The two sides formed.
Alen vs. Yute.
Franchesca Von Themys and Kaida Thican vs. Gissy.
...
"Hoo? You really want to go against me alone, rat?" Yute taunted, twirling his axe, an evil grin spreading across his face.
"Honestly, yeah. You're definitely weaker than her." I pointed my thumb toward where my teammates were fighting the stronger foe.
"You just throw your girlfriends at the fight you can't win?" Yute let out a loud chuckle as he stepped forward.
"They're not my girlfriends…" I felt a hot blush color my cheeks before it vanished as quickly as it appeared. "But they are stronger than me." I matched Yute's approach while twirling my daggers in hands as an attempt at intimidating him.
"Besides, you ordered your girlfriend to fight us. How's that any different from me? At least in my case, it was an agreement."
"What I do with her is none of your concern." Yute's voice dropped into a low, threatening tone meant to intimidate.
Once we were both in each other's range, we knew it was the moment. We'd begin the fight between us. But, who'd throw the first attack.
The one who answered that question was Yute, who swung his axe down on me.
I sidestepped, stomping on the weapon's shaft to pin it before launching myselself at Yute's chest.
But Yute closed the gap too quickly. With a brutal headbutt, he sent me flying back.
I stuck the landing and began rolling on the grass.
He shouldn't have any tricks left. This should be straightforward.
However, just like him, I also have zero tricks up my sleeve. This is going to be a regular fight with blades. No magic. No tricks.
Thinking like that, I was reminded of my training with Karla and Khyle.
---
Meanwhile, on the other side, Kaida had proposed a strategy: she would cover while Fran focused entirely on offense.
Though the villainess hated being ordered by a "sinner," she had to admit the shy girl's reflexes were sharp.
If Fran's spear left her open on the right, Kaida was already there, intercepting.
If a horizontal slash came their way, Kaida positioned herself for the advantage.
"C'mon, sinner! Move faster!" Fran barked, her tone biting, though a flicker of appreciation hid beneath it.
But, as quickly as that appreciation appeared in her head, the princess quickly remembered the reason why Kaida got labeled as a sinner. She remembered the crime she committed and instantly felt her stomach churn at the thought of having something nice to say about her.
"I-I can't go faster!" Kaida complained in a high-pitched voice. Although it came more as an apology for not being able to do more than she was expected to do.
"Don't care—just do it!" If it had been Alen by her side, Fran knew her words wouldn't have been nearly so harsh.
"Uuuh…" Kaida whined softly, failing to pick up her speed.
Then—Fran's spear landed. A deep vertical cut split down Gissy's arm.
"Khh!" The warrior woman barely avoided a follow-up thrust, leaping back just in time.
"I missed!" Kaida yelped, nearly crashing into Fran's weapon.
Fran groaned loudly in frustration, making sure her annoyance was heard.
"Why… why did you have to come between us?" Gissy muttered, eyes downcast before lifting her gaze. "We could've been happy…"
"Happy? You?" Fran's voice was sharp, unforgiving. "You and your group don't deserve happiness." She readied her spear.
"Why not? After everything we went through—we deserve—"
"No, you don't!" Fran jabbed her finger at her. "You harmed my friend. That alone means you deserve no pity."
"They also robbed old ladies, kids, and a bunch of other people…" Kaida whispered under her breath.
"Who cares? It's their fault for getting robbed." Fran brushed her hair aside, looking down on her enemy.
"And you say we don't deserve happiness?" Gissy's voice cracked.
"Yes! Maybe I speak harshly, but unlike your group, I haven't hurt anyone."
But you're mean to me… Kaida bit her tongue as she thought of the many times Montanev's princess had bullied her.
But once she remembered the accident that got her labeled as a sinner, she knew not to say a word.
Actually, she was happy to be able to be next to Fran and not be the center of her anger.
"Besides, you're nothing but a worm who blindly follows orders. Trash among trash."
"Wha—"
"You let him think for you, without ever standing up for yourself. Why should anyone care what you want?"
"D-do—"
"Not a word, sinner," Fran cut Kaida off.
"Why are you saying that to me, when you two follow that two-timing guy?" Gissy snapped, pointing at Alen, who had just slashed Yute's thigh.
"Two-timing!?" Fran's face turned scarlet. "Shut your mouth! He isn't two-timing anyone—and we don't follow his orders!"
"Y-yeah! He's not dating us!!" Kaida shouted, equally flustered.
Both blushed furiously, their protests only fueling Gissy's smirk.
"My point still stands. You both feel something for him." She tightened her grip on her sword. "And once you've gone through enough with someone, you'll understand why I'm doing this." Her voice wavered, tired.
Alen's earlier words echoed in her head. Yute wasn't always like this. He wasn't meant to lead a group of bandits. They had run from abuse together. He had saved her. She had believed in him.
But now… she couldn't reach him.
She glanced over—just in time to see Yute's axe fly through the air, severed from his hand. Blood sprayed from his wrist.
---
"Nggh!" Yute groaned, clutching his bleeding arm.
His hand was cut off from his arm by my daggers, and now he was on his knees, in the cold grass.
"Haa…" I steadied my breathing, chest heaving. "You're really a pain…"
Well, he is a boss. Even if it's just the tutorial, it makes sense.
"You've really done it now, rat! We'll rise again! We'll hunt you and that whore of a mother you've got!" Yute's voice was pure venom as his face deformed in anger. His hair now messy and drenched in sweat and mud.
"My mother...?" I sighed, feeling this fight finally finishing. "You're a simple big compared to her..." My voice softened. "She'd have finished with you in mere seconds"
Truly, Karla's training, the warmth of [Crescent Moon], flashed through his mind. Even though she wasn't my real mother, I really viewed her as such.
"You brought this on yourself." I raised my dagger for the killing blow.
But—
My blade met flesh—but not Yute's.
"Wh—what are you doing!?" Yute snarled as Gissy fell to her knees, Alen's dagger buried in her arm.
"I don't care about them…" she whispered. "I just didn't want you to get hurt."
"Who cares what you want!?" He shoved her off him. "You were supposed to kill them!"
"Because of me, you're still alive." She crawled back to him, wrapping her arms around his chest, sobbing. "Please, stop… I don't want to see you like this. We ran from [Seven Fangs] because we hated what they made us do… and now… you've become the same."
"I-I…" Yute's voice cracked, but no words came. His pride sealed his throat shut.
"You idiot..." Yute cracked with a whisper as he returned Gissy's hug.
The pain of losing his arm felt as nothing to him. His girlfriend's hug was everything he needed right now, everything he forgot up until now.
"I see this group has been dealt with," a cold female voice cut in. She was wearing a white uniform with Glen accents on it. On top of her head, a white hat full of blue medals.
"And by the Aurum kid's party, no less," a younger, higher-pitched male added mockingly.
A circle of knights closed in, spears aimed at the beaten pair. Every single knight wore the same kind of uniform as the woman, although less detailed and with kore plates of armor over it.
"Names, classes, and ranks. Now."
"K-Kaida Thican, Class E, Rank 9!"
"Franchesca Von Themys, Class S, Rank 2."
"Alen. Class S, Rank 11."
Two figures emerged with the knights.
"Guys!" Yani sprinted in, hugging Kaida tight.
"After we finished off the other bandits, we went to call them," Cole followed, relief flooding his face. "Thank god you're okay."
We're not okay… not at all.
This wasn't salvation. This was worse.
The Golden Troupe. Aurum's "defenders."
At their head—Lila Varsem, a corrupt knight captain. A future enemy.
Her arrival meant one thing: she would claim their victory as her own.
"Hoo? Interesting eyes you've got, kid," Lila smirked, approaching me at a slow pace. "Got something to say to me?"
"Thanks for cleaning up after us." I had to use as much willpower to force a cocky grin on my face, refusing to bow my head. Refusing to allow her to steal our victory.
"Ooh, bold," the young man beside her whispered, hiding his grin behind his hands.
Lila's black hair framed her sharp eyes as she raised her blade—its tip pressed against Alen's throat.