Seven minutes after Alen left to follow those three bandits.
On a street where five students sat in silence, the air felt heavy and uncomfortable for all of them.
"I hope you peasants are grateful for us helping you," the princess sneered. Her relations with the group were minimal—if not outright negative—and she hated waiting there alone.
Though she would never admit it out loud, as it would be far too embarrassing, she missed Alen's company.
"I'll make sure to remember it, Princess Von Themys," the redhead girl forced a smile, while her pink-haired friend simply nodded along.
"We didn't need your help. We could've kept doing what we were doing, and we would've been just fine!" Tirino, tired of the white-haired princess's attitude, yelled in frustration.
Despite his anger, he stood far away from her. He was, in truth, afraid of the princess.
"Thanks to Alen, you won't have to waste weeks trying to track down the whole group," she replied, cold as ever.
"And where is he, then? If he's so great, why is he taking so long?"
"It's only been like seven minutes, Tirino…" the big guy of the group answered calmly. "We usually took this long even without their help—maybe longer."
"Y-yeah, Tirino, C-Cole's right," the shy pink-haired girl finally spoke up. "I trust that Alen's giving it his all." She believed in the first person who had defended her after she was branded as a sinner all those years ago
"He has way more experience than you'll ever dream of achieving, bug." While it pained the villainess to agree with the girl she hated most, she disliked the distrustful accusations toward her first friend even more.
"Yeah, didn't you see him fight? He can cast without incantations," Cole added seriously, further praising the so-called low-tier character.
Fran wanted to intervene. As far as she knew, casting without incantations had strict requirements. But she held her tongue—perhaps it was something her friend wanted to keep secret.
Without any warning, they all noticed a sudden flash in the sky followed by the ruling noise of an explosion in the sky that boomed over the city.
Though it had gone off some distance away, the group instantly knew it had to be tied to their mission.
The first to sprint toward the sound was the princess of the Montanev kingdom. She ran faster than the others, panic clawing at her chest. Alen had no explosives—what if he was fighting an entire bandit group alone? A cold sweat ran down her back at the thought.
What surprised her most was that the only one keeping pace with her… was the girl she hated the most.
The pink-haired girl's worried expression showed nothing but desperation to reach the source of the explosion.
A knot twisted in Fran's stomach. Rage burned hotter than ever, though she wasn't sure if it came from the thought of her friend being hurt—or from seeing that sinner care about him so deeply.
The two arrived at a dilapidated, run-down house, shrouded in a thick sandstorm. The stench of vomit and alcohol spilled into the neighboring streets.
And from inside, screams echoed.
Franchesca Von Themys, princess of the Montanev kingdom, trembled as fear clawed at her heart. Her one and only friend might be in danger. Her hand shook with both uncertainty and anger.
Kaida Thican, disgraced noble, was on the verge of tears, guilt crushing her chest at the thought that she had dragged the one who protected her into a battle that could harm him.
"Ice born soldiers of a forgotten Era. Great warriors that shaped the lands of snow and mountains with your unbeatable strength and unshakable will. Surge forth from the ground multiple frigid spikes that'll pierce my enemies"
"Dark clouds, bringers of storms that terrify all living beings. Grant me your power to smite those who wronged me!"
"[Ice Stalagmite]"
"[Lightning Bolt]"
Both girls unleashed tier-two spells, hoping to strike down whoever was threatening the boy they worried about.
The spells combined and shattered through the wall, raising a storm of dust.
The rest of the group arrived just moments later.
"Kaida!" Yani rushed to her friend's side. The strain of casting a tier-two spell was evident, and they both knew it.
"D-don't worry, Yani. I-I can still fight." She tried to sound confident… but they both knew Kaida wouldn't be able to use magic again after that spell.
Princess Fran's eyes locked on what she feared most.
Her friend's face was bloodied—cuts on his forehead, brow, mouth, and nose. Bruises ran up his arms.
But even so, he stood, daggers in hand. He hadn't given up.
"Finally! Sorry, guys—I let my guard down and got caught." The injured boy waved at the group. Despite his injuries, the whole group could sense Alen's happiness over seeing them arrive.
As he wasn't just I a life threatening situation. And that angered the white haired princess to no end.
"Alen! You… I'm going to punish you after this!" the princess yelled, furious at the entire situation—furious at her friend for not retreating, and especially furious at those who dared to hurt him.
"But I already said I'm sorry," Alen said in a defeated tone.
"I do—"
"So now you want to talk, little rat?" the bandit leader sneered, swinging a kick at Alen's left arm.
The boy dodged and leapt back, widening the gap between them.
"I'm not your enemy, big boss," Alen smirked, before suddenly dashing toward the warrior woman. "I leave him to you, Fran!" His daggers clashed against Gissy's blade.
"I would've attacked him regardless," Fran snapped, charging at Yute.
The axe-wielder barely blocked her at the last second, their clash forcing both of them into the backyard.
"And you—Kaida, the rest of you—take on those two!" Alen pointed at the brothers: the scrawny elder Yorolo, and the hulking younger Yirili.
"Take care of the brats!" Gissy barked, swinging at Alen.
"Aye aye, cap'n!" the brothers chimed in unison, their eyes lingering lustfully on the warrior woman's movements as they moved to engage the students outside.
...
At the entrance of the ruined house…
"Look what we have here, Yorolo."
"Oh, I see it clearly, Yirili."
The skinny thief and the burly bandit blocked the doorway.
Yani readied her bow.
"Not happening!" Yorolo darted forward, slipping past Cole and Tirino in an instant.
As soon as the thief slashed away, he was only met with the recognizable sound of steel clashing against steel.
"I can't believe I'm stuck with you. Your boss was way more entertaining." Yorolo's knife clashed against Kaida's rapier.
Kaida stepped forward, defending Yani. She made it her mission to take this man down, leaving the axe-wielder to her teammates.
"You'll never hit me with those pitiful shots, missy."
Yani shivered at his words, bile rising in her throat.
"T-that's not your objective!" Kaida shouted, stabbing repeatedly, though each strike missed.
"Hahaha, don't be so full of yourself, little girl. My dust shouldn't even count you as worth my time." To the others, it looked as if the skinny thief was in total control.
His movements were quick, unpredictable, seasoned with far more experience. He even dodged Yani's second arrow.
"Wind spirits, bless my weapon!"
[Wind Infusion]
The tip of Yani's arrow shimmered, cloaked in slicing currents of air.
But in truth, the fight was at a stalemate.
Yorolo could only parry and dodge. Kaida and Yani couldn't land a decisive hit. Both sides neutralized the other.
"If you two give up, maybe I'll go easy on you when you become my personal slaves." He laughed maniacally, lost in his own disgusting fantasies.
His words only made the girls hate him more.
Kaida's earlier words echoed in Yani's mind. She glanced at her teammates.
Cole's armor was barely holding against Yirili's heavy axe, while Tirino struggled to land a single hit.
Yani seized the opportunity. Yirili was distracted, focused entirely on Cole, while Kaida kept Yorolo locked in combat.
"!!!"
Her arrow flew, striking the axe-bandit's shoulder. The wind enchantment made the pain linger, gnawing at the wound.
"Aaaagh!" Yirili roared, thrashing wildly, his axe swings tossing Cole aside despite his heavy armor. Tirino backed off, unwilling to get caught in the frenzy.
Yorolo didn't even glance at his brother. He kept clashing with Kaida.
"So I'm just a side objective to you too?" Yorolo sighed bitterly, exhaustion creeping in. "You should learn who the real threat is!"
He sped up. While still only on par with Kaida, his sudden burst let him slice her side.
It was shallow, but it opened her defense.
"That bitch of a sub-boss, always thinking she's better just because she sucks up to the cap'n. And you two—ignoring me as if I'm a distraction." His tongue slid across his lips at the thought of overpowering them.
"Stun my enemy!"
[Shock]
Lightning arced from Kaida's hand, paralyzing Yorolo. The quick-cast only lasted a few seconds… but that was enough.
Yani's arrow flew, piercing his skull.
For a moment, he stood frozen—then his body crumpled lifelessly to the ground.
"That's what you deserve, you disgusting creep," Yani spat between heavy breaths.