Naofumi chowed down on the hearty breakfast meal. It was so damn good! Something about the way the chef at the inn cooks the food made it all the tastier. He could tell the chef cooked the eggs in the same pan with the bacon, and the bread was so buttery soft. It was better than his dad's cooking.
'Sorry, dad.'
"Careful, or you'll choke," Mina says teasingly. It was entertaining watching him scarf down the meal.
They were seated at the same table they ate dinner last night in the dining hall. There weren't that many people there so their meals came in quickly.
When Naofumi woke up earlier, his stomach growled loud enough it was akin to an animal's growl. Rowan, who had woken up earlier, quietly laughed. A knock came at their door followed by Mina's voice asking what they'll be having for breakfast.
Their plans for the day were up in the air. Aside from Rowan's search for Gareth, there wasn't really much to do nor did they have any particular destination in mind.
For now, Naofumi just wanted to eat something first then think later.
Rowan pushed his empty plate forward and unfolded their map. "So, do you guys have any place in mind to visit?"
Where to indeed?
"Well," Naofumi says after swallowing his eggs, "we're not in any rush to go somewhere. There haven't been any Hrym sightings either. We've already done the obligatory hot springs episode… or chapter in this case."
"How many times are we allowed to break the 4th wall again?" Rowan asks.
"Just enough times so the author and readers don't get mad." He nods to Mina and Rachel. "So, any places you girls wanna go?"
"Hmm…" Mina ran a finger down the map. "If it were up to me, I would go to Silvershore." She points at the coastal town. "Compared to other villages inland of the kingdom, Silvershore has more rare items from around the world."
"Agreed," Rachel says. "Hell, I want to see if the pharmacy shop there has a mixer for my ingredients. It'll make creating medicine easier than what I'm doing now." She looks down at her satchel. "Pretty sure I can fit it in here."
"You could fit a bear inside that thing," Naofumi jokes.
"Maybe."
They share a laugh.
"I guess that settles it then," Naofumi says with confidence. "Silvershore it is. How far is it?"
"It's…" Rowan silently did the math. "Roughly six hours from here. There is a village we can stop by on our way and-" he stops.
"What?" Naofumi asks. He didn't like the sudden silence.
"Umm, t-there's this village, Nive, where we can stop for a break, but, umm…" Rowan points to where Nive is, which has an X marked over it. "It's a place where the Church of the Three Heroes has power. So…"
Naofumi stares at the drawn village with the glaring X. There were more circles that favored the Four Gods than the crossed-out ones with the Church. Still, that didn't mean there weren't those who worshiped the Church in places with the circles. The same can be said with those in the Xs.
Religion was something he never gave much attention to. He wasn't devout by any means. He did believe. Hell, if he was teleported to another world using magic, who's to say that gods don't exist?
Never did he think he'd be on the forefront of a religion where he's despised. And for what reason? Because the Shield Hero was in favor of Demi-Humans? Nothing about it made sense.
"Isn't there a way around it?" he asks.
"No." Mina points to where they are and goes down the map. "It's a straight road from here to Nive and Silvershore. If we try any other direction, it will only take us longer. This is the fastest way to Silvershore."
Damn. And he was doing a good job avoiding any conflict with the Church so far. His luck was bound to fail on him eventually.
He sighs dejectedly. "Can't be helped. I'll just disguise myself." He can easily move his shield underneath his clothes and pull his cloak's hood over his head. It may not be the perfect disguise but it's not like half of the villages in Melromarc know what he looks like, let alone seen him.
"We were bound to come across these villages and towns some way or another," Rachel says. "It was only a matter of time. We'll just have to play it by ear."
"And try to avoid any members of the Church," Rowan adds. "They're not exactly hostile but I wouldn't put it past them to berate you with their dogma."
Naofumi hums in response. What else can be done with this? Maybe they'll just stop for food, buy some things and leave. At best, they'll be there for maybe forty-five minutes.
"Alright," He claps his hands. "Let's get our things ready and head out."
They paid for their breakfast and their rooms, packed up their things, and went to the stables where their wagon was.
As Rowan began putting on the harnesses to his spider, Naofumi took a look down the path leading outside of the village.
He didn't know why but he had a strange feeling about Nive.
'Something is going to happen there, I just know it.'
Their arrival at Nive was met with silence. The guards at the entrance let them through without so much as showing any resistance. Naofumi found it odd to see them so passive about letting people in. He had already moved his shield underneath his clothes along with his hood pulled up. He manages to get a good look at one of the guards and is surprised to see how nervous he is. He didn't look at any of them in the eye.
'Weird,' he thinks, 'Guards aren't normally like this.'
Rowan guided his spider to the streets where they were meet with an even stranger sight. It is early in the afternoon yet hardly anyone was outside save for a few people on the sidewalks. Naofumi noticed how they kept their heads down as their wagon passed by.
Any ambiance of a lively village was snuffed out and was replaced with a sense of fear.
"This is…" Naofumi looks around, hoping to spot someone to save them from this weird atmosphere.
"Creepy?" Rachel says.
"Unsettling?" Mina says.
"Eerie?" Rowan says.
"All of the above." Naofumi moves further up until he's sitting beside Rowan. "Did something happen here?"
"If there was, then the guards would've said something," Rowan says.
"But they didn't. Something about them was off."
"Something about this whole village is off," Rachel joins them. "There doesn't seem to be any type of quarantine, otherwise we would've seen black flags."
"Strange." Mina leans forward and gazes at the houses. Many of them had their curtains pulled. One didn't and she sees a man sitting at a dining table nursing a cup but not drinking it. He hears the rattling of the wagon and looks out the window. Mina is about to wave him down when he quickly stands and pulls the curtain.
"Well, that was rude." Mina sits back down.
Naofumi got the sense that the man wasn't rude, just scared.
'Of what?'
They eventually find the stables where they parked the wagon. Rowan assures them that if anyone tries to steal it, his spiders would jump the perpetrators and bind them in their silk. Said spiders were hiding deep in the wagons, unseen by anyone unless they look closer.
They ventured deeper into Nive, hoping to see at least someone. Naofumi didn't like this. He had a bad feeling about Nive earlier and he hated that he was right.
They found themselves at the center square with several merchant stands. The closer they got; they could see many of the stands were closed. Only two were open but their owners also had a tense look about them.
This went beyond strange. Naofumi couldn't describe it.
He looks around and just beyond the village, he spots a manor high atop a hill. Chills ran down his spine. The windows of the manor were like eyes, watching every single action of the village. If he thought the near-empty village was creepy, that manor was something else.
"Should we just go?" He suggests. There wasn't any need to be here if no one was willing to speak with them.
"I don't know," Rowan shakes his head. "I have this weird feeling that we should be here but we also should be cautious. Call it a hunter's intuition."
"I feel the same," Mina says. "If something bad has happened and we can stop it, then it's for the benefit of the villagers."
"The only problem is, what exactly happened," Rachel points out. "I'm all for helping but unless we know what's going on, then we won't get anywhere."
They made valid points. Despite this being a place where the Church is worshiped, Naofumi saw just how tense and frightened the people were. None of the other heroes are near, probably off fucking around and messing up. And it's not like he'll get so much as a 'thanks' for helping them. He may be in disguise now but he'll have to use his shield at some point, revealing himself.
He wasn't a vigilante. Far from being someone like any of his anime heroes or even freaking Batman himself.
Still, if there is a problem they can fix, what's the harm in doing so?
"Naofumi!"
He practically jumped out of his skin at the shout.
That voice…
"Over here!"
Through the stalls, he sees a hand waving at them. The person was jumping up and down and he sees a familiar hair in a deep blue shade.
"Coco?"
The merchant waves them over.
"Hey," she greets as they got closer. "Fancy seeing you four here."
"Tell me about it," Naofumi says. "I thought you were still at Castle Town?"
"A merchant is always on the move. Where ever there's money, I'm on the chase."
"That makes you sound like a dog."
"A dog with a good sense of smell for money!"
Naofumi chuckles. She's a strange one.
"Hey," Rachel says. "Do you have any idea what's going on here? This place is practically a ghost town."
Coco's usual smile falters, turning into a frown. "You guys just got here, right?"
"Yeah," Rowan nods.
"Then you haven't heard about it."
"Heard what?" Naofumi asks.
Coco does a quick once over of the village square, then leans in. "The Black Foxes are here."
"The Black Foxes?" Mina almost shouts the words.
"Yeah. I only came here last night and set up my shop in the morning. Nive has lots of rich folks looking for fancy stuff. I figured I'd have some luck getting coins and talents." She sighs. "When no one showed up, I had to ask someone what was going on. He told me that servants from that manor," she points to the manor on the hill, "escaped from there, saying the Black Foxes took the Count and his wife hostage."
"Really?" It all sounds so unreal to Naofumi.
"Yep. As soon as people heard they were here, they all stayed in their homes. The Black Foxes MO is to hunt and kill any noble acting out of line. And Nive is full of them. I can't blame them for hiding, even commoners are scared of them."
"Then that's why people are acting strange," Naofumi says.
"Tell me about it," Coco huffs. "I came here to make money and roll in fat stacks of coins and talents. Apparently, the Count invited a lot of other nobles for a party and I figured this would be a golden opportunity for me. I only had two customers as of right now. The first one didn't buy anything and the other one is still back there." She points over her shoulder to the back of the shop where a wall of silks hung from a tall rack. "Today has been a total bust for me. I was thinking about closing up when I saw you guys."
"Have you heard any updates from the villagers?" Rowan asks.
"Not that I know. The Black Foxes haven't left the manor nor have I seen them around the village. My guess is that things will calm down once they leave. And they know how to leave an impression once they're gone."
Naofumi took in the words. Hearing about the crimes committed by the Black Foxes is one thing. Having the group this close made them all the more intimidating. They snuck into the village without anyone noticing and took over the manor. Judging by how scared the people were and Coco having to whisper means that there could be agents all around, hiding somewhere or even in plain sight.
Suddenly, the sense of fear he felt earlier grew. He pulls his hood down more.
"Shit," Rachel mutters. "If that's the case, then we don't much for them."
Mina hums in agreement.
Something about her response seemed off, Naofumi notices. When Coco mentioned the Black Foxes, Mina had this look in her eyes. He remembers how Rowan looks at people's eyes to know their true feelings. He takes a look and her brown eyes were hardened with… with…
Contempt?
"I thought I heard a familiar voice."
The sudden voice came from the back of the shop behind the fabrics. A man stepped out wearing plain clothes but that long brown hair was familiar to Naofumi. It was that dancer who practically wore nothing! And his name, Mina had mentioned it briefly. It was-
"Alistair!" Mina cries out with glee as she goes around the counter and hugs her friend.
"Long time no see, Mina." Alistair returns the hug. They continue embracing each other until they pull apart. Alistair does a once-over of her. "Still putting in the training, I see."
"Can't let someone like you steal the spotlight from me." She playfully jabs at his side.
"No one can hold a candle to you, of course… except for me." Alistair laughs and Mina joins.
"You two know each other?" Coco asks.
"Yes," Mina replies. She looks to her friends. "I should properly introduce him. This is Alistair, he's a dancer at Lula's."
"I think you mean, Lula's most prized dancer?" Alistair smirks playfully.
Mina laughs. "What are you doing here? Did Luca or Lana sent you out to get supplies?"
"They do that?" Naofumi asks.
"Yes. Usually, dancers under Lula's are on a strict schedule. Certain dancers are to perform at villages or cities while the others practice or run errands. I take it you're doing the latter?" Mina raises a questioning brow to Alistair.
"That I am. Lana asked me a while ago to buy some silk fabric for a dance recital she's got planned. I lost count of how many villages I went to look for the damned fabric. Luckily, Coco has what I need. Though something tells me it'll be difficult to leave Nive, given the circumstances."
"The Black Foxes, you mean," Naofumi says.
Alistair nods. "Not that they won't have an issue with me leaving. I'm just a commoner to them, but I wouldn't put it past them to stop anyone from leaving Nive. Especially if it hinders their plan or whatever it is they're doing to that poor bastard."
The more he hears about them, the more Naofumi begins to understand just how much of a threat this group is. They're far from any ragtag group of bandits.
Now that he knows the problem plaguing the village, could he stop them? Rachel seems to believe that. There's still so much more he needs to know. He can't leave his questions unanswered.
"Listen," he starts, getting the group's attention. "I'm still new to this world and only heard bits and pieces of the Black Foxes. I need to know more about them. Just in case we ever do have to fight them." He wishes he wouldn't but fate seems to have a funny way of putting him in tricky situations whether he likes it or not.
And besides, it's about damn time he starts learning how this world works and not leave it up to his friends to tell him everything.
'I'm a hero, damnit,' he thinks harshly. 'I need to do this. Screw the Church, the King, and that Bitch. They can't stop me.'
"If that's the case, then let's do it somewhere more private." Coco nods. "Just let me close up shop then we can go to the inn I'm staying at."
"I'll join too," Alistair says.
"Really?" Mina asks concerningly. "But Alistair, you should go back to Lula's. You know how dangerous the Black Foxes can be."
"And I know that you and your cute friend here might try and stop them." He gestures to Naofumi. "Like hell am I going to let you go by yourself. After all, what's the point of being in the spotlight if your friend isn't there with you?"
Mina rolls her eyes but smiles. "OK."
"Just give me five minutes and then we can go." Coco gets to work quickly while they watched. She moves with great speed putting things in boxes, bags, and crates. She secures the bags into boxes then into the crate which she locks. "All done! Let's get going."
She leads them to a relatively big inn. An expensive-looking one at that. If they did have to spend the night here, Naofumi had to spend major coin just for one night.
Inside the inn, the innkeeper pays them no mind as they head to the dining hall. No one was there except for a group sitting at a table in the corner.
Naofumi thinks nothing of them when one of them catches his attention. A tall muscular man with tan skin who looks like he belongs in a gym. Next to him was a woman dressed as a mage. He'd seen them before.
Yeah, at the palace when they reported back shortly after Mina joined.
"Look," he points. "That's Itsuki's party."
"Who?" Rowan asks. That's right, he hasn't met them yet.
"They're with Itsuki. I saw them join him at the beginning. What are they doing here?"
"And where's Itsuki?" Rachel points at an empty seat.
"Good question."
He didn't know the kid all that much. He and Ren may have defended him when the King refused to give Naofumi the money for helping out in the wave and when Malty tried to act innocent in not interfering with his and Motoyasu's fight, but he wasn't exactly friendly to the kid. He hardly ever sees him, let alone hear anything about him.
What are the odds of them being Nive?
The big guy notices them and quickly stands.
"Hey!" His boisterous voice was loud enough to be heard across the room. "That girl with the ax!"
Rachel, stunned by the sudden attention, points to herself. "Me?"
"Yeah! You're with the Shield Hero."
No point in disguising himself anymore. Naofumi shrugs off his hood.
"Shield Hero!" The big guy comes over. "Listen, we're glad to see you here."
Naofumi had to lean to the side because he couldn't see past the man's shoulder. At the table were the mage woman, a guy dressed like a priest, and… a random girl.
Guess he and Itsuki had one thing in common: A group of misfits.
The group was staring back at them, waiting to see what happens.
"Are you?" Naofumi crosses his arm. They didn't look happy to see him, but they didn't have that look of hostility some people have when they see him.
"Yeah, I am! Please, it's important."
"Can this wait?" Coco steps in. "We're here to discuss something important. And privately too."
"Let me guess, it's about the Black Foxes?"
Naofumi's eyes widened.
The big guy notices. "I'm right, aren't I? Look, I know you and Itsuki aren't friendly, but we really need help. And it does involve the Black Foxes."
Naofumi kept his arms crossed. "How so?"
"We think Itsuki may have been taken hostage too."
"What?" The group exclaims.
"Just, just come." He turns and doesn't wait for them.
Naofumi shrugs and follows.
When they reached the table, an awkward feeling hung in the air. The mage woman looked disinterested in what was going on, the man dressed as a priest looked more inviting, and the random girl looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown. Sweat dotted her forehead and her mouth opened and close as if she was trying to say something but couldn't find the words.
"I'm Dodge," the man said. "This is Mara, Clancy, and Rishia." He points to each person respectively.
Mara hums in response, Clancy nods, and Rishia still looks like a nervous mess.
Not wanting to waste time on formalities, Naofumi takes the lead. "You said you needed help with Itsuki."
"Yes," Clancy says. "We believe he may be taken hostage by the Black Foxes."
"And what gives you that idea?"
"Because he wasn't here when we woke up. Nor has he returned to the inn. Hence why we believe he's at the manor."
That didn't make sense at all. It's one thing if the Black Foxes kidnapped him. It doesn't seem that way.
"And why aren't you guys with him?"
"He snuck out," Mara says blandly. "That's the only other possibility." She shakes her head.
"Mara!" The girl, Rishia, finally speaks. "Please be more worried about Itsuki!"
"I am worried." She doesn't sound worried at all.
They sound like a handful. Naofumi wonders if Itsuki just ditched them.
"Listen," he starts. "The only reason I'm here is to know more about the Black Foxes. Whatever's going with Itsuki, if the Black Foxes are behind it, then we'll think of something. For now, I just want information."
"Then let's get the show over with." Coco grabs some chairs and Itsuki's group starts making space.
Once everyone took their seats, Naofumi cleared his throat.
"First, tell me about the Black Foxes. Who are they? What are their goals?"
"Well," Coco begins. "The Black Foxes are a group of people who have it in for corrupt nobles. If they so much as see a noble doing something horrible to people or exploiting them, they'll kill them in the most gruesome ways."
"Not only that," Alistair adds, "but they're known for being elusive. The Queen and her knights haven't been able to capture them. The ones they do, however, refuse to say anything. Where their headquarters are, how many of them are there, not even who their leader is."
"So there's a leader," Naofumi says.
"There is but it's complicated," Rachel says. "From what I heard; the members that are captured by the knights do not say anything about their leader. Who they are; if they're a human, Demi-Human, or a Beastman. Not even their gender is known."
Naofumi adds this to his mental list.
"And they're violent, right?"
"Yes." Rowan nods. "Gareth and I have been lucky with never encountering them. Usually, they mask their presence and then reveal themselves in the bloodiest of ways. They're not known for their mercy. They don't just kill, they slaughter. I've heard stories about what they do. It's… I think horrible is putting it mildly." He shudders.
"What else?"
The group is silent.
"That's it? That's all there is to them?"
"Unfortunately," Mina says. "You can search far and wide, track down every member, you'll never get an answer for them. They're shadows hiding in plain sight. And true to their name, they're like foxes, tricking you until they go in for the kill. What they do is…" She grips the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white.
Naofumi notices this. He wishes he could find the words to calm her down. But Mina is good at handling her emotions more than any of them. She didn't get angry or frustrated with Malty. In battle, she is always poised and elegant. This side of her, it was startling to see.
"Anyway," he speaks, hoping it will distract Mina. Her grip on the table loosens and Naofumi feels more at ease. He focuses on Itsuki's group. "Where does Itsuki fit in all of this?"
"Well," Mara begins, "We arrived last night and the people at the inn were on edge. He asked what was going on and that's how we found out the Black Foxes were here."
"We believe that he may have gone to the manor to do recon," Clancy says. "He must've snuck out while we were sleeping. Normally he's not so calloused as to do something that reckless, but it would seem so."
The way they talk about him makes it like he does this often. Doing things on his own.
"Didn't you guys tell him about the Black Foxes?" Naofumi asks.
Mara hums in response. "We did."
"I told him most of what I know," Dodge adds when Mara didn't say more. "Little man knows just how deadly they can be. I didn't hold back on telling him what they do."
The warning signs of the Black Foxes were there for anyone to see. Then why did he go?
"Is he an idiot or something to go after them?" Naofumi doesn't hide his annoyance at the kid.
"No, he's not!" The random girl, Rishia, cried. "He's more than that. He's-"
"Rishia," Mara interrupts. "You have got to stop treating him like he's some kind of savor."
"How can you say that, Mara! He helped me when I didn't have anywhere else to go! He is a hero!"
"Heroes normally don't do things for self-gratification nor for the sense of entitlement."
"But-"
"You know I'm right." Mara sighs. "Honestly, you not looking at the bigger picture."
Naofumi could only watch as they argued. He didn't think much of them based on a first impression. Compared to Itsuki's and Motoyasu's team (he can barely remember Ren's team), Itsuki's looked more grounded than Motoyasu's harem. Well, save for Rishia who is one second away from a panic attack.
"What are you guys talking about?" Rachel asks.
"What they mean is," Clancy says, "Itsuki has this idea that he is a hero of justice for those who cannot protect themselves. He was very much set on righting the wrongs of people for others. But, we've noticed he does this only when it benefits him."
Oh?
"What makes you say that?" Naofumi asks.
"I mean," Dodge scratches the back of his head. "I don't think the kid is bad. It's just that when we're on a mission, he has this sort of I'll-look-like-a-hero kind of attitude. Once, we were asked by a village lord to take care of some riff-raffs who stole some of their food. We did capture them and when we went to collect our reward, the villagers were praising him. And he didn't so much as try to be humble, he ate up their words."
"He's been like that since the beginning," Mara says. "We know he's a Cardinal Hero and the like. That isn't the issue. The problem is how he does his heroics. It's all for him, not anyone else."
"B-but." Rishia stutters. "He did help them. Doesn't that matter in the end?"
"Not if it gets him or us in danger. Case in point, he's captured by the Black Foxes."
Something clicks in Naofumi's head.
"If he's there, then why aren't you guys trying to break him out."
They each look away from his scrutinizing gaze.
"It's the Black Foxes, man," Dodge sighs. "We do want to help him. But it's four of us against Gods' knows how many of them in that fancy place. If we go in without a plan, we'll be killed. We can't so much as rescue him if we're killed the second we step in that manor."
"There's also the issue of how we save him," Clancy says. "They've no doubt made preparations for an ambush if we try to rescue Itsuki. Essentially, we don't have much of a plan."
"Which is where you guys come in!" Dodge exclaims. "Seriously, we need your help. If we all go, then we can rescue Itsuki and maybe the Count and his wife. And maybe capture some Black Foxes. Please, we need the help."
Rachel, Mina, and Rowan turned to Naofumi for confirmation.
This wasn't something he could think lightly of. He misjudged Legrand's strength as a night and they were ambushed by wolves. That trickster Ryder used his illusion magic to get the better of him. This time, it wasn't individuals but an entire group of killers. Killers who would no doubt relish in their deaths.
That meant putting his friends at risk. Any of them could die.
Could he live with that? If he lived but one of them dies, could he continue? Rachel with her goal of stopping those people who are essentially performing biological warfare on unsuspecting people. Mina with her goal of finding her parents. And Rowan's goal of finding Gareth.
If they die, then so do their goals.
On the other hand, he can't just let Itsuki be tortured. Or even killed. He can't imagine what the kid is going through. He's probably scared shitless of the whole ordeal. Begging someone to help.
And here he was, a person who can help.
If he didn't help, then he's no better than the Black Foxes. Letting someone die when he knows he could do something.
His mind was made up.
"OK."
Hope ignites with Itsuki's team. "Really?" Rishia asks.
"Yes. We'll help."
As soon as Mina leaves the dining hall and goes to the lobby, she takes a deep breath.
It was difficult to sit still and not act according to her true emotions. Earlier, when Coco said who was behind Nive's panic, she nearly grabbed one of her daggers
The plan had been made. They would wait until it was dark outside to sneak in. For now, they would rest until night befell on Nive.
They were here. The Black Foxes were here. So close, so close that she could practically envision them at the manor.
Having to listen to the group talk about them almost made her want to leave. She didn't need a recap of just how cruel and dangerous they were. She surprised herself when she spoke of them. She was even more surprised at her sudden need to talk about them.
It was one thing to hear their name. It was another to speak of them. She didn't want to. What reason was there for them to occupy a single space in her mind. None.
For years, she wanted answers about her parent's whereabouts. She prays to the Gods that they're alive somewhere. Somewhere safe and sound where they don't have to look over their shoulders with every step.
That was the problem with somewhere, it could be anywhere, really.
She knew from the moment of learning why her parents left her at the orphanage that she would find them. They managed to escape from them once, they can do it again.
She tells herself this whenever doubt crosses her mind.
The doubt that they aren't alive.
That the Black Foxes may have killed them.
She takes in another deep breath.
'Calm down, Mina. You can't go through this with anger. I have to be careful about this. I have to-'
"Mina."
She didn't hear him enter the lobby. His footsteps have always been light but his overall presence makes him all the more noticeable. That's just how he is.
She turns and there's Alistair, looking at her with concern.
"Hey, Alistair." She musters up her best smile. "What are you doing here?"
"Just wanted to check up on you." He nods to the innkeeper who was busy writing something down. "You already checked in?"
When their plan had been made, Naofumi informed them that they would be staying. Mina volunteered to be the one to check them in. It wasn't a lie, as she did have that task in mind. She just wanted out of that room for a moment of silence.
"Not yet," she answers.
"Hmm." Alistair continues to look at her.
"Is something wrong?"
"There is." Alistair ushers her to a corner of the room so the innkeeper wouldn't hear. "It's about you."
Mina doesn't say anything. She knows he knew something was wrong.
"Back at the square, you sounded like you heard bad news. And just now, you had this hard look in your eyes. We've been friends for years. I know when you're mad or stressed about something even when you don't show it. What's going on? Is this about the Black Foxes?"
Mina chides herself for being so open like that. Even Naofumi noticed.
"It's… complicated," she says.
"Complicated how so?" Alistair asks.
No one at Lula's knows about her past. Some of the dancers are orphans who were destined to be on the stage like her. Hiding the truth about her past was easy. No one would suspect an orphan girl had so much baggage with her. Baggage that weighed heavily on her for years.
When she left Lula's, she had to tell Luca and Lana the truth. Not that she needed to as the dancers were free to leave whenever they pleased. She had every intention of returning. Once she uncovered the truth of her parent's whereabouts, if they are alive or… dead ('they're not dead, they're alive), she'll come back. Which is why she told her instructors the truth.
As for the other dancers, she kept the secret to herself. She didn't want to worry them.
But it seems her efforts to keep that secret was now fraying at the edges.
Alistair wouldn't let this go. Not out of stubbornness, but of concern.
"OK," she sighs. "I'll tell you."
She tells him everything. Who her parents are, why she left Lula's, and why she reacted so strongly to the Black Foxes.
Once she was done, Alistair let out an exhausted breath. "Wow. That was…"
"Complicated?" Mina fills in.
"More than that. It makes sense now that I know." He rocks back and forth on his heels. "So, you're still going with this plan? Rescue the Bow Hero?"
"I have to. Not only for him but for myself." She wanted to see them. She couldn't describe it, but she needed to see the people who were responsible for separating her and her parents.
"All the more reason for me to help you."
"Are you sure about this, Alistair?" She doesn't want him to get hurt. Or worse.
"Why wouldn't I? This is important to you. I can think back on all the times you've helped me practice or psyched me up for a performance. We're friends. And friends help each other out. Besides, those Black Foxes will be too dazzled by my dance moves to know when I'll strike." He does a graceful spin, standing on his toes and bowing.
Mina chuckles at how dramatic he is. "Then I'd best not let you outshine me in this performance." She does a mock bow as well.
"Then we're in agreement. "I'm gonna go back to my room and start doing some stretches and maybe practice some dance fighting routines. That way I can be ready for tonight. See ya soon." He dashes up the stairs two at a time.
'That Alistair,' Mina can't help but smile at how eccentric her friend is. She'll owe him a lot for this.
She makes her way to the innkeeper and reserves their room. As the innkeeper is writing down their information, she hears footsteps coming down. Lots of them.
It was still early in the afternoon. Perhaps the guests want lunch?
When the innkeeper hands her the key, Mina turns and smacks into someone. Her bag fell, as did the bag of the other person.
"Sorry!" Mina crouched and picked up her bag as well as the other bag. "I wasn't looking where I was going." It was careless of her to be careful.
"Don't be," the person, a woman, says.
Mina straightens herself and pauses when she gets a good view of the woman.
She is dressed in a beautiful dark fuchsia kimono with white birds traveling up from the bottom to the top of her left shoulder. Her black hair hung loose up to her back. She has a soft-looking face with wrinkles at the corners of her mouth. She must be around Lana's age, Mina guessed. In her early forties.
How she was dressed piqued Mina's interest. The only people who wear kimonos are either from Q'ten Lo or Masaki, one of the providences from Innis. Mina guesses the latter as the people of Q'ten Lo are isolationists.
Behind the woman, a man came down the steps also dressed in a kimono with a haori, nagagi, and hakama. Mina knew little of Q'ten Lo's and Masaki's fashion, but this man looked very much like a noble. He even looked a few years older than the woman.
"Is everything alright, Sayuri?" The man asks.
The woman, Sayuri, bows. "Yes, master. I just accidentally bumped into someone."
The man nods and continues down to the dining hall.
"You're not hurt, are you?" Sayuri asks.
"No, I'm fine," Mina musters a smile. "Really, it was my fault for not paying attention."
"I can say the same thing. Still, I apologize. Normally I'm not like this but…" Sayuri shifts nervously.
That was when Mina realized what she called the man. Master. And she recalled what Coco said earlier about the Count inviting other nobles for a party.
"I take it you're here because of the Count?" She threw the question out.
Sayuri nods. "Yes. I suppose you have heard about what transpired." She shakes her head. "It worries me that the Black Foxes may target my master. He's such a great, caring man. Not unlike nobles who are selfish. Still, I hope nothing happens to him. The burden falls on me to protect him at all cost."
More footsteps come down and lots of people dressed in fancy clothes with servants following went to the dining room. Mina had never seen so many nobles in one place.
They must've checked in here and never got the chance to step in the Count's manor.
"I should get back to my master. I dare not leave him alone for more than a second." Sayuri bows. "Again, my apologies for bumping into you."
Mina watches as the woman leaves.
From the way she sounded, she really cares for her master. As far as first impressions go, they seem to be good nobles. But Mina knew the Black Foxes didn't care if they were good or not.
After all, it was the same for her parents.
'Save your anger for the mission.'
She'll need it when she confronts them.
Hey all. It's been a while.
Normally it doesn't take me this long for a chapter but when writing this one, I got stuck so many times to the point where I had to rewrite this chapter at least 4 times. Hence the delay. But rest assured, this story is not on any hiatus unless I say so. I do want to introduce you all to more plot points and new characters.
Hope you enjoy this one!