Era of Arcane: The Journey Beyond Worlds

Chapter 14: The Mercenary Wolves

     I lowered my head in thought for a moment, then glanced up at Ao. He remained silent, which I took as his tacit agreement. Nodding at Digar, I said, "Very well, you can join us, though we have no idea where we're headed."

     Digar beamed and clapped Ao on the shoulder. "Hey, you're Ao, right? From now on, we're friends."

     Ao shrugged him off, not even sparing him a glance, and strode forward without a word.

     "Hey, Ao, your silence means yes, right? Don't walk off so fast!" Digar laughed and chased after him.

     Watching Digar's genuine smile, I couldn't help but think Ao would have a good friend. This could only be a blessing for him. He'd isolated himself for too long—maybe more companions would bring him out of his shell, give him more vitality. I watched their distant figures, then with a quick teleportation spell, followed after them.

     "I have a great idea," Digar suddenly exclaimed with enthusiasm.

     "What idea?" I asked, mildly curious.

     "Lisa, Ao, let's head to the Adventurers' Guild," Digar said, his face full of anticipation.

     "The Adventurers' Guild?" I glanced at Ao in confusion. He shook his head, indicating he didn't know either.

     Digar looked at us in disbelief, "You don't know about the Adventurers' Guild?"

     We both shook our heads in unison. "No idea."

     Sighing, Digar pressed his hand to his forehead, clearly exasperated. "The Adventurers' Guild is the largest organization on this continent. Anyone with the skills can join, complete the tasks they offer, and earn rewards. It's pretty much like being a bounty hunter. You can work solo as an adventurer or form a team and join a mercenary group. Mercenary groups are organized units that take on larger missions and earn bigger rewards. Some of the most famous groups have thousands of members. They don't even need to look for work—clients come to them. I'll explain more once we reach the guild."

     And so, the three of us set off toward the Adventurers' Guild. I had a feeling this would be an exciting journey.

     The guild was unmistakable, standing out on the street with its bold signage that read "Adventurers" in large letters. Following Digar, Ao and I stepped inside, instantly attracting the attention of everyone in the room. I sighed inwardly; any one of us alone would have been enough to turn heads, but the three of us together? It was impossible to avoid notice.

     I focused on Digar's striking red hair, ignoring the curious glances being thrown our way. Digar, for once, wasn't grinning; his face was serious. Ao, as usual, radiated an aura of cold detachment, warning people to keep their distance. Thanks to that, we moved swiftly to the registration window without any interruptions.

     The clerk, a sweet-looking girl with a gentle voice, asked, "How can I assist you today?"

     I glanced at Digar. Scratching his head, he blurted out something that made all of us groan in frustration, "Honestly, I'm not sure what we're doing here!"

     The moment he said that, I could practically see everyone's faces darken, especially Ao's—his icy aura felt like it could freeze anyone in its path.

     "Would you consider joining our mercenary group?" A large man suddenly approached, his gaze lingering on me a bit too long.

     Suppressing my irritation, I replied, calm and clear, "No."

     The man, clearly not used to such a blunt refusal, scowled. "I'm offering because I think highly of you. Don't make this unpleasant. But with a face like that, it doesn't matter if you're not a mercenary—any of the brothers here could take care of you, right, boys?"

     He shouted toward the crowd, which immediately parted, revealing dozens of figures behind him. In unison, they chimed, "Yeah, we'd all take care of her!"

     His lewd gaze made my blood boil. Then he had the nerve to add, "So, what do you say? Come with me, I'll take good care of you."

     I glared at him, furious at his audacity. Next to me, Ao's whole body tensed, his fingers curling into tight fists. His other hand was already gripping the hilt of his sword, while Digar's eyes blazed with fury, an arrow already drawn in his hand.

     "Oh? You disagree?" the man continued, still oblivious to the danger.

     Just as my long-simmering anger was about to erupt, Ao stepped in front of me. "Miss, such scum aren't worth dirtying your hands over," he said, drawing his sword.

     Digar chuckled. "Exactly, Lisa. Leave it to us."

     The onlookers gasped in astonishment. "Are they out of their minds? That's the 'Wolf Mercenaries,' ranked third among all the mercenary groups!"

     "Yeah, those guys look terrifying!"

     "What a shame, though. Such a beautiful girl—she better not get killed."

     I frowned as I listened to the whispers around us. The Wolf Mercenaries, huh? Well, it seemed we had made ourselves some powerful enemies.

     "Heh, do you really think you can resist? Careful, or you might get hurt!" The man continued his taunts.

     I narrowed my eyes and muttered a spell under my breath, "Silence."

     Though the man kept speaking, no sound emerged. I exhaled in relief. At least I didn't have to listen to his obnoxious voice any longer.

     Seeing us ignore him, the man grew even more animated, flailing his arms and mouthing words like a fool. To the crowd, it must have looked like a ridiculous pantomime. The amusement only lasted until one of his lackeys noticed and motioned for him to stop, realizing no one could hear him.

     He halted, glaring daggers at the three of us. Then, with a signal to his men, they encircled us, prompting the spectators to step back several paces. It seemed the fight was about to begin in earnest.

     The spell's effect must have worn off because I heard his grating voice once again. "You really don't know what's good for you. Don't blame us for what happens next."

     I rolled my eyes at him, thinking to myself who was truly clueless here. A lady shouldn't behave like this, I thought, but I couldn't help sneering at him.

     "Well, well, is the little beauty eager already? That seductive look in your eyes is just begging for attention," he said with a lewd grin, reaching out to grab me.

     I mentally scoffed. Which eye of his saw seduction? That was clearly contempt. But since he made the first move, he couldn't blame me for what happened next. Master Ambrell always said my intermediate spells were nearly as strong as advanced ones, so I should use them sparingly because of their destructive power. A basic spell would be more than enough to deal with someone like him. So, I thought, let's see how you handle my beginner magic.

      Before his hand could get anywhere near me, Ao severed it with his Sun Dusk sword, drawing a bloodcurdling scream from the man. His underlings hurriedly drew their swords, but Ao's gaze swept over them all, landing coldly on their leader. "You're not worthy to touch her," he said icily.

     I couldn't help but cheer inwardly—Ao was unbelievably cool! His imposing presence had everyone around him frozen in fear. For the first time, I saw that Ao was no longer the weak slave he once was. He had grown stronger, matured. I exhaled softly, feeling a sense of unexpected peace.

     "Don't worry, you've got me too," Digar said, noticing my sigh and offering reassurance.

     I nodded. "I know. Thank you, Digar."

     He blushed slightly and scratched his head. "What are you thanking me for? We're friends, after all."

     Yes, friends. I felt completely at ease. Yet, there was still this unsettling feeling of being watched. But by whom?