Joining the Road

"We've arrived, brat," Elias greeted, his tone tinged with a hint of amusement. "Your mother told me you haven't been to many places."

"Woah…." Kishida's eyes widened in amazement as he took in the sights of the bustling town before him. "Yeah… it's been a while since I've… cough… been out…."

As they ventured further into Husgo, Kishida couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and excitement at the new experiences awaiting him. Bump! Someone suddenly bumped at Kishida, a man in distinguished clothing.

"TCH! Pathetic commoners! You stained my clothing! This is unforgivable," the man angrily uttered, his voice dripping with disdain.

"I didn't mean to-! I'm sor-" Before Kishida could finish, "He's with me, sir Portet…" Elias interjected, stepping forward to defuse the situation.

Portet glanced at Elias, "You damn mercenary better control your vermin, you're late too! Tch… ." Portet angrily insisted, his irritation palpable as he addressed Elias. "Also, here's a letter, send it to count Julios back at Hircas. You better be quick, tch," he continued, thrusting a sealed envelope into Elias's hand. "Damn vermin," he added under his breath before turning on his heel and storming away.

"Nobles always act this way, he's the baron of this town if you don't know, brat." Elias said, "Let's get going now."

Kishida snapped off from his thoughts, "what the hell just happened…?".

"Uhhh, I'm working for Count Julios as a mercenary, been there for a few weeks now," Elias explained casually, a hint of pride in his voice.

"That's… that's amazing…" Kishida murmured, awe coloring his words as he processed the revelation.

"Did I not tell you who I am?" Elias asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"You just entered my mom's house…"

"Oh, I'm her brother," Elias revealed, his tone matter-of-fact.

"YOU'RE WHAT." Kishida exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock at the unexpected revelation.

"Your mom was really tired yesterday, I came by after she asked me for a favor," Elias explained, his expression softening with understanding.

"I… I see…." Kishida replied, his mind reeling with the sudden realization.

"Since our leader is staying here for a week, your mom thought that I should bring you with me," Elias continued.

"I…" Kishida stuttered, struggling to find the right words to express his gratitude.

"And I agreed, of course, only for three days."

"Thank you.. Elias…" Kishida finally managed to say, his voice filled with gratitude.

"That's uncle Elias, brat," Elias corrected with a smirk and a slap on Kishida's back, teasing Kishida gently.

"Let's go eat."

"Mhm!"

Kishida and Elias headed towards a small restaurant, one that wasn't too crowded but quite a nice place despite its lower-class appearance.

"Yo, two bowls as usual," Elias ordered, and the chef nodded. Soon, the food arrived, filling the air with a tantalizing aroma of egg and meat soup.

"How does it taste, brat?" Elias inquired, watching Kishida closely as he took his first bite.

"It's alright…" Kishida replied, his expression neutral.

"Yeah," Elias agreed, his tone nonchalant as he continued to eat.

"I already told your mom that we won't be home today," Elias announced suddenly.

"What-!?" Kishida exclaimed, taken aback by the unexpected news.

"Don't worry, she knows," Elias reassured him before Kishida could protest further.

"I-"

"Brat, you wanna learn or not?" Elias interrupted, his tone firm.

"I do…"

"Then you're coming with me tonight."

"Where to..?"

"Just to a friend of mine. I'll introduce you to my peers."

"O-okay….."

Kishida and Elias finished eating before heading towards the carriage where 11 men were waiting. It was already late at night.

"Look at Elias, since when did he have a kid?" Hermin

"Honestly.. That womanizer." Floch

"Enough!" Elias shouted, silencing the chatter. "This is my nephew."

"Ho! You brought a kid? That's really crazy of you," the Markus remarked.

"He's a smart one, boss," Elias replied, defending Kishida.

"Well, you're insane as always, Elias," another man chuckled.

"Kid, what's your name?" Markus asked Kishida.

"Kishida…"

"Everyone! Greet the new kid!"

"Woah! Yo, I'm Perki!" said Perki. "I'm John," said John.

So many men greeted Kishida, a completely different situation than what he had expected. They were friendlier than he had anticipated.

"Kishida? Was it? How old are you, son?" Markus stepped as he approached Kishida

"I'm seven….. Uhh-?"

"Markus, I'm yo uncle boss son."

"I see, uh… sir!" Kishida stood up in attention, even trying to mountain composure as he stood on his stick.

Markus glanced at Kishida, how he's bandaged and the need for him to stand on a stick.

"You're one tough son." Markus remarked, he turned around then "Everyone, we're going now, we can't go later or else this pretty boy will fall asleep."

The men laughed at Kishida, a slight tease, and Kishida smiled and laughed together.

"Boy-a! You drink rum?" Hotkin asked, a bottle in his hand.

"N-no-?" Kishida denied, feeling uneasy about the offer.

"Come on, Elias! Your boy Kiki ought to drink, right?" Hotkin pressed, looking to Elias for approval.

"Let him choose," Elias replied, leaving the decision up to Kishida.

"Shucks, you won't be able to drink another one till we arrive," Hotkin remarked, disappointment evident in his tone.

"That's alright…" Kishida responded, declining the offer politely.

"The scouts have been deployed, the hour is perfect, we're going now, boys! Pack up!" Markus commanded, shifting the focus to the upcoming mission.

"Pft, if you insist, Kiki boy~," Hotkin muttered, taking a swig from his bottle.

"That drunkard," John remarked under his breath, shaking his head in disapproval.

As the men quickly packed up, Kishida couldn't help but wonder about the contents of the carriage that warranted such heavy security for just an hour's travel. His curiosity deepened when he felt a stare coming from the first carriage, where a girl of his age was staring out of the window before abruptly closing the blinds.

"Who was she-?" Kishida pondered aloud.

"She's the count's daughter, boy," Perki stated matter-of-factly.

"Wasn't she kidnapped!?" Kishida asked, his eyes widening in shock.

"We rescued her just a few hours ago, we're making a hefty sum off this," Perki explained.

"At least she's safe now, right?" Kishida inquired, feeling a sense of relief.

"Your uncle there, Markus, and us can do perfectly fine, there's nothing to worry about, boy. Just enjoy the show," Perki reassured him with a prideful grin.

"Alright…" Kishida replied, though unease still lingered in the back of his mind.

As the carriages began to move, Kishida couldn't shake his skepticism about the situation. His doubts were soon validated when an explosion rang out ahead.

"Sir! The scouts have intercepted an ambush just ahead!" John alerted, his voice filled with urgency.

"Brat, these idiots must be noisy, I'll deal with them," Elias reassured Kishida before stepping out of the carriage, staff in hand.

"Faster! We need to outrun them!" Markus ordered the men, the urgency in his voice matching the gravity of the situation.

"Elias, light them up!" Perki shouted, a sense of urgency in his tone.

"Haha… sorry, brat… this will be quite noisy…" Elias apologized to Kishida before preparing to cast his spell.

"There you are… Lady Elenea!" a stranger riding a white horse called out from behind, attempting to catch up with the main carriage along with seven other men. Elias cracked his knuckles as he prepared to cast his spell.

"Fire blitz."