028 | Investigation

We received a personal request from Pen. The three of us dressed up as commoners. I can access items with my inventory spell, Rudif fights better with his fists, Lisha persuaded us she'll be fine.

I'm not sure about leaving her without a weapon because she's fragile and can't utilize Raw Energy nor has she acquired the ability to use magic yet. Even if she can control a tiny bit of mana, she can use that to enforce her physical capabilities.

I gave Lisha a dagger and a few throwing knives.

"Do you know how to use these?"

Lisha gladly grabbed them and accurately threw the knives on the wall surrounding Rudif. Good thing the mutt didn't move.

I grinned, "Great. Perfect form and technique, I don't see any problems with that. Just make sure to conceal it."

Lisha nodded.

Once everyone was ready and got changed, Pen talked to us once more about the mission.

"Just to make sure I get my message through, once you guys find their headquarters, do NOT engage. I gave Asher a magic orb that has a spell that can immediately notify me directly about your location. Do not act recklessly. Especially you, the Half-Beast himself."

Rudif nodded. He had a menacing look on his face. I decided to keep the Transformation Spell on for now. If he walks around as a grown Half-Beast, I doubt the slave traders would even try to capture him anymore. It would be too risky for them and that's not what we want.

Our goal was to appear as vulnerable children, separated from our family and friends. We will purposely get captured and they will lead us straight to their base.

When the sun had set, it was time for us to make our move. We wandered around the streets of Yanalia together.

"Mutt, calm down a little bit. You look like you're about to kill someone."

"He's right. Rudif, you should change your face to look more...childish."

Rudif sighed. He brushed his hair back and neutralized his expression.

"This better?"

Lisha and I nodded.

We took our time admiring Yanalia. The streets weren't as busy as they were in the mornings as shops started to close down. However, this was the time that taverns and restaurants started to get really busy.

We chose our path very carefully. Wandering idly but staying away from busy places. That would give the slave traders more opportunities to kidnap us. We were also wary of the guards stationed around the area.

There are three forces of Yanalia. The Knights, the Royal Guards, and the Scouts. Two of the three are working alongside the AU to subdue the criminals behind the slave trading. The Knights and the Scouts. Though not much progress has been made despite the many years they've already been at it.

Pen told us that the Captain of the Scouts purposely left to "inspect" the borders of Yanalia. This will hopefully give the slave traders more of a reason to strike. They had the Captain of the Knights disguised as a worker in a restaurant that was sort of close to our vicinity. That way, the AU can immediately contact the Captain through an orb.

Our mission was only to locate their headquarters. We were quite literally the youngest mercenaries by at least a few years, including Rudif as well. Pen said that young members of the AU weren't uncommon but it's just none were present currently at Yanalia. Having us recently joined was perfect to execute this plan.

The three of us walked past streets that slowly emptied. People were going back home and soon, Yanalia became quiet.

Rudif got a bit too impatient, "I'm going to walk the other path, maybe they think they won't be able to capture all three of us at once."

That could be a possibility. "We don't know for sure, but it would certainly help. Though, you don't have a way to contact Pen."

Rudif reassured me he'll be fine.

"Once I get to their headquarters, I can immediately bust out and look for you guys."

Lisha pinched Rudif's arm, "You idiot! If you cause any commotion at THEIR headquarters, they'll just run with all the other slaves and then all this would be for naught!"

Rudif was grumpy and puckered his lip. The mutt looked uglier than before now.

"I-I won't do that. I'll find a way to contact you somehow. I can release a lot of Raw Energy. You'll be able to sense it, right?"

Rudif looked at me, hoping I say yes. Truthfully, I'm not completely reliable as Rudif may think.

"There are a few reasons that can restrict me from locating you. One, you're too far away. Two, your Raw Energy is too faint so getting distanced makes it worse. Three, I'm still lacking in many ways. Both with mana and magic as well as Raw Energy. Lastly, you're quite dumb."

"H-how does that restrict YOU from locating ME?!"

"I understand how important this is to you. Well, go for it. You probably wouldn't die."

Rudif cheered, "Yes!~"

Lisha pinched Rudif in the arm again, "BUT be careful as well. Yanalia may be considered a weak kingdom, but that doesn't mean it also applies to the criminals here."

"Don't worry. I got this!"

I'm a little worried about the mutt. Though, if he's to be my future transportation once he knows how to transform, then he shouldn't die from something of this caliber.

Lisha and I were walking alone on the streets. It was peaceful and silent with only the occasional sound of talking in the distance. Probably, because we are passing a restaurant or two.

"S-so, I never really got to know a lot about you."

What did she mean when she said this?

"What do you mean?"

Lisha was fidgeting with her fingernails. Was she making conversation because she's nervous? I didn't think that would be the case. Not with her character. If she was Rudif then I would have understood that she was nervous, but she's not.

"W-well, I just mean I don't know a lot about your life before we met."

"I'm probably from some rich noble family, though I was abandoned in a basket flowing down the river."

"So you're like me. Neglected by your family."

"Ha, well, at least you got to see your family's faces. I don't have a single memory of anyone's face. It's as if my life was destined to repeat itself."

"What do you...mean by that?"

Right. Perhaps I shouldn't expose my identity as a "Reincarnated Mortal" as Alpha likes to say it. I got a bit too sentimental thinking about my previous life.

Speaking of a previous life, with my experience of already grown up, I no longer talk like a child. Lisha is only a year younger than me but often times I seem to relate to her more than I thought. Her mentality doesn't belong to that of an eleven-year-old noble lady. Does her family have that high of standards that even children as young as Lisha speak with such maturity?

"A-anyways, Asher, I feel...the same way. Back home, I was ostracized. I felt betrayed by my own flesh and blood. My own family. It's as you said, my life was destined to repeat itself."

This girl...I find her very likable ever since the first time I saw her. Interesting.

"It seems like the two of us share similar experiences, don't we?"

"Yeah~"

Lisha brushed her hair back, her cheeks were slightly red. This time it wasn't as bright as before, is it some sort of sickness or allergy? She seems to be trying very hard to hide it.

"Asher, is it really true that you learned to fight when you were very young?"

Ah, this must be from the conversation we had while hanging out in our rooms. It was right after our examinations.

"Yeah, you seem experienced with weapons as well. How did you learn?"

Lisha struggled to get her words out of her mouth.

"I-uh-I-I-umm...I was-would just read books and look-watch the knights from my home outside my window."

Cute. She gave an anxious smile as if she was expecting me to believe that.

Well, I won't question her further. Although...

I wonder what this girl could be hiding. If she wasn't welcomed in her own home, then there was no way her family would spend money unnecessarily to hire mentors to teach her how to fight. She's ONLY eleven and yet she killed another person effortlessly back when those bandits attacked.

A mere eleven-year-old accomplishing this? Unheard of. I'm an obvious exception because I've done it far too many times in my old world, but this girl...

"Lisha, are you-"

Suddenly, I sensed a group of people following us. They were shabby in concealing their presence, even Rudif could catch on easily.

"Asher, they're-"

"I know. There's five of them."

"What should we do?"

"Act natural."

Lisha suddenly tensed up. She looked at me and whispered.

"S-sorry, I'm really bad with these types of missions..."

"Lisha..."

At this rate, she might even scare AWAY the slave traders. That won't do. Perhaps this is the first time she's done something like this.

I walked closer to Lisha and held her hand. This made her cheeks even redder. I wonder what kind of fever she has? She smiled slightly and was no longer tense.

We walked as if we were just children heading home without our parents anywhere to be seen. A perfect target for slave traders.

And a perfect target it was indeed, immediately after Lisha relaxed, slave traders came by and knocked us out.

To make sure nothing bad happens to Lisha, I made sure to fake my unconsciousness.

The slave traders spoke.

"Looks like we got lucky this time."

"Went a bit smoothly don't ya think?"

"A young boy and girl about the same age. I'm sure the boss can turn these guys into a few bags of gold."

"He DOES have a way of doing business."

"Though, I must say, this girl is quite the looker."

"Man, you're such a creep, she hasn't even fully grown yet."

That was quite ironic considering what these goons are doing as a living.

"Hey, it's the face that matters."

...I might have to intervene. If they touch a single hair on Lisha, I'll make sure to let them experience hell before I kill them. There will be NO mercy.

"Don't ruin the f*cking merchandise, you idiot."

"Tch, fine. Bring the bags and let's get them back to base."

The plan is finally in action. Surprisingly, it only required one try. I was expecting to be at this for at least a week. Luck is on my side.

The slave traders put Lisha and me in separate thick bags. An average adult male wouldn't be able to cut open these bags, it would take a Knight with some experience to forcefully cut through this. The bag was also knotted shut, with the smallest hole to let air in.

Let's see what these guys have to offer.