Neclaytia played with the scarlet hems of her black shirt as she sat in her chair before the marble dining table. She was running over the assignment she had been given by Altis, noting that she would be partnered up with Monaco. Nier would be going with Rena on multiple rounds surrounding the village, Lema, in Lemprasa Pond while Allegretto and Altis would be getting to the heart of the problem—the increasing growth of the monsters; however, Allegretto wasn't here, so Altis took it upon himself. Monaco and Neclaytia were tasked with hunting down the Woodspirit. It was one of the major threats to Lema and possibly the dangerous entity present in the area. From what Altis was telling his comrades, the Woodspirit has always been called the Guardian of the Pond, which makes him stand as the protector of the land. Although, it was never an aggressive force, more so a peace-maker between monsters and humans. It became a force of wisdom and never struck monsters or humans, always breaking them apart from each other to lessen the conflict. Rena was perplexed by the behavior of the Woodspirit, wondering its true motive and why the sudden change of heart. Nier simply said, "There may be a third-party involved. This is just speculation."

"It isn't a bad speculation either," Altis knotted his hands on the table, sitting up straight in his chair. "If there was a third-party that just so happen to control the Woodspirit, I wouldn't be so surprised. In the past, there has been occurrences where those involved with dark magic and the like would terrorize villages and rob them, for they had an entourage of monsters. Still, they were lesser monsters that could be dispatched in a matter of minutes. For the Guardian of the Pond to be under the control of man would hint at a vague premonition."

"What if someone took something from the Woodspirit?" Rena hesitated to speak further because of their attentive gazes. "M-Maybe?"

"I guess the main concern right now is knowin' what's up with that BOSS," Monaco pressed his fist into his cheek and planted his elbow on the table. "We will be gettin' better answers in the field."

Neclaytia didn't want to agree since it was Monaco, but she settled with his words, feeling as if they were right for the situation. She pulled up her black leggings and curled her toes in her dark combat boots, feeling an odd warmth underneath her feet that soothed them. She gave the table her undivided attention, dispelling their assumptions, "We will take things into our hands since our leader isn't here. I'll take command. If anyone rejects, stand…if not, hold your peace."

No one sought to counter her rule. She crossed her arms over her scarlet sleeveless blazer with a turn-down collar that had gold along the hems and her arms grazed over the lined, gold diamond shaped buttons leading up to her ample bosom, "It'll take us two hours to reach Lema. Let's sort out our stuff for the travel, who knows how long we will be gone. I'll leave a note for papa."

Monaco scoffed at the order, but didn't speak on it. Nier noticed his attitude and glowered mercilessly, stabbing her gaze into his own. He reflected the same gaze, but Neclaytia clapped her hands together to break the tension, "Now, now, no fighting~. Everyone, let's do our best today."

Neclaytia fixed the collar of black-button down shirt and loosened the short, Victorian laced black jabot just underneath her chin, messing with the gold buttoned crimson bow attached to it. Nier noticed her movements, asking her, "How do you feel about the new clothes? Your father took plenty of consideration in what you should wear."

"It's very different from what I'm used to," she admitted, sighing. "Still, it's cute at least."

Rena appeared in their gaze, "You look very pretty, Tia~."

"I agree, master," Nier responded plainly.

Neclaytia blushed lightly, waving her hands evasively in her defense, "N-No~. It isn't very combat suited. I'd rather wear what Rena has on."

Rena laughed hesitantly, but abruptly slammed her dark, fingerless battle glove hand into her copper chainmail vest that was mixed with leather armor, "I'm usually on the front lines, so I'll need this type of protection often!"

"I'm on the front lines too," Neclaytia added more to her words by revealing her katana's black sheath that was wrapped next to her side. "I guess papa just wanted me to look appealing. He's always doing very strange deeds."

"Yeah~. Allegretto is an odd-ball~," Rena agreed, giving a playful smirk. "I wonder where he ran off to this time. He didn't leave a note or anything."

"Yeah," Neclaytia stared up at the morning sky. "He does that a lot. Have you ever noticed the change in his attitude lately? It seems like he is hiding something."

Nier didn't speak nothing on it, but Rena added to her analysis, "He spends time alone now; however, in our company, he's always smiling and being the same ol' Allegretto. Something may indeed be wrong with him."

Altis and Monaco caught up with the girls and Monaco took it upon himself to stand for Allegretto, "That's his business. Leave it alone."

Neclaytia beamed her eyes at him, "I'm his daughter. Is it wrong to worry?"

"It's wrong to pry into your father's business," Monaco retorted, passing them with an annoyed face. "If I were you, I'd worry about myself."

Neclaytia stared at his back for a while, "Surely you are curious or even worried about my father's well-being?"

"That's none of my concern," Monaco said. "I'm only here because the pay is good and that you all are some amusing people. Everything outside of that is nothin' I should be messin' with."

"Then you have no sentiment of care for your comrades."

He turned around to stare at Neclaytia, "I didn't join Noblesse two months ago to become a part of the family or show kindness to complete strangers. I know nothing about any of you and I don't want to know. I'm only here to make a livin'. Is that so wrong?"

Altis said, "I'm here for work as well, but I have other reasons too. Everyone has their own motive I'm sure, but let's not forget we fight under the same name. While you are in Noblesse, you are brothers and sisters in arms. You hold your morals and ideals high, for you fight for a purpose no matter what past you came from. That's what it means to be noble and it's the path Allegretto wants Noblesse to go down."

Monaco shrugged his shoulder and continued down the road, dismissing himself before he was hated or alienated anymore for his outbursts and touchy attitude. Rena placed her finger on her chin, "He has points, but I see you all as people I care about and cherish. I met you three about nine months ago and I'm already hooked."

"It's different for everyone," Altis added. "We all have different motives and ways we go about our job. It's only natural that there would be someone who doesn't see us as so. However, I been with Nier, Neclaytia and Allegretto near the beginning of Noblesse, which was a year and a month ago."

"Much has changed since then," Neclaytia said. "Sorry guys. I shouldn't have countered Monaco that way. It's true that I don't know his past and the same goes for you and Rena. We were total strangers before."

Altis scratched his chin and for once, his features relaxed from the stern nature, almost smiling from the grace of the sun, "I cannot call those among me strangers. I cherish each and every one of you. Please, remember that."

With those words, he trotted off as his usual austere face came into view again. Neclaytia was shocked by his change in behavior, "T-Thank you, Altis!"

Rena smiled faintly, walking forward as her red cape that was tattered at the hems fluttered from the accompanying wind, "In times of darkness, good people are always revealed."

Neclaytia took heed to the words, asking her, "What are those words from?"

Rena looked back at her and Neclaytia realized the emptiness in her eyes that had been tainted by strife and unwanted pleasure, "The man who ruined me."

She carried on after Monaco and Altis, leaving Neclaytia and Nier to ponder on her words. Nier looked at her partner, "We should get going."

"Yes," Neclaytia nodded. "To Lema."

"We're here."

The group of mercenaries stood still at the village's entrance, examining the ancient sign above them that read: Lema, and noticing some bodies walking around inside the village. Neclaytia took lead of the group and encountered the citizens within, taking note of their defeated faces that carried horror and mental anguish. A few were seated against some of the buildings in the circular village, staring downcast as if the world was ending, or better yet, their lives were in a catastrophe.

The group wasn't acknowledged in the slightest, for everyone in the village attended to themselves or spoke with their own about the crops they were losing due to the monsters. The atmosphere was dry and slightly hot, burning with an uncanny light of despair and swarmed by the remnants of the lesser monsters. Nier sniffed the air, feeling her body reject the foul atmosphere that was polluted by destruction, and her eyes glanced over the scars dealt to the village, mesmerized by the claws ripping through the side of a house, the destroyed home near the entrance and the statue of Žemyna was decimated and only presented as a mere pile of stone. Neclaytia furrowed her thin brows, "This is horrible."

All of a sudden, a villager bumped into Monaco and he snapped instinctively at the tall boy, "Watch where you're goin'!"

The boy hurriedly bowed after he gathered himself, "S-Sorry, sir!"

Monaco glared at him, but Altis stepped in front of Monaco and calmed the boy, "It's alright. Are you in a hurry?"

"Yes. I'm supposed to be at the gate to meet with Noblesse," the boy pulled at his unruly dark hair, feeling the pressure of being late weigh down his heart. "They are well-respected mercenaries and we need their help to protect our little village. I-I'm sure they aren't pleased to come down to an unknown village like ours anyway. We should treat them well since we aren't paying much either."

"How much are you paying us?" Monaco stood beside Altis and narrowed his gaze at him. "Hopefully it's suitable for bringing all of us out here."

"U-Us?" the boy darted at them, bewildered and frightened. "U-Um…"

Neclaytia approached the boy who was a little taller than her, "Don't mind him, sir. Are you the one who hired us?"

"N-No," he quickly said, pushing his thin round glasses close to his eyes. "I'm the village chief's son, Farris. My father, Ivan, is the one who hired y'all."

"Where can we find Ivan?" Neclaytia replied politely.

He relaxed as his almond skinned face blushed lightly, "I can bring you to him. If you'll let me…"

"Certainly," she nodded. "Show us the way, please."

Farris' brown eyes smiled at Neclaytia and soon he turned from the group, sweeping his hand like a beckoning gesture, "Come."

They all followed Farris and they were led past Žemyna's statue, getting a closer look at the defeated goddess of land. Altis strode beside Farris and fixed his wooly black scarf around his neck, letting it drop over his white button-down shirt and stop near his waist on both sides, "So, what happened here?"

"This happened recently…about some hours ago," Farris said. "The Woodspirit wasn't with them. Instead, we were bombarded by the entourage of the Woodspirit and a different BOSS."

"A different BOSS?" Neclaytia was internally shocked. "So, the Woodspirit isn't the only problem here."

"Yes, that's the case now," Farris explained, feeling slightly embarrassed about earlier. "S-Sorry about earlier. I should have known. Also, about the money…"

Monaco was beginning to say something until Neclaytia hurriedly spoke before him, "Don't worry about it. We're here to help."

Her response made Monaco bitter, making his heart grow even darker than before, "Hmph."

Rena took notice to the small remark Monaco did, but proceeded being quiet and observant, staring over his dark leather armor that looked similar to that of a wandering rogue. He snuggled his chin into his black scarf and kicked at a pebble near him without any motive. She pulled her eyebrows together, troubled by the way Monaco's mind works. He was very intelligent in fact and very cautious when it comes to a fight, but his attitude towards others made him seem like a cold, distant ally. Allies like him lead to death down the road, she thought.

Farris stopped in front of the biggest house in the village that was built with red bricks and varying wood. The tall boy placed his hand on the knob of the door, but stopped to look back at Neclaytia and her group, "By the way, my father has been in low spirits lately. Please, excuse his behavior if he comes off as rash."

They all stared in reply as he nervously turned the knob and in just a couple of seconds, all of them filed into a wide living room. They all were surprised to walk into a conversation between men who were seated across from each other. One of the men gave a roaring laugh and slapped his leg, laughing uncontrollably as he bellowed and rocked on the beige couch. The other man smiled to his response to what they were speaking about, but instantly snapped his eyes at the entering group. His smile transformed into an excited grin of burning white, "Neclaytia!"

She was jolted by the familiar pleasant voice of a man, "P-Papa?!"

He ran his fingers through his slick, unruly white hair that denied simply being pulled back, "I'm glad you all could make it. I was just heading back from Orsha when I came across Lema's catastrophe."

"Good to see you well, sir," Altis nodded curtly. "This is our leader, Farris. To sum up any confusion."

"O-Oh!" Farris said. "I thought you were the leader, sir."

"I'm glad we found you, Allegretto," Nier politely bowed.

Rena smiled, "Good morning~."

Monaco was silent, staring into Allegretto's artic irises. Their leader felt warm from their replies and attentive gazes, "Sorry that I left without leaving a note. I was in a hurry."

"A hurry, huh?" Neclaytia pouted.

He chuckled, "Seems like someone isn't very satisfied with that excuse."

The man across from their leader, Ivan, rubbed his large belly as his chubby face was stretched by his wide grin, "Have a seat everyone! No need to crowd the door!"

Farris was conflicted by his father's attitude, but realized that Allegretto may have brightened his spirits, promising him that he would settle the situation and bring justice to his people and the land. The chief's son submitted to the careless atmosphere of the wide living room and took note of the warmth coming from the fireplace, acknowledging the peace of mind his house has given despite the outside world.