- Shari -

  I can't believe it. I didn't think I would meet him again anytime soon. Especially, not here.

  As soon as he spots our figures, the commander walks with clear purpose in our direction, despite our disguises. Though, this much should be expected from this man. The guards he was arguing with before don't even try to hold him off.Yet Gareth steps forward and intercepts him.

  "Sir, am I right that you're the commanding officer of the relief troops? I'm Captain Gareth, responsible for the security within town, and these two are..." (Gareth)

  "You don't need to introduce me. I would recognize those shapes everywhere. You still have this fccid gait." (Peras)

  Yep, Peras. Captain of Count Kahan's forces.

  "Hey, I know you! Ehm..." (Liqu)

  "Sigh. Under different circumstances I'd now let you run another round. But it seems you rose a bit too high in station for me to have you do that." (Peras)

  "Yes! You're that, that... that human that ordered us around!" (Liqu)

  Liqu, that's not a conclusion that justifies being all that smug about it.

  "I think I'm starting to get the meaning of this 'power', Shari." (Liqu)

  Sigh.Now Gareth raises his hand like a child that asks to say something. I fear this situation got a bit much for him.

  "I take it that you know each other?" (Gareth)

  "Yes. These two were my subordinates while they served under Count Kahan. And the way you state it, I assume you are aware of their more 'peculiar' characteristics." (Peras)

  "I fear I know far too much..." (Gareth)

  "Hah, well put." (Peras)

  Why does speaking about me always seem to bring people together?And that never in a fttering way!

  "What are you doing here, Captain Peras?" (Shari)

  "What do you think I'm doing? I'm here to bring the fight to the enemy! As appealing licking our wounds at the estate for all eternity might sound, at some point, we need to become active again." (Peras)

  "So things got better at the Count's pce?" (Shari)

  "One could say so. With reinforcements from the capital, we were able to consolidate our losses. The count himself drew every little bit of his assets together to pay the healers to treat even the most critical cases. In some, they even applied experimental limb regeneration treatments. Also, we started a rather successful recruitment campaign. Of course, we had to check the background of every st one of them, but at this point, we should be close to reaching our old numbers. Even if we're still very far away from getting back to our old quality." (Peras)

  Makes sense that recruits aren't as effective as veterans. But that the count would go that far. I'm not quite sure how much money he still had to spend after all the destruction, but to favor the soldiers like this is already far beyond a commitment. Limb recovery.That's what desperate noble families might do for their sole heirs, not a treatment given to random soldiers. Yet in general, I'm gd that they're here. I couldn't have imagined a better troop for this task. I don't know about the recruits, but if I learned one thing in my time at the estate, then it’s that, aside from a few unfortunate exceptions, the count's people are rather loyal and very disciplined.

  "So how are you pnning to do this? This might become quite the messy streetfight once the criminals in the city start preparing and, for example, raise barricades all around the city." (Shari)

  "It's going to be a tough operation, that's for sure. Coordinated maneuvering will be key. But why are you talking as if you wouldn't be included?" (Peras)

  What!?

  "Excuse me?!" (Shari)

  "Of course you are going to partake! To be precise, I'm going to assign you to some of the most critical positions. Do you think you can idle around while everyone else is risking their lives?!" (Peras)

  "Ehm, may I remind you that there could be certain issues with us becoming active in a huge battle? Widespread panic being one of the less severe results." (Shari)

  I don't even want to imagine Liqu reinstating her little mass annihition act here in town.

  "Didn't we train for exactly this reason to fight while being covered? I suppose you made progress on that matter?" (Peras)

  Well, I had a bit of practice. But it's not like I can perform all that well in a group of soldiers who first need to be convinced that I'm not going to eat them.

  "This is still a huge risk. Just one minor slip up and we might be exposed in all the ensuing chaos. You can't really want that." (Shari)

  "Things are certainly going to get messy, but I would be a fool not to make use of two of our greatest assets if I can do so." (Peras)

  "That sounds nice. Shari, it's so rare to have someone asking me to come help. Can't we do so?" (Liqu)

  This slime completely ruins my bartering position.

  "Grllblsh." (Shari)

  "I take this as your consent. Be that as it may, I wasn't going to send you alone, without your team." (Peras)

  My team?

  He makes a gesture and three people promptly step out of the lines of soldiers who accompanied him to talk with the gatekeepers.

  Wait, I know them too!

  Zeon! Ve! Even Balion!

  That's quite surprising. Who would've thought that the count would not only send troops, but that my old team would be along with them? It seems Peras even acted on the very idea that we would be here when this was decided. Though, it seems not all got informed.

  "Oh damn. Seriously?" (Balion)

  "It was so clear that wherever something of this magnitude is up, you wouldn't be far." (Ve)

  "Hello. It's been a while." (Zeon)

  They're surprisingly casual. Even I'm aware that my usual figure, masked and cloaked as I am, isn't easy to talk to.

  "Uh, hi. Didn't expect you lot." (Shari)

  Now Ve is intently staring at me.

  "You've got a new mask?" (Ve)

  "Well, yes. The old one got quite badly manhandled, so I had to look out for a repcement. This one is a little easier to break, but I got them in bulk." (Shari)

  Actually, she's the first to address me because of this. Which is nice.

  "Well, I'm not sure if it makes you less intimidating than the one you had before, but it's indeed something." (Ve)

  "Since when are you like this to her?" (Balion)

  "You have no idea how many times those two saved our asses out there. Seriously, they went far beyond what could be expected from them to complete the mission." (Ve)

  "I need to agree to this." (Zeon)

  Thanks, I guess.

  "Speaking of which, how did this whole business with the queen turn out?" (Ve)

  "We became royal agents!" (Liqu)

  That's nothing you shout out like this, Liqu.

  "Agents? I hope this was worth forsaking Lord Kahan." (Balion)

  "Well, I hope so. Not entirely sure of our concrete duties yet, but the job comes with certain benefits. She even created the respective knight order. The Order of the Longing Drop." (Liqu)

  Okay, the slime successfully managed to leave them fbbergasted.

  "Yeah, that's a name, huh?" (Shari)

  "You two are knights!?!" (Ve)

  At this, Liqu happily raises her arm and gives a thumbs up.

  "Well, it's more like I apparently became some kind of pseudo knight. Not like I perfectly see through this. It's mostly a position that comes with the job, but not really a personal title." (Shari)

  "Still. It's very impressive that you managed to rise up from your... humble origins." (Zeon)

  "I certainly won't address them by title!" (Balion)

  Hm. Could I insist on this?

  That reminds me of someone else who got issues with authorities.Actually, I should feel a bit bad about the fact that I ignored her for so long.

  "Speaking of someone with a slightly gruff attitude. Would any of you know what happened to Elin?" (Shari)

  "The scout? Sorry, no. She didn't return with us. Did you truly not look for her in your time at the pace? You became agents or so, right?" (Ve)

  "I know that she signed a contract at the pace. But since then we parted ways." (Shari)

  While I do remember this, I don't think it was quite the same as ours, yet she should still currently work as an agent right under the queen.

  "All I do know is that, just as yours, her contract with the count was transferred to the crown. More precisely, Her Majesty, who showed personal involvement in this matter." (Peras)

  "Well, do you know anything else? The st thing I heard was that she was supposed to deliver a message." (Shari)

  "First, don't shout things like this out in public, you imbecile! As I said, her service was officially transferred to Her Majesty. Yet I don't envy her all that much for this position. Her Majesty has a very... eccentric way of making use of her assets." (Peras)

  That doesn't sound reassuring at all.While I had my issues with her at times, I wouldn't want Elin to come to harm.We are comrades in a way, and she was quite accepting of us; therefore, I feel obligated to look out for her.

  "What do you mean? You think the queen would let Elin come to harm? She wouldn't be so stupid as to get our comrade killed, would she?" (Shari)

  "What did I just- Sigh! To answer your question, I doubt she's in danger. At least, she wouldn't be sacrificed for some ploy. Her Majesty abhors this kind of scheme. Nonetheless, her missions are very likely to be dangerous. In the current political situation, I doubt even more that she'll ck challenges." (Peras)

  Unfortunately, I can only hope she will overcome them.For better or worse, Elin has a good survival instinct, so I can at the very least assume she got most dangerous situations covered.Nonetheless, I'd rather know for sure what she's been up to.