It was a wooden cabin with a door on its right and a closed window on the left. It looked ordinary enough except that it was quite a way from the village. Zecruix thought perhaps both of them were actually outsiders and the fiancée thing was actually false and they were scammers.

Zecruix with a determined expression walked towards the door. Upon reaching the door, he immediately knocked several times.

Sound of footsteps was approaching. The door opened and the face of Hervan reared out.

“Oh good evening, mister Zecruix was it?”

“Yes can I come in?”

“Of course come in, we also have several other guests tonight.”

Hervan pulled the door further in and Zecruix entered.

Inside, with several candles in the large room illuminating the place, the figure of a sitting Vaneri who was enjoying a cup of drink, a figure of a tall man with blond hair leaning on the wall opposite of Zecruix who looked quite familiar for some reason and a young man who looked at his late teen and wore an attire akin of a villager was sitting opposite of Vaneri and was staring at Zecruix warily.

“Ah, salutation, good for you to come tonight, we’re having a meeting to introduce who is who. We’re pleased that you have decided it as soon as possible.”

Vaneri lifted her cup towards Zecruix with a smile with a hint of mischief.

Hervan closed the door from behind and hurriedly went to get a chair on the corner.

He then placed the chair between Vaneri and the boy.

“Pleased have a sit, Mister Zecruix.”

Hervan gestured to Zecruix to sit at the chair that he had placed.

“We have one more person coming but if he still haven’t show up after an hour, then we’ll start this meeting.”

Vaneri curtly announced and so everyone inside the room waited quietly.

The atmosphere was awkward as the boy who was sitting next to Zecruix was glaring at him while Vaneri looked at the boy with an amused air.

The man leaning against the wall was looking at the ground, so his face wasn’t shown but there was a silent pressure exuding from him while Hervan was standing beside Vaneri, occasionally looking at a pocket clock.

The first time Zecruix saw him took it out, he was filled with curiosity. It was also a perfect opportunity to break the ice and start the introduction early. After a few minutes, Zecruix mustered up enough courage to break the silence.

“Hervan, is that a pocket clock?”

Zecruix inquired with a firm tone.

“Aye, this here is my family heirloom. My grandfather bought it back when it was first created. He was a bit weird but he was truly fascinated by the pocket clock. Mind you, the price for this back then could buy you a land but my grandfather insisted on it and used his entire lifesaving to buy this. Almost made grandmother left him.”

Hervan stared at the pocket clock with a mixed of reverence and melancholy.

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“… You can still make lots of Denurs by selling it right? You can live easily if you did.”

The boy that was glaring at Zecruix shifts his sight at Hervan’s pocket clock and asked him.

“Hervan is a traditional man. Selling it is tantamount to losing his family honour.”

Vaneri answered the question instead of Hervan. The boy frowned.

“It’s just a pocket clock…”

The boy muttered as such.

“Well since we already converse this much, I think it’s safe to say that the last person isn’t showing up. Let’s begin this meeting!”

Vaneri got up and folded her arms while saying that.

“Firstly, my name is Vaneri Gertrude and this is my manservant Hervan Peter. I was formerly the fiancée of Sir Fathva but two weeks ago, he had become strange and so I seek help from all of you tonight!

Vaneri theatrically implored with her arms.

Vaneri then sat down again and gestured for the boy to introduce himself. The boy, slightly hesitating, finally got up after a few second.

“… My name is Varius Gareth, I was born here. I’m the son of an owner of an establishment in this town but I don’t wish to be one and… I’m here to help a good friend of mine in that manor… That is all.”

The part where he said he was ‘the son of an owner of an establishment’ had Zecruix intrigued. If that was so, he was wandering if he was the son of the innkeeper where he stayed or completely unrelated.

After the boy introduced himself, everyone was looking at the man who was leaning on the wall. After some times, the man remained unmoving so Vaneri coughed loudly.

He still didn’t move.

Vaneri inhaled deeply and then-

“ROBBER!!”

The man in just one second had galvanized into action by the shout as he went into a guarded stance and unsheathed his broad sword while looking around, fully alert.

“I can’t believe it… how does one fall asleep like that..?”

Vaneri put her right palm on her face while shaking her head.

The man confusingly looked at his surrounding and noticed the false alarm. He awkwardly sheathed back his sword and composed himself.

Afterward, he leaned back at the wall but with his face forward.

“Names Roschev, Mercenary… pleasure to meet… everyone…”

He curtly introduced himself.

“Well then, let’s begin.”

Vaneri announced.