The sharp clang of steel striking steel now echoed not only around the carriage—but from the forest to the left.
Closer.
With every passing heartbeat.
Then—
Movement.
Bandits burst from the treeline.
Not charging.
Running.
Some were wounded, clutching bleeding sides. Others had fear written plainly across their faces. Formation—if there had ever been one—was gone.
It was as if someone had kicked open a wasp's nest.
"What the…?" Bao muttered under his breath.
Morell glanced toward the forest and shrugged. "No idea."
At first, Bao could only make out shadows darting between the trees.
Then shapes.
Then figures.
Five of them.
They broke through the treeline in pursuit—fast, coordinated, relentless. Steel flashed. Bolts whistled through the air.
"Who are they?" Bao asked, eyes narrowing.
Morell didn't answer this time.
He was watching just as closely.
The outcome was decided almost instantly.
Caught between the caravan guards and the newly arrived group, the bandits broke completely. Panic spread like wildfire. Some tried to rally—likely leaders—but their voices were drowned in chaos.
Within moments, they scattered in all directions.
The battlefield fell silent just as quickly as it had erupted.
No one pursued them far.
No one wanted to.
Surviving was enough.
Even so—
No one on Bao's side felt like they had won.
If anything, it felt like a narrow escape.
A failure narrowly avoided.
The carriage door creaked open.
Elincia stepped out, her expression sharp as her gaze swept across the scene.
Her eyes landed on the five newcomers.
"Who exactly are you?" she asked, her tone calm—but firm.
Finally, Bao thought. The right question.
"The Holy Priestess herself, I presume," a slender man said, stepping forward.
He carried a simple staff, his posture relaxed—almost theatrical.
"Valen," he introduced himself smoothly, taking her hand and pressing a light kiss against the back of it. "A pleasure."
Elincia didn't react.
"If that is the case," she said flatly, pulling her hand back, "then you should also understand that wasn't my question."
A brief silence followed.
Then a voice from behind him spoke up.
"We've been tracking that group for days—maybe weeks."
Bao's gaze shifted.
A woman stepped forward, her movements graceful, almost like a dancer's. Twin slender rapiers rested at her hips, their thin blades hinting at precision rather than brute force.
"They're not villagers," she continued. "Mercenaries. Hired by a rival lord to disrupt trade routes into our employer's territory."
That confirmed it.
Bao exhaled quietly.
So the knight was right.
"Seems like we owe you quite a bit," Morell said, stepping closer after helping free one of the trapped guards.
Elincia remained silent.
Instead, she studied the rest of the group.
Bao followed her gaze.
A massive man stood slightly behind the others—easily rivaling Morell in size, if not surpassing him. Heavy armor covered his body, a towering rectangular shield strapped to his back. In his hand rested a brutal-looking morningstar.
Next to him stood a priestess—this one unmistakable. Black robes, a white collar, and a thick scripture clutched in her hands. But there was no symbol Bao recognized.
And finally—
A ranger.
Bow on his back. Daggers at his hips.
His sharp eyes watched everything from beneath a dark headband.
Silent.
Calculating.
"And your employer?" Elincia asked at last. "This far north, most lords can handle a band of mercenaries themselves."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"Especially this close to the frontier."
Valen gave a small, understanding smile.
"Skepticism is only natural these days," he said, reaching into his robes. "Allow me to ease your concerns."
He pulled out a document.
Bao instinctively stepped closer.
His eyes immediately caught the golden crest stamped at the bottom.
Even at a glance—
It looked genuine.
Official.
Authoritative.
"It seems we've been rather rude to our saviors," Morell said, appearing beside Bao. His tone had shifted—more formal now. "Please accept my apologies. Without your intervention… things might have ended far worse."
Bao shot him a brief look.
Since when did he talk like that?
Elincia, however, had already lost interest. She had turned away, kneeling beside one of the wounded guards.
Practical, as always.
"But shouldn't you be chasing the rest?" Bao asked, glancing back at Valen. "Wouldn't it be better to capture them? Get information?"
Valen chuckled softly.
"Thorne will take care of that," he said, gesturing toward the ranger.
The man with the headband was already gone.
No footsteps.
No sound.
Just… gone.
Bao blinked.
Fast.
"More importantly," Valen continued, "we would like to escort you to the city—if you don't mind."
He smiled lightly.
"Traveling is far more enjoyable with proper company."
"We certainly won't object to that," Bao said quickly.
"Especially after that," Morell added under his breath.
The rest of the journey passed without incident.
But it wasn't uneventful.
Stories were exchanged.
Names remembered.
Laughter—cautious at first—gradually grew more natural.
Yet beneath it all…
Something felt off.
By the time they reached the city gates, the sun had already begun its descent.
Stone walls rose high above them, guards watching from above as the gates opened.
Safe.
At least, for now.
The two groups began to part ways.
But just as Bao turned—
"David."
Valen stepped closer.
Too close.
Before Bao could react, the man leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"You should watch your back."
Bao's body stiffened.
"There are more people after you than you think."
A pause.
Then—
"We'll be in touch..."
Valen pulled away.
And for the briefest moment—
His eyes seemed to look through him.
"Bao."