Michael returned after three hours with my new team members. For some odd reason, they stood next to each other like soldiers, which almost made me laugh. I immediately recognized the old man, and as much as I was thankful for him, I doubt he would be useful.

"I believe you all know why you are here. My name is Aron, and we will take a few dangerous missions together. I would like to know your names, and why you think you are the man for the job."

The first to take a step up was a small young man who had down syndrome. He was holding a crossbow in front of him like he was really proud of it. "I'm Marc, Sir. I'm a good marksman."

"How good?"

In a blink, he had his weapon ready and shoot it. The bolt passed above my head, hitting the stone wall behind me. As I turned, I saw that the bolt had killed a big spider.

"Ok… You are definitely good."

He smiled. "Thanks, Sir. It's an honour to work with you."

"Drop the Sir, no need for formalities," I told him, which seemed to make him feel bad.

Michael put a hand over my shoulder. "Let him, his dream was to become a soldier."

"Ok Marc, you can call me Sir as long as you keep shooting like that."

He smiled and saluted me. "Thanks, Sir."

Next came a tall and muscular man, too muscular for it to be considered normal. He had to look down to talk to me. "I'm Bob the tank. I have the superhuman syndrome and I'm very strong. I used two shields and my main rune drew enemy attention toward me."

"So, you like an RPG tank?"

"Yes."

That could be useful. His shields were thick, so they could hold quite a few blows. And an attack from them would hurt a lot. "Good, I'm trusting you to keep us safe. You and Marc will have a great synergy."

"Hi Aron, my name is Sasha." A blond and equally fat and strong woman told me. She was holding a two-handed axe that was bigger than her. "I came from a woodcut family, so I know how to use this baby. I also know how to survive in the wilderness. Earth wilderness at least.".

"That's always good!" I told her and I meant it. A lot of people died because they didn't know how to survive in a place outside the city."

"And I know how to cook."

"That's… Even better."

Then I turned to the old man, who was looking at me like he was expecting to be sent away. "Your name?"

"Call me old man. I'm old now, but I was an instructor in the army. I can be of some help."

"I need your name to thank you for saving my wife."

"It 's Robert."

"You have my thanks Robert, and I mean it. I will do anything in my power to repay your kindness to her."

Sasha spat on the floor. "Monsters. I would have killed them If I was around."

"I was only doing the right thing. I had a daughter." The old man said.

"Even so, you were there for her. Anyways, if there was no change of plans, we are going to work as bodyguards for Julian while he goes to the city, but first, we will fight inside the [Memoir] to work over our synergy."

"Marc raised a hand. "Sir, we don't have any mana after the last battle."

"We are doing it tomorrow. Let's get some nice nights of sleep first. We can meet here tomorrow morning."

The team disbanded, but I could still hear some of them talking while they left. That was good, we need to get used to each other and I would have spent more time with them if I hadn't needed to talk with Julian. Lucky, after asking some of his servants, I learned that he was at the right wall.

I went there, finding him staring at the view surrounding us. He looked distant like something was bothering him, or he was simply drunk judging by the wine bottle in his hand. "Hi, Julian."

He didn't turn. "Hello, Aron. I believe you are here for a reason."

"My team is ready, was there any chance of plans?"

"Just one. We will depart tomorrow, so whatever plans you have with them will have to wait."

"That's not a problem. Did something happen?"

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He took a long sip of his wine bottle. "My position as a warden is hanging on a rope and many small problems that keep piling up. Nothing you should be concerned about."

"I respectfully disagree. If I'm to be the right hand of a lance, then your problems are my problems."

He laughed. "I knew you were the right person for the job. But we are not at that point and I still need to show your usefulness to the world. You saw what my uncle did. People will treat you far worse."

"About that… You and Arlam?"

"Not by blood. His uncle married my aunt, but Arlam is the son of another marriage. We are not from the same household."

I held a smile. That meant killing his uncle wouldn't go against my promise to him.

He finally turned to face me, holding a few tears in his eyes. "You and I are not that different from each other. We are all slaves of someone else. "He drank the rest of his wine and threw the bottle down below. Then he spat on the floor. "We are all fucking slaves in the grand scheme of things."

Now I was sure, he was definitely drunk.

"Look at all this land. It's beautiful, isn't it? One day this will all be mine."

"I thought that it already was, by you being a warden."

"Not like that. I will be a lance and prove to them I have what it takes." He almost fell to the ground, so I had to hold him. "I will show my father I'm not just a bastard."

To be fair, I had already guessed he was a bastard son because Arlam used it as a way to mock him once. But having a verbal confirmation coming out of his mouth in such a fucked up situation made it sound depressing. I was not sure who his father was and it was not like I really cared.

But he had to be powerful to make his bastard son a warden. Which was odd at the same time, now that I thought about that. This looked like a position many would strive for, and not something passed up to a bastard.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rodrigues' voice came out from our right. I turned, and meet his gaze. He did look surprised by seeing me, only annoyed.

"I'm helping h,m," I told him.

"I'm drinking." Justin told him, "And I need another bottle."

"M'lord, you need to rest and I saw your uncle preparing to leave. He will be displeased by seeing you in this state."

"Tell him to fu-" He passed out, almost making us fall."

"Why did you allow him to drink this much?" Rodrigues said with venom in his voice.

"First, I found him like that. Second, I'm just a slave, what could I have done?"

"You!" He stopped, probably realising that I had a point."

"And the next time you want me dead, do it like a man instead of sending an assassin."

He blinked and turned his head slightly to the left. "What the fuck are you talking about? I never send an assassin to kill you. We need your weapon."

"Figured. You look to be too honoured to play dirty tricks. But someone did, and tried to blame you."

He got white, then red. "I will find whoever did this, but first we need to wake him up."

"I have to agree."

We brought him to his chamber, put him on his chair, which was carefully placed in a corner of the room, and tossed a bucket of cold water over him. Justin woke up jumping and taking a fight stance until he saw us.

"My head is hurting."

"How much did M'lord drink?"

"Too much, did I pass out?"

"Yes. And we need to have you ready for your uncle's departure."

"Fuck, did someone see me?"

"Everyone," I told him, getting an annoyed glance from Rodriguez.

He went to his desk and took a shot of mana. I still remembered the effect and the pain, so I could only wonder what it would do to a hangover, and wish to never have to find out. Rodriguez helped him, and in less than ten seconds, Justin vomited.

"Much better." He said, clearing his mouth. "I need to prepare to see my uncle off."

"And to deal with a rat. Someone tried to assassinate him and blame me for that."

Justin breathed in, very fast. "I should have remained drunk. How many bad things can happen in succession?" He asked us, but we didn't say a word, "How exactly did the person blame him?"

"I made a deal to have the assassin on my team and she told me. Of course, I didn't believe it, it was probably part of the plan if the assassination failed."

"Wait! You put your assassin on your team?"

"I prefer having her closer under my watch, and thinking that I believe in her."

"And are you sure she does believe in it?"

"I doubt it. She is a professional and is probably looking for a way to gain more with my death while doing the most job. This has to be a way to attack you, and not me."

"Let me have her," Rodriguez asked, with a glare that meant Alana was screwed in ways a normal person wouldn't dream.

"No, let's take part in this play. For now, you two hate each other."

Rodriguez and I exchanged glances.

"That's going to be easy." Rodrigues said, with a cocky smile, and I immediately knew he would make my life a living hell."

That was a game two could play.

"Now if you'll excuse me. I have an uncle to see, and many other annoying things to deal with. I will see you both tomorrow. Oh before I forget, Rodrigues, prepare a good gear for Aron and his team, they need to look like real escorts."

"It will be done."

Justin left, leaving us alone. I only gave him the info he needed for my team gear and also left the room. I went to the front wall to see Barion and the other knights leaving in the same way they arrived, which was still an impressive sight to behold.

With their departure, the fort became quieter. Many of the slaves were already sleeping, which gave me the peace of mind I needed to think.

I wonder how Vanessa was, and if I would have the chance of seeing her soon. But at the same time, It felt dangerous. Someone was after me, and she would be safe far away from me and all this fight.

There would be a time to see her after the mastermind and his paws were killed, which included Alana when the time was right.

First, I would use and abuse her, setting the perfect trap.

And then, make her master pay slowly.