On the way back to the guild—
"Let me guess," Jan said. "The mission Sophia mentioned before—is it to help Sir Marcus and the others get back to Valkeries as fast as possible?"
"That would be the case—if I knew their exact location," Mermes said, raising a finger like a lecturer. "I'll have to track them first, but that takes time. Instead, I'll start with the ones whose whereabouts I know—the ones nearest to me—and move outward from there. Then I'll track down those whose locations are still unknown, starting with the Guild Master, Sir Rollo, and Sir Marcus."
Jan frowned slightly. "I see…"
"I wouldn't worry about those three," Mermes added with a grin. "They're monsters. Even without my help, they'll descend fast. But the others are different. After all, not everyone's got Sir Marcus's clairvoyance."
Jan's eyes widened. "Oh, you mean that orb thingy with the creepy eyes? I've seen him use it."
"Yep. He calls it [Divine Sight]." Mermes puffed out his chest. "He used it once on a floor—dude, I was so envious you could see it in my eyes. You know it takes a long time to scan an entire floor. Still, there are always hidden paths only a scout would know."
"Sounds convincing…" Jan muttered.
"I told you," Mermes beamed, "scouts are really important!"
Jan squinted at him. "Why do I feel like you're a merchant trying to sell me something?"
"Ehehe…" Mermes scratched his cheek. "Is that how it sounds?"
With that, Jan stepped into the guild, and Mermes, who got caught off guard by Jan's remark, stopped momentarily, frozen by embarrassment, and then followed in his suite.
To Jan's surprise, Aeris was sitting behind the counter.
"Where's Sophia?" he asked.
"I don't know." Aeris huffed. "I bet she's slacking off!"
"Slacking off?! No way!" Jan grumbled. While he was busy cooking for Mermes, she was skipping guild duties? Unbelievable.
"Who said I was slacking?!" Sophia's voice came from the stairs.
Jan turned and glared at Aeris, who was visibly shaking with laughter.
Sophia descended the last few steps, holding up a small sack. Coins jingled inside.
"I was looking for this," she said flatly. Then she tossed the bag toward Mermes. "Catch."
Mermes caught it, weighed it in his palm, and grinned. "That's quite a lot."
"That's how important your mission is," Sophia said coldly. "You've had your meal, and now you have your funds. I want you out of this town in less than an hour."
"Understood!" Mermes saluted, spinning on his heel.
"Stop by the Knights first, though," Sophia added. "Maria might have more orders for you."
"Alright!" he said cheerfully, then turned to Jan. "Well, hero, that's it. I'll see you later—and thanks for the meal!"
"Wait, I'm coming with you," Jan said. "I want to check on Maria, too."
"Jan!" Sophia called after him. "This is your shift!"
Jan grinned. "Remember when I said you owe me? Well—yeah!"
And with that, he was gone.
He could've stayed at the guild, but worry tugged at him. Besides, if he lingered, Sophia would definitely find an excuse to rope him into another duel. Checking on Maria felt like the smarter option.
It was already midday—one, maybe two o'clock—but Maria still hadn't checked in since last night's attack.
'Something's off.'
He tried not to overthink it. He tried to leave it to Maria, like she had asked them. But when there's an elephant in the room, especially one shaped like a murder attempt, ignoring it is impossible.
'Why would elves want Aeris dead?'
From what he'd learned, every ten floors made up a nation. Floors ten through twenty belonged to the elves, but even within that range, each floor had its own village and ruler.
'Being of the same race doesn't mean they'd be united. Maybe another elven faction was targeting Aeris?'
No—the bigger question was the one Maria had asked last night.
'How did they even know she was here in the first place?'
Rounding a corner, the Knight's Keep came into view—the fortress of Valkeries' sworn defenders.
Its gray stone walls gleamed in the high noon, catching the sun like polished steel. The clang of blades echoed through the courtyards, blending with the faint hum of enchantments woven into the stone.
This wasn't just a fortress—it was the heart of Valkeries' defense, a testament to the resolve of its knights and the safety of its people.
Jan had never been here before. He and Rollo always met at the inn, so this was the first time he'd seen it up close.
He headed for the main gate—just in time to see Maria emerge, followed by a towering knight. The two stopped by the gate, still talking.
"And that's how I found out dragons—unlike birds—can't take a shit while flying! How weird is that?! Oh—look, there's Princess Maria!"
Mermes, who didn't stop talking the whole way, waved cheerfully at the sight of Maria.
Jan froze. 'What—why—how did his story even go there?!'
He wanted to ask out loud, but Maria had already spotted them.
"Jan! Oh—and Mermes as well. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually happy to see you here!"
"Hey!" Mermes protested indignantly.
"Hero Jan!"
The knight beside her spoke up suddenly, his voice deep and gravelly beneath his helmet.
Jan froze, recognition hitting instantly. "Sir Arcus?!"
He said it like a question—but he was certain. That thick, rough voice was unforgettable. He'd heard it singing in the inn more times than he cared to remember. The nightmares still hadn't stopped.
"Hahaha! Hero, it's been a while!" Arcus boomed. "You should visit more often. The men miss you!"
Jan scratched the back of his neck, forcing a smile. "Sure… I'll drop by sometime," he said.
'Hell no,' he thought.
Arcus smiled at Jan, and then he bowed deeply to Maria. "Then, Princess, I'll return to my duties."
Maria nodded. "Of course."
With that, Arcus turned and marched back into the Knight's Keep.
Maria exhaled softly, then placed a hand on Jan's shoulder, giving it a brief squeeze. "Mermes, when did you return?"
"Just an hour ago, Princess," he answered promptly.
"And since you came with Jan, I assume you've already met Sophia."
"Yes! She's the one who sent me here. She gave me the funds—I'll leave as soon as I finish buying supplies."
"Good." Maria crossed her arms, her tone turning businesslike. "It's business as usual, then. I want you to bring everyone back here as soon as possible."
"Understood, Princess!"
"Though—" Maria's expression hardened slightly. "I need to ask you one thing before you go."
Mermes straightened. "Of course."
"On your way down here," she asked slowly, "did you happen to encounter any elven parties?"