“Has Her Excellency seen a Changeling?” Hanna asked, standing over Kulmonari's dead body.

Bonte shook his head. “No clue,” he replied.

The Ork nodded and pulled the body into her storage item. “We should leave,” she muttered and started cleaning the blood off of her.

The Tigea agreed and changed clothes.

Even though their illusions were still functioning, walking around with bloodied clothes wasn't a comfortable thing to do. The smell would be an issue as well.

The two then left the room and made their way through empty corridors towards the exit with quick steps.

Things had gone smoothly, and the Elf that brought them in was nowhere to be found after escorting the other Tigea and the Human out.

Still, they were cautious. They had just killed one of the members of the group, after all.

Bonte kept an ear out for anyone that could get in their way and guided Hanna to avoid encountering guards, taking turns and detours through the maze that was the underground.

After a few minutes, they came out to the streets and towards an inn. There, they changed their illusions' appearance and silently left through a window.

They walked back to the plaza they had went through earlier and hid in the shadows cast by a building, then calmly went up to the city's surface.

“No tail,” Bonte confirmed after a few minutes of walking next to Hanna.

The Ork nodded and guided the Tigea into an alley, where they dropped their disguises and invisibility.

“We should assume they already found Kulmonari's blood,” Bonte commented, leaning on the wall.

Hanna nodded. “That'd be ideal,” she muttered. “The message is pretty clear.”

“That's right,” he agreed, looking towards the street where a carriage was passing through. “I have to admit your acting was pretty good,” he praised the woman.

She chuckled, “Not as good as yours.”

Bonte laughed and crouched, then checked his equipment.

Hanna eyed the high quality daggers with interest. “Those look impressive,” she pointed out, crouching in front of him.

He smiled. “Legendary Quality,” he bragged with a smug grin.

“Halven item?” She probed with shiny eyes.

Bonte nodded. “Natasha gave them to me after a dungeon Delve,” he shared. “They cut like nothing made by mortals.”

Hanna whistled in surprise. “What's the name?”

“Throat Cutters,” he chuckled.

She nodded approvingly. “Would be better if they were called Monarch Slayers, though,” she commented with a small smile.

“That sounds like something those Changelings would love,” he retorted with a sigh.

“If they weren't all talk, sure,” Hanna laughed.

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Bonte let out an amused scoff.

The last rays of sunlight disappeared from the sky at that moment. The suns had completed their plunge into the horizon.

“That meeting took longer than expected,” Hanna complained, looking up to the sky.

“It did,” Bonte agreed, looking up as well. “Looks like we'll have to continue tomorrow. I doubt Ines sleeps at the warehouse.”

“Word about Kulmonaris' death will spread by then,” Hanna argued, looking back at him. “We should go now.”

“Hmm...” Bonte thought for a second. “Do you think they'll relocate everybody?”

Hanna nodded. “That happened every time I went to one of their hiding spots.”

“Fair,” he agreed and stood up. “Let's go.”

Hanna copied him. “Also,” she began, turning to the street. “We should spend the night together after we're done.”

Bonte gave her a complicated face. “I have a girlfriend, so I'll have to decline.”

The Ork tilted her head in confusion for a second, then sighed and closed her eyes. “I didn't mean it like that...”

“Then why?” He tentatively probed, genuinely confused.

“When they hear Kulmonari died, they'll suspect your party was involved and put sentries around your place,” she pointed out.

Bonte stared at Hanna for a second. “And?”

“What if they attack one of you?” She inquired.

“They'll die if they even try,” he chuckled. “Natasha's a Warrior. She can kill anyone before they lift a hand. I've seen her fight.”

“Me too,” the Ork stubbornly pointed out. “Her Excellency didn't look that violent at the Arena.”

Bonte laughed. “She was holding back, like, a lot...”

Hanna's eyes shone with interest. “How much?”

“She can kill level 900 monsters with a single swing of her spear,” he told her with a smile. “In an instant.”

“Hooh?” She leaned closer. “What else?”

“She can run faster than sound,” he continued. “Whenever she throws her spear, a loud shockwave follows, turning whatever it impacted into minced meat. She doesn't hesitate to go all out when it comes to threats, too. She killed a Giganto Cyclops by herself in like, a minute.”

Hanna arched an eyebrow at the last bit. “A Giganto Cyclops? When?”

“The day before we got here,” Bonte chuckled. “She used a fire-based weapon that burned as hot as a sun.”

“No, no...” Hanna shook her head. “The group we're dealing with had gotten their hands on some Giganto Cyclops.”

“How?” Bonte inquired in surprise.

“I don't know,” Hanna replied, shaking her head. “I believe that's the third party I mentioned earlier today when I met Her Excellency.”

“The Giganto Cyclops, or someone that can command them?” He asked in a serious tone.

“The latter,” Hanna confirmed with a frown. “They've gotten someone that can control monsters like Elena can.”

Bonte rubbed his chin and clicked his tongue. “Well, fuck. Why didn't you tell this to Natasha?”

The Ork hesitated for a second. “I... didn't want to tell Her Excellency something I had no proof of.”

“This is more complicated than I initially thought,” Bonte muttered.

“But you said Her Excellency killed one super fast and by herself,” Hanna pointed out.

Bonte shook his head. “No, I meant their scope is larger than expected. Not only do they manipulate people, monsters as well?”

“And right after they tried to kill her...” Hanna considered. “But they should've known a Giganto Cyclops is no threat to a Halve Warrior...”

“Unless it was a message...” Bonte concluded. “I thought it was a coincidence back then.”

“Well, we should let Her Excellency know after we finish our business,” the Ork finalized. “She'll know what to do.”

Bonte nodded. “You're right, we should. Let's get going, then.”

And so, both disappeared into the night to finish their task and then inform Natasha.

Because Natasha would definitely know what to do, right?

Right...?