The sun has yet to climb the summit by the time Zethir and Augustin reached the city. The streets weren't yet crowded, but the chatter could already fill one's ears.

  Behind Zethir, Augustin raised a hand to cover his hundredth yawn. As he did, he looked around, his eyes picking up the countless stares of everyone they passed by.

  With furrowed brows, he walked closer toward Zethir and poked at his cloak. "Hey, why are they staring at us?"

  Zethir refused to answer.

  However, if Augustin could see his back, he'd answer his own question.

  After Zethir's sadistic training, the two of them changed into clean clothes. However, neither of them prepare tents, forcing them to sleep on the ground. Originally, Zethir wanted to sleep on the trees, or go back to the city—but he didn't expect Augustin would fall asleep as soon as he laid down.

  In the end, he had no choice but to stay. There were many critters in the forest, but without him concealing his presence, no wild animal would dare to approach.

  Sleeping on the ground was obviously uncomfortable. So when he found Augustin's back covered in mud, he didn't bother telling him.

  “Haa…" Oblivious, Augustin decided to ignore everyone else. "After all that walking, I'm hungry! Hey, wanna get barbecue?” He nudged Zethir with his elbow.

  Zethir's lips curved down a little, but when he felt his stomach slightly grumbling, his lips turned flat. However, he shook his head. Hungry or not, they'd arrive at their destination.

  “We're here,” Zethir said, causing Augustin to stop and look ahead.

  “Oh, are we going to take a mission? Don't worry. I'm very competent, and I…”

  “You better be,” Zethir cut him off, opening the door to the mercenary union. Unexpectedly, the two weren't met with glares like he expected.

  “What's going on?” Augustin looked around, seeing two dozen mercenaries gathered in front of the mission board.

  Zethir narrowed his eyes. “Come,” he said, walking toward the gathering.

  He didn't want to squeeze in front of the crowd, and he didn't need to. Even with twenty-four men packed like sardines, he could still view the mission board thanks to his height.

  “An army mission?” Zethir mumbled, and beside him, Augustin's ears perked up.

  The mission board was almost full of the same task, titled in bold letters; [Royal Mission, Reinforce the Army].“

  'Hah! If those royals weren't so stingy, I would've taken it,' he snorted. After all, he'd been in many similar missions before. Most of the time, all he had to do was kill—his expertise.

  Turning around, he was about to leave when he saw Augustin squeezing into the crowd and plucking one of the mission papers.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Zethir frowned. “Put it back," he grabbed the top of Augustin's head and twisted him around, before pushing the latter back toward he mission board.

  “Wait, come on! Look, it pays thirty thousand mitos! We're gonna be rich!” Augustin ran back to Zethir, his hands trembling like he was holding gold, not paper.

  Zethir furrowed his brows. “What kind of scam is this?” He mumbled, snatching the paper from Augustin and reading it.

  His face was impassive, though his eyes contained a plenty of desire. After all, in a world where starving to death was as common as tripping on a rock, a mission worth thirty thousand mitos only appears once in a blue moon. Until he reached the name of the employer.

  “Fernando… is it a coincidence?” He squinted, turning around and walking toward the counter.

  "Oh!" Augustin nearly jumped at the sight. “You're going to take it! Nice!” He grinned, oblivious to the countless glares behind him.

  Army missions were attractive because they had high pay—except for when royals were the client. However, this one was different. Many vultures wanted a piece of the meat, but most of them were cowards. They dared to look, but not to approach—the death rate on army missions were as high as its reward!

  As the two of them reached the counter, Zethir gave the paper to the clerk.

  “We’ll take it,” he said.

  The clerk glanced at him, eyes curling lightly. “What are your ranks, sirs?” She asked, her smile as polite as usual.

  Zethir inwardly clicked his tongue—the clerk clearly recognized him. However, the clerk had a nickname, "miss-I-forget-everyone."

  “We are rank 6,” Zethir said, his eyes slightly glowing under the hood of his cloak.

  Augustin flinched, opening his mouth to refute when Zethir stepped on his foot.

  The clerk nodded. “Just a moment, sirs. This hire is pretty good, don't you think? Thirty thousand for one elite! My gosh, rich people, I'm telling you” she sighed, shamelessly selling out her client.

  Zethir remained silent. Then, as the clerk finish stamping the two application forms, he grabbed the papers and dragged Augustin to the side.

  Augustin whispered, “Hey. I'm not rank 6, why would you say that?!”

  Zethir tutted, “Shut up and try to act like one,” he said, filling out both of their applications. Then, after forcing Augustin to sign above his name, he gave the application to the clerk.

  The clerk scanned the application, her gaze lingering on Augustin's form. Finally, her eyes flashed with amusement.

  “My, my,” she chuckled, looking at Augustin, who was tense like a taut string. “I didn't know sir Augustin was such a genius! Going from rank 1 to rank 6 in a matter of days…”

  “Ahem,” Zethir coughed, staring at the clerk. On the other hand, Augustin had a silly grin, cold swest pouring down his face.

  The clerk licked her lips, her eyes curved. “Impressive, am I right?” She winked at Zethir, and then at Augustin. “Well, genius~ My name is Amanda, care for a drink once in a while?”

  Augustin's eyes widened, the hair on his forearms standing on end. “O-oh? Y-Ye—”

  “He's busy,” Zethir patted Augustin's shoulder, giving a blank smile to Amanda.

  “Such a shame,” Amanda shook her head, taking their applications. “Have a safe journey, sir elite mercenary,” she turned looked at Augustin, her smile stiff and her eyes oozing out with ice vapor. “And you.”

  After leaving of the building, Augustin was still in a daze. If not for Zethir dragging him around, he would've stood frozen in place.

  “What's up with you?” Zethir looked at Augustin, tempted to smack him in the back with his sword.

  “... it's over,” Augustin muttered, his eyes deader than a fish.

  “What's over?” Zethir frowned, his mind turning its gears. ‘Is he being chased by assassins? No way, when I sought information about him and his partner, this guy was cleaner than soap.’

  Augustin sighed. “My love life is over.”

  “...” Zethir gritted his teeth, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword. “Do you want your life to be over too?!”

  “No, no way! Ahem, let's go,” Augustin cleared his throat, walking ahead of the irritated Zethir.

  Zethir scoffed, watching th clown walk ahead on his own. “Go where?”

  “I thought we accepted a mission?” Augustin looked back at Zethir, confused.

  “Yes, and?” Zethir crossed his arms. “Do you know when and where the mission takes place?”

  “...” Augustin opened his mouth, a fly flying out of it.

  “Just as I thought,” Zethir shook his head. “Instead of having a head full of junk, think of something useful. The mission will start tomorrow, and we're to gather at the city gates. Come, let's go,” Zethir said, walking ahead of Augustin.

  Augustin scratched his head. “Go where? I thought the mission was tomorrow?”

  “Where else?” Zethir looked back. “Obviously, to the forest. Let's train.”

  Augustin visibly paled, his shoulders drooping down. “... fuck me.”

  “No. Maybe ask someone else.”

  “That's not what I… whatever,” Augustin groaned.

  “Sir, you received a letter,” a soldier approached Fernando, handing him an envelope.

  “A letter?” Fernando took the envelope, tearing it open and taking the letter inside.

  Reading it, Fernando frowned, before crumpling the letter and tossing it on the ground. “Pfft, as if they do. Throw it away,” he waved a hand.

  The soldier tilted his head, picking up the paper. “Alright, sir. Have a good day,” the soldier said before leaving the room they were renting.

  Outside, the soldier hid behind a wall, straightening up the paper and reading it for himself.

  “Dear Father…”

  The soldier’s head jerked back in surprise. “That guy has a son? Someone like him??”

  Baffled, he continued.

  “...I heard you joined the war. I wish you a safe journey, and please come back soon. Mom and I miss you already…

  — Arthur”

  The soldier shook his head. "I didn't know devils could also woo women... women, I can't understand them, haa..."