic!


    A real senior should put a good image in front of their junior and here she didn¡¯t have any aspects that one could admire about her. I highly doubt she had anything to teach us, juniors.


    ¡°Thalia,¡± said Bruno, ¡°Please carry back the captain to her dormitory. It''s our duty as her fellow comrade to lend her a hand in time of need.¡±


    I let out a huge sigh,


    ¡°Some captain she is. She didn¡¯t even inform us about our next task as a rookie Guardsman.¡±, I frowned.


    It was our first day and we had yet to receive our uniforms. All we did today was waste our time and free lunch.


    Bruno got up from his seat,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the uniforms, it will be delivered at your home by tonight." Bruno let out a disappointed sigh, "She was the one, supposed to hand out us our uniforms but it doesn¡¯t seem possible now. Anyway, meet us tomorrow morning at 8 am at the garrison gate. Our job as guardsman starts from tomorrow.¡±


    He seemed well informed, his information network was a wide one. I shall do as he says for now.


    It had already been past 5 pm.


    As we were leaving the tavern, Thalia thanked the owner. The owner surely was getting all gross and clingy towards Thalia. He also had the balls to ask her to hang out with him for a date in the near future. Thalia tried not be disgusted and answered that she will think about it. I feel bad for the owner.


    Thalia separated our ways as she took our captain to her dormitory.


    Bruno and William tagged along with me on my way home. We were heading the same direction I walked in the front hurrying my way home.


    The two of them were discussing some petty talks about what to have to dinner and other frivolous small talks. I didn''t pay a lot of attention because I had no time to waste. I was trying to speed up and throw them of my tail but somehow they would catch up with my pace and they both kept talking boring topics. They now became a nuisance for me.


    Anyway, we would be going our separate ways anytime soon¡­


    But soon I suddenly stopped in my feet.


    Bruno who was walking behind me while deeply engaged in talks collided with me.


    ¡°Oi! What¡¯s your problem! Why did you stop in front of me all of a sudden!¡± he exclaimed at me.


    Problem? Yeah, it was standing right in front of me.


    There was this girl standing in my way,


    ¡°Hey! Excuse me!¡± she called out as she stared at me ¡°I want to talk with you alone, please.¡± she asked me in a dainty and cheerful tone.


    This mysterious girl was indeed a beauty while she had this innocent smile that could charm any guy.


    I should have been at the top of the world for such a beauty approaching me to talk alone.


    Any guy would suddenly skip a beat if a pretty girl like her approached all of a sudden. I would also be happy for this moment only if she wasn''t surrounded by intimidating 4 other boys standing behind her who were totally glaring at me.


    To top it all that girl was none other than the bitch from the elite squad from the garrison.


    The atmosphere suddenly became heavy and even Bruno and William knew something was off.


    William stood in the front and whispered to me as he cracked his knuckles,


    ¡°Oi, should I lend you a hand?¡± he asked.


    I was surprised.


    I never thought to hear such kind words from William. Although he detested my guts but it turned out that he was a pretty decent guy.


    Despite the girl''s cute approach, we could clearly see the enmity that they were giving off. As expected of a veteran soldier.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright! You guys go ahead. I shall lend them an ear.¡±, I replied.


    It seemed the Miss bitch from the elite squad along with her boyband had a bone to pick with me.


    ¡°As you say so,¡± William responded quickly and backed down.


    ¡°Are they your friends?¡± Bruno asked me cluelessly.


    Friends?


    They look like they gonna chew me out for dinner.


    I responded after a small sigh,


    ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, he did say he got this!¡± William told Bruno as they both made an exit.


    If they had stuck along, there was a chance they might have blown their own cover as well. Which would be a big pain for them.


    After Bruno and William left,


    ¡°So what¡¯s up!¡± I asked them in a friendly manner.


    "We shouldn''t talk in the open. I know a good place where we could have a nice chat. Follow me!¡± she replied with a smile.


    This might get a bit ugly.

 The Elite Bullies- I

    I was led to a small alley away from the public eye.


    I somehow anticipated this was going to happen. It was a typical style where the bully drags theirprey to such a shady area. I am pretty sure these elite soldiers were popular with the crowd so they wouldn¡¯t want the public to look at their ugly side.


    I could have raised an alarm to avoid this situation, but there was a possibility the word might have gotten out about my identity that I was desperately trying to hide.


    The alley was pretty gloomy and there didn¡¯t seem a single soul here. There were few old boxes and a broken down horse cart in the passageway. The building beside was old and abandoned ones.


    I guess me sitting in the same room as them, might have damaged their pride.


    Now, they had scouted a perfect place to oppress someone even tho they just transferred, this morning. As expected of elite soldiers,


    ¡°Or more like elite bullies!¡±, I spoke out my mind by mistake.


    One of the black haired boys got furious,


    ¡°What did you just say now?¡±


    ¡°This is a lovely place. Are we here for site seeing or what?¡±, I replied with my casual demeanor.


    ¡°Cocky bastard!¡±, he raised his fist, ¡°This is what you get-¡±.


    I saw this coming a mile away.


    ¡°Wait!¡±, shrieked the red-haired girl.


    At her command, the boy did stop. As expected of a slave dog, she had them under her thumbs.


    I glanced at that girl and our eyes met. She had a pretty cutesy smile which was creepy.


    She still had her shirt¡¯s button opened and her giant breasts could pop out any seconds.


    Doesn¡¯t she ever catch a cold?


    The black hair dude was annoyed as she stopped him from punching me,


    ¡°But this guy is-¡±


    She raised her palm in response and indicated him to stop talking.


    The guy pursed his lips and lowered his arm.


    He really wanted to punch me so badly, it seems.


    The bitch than walked towards me with her arms tucked behind her back along with her cutesy smile. She was flaunting her womanly appeal, as she acted all innocent.


    Was she seducing me to become one of her slave dogs?


    She examined me with her eyes as I stood still and didn''t move.


    What was she trying to do?


    I guess checking the products before claiming it?


    But I won¡¯t fall for her charms.


    For some reason, she was quiet and thoroughly stared all over my body. This was pretty weird.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.The other four guys were also staring at me as they emanated bloodlust. I can¡¯t keep this going for so long.


    ¡°Excuse me miss, but I won¡¯t be chained down like your slave dogs. So stop ogling over my body, please.¡±, I requested in a casual way.


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    ¡°The hell did you say!¡±


    ¡°Little peasant shit!¡±


    ¡°You dare to disrespect¡­ blah blah¡±


    All four boys howled in anger and started to approach me with killing intent.


    But they stopped as the bitch raised her arm.


    ¡°But this guy-¡±, black hair dude was trying to say something but ate his words back.


    The girl took a step backward then with a cutesy tone,


    ¡°So you really are the last remaining family member of the Heller family?¡±, she asked.


    So all this drama and cutesy acting to extract information.


    As if I would fall for this but-


    ¡°Yes, I am the last remaining member of the Heller family and the son of Lucross Heller.¡±,


    I responded with a straight answer without a shred of fear.


    I do try to conceal the fact that I am from the Heller family.


    But if I want to climb the stairs of ranks in the military than I can¡¯t keep this fact concealed at least within the military. Hiding this fact might backfire things, later.


    I need to be acknowledged by the military for who I am, and make them accept that Heller family was still someone noteworthy.


    For how long will we have to suffer for the backlashes of my old man''s incompetence.


    My father who didn¡¯t possess a last name, so he gave the last name ¡®Heller¡¯ to himself; He came from an orphanage from a small town village, later he rose through ranks and became a well-known hero.


    I was not particularly close to him. For most of the time, he was always away from home, going to battle or some other missions. So I don¡¯t really care about him, anyway.


    ¡°So, do you know that there is a huge bounty on your father¡¯s head?¡±, the bitch asked me.


    ¡°Yes, about 100 million in silver rubians. I know.¡±, I replied.


    Are they after the bounty?


    ¡°Good¡±, she said, ¡°Then tell me where is he hiding?¡±


    She asked me cutely as she winked and put one of her finger against the cheek.


    Like I would fall for these petty tricks.


    Even if I knew his location, I would be the first to arrest him and claim that bounty,


    ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know where is he or what¡¯s he doing? So don¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Cisca! Boot release, 10%¡±, she blurted out.


    ¡°Wait-what-¡±


    All of a sudden, she squatted and tilted to the one side as she launched a turning kick aimed at my guts.


    I reflexively put my arms to defend but all of a sudden the vision in front of me changed and I was sent flying and then crashed into something.


    I was puzzled and wonder what just happened.


    Then the aftershocks from the kick came back sprawling over my body. My arms became numb and my stomach feels like it was crushed. Even after using my arms to block she was still managed to get a clean hit. I was having trouble breathing, it felt as if was being choked in the inside.


    It seemed I was sent flying and crashed against the broken horsecart that I saw before.


    I rolled on my back and making my body a little relaxing as I tried to fix my breath first. I need to calm down and get back into my senses.


    As I wriggled in agony, she spoke,


    ¡°This is what the difference between us, elites and a local filth trash wannabe. Look down on us and you will be licking the filth as you are doing, right now. Ha!¡±, she said out loud in a mocking manner.


    I wasn¡¯t able to see her face, but I could totally imagine her expression of joy.


    I guess my bones in my arms were shattered. Even after I worked my ass off so hard on my training my body and building my muscle, she still managed to shatter my arms like it was nothing.


    I felt nauseous and dizzy, I might end up throwing up all my lunch here and now.


    And she just used only 10% of the power of her single enchanted boot and I feel like shit, already.


    So this is the true power of enchanted equipment.

 The Elite Bullies- II

    <div>


    I laid down on the dusty road and as I faced towards the ground.


    I rolled and crept out from the rubble on to the street after I went flying and crashed among the horsecart.


    I tried to move my arms but there was this excruciating pain, whenever I tried to move them. I still haven¡¯t steadied my breathing and my stomach hurts like hell.


    I tried to get myself up from the ground but it was very difficult with my arms broken. Thankfully, my dominant arm was a bit more functional, although it was fractured. I can still use that hand for the time being. Whereas, the other hand was out of commission because there was almost no response when I tried to move it.


    So with the support of my right handand along withmy face as support to lift my body off the ground. My right hand was functional but the pain was intense but I still managed it somehow.


    Never I had thought after the welcome party for joining the guardsman regiment that I would have to eat the street dust like this.


    I guess Rose¡¯s worries were true. We were treated like garbage, even a stray dog gets a better treatment than this.


    But if I don¡¯t change our reality, Armin and Rose would be the next to suffer the same way that I do now. For their sake, I need to make a stand.


    I managed to lift my body as I sat on my knees to take a rest, somehow. The pain was still there but I mainly focused to fix my breathing.


    But then one of the guys started to approach in my direction.


    ¡°Alright! Let me have one crack at him as well¡±, he said as he rubbed his hands.


    Well, it was none other than that guy from before who was very eager to punch me. From the start, he was itching to beat the shit out of me even though I have never seen him before. Guess after the long waiting his wish was finally coming true.


    I didn''t move and sat in the same posture as my body felt very heavy. I had a hard time even keeping my eyes open but I can clearly see his evil grin on his face as he approached me. He was very pumped upto beat up a helpless injured guy like myself. This just proved my point that the noble elite guards had crawled up on this position because of their rich family fame and wealth. The true reality was that the elite squad was nothing more than a bunch of scumbags.


    If this guy was placed on the battlefront in a life-death situation, I bet my money that he would crap in his pants. That scene would be a sight to behold, that the same guy who acts all haughty and mighty now had stained his pants, Ha!


    Suddenly a smile surfaced in my face when I just tried to imagine that scene.


    ¡°The hell you laughing at?¡± he said and then turned back to the bitch. Although the red-haired bitch was casually sitting on one of the crates placed in the corner while playing with her fingernails.The rest of the guys just stood beside her and watched us from afar.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    She seemed to be engrossed scrubbing her nails without any worry in her life.


    "Hey, Miss Ruxia," the guy called out a loud,


    ¡°I think your kick might have damaged his brain too. Haha!" and then he started to laugh on his own joke.


    What a moron! Laughing on your own jokes, that''s so pathetic.


    The bitch didn¡¯t even glance at him and continued to do her business.


    The bitch''s name seemed to be Ruxia but whatever, the name ''Bitch'' suits her the best.


    He suddenly loosened up his shoulder with a disappointed look in his face. I guess being ignored by her might have put him in a slump. What a sorry excuse for an elite soldier he was!


    He was really acting like a sad dog that was neglected by his owner.


    But suddenly one of the boys from her group joined in,


    ¡°Beat some sense in that dim-wit¡±,


    ¡°Ralph! Put him in his place, show what the real elites are capable of.¡±


    They suddenly tried to call out the name ''Ralph'', I guess it was this guy''s name.


    His comrades were trying to cheer him up. At least they had some decent comrades.


    Although, the blonde hair dude with the pretty-face, seemed quiet and frustrated for some reason.


    I thought he would be more active than the rest, as per his behavior in the meeting room back then.


    ¡°Alright! I am really in a bad mood today for some reason. Please help me out to relieve my stress by being my punching bag. You have my gratitude¡± said Ralph in a mocking manner as he laughed while he maintained his evil grin.


    Why even they recruit such scumbags in the army in the first place?


    I don''t even care at this point.


    ¡°Ha! What a sorry excuse, you are for a soldier.¡± I said, tauntingly.


    I was having a hard time breathing,but I stillsomehow mustered some strength to speak. It really was painful to speak but mocking him was really fun. I mean he was going to beat me or kill me anyway so if I am not able to do some physical damage at least I could attack mentally.


    He became furious,


    ¡°What did you just say! You little swine-¡±


    ¡°Well if I were in your shoes, I would be angry too.¡±, I interrupted him and looked him in the eye ¡°That bitch that you suck up to doesn¡¯t even care about your sorry ass!Butyou still follow her like a little dog. How do you guys still so proud while being treated like a little pet like that?¡± I asked with a disgusted expression.


    My actual facial expression was a mess even though I couldn''t see my face but I can surely tell that at least. But I still forced myself to make that expression just to mock him. For some reasons instead of feeling fear, I was rather enjoying over the pathetic state of Ralph, the hungry dog for attention.


    ¡°That¡¯s it you are dead!¡±, he frowned at me.


    ¡°Myigar, release both gauntlets at 20%." he commanded out loud and suddenly a grin appeared on his face "Well, Ruxia used 10% power and you still dare to blabber a lot, so how about we kick this up a notch, shall we?.¡±


    As soon as he used the release commandment, the sleeve under his shirt started to glow in a dim green color.


    "Ah, come on. I don''t think you need to activate enchanted gear for this, do you? Are you a spineless coward?"


    So he also equipped with an enchanted gauntlet''s as well. Ah, I forgot that all those elite bastards are well equipped! Fuck!


    "You are dead!" Ralph threateningly said as he raised his fist to punch.


    I remember that William also had a gauntlet and when I tried to block, it sent me flying away a few meters. It even managed to put a hole in the sturdy horse saddle.


    And also it seemed the elite had better and higher class gear. So if this Ralph guy managed to hit me in a point-blank range then I am surely dead.

 The Elite Bullies- III

    I don''t think I have the strength to even stand on my hind limbs. I wasn''t able to breathe properly for some time now.


    This Ralph guy bumped both of his fists with each other, as he proceeded in my direction just a couple of steps away.


    "You are dead-" he murmured.


    But before he could get any more near me I suddenly punched in my gut and all of a sudden.


    *BLAAARGGHH*


    Suddenly, I started vomiting out all the freebie food that I had chowed down. The dusty dry old floor now was splattered with my nasty half-digested lunch.


    I bent on to the floor and vomited like a mad man. I wouldn''t have overeaten if I had known that I would be beaten up this badly.


    As I was still in the middle of vomiting lunch, I noticed that there was blood mixed within it.


    Along with the vomiting, I coughed and vomited simultaneously as if my guts were about to come out of my mouth.


    Tears started to roll down from my eyes and nose. I was in a very pitiable sight then I was ever before. I couldn''t let Armin and Rose see the pathetic sight that I was in.


    The Ralph guy backed out to avoid getting stained by my vomit,


    "Hahaha! You acted all cocky! But now look at you. Crying, puking and shitting yourself, this is pathetic."


    I couldn''t look at his face, as I was still busy vomiting and coughing like a mad man. But I can hear him clearly as he mocked me. I could also hear the laughter from the background that came from the bitch and his boyband.I can clearly hear that bitch''s female giggling between all the guys.I guess that bitch was enjoying my sorry state.


    What a bunch of assholes!


    Almost a minute had already passed and almost I threw up almost everything. My throat was in pain as well by all the loud coughing. Even after the coughing, I felt like vomiting but all that left my mouth was saliva. I guess, finally every bit of morsel left in my stomach had been discarded along with some blood mixed in it.


    My face was a mess, tears coming from eyes and snot leaking from my nose. It was a disgusting sight even though I couldn''t see it myself but I could clearly tell that at least.


    Ralph and the others were still busy enjoying this sight that their laugh almost echoed throughout the alleyway.


    I glanced at those bastards who were enjoying my plight.


    One of the guy from the boyband beside the bitch mumbled out loud,


    "Look at that moron! How disgusting."


    "Haha! That''s what you get forpicking a fight with us"


    "..."


    Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves except for the blonde guy. For some reason, there were no words by the Blondie pretty face guy. I don''t know if it was sympathy or he was just feeling disgusted by me.


    "Ew, that''s so gross," said the bitch as she glanced at me as she covered her mouth.


    "I am having second thoughts!" Ralph said out loud "Now you''re so disgusting that I don''t wanna sully my hands while using my enchantment gear over a lousy piece of shit like you! Hahaha!".


    The coughing and vomiting had stopped by now.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.I was still able to move my right arm slightly, so the first thing I raised my head and wiped clean my face with the sleeve of the shirt.


    All my vomiting had created a small puddle of undigested tavern meal in the middle of the road, which I am not very proud of.


    It seemed some of my vomit had stainedmy shirt and pants as well. Damn it, I would need to wash this up later. Even tho I had just bought these new clothes for my first day as a rookie, not too long ago.


    Curse these elite shits!


    I took a deep breath and paid no heed to all their loud laughter. This type of mocking scene brought back old memories that I had to face in my early days.


    After taking some deep breaths. I got up and stood on my legs.


    I somehow had recovered a bit to get myself up.


    Ralph stopped laughing but he still had a wide smirk on his face.


    "Thanks for waiting" I replied "And sorry for making you see me in this pathetic sight. But I feel a lot better, now that I got all the excess food and the internal wound blood out of my system."


    "Huh?" replied Ralph in confusion.


    I received a powerful kick in my belly while my stomach was filled up to the brim. With that powerful kick, the food inside had turned upside down plus I also received internal injuries which resulted in blockage of the breathing tract. With a lack of breathing room, I couldn''t muster any energy at all and felt even more pain. So I purposely had to punch and drag out all the food out from my stomach which was a nasty but effective way to solve my breathing problem.


    After I fixed my breathing tract, I felt as if I was reborn as a new person but that didn''t make my stomach and broken arm any less painful.


    The current odds were totally against me-


    My left arm was out of commission. I could still move my right arm but there is still a pain in that arm whenever I tried to move it. Also, the internal organs had sustained wounds and the internal bleeding will cause more problems. Not to mention but the brand new clothes that I bought from my savings were now soiled. With an injured man like myself going against the 5 elite soldiers who were equipped with god knows how much-enchanted gears.


    But still, I had this my gut feeling that I could take them on for some reason. These noble brats don''t know the harsh suffering of life that I had faced. Being in high society, they resorted to bully the weak as a means of killing boredom. These bastards were handed down such enchanted gears thanks to their family inheritance otherwise they were nothing but trash. Despite having such powerful armaments at their disposal and all they cared about was bullying a weakling like myself.


    What a bunch of scumbags!


    I raised my only functioning arm and clenched my fist, taking my fighting posture.


    Ralph still had that wide smirk on his face,


    "You really think you can take me down?" he asked, "You? A piece of vomit-shit?"


    I didn''t respond and just stared back at him while I maintained my neutral fighting stance.


    If you ever hand out weapons to a bunch of monkeys, they won''t suddenly become warriors. They still remain monkeys despite whatever weapon he/she is given.


    If the wielder of the weapon was a moron then the weapon was as good as a blunt side of a sword.


    "You know." I said to Ralph with a smile but with an aggressive tone, "Today, I got to eat free lunch as much as you can chow down. That means I ate like a horse after a very long time. But now, all that free food lies down on here on this street, my lunch was equivalent for a week''s ration!"


    Enough, I have acted all goofy and friendly for too long. Now it was high time!


    I could feel my narrowed eyebrows and my pent up exhaustion leaking from my expression,


    "Alright, how about this?" I asked, "I am ready to put everything behind if you just pay for the dry cleaning fees for my brand new clothes, my broken arm''s and some ribs medical expenses! I can turn a blind eye for all the food you made me throw up. So what do you say? It''s a great deal, right?"


    I maintained the friendly customer smile that I learned from a restaurant where I worked as a waiter.


    "Ha! Pay for you? Go eat back that puke of yours. Did you even puke out your brains or what? You little shit, Haha!." replied Ralph.


    Now that statement actually did sting me a bit.


    I let out a big sigh,


    "Well, I hope you won''t regret your decision."

 The Elite Bullies- IV

    ¡°Well, I hope you won''t regret your decision,¡± I said with a brazen smile.


    At first, I inhaled a deep breath.


    Sweet!


    Now thatexcess food was out of my system, I could breathe properly.I had almost choked myself back then because of that bitch''s powerful enhanced kick in my belly.


    I somehow regained my strength and got up on my feet. The uneven breathing before had triggered fatigue but now I felt a lot better. But still, my arms were quite a mess. My left arm has been rendered useless as it didn''t respond to my response. My left arm swung like a pendulum whenever my body moved an inch. The right arm wasfunctioning but it was fractured and very painful whenever I did try to use it.


    My stomach might have sustained a few internal injuries but after vomiting, I felt a bit better.


    ¡°Aren''t we getting a bit cocky now?" Ralph said out tauntingly. "So you think you can take me on? You puke-eating trash! Don¡¯t make me laugh.¡±


    There was the puddle of my vomit on the ground and he was one step away from it on the other side.


    ¡°Here I come!¡± I called out loud as I lifted my fist in the air to punch him.


    He raised his guard butI slowly walked towards Ralph as my legs were bit wiggly wobbly.


    I stepped my puddle of puke to cross and reach Ralph. I threw my punch but it was too slow and Ralph just stepped aside and easily dodged it.


    Seeing my weak feeble stance he lowered his guard and a wide grin appeared on his face,


    ¡°The hell is that what you call a punch? You can¡¯t even swat a fly with that feeble punch of yours. Let me show you a real punch!¡± exclaimed Ralph.


    Suddenly Ralph''sarm gauntlets started glowing; He balled up his fist ready to punch.


    If that enhanced punch of his lands on my head, I am definitely not going to survive that. Ralph was one arm away from me and I was almost near his punch''s vicinity.


    ¡°Try surviving this!" he exclaimed.


    As he was getting ready to punch me.


    All of a sudden I felt nauseated and covered my mouth and tried to stop the vomit.


    Seeing me Ralph suddenly lowered his guard,


    ¡°Ew! Don''t dare to even think about soiling my clothes with your vomit!¡± he jeered at me.


    He stopped charging is punch attack and instead started to back away from me in a panic of getting soiled bymy vomit.


    He tried to back away in a hurry just when I stepped over one of his feet. This suddenly made Ralph lose his momentum and lose his balance.


    "You bastard! Let go of my feet, this instant!" he shrieked.


    I kept hold of his foot under my foot by putting every ounce of my weight behind it. My face turned pale and my mouth was swollen as I was about vomit right all over him.


    He tried to shrug his feet free as quickly as possible but failed to do so. When nothing could free him, he threw a jab in desperation.


    That''s when I dropped my acting and quickly dodged his punch and caught his head with a front headlock.


    ¡°What the-" he squealed in surprise as he wondered in dismay.


    All this time I was acting all feeble andfooled him thinking that I was aboutto vomit so I could catch him off guard.


    When he threw that half-ass punch worrying that I might soil him with my vomit, I managed to use that chance and grabbed his head under my arm.


    It was difficult to perform this headlock with one arm but as soon as I did, I fell on my back to drive Ralph''s head down the ground. I put every ounce of my weight on Ralph''s head while falling on my back.


    *Splash*


    His head dove right into the puddle of vomit that some of it even splashed on my face.


    After giving him that powerful face slam to the ground I quickly got on my feet and wiped off the stains. My back was soaking wet with my puke so I quickly removed and discarded my shirt in the corner, thankfully I was wearing a vest inside my shirt.


    ¡°I hope this tavern food is to your liking! Haha!¡± I said to Ralph.


    Ralph laid down with his face down the puddle of vomit in an unconscious state.


    To perform a headlock face-slam move with just a mere one fractured arm was very painful. I felt my arms would fallout in any second. But I forgot all the pain when I saw that arrogant elite bastard lying unconscious in a puddle of vomit.


    "How you like that? I hope the food is to your liking!" I said out loud as I kicked him twice or thrice on his noble booty.


    I saw the bitch and the guys started to makesome moves.


    Now to make my quick retreat! I can¡¯t take on these elite bastards, head-on.


    For now, I shall make my retreat.


    I saw an old window nearby that would lead me inside this old building. So I started running towards that window, just when my survival instincts tingled and for some reason, I stopped in my tracks.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.I don''t know how or why but my instincts told me to stop and so I did.


    In the next second, a big crate of a wooden box flew past by me and fell to the ground with a loud thud couple of meters away. If I had moved a couple of centimeters anymore further then that crate would have slammed right in my face.


    I glanced at the direction from where the crate was launched and to my surprise, it was that bitch Ruxia who threw that wooden crate. She threw one of the crates that were lying on the alley as if it was some kinda pebble.


    This bitchhad crazy strength like agorilla!


    This gorilla bitch and her gang started to head in my direction. It seemed they had not predicted such an outcome and now everyone was after me.


    I quickly broke into the old window and made my way inside the old building.


    I ran from one room to another as I tried to find get away from the elite soldiers and get out to the main street.


    Even if they were spineless arrogant bastards but they were indeed a formidable opponent. A direct confrontation would be really a bad idea.


    The old buildings here were really close to each other that one can easily jump from one building''s window to another.


    Sousing that, I quickly ran to the other side of the building and leaped from the window to another''s building window. The again ran to the other side of the building changing my path and altering my route so it would be harder to track.


    My goal was to somehow reach the crowded streets where the elite won''t be able to oppress me like before.


    I had already crossed three buildings so far and from there I jumped into the fourth old building. But as soon as I was passing by the room, I saw two old guys who were warming themselves in a bonfire.


    "Sorry for my intrusion" I apologized without halting.


    Those guys didn''t react in any way and kept on doing their own thing.


    They were one of those homeless people who had occupied and living in these old buildings. It was illegal to live here but the homeless people had no other place to go.


    This part of the town where all had old rundown buildings that were on the verge of collapse. This townonce faced a big earthquake which destroyed thebuilding''s foundations. Later these houses were declared dangerous and government-issued and ordered the citizens to vacate these buildings. Since then these buildings are slowly and steadily corroding.


    I ran into such many homeless people living in the rooms of some of the old buildings as I leaped from one building to another.


    I was still a few blocks away from the main street and with my current pace, I might successfully reach there within a few minutes. I was really exhausted but I had thoroughly trained my stamina.


    Like every time I reached yet another end of the building started running towards the window to create enough momentum to jump to the other side.


    Just when I had created enough momentum and was about to jump, a female heel appeared in front of my face and pressed against my face and the next thing my vision blackened.


    All I did remember was tumbling upside down on the floor a couple of times before coming to a halt.


    My head was in a daze. I felt a shockwave that ran through my spine and paralyzed my body for a few seconds.


    I remain motionless on the floor for a few seconds until I recovered. I somehow managed to lift my head and my face really hurts like hell.


    ¡°Yo-ho! Where do you think you are going?" a familiar female voice echoed in the room, "I am not done playing with you.¡±


    I slowly opened my eyes, it was blurry for the first few seconds until my vision restored.


    Shit!


    Not her again.


    That gorilla bitch somehow caught up to me.


    I got up on my feet and raised my guard.


    She somehow succeded intercepting me and cut my escape.


    Thankfully just now she used her regular kick when she entered through the window. If she threw one of those enhanced kick like before I was done for.


    Ah, I forgot she had enchanted boots so scaling a roof would be a piece of cake for her.


    Instead of chasing my tracks through the building maze rooms, she opted to chase me through the roofs.


    Not to forget that she threw that big ass wooden crate like it was some kinda pebble.


    I glanced at her hands. She wore fabric gloves that had a red jewel engraved on the glove just below her knuckles. That jewel was the enchanting jewel that every enchanted gear had one.


    She didn''t only have enchanted heels but also enchanted gloves.


    Still, to be able to precisely pinpoint my location by standing on a roof and to predict what window and which building I am going to choose so accurately should be almost impossible.


    She really must possess very keen senses, nevertheless.


    Despite her twisted personality, this gorilla bitch possessed the skillsof a soldier.


    Although I call her a bitch, she turned out to be coming from a family of hunting dogs.


    ¡°How rude of you to run away before even saying a goodbye?! I am so hurt!¡± she frowned at me with a cutesy pout on her face.


    She was still playing dumb but somehow I could feel her bloodlust that sent chills down my body.


    Either way, I don¡¯t think it would be possible to escape easily at this point. Now I had no choice but to face the gorilla bitch one-on-one fight.


    This was a really unexpected situation.


    ¡°Sorry about that!" I apologized with a friendly smile "There is this bargain sale that I don¡¯t wanna miss. Could you please overlook my rudeness this one time, pretty please?¡±


    I requested while sugarcoating my words although, it was all a lie.


    I don''t think it would work but at least I can hope, right?


    "No way!" She replied back with her innocent smile as she cracked her knuckles.

 The Elite Bullies- V

    She started walking towards me in a slow but maintaining a steady pace.


    I glanced around the room to look for things that could come handy to defend or something that might help me escape. The bitch was armed with enchanted gear and I in my current situation doesn¡¯t hold a chance.


    The first thing I noticed was the old dusty room with crumbling walls around me. This room even had a fireplace that seemed to be used recently not two threes day ago. Must be some homeless pedestrian who took shelter here.


    After checking around I saw nothing useful for my current bad situation.


    The bitch continued to close in while keeping her cutesy smile.


    I also looked behind me but I only glanced for a second and reverted back and faced the bitch.


    When I checked behind I saw a crowbar that was laying on the ground a few steps away from me. I quickly faced the bitch so I won¡¯t get alarmed. And thankfully it was placed in such a way that the bitch might have not seen it because I was standing between.


    I must slowly get that crowbar while maintaining to obstruct her vision and without alarming her.


    I took one step back as she stepped one forward while steadily trying to reach towards the crowbar. But I must somehow grab her attention and focus on me so that I won¡¯t blow my objective.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I called out to her ¡°Did you know that girls who behave arrogant and bitchy tend to get older much earlier than the other girls?¡±


    ¡°Oh is that so? I didn¡¯t know that! So what does that suppose to mean?¡± suddenly her eyes widened while she maintained that smile ¡°Are you perhaps calling me ¡®arrogant¡¯ and ¡®bitchy¡¯, are you?¡±


    Despite her smile, I could see her emanating bloodlust and her eyes wide in anger.


    Well, at least I succeed to focus her attention on my conversation. I steadily backed away every step the bitch took and closed in near the crowbar.


    I was digging my own grave by pissing her off even more.


    ¡°No, no, no! I would never dare to say such thing¡± I replied with a customer-friendly smile ¡°I am but just a low born, please forgive my rudeness. I never intend to say that. It was just that we were so quiet and being in a room all alone with such a beautiful girl like yourself. I was just a bit embarrassed I just mumbled anything that crossed my mind to start a conversation. Please forgive my foolishness¡±


    Ah, badmouthing her was a bad move, so I switched praising her but it doesn¡¯t seem to be working.


    I really don¡¯t mean the praises but desperate times need desperate measures.


    ¡°Oh my! You really know how to flatter a girl, don¡¯t you? Come here, lemme give you a hug.¡± she replied and gained pace while closing in.


    A hug from this gorilla bitch?


    She was armed with that enchanted gloves so with just one hug she can easily crush me to my death. She threw that crates like some kinda small pebble so killing me would be a child¡¯s play not to mention the other enchanted gear that boots of hers. For all I know, she could possess even more enchanted gear.


    Any other man would be really happy to get a hug from a beautiful girl like her except if she wasn¡¯t trying to kill you.


    She was speeding her way towards me and I cannot keep up. I need to buy more time.


    ¡°I was curious, could you tell me why do you hang out with those scumbags?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± she answered my question with a question.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t get me wrong.¡± I continued, ¡°At first glance, I could tell that the guys hanging around you are just a bunch of morons and they are riding on the coattails of their family but you are different. The way you manage to track me down so quickly that I could tell that you are an exceptional soldier with a keen sense of perceptive and good instincts. So my main question is why a skilled soldier like you, transferred to this old junk of a town?¡±


    After hearing me out she stopped on her feet.


    Her eyes had a slight glint while she still had that cutesy smile.


    ¡°Hehehe! You are quite the perceptive one yourself.¡± she replied ¡°Of course, I am different from those guys.


    Even gods like to be praised and compared to that women are much more feeble when it comes to praises. No females can disregard when showered with praises.


    ¡°Only if my old man had some of your perceptions then I wouldn¡¯t be transferred to this dump of a town. But he still favors my younger brother over me. He will be in the next in line to the lord¡¯s position.¡± she said with a vexing frustration and her elongated smile disappeared. She stared at something distant and lost her focus while talking.


    I slowly started moving towards the crowbar.


    She continued her nagging,


    ¡°I will show how incompetent my brother is compared to me. That old man of mine will surely change his mind one day. I will seize what¡¯s rightfully mine. For now, blah blah blah¡­¡±


    She was still engrossed in her mumbling even though I wasn¡¯t paying attention at all. I only acted as if I was paying attention to her bullcrap and nodding my head sometimes just to fool her.


    While I managed to reach the crowbar and even bend down to grab that crowbar but the bitch was still talking shit about her family problems and whatnot. I had my own fucking problems to deal with right now, so I had no interest to hear her problems.


    She just stared into space as she rambled on and on about her family problems.


    Women surely love to gossip a lot, don¡¯t they?


    This was my chance.


    She was still busy staring off into space.


    I suddenly gathered all my strength in my legs and dashed towards her with the sharp pointy side of the crowbar. I shall miss her vitals and immobilize her for the time being.


    I closed in very close that she entered the vicinity of my attack and she was still busy staring into space while babbling on.


    This is it!


    I aimed my crowbar to hit her guts and used all my force in that very thrust.


    Just when the bitch moved her hand and blocked my crowbar with her palm.


    ¡°Oh my! Is this how you treat a distressed maiden who sharing her problem?¡± she asked me and her smile returned back.


    She fucking stopped my crowbar with that fabric glove like it was nothing. I couldn¡¯t even put a scratch on that enchanted gloves even though it was made of fabric.


    ¡°Oh please!¡± I responded, ¡°There is certainly someone in distress, right now but no way in hell that¡¯s you!¡±


    I quickly pulled my crowbar and again closed in to make another attack.


    But just when suddenly she raised one of her legs to her head that her foot¡¯s sole was almost parallel to the roof. I could clearly see under her skirt and she was really wearing black lace panties, she really was a mature woman.


    The next second that same feet came down at full speed aimed at my head.


    Thankfully I leaped away in the nick of time.


    That kick landed on the floor with a loud thud that even the ground shook for a moment.


    ¡°What the fuck!¡± I shrieked out and tried to maintain my balance on my feet.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.She slammed her feet down the floor with all her force. I managed to avoid it by a hair strand distance.


    I looked at the floor where she landed her hit. There was a fucking hole in the wooden floor that was made of sturdy log. Despite the building being old the wooden floor was still very sturdy and she managed to put a hole on that floor.


    If I stayed near her then that hole would have been in my head, instead.


    I quickly cooled my head and didn¡¯t let myself get intimidated by the bitch. I once again closed in with my crowbar in my one working arm and started to swing at her with fully my strength.


    But she easily dodged every one of my swinging like a walk in a park as if she was mocking me.


    ¡°Ha! Is this all you got?¡± she asked me while she kept dodging every one of my attacks ¡°I am getting bored now.¡±


    I kept on swinging my crowbar left and right and even threw thrust attacks but she managed to dodge every one of them easily.


    At this point, she was just toying with me.


    Even my arm was getting tired holding and swinging the crowbar for so long.


    ¡°Are you done, yet?¡± she asked me while she yawned.


    I quickly backed away from her.


    I was just wasting my stamina.


    Now I was out of options.


    I had a good chance to attack when she was spaced out.


    Now she was alert and had her guard up.


    All I could do was just stare back at her and wait for her to kill me.


    That was the only option that remained for my fate.


    But fate is one big asshole for sure.


    I lived my life in despair and such worse situation so the current situation feels kinda nostalgic.


    Then I loosened my shoulders,


    ¡°Ha! Hahaha!¡± I started laughing.


    ¡°Wow!¡± said the bitch, ¡°I heard people go crazy on the brink of their death and its the first time seeing that. No worries, I will send you to the afterlife in an instant. You also brought us to this desolate place which is a proper place to kill you. Your body might even rot for weeks before anyone could find it.¡±


    She started walking in my direction as she cracked her knuckles.


    ¡°Hey wait!¡± I replied, ¡°Don¡¯t count me out as dead yet!¡±


    ¡°...¡± she remained silent.


    ¡°Well I guess, you don¡¯t leave with any other choice,¡± I said with a brazen smile.


    ¡°What?¡± asked the confused bitch ¡°Don¡¯t even try to use that vomit trick on me. If I saw you even making a nauseating face to vomit, I would just uproot this floor slabs and hurl at you with all my strength. So don¡¯t even think about it.¡± she responded as she twirled her red-hair locks.


    Well, my belly emptied long back in the alleyway so puking trick was out of the question.


    I had something much better in my mind.


    ¡°The thing is my cover is already blown as it is. I wanted to refrain from using this but you left me with no choice.¡± I said as I cracked my neck ¡°The thing is I don¡¯t have my wand with me, right now. But this crowbar would work just fine.¡±


    I held a duel stand used by mage¡¯s but instead of a wand I had to use a crowbar.


    ¡°Ha??¡± bitch left a loud confused tone, ¡°What are you talking about? You can¡¯t use magic, quit your bluffing. I won¡¯t fall for that¡±


    I ignored her criticism and the grin in my face widened.


    I focused my attention on my wand (crowbar).


    I started muttering my magic incantation in a low tone so it won¡¯t be audible enough to the bitch.


    ¡°Hear me, Lord, bring the rain of terror upon my foes and exterminate the enemy that stands before me¡­¡±


    I sincerely chanted the incantation and closed my eyes while gently waving my wand (crowbar).


    ¡°Stop your bluffing! You can¡¯t use magic! You are nothing but a filthy commoner. If you did have magic you wouldn¡¯t need to hide it.¡± But her voice had a tiny bit of hesitation that I could tell even though I had my eyes closed, ¡°No way in hell, you can use magic!¡±


    Soon I opened my eyes and looked at the bitch and my grin resurfaced.


    Bitch raised her guard and took a fighting stance.


    ¡°Blazing Inferno!¡± I shrieked out loud and threw the crowbar in the air.


    The crowbar flew overhead of the bitch¡¯s head and fell down on the floor with a loud clank.


    She braced herself and raised her guard towards the direction where the crowbar landed.


    At this point, the bitch¡¯s back was to my side.


    I quickly sprinted towards the bitch at full speed.


    The bitch just stupidly stared at the crowbar on the floor,


    ¡°Huh?¡± she squealed back towards me but it was too late.


    With my sprinting momentum and putting all my weight behind my fist, I placed a jaw-cracking punch to the puzzled bitch right on her face.


    She tumbled twice on the floor before laying on the ground unconscious.


    My hand fucking hurts like hell but seeing that dumb bitch laying on the ground was a sight to behold.


    She was acting all cocky and mighty and now she lay on the floor motionless, defeated an elite with just a mere punch.


    All this time I was just bluffing.


    Magicians are very rare and really powerful.


    Even elite like themselves would be lucky enough to see a magician in action.


    So I bluffed that I could use magic spells and to puncture the bitch¡¯s guard. She easily fell for the old hook line and sinker trick.


    ¡°Remember this miss gorilla-bitch, that the dude who whooped your ass is Desmond Heller,¡± I said out loud. I deserve to flex my victory.


    Today was a hectic day!


    I need to get to a healer as soon as possible.


    My arms and ribs are injured.


    I started to move out of the room limping my way. I damaged my legs when I started sprinting suddenly like that.


    Just when-


    ¡°Where the hell do you think you¡¯re going?¡± a voice boomed in the room.


    I turned my head and saw the bitch raised from the floor and stood back on her feet. Her nose was bleeding but her expression was the most terrifying one. She looked like an angry dog as if someone stepped on her tail.


    ¡°I will rip out your limbs and carve out your bones. You little worm!¡±


    I might have not just stepped on her tail but also on her pride.


    Ah, this is really the worst day ever.

 The Elite Bullies- VI

    ¡°Hey now!¡± I said with a cheerful smile, ¡°You kicked me in my belly with enchanted gear and I punched back in your face. Now we are even! So let¡¯s get our differences aside and start anew.¡±


    ¡°I am going to kill you! Kill you! Kill you! Kill you!...¡± she mumbled on and on.


    She looked like a lunatic woman and her anger could be seen flat on her face. She looked intimidating and scary for sure.


    It was evening now and the golden sun rays entered through the windows. The bitch¡¯s red hair glimmered under the rays. She proceeded in my direction to perform like she was some kinda executioner. She was really angry and my situation looked very grim if I don¡¯t do anything soon.


    I could just try to make a run for my escape but with her enchanted boots, she can easily outrun me.


    So running away was out of the question. The only option was to confront her directly or somehow distract her long enough to getaway.


    ¡°You talk all high and might but in the end, you are nothing but the same as the other elites. You can¡¯t do anything without relying on your enchanted gears.¡± I said tauntingly.


    If I just persuade her in not using her enchanted gear then I might have a shot in defeating her and make my escape.


    ¡°I won¡¯t fall for your talks. I am gonna crush you to death for messing my beautiful face, you filthy rodent,¡± she responded back.


    Crap it didn¡¯t work!


    I leaped at her and started attacking her with my only functioning fist. I threw jab punch and an uppercut followed by a series of kicks. If I was able to manage to place a clean hit, then I might be at least slow down her agility for a bit. But she dodged every one of them easily.


    But my fatigue had caught up to me and my moments were getting more sluggish by each passing second.


    ¡°If this is all you can do, my turn to attack. Cisca boots 50 percent output.¡± said the bitch.


    Crap!


    The bitch first used a roundhouse kick directly targeting my head.


    I reflexively ducked my head and dodged that with a hair¡¯s breadth. It was a powerful kick enough to kill me in an instant with my brains splattered all around the floor.


    I closed in at the bitch and clenched my fist tightly. It was the perfect position to give her an uppercut right to the chin that can knock out anyone unconscious. But suddenly when I was about to make that punch a sudden sting like pain engulfed my arm. I couldn¡¯t seem to move or lift my arm.


    The bitch realized I was very close so she quickly retracted her kick and clenched her fist to attack.


    ¡°Die!¡± she screamed.


    I quickly leaped away and rolled away from her towards where I threw my crowbar before.


    It was laying behind her at a distance. I quickly rolled towards it and grabbed it.


    I don¡¯t know about that sudden pain but I was somehow able to overcome that pain and able to hold on the crowbar.


    ¡°Ha, you¡¯re really quick on your feet despite being injured so roughly.¡± she said as she turned around facing me once again with a smug expression, ¡°That crowbar can¡¯t save you. You might as well just give up so I can give you a clean death.¡±


    A smile emerged in my face,


    ¡°You might want to close your eyes for the next thing I am about to do.¡±


    She charged in my direction with her fist as her gloves glowed,


    ¡°I won¡¯t fall for your trick anymore!¡±


    I stood standing motionless to let her close in.


    Just when I suddenly flicked the ashes from the fireplace which was beside me in her eyes with the help of the crowbar.


    The ashes blinded her eyes and I got away from her grasp.


    She helplessly punched blindly in hopes of attacking me. She punched with one of her hands and rubbed her eyes with the other.


    ¡°Ahh, what the hell!¡±, she squealed while profusely rubbed her eyes in pain,


    ¡°Using such cowardly tricks like a coward! I will fucking kill you! Kill you in a painful death!¡±


    Her angry words reverberated throughout the old building.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡®Says the girl who ganged on me with elite colleagues, armed with enchanted gear while dragging me to a secluded area.¡¯


    She had a lot of pride stuck up her ass.


    She searched for me with her hands in the room.


    ¡°Come here you little worm! Once my vision is restored, I will give you a painful death that you wished to die yourself.¡±


    This bitch has no clue what I had gone through. There were many times that I wished I was dead.


    She was born and bought up in a silver spoon and right now the only thing that fueled her impulse to fight was her pride and ego.


    Things are different for me. What I strive for is to survive. Not for my sake but for my siblings living back at my home. They were always my hope of glimmer that made me fight and live for myself.


    Long back when I was abandoned my mother, I started working at the age of 10 years to make a livelihood. That time Armin and Rose were just three-year-old. At first, I sought refuge with Uncle Bartholews who I knew. He visited our home a few times and also was a friend of my father. I came to know about my father through Uncle Bartholews.


    He ran a tavern down the street where I lived along with Armin and Rose. I even worked there and Uncle was kind enough that he even paid me wages even after giving us food and shelter. But things didn¡¯t last long enough and rumors started spreading about Heller¡¯s kid living in the pub. That little rumor started to hinder uncle¡¯s business and her wife was really against letting us stay in the pub. We were soon kicked out and again down the streets.


    I somehow had collected us enough money via wages to rent a barn to live for the time being. I had to earn money but I couldn¡¯t put Armin and Rose alone. I started stealing to make our ends meet. There were times I was caught and brutally beaten up. But I collected enough money to put Armin and Rose to a school.


    I never got a chance to study in a school but I worked myself up and earned money to rent us a good home to live a put food on our table. There were times when we had to move away when people came to know that we were the children of my Heller Rodrezzo who was renowned as a traitor.


    Honor? Pride?


    It¡¯s just a pointless emotion in my opinion.


    For the very same reason why my mother abandoned us in the first place. Dumped us because we carried the blood of our father. Well, she didn¡¯t love us even before that so when my father betrayed the country it was an ice-breaker.


    AH! Why am I having this sour flashbacks now!


    I tightened the hold on my crowbar.


    The bitch who was temporarily blinded with the ashes that I flung from the fireplace which happened to be close by.


    I quickly started charging at the bitch. If I don¡¯t do something now, she would definitely kill me later.


    ¡°Where are you! Worthless prick!¡± she rambled on and on while blindly searching for me.


    I jabbed with the crowbar aimed her abdomen with all of my strength.


    ¡°AAAAAHHHHHHHHH¡± she screamed out loud and she opened her red eyes wide and looked at me.


    ¡°Just kidding¡± she added.


    Then I realized that bitch actually managed to stop my thrust attack and caught the crowbar¡¯s end just in a nick of time with instincts alone.


    ¡°What the hell are you!¡± I screamed.


    She had her eyes closed and managed to catch the weapon¡¯s end right in time. I tried to shake away and pull the crowbar but couldn¡¯t free it.


    The bitch had tight hold of my crowbar and she wasn¡¯t ready to let go.


    She raised her other fist to attack me.


    Just when I quickly kicked at crowbar with full my might. The crowbar snapped where the bitch held.


    I backed away from her punch¡¯s reach but close enough where my crowbar could hit. I quickly swung the crowbar but this time aimed at her head. She was very close and it was almost impossible to dodge.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± she screamed and suddenly the punched aimed at me was now targeted the floor. The punch was very powerful that the shockwave pushed me back.


    Suddenly the floor started crumbling within my feet,


    ¡°What the-¡±


    The whole building started to collapse.

 The Elite Bullies- VII

    I suddenly woke up in a dark place. The room was devoid of any light, it was pitch dark.


    Did I just die?


    Wasn¡¯t I fighting that bitch a while ago?


    Suddenly an excruciating pain ran through my crotch.


    ¡°What the frick!¡±, I suddenly woke up from the piles of rubbles.


    *squeak*


    A mouse was underneath my legs who tried to nibble on my man jewels.


    ¡°The fuck, do you want?!¡±, I picked a stone beside me but when I tried to throw my grip loosened and the stone fell.


    I glanced at my arm and it was banged up pretty badly. My skin was almost blackened and blood bled through the skin of my finger joints. I then glanced at my surrounding just to find piles of rubbles of the withered down the old building.


    The smog of dust arose and mixed in the with air. There wasn¡¯t a soul present here except the bitch who was standing alone a little away from me. Her back was faced in my direction so I wasn¡¯t able to see her expression. I quickly hid behind one of the rubbles to escape her sight.


    All right, now even my right hand was useless and my legs were exhausted that they trembled with fatigue. I am done for, this was the limit of my body.


    I wanted to make an escape, run and hide as far as I could. But for some reason unknown the bitch stood quietly for some time. Was she dead standing upright or what?


    Then I see a movement in her.


    ¡°AAAhhhhhhh¡­..¡±, she screamed on top of her throat.


    She was still as lively as ever!


    What does it need to shut her trap for good?


    Then all of a sudden,


    ¡°Hehehe... HAHAHA!¡±, she started laughing out loud.


    She finally had lost it. It seemed the rubble hit her too hard on the head. I should make my escape before her stupidity rubs on me.


    Just when,


    ¡°You are the first person who managed to injure me. Although, you used cowardly and petty tricks.¡±, she said with her smile as she faced in my direction. The cutesy smile was back, creepy.


    I quickly hid behind a pile of broken pillar beside me. Thankfully she didn''t notice me. Blood dripped from her head to the chin. It was just a small scar and nothing much serious. Her clothes and hair were also a mess and dusty from all the debris of the building.


    I need to get out of here before her elite slave dogs come here anytime soon.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°We are both similar in a way, aren¡¯t we?¡±, she said with a cutesy smile as she glanced at the sky, ¡°You also possess two faces like me. You can also distinguish between the scums and the good ones. But the most important factor was your drive to fight to live which I find it very amusing indeed.¡±


    I think the rubbles hit her a little too hard on the head. I would have knocked some sense if I was able to. We had Nothing in common.


    Unlike you, I had never oppressed the weak.


    I don''t hang around other numbskulls.


    Neither do I unbutton my shirt button to show off my chest.


    I know those points are lame but I wasn''t able to think good ones at my current situation, anyway.


    So the point was don¡¯t even think to compare yourself with me, you dumb bitch!


    I peeked sneakily to look at her so I could plan my escape.


    She opened her palm and some soil particles left her hand and blew in the air.


    Wait! That''s the other half of my crowbar?


    If I had to take a wild guess that glove was at least an Iron class or higher.


    William used his bronze class gauntlet and at his full strength, he managed to put a hole in the horse saddle.


    But in this case, she used a single punch of glove¡¯s power to flatten this building to the ground. Even though the building was a bit old but that was an abundant amount of raw power.


    If she had attacked me instead of the floor with that strength, she would have easily made a squished cheese out of me.


    I sensed some people incoming in my direction. I know it was a hunch but my instincts had always been correct. Although, this time I wanted it to be wrong.


    I need to get out of here.


    I slowly got on my feet to make my escape. I had to take the support of the broken pillar to get up but then all of a sudden piece of rubble fell to the floor.


    Shit!


    ¡°There you are!¡±, she squealed with lunatic wide eyes followed along with a broad lunatic grin.


    She swiftly kicked a big chunk of rubble beside her at my direction.


    I quickly tucked behind the pillar but that flying chunk was actually aimed at that pillar.


    There was a loud blast and the next thing, the whole world rolled around my eyes before I fell flat on my face. The shockwave had paralyzed my eardrums, all I could hear was a buzz.


    How much time was I sent flying today?


    Could this day get any worse?


    Are Armin and Rose back at home?


    Will I be able to go back home?


    And such more thoughts started to pop in my brain as I laid down on the ground unable to move. I was back on the dusty street of some other alleyway this time. I stared at the sky above.


    It was getting darker and darker as the sun sunk between the mountains. This dark sky was nostalgiac, similar to my life.


    My hearing abilities started to return slowly but all the noises were in slow motion. All I heard was some random footsteps.


    I need to get out of here!


    I can¡¯t die here!


    I must survive for my brother-sister!


    For their sake!


    I got back into my senses but my body wasn¡¯t responding. I think it had finally caught up with exhaustion.


    But still, I somehow managed to lift my head a bit and there stood the bitch in front of my very eyes a few steps away.


    Fuck!


    I should be able to move my at least my arm if I put my strength, come on Desmond!


    I tried to put all my force to lift my arm but all I could do was shake it a bit.


    Was this it?


    But for some reason bitch didn¡¯t approach me to kill as she said. She stood there in place, for some reason unknown.


    What the hell?


    It seemed she was staring at something with an expression of displeasure. She glared at the direction behind me.


    I curiously tilted my head to see behind, what was she staring at.


    To my surprise, a girl with black long hair stood just right above my head with a long katana in her hand.


    ¡°Stop this insolence and barbaric action at once.¡±, she commanded as she returned the bitch¡¯s stare with her own.


    Wait, isn''t she-...

 The End of a Hectic Day- I

    "Stop this insolence and barbaric action at once.", commanded the girl with long black hair that gently waved at the breeze of the hair. She was armed with a long sword called a katana which was was a type of sword was mainly forged from the far eastern countries.


    I don''t know who this girl was and I don''t know if she was a match for the bitch.


    But for some reasons, the bitch looked a bit tense and stopped attacking. Were my eyes misleading me or what?


    "You should refrain from such actions. Remember why we were assigned to our roles as elites. We have been handed the enchanted equipment to protect our nation and its citizen and not to oppress the weak.", then with a remorse look,


    "No wonder, why your younger brother was chosen as the next heir and not you."


    Ohhhh that gotta hurt.


    The bitch''s usual smile disappeared,


    "Cisca unravel all gears at once!", the bitch exclaimed,


    "Just because you happened to own a silver class sword that doesn''t mean you can run your mouth as you want, Pietra!"


    So the katana girl''s name was Pietra and both of them seemed to know each other.


    A Silver class sword wielder?


    Wait a second.


    Now that I took another look at her katana. It had a jewel on the pommel of the sword''s hilt.


    So that was a silver class ranked sword.


    The enchanted defensive armaments like the gauntlet, gloves and the boots had a lot of damage potential despite its main function was to reinforce the defense of its wielder.


    But this time she had an enchanted weapon that was purely forged for offense and silver class ranked at that.


    One swing of that sword and it could easily cut down all buildings of the town with ease.


    Not any ordinary girl would possess such thing that means-


    Then I noticed, she also had the armband same as the bitch.


    A girl and a boy were also standing at back at a distance. It looks as they were her allies.


    Now I see.


    These three are elites too.


    So they are the same soldiers that were seated in the back bench in the elite''s meeting hall. I didn''t see there face that time. They were seated apart from the bitch''s faction which clearly stated that they didn''t get along. Normally I wouldn''t care but this was a good thing.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The bitch started to approach Pietra with all her enchanted equipment unlocked at its full capacity. She walked towards our direction slowly and steadily with her guard up. The boys from her group were also surprised to see the bitch in such behavior.


    She clearly emanated bloodlust that it sent chills to my bone. She was really serious this time.


    "Stop this.", said the katana girl as she put her sword back into the sheath.


    "We mustn''t brawl on petty ideal talks so calm down, lady Ruxia. This type of behavior unbecoming of the eldest daughter of house Vandragg."


    Don''t stop now.


    Kill that bitch Ruxia or whatever her name was.


    Impale her heart out and feed her remains to the dogs.


    I wanted to say that but I didn''t. I didn''t have much strength left so I don''t want to waste it.


    "Oh spare me the etiquettes of being like a lady. You are not my mother! Let''s do this one on one. The eldest lady of Vandragg and the mighty Pietra, the so-called the prodigy of the house of Nevaralises."


    Wait, what? House of Nevarlises, seriously?


    The house of Nevarlises was the spear of the kingdom Rublor also the main functioning house that was in the center of the Rublor''s military might.


    The current head of the Nevarlises was the woman known as Cecelia Nevarlises, the Queen Cyclop of the Slaughter.


    It was said that she butchered an entire platoon of elite ranked soldiers alone with just a copper classed knife and cunning skills using guerilla warfare. She singlehandedly managed to turn the tide of the war and managed to conquer the Volstok empire. She lost one of her eyes in that battle and since then she wears an eye patch, hence the name Queen Cyclop of the slaughter.


    Tales of her bravery were spread across through the continents.


    Since her reign as the head of the Nevarlises family their house had prospered in leaps and bounds. Now she was the chief general commander of the imperial army where she commands all the military faction of the entire Rublor nation.


    Their house had created some most powerful and famous warriors that were a great asset to the Rublor army. The Nevarlises family name alone sent chills to the other nations. The Nevarlises are currently ranked as one of the most powerful households in the world.


    If their household ever revolted within the kingdom, I hardly doubt our king and the other noble houses would be able to put a stop.


    Now this black haired girl named Pietra that was picking a bone with the bitch belonged from that same house.


    She belonged to the most powerful house as well as equipped with a silver class rated sword yet she still seemed a grounded person, unlike the bitch.


    The bitch then started to speed up as she pumped her fist ready for combat. Her moments were now even more fluent and it seemed the armor had become lighter.


    Pietra wasn''t doing anything in response other than standing still.


    Why?


    Why aren''t you doing anything?


    Cut that bitch in two.


    Use that sword of yours and slice her ass in four!


    Just when the bitch leaped to punch Pietra.


    "They are here.", said Pietra.


    All of a sudden the bitch stopped her punch right before Pietra''s face.


    Even though the bitch stopped her punch, she created a small gust of wind that Pietra''s long black hair fluttered wildly.


    Pietra didn''t even flinch as she continued to look aggressively in the bitch''s eye.


    "By ''they'' you really mean ''THEM''?", bitch asked back.


    Pietra nodded her head in response.

 The End of a Hectic Day- II

    ¡°By ¡®they¡¯ you really mean ¡®THEM¡¯?¡±, bitch asked back.


    Pietra nodded her head in response.


    ¡°At 8¡¯o clock on the roof.¡±,she added.


    The bitch took a glance at that direction and then soon after that she put down her fist and backed away.


    ¡°Shit! Nevermind now. I shall crush you some other time until then watch your back.¡±, said the bitch as she tried to swallow her anger.


    Who were this ¡®They¡¯ and ¡®them¡¯ they were talking about?


    I tipped my head to the direction where Pietra pointed at 8¡¯o clock which was slightly behind me to the left.


    To my surprise, there was a strange person sitting on one of the house''s chimney on the roof, a couple of blocks away. He seemed busy scribbling on some kinda book.


    I almost mistook him for a bird because of the strange attire.


    This person had a black suit like robes along with a strange black helmet with a long beak of a bird. I mistook him for a big ass crow, for a second.


    He surely wasn¡¯t here for sketching the surroundings.


    The bitch instantaneously stopped her attack once Pietra mentioned about him. Was he some kind of a big deal?


    All I could make up of him that he was a mad man with a bad taste for fashion. With all those long robes and that helmet, just looking at me made me feel hot. I don¡¯t know how he even walked with that weird helmet on his head.


    The bitch was pissed like hell but then she turned back,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±, she said to the boys who were glaring at the weirdly dressed person on the roof,


    ¡°We are done for today. I am starving, please arrange something guys! Pretty please.¡±, the bitch said to her slave dogs as she reverted back to her usual cutesy personality.


    She was back to her normal self.


    Now that the fight had finally ended, I took a breath of relief.


    I think with these injuries I won¡¯t able to recover for at least a year. Even if I do recover my arms won¡¯t be the same, I won¡¯t be able to continue in the military.


    How would I face Armin and Rose?


    Such many other worrywart thoughts started to pop in my mind.


    Just when I realized the katana girl, Pietra was staring at me as I laid down the dusty floor motionless.


    ¡°You really are one crazy person to pick a fight with the elites barehanded. Now look at your pitiable condition.¡±, she said with an expressionless face as she looked at my condition.


    I gathered my strength,


    ¡°Oh, *cough* thanks¡­ thanks for the pity and condolences. But... I would be even more grateful if you could fetch a healer, instead of a morality lecture.¡±, I replied.


    I know I am in a pathetic state and also that she saved my puny ass but I don¡¯t wanna lose a face in front of this nobles. I didn¡¯t want to beg for help but also being a bit polite requesting for aid indirectly. I really needed to visit a good healer as soon as possible.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    To my response, she just glared at me quietly.


    Just when,


    ¡°YOU LITTLE traitorous worm¡¯s filth! I am gonna kill you!!¡±, suddenly a familiar sound that I heard before echoed throughout the alleyway.


    I still wasn¡¯t able to move my body so instead, I lifted my head to look at the direction of those death threats. Then my eye fell on a person that was standing at the end of the road.


    Not this guy again!


    I lifted my head,


    ¡°Hey, puke eater! If you want second¡¯s please come back some other time, I am not even in a shape to scratch my own itchy ass.¡±


    I know I shouldn¡¯t bite what I can¡¯t chew.


    ¡°You are dead!¡±, replied the puke eater.


    It seemed he didn¡¯t even bother to clean that puke off of him. Was he searching for me all this time?


    ¡°Myigar gauntlets release all restrains!¡±, he shrieked and then suddenly started to rush in my direction.


    He was the lowest of the trash to attack an injured person who can¡¯t even sit upright.


    He seemed to have lost all sense of honor and was fueled by anger and revenge.


    ¡°Oi Ralphenstine!¡±, suddenly the man which was one of the allies of Pietra spoke up, ¡°Lower your weapon! He is not in a shape to fight back.¡±


    He tried to calm down the puke eater but-


    ¡°Shut up! I won¡¯t stop until I kill him with my hands!¡±, screamed the puke eater.


    ¡°One of the Crows are here! So stop!¡±, shrieked Pietra''s ally once again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck! He ridiculed me in front of Lady Ruxia! For that, he should be sentenced to death!.¡±, said the puke eater angrily.


    Like he was some kinda big shot in front of the bitch¡¯s eye! He was trash, to begin with, and she knew that. There was no point doing this, it would just ruin his image even further. An Elite soldier attacking a helpless unarmed guy like myself.


    Although many people would be happy if the Heller family was gone.


    He charged at my direction with his fist balled up.


    I couldn¡¯t do anything but lie down on the ground.


    Just when the Pietra stepped in front of me.


    ¡°According to the Compendium Book of the knight¡¯s, Rule 365! Elite soldiers should never use enchanted equipment against unarmed citizens. Hence I, Pietra Silvester Nevarlises representing my household to put a stop to your mindless barbaric behavior.¡±


    ¡°Shut your trap!¡±, replied back puke eater, ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    He suddenly leaped to attack Pietra.


    But she gracefully dodged his punch with her eyes shut.


    "What!", squealed puke eater.


    ¡°My turn.¡±, said Pietra.


    She opened her palm wide and then with just her five fingers of her hand, she attacked him in his solar plexus.


    *Cough*


    Shrieked the puke eater in pain before he fell to the ground just beside me. His saliva flooded out of his mouth and passed out on the ground.


    Pietra than glanced at the collapsed Ralph,


    ¡°Just because you have enchanted equipment doesn¡¯t mean you are qualified for the Elite rank. Despite the warnings, you still blindly used your gear in anger. What a fool!¡±


    ¡°Oi! Could you be kind enough to lend me a helping hand?¡±, I asked her,


    "This guy stinks of cod and pork."


    If they leave me now, I could be stuck here all night.


    ¡°Well, I am really sorry for all the mistreatment you received from my colleagues. I apologize in their stead.¡±, she then lowered her head.


    The heck?


    Is this a dream?


    An actual noble was bowing her head as an apology.


    What was she?


    This was a rare sight indeed.


    I had no words to react to this. I didn¡¯t expect her to say sorry let alone bow her head.


    I couldn¡¯t do anything but stare.


    Then she reached out to her pocket,


    ¡°As an apology, Please accept this.¡±


    She took out a small fashionable glass bottle. It had golden colored honey-like liquid.


    ¡°This is the elixir of Utopia. I shall gift you this to cover up all your damages.¡±


    Wait what¡¯s that?


    ¡°Lady Pietra!¡±, a feminine voice joined in.


    This was the voice of the girl who was one of her allies,


    ¡°Are you sure? This was the gift from your grandmother!¡±,


    ¡°Once I made up my mind. I don¡¯t go back to my word.¡±, replied Pietra haughtily.


    That bottle of elixir seemed kind of a big deal. I wonder if it''s some sorta healing potion or something.


    She then looked at me,


    ¡°But I have a condition.¡±


    ¡­


    As expected everything comes with a price.

 The End of a Hectic Day- III

    She then looked at me,


    ¡°But I have a condition.¡±


    ¡­


    As expected everything comes with a price.


    ¡°No thank you. Just leave me to a nearest healer¡¯s clinic. That would be enough. The last thing I want is to be indebted to the Noble¡¯s.¡±, I replied with a firm resolve.


    Even though we the Heller''s were hated by the Nobles, there was still some amount of self-respect within us.


    Although, I was trying to act cool but lying down on the ground motionless was really pathetic site.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd.¡±, she replied, ¡°Do you want to be crippled for life?¡± she asked in a serious tone, ¡°No ordinary healing potions or even an excellent healer would be able to repair your broken body. Just accept this elixir and get back your body back to shape like new.¡±


    It seems she knew about my injuries with just a glance. She really had good observation skills.


    But still-


    ¡°Why?¡±, I asked, ¡°Why do you want to waste your precious elixir on somebody like the descendants of the Heller family?¡±


    What would she gain from helping me?


    Was she thinking to chain me down as her manservant by making me indebted?


    If she thinks that way, she can kiss my ass.


    ¡°I am giving you this elixir as an apology. I have no ulterior motives.¡±, she answered in a serious intent,


    ¡°I am giving this as an atonement for my fellow comrades. I am equally responsible for the crimes, Ruxia and her companions committed. Despite being in the same platoon I, who belonged to the righteous and great household of Nevarlises failed to stop the atrocities of my fellow squad mates. I am very ashamed of myself.¡±


    Wow!


    She sounded like some generous and humble hero from the children¡¯s fairy tales. The one protagonist hero who was kind-hearted and humble. Their good traits were so exaggerated that it was literally made me sick by just imagining such a person. The heroes in the kid''s fairy tales were described as a very honest and compassionate person that when they took a shit, it would turn into gold.


    And now a similar person had appeared in front of my eyes to apologize.


    Armin used to say sorry a lot of times whenever I punished him for his idiocy and antics although he repeated the same mistake over again.


    Still what if this was all an act?


    ¡°I get that hard to believe. You handing me a top-notch elixir just because you feel sorry?! What a load of horse shit is this?¡±, definitely, no man in their right mind would give away such precious treasure just for the sake of being nice.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°This whole thing looks fishy! For all, I know that is a potent poison and not elixir.¡±, I added with a smug look.


    Suddenly the guy with the Pietra joined in,


    ¡°You ungrateful twerp! How dare you-¡±


    Pietra raised her arm and he stopped.


    She then let out a small sigh,


    ¡°You know that if I wanted I can get you killed, I can do that without even the need of dirtying my hands. There wouldn¡¯t need to me to belittle myself and apologize for the just the sake of killing you.¡±


    Well, she does have a point. There was almost no benefit in getting me killed. So what could her reason be-


    Suddenly she knelt down on her knees before me.


    ¡°My lady!¡±,


    ¡°Mistress!¡±


    Shrieked both her companion simultaneously.


    Shit just got real!


    She was now kneeling down in front of me with her head bowed,


    ¡°I apologize for behalf the entire elite department of Stathford. I would offer this golden class healing potion as an apology. I want to suppress this conflict within ourselves and not let this matter come in front of the general public. This type of event will not only bring shame to Ruxia and her household but also to the house of Nevarlises.¡±, she seemed very serious with her apology.


    This was to be expected from a new rookie of guardsman regiment was bullied by a group of Elites. If the word gets out it could become groundbreaking headlines.


    They could be even stripped off from their ranks as elites. This was a good way to ridicule the whole Elite department with one blow. A good way to exact revenge.


    So to avoid this, she was even going as far as offering a golden class elixir potion. A golden class healing potion was a powerful healing potion that it can heal the person completely as long the person was still alive.


    I didn¡¯t even think I would be able to take a glimpse of such an elixir, let alone be offered by someone.


    ¡°Accept this elixir as a token of apology with the condition that you would not tell about this incident to a soul.¡±, she said, ¡°I will make sure to provide you protection from today onwards to prevent such situation to arise ever again.¡±


    Well, it would be a good way to play the victim and shame the elite¡¯s in the face of the general public. This would be a massive blow to all the elites all over the nation. Even though Pietra, herself wasn¡¯t involved in this incident it would still damage the reputation of the house of Nevarlises.


    But there were more benefits in accepting the elixir rather playing the victim card. Not to mention playing the victim card would also blow my cover.


    I would instantaneously be healed and able to continue to works as a soldier plus getting protection from the Nevarlises.


    ¡°Alright, I shall accept it.¡±, I answered, ¡°If you guys try to poison me, I will make sure to haunt the generations of Nevarlises.¡±, I added.


    The guy joined in again.


    ¡°How dare you doubt my lady! You should be- blah blah¡±


    Is this another long lost brother of William?


    Later, I drank the elixir by the hands of Pietra herself. I thought her lackeys would help me drink as I couldn¡¯t even move a limb.


    She placed my head on her lap and then slowly poured the elixir in my mouth. I was getting to sleep on a girl¡¯s lap that belonged to a noble house. The only problem was that iron-plated armor on her thighs was a bit sturdy and uncomfortable.


    The elixir tasted almost like honey and it had a very pleasant and sweet aroma.


    As soon as I drank the elixir, my body started to heat up. My whole body felt as if it was set on fire.


    My numb arms were hurting the most.


    This fuck was this elixir?


    With all the pain I fell unconscious.


    Then the next thing I saw was a familiar dusty roof and two brats sleeping with their heads on top of me.


    I was finally back home,


    "Oi sleepyheads. Wake up, you guys are drooling on me."

 Interlude - A Normal Day with my Little Monsters

    ¡°This is the mystical sword, forged from the scales of the legendary dragon of roaring thunder. This way-ow¡±, I hit the person shouting this bunch load of nonsense on the head.


    But he continued,


    ¡°You really want to pick a fight- Aaah! Ow ow ow!¡±, I pinched him by the ears, ¡°ow ow, okay it hurts brother!¡±


    It was non-other than my notorious little brother.


    ¡°Stop swinging that broom around and get back to work!¡±, I retorted angrily.


    Armin who was in charge of the cleanup and dusting department was playing with the dusting broom as if it was some kinda sword.


    He can''t even manage to do one job without making a ruckus.


    As for Rose, she was sitting near the window,


    ¡°Oi Rose! Can you lend me a helping-¡±, I was asking for help, suddenly Rose turned back and glared angrily.


    ¡°Nevermind! Big bro got this.¡±, I replied with flexing my muscle.


    Well, Rose was hella pissed.


    I was passed out for 3 days.


    Although, I didn¡¯t even have a scratch from that epic battle but the restoration process really exhausted my body. The Golden class healing potion, the Elixir of Utopia was a very powerful potion. The potion was brewed by top tier renowned mages with high-class herbs and other ingredients. It was also imbued with magic which was one of the main factors for healing.


    It was a very powerful potion that it didn¡¯t take much longer to heal my injuries once I drank the elixir. It was so powerful that I lost my consciousness for the whole three days.


    Pietra and her subordinates carried me home in the unconscious condition. I don¡¯t know how they got my home address but they somehow carried me all the way to home. Rose and Armin panicked when they saw them carrying me in an unconscious state. They attacked Pietra and the other two companions, Rose attacked with spatula and Armin with a cucumber which was half eaten.


    But Pietra easily suppressed them without doing them any harm and explained them my situation.


    Today was the third day and I woke up this morning after the long deep slumber.


    Rose was mad at me. She already despised the idea of me joining the army. And on the first day, I returned home in an unconscious state and slept for a whole three days. Whereas Armin was his usual self like always. He had almost didn''t think much about his poor little unconscious brother.


    Today, there was a woman cooking lunch for us. She was a bit plumpy and had curly brownish short hair. She was dressed in a long frock with our old stained apron. She wore a piece of cloth tied to cover her hair from not getting stained while cooking.


    ¡°Thanks for all the help Aunt Martha. I am really grateful.¡±, I thanked her as she was cooking delicious stewed meat and her specialty berry rice for us.


    ¡°No problem! No problem! I am happy that you fine. Rose, Armin worried for you. Hope you okay now.¡±, she responded.


    ¡°You are really big help. I am sorry to bother you with my problems.¡±, I replied with an apologetic tone.


    ¡°It is no problem. Don¡¯t, sorry me. It¡¯s okay.¡±, she replied back with a pleasant smile.


    ¡°Thank you again. I shall take care of the clothes.¡±


    Aunt Martha¡¯s English was pretty broken up as you can see. She lived near my sibling''s school. She was a very kind lady who had helped out us several times.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    She was a widow and worked at the school doing menial chores. Before she lived in the city, she belonged to a nomadic tribe who used to travel all around the world. They were fellow merchants as well as entertainers. They also spoke in their own special language.


    But during the last war 15 years ago, her whole tribe was slaughtered in the crossfire between Rublor and the hostile nation of Stezar. Her late husband who was a fellow soldier of Rublor rescued Aunt Martha the sole survivor and bought her into the city. Later they fell in love and married.


    Later her husband started to teach her our language but before he couldcomplete teaching the language, he was killed in the line of duty.


    Despite she faced so many hardships, she still had a broad long smile and helped out other people. Despite she doesn''t even have any relatives. She looks after Armin and Rose whenever I was busy. She really handles both of them pretty well than I ever could.


    Is this how it feels to have a mom?


    I then washed all the clothes that had been piled of for three days.


    Rose and Armin, both had skipped school just to stick around when I was unconscious me. Aunt Martha said Rose sat beside me for the whole three days. She even ate her lunch beside me. Although Armin continued to do his lunatics and even went to play outside with his friends in his free time.


    The heck did Armin skipped his school for?


    After I washed the clothes, I hanged them around the sunlight. Later we had a hearty lunch with everyone. Rose seemed to be avoiding me this whole time.


    Later in the evening, I took them to eat parfait which was Rose''s favorite. She really did her best to avoid me all this time but she surrendered to her sweet tooth. I finally made it up to her. We strolled around parks and town. We even viewed the sunset on the river bank.


    Later, we even had our dinner in a restaurant.


    Armin snatched the menu card and started to order a bunch of exquisite dishes. But I smacked him in the head ordered something that my pocket could handle. Soon after eating, he passed out on the dinner table. I had to carry him on my back.


    It was already night-time and we headed to our home. Armin was asleep on my back as he snored in my ears, whereas I was holding rose by her hands.


    ¡°So did you guys enjoyed your time with Big bro?¡±, I asked Rose.


    Suddenly her pleasant smile disappeared and she again made the pout face.


    ¡°It was okayish.¡±,she replied.


    What¡¯s with that response?


    ¡°But you seemed to enjoy devouring your parfait like there is no tomorrow. You were like-¡± I teased her by mimicking her eating her parfait. I exaggerated the way of eating a bit. It was difficult to do that whole thing as I carried Armin on my back.


    "Ow!¡±, I shrieked when she punched in my stomach, ¡°Hey I just had dinner. This is what I deserve to babysit you brats?¡±


    Instead of a sorry, she looked the other way.


    These Brats!


    Is this what you call going through the rebellious phase?


    Well, I never had such a phase so I don¡¯t know a thing about it.


    ¡°Say, brother will you still go again for work tomorrow onwards?¡±, she asked me as she tightened her hand''s grasp. I couldn¡¯t see her face as she looked the other way towards the street stalls.


    I had already taken 3 days off after just my first day. I could have gone this morning itself to my duty. But instead, I chose to spend some time with Rose and Armin. I also have to think up of a good reason for Captain, Bruno and the others for my absences. Rose and Armin were told that I was hit my horse carriage and fell asleep for three days after the healer healed me.


    ¡°Yeah, I have to go. I already took a 3 days holiday, I don¡¯t want to worsen my records anymore. So yes, I got to go, haha!.¡±, I replied in a joking manner.


    To that, she didn¡¯t respond and stayed quiet.


    ¡°But you guys should attend your school no more skipping classes-¡±, I added.


    ¡°You are an idiot, big brother!¡±, she shrieked out in anger and freed her hand from my grasp. We had already reached our apartment building and she rushed to our building.


    ¡°Oi! Where are you going? I have the keys here.¡±, I scowled back.


    She returned back tiptoeing and snatched the keys from my hand.


    ¡°I really hate you, big bro!¡±, she yelled at me once again.


    She again dashed to our apartment room but this time with the keys.


    Today Rose¡¯s behavior was a bit childish not like her usual mature act. But this was also a pretty cute side of her. Now I gotta haul the big lump of a sleeping panda (Armin) on my back to the room, all the way to the 2nd floor.


    These brats are a heck of trouble to deal with!


    However, when I am with my little siblings they make me feel complete and feel at ease.


    I could go on living this life with just the three of us.

 Preface- The Mysterious Gauntlets

    "Alright! I am all done!", I said it to myself as I closed my books.


    Just completed all my homework. Our homeroom teacher always tends to give us a bit more homework than usual on Saturdays. We have half-days in school during Saturdays and a holiday on Sunday. So the student shouldn''t waste their whole time playing around so they tend to give homework in a bulk.


    Many students hate the teachers for giving them more homework on the weekend but they don''t realize it''s for their own benefit. They start to revolt against teachers and instead waste their time playing instead.


    The homework was like a training session for your brain. Your brain needs a workout every day. During this 1 and half day holiday, the brain will become sluggish. Hence the teacher tends to give homework so that student won''t forget the teachings that been taught in the school.


    And I just completed my homework just now. Today was a Saturday after school ended early, I went straight to the library and bought some books with me to pass the day. After I got home, I first completed my homework which I managed to complete it by noon.


    I then laid down on the floor and stared on the ceiling. My arms were a bit strained as I wrote all homework in 2 hours straight.


    Recently my foolish big brother (Desmond) was carried home in an unconscious state. They said he was hit by a horse carriage in the way home. For the time being, I believed it.


    But thinking back, the people who carried him back weren''t any ordinary soldiers. They were heavily armed, unlike normal soldiers. The most intriguing part was that each of their equipment was reinforced with some kind of a jewel attached to the equipment.


    I had read about enchanted equipment which was a powerful weapon owned by an Elite ranked soldier or higher.


    My brother had joined the guardsman regiment where all the commoner folks join. So instead of a fellow soldier from guardsman regiment, why were Elite soldiers bothered to help a nobody like my brother?


    Also when they bought him home, there were no injuries on my brother except for his tattered clothes. Only top notch healer would be able to heal such injuries and surely we cannot afford the expense. So did the Elite soldier''s helped him? And if yes, why?


    Also, I tried to inspect around the city from the locals but they didn''t see any kind of carriage accident for a week now. If such an accident had occurred why didn''t anyone saw it?


    Such many things thoughts were eating me.


    In our school, my last name was Rosetta Watson. My big brother told me to conceal our real last name.


    I don''t get it!


    Why should we be in trouble for the mistakes of our old man? Why do we need to hide it! If anyone dares to hurt me or my brothers, I will surely make them pay hell. The most problematic was Armin because he was a bird brain and people easily tend to make a fool out of him.


    Despite this, I agreed as big bro said to. I haven''t told about our last name to anyone. Even Armin isn''t aware of our real last name. Big brother never told him about it so he won''t mindlessly blurt it out.


    Just when I was busy thinking about such stuff.


    Somebody started to bang on the door wildly.


    "Who''s it?", I asked out loud.


    "Open up the door! Hurry!", replied back an excited voice.


    It was none other than my dumb little brother, Armin. It was almost lunchtime so he was back home after playing to his heart''s content.


    We both go to the same school, same grade and the same class. I am studious and excel in every academics but he was completely pathetic. Today after the school ended, he went along with his friends to play straight away. Now it was lunchtime, so he ran straight home after realizing that he was hungry.


    I opened the door and Armin rushed in and he even shouldered me aside in a haste.


    "Watch it!", I yelled at him, "Why are you in such a rush! Don''t tell me you broke another window of the neighborhood!"


    It''s already been like 5 times he had done this. Big bro had to pay up to cover Armin''s damages because of his carelessness.


    "No! I did not!", answered back Armin with strong displeasure.


    "So you better have a good reason for pushing me aside like that as you rushed in.", I said angrily as I raised my fist to threaten him.


    Armin was always excited and full of energy which was sometimes troublesome. He always tends to make a mistake and break things because of these traits.


    Suddenly a proud smile appeared on Armin''s face.


    "Today I found something amazing.", he said as he proudly rubbed his finger under his nose.


    I let out a huge sigh.


    Not this again.


    "Please throw that thing right away! I don''t want any more of your legendary relics at home! That one time you bought a rotting stick that was growing fungus at home and the other time bones of a dead dog!", I cracked my knuckles to ready to give him a beating.


    He always tends to roam in the street looking for garbage that he thinks could be powerful armaments. But every time it turned out to be a pile of garbage. The last time the whole house started to stink because he bought a carcass of rotting rat saying it was a mythical familiar.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.We had to sleep at Aunt Martha''s house before the smell could be disposed of completely.


    Armin took a few steps backward as I approached him. I would surely kick him and his stupid relic out of this house.


    "No lunch for you!", I shrieked at him.


    "Hey! This time I really did find something amazing! Why don''t you believe me?", he started to retort and yelled back,


    "If you don''t believe me. See this¡­", he put his hand behind his back of the shirt and unveiled the thing he was hiding.


    To my surprise this time he was holding something which didn''t turn out to be crap.


    "This is some kind of a gauntlet.", I said as I observed the thing in his hand.


    "Isn''t it cool! I said it wasn''t trash, this time?", responded Armin as he flaunted the gauntlet held high with his arm raised.


    He even agreed that the stuff he used to bring home earlier was trash. Despite he cried a lot when we tried to dispose of his garbage.


    I snatched the gauntlet from his arm.


    "Let me have a look."


    "Hey-", he squirmed when I snatched it.


    This gauntlet was a bit weird.


    The gauntlet was made of strange clothing embedded with metal strings to reinforce it. It also had a jewel on top of the wrist.


    "Isn''t it cool! What do you think? You don''t have words to say, right? Right?", nagged on Armin who jumped around the room excitedly.


    "Shut up! Let me examine it a bit."


    The jewel was black in color and gave off a bit weird aura.


    This could be enchanted equipment.


    I quickly rushed to my bag and searched for the books.


    "Damn it! I forgot to bring the books about weapons and armaments.", I frowned at myself.


    I placed the gauntlet on our low table.


    Armin was jumping around me the whole time.


    "Now admit, I am a genius! Admit it! Admit it!.."


    I smacked a chop in his head,


    "Could you stay quiet for a bit!"


    He continued to argue but when I threatened him with another chop, he quietly sat on the opposite side of the table.


    At first glance, it looked like your usual gauntlet with a creepy design tho. But for some reason, the gauntlets gloves were big enough that it covered your entire arm till the elbow. I know this wasn''t that weird but there was one thing that bothered me.


    Above the wrist, on the arm, there was some kind of bulge. It looked like it had a cabinet that could store some stuff.


    I tried to examine the glove but when I touched at the bulgy part.


    Suddenly, two long blades came out gauntlet.


    "Wha!", shrieked out Armin as he backed away and took a fighting stance.


    "These are the combat claws!", I spoke out in surprise.


    What in the god''s name did Armin find?


    This was enchanted equipment with both defense and attack capability. Also the weird jewel with black color, I didn''t see anything like that. The color of the jewel also played a significant role to determine the class and the power of a particular armament, according to the books.


    "So what do you think?", asked Armin with a bashful smile as he scratched his head like an ape, "Don''t you think that big brother Armin did a wonderful job?"


    I bashed my both arms in anger.


    "Where did you steal this from?"


    There''s no way such equipment was just found lying on the roadside.


    Armin became agitated,


    "I didn''t steal it. I found it. I swear!"


    "So how and where?"


    "The thing is when I ¡­."


    He then continued to tell how he procured this item.


    Basically, he was playing hide and seek with his friends and when he was hiding in a trashcan, he found that. He ran straight home as soon as he picked it.


    "So you just left the game and returned home like that? Don''t your friends still be looking for you?", I asked.


    He just left in between the game of a hide and seek. I guess his friends would be looking for him back and forth.


    "Ah! I completely forgot it.", he shrieked out.


    He really was a bird brain.


    I then continued to study the equipment when-


    "Hey, Rose!", called out Armin.


    "What is it?", I responded as I carefully examined the gauntlets from all side.


    "Is this really a powerful weapon?", asked Armin worriedly.


    What''s this?


    Never saw Armin worry about stuff. Was he doubting himself?


    I guess me and big brother had named him rag picker. So all of a sudden to stumble upon such weapon might be really surprising.


    "Yeah, this is indeed a powerful weapon. This is not any ordinary equipment. As per this jewel here it could be an enchanted gauntlet. Although I don''t know about this jewel, this is the first time I am seeing this.", I placed the gauntlet on the desk again and touched the place where the blades were being stored. The blades from the gauntlet retracted inside back again.


    I continued,


    "The most surprising part is that this equipment also has a defense plus attack attribute. Which is very rare. Although the enchanted equipment itself was a rarity, but this seemed to be a customized armor with a weapon. I never had seen or read about such a weapon. So to answer your question in short. Yes, this could be one of its kind."


    Armin stared blankly at me,


    "Wow! Although I didn''t understand a thing! It sounds cool. Heck yeah!"


    I let out a small sigh.


    What was I thinking to explain to my ape of a brother?


    "Hey, Rose!", he called me out again.


    "What now?"


    "How about we give this to big bro?", he asked with a big smile, "I think he will surely love it as well as praise me. He will also stop calling me rag picker! This will make him even more powerful!"


    Well, Armin made sound advice for a change. If we were to gift it to big bro, he would really become strong.


    But one thing worries me that why was this lying in garbage.


    And if we were to give this enchanted equipment to the big brother which would also raise his ranks directly to the elites. Which mean more dangers shall befall big bro.


    Big brother was a boy after all. Heading to take on challenges was one of the traits of the boys, be it big brother (Desmond) or the dumb brother (Armin). Both would charge head on towards trouble even if their life was in peril.


    So good thing would be to keep it away from big brother. He would surely get himself killed if he did the dangerous job of elites and he would also make many more enemies who would try to take the gauntlet.


    But how would I keep my dumb brother''s mouth shut?


    "Hey Armin, did anyone saw this gauntlet except me?", I asked him.


    "Nope. As soon as I picked it. I put it inside my shirt and dashed here.", answered Armin haughtily.


    Ew! You just picked a thing from a trash can and hid it in the shirt! That''s gross.


    "Anyway keep this a secret from big bro, can you?", I asked him.


    "Huh? But why should I? Don''t tell me you shall hand it yourself and take all the praises!?", he replied back.


    "No!", I scrubbed my forearm. He really was a pain in the head.


    "Listen up! If you hand it to big bro. what weapon will you use, when you become a soldier?"


    Alright time to bait him.


    "Eh?", he scratched his brain trying to procure an answer.


    "See! You won''t have any! And do you think big bro will return that weapon to you?" I waited for him to reply but when he tried to say something, I continued "No, he would keep it for himself."


    After he thought for some seconds,


    "I see! Big bro is rude to me anyways! He won''t return it if I gave him. So we shall hide it then. It''s our little secret!"


    Phew!


    Sometimes I am grateful that he was dumb.


    "Also, go take a bath now!", I exclaimed.


    "But I did one this morning.", he replied.


    "I said now! You trash picker!", I scowled at him.

 On Duty- I

    Our new military lacked in the department of fashion. The military dress code for the guardsman regiment was a full-sleeved shirt with beige yellow ochre tint with same color cotton pants. We were also given long brown leather boots along with a beret hat with the insignia of our regiment. Also had another badge pinned on the sleeve of the shirt. Dressing in such a way to work was torture in itself.


    Today would be officially my first day, joining on my duties with our squad. I thought I would be chewed up by our head department for being absent for the first 3 days. But it seemed Pietra pulled some strings. Nobles were really fearsome creatures. It''s good to have one on my side.


    Although I thought I was saved but wasn''t able to escape the nagging session from William. I somehow explained to them my situation that I had an accident with a horse-carriage and was recuperating for 3 days.


    It¡¯s noon already and the blazing sun was on top of our head. We were all gathered on the busy road in the middle of the market. Of course, we were on duty. At least I thought so-


    ¡°Alright! Lift it a bit little upwards¡­ Not so much, take it down a bit... lower¡­ Yes! Just stay put¡­ Alright, let me tie this up.¡±, commanded Captain Arnia.


    William and I were lifting the roof of a fruit stall whereas Captain was busy tying up it in place. On the other hand, Bruno and Thalia were trying to bring in more customers for the fruit stall.


    My thoughts were the same as you guys.


    What the actual fuck were we doing!


    ¡°Alright! It¡¯s done! Good job everyone.¡±, praised our Captain as she had a cheerful smile. She would have looked a bit cute if it weren¡¯t for dirt on her face.


    We both got down from the stand and took a breath of relief. We were lifting the roof in the air for about an hour or so.


    She climbed down the stalls as well.


    ¡°Excuse me, captain!¡±, the cranky William approached towards the captain with heavy steps. He was the most pissed when the Captain undertook this job.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, William?¡±, asked Captain nonchalantly.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this-¡±, shrieked out William in anger but suddenly an old man interrupted.


    ¡°You are so kind, helping this old fellow!¡±, he said with a courteous manner. This old man was in the ¡¯70s and he used a walking stick to support his poor hunchback.


    ¡°...¡±


    William was in loss for words. He swallowed his resentment as soon as he saw that old man thanking them.


    ¡°It¡¯s our pleasure. We are the guardian of Stathford city and serving the citizens is our solemn duty.¡±, answered Captain proudly as she puffed her chest.


    What bullshit was she spouting?


    To serve the citizens?


    What a foolish ideology!


    She was better off with being a maid or servant if she really enjoyed serving people. I really wanted to say that in her face but I don¡¯t want to start another commotion. William was a hot-headed guy so teasing him was intriguing. In the other hand, our captain was very sensitive. Instead of getting angry she would start crying and that¡¯s no fun.


    Picking fights, you can say it¡¯s one of my traits. I don¡¯t like to go around being merry and gung-ho with friends. I am not such a person. Even now I am around with Bruno and the bunch for my own benefits. Even William andThalia thinks in a similar way. We teamed up temporarily for the purpose of achieving our goals. Nothing much or nothing less.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Here! Take this as thank you.¡±, said the old man as he handed a basket of fruits.


    Sweet!


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to-...¡±, said our captain as she politely tried to decline but, ¡°wait for a second, Desmond!¡±


    I took the fruits basket before she could refuse it. I then left the stall,


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? We deserved it.¡±, I replied. Then took a bite from one of the fruits.


    ¡°Tch, this one has yet to ripe.¡±


    We were on our patrol duty, just when our captain stumbled upon this old man who wanted help to fix his roof. The old man had money issues so he hesitated to hire a carpenter. So then we along with the captain fixed for him instead. To roam around the town on our patrol duty in this heat along with our heavy uniforms was torture already.


    So we had earned these fruits.


    Once I left William and captain followed me along with Bruno and Thalia.


    We guardsmen were assigned on the patrol duty. We were still a newbie so patrolling around the city would be our duty for the time being. Once we get the feel for it, we would be given more capable duties. The new rookie squads were all given patrol jobs. They were assigned a specific route to guard. This year we had a lot more new recruits joining the guardsmen regiment. So to avoid overcrowding the street, some of the squads were sent to the next town. Luckily we were assigned in the same town.


    ¡°Hey! Let me have one of those fruits too!¡±, said William as he seized one of the fruits from my basket.


    What the heck!


    I know the old man gave us this basket to share among ourselves but I couldn''t keep myself from getting angry. I wanted to keep these fruits for myself.


    ¡°Let me have one as well!¡±, Thalia grabbed two brown plumpy kinda fruit from the basket, ¡°I heard its good for your skin.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall take this banana!¡±, exclaimed Bruno and grabbed two bananas.


    ¡°Why are you guys taking more than one fruit at a time? Eat one by one, chew your food properly, so..¡± I could devour most of them for myself.


    But my words were ignored.


    ¡°If you say so! Then I shall take that as well.¡±, said Captain as she picked the same fruits as Thalia. ¡°I really need this! My skin has nowadays been getting rough because of the sun, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that because you getting old?¡±, I replied, ¡°And please leave me one of those brown plumps. Let me taste it as well.¡±


    The took all the brown plumps! The fuck!


    ¡°Hey! I am not old I am still in my youth. How dare you disrespect your senior. You could be punished for... blah blah¡±, she started to nag again.


    Stop your nagging! How about wash that dust of your face before eating the fruit to nourish your skin.


    I know that I can¡¯t keep this food for myself but I was really getting agitated. There was just 1 fruit left and some dry nuts left who no one likes.


    ¡°What the hell!¡±, exclaimed William.


    He threw the fruit he took down on the ground.


    ¡°This one is rotten.¡±


    WHAT THE FUCK!!


    I rushed and picked that fruit and split it in half with my hands.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem William? It¡¯s all good!¡±, I asked as my eyebrows throbbed.


    William pointed me to a particular part of the fruit,


    ¡°Huh? See that part is a bit squishy and mushy. It''s also a bit dark than other parts of the fruit.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean it was spoiled. It¡¯s just a bit overripe and this part is squishy because the fruit took a hit to something. This doesn¡¯t mean you can just discard the whole thing!¡±, I picked up the fruit from the ground and cleaned with my shirt before placing it back to the basket.


    ¡°Are you seriously going to eat that fruit after I took a nibble and threw it on the floor.¡±, asked William with an uneasy expression.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a bit of respect for the food. This is how we poor commoner tends to live! To savor every bit of grain, unlike you noble-¡±, suddenly William covered my mouth.


    ¡°Ssh!- Are you going to blow our cover?¡±, asked William in a serious tone.


    I had to eat unripped fruit and he threw away a riped one. So I don¡¯t fucking care!


    I was foodie nerd so I can¡¯t help it. I tend to lose my persona whenever I see food being wasted. I struggled so hard to make bread to survive all this time. So I don¡¯t like seeing food going to waste.


    Good thing that nor the captain or any other person heard me.


    Just when we were strolling around


    I heard loud gongs being rung in the street.


    People started to gather around the place.


    We also went with the flow to see what was all this commotion.


    Then we saw a bunch of infantry soldiers from the main army gathered in the center of the street.


    I guess they were making some kind of announcement.

 On Duty- II

    Soon it was lunch time and we headed back to our garrison. One of the good things by being a guardsman was that we would be given free lunch. It wasn¡¯t any special food just the regular basic stew and porridge followed by a piece of bread. The bread was super sturdy that it could also be used as a murder weapon. I don¡¯t know if this was a bread that tasted like a brick or a brick that tasted like bread.


    The garrison had its own cafeteria I took my food and took a seat in a corner away from the crowd. It was pretty noisy here as people were having the time of their life. It was a good thing that half of the squad were sent to the next town otherwise, these place would have been overcrowded.


    Just when I was having a peaceful meal,


    ¡°There you are!¡±, shrieked out, Bruno.


    ¡°We were looking for you, all over! Let¡¯s lunch together.¡±, he said cheekily and sat my opposite direction.


    I guess it was time to use the sturdy bread to bash someone''s head.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you guys ¡®eat together¡¯ on another table? Because this table is occupied.¡±, I replied back with my irritated tone straightly intentionally showing my displeasure.


    If the three of them wanted to eat together, they could do it in another table and exclude me out of their group.


    Thalia took a seat beside me and William sat beside Bruno.


    They both just ignored my sentence altogether.


    ¡°You are wrong.", replied Bruno with a very smug look on his face, "Just take the word ¡®together¡¯ for example. If anyone letter went missing from the word it will remain incomplete."


    "Your point?", I asked.


    "Exactly in the same way if you don¡¯t eat with us, then it won''t be eating ''together'' at all. We are a team after all¡±, he added with a big smile.


    What¡¯s with all these cheesy lines?


    ¡°That is so¡­ Gay!¡±, I replied.


    Suddenly William got angry,


    ¡°Hold your tongue! You insolent- blah blah¡±


    Not his ranting again!


    To cut off William¡¯s ranting and with his mumbling ruining my meal¡¯s taste, I changed the subject quickly.


    ¡°So what do you guys think about the announcement earlier?¡±, I asked them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you try to change the subject!¡±, butted in William.


    Earlier, the announcement was actually a bounty being placed on a group of a mysterious band of bandits who said to have stolen some kind of relic. The soldiers were strolling all around the town looking for them. The Relic was stolen from the capital and they had sent soldiers even to the neighboring towns.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    That¡¯s the only information I could get summed up from the soldiers'' announcement and from the locals. If our squad was able to capture those bandits and return the relic, we would be sure to rise in ranks and get awarded handsomely. There was also the risk of my identity to be revealed in the public but I might come up with something.


    ¡°Good thing...*nom* you asked it... I wanted to¡­ *nom* discuss that thing.¡±, responded Bruno with a serious look as he was busy munching his food and speaking at the same time. Some of the crumbs were being spewed on my face as he opened his mouth.


    ¡°Could you please not eat and talk at the same time!¡±, I replied while I maintained my cool persona. I cleaned my face with my handkerchief.


    It seemed Bruno and the bunch had bought along with lunch boxes from home. As soon as they opened their lunch boxes. The aroma of the meat steak started to tickle my nose. Fuck!


    That looks incredibly delicious.


    ¡°Oh, you want a piece?¡±, asked William with a taunting smile.


    Oops, I started to stare at their lunches by mistakingly.


    William cut one of a small piece of his tender meat steak and lifted it with his fork. Instead of eating it he started to waver it in mid-air,


    ¡°Who wants a juicy piece of tender steak of the high-quality meat; You commoner would need to spend your entire month''s expense for just a 100 grams of a piece. Haha.¡±


    Fucking Asshole! I wanted to beat the shit out of him. He was just baiting me, I shouldn''t fall for his provokes. I calmed my nerves and continued to eat my vegetable stew that tasted not so good.


    For some reasons, Thalia was eating a box of salad.


    I ignored William,


    "What¡¯s with the salad? Are you on a diet?¡±, I asked Thalia.


    ¡°Yes, kind of. A girl has to keep her body in shape.¡±, replied Thalia with a smile.


    Wow! This was the first time seeing her smile like that.


    She already had perfect voluptuous curves. What more does she want?


    ¡°Here boy! Here! Here!¡±, called out William as he extended his hand with the fork pierced with a piece of meat.


    It seemed he hadn¡¯t eaten that same piece of meat and continued to brag about it.


    ¡°How about you get down on your knees like a good dog? Then I might let you have this juicy piece which people like you can never fathom.¡±, he said with a proud smile.


    This time he was the teaser and I am the victim.


    ¡°Oh, you are so kind Mr. William. If you say so...¡±, I replied with an enthusiastic smile.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I stood from my seat and stabbed the big chunk of meat slab from his lunchbox and lifted whole the meat. Then quickly took a big bite of the juicy meat and sat back on the seat.


    ¡°Thank you *nom*... William¡­ *nom¡±, I thanked him while chewing the meat simultaneously.


    It happened so quickly that William was just wondering what happened with holding the fork with the small piece of meat.


    That''s what you get for picking a fight with me.


    ¡°You runt! How dare you- blah blah.¡±, screamed William. I ignored him and focused on eating meat when.


    *Thump*


    *Smack*


    Thalia gave me and William a smack in the head.


    ¡°Stop fighting and listen to what master¡¯s saying.¡±, she said in her usual calm tone.


    ¡°Please begin master.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks for your help, Thalia. So then let me begin¡­¡± and hence Bruno started to explain about the recent events happened in the capital.


    His family had a direct connection with the royal family so of course, he was well informed.


    But the small piece of meat was stuck on his cheeks which was making it hard to focus on the real topic.

 On Duty- III

    Bruno started to explain about the recent burglary within the capital but with his goofy face making a serious expression while a piece of food stuck on his cheek was too distracting.


    "Oi, before you began! At least wipe your face a bit.", I stated.


    "Here master!", William said as he handed a handkerchief from his pocket.


    "Thanks!", Bruno took the handkerchief and wiped his mouth clean.


    Much better.


    He then began explaining about the recent uproar happening around the town.


    Let me break it down for you.


    Apparently, there''s this weaponry development research center located within the capital. Its basic function was as the name indicated, to research and the development of the weapons. The enchanted equipment was a powerful weapon but it was very expensive. The material for single enchanted equipment were rare raw materials as well as mana crystals created by mages.


    Even after gathering of all the necessary materials and mana crystals. The main thing depended on the production of single enchanted equipment was the factor of Luck. Most of the time you would get copper, bronze equipment but there was also a chance that the whole thing would fail and you get nothing. But if the mana crystals were forged by top-tier mages than the chance of procuring iron class increased.


    Although Silver class was very still very rare to get and the gold class was almost impossible. Last golden class weapon was forged was about 400 years back.


    So the weaponry research center was working on, to find a better solution instead of depending on enchanted equipment.


    But recently it seemed one of a prototype weapon was stolen from their facility. The prototype was still going through development stages but at its current stage, it was declared as dangerous. It was created from an indifferent method unlike the regular method, hence the weapon was unstable.


    The research facility was heavily guarded but somehow some group of thieves sneaked in and stole the prototype. They also stealthily assassinated some of the guards posted within the facility.


    The recent robbery had made a quite a stir in the royal court. Most of the noble were arguing and blaming each other. The soldiers searched all around the capital as well as nearby towns.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    One of the nearby towns happened to be our town, Stathford. They had been searching for a whole day non-stop but it seemed they haven''t even gotten a clue whatsoever about the real culprit.


    They don''t even sure if it was a single person''s work or a whole team of bandits pulled it. They just assumed that, bypassing such security could not be done by a single person so they declared it was a gang of highly skilled bandits.


    "For all we know, they already left the capital on their way back to their base.", I replied back after Bruno completed his explanation.


    "Nope.", he responded, "Just when the weaponry room''s door was forcefully opened it triggered the alarm. So the Capital city gates were quickly closed off and the soldiers were alerted."


    Bruno lowered his head with a disappointed look,


    "They tried to look for the relic and the culprit throughout the capital but after searching thoroughly for about 2 days. They also started searching in nearby towns now."


    Now this explains Aunt Martha talking about recently the soldier had sealed off the capital. No one was allowed to enter or exit the capital.


    It could be that the perpetrator had already thoroughly planned out an escape and left the town. No one would boldly attack the capital unless they are brainless muscle heads with a lot of ego and pride on their brute strength.


    "So what class is that weapon?", I asked.


    It should at least be iron class or above. They were making a very big deal out of it.


    "Now that''s a good question.", jumped in William, "That specific weapon doesn''t fall in any of this class"


    "Wait, what?", I asked.


    Did I hear that right?


    "Yeah, it doesn''t fall in the categories of your regular class weapons like the regular ones as copper, bronze, iron, silver or the gold.", William answered with a serious look.


    What does that suppose to mean?


    Did it belong to a whole new different category?


    What in the god''s name were those lab nerds creating?


    "We shouldn''t be discussing these things in a public place. We will explain it some other time.", interrupted Thalia.


    This was groundbreaking news. There was a whole new category other that we weren''t informed about. It seemed it was a top-secret knowledge only known to the higher ups.


    "But is there a point in getting involved in this? I mean will this help in achieving our actual goal in hand?", I asked with a serious question.


    Wasn''t our actual goal to track down the mysterious organization who also said to had kidnapped my father. I am only collaborating with them just to find my old man, capture him and take the bounty.


    I am not trying to find him just because he happened to be my father. Nope.


    I will capture him alive or just hand over his corpse to claim the big ass ransom on his head. It would make us rich and also clear the name of the Heller family, for once and for all.


    I don''t have a shred of sentimental value with that old man. Either he got his ass handed or willingly joined the organization, I don''t fucking care!


    I just wanna find the person who made my life a living hell.


    Bruno got up from his seat,


    "Let''s meet up tonight. I shall explain you everything."

 The Midnight Investigation- I

    It was past 11 o''clock in the night and I am currently headed to our meeting place that happened to be outside the Garrison gates. I don¡¯t know what they were planning to do, this late at night.


    I really wanted a good night sleep but I guess I had to make an exception just for tonight. I had put Armin and Rose to sleep before leaving.


    Even though it was a late night, the town was lively as ever. Because of the blockade to the capital, most of the merchant started selling within the exterior towns itself. It¡¯s been whole 2 days and not a soul was let out or inside the capital except the army.


    The street was filled with army soldiers patrolling throughout the street as they kept a watchful eye. I walked in my casual demeanor. I didn''t want the army to suspect me or something, even though I wasn''t the culprit. It¡¯s just bothersome to deal with all their interrogation and stuff.


    The most surprising thing was the new category of the enchanted weapons that had been surfaced.


    What was this new type of equipment?


    The military was desperate to forge a gold class weapon. The gold class weapons were extremely powerful equipment. But all they could forge was a couple of dozens of silver class weapons at most.


    Hence they tried to find another method but instead, they created a new category. It was unstable and dangerous, hence they didn''t make a public announcement. How did they come up with another way to create a whole new category?


    The kingdom of Rublor was once a small town country which revolted and declared itself as a free kingdom. Later with the leadership of the late king and the general, the country expanded and progressed in leaps and bounds. In 500 years the small town country town was now the 8th biggest kingdom in the continent.


    Many countries loathed our country because of its accelerated growth. The most hostile and the archenemy of the Rublor nation was none other than the Stezar empire, the 6th largest nation. Rublor was once a part of the Stezar empire but hence its segregation they were in bad terms.


    But since Rublor entered as the 8th largest kingdom. We joined the peace treaty between the 8 major kingdoms. Since the peace treaty, the war between Stezar and Rublor had come to a halt. Although, there was still cold war ongoing between us.


    Despite the peace treaty, all the countries had dedicatedly been researching and producing weapons in large scale in the name of peace. The peace treaty was the only thing that had kept all the 8 nations together but I wonder for how long.


    Just then, I reached the garrison place and stood beside the gate. I was wearing my casual clothes so I won¡¯t stand out. I also bought a scarf and wore it on my neck to cover my face. I didn¡¯t cover entirely, just hid my jaw. If I had covered my whole face that would make me look even more suspicious.


    Suddenly a small pebble hit me on the head. I looked around to see the culprit but then I saw a strange figure waving at me from the alleyway. It was dark and I wasn''t able to see the face but at least I could see it was wearing rectangular glasses which had a tinge of shine. I recognized the familiar looking spectacles, it was none other than William.


    I followed William and he led me to an alleyway. I really felt a bit uncomfortable around the alley because of the recent events. It¡¯s not like I am scared, it¡¯s just I get a bit agitated. After walking for a couple of minutes, we met a dead end.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±, I asked William.


    ¡°Just follow me quietly.¡±, he replied.


    What an arse!


    The first he talks just to be an asshole.


    He then opened the door beside and led me inside the building.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.We climbed the stairs and went to the upper floor. But throughout our journey, he didn''t utter a single word. I also had no intention of having a conversation with an arrogant ass wipe. I had brought along a kitchen knife, just in case. I still didn''t know William very well of yet, if he were to try to pull something or lure me to some ambush. I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to stab him in the heart. It was an ordinary kitchen knife but it was more than enough to send them to the afterlife.


    I wasn¡¯t ready to throw away my life so easily. I won¡¯t go down without putting a fight.


    After reaching the top floor we entered a room that had dim light.


    ¡°Here we are.¡±, he finally spoke.


    We entered the room and there were Thalia and Bruno who seemed to be discussing something. But as soon as we entered the room, they cut off their discussion.


    ¡°Oh welcome back, Desmond.¡±


    ¡°Welcome.¡±


    Greeted Bruno and Thalia simultaneously.


    Our meeting place was this old dusty room which was a complete mess. It had almost nothing in the room except for the round table as well as three chairs. The chairs and table seemed to be new, I guess they had purchased beforehand. The old room was lit by a couple of candles placed on the center of the table.


    I guess this was a perfect place for a secret hideout.


    William than proceded towards a chair and took a seat with everyone.


    He let out a sigh,


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why was I chosen to escort him?¡±, he said with a pissed off tone.


    It¡¯s not like he was doing a big ass favor for me!


    You guys were the one who called me here and not the other way around. You should be grateful that I was sacrificing my sleep and was making the effort to help you in your skirmish. I am here because I wanted to find that old man of mine. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t even a lifted a finger for you, noble shits.


    Thalia got up from her seat,


    ¡°It¡¯s because we thought if we give you both sometime alone, you would become friends.¡±, she said with an innocent smile.


    ¡°Please, you jest me! Who would wanna befriend such ill-mannered son of that traitor-¡±


    But before William could complete his sentence.


    I quickly unsheathed my knife and went straight for his throat. I swung my knife with the utmost precision and agility. But soon as I did, he reflexively dodged it by flexibly ducking his head. Now my guard was wide open for him to attack. He threw a jab punch at me aimed at the face. I was in a close range so it was impossible to dodge it. As expected of a former soldier. He even managed to dodge and counter attack even though he was sitting on the chair where his movements were limited.


    I wouldn''t be able to dodge his punch hence I twisted my body a bit and grabbed his punch between my underarm of the left arm. His punch had less power as he was seated in the chair and wasn''t able to throw all his power. William was surprised after I caught his punch within my underarm. I seized this movement and placed my knife on top of his throat.


    ¡°Wait a sec-¡±, shrieked out Bruno.


    ¡°Listen up!¡±, I said out loud as I fiercely stared at William in the eye, ¡°Don¡¯t ever dare to associate me with that traitorous bastard. I am here to help and to not here to listen to your trash talk about me or how great you folks are.¡±


    I had enough of this crap. Traitorous, filthy, son of a bitch, etc. I had enough of people dissing me around for no reason. I am here as an ally and not some audience to listen to you trash talk about myself.


    The tip of the knife was touching William¡¯s throat, all I need was to add a bit more pressure and it would slide right inside.


    William wasn¡¯t able to move as I had placed one of my foot on his thigh to restrict him from getting up from his seat. With his restricted movement, his dominant arm which I had caught underneath my other arm and the knife on his throat, all he could do was sit and watch.


    William noticed he wasn¡¯t able to get out of this situation without being severely wounded. He stared back angrily and gritted his teeth.


    He didn''t say anything instead he stared back angrily. He had a load of mighty pride, so he won¡¯t straightaway say it but I would take his silence as a yes.


    I unsheathed my knife back to my pocket and backed away.


    I didn''t want to create an unnecessary commotion, I just want to make my stand.


    To my surprise, Thalia was standing right behind me armed with a short sword.


    ¡°Glad you backed down. Otherwise, there would have been a bloody mess.¡±, she snickered.


    If I really did had attacked William, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to cut me down. I didn¡¯t even notice when she moved from the front of my eyes to my back. She was not just your ordinary beautiful girl but a skilled veteran soldier.


    ¡°Calm down, guys!¡±, said Bruno, ¡°William you should henceforth refrain from insulting Desmond. Thalia, please lower your weapon! Desmond we are your allies and I apologize for the rudeness of my companion William and Thalia. So please calm down.¡±


    Well, it was rather explosive but I really wanted to make my statement clear. I wanted to clear that I wasn¡¯t their puppet and they cannot manipulate on their whims or gonna stand as they belittle me with their trash talk.

 The Midnight Investigation- II

    After the little stunt, I pulled earlier the air here had become denser between us. Ignoring the atmosphere, we had our meeting and Bruno explained why we had been gathered here.


    Basically, the culprit who had stolen the relic had escaped from the Capital. According to some information broker from god knows where, said that a group of soldiers was going to meet with the culprits tonight who had helped them escape. They were offered to be handsomely. The bandits had already escaped the Capital and had infiltrated the southern region. Tonight was the transaction between the corrupt soldiers and the bandits in the back alley near the clock tower at 2 am.


    Right now we were sitting quietly on the roof of the designated meeting place. We had laid down an ambush as we hid on the roof stealthily on the buildings besides. There was still 10 minutes left before the meeting time and no one had yet arrived as of yet.


    The moonlight was the only thing that lit the back alley, unlike the normal streets which were lit by lamps. We were waiting on the roof for about an hour and no soul had appeared of yet.


    My ass has been freezing now and I am really sleepy with all this waiting. Again, the meeting place was again in a back alley. I mean come on! Why was the back alley always the place to misuse? It¡¯s like a paradise for all bullies and crooks alike. This was the only place where laws don¡¯t apply. Why was there such a place in the first place? It shouldn¡¯t be called back alley, instead hooligan¡¯s hangout or something like that.


    We were split into two teams. Thalia and William in one team whereas me and Bruno in the other.


    They were hiding on the roof of the building which was opposite to ours so if the bandits gather, we could attack at the same time. Although this was an outrageous plan which depended on a frontal attack which I find a bit troublesome. What if they were armed with dangerous high-class equipment, not to mention that what if they used that unstable new category weapon.


    But for this attack, Bruno had given us some Auxiliary Pills to each of us. These are pretty handy!


    Auxiliary pills could also be called as a substitute for enchanted equipment.


    A country can¡¯t be protected by a handful of soldiers possessing enchanted equipment alone. That country would soon succumb to its downfall. Hence there was an army of soldiers who were equipped with normal weapons and armor. It''s not like they can mass produce enchanted gears and arm every soldier in their army.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    So hence the Liberated Association of Alchemist had developed special pills. These certain pills if intaken by people will get a serious boost in their physical and spiritual aptitudes. It was said that it can increase a person''s abilities to a 10 fold than normally. It also said that some high-class pills which also allowed normal human beings to use magic like mages. Although these perks were to last for a short duration. There were also backlashes of using the pills. The powerful the pills, the worse the backlashes.


    Hence the army was only armed with strengthening pills. It increased their strength and speed to fourfold. The only backlashes were fatigue which they can recover after some rest and food. The ingredients for the pills weren¡¯t costly but the pills were restricted only to be sold within the military. Selling or using these pills outside the military was strictly forbidden.


    Now we were given 4 pills each. I never imagined I would able to utilize these pills before I could become a full-fledged soldier. Talk about perks for being befriending nobles.


    ¡°Oi Bruno!¡±, I called out and asked, ¡°Why are we doing this?¡±


    We both were laying down on the dusty roof as we waited for the people to arrive.


    ¡°Hush! Keep your voice down.¡±, he said agitatedly, ¡°What do you mean by ''Why''? We are doing this as a duty as a fellow guardsman!¡±


    What the heck was he talking about?


    Today we searched for a lost pet, fixed a vegetable stall¡¯s roof and chased some kids who were soiling the wall with their pee.


    Isn¡¯t that duty enough for the likes of us guardsmen duty?


    Now suddenly we''re doing some serious shit and it''s just my first day on duty.


    Wasn¡¯t this the elite squads duty to handle such stuff?


    ¡°What I mean is that, why are we alone doing this? Why can¡¯t you just inform the military officials and they would handle the rest.¡±, I commented.


    Why were we risking our lives to go so far?


    Bruno had disappointed expression on his face as I asked this question.


    What¡¯s with that expression!


    ¡°The higher up¡¯s in the military are also are involved in this. Even if we did tell the military, they would most likely just change the whole meeting time and venue and they would never ever apprehend these bandits.¡±, he said.


    Wow! Never thought that this goofy face noble brat would be useful other than ordering those monkeys (Bruno and Thalia) around. He had some good brains that seemed to be functioning pretty well than I expected.


    ¡°Supposedly the military was to subjugate these bandits. We won¡¯t be able to get the information about the Cultist. Once they are captured, the royal family would surely intervene and suppress this sensitive information.¡±


    I see. Those royal jerks would surely apprehend these bandits. This was getting more and more complicated.


    But our wait was soon over and we saw three soldier''s approaching the designated place.

 The Midnight Investigation- III

    Those jerks had finally shown up.


    Those three corrupted scums were wearing their military patrol uniform. They were the soldiers who had been assigned on the patrol duty of the town. They didn''t even bother to cover their face and boldly marched in the back alley to do their shady business.


    Well, they were being backed up by high-ranking military officials so they shamelessly did these illegal things. I knew the government system was corrupted but didn''t know to this extent.


    I carefully dragged my body as I maintained to lay down on the roof. I moved closer to Bruno who seemed to be glaring at those officials with a serious look. He seems very agitated. I can''t blame him for a noble who happened to possess a strong sense of justice. So these things would surely strike a nerve.


    "Oi Bruno?", I asked, "Should we just apprehend these soldiers and interrogate about the cultist? I mean scuffling with those bandits sounds a bit extreme."


    Those bandits might outnumber us. Not to forget, each of them would be armed for sure. Ambush? This would be more like jumping in the jaws of a wolf.


    The easiest method would be to secure these corrupt soldiers and interrogate them. Later we might even get the location of those bandits and then after thoroughly planning, we can subjugate those bandits.


    This sounds more easy and safe method and also minimize our damages.


    I had already been beaten up pretty bad before, I don''t want that to happen again, this soon.


    "No. We will wait.", he replied without even looking at me.


    The goofy boy had surely looked more serious. It was kinda weird.


    He then continued,


    "As per my Intel, one of the subordinates of those bandits would show up to pay them the cash. We shall easily subjugate these soldiers but our utmost priority is to capture that one bandit. So even if he happened to be armed, it would be more like 4 vs 1."


    That makes sense.


    Not the whole group of bandits would straight appear for this transaction. Otherwise, they might be caught. So sending just one of their subordinate would make more sense. Hence even if he was armed with an iron class weapon, we four possessed auxiliary pills and not to forget those three were armed with enchanted gears.


    They had shelved out a concrete plan.


    "What if there would be more than one bandit that shows up?", I asked doubtingly.


    At my question, Bruno looked up for a second lost in thoughts,


    "We will still manage it somehow.", he replied while giving a thumbs up.


    I take back every praise.


    If it comes to the worst, we can alert the guards near the town but it would cost our mission.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Out of three, one soldier looked very tense and glanced around again and again at every step. It seemed that he was very worried if someone happened to spot them. The other two looked a bit happy as they seemed to be smiling.


    They also started conversing with each other but it was very far away for us to hear.


    Soon the trio came to a halt and stood in between the alley.


    "Let''s get a bit closer! I can''t hear a thing.", I said.


    Our top priority was to capture the bandit for their intel. So every small information counts, even if it happened to be a simple conversation.


    "But-", Bruno seemed hesitant.


    "There''s no time to waste. Precious intel is being leaked as speak. Let''s go.", I said, just when I saw William and Thalia, "See! They are also doing the same thing! Let''s go!"


    I guess those two also had the same idea as me.


    We both quietly headed down from the roof to the balcony at the 2nd floor. It was a perfect place to hide and to pry in their conversation at the same time.


    Thalia and William also happen to hide in a balcony in the opposite building.


    "Could you shut up!? Stop being a worrywart.", said one of the soldiers.


    "I am feeling sick! Can I go home already?", said the second soldier.


    They didn''t stand out much. They looked like your average people in their 30''s.


    Let''s name them soldier 1 and soldier 2 for now.


    "You don''t have to worry! I got this under control.", the 3 third soldier said proudly, "I got connections with the upper ranks, so don''t worry. Also if you want to go home, sure go ahead but I would take your share of money for myself. Hahaha!"


    This one was pretty cocky. I had already started to hate this guy, he had loads of arrogance. But unlike his big ego, his height was very short and what''s with that weird mustache.


    "Alright! If you say so then I would stay. I would stick around longer and lend my aid if you guys happen to be under attack.", said soldier 2.


    "You jerk! You are just sticking around for the sake of the money. If they did attack, you would be the first one to flee.", replied back soldier 1 tauntingly.


    "What did you say? Are you picking a fight? Huh?"


    "Sure! Wanna have a go?"


    "You guys should zip it! Stop your petty farce! Do you want to alert the guards, with your squabbling?", frowned the pipsqueak soldier.


    Even tho he was the shortest among the three, he was more mature and grounded, unlike his other 2 comrades.


    We eavesdropped on their conversation.


    But so far they only talked some nonsense and other random conversation which didn''t give us any important intel.


    What a complete useless fellows.


    After waiting for another 15 minutes, a person wearing robes with a hoodie surfaced at the end of the alleyway. He slowly approached the soldiers who were waiting in the center.


    "Get ready.", said Bruno.


    We went close to the railings of the balcony. The buildings were all deserted and there was no soul around here. The three soldiers were standing just below us.


    The bandit in the hoodie had just entered the alleyway and was headed towards the trio. If all goes well and when the bandit meets up with these soldiers, William can attack from above and takedown that bandit with one blow. Later we can easily able to subjugate those three soldiers. That was the plan so far.


    "Finally you showed up! We were falling asleep with all this waiting.", said soldier 1 haughtily to the bandit.


    Even I was going to fall asleep. Thankfully, the bandit did appear.


    "Hey! Could you lower your voice?", said soldier 2 to soldier 1.


    "It doesn''t matter. No one''s gonna come here this late at night. You should have a little bit of a backbone, you are a soldier after all.", said soldier 1 as he rigorously patted soldier 1''s back.


    "Stop it! That hurts.", exclaimed soldier 2.


    "Can you walk a little faster?", said the midget soldier, "Let''s get this done quickly. You don''t want to get on our bad side do you?"


    They sure like to act high and mighty. Being in the army had gotten in their heads.


    But I too wanna get this over with as soon as possible.


    For some reason, the culprit didn''t respond and continued to walk in his slow pace.


    After he ignored the statement of the midget, soldier 1 stepped forward and stomped his feet arrogantly.


    "Get your ass here! Before I would~", but he stopped talking in midway and stood quietly.


    "What''s the matter? At least finish your sentence.", said soldier 2.


    Suddenly blood started to spurt out from soldier 1''s forehead and pour down on the ground. Soon his lifeless body fell down on the ground on his back.


    A small dagger had punctured in his forehead.


    Shit had taken a turn for the worst.

 The Midnight Investigation- IV

    Seeing the lifeless body of soldier 2 fell down to the ground, soldier 1 jumped away and fell down on his butt.


    ¡°Wh-what the heck!... Richard! He¡¯s ¡­ he¡¯s dead!¡±, exclaimed the soldier 2 as he hysterically dragged his away from his dead friend.


    I had a feeling this wouldn¡¯t go as planned.


    Bruno exclaimed, ¡°Seize him!¡±


    Just when Bruno commanded, William rushed towards the bandit who was a few meters away. He jumped from the second-floor balcony to first ones. He skillfully leaped from railing to railing without missing a step. There were a number of balconies and window slabs in the buildings of the alley, as well as some of the bricks, were poking outward. Although this alley was a bit old and gloomy, it was a perfect place for freerunning.


    Just when William was heading down, the bandit equipped another dagger and threw at the direction of soldier 2.


    ¡°Look out!¡±, shrieked out, Bruno.


    Soldier 2 did nothing but sit down on the floor, being scared.


    I guess the bandit was killing these soldier¡¯s so they could have no witness. I should have known this would happen!


    Just before the dagger could hit soldier 2, Thalia tossed an old flower pot from her balcony. The dagger clashed with the flower pot and missed its target.


    ¡°Nice work, Thalia.¡±, shrieked out, Bruno.


    She really was skilled, aiming at that dagger with a flower pot, so swiftly and accurately. But there¡¯s was no time to stay wonderstruck by Thalia.


    ¡°Thalia, back him up! Bruno and I shall go defend those soldier.¡±, I ordered Thalia.


    Thalia nodded and followed William.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bruno!¡±, I said to Bruno and I climbed on the railing of my balcony.


    ¡°Eh? Okay!¡±, said Bruno and he dashed inside the room for some reason.


    ¡°Hey? Where you going?¡±, I asked.


    ¡°Towards the stairs, of course. I can¡¯t leap around like you monkeys.¡±, he replied as he sprinted inside the room and disappeared.


    What a useless guy!


    They would be long dead if we took the stairs. Nevermind!


    When I was about to leap off from my the balcony railing. Just when I heard a loud crashing sound and the whole building shook.


    ¡°What the-...¡±, I screamed to myself. I had almost lost my footing on the railing because of the shaking and rumbling. I glanced around to see what just happened.


    ¡°You really think you can capture me by laying an ambush? Let me show you how wrong you are.¡±, scowled out the bandit out loud.


    It looked like the bandit was armed with a whip.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    He swung around the whip thrashing everything around it. Thalia had engaged on a battle with the bandit. She skillfully dodged the whip slashes as she jumped and leaped around, evading the whip by hair¡¯s margin. She wasn¡¯t able to get near the bandit because of his whip.


    Just when I noticed, there was a hole in the building beside. That explains why William was not around there. I guess he took a hit from the whip and was sent flying towards the wall.


    He was acting all cool and mighty just a while ago, now he didn¡¯t even last for a second in front of the bandit. I hope he¡¯s still alive.


    I leaped from the balcony to the building in front of me. I kicked the wall before landing on the ground so I could minimize my force when falling down.


    I quickly went to the soldiers who were frozen in shock.


    ¡°Hey! Stop sitting around. Let¡¯s get moving.¡±, I said.


    ¡°Wh-who are yo-you people?¡±, asked soldier 2 who was sitting on the ground all shocked and panicky.


    ¡°We are just hero¡¯s of justice in a midnight stroll. Now stop asking questions and just follow me so we can take you to a safe location.¡±, I replied.


    There would be no point in explaining them. Even if we say that we were just Rookie guardsman, they won¡¯t believe us. If we lied and told them we were elite soldiers or fellow army soldiers, they would again ask about which battalion we belong or some shit. One wrong answer would rise to another question. Hence, answer them with such an absurd answer that even they would be wont be able to even ask another relatable question.


    ¡°Please save us!¡±, soldier 2 grabbed my hand, ¡°Richard! He¡¯s dead! He was killed!¡±


    His hand was trembling. He was terrified after seeing his friend die in front of his eyes.


    ¡°Pull yourself together!¡±, I said as I tried to help him to stand on his feet.


    But it seemed his legs weren¡¯t responding.


    ¡°Did you just pee yourself?¡±, I asked.


    ¡°I guess, I am trying to stand up but¡­ my legs!¡±, he shrieked out.


    ¡°Calm down first! Try to relax and breathe. We got your back.¡±, I said to comfort him.


    If he was such a wuss, why did he even join the army?


    Just when I was lending a hand to the soldier 2, midget soldier pushed me away.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Who are you, people? Tell me.¡±, he asked with his sword sheathed.


    ¡°As I said before I am here to help! Could you lend me a hand, to help your comrade?¡±, I asked.


    ¡°But what if you¡¯re an accomplice of that bandit?¡±, he questioned me as he pointed his sword.


    This guy was being skeptical, unlike his other comrades. That was a good trait, even I would be suspicious if some stranger would just randomly pop out from nowhere to save me. There was no human who would risk their life just for the sake of justice.


    ¡°Listen up! If I was really affiliated with those bandits. Why would we go through all this farce? We could still kill you right now if we wanted. What¡¯s the point of lying?¡±, I said, ¡°We are here to capture those bandits and I suppose you people have some dirt on them if I am not wrong.¡±


    To that, the shorty just bit his lip as he couldn¡¯t make a further argument.


    ¡°We shall comply! So please save us¡±, said soldier 2 who was still crawling over the ground on his four limbs.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go! Stand up already.¡±, I bent a little and stretched my hand to help me out again.


    ¡°Thanks a lot! I will surrender myself to the army! I don¡¯t want to die.¡±, he squealed in all panicky mode.


    Just when I was about to grab hold of his hand, a big chunk of rubble appeared in front of my face and landed further away in the alleyway. Just when the guy I was trying to help disappeared in front of my eyes.


    "What the hell!", I exclaimed.


    To my shock, the bandit hurled a large chunk of the rubble at our direction. It was the rubble of the wall in which William had crashed.


    I looked for soldier 2 but there was just a trail of blood now in front of me.


    ¡°No Ronny!¡±, exclaimed the midget.


    As my eyes followed the trail of blood which leads me to the chunk of the wall piece. There was nothing but just a chunk of a bloody piece of rubble at the end of the alley.


    ¡°That bastard! I am going to kill him.¡±, shrieked out the midget in fury.


    It seemed Thalia wasn¡¯t able to buy us a little more time.


    But to hurl such big rocks in such power. Soldier 2 had met his demise after being slammed with that rubble. There was nothing but a pulp of flesh that remained squashed underneath the rubble.


    No ordinary whip could be used to throw such heavy inanimate object in such force.


    That whip was enchanted equipment.

 The Midnight Investigation- V

    Well, I had expected that the bandit would have been armed in the worst case scenario with enchanted equipment but certainly, he¡¯s way more powerful than I had imagined. Thalia and William were taken down in an instant.


    The most problematic was his enchanted equipment. The whip¡¯s special attribute and long length kept close combatant like Thalia and Bruno at bay. No wonder they were taken down so easily.


    I could try to help them but I wasn¡¯t even able to save soldier 2 who died right in front of my eyes. If soldier 2 had been a bit gutsier, he could have been still alive.


    I paid my last respects to the dead soldier 2 whose body was crushed underneath the rubble flung by the bandit. The scene was pretty gore as the blood was splattered all around along with the pieces of his flesh.


    So this was just a mere glimpse of the power of the enchanted gear.


    I should be terrified right now but my mind was calm than ever before as I started to think about my next move.


    I remember being in such a pinch situation before. Even when the elite soldier cornered me with my limbs and ribs crushed despite being wriggling in pain and fear. I felt really on an edge and I enjoyed that thrill. Since childhood, I have been numb to pain. I don¡¯t feel pain as other¡¯s do. Only if the wound were very severe than only the pain kicks in.


    You could say I have a high tolerance against pain. You must be thinking I¡¯m some kinda masochist but I assure that I¡¯m not, at least I think I am not one.


    Nevermind, I don¡¯t have much time to waste.


    The situation as it is, not even the three us can stand a chance against this rampaging bandit, let alone capturing him alive. He¡¯s way out of our league.


    The bandit started to laugh a creepily as he celebrated in joy,


    ¡°Hahaha! Bullseye! Now, look at that pitiful sorry guy.¡±


    He raised his arm as he made a victory pose. It¡¯s not like anyone here to witness your victory dance! I guess he¡¯s the one seems to enjoy killing. People like those are very hard to deal with.


    If I hadn¡¯t agreed with them, I would have been sleeping in my warm bed instead of saving these corrupted good for nothing soldiers.


    We should make our escape while the bandit¡¯s busy with his victory celebratory.


    Just when I saw the short stack who was riled up and angrily giving the death stares to the bandit. He was the only survivor among the three and he doesn¡¯t feel like escaping. I know where this was heading.


    ¡°Oi, short stuff! We should get moving before he on to us.¡±, I called out to him.


    But he seemed really pissed,


    ¡°That asshole is laughing! He¡¯s having fun while killing my comrades! I am going to kill that bastard!¡±, he answered aggressively with a teary eye. He even gritted his teeth while clutching his fist tightly.


    He looked like a typical vengeful typical protagonist from the famous tales and dramas. His anger was clearly visible and it might have been intimidating if it wasn¡¯t for his tiny stature.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re angry and want to avenge your comrades. Face the facts, right now we tried to take him down will be like a suicide. You don¡¯t wanna end up the same as your friends do you?¡±, I said with a serious and coldly. I know I was being insensitive but if I tried to channel his anger instead on me, at least he won¡¯t charge at that bandit angrily.


    ¡°You fucking shit!¡±, the midget grabbed on my collar, ¡°You¡¯re the same! Cold-hearted shits! I should kill you in his place!¡±


    For a tiny guy, he managed to grab hold on my collar while standing on tiptoes. Joke apart, his stronghold on my collar explained how angry he was.


    But there¡¯s no time for drama.


    I grabbed on the shorty¡¯s collar in return and lifted him in air,


    ¡°Now listen, you arrogant twerp! You should have thought about the consequences before making a deal with those bloodthirsty whackos! You guys are the reason, we¡¯re in this mess in the first place.¡±, I said angrily.


    He made a remorseful face and looked away from my eyes.


    I continued,


    ¡°If you really wanna avenge your friends then try to be co-operative. If we work together we might have a slim chance taking down that lunatic bandit, once and for all!¡±


    The midget started to reassess my suggestion and after taking some seconds to think he agreed with a nod.


    At last, he listening to reasoning.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere but to the afterlife.¡±, exclaimed the bandit who was standing in a distance. I guess he was eavesdropping in our little conversation. Crap, I almost forgot about him while explaining the shorty.


    We were almost in the range of his whip. This situation seems grim and I don¡¯t think we can escape unscathed. If it came to worst, I would just abandon this midget. I have plans of my own for the future, so I won¡¯t die in an alleyway so soon. I will only do that only if I run out of options. If this guy also dies, then all this hard work would be for nothing.


    The bandit approached us as he struck his whip on the ground trying to be all intimidating but it was working.


    We raised our guard and stood firm. I continued to glare back at the bandit,


    ¡°Oi, short stuff!¡±, I said softly, ¡°Be ready to make a run.¡±


    ¡°But what about him?¡±, he asked.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    To his question, I answered with silence. I didn¡¯t have clue myself, what should I be doing. I was just trying to act cool as always while wearing my poker face. The bandit had cornered us and we were in his whip¡¯s striking range.


    ¡°Say your prayers, I¡¯ll be sending to the gods you people worship so eagerly. Hahaha!¡±, said the bandit as he licked his whip. That¡¯s fucking gross, you were just striking that on the ground, a second ago.


    Just when he pulled his arm backward in an attempt to strike us with his whip, suddenly the balcony on top of the bandit collapsed. The big rubbles from the balcony started to fall on top of the bandit. Those were some sizeable rocks that could cause some serious damage.


    But it seemed the bandit was quick, he changed the whip¡¯s target and sliced the falling big rubbles to a size. This caused a lot of dust and rubbles to cloud the area which created a smoke screen. At that moment I saw a shadowy figure leaped from the first floor to attack the bandit¡¯s blind side. I recognized that it was none other than Thalia who charged with her short sword. She was using the momentum and height in her advantage to land a critical blow.


    I guess she was the one who brought down the balcony on top of the bandit. She¡¯s one scary girl, I give her that. When she jumped on the bandit to attack, she rotated twice mid-air putting all her weight in the sword in one single swing. Other than her voluptuous body, she also possessed toned muscles. With that type of attack, she could easily slice a human in half like butter.


    By the way, we wanted this dude alive. That was the whole point of our mission to extract intel. Well, nevermind.


    Just when the bandit,


    ¡°Nice try!¡±, and he quickly turned facing towards Thalia and blocked her sword with the whip¡¯s handle.


    ¡°Tch¡±, let out Thalia.


    Thalia grabbed on the whip¡¯s handle and landed on the ground. Then she started to attack with volley¡¯s of kicks while holding the whip¡¯s handle in her hand.


    Whereas, the bandit easily blocked her kicks with just one hand easily. He had a firm hold on the whip with his other hand.


    ¡°Child¡¯s play!¡±, exclaimed the bandit with a creepy grin.


    Just when the bandit was blocking Thalia¡¯s kicks, I noticed William. He quickly went behind the bandit¡¯s back and leaped on him,


    ¡°Try stopping this!¡± exclaimed William as he placed an overhead punch with his enchanted gauntlets.


    He used his full power that the bandit fell flat on his face with a loud thud. The impact was powerful that the bandit¡¯s head submerged down on the ground and blood was splashed all around.


    After seeing the bandit¡¯s lifeless body.


    ¡°Now how do you like that?! You filthy crook.¡±, exclaimed William. I guess this was his victory line.


    William shirt was in tatters and he was wearing armor underneath. So that¡¯s how he survived the whip¡¯s attack.


    ¡°Oi? Making a victory pose after making a cowardly attack like that. You have no shame do you?¡±, I asked in a taunting manner.


    If he had done this before, we wouldn¡¯t have to go through all this hassle.


    ¡°Shut up! Desmond! As if you did anything today.¡±, William made a strong point, I hate to admit but he was right.


    ¡°At least, I did much better than Bruno. Where is he? Did he ran back home?¡±, I asked while I looked around.


    ¡°Master doesn¡¯t need to do anything. We¡¯re here for his sake.¡±, added William.


    ¡°Good work!¡±, said Thalia as she patted William¡¯s back.


    ¡°No sweat.¡±, he replied as he fixed his glasses proudly.


    ¡°What good work? We were supposed to apprehend that guy, ALIVE. That was the whole point. What good is a dead carcass?¡±, I said.


    There was no point in killing this guy. At least, there was no benefit for our main mission in hand.


    Thalia placed her hand on my shoulder and had a cheerful cute smile,


    ¡°Now, now. Don¡¯t sweat small details.¡±


    ¡°If you think you can get by this with just your cute smile then you have another thing coming miss.¡±


    What does she think I am? This was a big deal, also I had to sacrifice my good night sleep so there¡¯s that. If this all turns out for nothing, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll make them pay for sure, count on it.


    Just when everything had calmed down. I saw a goofy young man approaching in our direction.


    ¡°Glad you made it. You could just have arrived in the morning after having breakfast and shit.¡±, I suggested with a fake smile.


    Where the fuck was he, all this time?!


    The battle died out and now he makes an appearance!


    ¡°If I did that than the bandit would have escaped already.¡±, answered back Bruno with his goofy voice.


    He didn¡¯t pick on my sarcasm. I guess banging my head against the wall would have been more productive than insulting him.


    ¡°Sorry it took me a while, I lost my way in the alleyway. These alleys are like a maze, I thought I would never make out from that. Phew.¡±


    William stepped forward,


    ¡°We should get moving. The patrol guards will come marching here, any second.¡±


    ¡°You shorty!¡±, Bruno called out to the midget soldier, ¡°You are coming with us, we have a few questions that need answers. We at least deserve that much for going through all this trouble.¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me shorty! The name¡¯s Simon!¡±, answered the midget sternly.


    ¡°Bruno, you¡¯re almost the same height as this midget.¡±, I said as placed one hand on Bruno¡¯s head, ¡°Also you didn¡¯t do squat! The only trouble you had was to find your way through the alleyway which sounds like bogus. You were just hiding in a corner.¡±


    He didn¡¯t do shit! Acting all high and mighty after missing the whole fight and then you come acting high and mighty. That just pisses me off!


    Just when William butted in like usual to save his master,


    ¡°You mongrel! I won¡¯t let you-¡±


    ¡°Desmond! There¡¯s no time to joke around. If the guards catch up, we might even lose Simon, which is our only lead.¡± answered back Bruno with a serious expression.


    ¡°Before going, at least let me collect their name tags. As a memento remembers by.¡±, requested Simon.


    Bruno nodded,


    ¡°Sure go ahead but be quick.¡±


    With Bruno¡¯s approval, Simon went to the corpses of his deceased friends to collect those tags. These name tags were handed to every soldier in the army. These tags had information regarding the soldier like his name, blood type, even religious preferences, etc.


    ¡°Are you guys alright?¡±, asked Bruno to Thalia and William with worrisome eyes.


    ¡°I am alright! Don¡¯t need to worry about us,¡± replied Thalia.


    ¡°This was nothing. Piece of cake.¡± answered back William haughtily.


    He pulled a sneak attack. If he was spotted by that bandit, he would be the one lying down on the ground instead.


    Just when Bruno was busy chatting with Thalia and William I approached the dead bandit.


    Today everything was for nothing. I don¡¯t think Simon had much dirt on these group of bandits.


    But if I just take his whip for myself that this endeavor would be worth it. This weapon was pretty powerful and I might even rise in ranks and make me closer to reach my goals.


    It¡¯s not like I¡¯m stealing, this was scavenging, spoils of war. Also, I¡¯m taking from the thieves so that doesn¡¯t count as stealing.


    I glanced back to check if anyone was watching me. Bruno and the bunch were gossiping and planning ahead whereas Simon was occupied while trying to find the name tags.


    I quickly bend down to grab the whip but it seemed to be glued on the bandit¡¯s hand. Even after death, he was being so stubborn piece of shit.


    ¡°What¡¯s with this grip! I have to chop his hand to free it. I guess.¡±, I said softly with a scornful tone.


    Cutting his hand would be a bloody mess but I have to take this whip for myself. I should do it quickly before the other three lays eyes on it. They might barge in for their share too.


    Just when I trying to take the whip for myself, I heard growling sounds coming from the hole where the bandit¡¯s head was buried.


    Then all of a sudden, the bandit started to ooze out a strong bloodlust that it sent chills on my bones. I backed away in distant.


    ¡°Oh! Heads up! This isn¡¯t over of yet.¡±, I exclaimed and warned others.

 The Midnight Investigation- VI

    I instinctively backed away from the bandit. For some reasons my gut feeling said that I must get away from him and I did so. My instinct¡¯s never have failed me as far as I know, I¡¯m still alive and breathing thanks to that.


    ¡°Oi heads up! It¡¯s not over of yet.¡±, I exclaimed aloud warning everyone,


    "I guess we¡¯re gonna have to postpone our victory celebration. That bandit''s still alive, heads up.¡±


    It¡¯s mind-boggling that the bandit survived the enchanted gauntlets blow at a point-blank range. That gauntlet put a hole in the horse saddle so I was pretty sure he should be downright a dead man. I even saw blood splashing around when William landed the blow.


    Was he some kinda zombie who doesn''t need a brain to function?


    The more I think about that guy, the creepier he gets.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±, asked William, ¡°What''s the matter? Is this the first time you saw death? Don''t worry he''s down for the count.¡±


    This guy ain¡¯t buying it!


    Why am I even going in such length to save their sorry ass?


    I let out a sigh,


    ¡°See it for yourself, that guy will be up in his feet any second now.¡±


    Thalia raised her guard and unsheathed her sword,


    ¡°Master. You must stay back, just in case.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious? Even you think that guy could survive my attack?¡±, asked William, ¡°Desmond¡¯s just being hysterical. It¡¯s the first time he saw such death, so I can¡¯t blame him.¡±


    He thinks I¡¯m being paranoid. Many people who had seen such death for the first time starts to panic. That traumatic state leads them to be in a delusional state where they also could see dead people. Indirectly he was stating that I was mentally feeble!


    It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t witnessed death but also have been through a close death experience myself. Well, I can¡¯t blame him for being in a state of denial. William who was an ex-military soldier also was the bodyguard of the proud house of Marshfield. This guy was inflated with pride and ego. Hence, if his enemy did survive his mightiest attack then it would be a huge blow to his self-esteem. I am sure one of these days his proud ass will get the better of him.


    Soon the dead bandit started to move. His hands grabbed the cold ground and with its support, he frees his head which buried stuck under the ground.


    William dropped his jaw wide as he viewed this scene. He removed his cracked glasses which seemed to have damage while he engaged in battle. I guess, he couldn''t believe his eyes.


    William was in a state of shock which was a scene to behold!


    Seeing him in such a state was a treat to my eyes. Little shit thought he was one of the best soldier or some shit. Now his ego was in tatters.


    Although I know I was cheering for the wrong side but still, I gotta thank this bandit to give me such sight to see.


    ¡°This cannot be happening! He should have been dead, right now! I saw his brains splatter across! No human can survive that! How is he¡­¡± William started to ask numerous question while being in a state of hysteria.


    Wasn¡¯t this guy lecturing me of being paranoid a second ago?


    Uh, this proud noble shits!


    If you ever wanna land a fatal blow to noblemen, that should be on his/her self-esteem. In that way, you can strip them butt naked and kill them thousands time over.


    If some aristocratic nobleman was somehow left in a jungle. I bet that he won¡¯t even survive for a half an hour before losing his sanity. In a survival, Pride ain¡¯t worth jack when the life is on the line.


    The bandit rose from the ground like some kinda zombie. His face was a mess. I couldn¡¯t see much because of all the blood splashed around on his face. Although William¡¯s attack failed to kill, it still did a number on the bandit.


    Still even able to stand on its feet with that condition, that bandit had some insane amount of tenacity.


    ¡°You coward little shits!¡±, exclaimed the angry bandit, ¡°I shall make sure to skewer every little Rublian pigs, tonight. Just you wait!¡±


    The bandit''s voice boomed throughout the alleyway. We had raised our guard but my instincts were screaming to get the hell away from this place altogether.


    ¡°Oi guys what about the battle pill, if you are saving it for a special occasion than now¡¯s a right time,¡± I suggested the Bruno group.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    I took out my pill stashed from my pocket.


    This battle pill was like a regular battle pill but it boosted one¡¯s potential to fourfold. It looked like a spherical little ball, the size of a fingernail. The half side of the pill was bright red and the other half was white.


    I was ready to intake the pill any second.


    Thalia looked at me with a worried smile,


    ¡°We used up all our pills in the battle before.¡±


    We were royally fucked.


    That guy took head on a blow of William¡¯s gauntlet attack which was enhanced with the battle pill to a fourfold. There''s no way that bandit dude could have survived that. Such a sturdiness isn''t humanly possible.


    But only if he was wearing an enchanted headgear. I am pretty sure that the hood he was wearing was enchanted. It could be iron class or higher but that''s just rough guess.


    William was still in a daze mumbling to himself, how he failed to kill that dude,


    ¡°How can that be, he should have been dead. My fist went numb on impact so how come he still standing, this cannot be. I am the proud butler of Marshfield and bodyguard of Sir Bruno, this is unacceptable¡­¡± and so on he babbled. It was a rejoicing scene but I had no time to enjoy his pitiable scene.


    I gave him a nice smack on the face,


    ¡°Snap out of it! That guy¡¯s headgear is an enchanted gear so no point on frowning over a spilled milk. MAN UP¡±


    William somehow returned to his senses and nodded.


    I really wanted to slap him like that for a long time! I could have slapped him some more if needed without any hesitation.


    Just when amidst the commotion Thalia tried to slip away in one of the passageways but the bandit¡¯s whip struck the passage walls which fell down and obstructed her only path. I guess she was trying to escape in order to approach the bandit from behind and then launch a surprise attack. She was not trying to flee, she¡¯s not the person to leave her master behind like that.


    ¡°Nice try! But there¡¯s nowhere to run is there.¡± said the bandit as he grinned creepily.


    The bandit¡¯s face was a mush like some kinda crushed tomatoes.


    How the fuck is he grinning with that face?


    It just hurts by just looking at him.


    Despite the grave injuries, he was still standing tall.


    ¡°Oi, William, Thalia! Can¡¯t you search in your deep pockets? Maybe there could be some pills left, just try searching, goddamit!¡± I suggested.


    There could be an incy-wincy chance that we might still survive this ordeal. Who knows we still have some pills left like a typical drama where the good prevails on evil thanks to the luck of the hero and his friends. That¡¯s how most of the fairy tales end all the time.


    What we need was an element of luck.


    Thalia didn¡¯t even bother to respond to my suggestion and stood headstrong facing that zombie bandit.


    ¡°Oi! Thalia, William! Just try checking, there could be two-three pills waiting for us!¡± I re-suggested.


    ¡°No point!¡±, answered Thalia ¡°We had only bought 3 pills each and we used 2 pills and gave the other to you.¡±


    ¡°Seriously! Aren¡¯t you noblemen can¡¯t you just milk out more pills than that? With all that wealth, only 3 pills?¡± I asked in a disappointed tone.


    ¡°We had trouble getting hands on these pills as it is. The military faction tends to keep a good track of their goods. If we were to purchase in bulk then that might have blown our cover.¡± added Bruno.


    ¡°What good is a cover? If we end up dead, anyway!¡± I replied with a frown.


    Bruno was standing behind us alongside the midget soldier.


    The midget soldier was armed with his crossbow aimed at the bandit.


    Despite the odds, that shrimp held his ground. He didn¡¯t show any type of fear.


    Even Bruno had a strong resolve on his face despite his hand was trembling. Armed with nothing but a dagger with intricate designs. Looked like a costly dagger.


    I guess his body wasn¡¯t as brave as his mind.


    William also had calmed down and back to his usual self.


    He seemed to ready to take another round to go toe to toe with that mushy faced bandit.


    ¡°Alright time to end this in one swoop!¡±, exclaimed the bandit, ¡°Change gear!¡±


    Suddenly the jewel on the whip¡¯s handle started to glow and it started to erupt a strange light. The energy oozed out from the jewel and spread out throughout the whip.


    We were all little confused and puzzled with the sudden change in his weapon.


    Soon after pointy spikes appeared on the rope of the whip. The spikes looked pointy and sharp and it was long as my little finger.


    But that''s not the end of it.


    Strange enough the spikes also started turning in high speed.


    What the heck was this new form?


    One strike from that can easily take out a chunk of our skin with ease.


    Despite that everyone was ready to take him on. We were like some kinda patriotic soldier doing a suicidal mission without any regrets.


    I don¡¯t plan on throwing my life for this shit. I don¡¯t give a crap about patriotism. My patriotism lies only till the border of my apartment room and the only people I promise to protect was Armin and Rose. I didn¡¯t sign up for this crap! I got along with them because I wanted to find my old man and not to march to my death.


    If it came to worse, I will consume my battle pill to make my escape.


    You think its cowardly of me to leave my allies behind. Oh like I care!


    I don¡¯t wanna die and leave Armin and Rose behind like that. I still have to secure a place where they could live their lives happily while holding their head high.


    Until that, I don''t plan to die for anyone else.


    Everyone braced themselves to attack while I took the battle pill on my hands.


    The Bandit stretched back his arm behind with full force to launch a strike. The whip¡¯s spike which was rotating at high speed slashed apart all the walls and the ground that it touched.


    ¡°Hey Razor, what do you think you doing?¡± a feminine voice interrupted.


    The bandit stopped right in his tracks and glanced at this new stranger who butted in,


    ¡°Huh? Saskia? What are you doing here?¡± asked the Bandit.


    There was a woman standing on the roof of a near building. She had a covered her mouth with a veil and was dressed in some kind of black long tights with a tight black blouse. Her purple eyes looked as it was glowing. I can definitely bet she wasn''t here to help us.


    Just when I thought this situation get any worse, another ally of the bandit had jumped in the fray.

 The Midnight Investigation- VII

    Just when we have our asses handed to this bandit, it seemed another fellow comrade of the bandit has just appeared on the scene.


    Where in the heck¡¯s the element of luck!


    What happened to the motto where good prevails over evil.


    ¡°You were clearly instructed to swiftly eliminate those soldiers and return at once. And here you are disobeying just to play your games.¡±, said the woman in black as she placed her palm on the head, ¡°Why am I ordered to go to such lengths to retrieve you back. I am not your babysitter.¡±


    Well, this new chic was definitely was his ally. She was elegantly standing at the edge of the roof like some kinda ninja. But she was speaking with the bandit like they were equals. That means she must be just as powerful as the bandit if not equal. I don¡¯t think I would be able to escape even after intaking the battle pill.


    ¡°This looks bad guys¡±, said Bruno from behind ¡°It looks like one of his comrades as joined.¡±


    ¡°Where fuck are the guards when we need them?!¡± I questioned.


    We totally blew up and demolished half of the buildings here. The skirmish should have attracted some patrol guards on our way by now! Those guards were crowded down the streets like stray dogs but now not a single squad had arrived here. That¡¯s pretty strange.


    ¡°That¡¯s very strange. At least a handful of soldiers should have arrived by now," said William.


    We were in the section of the abandoned buildings but there were always soldiers patrolling the streets. Even before the prototype was stolen there were always guards patrolling around.


    ¡°I guess these bandits have connections with higher echelon within the military. That explains a lot of things,¡± added Thalia.


    ¡°Ha! That¡¯s not surprising at all.¡± I added.


    Some asshole high ranking military plunder their own country for their greed and some nobles like these (Bruno and the bunch) likes to play the hero. Are there any sensible person in the noble family or everyone¡¯s mind filled with shit.


    Just when we were losing our minds-


    ¡°Instead of gossiping, you guys should plan our next move.¡± suggested the midget soldier.


    ¡°Oh! Thanks for bringing us back to reality.¡±, I thanked the midget soldier and put my hand on his shoulder with a friendly smile. ¡°Why are you standing in the back?! Come stand at the front and take the lead. I guess you have a better idea than our idle less bitching about how corrupted the judicial system is. Please be our savior.¡±


    Why this little shit was acting high and mighty! Did he forget that he was the reason we had ended up in this situation in the first place? If he had some kind of a plan than he can sure take the lead.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just charge at them with everything we got!¡± suggested the midget with determined eyebrows of a person that has nothing to lose.


    ¡°Wow, short stack! What a brilliant, original plan you came up with and here we were thinking about to invite them over tea and biscuits!¡±


    This shorty was brain dead. If charged at them on head-on, they would surely mince us down to size. That bandit, god knows how many lives he has and that new chic, god knows what she has in stock for us.


    ¡°How could you even suggest to befriend such bloodthirsty ruffians!¡± shrieked Bruno, ¡°And here I thought you¡¯re a good-hearted man.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± added the midget soldier.


    ¡°I knew he was trash in the beginning,¡± commented William.


    What the heck was wrong with these people. Bruno was a brain dead for picking up humor but even the midget soldier the same? Also, William adding fuel in the matter.


    ¡°There¡¯s a thing called a ¡®Sarcasm¡¯. Are you guys that dense on picking my dark humor? Is everyone so brain dead or what?¡± I questioned agitatedly.


    I like people get offended on my harsh insults but these guys are getting offended even without realizing the real meaning behind my humor. Where the fuck do they stash their brains?!


    ¡°Desmond there¡¯s no time to joke!¡± said Thalia as she glared at the enemy and raised her guard.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± said the ninja woman dressed in black, standing on the rooftop, ¡°It seems you have attracted quite a lively crowd. *sighs* Why do you keep increasing our workload and why is that I have to clean after your mess? We don¡¯t have time to deal with all of them. Centralized guards are marching right now as we speak.¡±


    ¡°What they already know about my whereabouts, this early?¡± questioned the bandit mush face.


    This was good information if we were to stall these guys for a bit longer than we will have reinforcements.


    Even if there are some corrupt officials there are some duty-bound military officials who might have seen through their charade and sent their team of soldiers. If we group up with them then we sure have a fighting chance against these two thugs.


    ¡°It seems like you have already killed the other two soldier, the only one that remains is that shrimp of a soldier. Let me kill him for you.¡± said the lady in black as she gazed at midget soldier who was standing right behind my back.


    William and Thalia stepped forward,


    ¡°Sorry, we can¡¯t let you kill him. We are taking him under custody to ask some questions. We can¡¯t let you kill him.¡± said William.


    I guess William was back on his game. He was so down not a second ago. Damn, I would love to see, the sulking William but nevermind now. We can stall them for some time until the reinforcement arrives.


    I unequipped my knife ready for combat. I reserved the battle pill for later use and kept back in my pocket. I would use it to escape later but it seems that I have a greater chance of survival if we stick together for now.


    But it seemed that our action didn''t affect that chic in black in any way. She looked at us utter disgust in her eyes. She was looking down on us like we were some kinda bugs.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to play with you people¡±, she said to us in response to William¡¯s statement, ¡°I have to kill that shrimp,¡± she says as she points her finger to midget soldier.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± exclaimed midget soldier.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± asked Bruno worriedly.


    ¡°Something stung me, just now.¡± said the midget soldier.


    I turned around angrily,


    ¡°Stop complaining and stay focused. We are going to lose our head and limbs here and you are worried about some bug bites?!¡±


    ¡°What''s this on my forehead?¡± asked the midget.


    ¡°A needle?¡± I and Bruno said it simultaneously.


    Out of nowhere a long needle that was as long as my index finger was piercedon the midget''s forehead. It was a slim needle with a small tiny green ball-type head at the end.


    ¡°Where did it came from?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Our work is done here¡±, said the chic in black, ¡°Let''s go back, Razor!¡±


    ¡°But what about the other brats, they made a mess out of my beautiful face.¡± said the mush faced bandit as he glared at us angrily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me kill you too. Let''s get moving already.¡± said the black chic before disappearing in the mid-air. I am pretty sure she just dissolved in the air right in front of my eyes.


    What to do they mean by that?


    Midget is still alive and well.


    ¡°Stay away from him!¡± shrieked out Thalia and pulled me and Bruno away from midget soldier.


    She dragged us by the edge of our back collar and pulled us to a distance.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± asked Bruno.


    The midget soldier was also confused as he stared at Thalia¡¯s action in a daze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me,¡± I said, ¡°That little needle is something we should be afraid of.¡±


    To that William and Thalia didn¡¯t respond but continued to glare at midget soldier.


    The midget soldier listening to our conversation looked on his forehead where the needle was pierced. It didn¡¯t seem to affect him anyway. He removed the pin from his forehead and observed it carefully.


    ¡°Guys doesn¡¯t seem to be different from any other needle.¡± said the midget soldier as he studied the pin in one hand and carried his loaded crossbow on the other.


    ¡°So did we mistake it?¡± asked William confusedly to Thalia. She also had no idea why nothing was happening just when...


    Just when I heard a sudden snap sound of something breaking.


    Midget¡¯s one of his arm started to turn and twist in a gruesome way. Even his wrists twisted the opposite way than normally. Even every one of his fingers twisted and blood oozed out from every joint of his bones. He screamed on top of his throat.


    But the screams were just going to get intense.


    Thalia closed Bruno¡¯s eyes,


    ¡°Master its better if you don¡¯t watch this.¡±


    Soon the same thing happened to one of his legs. The toes of his foot started to twist and blood again splurts out from its joints the same that happened to his arm. His legs were twisted backside. Soon his other leg started to twist and bones were getting broken and all he could do was lay on the ground in the pool of his own blood and scream in agony.


    Despite the pain, he tried to reach out for the crossbow with his only arm which was still functioning unlike other. Suicide was the best option than dying like a human whose blood was wrung out like wet clothes wrung out to exclude out water before hanging them to dry.


    But when he reached out for the crossbow his finger started to twist along with his arm.


    The midget with all his limbs broken and bleeding from his wounds looked at us with pitiful eyes and said,


    ¡°Kill¡­ me¡­¡±


    His skin started to shed blood from the pores of his sweat glands and even his eyes were starting to bleed.


    I took my knife and flung it right on the center of his forehead and relieved him from his agony.


    He fell silent on the wound from my knife and somehow his body stopped twisting and turning.


    What type of poison in the name of God was that?


    I had no words for the destruction of the weapons caused by enchantment gears. That short stack was armed with nothing but a regular wooden crossbow and he still withheld his ground to fight those bandits.


    If the woman had also targeted us then even we guys would have been dead like him.


    This was too gruesome of death for that midget unlike the other 2 of his companions, he died the most painfully.


    ¡°We need to get moving!¡±, said Thalia, ¡±The soldiers are moving are approaching. We must escape this spot without them noticing us.¡±


    William carried Bruno on his back and made his escape followed by Thalia from behind.


    I paid my respects to midget soldier for one last time before escaping from the incident site.

 The Rat Hunt - l

    I was completely exhausted and drenched in my sweat. I was doing my nighttime workout to keep my body in check. My apartment was a little crowded so I couldn¡¯t do my training there. So after putting Armin and Rose to bed, I went to our building¡¯s terrace where I could do some training.


    I had already taken the permission of the landlady and she gave me a spare key for accessing the terrace after she heard my reasoning. The landlady was one stern woman when it came to the monthly rents but she also had a soft side to her. I am really, thankful that I could do some training on the terrace.


    I may be fit but I need more strength and more power.


    I know, I am just a lowly ambitious boy with a dream to reach out to the stars.


    It was almost been a week from the uproar happened in the alleyway but it still feels like it was just yesterday.


    From that day onwards I have been training extra hard that I even started doing a nighttime workout after putting Armin and Rose to bed.


    I wasn¡¯t able to get proper sleep after that incident so instead of lying on my bed waiting to fall asleep, I just started to be more productive by training more. Tonight was just another night like any other.


    I was drenched in my sweat so I removed my shirt and hanged it on the terrace ledge to dry. My body was exhausted so I took a break and let cold night breeze to cool down my tired muscles after doing an intense workout.


    My mind was still stuck back at the time where our collision with the bandit took place. I can¡¯t get that out of my back of mind for some reason.


    The thing was that most bugs me was that I couldn¡¯t even protect those three soldiers. It¡¯s not like I was close to those three but it was my duty to protect them and I failed miserably. I couldn¡¯t even do a simple job as that.


    Most of the work cut out was for Thalia and William who collided with the silver rank weapon holder with their mere bronze weapon. They might have failed to defeat that mush faced bandit but still landed a fatal blow by intaking less damage as possible. Their teamwork was a flawless one and I, on the other hand, was just a useless deadweight.


    I always flung crap at those rich noble bastards and how rotten and useless their skills were just because they were handed out enchanted gears. I believed that William and Thalia were just like one of them.


    I thought I could take those people down with ease with my skills alone but I was wrong.


    In the end, I was just all bark and no bite.


    The people who I looked down on, were ultimately the reason that I was alive and standing here right now. I feel pathetic and ashamed of myself.


    Is this the difference between enchanted gear holders and just an ambitious boy filled with arrogance.


    Now I had known what was my position in this vast world.


    Bruno was also a dead weight back in the alleyway so it makes two of us. I wasn¡¯t alone dragging the team back there. But for some reason that didn¡¯t make me feel any better.


    We went through all that trouble for nothing. I have now encountered close death experience twice in a month. It was enough to experience for this lifetime, I am done with this shit.


    Suddenly I slapped both of cheeks with my hands.


    ¡°Enough moping around!¡± I shrieked out to myself.


    Despite the odds, I must conquer fame and wealth even without the use of enchanted gear. It might sound like an impossible goal but somehow my old man succeded. I must surpass him even though I hate him from the bottom of my heart. Even if I hate my old man but I still respect his skills and achievements.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    When I was lost in the middle of thoughts suddenly I heard¡­


    ¡°Hey, big bro! So this is where you were!¡±


    I turned around in surprise, it was Armin who was standing at the doorway of the terrace in his night pajamas.


    ¡°Hey, Armin! Its way past bedtime! What are you doing here?¡± I asked agitatedly while trying to keep my voice down. It was already late in the night and I didn''t want to wake anyone up, not especially the landlady.


    It was very unusual for Armin to not fell asleep. He''s the most active kid throughout the day so at night he would fast asleep from exhaustion. Even the hibernating bears would wake up but not him. He won¡¯t wake up like this unless¡­


    ¡°Big bro, I wanted to go to the loo but when I tried to look for you, you weren¡¯t there in the room. So I then I started looking around to the building until I found you up here,¡± replied Armin with his arms crossed while he glared at me.


    Why was he the one glaring at me?


    Shouldn''t it be the other way around?


    ¡°I was just doing some training, can¡¯t you just wake Rose? Why did you have to go all the way out here? It¡¯s dangerous at the night for kids to be lurking around.¡±


    ¡°Big bro, are you seriously asking me to ask a girl to take me to a bathroom? Are you really, so dumb?¡± asked Armin cheekily as he had a disappointed expression.


    This little runt! When did he start to act all gentlemanly?


    ¡°Oh yeah? Excuse this dummy dumb but if you were so intelligent as you portray yourself than you should go to the loo yourself.¡±, I picked my shirt hanged on the ledger and hanged it on my shoulder, ¡°Also if you could walk all out the way to the terrace at nighttime then a bathroom shouldn¡¯t be a big problem.¡±


    To that Armin just snickered and look the other way as he scratched his head.


    "Nevermind let''s just get going."


    Arguing with him any further would be pointless.


    I then exited the terrace along with Armin and closed the terrace door. The landlady had strictly instructed to lock the door of the terrace after use. I don¡¯t want to chewed out by the landlady so I started to lock the door. The door had a huge lock placed on the latch. It was dark so I had trouble locking it right away.


    ¡°Gimme a second Armin, this crappy lock is¡­¡± I said as I was struggling with the lock.


    ¡°Big bro?¡± called out Armin.


    ¡°What is it? Hold it in a little longer.¡± I answered without looking at him while still busy struggling with the lock.


    ¡°Brother, I will surpass you and get even more, stronger.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I replied.


    I was a bit surprised to hear that out of nowhere.


    I glanced at Armin but he was standing therewith headstrong attitude and determinant look in his eyes.


    This was the first time I ever saw Armin act that way for once.


    ¡°Yes! I will become a great strong soldier in the country and then I will be the one to protect you and Rose,¡± he answered sternly.


    What was wrong with Armin?


    Did he eat something weird?


    I first locked the door then,


    ¡°Let me check your temperature,¡± I placed my hand on his forehead and then compared it with mine, ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like you have a fever.¡±


    Armin suddenly became furious and pouted his face,


    ¡°Big bro! I am serious here!¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah!¡± I answered and stroked Armin¡¯s head, ¡°You know what? Before surpassing me, you should first try going to the toilet alone in the middle of the night. Haha!¡±


    We started to head to our apartment and continued our conversation along the way.


    "Don''t laugh bro! That''s just one of the hardship that every warrior should go through." answered back Armin.


    "Going toilet in the night?"


    "Yes, of course! Every warrior should go through this trial."


    "What the heck have you been reading these days? Don''t tell me you spent your pocket money on mumbo-jumbo crap book?"


    "Big bro! It''s the book how to become a legend with 12 easy steps. It''s really helpful."


    "Become a legend in 12 steps? If that was so easy then what the heck am I even doing here. I think the book might have better ideas then me joining the guardsmen regiment. Aww, my rotten luck."


    "Sure! I can lend it to you if you want?"


    "I''ll burn it if ever see that thing."


    Soon we reached the room and it seemed Rose was still asleep. Otherwise, I would have another lecture coming that I overwork myself, blah, blah.


    After aiding Armin on his one warrior trial''s (midnight loo) we went to sleep.


    I was really, moved by Armin¡¯s words. It would have been better if Armin didn¡¯t choose the same path as me. Being a soldier and making fame was a difficult job. He could be better off being some merchant or businessman but because of his lack of intelligence which was a big hurdle to cross.


    Still, I never thought I would hear such words from Armin. That he would be the one to protect me and Rose. Not long ago, he carefreely roamed butt naked after having a bath and suddenly he was talking about protecting and taking responsibilities.


    Kids certainly, do grow in a blink of an eye.

 The Rat Hunt- II

    I got up again early this morning as usual. Today I cooked pancakes for breakfast and it was really delicious. Armin ate 4 pancakes whereas Rose ate 2 pancakes. Armin showered me with praises even Rose gave a word of compliment which was really something. I even packed some for their lunchboxes and dropped them to their school.


    Quickly dashed back home and took a shower and dressed up in my uniform and left for my duty. Before leaving I left some cash and a note for Aunt Martha. She was a really big help. She will bring Armin and Rose from school and also even cook to make dinner for tonight. I left her this cash and a note saying that she can use this money to bring some groceries.


    I feel bad for making her do all the work. Armin and Rose enjoy her company and so does Aunt Martha vice versa. So she¡¯s been also doing chores around the house. I know it feels like I am just using her kindness but I had no option because of my work.


    My job as a guardsman was not what I expected it to be. The soldiers in the guardsmen regiment were all a bunch of slackers here. Most of the soldiers would show up for the attendance and then just disappear. There were only some squads like ours who took the guardsmen jobs seriously. Our captain Arnia was a big clutz but she still was committed to her duties and took it very seriously. Also, Bruno likes to play the hero of justiceso he takes this job very seriously. Thalia and William followed Bruno¡¯s lead and being in their squads all I could do were follow them. But because of the latest band of thieves were running amok in the city there was quite an unrest. So because of that even the slacker guardsmen soldiersstarted to patrol around the town and took their duty seriously for once in a while.


    We, the crescent moon squad were one of the squads who patrolled around the town and also did menial work to help out the people. Are we really proud guardsmen soldiers who put protect the citizens or just a band of volunteers helping out people in need here? At this point, I can¡¯t tell anything.


    After the incident with the bandits, the next day I straightforwardly told Bruno and the bunch that I, Desmond Heller won¡¯t henceforth accompany him in their covert mission. What was the point in risking my life while maintaining the secrecy of our heroic deeds? That was totally pointless in my opinion. If they worked openly than we might even rise in ranks but that won¡¯t happen. I know that if we happen to expose this certain syndicate that Bruno was talking about exist then we might earn some glory and rewards. But this was a high risk, high return. And after the past incidents, I think my luck is pretty bad so it was better I stayed away from this mission. This was a big gamble and the odds were likely not in our favor.


    I would have been glad to have some action on my duty as a guardsman but not too dangerous as before. Although guardsmen regiment had a bad reputation but I still hoped it would have some decent action in the least and in that way, I might somehow rise in our ranks. But the most action we got in our duty was when some random man broke into a fistfight with the shopkeeper on some petty arguments over some vegetables. We had to restrain that angry customer and arrested him. That was the only suitable thing for a soldier that we did after I joined the squad.


    Soon I reached our rendezvous place in the garrison. Our squad captain took a roll call and we quickly left for our patrol duty on the streets.


    Today we were taking a different route to patrol the town. Each day we swap routes to patrol with other squads.


    Well, in my opinion, we had no reason to patrol because the town was already guarded heavily by military soldiers looking for those bandits. But we still doing our regular patrol anyway.


    We were walking through one of the dusty town roads which were crowded with travelers and the military soldiers. Our captain Arnia was leading everyone from the front, Bruno and bunch were in the middle and I was walking right behind them at a distance.


    After I straightforwardly told them that to count me out of their secret mission. They had been avoiding me for some time. Well, I don¡¯t care, either way, it¡¯s for the best.


    Suddenly our captain turned around,


    ¡°Oops!¡± she said out loud as she searched her pockets, ¡°Dammit! I forgot my purse back in the locker room. You guys stay here.¡±


    ¡°Captain, if you want to borrow some cash, I can lend you some,¡± said Bruno with a bright smile.


    ¡°Thanks for the offer Bruno but I also have my ID in it. So being an exemplar squad captain, I should carry my ID at all times.¡± she said with a serious tone, ¡°You guys wait here. Keep your guard up, who knows when we might run among those bandits. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    After telling us to wait, she left. We all moved out of the road and stood on the roadsidein a nearby alleyway. Despite my bad memories with alleyways it still had its own perks like to get away with the crowd. There were a couple of old barrels nearby in which Thalia and Bruno took a seat whereas William stood beside them with his hands folded. I just stood on the opposite side of the alley while resting my back on the wall.


    It was utter silence and the air seemed heavy and I think that''sbecause of me.


    So I broke the silence first,


    ¡°Ha. If the bandits were dumb enough to roam around this heavily guarded town in the daylight, then they would have already been captured by now.¡± I said.


    As per the Captain who told us that we could run into these bandits if we stay sharp.


    But we won¡¯t just run into them while strolling around casually in the daylight like that. Even if they do appear, they would surely make a loud commotion.


    ¡°I guess somebody is being a wuss here.¡± said that cocky William while he elegantly fixed his glasses.


    He¡¯s definitely has a bone to pick with me.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.I ignored his taunting comment altogether, he was just trying to rile me up.


    Suddenly Thalia hit William in the head,


    ¡°Put a lid, you blabbermouth.¡±


    The most mature among the three was Thalia, hands down.


    But then Bruno spoke up as well,


    ¡°William stop picking fights among ourselves. We need to stay sharp, we might spot those bandits hiding among the crowd.¡±


    ¡°Oi, what¡¯s the point, even if they do pop up. Specifically, you would be better off hiding in some corner. Like how you did the last time?¡± I mentioned.


    Seeing him acting all cocky. Where was this courage while we were fighting back in the alley.


    At first, when Thalia and William launched the first attack, Bruno just disappeared. He returned later after he thought the Bandit was knocked down just to find out that the bandit was ready for another round.


    ¡°Desmond! How dare you insult my master like that.¡± shrieked out angry William.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything but the truth,¡± I replied firmly.


    Bruno stepped up forward with a remorseful expression,


    ¡°Listen, Desmond! If you think I am such a person who would hide while my allies risk their neck then you are wrong.¡± answered Bruno with a stern face, ¡°That time I shouldn¡¯t have taken a detour and I apologize for that. It was my fault that the enemy turned out more powerful than I had calculated. I would see that I won¡¯t make such a blunder in the near future.¡±


    Bruno was a cheeky brat but I didn''t get the reaction that I hoped for.


    I can clearly see despite being a proud noble he still had a sense of guilt.


    Thalia also stepped in,


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, master. I was weak to put that thug down my blade. If only I was more powerful...¡± she said with a sorrowful look and guilt in her face.


    ¡°Forgive me as well master!¡± said William as he bowed his head, ¡°I failed to realize that the enemy was still alive and my carelessness gave him enough time to recuperate¡±


    ¡°William, Thalia¡­ Both of you¡± replied Bruno with a teary eye, ¡°You guys don¡¯t need to apologize. You both held your ground against the enemy even though the enemy was well-armed. I am really proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­¡± said William dramatically while tearing up.


    And Thalia also had cheered up and a small smile appeared on her face.


    Ah, here we go again!


    This melodramatic master and servant soap opera was really getting old. This fluffy lovey-dovey environment was really suffocating me.


    ¡°But in the end, we still got our asses handed to them.¡± I butted in-between ¡°That¡¯s still a strong fact that despite having the advantage of numbers but we still failed to put a single bandit down. Taking down the entire gang by ourselves is just the height of lunacy. Heh!¡±


    With my statement, the mood again turned upside down and thankfully it was breathable once again. Phew!


    Thalia and Bruno dropped their eyes and their cheerful smile disappeared.


    William had a deep frown on his brows and grabbed me by one collar and pushed me against the wall behind my back.


    ¡°Just because we once happened to taste defeat, you will just readily giving up like that? I thought you had more guts than that, Desmond Heller¡± said William with a stern face.


    I would like to bash his face for grabbing my collar but this time I would let him lash out on me. I let this slide out of respect for him saving my ass back then.


    ¡°Yes, I am a coward. There you have it. Does that make you feel any better?¡± I asserted my comment with a positive tone and a friendly smile.


    Suddenly William got even antsier,


    ¡°Why you¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen up,¡± I continued ¡°unlike you wealthy noble¡¯s born on a silver spoon. I have a family to feed. If I were to lose my life in vain like that then there would be no one to look out for my little siblings. You guys are just a lunatic bunch and marching to such a dangerous mission without care for your life. Even if you were to lose your life, you people would still be hailed as heroes and statues of marble would be carved in your honor. Whereas I would still be known as traitor¡¯s kid and my little siblings would still be scorned by society and that''s a harsh fact.¡±


    To that William just pursed his lips and loosened his grip on my collar.


    I straightened back my collar and added,


    ¡°And if you guys are still adamant about your decision even after that shameful defeat. Then please go ahead and get yourself killed but count me out of it.¡±


    At least now that I made my point if they are still inclined on carrying out their suicide mission then that¡¯s their lookout.


    William frowned angrily,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you understand! We won¡¯t fail like the last time. Could you just...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± asked Captain Arnia who suddenly popped out of nowhere ¡°What do you mean by shameful defeat?¡± she asked with a serious expression.


    Damn, when did she get here?


    Everyone was startled with the Captain¡¯s sudden appearance.


    With her straight out questions, everyone replied with silence and bit their lips.


    I let out a huge sigh,


    ¡°Listen, Captain! Please put them sense in this idiots, what they are doing is literally insanity.¡± I said to the Captain and stood beside her.


    ¡°Desmond! What do you think you¡¯re talking about?¡± asked William as he fixed his spectacles while making a forceful smile while his eyebrows still twitching.


    Bruno and Thalia also started sweating from their brows.


    Damn, I like those looks in their faces.


    ¡°Listen, Captain! We were one-sidedly defeated last week and now these guys are again risking their necks despite I told them not to.¡± I complained to the Captain.


    ¡°Why you!!!¡± William stepped forward angrily to grab me but I hid behind Captain. I stuck my tongue out to taunt him from the Captain¡¯s blindspot.


    ¡°Stay down, William! That¡¯s the captain¡¯s order!¡± commanded Captain while I continued to make funny faces.


    ¡°You little scumbag!¡± said William frowningly but he still backs downed obeying the captain¡¯s order as he bit his upper lips.


    Even Thalia and Bruno were giving me the sour looks.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to fret Desmond. Tell me everything,¡± said the Captain.


    ¡°Alright, last week we took a big gamble. ¡± I replied and continued ¡°And we gambled a huge amount and we lost. It was a crushing defeat that I won¡¯t ever forget. Now, these guys wanna go gambling once again and to take revenge for the last time. Please, could you tell them not to gamble away their earnings like that? ¡±


    The Bruno gang had a confused expression hanging on their faces.


    ¡°Is that so! I see.¡± said the captain as she nodded her head in agreement, ¡°Desmond here is absolutely correct. You guys should be ashamed, especially William here!¡±


    William was shocked as he tried to defend,


    ¡°What? But he¡­¡±


    ¡°How could you treat him this way? He was just looking out for your sake. And you are just threatening him.¡± she scolded.


    I could hardly control my laughter as I tried to hide my expression from others.


    The captain kept going on the moral and evils of gambling,


    ¡°Gambling is a foul sport. The people who earn from gambling actually earn from one¡¯s greed. It¡¯s never a productive sport, it¡¯s basically a game of stealing from others. As a proud guardsman of Rublor kingdom. Gambling turns into an addiction and it leads to one''s downfall. One time you are rich and the other your down the street. Such types of things don''t suit an upstanding citizen of a Rublor... Blah blah¡­¡±


    She went on talking about moral ethics and whatnot that I just started to doze off while standing upright.


    Just when I was about to fall asleep, I heard a loud scream from the other side of the street.


    ¡°What was that?¡± shrieked out our Captain first.


    ¡°I guess, finally some action on duty,¡± I said with a chuckle.