There wasnât a trace of cloud in the sky. The sun was shining brightly, but the unbearable heat was noticeably less.
Oliver hesitated for a moment and finally decided to wear the skeleton helmet. Nemo looked at him curiously for a few seconds, without asking any questions, but subconsciously pulled up the hood on his robe. Walden wasnât a big country, but it wasnât a bad thing to reduce their appearance.
The two walked side by side on the street, encountering a few shouts from time to time from shops and vendors on both sides, but they didnât understand a word.
âPeople here donât like the lingua franca,â Ann explained. âI just wanted to ask, who are you going to see? Weâd better get out of here quickly. Oliver has been unconscious for a few days? Believe me, if you delay any longer, the inspection for the teleportation array will only become more stringent.â
âDonât worry,â Nemo answered immediately. He wanted to make a gesture, but his right hand was tightly clasped by Olive, so he had to uh a few times, determined to speak clearly with only his mouth. âI can create a spatial rift and send everyone outâ I wrote down a few coordinates when I rushed over. There should be no problems other than the entry and exit records would be missing.â
âOkay,â Ann yawned, looking with lack of interest. âWhatever you want.â
But when she arrived at the destination, her eyebrows instantly raised.
A tall young man said a simple hello to them. The scars on Randyâs face were completely treated, and the original sense of oppression was greatly reduced. Instead of wearing an outfit that was easy to move in, he changed into loose and rough ordinary clothing. Oliver, who was originally good at observing people, almost failed to recognize him from a glance.
There were still traces of an assassinâs fierceness between his brows, and the female warrior had obviously noticed this. Her eyes widened even bigger.
Mora changed into ordinary flat-bottomed soft shoes and looked more petite. She hung like a sloth on Randyâs left arm and the foxtail ring on her ring finger on her left hand gleamed in the sun.
âRamon.â She nodded. Her eyes swept towards the ten fingers that were clasped together. There was a little more smile in them. âIt seems that youâre okay.â
âThank you both for your help.â Oliver finally let go of Nemoâs hand and made a standard salute. âNemo told me everything.â
âThere is nothing to thank.â Even without the scars, Randyâs expression was still wooden. âWeâll just go in circles endlessly if we keep thanking each other. Anyways, this meal will be our treat.â
âCare to introduce?â Ann turned to Oliver and pointed generously to the couple in front of her. âWithered Castle is not a place where you can make friends.â
âMs. Savage.â Mora reached out her right hand. âIâve heard of you. We are⊠Well, we used to be âSanchoâs Gray Foxâ.â
ââŠâ Ann was silent for a moment before she shook her hand. âBut rumors have it these days that the Sanchoâs Gray Fox was killed. The person who took that reward remained anonymous. Is it possibleââ
âItâs me who took the reward.â Nemo found a chair to sit down. âAt that time, these two were going to quit and we⊠UhâŠâ
âDidnât have a single coin,â Randy added for him coldly.
âI wonât ask for details. Besides, these two little bastards have always been very troublesome,â Ann said with a big grin. âSince weâre not talking in secret, Iâll just ask straightforwardlyâ Since the two of you decided to wash your hands, thereâs no need to choose a special place to have a meal just to say goodbye, right? You should be more cautious than us in this business.â
Her tone seemed to be joking, but she stepped forward, faintly protecting Oliver and Nemo behind her.
âI can understand your concerns.â Moraâs expression became serious. âIndeed, we only planned to go to the inn to casually say hello, but when this stupid stake and I were preparing our new identities, we accidentally discovered something. Itâs not suitable for talking in a quiet inn.â She shook her finger and simply made a gesture that symbolizes that the walls had ears. âThis restaurant is clean and is suitable for conversation.â
This time even Oliver raised his eyebrows and politely made an inquisitive look, but that expression was covered by his skeleton helmet.
âItâs of little practical use to say thanks. We never like to owe people too much,â Mora shrugged as she twisted a hot french fry and chewed on it. âThen Iâll just say it. Horizon is collecting information on you.â
Ann instantly showed an expression as if she was having a stomachache. Oliver wanted to pat his forehead, but he hit his helmet instead while Nemo wiped his hand and looked up at the ceiling.
ââŠWhat is with your reaction?â Mora poked the french fries hard into the tomato sauce with some dissatisfaction in her tone. âYou canât confirm it in the task list. You are also in the guild system, so this kind of investigation task will not be made public. We know it through our own channels.â
âIn other words, no matter where you go next, someone will definitely be eyeing you. People like us,â Randy continued. âLopez has never been one to leave no intelligence channel untouched. Heâs notoriously picky on our side⊠as well as generous.â
After a paused, he continued, âMr. Ramon, no matter what your relationship is with Lopez, youâd better find a place to avoid the limelight first.â
âUnfortunately, we donât have enough time. We have to wipe the ass of our captain as soon as possible,â Ann interjected.
âAre you going to Clementine?â Randy asked directly and at the same time raised the french fries basket on the table. ââŠYouâre eating too much Mora. Youâll get a stomachache later.â
Ann hitched her breath like she had a toothache and watch the petite girl on the table volley into the air and used a beautiful attack to regain the french fries basket. âHow did you guess?â
âAs Mora just said, our business has our own sources of intelligence.â Randy rubbed his temples and sighed. âMs. Savage, although thereâre not many people at our level, since we can guess, so can others. The Preceptor Bishop of Alban had done a good job of confidentiality, but thereâs no airtight wall in this world.â
Randy once again grabbed the french fries basket, and this time stuffed it into his mouth. Mora bit his muscular arm angrily, while the expression of the young man being attack remained motionless. âAccording to our previous understanding, you have never been active near the capital of Alban and the Pope of the Laddism Church is in Clementine at this moment. Your teammates are also there, arenât they? Considering the efficiency, the activity route of Tumbleweed isnât difficult to guess.â
âUnfortunately, we donât agree with the judgement of the Insular Court. It is our legitimate right to challenge the charges.â Ann finally sat down and tapped the table lightly with her fingers. âThat person Lopez⊠Although he has a one-track mind, he will never embarrass Oliver on this.â
âItâs hard to say.â Randy glance at Oliver slightly. âWe have heard of Lopezâs style of behavior. If he believes that Mr. Ramon is using improper means to get rid of the crimeâŠâ He didnât go on.
âWell,â Ann glanced at Nemo. âIndeed, reducing contact always saves a lot of trouble. After all, there are no docile lambs in our team.â
Docile little lambsâŠÂ Randyâs facial muscles twitched a few times and Mora finally let go of biting with a face full of words that couldnât be expressed.
âEveryone is a Black Chapter and thereâs no shortages of handles.â Mora wiped her mouth while maintaining an expression that was hard to describe. âAs far as weâre concern, itâs best for all of you to find a relatively âcleanâ place to stay for a while and wait until they start to loosen up beforeââ she gestured with both hands, âyou take them by surprise, mm-hmm.â
âYes. Considering the relationship between Lopez and the Laddism Church, Horizon may have reached Clementine by now. If Iâm not mistaken, it must be their people guarding the capital,â Randy added in a low voice.
âWe donât have to hide in Clementine, do we?â Oliver asked honestly. âWe can find a small place to hide until they donât want to wait any longer.â
âIt makes no difference.â Annâs eyebrows frowned tightly. âLopez will not leave Clementine and he will not stop collecting information. He definitely thinks more carefully about things than you do.â
âItâs better to get into Clementine first, so that you can meet Mr. Cross and Dylan earlier.â Nemo scratched his head. âBesides, if we want to disappear completely⊠We wonât be able to hide for long, Ollie. After all, Tumbleweed needs to complete at least one task a month, which is an obvious clue. And if we delay the expiration and are disqualified from the Black Chapter, Mr. Cross will be in danger.â
âBut things are a bit troublesome. I donât know much about Clementine,â Ann murmured, then sighed and retracted her gaze from her teammates. ââŠDonât turn around. I never expected you two.â
âThis is the favor we want to pay back.â Randy rubbed the toothmarks on his arm and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. âWe thought about it all night and found a relatively safe placeâ If you can trust us.â
âPlease.â Oliver didnât hesitate for a moment.
âClementine Royal Military Academy.â Randy took out a small parchment booklet. The ink on it was still fresh. âEverything we know is here. Ms. Savage, if you act alone, I believe you will have a way to hide yourself beautifully. And at the age of these twoâŠâ
âIt happens to be the enrollment period.â He grimaced with a rather struggling expression. ââŠThere should be no problem for the two of you to get in.â
Oliverâs expression was blank for a moment. Nemo dug into his ears and pulled it out to confirm that he wasnât mishearing things.
âThatâs an idea,â Ann let out a few laughing coughs. âMercenary Guild members are not very popular there. Just sneaking in is already a victory. Wow, itâs really good. Lopez wouldnât expect us to hide in that place. No, itâs better to say that normal people donât think that way. Even if he thought of it, it would be difficult for him to intervene in the educational institution directly under the Alban Royal Family.â
âIndeed.â Randy nodded. âThey have very strict requirements for identity and verification of ability. To be honest, if it werenât for their ability⊠Well, I wouldnât give such a suggestion.â
âWeâre 23.â Oliverâs expression was no longer calm. âItâs long past the age of schooling, right?â
âThey are recruiting young people between the ages of 19 to 24. Congratulations, the two of you just stepped on their tails.â Ann flipped through the new parchment book. âYou two should be concerned about other issue than age, especially you, Oliverâ How much formal education have you received?â
âBesides literacy?â
âIn addition to literacy.â
ââŠMy father homeschooled me. After all, my family⊠Didnât have much money. And I didnât want to join the army orâŠâ
Nemo moved the stool to the corner and pretended that he didnât exist.
âOh,â Ann sighed bitterly. âThen some of us will be busy on the road.â
She flipped through the booklet. âAs for proof of identity⊠I have some thoughts in mind. Do you think that shady guy Dylan can come in handy somehow?â
âYes,â Nemo responded with certainty in the corner. âAbsolutely.â
The author has something to sayïŒ
Oliver: No, I just wanted to inherit the inn at home and continue to do my catering serviceâŠ
Oliver: âŠ
Oliver: âŠAfter thinking about it carefully, there seem to be a lot of problems in my life.