The pickup point was supposed to be the ruins of an ancient temple hidden away. A gloomy place, looking serious, and perfect for secret underworld transactions.
But what I found there was... a beach vacation?
In the middle of the barren Mizar Desert, there was a small oasis with clear water surrounded by coconut trees. And right by the water, under a colorful beach umbrella that came from who knows where, a woman with long red hair was sunbathing leisurely.
She wore large sunglasses, a thin white crop top that exposed her cleavage and slim stomach, and tight denim shorts that showed off her long legs.
"It's been a long time, Five," she complained as she sipped coconut water straight from the shell. "The ice in my drink has melted, you know?"
I dragged my heavy feet closer to her. Desert dust covered my entire body, making me look like a mummy that had just risen from the grave. Meanwhile, the woman? She looked like a summer magazine model who had been photographed in the wrong location.
"The target has many mercenaries who surround him every day," I replied flatly, throwing my bag of weapons onto the sand. "How am I supposed to kill him quickly? Especially since the Master asked me to use this prototype weapon."
"Reasons," Hilda lowered her sunglasses, staring at me with her sharp red eyes. "You said with that smug look on your face that you would finish it in three days. It's been a week. Do you know how boring it is to wait here without any scrap paper with magic tool designs on it?"
"Master... we are in enemy territory. Not in a laboratory where we can relax as we please like this."
"It's the same thing. If you're strong enough, you can turn the battlefield into a playground," she got up from her comfortable chair, stretching her body until a pleasant crackling sound came from her spine. "Never mind. Go inside. I've had the air conditioner on since morning."
Hilda pointed to a four-wheeled vehicle parked under a cluster of coconut trees.
Van-Tech.
A white vehicle that was currently often used by big traders in the empire. However, specifically for this mission in enemy territory, I deliberately chose a Van-Tech with peeling paint and a dented front bumper.
It was used for perfect camouflage. No one would suspect that behind that rusty hood, a Core V11 had been installed—an engine that could run as fast as an imperial steam train.
I didn't waste any time. The cold air from inside the vehicle greeted me as soon as I opened the sliding door. I immediately threw myself into the soft passenger seat, leaned my head back, and closed my eyes.
Meanwhile, Hilda was outside casually folding her beach umbrella, kicking the folding chair into the trunk with one movement, then throwing her coconut shell into the desert as if she were kicking a ball.
"Hey, Five! Don't peek in the back!" she shouted from outside. "I'm changing my clothes!"
"Who would want to peek at an old woman like you anyway," I muttered softly, turning my body to face the window.
Well, to be honest, I didn't really care. Although sometimes it crossed my mind why my master didn't have a fiancé at the age of 24. Physically, she was so beautiful. I was sure that the nobles or imperial knights would be willing to line up to approach her, at least until they knew her true personality, which was crazy about researching magical tools.
Soon after, the driver's door opened.
Hilda entered looking much more "professional": a sleeveless white shirt and a short black skirt that allowed for easy movement. She was also wearing her favorite high heels—a poor choice of footwear for driving in the desert, but who was I to complain? Her red hair was now tied back in a neat ponytail.
She tossed her sunglasses onto the dashboard, gave me a slight smirk, and turned the ignition key.
Vrooom....
The "Van-Tech" engine roared smoothly.
"Ready to go back, my student?" she asked as she stepped on the gas pedal. "We have seventy-two hours before we reach the empire. I hope you have a good story about the fat merchant's head."
The car sped off, its tires gripping the sand and kicking up dust into the air, leaving the small oasis behind as a memory in the rearview mirror.
The first three hours were pure torture. Not because of the heat, but because of Hilda's driving.
She drove this van as if she were being chased by a dragon. We jumped over sand dunes at a speed that made my stomach churn, while she laughed freely every time our car landed hard.
"Master, if you damage the suspension, deduct it from your pay for this mission," I protested, gripping the handle above the window.
"Relax, Five. Besides, I designed the suspension. It's built to last!"
The sun was setting as we crossed the desert border into the dry savanna. The yellow sand landscape slowly gave way to scrub brush and cracked earth.
We stopped at a nameless slum. There was a cluster of tents and clay buildings that served as a resting place for bandits and illegal traders.
"We need stones to recharge the van's battery and food," said Hilda, parking the van behind an old shop that smelled of cheap alcohol.
I was about to get out to buy some bread, but Hilda stopped me. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at a rickety wooden sign across the street.
WILD HORSE RACING ARENA.
"Master... don't tell me..."
"Just a minute," she cut me off quickly, already jumping out of the car. "Core V11 needs high-quality mana crystals. The money from our mission is barely enough. Isn't it obvious that we need an investment?"
An hour later, I stood at the exit of the race track with a blank expression, hugging two large sacks filled with gold coins and jewelry. Behind me, the angry shouts of the bookies echoed.
"CHEATING! THAT WOMAN MUST BE CHEATING!"
Hilda walked casually in front of me, fanning her face with a wad of cash, a broad smile of victory on her face.
"It's not cheating. Isn't it just that you guys are too unlucky?" she said casually as we jogged towards the car. "Besides, horse number 4 has a denser rear leg muscle structure, and the jockey of horse number 7 looked drunk. If you calculate the probability of winning, it's clearly 87%."
"You think I'll believe that? You used a wind magic artifact to trip up horse number 1, didn't you?" I asked sharply.
"Just a little breeze so that the horse I chose would win. It's not my fault if the horse got startled," he winked, then pushed me into the van. "Let's go before they realize I cheated!"
That night, we took turns sleeping in the car as it sped across the savanna. Hilda drove while singing imperial Astra opera songs in a discordant voice. Meanwhile, I pretended to be asleep because I didn't want to argue about her unpleasant voice.
The second day passed with dust and rocky roads.
We entered the forest. Giant trees began to shade the road, providing the shade I had longed for after a week in the sandy hell.
Inside the car, Hilda couldn't sit still. She turned the dashboard into her work table. While driving with one hand, her other hand was busy scribbling in her sketchbook for a new magic tool design.
"Do you know why your shot missed the center of the target's eyebrow by 0.5 millimeters?" she asked suddenly, without looking away from the potholed road ahead.
I opened my eyes. "The desert wind changed direction at the last second."
"Wrong. That's because you're hesitating," Hilda tapped her temple with her pen. "Mag-Rail is sensitive to fluctuations in the user's emotions. If you feel even the slightest pity, fear, or hesitation, the flow of mana will tremble."
She turned to me briefly, her playful gaze replaced by a cold, master-like stare.
"You're not yourself. Were you afraid to kill that pig?" Hilda stared at me sharply, "Haven't you killed hundreds of people? Why are you afraid? I've told you before, haven't I? Your feelings must never interfere with the mission."
I fell silent, staring at the fast-moving forest outside the window. "While monitoring it. I saw that he had a wife and children, Master. I saw the photo when I snuck into his room."
"And 'Alfonso's Heart' is the main source of energy for the hospital in the Kingdom of Alfonso. Without it, thousands of patients will die because the medical equipment will shut down," Hilda replied sharply. "This world isn't about who is evil and who is good, Five. Sacrificing one thief to save thousands of lives. Besides, King Alfonso has given us the authority to torture that damn pig."
I didn't answer. I just pulled the thin blanket tighter around my body. It was a lesson he always repeated, but for some reason, every time I killed someone with a family, I felt a feeling gnawing at my body.
Day three.
The air grew cooler. The rocky dirt roads had now turned into smooth asphalt roads. It was a sign that civilization was near.
We passed through the checkpoint easily thanks to the fake license plates that Hilda changed regularly. Our Van-Tech now blended in with the other merchant vehicles heading for the Astra Empire.
Hilda was busy complaining about the dinner menu. She was talking about beef steak or fish—when the large shadow of a building began to block out the sunlight.
I straightened my back, my drowsiness instantly gone.
In the distance, I see a giant wall made of sturdy white stone and reinforced with sparkling transparent protective magic. Guard towers with Astra Empire flags fly proudly at their peaks.
This is the boundary between the barbaric outside world and the orderly utopia.
The border of the Astra Empire.
"Finally," Hilda murmured. "We're home."
I exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of the mission on my shoulders slowly lift, only to be replaced by an even heavier burden.
"Put on your best smile, Five," Hilda said as she hit the brakes as we approached the inspection gate. "We're back to the lab."