Once things had been talked about for a bit, the Healing Ravens left the scene and Chandler's team followed the draconian Loud elsewhere, to a house in the edges of the central guild.

"I'm glad you accepted my job offer," Lola sighed before putting a hand on her cheek. "I was starting to worry nobody would be my bodyguard."

"It's always a pleasure to help one of the Louds," Chandler replied. "Though, it would be nicer if we actually got to become a guild before we took the job."

"I promise to do everything in my power to help you get installed in the Guild system. Until then, I need you to get ready."

The girl eventually took the trio to a room, one that looked like a mix between a strategy room and a guest room.

"I'll be at the room nearby if You need anything. We'll leave once Lori arrives, so prepare yourselves."

The dragon girl waved goodbye and closed the door.

"Alright, time to talk strategy," Chandler stated, rubbing his arms together. "It's our first job as a pseudo-guild, so let's make a good impression!"

"I got an idea!" Eleanor chirped. "Maybe I could use my wind magic to levitate everybody to our destination?"

"The Great Lakes Kingdom is pretty far away from the central guild; and while there could be a spellcaster that's OP enough to do it, I'm afraid that's not you, Eleanor," Chandler folded his arms. "Besides, the roads there are plastered with wyverns in the sky."

"Oof, yeah, let's stick to the ground."

"Got any ideas, Lincoln?"

But the boy wasn't listening, staring at the door with a raised eyebrow.

"Lincoln?"

Still nothing. So Eleanor used her magic to levitate the boy to her side before flicking his forehead.

"Huh? What? What's happening?"

"We're trying to discuss strategy for the upcoming escort mission," Chandler explained. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just…" Lincoln turned back to the door. "I feel like there's something more that we're not getting here."

Eleanor and Chandler exchanged looks for a moment, before the former told the guy with a smile:

"You go see your sister. Chandler and I will talk strategy, then catch you up to speed when we're about to leave."

Lincoln nodded, and bolted out the room, leaving his teammates to discuss stuff.

Once at Lola's room, Lincoln approached the dragon girl while she was brushing her hair.

"Okay, Lola, be honest with me: who did you piss off this time?"

Lola put the brush down and faced her brother.

"Nobody."

Lincoln paused. "Nice try, but I know you Lola: pissing off people is like your favorite hobby!"

"Third favorite hobby, after having tea parties and stealing things," Lola clarified. "And I'm being honest: I haven't angered anybody that would really matter."

"Then why did you request Chandler's team for bodyguards?"

Lola wrapped her tail around Lincoln and pulled him closer, kissing him for a moment before replying:

"Does that answer your question?"

*SMACK!*

Lincoln held a stern glare as Lola rubbed her slapped cheek and released her brother.

"Yeah, I figured you'd react like that," the draconian girl sighed. "You really need to do something about your habit of receiving love and affection with slapping."

"First of all, you scared me, and second of all, they'll kill me if they find out you kissed me!" Lincoln snapped.

"Oh please, Linky, don't be so nervous," Lola replied before wrapping herself around her brother's body. "We're no longer family, remember? You were disowned and everything. Therefore-"

"Lola Loud!"

The duo turned around and saw another familiar face enter the room.

It was a woman in her 20s, sporting blonde hair, notably tired eyes, and a light blue robe that covered her whole body.

"What are you doing mooching your brother!? The Loud family is above something like incest!"

"It's not incest if he's been disowned," Lola scoffed. "Besides, I'm just giving him the love and affection you and the rest of the family couldn't give him."

"You're risking giving the Loud family a bad name," Lori narrowed her eyes. "Now separate before I literally force you."

The draconian Loud released Lincoln and huffed.

"Now, explain: what is he doing here?"

"I asked him and his teammates to be my bodyguards for our trip to the Great Lakes Kingdom."

"Excuse me, seriously? You're coming with my guild, one of the strongest guilds in Royal Woods, and you have dragon blood in you: the last thing you need is a bodyguard."

Lola smirked. "You're just jealous because I picked Lincoln to be my bodyguard over any of your guild members."

Lori's eye twitched before she calmed down. "Alright, listen, I bought two of my guild members to provide aid. Given that this team is relatively new, the chances of them mucking things up is too high for my comfort."

"Sure, that's the only reason," Lola rolled her eyes. "Now, if you're done, care to leave? Linky and I were having a moment."

Lincoln mouthed "help me" while looking at Lori, who sighed:

"All the other preparations for the trip are finished, we have to move now."

"Ugh, fine."

Lola released Lincoln and left, allowing the boy to catch his breath and thanks Lori-

"Don't mention it. Literally ever."

Well, just catch his breath.

Once everybody was ready to go, they walked out towards a carriage, with two people nearby it: a girl around Lincoln's age donning a Dragooner armor, and a man in regal clothing.

"So, you're the brother that Lori told me got… disinherited, from the Loud family?"

"Disowned is what she meant."

"Ronnie Anne and Bobby?" Chandler asked. "What are the heirs to the Santiago-Casagrande Alliance doing in Royal Woods?"

"We're part of Lori's guild," Ronnie Anne explained. "More specifically: I'm a warrior in the guild, and my brother's Lori's finance, making him a member by proxy."

"We were surprised when Lori told us her brother was going to come along on this mission," Bobby hummed. "Not gonna lie, you don't seem anything like what Lori described."

"Yeah, I bet she has made quite the colorful description of me in the past," Lincoln sighed. "Anyway, are you gonna be part of this mission?"

"I will, Bobby won't," Ronnie Anne stated. "We're gonna walk through the woods until we reach the Great Lakes Kingdom. Can I trust you to carry your own weight during the mission?"

"I'll pull my own weight," Lincoln stated. "And don't worry, my teammates are good at fighting too."

"They better be," Ronnie Anne chuckled. "We're going to protect one of the Louds with the worst reputation. Seriously, Lola makes enemies just as often as I make girl friends."

"Girl friends, you say?" Eleanor asked with a little smile.

"Ugh, I'm bored!" Lola groaned as she got on the carriage. "Can we get moving already?"

The groups nodded, and so the team moved alongside the carriage into the woods, all while Lori and Bobby waved goodbye…

And the former nodded at Ronnie Anne, who looked at her with a neutral expression before following the team...