"Mido… Thank you for walking with me to my room." Wiz turned back as she touched the doorknob.

"No problem. The others went first, so I just had to."

She can't help but notice Mido's bland expression.

"They will be fine. Just see for yourself tomorrow."

Departing with a half-baked smile, Mido nodded and waved goodbye to Wiz before she closed the door. Facing the narrow hallway of the officer dorms, He took a deep breath, taking a moment to smell the smooth scent of the sterilized walls. The hallway was decorated nicely with a warm orange carpet and the walls girded with ornate décor. Vassal United might be a serious organization, but they sure know how to make their personnel feel at home, a notion Mido thought of just now.

The storm still went on outside, and as soon as Mido turned to the stairs that led to the lobby, the perpetually busy space had constant foot traffic from all doors and corridors, the noise of footsteps only beaten by the occasional thumping thunder. He walked past the stairs, down to the hallway, and into his room.

He looked at his ID and grabbed a small plate attached to it.

"Number… six-five… is in this ID." He raised his head to the plate above the door. Room 65. After inserting the plate into a keyhole, a beep followed by a green light acknowledged his card. Opening the door, he finally saw and basked inside the ambiance of his room. The air smelled of a neutral, perfumed odor, something akin to newly-bought clothing. The furniture seems mostly untouched, but the jet-black table that was the centerpiece of the room was glossy and wet. Housekeeping must have cleaned this room a while ago.

He sat on the white sofa, and let his body sink into the fluffy foam.

"Ahh~ what the hell, this is so comfy…" Mido commented, resting his head on the sofa's arm. Before he knew it, Mido's eyes felt heavy.

'A lot of things happened. The world is a huge place, as I've thought. There are a lot of people suffering too.' He tried to commune with the voice by concentrating, but all he got was the ambient ringing on his ears and the room's humming conditioning system. He already believed that the voice is a separate entity from his mind, that's why he can't help but wonder: why did it fell silent?

"I haven't slept in a while… I've got to catch some sleep." He eventually dozed off on the sofa, staring at the rainfall outside the window, without even opening the bedroom.

Even though they had a rough time, Mido's sleep was fast and calm, courtesy of Wizbette.

----------------------------------------

The sky grew a dim blue, as nightfall approached. The rain persisted, but not as intense as hours ago. Woodcarver hopped through the woods, seemingly gliding as the trees gave way to her presence. Seeing the creek in the distance, she rushed faster. The mansion eventually came into view, and what greeted her in the distance was a silhouette, and a pair of small, purple orbs.

Landing perfectly on the pavement just a few meters from the grand doors, Woodcarver kneeled at the figure.

"Milady. I've come home… unscathed." She said, slightly panting.

She felt the cold presence above her as she looked on the ground, and a hand touched her cheek and lifted her head. She saw Aurelia, smiling at her with an unknowable feeling. Her eyes gazed on her, but being under her for years, Woodcarver was used to it.

"That's why I like you, Woodcarver. You never fail to come back to me."

"I never will, milady." She replied justly.

"Stand up and come inside! I've prepared for dinner." Aurelia smiled and turned her back. Without question, Woodcarver tailed her. The grand doors opened to the dilapidated hall, which was now flooding with water. They just passed by it though and continued down the hallway which noticeably stood more than the entrance. She heard the slight drops of water from the ceiling, but none went inside. The mansion was lit only by torches, giving it an eerie feeling as their footsteps made ghastly echoes.

She followed the lady as the latter opened another door. It was a dining room; the long table, surrounded by brick walls and a lit fireplace in front of it gave its ambiance. She looked, and the table was already lined with sumptuous food, the likes of which only a top chef could do.

"Who cooked all of this, milady?" Woodcarver had a hunch that Aurelia was not that person, and this seemed to be answered by two figures that sat humbly on one of the many tall chairs, shaded by the fireplace lights.

"Hah! You couldn't even stop doubting my cooking… It was them that cooked all of these. I'd say they're... guests." Stomping with a clack of her heels, Aurelia walked inside.

"Come in, dear."

One person, who positioned themselves on a chair closest to the fireplace, turned her head to Woodcarver and jolted.

"Hai hai~" A petite girl giggled and bobbed her short hair that jutted out from above her ears as she waved. She seemed to wear a bonnet and wore a thick jacket as if to combat the cold.

"I'm Leva, and that guy in front of me is Shear. We, as she announced, prepared the food, for you and the lady." She had a thin voice and spoke in a somewhat annoying manner, her tone moving up and down erratically like a child.

"Thank you for sparing me the introductions, Leva. And for your information? I did all of the work. You just arranged it in this… manner." Shear sat ominously, his gray hair obscured much of his face. He wore a garb that hid most of his neck and sleeves that hanged baggily on his wrists.

Leva moaned and slammed the table.

"Hey! Shut up, or the lady will hear—"

"Everyone! This is Woodcarver, my most trusted right hand, as you can tell." Aurelia stood beside her and touched her shoulder. Woodcarver opened her hood, revealing her face and red hair fixed on a bun on one side.

"My, my. You sure fixed your hair for the occasion." Aurelia closed her eyes and smiled at Woodcarver, who then nodded in response.

"I always have to be modest, aren't I?" She boasted; As fast as she dashed through the woods going here, Woodcarver was also quick on fixing her appearance.

Clearing her throat, she greeted the two.

"I'm Woodcarver, loyal to milady, and her only right hand. With that being said…" Woodcarver closed her eyes and used her ability on both Leva and Shear's wooden chairs.

"Gah!"

"…"

She warped serrated wood from the chairs into each person's necks, startling one of them.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"You're mercenaries, right? Do you swear to not divulge milady's identity amongst your peers and employer?" She said, voice increasing in every second she spoke. The weather outside added to the tension.

Shear did not even flinch at the sight of the wood threatening to carve his neck. Instead, he reached out to the katana he positioned beside him and in quick succession, used the weapon to conjure condensed the air in front of him to slice the wood that held both of them. Leva, because of her small stature, swiftly stood up the chair and brandished a gun, pointing it to Woodcarver.

"This sub-machine gun packs a punch, red-haired girl… Don't even try to hurt us."

"Yeah. What she said." Shear still sat, but his sword was at the ready.

"Tch," Woodcarver grunted.

All the while, Aurelia was trying to conceal her monotonous anger behind the commotion. Stepping into view, she wore a smile.

"Guys? I'll have you know that I do not like a messy dinner… especially if the mess is taking place in front of me."

She leaned to Woodcarver's ear.

"Right, Woodcarver?"

Releasing a sigh, Woodcarver bowed and apologized.

"I apologize for my misbehavior and rudeness. I hope milady has explained everything to you, and you fully understand her notions." She slowly disengaged and put the chairs back to their former shape.

"Well, of course! The lady is a peculiar Vassal, and we understand that fully, miss Woodcarver." Leva sat down and promptly hid her gun, while Shear nodded as he unsheathed his sword back into its scabbard.

"We're mercenaries. We take pride in respecting our clients' privacy, identity, and information. We're just here for the job we were hired to do."

"Let me guess. Making dinner?" Woodcarver asked sarcastically.

"You could say that… but let's just shut up and eat already!" Leva waved her hand.

"I have to say; the food is starting to get cold. Shall we, dear?" Aurelia tapped Woodcarver's back as she sat on the furthermost chair, the latter made herself comfortable near the lady.

When everything was all set, Leva lifted her utensils and was the first to dig in.

"Let's eat!" She gobbled up the assortment of food only a noble might dare prepare and eat on their table. Woodcarver just wondered how the others procured such sumptuous ingredients. At this point, however, she was too hungry to decline. Dismissing the possibility that the food was poisoned, she began to dig through it. As the hot aroma of the steak seeped into her nose, and the craving texture kissed her lips, she took a bite.

It was delicious.

Her stomach begged for more, and before she knew it, her mouth raced with Leva's in consumption. Aurelia and Shear, however, retained their calm and sophisticated manner of eating, and ate slowly, amused of seeing the two digging their way into the meal.

"Thank you for the meal!" Both of them said in unison after finishing their plates, panting.

"Of course, you are thankful. And to the lady as well, for procuring the finest ingredients in such a small amount of time." Shear nodded and gestured using his hand.

"My… it seems so. Even Woodcarver ate so much!" Aurelia covered her mouth and giggled. After a while, she regained her calm, piercing self. Her glowing pupils monotonously looked at the three, then she spoke.

"That was the best meal I ate for a while… Now that it's done, however, I would like to start with the details."

Everyone focused on her.

"A noble acquaintance of mine sadly was sloppy in executing his task. As of right now, he's doing everything he can to make up for his mistake." She touched her fork and twirled it around.

"I'm sure you know about Reiss? That prairie city. A sick joke, their lord calling it a 'city' even though half of it is a sorry excuse for a slum?"

"Of course. A lot of the nobles there also hire our men." Said Leva.

"I want to make it into a warzone. I want to attract a particular person's attention." This statement made Woodcarver jolt and look at Aurelia.

"The noble, Pierre, is already spearheading that job," Aurelia emphasized.

"Ah, the boring man, who turns coins into mind-controlling implements?" Shear nodded. "I know that wimp. By name, anyway. Always heard of him hopping into cities around this region."

"You can assist him as your secondary objective. Your job, however, is to find and capture a person named 'Mido.'"

Shear pondered. "Never heard of that name."

Leva looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "She's not asking for an inquiry, silly."

"Hmm. Right."

Aurelia cleared her throat. "Ehem. As I was saying, this person is somewhat affiliated with Vassal United. That Organization-run branch in Henwales, in particular."

"Sheesh, lady... Vassal United? You're making enemies with a continent-wide organization." Leva moaned. Aurelia just smiled.

"A 'small' price to pay for curiosity."

Realizing this, Woodcarver tried to hold her back, as she was unaware her lady would go to such risks.

"Milady, I think you should reconsider—"

Unnaturally, Aurelia crept into Woodcarver's space, making her skip a beat as she jabbed the fork she was playing with clean into the table, all prongs dug deep into it. Her pupils glowed purple as she looked at Woodcarver with flaming intent.

"I crave that flame. I felt it. I want it. Don't stop me from taking it, Myr—"

"Milady… I'm sorry…" Woodcarver timidly said, bracing herself from her lady's ghastly gaze.

Amidst her state, Aurelia was interrupted by Shear's voice.

"Lady. You're being creepy. Get straight to the point."

Hearing a voice of reason, Aurelia eventually stopped her manic impulse and arranged herself to be more composed.

"I'm sorry I made that rude gesture. Woodcarver, forgive me." She smiled and began to continue as nothing happened. Woodcarver can't help but question: what exactly went into her head?

"That being said, you need to capture this 'Mido' person, one way or the other, but preferably alive, amidst the commotion, the noble will make way for us. Be wary, as the group that person's on are formidable Vassals."

"Ahh~ I guess we can't decline now, milady. I mean, you already gave us the money beforehand." Leva shrugged.

"Yep. All we need now is to cut, capture, and leave." Shear touched his scabbard, flaunting it in front of everyone.

"Oh! And by the way, if that noble, for lack of a better word, shits himself with his plan yet again, can you… assassinate him for me? But make sure the commotion he's trying to make will still work!" She winked, without care for Pierre's life.

The two were skeptical at first, but the lady's omen was sinister enough; they had to comply, or fortune will likely leave them altogether.

"Hoho~ I guess we will need a lot more than just the first pay... y'know~" Leva acted to be cute, gesturing by rubbing her fingers for Aurelia to see.

"Of course, of course! What say, half? I'll even throw one of Woodcarver's wood sculptures! Her commission, of course." Aurelia bobbed her head as Woodcarver looked at her funnily. The change in mood was apparent enough to jest her.

"Hmm… So, the moniker ties a lot with the profession. I wonder, how peculiar that is…" Shear touched his chin and looked at Woodcarver, who then barked, with respect of course.

"With all due respect, Shear. Please shut up about that."

"Hmph." Shrugging, he turned to his sword.

"So then! When will the action commence?" Leva stood up, yet again on the chair, making her seem like a child.

"I'm afraid our noble, Pierre, has the answer to that. He is our signal: Once Reiss starts to go down in flames, we'll start. But until then, stay put and scout the region for potential third parties. Okay?"

Everyone nodded.

"If you want, you can stay here for a while. It may look like shit, but we have good bedrooms!" Aurelia waved happily, gesturing them to stay.

The two mercenaries had enough of her scary mood-swings, however.

"Thank you for the hospitality, milady, but we have a vehicle. We can stay there without disturbing you."

"Aw. Okay then~" Aurelia pouted.

The two eventually departed, promising to report back the next day. Aurelia and Woodcarver waved them goodbye beneath the now-clearing sky, giving way to the little blinking stars.

As the sound of a distant engine roared, Aurelia sighed.

"Woodcarver…"

"Yes, milady?"

"Am I being too rash?"

"Whatever your decisions are, I will support them, milady."

"Then, please. If I touch that flame, and as the moth that I am, succumb to it, will you be able to pull me back?"

Woodcarver was surprised. It was a long time since Aurelia became so tame in her words. Her side that she wanted the most was slowly giving way.

Aurelia stared at the skies. "You know, I don't even know why I want it. Drawn to a flame, I'm attracted to it, impulses that make me remember…"

As she stared, Woodcarver grabbed her pale hand tight.

"I promise… I promise I will be at your side, no matter the cost!" She said to her with faith. Unexpectedly, Aurelia smiled and stroked Woodcarver's hair.

"Of course, dear. Even if I'm having this feeling of slowly breaking, you're always at my side."

Woodcarver started to sob.

"Are you kidding, milady? You took me in when I had nothing left…"

"Oh… You remembered?" Woodcarver just ushered a nod.

"Come here…"

She slowly pulled Woodcarver into an embrace, her glowing eyes droned on her red hair.

"Yes. That night. You had to take my hand because you have nothing left. Well, you have me now. For more to come, Woodcarver."

She didn't respond, instead crying into Aurelia's dress. She felt only faint feelings because she mantled the Void, but she knew Woodcarver had felt longing in this embrace.

So, as Woodcarver expected what a mother would do, Aurelia hugged her tight.

Mom. I remembered. And I will never forget. You, Father, and grandpa.

I will not forget you all.