Ex Bandits

We came to my father's stop fifteen minutes later.

Reo runs a liquor store. It wasn't that big but wasn't much smaller either. This business was inherited from his father and it was enough for the four mouths to feed

My father had connections on different estates which explains why we have the carriage to ride toward the Academy and not rent one since he had suppliers and foreman to do the job themselves.

The carriage we used is the same carriage that Reo owned that delivers those liquor from different stores across kingdoms.

It's very good for cargo and transportation though since all our needs were just at the back and only stayed there until we needed them.

Clink—!

"Welcome—"

As the door's bell jingled, Reo tried to welcome a potential buyer when he saw me and a new face beside which is Aster.

Reo run onto me and give me a tap in the head.

"You guys are back. My mother told me on the phone call just now."

"Phone?"

Reo pointed to a phone with a connector attached to it then gazed back at the lunchbox on my hand.

"You're just right on time. I'm so hungry today,"

Looking around the place, I saw that the place was maintained clean unlike most of the time where it is usually more disordered and shabby here.

"You did all the cleaning yourself?"

Reo looked around and chuckled, "Nah, I got some help from the new guys. Didn't you tell it yourself from them?"

Them? Ah right…

"Hey you all, come out here and greet my son, Cillian,"

Coming out from the liquor drawers were faces I didn't see in a while.

They still have these scary scars around their faces but their clothes that spoke elegance about their jobs will be made others rethink twice.

But it was all right to have scary faces.

Who would mess with my father if these people were helping him at their work?

"Young master!"

Harry approached me with a contented smile on his lips. His lackeys are behind him with an image of dignified and hardworking men.

Reo clenched Harry's shoulder which is larger and bulkier than him as he voiced out.

"When this group of people came to my shop, I was so scared to death, thinking I was about to get robbed or some business enemies that I have is here to make a message. Guess what, I was wrong. They told me they are here under Cillian's and will do whatever it takes to get my orders done,"

Reo then looked at the previous bandits that became my father's reliable workers as he added.

"Of course, it would be a waste for them not to work with those large bodies that are destined to carry those large boxes around, right?"

Reo grabbed the lunchbox in my hand and stated.

"Anyways, I'm going to eat now. It's lunchtime. You guys too. Take a break,"

"Yes, boss!"

With Reo leaving us to take his lunch break, that left both me, Aster, and the bandits free.

My eyes were telling them to come with me outside the shop in which they followed willingly.

On we're out, I began to ask questions.

"What do you got from me?"

Realizing that I was talking about the 'South Traveler', Harry and the other workers began to spill information.

 Harry was the first one to give something.

"Uhm, we gathered that the South Traveler originated from The Empire. You know, since it was the south. Nobody knew its name aside from the fact that the person we're looking for is a man,"

One of the bandits came next.

"Another interesting information is that the South Traveler mostly sold goods and merchandises through his connections. Meaning, he never sold anything outside his circles,"

Right... and who is this guy?

The guy extended his hands forward and introduced himself.

"You never get to know all of us boss since you only talked to the leader, but I'm Anton. I'm sort of vice leader to Leader Harry.

He began to point the other six ex-bandits on his back but immediately put it into a halt as it would take a simple talk longer.

"Hold up now. Those of you who will speak, just say anything and tell your name along the way. We can do the introduction later since I'm pretty busy,"

The ex-bandits nodded all together and one of them raised their hand.

"My name is Dexter, boss. Uh, we also found out that South Traveler's circle was involved mainly in illegal activities. Illegal purchasing of items, smuggling of goods, and spreading tier spells that belonged to some families and royalties. The role of our guy here is a foreman that takes care of transportation of the parties he had connections with,"

So the South Traveler is involved in a lot of things…

Two things that made me interested was the fact that he was from the Empire and a guy who helped spreading tier spells all around which probably something that his circles had stolen.

'It's very confusing… How does that relate to the star pendant that contains an unfamiliar mana?'

If I started surveying the Empire where South Traveler came from, the time I'd be wasting would be too much.

With only this workforce, it will not be enough.

'Everything's not making any sense…'

Seeing that everyone was not adding some words, I've taken that as a cue that the report was done.

It was very concise and neatly arranged.

"Anyways, I'm surprised that you guys are here and managed to get a job from my father,"

Harry, Anton, Dexter, and the rest of the bandits tilted their heads sideways.

It was Harry, the leader, who retorted back.

"Uhm, isn't that what you forced us to do after we lost to you? You even made a memento of our loss by putting this,"

Harry was about to show the Kill Count spell I'd inputted from each of every one of them, and judging that it wasn't activated still, he and the others upheld being on zero kill count.

Still, I made him stop getting half-naked to show the proof in front of Aster who was giving me weird looks.

"Okay, all right. I've heard about what you said."

Now that these bandits are loyal to me, thinking the magic in their chest is "obey me or else" kind of thing, it was reassuring that I added another protective layer for my parents.

Of course, it will all end if they die because they killed someone while protecting my parents.

So the spell I've put under them will have to change.

I can work with that after taking care of Aster's problem first.

"Since you all decided to work under my family, your next task is protecting them from harm."

Harry and the rest of the bandits had a ridiculous expression plastered on their faces as they tapped their muscles.

Harry retorted, "A few of them that tried to disturb the Wellington's peace have already taken care of, young master. So you don't need to worry about anything about their safety,"

Then the ex-bandits or should I call them now, dedicated Wellington's workforce bowed their heads all together and all complimented in the same voice.

"Congratulations on passing the Academy, sir! We're very glad to be under your care and for giving us a chance!"