The boy followed the girl without question. She was silent and lost in thought. Sahar, on the other hand, could not concentrate: too many thoughts were swirling in his mind for him to do anything but follow Nyara obediently.

This was the third time Sahar had entered this large room. The first time to talk with Nyara and Az. The second time to make amends with the mint-haired girl.

This time it was to discuss a trip. Sahar had heard some of it through the door of the girl's room, but she didn't know. That said, he didn't know anything about the nature of the job in question. He wanted to know more.

If he understood correctly, they would have to judge whether or not Sahar would come with them there - if he remembered correctly, they had talked about the capital. He was looking forward to seeing it ! Maybe it was going to look like the cities in Fantasy? It was unlikely, but he wanted to believe it.

- I shouldn't get too excited, I don't know if I'll go yet... Sahar calmed down.

Nyara opened the door and walked into the room. Sahar closed it behind him and looked at the purple-haired man sitting cross-legged on the sofa. He was silent, as was probably Az — Sahar was sure he was around too. The girl sat down on one of the sofas and invited Sahar to do the same. He did so and noticed that Nyara did not have her fox ears on. He found it really strange, this ability to hide her fox attributes. One day he would ask her about it. He was curious, after all.

- We need to talk to you about something, nothing serious, came the voice of a man invisible to Sahar.

The boy now had proof that Az was indeed with them. He already knew what they were going to talk about, but he played dumb. He opened his ears wide.

- We're going to have to suggest something to you, more exactly, Creel said.

- W-what exactly? asked Sahar.

- Before we tell you, it's true that you know almost nothing about what we do, right?

Sahar nodded. Creel gave a faint smile without taking his eyes off Sahar.

- Do you know what a "Missiopere" is?

Of course, Sahar didn't know. It sounded like Latin, but unfortunately the boy knew nothing of this dead language. He nodded again.

- No idea, he admitted.

- I'm not surprised, strangely enough... Creel sighed.

- The continent outside the continent must be so... special... Nyara mused.

The girl had her hands clasped together and was looking up. She really seemed to want to learn more about this continent...... What was so special about it?

- it is, Sahar said.

He wanted to tell the whole truth, but... He couldn't say he was from another World. He wasn't going to be believed anyway; that was what he was most afraid of, really. Creel crossed his legs and began to speak.

- A "Missiopere" is a person who carries out missions for others, the man explained. As you can imagine, we are a group of Missiopere. We have a few posters in the capital and in other places, in official buildings or even in bars sometimes. Most people don’t know us, but it's not like we're hiding...

He wasn't sure if it was the same thing, but the system was pretty much the same as freelancers...

- You get an assignment, something to do, and you either take it or you turn it down. It's pretty rare that we turn down an offer, but I wouldn't say it's impossible. You can imagine it too, but we earn a reward for completing a mission. It's usually Kreyns**, but we've been given valuables and such. We don't do this for free, it's our way of life, all three of us.

(** : The "Kreyn" (or the Kreyns) is the money used in the center of the continent. Some of the other "regions" have other currency systems.)

Sahar liked the concept and was pleased to learn that they did not always stay at home: they went on adventures.Sahar knew he was being overly optimistic, but if they agreed to take him with them, with or without Power, the boy would be able to travel, too. He wasn't going to be able to live from "epicness" as he would have liked, but the time would come... He was sure of it!

Sahar continued to listen with a smile on her face, which pleased the girl. Creel nodded blankly and finished his explanation.

- They send us the mission requests by different means, even if it is often by mail. We go every day to see if they have sent us something, he finished.

- Don't think we're so famous, Az joked. We are nothing compared to the big ones.

- Yes, yes, but you can't deny that we rarely have vacations.

Creel looked at Az with half-amused, half-bored eyes. He turned to Sahar and put his head on his fist.

- Whether it's arresting a criminal or searching for something in a dangerous place, we can do almost anything, the man continued. As you can imagine, there are some tasks that we are unable to do or that we are too bored to do. Sometimes it depends on our mood, after all; and on how much money we earn.

Even in this World, money was important. He always wondered if money was important in other worlds. He remained silent after listening to the man and waited to be asked this "famous question". Nyara, on the other hand, always seemed to think of the other continent with a silly smile.

- Anyway.

It was Az who spoke.

- We've been given a certain mission that isn't really important, to be done in no more than seventeen days, the man explained. We were going to rest for two weeks, since we just came back from a difficult mission in the West of the country. However......

- A criminal seems to be walking around the capital, and no one is taking care of him.

Nyara had come out of her thoughts to join the conversation. She had listened to everything.

- N-no one is looking into it? asked Sahar, surprised.

- There are people who take care of that kind of vermin, but he's kind of invisible to the grands, Az explained. I bet they'll take care of this criminal if he becomes a bigger threat, but we won't wait for that. I guess we can deal with him.

Sahar wondered if there were any heroes in this world. Maybe the "grands” are those heroes but he didn't have time to ask.

- We could go later if we want, but we only have three days to find the killer, or they'll get someone else... Nyara said. We win a lot of money and it suits us to eliminate criminals; we hate them.

- I see......

- The thing is, we'll have to leave tomorrow. We got our stuff ready today and the next morning we're in the coach. On our way to the capital.

A criminal. All of this excited Sahar. It was a pretty intense mission!

However, as intense as it was, it was also-

- It's dangerous. It's pretty dangerous, that's all.

Creel stared at Sahar without saying another word. He was waiting for him to react.

The boy had expected it, he couldn't deny it. He was powerless, without any strength that could help him survive in the face of danger. Only his strategic intelligence could save him — and even then. It would be more of a thorn in their side, for them... Wouldn't it?

He didn't know Creel's potential, nor that of Az. However, Nyara, she...... Sahar didn't know how strong she was, especially compared to the others, but she possessed great strength, he was more than certain. She would have no trouble fighting anyone who was "reasonably powerful". There had to be people stronger than her, but there was always more powerful than her.

- The problem is, if we take you with us, we're afraid that—

- You'll be a thorn in our side, Creel said coldly.

- ...you'll be...... Hey!

Nyara shouted as she turned to the man. She sighed and with a drop of sweat on her face, looked at Sahar again.

- It's not that! Not... all of it.

Sahar understood. He let a smile settle on his face and nodded.

- It's okay, I understand, he said. I have no Power, no strength... of my own.

He could no longer deny it. Nyara was about to speak when—

- That's not entirely the problem.

Az did so before her. The boy looked up, his ears wide open.

- There are three things that are the problem right now, he explained. One, yes, you don't have anything out of the ordinary. I don't know how smart you are, but if you thought trying to raise your hand against Nyara was a good idea, I think I know how dumb you are.

- It's......

- Whether it was because you were super disappointed or because you got carried away with your emotions, it doesn't matter. I'm not saying you're not smart; I'm just saying you're not an absolute genius. And even if you were, having a good brain is not enough to survive against the dangers of this World. Just as strength alone is not enough. You need a good mix of both.

Sahar agreed with him wholeheartedly. Az continued.

- The second thing that is a concern is the trust that we have in you. You were accepted because Nyara forgave you, but also because everyone makes mistakes, even if they are stupid. Creel will take longer to accept you than Nyara or myself, but if you prove that you are trustworthy, I don't see the problem. I feel that you are a good person and I can understand your big disappointment, but it delays the friendship between us. You can understand.

- Yeah......

He fled with his eyes while answering. He was still not proud of it and this event will probably stay in his heart forever. He still couldn't forgive himself... Even though Nyara had.

- Don't think we hate you either. Right now, it's like you're a new member of the family, but we've only just met. That's what you are, actually.

Az didn't put any hostility in his sentence. He just sounded... friendly. They were more comforting words than anything else.

- The third problem...... it's not really a problem... Not really.

Az smiles.

- The thing is, if we accept you here in the first place, it's so that you can help us with the housework in exchange. You live with us, and you help us clean. That's the agreement. However, if you come with us... You won't really have a house. You'll live with us for free, and we won't get anything in return.If we knew each other better, I wouldn't have too much of a problem with that, but...

- I understand, I understand... Sahar said, biting his lower lip.

Nyara waved her hands in front of her.

- Don't take it the wrong way, she shouted. Just, we can't say to ourselves, "What if we go on a mission with the new guest we haven't known for even half a day and know almost nothing about, who isn't powerful or anything, and who could die in a day or even less"!

- E-Eh! Do I have to take that right?!

- Uh... I guess? Well, yes, yes!

Sahar sighed again, not very convinced. Az laughed to himself: Creel had rolled his eyes.

- Do you understand? asked the latter.

Sahar nodded, not knowing what to say. Did he have the possibility to convince them to take him with them? He doubted it.

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- I'm not going to lie to you...

Sahar turned to an empty sofa, where Azgoria was probably sitting

- I don't mind. You can come with us without worrying.

The boy opened his eyes wide in surprise. Creel frowned. Nyara turned sharply to the man who could not see Sahar.

- Nyara forgave you rather easily and seems... just happy to have someone else here.

Sahar remained silent, speechless. Creel seemed to want to speak, but he finally fell silent. Az continued, not caring about the girl's embarrassed look.

- Just by looking at her, I feel that you can become good friends without worrying. Despite what happened, she still seems to be attached to you. If I'm a little uncomfortable with you coming with us, it's mostly because of the first point.

Even though Sahar couldn't see Az, he could feel the smile on his face.

- I just don't want you to be in danger.

His voice vibrated with great compassion, shocking even Nyara. Sahar felt a small lump form in his stomach, as well as in his throat. He probably wasn't going to cry, but all of this moved her. He had said it with such a...... He couldn't put it into words. It was something he couldn't explain with words. Sahar smiled and nodded. He looked at the girl who was flushed; she was trying her best to keep a straight face.

- I understand. However…

Sahar clenched a fist;

- I want to prove to her... no, prove to YOU that I am a trusted friend. I know it takes time and proof, but I...I want to, well, I'd like to go with you on the mission. I don't mind if I have to stay home sometimes and wait for you or whatever, as long as... Uh... I'm bad at talking, how can I put it…

All of a sudden, after a few seconds of silence, Az burst out laughing. Sahar blinked and looked at Nyara's amused expression. She rubbed her chin and stared at the boy.

- Do you mind if we leave you at home and wait for us to come back? What are you, our pet? she laughed.

He blushed and shook his head to say that he wasn't. Az calmed down and sighed loudly.

- If we agree to let you come with us, in any case, you can't always be with us. However, don't think we're going to leave you locked up inside or anything! he said with a jovial tone. If you're going to come, at least show us that you can hold your own a little! I don't know, try to insist or something! Tsk.

He clicked his tongue teasingly.

Sahar couldn't deny the fact that he wanted to stay with them. Because they wanted to know more about them, because he liked Nyara, because he had nowhere else to go and because the girl was a kitsune*. Sure, some of the reasons were rather selfish, but didn't he have the right to be a little selfish?

(*: A kitsune is a girl with fox ears. Simply put.)

- Hey... Hey, I insist!

Sahar clenched her fists again.

- I'd like... no, I WANT to go with you! I... I have no strength and you don't need protection, I can't help it, but... But I won't be a thorn in your side!

He looked at Creel. Creel did not smile, he only squinted weakly.

- I... I will become a force for Nyara!

- As a friend, I suppose? she said, smiling.

Sahar imitated her. He had dared to say all this without stammering, which impressed him. It wasn't the kind of thing he could normally say without fear! He could be proud of himself. Nyara put a hand in front of her mouth and let out a cute little laugh.

- Me, that convinces me, she said.

- I'm fine with it, said Creel, but you have to realize that if you try anything weird, I won't hesitate to force you out.

- Cre-!

- No worries.

Sahar cut Nyara off and glanced defiantly at Creel. Sure, he was a little afraid of him, but if he couldn't handle himself, as Az had just said, then he clearly didn't deserve to stay with them. The man crossed his arms and nodded.

- If all goes well between us, though, you can be sure we'll be good friends, he said.

Nyara and Sahar turned to Azgoria. He took some time to answer.

- Only one condition, he said briefly.

- What's that? Sahar asked impatiently.

- Just be aware of the risks you are taking, Az replied. If we take you with us once and we get along well, you'll come with us the next time. If you are well aware that you can die at any moment, that's fine with me too. I have no reason not to let you come with us if you think you'll be a strength to Nyara.

While Sahar had been excited from the beginning, his spirits dropped a bit. He knew it was risky, but when Azgoria reminded him of reality, his excitement subsided. It was true that he was going to have to be careful... It wasn't just injuries that awaited him, but also...

Death.

If he wasn't careful enough, if he acted too crazy, if he took the trust... He didn't know how cruel this World was, but he would surely find out.

However.

- I am aware of the risks, Sahar replied. But despite everything, I intend to accompany you. I'll be careful, and I'll try to practice. Maybe Nyara can teach me the katana, maybe I can toughen up. I don't intend to stand still. I will become a force for Nyara, but not just a friend.

Az smiled, apparently convinced. Satisfied with the answer, he nodded.

- If that is your wish, take your courage with you and come with us tomorrow. You who have never seen anything of this continent will surely enjoy the capital!

Az stood up and looked at Creel, who also got off the couch. They turned to Sahar.

- Finish your work anyway, and Nyara will give you some clothes... more suitable. It's true that we left you with these clothes that are... a bit torn and strange...

Creel left the room with those words and Az followed him, but just before closing the door, he looked again at Sahar.

- ...... I count on you.

- ......

Sahar didn't answer anything and let the man leave. He didn't see the oddly wistful look in the man's eyes, nor did he notice that he stared at him before leaving. The girl, seeing that the two had left, excitedly took the boy's hands. Sahar almost let out a cry of surprise and looked at Nyara.

- It's soooo great! she exclaimed with joy. I know we're not friends yet, but, well, I hope we can be soon! You will see, to visit the country, it is brilliant! We'll go eat in a bar, in a restaurant and everything, and even if you want, after this mission, I'll be able to train you with the katana and I'll show you some of the techniques I've learned!!! I can't wait, can't wait, can't wait! I-I've never had friends to go with before !!!! It's cool!!!

Sahar shared his excitement, but he wasn't as energetic. He melted at the cute smile. A question on his heart, he didn't hesitate to ask it at the time.

- Aren't Az and Creel your friends?

Nyara Took some time before answering, but she finally nodded.

- Even though I get along great with Az, he's not what you'd call a "friend". For Creel, it's....... something else.

- What is it?

- He's... my brother, actually.

- ... Huh?

She laughed and scratched her cheek.

- Heh, yeah, my brother. I know, it doesn't look like it!

Mouth agape, Sahar stayed like that for a good minute before Nyara forced him to finish his work.

****************************************************************

- And... That's it!

It was now evening. They had just eaten what was called "Brownie Dumplings", but it was only dumplings with rabbit sauce. Strangely enough, in this World, the food strangely similar to that of the Earth. Except for the drink he'd had when he arrived on Duzmog, but that was something else.

Nyara nodded when she saw Sahar. She thought the clothes she had passed him looked great. Sahar agreed and proved it by smiling at the girl.

- I like it very much, it is special, but very classy! he said without lying.

- Hehe!

She had passed to him clothes that were hanging in a closet full of clothes. They had tested several cases, but it was these that they had chosen.

The top was a kind of sweater made of a material that borrowed as much from fleece as from wool. Sahar had never liked wearing wool, as it made him itch a lot. However, this outfit was very soft and comfortable. It was a dark grass green. In the middle, where the buttons to close and open the sweater were, were drawn ovals made of an even darker green. The same on the elbows. The ends of the sleeves were colored with yellow and red, while the pants were simply navy blue. It was a zebra with light blue lines, front and back. The shoes were of a gray neither too dark, nor too light, heightened by blue patterns, and that one opened by means of a pull tab, on the side.

All this made the "new Sahar". He liked these clothes and thought it made him more unique. He had rearranged his hair a bit, but he still found it messy.

He looked at himself in the mirror in front of him. He frowned a little and touched the left side of his face, where there was a mark, a wound. He still didn't know how he got it... Was it the woman who had hit him? He couldn't see any other possibility.

- Don't think about it, it doesn't make you ugly or anything!" said Nyara, behind him.

- I know, I know.

He thought it was pretty stylish, actually. He wasn't necessarily proud of it, but it looked more manly. It was only his impression. Nyara yawned and stretched, not hiding her fatigue.

- Anyway, we're going to have a long day tomorrow. Wake up at seven, we'll eat breakfast much earlier than planned and leave around forty. Good night!

- Good night.

She opened the door and did not close it behind her. Sahar looked down at her clothes again. Nyara had given him a pair of pajamas to sleep in, identical to his own: decorated with drawings of female goat heads. He hadn't tried it on yet, but he hoped it was comfortable!

And it was.

Sahar looked up at the starry black sky from the garden. He had decided to get some fresh air for a few minutes to observe the "Moon" of this World before going to sleep. In any case, it seemed identical to the Earth's: bright, white, cratered. Tonight, it was a half-moon. Afterwards, it was not certain that here, one called this natural satellite "Moon". That was a question for later. He took a breath of fresh air and sighed while listening to the sound of the wind. It was so peaceful... What an intense day he had just had! one hand, it was so... exciting, on the other hand......

- Let's try not to go through something like that again... he thought.

He let his eyes wander in the greatness of the night and thought about everything that had happened today. So much for one day... Fortunately for him, it had all ended well. It could have been much worse......! He was happy that Nyara had accepted him, after all. Sahar will have to say thank you to Tadda, when he can. The white-haired man had helped him to see his mistakes. Sahar had been so stupid and without Tadda's help, perhaps he would have remained stupid for a long time to come....... Sahar needed to think more about these things. He also had to try to control his emotions better. He was going to do it, he would make it... He could only believe in himself. He blinked and looked back at the big house. He was going to... He was going to have a real adventure. Ever since he was a little boy, this was what he had hoped for. This feeling inside him had only grown since the moment he started reading manga...... What was he waiting for? What would he discover, what would he experience? He had the shivers of anticipation...! He was in a hurry ! With a big smile on his face, he walked to the front door and prayed that the rest of the story would go well.

****************************************************************

Bread with jam. It was a simple breakfast, but it was enough for the boy. He ate with the other three, but wasn't too involved in their conversation. They were talking about things he didn't really understand. He let them talk and savored the mango jam. It was so good...!

After eating quietly, Nyara prepared the carriage. Meanwhile, Creel and Az had gone to the post office to see if there were any letters for them. They would be back in about five minutes, at which time they would leave. Sahar, on the other hand, was helping the girl put everything away. They hadn't taken much stuff, but they also had to check that the equipment on the coach was all functional. After checking everything, Nyara had written down on a small piece of paper what Sahar liked to eat. Obviously, as he had expected, there were some dishes and ingredients that the girl was not familiar with.

After the two men returned, they got into the carriage and prepared to leave. They had to wait for Creel who had gone to do "something" inside the house. None of the three knew what he was doing there, and they weren't going to ask him. Nyara was not surprised to see her brother with a big smile. Why was he so happy...?

- Shall we go...? the man asked as he sat in the front seat.

Only Sahar was in the back. The other three were enjoying the view from the front. He smiled as he looked out the window.

This was where......his real adventure began.

- .....

The man was silent. A glass in one hand, a cloth in the other, he washed it without saying a word. With the lights off, the interior was a darkness that would scare any child. Behind his bar, the old man was just doing his job.

- ..........

It was going to be time. Time to open. He had to finish his work quickly. People were going to arrive, he couldn't open with dirty things still on! The counter had already been washed and the tables were shining, but they would show their true beauty when the lights came on. Curtains kept the bright starlight out of the building.

- ........

The man squinted in the darkness before gritting his teeth. On his guard, he carefully placed the glass on the counter. He had almost finished, but he was still ten or so short. They would be opening in barely ten minutes. He certainly had time to finish what he had to do, but it was better to finish the job sooner than later. A noise was heard from the other side of the room. He took the knife out of the drawer and prepared to defend

- You really want to fight? I didn't think you were like that, old man!

In an amused voice, someone laughed at his friend. The man sighed and dropped his knife. He was reassured. It was only her.

- Since when did I allow you to come in without my permission, he asked, washing a new glass.

She did not deign to answer his question and laughed. After laughing, a noise of chair rubbing on the floor resounded.

- Any news...?

- They've agreed. They should start today.

Even without seeing it, one could feel the woman's smile. With a mixture of two opposite emotions, she seemed to be enjoying the situation. The man looked up, even though he could only see the total darkness.

- Don't be amused by such a thing. It must be stopped. Go open the curtains, will you?

The woman said nothing and turned on her heels, heading for the curtains. It was when she got there that she finally spoke again.

- Why not have fun with it? It's a good thing, isn't it?

With a sudden jerk, all the curtains opened. The woman was now visible and the first thing to be noticed was her piercing gaze. A big smile on her face, it was impossible to tell if it was malice or something else. Whether it was positive.

Or negative.

Her amethyst eyes looked at the old man who gave him a friendly smile.

- Don't you think you're a little too excited about this......

The woman turned to the windows. Etholys' light caressed her cheeks, her hair, her eyes. Her whole body. Even her soul.

Today......It was time for this criminal to die.

- ...... Bahama?

The woman relaxed her smile and looked serious. She turned to the man. The man put his clean glass on the counter. Bahama looked down at her fist and-

- I’m just getting fired up, that's all.